IA: Radiant Lions

[Captain Forcystus]

Index Astartes: Radiant Lions

Origins

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Radiant Lions Marine

Created in the 26th Founding, the Lions are a relatively young chapter being created from the line of Roboute Guilliman, making them another one of the many Ultramarines successors.

Purpose of Founding:
The Segmentum Tempestus is a turbulent area known for having two things: lots of warp storms and lots of orks. In comparison to other areas the presence within the Segmentum Tempestus was rather light and thus it was decided that another chapter of Space Marines being stationed within the system would serve that purpose quite well. Specifically an area known as the Validus sector on the fringes of the Imperium with the hive world of Kalymnos being chosen to be home world the new chapter.

The Predecessors:
The as-yet unnamed Chapter trained under a cadre of veterans from the Howling Griffons, an accomplished Chapter with its own long and glorious history. As per their Chapter's tradition the dispatched cadre swore an oath to see to it that this fledging chapter was trained properly.The cadre was dispatched the the Hive World of Kalymnos where they would begin the ardous process of gathering potential recruits for the chapter in order to fulfill their task.Unsurprisingly, the traditionalistic views of the chapter and their practice of taking oaths had been passed on,though unlike them the Lions do view the Codex Astartes as a holy document.

Home World

Located deep within the Segmentum Tempestus the hive world of Kalymnos, like all others of it's kind, boasts an absolutely massive population, thus delivering mass amounts of potential recruits. The warp storms of the Segmentum Tempestus make traveling to and from Kalymnos, and the Validus sector rather difficult, but at the same time this is what has made it a good world for a chapter to base itself on as it is difficult for an enemy force to reach.Since the hive gangs were allowed to practically run wild for so long there were a great many potential recruits on the planet which the parent chapter were able to round up and submit to the harsh process of space marine creation. In time a sufficient number of these recruits were forged into marines.

Ever since the founding the members of the Chapter have had little interaction with the rest of the citizens of Kalymnos. Aside from their wide spread hunts for potential recruits ,which have become an honored tradition of the chapter, they remain within the heavily fortified walls of The Colossus, their fortress monastery. They are viewed by the Kalymnans as aloof pseudo-mythical beings which give their world some significance.

Chapter Master Forcystus addressing aspirants.

"Today you stand before me as young men, you are frail humans, humans that have displayed potential, but humans nonetheless. Today is the day that you are offered the chance to be something greater than man. Should you be proven worthy to accept the essence of our chapter, you will be molded and forged in the image of our holy progenitors. Many will not succeed, many will not survive, but those few that succeed will be honored battle brothers of the chapter."

Scout Segeant Jonah addressing scouts

"You select few have proven yourselves to be a cut above your fellow recruits. Your bodies were strong enough to accept the gene-seed of Guilliman and your training has brought you far. Now you face the final phase of your training. You will fight alongside the battle brothers of the chapter. should you succeed in this trial by fire you shall be blessed with the black carapace and be given the hallowed power armor. "

As Kalymnos is a hive world it produces numerous possible recruits over time, and while most prove to be unsuitable there are always at least a few that can make it to the Scout Stage. They normally leave the Kalymnans to their own devices, causing more gangs to rise up and gain power before engaging a planet wide hunt for the absolute best of the hive scum. While they search through every level of the hive, they prefer the lower born as the rough life of the underhives where desperation and gang warfare instill those forced there with a superior survival instinct as well as killer instinct. Astartes are beings built for warfare and those already accustomed to a live of fighting can easily acclimate themselves to the life of a space marine, provided they can survive the enhancement surgeries.



To those in the Underhive the Chaplains of the Chapter and those they bring with them for their hunts are supernatural beings that descend from above to collect the strongest young men to bring to a warrior heaven of sorts. Those recruited from higher levels of the hive do not hold such a belief as they are more aware of the nature of the astartes unlike those in the Underhive which are are barely aware of the sun. More often than not, there is a lingering sense of animosity between recruits from different gangs which adds to the fatality rates of recruits. While some would view this as undesirable, the chapter sees it as an extra screening process. In the end those that make it lose that lingering animosity due to the indoctrination and ritualistic shedding of self.

History

Once the as yet unnamed chapter had become stable and strong enough to stand on it's own two feet the Griffons departed leaving them to their own devices. Left in charge was Brother Caulder Forsythe who was also left with the great responsibility of giving the chapter its identity. It took months of meditation and consulting the Emperor's tarot to guide him toward the proper answer. Finally it came to him, the boldly colored armor that would seize the attention of the enemy, the symbol of a roaring lion on the shoulder and finally the name which reflected it all. The Radiant Lions had truly come in to existence.

It wasnt long before they made contact, and subsequently clashed with the most numerous threat within the Segmentum Tempestus, the greenskinned savages known as the Orks. Even with the Ork's greater numbers the Lions continued to to hold back the green tide and snuffing out any orkoid infestations they come across within the Validus sector.

The Chapter reached a major turning point in what would later become known as The Battle of Serreta where Chapter Master Forsythe was slain in battle by the Ork Warboss Skulcruncha. This battle is what established the Chapter's vendetta against the Orks, specifically those of Skulcruncha's clan. Following this incident Brother Forsythe was honored one last time for his service as as a space marine by being placed within a Dreadnought. While he could not continue to lead his brothers as a chapter master, he could still continue fighting alongside them for as long as his new metal body would allow him to.

For a time the chapter was in disarray as Forsythe had no clear successor and there was no clear cut choice among the captains of the chapters companies. While they were each competent marines and good leaders in their own right none had quite proven themselves worthy of the office of chapter master. What was clear was the fact that a new leader would be needed soon. With experience of the the company captains being relatively even it came down to pure combat prowess to decide which would be the new chapter master. A series of duels were fought between them, which because of their enhanced physiology lasted for days on end. Finally one battle brother stood above the rest, Brother Valoric Forcystus who soon afterwards was elevated to the position of Capter Master. This ritualistic dueling became another of the Chapter's practices following this becoming the main method to which new company captains in the rare event that a captain should fall in battle.

Combat Doctrine:

Originally they took a balanced approach to battle, focusing on a little of everything to create a well rounded force like their predecessor chapter. As time went on and their encounters with the Orks would become more and more frequent they began focusing more on ranged combat, finding that the best way to deal with the greenskins was to gun them down before they could get too close. Some would view this as cowardice, thinking that they are afraid to face the Orks in close combat, but they view it as practicality in regards to the foe they commonly find themselves pitted against. Further reinforcing this is there larger Devastator squads which work in conjunction with Vindicator tanks, Annhilator pattern Predators, Whirlwinds and Thunderfire Cannons to blow away the green tide before it can even get close.

That said close combat is not totally ignored as evidenced by the fact that they still employ a number of assault squads and assault based vehicles. In addition, the ritual duels provide incentive to continue to practice close quarters combat should the opportunity to fight for a higher rank arise.

Among the most respected of the Chapter are it's Sternguard Veterans as they are masters of ranged combat. It is the aspiration of many Radiant Lions battle brothers to eventually be counted among them at some point during their lives of servitude to the Imperium.

Trials of the Chapter:

Upon reaching the rank of Scout an aspirant is only an organ implant away from being full battle brothers provided they can prove themselves in battle. The Radiant Lions also employ a series of trials which Scouts must pass in order to gain the right to become full Astartes.

Trial of Brotherhood:
The first trial takes place before the scouts are deployed into battle for the first time. It is used to instill a sense of cooperation through forcing the realization that even as powerful super soldiers they must work together to function effectively. This is done by marooning scouts with limited supplies on the nearby feral world of Felgaian, known for the especially deadly nature of it's native flora and fauna, under the guise of a mission in which they fool the scouts by convincing them that the chapter has lost contact with them. Those that try to operate on their own will meet their ends, those that band together into a united force will likely survive and pass the test. Aspirants are watched over by Scout Sergeants and Chaplains who observe the scouts' actions. Those that display a great deal of zeal are often singled out for training as Chaplains later on and those that take charge of the situations tend to be prepped for leadership roles further down the line. At the end of the trial the scout squad is "rescued" by the chapter, provided they have surived the trial by banding together.

Trial of Will:
Following the Brotherhood trial the scouts are taken to the volcanic world of Ferranum where the scouts must meditate for a set amount of time within close proximity to a volcano's intense heat. This is a test willpower as a scout that break's his meditation is shot on sight from a far away sniper. A Space Marine must not only have a body like steel but also a will of steel as well, unflinching in the face of the enemy and unphased by the enviroment around them. Once the appointed time has been reached the scouts are picked up by the chapter once more for the next trial. Following this trial the Scouts begin deploying in battle alongside their brothers. Unlike the first trial the Scouts have been made aware of this one and the following trial long beforehand and thus have time to prepare themselves for it.

Trial of Endurance:
Following several battles the Scouts are brought to the desert world of Fyrum where they are instructed to march until the order to stop is given. As the name implies it is a trial of endurance as the scouts marching across the blistering deserts of Fyrum under the watchful eyes of of battle brothers riding in Land Speeders. Should they stop they will be shot on sight, and should they manage to endure the trial they will pass. No one can ever say for sure how long a battle could last, a Marine's body must be able to continue fighting as stopping even for a moment could result in the loss of one's life.


Trial of Glory:
Many battles later one final trial remains. For this trial numerous scouts are deployed into battle without their full marine brothers. With only a Chaplain presiding watching the scouts must drive back the foes set before them with the lessons instilled in them by previous battles and trials. The only vehicles available to them will be the Land Speeder Storm and bikes, and the Chaplain is little more than an observer ready to call in full brothers should the scouts fail. Should the battle be won those scouts that have survived shall be granted the black carapace and upon it's maturation, their power armor. More often than not the Chaplain has little doubt that the Scouts shall succeed as they had proven themselves in past engagements up until this point.

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Radiant Lions Terminator

Chapter cult

Practices:
Shedding of Self:
After a recruit has passed the initial phases of induction into the chapter and has become a Scout he is stripped of his name and identity . To the Lions it is not enough to give up one's humanity, one must sever all ties to their old life in order to better dedicate themselves to Emperor.

Recreation of Self:
Following the shedding of self the newly inducted battle brother begins a ritual meditation and prayer similar to the one taken by Brother Forsythe when he named the chapter, albeit far shorter, to seek "divine" inspiration for their new identity. It is believed that through this method they are gifted with a name chosen by the Emperor itself which bestows a blessing of protection upon them.

Oaths:
Much like their parent Chapter, the Lions have adopted the practice of swearing sacred oaths which are viewed as sacred duties that must be fulfilled at any cost. Each oath that is completed is inscribed on the trim of their armor each one being a symbol of honor within the Chapter. The goals vary in nature and the only thing that would stop a brother from completing an oath is death. There is also a sense of competion within the chapter because of this with each brother striving for greatness through fulfilled oaths. One oath shared by all the brothers of the chapter is the elimination of every Ork they lay eyes on. Eventually a brother's armor is not only a powerful tool, but a record of a brother's service to the Emperor and the chapter. The inscriptions are placed on power armor only, with very few exceptions Terminator armor does not recieve the inscriptions.



Duels of Succession:
Should a captain fall in battle, leaving no clear succesor the members of the chapter's first company are given the opportunity to face one another in a series of duels to win the right to take that captain's place.

Rites of Armament:
Upon a Scout's promotion to a full fledged marine the power armor is assembled on him in a ritualistic fashion by the Techmarines and chapter serfs presided over by a Chaplain, speaking a different Litany for each component set of the armor.

With these pauldrons you shall bear the duty placed on your shoulders by the Emperor.

With this chestplate you shall steel yourself before your enemies.

With these boots you shall trample over all in your path.

With these legs you shall march onto the field of battle.

With these arms you shall carry the holy weapons granted to you.

With these guantlets you shall guide your weapons of war.

With this helmet you shall see all on the field of battle.

With this bolter you shall smite your foes.

Now my young brothers arise, stand with pride knowing that you have become a battle brother of the Radiant Lions.




Beliefs:

Toward the Emperor:
They see themselves not only as extensions of the Emperor's will, but as extensions of the Emperor himself acting as guardians within the Validus sector. They cite the fact that they are descended from the line of Guilliman who was created from the Emperor to reinforce this belief. The Inquistion's thoughts on this outlook are unknown, but wether they overlook it because of how remote they are or if they just arent worth the concern of the Inquisition's attention because of the youth of the chapter, they have been more or less left alone. As for their thoughts on the Emperor himself, they do not view him as a god or man, but rather something in between who safeguards the citizens of the imperium by acting through his Space Marine descendants.

Towards their duty:
As a planet based Chapter they percieve themselves as the guardians of the Validus sector, and thus rarely stray too far from their assigned post, though if needed and if available they will leave the Validus sector to provide whatever assistance they can. More than anything the Radiant Lions are protectors as opposed to crusaders. Their duty to the area placed under their protection is a sacred task and they do not stray from it unless the need is dire. From their recruitment to their being sworn in as full battle brothers the Radiant Lions are taught to take pride in the duty which has been given to them according to the Emperor's divine will. To not display such pride in their sacred mission is to disrespect their elder battle brothers, their mentor chapter, their primarch and the Emperor himself.


Towards their people:
As the people under their protection are lifeblood of the chapter they do all they can to ensure their survival in order to maintain a steady supply of recruits. The quality of life is not the concern of the Radiant Lions as long as they live on. Their interaction with the people of Kalymnos tends to be limited, often just seeing a chaplain and a small group of marines descending from the Colossus into the lower levels of the hive for their hive gang hunts.

Gilded Wargear:
Another noticable quality of the chapter is the fact that their wargear is covered a shining gold coat. To them it isnt enough to simply defeat an enemy, to to defeat them in the most glorious fashion possible, something reinforced by the fact that they employ many vehicles armed to the teeth with highly destructive weapons. As it does not change the overall functionality of the weapons the Adeptus Mechanicus are largely apathetic to this practice.

Attitude toward Techmarines:
It is no secret that many chapters hold a rather distrustful attitude toward their Techmarines due to their dual oaths to the chapter and the Adeptus Mechanicus. This distrust is not present among the Radiant Lions, viewing their Techmarines no differently than they would any other brother. After all Techmarines are an integral part of the chapter and are vital to the maintenance of their equipment and the metal bodies of the great old ones of a chapter. Because of this Techmarines within the chapter wear the mixture of their chapter colors and the Adeptus Mechnicus red. Further adding to their acceptance toward their Techmarine brothers is the fact that they operate the mighty Thunderfire Cannons on the battlefield, a weapon that is held in high regard by the chapter.

Attitude toward the AdMech:
With the Adeptus Mechanicus holding the monopoly on all technology within the Imperium the chapter is required to tolerate their strange and almost alien belief system in order to keep the chapter armed. They are viewed as a necessity and little more. The only reason the Techmarines are viewed differently is because they were brothers before their training on mars.

Toward their Librarians:
within the chapter Librarians are treated with great respect, though always watched over closely by their brothers. They see the great value into the powers that their Librarian brothers bring to the battlefield as well as the danger with the use of their warp born abilities. the Radiant Lions do not rigidly follow the practice of having their Librarians were blue armor instead favoring gold as the color for their Librarians with some parts painted in blue. Adding to the respect for Librarians is the fact that the chapter's Chief Librarian is also one of their greatest heroes.

Organization

It should come as no surprise that the Radiant Lions are a strictly codex adherent chapter considering the fact that they are sons of Guilliman whose mentor chapter was strictly codex adherent as well. It is through this that the chapter maintains great flexibility even with it's combat doctrine being weighted toward ranged warfare and can quickly adapt to any situation they may find themselves wether it be a small skirmish or a large scale campaign. Whatever horrors come their way, the Radiant Lions will be able to effectively fight them off. With no two battles being the same, with conditions that could change at any moment and with the largely unpredictable nature of every race in the galaxy,including their own, this adaptability has proven to be an invaluable asset which they see as proof of the Codex Astartes' infallibility.

Veterans and sergeants are identified are most easily identified by their silver helmets, some of which are from the older Mk.6 Corvus pattern armor. They also tend to wear shoulder armor also the old Mk.6 armor on one side but in gold rather than silver. As with other chapters the right to wear older pieces of armor is considered to be a great honor, especially considering their rarity. Assault sergeants and Vanguard veterans also bear silver markings on their jump packs.

Gene-seed

Chaplain Matthias addressing newly promoted battle brothers

Across the galaxy many of our brothers emulate our Primarch by following the holy Codex astartes, but they shall never be true sons of Guilliman. You posses the honor that they do not for you are true sons of Roboute Guilliman.

Like many of their far flung space marine brothers, their gene-seed is that of Roboute Guilliman. They take great pride in the fact that it remains completely pure, thus giving them a close connection to their Primarch, and through him the Emperor himself. This has given them a bit of an arrogant attitude, especially toward those descended from another Primarch but it it has given them a rather friendly disposition toward other marines that have descended from Guilliman.

Battlecry

Victory or death!

Chronicles Of the Chapter

It is a day that will forever be burned into the minds of our battle brothers. A day that would be more significant to the Chapter than any of us could have imagined when we were dispatched from the Colossus on our homeworld of Kalymnos. Our ever persistent enemy, the Orks had descended upon the neighboring world of Serreta. As a feral world it was inherently hostile to all forms of life, a fact that the ever battle starved Orks found quite appealing about it.It was the home of a colony that could someday supply aspirants to join the Chapter. They had managed to survive the enviroment, but they could not hope to stand against a vicious warband of vile greenskins. Scouts, assault marines, devastators, tactical marines, and myself a Librarian of the chapter, we all paled in comparison to the brother that we had the honor of being the in the presence of. The greatest of all of us, hand picked by our forefathers the Howling Griffons, our Chapter Master: Caulder Forsythe. The trim of his armor was filled with inscriptions of his fullfilled oaths, he wielded a mighty power sword and golden bolter which bore further inscriptions of his deeds. He is the one that gave the Chapter it's identity. He started the tradition of shedding one's former idenity and gaining a new one granted by the Emperor himself through meditation and his tarot. To be in his presence was a great honor among the chapter, and to be able to fight alongside him was one of the greatest honors a brother could be granted! His presence inspired the brothers as we neared the planet of Serreta aboard our battle barge Glory of Validus.

Even with our brother's proficiency in battle, descending in drop pods into the heart of their horde would be suicidal, even if were a death in battle there would be no glory in such a death. It would be a shame to the chapter, to the founding fathers, and to the primarch. Rather we choose to utilize a Thunderhawk to drop us down on to the planet, allowing us to properly punish the Orks with our holy bolters. The moment they saw the glint of our armor the Orks wasted no time in charging toward us. Our devastators rained explosive fury on them from a distance, or tactical marines fired their bolters into the charging horde, and our jump pack wearing brethren charged forward to counter the oncoming Orks and I did my part in the battle by supporting my brothers with my own powers. In the center of this all was Chapter Master Forsythe who fought valiantly with his bolter and power sword. Those around him found themselves filled with zeal, fighting back the Orks with matched vigor and ferocity. The planet itself fought, both for us and against us. Its treacherous terrain would claim the lives of both the Orks and my brothers as we met in combat, even Chapter Master Forsythe found himself afflicted by it. Even so he fought on, not succumbing to that which had spelled doom for his own brothers.

His strength attracted the Orks, always obessed with fighting a strong a opponent they charged at him one after another, and subsequently falling to his bolter and power sword. Even with a a crude Ork Choppa stuck within his side, he continued to march forward. Finally the largest of them all, the one they called Warboss Skulcruncha, came forward to face the human that had slain so many of his minions. The two traded blows one after another, each of them shrugging off each others blows. And then it happened, a cruel prank of fate, Skulcruncha's power klaw clamped onto his midsection, piercing his armor and the flesh within it. The blood spilled forth from the wounds as he fell over. It was a wound to grievous for any to recover from, our greatest hero had fallen.

Despair did not fall upon the brothers,no instead it instilled them with a righteous fury, a righteous fury which allowed them to to drive back the Ork invasion. The battle was a victory, but came at a terrible cost the greatest of our brotherhood had been slain. His body was taken from the battlefield, so that he could be laid to rest on Kalymnos. His wounds were grievous but he was still clinging to life, the spark still existed within him. He would never be able to fight as a marine again, but he would still fight on alongside his brothers as a Dreadnought.

The result of the battle had left the chapter in a difficult spot. There was no leader for the chapter, and with the chapters youth there was no clear successor. There was no one who could doubtlessly be named as the new chapter master, none whose deeds in battle could measure up to Brother Forsythe. After much deliberation a method of succession was finally chosen. As none of the company captains had records of duty that would display clear superiority it was decided that the best way would be to have them face each other in combat. For weeks they faced each other in combat. Each duel lasted for days a further testament to the endurance of the captains. Finally one stood above them all, Valoric Forcystus. From that day on ritualistic succession duels became a tradition within the chapter.

To this day Brother Forsythe lives on within the metal shell of a Dreadnought and fights alongside his brothers. While he is no longer Chapter Master his voice still carries great weight within the chapter council, and all will gladly listen to his words of wisdom. He sees his internment in the Dreadnought as a blessing. To him it is an opportunity to eternally fight and share his wisdom with the chapter. Even in this new body his presence on the battlefield effects his brothers in the same way. His presence invigorates those around him, instilling them with morale and ferocity that no foe could hope to match. It is not an exaggeration to say that Brother Forsythe is the most influential brother within the chapter.

--Chief Librarian Gabriel Mikelos of the Radiant Lions Chapter

Heroes of Kalymnos

Valoric Forsythe

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Chapter Master Valoric Forcystus,
High Lord of Kalymnos

Within every Adeptus Astartes brotherhood their are great leaders, masters of combat whose name evokes a sense of awe in those that hear it. They are highly respected warriors among their battle brothers and beings of legend to the parts of the Imperium they fight in. The Radiant Lions chapter is no exception to this rule, even with the chapter's relative youth it has managed to create it's own heroes whose legacy will be remembered eternally for their achievements. Unsurprisingly, their Chapter Master is one such hero whose name is known through Kalymnos and the rest of the Validus secter: Valoric Forcystus. He has been referred to with different titles over the time of his service as many a great Astartes brother has but none carry more honor than the title of Chapter Master which he had earned during a dark time for the chapter. Like all battle brothers of the chapter his armor itself is a testament to his diligent service to the brother hood with it's trim being filled with inscriptions of his many accomplished battle oaths with more detailed recordings of these events kept within the fortress monastery on Kalymnos.

His origins are shrouded in mystery known only to few high ranking Librarians and Chaplains within the chapter. Origins that even he has forgotten, abandoned according to the traditions of the chapter which mandate a battle brother to forsake every facet of his old life and identity. In this way he further embodies the virtues held by the Radiant Lions, as to him he had no true existence until he was taken by the chapter to be forged into a mighty space marine. He fervent adherence to the traditions was further complimented by his skill in combat, with his eventual rise to the rank of captain of the Chapter's third company. But it was his rise to to the position of chapter master that he would be most known for. Unlike others, his rise to the rank of chapter master was not carried out in the manner traditionally practiced by other chapters. Instead the way it had occured was an emergency measure that would go on to become a time honored tradition to those in the chapter: The Ritual Duels of Succession. The battle of Serreta, a battle that would prove to be a defining moment within the chapter, their previous Chapter Master the great Caulder Forsythe had fallen. With the chapter's youth there was no clear successor to the title and they had no intention of crawling back to their mentor chapter for assistance. It was through these duels that Valoric would go on to prove himself to be the strongest combatant among his battle brothers and by doing so seized the right of leadership of the chapter as well as governing power of the planet of Kalymnos.

At first there were some doubts about his leadership, but soon enough he proved himself to be a worthy leader, able to raise the morale of his soldiers much like his predecessor would. For a time he did all he could to emulate the former chapter master but in time he began to carve out his own legacy with his own favored methods and tactics. In battle he has mastered the art of the surprise attack and will often be able to strike at an enemy before they can even advance. More often than not he takes it upon himself to carry the chapter's banner into combat, choosing to mount it on to his back pack in hopes that it's presence will inspire his army in a way similar to how the previous chapter master would inspire the troops with a zealous fervor as well as free their hands for the important duty of wielding weaponry to bring an end to the lives of those that threaten the Imperium of Man. In addition to that he wears a suit of artificier armor known as the Fortification of Radiance, named partially in honor for the chapter it's wearer led. His weapons of choice are of course the bolter and most importantly the Sword of Forsythe, a power sword that was once weilded by the former chapter master that when wielded properly could strike down even the mightiest of foes with a single blow. It is a weapon that has become a treasured relic of the chapter which only the greatest of their battle brothers may lay their hands upon. Finally he often chooses to make use of a Redeemer pattern Land Raider known as the Star of Kalymnos as his personal transport ,and of course for whatever squad he may be with, in battle often charging ahead of his army, causing many a foe to focus on it and forgetting the hail of heavy weapons fire coming from behind it.

For his battle brothers his presence on the battlefield is a reassuring symbol of what will be an inevitable victory that shall become one of the many glorious victories recorded in the chapter's archives. within the Validus secter, Kalymnos especially, he is a living legend. To the new recruits of the chapter the initial address that he gives to them will be the highest point of their lives prior to being fully inducted as a brother of the chapter. To the brotherhood and the people of Kalymnos only a few things are held in higher esteem than him: his predecessor which forged the identity of the chapter, the Howling Griffons chapter which trained their first battle brothers the primarch from which they descend who is their link to the greatest figure in human history and the God Emperor of Man from whom the primarch was created. He is the embodiment of what all brothers should strice to be, a great warrior, a fervent servant of the Emperor and an inspiration for future generations of battle brothers.As many will say, to be a Chapter Master is to be a god among men, a fact that Chapter Master Valoric reinforces with every action that he takes on the field of battle.

Venerable Dreadnought Forsythe

In the vastness of the galaxy, where there is less than one space marine for every planet within the Imperium, many chapters will not let their greatest warriors go to waste. For them death is is only a temporary state before they are placed within the massive metal bodies known as Dreadnoughts. They are among the oldest of the chapter, possesing amazing combat prowess and wisdom, this is true even more so for those given the title of Venerable. Caulder Forsythe is no exception to this rule. Even as time goes on and new heroes forge their legacy within the chapter known as the Radiant Lions, he shall always be the one most remembered and praised among their brotherhood. It was he who was hand picked by their mentor chapter ,the Howling Griffons, to lead the fledging chapter. It was he who forged the chapter's identity through choosing their colors and giving them their name. It was he whole forged the chapter's tradition of new brothers casting off their old selves to forge a new identity completely dedicated to the service of the Emperor and the people under his rule. As such, adhering to the tradition which he had started he had all records of his life stricken from existence.

Fate would later has something else in store for him as time went on though. In a battle against the race that would be their sworn enemies from then on he suffered a grievous wound, that even and Astartes brother like him could not recover from. His body battered and broken, but his spirit continued to cling to life. His legacy would not end that day. He would continue to live on in the cold robotic shell of the Dreadnought supporting the chapter that he once led. Untold years later he still continues to fight on when awakened by his brother, having survived innumerable engagements, earning the title of Venerable for himself. It would take the total destruction of his metal body and his sarcophogus to permenantly defeat him, a challenge which many an ork has attempted in their lust for fighting powerful foes, a challenge which all have failed.

When not in stasis he still holds a great deal of influence on the chapter council, and in matters regarding the rule of Kalymnos. Though rarely speaking, each and every one of his words holds a great deal of gravitas within the chapter that none would dare turn a deaf ear when his voice is heard from within the sarcophogus. On the battlefield his presence still continues to inspire all around him. To even see the metal gleam of this golden goliath is considered a great honor.

Chief Librarian Gabriel Mikelos

In this day and age of constant warfare, many seem to forget that among all of the muscles of the body and weapons wielded in the hands of those bodies that there is one that can be far more deadly when probably trained: the mind. The potential to use it in such a way is rare, with the strength and fortitude to use it properly being even rarer making the chances of such potential being present in an Astartes even rarer. But when that rarity is found and finally has the opportunity to be developed great things may be achieved, within the Radiant Lions chapter this is embodied by their Chief Librarian, known as Gabriel Mikelos. Being the only Kalymnos born psyker to ever reach full Astartes status he holds a unique honor among his brothers in the chapter and his peers within the chapter's Librarium. Being present since the Chapter's early days he has been able to bear witness to many great moments throughout the chapter's history such as the Great Battle of Serrata, the ascension of Forcystus, the Tyranid Invasion of Nacio and many more and chronicling each of them as seen through his eyes, tales which are often told to the chapter's new aspirants so that they may properly appreciate the history of the brotherhood which they have been chosen to serve. He himself is rarely seen away from the Librarium and when he it is it is only on the battlefield, preferring to devote his time off of the battlefield toward his chapter duties and his mind honing meditations which he undertakes within the Librarium. Some find his behavior rather off putting, others sometimes suspect a taint of chaos brought on by constantly devoting his mind to the pursuit of powers which stem from the warp itself, but in the end none would dare refuse his wisdom when it is offered to them and his presence on the battlefield where the fruits of his near constant training truely shine. He is also known to serve as an advisor to Chapter Master Valoric Forcystus who he will willingly break his meditations for if his council is sought out.

In battle he stands out among his peers for his rather unique armor, in many cases it draws the attention of enemies and in the end he always seems to survive practically unharmed a testament to his skill and the quality of the armor he wears. A masterfully crafted suit of Terminator Armor reserved exclusively for his use it is the only suit of Terminator Armor owned by the chapter to bear inscriptions of his past achievements which is further fortified by by a specially crafted Storm Shield bearing further inscriptions of his achievements. His weapon of choice is of course his mind which due to his devoted training can create many psychic attacks which he uses to strike down foes in the Emperor's name, but only a fool would charge head first into battle empty handed which is why he carries a master crafted force sword which he may channel his mental energies through when enemies when they get too close. While nowhere near as mentally strong as the likes of Varro Tigurius, he has managed to prove his skill as a psyker many times as he proficiently used his abilities almost totally without fail and on those occasions where his mind was faced with the perils of the warp only for his mind to and body to remain unscarred by an occurence that would destroy lesser psykers. Many a brother seeking out his wisdom will often approach him before or after a battle as these are the few times when he is willing to speak with others outside of the Librarium. The words of wisdom he gives tends to be short, to the point and relative the battle they are about to enter or have just left, preferring to leave the long chants and prayers to the Chaplains.




And thats what I got for right now, so please get out your bolters and chainswords to blast it to pieces if needed

[NightrawenII]

Hello and welcome in the Liber.

If you don't know, we have guides here, The Guide to DIYing and Octaguide 2.0.

Oh, and SM painter.

 

 

... but as the greatest specimen of humanity which all brothers within the chapter must strive to be like.

- Marines are Emperor's Finest Warriors. Those, who are chosen to join the ranks of Adeptus Astartes, throw away their humanity in order to protect the Humankind. Why longing for something you willingly sacrificed on the Altar of Necessity?

 

Like many other chapters throughout the galaxy they use the gene-seed of the Ultramarines and thus hold the great Roboute Guilliman in high regard, to the point where they worship him alongside the Emperor himself.

- Nothing new under sun. The Primarchs are revered as the saints throught the Imperium and the Chapters of their gene-line usually worship them in one way or another.

- The important part in the DIY is not statement of the facts, but representing these facts in the article:

 

For them it is not enough to simply worship and respect these figures but also to emulate them in any way possible.

- How?

 

During the initial founding of the chapter a slight mis-handling of Guilliman's gene seed led to a slight flaw in the Melanochrome gland leading to the majority of it's members having pale while skin.

 

They also put a great deal of emphasis on personal glory...

- If this is true then something went terribly wrong within your Chapter's belief. Astartes serve The Emperor first, then Imperium, Primarch, Chapter, company, squad and then there might be the place for some personal glory. Seeking glory for yourself is not desirable trait for marine in the slightest.

 

This is the main reason for their rather liberal use of Terminator armor, deploying a Terminator squad in all engagements even in situations that wouldnt normally require the use of Terminators. While some would see this as a flagrant misuse of sacred artifacts it is standard operating procedures for the Lions.

- Something you should keep in mind, the TDA is very rare and precious piece of equipment. Young Chapters tend to have few suits, thus increasing their value for the Chapter.

 

There are many deaths within the lower levels, but those that do survive tend to make excellent candidates for the chapter.

- Once again, statement of fact. Why do they make a excellent candidates for the chapter? or rather Why do your Chapter thinks this way?

 

Should the orkoid population be low and unable to provide enough danger they will incite gang warfare amont the hive scum gangs in order to ensure a decent crop of recruits.

- At odds with belief.

 

To the Lions there is nothing more shameful than a defeat, as such victory is treated as a foregone conclusion even if the reality may not reflect that. Before all battles they perform a final check on each piece of their equipment to ensure it is in perfect condition while chanting the words "To fail is to cease to exist." Beliving that if victory is not achieved that all those that were apart of the battle do not exist to the chapter. This does not mean that a brother cannot redeem himself after being declared non existant. A brother may submit himself for re-induction where he would re-live the process of recruitment, save for the implants, and re-training before spiritually re-joining the chapter and being given a new name. The marine himself is led to believe that he is a new brother as well through a process of hypnotherapy. The only exceptions are figures like the chapter master or the chaplains.

- Why?

 

... where the task force found itself surrounded by Orks, caught in an inescapable assault which could have ended the chapter right then and there.

- yeah, that's certainly... notable achievement.

[Captain Forcystus]

Well I knew there were bound to be all sorts of things wrong and I at least know what they are now, thank you for the input I shall begin correcting the mistakes soon

 

As for the painter I just cant seem to get it to match the rl paint.

 

Overall im still new at this and figuring these things out so if anyone else has some brutal honesty to help its welcome

[Captain Forcystus]

Excuse the double post, I usually avoid it but now that I know the problems any advice on how I can properly fix them? Anything would be appreciated

[NightrawenII]

Excuse the double post, I usually avoid it but now that I know the problems any advice on how I can properly fix them? Anything would be appreciated

Re-write your article, post it there, let others give you feedback...

 

Repeat until successful. ;)

[Captain Forcystus]

With my noobishness I got quite a few rewrites ahead of me I think.

 

One last question was there anything in there that wasnt messed up?

[Captain Forcystus]

Well pretty much decided to redo it from the ground up, chucked out a few things hopefully its better now.

 

It isnt 100% complete but is a building block at least

[NightrawenII]

*Scratching on the head*

 

To be honest, I can't say it's wrong, but I can't say it's good. There is simply something missing, something which would tell me "Hey man, check out how cool we are!"

[Captain Forcystus]

Well so far it is rather incomplete and I know exactly what you mean im still trying to figure out just what will be needed to give it that "Im awesome look at me!" feel as well as ways to expand upon what is there. For now its more or less a barebones skeleton that im making up and adding to as I go.

 

Still its better than terrible and will serve as a starting point to what could be cool, until then I still got lots of brainstorming to do

[Telveryon]

Well so far it is rather incomplete and I know exactly what you mean im still trying to figure out just what will be needed to give it that "Im awesome look at me!" feel as well as ways to expand upon what is there.

Word to the wise, if you want to write and interesting and compelling IA never ever aim for "awesome". Awesome is tacky, boring to read and easy to pull off. What you need to aim for is "cool". "Cool" is what sets your chapter apart without making it better then everyone else. "Cool" is succeeding despite flaws or limitations or a behavior allows them to succeed where other might not but can get them into trouble at times. Keep this in mind and odds are good you'll end up with something both you and the rest of the Liber will enjoy.

[Captain Forcystus]

Put some more meat on the skeleton, will add more when I can

[Captain Forcystus]

Added on to beliefs section

[ringlancer]

I don't have much to ad, but I like the look of the marines, and I like your write up so far. Looks like you are pointed in the right direction. Good luck in Iron Gauntlet!

[WingsOfTheFalcon]

With a predispostion towartds fighting Orks, would it make sense for the Brothers to be better versed/equipped to function as Devestator Marines? Just thinking about how you could embellish your Combat Doctrine.

[Captain Forcystus]

I'll take that into consideration. It makes sense that they would have plenty of Devastators after all

[Ace Debonair]

And thats what I got for right now, so please get out your bolters and chainswords to blast it to pieces if needed

Hey, an invitation. Why not? *Revs chainsword* :D

 

 

It should come as no surprise that the Lions of Radiance are a strictly codex adherent chapter, not surprising considering the fact that they are sons of Guilliman whose mentor chapter was strictly codex adherent as well.

Surprise surprise! :D

 

You could add something here about them maintaining codex formations to allow for maximum tactical and strategic flexibility, both when planning campaigns and in the heat of battle.

 

Codex-adherence has it's strengths, and sometimes talking about those strengths a little is a good way to fill out the organisation. :P

Like many of their far flung space marine brothers, their gene-seed is that of Roboute Guilliman by way of the Howling Griffons.

I didn't realise the Howling Griffons founded a lot of chapters. :D

 

Any mutations, or changes in temperament or discipline that you could link to the geneseed?

If not, that's cool - you can still add something about the geneseed being as pure as expected for Ultramarine stock. :ph34r:

[Captain Forcystus]

Note to self edit that part lol. Dunno about the Griffons founding chapters but the Ultras sure do alot gonna have to reword it.

 

And thanks for ideas on how to inflate some of the smaller details there, always good knowledge

[Ace Debonair]

And thanks for ideas on how to inflate some of the smaller details there, always good knowledge

 

I always had trouble with those myself, especially back in my early days. :(

 

Now that I'm a grizzled veteran, though, I figure I might as well spread the knowledge around. :lol:

[Captain Forcystus]

Well the advice of a grizzled veteran is certainly welcome here thats for sure

[NightrawenII]

Origins

That Chapter was known as the Howling Griffons, an Ultramarine descended chapter with their own long and glorious history.

- Dunno what was written in IA: Badab War, but Howling Griffons *are* Chapter of Space Marines.

 

Homeworld

The warp storms of the Segmentum Tempestus make traveling to and from Kalymnos, and the Validus sector rather difficult, but at the same time this is what has made it a good world for a chapter to base itself on as it is difficult for an enemy force to reach, keeping the fortress monastery and all it contains relatively safe.

- This sentence is out of place.

 

Kalymnos also has a very low birthrate of psykers, with only one able to become a Librarian within the chapter as of now.

- The source of Chapter's Librarians is not restricted to their Homeworld.

 

The Recruitment can be incorporated into Homeworld without much problems.

[Captain Forcystus]

Considering your last rip and tear into it I think this is a sign that I am at least doing better.

 

In any case thank you for pointing these things out for me

[Captain Forcystus]

Added a few tidbits here and there.

 

I was wondering: Are there any campaigns that my guys could have been apart of? I figure it might be a good addition to the history section if nothing else

[Captain Forcystus]

Did some expanding in the beliefs section

[Captain Juan Juarez]

making them another one of the many Ultramarines successors.

 

- No need to sound so bitter :tu:

 

- Why the split sections of Purpose and Predecessors? The puprose is generally a one-liner, or so I've found.

 

Both sections also feel like a training manual, rather than a description of how the Chapter came to be.

 

the hive world of Kalymnos, like all others of it's kind, boasts an absolutely massive population, thus delivering mass amounts of potential recruits in the form of hive scum.

 

- Well no, on both counts.

 

It doesn't mean the world has a massive population, it depends what stage the Hive is at.

 

Also, the Astartes will recruit from anywhere; aristocrat or low-born.

 

Kalymnos also has a very low birthrate of psykers, with only one Kalymnan able to become a Librarian within the chapter as of now, with the rest being recruited from other sources.

 

- Makes no sense, it isn't like the Twenty-Sixth Founding was yesterday.

 

Impossible. They are able to find recruits able to become both Astartes and Librarians? No.

 

As Kalymnos is a hive world it produces numerous possible recruits over time, and while most prove to be unsuitable there are always at least a few that can make it to the Scout Stage.

 

90% percent failure rate, probably even more as a Hive world means genetically the population is less likely to be pure.

 

They normally leave the Kalymnans to their own devices, causing more gangs to rise up and gain power before engaging a planet wide hunt for the absolute worst of the hive scum. They specifically favor the leaders of these gangs as recruits for the chapter, but will gladly take all the rest as well. They arent all that picky about the recruits they take in but will rarely take those that have already been incarcerated by other authority figures, viewing them as inferior to the ones that have avoided imprisonment.

 

- Superior child criminals?

 

 

That's what I got through, as I keep getting distracted by my Xbox.

[Plague Angel]

The color scheme looks pretty boring to me. I might change my mind if I saw an actual painted model though — I'm a sucker for shiny things.

 

The Segmentum Tempestus is a turbulent area known for having two things: lots of warp storms and lots of orks.

Pretty casual tone for an IA.

 

In comparison to other areas the presence within the Segmentum Tempestus was rather light

 

The presence of what?

 

Specifically an area known as the Validus sector on the fringes of the Imperium with the hive world of Kalymnos being chosen to be home world the new chapter.

 

This sentence needs rewriting. It's not a complete sentence as it is.

 

As other chapters, they began being identified as only a number, in this case 874, under the tutelage of a cadre of exprienced marines from an accomplished space marine chapter. That Chaptper is known as the Howling Griffons, an Ultramarine descended chapter with their own long and glorious history.

 

I don't usually hear about the numbering of chapters. Besides the Legions I couldn't tell you the number of any Chapter in the Imperium (barring the GK of course). So that strikes me as an unnecessary detail. Also, this phrasing is awkward. You could just phrase it,

 

The as-yet unnamed Chapter trained under a cadre of veterans from the Howling Griffons, an accomplished Chapter with its own long and glorious history.

 

Dispatched the the Hive World of Kalymnos where they would begin the ardous process of gathering potential recruits for the chapter.

 

There's an awful lot of sentence fragments in here. Be mindful when you go back to edit.

 

Ever since the founding the members of the Chapter have had little interaction with the rest of the citizens of Kalymnos outside of their wide spread hunts for potential recruits which have become an honored tradition of the chapter.

 

And here's the opposite problem, with a single sentence over-burdened. This should be two or even three sentences.

 

Once Chapter 874 had become stable and strong enough to stand on it's own two feet the Griffon's departed leaving them to their own devices. Left in charge was Brother Caulder Forsythe who was also left with the responsibility of giving the chapter it's identity. It took months of meditation and consulting the Emperor's tarot to guide him toward the proper answer. Finally it came to him, the boldly colored armor that would seize the attention of the enemy, the symbol of a roaring lion on the shoulder and finally the name which reflected it all. The Lions of Radiance had truly come in to existence.

 

Stray apostrophes.

 

Its = belongs to it.

It's = it is.

Griffon's = belongs to a Griffon.

 

Also, "Caulder Forsythe" is a great name.

 

"Lions of Radiance" is good too, though I do associate it with the Dark Angels. They shouldn't have a monopoly on Lion iconography, no, but it's understandable that people would have the preconception, don't you agree?

 

Practices:

 

Good stuff here.

 

Attitude toward Techmarines:

Attitude towards the AdMech:

 

I don't think such open acceptance is in line with the other beliefs about the Emperor or humanity, honestly. The Mechanicum is pretty alien in its own way.