BOA Entry - Questing Brothers

[Grand Master Belial]

I can't win my own competition but that doesn't mean I can't join in on the fun. WIP

Questing Brothers

Origins

Included as part of the 24th Founding, the Questing Brothers have had an interesting beginning. The world chosen to be their homeworld of Echelon III was known for its craftsman and not for its warriors. The planet did have one oddity in that all of its citizens, no matter their standing, is required to serve for ten years. The terms of service varied but needless to say it was grueling and often menial work. Children started their service at the age of ten and would not be released until that service was completed. Punishment was an extension of their term of service. While it was not uncommon for terms of service to be extended up to five years, it was another matter when they exceeded twenty years. It was at this point that the person would be cast out or turned into a servitor.

This changed with the creation of the new chapter. It became known that any person who would have a ‘life’ term of service would be sent to the new chapter. As Astartes tended to live beyond the years of a mortal men, the implication of a long life of service became an effective deterrent against severe crime. The band of criminal children was marched before a representative of the legions with the purest geneseed. The Ultramarine and Crimson Fist Chaplains scoffed at gifting their noble geneseed to criminals. The Khan of the White Scars was also not impressed with their lack of martial pride. But Master Lorial of the Guardians of the Covenant saw an opportunity. The strong meditative habits of the Dark Angels would be what is needed to curb these criminals to a life of noble service to the Emperor. That and the Master’s knowledge of the Legion’s secret shame and dishonor made him a criminal as well by virtue of the traitorous brethren from the Heresy.

Soon, contingents from a half dozen Unforgiven chapters came to induct and start up the new chapter. Librarians and Apothecaries would work to purge the criminal element from the minds of the Aspirants so that they had little knowledge of their past lives. However, their origin could not be kept from them as the local populace would remind them as they were still Neophyte Scouts in training. It was not long that the new chapter asked that their armor be painted convict orange to show that they were criminals in the eyes of their world. A notion the Unforgiven chapters granted quickly and used to further their development. The new chapter took on the Unforgiven’s habit of shunning embellishments to their armor and vows began being made that each individual marine should find redemption in their service to the Emperor and thus the Questing Brothers were formed.

Present Activities

The Chapter has taken up securing the system of their homeworld and the trade routes that is the life’s blood for their world. They continually see off pirate raids from the likes of Orks, Eldar and renegades. In recent years, the incursion of the Tau in their part of the galaxy has seem them switch from a boarding party to a ground assault role. A role that they are currently ill-equipped to perform for they have fought more often than not on foot and have very few vehicles of any kind. Only the 2nd Company has bikes and speeders in which to take to the field as it was in the teachings set forth by the Unforgiven so many years ago.

The Unforgiven recognize the chapter as being Sons of the Lion and willing take the field of battle beside them and include them in their battle plans. However, the truth of the Legion’s secret shame was not imparted upon them. The Brothers are already shamed when they joined the Chapter and consider it a mark of honor to see that shame removed by achieving a laurel and a purity seal. The two elements that make up their chapter badge. The Unforgiven had not seen fit to return them to a shamed state and leaves them in ignorance with regards to the Fallen brethren.

Home World or Fleet based

Echelon III is a world of artificiers and craftsmen of all types. There are countless workshops that provide everything from a part to a industrial drill up to and including master crafted arms and armor. It is for this reason that the Questing Brothers do not have their own artificiers, but in turn go out into the world that condemned them and have them make the items that records their duties and exploits in the Imperium. Of particular note is the shoulder pad that bears the Chapter Emblem is unique to each brother and stays with that brother even into death as the plate becomes a part of the brothers marker as they lie entombed.

Combat Doctrine

The Questing Brothers are still a relatively new chapter and have yet to build a full arsenal of tanks. For this reason above all others means the Chapter takes to field on foot, bike or jet pack. Even the Thunderhawks are kept from participating in pitched battles due to their limited numbers. As a successor of the Dark Angels, there is no apparent lack in the number of suits of Terminator armor and their First Company continues the tradition of taking the field in only suits of Tactical Dreadnought Armor.

One element under heated debate within the Inner Circle revolves around the use of Dreadnoughts. To many a Brother, the thought of having to continue their quest after ‘dying’ an insult. As one’s life of service is completed on the battlefield, they are meant to be free of all commitments and duties. To continue on as a Dreadnought would be fitting only for a traitor, but no brother would take the field next a traitor and certainly not once interred into the Dreadnought’s Sarcophagus. For now, each individual brother may choose if they would allow themselves to be interred should they fall in battle. To denote their choice, they paint the lower portions of their arms and legs black. This signifies their willingness to have their limbs removed to fit into the sarcophagus.

Organization

The First and Second Companies continue the traditions of the Dark Angels’ Deathwing and Ravenwing respectively. They have made no new names for themselves or have they modified their color scheme. The two companies rarely fight as a single unified company but spread themselves out to assist the other companies as necessary.

The Questing Brothers always have marines stationed at Echelon III to assist with the induction of new recruits and also to continue to record the accomplishments of their brethren in their quests to live nobles lives after starting out as criminals.

Beliefs

Each recruit sent to the chapter arrives in chains having committed a crime so serious that their life would be forfeit. These could be anything from killing a superior to defacing or destroying a highly valued piece work. Whatever the cause, they are brought to the gates of the chapter and handed over to the Interrogator Chaplains. There the recruit is submitted to a grueling ordeal where their every crime is extracted and recorded. The recruit’s desire for repentance and atonement will see them through into the beginning indoctrination of the Chapter. Though the mind will eventually be purged of their prior lives and their acts of crime. Each recruit keeps a piece of parchment that tells of their crimes and dishonor.

By the time they are Scouts, they are ready to make atones for the wrong that they have done and start their quests for their laurel and purity seal, the elements of the Chapter badge and their acceptance into the chapter as a full marine. The purity seal more often than not bears the brothers past crimes and their acts to absolve it. The laurel is much harder to get and can only be earned through a great victory shared by other Brothers.

Once a full-brother, their individual shames may have been absolved but there are always greater shames to overcome. Failues within a mission that must be set to rights. This becomes the brothers driving force, to continue to put to right what others have failed to do through strength and arms. The dogged determination and resourcefulness given to them by the Unforgiven has seen them continually set to rights the slights against the Imperium.

Within the Unforgiven, the Chapter has become an inspiration and a certain level of pride that great deeds can come from those who are shamed and have gone on to greater glory. A light of hope that the Dark Angels’ Legion will have it’s sullied honor restored in time.

Gene-Seed

Dark Angels

Battlecry

“Through Shame! Honor & Salvation!