Vorpal Swords and Survivors of the Abyssal Crusade

[El Ancieno]

This info comes from the CSM Codex, but the only chapter mentioned by name are the Vorpal Swords. We know nothing about them! And apparently the other survivors (who we also know nothing about) and these Vorpal Swords cleared 400 daemon worlds while they were in the Eye of Terror. Does anybody have any info on the Vorpal Swords chapter, or the other loyalist survivors Edited February 14, 2014 by El Ancieno

[Kaedes Nex]

According to the wiki they are also mentioned in one page on the old scenario book "Battle Missions" and appear on 2 pages in the big rulebook for 6E.

 

There are tons of chapters like this that get a single, badass story and then nothing else, not even a color scheme. Astral Knights is another example. It's a real shame, these chapters are more inspirational and badass than many chapters with actual rules and color schemes.

[Disruptor_fe404]

Exactly right. From what I can find, the Vorpal Swords are indeed the only survivors named, but feel that they can't be the only survivors.

[Xenith]

I thought after entering the Eye of Terror, their Chapter Master (Alyss something) fought a greater daemon Jhaber-voc'ii with a blinding daemon weapon containing the essence of a daemon of Slaanesh Sniik-kersnak.

[Imperialis_Dominatus]

Chapter Master of the Vorpal Swords is Konvak Lann on their return. Though it is not noted in the Chaos Space Marines Codex whether he was the Chapter Master when they went into the Eye. I've never come across the fluff you mention, Xenith.

 

According to the wiki they are also mentioned in one page on the old scenario book "Battle Missions" and appear on 2 pages in the big rulebook for 6E.

 

There are tons of chapters like this that get a single, badass story and then nothing else, not even a color scheme. Astral Knights is another example. It's a real shame, these chapters are more inspirational and badass than many chapters with actual rules and color schemes.

 

In some ways I think it's kind of cool. It shows that all Space Marine Chapters are capable of amazing feats, whether or not Games Workshop spends a lot of time on them. It supports my view that all Space Marine Chapters, and indeed all Space Marines, are capable of astounding feats, and any claims that one Chapter is superior to another merely means that that Chapter has been tested against circumstances other Chapters haven't had the opportunity to overcome, and have not suffered unrelenting bad luck in the process (like Lamenters, for example). The Ultramarines may be widely accepted as the superior Chapter of Space Marines, but this merely makes them comparable to the richest man amongst a group of rich men- that he has slightly more trinkets doesn't mean the others are clothed in rags.

 

Exactly right. From what I can find, the Vorpal Swords are indeed the only survivors named, but feel that they can't be the only survivors.

 

I_D: Oh God I'm trapped in a quote box and don't know how to get out! Sorry if this appears to be misrepresenting Disruptor, I deleted too many times. The Chaos Codex specifically notes "the remnants of some of the Judged Chapters returned from the Warp." Ergo not all the Chapters joined the Vorpal Swords, but some clearly did. Are there any materials out there which clarify which of those Chapters? We know for certain that the Chorus of Eltain and Prophets of Mercury did not, as their designation is Martyr Extremis. Further, the Brothers of the Anvil are designated 'Pending,' which suggests to me no confirmation of their destruction or treachery has been received. What might the Fists of Olchis' designation of Perditas mean in this context? Perdita has been used to quarantine things, if I remember correctly.

 

[Disruptor_fe404]

The Chaos Codex specifically notes "the remnants of some of the Judged Chapters returned from the Warp." Ergo not all the Chapters joined the Vorpal Swords, but some clearly did. Are there any materials out there which clarify which of those Chapters? We know for certain that the Chorus of Eltain and Prophets of Mercury did not, as their designation is Martyr Extremis. Further, the Brothers of the Anvil are designated 'Pending,' which suggests to me no confirmation of their destruction or treachery has been received. What might the Fists of Olchis' designation of Perditas mean in this context? Perdita has been used to quarantine things, if I remember correctly.

 

Mwahaha! I am master of BBCode!

 

Yep, I misspoke slightly. The Vorpal Swords are the only ones we know of for sure. Wikia (yuck!) says that the Fists have not been heard from at all, and that none can confirm their fate, with the assumption that if they have survived, they are likely warped by their time in the Eye.

 

Which to me sounds like Perditas is a sort of classification for: 'Caution, do not approach. Possibly still out there, and if you see them, give the Inquisition a loud holler.'

[Valkyrion]

I thought after entering the Eye of Terror, their Chapter Master (Alyss something) fought a greater daemon Jhaber-voc'ii with a blinding daemon weapon containing the essence of a daemon of Slaanesh Sniik-kersnak.

On the world of Brillig, right?

[Xenith]

Chapter Master of the Vorpal Swords is Konvak Lann on their return. Though it is not noted in the Chaos Space Marines Codex whether he was the Chapter Master when they went into the Eye. I've never come across the fluff you mention, Xenith.

It's in a relatively old source, I can't remember what, a snippet or a report from a lexicanum or similar, Lews Kroll.

On the world of Brillig, right?

Indeed.

[Imperialis_Dominatus]

Oh! I remember now! It's the same source as the one that mentions the Chaos Spawn, B'ndur-Shnotch!

 

When I dig my palm out of my face I'm gonna put it in yours. :P

[michaelsaint]

Here is my take on the Vorpal Swords, based upon Page-17 of Codex:  Chaos Space Marines:

 

1.  Since the Vorpal Swords' Chapter Master survived the Abyssal Crusade uncorrupted, and led the attack on Basilius the False Saint, I propose that the Vorpal Swords held together fairly well and that a significant number of them returned with their Chapter Master (I use the number of 250 Battle Brothers embarked upon perhaps half their fleet).

 

2.  I propose that the other "survivors" of the Crusade were primarily represented by the Chapters which were not listed as "perditas" or definitely corrupted; namely, the Blades Eternal, the Chorus of Eltain and the Prophets of Mercury.  These other survivors did not hold together as well as the Vorpal Swords (since they were listed as "martyrs" or as "pending", so I suggest that only small numbers of these three Chapters returned (Blades Eternal: 60; Chorus of Eltain: 50; Prophets of Mercury: 40; all embarked upon a small number of frigates and destroyers).

 

Furthermore, for purposes of my history, two of these three Chapters were fleet-based Chapters and lost most of their fleets in the Eye of Terror, and the third Chapter's planet suffered heavy damage from Ork and Dark Eldar raiders, as well as indifferently-competent oversight by the Administratum, during the Chapter's 800-year absence from their home-world.  So all three Chapters lost not only most of their Battle Brothers but also most of their support network.

 

3.  Finally, while the Vorpal Swords' 250 Battle Brothers are possibly enough to allow them to survive and rebuild upon returning to their home-world (which, happily for them, survived their 800-year absence pretty well), their numbers are still low enough to make their long-term survival uncertain.

 

So their Chapter Master offered the three other Chapters, the Blades Eternal, the Chorus of Eltain and the Prophets of Mercury, the right to establish "miniature home-bases" on the Vorpal Swords' home-world, so that those three shattered Chapters could serve the Emperor from a stable home-base as long as they could survive, and then would be forever remembered by the Vorpal Swords afterwards, as the Vorpal Swords would maintain their shrines after those Chapters dissolved.  The Vorpal Swords' Chapter Master even offered to share the Vorpal Swords' new recruits with the three allied Chapters, so that they could take their best shot at rebuilding themselves.

 

In return, the three allied Chapters agreed to operate in alliance with the Vorpal Swords; the Battle Brothers of the three allied Chapters (about 150 in total) would provide extra muscle to the Vorpal Swords' own attempts to rebuild their Chapter.

 

4.  The results of this plan are that the Vorpal Swords did, indeed, rebuild their Chapter after about 500 years (so by about the year 600.M38), with the help of the three allied Chapters.  Unfortunately, the three allied Chapters, despite the help of the Vorpal Swords and their sharing of their new recruits with the three allied Chapters, did all dissolve after several centuries.

 

The Vorpal Swords maintain the "miniature home-bases" of the three allied Chapters as sacred shrines, as they know full well that they would not have rebuilt their own Chapter successfully without the help of their three allied Chapters.

 

In memory of the Vorpal Swords' survival of the Abyssal Crusade, the Chapter changed it's colors to Gray Metal (representing a sword) power armor with Skull White (representing the faith which allowed them to survive the Eye of Terror) shinguards, shoulderguards and helmets (Their appearance is similar to that of the "Purifiers" faction of the Grey Knights).  To represent their faith in game terms, whatever their previous "Chapter Tactics" might have been, after the Abyssal Crusade the Vorpal Swords use the "Iron Hands Chapter Tactics" (the Feel No Pain and It Will Not Die rules representing their faith and miraculous survival, rather than cybernetic implants).

 

 

[El Ancieno]

I do wish that GW would flesh out such a cool chapter a little more. However, because of their complete lack of info I'm going to create my own. Based on the information from Battle Missions where they battled daemons, they seemed to prefer drop pods and assaulting. So I made an assault marine. I'm undecided as to which chapter tactics to use, and although Iron Hands would be cool, the chapter tactics of the White Scars and the Carcharadons are also excellent options. The color scheme I chose is based on what I felt a vorpal sword might look like. Blue steel with black smoke, and plenty of red for blood. I'm open to suggestion on this one, however, as it is not technically DIY. The only insignia I could find with a blade was the Dark Angels symbol, but I would like to change that eventually.

 

 

Also, I would like to add that I like what michaelsaint said about building shrines to honor the surviving chapters that did not last beyond the 39th Millennium. It should be noted that those who did survive are considered to have completed their penance. However, Blades Eternal are also listed as Pending, and are just as likely to be renegades as they are to be survivors, and so that chapter could have split while in the warp, and the 60 or so survivors were the only remaining loyalists of that chapter. I think that there could also be other chapters that aren't listed as having taken part in the Abyssal Crusade because they returned with the Vorpal Swords, and were not listed in the Chaos Codex because they did not turn renegade. 

Edited April 3, 2015 by El Ancieno

[Bannus]

I do wish that GW would flesh out such a cool chapter a little more...

 

Be careful of what you wish for.  ;)

[Xenith]

 

I do wish that GW would flesh out such a cool chapter a little more...

 

Be careful of what you wish for. 

They may be able to iron out some of the wrinkles in the background.

[El Ancieno]

I just love the name, and their background is awesome. They purged 400 daemon worlds! It cost them 2/3 of their chapter, but they rampaged through the Eye of Terror and came back. Reminds me of that 13th Company list from the old EoT supplement. Edited February 27, 2014 by El Ancieno

[Kaedes Nex]

 

I do wish that GW would flesh out such a cool chapter a little more...

 

Be careful of what you wish for. 

 

Surely they'll come back a thousand times more badass.

[Crusader of Dorn]

This sorta fluff is out there for inspiration, to be used to build on, copy or just read and think - cool. 

Wishing GW expands on isnt really gonna happen, they have enough established chapters.

[Thurservor]

As to Vorpal Swords and other survivors of Abyssal Crusade there is actually quite a lot sources to dig through. Since I have done that already i am happy to share it:

 

Since there are two diferent groups of the participants: those that survived and those that have fallen to Chaos or their fate is unknown.

Regarding the first group:

 

Vorpal Swords and Abyssal Crusade was mentioned in the print in: 

Adeptus Astartes: Successor Chapters (Limited Release Booklet) 

Battle Missions, 

Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition), 

Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook (6th Edition), 

 

and in relation to Doom Legion, also in: 

Judgement (Short Story), Mark Latham 

 

Speaking about the second group you can find info in the following: 

 

1. Lectors of Ixis are mentioned both in Codex: Chaos Space Marines (4th Edition) - stating that they are now led by Sorcerer Lord Amadeus Volkstein, formerly an Epistolary by the name of Vanneus., Their involvement in Abyssal Crusade is also stated in Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition) 

 

2. From Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition) we can learn that Knights Excelsior turned to be Magma Hounds after some dramatic fight with Chaos warp engines. 

 

3. Invictors lack any story behind them other than that that they turned to chaos and are know as The Unhallowed 

 

4. Lionguard became Death Shadows, and their fate has been sealed by being destroyed by Tyranids, which is mentioned in Codex: Tyranids (5th Edition) and in Black Crusade: Game Master's Kit (the FFG rpg game) 

 

5. Graven Fists became Twisted Blades a Chaos Space Marine warband, and that is all we can get from the Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition) 

 

6. basing on the very same source we can only state that Blades Eternal vanished during Abyssal Crusade, which is interesting, since they might have not turned to Chaos in the end. 

 

7. basing on Codex: Chaos Space Marines (2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th Editions), we know that Brothers of the Anvil were somehow abducted by Dark Eldar and they became insane in Commoragh, and then after they became chaos warband called Deathmongers 

 

8. Viridian Consuls became The Broken chaos warband, and that is ad far as we can get with their lore basing on Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition) 

 

9. Altar Brethren transformed into Iconoclasts and we know that the warband targets the Imperium's Shrine Worlds in their attacks and are on a mission to destroy them all., this thanks to Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition), Index Chaotica: Possessed (Background Book). 

 

10. Vengeance Chapter became The Flylords (lol this name...) as stated in Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition), and this is basically it... 

 

11. Sentinels chapter was somehow devoured by the demon planet they fought on and then they emerged in real space as Corpus Brethren - source: Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition) 

 

12. just as Blades Eternal, Chorus of Eltain chapter became lost during the Abyssal Crusade, as we know from Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition) 

 

13. The Tempest Legion turned into the Revelation of Gore a Chaos Space Marine warband - as stated in Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition) 

 

14. The Bronze Gorgons turned into the Crystal Wyverns a Chaos Space Marine warband - as stated in Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition) 

 

15. Prophets of Mercury, just as Blades Eternal and Chorus of Eltain became lost during Abyssal Crusade - as stated in Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition) 

 

16. Argent Hammers who turned into Talons of Anathrax, which we know from Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition) later on got destroyed by Red Talons Chapter, as stated in Imperial Armour Volume Two - Second Edition, 

 

17. The Iron Drakes became Grey Death a Chaos Space Marine warband. We also know they have fought some Plague marines. All this from Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition) 

 

18. Illustrians became The Black Psalm Chaos Warband - as stated in Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition) 

 

19. Serpents of Light chapter turned into Predator Legion Chaos warband - as stated in Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition) 

 

20. Spears of Olympus chapter turned into Bloodlords warband as stated in Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition), aslo they got their own novella: Cold Blood by David Guymer, depicting their fight with Necrons. 

 

21. The Clerics of Steel became the Invocators a Chaos Space Marine warband. - as stated in Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition) 

 

22. Star Gryphons chapter turned into Sons of Midnight a Chaos Space Marine warband - as stated in Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition), and by the sound of it i can tell it sounds very Night Lordish 

 

23. Fists of Olchis chapter became corrupted and were the only ones that have turned into chaos warband but didn't change their name. Later on they became destroyed by Red Talons Chapter as stated in Imperial Armour Volume Two - Second Edition 

 

24. The Justicars became the The Fractured a Chaos Space Marine warband. - as stated in Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition) 

 

25. Sanctors of Terra chapter turned into The Blighted Claw Chaos space marine warband - as stated in Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition), and are known to have engaged White Scars and became destroyed all but for their leader Paramyx - as stated in Kor'sarro Khan: Huntmaster (Short Story) by Graeme Lyon 

 

26. The Crusaders of Dorn have turned into the Brotherhood of Lethe a Chaos Space Marine warband as stated in - as stated in Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition) 

 

If you guys got any more please share.!!! 

[Brother Casman]

Hey, welcome to this little corner of the forum! Usually we frown on thread-necromancy around these parts, but since you've clearly put a lot of work into that post, I'm going to let it stand. :)

[Thurservor]

Ah man, I am new here and I didn't even notice the dates

 

wont happen again I promise.

 

Anyway I  thought i'll look around for some Vorpal Swords fluff as I have begun to assemble their chapter for tabletop. Actually as a means to avoid thread necromancy here is a new one strictly dedicated to develop Vorpal Swords and their background. 

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/327654-ia-my-take-on-vorpal-swords-chapter/

Edited November 8, 2016 by Thurservor