IA: Obsidian Lions (Brotherhood of the Angels 2015)

[Knurd]

Summary:
▪ GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): Disciples of Caliban
▪ FOUNDING: Sentinel Founding
▪ CHAPTER MASTER:Asimov
▪ CHAPTER WORLD: Menov
▪ FORTRESS MONASTERY: Anwar Peak
▪ MAIN COLOURS:
▪ SPECIALITY: Tailored Warfare
▪ BATTLE CRY: "Lions Roar"
▪ CURRENT STRENGTH: Full Strength
▪ KNOWN DESCENDANTS: None Known

Obsidian Lions

The Sentinel Founding saw a great number of Chapters being created to reinforce the Imperium’s strength that had taken a toll in the preceding millennia. The Obsidian Lions were founded to help patrol the fringes of Segmentum Tempestus which had assaulted repeatedly by Xeno. Although the Obsidian Lions are a Dark Angel Successor they were instead trained by the Howling Griffons. This seeded distrust on behalf of the Dark Angels towards the Lions that eventually led to the Obsidian Lions to break ties with the Dark Angels and the rest of the Unforgiven. In the many millennia since the schism the Obsidian Lions have moved past the shadow of the Unforgiven and forged their own image amongst the Astartes. The Lions are well known for being able to tailor their forces and bringing the right tool for the battle at hand.

Origins:

The Obsidian Lions have had an air of suspicion since their inception. No one has been able to clarify with any proof as to why they were created from the Disciples of Caliban so soon after their creation. Many say that the request to have the Disciples created doubts about why the Dark Angels wanted a new Successor. Rather than openly accuse one of the original Chapters of any wrongdoing they decided to put the gene-seed to the test.

Following their creation and training with the Howling Griffons they adopted the world Menov as their homeworld. They fought many battles alongside the Howling Griffons honing their skills of war. Their tactical ingenuity was praised and long after their training had finished the Griffons still sought the Obsidian Lions assistance.

Eventually they fought alongside the Dark Angels at the Battle of Zenith. After the battle the Dark Angels acknowledged that the Obsidian Lions were indeed of their lineage, while the meeting was amicable the Lions could sense an air of unease emanating from the Dark Angels. They vowed to prove to the Dark Angels that they had the strength of the Lion.

As time passed the Lions began to mimic the organization and tactics of the Dark Angels, including Deathwing and Ravenwing. No matter what victories the Lions secured or how many Imperial forces gave laurels to them they always seemed on the outside of the Dark Angels’ circle of allies.

There had been many times where the Obsidian Lions were not privy to objectives or tactical information when heading into battle when fighting alongside the Unforgiven. Many times they would be leading the vanguard only to realize that their allies have changed tactics and objectives or left the battlefield all together. Their oath to prove themselves to the Dark Angels started taking its toll on the Obsidian Lions. They had been fighting at half strength for a while and whenever the Unforgiven chased their own targets the Lions end up paying a steep price.

It all came to a boiling point when the Angels of Absolution were supposed to flank the enemy at the Wavium Conflict. The Angels of Absolution changed tactics and attacked the leadership without notifying the Lions. This lead to the Lions quickly being surrounded and if not for timely reinforcements from their Battle Barge, the Lion’s Den, they would not have survived the battle. While the Angels were successful into throwing the enemy forces into disarray the Obsidian Lions sustained a large number of casualties. Amongst the casualties was their Chapter Master, Naziel, who was found battered surrounded by bodies including his broken obsidian swords.

The Lions confronted the Angels about their treachery and the Angels replied that it was an mean to an end, casualties were an unfortunate side effect. The two forces began to fight as Chief Librarian Solomon scanned the minds of the Angels and saw that they saw them as tainted. In his fury he saw unleashed a psychic force that killed many Angels of Absolution before his ire was reeled in. The Angels decided to retreat seeing this as a battle they could not since they were outnumbered both on the ground and in orbit.

Following this event the Obsidian Lions took time to rebuild and restructure as they saw the Dark Angel’s tactics and structure flawed. They also no longer responded to the Unforgiven’s calls for assistance. They would carve their own destiny apart from the Dark Angels and their progeny.

Chapter Home World:

Menov was established as the Obsidians Lions’ home planet shortly after their creation and has been extensively fortified over the millennia. They had made planet fall to answer a call for assistance against a Tau force that had attacked some of the kingdoms on the planet. The Tau was a small reconnaissance force and the Lions were able to make quick work of them. While they were battling the Tau they had come across black lions with silvery manes and they took this as a sign. It did not take long before their entire fleet was in orbit over the planet.

Menov is a feudal world with many kings carving out their kingdoms within the forests. A few of the kingdoms have grown strong and technologically advanced enough to be able to expand their borders. The thick forests isolate the kingdoms so conflict between the kingdoms is rare, survival is more about battling the elements of the planet than other kingdoms.

Two continents dominate the planet with small oceans separating them. Menov’s water seems to be concentrated in the rivers and lakes that cut through the forests that cover the large continents. The larger continent is Nemea, which has a mountain range that runs diagonally through its center. The Obsidian Lions made Anwar Peak their home, greatly expanding the already massive cave system within the mountain. The second continent, Damond, is smaller, but not by much, and is very similar to Nemea but their mountains ranges are much smaller. The vast Gedoc Desert in the center of the continent is its distinctive feature; it is the only sizable dry area on the planet. All rivers seem to flow around the Gedoc and no water flows into the desert.

The most distinctive flora on the planet are the forests that canopy the continents and the fauna is varied although the lions top the food chain. The Nemean Lion is the creature that drew the Obsidian Lions to the world, is the largest carnivore on the planet and its razor sharp claws can gouge plasteel. The Nemean Lion is scared to the people of Nemea so it is never hunted unless it attacks an Astartes. The only lion to exist on both continents is the Crephym. The Crephym is a winged lion that is smaller and lighter than the Nemean Lion but is a dangerous predator that rules the skies and mountain peaks of the planet. Another member of the lion family is the Damond Lion, also called a Lightningback because of the golden streak of fur on its back, is the smallest of the lions on Menov. The Damond Lion hunts in packs and has an acidic spit that it uses to lure prey. While the spit itself will not cause take down most animals it on its own it can cause major damage if multiple doses are applied. The Damond Lion will use it to get prey’s attention and lead it into an ambush where the rest of the pride is waiting.

Present Activities: Currently their forces are split in two, a Strikeforce was sent to the Masade System to assist with the increasing Necrons presence. The rest of the Chapter has been deployed to fight the Black Crusade.

Battle Honors:

Wavium Conflict - This battle lead to the schism between the Lions and the Dark Angels. The Lions answered the call to assist the Angels of Absolution in quelling a rebellion. The Lions deployed a sizable force and were to lead the frontal attack while the Angels' Ravenwing was supposed to attack the enemy's flanks. During battle the Angels were nowhere to be found and the Lions were soon engulfed by the opposing forces and the firepower they brought to bear was more than they anticipated. Reinforcements arrived their flagship to turn the tide but the Lions lost more than a full Company and among the casualties was their Chapter Master. What the Lions were not told is that the rebellion was incited by Traitor Marines and among them were suspected Fallen. The death of their Chapter Master lead to blows between the two Chapters and the Obsidian Lions have not answered an Unforgiven heed for assistance since.

Redemption Crusades - Following the Wavium Conflict the Lions took time to rebuild their Chapter and restructure. After a few decades they began to lend aid to every call outside of the Unforgiven's that they could. They made sure to show themselves in force and never stretch themselves too thin. They wanted to make amends for turning their backs on their founding Chapter and to prove to themselves that their blade was still sharp.

Cebitus Struggle - The Lions responded to reports that Orks had encroached the Cebitus system and suffered their first major defeat. The Lions applied a strike of one hundred Astartes and were pushing the savages back after each battle. The Orks proceeded to crash their ship into the surface killing the long range support iand the swarm of Orks that survived quickly overwhelmed the Lions. There were no survivors but were avenged by a combined effort of the Obsidian Lions and Howling Griffons. This changed how the Lions constructed their strikeforces to make sure they always had contingency support.

Xibalba Wars - The Lions fought alongside the Void Angels against the Watchers of Prophecy. When arriving on Vespertilio the Obsidian Lions saw the population in deplorable state, the Watchers had turned the population of the the planet into were-beats. After the initial battles they ruled that the world was beyond reprise and deemed Exterminatus extremis necessary. Shortly after the Void Angels arrived looking for the Watchers of Prophecy. They finally cornered the traitors on the planet Calor and they followed the Watchers into their keep. Once inside they could not be found, some believe that the Tzeentch himself saved them while others say that they had found a webway entrance.

Chapter Organization

The Obsidian Lions deviate significantly from the Codex Astartes as they feel that their organization allows for more tactical flexibility that was instilled in them by the Howling Griffons. After they severed ties with the Unforgiven they expanded the Dark Angels structure they had adapted to. They saw merit in having specialized units but why just two companies, so they shifted to specialize all their companies.

The first and second Companies mirror those of the Dark Angels, Silver Manes and Hunters respectively. The Silver Manes are the Veterans from all of their Companies. Upon reaching the rank of Veteran Knight they join the other veterans of the Chapter, which has led the Silver Manes to rise above 100 Astartes. The Hunters are a fast attack Company like the Ravenwing.

The 3^rd through 6^th are the Chimeras, their Tactical Marines. They are the only units who try to train in all aspects of warfare and are the backbone of all strikeforces. The 7^th Company are the Crephyms, their Assault Marines. This Company is an all out assault force and have no bikes or other vehicles attached to them. The 8^th Company are the BLANK, the Devastators Company. The 9^th is the Iron Company, which is their Armored Company. The Iron Company are skilled in piloting and wielding the devastating power of the Chapter’s tanks and airships. The Iron Company has honed their skills attempting maneuvers and pushing their machines to levels that most other Chapter’s would not even attempt. Finally the 10^th is the Scout Company in which all Astartes start their training.

They also deviate in how the Astartes are ranked. When a Scout joins any of the Company he has the rank of Squire until he has proven himself in battle. Once he has felt the heat of battle he gains the rank of Brother. From here an Astartes can reach the rank of Knight through battle and through the Broken Sword Tournaments. A Knight are the elites with each Company and it is from here that Sergeants are chosen from.

Those who excel are then promoted Veteran Knight and they then join the Silver Manes. In other Companies Astartes earn their rank based solely on their performance, but in the First Company they are directly competing with their fellow Veterans. The top 20 Veteran Knights have the title of Champion-Knight, which is a bittersweet honor because those Astartes who lose the title feel a sense of dishonor.

The Champion-Knights can then become a Knight-Captain to one of the Companies of their discipline. Once they have proven their prowess to leading others the can become Knight-Commanders who lead the Strike forces into battle.

Fleet Assets

The Obsidian Lions are a very active Chapter and have a large fleet of vessels.

Lion’s Den – is the Chapter’s flagship
Nomadic King – Battle Barge

Leo Tenebris – Battle Barge

Midnight Prowler – Strike Cruiser

Emperor’s Aegis – Strike Cruiser

Wrath of Menov – Strike Cruiser

Recruitment

The Lions primarily recruit from the Kingdoms of Menov. Every generation the Obsidian Lions will request that the kingdoms hold their own tournaments from which recruits will be chosen from.

It is a great honor in the kingdoms to have their children inducted into Obsidian Lions. Some families train their children from a very young age for these tournaments.

Chapter Master Silver Manes Terminator Hunters

Chimaeras Predators Lightningbacks Iron Pride

Combat Doctrine

The Lions’ principles of war are based on flexibility and applying the proper pressure to the enemy, this has been shaped by their mentors, Howling Griffons, and their progenitors, Dark Angels. The Howling Griffons instilled tactical flexibility in the Lions, to never become too rigid and always use the best tool for the battlefield. The Dark Angels’ Deathwing and Ravenwing showed them how effective specialized Companies can be.

The Obsidian Lions create strikeforces for each engagement taking squads of each Company. Normally the larger campaigns are lead by Knight-Commander but for smaller operations a Knight-Captain can lead it. The Strikeforce leader will deduce what elements will be needed to fight the enemy at hand and also what forces he will need for contingency.

Local rituals

On Menov the Obsidian Lions hold a tournament every year to test an Astartes strength and skill. The tournament includes singles combat, squad-based combat, marksmanship, among other things but the highest honor is to win the Gauntlet. A race through the forests of Nemea with no armor, armed only with a combat knife.

The victors of each tournament have the privilege to wear the silver Broken Blade on their left knee until the next tournament. These tournaments are also where a Squire will get their first taste of combat, testing their training to confirm they have what it takes to be an asset on the battlefield.

Beliefs

The Lions revere the Emperor and their Primarch like any other Chapters with the exception that they feel they have not lived up to Lion El’Johnson’s legacy because they turned their back on the Dark Angels. The first thing they do when becoming an Astartes is to take the Oath of the Broken Blades, an oath to uphold the ideals of the Lion and to never abandon an ally.

They hold oaths in a very high regard but compared to the Griffons, the Lions swear few oaths. A completed oath is a source of much personal pride and it is typical for a satisfied oath to be inked onto the skin of the Astartes. On the other side a failed oath brings shame to the Astartes, it is not unknown for an Astartes to take a vow of silence or denounce their rank because they were unable to fulfill an oath.

Gene-Seed: Description of origin and current status - Dark Angels, Obviously!

Battle Cry

“Lion’s Roar!”

litany before battle – “The enemy lies at the tip of our blade and it shall weep with their blood.”

Champions of the Chapter

Asimov - has been the High Commander of the Obsidian Lions for the last century. He is not one to rush into any fight and rarely gives into the battle fury. His level headedness has always allowed him to make sound tactical decisions and to always weigh his options. He is held in high regard by his men because he always leads from the font lines. He is the only High Commander to have never won a tournament for his prowess was on the battlefield. He wields the Broken Blades of Naziel and wears the Silver Fleece.

Naziel - was the third Chapter Master of the Obsidian Lions. He was a great warrior who never backed down from a battle and always pushed his men on to glory. But what he is remembered most for is his death. During the Wavium Conflict he was leading the Lions into battle waiting for the Angels of Absolution to attack the enemy's flanks, the Angels never arrived. He was enraged at the constant disregard the Unforgiven had towards his Chapter. With his obsidian blades in had he cut down traitor after traitor until he was killed by a melta blast, then the traitors began to mutilate his body out of anger. When reinforcements arrived and the Lions were able to finally clear a path to Naziel they found his battered body laying next to his broken obsidian swords. This marked the end of the Lion's wanting to live up to their progenitor's ideology and no longer sought their acceptance.

Renock - is currently the Chapter's top Champion-Knight. Renock was a Chimaera and was part of he Fifth Company. He was proficient with any weapon that he wields to the point that he one of the few Obsidian Lions to have won every tournament he entered. He is a great combatant but his tactical sense has come into question at times. There are whispers that for all his battle prowess he will never make the rank of Knight-Commander, something that he intends to prove wrong. He is the current owner of the Starwall and wields the Sword of Oaths.

Nasla - was recently promoted to Knight-Commander. While he has only fought a few battles since receiving his new rank, Nasla is a seasoned commander as the Knight-Captain of the 4th Company. He is a very reserved individual and never boats about his accolades. He carries the Emperor's Peace.

Gar - is the current Knight-Captain of the Predators. Gar is a fearsome close combat fighter, always looking to challenge enemy force's champions. Always looking for combat opportunities that if he is not leading a strikeforce he will volunteer to accompany his men in a different strikeforce. Gar wields the Fateripper and a Nemean Hide.

Relics

Broken Blades of Naziel - Naziel's blades were taken after the Wavium Conflict and put fitted into a pair of lightning claws replacing the claws. The blades can be protracted for a better reach and also used to penetrate armor. The blades are given to the High Commander upon his ascension.

Heart of Anwar - is a master crafted Power Hammer. These hammers were worked on many times to better deal with the dense Menovian rock during the initial expansion of the caves. All the hammers were lost with the exception of one. Later on they were able to use better equipment for the expansion but this power hammer has shown to be a strong weapon of war as much as well powerful tool.

Sword of Oaths - This master-crafted claymore was given to the Obsidian Lions by the Howling Griffons after their training had been completed. The Griffons held the Lions in high regard and saw a potential in their fervor. This blade was a symbol of the oath of brotherhood that sworn by the two Chapter Masters.The sword is given to the highest ranked Champion-Knight.

Lion's Tail - This cimbi-melta is that was wielded by Galtan on the world of Rayvon. The Lions assaulted the Dark Eldar on this Shrine world to stop the desocration of the the world where the Emperor had visited while he still lead the Great Crusade. The only surviving Lion was allowed to clean his equipment in the moat that surrounded the main cathedral, the moat is said to be blessed for the Emperor himself drank its water. The Lion's Tail has never malfunctioned since that day.

Silver Fleece - Menov's rarest and most dangerous predator's, the silver Nemean Lion, hide has special characteristics that create a small field of protection when charge is applied to it. The Nemean Hides are worn only by the Obsidian Lion's officers and the Silver Fleece is a masterpiece among them that is passed from High Commander to High Commander.

Tower of Lions - This storm shield was created for the first Chapter Master to receive the tile of High Commander. While the artificers expertly crafted and adorned the shield as a tribute to the new title, the High Commander was unwilling to part with the Blades of Naziel. He asked his Commanders to duel for the shield. Whenever the owner of the shield passes the remaining Commanders and whoever is elevated must duel to see who the new owner is.

Trinity of War - The Trinity of War is a set of weapons that was commissioned for the winner of the first Gauntlet tournament. The owner eventually joined the ranks of the Veteran-Knight. Since his death the weapons are dueled for during for during the Broken Blade Tournaments and only one other person since has possessed all three weapons.

Fateripper - a master crafted power sword.

Emperor's Peace - A master crafted bolt. This weapon is able to shoot a volley of bolts without jamming.

Starwall - is a master-crafted combat shield. Whenever the the field is struck the energy ripples resembling a wall of stars.

Edited July 15, 2015 by Knurd

[Knurd]

Working on my DA Chapter for the challenge. I want to make sure y premise is solid before I go on the rest. C&C welcomed. 

[Olis]

Origins: 

The Obsidian Lions were created in the 23rd Founding for reasons that have yet to be revealed. They were created from the Disciples of Caliban gene-seed but were trained by the Howling Griffons, an oath they feel was never satisfied. While they were not trained by their progenitor their lineage has never been hidden from them. 

 

I think this needs to be clarified. What oath are you speaking of? If we are to talk of oaths, perhaps the Obsidian Lions may take after the Howling Griffons in terms of how they treat oaths. The whole unbending and unbreaking creed of it, the importance of each oath and the duty beholden to them.

 

The Obsidian Lions were trained to be an Codex Adherent Chapter and filled this roll well until they fought side by side with the Dark Angels against Waaagh Morstuf. Although the Dark Angels recognized that they were indeed a Successor but the Lions felt a certain unease coming from the Dark Angels. As time went on the Obsidian Lions fought alongside the Dark Angels and other Successors slowly mimicking the Deathwing and Ravenwing companies in their own Chapter. 

 

The Lions were always missing information when fighting alongside the Dark Angels and their Successors. There were times that they would lead the vanguard only to realize that their allies had changed the objective or left the battlefield all together. After some time they began to ignore calls for assistance since it had began to take a toll on their numbers. 

 

The Obsidian Lions hold Lion El'Johnson in high regard as do any of his progeny but they hold dark ire for their brother Chapters. Since they have parted ways with their brothers they have been highly active Chapter. They have modified their Chapter's organization since they felt that the Dark Angel's structure was flawed. 

 

So the Lions are not privy to the secrets of the Unforgiven. This would mean that they can and do get used (as you've illustrated), however just how would a Chapter respond to being abandoned by their brothers repeatedly? There would be time for face-to-face talks, I think. If your Chapter feels wronged or left out of the loop, then would they stand up and face those that wrong them? Atm, you have them severing ties with little else to speak of. I think if you add in a confrontation, that might spice things up a little bit.

 

Also, where you have the specialisation of the Chapter - I suggest following the same route as the Howling Griffons and state that they have no true specialisation and try to master all forms of war (or somehting). It adds a little more similarity with the chapter that trained them.

[Knurd]

I am trying to allude to the fact that the Obsidian Lions were created from the Disciples of Caliban because the latter were created by request, something that had happened before and since either. Not trusting that the Dark Angels' intentions were pure and not willing to come to conflict with one of the original Chapters, they used the same geneseed to create another Chapter. Have not quite figured out how to write that in yet. 

 

I do agree with you that a confrontation is in order. I will add that to the IA. 

 

The Chapter organization I am going for is that all the companies are highly specialized and they create strikeforces for engagements by taking different squads from each company. They took what they learned from both the Howling Griffons and the Dark Angels to create their style of war. The Howling Griffons while adherent to the Codex Astartes are flexible enough to be able to deviate from it when tactically sound. To someone who is not privy to the secrets of the Unforgiven Deathwing and Ravenwing are nothing more than just specialized companies. 

Edited April 10, 2015 by Knurd

[Grand Master Belial]

You could add it as part of the origin and/or notable event. Still it is a good start and looks to be a very memorable chapter and a notable part of the Brotherhood of the Angels.

[Knurd]

Updated the Origins a bit. 

[Grand Master Belial]

Since that confrontation they began to ignore calls for assistance since it had began to take a toll on their numbers and they could not fight alongside those who would call them traitors. The few times they have fought alongside the Unforgiven nothing has occurred between them since normally The Unforgiven are no where to be seen at the end of a battle. 

 

I take it they are ignoring calls from the Unforgiven. 

 

The changes work out a lot better and does give more credence to the chapter being Codex Adherent. 

[Knurd]

Thanks for catching that. Completely missed it when I went over the section. 

 

They won't be Codex Adherent. They will have specialized companies and create strike forces to based on whatever intel they have. 

 

Organization is the part I am writing next.

Edited April 13, 2015 by Knurd

[Knurd]

Added some things to the Organization and Local Rituals. Still a bit crude but I just wanted to get my ides written down. L

 

Let me know what you think. 

[Knurd]

Been away for a while but decided to add some more background to my Chapter. Let me know what you guys think so far. 

[Grand Master Belial]

It is shaping up to be a nice chapter with some rich history to it.

[Knurd]

Thanks Olis.

 

I'm trying to combine the Griffons and Dark Angels without making it cut and paste. I also wanted to give a point of view of someone who is regularly on the outside looking in with the Unforgiven.

[Knurd]

Finished with this IA for the most part. The relics do not have the greatest descriptions but I intend to update that later. Going to submit this for BotA 2015 unless anyone sees any major flaws.