Index Astartes: Blood Swords

[Grand Master Belial]

I got a wild idea to create a Dead chapter from the Cursed Founding. Below is an article I plan to add to the Brotherhood of Angels competition in the Dark Angels Forum. While it is meant to be Dark Angel centric, this one has a bit more of a Blood Angels bent as this chapter was an attempt to splice the two. Anyway, I'd love to hear some other opinions about this chapter as I work on it.
 
BLOOD SWORDS

 
▪ GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): Dark Angels & Blood Angels
▪ FOUNDING: 21st ‘Cursed’ Founding
▪ CHAPTER MASTER: Blekaara “Faded Honor”
▪ CHAPTER WORLD: Tyr
▪ FORTRESS MONASTERY: Muspell
▪ MAIN COLORS: Red and Black
▪ SPECIALITY: Close-Combat / Fast Attack
▪ BATTLE CRY: “On our swords will the blood of our foes be shed!”
▪ CURRENT STRENGTH: Destroyed
▪ KNOWN DESCENDANTS: None
 
ORIGINS:
The Blood Swords were an attempt by the Adepts Mechanics to purge the flaws in the Blood Angel gene-seed by splicing it with the pure Dark Angel gene-seed. The combination was selected after reviewing the histories of the Blood Angels and all their encounters with other chapters of different gene-seeds. Only the Dark Angels seem to work with the Blood Angels with any sense of cooperation and both chapters and their successors seem to tolerate the quirks of the other. 
 
The creation of the chapter went flawlessly and the spliced gene-seed seemed to have worked and the flaws of the Blood Angels gene-seed seemed to have been removed. The chapter began their service with honor and fought faithfully for the causes of the Imperium. It was not for nearly five centuries that the curse of the Blood Angels began to affect the Blood Swords. The visions of Sanguinius could not fully manifest in the minds of the Blood Swords because of the presence of the blood of the Lion. Both Primarchs had personal experiences with the machinations of Chaos. Sanguinius with his encounters with the Warmaster and the Lion in his youth in the forests of Caliban. As such, brothers that succumb to the madness of the Blood Angels do not see visions of Sanguinius. Instead, it is clouded with visions of the horrors of Chaos encountered by the feral Lion. The effect on the marine is madness and a mental devolution to a feral state. They see the ancient beasts of Caliban everywhere and they attack with feral intensity using only their hands or simple weapons. 
 
The chapter’s fate was further complicated by their dual Primogenitors. Both the Dark Angels and Blood Angels were horrified that a chapter like the Blood Swords existed. Both kept a very close watch on the chapter and as the Madness manifested amongst the brothers, the chapters agreed to unite to purge the chapter. They were joined by their Second Founding Chapters to create a task force capable of wiping out the chapter.
 
CHAPTER HOME WORLD:
The Blood Swords homeworld of Tyr is in perpetual battle with itself. The planet is continuously wracked with volcanic activity all across the planet. The constant explosions of ash and lava has polluted the atmosphere to make it toxic to life, even space marines could not survive without their armor or rebreathers.
 
Muspell, the fortress monastery of the Blood Swords, is located in a convergence of volcanos. Using ordinance to destroy sections of the volcanic cones, the chapter was able to direct lava flows away from the monetary and providing a near impassable boundary for anyone foolish enough to approach the chapter on foot. The layers of lava flows have allow the chapter build an expansive fortress that burrowed down into the hardened rock. The crushed debris of the tunneling was mineral rich and was able to be used in a series of subterranean gardens to provide a constant source of food for the chapter. As the Blood Angels have a passion for art, the Blood Swords had a passion for gardening and the tactical acumen of the Dark Angels allowed them to grow large volumes of crops in the confined underground spaces. 
 
PRESENT ACTIVITES:
The Blood Swords faced their end under the combined forces of the Blood Angels and the Dark Angels. The Chapter struggled with trying to understand why both of their primogenitors would see them destroyed. They tried to contact the leaders of the fleet in an attempt to have a conference of chapters, but all communications went without a response.
 
The answer came in the form of the Death Company. The maddened warriors of the Blood Angels fought with a frenzy but also with skill and used weapons. The Blood Swords own maddened warriors were feral and fought unarmed or with simple weapons. Seeing the two clash on the fields of battle brought realization and sorrow to Chapter Master Blekaara. The madness that the Adepts Mechanics had hoped to purge by splicing the Lion would eventually claim the chapter and turn every brother into a feral beast much as when the Lion was first discovered. Indeed, the prospect of fighting the primogenitors had sparked the madness in many more warriors than in the past. 
 
To their credit, the crazed warriors of the Blood Swords were able to defeat the Death Company, but they could not withstand the awesome might of the Deathwing. The First Companies of the Unforgiven, in their Codex-deviant formations, were able to assault the fortress from several points. The five-man squads of Terminators closed a noose around the fortress monastery and withered the disciplined fire of the remaining Blood Swords until they were close enough that the assault squads of the Blood Angels could leap frog the terminators and jump onto the fortifications. With the outer defenses overwhelmed and destroyed, additional terminators were able to teleport into the monastery to begin the purge from within. With no hope of survival or escape, the Blood Swords threw down their bolters and attacked with their power blades. But it was not a last act of defiance, Blekaara took the field with his power sword in hand and allowed himself to be struck down in hand-to-hand combat and receiving a noble death. The last bothers of the chapter did the same — preferring to be struck down with weapon in hand than to be executed.
 
BATTLE HONORS:
While the primogenitors considered the Blood Swords to be abominations, they will not besmirch their honor for they acted nobly and with honor in each of their engagements.
 
CHAPTER ORGANIZATION:
The Blood Swords had almost no contact with either the Blood Angels or the Dark Angels so they followed the precepts of the Ultramarines and maintained a Codex adherent Chapter. 
 
As brothers began to succumb to the madness, they were taken off the roster and confined for they were no better than animals. At the first opportunity, they would be unleashed upon the foe as a distraction for the rest of the chapter. The affected marine rarely ever survived the conflict in part because they would fight unarmed.
 
FLEET ASSETS:
The chapter did not have a large fleet. They only had a single battle barge and a small flotilla of ships to protect it. While requests for additional ships were made to the nearby forge worlds, by the time construction was completed, the chapter was dead. Those ships and vessels of the Blood Swords were given to the Deathwatch along with the Fortress Monastery.
 
RECRUITMENT: 
Before the chapter was destroyed, the Blood Swords were able to gain recruits for within the system and two neighboring systems with heavily populated planets. A series of trials were set up on each planet and overseen by a small cadre of marines. Any youth could take on the trials and those that passed would be taken and inducted into the chapter. Each trial is designed to test the youth’s physical and mental strength as well as their intelligence. The first trial is done alone. The second is completed with a servant of the Chapter. The final trial is done in a group and is the most hazardous.
 
CHAPTER COLORS:
Black with Red
 
BATTLE STANDARDS OR CHAPTER BANNERS:
 In the short history of the Chapter, there have only been a few battle standards to celebrate the the battles and victories of the Blood Swords. Those banners were taken to Baal to serve with honor amongst those Sons of Sanguinius whose chapters have died. The Dark Angels for their part added them to their own Rolls of Honor. 
 
BATTLE HONORS, RELICS, DECORATIONS AND AWARDS:
Description of specific awards, honorariums and honors.
 
COMBAT DOCTRINE:
How they fight. Deathwing & Ravenwing in use? Armor Heavy? Specializations? Intolerances?
 
BATTLE CRY: 
"Poke 'em in the eye!" or "Repent! For tomorrow you die!"
 
HOME WORLD OR HOME FLEET:
 
LOCAL RITUALS:
Any rituals in their home world/base.
 
BELIEFS:
Unique beliefs and practices.
 
GENE-SEED:
Blood Angels and Dark Angels 
 
CHAMPIONS OF THE CHAPTER:
Special characters (As many as you wish)

[Hrvat]

The idea of a dead chapter is intriguing and the choice of executioners is appropriate but I doubt BA would unleash the death company on the chapter considering madnes and deviancy was the reason of the purge.

[Conn Eremon]

 

 

The Blood Swords were an attempt by the Adepts Mechanics to purge the flaws in the Blood Angel gene-seed by splicing it with the pure Dark Angel gene-seed. The combination was selected after reviewing the histories of the Blood Angels and all their encounters with other chapters of different gene-seeds. Only the Dark Angels seem to work with the Blood Angels with any sense of cooperation and both chapters and their successors seem to tolerate the quirks of the other. 

 

Might just be me, but their social interactions leading to an assumption of genetic compatibility just doesn't quite sit well with me.

 

I think this paragraph would read better if you mention that there were experiments on the Blood Angels gene-seed by splicing it with non-Sanguinian genetic tissues, and after multiple failed attempts it was found that the gene-seed of the Lion was sufficiently, viably compatible. Then mention that the scions of these gene-seeds, the First Founding Chapters of the Blood Angels and Dark Angels, are known for a history of cooperation and tolerance. Proven genetic viability, coupled with an assumed acceptance of the genetic manipulation (should permission be sought or these Chapters even notified), or perhaps this history leads to an assumption of a cultural compatibility that may assist in their future.

 

Everything else seems rather straightforward and acceptable to me. :tu:

[Grand Master Belial]

@Hrvat - What about a squad of Death Company in a combined task force? I would like the Death Company to be integral to the story and a reason the Chapter would give up. If No Death Comp., I am left with the Sanguinator or the currently overused Flesh Tearers.

 

@Conn - Thanks, I will take up your suggestion.

[Hrvat]

I mean you can use Death Company but to me it looks very hypocritical and not something atributed to Blood Angels as their trait. What is know from background BA are more likely to try and help than annihilate the Blood Swords. 

 

From a BA point of view the simple fact of spliced gene-seed would be much more daming rather than the manifest maddnes.

 

Well that is at least how I see it.

[Grand Master Belial]

Thank you Hrvat.

 

I agree that the splicing is really the most damming fact. I will need to re-write to illustrate that the BA only withheld their wrath because they were looking to see if it was a cure to the Black Rage. As soon as the Rage began to manifest, the chapter was doomed.

[Delta E.T]

The 'Blood Swords' chapter seems to already exist, but is entirely different to what you have come up with. I would recommend a re-naming
http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Blood_Swords

Perhaps the Blood Blades?

[Hrvat]

It is not necessary even the official background states there have been times when two or more chapters existed in the Imperium that had the same name.

[Delta E.T]

True, but if one of the chapters has been deemed destroyed/excommunicated it would not fare well for the other.

[Grand Master Belial]

What if one led to the other? I only have the chapter being wiped out by other chapters - not the Inquisition. I could see the official one being stood up in place of the other one. Since they got rid of the spliced gene seed, they could stand up a pure BA chapter in its wake and the Dark Angels will easily keep that secret.

[Delta E.T]

Then you would have an interesting piece of lore

[Wargasm40k]

What if one led to the other? I only have the chapter being wiped out by other chapters - not the Inquisition. I could see the official one being stood up in place of the other one. Since they got rid of the spliced gene seed, they could stand up a pure BA chapter in its wake and the Dark Angels will easily keep that secret.

  That would give it a very interesting history indeed. 

[Grand Master Belial]

Next go around...

 

BLOOD SWORDS 

 

▪ GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): Dark Angels & Blood Angels

▪ FOUNDING: 21st ‘Cursed’ Founding

▪ CHAPTER MASTER: Blekaara “Faded Honor”

▪ CHAPTER WORLD: Tyr

▪ FORTRESS MONASTERY: Muspell

▪ MAIN COLORS: Red and Black

▪ SPECIALITY: Close-Combat / Fast Attack

▪ BATTLE CRY: “On our swords will the blood of our foes be shed!”

▪ CURRENT STRENGTH: Destroyed

▪ KNOWN DESCENDANTS: None

 

ORIGINS:

The Blood Swords were an attempt by the Adeptus Mechanicus to stabilize the degradation of one gene-seed by splicing it with another. The Mechanicus had noticed the reduction in tithes from the Blood Angels and their successors. Testing of the tithes had revealed degradations of the geneseed. In an effort to stabilize the gene-seed. They began to splice it with other gene stock. Success came when they spliced the Lion with Sanguinius and a stable gene-seed was created in time to be apart of the Twenty-First Founding. The combination had an additional benefit in that the two chapters and their successors do not have an apparent rivalry and the relationships between them were amiable. Both lines seemed to tolerate the unusual quirks of the other.

 

The chapter began their service with honor and fought faithfully for the causes of the Imperium. It was not for nearly five centuries that the curse of the Blood Angels began to affect the Blood Swords. The visions of Sanguinius could not fully manifest in the minds of the Blood Swords because of the presence of the blood of the Lion. Both Primarchs had personal experiences with the machinations of Chaos. Sanguinius with his encounters with the Warmaster and the Lion in his youth in the forests of Caliban. As such, brothers that succumb to the madness of the Blood Angels do not see visions of Sanguinius. Instead, it is clouded with visions of the horrors of Chaos encountered by the feral Lion also with the demonic visage of the Warmaster Horus. The effect on the marine is madness and a mental devolution to a feral state. They see the ancient beasts of Caliban everywhere and they attack with feral intensity using only their hands or simple weapons. 

 

The chapter’s fate was further complicated by their dual Primogenitors. Both the Blood Angels and the Dark Angels were not aware of a chapter that had their spliced gene-seed. When the Unforgiven fought a campaign beside them and saw first-hand the onset of madness in their brothers, they immediately withdrew from the field thinking the chapter to be a mutant aberration that the Dark Angels do not tolerate. They sent word to the Blood Angels and requested a secret conclave. The chapters agreed to unite to purge the chapter. They were joined only by their Second Founding Chapters to create a task force capable of wiping out the chapter. To anyone else, there was no word.

 

CHAPTER HOME WORLD:

The Blood Swords homeworld of Tyr is in perpetual battle with itself. The planet is continuously wracked with volcanic activity all across the planet. The constant explosions of ash and lava has polluted the atmosphere to make it toxic to life, even space marines could not survive without their armor or rebreathers.

 

Muspell, the fortress monastery of the Blood Swords, is located in a convergence of volcanos. Using ordinance to destroy sections of the volcanic cones, the chapter was able to direct lava flows away from the monetary and providing a near impassable boundary for anyone foolish enough to approach the chapter on foot. The layers of lava flows have allow the chapter build an expansive fortress that burrowed down into the hardened rock. The crushed debris of the tunneling was mineral rich and was able to be used in a series of subterranean gardens to provide a constant source of food for the chapter. As the Blood Angels have a passion for art, the Blood Swords had a passion for gardening and the tactical acumen of the Dark Angels allowed them to grow large volumes of crops in the confined underground spaces. 

 

PRESENT ACTIVITES:

The original Blood Swords were defeated on their home planet of Tyr. Another chapter bearing the same name and of the lineage of Sanguinius now fights  for the Imperium of Man. 

 

BATTLE HONORS:

The Blood Swords faced their end under the combined forces of the Blood Angels and the Dark Angels with their Second Foundings. The Chapter struggled with trying to understand why both of their primogenitors would see them destroyed. They tried to contact the leaders of the fleet in an attempt to have a conference of chapters, but all communications went without a response.

 

Chapter Master Blekaara stood upon the battlements of their fortress monastery as waves of Thunderhawks braved the eruptions of the volcanos to land outside the protective dome of the fortress’s shield. The Dark Angels and their successors deployed their armor and heavy weaponry as the Blood Angels and their successors waited to assault the fortress. Scores of Vindicators in Linebreaker squadrons surrounded the fortress with red rhinos and razorbacks behind them. As the Vindicators broke the plane of the shield, they let loose with their ordinance. Blood Swords responded with all the available heavy weapons but the large dozer blades and reinforced armor of the siege tanks were able to weather the punishment. The Razorbacks continued to fire along the parapets in an attempt to suppress the fire from the Blood Swords. 

 

Once the piles of rubble had allowed access to the fortress, Red and black rhinos advanced at break neck speeds to close on the entry points as the Vindicators guns fell silent. Without an order, the Blood Swords prepared for close combat. Blekaara waited patiently for the sons of Sanguinius approached. The marines in the black rhinos were the first to appear and they instantly charged with wild abandon. As they crested the rubble, Blekaara unleashed the maddened warriors. The black warriors of both side tore into each other. It was not long before Blekaara and other officers of his chapter noticed the same thing. The black warriors of the Blood Angels suffered from a similar madness. As helmets were ripped from their heads, their crazed eyes were visible but they still held and used weapons while the Blood Swords’ afflicted brothers used only the simplest of weapons. A glance back to the field outside the walls showed the red armored warriors balking at the sight of wanton brutality of the fighting between the two forces. At a command from their commander, the Blood Angels redeployed to form a perimeter so that no one may escape.

 

In their place was the heavily armored First Companies of the Unforgiven. The Deathwing was rightly feared and they immediately made their presence felt as they relentless marched up the piles of rubble and slaughtered the remaining crazed warriors of the Blood Swords with short range heavy weapons fire. The highly disciplined five-man teams were able to damaged the shield generator protecting the fortress. With the shield down, the jump pack assault troops took to the skies and landed in combat with the Blood Swords.

 

With no hope of survival or escape, the Blood Swords threw down their bolters and attacked with their power blades. But it was not a last act of defiance, Blekaara took the field with his power sword in hand and allowed himself to be struck down in hand-to-hand combat and receiving a noble death. He realized the reason for their doom. Their curse was shared by others but since their geneseed was spliced, they were unique and if the primary scions of a primarch could not defeat their curse. What chance did his own chapter have? The last bothers of the chapter noticed the sacrifice and did the same — preferring to be struck down with weapon in hand than to be executed. 

 

While the primogenitors considered the Blood Swords to be abominations, they will not besmirch their honor for they acted nobly and with honor in each of their engagements. The Dark Angels suggested to the Blood Angels that another chapter be created in the ashes of the Blood Swords, one from a single lineage. As the fortress monastery and all of the brothers were immolated, work was started to secretly stand up their own successor. The Blood Angels took all of the honors, standards and banners and relocated the chapter to Jaggafall to start fresh. The Dark Angels reported that they responded to a distress call from the chapter but it had suffered horrific losses and it was no longer combat effective. This allowed the Blood Angels time to rebuild and remake the chapter in their own image and following their ways.

 

CHAPTER ORGANIZATION:

The Blood Swords had almost no contact with either the Blood Angels or the Dark Angels so they followed the precepts of the Ultramarines and maintained a Codex adherent Chapter. 

 

As brothers began to succumb to the madness, they were taken off the roster and confined for they were no better than animals. At the first opportunity, they would be unleashed upon the foe as a distraction for the rest of the chapter. The affected marine rarely ever survived the conflict in part because they would fight unarmed.

 

FLEET ASSETS:

The chapter did not have a large fleet. They only had a single battle barge and a small flotilla of ships to protect it. While requests for additional ships were made to the nearby forge worlds, by the time construction was completed, the chapter was dead. Those ships and vessels of the Blood Swords were given to the Deathwatch along with the Fortress Monastery.

 

RECRUITMENT: 

Before the chapter was destroyed, the Blood Swords were able to gain recruits for within the system and two neighboring systems with heavily populated planets. A series of trials were set up on each planet and overseen by a small cadre of marines. Any youth could take on the trials and those that passed would be taken and inducted into the chapter. Each trial is designed to test the youth’s physical and mental strength as well as their intelligence. The first trial is done alone. The second is completed with a servant of the Chapter. The final trial is done in a group and is the most hazardous.

 

CHAPTER COLORS:

Black with Red

 

BATTLE STANDARDS OR CHAPTER BANNERS:

 In the short history of the Chapter, there have only been a few battle standards to celebrate the the battles and victories of the Blood Swords. Those banners were taken to Baal to serve with honor amongst those Sons of Sanguinius whose chapters have died. The Dark Angels for their part added them to their own Rolls of Honor. 

 

BATTLE HONORS, RELICS, DECORATIONS AND AWARDS:

Description of specific awards, honorariums and honors.

 

COMBAT DOCTRINE:

How they fight. Deathwing & Ravenwing in use? Armor Heavy? Specializations? Intolerances?

 

BATTLE CRY: 

"Poke 'em in the eye!" or "Repent! For tomorrow you die!"

 

HOME WORLD OR HOME FLEET:

 

LOCAL RITUALS:

Any rituals in their home world/base.

 

BELIEFS:

Unique beliefs and practices.

 

GENE-SEED:

Blood Angels and Dark Angels 

[Grand Master Belial]

Finished up the Blood Swords

 

BLOOD SWORDS 

 

▪ GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): Dark Angels & Blood Angels

▪ FOUNDING: 21st ‘Cursed’ Founding

▪ CHAPTER MASTER: Blekaara “Faded Honor”

▪ CHAPTER WORLD: Tyr

▪ FORTRESS MONASTERY: Muspell

▪ MAIN COLORS: Red and Black

▪ SPECIALITY: Close-Combat / Fast Attack

▪ BATTLE CRY: “On our swords will the blood of our foes be shed!”

▪ CURRENT STRENGTH: Destroyed

▪ KNOWN DESCENDANTS: None

 

ORIGINS:

The Blood Swords were an attempt by the Adeptus Mechanicus to stabilize the degradation of one gene-seed by splicing it with another. The Mechanicus had noticed the reduction in tithes from the Blood Angels and their successors. Testing of the tithes had revealed degradations of the geneseed. In an effort to stabilize the gene-seed. They began to splice it with other gene stock. Success came when they spliced the Lion with Sanguinius and a stable gene-seed was created in time to be apart of the Twenty-First Founding. The combination had an additional benefit in that the two chapters and their successors do not have an apparent rivalry and the relationships between them were amiable. Both lines seemed to tolerate the unusual quirks of the other.

 

The chapter began their service with honor and fought faithfully for the causes of the Imperium. It was not for nearly five centuries that the curse of the Blood Angels began to affect the Blood Swords. The visions of Sanguinius could not fully manifest in the minds of the Blood Swords because of the presence of the blood of the Lion. Both Primarchs had personal experiences with the machinations of Chaos. Sanguinius with his encounters with the Warmaster and the Lion in his youth in the forests of Caliban. As such, brothers that succumb to the madness of the Blood Angels do not see visions of Sanguinius. Instead, it is clouded with visions of the horrors of Chaos encountered by the feral Lion also with the demonic visage of the Warmaster Horus. The effect on the marine is madness and a mental devolution to a feral state. They see the ancient beasts of Caliban everywhere and they attack with feral intensity using only their hands or simple weapons. 

 

The chapter’s fate was further complicated by their dual Primogenitors. Both the Blood Angels and the Dark Angels were not aware of a chapter that had their spliced gene-seed. When the Unforgiven fought a campaign beside them and saw first-hand the onset of madness in their brothers, they immediately withdrew from the field thinking the chapter to be a mutant aberration that the Dark Angels do not tolerate. They sent word to the Blood Angels and requested a secret conclave. The chapters agreed to unite to purge the chapter. They were joined only by their Second Founding Chapters to create a task force capable of wiping out the chapter. To anyone else, there was no word.

 

CHAPTER HOME WORLD:

The Blood Swords homeworld of Tyr is in perpetual battle with itself. The planet is continuously wracked with volcanic activity all across the planet. The constant explosions of ash and lava has polluted the atmosphere to make it toxic to life, even space marines could not survive without their armor or rebreathers.

 

Muspell, the fortress monastery of the Blood Swords, is located in a convergence of volcanos. Using ordinance to destroy sections of the volcanic cones, the chapter was able to direct lava flows away from the monetary and providing a near impassable boundary for anyone foolish enough to approach the chapter on foot. The layers of lava flows have allow the chapter build an expansive fortress that burrowed down into the hardened rock. The crushed debris of the tunneling was mineral rich and was able to be used in a series of subterranean gardens to provide a constant source of food for the chapter. As the Blood Angels have a passion for art, the Blood Swords had a passion for gardening and the tactical acumen of the Dark Angels allowed them to grow large volumes of crops in the confined underground spaces. 

 

PRESENT ACTIVITES:

The original Blood Swords were defeated on their home planet of Tyr. Another chapter bearing the same name and of the lineage of Sanguinius now fights  for the Imperium of Man. 

 

BATTLE HONORS:

The Blood Swords faced their end under the combined forces of the Blood Angels and the Dark Angels with their Second Foundings. The Chapter struggled with trying to understand why both of their primogenitors would see them destroyed. They tried to contact the leaders of the fleet in an attempt to have a conference of chapters, but all communications went without a response.

 

Chapter Master Blekaara stood upon the battlements of their fortress monastery as waves of Thunderhawks braved the eruptions of the volcanos to land outside the protective dome of the fortress’s shield. The Dark Angels and their successors deployed their armor and heavy weaponry as the Blood Angels and their successors waited to assault the fortress. Scores of Vindicators in Linebreaker squadrons surrounded the fortress with red rhinos and razorbacks behind them. As the Vindicators broke the plane of the shield, they let loose with their ordinance. Blood Swords responded with all the available heavy weapons but the large dozer blades and reinforced armor of the siege tanks were able to weather the punishment. The Razorbacks continued to fire along the parapets in an attempt to suppress the fire from the Blood Swords. 

 

Once the piles of rubble had allowed access to the fortress, Red and black rhinos advanced at break neck speeds to close on the entry points as the Vindicators guns fell silent. Without an order, the Blood Swords prepared for close combat. Blekaara waited patiently for the sons of Sanguinius approached. The marines in the black rhinos were the first to appear and they instantly charged with wild abandon. As they crested the rubble, Blekaara unleashed the maddened warriors. The black warriors of both side tore into each other. It was not long before Blekaara and other officers of his chapter noticed the same thing. The black warriors of the Blood Angels suffered from a similar madness. As helmets were ripped from their heads, their crazed eyes were visible but they still held and used weapons while the Blood Swords’ afflicted brothers used only the simplest of weapons. A glance back to the field outside the walls showed the red armored warriors balking at the sight of wanton brutality of the fighting between the two forces. At a command from their commander, the Blood Angels redeployed to form a perimeter so that no one may escape.

 

In their place was the heavily armored First Companies of the Unforgiven. The Deathwing was rightly feared and they immediately made their presence felt as they relentless marched up the piles of rubble and slaughtered the remaining crazed warriors of the Blood Swords with short range heavy weapons fire. The highly disciplined five-man teams were able to damaged the shield generator protecting the fortress. With the shield down, the jump pack assault troops took to the skies and landed in combat with the Blood Swords.

 

With no hope of survival or escape, the Blood Swords threw down their bolters and attacked with their power blades. But it was not a last act of defiance, Blekaara took the field with his power sword in hand and allowed himself to be struck down in hand-to-hand combat and receiving a noble death. He realized the reason for their doom. Their curse was shared by others but since their geneseed was spliced, they were unique and if the primary scions of a primarch could not defeat their curse. What chance did his own chapter have? The last bothers of the chapter noticed the sacrifice and did the same — preferring to be struck down with weapon in hand than to be executed. 

 

While the primogenitors considered the Blood Swords to be abominations, they will not besmirch their honor for they acted nobly and with honor in each of their engagements. The Dark Angels suggested to the Blood Angels that another chapter be created in the ashes of the Blood Swords, one from a single lineage. As the fortress monastery and all of the brothers were immolated, work was started to secretly stand up their own successor. The Blood Angels took all of the honors, standards and banners and relocated the chapter to Jaggafall to start fresh. The Dark Angels reported that they responded to a distress call from the chapter but it had suffered horrific losses and it was no longer combat effective. This allowed the Blood Angels time to rebuild and remake the chapter in their own image and following their ways.

 

CHAPTER ORGANIZATION:

The Blood Swords had almost no contact with either the Blood Angels or the Dark Angels so they followed the precepts of the Ultramarines and maintained a Codex adherent Chapter. 

 

As brothers began to succumb to the madness, they were taken off the roster and confined for they were no better than animals. At the first opportunity, they would be unleashed upon the foe as a distraction for the rest of the chapter. The affected marine rarely ever survived the conflict in part because they would fight unarmed.

 

FLEET ASSETS:

The chapter did not have a large fleet. They only had a single battle barge and a small flotilla of ships to protect it. While requests for additional ships were made to the nearby forge worlds, by the time construction was completed, the chapter was dead. Those ships and vessels of the Blood Swords were given to the Deathwatch along with the Fortress Monastery.

 

RECRUITMENT: 

Before the chapter was destroyed, the Blood Swords were able to gain recruits from within the system and two neighboring systems with heavily populated planets. A series of trials were set up on each planet and overseen by a small cadre of marines. Any youth could take on the trials and those that passed would be taken and inducted into the chapter. Each trial is designed to test the youth’s physical and mental strength as well as their intelligence. The first trial is done alone. The second is completed with a servant of the Chapter. The final trial is done in a group and is the most hazardous.

 

CHAPTER COLORS:

Black with Red

SPECIALISTS:

The Specialists of the Chapter change the rims of their shoulder pads and their helmet color to match their profession.

 

BATTLE STANDARDS OR CHAPTER BANNERS:

In the short history of the Chapter, there have only been a few battle standards to celebrate the the battles and victories of the Blood Swords. Those banners were taken to Baal to serve with honor amongst those Sons of Sanguinius whose chapters have died. The Dark Angels for their part added them to their own Rolls of Honor. 

 

BATTLE HONORS, RELICS, DECORATIONS AND AWARDS:

The Blood Swords short history had very few honors and decorations. Only a few pieces of wargear have achieved a legendary status amongst the ranks of the brothers. But with the chapter destroyed, the wargear of the chapter was given over to the Blood Angels as spoils and the history of the weapons were lost. The weapons were given over to the reserve companies after being resanctified by the Techmarines.

 

COMBAT DOCTRINE:

True to their name, the Blood Swords favor close-combat and fast attack like the Blood Angels. Their stoic determination and stubborn refusal to flee is a mark of their Dark Angel heritage.  Without the assistance of the Primogenitors, the Blood Swords followed the Codex Astartes dictates with only a small modification, nearly every brother carries a sword into battle along with their combat dagger. The swords are mag-clamped to the marine’s backpack in a way that it is within reach but out of the way of them performing their normal duties. The exemptions are the Devastators and Terminators. The Devastators because of their armament and the Terminators because their own close combat weapons are far better than a forged sword or a chainsword.

 

BATTLE CRY: 

“On our swords will the blood of our foes be shed!”

 

LOCAL RITUALS:

Before a Blood Sword can leave the field of battle his sword must be bloodied. Should a brother survive a battle without cutting down a foe, he must then bloody the sword with his own blood. These scars are seen as marks of shame within the chapter. The bloodied swords are not sheathed until they are ritually cleaned by a Chaplain before they depart. The chaplain a large goblet placed before him and as each brother approaches, they present their sword. The chaplain then wipes each blade into the goblet. The filled goblet is then placed in stasis, preserving the shed blood of their foes until their return to the chapter. Once back, the contents are poured out before the gates of the monastery, proof of their victory in battle and a statement that no foe is allowed within the walls of their fortress. Until their doom, this ritual was never broken and no foe crossed the boundary of their walls. 

 

BELIEFS:

The Blood Swords held an unusual belief. They knew of their mixed lineage and thought themselves to be blessed at having the benefit of not one but two Primarchs. This was further enhanced by their training by the Sons of a third Primarch. With the benefits of three primarchs, the chapter considered themselves to be superior to other chapters though they venerated those of the First Founding. 

 

GENE-SEED:

Blood Angels and Dark Angels