IS: The Order of the Risen Saint

[Brother Argent]

Index Sororitas: The Order of the Risen Saint

 

Origins:

 

It is perhaps ironic that the beginnings of the Order of the Risen Saint would begin far from the guiding light of Terra on a backwater world on the edge of an area of space known simply as The Drift.  In the days before the rise of the Serico Triumvate, a successionist empire that ended up claiming half of the Drift before its ends at the hands of an Imperial Crusade, the small somewhat unremarkable world of Renatus was troubled by an outbreak of a disease that would become known simply as 'The Wasting'.  Renatus was a fairly resource poor world, most notable for its vast numbers of population working in squalid work camps.  It was in one of these camps that the disease began.  Causing a slow painful wasting away of the unfortunate victims muscle mass then it would attack their vital organs, eventually causing the victim to suffocate, starve or simply drop dead as their various organs failed.  Efforts to contain the disease failed as quarentines on the planet were breached and soon the Wasting was spreading to every settlement on Renatus.  After investigation by agents of the Ordo Hereticus determined that the virus was not malificent in nature but rather a natural pathogen and with efforts to stop or treat the disease simply ineffective the Imperial made the only decision they could.  To protect the greater Imperium a blockade was established around the planet by the Imperial Navy.  Dictator Class cruisers stood silent sentinel over the planet, mercilessly gunning down any vessels attempting to leave the planet.  As the Wasting spread on the planet and supplies began to run out the population of Renatus began to die in great numbers.  The Imperial plan was simply to wait out the disease and, when it had claimed all those suceptible to it for Imperial Forces to return to the planet.  This would have remained the case if it had not been for a miracle of the Emperor.  As the fleets watch grew long a small vessel approached from the greater Imperium.  Manned by a small number of Ministorum servants and commanded by a young woman named Avelene.  Avelene spoke with the Imperial Navy Admiral and, although she wouldn't say where she came from, she spoke of a vision given to her by the God-Emperor of the suffering of the people of Renatus and gave her the mission to go their and heal their illness.  The Admiral, a pious man by nature, begrudginly agreed to let the vessel through.  His mandate was, after all, to stop those leaving the planet not stop anyone from entering.  And so Avelene was let pass and her crew landed on the planet near a vast cathederal of the Emperor.  The cathederal was in ruins, desecrated by those who thought the Emperor had turned against them.  Gathering her servants about her she began to travel to those areas effected by the Wasting, offering healing and prayer to those under its grip.  It wasn't long before word of her acts of faith began to spread and her group of followers began to swell.  People from all across the planet began to journey to help her and even some of the Imperial Navy crews from the fleet above were moved by her pious dedication and made for the planet surface.Hope grew on the planet as it seemed the Emperor had sent someone to save them.  Then tragedy struck when Avelene herself contracted the Wasting.  Rather then allow herself to be treated she continued to travel around to those whom needed her blessing and healing.  When her illness became too great she was laid in a bed in the heart of the Cathederal where she first landed and insisted to see those whom could seek her out even on her death bed.  But no matter how strong her faith or how great her devotion the Wasting eventually claimed her and she passed away quietly in her sleep.  As news grew of her death despair sunk in and although her followers attempted to continue her work a miasma of grief shrouded the planet.  She was laid to rest in the tombs beneath the cathederal and the people of Renatus began to slowly wait for death to claim them.  Her followers formed an honour guard to watch over her body from those whom would desecrate it out of either malcontent or misplaced fealty.  None were allowed to see her and a vigil was established.  It wasn't until the third day when a stranger arrived at the Cathederal.  Cloaked in hessian robes and leaing heavily on a crooked staff the stranger asked to see the body of the Preacher Avelene.  It was only approapriate that the follower whom stopped her was the former Admiral of the fleet still in blockade around the planet.  The man spoke with an accent of those from Renatus but the former Admiral knew something was not ordinary about the stranger.  Despite protestations from the other followers on vigil the admiral let the stranger pass.  The man payed his respects to the fallen healer before disappearing into the night.  The next night when the vigil changed the next watch arrived to find the body of Avelene gone.  A search for her remains was stopped when they found her, kneeling in prayer at the feet of the Emperor's Altar, still clad in her black funeral robes, very much alive.  She wouldn't tell them of what had happened but what was apparent was that she was fully cured of the Wasting.  Whats more when she blessed those whom suffered from the disease within days their health returned and they were cured.  Avelene and her followers spread out across the planet and those they blessed in the God Emperor's name were cured within days.  It wasn't long before Renatus was disease free.  Avelene petitioned for the blockade to be broken and the Renatus' people to be let free but were denied.  It wasn't long, however, until word of the miracles of Avelene and her followers spread to the greater Imperium and Ecclisiarch Pious sent a representitive to the planet. The Arch-Confessor Thormis Avolo soon arrived with all the pomp and ceremony as befitting one of his status.  He, after investigation, found the claims of the planets cure to be true.  When he asked to speak to the young Avelene she was nowhere to be found.  While the rest of her followers searched for her the former Admiral knew exactly where she would be.  She was found, kneeling in prayer before the altar, a rosarious clasped in her hands and a look of peace on her face.  It seemed, her work done, she had returned to the Emperor's side.  Declaring Renatus' recovery a miracle the Arch-Confessor returned to report his findings to the Ecclesiarch. Avelene's followers sealed her in stasis where she knelt in repose and many pilgrims began to travel to see her body from all across the Drift and even from the Greater Imperium.  A decade after her death Avelene is declared a saint of the Imperium and the number of pilgrims grows.  Soon many of the ill or wounded from across the Imperium began to travel to the Shrine on Renatus to look upon the body of St. Avelene. As the numbers of those needing medical treatment on Renatus grew an order of the Sisters Hospitilar were founded to aid those in need of care.  Dedicated to the memory of St. Avelene they were named the Order of the Risen Saint.

 

The Order grew rapidly in both numbers and fame, with sisters of the Order serving alongside many of the Imperial forces fighting against the growing unrest in the East of the Drift as well as enemies in the Greater Imperium.  Known for both their dedication and faith the order lived by the teachings of St Avelene of dedication to any and all who needed it no matter the risk to themselves.  As the threat of the Serico Triumvate rose many sisters of the order stood alongside the Imperial forces against the growing force.  Despite not being regarded as a true threat to the Imperium the Triumvate began to grow in power and slowly, world by world, they gained ground against the Imperial Forces.  The number of wounded and dying on Renatus soon outnumbered the living and it wasn't long until the Triumvate's forces arrived in orbit over Renatus.  The Canonness Athina Veaux, a native born Renatian, assembled her sisters and stired them to action.  Their's was a duty to the wounded and dying. A duty given by Avelene and through her the Emperor himself. It was a duty they wouldn't fail.  And so the sisters took up arms in defense of their charges.  As the Triumvate's forces pushed against the PDF of Renatus the embattle guardsmen wer ejoined by ebon power armour clad warrior women with sacred bolters in hand.  The angels of mercy soon became angels of death, repulsing wave after wave of secessionist forces.  Even so the loyalists were slowly driven back until soon they stood in the very cathederal Avelene had once stood.  As dawn broke on what seemed to be the orders last days a great shout went up from the cathederal, St Avelene's body was gone.  But as the sister's marched with grim resolve into the very teeth of death itself they were joined at their forefront by a figure in gleaming emerald robes and ebon black armour, wielding a sword of purest white.  St Avelene had returned to lead her children to victory.  And indeed victory was achieved that day, the glorious saint leading her sisters against the Triumvate forces and eventually driving them off the planet.  When the battle was over St Avelene disappeared and was found in repose in the Cathederal again.  The Triumvate forces would never again return to Renatus, having been so effectively crushed in what many spoke of as a miracle.  Indeed the planet was avoided completely by the secessionists until the Triumvate's destruction at the hands of an Imperial Crusade.  On that last day of Renatus' seige however, as the last Triumvate soldiers lay dying on the soil of the Shrine World's fields, Canonness Athina declared her Order would serve soley as Hospitilar no longer but now would serve in a more militant role as well.

 

Since then the Order of the Risen Saint has serves across the Imperium against any and all foes, serving both to save the wounded, and deal death to those whom have wounded them.

 

 

Homeworld:

 

Renatus was, before the Wasting, a back water planet regarded only for its cheap and plentiful labour.  Since St Avelene's rise and death and the founding of the Order of the Risen Saint the planet has become a beautiful Shrine World.  Where muddy fields once baked under a heavy sun and workers toiled now lie carefully tended gardens and forests.  Sweaty, dirty and crowded labour camps have been replaced by shrines and contemplation groves.  Pilgrims flock to the planet to lay eyes on the in stasis remains of St Avelene.  At the heart of this all lies the great Cathederal where St. Avelene kneels in eternal prayer.  Hardly touched since Avelene's time the Cathedral is stewarded by the descendants of the Saint's followers.  The grounds of the Cathedral have been replaced with a vast hospital where the sick and wounded come hoping for Avelene to heal them.  The scars of the Triumvate's invasion can still be found in the quieter corners of the world.  Abandoned bunker complexes lay beneath wodded forests and crashed orbital shuttles serve as a base for pilgrim villages.  The Triumvate's touch is never forgotten but rather servges as a constant reminded of the saving power of the God Emperor.

 

 

Notable Members:

 

St Avelene: St Avelene's rise from death served as a beacon for her faithful in their fight against the Wilting and then again when the Triumvate's forces invaded.  St Avelene has appeared to her sisters on four seperate occasions since that day.  Everytime she appears when times seem most dire for her followers and everytime she leads them to victory before disappearing once battle is concluded.  She is regarded as a saint on the Imperium and many credit their lives to her saving grace.

 

Canonness Athina Veaux: Athina Veaux was born to a poor pilgrims family on Renatus and, when her parents died from their illness, she passed into the care of the Order.  Her fiery passion and unwavering dedication soon saw her rise throught he ranks of the Order, after serving as command of a mission against the Triumvate, she returned to be raised to Canonness of the Order.  Athina served with dedication when Renatus was invaded and was responsible for the order's change to a more militant role.  It has been said that her rise to power at this time was a goft from the Emperor himself as none could have been more suited for the changes the Order had to undergo at the time.  Athina would continue to lead her Order in victory after victory until she eventually fell in battle against WAAAAGH!!!! Rittagit many years later.

 

Canonness Lucia Kellithan: The current Canonness of the Order of the Risen Saint Lucia was the daughter of an influential General on the planet of Arvenhiem when the planet fell under the scythes of the ancient xeno menance known as the Necrontyr.  Like many of the orphans from that conflict she was passed into the care of the Order following the eventual defeat of the xenos on Gerithan VI and was raised to serve in the Order's ranks.  Lucia was often found praying at the feet of Avelene's body and her faith was an inspiration to all.  Her soft spoken nature hid an iron hard resolve and steel sharp wit.  She would eventually be placed in command of the Order follwing the death of the Order's former leader during the Lauss Rift Crusade.

 

 

 

Notable Conflicts:

 

The Battle of Renatus: The Serico Triumvate arrives on Renatus and besieges the planet.  They are eventually turned aside by the risen Saint Avelene.

 

WAAAAAAGH!!!!! Rittagit: Shortly following the destruction of the Triumvate a vast Waaaaagh! arrives from below the galactic plain and crashes into the Drift.  Despite the death of Canonness Athina the xenos are crushed.

 

Winter's Reach: On the planet of Winter's Reach the Order of the Risen Saint fight at the request of Inquisitor Gaelin against a seemingly unending horde of plague zombies led by traitors in white armour.  Despite this through faith and fury the Sisters purge the planet of all of the Chaos taint.

 

The Sword in Shadow: The planet of Pious declares itself free of Imperial Rule. The Order of the Risen Saint arrive to subdue the planet but before the first shot is fired the Planetary Governor surrenders unconditionally after black and silver clad warriors kill over half the planets ruling elite in one night.  Although unknown at the time it is later revealed to have been the work of the Silver Swords Astartes Chapter, descendants of Corax.

 

The Reaver's Rise: A vast contigent of the Xeno Necrontyr cut a swathe of destruction across the Drift.  At the cost of countless lives, both mortals, sisters and indeed even astartes the xenos are eventually defeated on Gerithan VI.

 

The Lauss Rift Crusade: In M.41 a vast Traitor force under the command of the Dread Sorcerer Marou shatters the defences of the Lauss Rift and besige the sectors homeworld.  The Order of the Risen Saint commit a mission to the cause that are all but destroyed at the Battle for Transcendece when the planet is flooded with daemons from the Warp.

 

 

NOTE: Sisters of the Order wear green robes, the colour St. Avelene wore in life and black armour, the colour of the funeral garbs she was laid to rest in.

[Chaplian Belphoron]

I find the Idea astonishing. Good Work!