Inquisitorial Guard (WIP)

[Mathis59]

The Inquisitorial Guard are my custom Space Marine Chapter, featured in two videos from One Mind Syndicate on YouTube.. Unfortunately, the history and lore I've made for them is much too long (32 pages in notepad... lol) to post here without breaking it into multiple separate posts, so instead I'll post it in it's entirety on my profile in the 'files' section. I'm also currently working on a story for Family 192, whether it ends up being short or long, or even an epic, is still up for debate. However, if y'all would like to see it here as well, just let me know, and I'll post the story here as I work on it. Anyway, I appreciate any ideas for more lore, or just y'alls thoughts on it! Let me know, thanks!

 

 

Edit: Well, until I figure out how to add Files to the File tab, I'll just post the Chapter info in separate posts here.

Edited January 19, 2018 by Mathis59

[Mathis59]

FOUNDING and BRIEF OVERLAY 

"We stand at the brink each day, looking over the Chasm of the Void into the maw of darkness. Where other Chapters would fall and succumb to the pitless Void, we stand tall and resolute, unbreakable stone mountains bathed in the Emperor's Light. We are the Inquisitorial Guard!" - Grandfather Isrial Torrtor, Patriarch of Family 335

 

 The Inquisitorial Guard are a non-Codex compliant chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. They differ from almost every other chapter of Astartes, in not only is their Geneseed derived directly from the Emperor of Mankind himself, much like the Grey Knights chapter, but that they are at once the largest, and smallest, Chapter of Space Marines in the known galaxy.

 

 The Inquisitorial Guard was founded sometime during the 35th Millenium, during what came to be known as the "Dark Founding". Due to the occult nature of the "Dark Founding", in addition to Inquisitorial Censures of information regarding their founding, not much is known as to the creation of the Inquisitorial Guard, save their unusual Genetic and Psychic purity, leading many to speculate that alongside the Grey Knights they derive from pure genetic material from the Emperor himself. Due to the nature of the Inquisitorial Guard's missions and structure of the chapter itself, it is very possible that this rumor is true.

 

 The Inquisitorial Guard are a militant arm of the Holy Ordos of the Inquisition, though, unlike the Grey Knights and Deathwatch, who are militant arms of the Ordos Malleus and Ordos Xenos respectively, the Inquisitorial Guard do not differentiate whom they serve: Instead, they serve as watchmen and guardians of Inquisitorial research stations, armories, fortresses and outposts. Indeed, whatever the Inquisition has deemed 'worthy' of their assimilation or ownership of, a detachment of Inquisitorial Guards will be located nearby.

CHAPTER and COMPANY STRUCTURE

 "We are few in number, a grain of sand upon the beach of the Imperium. And yet, we are just that. A beach of sand. Each grannule, a Family, and each Family a family of Fathers, Sons, and Grandsons. So though we are few, our bonds are forged stronger than Ceremite, and such shall shatter any who would challenge our righteous fury!" - Grandfather's induction to the Neophyte

 

 The Inquisitorial Guard are unique from every other chapter of Astartes in their recruitment methods and company structure. Each company is composed of twenty-one battle-brothers, though the word company is exchanged in favor of 'Family'. Each family is composed of one 'Patriarch', or Grandfather, as the other Space Marines call him. The Grandfather is equivilant in rank to a Space Marine Company Commander. The Grandfather's direct subordinates are his ten 'Sons', who are referred to as 'Fathers'. Each Father is equivilant in rank to a Space Marine Sergeant. Each Father in turn is in command of one 'Son', and each Son is the equivilant of a Space Marine Neophyte.

 

 The term Family, as well as Grandfather, Father, and Son, date all the way back to the Chapters founding, although little to no information on the subject can be found. What is rumored, however, is that during the first Family's creation, the Grandfather, upon his inception as Patriarch, spoke to his subordinates and Neophytes, calling them his 'Sons, and Grandsons'.

 

 Due to each Family's small number, each member of the Family is placed in a specialized role, and sometimes duel roles, depenedant of Family size, composition, duty mission, and indiviual strengths and skills. As such, terms such as Tech Marine and Apothecary are some times joined to create Tech Medics, combining both roles into one. It is also not uncommon for Librarians and Chaplains to both be the same individual, known as Cardinals. This is done in order to compensate for each Family's small size, helping to both medigate weaknesses in unit positions and create highly adaptable and specialized Space Marines prepared to cover any roles during prolonged excursions away from the rest of the Family.

 

 Although each Son is considered a Neophyte by Chapter standards, other Space Marines would not be at fault to think otherwise. Each Son, upon his 'adoption', is granted a full suit of Power Armor, though devoid of Family Sigils and honors. Each Neophyte has also undergone genetic manipulation and Geneseed implantation. Regardless, each Son is considered a Neophyte until he has undergone all trials and tribulations associated with specific Family requirements. Once deemed a full battle-brother, each son will don the title of Father, adding his specific Family Sigil to his power armor and is deemed worthy of aqruing honors.

 

 Each Family Grandfather, along with the ten Fathers, are allowed the honor of wearing the Terminator style power armor, although use of such armor is usually relegated to high intensity training exercies or the most terrible of battles, as is it's rarity. Instead, the Grandfather is typically the only Space Marine in the Family to always wear his Terminator armor.

 The Inquisitorial Guard does not use the traditional squad that other Astartes Chapters use. Instead, based on mission parameters and Family strength, one or two Fathers and their Neophyte Sons will venture forth from the Family 'Hearth' and execute the Inquisitions will. It is a rare and unheard of occurance where an entire Family will fight on the same battlefield, save for the most apocalyptic of missions and fights.

 

 Due to the small size of an Inquisitorial Guard unit, most Family's do not keep large numbers of Landraiders or Leman Russ battle tanks. Instead, each Family is used to insertion from Inquisitorial vessels, or calling in support from larger nearby units if the need arises. As such, Inquisitorial Guard units are not used as frontline soldiers, instead being applied by the Inquisition as guardians to high value instillations, or as special operations soldiers, used for reconnaisance, sabotage, escort operations, and execution of high value targets.

 

 The Inquisition keeps thousands upon thousands of instillations, from deep space research stations to asteroid spy fortresses and battlesite armories. Although every Inquisition instillation is an invaluable set piece for the Imperium, all have a ready contingent of Inquisition Storm Troopers at bay; only those that are deemed too valuable to sacrifice have an Inquisitorial Guard Family attached to them. Still, this means that there are thousands of Family's serving the Imperium, and while each Family conducts itself as an individual Chapter due to differentiating missions, each still traces its lineage back to the origional Family formed during the Dark Founding, making the Inquisitorial Guard the largest Space Marine 'Chapter' in the Imperium, with the Black Templars close behind.

 

 When not engaged in combat and special operations, or honing their superhuman capabilities in training, the Inquisitorial Guard 'helps' to conduct day to day operations at their Family Hearths and Inquisitorial instillations. While keeping from mundane activities saved for regular humans and servitors, the more studious and intelligent of the Family will help with Inquisitorial research and developement, while the stronger, more agile and combat experienced Marines will help in training not only the Neophytes, but also Inquisition Storm Troopers and personnel. This makes it so while they do not have any Fortress Monistaries, each instillation a Family calls home is still an extremely difficult and nigh impossible challenge to overcome for all but the hardiest and largest of enemy forces. This also has the effect where as most Chapters view humans as little more than cannon fodder or expendable refuse, the Inquisitorial Guard, while still not viewing average humans as equals, has a better appreciation and understanding of what the Emperor origionally designed Space Marines for.

RECRUITMENT and TRAINING

 "You are but an applicant, no better or different than the hundreds that suround you. You must prove your worth and potential to become a Son of the Guard, and even then you may be found wanting. I... may be found wanting. So you will not fail. You will survive. You will succeed. You will ascend. Or you will die trying." - Neophyte Jannio, Family 628, speaking to his group of applicants on Errianck IV

 

 The Inquisitorial Guard has a unique recruitment method, more so than any other Space Marine Chapter. Instead of having an entire Company dedicated to the recuritment, training, and selection of Neophytes, each Father personally selects his Son during the recruitment process, partially due to the secretive and somewhat claustrophobic nature of their missions and Hearths, but also to select only the best possible Neophyte into their small and tightknit unit.

 

 While each Family has it's own specific trials and tribulations that each Neophyte must overcome to become a full battle-brother and 'Father', there are a few requirements that are mandatory throughout the entirety of the Chapter.

 

 Once a Son has served as a Neophyte for fifty years, and passed all other requirements and trials of his Family, he has reached one of the last steps of becoming a battle-brother. 

 His next, and arguably hardest task, is to go to the nearest populated planet or station  to his Hearth and live among the common people of the Imperium for five years. While doing so, he is forbidden from taking his power armor and weapons with him, instead relying on his own intuition and capabilities for survival, although he is given an Inquisitorial Rosette to use as he sees fit. During this time, his task is to find an apprentice to become the next Neophyte for his Family. This is known as the Long Trial.

 

 One requirement for a potential applicant is to have a fairly decent psychic ability. While not on the level of Grey Knights, all members of the Inquisitorial Guard are potent psykers, though varying in ablility. As such, during his recruitment trial, Neophytes will typically psychically scan the area, locating all children with latent psychic abilities.

 

 Over the course of his trial, the Neophyte will assess and determine which applicants to be the best through grueling and demanding, and many times deadly, trials of his own. Once the five years has ellapsed and the Neophyte's applicant has passed all trials and tribulations given to him, the two will return to the Family Hearth, upon where the Son becomes the Father, and the applicant becomes Son. Should the applicant die at anypoint before ascending to Fatherhood himself, his mentor must again descend to the populace and begin anew.

 

 Sometimes, however, more than one applicant will remain at the end of the five year trial. When this occurs, a Trial of Determination is held, in which the two applicants are given a task where, usually, only one will succeed or even survive. Even then, in rare occurances both applicants survive or complete the challenge. Should this happen, both applicants return with the Neophyte and become his Sons.

 

 Even rarer still, sometimes the applicant left at the end of the five years is not that of a boy, but that of a young girl. Although the genetic modification process kills females, as their physiology cannot accept the Geneseed implant, the applicants prowess and potential is not ignored. The child is brought back to the Hearth, and, upon determining what path would suit the child best, she is imprinted with an Inquisitorial Guard Seal of Acquisition, and sent off for training within the Adepta Sororitas. Once her training is complete, should she survive, the Seal is scanned, and, regardless of all Edicts and legislation dictating otherwise, she is returned to the Hearth she departed from, becoming a Daughter of the Guard. Should she survive long enough to reach fifty years as a Daughter, she, too, is sent to a population center to begin the recruitment process once again. Upon completion, Daughter is exchanged for Mother. Regardless of her standing in the Family, however, only Fathers can ascend to the rank of Grandfather, as many of the tasks and duties required of that rank require many of the genetic implants to be accomplished.

 

 While most Astartes Chapters are ignorant of the Inquisitorial Guard's existance due to the Inquisitorial Censure, a good few Chapters have worked with them in the past. However, due to the strange recruitment processes of the Inquisitorial Guard, and the fact that even a Sister of Battle, still mainly genetically human,  is allowed within their hallowed ranks, some Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes view the Chapter as borderline heretical, if not completely. This has lead to friction in the past, with the most strict of codex-compliant Chapters calling for Excommunication outright, while other codex-relaxed chapters merely view the Guard with suspicion. Still, the majority of Chapters who know of the Guard's existance, especially those close to the Inquisition or Adepta Sororitas, view them with high regard and admoration, able to complete the most demanding of assignments with so few in number.

 

 After the applicant is selected and returned with his new 'Father' to the Hearth, training begins almost immediately. After years of intense physical, mental, and psychological training, genetic manipulating and implanting takes place. Should the applicant survive, he becomes a Neophyte, or full Son to his father. For the female applicants who survive their training with the Adepta Sororitas, they return to their Hearth of origin and begin training alongside her new 'Brothers'.

 

 In true Familial tradition, each Father is considered an Uncle, each Brother a Cousin and so forth. In this way, should the Neophyte's Father depart on a mission, he still recieves his daily training at the hands of his Uncles. All Neophytes train together in a group, with all Fathers among them to teach and train themselves along side their Sons. This is to ensure all Sons recieve equal training in all aspects of becoming a full battle-brother, in both martial prowess, medical training, technical expertice, and spiritual guidance and use in containing and applying their psychic powers. It also helps to create an extremely cohesive unit, the likes of which even other Space Marine Chapters do not have. Should a Son's Father die during his time as a Neophyte, he is adopted by one of his Uncles, and upon being granted the mantle of Father, will assume his Father's name, take a suffix, such as the second, and his power armor to ensure the longevity of his legacy and glory.

COMPANY CREATION

 "It has come to the Grandfather's attention that a new Family is required in the far expanse of the Jericho Reach. I have been honored with sireing this new Family, and will take to the Reach at once to bring the Imperium's might and glory to the Xenos and Heretic." - Father Urliyer, Family 982

 

 Should the Inquisition deem a new instillation of high enough importance to warrant the creation of a new Company, or should an existing Family fall to the last man, the eldest Father of a Family will be chosen to become the new Family's Patriarch. Typically the Space Marine chosen will be the most charasmatic and intelligent, as his daily dealing will be spent with Inquisitors and various Governers and Military Generals. They will also be someone of great renown and honors and overall prowess, as he will teach his Sons in the aspects of their new missions and combat techniques, so they may pass them down to the Neophytes.

 

 Once a Patriarch has been chosen, he will select ten Fathers from the rest of the Inquisitorial Guard. Only one Father may be taken from each Family. His decisions will be made depending on the Inquisitorial instillation that the Hearth will be founded upon. Should the Hearth be located within a research facility, he will select the five most intillectual and inquisitive from the Chapter, the other five based on their martial prowess and psychic abilities. Likewise, should the Hearth be near a warzone, then the majority will be selected based on martial prowess, psychic ability, then intelligence. Each instillation has it's own specific function, and thus the Fathers chosen will reflect that stations specific mission.

 

 Once the Hearth has been sufficiently built up and the Patriarch and Fathers have arrived, each Father will embark on a recruitment mission. Once three years into the five year mission, the next Father will depart on his mission, and so on and so forth, until each Father has returned with his Neophyte. This cycle is to ensure that the Hearth is never desperately undermanned, as even though a strong garrison of Inquisitorial Storm Troopers and Imperial Guardsmen are sure to be nearby, one Family member is worth a few hundred humans.

 Should a Family be extinguished to the last man, reinforcement protocols are the same as creation protocols. However, instead of adding a new number to the Family, along with new sigils and heraldry, the old Family's number, sigil, and heraldry will be adopted.

 

 Many times during creation and reinforcement, the newest Fathers in each Family will be sent out, as to keep their origional Family from inflation, and to spread their knowledge and abilities to other battle-brothers.

HEARTHS

 "This is your new home, my Son. As a Neophyte, you will live in the barracks with your Cousins, other Neophytes to your uncles. One day, should you prove worthy in the Emperor's eyes, you will become a Father yourself, gainig the responsibilites, and rewards, deserved of your station." - Father Gotoraz to his Son, Family 61

 

 Due to the mission imposed upon them by the Inquisition, the Inquisitorial Guard does not have a Fortress Monestary. Instead, each Family's Patriach will construct a 'Hearth', a miniaturized version of a Fortress Monestary. Most times it will be built within the deepest depths of the facility they are oath bound to protect. Other times it will be many miles away, yet still within reach at a moments notice should the Inquisition need them. On the rare occasion, however, it will be hundreds or thousands of miles away, keeping a watchful eye over the facility and system it inhabits.

 

 Regardless of where a Hearth is built, the layout is always unique, either due to the requirements of the Family's mission or to the Patrairch's eccentricities. A few similarities are consistent within all Hearths however.

 

 Each Hearth has a unified barracks for all Neophytes. Each barracks is Spartan in style and accommodation and split into two parts. The first half is for fresh Neophytes who have yet to undergoe genetic modification and earning of their power armor. The barracks for these aspirants are sparse, with simple stone slabs with thin, woolen mattresses for them to sleep on. The walls, ceilings, and floors are made from rough, unpolished limestone, and the Neophytes are made to walk on the barracks floors without foot protection in order to toughen their soles for the thousands of miles they will walk. The rooms are dimly lit, and large archways lead in and out of the dormitories. On planets with hospitable atmospheres, the archways lead directly outside, with nothing covering the entrances from the elemetns, so in the summers they are blisteringly hot, and hellishly cold in the winters. In space stations and atmosphereless planets, the rooms have a temperature control module to simulate the seasons, as to not deprive the aspirants of valuable training.

 

 For the Neophytes who've undergone genetic manipulation and geneseed implatation, the barracks are a bit more forgiving. The stone walls, floors and ceilings are made of polished stone, the walls enscribbed with the histories of former Neophytes, whether they lived to become glorious brothers of the Chapter, or whether they died in the attempt. Hundreds of stories, portraits, and litanies of victories, and defeats, line the walls, some so thick with honors and disgraces that the etchings are nearly microscopic. The Neophytes still sleep on stone slabs, though the matresses are now thicker and more comfortable, and the rooms are now hermetically sealed and temperaturized for comfort, though the training regement of the Neophytes has nothing but increased in difficulty.

 

 Libraries of vast and forbidden knowledge and lore are common in all Hearths, though the ones in research stations are considerably larger, some the size of small space stations. All full battle-brothers are permitted entrance into the Libraries, though only the Cardinals and Patrairchs are permitted access to the more diabolic, heretical, or xenos attuned entries, to better understand and counter their enemies. Everything from great tomes of arcane knowledge, anatomy of various xenos and mutant species, and even ancient stories of histories long past and forgotten can be found within these great reliquaries of knowledge and learning.

 

 Vast and complex training facilities are found in all Hearths, though the size and scope varies from Hearth to Hearth. Everything from large, cathedral like rooms for martial arts to mile long shooting ranges can be found inside. While all sport some sort of room functional for the practice of psychic abilities, some Hearths are equipped with marvelous rooms of blue and pink crystals, believed to help amplify and hone psychic powers. Others are large planetariums, equipped with hundred meter wide monitors and psychic conduits that allow the user to see the effects of psychic powers they project on solar objects. Commonly, due to the inclusive nature of the Inquisitorial Guard and its Inquisition counter parts, battle-brothers, Neophytes and Inquisitiorial Storm Troopers alike share the trainig facilities.

 

 Each Hearth is equipped with a vast armory, housing the Family's wide assortment of arms and armors, and the few vehicles each may utilize. Cataphracty pattern Terminator armor lines the walls along side Mark VIII Praetendi Taedas Power Armor. From Ceres Patern Bolt Carbines to Heavy Flamers, and even the odd Hesh Pattern Bolter by those honored Fathers who've served a tour in the Death Watch. Each armory is attached to the Family's hangers and garages, as the Family Arms Master cares for both the physical armarment and the vehicular.

 

 Each Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes has at least a moderate (by Astartes standards) sized chapel deticated to meticulous worhsip, prayer, and meditation, and the Inquisitorial Guard is no exception. Always the most ornately and lavishly decorated room in the Hearth, it is the center of the Family's spiritual needs, lovingly and dedicatedly tended to by both the Patriarch and Family Cardinal. Golden, guilded statues of the God Emperor are always found, commonly surrounded by the pantheon of Saints, both deceased and living, followed by the Chapters greatest heros. Often the Cardinal can be found sighting off prayer benedictions and psalms to both Astartes and Inquisition personnel.

 

  The living quarters of Fathers, while still sparse, are considerably more accomodating than those of the Neophyte. Each Father has his own seperate living quarters, complete with a comfortable bed on an engraved stone plinth, marked with the personal victories and glories of it's owner. The walls, while made of the same polished stone, are sometimes painted with heros both past and present, and the Fathers' personal arms and armor are stored in their rooms, as to be inspected, maintained and modified by their own hands. The Patriarchs' room is similar to the Fathers', albeit slightly larger and more luxurious than his subordinates. Still, by normal human standards, even the Patrairchs room would seem somewhat bare.

 When the Hearth is built into the Inquisition facility, the Astartes will eat with the rest of the Inquisitorial staff. While most other Astartes would find this a slight at best and unbearable at worst, the Astartes of the Inquisitorial Guard do not seem to mind it, at least outwardly. To them, it is just another part of training and coming to know the people they will defend the Imperium with. To the average human, it's an awe inspiring sight with every bite.

 

 Should a battle-brother fall, even a Neophyte, they can rest easy knowing their remains shall be honored in the Hearths Barrows, vast mausoleums filled with the glorious dead. Each full battle-brother is enterned within an obsidian sarcophagi, the lid made from the stone slab that they previously slept on, forever marked with the stories of their prowess. Neophytes also rest in obsidian sarcophagi, although the lids to theirs lay bare, marked only with their names and dates of death. Honor enough is it to have been considered for brotherhood.

CHAPTER COLORS, SIGILS, AND HERALDRY

 "Today, Son, you travel to Loespor to begin your Long Trial. Many challenges await you that you must complete alone. However, should you return to us victorious, you will earn both the mantle of Fatherhood, but most importantly, your Family colors." - Father Urliyer to his Son, Family 982

 

 The Inquisitorial Guard is one of the few known Adeptus Astartes Chapters created directly at the behest of the Inquisition, as their name would suggest. Much like the Grey Knights of the Ordos Malleus and the Death Watch of the Ordos Xenos, the Inquisitorial Guard displays the Inquisitorial Rosette upon their power armor.

 

 The Inquisitorial Rosette is emblazend upon the face of the Space Marines Mark VIII Praetendi Taedas Helmet and Terminator Pattern Helmet, with the Rosette beginning at the top of the forhead, and traveling down between the eye lenses, with the bottom of the Rosette resting upon the chin. The Rosette is filled with an enlay of scarlett ivory, with an inner trim of obsidian stone and an outer trim of gold platted ceremite. The skull located in the middle of the Rosette is made of polished bone white ceremite, with a built in personal void shield generator, and is enlayed in a circle of obsidian.

 

 While Family color arrangements are varied, the Inquisitorial Guard abides by a strict three color scheme for all Families: Scarlett red, obisidian black, and darkened gold.

 Each Family is granted autonomy for the general appearance of color schemes on their power armor, however, a few strict tennents are universal throughout the Chapter.

 Both shoulder paldrons are always a field of obsidian, with darkened gold trim. On the left paldron, the individual Family sigil is allowed, though most Families use the Inquisitorial Rosette found on their helmets. Some however do use individualized sigils. Family 642, for example, uses a rounded shield of black and gold diagonal stripes, with a black skull with a broken jaw as their sigil. Another unique sigil is of Family 23, whose golden eagle claw sits upon a horizontal stripped field of obsidian and scarlett.

 

 On the right paldron is the individual Astartes specialty, whose symbol is always solid gold. For a Cardinal, the symbol is that of the Imperial Aquila, the talons clutching a tome of ancient knowledge. For the Tech Medic, it is the Apothecary Skull and Serpent, imposed over the Machine God Skull and Cog. For the Assault Tactician, it is the Four Crossed Arrows, with a golden crown above. Veterans use the Iron Cross, while the Family Patrairch has the Inquisitorial Rosette with spread eagle wings.

 

 The right knee guard is always darkened gold, with the Family number imposed in obsidian Roman numerals. The left knee guard is always obsidian, and is reserved for those who have taken the Long Watch. The number of tours is denoted in darkened gold Gothic numerals. Regardless of Family diversity, the eyelenses in the power helmet are always a darkened gold.

 

 Another mainstay of the Chapter is the removal of the Imperial Aquila. Usually it is replaced with an Inquisitorial Rosette, but, depending on the Family, it may also be replaced with the individual battle-brothers specialty field symbol. Either way, it is always overlayed as a contrasting color. If on obsidian, the symbol will be gold. If on scarlett, the symbol will be black, and if on gold, the symbol will be scarlett. The Aquila is never replaced by an individual Family Sigil. Still, the Patriarch has the final decision, and some Families still apply the Aquila.

 All Neophytes, regardless of Family, regardless of power armor or carapace, paints their armor entirely black, save for the paldron trim and the knee guards. Until the mantle of Fatherhood, no individual customization or Family heraldry and color is allowed.

FAMILY HIERARCHY

 "You may call us all Father, or you may call the rest Uncle. You may call your fellow aspirants Brother, or you may call them all Cousin. It does not matter how to each you refer us, and yourselves. Our Patriarch, however, is always Grandfather, for it was his grand vision that fathered our Family." - Father Quintoras addressing the Neophytes, Family 816

 

 When a Neophyte of the Inquisitorial Guard takes his Long Trial, in which he finds his own aspirant and quests to attain the mantle of Father and full battle-brother, he is a Son, not a full battle-brother. Despite his geneseed implatation and rewarding of power armor, until he 'adopts' his own Son, he is still considered a Neophyte. Other Astartes Chapters would call him Brother or Cousin, but that is not the Inquisitorial Guard way.

 

 Once a Father, the Astartes would enter into what other Chapters would consider their First Company, as he is rewarded his own set of Terminator pattern power armor. In the Inquisitorial Guard, however, all Fathers are ranked according to their 'seniority' to their brothers. 

 

 In each Family, the eldest Father is typically the next in line to succession for the mantle of Patriarch, or Grandfather. Next in line would be the second senior, then the third, and so on and so forth. All Fathers in all Families otherwise hold the equivilant rank of Space Marine Sergeant, and as such all Fathers from all Families are their eachothers equals. In some Chapters, field specialty sometimes denotes rank, such as for some Chapters the Librarians being next in command, and others the Chaplains, but that is not the Inquisitorial Guard way.

 While the eldest Father is first in line of succession, the Grandfather can still choose his own confidant and right-hand-man. Typically it is the Family Cardinal, as he is both the spiritual leader of the Family, and the most potent psyker, instrumental in completing the Grandfather's day to day dealings.

 

 The Patriarch, or Grandfather, is the leader of each Family, and holds the title until death. If called to serve a tour on the Long Watch, the eldest Father will take the mantle in abstentia, until the Grandfather returns. Each Grandfather is equivilant in rank to a Company Commander.

 

 There is no single Chapter Master, as in most Chapters of Astartes. Instead, the Inquisitorial Guard operate much in the same way that the Death Watch operate. Each individual Family is governed according to their own missions, dictated by the nature of the Inquisition facilities and personnel they protect. No other Grandfather can dictate the ways of another Family, and only under the most dire of circumstances do all the Grandfathers meet to pass judgement over one of their own. Such circumstance has only happened twice.

 

 Should the rare circumstance occur where all full battle-brothers are killed, and only the Neophytes remain in place, the nearest Greatuncle, or the closet Family Grandfather, will come to the Family and raise the most senior Neophytes, those with geneseed implantaion, to the mantle of Fatherhood, and they will embark on the Long Trial. Other Fathers will come to take the remaining spots and to 'adopt' the other Neophytes, and an eldest Father from another Family will come to take the mantle of Grandfather.

 

 In Families blessed with a Sister of Battle, she is treated by the others as her rank would allow. If a Daughter of the Guard, she is called Sister or Cousin by her fellow Neophytes. Once she has attained the rank of Motherhood, she is called Mother or Aunt by all Neophytes, and again Sister by the Fathers. A Mother is, like all Fathers, subordinate to the Grandfather. In rare circumstances, an Inquisitor can deem her talents better suited as an Inquisitor. Should she become one, based on what rank she left as, she is will be called either Mother or Sister Inquisitor. While, technically, she would now outrank the Patriarch or Fathers, the Sister always remembers her Hearth, and still honors her Grandfather and Fathers.

BATTLE DOCTRINE and MISSION REQUIREMENTS

 "Other Chapters might scoff at our ways; Many Chapters save our methods of battle for their Scout Marines, as their number is pletniful enough, both battle-brother and Neophyte. Our missions, and our numbers, dictate otherwise. Regardless, a dead enemy is a gift to the Emperor." - Father Lakland to his Son during reconnaisance, Family 479

 

 The Inquisitorial Guard does not wage war according to the Codex Astartes and most other Chapters. While other Chapters would save subterfuge, sabotage, reconnaisance and unconventional warfare for their Scout Marines, it is staple of the Inquisitorial Guard.

 

 Due to the small amount of members per Family, and the special nature of each Family's mission, the Inquisitorial Guard does not have the capability to wage conventional warfare on its own. Instead, each unit sent out by the Inquisitorial Guard operates either in an advisory role, or as that as a small special operations force.

 

 Often, Inquisitorial Storm Troopers are sent out to complete an Inquisitor's will. Whether their campaign be one of conquest, pacification, or an, inquisitive, nature, there come times where even the might of the Inquisition's personal forces is not enough. In lue of commandering an entire Chapter or Company for their personal uses, Inquisitors will call for a force to be sent from the nearest Hearth. Typically the force sent is a four man team, two Fathers and two Neophytes, though the mission can dictate more, or less.

 

 Usually when called upon by the Inquisition, the Task Force, as they are called, are used in special operations. Any manner of manuevers can be taken by this versatile and flexible group, from long range reconniasance and patrols, to sabotage and high-value target executions. A Task Force is called in lue of using typical Inquisitorial assets, as the Inquisitor and his or her generals have deemed their forces incapable.

 

 Other times, the Task Force is called for an advisory role, in part to their special nature of working day to day with Inquisitorial forces, and in part to Astartes generally being excellent tacticians and strategists. In this role, the Task Force will advise Generals, Field Marshals, Commisars and even the Inquisitor themselves on what to do and how to do it. So valued is their expericence, most commanders and Inquisitors do not think twice about the advice given.

 

 Still, it is a regular occurance that sees a Task Force engaged in conventional warfare. Once the strategims and plans are set in motion, most Task Force leaders, the senior Father in the Task Force (or Mother, in the rare Family that has an Adepta Sororitas), will want to see their plans to come to fruition. Even should the plan fail, which is not often, the experience is invaluable for the burgeoning Neophyte, who will one day lead a Task Force of his own. As such, the Task Force will often find themselves in the thick of battle, carving a path and leading the advancing forces towards the objective.

 

 Other times will see the Task Force in a more protective role. On occasion an Inquisition researcher or scientist will have valuable knowledge or technology that requires just that much more security, and to avoid bringing scruitiny from the Imperium, and other Inquisitors, will call upon the Guard to provide an escort detail to accompany them. Many times during these missions, the Task Force will forego their usual power armor, instead stowing it away aboard the vessel and wearing more traditional clothing and armor suited for their enhanced frames. Although battle-brothers imposing statures are cause for a raised eyebrow or two, most curious minds are, convinced, to keep to themselves, either from sheer intimidation, or from the guile and charisma of the members of the Task Force. An odd Inquisitorial Rosette here and there doesn't hurt, either.

 

 It is an extremely rare occurance where an entire Family, Grandfather and all, are called to mission. In these cases circumstances are one short step away from involving full blown military operations or Astartes involvement, and such dire times call for dire measures. The Family closest to the crisis will respond in full, bringing the entire might of their Family down upon the enemy. Only a handful of times since the Chapters creation has this occured, and twice resulted in the destruction of a full Family. If more power than a full Family is needed, full scale war or conventional Astartes Chapter involvement is instead utilized.

WARGEAR and VEHICLES OF THE CHAPTER

 "The Bolter is the closest you will come to experiencing the Emperor's love. Each round spent is both a prayer and a response; you pray for his guiding Light, and he responds in kind, exacting his toll and clearing your path to further spread his truth. The recoil is his hearty laugh at the imputance of our foes." - Grandfather Yiolkar during marksmanship training, Family 634

 

 While the entirety of the Imperium's technological might is offered to the hands of the Inquisitorial Guard, there are several mainstays in every armory at every Hearth.

 The Ceres Pattern Bolt Carbine is the average armarment of a Guard Astartes and Neophyte. While the firerate is lower than that of the typical Bolter, its lighter weight and simpler construction make it an ideal general purpose weapon for the special missions the Family undertakes. 

 

 The Stalker Pattern Bolter is another mainstay, as it's M40 Targeter System and elongated barrel allow it to be used as a sniper rifle, with devestating effect.

 Other various Bolter weapons, including Storm Bolters, Redemption Pattern Bolters, and Bolt Pistols can be found in every armory.

 

 Plasma cannons, assault cannons, and heavy flamers are counted among the armories of each Family, though most of these heavy weapons see infrequent use, as having to use these weapons mean heavy combat and Family deployment is pending.

 

 Each Grandfather is honored with a Gilded Bolter, a master-crafted Artificer Bolter of unsurpassed, workmanship, and artistry. Sometimes the weapon is used by certain Space Marine Captains, and on occasion is a gift to powerful Imperial officials such as Sector Governors. In the Grandfathers case, it is one of his symbols of office.

 

 For the Families who are supplemented with their own Daughter of the Guard, their armories are also equipped with Godwyn-De'az Pattern Bolters, a variant of the Godwyn Bolter that has been the standard of the Adepta Sororitas since their formation in the 36th MIllennium.

 

 The Inquisitorial Guard uses a highly specialized and versatile form of Mark VIII Power Armor, known as the Praetendi Taedas, or stealth, Power Armor. This variant of power armor forgoes some of the ceramite plating of traditional power armor, while also making the shoulder pauldrons considerably smaller. While this does decrease the protection provided, it makes the armor much lighter and more suited to stealth based operations. To help circumvent the decreased protection, the suit's armor plating is impregnated with Cameleoline coated synthweave fibers, which, while providing a slight addition to protection, allows the armor to blend in to it's surrounding area, rendering the user undetectable should they remain still. The armor is also equipped with psychic dampeners that, while leaving the user's psychic abilities unaffected, supress the ability of those around the psyker to detect his Warp pressence, rendering the user virtually invisible to psychic detection. The void shield in the helmet's Rosette, while providing protection from all manner of projectiles and psychic attacks, is best used as a last resort or in breaking contact, as any prolonged exsposure to impact quickly drains it's powercells, forcing the shield into a lengthy recharging process.

 

 After undergoing full genetic modification, every Son receives his own set of Mark VIII Praetendi Taedas Power Armor, although he is still considered a Neophyte by Chapter customs and standards. Once he ascends to Fatherhood, however, he has proven himself worthy in all aspects and is granted the Crux Terminatus, giving him the privilage of wearing the Terminator Pattern Power Armor. Both the Praetendi Taedas and Terminator Power Armor use the same helmet, however, an advanced variant of the Mark VIII helmet. The Vox Grill Respirator is removed; both the Vox grill and respiration systems are placed just below the jawline and behind the neck respectively. In its place is an additional section of armor plating covering from ear to ear and chin to forehead, with the Rosette placed along the middle of the face.

 

 For Families blessed with a Daughter of the Guard, Adepta Sororitas Power Armor is obviously found inside their armories, and if trained by the Calixis Sector branch of the Sororitas, the Battle Sister will replace the Rosette on her helmet with the fleur-de-lis, and have the Rosette placed along both paldrons of her power armor once deemed worthy of the honor.

 

 Curiously, there are no physical melee weapons in any of the armories of the Inquisitorial Guard, save for the crosiers held by Family Cardinals. As each Astartes and Neophyte (and Sister of Battle) is a potent psyker in their own right, their ranged weapons are instead modified with psychic conduits and amplifiers as to allow their psychic energy to course through the weapon and form into a blade at the end. Each member of the Inquisitorial Guard is extensively trained in dual weilding and hand to hand combat, so while their dominant hand will hold the 'sword', the other will hold a psychically produced 'shield' if ever they should come into melee range of their foes.

 

 Mission directive has molded the Inquisitorial Guard and their Family structure into a light and elite special operations force. As such, use of vehicles comes mainly from Inquisitorial assets and those of other military units the Task Force would encounter. Still, each member of the Guard is trained extensively in the use of most vehicles and vehicle mounted weapons platforms, should the need arise.

 

 While foregoing the usual heavy vehicles of most Astartes Chapters, such as Leman Russ tanks, each Family comes stocked with dozens of Assault Bikes, which are instrumental in their special operations missions. Another vehicle used by the Inquisitorial Guard for their reconnaisance and special mission is the Land Speeder, an anti-gravity vehicle that can move across the battlefield at high-speeds.

 

 For aerial support, the Inquisitorial Guard relies on use of Inquisitorial assets, which are always in nearby supply. Each Inquisitorial facility that has an attached Inquisitorial Guard Family keeps scores of servator-operated Stormhawk Interceptors to allow for precision airstrikes and anti-air capabilites.

 

 Each Family also owns it's own Thunderhawk gunship, which can be used as a transport, heavy assault gunship, or even a bomber, should the need arise. The Thunderhawks are also retrofited to provide additional armarments and heavy ordinance, as well as extended flight time, so as to provide a 'guardian angel' for the Task Force on the ground, should they require assistance.

 

 The Inquisitorial Guard also utilize Drop Pods like all Astartes Chapters, though with less frequency due to the nature of their missions.

 

 Dreadnoughts are a rare sight in all Astartes Chapters, and even moreso for the Inquisitorial Guard. Most Families do not have their own Dreadnought, and should the need arise for one, most Task Forces would be better off calling for aid from other forces, due to the far spread nature of Families in the Imperium. Out of all of the Families in the Inquisitorial Guard, there are only four known Dreadnoughts to be in service in the modern day.

 

 When it comes to any heavy class vehicles, whether they be main battle tanks, heavily armored transport vehicles and aircraft, or even voidships, the Inquisitorial Guard relies upon the Inquisition of procurement and use, although, being that their missions are directly tied to the Inquisition, this is more a boon than a detrement, as it allows the Family to focus on more important tasks.

CHAPTER HISTORY AMONG THE IMPERIUM

 "Ours is a varied and storried legacy. From the expanses of the Jericho Reach, to the Ghoul Stars and Segmentum Obscurous, our Chapter is spread amongst the stars, earning glories innumerable and songs of praise immesurable. You will inherit more than just your Fathers' legacies." - Grandfather Kilward to the Neophytes, Family 457

 

 The Inquisitorial Guard was formed sometime during the 35th Millenium in what would become known as the Dark Founding. While much of the information regarding their founding was lost during those temoltuous years, just as much was Censured by Holy Decree of the Inquisition.

 

 The first few centuries surrounding the Chapter is shrouded in mystery, as is their origional home world and even their Primarch proginiator, though many within the Inquisition believe they derive their geneseed stock from the same sources as the Grey Knights.

 

 As such with their founding and early history, many speculate that the Chapter was not always so disengenuous with the Codex as they are today. The earliest records indicate that they were infact relatively compliant with the Codex up until the 36th Millenium when, for reasons believe tied to the Jericho Sector, the Chapter began to fragment, taking on the organization and structure that it uses today.

 

 Being a Chamber Militant of the Inquisition, it is expected that the Inquisitorial Guards share close ties to the other Chamber Militants of the Ordos. Both the Grey Knighs and the Death Watch have served alongside with the Guard, albiet the later in an exponentially higher rate. Many battle-brothers from the Chapter even serve tours in the Death Watch, with more recurring tours than any other Chapter of Astartes. As such, the Inquisitorial Guard have become some of the best at combating the Xenos menace in the Imperium, only Eclipsed by the Death Watch themselves.

 

 Although they have served along side the Grey Knights on numerous occasions, only the Grandfathers of the Chapter are allowed to retain their memories of such encounters. All other battle-brothers and Neophytes are subjected to mind-wipes, lest they risk exposure and corruption to Chaotic forces. It is strange that this is a practice the Inquisition condones, however, as most Inquisitors would agree that the two Chapters share genestock. Still, the Grandfathers of the Chapter that have knowledge of the Grey Knights maintain close ties with both the Chapter and the Inquisitors of the Ordos Malleus

 

 While the Inquisitorial Guard's Chapter duties are in direct connection with the whims of the Inquisition, this has not deprived the Chapter of glorious combat. If anything, it has exhasperated it, leading the Chapter to having one of the most glorious and lengthy records of the Successor Chapters. Tens of dozens of battle streamers hang from the Chapters Banner, from conquests in the Corinus Expanse and the Jericho Reach, to the Segmetum Impestus and Ghoul Stars themselves. In fact, there is hardly a sub-sector that has been left unmolested by the reach of the Inquisitorial Guard.

 

 While the Grey Knights are an Astartes Chapter known only to the Inquisition and the Space Wolves, the Inquisiorial Guard is no secret kept from the rest of the Imperium. Still, only a handful of Chapters know of the Guard's existance, due in part to the highly secretive nature of missions they partake in, and in part to the unheard of structure of the Chapter itself. Being that each Family is autonomous in it's behaviors and dealings with it's sector of space, most other Astartes Chapters would never encounter them, unless they happened to serve with them during a tour on the Long Watch.

 

 Still, there are dozens of Chapters who know of the Guard's existence, though not all are accepting of it. One such Chapter is the Black Templars. Although also non-Codex compliant, in that several thousand Templars roam the galaxy, the Templars have repeatedly demanded that the Guard be labled Excommunicate Traitorus due to their requirement of a all-psyker force, and the inclusion of Sororitas into their Chapters ranks. This animosity has even led to violence on more than one occasion, with Astartes from both Chapters being forcibly relocated to different Watch Stations to avoid bloodshed. Still, on more than one occasion, the two Chapters have met on the battlefield, supposedly fighting together, only to turn on eachother once the battle had concluded. This has led to the Black Templars refusing to serve in the Death Watch stations where a Guard is known to be, even going so far as to recall their Astartes before his Watch had concluded.

 

 Another Chapter that disapproves of the Guard are the Space Wolves, although their animosity towards them is nowhere near the levels of the Black Templars. Even then, on many occasions the Space Wolves and Inquisitorial Guard have come to blows, always shy of becoming fatal. Many speculate it is because of the amount of psykers in the Guard, or the fact that they allow Sisters of Battle in their ranks, though, in truth, it is because of the Space Wolves disdain for the Inquisition. They view the Guards as 'puppets' of the Inquisition, and believe their battle tactics to be shameful and cowardly.

 

 Other Chapters, such as the Salamanders and their successor Chapters are on relatively friendly terms with the Guard, even going so far as to frequently answer any Astropathic calls for aid from them when they're in range.

 

 The Inquisitorial Guard and it's Astartes are unusually sympathetic to the lives of the average Imperium citizen. While unusually compasionate and caring of the comman man, the Inquisitorial Guard still cannot hold a stick to the Salamanders Chapter due to the missions, and often, conflicting decsions made on the behest of the Inquisition. Still, their unusual proclivity to the average man is a result of the unorthodox recruitment trails that each Neophyte must do to ascend to the full rank of battle-brother. During the five year Long Trial, the Neophyte is forced to live in the nearest population center and discover the most suitable possible apsirant. In doing so, the Neophyte will have more human interaction in five years than most Space Marines have in a lifetime of service. While many Chapters, such as the Minotaurs, believe this to weaken the resolve and strength of the Chapter as a whole, in actuality it has had no detremental effects on the Guard. Quite the opposite, as many of the Imperial worlds and systems in which they operate venorate them, or at the very least appreciate their presence. This leads to the majority of operations in those regions to go much more smoothly for the Guard's Task Forces should they require Imperial aid.

 Even so, having such a long and lustrous history does not come without it's shares of trials and tragedies as well.

 

 During the 36th Millenium, the Chapter, while still belonging to the Inquisition, was much a Codex compliant Chapter as any other. During this period, the Chapter Master was known as the Grandfather, with company Commanders known as Fathers, and all other battle-brothers were sons. However, the majority of the Chapter was on campaign, with six companies of Astartes traveling with Inquisition vessels within the Jericho Reach, providing aid and reinforcement for many of the Death Watch stations. Without warning, the Jericho Reach begin to fall. System after system lost contact with the Imperium, until, finally, the entirety of the Jericho Reach was cast into darkness, save the bastions of the Dark Watch. The campaigning contengent of the Chapter never made it to a Watch Station or back to Imperial space, and was never heard from again.

 

 With such a devestating loss to the Chapter, many believed the Guard would become extinct, like so many other Astartes Chapters. Instead, the Grandfather at the time decided to radically reorganize and distribute the Chapter, and with the Inquisitions approval, transformed the structure, battle doctrine, recruitment strategies and overall nature of the Guard into what exists today.

 

 With the Imperium in the 42nd Millenium in turmoil the likes unseen since the Horus Heresy, many believe the End Times to be around the corner. A massive warp tear has rippled across the galaxy, splitting the Imperium in two. Hive fleets swarm in from the edges of the galaxy, devouring countless worlds in their never ending march of consumption. Ork Waaaghs! are forming with alarming occurance, spreading destruction and war across entire sectors, and the forces of Chaos threaten to spread from the galactic center outwards, corrupting and daming everything they touch to an eternity in oblivion.

 

 With the galaxy in such utter chaos and turmoil, the Imperium needs every Chapter of Astartes it can muster, and need for the Inquisitorial Guard's special missions and organization has become more apparent than ever.

NOTABLE CAMPAIGNS and EVENTS

 "Our battlefields are many, our foes innumerable. From the Warp spawned beasts and foul daemons, to the heretical witch and foul Xenos scourge, our Chapter has answered every call, fought every enemy, and brought the Imperial Truth to countless domains." - Unknown Son to his aspriants

 

934.M35 - The first, or earliest, recorded campaign in the Chapters Libraries is of the Dreadgron Crusade, led by then Chapter Master Grandfather Helitheus Rockhand. During the Crusade, Grandfather Helitheus led the Chapter's First, Second, Fourth and Fifth Companies into the Segmentum Pacificus, pacifying hundreds of worlds, moons and star systems during the Nova Terra Intennegrum. The most notable of these pacification orders was on the twin moons of Ulypsis VI and Ulypsis VII. Both moons fell under jurisdiction of the planetary Governor of Ulypsis V, High Governor Urgath Wel. During the pacification of Ulypsis V, Urgath fled first to Ulypsis VI, where immense intersolar batteries and void stations had been constructed. For three solar months the Chapter besieged the moon from afar, blockading the facilities from both supply and reinforcement, until, finally, Grandfather Helitheus led a Drop Pod assault of the First company  against the main palace on the moon. Intense and bloody fighting raged for days, until the traitorous Governor was thought cornered in his Orrary. Unbeknownst to the Astartes, the Governor had activated a time-delayed nuclear device, and bought with the precious time of his Planetary Defence Forces, escaped into a stolen Shadowhawk gunship and escaped to Ulypsis VII. The nuclear device exploded, taking the palace, and the Chapter Master and his first Company, with it. After tracking the Governor to Ulypsis VII, the Second Company Commander, now Grandfather Adnachiel, ordered the moon be subject to Exterminautus. With the moon's utter destruction, the Ulypsis System was swiftly brought back to the Imperial heel.

 

 100.M36 - During the Age of Apostasy, an Administratum noble engineered the rise and fall of Ecclesiarch Paulis III,  becoming the 361st Master of the Administratum. After toppling Paulis III, he also assumsed mantle of Ecclesiarch of the Adeptus Ministorum, becoming the single most powerful individual in the Imperium, usurping the Emperor's Will and ushuring in the Age of Apostasy and Reign of Blood. For seventy years Vandire reigned supreme, and it was during this time the entirety of the Inquisitorial Guard Chapter fought against his rule, save for the Seventh Company, which Vandire's forces had sent on Campaign against an Ork Waaagh! threatening the Northern Imperium. Only four members of the Seventh Company returned after Vandire's reign had ended. During the war, the Chapter was one of the first to encounter the Brides of the Emperor on the field of battle. Although mere humans, their explicit fervor for the God Emperor and extreme martial prowess led to many difficult and prolonged engagements with the Guard, with devestating losses on both sides. While the Chapter continued to press forward towards Terra, abliet at a snails pace, it wasn't until Sebastian Thor and his forces united with many Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, including the Inquisitorial Guard, that real progress was made. Once on Terra, the combined forces of the Inquisitorial Guard and it's Brother Chapters, Adeptus Mechanicus Skitarri, and Legio Custodes carved a path towards the Imperial Palace under a spiritually protective blanket provided by the Confederation of Light, led by Ecclesiarch Sebastion Thor. Only once the Brides of the Emperor turned on Vandire, and slew the Apsostate, did the bitter fighting finally end. Although countless battle-brothers earned illustrous honors and glories during the war, by the end of the campaign, the Chapter had suffered losses as high as 78%, and took over five hundred standard years to fully recover.

 

694.M36 - Chief Artisan Tilius begins his search for a working, complet Standard Template Construct memory core. In this endeavor, he enlists the help of various Inquisitors and Planetary Govenors. Eleven years after his intitial search begins, rumors spread from the deepest fringes of the Jericho Reach of worlds lost to the Imperium for millenia, treasure troves of lost archaeotech and rich in mineral resources. In order to keep close watch of the Chief Artisan, lest he fall short of the Emperor's Light and break the Treaty of Mars, the Ordos Machinum dispatched several high ranking Inquisitors, both of militant and scientific capablities, and ordered the Inquisitorial Guard Chapter to dispatch three Companies of Astartes to journey with said Inquisitors. For thirty years, world after world was searched with a fine tooth comb, every nook and cranny explored and molested, until in 735.M36, the world of Antioch Primus was rediscovered. From orbital scans of the planet, thousands of technological and psychic anomalies were detected. Dispite the concerns of many Inquisitors and the Company Commander in charge of the Astartes forces, Father Autosias Issola, the wealth of such possible archaeotech and psychic research could not be abandoned. The Astartes of the Inquisitorial Guard were dropped from orbit to secure a suitable landing zone and base of operations for the rest of the Inquisition Expidition. For months, research and discovery went inhampered, as the planet was thought devoid of life due to the toxic atmospheric conditions, along with the abnormally high levels of radiation deposited from the systems dual suns. The peaceful plunder of the planet would soon be interuppted, as a contingent of Astartes, Mechanicum Tech Priests and Inquisition scientists entered into a massive subterranean facility, found under one of the planet's hundreds of solar plinniths. Soon after entering the complex maze of corridors, tunnels, and ancient and forgotten factories and research stations, violence errupted. A Tech Marine of the Chapter had been working on unlocking a large, Adamantium door, barred on both sides by rows and rows of Adamantium and Urianium rods and barricades. As soon as the door was opened, a large, cybernetic hand reached through the opening, grasping the Tech Marine's head in it's palm, and crushing it like a grape. Thousands of spider-like machines poured from the opening, many forming bonds and using their artificial muscles to pry the doors open further. Once the gap was large enough strode forth the first Man of Iron the Imperium had ever seen, the first in almost thirteen millenia. Hundreds more soon rushed the small contingent, and only a handful of Space Marines and a single Inquisitor made it back to the main base camp. Mustering the full strength of the Astartes, Inquisitorial forces and the Skitarri escort of the Chief Artisan, Father Autosias Issola led the forces into battle with the Men of Iron. Fierce and bloody fighting lasted for weeks, with Imperial forces nearly decimated by the third day. Soon, it became clear that something in the complex was continuously churning out more Men of Iron, and Autosias led a small group back into the labyrinth to discover, and destroy, what. After days of bitter fighting in the dimlit and claustrophobic corridors of the complex, Autosias and his men discovered the source of the Men of Iron; a monsterous, twenty mile long factory that somehow had surivived the millenia not only intact, but yet functioning. After discovering it's location, Autosias relayed his coordinates over Vox chatter to the Strike Cruiser still in orbit, and ordered orbital bombardment until the surface above the factory had cracked, and the rain of lazers, shells and missles would decimate the facility. Unknown to the Astartes, the Artificial Mainfram controlling the entire army of Iron Men was located wihtin the factory, and upon it's destruction, each artificial warrior soon shut down, falling into eternal slumber. While it is unknown what became of Antioch Primus, due to Inquisitorial Censure, the Imperium yet profitted, as 'new' designs of weaponry, armor, and equipment were manufactured not long after.

 

889.M36 - For most within the Imperium, the cause of the Fall of the Jericho Reach is unkown. Perhaps the true reason is only known the the Death Watch, the Adeptus Astartes Chamber Militant of the Ordos Xenos. Whatever little is known, however, is also known by the Inquisitorial Guard. Being a Chamber Militant for the entirity of the Inquisition, the Inquisitorial Guard was summoned to the Jericho Reach during 855.M36 by Death Watch Commander Boreaddeus Sonos of Watch Station Molio. While the reasoning behind the Astralpathic message was unclear, the urgency of the Commander's voice led many to believe that an impending calamity would soon befall the Jericho Reach. As such, the Ordos Xenos commanded the entireity of the Chapter to campaign towards Watch Station Molio, reinforcing any encountered Station or Fortress along the way, should the need arise. However, only the First, Second, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth and Ninth Companies arrived, as the Third and Fourth Companies were campaigning against Eldar incurisons elsewhere in the galaxy, and the Seventh Company had remained back to help oversee the Tenth Company in recruitment and training of Neophytes. With six battle-companies in tow, then Grandfather Maneux Tarinos joined his forces with the Inquisition armada that had amassed just out of the Jericho Sector. Upon embarking on their righteous quest, the armada soon encountered a myriad of issues. Navigators, powerful psykers used to guide ships through the Immaterium, would spontaneously combust without warning, or descend into a maddening cackle of terriffied sobs and laughter. Some ships would jump into Warp Space, never to return, while others would find their Warp Drives mysteriously damaged, only able to travel through material space. By the time the armada had reached the first Watch Fortress, a full fifth of their eighty-ship strong fleet had been lost to disaster. Still, this did not end the troubles of the force. After battling an unknown Xenos force, whose abilities to travel faster than light without Warp capabilities, and who also disappeared as quickly as they had arrived, the Armada encountered world after world, entirely devoid of life. Many Death Watch battle-brothers had seen this sight before, though their warnings fell mostly to the deaf ears of the arrogant Lord Inquisitor in charge. Both Navigator and Librarian alike both reported, often, of a shadow against the light of the Astronomica and the Warp alike, a screaming and writhing mass of alien and biological origin. Years into their voyage, they had finally come across the cause of this psychic anomaly. A tendril of a massive hive fleet of Tyrannids, then unknown to the Imperium, save for the Death Watch, had been wreaking havoc across the sector for, at this point, decades, devouring world after world, turning it's eyse ever closer to the source of its insatiable hunger; the Astronomicon. Ill equipped of weaponry and knowledge to fight this new advisary, the armada struggled for a decade to stem the tide of this monsterous foe, but to no avail. Seeing no other option but to retreat and call forth an Imperial Crusade, the Lord Inquisitor attempted to send the remaining ships of his fleet into Warp Space, hoping to return directly to Holy Terra. For reasons still unknown, upon entering the Immaterium, the remaining ships Navigators began to claw at their flesh, screaming in demonic voices and uttering unholy phrases, until all but one Navigator had perished, the Navigator of the Astartes battle-barge Indomidus. Witnessing the doom of the fleet around him, as ship after ship suddenly veered off course or jumped from the Immaterium, Grandfather Maneux ordered his vessel from Warp Space. While the fleet had only been traveling through the Warp for a few hours, a full two decades had passed, and instead of traveling any closer to Terra, the Indomidus was deposited within the Krikaras solar system, currently under attack by the Tyrannids. Seeing no way out of the situation, Maneux sent an Astralpathic message both to the remainder of his Chapter and to his closest ally within the Death Watch, Watch Commander Boreaddeus Sonos. With his messages sent, the Indomidus charged headlong into the malestrom of the Tyrannid biomass, never to be heard from or seen again.

 

890.M36 - Due to the immense psychic anomalies occuring within the Warp at the time the Indomidus disappeared, it took a full Terran year for the Astralpathic messeages sent out by Grandfather Maneux to reach their intended destinations. Upon recieving his message from Maneux, Watch Commander Boreaddeus immediately left for the nearest Ordos Xenos bastion, located well outside of the Jericho Reach in the Ultima Segmentum sub-sector of the Eastern Fringe. Upon arriving at the Inquisition fortress, and discussing at length what had transpired over the last thirty-five years, the Inquisitor departed immediately with Boreaddeus in tow, headed directly for Holy Terra. Little to nothing is known of what transpired once they reached Terra, assuming they had spoken with the High Lords themselves. What is known is that soon after, the Imperium turned it's back on the Jericho Sector, allowing it to slip into turmoil and darkness, and renaming back to the Jericho Reach, for which it has remained to this day, and marking the beginning, truely, of the gravest of times for the Imperium as a whole. The message sent to Third Company Commander, Father Yeshamiel, of the Inquisitorial Guard, was just as grave. The message also went into full detail of the dealings that had transpired, both for the Chapter and Jericho Reach as a whole, and told of the Grandfather's forecoming doom, along with that of the First, Second, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth and Ninth Companies. Yeshamiel, distraught and overcome with grief over the loss of so many beloved battle-brothers and that of his Grandfather, initially refused the mantle of Grandfather. However, his closest friend, Chaplain for the Third Company Laecanus Cobus, eventually persuaded him of his destiny, that only he would be able to save the Chapter from extinction. With a solem vow, Yeshamiel swore that never again would such pain be brought to his Chapter, began about spending the next ten years reorganizing the structure of his Chapter, and gaining Inquisitorial support.

 

900.M36 - After a decade hard fought in both the rebuilding of his Chapter, planning the future reorganization of his Chapter, and gaining a sizeable amount of Inquisitorial support, Yeshamiel put his plan into action. Gathering Inquisitors from every Ordos, both Major and Minor, Yeshamiel orrated charismatically his plans and wishes for the future of his Chapter. Gone would be the days of Codex-Compliance. Instead of ten Companies comprised of one-hundred Space Marines, each Company would be renamed Families, sporting a stout twenty-one battle-brothers. Each Family would be completely independent of themselves, not relying on the orders of a Chapter Master, but instead on the wisdom and leadership of each Family Patriarch, or Grandfather. All Astartes in the Family would be responsible for the selection and training of Neophytes, and as such would not only increase unit cohesion but also that of training capabilities and flexibility. No longer would the Chapter as a whole be sent off to campaign against a protracted war and larger enemy; instead, the Chapter would return to it's mission of origin; protection of Inquisitorial assets, facilities, and Inquisitors on mission. Of course this would require the founding of more and more Families, and quickly the Chapter would swell to sizes unseen since the Horus Heresy. This, he assured the members of the Inquisition, would not be an issue, since each Family would be their own self-sufficient unit, obeying only the orders of the Inquisitor appointed over them. The Inquisitorial jury was quite intriguied, though obviously skeptical of the motives and dictations of Yeshamiel. After days of conveining, and surprisingly, with the approval of the High Lords of Terra, the plan was authorized and set into motion. Immediately the Companies were disbanded, the most senior and capable battle-brothers ascending the mantle of Family Patriarch, hand selecting the first Fathers of their Families. The Families were scattered to the winds, taking residence at any planet, system, or sub-sector the Inquisition deemed worthy. Within a century, the Chapter would have been returned to it's previous full strength. Within three centuries, the Chapter would become the largest Astartes force in the Imperium

 

 After the disbandment of traditional Chapter format, recorded events, victories, campaigns and assignments became increasingly Censured, as are most things conducted by the Inquisition. For most records, only the Family in which they occured has information on them, though there are still a few records that have had such impact on the Chapter, Inquisition, or Imperium itself, that all Families, and a few outside sources, keep knowledge of them in their Libraries.

 Two such records are of the Court of Patriarchs, the only two times all Grandfathers of the Chapter have gathered to pass judgement over another.

 

754.M38 - During his Long Trial, Thomis Issotanus, a Son of the Guard of Family 466, traveled to the asteroid mining colony of Erqyer IV, located in the Segmentum Obscurus. The mining colony was a harsh and unforgiving place to live, housing over 400,000 citizens in cramped and unhygienic conditions. It was in this environment that Thomis began his assessment of aspirants, forcing them to undergo tougher and tougher trials, each deadlier than the last. Starting in his first year with over five-hundred possible aspirants, by his fifth year he had widdled the aspirants to the final eight. The next trial, he told them, would be their last. Simply enough, all the aspirants had to do was travel outside into the void of space in hermetically sealed space suits, travel along the length of the greates minning excivator, and retrieve a flag he had planted on one of the adamantium teeth of the mile long machine. The group had half a day, or six hours for the minning colony, to retrieve the flag, and while up to two could complete the challenge, should they fail to return in time, the airlock doors would be sealed behind them, and all in the group would perish. Only two were allowed to return, as they must also fight eachother for the privilege of both survival, and success. The group, eager to show their prospective 'Father' who amongst them was indeed worthy, rushed to leave the relative safety of the colony. What Thomis did not tell them, however was that each suit was rigged to catasrophically malfunction after an hour in the void, and that each aspirant would have to use their psychic powers to envelope themselves in a protective field, while also combating the other aspirants. Also, he did not mention that it was a challenge of teamwork, as all eight could pass, if they worked together as a team. Regardless the eight aspirants ventured out further and further onto the massive minning machine, and before an hour had already passed, two aspirants floated away into the void, killed by the strongest among them. One aspirant, however, traveled much slower than the rest, always a distance away from the others. Thomis thought it cowardice, but bade the aspirant time to rise to the challenge. Once the hour mark had hit, each space suit began to malfunction, and another three aspirants asphyxiated in the void, unable to control their emotions, and in turn, their powers. Again, the strongest among the was in the lead, followed by the oldest, and again, the last aspirant a distance away. This time, however, Thomis noticed the trailing aspirant was using more psychic energy than either of the other two, yet this he tossed aside to the aspirant being a weak psyker. Again, he bade the aspirant another chance. Finally, after two hours the strongest among them reached the flag, and, wanting not to share his honor, killed the oldest aspirant outright, pushing the hilt of the flag through his opponents helmet visor and into his brain. He began to move towards the final aspirant, who at this point remained motionless. Thomis assumed, again, that the aspirant had frozen in fear, and waited for the former to kill the later. Suddenly, the psychic shielding around the strongest of the two disappeared, and almost instantaneously he exploded into a red mist. The final aspirant shook their head, grabbed the flag, and returned to the airlock. Thomis noticed something different about this aspirant, something he had never paid attention to before. As the aspirant knocked on the glass of the airlock, it hit him. He could feel the psychic energy flowing from the aspirant, many times stronger than his own. Letting the aspirant back inside, he asked why they had been shielding the other two aspirants. To his surprise, the aspirant told him he had read his mind before beginning this task, and psychically telling the other aspirants of this, they all agreed to work together. Unfortunately, the strongest among them refused, and the last had waited until the final moment before giving up on him and killing him. Astonished, Thomis lauded the aspirant, saying that he would be honored to mentor the new Neophyte as his Father, and he as is Son. Again, the aspirant told him that they had read his mind, this time long ago during the beginning of the trial, and discovered what was to become of them. As such the aspirant had used their powerful psychic abilities to mask their psychic energies, which, for a male psyker, would be almost impossible. Shocked, Thomis realized that this aspirant was no boy, but instead a girl. He had not noticed, as to even live on the colony one must be suited at all times in gravity constricting clothing, and this young girl had yet to hit puberty. Still, Thomis was not angered, but rather amaized at how this young girl could out perform the males at every challenge. Despite tradition, Thomis determined he would return with this girl, and plead her case to recieve training, at least, under the Adepta Sororitas. Returning to his Hearth with the young girl in tow, Thomis pleaded his case before his Father and Uncles. Upon hearing the news that he had brought back a young girl as his aspirant, Thomis was detainned by the Family, and brought before the Inquisition for spiritual interrogation, fearing that this girl had psychically corrupted him somehow. Instead, the Patriarch of the Family, Grandfather Bastiel Logonis, and Inquisitor Krogan Tispin approached the young girl. After days of interrogation, Grandfather Bastiel and Inquisitor Krogan held the first Court of Patriarchs. Every Grandfather of the Chapter, along with several high ranking Inquisitors, arrived at the facility within weeks. Bastiel, along with Inquisitor Krogan and Son Thomis, spoke before the Court, stating their case. By the end of the Trial, yet another set of rules and customs had been inacted, changing the Chapter forever. Inquisitor Krogan, accompanied by a High Lord Inquisitor of the Ordos Hereticus, travelled to the Cardinal World of Ophelia VII to speak to the Abbess Sanctorum of the Adepta Sororitas. What truely happened between the three has been sealed with dozens of Inquisitorial Censures, and may never be known. What is known, however, is that the only psykers to be suffered by the Sororitas would require an Inquisitorial Guard Seal of Acquisition, and that the Sister would forever be 'banished' back to her Family Hearth. The girl was sent to an Orders Militant Convent of the Adepta Sororitas, and in time, returned to Family 466, the first Daughter of the Guard in the Chapters history.

 

093.M40 - The Oligon star system, a region of Imperial space consisting of a half-dozen Forge Worlds, research stations, Agri-worlds and the Recruitment and home world for the Emerald Adders Space Marine Chapter, Posiel. Belonging within the Segmentum Ultima, the Oligon System was cut off from the rest of Imperial Space due to abnormally violent and temultuous Warp Storms in 308.M38. After a century, the Warp Anomoly finally disappaited, though the Naval Fleet sent to retake the Oligon System found nothing but the blackness of the void. Thought forever lost to the Imperium, the Administorum listed Oligon as a lost system, and efforts and resources were diverted elsewhere, much to the Emerald Adders' dismay. Then, in 088.M40, the Oligon System reemerged from the Warp, thousands of light years away on the opposite side of the galaxy within Segmentum Pacificus. The Oligon System reemerged into an existing system, the Tryfius System, consisting of three Forge Worlds and two Hive Worlds. One of the Oligon planetoids, Oligon III, materialized within the atmosphere of the Hive World Nocinogra, causing the two planets to collide and killing over thirty billion citizens. An Inquisitorial research station had been built within the Tryfius System's asteroid cloud, and due to it's proximity to the Halo Zone, was home to Family 903 of the Inquisitorial Guard. Upon the Inquisition's dictation, all twenty-one members of the Family were mobilized, with a fraction going to each Oligon planetoid. Most planets had become inhospitable to material life, tainted by Chaos from prolonged exposure to the Warp, and were immediately subject to Exterminatus. Two planets however appeared from orbital scans to be free from the taint of Chaos, Illair and Posiel. After searching through ancient records and augeries, the Inquisition discovered that Posiel had been an Adeptus Astartes home world, and commandeered the Emerald Adders. Upon arriving in the system, the Emerald Adders immediately made planetfall on Posiel, while the Family and Inquisition forces regrouped and decended upon Illair. Illair, origionally a lush Garden World of dense Tiaga forrests and Alps-like mountainous continents, had reemerged from Warp Space almost entirely out of reach of the new star's warmth, and was transformed into a barren frozen rock of desolate cold deserts and mountain peaks. While no trace of life could be found on th surface, upon decending into the cavernous underworld of the planet, Inquisitorial forces were set upon by a yet undiscovered xenos species. The Xenos, gelatenous in appearance, were capable of transforming in appearance, taking the mannerisms, language, and evidently even the memories, of whatever lifeform they disolved in their aciddic biomass. After consumption of a lifeform, the Xenos could then duplicate itself asexually a number of times, though not indefinetly, as each copy of the Xenos seemed to be a degregated version of itself. Still, this led to heavy losses of Inquisitorial forces, including the Lord Inquisitor of the region and seven members of the Family. Upon escape offworld, the Family Patriarch, Grandfather Xistikas, ordered the Exterminatus of Illair. Soon after the planet's destruction, repeated communication after communication from the Emerald Adders requesting aid and reinforcement reached the Grandfather aboard his vessel. The messages detailed disturbing unknown, gelatenous Xenos that had consummed hundreds of battle-brothers and duplicated their forms by the thousands. More alarmingly, however, was the news that the Emerald Adders' Chapter Master, Gorgon Astartil, relayed directly to Xistikas. Not only was Posiel home to the Chapters long-lost fortress monestary, but also housed a sizeable portion of the Chapters genetic material. Unless reinforcement was immediate, the Xenos would find a way to the genetic material, and manipulate their gentic structer in unkown was by number innumerable, if they already hadn't. Weighing the risks of such an operation, and that of losing the opportunity to contain such a vile and dangerous foe, the Grandfather determined that the planet and it's occupants posed too great a danger to allow further operations, exposing untold lives and worlds to such wickedness and genetic abomination. With a stone facade, Xistikas condemmed the world to Exterminatus. Although the other Family members begged him to afford their fellow Astartes a chance to escape, Xistikas denied them the chance, stating that every moment spared for the Emerald Adders was also a moment spared for a threat to the Imperium. Without another word, the order was executed. Dozens of times over, Cyclonic Torpedoes fired from the Inquisition ship, setting the world ablaze, until finally all were expended. Yet unsatisfied, as the exact endurance of the Xenos threat was unknown, Xistikas ordered yet another order of Exterminatus. This time, the ship fired it's most powerful lasers upon a unified point. For days, the lasers fired non-stop, coming on many occasions close to catastrophic meltdown. As the lasers bored a hole towards the planets center, strike cruisers and fighter craft were called in or used to contain any surviving vessels attempting to leave the planet. After a week, the lasers penetrated to the core, and a hundred thermonuclear warheads were fired, causing the planet to erupt and break apart. Within solar months, the Oligon System ceased to exist, and Xistikas' attention turned now to the Tryfius system. Fearing that contamination had spread to the other planets of Tryfius, Xistikas again ordered full Exterminatus, this time on the entire system. A month later, all that remained of both systems were lifeless chunks of asteroid and planetary matter. News quickly spread throughout the other Families and the Inquisition. A Court of Patriarchs was quickly assembled, and over thirty Inquisitors arrived at Hearth 903 for the proceedings. Although they deemed his actions to be in keeping of the Imperium's safety, the Court declared that Patriarchs could not evoke such authority to exterminate not one entire system, but two. Likewise, they deemed his choice of damnation for the Emerald Adders to be borderline heretical, as only the orders of the High Lords of Terra and the Inquisition can be given for such actions. Despite his centuries of service, and obvious well being of the Imperium in mind, such actions could not be overlooked, nor tolerated. Xistikas was sentenced to death and sumarily executed, and Family 903 was disbanded, the members scattered to new Families. All the members were replaced, to give the Family a fresh start. Xistikas' body was interred in the Family Barrows with full honors.

NOTABLE MEMBERS

 "The days of Heros and Legends are far behind us, with even the most glorious of our number lost to the annals of time. Time... time is a cruel power. Great deads, both heroic, and terrible, are promised to the eternity of time, and yet... even time, eventually, crumbles away." - Father Uriel Septimas to Son Jakoby, Family 175

 

Grandfather Kilward, Patriarch, Family 457 - Grandfather Kilward began life rather humbly, born in 463.M37 on the Imperial Death World of Roginand Tritus, an apocalyptic world of nuclear wastes and vast, bone dry deserts. Living in the sole major settlement on the world, Vastis' Hope, Kilward was orphaned at an early age, living among the city's notorious murder gangs. While diminutive of frame, he quickly rose to power, thanks to his potent psychic abilites, which many people on the world posessed, though few could control. During a Neophyte's Long Trial, Kilward was one of dozens of children chosen to participate as aspirants. He made the decision quite easy for his Neophyte, as during just the second trial he undertook was one of gladiatorial combat. While ten were supposed to be chosen, during a mass free-for-all, Kilward used his inate psychic abilities to slaughter all the other aspirants before the Neophyte could stop the combat. Proving his worth, Kilward was taken back to the battle-outpost Hearth of Family 457. Again, he ascended rapidly, surpassing all other Neophytes in both psychic ability and martial prowess, despite his small nature. Within just two years, Kilward had earned the right to geneseed implantation and recieved a set of Mark VIII Power Armor, becoming a Family Son. For thirty years, Kilward fought at his Father's side on hundreds of battlefields, until in 497.M37, his Father was slain during a reconnaisance operation against an Ork Waaagh! in the nearby Calmaquis System. Despite being alone and hundreds of miles from the nearest Inquisition battle-outpost, Kilward carried his Father's corpse, fighting for weeks against constant Ork attack and ambushes until he finally made it back. Severly wounded, dehydrated, and close to death, Kilward again continued fighting when the Ork force that had been tracking him attacked the Inquisition base. Several times the Orks pushed the attack, and each time they were repelled. With each retreat, however, the Orks attempted to steal his Father's corpse as a trophy, and each time Kilward would rush the Orks, retrieving the body and protecting it from shame and molestation. After the landing zone was secured, Kilward and his Father were transported back to the Hearth, where Kilward's left leg and arm were amputated and replaced with cybernetic implantation. Despite his being twenty years shy of his Long Trial, Grandfather Velium declared Kilward worthy of the honor, and once he had healed sufficiently, he returned to Roginand Tritus, selecting his own Son after five years. Father Kilward's potent psychic abilities would see him don the specialty of Cardinal, and would serve honorably at the position for three centuries until, in 711.M37, Grandfather Velium would be slain during an Eldar incursion of the Inquisitorial facility. Being the eldest Father at the time, Kilward would assume the mantle of Patriarch until his death in 056.M38 during an important escort mission, during which a Dark Eldar Coursair slew the Grandfather in single combat.

 

Mother Rienni Sephanon, Family 466 - Rienni Sephanon was born on the asteroid minning colony of Erqyer IV in 748.M38, deep within Segmentum Obscurus. Born to a lowly household of miners and forge-smiths, bleak was the outlook of life for the family's only female child. Women in the colony were often relegated to menial tasks and homecare, as almost all men were sent to work the many mines and forges. Everything changed, however, in her sixth year, when a large, brooding man named Thomis arrived at the colony. He was a monstrous man, heads taller than even the largest miner, and yet he did not work the mines or forges. Instead, he travelled the colony, stopping at orphanages and poor households, taking the children he deemed worthy of training. For the orphanages, they were all too happy but to relenquish children, freeing up a small bit of space in the extremely crowded and small homes. Families however sometimes resisted, until a strange object was flashed, with promises of immense household honor and glory for generations. By the time he had arrived at Rienni's home, Thomis had ammassed a small army of a few hundred delinquent children, all boys. After being told of great honor and training the child would recieve, Rienni's parents offered her up, for the man wanted none older than eight, and all of her brothers were older than such. They did not tell the man that she was a girl, but then again he did not ask. Rienni quite looked like a small boy. Her hair, as all females in the colony, was shaved to the scalp, to prevent it from becomming entangled within the many exposed cogs and mechanisms abound. Rienni possesed sharp features, and living in the lower levels of the colony, was always dirty. She did quite look like a boy. Going with Thomis, she and other children disappeared into the darkest depths of the colony, never to be seen again. It was with this man and training that her psychic powers first began to manifest, though they quickly developed almost beyond her control. But Rienni was indombidable of spirit, and within weeks she had all but mastered her psychic abilities. For years, the man subjected the other children and her to grueling and deadly tests, and it was uncommon for everyone to live through them. Still Rienni pressed forward, keeping pace physically with the boys, though just barely. In her third year of training she developed telepathy. At nights her mind would be a tormented cavern of hundreds of voices, screams, and cries of pain; the inner voices of the other aspirants. This, too, she soon mastered, and, in a fit of mischief, decided one day to read her mentors mind. What she learned horrified her. If selected, the aspirant would be subjected to a lifetime of war and suffering, with constant merciless training and years of genetic manipulation and implantation. Still, she also saw that Thomis' words rang true; whoever chosen would be remembered forever in the anals of history, the greatest of the Imperium's champions. If she had delved deeper, she also could've seen that such a life was scientifically impossible for her, that her body would reject such implants and modification, and she would die. How could she though? Such is the mind of a child, conditioned to strive for glory, and seeing that such glories were in fact possible? Finally, after two more years, came the day of the final trial. Again reading the mind of her mentor, she learned that the trial, in truth, was a cooperative effort, and that the space suits required for the trial were rigged to fail. Try as she may to convince the other seven aspirants to work together, she could not, and one by one they fell. An hour after the trial begain, the aspirants suits began to fail. Though she attempted to provide psychic barriers to the void for them all, she only succeeded in doing so for herself and two others. Near the end of the trial, one aspirant grabbed the flag, the objective to return to Thomis before the time limit. Having the flag in his hand, she sensed he would not relent until he was the last one standing. She reluctantly allowed him to kill the other aspirant, and, as he approached her, she used her psychic powers to rupture him from the inside. Grabbing the flag herself, she returned to Thomis, and explained how she had succeeded. After hearing her tale, Thomis was enthused and expressed anticipation to continue her training, this time as Father and Son. Reluctantly, she confessed to him that she had psychically hid her gender from him, and that she was in fact a girl. Still, the fact did not suede Thomis, and, together, they travelled back to Thomis' Hearth. Almost immediately Thomis was arrested by his brothers, and just as another mountainous man came to strike her down, an older, grandfatherly looking man caught his blade. Grandfather Bastiel Logonis, with Inquisitor Krogan Tispin at his side, had saved her life. For many days, she was held in a darkened room, chained and blindfolded. Suddenly the door opened, and removing the blindfold from her, Inquisitor Krogan explained that she would be sent away for training, and should she succeed, she would return to the Hearth and take her place beside her Brothers. For many years, the truth would remain unknown to her. Arriving at the Cardinal World of Ophelia VII, Rienni was sent to train under the Order of Our Martyred Lady. Little is known about her time spent on Ophelia VII, and little was divulged when asked. However, when pressed by her Father Thomis, it is said she replied, "My Sisters and I are forged and bound by the honors of blood, training, and faith to our Emperor. Such is it's strength that no force oppossing us shall survive, Father." It is rumored upon the word Sister she hesitated, and that the word was underlined with a terse venom that only Thomis noticed. Indeed, after Rienni, any Father to a Daughter has reported that, while entirely devoted to the Family, Sororitas, and Emperor, it seems that the Sisterhood shared by other Sisters of Battle is not spared to a Daughter of the Guard. After a few decades of glorious service as a Daughter of the Guard, Rienni was granted the honor of returning to Erqyer IV, now her turn to select a future aspirant and Son. Elevated to the mantle of Mother in 804.M38, and for another twenty years helped to train her Sons and Nephews, provide spiritual guidance, and fight in numerous campaigns across the Segmentum, until her disappearance during Warp travel in 828.M38 aboard the Inquisitorial vessel Forlorne Desire. She was elevated to Sainthood in 833.M38 in a joint dedication by the Inquisition and Ecclisiarcy.

 

Father Benjamin Bentanus, Cardinal, Family 309/801 - Father Benjamin Bentanus was born to a low noble family on the Agri-World of Iridant IV of the Jericho Reach, one of the few worlds still under Imperial control after the Fall of Jericho, in 693.M39. By his early teens he had already shown great promise, displaying tremendous strength, intelligence, and courage at such a young age. By the time Son Iglacious of Family 309 arrived on the planet for his Long Trial, Benjamin was already the Lord Regent of his own minor Household. Sensing his potential, Iglacious offered the young boy an opportunity as an aspirant, an honor that would propell his House to even greater heights, as well as offering Benjamin honors and glories unthinkable, even as a noble. Benjamin, of course, accepted, and competed against and beat out over a thousand other aspirants. It was during the Long Trial that Benjamin's inate psychic powers first manifested, and while not the strongest of the bunch, Benjamin was still able to succeed the challenges and tests, becoming a Son of the Guard in 712.M39. It was during his time as a Neophyte that his psychic powers began to recede. While still strong compared to the average human psyker, Benjamin's psychic abilites were the weakest among his fellow Neophytes. For years tests and studies were done to improve upon his abilites, being that Family 309's Hearth was situated in an Inquisitorial Research facility. Regardless, improvement was minimal. Benjamin continued to train and serve his Family nontheless, proving himself one of the more prominent tacticians in the entire Family, and following the success of his own Long Trial in 771.M39, was designated the Family's Assault Tactician. For two hundred standard years, he proved himself a most worthy and glorious Astartes, fighting in various campaigns against both Xenos incursion and Imperial revolt, including an addition Long Trial and two tours in the Death Watch. However, in 988.M39, Father Benjamin was reassigned to Family 801 following the deaths of several Fathers during a long and bloody campaign against the Tau, which at the time was still in the midst of raging. Upon arrival at Family 801, Benjamin, along with two other Fathers and their adoptive Sons, was sent to the planet of Zorihail, an Imperial Death World extremely rich in mineral resources. The Tau, whose advance through Imperial space had been stopped, had sent scouting parties into the Reach looking for mineral rich sources to help replinish their fleets and armies. Discovering Zorihail, an armada of Tau warships and battle-cruisers descended upon the planet, releasing hundreds of thousands of soldiers, vehicles and aircraft in a full-scale invasion. Benjamin's Task Force was ordered to locate the terrestrial headquarters of the Tau battle-forces, infiltrate it if possible, and destroy the headquarters, crippling Tau combat forces on the ground and buying time for the Imperium to send reinforcements to the system. After being deployed from orbit via Drop Pods, Benjamin's Task force tavelled hundreds of miles through the deserts on their Assault Bikes, hiking through steep mountains and desolate hills. After three months of searching, the Task Force finally discovered the Tau headquarters on Zorihail. Built into the sides of a canyon, the base was a gargantuan complex, dozens of miles long and built dozens of miles into the earth. Realizing anything short of orbital bombardment would be insuffecient in destroying the facility, Benjamin and his Task Force hunkered down for what would be a week long wait for the Imperial armada to arrive in system. The day of arrival, Benjamin attempted to relay his Force's location to the Imperial Battle-barge Eranial, but his communications were intercepted by Tau radio jammers. Translocating the source of the communications, Tau forces pounced on the Astartes in overwhelming numbers. For hours the Tau attacked relentlessly, sending hundreds of infantry and dozens of airstrikes, until finally a Tau battle-suit began to stalk the battlefield. Having already lost one Son and both Fathers, Benjamin knew it wouldn't be long until they were completely overrun and knowledge of the headquarters location would be lost, protracting the war for Zorihail by months, if not years. With Vox communication useless and no other way to summon the armada's attention, Benjamin cast aside his weapons and channeled his entire concentraition into his psychic powers. The air around him became statically charged, and small pebbles began to gravitate towards the Astartes. Although his abilities had, for whatever reason, diminished after his adoption, he continued to power every ounce of power into his psychic strength. The ceramite plating of his power armor began to crack at the joints, the soft armor underneath seemingly melting away as Warp energies flowed around him, picking up strength until an veritable invisible malestrom surrounded his position. Suddenly, a shot from the Tau battlesuit pierced his sternum, the railgun round carving a helmet sized hole through to the other side. Blowing Benjamin onto his back, his concentration lapsed, blood pouring from the wound and his vision blurring and fading to black. Moments before death would have ensnarred him, a blinding, golden light filled his eyes, reinvigorating him and forcing him to his feet. With renewed vigor and overwhelming psychic energies, Benjamin again concentrated at the task at hand, channeling the entirety of his psychic might into an astral projection, materializing on the Eranial before the Fleet Admiral. Explaining the situation to the Admiral, Benjamin relayed that he would channel the remainder of his strength into a psychic beacon that the fleet could use to target the Tau headquartes. After dissipating his astral projection, Benjamin channeled the remainder of his energies into the beacon. The malestrom of Warp energy returned, this time visible, whipping encroaching Tau warriors with millions of volts of psychic lightening. The ceramite armor began to flake away from his armor, the flesh now peeling away from his bones as the psychic backlash started to disintegrate him. With a sudden and immense release of his psychic powers, Benjamin disappeared completely into the Warp. The malestrom of Warp energy he had created was now hundreds of meters wide, consuming everything in its path. Tau hover tanks soared through the air as they were flung miles away, and Xenos infantry were ripped in twain as they attempted to flee. The battlesuit that had mortally injured Benjamin began to buckle under the intense pressures produced by the malestrom, until it was reduced to a smushed pile of wreckage a few inches in height. Only the Neophytes, Sons Sandor and Clegane, the latter Benjamin's Son, were spared the effects of the malestrom. Grabbing their gear, the two Neophytes rushed way from the scene, traveling back to Imperial lines. Though invisible to the naked eye from space, the psychic beacon that Benjamin had produced was blinding to any psyker's mind's eye. Using the cooridinates from the beacon, the Imperial armada focused an orbital bombardment in a ten mile radius, completely vaporizing the Tau headquarters, with just enough time for the Neophytes to escape. Due to his sacrifice and immense psychic abilities that secured Imperial victory, Benjamin was posthumously granted the mantle of Family Cardinal, and his Psychic Beacon ability has been taught and perfected throughout the Chapter since.

CHAPTER RELICS

 "This Crosier is more than just a position of office. It is a weapon, a conduit of our holy wrath and hatred blessed to us from His Light, the Emperor. To those annointed in his Light, it's sight is a blessing. To those condemned to darkness, it is judgement." - Father Hereculan, Cardinal, Family 495

 

 With the Inquisitorial Guard being the largest Space Marine Chapter in the Imperium, with Families spanning the entire galaxy in hundreds of sectors and sub-sectors, it would be safe to assume that the Chapter has acrued a substantial collection of relics, be they ancient, mastercrafted Artificer Heavy Bolters or suits of Power Armor dating from the Age of Apostacy.

Inquisitorial Crosier - Wielded by Family Cardinals, each Inquisitorial Crosier is a relic from the Chapter's history during the Age of Apostacy. First designed by master Artificer craftsmen of the Forge World of Letrekan Primus in 396.M36, the Inquisitorial Crosier was designed with amplification of psychic energies in mind. Blessed is each with a dozen or more spiritual litanies and prayers, etched into the adamantium shaft and head. The shaft of each weapon is crafted from gold polished adamantium, while the head is in the shape of the Inquisitorial Rossette, and made of polished obisidian, scarlett, and gold adamantium. Psychic conduits are implanted into the handle, running through the length of the shaft into the Rosette, which considerably amplifies any physical attack with psychic energies, or can create an increadibly durable personal shield, so long as the Cardinal can retain his concetration.

 

Jorigan's Bane - Jorigan's Bane is a unique set of Bolter rifles. Comprising of twenty one Bolter rifles, each is made of the highest quality materials and inscribed with dozens of prayers and incantations. Each rifle is equipped with an Aetherscope, a scanner used to detect and analyse psychic energies, which is particularly useful against Daemonic entities who can become invisible. Also equipped with an underbarrel psychic conduit-launcher, which encases psychic energies in a shell of blessed alloys, the rounds bury themselves within a target and are time detonated, releasing powerful psychic attacks from within the target. The bolter ammunition is also double-blessed by high-ranking Ecclisarch Priests, and when fired, encased in a psychic shell to allow for deeper penetration of Daemonic flesh. Only the twenty-one rifles are known to exist, and are only rotated between Families in small numbers who are combating Daemonic incursions and Warp borne entities.

 

Watchman's Carapace - The Watchman's Carapace is a unique set of Mark VIII Praetendi Taedas Power Armor, given to a Father who has been selected for a tour in the Death Watch. While more heavily armored than the usual Praetendi Taedas armor used by the Inquisitorial Guard, it is still designed with missions of stealth in mind. Additional ceramite plates are installed in various places on the armor, and the traditional Void Shield generator, found in the helmets Rosette, is replaced with a more powerful version placed in the chest piece of the armor. While capable of shielding an entire squad, once depleted, it takes considerably longer to recharge, though this can be mitigated with focus of psychic energies. Some variants are equipped with more powerful versions of typical Space Marine jump packs, while a select few are even equipped with miniaturized Cyclone Missile Launchers. Superbly crafted with the most precious metals and the most advanced technilogical systesms in mind, only a dozen sets of the Watchman's Carapace exist, which is why only those serving in the Death Watch are permitted it's use.

 

Benjamin's Helm - Years after Father Cardinal Benjamin's sacrifice on the planet of Zorihail, a powerful psychic anomaly was detected deep within the armory of Family 801. Fearing a Warp Rift and possible Choatic incursion, all twenty-one members of Family 801 stormed into the armory, complete with Terminator Armor and Storm Troopers in tow. Instead of a Daemonic portal or chaotic influence, they found a Mark VIII Praetendi Taedas helmet on the floor. Upon picking it up, the Patriarch noticed a small, psychically charged hum coming from the helmet. After inspection of the video recordings stored within the helmet's Data-slate, it was discovered that the helmet had belonged to that of Cardinal Benjamin. Now worn by the Cardinals of Family 801, the helmet provides a substantial boost to the wearer's psychic abilities. An additional boon provided by the artifact was recorded in 003.M40, when a Daemonic entity grabbed the helmet while in combat with the Cardinal. Upon touching the helmet, the Daemon recoiled in pain, it's hand that touched it melting away and weakening the creatures psychic abilities.

 

Brooch of Blessed Saint Rienni - The Brooch of Blessed Saint Rienni is a pin awarded to Daughters of the Guard who have survived and passed their training within the Adepta Sororitas. So rare is it that a Family should recieve a Sister of Battle within their ranks, each Daughter is awarded one. Worn on the skirt of a Daughter of the Guard, a Brooch of Blessed Saint Rienni is molded into the figure of Saint Rienni, and forged from a piece of her very first set of armor. Each Brooch is made of polished gold adamantium, and uniquely adorned with various precious gems and trims of rare metals. While devoid of any special technology, encased within the Brooch's adamantium is said to be a lock of hair of the Blessed Saint herself. Each Brooch is tripple-blessed by the Ecclisiarchy, and baptized within waters found from her place of birth, the minning colony of Erqyer IV. When worn in battle, it is said the Brooch displays supernatural properties, such as protecting the Daughter from harm, and even glows a violent orange when in the presence of Daemonic entities. Should a denizen of the Warp approach within arms reach of the Brooch, the Daemon is racked in agonizing pain, and becomes more supsceptable to holy prayers and incantations. In one recorded instance, a Daughter of the Guard, Sister Oknia of Family 18, was sucked into a Warp Rift during combat against Daemonic forces and Traitor Marines on the planet Yyviscar. Once in the Warp, the Brooch vibrated violently and uncontrollably, and the Immaterium around Oknia began to unravell. After a few minutes, Warp space around her had become so unstable and fragmented, she was violently ejected back into material space, thousands of miles away from where she had been abducted.

Once again, sorry for the length, but hopefully, for those who read it (lol) y'all find it at least interesting. Let me know!

Edited January 19, 2018 by Mathis59

[Dosjetka]

First off, due to its length, I haven't read through the whole text. I will however chip away at it over the next few days and provide constructive criticism as I go along.

 

Secondly, it's an interesting concept. I'm not sure I like the whole idea but the way you present it has me intrigued and encourages me to read more. I'd say that's a good thing. :)

 

Thirdly, you state as fact in the second paragraph that their gene-seed is derived from the Emperor's own genetic material and yet in the third you suggest it's a mere rumour. I'd suggest you stick with the idea that it's a rumour and edit your second paragraph accordingly.

 

That's all for now but I'm sure there'll be more as I continue reading. :tu:

[Mathis59]

Definitely. I've been busy with work lately, only getting to iron out a few kinks as I get the time to, but the portion about the gene-seed definitely skipped my mind. I'll be sure to change it, as the idea of it being a rumor does sound better on rereading through it. Once work begins to calm down a bit I'll flesh it out a bit more, and continue working on the story for one of the Family's I've started. Currently two chapters and thirty-something pages in I think.

[Doctor Perils]

Like Dos' I've yet to read much further then the "founding" part, but I already have a few comments that may help a new reader get started:

First of all, write a short introduction piece to the main work, where you *rapidly* present what makes them different (ie, mission and organisation are the first to spring to mind)

With that, give a few bulletpoints of important information, like Founding, parent chapter, colours etc.

These two points are aimed to help ease someone into the subject - you have parts of this in the "Founding" section, but that is already the main body of the text (and therefore too late)

 

Next, in the Liber, we generally recommend against dealing in absolutes (ie, this chapter has the strongest marines, this chapter has the largest amount of TDA in the Imperium, etc.) Somehow, you manage to do that for two conflicting absolutes "largest and smallest" - with no explanation as to why they are like that in that sentence. This is confusing, and will probably lead to as many people closing the article at that moment as to people that are genuinely interested in that assertion.

 

Now, i still have some comments on the subject matter. You have some rather extraordinary claims for your chapter, and I'd personally like to see them toned down a bit:

1 - as Dosjetka said, it seems weird to assert that this chapter has the geneseed of the Emperor. After all, there is only a single other chapter out there that has that gift, the Grey Knights themselves, who were developed by some who knew the secrets of the Emperor intimately (ie Malcador).

Whereas I find the concept surprising in the first place, Id suggest that you write that its genetic material was taken from the Grey Knights, by order of the Inquisition (who are after all the only ones to know the Grey Knights exist). Even then I'd make it a rumoured connection rather then an established one.

2 - I'd suggest you restrain the chapter's domain of expertise to a single Ordo - otherwise a reader will wonder why they never heard of this chapter when reading about Inquisition stories (like Forge World's Anphellion project). If instead they protect only the holdings of a single Holy Ordo, this can become rather more believable

3 - Imo, you should stick to more or less codex size: if it's good enough for the Grey Knights, it should be good enough for another inquisitorial chapter. In either case, don't make it the largest chapter, for otherwise their secrecy will probably be compromised, and would be contradicting black templar fluff (who are heavily suggested as being the largest chapter)

 

4 - while you go to great lengths to explain how this organisation works, I didn't notice a reason given for it: ideally, you should explain the reason first, in such a way that a reader might understand the conclusion better. I personally think it's unusual but not outside the realm of possibilities, however you really do need to explain why they can't simply have the same organisation as (let's say) the DeathWatch.

 

I'll stop there for the moment and follow any developments :)