The Abyssal Claws - warriors of the deep

[Einhard]

The Abyssal Claws are a relatively young Space Marine Chapter, founded in the late 41st millennium as a successor to the Iron Hands. Their formation was prompted by the growing need for warriors capable of fighting in the labyrinthian depths of hive worlds and space stations, which often became breeding grounds for chaos cults, xenos infestations, and insurrections.

 

The Abyssal Claws mission is to cleanse the darkest depths of hive worlds, eliminating threats that fester there. They specialize in confined space warfare. They are masters at finding out threats and cults in the depth of hive cities, smoking them out, setting up ambushes and hit and run operations to purge heretics and mutants. Being successors to the Iron hands their technical expertise is a great advantage to operate in the deep levels where the machinery of the hive city is set. They also are skilled in combat wherever the space is small, the air is hot and wet with machinery vapors.

 

Homeworld and recruitment

 

The Abyssal Claws fortress-monastery is concealed within the uncharted depths of their homeworld, Spirevault. Nestled in the treacherous mazes of the deepest sewers, this hidden sanctuary serves the chapter in his clandestine recruitment. There, amid the filth, desperation, and unrelenting struggle for survival, the Abyssal Claws seek out aspirants who have not only endured but thrived in the unforgiving depths.

The survivors of the abyss, those who have faced the atrocities of the lowest levels and emerged stronger might accidentally stumble upon the Abyssal Claws, at the corner of a tunnel , those who can reach the fortress monastry's surroundings are deemed worthy to try their luck in the recruitment process. The brutal challenges end up killing a lot of them. In the end the survivors are the most resourceful and resilient, but the depth of Spirevault are treacherous and many of the people leaving there are mutants. Since they are Iron hands successor, the Abyssal Claws see the flesh as weakness, and any unwantesd mutation is removed and replaced with prostetics.

 

 

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Edited October 20, 2023 by Einhard

[Bjorn Firewalker]

You're off to a good start. Additional details will be appreciated, though. Why is the Chapter planet named "Spirevault"? Does "Spire" refer to hive cities for which the sewers were dug, or for something else, e.g., a pre-Imperial radio antenna to communicate across the star system? Does "vault" refer to the sewers- maybe a legend of a "treasure vault" or "prison vault" hidden in the sewers?

 

And why would the Chapter planet's inhabitants live in the sewers instead of the cities for which these sewers were dug? Did some catastrophe render the cities uninhabitable? What is the Chapter planet's environment like?