Index Astartes: The Crucifiers

[Bloodwraith]

INDEX ASTARTES: THE CRUCIFIERS

 

Name: The Crucifiers

 

Geneseed: Blood Angels

 

 

Founding: 2nd/3rd (Likely 3rd) 591.M31 (well after the second founding, but either considered a late 2nd Founding or Early 3rd Founding Chapter. It is possible the chapters creation in the 2nd founding was significantly delayed for several reasons, (lack of adequate geneseed supplies, adequate aspirants, limitations of equipment from the mechanicus etc....) or the chapter was created early anticipating the 3rd founding because resources were already allocated for a 2nd founding chapter that was never brought to fruition and thus available for immediate use.

 

        Even within their own archives the Crucifiers have no clear information on their accurate origin dates and reasons for the irregular nature of their founding. The Crucifiers can trace their origins/Lineage back to the time of the scouring. Their first Chapter master Orontes Malalas was once a member of the Red Paladins and served under Sanguinius command during the crusade and heresy. They do know they were found after the scouring and before the war of the Beast.

Colors: Pale white, dark blue, gore red. (Orontes chose the chapter colors to honor his brother (Kayden Captain of the Warhounds Legion and his warriors of the 192nd and 194th loyal sons of the Imperium) and the sacrifice these loyal sons made to allow he and his men to escape and rejoin the legion.

 

 

Heraldic Colors Origins: Orontes was born on Terra in the Albyon slums. He was from a large family of 13 siblings and had a twin brother Kayden. When the early proto legions began selecting candidates for the legions, Orontes father put forward the two boys as candidates. With already too many mouths to feed on the meager earnings he made, Orontes’ father thought the two youngest boys may have a better life and better chance for survival in the hands of the Emperor. Both brothers were put through the early selection screenings and tests.

 

 

        After many days of gene mapping, blood tests, DNA sampling and intellectual screening, both brothers were selected for the final stage of the proto legion program (roughly between 710-720 .M30). However, neither brother would know the others fate into well into the great Crusade because each was selected for a different Legion and sent to different facilities. 

 

        Orontes would become a member of the Revenant Legion and Kayden would be initiated into the ranks of the Warhounds. The brothers would both serve their legions with distinction throughout the great crusade and be elevated to ranks of leadership.  It was only by chance that the two would be reunited when Orontes was selected to lead the 31st exchange company of the Blood Angels, where he served for almost two decades with the Warhounds/World Eater legion prior to and immediately after the rediscovery of Angron. 

        It was during this time Orontes and Kayden, now the captain of the Warhounds/World Eaters 192 assault company, reunited. The two-battle companies fought side by side on numerous compliance campaigns. The reunion of the two biological brothers was emotional by Astartes standards. When they saw each other in the officer ready room aboard the Warhounds vessel, it had been nearly 85 years since they last saw each other in the gene labs on Terra and they both paused in a moment of disbelief and reflection and then embraced for a moment as if no time had passed.

 

 

        Orontes and Kayden spent many evenings sparing in the fighting pits or discussing ancient philosophy and literature rekindling their bonds. It was during the 2nd decade of service together when Angron was rediscovered and returned to his Legion. Soon after Angron took command of the World Eaters he ordered all the exchange companies to leave his legion and recalled all his exchange companies serving in other legions. Orontes and Jayden exchanged heartfelt bonds of their brotherhood. Once again, forced to separate, the brothers’ exchanging weapons. 

        Kayden received Orontes Artificer power sword and Orontes was gifted Kaydens’s master crafter power axe. Kayden and Orontes embraced each other in a warrior’s handshake and Kayden proclaimed, “I am a World Eater now, I was once a Warhound, but I will forever be your brother!” Orontes leaned in, grabbed his brother gently by the back of his head and brought their foreheads together and said, “I was a Revenant, Now I am an Angel, but I will forever be your brother!” and with that the two brothers said what they thought would be their final goodbye.
The Battle of the Styxian Gap

        The two blood brothers would not see each other again until the outbreak of the Heresy. When the Heresy began, Kayden was the leader of a World Eaters expeditionary fleet that did not make it back to the assembly at Isstvan, in fact his fleet had traversed so deep into uncharted space that it was presumed lost. Kaydens fleet finally received the assembly call and made way to Isstvan. 

        They arrived as the first betrayal of Isstvan III occurred. Horrified by what was happening and realizing there was little his force could do, Kayden ordered the immediate translation out of the Isstvan system. Immediately upon his departure from the system, he was bogged down by a civil war erupting on his own decks as the minority of his forces that were loyal to the Warmaster and Angron began to launch assaults. Kaydens forces eventually exterminated all the traitors. He had planned to travel to Terra, but at this time the forces of Chaos were causing great disruptions within the warp travel lanes. Ultimately his expeditionary fleet ended up in the Charadon sector.

        Simultaneously, Orontes was leading his forces to the legion assembly called by Sanguinius at Maccrage. Orontes fleet was forced out of warp translation by an unknown force and was immediately set upon by a significantly larger Word Bearers force. Orontes ordered a signal be sent out with both a call for aid and a warning to other fleets of what the Word Bearers were doing. The 31st under Orontes began a daring combination of surgical teleportation assault boarding actions and fleet maneuvers. No matter where his fleet turned, it seemed to turn into a Word Bearers counter maneuver. When it seemed like their only option was to make a Pyric last stand, the fleets warning klaxons engaged for an arrival of emergency warp translations.

 

        Kaydens’ fleet had intercepted Orontes’ call for aid, and he ordered an immediate translation to the signals point of origin. As his fleet emerged from the warp in the middle of the battle, most of the Blood Angels and Word Bearers ships were hit with a rapid succession of warp shock waves. Kayden had his fleet immediately set firing solutions for all the word bearers ships and launched boarding torpedoes and Ursus claws. Master of Comms, Kayden commanded…. open a channel to the Blood Angels command vessel…. the Master of Comms replied… “channel open my lord’.  Captain Orontes of the Blood Angels, this is Captain Kayden of the 192nd assault company and 194th expeditionary fleet…. Brother, it was rude of you to start a fight without inviting me. A loud laugh erupted over the comms…. followed by Orontes response…Well Captain……. BROTHER…. I apologize for my rude behavior, but you can see there is more than enough trouble to share. 

 

        Orontes ship was already fighting off overwhelming number of borders. “I am sorry I will not have time for many words Orontes said…...but it seems I have a swarm of pest on my ship I will need to remove.” Almost as soon as he finished his words a series teleportation warnings sounded and dozens of blinding flashes occurred on the bridge of the Death of Tyrants. Out of the flashes strode Kayen and his honor guard. “Well Brother, looks like I have arrived just in time for the celebration to begin.” Said Kayden……...Orontes looked at his brother, smiled and exclaimed…. “Indeed!” 
Together the brothers led their forces into the bowels of the ship, fighting and slaughtering any Word Bearer forces they came across, until they reached the outer causeway above the main battery array. Here they ran into a significant Word Bearers force that was attempting to sabotage the weapons platforms.

 

        These Word Bearers were led by Vandal Shan, a Master of Rights and a known member of Logar’s inner circle. Once the fighting began, both brothers noticed that Vandal was not being harmed, bolter rounds seemed to deflect away from him or even bend around. The two brothers charged him together, as the melee ensued, each of them landed what would have been killing blows, but neither’s blade cut. “Witchcraft!! Sorcery!! Exclaimed Kayden” While most of the word Bearers had fallen, and many of the Warhounds and Blood Angels too, Vandal seemed unphased and unharmed. With each pressed attacked by the brothers, none of their hits did any meaningful damage to him. “How do you kill something that you can’t kill yelled Orontes?” Kayden charged in again and yelled “you just hit it harder!!”

        Vandal began to laugh in a sinister and disturbing tone, followed by chanting words that caused extreme pain in the heads of the loyalists, several of the remaining Warhounds and Blood Angels simply dropped to the ground unconscious. Orontes noticed blood coming from his noses and Kayden was starting to bleed from his ears and his eyes.  

 

        The brothers regrouped and prepared to assault again, one would fain while the other attacked, their movements were completely in sinc, each warrior was constantly hitting where Vandal seemed unable to defend. That is until Vandal made a sweeping motion with his staff and knocked both brothers off their feet. He then reached out with his warp tainted psychic powers and lifted Kayden to his feet, the force began crushing him, feeling immense pressure in his head and organs, Kayen began to feel things inside him rupture. 

        It took all his strength to just eyeblink the internal vox line on…. “Brrrooootherrr…...Kayde said in a gurgling voice…...is this area of the ship pressurized?” “Orontes replied, yes…why are you ok…you don’t sound...” “Then hold on as tight as you can! Maglock in, if possible, Kayden replied” Kayden used all his strength and will to move his right arm and ripped the bandoleer of grenades off his belt, activating one and tossed the entire bandoleer at Vandal, but intentionally just past him, so it would look like an attempt to hit him.  “How Pathetic, exclaimed Vandal, your last act of defiance and you missed.” ……there was a brief pause before Kayden replied, because he wanted the grenade to have time to cook off, he replied….” No, No I didn’t!” There were a series of cascading explosions and a seal plate within the inner hull blew apart and the force of the explosions then ripped open a tear in the outer hull. Vandal Shan barely had time to realize his existence was coming to an end as a look of abject horror shot across his face. Vandal Shan was immediately sucked out into the definingly silent void of space. 

        The force that was holding and crushing Kayden relented and Orontes immediately grabbed his brother. A Blast pain mechanically slammed into place covering the breach in the hull. Orontes knew there was still fighting going on throughout the ship. He signaled his bridge crew to teleport him and Kayden back to the bridge. As soon as the teleportation completed, “get a medicae here immediately Orontes yelled.” “My Lord, the Ship Mistress exclaimed… Victory has become completely unattainable. 

 

        We can surely wound them deeply, but any hope of a victory is for naught,” Kayden grabbed his brothers’ hand, “I am lost Brother…...my Legion are traitors, there is no place left in the imperium or the galaxy for us, my battle brothers are inevitably doomed as I am. No medicae can fix me. Let me leave this existence knowing you will still go on fighting in both our names.” “Orontes replied…Brother…no…” “Enough with the sentimentality Orontes, Help me to my feet. Today is as good a day to die as any…. but it is NOT your day too. My brothers and my fleet will clear the way, you will take your remaining vessels and make haste for your fleets gathering.” 

        “We will make these Bearers of the Word bleed for there Heresy.” Kayden took of his helmet, his face aged unnaturally, dried blood around his eyes and ears, he stumbled slightly as he grabbed his brothers’ arm in a forearm clasp with his right hand, then with his left he grabbed his brothers head bringing their foreheads together…. And Kayden said softly…... “I am a Warhound, I was never a World Eater, but I was always and forever will be your brother!” A single tear ran down Orontes cheek…. “I thought myself an Angel, I thought myself a warrior, but I see now the greatest thing of my existence was not my titles, nor was it my deeds, it was having you as my brother!” 

        The two embraced for another moment. Then Kayden reached down to his tactical belt, disconnected the clasp that held his sword and sheath, raised them up and handed it to Orontes. “Wield this blade, a blade gifted to me by you, it was used in reverence and honor, and it is returned to you now in the same way. Carry it with you and with the axe I gave you all those years ago. When you wield them both together in battle, know my spirit and my soul are with you brother!” No other words were said. Kayden stepped back and gave his brother a warrior’s salute to which Orontes returned. Kayden looked at his brother one last time, signaled his bridge and was teleported back to his ship.

        Ship Masters and Ship Mistresses exchanged quick battle plans and the remaining Warhound ships began maneuvering their ships for breaking a gap in the Word Bearers fleet for the remaining Blood Angels ships to breakthrough. As the Blood Angels Fleet turned to break through, Orontes ordered a fleet wide transmission…. “To our Warhound Brothers…. Die Well!!! You will be remembered!!!......” A simple three-word response was returned “For the Emperor”

 

Symbol: Flayed man, crucified. (Similar to the Vitruvian man) After Sanguinius’ death, Orontes was haunted by vivid visions of Sanguinius final moments on the Vengeful Spirit. He would see the events as if he were experiencing them himself, only to then be pulled away to a different view to see the visage of Sanguinius crucified upon the wall of Horus’s throne room. Orontes knew these visions to be the truth of his father’s final moments and his desecration at the hands of Horus.

 

        Orontes swore that he would crucify every son of the Warmaster and every heretic he encountered from that day forward. An act of vengeance he carried out across numerous battlefields during and after the scouring. It earned him the moniker of Orontes the Crucifier. He even adopted a crucified man as his personal heraldry. It is from their chapter master that they inherited the moniker and practiced crucifying their captured enemies.

Warrior Culture: The Crucifiers are warrior monks, like ancient Terran knightly orders. A great deal of emphasis is place on the marshal disciple of the blade, using calm and controlled battle stances, allowing the brother to only break from these practices when the nature of combat required a more unconventional and aggressive combat style. While they do present and adhere to more honorable, chivalric and knightly virtues, these practices and etiquettes are only afforded too their allies. No Xenos or heretics are worthy of such treatment. 

        The Crucifiers are also literary Artisans. Each brother is tasked with chronicling their own history and deeds. These manuscripts a master crafted creations using ancient forms of calligraphy for their righting and hand drawn art pieces within the texts depicting the deeds that are chronicled.   
When not training or working on their individual Lexicanum, the brothers of the Crucifiers spend the rest in either quite meditation or veneration of the God Emperor.

Battle Doctrine: Codex Divergent. While the Crucifiers do follow many tenants of the Codex Astartes, there are several significant deviations:
Company Organizations: The Crucifiers do not structurally organize themselves in standard codex compliant battle formations. Instead, the Crucifiers use formations that would be more like a modified form of the Dark Angels Hexagrammaton wings of the Great Crusade. These formations are called Choirs, and they have a centralized command element known as the Thrones.

        The Thrones: The chapters officers, to include the Chapter master, Sanguinary Guard, captains and lieutenants, and the senior member of the chapter specialist (Chaplains, Apothecaries, Librarians etc....) that exist outside of the Choirs. The Throne is all the chapters senior leadership and is responsible for overseeing the operations of the chapter. When deploying The Chapter master will select the captains who will lead the engagements, and each captain will be assigned a mission and two lieutenants. From there the captain will select elements from each of the choirs to make up a temporary “Demi-Company” to carry out the objective. (Note: The 1st Choir is typically the only choir that ever deploys without support from other choirs. (This is typically during Hulk clearing and initial boarding operations.)

 

        The 1st Choir: (The Anvil of Faith) Made up principally of the company’s Terminators and other heavy armor support units to include Centurion and Gravis war suits and the chapters Dreadnoughts. (One of two veteran Choirs).

 

        The 2nd Choir: (The Blades of the Righteous) Made up of Veterans and Blade master marines, principally consists of chapters Bladeguard, Vanguard, Sternguard, Assault Marines, Infiltrators, Incursors, Reavers, and Chapter Ancients.

 

        The 3rd Choir: (The Wrath of Angels) This choir is made up of all the fire support elements to include Eliminators, Suppressors, Hellblasters, Eradicators, Inceptors, and Desolations Squads.

 

        The 4th Choir: (The Armor of Faith) is made up of all vehicles, including its aircraft, outriders, tanks, hammerfall bunkers and firestrike servos. This Choir in a broader sense does include the chapters fleet as well. For the Crucifiers the Master of the Fleet is also the Master of Arms as well. 

 

        The 5th Choir: (The Blood of Martyrs) This choir is made up of all the chapters standard infantry units to include the various Intercessors and scouts.

 

        The 6th Choir: (The Voice of the Heaven’s) Is made up of the Chapters Librarians, Chaplains, Apothecaries and Tech Marines. (Except for the senior Chaplain, Librarian, Apothecary and Tech Marine. They serve as Advisors in the Throne).

 

Operational Limitations: The Crucifiers have an almost obsessive dogmatic preference to use the Hammer and Anvil assault tactic (reminiscent of the Luna Wolves Speartip tactics). This tactic revolves around using infiltration units to sabotage key support areas of defense and infrastructure to the enemy. Once these units exfil their objectives, the orbital strikes and heavy fire support to create an operational avenue for the distraction forces. Typically attacks by tactical elements, armor and air assets on the enemy’s perimeter. Within this avenue created and then with the distraction attack begun, the crucifiers will deep-strike or teleport large numbers of Terminator, Aggressor, Centurions and dreadnoughts behind the enemy lines and almost directly on the objective. This force is the Anvil. They create a devastating foothold with the additional intent of directly attacking the enemy’s leadership. Meanwhile a second deep-strike assault filled with the numerous varieties of assault forces will slam quickly and mercilessly into the enemy’s main lines. This is the hammer strike.

 

        While this strategy is effective against enemies like the Tau, Chaos marine elements, Aeldari/Drukhari, Necron, Tau and Votann…this doctrine has proven to be inefficient and nearly complete tactical failure against xenos species like the Tyranids, some Orc Waaghs and demonic incursions. It also has limitations when conducting hive clearing and suppression operations. Cultists and Genestealer Cults do tend to have command structures that can be targeted, the complications provided by the actual tactical environment of fighting within the depths of hive city’s, make this strategy less than Ideal.

 

        This near inflexible use of this strategic doctrine has caused the chapter to have higher than normal causalities on numerous occasions, and even after nearly 10,000 years of combat operations, the chapter will only stray from this tactic once it has been operationally demonstrated to be ineffective in that specific operation. This has often caused them and their allies significant delays and losses because of their insistence on using this strategy up until its nearly complete failure. 

 

Flagship: Oberon Class Battleship -The Death of Tyrants (An Ancient modified Battleship that dates to the Great Crusade.)
Notable ships in the fleet: two retribution class Battleships (The Eternal Hatred and The Martyrs Wrath) one victory class Battleship (The Blade of Vengeance) 

 

Homeworld/Sector: New Antioch. New Antioch is one of three inhabited planets in the solar system of the Vitruvian cluster, located near the absolute northwestern fringe of the Segmentum Pacificus, Near the Halo Zone. This system and its resources are so remote, they are often forgotten or ignored even by Imperial Census. New Antioch is a shrine world of pre-black powder technology. Mostly feudal and vasal states with several aristocratic lineages vying for power on the four main continents, with raiding naval cultures hailing from the numerous unaffiliated island nations. The only unifying factor on the planet is the worship of the God King/Sky Emperor.

Other worlds in the Cluster: Piety. Is a minor forge world Led by Fabricator-General Asmonde Tertius. Piety principally produces weapons, munitions, aircraft and armor for the guard and planetary militias within this region of Segmentum. The forge world is capable of make numerous items of equipment for the Adeptus Astartes. The Star port and shipyard at Peity can build vessels up to the size of Heavy cruisers but can provide repairs and refits for most models of Battleships as well. An ancient pact of protection exists between the Crucifiers and the forge world. This pact ensures the Crucifiers are regularly resupplied and re-fitted. To Honor this pact, a squad of 10 Marines always stands Vigil on Peity, and it is also home of the chapters training grounds for new initiates.

 

Retribution: Is one of many Penal Worlds for Segmentum Pacificus. When the Crucifiers were granted the Vitruvian cluster as their protectorate over 9,000 years ago. Ancient and binding pacts were made between the Chapter and the Adeptus Terra and the Adeptus Mechanicus. For nearly 10 millennia, the Crucifiers have drawn regular tithes from the world for new initiates (those children born to inmates on the planet) chapter and fleet serfs as well as candidates for servitor servants. All candidates, regardless of what role they have been selected for, will undergo intense pyscho and hypno therapy to ensure their maximum compliance. 

 

Fortress Monastery: The Martyr’s Throne. On the southernmost point of the largest continent of Olwen. Built deep into the southernmost mountain peak of Mt. Athos. A single towering black spire shoots out from the top of the mountain, with most of the monastery buried deep underground.

 

Rival: Principally the Word Bearers, but also the World Eaters and in late M41 and early M42, Hive Fleet Leviathan. The Crucifiers have a near obsessive hatred of the Word Bearers and World Eaters Legion. This stems back to the chapter’s origins. The fall of his brother Kayden set in motion a series of events for Orontes and his eventual pursuit and persecution of all Word Bearers they would encounter or hear of. 
Additionally, Orontes saw Angron and his sons that fell, as weak minded and weak willed. Slaves to their anger and naively childlike in their reasoning for straying from the Emperors light. He saw the Blood Angels struggle as noble; it was easy to give in to uncontrolled rage and hatred. Their fall and betrayal of their own kind was dishonorable, and disgraceful.  Orontes believed the true measure of a warrior was learning to control their rage and how to focus it. This is what he saw as the core of the Blood Angels warrior ethos, and it is that ethos he would eventually use as the foundation of the Crucifiers belief structure. 

 

Beliefs: Orontes was considered a radical amongst the post Heresy Blood Angels because of his differing views from the rest of the chapter. These views came from centuries serving in exchange forces among the Luna Wolves, Dark Angels and finally the Warhounds/World Eaters. He saw the flexibility of the organizational structure of the Dark Angels Hexagrammaton, the Tactical dominance of the Luna Wolves Speartip Strategy. He also admired the Paladin like martial beliefs of the Warhounds, before they were influenced by Angron. 

        He had walked in the presence of Sanguinius and the Emperor and felt their Auras and energy himself. The sheer psychic shockwave that rattled all Blood Angels to their core was enough to convince him of the Emperors divinity and the demi-god nature of his father. He used his faith and the tactical knowledge he accrued to form the core martial practices and theological beliefs of the Crucifiers.

 

        The Crucifiers believe that the Emperor of man is a divine being who is manifesting his true power in the warp itself. They believe that their bloodlines shame of the red thirst and black rage can only be healed by the emperor himself, through the resurrection of Sanguinius. Orontes believed the taints/curses of the Red thirst and eventually the Black Rage, were put on the sons of the Angel by the denizens of the warp and were not the intended divine design of the Emperor. This belief has driven the crucifiers to engage in secret pacts with several fringe Inquisitorial groups. For nearly 10.000 years the Crucifiers have hunted down and captured members of the Sensei for the Illuminati, searched for archeotech on the gene-sciences for the Horusians, rare artifacts for the Xanthites and any evidence they could find for the Promeans. 

 

        The crucifiers believe that all these factions in their own way are working towards the Emperors resurrection/transcendence and by aiding them in their ventures, they also aid the eventual resurrection of Sanguinius and the lifting of the Blood Angels curses. While the Crucifiers wish these factions would unite their efforts, they have long since given up trying to understand the minds and motivations of the mortal members of these Inquisitorial factions. Instead adopting the principle that by helping them all, inevitably one will solve the greatest riddle.

        These beliefs have put them at odds with not only other Imperial organizations at times. The Crucifiers have even been formally shunned within their own Gene-brothers. An ancient pact and decree amongst the other brothers of the blood known as the Edicts of the Sanguine, states: No son or chapter of Sanguinius outside of the brotherhood of the Crucifiers, shall give them safe harbor, support or aid, nor shall they receive or be acknowledge by the bonds of kinship until such a day when they denounce their near heretical and blasphemous beliefs. It is believed this accord was signed by all the existing chapters of the blood sometime in M33, after an incident involving an ancient relic of Sanguinius on the planet of ***INQUISITORIAL REDACTION*** The Crucifiers are not fazed or even insulted by this decree, they place their faith in the Emperor and the Angel far above any real or perceived familial bonds with other brothers of the blood. In fact, they believe that all the other Sons of Sanguinius are naive in their assertations and beliefs that beings like the Emperor and Sanguinius were simply evolved forms of humanity without divinity. In the current 41st Millennium, they believe that the returned sons of Robute Guilliman and Lion El’Johnson are also semi-divine demi-gods, as sons of the Emperor, they should be revered.

 

        The Crucifiers are true warrior monks, more akin to the ancient knightly orders of ancient Terra. Every brother of the chapter is expected to be a master of the blade regardless of which Choir they serve in. Because of this belief, a significant portion of their combat training is expected to be with the blade.

        The Crucifiers are not berserkers like many of the Sons of Sanguinius. They maintain a cold stoic rage, focus and near single-mindedness once the heat of battle has begun. The strict adherence to their battle meditations, and their ability to control and focus their rage through a combination of training and faith has allowed them to be remarkably resistant to both the Black Rage and the Red Thirst. 

        The brothers still hold blood and consumption rights, but not on the level it is in many other brotherhoods of the blood. Some rights they absolutely refuse to perform while others they have chosen to modify. For example, the Crucifiers still used a similar gestation protocol for new initiates as the Blood Angels, but they have a group of dedicated librarians and chaplains that try to focus the dream state of the recruits through various hypno and psycho methodologies while they are going through their initial transformation. This combined with litanies of the Emperors divination seem to positively affect the aspirants and help lead to a higher success rate for initiates. The reason seems to have a near mortal maternal origin. 

        An Unrecorded Crucifier Chaplain was once believed to say, “An initiate is like a child, without guidance and purpose…. Especially in these early transformative stages, all you can be expected to emerge is a wild and feral being. But, with faith, temperance and guidance both spiritually and through early indoctrination, the being that emerges is not just physically transformed but he is spiritual elevated as well. This new initiate will be born ready for his burden, not struggling to understand it.”

        While brothers do eventually fall to the Black Rage and eventually serve in the Chapters Death Company. It is rare that it occurs to a brother in their first few centuries of service. Their combination of faith, meditation and combat training/practices of controlled rage, have long been their shield against the Black Rage. This same faith and elevated levels of self-control, even for a space marine, has also allowed them to minimize their needs and urges for blood, allowing them to control the Red Thirst.

 

        This shield of faith and martial discipline against the Black Rage and Red Thirst have made it an extremely rare occurrence for a brother to fall, when compared to other chapters of the blood. Those brothers that do eventually succumb are placed in stasis chambers and held in the fortress monasteries hall of the fallen, until such a time they are deemed to be a needed weapon on the battlefield. The Chapter always removes one progenoid gland from these brothers before they are deployed, just in case their battles take them to a place where their geneseed cannot be recovered. This way they can ensure their legacy is passed on.

 

        Because of the ancient edict of the brotherhood of the blood, the Crucifiers have never been visited by Astorath the Grim or any other outside Chaplain or Librarian of the blood. Even Astorath will not defy such an ancient declaration. The Chapter knows little about the modern Blood Angels or the other successor chapters of the blood, and they were not summoned by Dante during the defense of Baal. Because of this detachment, the brothers of the chapter see little reverence for the ancient homeworld outside of its origins for Sanguinius. 

Current Timeline: The Crucifiers in .M42 currently have several split focuses. They are always on guard for threats from the fringe space of the Halo Zone. They also have forces dedicated to repelling warp/chaos-based incursions and cultist uprisings from the Night of a Thousand Rebellions. However, their principal strategic operations are focused on securing and scouring the sector of the Tyranid forces of Hive Fleet Leviathan.

Notable characters:

First Chapter Master of the Crucifiers: Orontes Malalas – was elevated to the ranks of the Red Paladins upon returning to Sanguinius side on Maccrage. He would continue to serve in the Red Paladins throughout the siege of Terra and the Scouring. Eventually he was elevated into the ranks of the first Sanguinary Guard before being chosen to lead his own chapter. He served as the chapter master of the Crucifiers from roughly 591.M31- 045.M32. Upon his death at the battle of Gorman’s Ridge on the Agri-world Limoges, Orontes had been one of the longest-lived Marines of his time. 

 

Current Chapter Master: Bailen Amalric was elevated to chapter master in 999.M41 upon the death of the previous Chapter master Godfrey Hugh during a planetary defense engagement from a splinter of Hive Fleet Leviathan on Garvin IV. Bailen had previously served as a Veteran Sergeant in the 1st and 2nd Choirs, before being promoted to Lieutenant. He then served in, and eventually led, the Chapters Sanguinary Guard for nearly a century before being selected to become the new Chapter Master. Bailen has been in service to the Emperor for nearly 350 Standard Terran Years. 
Bailen is a sound leader. He is not remarkable in one trait, a deadly blade master (as is tradition in the chapter) a sound tactician, a strong orator, stoic, but compassionate. He is the Epitome of solid strong leadership. He is remarkable because of how sound and reliable he is but also because of how unremarkable he is in any one category. Bailen was chosen by his brothers to lead because they saw in him a quite strength, nobility and willingness to adapt, which is an ironic trait for a chapter that can be rigidly dogmatic in its faith and in its strategic doctrine.

 

Notable Campaigns:

War of the Beast 544.M32 – 546.M32: The Crucifiers, like most chapters of Astartes at this time, spent much of the war defending and fortify their own sector. The Crucifiers were able to hold off and defeat several Waagh incursions into Segmentum Pacificus. Most notably was the defense of their own home system and defeating the Speed Waagh of Warboss Rottoof Ripcrasha and the defense of the Forge World Piety against the Waagh of Reboota Gokilmecha and his mechanized force of the Ubaz Mechamaaenes.

Nova Terra Interregnum Mid .M34 – Late .M35: During this period within the Segmentum Pacificus, the Crucifiers fought numerous defensive campaigns of their sector because they refused to join with the secessionist of the Ur-Council. The Chapters defense benefited from their larger than average fleet, and support of Forge World Piety. At times the chapter committed raids into other sectors of Segmentum Pacificus to carry out harassment campaigns or eliminate troublesome Planetary Governors/Rulers. The crucifiers suffered heavy losses during this time and did not fully recover till mid M.36

The Moirae Schism: This event had little effect on the Crucifiers or their sector of space because Forge World Piety remained loyal. The Fabricator General of the Piety was ruthless in purging his order on Piety of any radical thinker/believers.

Age of Apostasy M36: Initially, the Crucifiers, like many chapters of Adeptus Astartes, took no side in the war. Their faith in the Emperor was absolute but they did not share many of the same beliefs as the Ecclesiarchy. In fact, they saw much of the Ecclesiarchy as flawed or corrupted by the lust of power. It was not until the emergence of Sebastian Thor, that the Crucifiers became involved. Upon being made aware of Thor’s beliefs and cause, The Crucifiers immediately began besieging several Segmentum Pacificus strongholds loyal to Vandire.

Hive fleet Leviathan Late .M41 -Early .M42: Hive Fleet Leviathan invasion of Segmentum Pacificus. The defense of the Segmentum against the hive fleet took a devastating toll on the crucifiers. Davian Prime is a hive world located in a nearby sector of the Crucifiers home world. The Crucifiers used Davian Primes defense as the final bulwark against the hive fleets assault. Upon the final stand and purging of Davian Prime from the remnants of the tyrranid assault, the crucifiers had lost all but 300 Brothers, most survivors being from the Veterans of the 1st Choir and survivors of the 2nd and 6th choirs. Most of the members of the Thrones of the chapter to Include the Chapter Master, were killed. The rebuilding of the chapter has been left to the new Chapter Master Bailen Amalric. 

 

        Amalric was excited to receive the Emperor and returned Primarchs gift of reinforcements and equipment. Torch Bearer fleet Purgatos arrived nearly 6 months after the final defense of Davian Prime. The chapter was amid deciding their own fate, accepting their losses and beginning a crusade of revenge until no brothers remained or, begin the long process of rebuilding. The reinforcements made the decision simple. Amalric is using this time to simultaneously indoctrinate the new initiates and to reevaluate the rigid adherence to certain strategies that nearly caused the complete destruction of the chapter. While he intends to hold onto all their core beliefs, and Strategies’, he knows that the changes to the operational environment in the Galaxy, the return of two of the Emperors Sons, call for a more flexible combat doctrine. All the new brothers received from the torch bearer fleet will undergo additional psycho and hypno indoctrination to ensure their core beliefs align with the culture and beliefs of the chapter.

(Note: Recommend the Crucifiers to be played using one of three combat doctrines)

1.) Traditional Blood Angels Codex: Minus the use of Astorath, since to date he has never visited the chapter because of the Edicts of the Sanguine. Dante can be “proxied” as the Crucifiers Chapter Master, Mephiston as their Chief Librarian, Lemartes as their Keeper of the dead.

 

2.) Deathwatch Codex: Because of the unique organization of the chapters Throne and Choirs. Making kill team type units or mixed purpose forces seems somewhat thematic for the chapter.

 

3.) Black Templars Codex: Because of the martial and faith-based similarities between the Crucifiers and Black Templars, using their force structure and codex seems also viable. Because the Crucifiers do use Librarians, if you field a Librarian that you should not use Abhor the Witch/Epitome of Piety Stratagems or use Grimaldus proxy nullification of psychic attacks.

 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 04:06 PM by Bloodwraith
WIP