Heroes of the Astartes: Captain Lysander
Captain Lysander "I have teleported into action thirty-seven times and each time I expect to find myself at the Emperor's side. It is a test of my faith to submit to such technology. It is one I shall not fail."
- Name: Darnath Lysander
- Rank: First Captain, Master of the First Company, Overseer of the Armoury and Watch Commander of the Phalanx.
- Chapter: Imperial Fists (First Founding)
- Homeworld: Unknown
- Recruited: Recruited from Terra at the Pillar of Bones by Chaplain Shadryss
- Died: -
Service History
Lysander was first recognized for his leadership and valour for his actions as a sergeant of the Second Company on the planet of Iduno in 567.M40. The then-sergeant was awarded his first Imperial Laurel of many for rallying his squad with efficient bolter fire, holding the hordes of heretics at Colonial Bridge for 14 hours without rest or reinforcement. Only 18 years later, Lysander rose to the Captain of the Second Company after the successful boarding and subsequent capture of the Eldar cruiser, Blood of Khaine.
The events of the three year siege of the heretics of Haddrake Tor would see Lysander's name entered into the Imperial annals. As Captain of the Second Company, Lysander personally lead the drop pod assault on the peaks to secure the highest ground and plant teleport homers so that the First Company, clad in ancient Terminator Armour, could clear the lower levels of the Tor of the Chaos filth. The Chaos defenders were equal to this and using foul rituals of cursing to disrupt the Warp, cast many of the teleporting Terminators off course. This resulted in the death of a number of veterans as they were sent plummeting to their doom, outside of the Tor or entombed in solid stone.
Before Lysander's very eyes, Kleitus, the Captain of the First Company materialized, his left side merged with the solid rock of the Tor. Before he died, Kleitus bestowed upon Lysander the Fist of Dorn, an ancient thunder hammer and thus chose his successor. Where other commanders would retreat after such a disaster, Lysander scorned this advice, leading the survivors of the assault into the heart of the heretic's defenses, crushing all who stood before him. With the subsequent reorganization of the chapter's command, Lysander rose to the ranks of First Captain, Master of the First Company, Overseer of the Armoury and Watch Commander of the Phalanx. Another two centuries of honoured service as Captain of the First Company awaited him before events conspired against him.
Attributed to Darnath Lysander "I have travelled far and seen much. Yet nothing warms my heart so much as the sight of a gun so massive that its fury makes the very world tremble."
Another glorious victory of Lysander's making is over the Alpha Legion. In the Jorgurd Cluster, while putting down insurrection on Klebendor III, the Imperial Fist forces under the First Captain's command captured the heretic's leader Ialo Vex and his Inner circle whilst they were desecrating the Cathedral of Saint Aspira. After receiving Inquisitorial guidance, Lysander pursued the enemy back to their lair in the form of a remote station on an asteroid belt. Lysander immediately launched a surprise attack on the enemy's cruiser while it's power was offline and the ship docked. The courageous Captain personally lead the Terminator boarding party that teleported aboard the Alpha Legion's ship. They held for several hours while the Third Company landed in Thunderhawk gunships and fought their way through the dock complex to reinforce the veterans aboard the cruiser. Lysander defeated no less then seven foul champions of the Dark Gods. At the height of the battle, the chaos traitors made a desperate last assault on the First Company's encircling warriors. This appeared successful before Lysander countered their attack, ambushing them by cutting through interposing bulkheads with chainfists and thunder hammers. Under attack from various directions, the enemy's plight was only reinforced by the Third Company's arrival. They fled into the tunnels of the asteroid base, earning only a brief respite before Lysander's Terminator squads purged the last heretics on the asteroid.
Towards the end of M40, a catastrophe befell the charismatic captain. The strike cruiser, Shield of Valour, that he was traveling aboard was lost to the Warp. With him was lost a sizable portion of the First Company. The Imperial Fists waited, hoping for him to return. Decades and then centuries passed. Hope was given up and Lysander's name was entered in the roster of the fallen and his statue placed in the hall of heroes.
Yet Lysander was not dead. Due to the fickle tides of the Warp, the Shield of Valour re-entered normal space nearly a thousand years later, in 964 M41. However, the location that the Imperial Fists found themselves in was hardly any better. They were located in the outer orbit of the Iron Warriors' stronghold Malodrax. The Iron Warriors were quick in their reaction and the firepower of 3 orbital fortresses quickly disabled the strike cruiser. Lysander and a handful of survivors were captured by the Iron Warriors. In the hands of their most hated foe, the Imperial Fists were shown no mercy or pity. The Iron Warriors tortured them for weeks and it is only by the astonishing tenacity of the sons of Dorn, that saw them alive at the end of a month of incarceration. Although Lysander's body was bloody and broken, his will was intact. Throwing off his shackles, he and the handful of survivors fought their way through the planetery capital, managing to reach a shuttle and escape. (It is unknown whether or not any survived bar Lysander but this seems unlikely,given the way in which the fluff is written).
Lysander returned to the chapter and was received by his brothers. Although none of them had been born when the Shield of Valour had been lost to the Warp, his legend remained strong among the chapter and his actions still provided inspiration to that day. However, for all this joy at his miraculous return, a deep vein of fear was rooted among the marines' mind. What would they do if their hero had been corrupted in some way during his time spent in the Warp and the dungeons of the Iron Warriors? What would they do? Lysander underwent 6 months or more of meticulous examination by the chapter's Librarians and Apothecaries, in which his current body and psyche were matched against the chapter's records before his disappearance. Every corner of his mind and every cell in his body was examined, leaving no doubt in the minds of those searching that Lysander was free of any spiritual, mental or physical taint. With thunderous approval, Lysander was restored to his post of First Captain. Within 6 months of his reappointment, Lysander returned to Malodrax to avenge those lost and his own wounds at the hands of the Iron Warriors. None could stand before the righteous fury of the Imperial Fists as Lysander claimed his revenge.
Once Malodrax had been cleansed, Lysander vowed to scour the Iron Warriors from the galaxy once and for all. Gathering warriors from across the vast holdings of the Imperium, he started pursuing the completion of his oath. His crusade against the Imperial Fists' most hated foe continues to this day.
Lysander is armed as befits an Imperial Fist First Captain. He still wields the Fist of Dorn, the ancient weapon given to him by the previous occupant of his office. Lysander is protected by the Terminator Armour and the mighty Storm Shield that bears the heraldry of the chapter. Lysander is also noted for his development of the Titanhammer formation, a number of Terminator squads armed with Thunder hammers and a sacred Vortex Grenade that are tasked with the destruction of enemy Titans. It has enjoyed considerable success, having claimed the chaos tainted Glory’s Fist, Fires of Hades, Iron Jackal, Hellfiend and Lucian’s Might.
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References 3rd Edition SM Codex 4th Edition SM Codex 5th Edition SM Codex GW website, Titanhammer Datafax PDF (AU)WD 302 1Image painted and courtesy of Kalamadea |
The Bolter and Chainsword > Librarium > The Apocrypha of Skaros > Heroes of the Astartes: Captain Darnath Lysander
