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Brotherhood Of Angels Competition


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+SITUATION+

Brothers, I bring sad tidings from the Rock. Those pointy-eared maggots had attacked it and the damage they inflicted was substantial, but the combined might of the Dark Angels and several of its successors saw those arrogant pirates back to whatever hell they came from. The Techmarines have inspected the damaged area and realized that the library containing the lists of all the Successors of the Lion had been destroyed.

 

+MISSION+

Brothers, the register of successor will need to be rebuilt. You are being tasked with delving into your own personal archives and scribing a datafile of a successor or written account of the Unforgiven

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Index Astartes

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The Angels Penitent Chapter of the First Legion

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THE ANGELS PENITENT

CHAPTER NAME: .............. The Angels Penitent

FOUNDING: ..................Unknown, circa M.36

CHAPTER WORLD: .............Sheol

FORTRESS MONASTERY: ........The Tower of Silence

GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): ...Dark Angels [Probably founded from several successors]

KNOWN DESCENDANTS: .........None known

 

There is no such thing as innocence, merely degrees of guilt.

 

 

The Angels Penitent are proud of being successors of the Dark Angels, of having the geneseed of the First Primarch and the First Legion. But their leaders know that they are also part of the Unforgiven, and the sin of their ancestors is a heavy load on their shoulders, a load that they are sworn to alleviate with blood and fire, with devotion, prayer and suffering.

 

The Chapter is an spiritual brotherhood, even more so than other Legiones Astartes. They are, to the last one, warrior monks and mystics, whose life is ruled by a constant and exhausting regime of prayer and penitence of the soul and the flesh, destined to purge all sins that they and their ancestors may have commited against the Emperor, specially the Great Sin of Luther and the Fallen Angels, which the Angels Penitent are sworn to hunt and redeem no matter the cost, even if millions of Imperial citizens are left to die in the process. To the Angels Penitent, the souls of their stranded brothers and the honor of the Chapter are more important.

 

Origins

Second Litany of Battle of the Angels Penitent

We are the Sword at His right hand.

We are the Fist of His retribution.

We are the Hammer of His vengeance.

We are the Scourge of His punishment.

We are the Chains of His conquest.

We are the Banner of His victory.

We are the Instrument of His will.

As is the case with many other Astartes Chapters, the exact date of the foundation of the Angels Penitent is a mystery. Nobody knows the circumstances of their creation, although the consensus of experts puts it in the vicinity of the terrible times of the Age of Apostasy, a turbulent period of revolts, apocalyptic cults and anarchy. That would put them between the Thirteenth and Twenty First Foundations, none of which is exactly auspicious. However, some data vaults and archive-spires on remote worlds contain far older registers of military forces with similar iconography and names: ?Angels of Penitence of red and black?. Some Imperial historians think that these are mere coincidences, but others argue that the Chapter may have inherited the livery and name of a long lost Chapter, maybe destroyed during the Cataclism of Souls. Still others propose a link with the mysterious Angels of Wrath, pointing towards the names and symbols inscribed in some of the oldest relics of the Angels Penitent. Nobody knows for sure, except maybe the Inner Circle of the Unforgiven, or not even they, because the mists of history, legend and lie can blur even the most certain of truths.

 

According to the legends told in the vaults of the Tower of Silence, during or just prior to the Apostasy of Vandire, a Librarian, or, in some versions, a Chaplain, of the Unforgiven had a vision in which he was granted the Apocalypse of the Lion, a complex revelation in which the Primarch encouraged his sons to repent and do penance with fire and blood, not only for their sins, but for those of the entire Galaxy, and imparted a secret doctrine, only to be revealed to the highest tiers of initiation and enlightment in the chapter. To this day, only the Inner Circle of the Chapter has access to the tome, and so the Angels Penitent were born both as a Space Marine Chapter and as an initiatory cult, a mystic sect dedicated to the gradual ascent through the mysteries of the Revelation of the Lion, and the Great Work contained within its pages: the Rectification of the entire universe.

 

Early Times

There is no doubt that during their first centuries, the Angels Penitent were a fleet based Chapter, as are many of the Unforgiven. The Chapter wandered the stars aboard their single Battle Barge, the Implacable Angel, scourging traitors and sinners according to the prophecies of their Chaplain-Librarians. The records of this time are scarce and fragmentary, or accessible only to the high command of the Chapter, and so the only sources of information are relics, battle honors and legends wrapped in myth and allegory, or the mentions that other Imperial authorities made of them. One of the earliest is a complaint to the High Lords from the Imperial Commander of Zoar, denouncing extreme civilian casualties and infrastructure damage caused by the Angels Penitent in their support of the Governor

Edited by Akatriel
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Index Astartes

NIGHT WATCH

The Brotherhood of Silence

CHAPTER NAME:..................................Night Watch+

FOUNDING:.........................................4th (Astartes Praeses Beta)

CHAPTER WORLD:................................Silence

FORTRESS MONASTERY.........................The Labyrinth

GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR)..................Dark Angels

KNOWN DESCENDANTS..........................None.

[+ Also referred to as The Brotherhood of Silence in the Mythos Angelica Mortis]

 

 

One of the most reclusive and secretive Chapters, the Night Watch nevertheless play a pivotal role in the defence of the Imperium. Created during the 4th Founding, they were part of a second wave of the Astartes Praeses: Space Marine forces whose sole purpose is to guard the Eye of Terror. From their home world of Silence, located in the galactic north of the Segmentum Obscurus, they continuously patrol the surrounding region. From hunting down renegade raiding parties to defending against the full fury of the Black Crusades, the Night Watch is engaged in almost constant warfare with the forces of Chaos. However, unknown to the wider Imperium, the Chapter is also dedicated to another, far more sinister mission. A quest that ties them ever closer to the Dark Angels and the Unforgiven. As a result the Night Watch are torn constantly between two duties, a conflict of interests that may yet lead them into damnation.

 

ORIGINS

Although most official records from the time have been lost, it is generally believed that the 4th Founding occurred around 612.M32, in the aftermath of the 2nd Black Crusade of Abaddon the Despoiler. Whilst this incursion was a famous victory for the Imperium, with the forces of Chaos unable to breach the newly created defences of the Cadian Gate, the High Lords of Terra were forced to accept an uncomfortable truth. Twice now a tide of destruction had swept from the Eye of Terror, with world after world burning at the hands of the enemy. Each time they had been stopped, but only at a terrible cost. The traitor legions that had been driven into the Eye at the conclusion of the Horus Heresy were far from defeated, and although two devastating Black Crusades had been repelled, it was highly unlikely that they would be the last. Defences would have to be increased still further. In addition, as Abaddon's armies had shattered against the fortresses of Cadia, many of the survivors had dispersed into surrounding systems, starting a guerilla war that was a constant drain on resources and manpower. Additional Astartes forces were required, to hunt down these raiders and widen the ring of defences around the Eye in preparation for the next invasion.

 

The 4th Founding was designed primarily to add to the so called Astartes Praeses. The original Praeses Chapters had been assigned the guardianship of the Eye of Terror during the time known as the Scouring, and consisted entirely of 2nd Founding Successors to the Ultramarines and Imperial Fists. Chapters such as the White Consuls and Excoriators had been at the forefront of the defence against the Black Crusades. However, the second wave, or Astartes Praeses Beta, were created from the gene stock of all the Space Marine Legions that had remained loyal. Many of these renowned warriors, such as the Iron Talons, Knights Unyielding and Marines Exemplar, are still active to the present day. Amongst their number, only one chapter was created from the geneseed of the legendary Lion El'Jonson. Even at that time, the High Lords were strangely reluctant to sanction new successors to the First Legion, but the need was great, and the pressure from the Dark Angels and the Unforgiven to be included was considerable. So were born the Night Watch, Sons of the Lion, the Brotherhood of Silence.

 

As with all the new Astartes Praeses chapters, the Night Watch were exceptionally well supported and armed from the moment of their founding. Supplying them with the best weapons, armour and equipment that was available at the time, the High Lords of Terra tried to prepare them for the trials that would lie ahead. Command staff and instructors were volunteered from the Dark Angels and their successor Chapters, while a fleet of newly built strike cruisers and warships was provided by the Adeptus Mechanicus. In addition, it is widely believed that the Unforgiven donated resources from their own, extensive armouries, including many ancient relics and over a hundred suits of Terminator armour. Once confirmed as battle ready, the chapter was dispatched to the Eye of Terror and prepared themselves for an eternity of conflict.

 

From the very beginning the Night Watch were reclusive and isolationist, shunning the company of their fellow Praeses Chapters. In part this was due to the territories they were assigned to protect. Stationed at the so called North East Portal, a relatively stable minor warp route leading to the edge of the Eye of Terror, they were far from the main concentration of Imperial forces around the Cadian Gate. However, even when invited to participate in the Council of Containment, a grand strategy meeting of all Space Marine, Mechanicus and Imperial commanders in the Segmentum Obscurus, the Master of the Night Watch declined to attend, immediately attracting accusations of disloyalty. Those accusations were silenced the following year, when the Night Watch deployed at full strength to oppose Abaddon's 3rd Black Crusade, playing a crucial role in the defence of Cadia and suffering extremely heavy casualties. Throughout their long history the Night Watch has rarely refused a request for aid and have engaged in almost constant warfare with the enemies of the Imperium. However, despite this their relations with other Chapters and Imperial organisations remain distant at best. The only exception appears to be with the Dark Angels and their successors, with whom the Night Watch continue to maintain close ties.

 

A particularly curious trait of the Night Watch, and one which has helped isolate them further from the Imperium as a whole, is their refusal to personally speak to any outside their own chapter. Instead, all communication from them to others is relayed through specialist vocalisation servitors. It is believed that no outsider has ever heard the true voice of a Night Watch Space Marine. Amongst themselves, all communication takes place over a sealed, private vox net whenever others are present, and it is presumed even the other members of the Unforgiven are excluded from the private conversations of the Night Watch.

 

THE UNFORGIVEN

As descendants of the original Dark Angel Legion, the Night Watch have full knowledge of the destruction of Caliban and the hunt for the Fallen. Like the other members of the Unforgiven, this information is carefully restricted within the Chapter. Only the most experienced veterans, Space Marines whose loyalties have been tested again and again, are initiated into the shadowy Inner Circle, and only then when their superiors deem them both worthy and capable of withstanding the shame caused by such revelations. These Shadow Veterans form an additional Company outside the Chapter's standard organisation, and have never been officially declared to exist.

 

Due to the nature of their deployment, the Night Watch are particularly well placed to search for any of the Fallen who have joined the ranks of the other Traitor Legions. Shadow Veterans keep constant watch throughout the region, carefully searching for any sign that may lead them to their quarry. When a Fallen Angel is located, a heavily armed strike force is quickly dispatched to capture them if possible, or execute them if not. In addition, the Chapter is quite willing to follow the trail of the Fallen wherever it may lead, and there have been confirmed sightings of Night Watch Space Marines as far afield as the Ghoul Stars and Charadon. Such operations have at times resulted in claims of dereliction of duty from both the High Lords and the Inquisition, who believe, even if they cannot enforce, that the Chapter's primary obligation is the defence of the Eye.

 

Like all members of the Unforgiven, the search for the Fallen is the Night Watch's highest priority, and there have been many occasions where their covert quest has compromised their role as Astartes Praeses. The most infamous example of this was during the 8th Black Crusade, when they were only able to dispatch a single Battle Group, the 4th Company, to the defence of Cadia. The rest of the Chapter had redeployed to the Eastern Fringe some months previously, as part of larger, combined Unforgiven task force. Every member of 4th Company, 92 Initiates and 35 Neophytes, were killed in action defending the walls and fortifications of Cadia from the besieging Chaos forces. Despite this sacrifice, in the aftermath of the crusade the Night Watch were heavily criticised by both the High Lords and many of their fellow Space Marine chapters. To this day, their conflict of interests continues to drive a wedge between the Chapter and the Imperium.

 

HOMEWORLD

Located in the star system of the same name, Silence is the fourth of eight planets, all of which are uninhabitable. Devoid of atmosphere, it is aptly named: a dry, desolate, lifeless world. However, this was not always the case. Millennia ago, an unknown alien civilisation prospered there, cutting vast labyrinthine cities into the bedrock of the continental plates. At some point, a disaster of cataclysmic proportions must have befallen the planet, stripping away the atmosphere and exterminating all life [Note: some historians believe this to be entirely consistent with the attack patterns of the Hive Fleets. However, the time scale involved would mean a Tyrannic incursion several million years before the earliest officially recognised encounter]. Now all that remains are the ruined towers and subterranean streets of the rock cities. It was within this maze of underground chambers that the Night Watch built their fortress monastery. Known as the Labyrinth, it is situated deep below the planet's surface, and is capable of withstanding almost any orbital bombardment. The few visitors who have been allowed access to the chapter's home have described an endless warren of candlelit tunnels, where robed figures appear and disappear like phantoms.

 

The planet's surface remains as barren and lifeless as it was before the arrival of the Night Watch. Weapon's batteries and missile silos are hidden amongst the ruined alien architecture, but are as powerful as those of any Astartes home world. A Ramilies class starfort is positioned in high orbit, providing a docking port for the chapters fleet as well as adding it's considerable firepower to the planetary defence grid. However, Silence's greatest defence lies in it's obscurity. Far from the nearest inhabited system, it's existence remains largely unknown even amongst the Chapter's sworn enemies.

 

ORGANISATION

Although initially organised as a strict Codex Chapter, the Night Watch have diverged considerably from the standard template, partly due to the demands of their Eye of Terror deployment and partly as a result of their Dark Angel heritage. Whilst they share some similarities with their cousins in the Unforgiven, their organisation has evolved to be completely unique. Most noticeable is the inclusion of an additional Veteran formation, meaning that the Night Watch consists of eleven companies rather than the codex proscribed ten. This Shadow Company does not officially exist, which has led to much confusion and contradiction in Imperial records.

 

Unlike Codex chapters, the Night Watch do not maintain any Reserve Companies. Every brother of Silence is part of the main battle force, and a company is only withdrawn from the front line after it suffers severe casualties. In addition, the Chapter does not have a unified Scout Company. The hellish environs and deadly opponents that the Night Watch regularly face are considered too dangerous to risk the future warriors of the chapter in such an unsupported role. Instead, Neophytes are attached to the main battle line as auxiliary units, while the task of reconnaissance and intelligence gathering is left to other specialised forces within the chapter.

 

Like their forebears, the First Company of the Night Watch fights exclusively in tactical dreadnought armour. However, unlike the Dark Angels and most other chapters, advancement to the terminator elite is based not on age or experience but purely on combat prowess. The most skilled warriors of the Chapter are singled out and transferred to the First, where they are trained in the use of terminator armour and weapons. As a result, relatively young but gifted warriors often find themselves serving alongside highly experienced veterans. Known as the Vengeance Company, they function as a heavy assault formation, providing overwhelming force wherever it is most required.

 

The Second Company, or the Night Runners as they are sometimes known, are a dedicated reconnaissance and rapid assault force. Like the Ravenwing of the Dark Angels, they are highly skilled in the use of bikes and landspeeders, specialising in scouting, intelligence gathering and hit & run operations deep behind enemy lines. The Night Runners are also trained as armoured vehicle crews and maintain the Chapters entire fleet of Predator battle tanks, allowing them to support their missions with more heavily armoured, mobile fire power when necessary. Neophytes who show a particular aptitude for this form of warfare are automatically attached to the Second Company, training as scout bike squadrons and landspeeder storm squads before taking their place amongst the Initiates. Unlike the other Companies, assignment to the Second is permanent, once selected each Battle Brother remains with the company until their death. Although Night Runners are initiated into the ranks of the Shadow Veterans, they do not transfer to the Eleventh Company, as the skills they have developed throughout their career are far too valuable to ignore. Now known as Shadow Knights, they repaint their armour as members of the Inner Circle and form an elite bodyguard to the Master of the Night Runners.

 

Companies Three to Eight are all configured as 'Battle Companies', providing the Night Watch with the bulk of their fighting strength. For most operations the Chapter will deploy a Battle company supported by elements of the specialist and veteran formations. As per the Codex, each Battle Company consists of 6 Tactical Squads, 2 Assault and 2 Devastators. In addition, each Battle Company also includes a contingent of Neophytes who act as auxiliary support units, gaining combat experience fighting alongside their battle brothers. When their training and augmentation is complete, Neophytes remain with their assigned Company until they can be initiated into one of the Tactical Squads. Due to the high attrition rate within the Night Watch, advancement from Neophyte to Initiate is particularly rapid.

 

Ninth Company is a dedicated mobile infantry formation, consisting of two Vanguard Squads and 8 Assault Squads. Known as the Nightwings, they are recruited from the Battle Companies and fight exclusively as Jump troops. Unusually, the assault marines of the Ninth are more heavily armed than their counterparts in other Chapters, often using bolters, plasma weaponry and meltaguns in addition to dedicated close combat weapons. Serving with the Ninth is often seen as the precursor to selection to the Vengeance Company. However, it is not unheard of for Nightwings to turn down promotion to the First, preferring the speed and manoeuvrability of their flight packs to the ponderous protection of terminator armour.

 

Tenth Company specialises in siege warfare and at full strength consists of 100 Devastator marines, each selected from within the ranks of the Battle Companies. In addition, the Master of the Forge and the majority of the chapter's Techmarines are permanently attached to this Siege Company, along with the most destructive weapons in the Night Watch armoury. As the most heavily armed formation in the Chapter, the Tenth is deployed whenever the defence of the Imperium is at it's most critical. It is the Siege Company that holds the line when the fighting is at it's fiercest, and as result it rarely operates at full strength.

 

The Eleventh, or Shadow Company as it is known, consists of the oldest and most experienced veterans in the entire chapter. Each of these warriors has served the Chapter for many hundreds of years, and are easily distinguished by their completely black heraldry. Their armour, tabards and robes are all jet black, representing their induction into the secrets of the Inner Circle. Unlike the other Companies, whose maximum strength (not including Neophytes) is set at 100 battle brothers, the size of the Shadow Company is effectively unlimited, although it's numbers regularly fluctuate due to strict initiation criteria. Highly autonomous, with it's own support mechanisms and dedicated space craft, the Shadow Company could almost be considered a separate organisation, a chapter within a chapter, unknown and unseen by any outside the Night Watch.

 

On the battlefield, Shadow Veterans form heavily armed kill squads, comparable to Sternguard in more Codex Chapters, as well as acting as bodyguards to high ranking officers within the Night Watch. However, members of the Eleventh Company are also secretly dispatched on intelligence gathering missions throughout the region. Designed for stealth, these Shadow Hunter units are lightly armoured, donning the carapace armour they once wore as Neophytes. Equipped with stalker pattern boltguns and light absorbing camouflage cloaks, they are the eyes and ears of the chapter, constantly searching the worlds surrounding the Eye of Terror for potential Chaotic infiltration and, in particular, any sign of the Fallen Dark Angels.

 

Each company is led by a Watch Master, a rank equivalent to Captain in Codex Chapters. All high ranking officers, with the exception of techmarines, are members of the Inner Circle and will have served as part of the Shadow Company for a time. Librarians, although no more numerous than in any other chapter, form a crucial part in the Night Watch command structure. Accompanying each task force that departs from Silence, they use their psychic gifts to search both the minds of the enemy for information about the Fallen, and the minds of their fellow Space Marines for any sign of temptation or negligence.

 

The Chapter is also known to have an unusually high number of Chaplains within it's ranks. Each Company has it's own Reclusiarch to minister to it's brethren, while lower level Chaplains often lead individual squads into combat. These spiritual leaders are the dominant force in the Chapter's command structure. Unlike the Dark Angels, the rank of Interrogator Chaplain does not exist, as any Fallen that are captured are immediately put into stasis and transported to the Rock for their judgement. In addition, the Night Watch is believed to be unique in that it's Chapter Master is always chosen from amongst the Reclusiarchs, rather than the Company Commanders. Known as both the Master of Sanctity and the Lord of Silence, he embodies the Chapter's faith, loyalty and commitment to the Emperor, steering them in their dual roles as both guardians of the Imperium and hunters of the Fallen.

 

COMBAT DOCTRINE

As Successors to the Dark Angel Legion, the Night Watch operates as a tactically flexible, highly mobile strike force. Nevertheless, they do not shy away from battles of attrition, and indeed, are considered to be as stubborn and intractable as their predecessors. This, combined with the unrelenting nature of their Eye of Terror deployment and the demands of their role as members of the Unforgiven, has resulted in the highest consistent casualty rate in all the Adeptus Astartes. With over fifty percent of Initiates falling in combat during their first thirty years of service, it is only by constant recruitment and questionable training methods that the Night Watch maintains it's fighting strength. Conversely, those that do survive are amongst the most battle hardened and experienced warriors in the Imperium, explaining the Chapter's unusually large number of veteran and specialist forces.

 

The Night Watch is also renowned for it's use of overwhelming force and a callous disregard for human life, thinking nothing of unleashing devastating firepower even when civilian casualties will result. In addition, there have been several instances when the Chapter has ruthlessly purged whole worlds that have, allegedly, been contaminated by the forces of Chaos. Whether such claims are based on truth, or whether the Chapter is seeking to destroy evidence and witnesses to it's activities is a matter of debate. Regardless of it's motives, the Night Watch has earned a brutal reputation amongst it's allies, isolating them even further from the Imperium they are sworn to protect.

 

APPEARANCE AND LIVERY

The recognised colours of the Night Watch are bone white armour with a jet black helm. However, this livery alters with advancement through the chapter's hierarchy. As each Initiate progresses, they are allowed to change a particular element of their armour from white to black. In addition, promotion to a particular rank or Company is also accompanied by a change in colours. For example, all sergeants throughout the Chapter repaint both arms completely black as a symbol of leadership, whilst marines of the 2nd Company have black greaves on their leg armour to represent membership of the Night Runners. Upon initiation into the Shadow Company, each battle brother paints their whole armour completely black. They are also the only members of the Night Watch who are allowed to repaint the chest plate, indicating their position at the dark heart of the chapter. Symbolically, these changes represent both a reward and a curse, for advancement into the Inner Circle brings with it the full knowledge of the Fall of Caliban, and the responsibility to hunt down those responsible.

 

As a monastic chapter, members of the Night Watch also regularly wear robes, cloaks and tunics over their armour. These are considered a symbol of rank and experience, and so are generally confined to officers and members of the Shadow Company. However, an Initiate who has risked his own safety to protect his battle brothers may be awarded the right to wear such robes, although it is often accompanied by scars, disfigurement or bionic augmentation.

 

Shadow Veteran

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Night Runner, 2nd Company Battle Brother

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Sergeant, 4th Company

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RECRUITMENT

Like the Dark Angels themselves, the Night Watch do not recruit from any single world or star system. Instead a regular tithe of potential recruits is selected from inhabited planets surrounding the Eye of Terror, including Cadia itself from time to time. Neophytes are chosen from a wide variety of different cultures, from the militarised planets of the Gate to primitive feudal worlds with little direct Imperial contact. Whatever their origin, once inducted into the Chapter each subject is effectively mind wiped, erasing all memories prior to their selection and enforcing loyalty from the very beginning.

 

Due to constant attrition, the Night Watch is forced to recruit at a substantially higher rate than most Space Marine Chapters. Although the tests and trials that new recruits are subjected to are as stringent as any amongst the Adeptus Astartes, once accepted the transition from Neophyte to Initiate is unusually swift. It is suspected that the Chapter utilises hypno-indoctrination, psychological conditioning, and neuro-surgery to an almost unprecedented degree, accelerating the development of new recruits to replace it's almost constant battle losses. Although not prohibited, these techniques are considered by many to be too dangerous to utilise at such high levels, often resulting in physical and mental damage to the candidate. It is unknown what percentage of Neophytes to the Chapter survive this rapid training programme.

 

 

BELIEFS

Highly devout, the Night Watch are closer to the Imperial Creed than their brothers in the Unforgiven, believing absolutely in the divinity of the God Emperor and his loyal sons. This motivates them both to defend his domains no matter the cost to themselves or others, and also to strive constantly to redeem themselves from the sins of the past. That these objectives often conflict with one another is considered irrelevant, and frequently drives the Chapter to attempt the impossible in the prosecution of it's duties.

 

Like their predecessors, the Night Watch are a particularly monastic chapter, with prayer, study and meditation forming an essential part of their daily routine. It is believed by some that this regime of spiritual contemplation is necessary to overcome the psychological damage inflicted by the Chapter's harsh training techniques. Others point to the brutality of the Chapter's actions as an indication of inherent flaws in their character, that no amount of devotion to the Emperor can disguise. For the Night Watch themselves there is no debate. Perhaps the ultimate pragmatists, to them the ends always justifies the means, and they are willing to sacrifice anything to achieve their goals. Faith, and redemption, demands nothing less.

 

Of particular importance to the Chapter is the Oath of Solitude. Sworn upon their selection to the training programme, the Oath forbids each Night Watch Space Marine from personally speaking to anyone outside the Chapter. All communication must take place through an Intermediary, a specially designed servitor that records, monitors and censors every word spoken. This applies to all members of the Night Watch, from the newest recruit to the Master of Sanctity himself, ensuring that the Chapter's secrets remain eternally hidden.

 

As with all members of the Unforgiven, the character and beliefs of the Night Watch have been profoundly shaped by the events surrounding the destruction of Caliban. In their particular case, the sense of guilt has led them to worship the Emperor in a way that is far closer to the ideals of the Ecclesiarchy than to the warrior creed practised by most Astartes chapters. Conversely, that same guilt, and the need to hide the truth for fear of reprisal, has driven them to isolate themselves from the rest of the Imperium, both as a penance and as a security measure. However, perhaps the most defining characteristic of the Night Watch is an overriding sense of self doubt. In their eyes, the past has shown that members of the First Legion can fall from grace, and there is no reason why it could not happen again. As a result, the Inner Circle controls every aspect of the chapter with an iron grip. From the moment of their recruitment, the loyalty of each battle brother is enforced and strictly monitored, their very thoughts moulded by the training process and constantly scrutinised for any sign of corruption. In essence, the Night Watch don't trust anyone, especially themselves. The guardianship of the Eye of Terror is just one aspect of their duty to the Emperor, they must also be eternally vigilant for the darkness within.

 

 

RELICS OF THE CHAPTER

An ancient Chapter, the Night Watch has accumulated a large number of relics, trophies and battle standards over it's long history. The 9th Company, for example, has access to twenty unique, single thruster jump packs that date back to the days of the Great Crusade. Similar in design to those used by the Blood Angels and their successors, how they came to the Night Watch has long been forgotten, but they remain fully functional and are reserved for use by the Company's Veterans.

 

The two most well known artefacts are usually carried by the Chapter's Master of Sanctity as a symbol of his leadership. These are The Lion's Wrath, a twinned pair of wrist mounted storm bolters, reputedly from the personal armoury of Lion El'Jonson himself; and the Staff of Redemption, a massive, two handed crozius arcanum handed down from each Lord of the Night Watch to his successor.

 

GENESEED

As descendants of the First Legion, the geneseed of the Night Watch remains as pure and uncorrupted as the Dark Angels themselves. Nevertheless, as with their predecessors, the High Lords have been reluctant to utilise their genetic material to create new Space Marine chapters, and to date, there have been no Successor chapters created from the Night Watch geneseed. Whether this is due to the fractious relationship between the chapter and other Imperial forces, or because of their close ties with the other Unforgiven is a matter of debate.

 

BATTLECRY

Unlike most Astartes forces, the Night Watch do not have a battlecry, as the oath of Solitude extends even onto the field of combat. In war, the chapter is renowned for it's relentless advance and implacable defence, each conducted in the same complete, eerie silence.

 

SELECTED BATTLE HONOUR: THE FIRST SIEGE OF SILENCE

Throughout most of their early history, the homeworld of the Night Watch remained relatively untroubled. Despite it's proximity to the Ocularis Terribus, the isolation and obscurity of the Silence System, combined with it's extensive defences, meant that it had rarely been threatened with attack. As a result when a significant threat did emerge, and from an unexpected source, it caught the chapter almost completely by surprise.

 

At the close of 041.M34, the defenders of the Cadian Gate were still in the process of repairing the damage inflicted by a Black Crusade forty years previously. Losses such as the destruction of the Citadel of Kromarch had worn the Imperial defence precariously thin. Therefore the arrival of a massive Ork Waaagh! could not have come at a worse time. Originating in the Halo stars, an area long believed free of the greenskin taint, the attack surged through the Segmentum Obscurus at a terrifying speed. As reinforcements were dispatched from throughout the Imperium, the defenders of the region once again manned the battlements, many of them still in ruins from the 4th Black Crusade.

 

During this time, the Night Watch, like the rest of the Astartes Praeses, stepped into the breach, bolstering the defences wherever they were needed. In addition, the chapter's entire fleet was dispatched on hit and run operations against the Ork menace. Silence was left to the guardianship of the Tenth Company, still understrength from the previous conflict. Although defended by just eighty marines under the command of Watch Master Sergio Vass, the bastion was believed to be safe from attack.

 

The arrival of the first Ork Terror Ship at the outskirts of the Silence system was not immediately seen as a cause for concern, long range weapons stations easily destroying the alien vessel before it could present a threat. However, two days later a further twenty ships of similar size arrived, overwhelming the outer defences and driving deep into the heart of the system. Even at that point, the Watch Master did not perceive them as a significant danger, confident that the homeworld's defensive grid was capable of repelling the invaders, although a message was broadcast informing the rest of the Chapter of events and requesting assistance when possible.

 

Sure enough, the Ork fleet smashed into the planetary defences and was promptly blown to pieces, the massed ground and orbital based firepower obliterating ship after ship. However, before they died, each Ork vessel discharged it's cargo into the skies of Silence. For in addition to their usual complement of fighters and assault boats, each Terror Ship towed in it's wake a single Rok, a hollowed out asteroid filled with Ork infantry and weapons. Although the Ork fleet was completely destroyed, twelve Roks survived the firestorm and crashed into the world's surface, their impact gouging huge craters in the landscape of ruined alien architecture. Within hours of landing, thousands of Orks wearing crude survival suits and breathing apparatus were swarming over large areas of the planet, searching for the entrances to the Night Watch fortress.

 

With the situation now critical, Sergio Vass broadcast another, more urgent request for aid, before leading his company into the warren of subterranean streets and sealing the fortress gates behind them. What followed was four months of desperate tunnel fighting, a cat and mouse game with the Night Watch using their knowledge of the Labyrinth to lure the alien invaders away from the secret entrances to the monastery. The tales of heroism from the siege are countless: entire squads sacrificing themselves so that the rest of the Company could withdraw; lone Space Marines running the gauntlet of Ork infested areas to place explosives in crucial munition dumps; techmarines leading combat servitors into headlong attacks to delay the enemy advance; the critically wounded Devastator who defended a strong point alone for three days, his body found battered but still breathing surrounded by a sea of corpses. By the time Night Watch reinforcements finally arrived, Tenth Company was reduced to a mere handful of active battle brothers, all injured to some degree.

 

The Chapter's retaliation was swift, a determined counter attack that quickly broke the back of the invasion. Nevertheless, the convoluted landscape made hunting down the Ork survivors incredibly difficult and time consuming, and it was a further five years before the planet was declared free from their taint. Tenth Company had suffered seventy five per cent casualties, including Watch Master Vass, who was posthumously awarded the title Defender of Silence.

 

What the Orks hoped to achieve with their suicidal assault, and how they identified Silence as a target, remains unclear. In all probability their aim, as always with the greenskin, was simply to cause as much random carnage as possible. However, given the isolated nature of the system, and the secrecy surrounding the Chapter's homeworld, it is postulated by some that the aliens were, at the very least, given information by an outside agency that encouraged them to launch their attack. The Night Watch have always had a multitude of enemies, and it is possible that the Orks were unwitting pawns in a darker, more malicious strategy.

 

Whatever the truth, in the aftermath of the attack the Night Watch increased the defences of their homeworld considerably, vowing never to leave their fortress so vulnerable again. To this day, the Tenth are known as the Siege Company, in honour and memory of their sacrifice.

 

SELECTED BATTLE HONOUR: LORGAR'S WRATH

The tides of the Immaterium are fickle, and amidst the warp storms surrounding the Eye of Terror, all manner of detritus and wreckage frequently surface in Imperial space. From colossal space hulks to the frozen carcasses of void dwelling creatures, the defenders of the Eye are tasked with investigating everything that crosses the borders of the Imperium. Anything that can be safely salvaged is recovered, while anything that is inherently corrupt or alien is mercilessly destroyed.

 

In 084.M41, the calm that followed a particularly savage warp storm was accompanied by an unexpected arrival in Cadian territory. 'Lorgar's Wrath', a Space Marine battle barge last seen nearly 10,000 years previously. Originally named the 'Spear of Ultramar', it was one of a host of warships captured by the Word Bearer Legion during the infamous Battle of Calth. Unseen since the Scouring, it was found adrift in the outer reaches of the Cadian system, and although badly damaged and without power, there were still a large number of life signs detected within it's ancient, battle scarred hull. Imperial cruisers from the system defence fleet quickly converged on the stricken warship, surrounding it with enough firepower to ensure it's annihilation. Conventional wisdom would have been to destroy the battle barge immediately, before it could restore power and become a greater threat. However, such vessels are both a great asset and highly prized by the Adeptus Mechanicum, and therefore recapturing the ship intact was decided as the preferred course of action. With all weapons systems armed and targeting the wreck, the Imperial blockade kept it's distance and transmitted a request for Astartes assistance.

 

First to respond was the 'Chiron' a Gladius class attack frigate of the White Consuls chapter. Proud successors to the Ultramarines, the White Consuls were eager to return the 'Spear of Ultramar' to it's former masters, and immediately claimed salvage rights over the wrecked warship. However, with only a single squad aboard and an uncertain number of enemies lurking inside the derelict, the commanding officer, Captain Aelius, decided to wait for further instructions and reinforcements from his chapter.

 

Several hours later, a new vessel translated into the Cadian System. A sleek, jet black warship of unusual design, it transmitted it's identity as the Night Watch battle barge 'Blade of Enmity'. Ignoring all communication from the blockading fleet, including increasingly irate protests from Captain Aelius, the Night Watch ship moved into an attack posture on 'Lorgar's Wrath', launching a wing of Caestus assault craft to board the derelict vessel. Believing the Night Watch to be stealing his chapter's prize in front of his eyes, Captain Aelius had no option but to deploy his single tactical squad via boarding torpedo, giving the White Consuls at least a token presence in the coming battle.

 

Penetrating the hull of the derelict close to the Caestus entry points, the White Consuls, under the command of Sergeant Leontius, quickly linked up with the Night Watch boarding party. Consisting of over seventy white clad terminators and a further twenty veterans in black power armour, the heavily armed strike force was led by an imposing, skull helmed Reclusiarch. Familiar with the chapter's reticence, Leontius knew better than to attempt dialogue with the Night Watch Chaplain, and instead simply announced their intention to assist the silent warriors as they purged 'Lorgar's Wrath' of the traitors. The Reclusiarch merely nodded his assent, then using standard Astartes battle sign, indicated that the force would split up into parties to search the vessel. Setting off into the maze of corridors, the White Consuls found themselves accompanied by squads of terminators and Shadow Veterans, the Night Watch space marines keeping pace but offering no communication to their allies.

 

At first the interior of the battle barge appeared abandoned, empty but for the floating bodies of long dead crewmen. The ship's gravity generators were offline, forcing the strike force to magnatise the boots of their armour to proceed through the infrastructure. Emergency lighting flickered on and off, and most areas of the ship were devoid of life support. First contact with the enemy didn't occur for nearly an hour, but when the forces did engage the fighting was intense and brutal. The Word Bearers attacked with incredible ferocity, ambushing each separate boarding party at the same time, a co-ordinated assault that would have inflicted significant casualties were it not for the terminator armour protecting the majority of the Imperial forces. Even so, a number of terminators and three White Consuls were slain before the attack was repelled, their white armoured forms joining the crimson corpses of the enemy.

 

The second attack followed soon afterwards, but again the Word Bearers were forced to retreat, the terminator armoured veterans of the Night Watch proving decisive in the fierce close quarter combat. Gradually the Imperial forces pushed their way through the ruined vessel, forcing the Chaos marines back and reducing their numbers one by one. The final battle took place on the ships bridge, the surviving Word Bearers trapped with nowhere to retreat. Only the most elite of the enemy warriors had survived to this point, many of them displaying the horrific mutations of daemonic possession. With ammunition on both sides almost expended, the fighting was reduced to vicious, relentless close combat: the lightning claws and power fists of the Night Watch cutting through corrupted armour and flesh that regenerated almost instantly; the poisoned chainswords and daemonic talons of the Word Bearers desperately parried by opponent's storm shields. The ensuing combat lasted over three hours, the last Word Bearer finally cut down by the combined strikes of Sergeant Leontius and the Reclusiarch's crozius arcanum. In the final tallies, the Night Watch had suffered over fifty per cent casualties, and only four of the White Consuls remained standing. Over a hundred Word Bearers had been killed, forty of them in the final battle alone.

 

In the aftermath, Sergeant Leontius moved to congratulate the Night Watch commander, only to find a gore splattered terminator blocking his path. Surrounded by an immovable wall of silent warriors, he and his men were confined to the bridge while the Reclusiarch and the surviving Shadow Veterans disappeared into an adjoining passage way. When they emerged, they carried with them a large, cloak covered object with the tell tale shape of a stasis pod. Without any communication to the White Consuls, the remaining Night Watch formed into a protective cordon around their leaders and, taking their dead and wounded with them, the entire force withdrew to the assault rams and returned to the Blade of Enmity. Again, with no notification to the surrounding Imperial fleet, the Night Watch warship broke position and headed to the nearest warp jump point, departing as mysteriously as they arrived.

 

Amidst the carnage of the bridge, whilst the White Consuls tended to their wounds and waited for retrieval, Sergeant Leontius cautiously approached the corridor that the Shadow Veterans had entered. At the end of the passage was a large blast door, cut open by melta bombs. Beyond was a huge spherical chamber, once the war room of the battle barge, the strategarium where the warriors of Ultramar would have gathered to discuss tactics and operations. Now, the inside was lined with hundreds of stasis pods, most of them still functional and powered by an unseen energy source. Almost all of them were empty, but several contained the ossified, still armoured remains of Word Bearers, all in pods which appeared to have malfunctioned in some way. Even more curiously, in the very centre of the strategarium were a number of hibernation chambers that were isolated from the rest. Each of these was powerless and contained the remains of a dead Space Marine. However, these warriors did not appear to have been members of the Word Bearers, as their armour displayed the colours and livery of a dozen different chapters, many from relatively modern foundings.

 

In the investigation that followed the retaking of 'Lorgar's Wrath', it was presumed that after the ship was damaged, the Word Bearers had used the hibernation capsules to survive. However, there was no obvious explanation for the presence of the other Space Marines, or why the Word Bearers had placed them in stasis with them. Nor could they be identified within any Imperial or Chapter records. As with many mysteries that originate in the Eye of Terror, the matter was declared an 'Oddity of the Warp' and the investigation closed. The 'Spear of Ultramar' was repaired, purged of all taint and re-sanctified by the Adeptus Mechanicus, before being presented to the White Consuls as a spoil of war. Characteristically, the Night Watch have always refused to answer any questions regarding the incident.

 

 

 

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Our second submission! Thank you brother! I will be adding my own shortly.

 

Many a Frater have been presenting themselves to Cell 42 for submit to punishment for failing in their task. The Blades of Reason were not to be dulled on our own Brothers but the Fallen. And with the competition on the painting front it was decided that not even a Dark Angel could stand by and participate in this competition when a grander Crusade against the entire B&C was to be had. We will not have our Brethren fracture again as they did so many Millennia ago and so the order has been given to extend the duration of this battle to coincide with the end of the Vows for the E TENEBRAE LUX. The battle honors for those that took part in the BROTHERHOOD OF ANGELS are being posted below.

 

BATTLE HONOURS

 

DA Captain with feathered helm

DA Sergeant, hooded, right arm raised with BP, leaning on sword with left arm.

Purging of Kadillus novel

Descent of Angels and Fallen Angels HH novel as a bundle

 

CATEGORIES OF THE HONOURS

 

1. Most Unique (an idea(s) that has not been brought up before)

2. Most Thorough (depth and elaborately written)

3. Most Zany (a Fun/comedic successor to counter the somber motif)

4. Most Artistic (an artwork based one)....

 

UNTIL THE SWORD IS REFORGED!

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I am ready to submit my chapter, but I understand we have been givin more time?

 

Yes you have eben given that precious commodity - Time - !! Grand MAster belial has taken pity on our brethren and graciously extended the dealine to coincide with the closing date for the ETL competition vows - 15 June 1012.

 

So let's keep the submissions coming!!:lol:

 

SG

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How fortuitous! I have just been swamped with other things taking up my time, and was trying to cram too much into the last few days. I'll edit this post in the coming days to include my entry, now that I can give it a proper finish. Thanks GMB!
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Our second submission! Thank you brother! I will be adding my own shortly.

 

Many a Frater have been presenting themselves to Cell 42 for submit to punishment for failing in their task. The Blades of Reason were not to be dulled on our own Brothers but the Fallen. And with the competition on the painting front it was decided that not even a Dark Angel could stand by and participate in this competition when a grander Crusade against the entire B&C was to be had. We will not have our Brethren fracture again as they did so many Millennia ago and so the order has been given to extend the duration of this battle to coincide with the end of the Vows for the E TENEBRAE LUX. The battle honors for those that took part in the BROTHERHOOD OF ANGELS are being posted below.

 

Hi GMB. Just checking, with the deadline now extended, is it ok for me to continue adding stuff to my submission?

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Chapter Name: Angels of Caliban
Chapter Number: XXXII
Primarch: Lion elJonson
Grand-Master: Bohemond 1V
Homeworld: None, Fleet Based Chapter
Fortress-Monastery: Imperial Battleship, Glory of Caliban
Main Colours: Black and Forest Green
Speciality: Tactical flexibility
Successors: None recorded
Battle Cry: Death to the Traitor!

http://bolterandchainsword.com/sm.php?bpe=276741&bpj=276741&bp=276741&bpc=276741&hdt=276741&hdm=276741&hdl=276741&ey=FC0303&er=FFFFFF&pip=949191&nk=276741&ch=276741&eg=F8B960&sk=FFFFFF&abs=276741&bt=276741&cod=276741&ull=050505&lk=050505&lll=050505&lft=050505&url=276741&rk=276741&lrl=276741&rft=276741&slt=050505&sli=050505&srt=27663E&sri=276741&ula=050505&lel=050505&lla=050505&lw=050505&lh=050505&ura=276741&rel=276741&rla=276741&rw=276741&rh=276741&gr=949191&rb=ADAAAA&nkl=050505&chestl=050505&abdl=050505&hdtl=020503&hdml=020503&hdll=020503&btl=050505&codl=050505&erl=858282&bpl=050505&bpjl=050505&bpel=050505&bpcl=050505&abdc=969393&bg=FCFCFC&grid=&

Origins [/skullheaderhalf]

Adeptus Astartes! Angels of the First Legion! Today is a historic day indeed! Today, today we start the Great Crusade to liberate and unite Mankind!
- The Emperors speech to Legio I on the day he launched the Great Crusade

The Angels of Caliban can trace their origins to the earliest days of the Imperium. The 18th Order of the legio I was formed on the hallowed soil of Terra itself. One of the original Chapters of the Legio, the Astartes of the 18th Order distinguished themselves on countless battlefields and conquered hundreds of worlds in the name of the Emperor. It was on the blood soaked fields of Callix V that the Order would suffer their highest number of casualties yet. Over 3000 Astartes perished against the Techno Empire of Callix, yet they refused to be denied and finally destroyed the Empire, assimilating what was left into the Imperium. Shattered and badly mauled, it was on the Emperor orders that the Order was to distribute the majority of their Marines to other Chapters, and they were to proceed to Caliban with a training cadre to take in and train the first of the new Astartes, the sons of Caliban itself.

Malachi and Raul were brothers and sons of the Order. Raised in the latter days of Calibans Great Crusade the two honed their skills against each other and the last of the great beasts that plagued their home. These two mighty Heroes fought side by side in every conflict, in every war, their swords rose and fell as one, they lived and breathed as one, their bond was as inseparable as that of the Lion and Luther! True Sons of Caliban, they immortalised all that was good and pure about their world, they truly were Dark Angels, sons of the Lion!
- Extract from Remembrancer Wulfnorth, M.31


Caliban, the new home world of the I Legion, now named The Dark Angels by their Primarch Lion elJonson. Chapter-Master Elisha and his cadre arrived at Caliban to be greeted by their Primarch himself. Jonson renamed the Chapter the 18th Order and new recruits were sent to Elisha to be trained. Over the remainder of the crusade the Order continued to fight hard against the foes of man. It was during this time that two Marines would rise to prominence. One was a true son of Caliban, Malachi who had served in The Order while the other, Raul, had fought as a Knight of Lupus before joining the Order. As the Order finished campaigning in the Revdor system, Raul was ordered back to Caliban to take command of the 42nd Chapter as Grandmaster. This moment marked the last time the two friends would see each other, though, for after the campaign, news of the Horus Heresy swept through the Legion and the galaxy. It was during the Heresy that Elish fell, badly wounded, whilst the Legion campaigned against the Night Lords personally led by the Lion. Elisha was then interred in a dreadnought and his place as GrandMaster was taken by Malachi. For the rest of the Heresy they fought with distinction and courage, but, ultimately, it ended with Horus striking down the Emperor. With heavy hearts the Legion returned to Caliban, and with it went Malachi and the remnants of the 18th Order.

It was in orbit around Caliban that the Order faced their biggest threat yet, treachery from their own. The battle ended with the Lion missing and their home destroyed. Luther, considered the arch-traitor, was found in the wreckage of the Fortress-Monastry. But Luther was not the man Malachi sought to find. He sought Raul but, alas, he would never get the chance to bring him to redemption being ordered to hold in orbit aboard the Glory of Caliban.

During the Second Founding, Malachi created the Angels of Caliban from the shattered remnants of his Order. Included amongst the number of Astartes that he took with him was his mentor, Elisha. Malachi established the Imperial Battleship Glory of Caliban as the Chapters Fortress-Monastery; henceforth would the Chapter ply the stars seeking out the Emperors foes.


Post-Fall [/skullheaderhalf]

Brothersthis is a dark day indeed, for not only must we split the Legion, but we also have lost our Leige.
- Corswain, Seneschal of the Lion

After the fall of Caliban the Angels never refer to the Heresy in reference to Horus alone, for them, the real disaster was Luthers treachery the Angels of Caliban pursued various splinter fleets of the Night Lords Legion, it was at the hands of Night Lords Captain Seria Jargos that Malachi finally fell after seven hundred years leading his Chapter. This shame was finally avenged almost three thousand years later when Grand Master Malachi IV slew him in mortal combat. The Chapter has served with distinction throughout the last Ten Thousand years winning for themselves renown throughout Segmentum Obscuras where they are based. They have been present at most major Imperial conflicts, most notably engaging with alomst all of Abaddons Black Crusades being one of the Chapters that has Astartes almost always near the Eye.

Appearance [/skullheaderhalf]

The Angels have a halved Green and Black scheme for their armour. The Green is that which represents Caliban and their heritage and serves as a reminder for what they consider to be their true home and their duty to the Lion. The Black represents the Legion and the Emperor, an ever constant reminder of their duty to the Imperium. Worn on the Right Pauldron, the Chapter symbol is a White Circle that represents The Order and Caliban, while the left Pauldron bears the personal heraldry of each Astartes that is presented when formally inducted into the Brotherhood. The heraldry of each brother contains some element of their mentors heraldry, in this way the traditions and respect for the senior brothers continues throughout the new recruits.

Organisation [/skullheaderhalf]


The Codex, you say, yes we follow ours to the letter. Is yours not the same?
- Grand Master Elijah III to Chapter-Master Kurios of the Paladrean Knights, M.35

The Chapter, like most Dark Angel successors, fields the Second Company mounted entirely on bikes and speeders and the First Company are made up of Veterans. Organisationally, however, the remaining Eight Companies operate as individual Battle Companies of around a hundred Marines in each, Ten Squads with Ten Astartes. This number can increase temporarily depending on numbers of Astartes that are able to interface with their suits of Power Armour. Initiates are assigned to a Company once approved of being ready to serve where they will serve for the majority of their lives, unless transferred into either the First or Second Company.

A Company can number well over a Hundred Astartes depending on the numbers of current recruits and the number of battlefield casualties. The Ninth Company currently stands at One Hundred and Seventeen combat ready Astartes plus Company Command as well as Fifteen Initiates. This is due to high recruitment rates in recent years and the Ninths low combat losses. A Company that suffers high losses will be taken out of active service and placed in strategic reserve upon the Fortress-Monastery for several years, as is the case with the Fourth and was the case with the Ninth. This does not mean that the Company will not see action; on the contrary they are Astartes after all and will be used if and when necessary.

The Second Company recruits the best and most skilled riders from the ranks of the initiates and then continues their training to make them some of the best riders in the Imperium. There is also no set limit for the Second Company. They number anywhere from around One Hundred to One Hundred and Thirty Marines plus Initiates at any given time dependent on combat losses

Unlike the other Companies the First Company never numbers more than One Hundred Angels, the reason for this has never been made clear, though, due to the numbers of highly skilled Angels who have not been raised to the First due to lack of available space some rumour that this hints that it is a way to control the procession of Marines within the Chapter. Unlike their Founding Chapter the First Company does not usually deploy entirely in Terminator Armour, though they have access to it. There are twenty squads in the first company and each has its own Frigate complete with armouries and Drop Pods as well as a Thunder Hawk. This flexibility sees the Veterans of the Angels of Caliban striking all over the Imperium, even at seemingly innocent locations. The First Company also has access to the Battle-Barge The Prydien where the Company-Master of the First and his Command Squad are based along with the Firsts support staff
Brothers, I thank you for this honour that you have bestowed upon me. Elisha, a great brother and true servant of the Lion was brutally murdered by the thrice accursed traitor Raul who brought shame upon our honoured first Grand Master and our Chapter. I hereby pledge that I shall bring him to justice, no matter where Raul hides, no matter where he flees, he shall be found. And he shall be killed. We shall never rest and we shall gain vengeance, not merely for Malachi and the Lion, but for all our lost brothers since then and, most especially, for Elisha.
Extract from Grand Master Bohemond 1Vs acceptance speech







[skullheaderhalf=990000] Combat Doctrine


True to the doctrine of the Lion the Chapter practices a combined arms warfare utilising everything at their disposal to gain victory. Unlike other chapters that have specialised in one or another sort of warfare, the Angels of Caliban seek to master every facet. Grand Master Elisha, and, subsequently, Grand Master Malachi emphasised the importance of understanding ones foes before they could truly destroy them. To this end, the Angels Codex Astartes contains more detail about Xenos races than many others may do.

The Second Company of the Angels of Caliban contain some of the greatest Bikers in the Imperium. It is common belief amongst the Chapter that they are second only, if that, to the best of the White Scars and the Dark Angels Ravenwing and some hold that they are greater than them. This may be due, in large part, to the natural life of Prydien, from which nearly the entire Second Company is drawn from.

[skullheaderhalf=990000] Recruitment


Welcome, from now on, you will address me as Master and I shall address you all as Child. I care nought for you station in your previous life, the moment you stepped through these doors you became the Chapters until you die.
- Master Kylos, Master of the Recruits, to initiates on Prydien M.41

An unnerving discovery
Not long after the fall, Malachi was summoned back to the Rock for another Council. At this Council he received the worst possible news: contrary to their initial thoughts, and more in line with what Luther had told them, their Fallen Brothers had not died but, instead, where alive and were coming back. The first one had been captured proving that they had not all died on Caliban, so it was that the Book of Secrets became not just a tome of reminder of those that fell, but a tome that would enable them to hunt down and force every last Fallen brother to repent.

Malachi was filled with anger, his arch-nemesis, Raul, had survived the destruction of Caliban and would be able to harm more of the Imperium with his lies and his fall to the darkness that consumed all their fallen brothers. From henceforth for the Angels of Caliban they were determined to find Raul wherever and whenever he might appear and bring him to justice.
The Angels of Caliban recruit from several different worlds as befits their status as a space-bound chapter. Upon each world they maintain a Keep that watches over the world and acts as the central location for new recruits. Maintained by Chapter Serfs and aging Astartes, each Keep is the first testing ground of any potential recruits. Often set in harsh locations: high up in mountain ranges, or in the middle of a desert or some other inhospitable location recruits must make their own way to the Keep. True to the traditions of the order those who make it must spend a full night outside the doors before they are accepted. Those who fail, either die or join the ranks of the chapter serfs.

There are three main worlds that the Angels recruit from; however they also maintain Keeps on countless others. The first is the semi-fuedal world of Prydien where mounted warbands wage war against each other. Unlike other worlds, Prydiens keep is set in one of the nicest locations; this is because it is maintained as the main ground based point for the chapter including genebank stores and older Astartes who can no longer participate in battle. This has led many to consider Prydien the Angels Homeworld. The only hardships recruits have to endure is a night outside the walls, though this test is done in the middle of Prydiens winter, a time of freezing nights.

The second world is the barbarian world of Karasnor, semi-primitive tribes wonder the worlds surface which ranges from deserts through lush jungle to high, icy peaks. It is in one of these Mountain ranges that the Angels maintain their mighty Keep and it is considered an honour for a son of the tribe to make it and be chosen to ascend to the ranks of His Angels. They always know who is chosen and who is not, for a messenger of His Angels will inform them, this practice has kept a steady stream of some of the best and bravest youngsters to the Keep and the Chapter. Last, but not least, is the planet of Callix V. Once the scene of a great campaign waged by their predecessors, now a manufactorum world with strong ties to the Mechanicus due to their love for technology, though only a handful of recruits come from Callix nearly all join he armoury, either as drivers of the various tanks or as Techmarines of the Chapter.

There is nothing but the Chapter is an apt summary of the initial training of each Angel. Cultures and traditions are broken down and replaced with the Chapter traditions; faith is replaced with the Chapter Cult. No matter which world one brother comes from, their world view is reshaped to that of the Chapter. Despite this, though, the Chapter maintains deep spiritual connections with all the worlds they recruit from, though they especially honour Prydien as it was the first world they selected to recruit from.

The Angels when an initiate is deemed ready to enter combat, this is around the equivalent time that a more Codex Chapter will send them to the Tenth, they are sent to one of the Eight Battle Companies where they are formed into squads ready to serve under the command of a single Sergeant from that Company.

The Flight of Angels


Alpha Magnus
In the later years of the 41st Millennium, the Angels of Caliban entered into the Alpha Magnus conflict, deploying half the First Company and three entire Battle Companies under the command of the Grand Master himself. Imperial intelligence indicated that a Chaos Astartes warband had landed to assist the traitors on the surface of the world; it was on Grand Master Eishas insistence that the Angels of Caliban would spearhead the assault into the heart of the enemy fortifications and battle the Corrupted Heart Astartes. Accepting the insistence of the Chapter, Imperial Commanders launched a three day orbital bombardment of the Fortress which was instantly followed by a mass drop pod and teleportation assault into the heart of the Fortress. Sixteen hours of brutal close combat followed and it was the First Company that finally broke into the inner sanctum of the stronghold where the majestic Terminators crushed the personal guard of the Tyrant of Alpha Magnus and, bringing him to his knees, signalled the capture of the Fortress. Their job done the Angels left the long task of mopping up to the Imperial Guard and left the world.

The so called Tyrant was, in fact, Master Belath of the Dark Angels Legion, one of Rauls closest confidants, it was during the interrogation that the Angels of Caliban discovered that Raul had survived the Fall and, in fact, had come out of the warp at the same time as Belath, though they had parted ways soon after. With this news the Chapter began the hunt in earnest, it was no longer about honour, or redemption, but all turned to the hunt for one Traitor: Raul. The Chapter has even let a few Fallen escape their grasp when they believe that a new lead will lead them to Raul, on one occasion Fallen 100 himself was allowed to flee when it became apparent that Raul was going to be present on Fortis Maximus. These recent actions have caused some concern from the current Supreme Grand Master, Azrael, who, not knowing about Raul, fears for their continuing loyalty to the Legion.
The Flight of Angels is a colloquial term that refers to the extensive fleet the Chapter has acquired over the millennia. The Core of the fleet is the Glory of Caliban itself, a slightly larger than the current Imperial Battleships due to its age, and the two Battle-Barges; Fist of Malachi and The Prydien. There are also five Strike Cruisers, attached to the Third through Seventh Companies. It is The Prydien that is formally attached to the Second Company and First Companies, though neither company has made that much use of it.

The Angels of Caliban maintain a large number of escorts and resupply craft that accompany each Strike Cruiser as well as a number of Imperial Cruisers. This fleet gives the Angels great striking power to hit their foes wherever they are. One other feature is the twenty frigates that the twenty squads of the First Company maintain, though they generally travel in larger numbers or as support for another company. The reason for this is unclear, and indeed frowned upon by many other Chapters. In a battle, it is not unusual for the entire complement of the First Company to leave the conflict, and while this has been remarked upon as not being unusual for the Unforgiven, they have avoided the stigma of total abandonment. Despite this, though, there are instances of entire Battle-Companies being pulled.

The Glory of Caliban is a pre-Heresy Battleship built in the shipyards of Luna for the launch of the Great Crusade. Originally named Wrath of Terra, the Glory of Caliban was attached to the 227th Expeditionary force under Chapter-Master Eliphas and the 18th Chapter of the 1st legion. After the Fall, Malachi renamed the mighty warship the Glory of Caliban to honour his lost homeworld and to provide a link with what he and his brothers had lost. The Battleship itself is larger than the later Emperor Class battleships and contains the central armoury, forges, Reclusiam, Apothecarian and Librarias as well as the Grand-Masters quarters. Nearly all of the relics and geneseed are stored upon the warship, bar those that are secreted on the Fortress that are scattered throughout the Segmentum. With its formidable power and its ability to deploy large numbers of Gunships and Fighters, this Fortress-Monastery grants the Angels power that younger Chapters cannot hope to achieve. Few have set foot or even walked through the hallowed halls of the warship, most are kept inside the extensive, but in comparison, small guest quarters where they are entertained by the Grand-Master himself.

[skullheaderhalf=990000] Beliefs


It is the traitor, above and beyond the Xenos, that will destroy the Imperium. There can be no mercy shown to a traitor for by their acts, they show you how worthless they view the Emperor and, for that, there can be no forgiveness.
- Grand Master Malachi I, Volume II of the Tome of Malachi

The Chapter reveres the Emperor as the greatest man who ever lived and their Primarch as the mightiest of all his sons. Reverence is maintained for the lost heroes of the Chapter, most notably Malachi and Lion elJonson. This reverence extends to Caliban and the Chapter always mourns the loss of their Homeworld which they still consider as their Home despite it being destroyed. As part of this reverence, their closest relationships lie with other Unforgiven Chapters, most notably with the Dark Angels Chapter; however, they have also forged close bonds with other Chapters and agencies throughout the Imperium.

The worlds that the Chapter recruit from are honoured and hold a place in the Chapter cult. It is said that when Malachi first set eyes upon Prydien he wept for the forests appeared, from Orbit, just how Caliban used to. It was not until he set foot on the world that he saw the differences, but ever since then it has held a place in the Chapter Cult as the first world they would ever recruit from.

Astartes traitors are hated above and beyond all else, mortals are considered to be fallible and therefore easily led astray and are accordingly not treated with the same hate. It is those Adeptus Astartes that have forsaken their oaths that they hate with a passion and a fervour bordering on the fanatical. It has been noted many times that the Angels of Caliban will refuse to back down in front of Traitor Marines and will fight to the death to prevent the success of any Traitors.

The Night Lords Legion is one of those groups of traitors that the Angels of Caliban nurse a particular hatred for. This is a legacy of the Horus Heresy and the Scouring when the Dark Angels fought them time and again before they could reach Terra. During the Scouring the Angels of Caliban were at the forefront of the campaign to eradicate the Night Lords as they fled across the Imperium. The atrocities witnessed by these sons of Jonson fuelled their anger and desire to destroy them in their entirety.

The Festum Angelis, or The Feast of Angels, is a feast that happens once every Hundred years, the entire Chapter, or as many as can come, returns to the Glory of Caliban which, by this stage, has reached orbit around Prydein. For one month the Chapter renews their oaths of fealty and loyalty with those worlds under their dominion through a series of banquets. The Chapter also spends time in bonding with one another and they re-affirm their oaths of fealty to the Emperor and the Primarch as well as honour distant Caliban and Terra through reflection and meditation. It is a time of happiness, joy and celebration, but also one of mourning, reflection and dedication to the cause once more. Only twice has the Festum Angelis not gone ahead in Ten Thousand years, and both times have been considered as harbingers of doom. The most recent time was when Grand Master Bohemond cancelled the Festum Angelis in order to respond to the death of Elisha a mere fifty years ago. It has been widely considered a bad omen heading into the 42nd Millennium, though they intend to host one on the very start of the Millennium.

Heraldry


The taking of heraldry is an ancient practice all Astartes once raised into their Battle-Company take their own design that will stay with them until their death, unless some momentous event causes them to change it. It fulfils a central part of the Chapter cult, both honouring the elder Marines and past heroes as well as remembering Caliban and the Primarch himself.

When the practice first started is not known, though Chronicler Gwalchavads research of the past history indicates that it was first adopted by the Veterans of Malachi after he was made Master of the First Company under Eliphas. This is reinforced by tradition, all Astartes are told that the practice dates to before the Fall and therefore is a link to lost Caliban.

As part of the reverence for those who have trained you, all Astartes generally incorporate some part of their Mentors heraldry into their own when they finally adopt their own. This keeps the legacy of their Mentor alive well after his death, it is known that the heraldry of Grand-master Bohemond 1V bears the White Cross of Scout Sergeant Rafael, a mighty hero who died in M.34 and that this emblem is still borne today by newly initiated Astartes of the Fourth Company after their own sergeant, Gideon, who was trained by Bohemond himself. This example may be the oldest currently around, but nevertheless; it is a pertinent reminder of the exploits of Rafael and every Astartes who has ever borne the White Cross.

Relics


Grand Master Eliphas
One of the greatest secrets of the Chapter is that, hidden deep within the Glory of Caliban, lies an ancient, venerable, older than most Contemptor Dreadnoughts. Old by the time of the Fall, Elisha the First Grand Master of the 18th Chapter remains, asleep for the most part, but still sound of mind and prepared to do battle with the foes of the Emperor.

Justice: Within the Reclusiam of the Angels of Caliban lie several prominent Relics. Most notably is the great Sword Justice that was once wielded by Grand Master Eliphas and, in turn, has been borne by every Grand Master since. The Sword was forged upon Holy Terra, rumoured to have been crafted by the hands of the Emperor himself. The rumours may have some truth in them as the blade has never been broken and is of such quality that craftsmen from the times of the Great Crusade down to the present Age have marvelled at it.

Sacred Standards: There are three Sacred Standards belonging to the Angels of Caliban, however, unlike their primogenitors, the Angels of Caliban do not maintain each as an aspect of war but instead revere their first three Chapter Banners. While hardly ever borne into battle, whenever they are borne the situation is so vital that they will risk these banners. The first of these is the Standard of the Pride of Terra, the very first Chapter Banner, said to have been touched by the hand of the Emperor, its black banner proudly bears the markings of the XVIII Chapter of the I Legion. The second is the first banner forged after the Fall, the Standard of the Pride of Caliban serves as a tenuous link to the Dark Angels Chapter and Caliban and is revered as such. The final banner is the Standard of the Pride of Prydien which symbolises the link that the Chapter has forged in their new life after the Fall. Each banner represents the story of the Angels from the Emperor and Terra, through Caliban and the Primarch and down to the current status of the Chapter.

Chalice Memoria: This Chalice is the sacred cup of the Angels of Caliban, and is said to have been one of the Chalices commissioned by Lion elJonson to commemorate the final extermination of the Beasts of Caliban. Though most were destroyed during the Fall, this one had been granted to Eliphas on his arrival upon Caliban by elJonson himself. The Chalice is used in all important ceremonies by the Inner Circle and in the Festum Angelis.

The Chapter maintains many more Relics within the Reclusium but these are the most potent and most highly regarded Relics that the Chapter has in their possession.

[skullheaderhalf=990000] Geneseed


The Geneseed of the Angels of Caliban is that of Lion elJonson and is perfect with no traces of mutation, just like the Dark Angels Chapter itself. Edited by Brother-Sergeant Bohemond
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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, this is unfinished. Or at least I would like to add tons of stuff ideally - but time is running out and the ETL is very demanding... Anyway here it is:

 

 

CLEANSING ANGELS

 

ORIGINS

 

Early in M33 Castiel, the Supreme Grand Master of the Dark Angels was faced with a tight situation. Recent increased sightings of the Fallen have led a number of Unforgiven forces to abandon other tasks exposing Imperial forces to perils that would otherwise been averted. The growing power and reach of Imperial Institutions post Horus Heresy and the subsequent Scouring had increased the accountability requirements for all agencies loyal to the Emperor. In this new reality Dark Angels and the Unforgiven chapters were facing an increasingly invasive scrutiny and questions by various such Institutions that were attempting to exert their power and influence over the Space Marines, at least on a very broad level. The Inquisition was the foremost concern for Castiel as its apparently unlimited resources could create severe friction with the Unforgiven secret agenda.

 

To this end, Castiel decided that the Unforgiven should start caring more about plugging holes the Hunt was inadvertently creating, if only to allow the Hunt itself to intensify given the recent number of sighting that were going on at that time. So the solution, as Castiel saw it, was to create a body to oversee the

Edited by Captain Semper
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Questing Brothers

gallery_4664_3061_18341.jpggallery_4664_3061_47489.jpg

Origins

Included as part of the 24th Founding, the Questing Brothers have had an interesting beginning. The world chosen to be their homeworld of Echelon III was known for its craftsman and not for its warriors. The planet did have one oddity in that all of its citizens, no matter their standing, is required to serve for ten years. The terms of service varied but needless to say it was grueling and often menial work. Children started their service at the age of ten and would not be released until that service was completed. Punishment was an extension of their term of service. While it was not uncommon for terms of service to be extended up to five years, it was another matter when they exceeded twenty years. It was at this point that the person would be cast out or turned into a servitor.

This changed with the creation of the new chapter. It became known that any person who would have a

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  • 2 months later...

The E Tenebrae Lux competition has finally come to an end and this little gem must also come to its ultimate conclusion. With only three entries eligible for awards, I would like to extend to each of you my personal thanks and congratulations.

 

While I had hoped to see the Angels Penitent, Night Watch, Angels of Caliban and the Cleansing Angels come to life in the ETL competition, it was not the main goal of this competition. Sadly, I don't have any flashy banners to present but there is the manner of the awards.

 

Without further ado...

 

To Brother Akatriel, I award you the double honor of being the Most Artistic and Most Unique entrant in this little competition with the mind-bending system of circles, pillars and choirs that I still am having a hard time to understand and would make any Inner Circle proud.

 

To Brother Spaced Hulk, I award you the Most Zany entrant with what appears to be a Space Marine Chapter that took inspiration from the Sisters of Silence and the almost Game of Thrones level of intrigue that sees the chapter doing its duties but being hated for it.

 

To Brother-Sergeant Bohemond, I award you the Most Thorough entrant for thrououghly using the BBCode template and making this the easiest one For me to prepare for the Librarium. All I had to do was add a return to break the comment box from the Combat Doctrine header and add a author blurb at the top.

 

+++ STRICKEN FROM THE RECORD BY ORDER OF THE INNER CIRCLE +++

 

Thank you and congratulations to all who participated! Again this will stay up as an open thread for people to continue to add their work in the future.

Edited by Grand Master Belial
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The brotherhood of Angels competition was initiated as a run up to the ETL 2012 to slowly garner interest in the Unforgiven and then hopefully have the ETL lead in to the release of the dark Angels Codex after which the Forge World Heresy issues may continue the theme.

The work presented here although few in number, are of astonishing quality. The sheer work both mental, artistic, and literal speak volumes to the creative minds of the participants.

Unfortunately the ETL 2012 juggernaut appears to have moved the attention away from this little gem of a competition and I too am guilty of forsaking our brothers who had displayed such quality of creation.

So belatedly, I present to you the Chapter MAster banners (400 x 100) for each of you to wear proudly if you so wish along with a Chapter Emblem (100 x 100) box which would fit seamlessly next to it in the same manner as the ETL 2012 banners.

May the Lion watch over you!

Brotherhood of Angels Banner

http://www.fortressoftheunforgiven.com/BoA_Completion_Banners.jpg

Chapter Emblems:

 

http://www.fortressoftheunforgiven.com/Chapter_Angels_Penitent.jpg  http://www.fortressoftheunforgiven.com/Chapter_Nightwatch.jpg  http://www.fortressoftheunforgiven.com/Chapter_Angels_of_Caliban.jpg  http://www.fortressoftheunforgiven.com/Chapter_Questing_Brothers.jpg


Enjoy and well done and a special thanks to Grand Master Belial who kept this event on track and also managed to pcontribute to it while participating in the ETL! A true son of the lion!

SG

Edited by The Shadow Guard
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Awesome banners there! I have downloaded them and now I need to switch them all out.

 

Okay all, Shadow Guard noticed that there he promised physical rewards as well these banners. So he needs a PM with your mailing address. (SG, let me know if you need help with this.)

 

I guess it is hard knowing what secrets are told to whom within the Inner Circle...

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Awesome banners indeed! Thanks for the award, I´ll put it in my sig as soon as possible.

 

EDIT: Done. By the way, as I said in the original topic, the awesome bald and angry Angel Penitent of my entry is the work of Brother Ostavia (check him out in Deviantart), but the standards of the squads are mine. The Tree of Life is googled, and the livery images don´t need explanation, I guess.

Edited by Akatriel
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  • 3 months later...

THREADOMANCY

 

The competition is over but the challenge remains for those who would still like to take up the call. This means entries will still be accepted into this thread in perpetuity detailing any Unforgiven successors whose accomplishments are not widely known. So feel free to add your DIY successor here. Who knows? You might even earn the right to use the very rare BoA banner!

 

There has been a spark of interest in writing articles for DIY Unforgiven lately and with some awesomely painted ones, it would be cool to see their Chapter's background.

 

I could then add another DIY successor the Adamant Angels.

 

Please note this is the submission thread. The initial thread is the place for discussions.

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Well I have done allot more work on the Blades of Altena I hope it meets the approval of my fellow brothers of the Unforgiven.

I still have a few battles to add to the list, I will also be adding Notable members of the Chapter tomorrow.


 

Index Astartes
http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/k574/jetpaczx/blades-1.jpg

  • GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR):- DARK ANGELS/UNFORGIVEN
  • FOUNDING:- 3RD [M.32]
  • CHAPTER MASTER:- CADEYRN
  • CHAPTER WORLD:- CONNACHT
  • FORTRESS MONASTERY:- THE KRAKEN (Water going Leviathan)
  • MAIN COLOURS:- RED - STONE ROBES
  • SPECIALITY:- TERMINATOR VETERANS - 2ND COMPANY BIKES/SPEEDERS - FALLEN HUNTERS
  • BATTLE CRY:- CHAPLAIN 'In the name of the Lion!' - REPLY 'We are his Blade'
  • CURRENT STRENGTH:- 800+, 4th & 6th Company rebuilding from 90% Losses.
  • KNOWN DESCENDANTS:- NONE KNOWN

 

  • The Blades of Altena Space Marines Chapter


[imageright][/imageright]

Origins


Sometime during the 32nd Millennium, the High Lords of Terra requested the Dark Angels Chapter to aid in the creation of a new Chapter, The Dark Angels used this opportunity to create another member for the Unforgiven.

The Chapter's original purpose has long since been forgotten or ignored, It was given a new goal, which is to hunt down renegade members of the Unforgiven. They consider themselves part of the Unforgiven and will pursue the Fallen to the ends of the galaxy.

The Unforgiven Chapters each sent a cadre of Marines including Command Staff.

The First Grand Master was Cassiel, a veteran Master from the Angels of Vengeance 3rd Company, a far sighted commander who was meticulous in planning his war craft . Considered to be one of the most gifted Commanders in the Unforgiven.

Command Staff who were selected to found the new Chapter

Cassiel Angels of Vengeance 3rd Company Master
Ruriel Angels of Vengeance 6th Company Champion
Aamon Dark Angels Interrogator Chaplain
Gethan Dark Angels Apothecary 4th Company
Sasahael Angels of Absolution Epistolary Librarian
Xaphan Angels of Absolution 2nd Company Sergeant
Nakriel Angels of Redemption 1st Company First Sergeant
Isiah Angels of Redemption 3rd Company First Sergeant

Blades of Altena Original Command Staff

Cassiel - 1st Grand Master, Known as The Grand Cross, World Protector The Dagda
Ruriel - 1st Chapter Champion The Hammer of Altena
Aamon - 1st Grand Interrogator Grand Master of the Chaplains
Sasahael - 1st Grand Seeker Chief Librarian
Gethan - 1st Master Surgeon Chief Apothecary
Nakriel - 1st Knight Commander of The Gallowglass (1st Company) Voice of Altena
Xaphan - 1st Knight Commander of The Dullahan (2nd Company) The Huntsman
Isiah - 1st Knight Commander of the 3rd Master of the Fleet

Home World


Connacht is located close to eastern most point in Segmentum Tempestus, in the Uhulis Sector, the naval base of Bakka would be considered the nearest Imperium planet.

Connacht is over 80% covered in a aquamarine coloured ocean, There are three main land masses.

Alastir
Fertile grasslands cover most of the continent of Alastir, the people of the country are well known for their artistic endeavours, their works of art have been distributed all over the Imperium of Mankind.

Laibhe
The continent of Laibhe is situated north of Alastir, Laibhe took the full force of a volcanic natural disaster rendering the vast majority of the land uninhabitable. One of the benefits to come out of it has been a supply of Obsidian. Survivors of the disaster fled to the other countries while others began mining. The Blades of Altena also use this continent to train the Chapter scouts.

Cethlenn
The mountainous Cethlenn is the home of the current King of Connacht, the budding industry and hard working people are a stark contract to a medieval world signs of change are seen, the Kings Palace is situated in the capital Kiel. It is also noted to be the location first contact was established between Grand Cross Cassiel and the King of Connacht. Most of the Chapter's recruits used to come from the Knight orders that served the King, The Knight orders are slowly dying out. And being replaced by Regular armies, Connacht's first Imperial Guard regiment was created in 991.M41.

However a few brave individuals have swam out to The Kraken earning a place in the Chapter and its rich history. One such individual is the current Grand Cross Cadeyrn

The Blades of Altena do not use any of the continents as a base instead they sail the great ocean known as Altenian Sea, in what can only be described as a water-going Leviathan/submersible, The Kraken.

Combat Doctrine


Like the Dark Angels, the Blades of Altena share a stubborn streak on the battlefield, but this is tempered even they know when its time for them to leave. They prefer to use assault vehicles like Land Raiders.

The Chapter will use overwhelming firepower in the form of Whirlwinds and Thunderhawk Gunship bombing runs once the enemies are reeling from that the 2nd Company will scout ahead for ripe targets to allow the 1st Company Terminators to finish the job.

In battles where the assets of the 1st and 2nd are not available Battle Companies will rely on the Predator Spearheads backed by Vindicators. Always at the forefront are the Battle Company Veterans.

Organization


The Blades of Altena are set up like a Codex Chapter with the exception of the 1st and 2nd Companies like the Dark Angels.
The Chapters Inner Circle also functions in the way to the Dark Angels. The Chaplains and Librarians will be the ones to interrogate Fallen caught.

The 1st Company are known as the Gallowglass, a name they have taken from Connacht's ancient past. They were considered to be the elite warriors of Battle Kings of old so it is fitting that the Blades of Altena honour this custom in the most elite of their warriors

The 2nd Company take on the name of the ancient tale of the Headless Horseman known as the Dullahan, the 2nd Company are relentless in their duty and refuse to let anything stop them. It is not hard to believe how much the Grand Cross of the Chapter relies on these Veteran Warriors on their metal steeds.
The 3rd Company are also known as Vengeance Blades after The Angels of Vengeance & The Blades of Altena fought in a 25 years crusade to find 3 Fallen from the Heresy. The then current Angels of Vengeance Grand Master commended the remains of the 3rd Company with the sacrifice they made in capturing the three.

The remainder of the chapter is organised exactly like a Codex Chapter, with the 3rd, 4th and 5th companies being Battle Companies, the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th being Reserve Companies. The 10th is the Scout Company.

Appereance and Iconography

 

The main colour of their armour is dark red, it is considered unique among the Green, Bone and Black of most of the members of the Unforgiven. But there is no mistaking their lineage. The chapter icon is the same as the Dark Angels but in golden yellow. Company markings are as standard Unforgiven. Icons such as skulls and Crux Terminus are usually in gold. Chest Eagles are painted bone. The robes of the Chapter are usually in a Cream/Stone colour with yellow or green trim.
 

http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/k574/jetpaczx/2012-12-03224051.jpg

Knight Sergeant Finnin
1st Company (Gallowglass)

 


Beliefs


The Blades of Altena like most Space Marine Chapters venerate the Emperor as the father of all marines, and the Lion as his most gifted son. With these beliefs and the Monastic order of Knights that serve as the Altenian Kings Royal Guard. But one might wonder how the Chapter will be shaped in years to come with the decline of the Royal Guard.


The Imperial Creed has never fully caught one with the natives of Connacht, There are pockets of people who worship the Emperor but it is rare these are accepted into the Chapter.

They have a deeply stubborn streak and prideful. They work very well together with Angels of Vengeance and will fight to the bitter end with their fellow Unforgiven brothers.


Gene-seed


Like all of the Unforgiven the Swords of Altena use the Dark Angels gene-seed, known to suffer very little impurities.


Battle-cry


CHAPLAIN 'In the name of the Lion!' - REPLY 'We are his Blade'

Selected Battles


622.M32 March Home

The first battle the Chapter faced after leaving the Rock was a small moon in the Dectus Sector, an Ork Warboss known as Grimkilla. After 3 months of combat the newly promoted Chapter Champion Ruriel met the Warboss in personal combat and slayed the Warboss. So began the Chapters eternal war.

437.M33 The Grudge of Dogs

During a combined force assault on a Chaos held world near Cadia, the Blades of Altena 4th Company fired on a Space Wolves encampment after the Wolves commander ordered Imperial Guard artillery to fire on a chaos held location Scout elements of the 10th Company where present and killed. The Blades of Altena refuse to help or fight with the Space Wolves.

The Arrogance of these dogs and I will put them down like dogs, My chapters losses mean nothing. Knight Commander Alaois of the 4th

829.M35 The Sheran Rift

The 5th Company's Battle Barge (Obsidian Blade) under the Command of Bradach were caught under a surpise attack by a small Chaos force led by a Chaos Battle Barge known as the Ecstasy of the Soul. After losing most of her escorts the Obsidian Blade was able to score a kill shot on the Ecstasy's engines crippling the ship. 7 Suits of the rare Cataphractii Terminator Armour were salvaged and have been restored to its former glory by the Techmarines of the Chapter and sancified by a Magos Techpriest of Bakka Forgeworld.

771-774.M37 The Rage of the Unforgiven

5 Companies representing the Unforgiven launch an all out assault on a renegade Imperial world, rumours are abound as sighting of the greatest traitor himself Cypher. It was noted Cypher himself was not present but there was a Fallen Angel insighting riots. Arakiel was captured and died during his interrogation at the hands of Unforgiven.

101.M39 The Culling of Hathre

The Blades of Altena are asked to provide backup to Ordo Xenos Inquisitor Yeth Bandt in his mission to prove Dark Eldar had infiltrated the Imperial World of Hathre, The Inquisitor orders exterminatus on the planet. The 5th Company and elements of the 2nd and 9th are wiped out to a man. The Battle Barge Connacht's Pride escapes the system to report to Grand Cross Declan.

203-206.M39 Declan's Vengeance

Declan the 20th Grand Cross calls upon a Angels of Vengeance fleet that was in a nearby system, The Angels of Vengeance proved to be instrumental in capturing the rogue Inquisitor. After a 3 year chase the Inquisitor is cornered and captured. Declan gave him no quarter as he killed the Inquisitor with his bare hands. Bandt's skull was cleaned and polished, Declan engraved the names of his dead brothers into it. It is now considered a relic.

054.M40 Traitors Game

The 5th Companys first battle after Hathre comes in the form of a Crusading Black Templar force giving chase to a Black Legion splinter fleet led by Karatos the Reaper. The battle comes to the fore on the bridge of the Black Legions command ship. Marshal Arnfried and Knight Commander Dalach kill Karatos. Both chapters earn each others respect and exchange gifts.

910.M40

559.M41 All Records Deleted

743.M41

972-997.M41 Crusade of Three

The combined force of the 3rd & 4th Company of the Blades of Altena and the Angels of Vengeance respectively scoured the Laeth Trinary system for 25 years to find 3 of Fallen. Massive loses were inflicted on the Blades of Altena but the 3 were caught. As a result the remaining Veterans were given the honour of wearing the Dark Angels original Legion colours. 22 Marines survived. 

982.M41 Massacre on Geath Prime

Considered the darkest day in the long history of the Chapter. Grand Cross Cadeyrn answered the pleas of a local Imperial World under attack by sending the 4th, 6th and elements of the 1st. A Chaos Battlegroup under command of a Thousand Sons Sorcerer Lord simply known as The Occulus. 162 marines died in one night sacrificed to the warp. 26 Brothers spat on their oaths. The 31 survivors have sworn bloody vengeance on the traitors.

995.M41 Hunt for The Occulus

After the massacre on Geath, the Blades of Altena 1st, 2nd & 3rd Companies & along with elements from the Angels of Vengeance 1st 2nd & 4th Companies, Launch a devastating attack on Cyuinse IV suspected location of The Occulus. The Sorcerer Lord and his elite cadre escape his forces take overwhelming losses. 3 Oathbreakers confirmed dead.

999.M41 Game of Shadows

 

Connacht's Pride under the command of Braden and the 3rd chase down a damaged Eldar Cruiser of some unknown Craftworld. On closer inspection Tyranids are discovered. Knight Commander Braden with the help of Revered Knight Isiah kill the Hive Tyrant. This is the first recorded encounter of Tyranids by the Chapter. Minimal losses taken.

 

http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/k574/jetpaczx/2012-12-032240251.jpg

Knight Commander Braden
Blades of Altena 3rd Company
The Vengeance Blades


Heroes of Antiquity


Cassiel - 1st Grand Master, Known as The Grand Cross, World Protector The Dagda

Cassiel was a Master in the Angels of Vengeance, known for his tactical ability, he was rumoured to be next in line to be the Grand Master of the Angels of Vengeance, but he was given the option to help found the Blades of Altena. He took to the task with much fervour. He developed a great hatred for Orks most especially an Warboss known as Grimkilla. He was also the one who had chosen to use the orginial Legions iconography. He was the first Grand Cross to be named The Dagda for the chapters defence of Connacht after a splinter ork fleet attacked. Cassiel died at the hands of Dark Eldar after 355 years of leading the Blades of Altena.

Ruriel - 1st Chapter Champion The Hammer of Altena

Ruriel would be the first to admit he would never be a Master of his chapter, or even a Sergeant. His talent lay in combat. He was never seen on the battlefield without his custom Power Hammer a relic from the Great Crusade. Ruriel's life was cut short when he fought a Chaos Space Marine known as Kyrax the Bloodied a foul Champion of Khorne.

Aamon - 1st Grand Interrogator Grand Master of the Chaplains

Aamon was the first to volunteer to join the Blades of Altena, he was known as a pain speaking man, only saying what was required. He was known for his oratory. He would be known as the main architect in integrating Connacht's traditions into the chapter. He was over 600 years old at the time. But this grizzled old veteran lived for another 213 years. Giving his life to save a young scout.

Sasahael - 1st Grand Seeker Chief Librarian

Sasahael was given the honour of becoming the youngest Chief Librarian of any of the Unforgiven, His main talent was his ability to read his enemies tactics, his prescience was almost legendary he has saved so many lives of his brothers with his forewarning and precognition. His legacy to the Blades of Altena has been in form of predicting each of his successors to his position from Eamon to the current Chief Librarian Cillian and beyond.

Gethan - 1st Master Surgeon Chief Apothecary

Gethan was put forward by the Chief Apothecary to be given the task of building the chapters first recruits, a task he was only too proud to take on. Within the first 100 years along with Sasahael and Aamon they had increased the chapters strength to just under 400. Gethan spent very little time on the field of battle his time was dedicated to the building of the chapter.

Nakriel - 1st Knight Commander of The Gallowglass (1st Company) Voice of Connacht

A giant of a man was Nakriel, but as soft spoken. He was given the title of Voice of Connacht due to his skill in diplomacy, but as with every Astartes his talent was in war. Always to be found at the vanguard of a battle. He carried his huge Axe a parting gift from his previous Grand Master. He was chosen to succeed Cassiel.

Xaphan - 1st Knight Commander of The Dullahan (2nd Company) The Huntsman

Even in the Angels of Absolution Xaphan was considered very zealous, he knew most of the secrets of his chapter and holds no guilt but he stopped at nothing to hunt down any and all members of the Fallen. He was given the title of The Huntsman after his capture of the Fallen had risen to over 20.
The title of The Huntsman is only given to the Knight Commander of the 2nd Company, and only 3 have ever earned it.

Isiah - 1st Knight Commander of the 3rd Master of the Fleet

Isiah held the positon of Knight Commander for just over 72 years, he was fighting Dark Eldar pirates when he gave his life to protect the Grand Cross. His body was recovered after the Dark Eldar were killed, it was discovered he was still breathing. With quick thinking he was placed in stasis till his return to Connacht. Gethan and Terathel (Master of the Forge), worked for days to put his remains into a Dreadnought. Isiah became the first Dreadnought of the Blades of Altena. And is still active to this very day. An Ancient Hero of old.


Masters of the Chapter


Grand Master - The Dagda World Protector
Grand Cross Cadeyrn (24th Grand Cross)


Cadeyrn has been the Grand Cross for over 212 years, he became a scout in 487.M41. He was 14 when he swam out to the Kraken, he survived the arduous journey by making himself a suit made from Seatiger skin. His quick thinking and tactical acumen seen him rise up the ranks faster than most. After his years as a scout he was promoted straight into the 4th Company. It was not long before he attracted the attention of the Master Tadghan. Within 60 years he was Tadghan's First Knight.

When Damhan the 23rd Grand Cross died, Most Masters expected Tadghan to succeed him to the surprise of other Masters Tadghan and Damhan had already chosen Cadeyrn to be the new Grand Cross. A task he has proven time and time again he was made for.

Chief Librarian Scion of Sasahael Keeper of the Book of Antiquity
Grand Seeker Cillian


Like all his predecessors Cillians fate was predicted by the chapters first Chief Librarian Sasahael. He also knows who will replace him and when. But this one constant continues to give the chapter hope that in the future the Blades of Altena will be there to hunt the traitors of the Unforgiven.

Cillian given his fate can be considered reckless, but his skills and talents in war make him indispensable. Forever at the forefront of battle, Cadeyrn has relied on Cillians talents over the years. He is also the Keeper of the Book of Antiquity, this contains the name of every Brother of the chapter.

Grand Master of Chaplains Master of Traditions
Grand Interrogator Dara


Dara has only been the Grand Interrogator for 7 years after the previous Gand Interrogator spat on his oaths at the Battle of Geath Prime. Dara was the Chaplain of the 4th Company. On promotion to Grand Interrogator he begged Cadeyrn for vengeance against his old Master. His vengeance was granted 13 years later when Dara killed Lorcan who had become a Champion of the Changer of Ways. With vengeance stated Dara turned back to his duties as the Master of Traditions to make sure the ancient ways of the people of Connacht are honoured to this day.

Chapter Standard Bearer - Voice of Altena
Sacred Conleth


Conleth has been the bearer of the Chapters Standard for over 200 years, he was the the First Sergeant of the 5th Company during a battle supporting Naamans Vengeance. He slayed 2 Ork Nobz 1 of which had killed the previous 5th Company Standard Bearer, He carried the 5th Companys banner for the rest of the war. Not once did his beloved 5th Companys banner touch the earth again.

The honour to carry the Chapters Sacred Banners was given to him by Cadeyrn after the previous bearer was killed. Whenever the chapter deploys en-mass Conleth can always be seen stood at the side of Cadeyrn, his stern features unmoving like the statues of the chapters heroes of old as the Chapters Banner stands proud in his hands.

Master of the Forge
Grand Creator Piaras


Piaras is the oldest living marine of the Blades of Altena, more machine than man now, at 932 years old. He has been the Grand Creator of the Forges for 672 years. His greatest work has been the making of the Dreadnought chassis he has called Legion, this chassis has never been occupied. He says only one of the Chapters mightiest heroes can ever be considered to be entombed in it.

Master of the 1st - The Gallowglass Grand Knight of Connacht
Knight Commander Tadghan


If there was ever a Hero of the Blades of Altena to signify the honour of the Chapter Tadghan is it, he has been the Master of the Gallowglass for 348 years, he is humble, stoic and patient. He stands as a giant in his Terminator armour, his huge weapon the Axe of Connacht gripped firmly in his hand as a symbol of office as the Grand Knight of Connacht. The weapon was made by Piaras himself.

Before his ascension to the 1st Company he was the Chapter Champion for over 100 years. He is instrumental in Cadeyrn becoming Grand Cross an act he is proud of as a father is to a son.


Master of the 2nd The Dullahan Grand Champion of the Hunt
Knight Commander Einhan


If Tadghan shows the stoic side of the chapter, Einhan is is opposite. He is brash, impetuous and hotheaded, it has been joked he is more like an Ork of the Evil Suns than a Astartes of the Emperor.

And this is a reputation he plays into, he usually takes to battle on his custom bike, tearing head-on into the enemy chasing them down like dogs. His behaviour has been questioned by other Masters of the chapter but nobody can deny his unorthodox tactics can and do win battles. He is also the Grand Champion of the Hunt, an event where other members of the The Dullahan compete hunting down one of the rare predators of Connacht.


Master of the 3rd Master of the Fleet Vengeance Blades
Knight Commander Braden

 

Braden was the First Sergeant of the 3rd Company when his mentor and friend was killed during the Hunt of the Occulus, his promotion was never in doubt. He is also the chapters pre-eminent Master of Void War even his mentor was ask his for his opinion in Void War. He like all the Masters of the Chapter carries a Weapon of the Tuatha De Danaan, The Kraken Blade a 2 handed Relic Blade.

Braden's company was the first to come into contact with the Tyranids, during a battle with a Hive Tyrant Braden scored the killing blow after Revered Brother Isiah broke the creatures back with is power fist.

Braden's personal ship is the Connacht's Pride
 

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Sacred Cormac
3rd Company Standard Bearer

Master of the 4th Master of the Arsenal -
Knight Commander Treasach


Treasach is one of the new Masters to come into Command after the Massacre of Gaeth he has taken an Oath of Vengeance against his former brothers. He denies himself any accolades until the the last 23 traitors are dead.

A stubborn man he has come to blows with Master Lochlann when the former commented on his tactics during a recent wargame with the 5th Company it was only by the interruption by Tadghan that stopped the disagreement becoming fatal.

Tadghan could not fault Treasach the betrayal of some of his closest brothers has hit the Marine hard. But his bitterness could cause more issues later and for how long Tadghan can prevent Treasach from being stripped of command is anyones guess.

Master of the 5th Master of the Marches
Knight Commander Lochlann


As the Master of the Marches it is Lochlann's responsibility to make sure the territory of the Blades of Altena is secure. A task he is well suited to, the 5th Company spends most of its time on the Star Fortress Toraigh. Recently he has came to blows with Treasach, he worries for his brother as not only are they brothers in arms but brothers by blood, both were accepted into the Chapter when they were 14 and 15 respectively. He can only hope his vengeance comes soon before hatred consumes him.

Master of the 6th Master of the Watch
Knight Commander Kelan


Kelan is another new Master to the Blades of Altena, he was the a Knight Sergeant in the 1st Company for numerous years. Promotion to the 6th Company Knight Commander was given to him as he was considered a man of vision. He has taken to rebuilding the 6th Company with all his talent. It has been remarked he has the makings of being a Hero of Legend in the Chapters history.

Master of the 7th Master Victualler
Knight Commander Ionatan


Ionatan was given the duties of the Master Victualler after a Eldar plasma grenade destroyed most of his body, he has lost both his legs, most of the left side of his body, he refused to be put in a Dreadnought he still wanted to serve the chapter, his body was wrecked but his mind was sharp as ever. The chapters Master Surgeon Garvan was able to save him. He is not considered a front line Master anymore. His 1st Sergeant Alastar is the Knight Commander in all but name.

Master of the 8th Master of Uladh
Knight Commander Fion


Uladh is the moon that orbits Connacht, it is also the home of the 8th & 10th Companies. Fion is the Master of Fortress Altair. Fion is known to be a staunch supporter of the Codex Astartes and with his talent in tactics he makes wargames for the other companies to hone their skills whether its in close combat or tank tactics Fion has a plan.

Master of the 9th Master of the Kraken The Reapers
Knight Commander Raigan


As the Master of the Kraken, Raigan spends most of his time on Connacht the grizzled old veteran has been in the 9th Company for over 700 years. He is one of the most unorthodox commanders as he carries a Plasma Cannon as his main weapon, his Weapon of the Tuatha De Danaan is Combat Knife named The Reapers Edge.

He has refused any promotion to any Battle Company, his answer is always he belongs with his brother Devastators. His current command squad has been together for over 300 years.


Master of the 10th Master of the Recruits
Knight Commander Eamon


Eamon has been the guiding hand in his chapter for over 200 years, he is known to be the finest markman of the chapter only other to be better is his protégée Doran. Between Eamon and Fion the Chapters future is in very good hands.



Weapons of the Tuatha De Danaan


Like the Heavenfall Blades of the Dark Angels and the other Unforgiven ancient weapons the Blades of Altena do have their own versions of this weapons.

Each weapon is remade to suit the Master of the Company with the exception of the Grand Cross who will only use the Blade of Altena.

The Blade of Altena Grand Cross Cadeyrn

The Blade of Altena was give to the 1st Grand Cross Cassiel by the Supreme Grand Master of the Dark Angels on creation of the chapter.

The Axe of Connacht Knight Commander Tadghan 1st Company

The weapon of choice of Tadghan, where most of his contemporaries use blades Tadghan prefers the brutal power of his axe.

The Fangs of the Dullahan Knight Commander Einhan 2nd Company

Einhan requested 2 horseman picks be his weapons, his skill with the weapons is known within the chapter, he is one of the best Weapon Masters of the Chapter.

The Kraken Blade Knight Commander Braden 3rd Company

This huge 2 Handed Sword was the previous Master of the 3rd used this blade, Braden refused to change weapons.

The Traitors Doom Knight Commander Treasach 4th Company

This Mace is Treasach's answer to the brothers who spat on their oaths, He has the Mace blessed by his company Chaplain every battle.

The Spear of Cethlenn Knight Commander Lochlann 5th Company

This spear was modelled on the spear Lochlann used to fight with while he was in the Knight Orders of the King.

Sword of Nauda Knight Commander Kelan 6th Company

Kelan's sword is in the typical style of the Unforgiven it is 2 handed but Kelan has learned to use it 1 handed.

The Obsidian Halberd - Knight Commander Ionatan 7th Company

Ionatan's weapon is one of the most unique within the Chapter, A 2 Metre Chainblade Halberd.

Hammer of Laibhe - Knight Commander Fion 8th Company

Fion's hammer is a huge 2 handed hammer, considered to be Techmarine Kelan's finest work.

The Reapers Edge - Knight Commander Raigan 9th Company

Due to Raigan's use of a Plasma Cannon he wanted his first combat knife as a Scout remade so the Reapers Edge is born. Enemies have underestimated Raigans skill with a such a simple blade.

Claws of Connacht - Knight Commander Eamon 10th Company

Since his time in the Gallowglass, Eamon was a master with Lightning Claws so when he was promoted to Master his weapon of choice was not in doubt.

 

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Edited by Arkley
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Index Astartes

The Knights Immaculate Space Marines Chapter

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Chapter Name: Knights Immaculate

Chapter Number: MCCXII

Primarch: Lion el'Jonson

Grand-Master: Persus Saxum

Homeworld: Galilee

Fortress-Monastery: Fortress-Cruiser Spear of Destiny

Main Colors: Gold and Forest Green

Specialty: Emergency Evacuation and Rapid-Response Reinforcement

Successors: None

Battle Cry: "Dies est Servatum!!"

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Origins

In the distant past, the Angels of Absolution performed such a great deed in service to the Lion and the Emperor, that they considered their penance complete. When they declared their absolution to the Unforgiven, there was some fair outcry, and resentment. But inter-chapter strife was avoided, and the Angels of Absolution asserted their vow to hunt the Fallen, whether they considered themselves forgiven or not. Thus, the Angels of Absolution continued the holy hunt for the Fallen, honor-bound to their battle brothers and the Lion.

Even when they wished it otherwise.

For millennia, the Angels of Absolution dutifully acted on any suspicion of Fallen activity, and answered the call of any Unforgiven chapter requiring aid for the Hunt. Many times they had to abandon loyal allies on the field, and strand Imperial forces in untenable situations. But the Hunt remained priority.

Then in late M39 came the 24th Founding, and the Grand Master of the Angels of Absolution, Josept Ameo found himself with an opportunity to correct this unfortunate but necessary consequence. Petitioning the High Lords of Terra, the Knights Immaculate were born of the Angels of Absolution, already forgiven, so that they were free from ever having been tainted by the original sin of the I Legion.

Homeworld

The majority of the Chapter's companies recruit and operate from their homeworld of Galilee, a feudal deathworld who's single pangean landmass is politically splintered into many waring nations utilizing medieval weaponry. The Chapter's fortress monastery, a massive vessel named the Spear of Destiny, slowly orbits Galilee, always staying above its megacontinent, and is visible from the planet's surface on a clear day. The natives of the planet refer to the ghostly shadow in the heavens as the Grand Cross by the perpendicularly-crossed shape of its ventral profile, and many nations and knightly orders bear its profile in their heraldry. Many wars are launched by nations when the "Grand Cross" appears in the skies above their capitals, believing it to be a sign of their righteousness. When the Spear of Destiny is called away from Galilee by the greater needs of the Imperium, it is often seen as a dire portent by the natives.

The Knights Immaculate recruit from every nation on the warring planet, choosing the most promising squires and young fresh-faced knights from the aftermaths of large military actions, and during the rare occasion of peacetime, from the best in show of various tournaments.

Combat Doctrine

The Knights Immaculate are unique among successors of the Dark Angels in that they have no knowledge whatsoever of the Fallen and the Hunt, and have little clue why loyal sons of the Lion name themselves "Unforgiven".

However, the Angels of Absolution and many other Unforgiven Chapters, under careful monitoring by their current Grand Masters, feed the Knights Immaculate knowledge of certain battlefields and military actions requiring immediate assistance.

To facilitate these requests, the Chapter has divided itself to be able to rapidly respond to a variety of battlefield conditions. The bulk of the Chapter's companies reflect standard Codex Astartes composition, the 3rd through 5th companies comprising the chapter's standing Battle Companies, with the 6th through 9th companies acting in reserve, and the 10th Scout Company housing the chapter's promising recruits from Galilee.

However the chapter diverges from the Codex for it's first two companies. Both companies are entirely fleet-based crusading forces and are comprised of the chapter's most skilled veterans. Roughly analogous to the Ravenwing and Deathwing of the Unforgiven, each crusade company fleet specializes in it's own form of combat.

The 2nd Crusading Company, known as the Disciples, focus on rapid relief and evacuation of forces currently in need of an ordered retreat from a numerically superior foe, fielding bike squadrons as cavalry and landspeeder typhoons as rapid-response artillery to harry enemy forces while the beleaguered allies can muster an orderly retreat to waiting evac vessels.

The 1st Crusading company, known as the Martyrs, specialize in emergency insertion into the worst battlefield conditions, to relieve allied forces facing an enemy so overwhelming that evacuation isn't even possible. The Martyrs of the Knights Immaculate are gifted with the chapter's suits of Terminator Armor and maintain many Thunderhawk Transport vessels to be able to drop Land Raider Crusaders filled with Terminator Martyrs directly into the conflagration of a hopeless battle.

Little do the Knights Immaculate know that these dire circumstances are caused by their very own Unforgiven battle brothers, vacating fortifications and key positions in allied sorties to go chasing after knowledge or capture of the Fallen.

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Organization

As separated from the rest of the Unforgiven as they are, the Knights Immaculate do not possess a circles-within-circles organization of rank, following more closely with the Codex Astartes. The Crusading Masters of the 1st and 2nd Crusading Companies are roughly equal in authority, and are considered higher in rank than the Company Masters of the 3rd through 10th companies, and are able to requisition elements, or indeed entire companies, as the need arises. The Crusading Masters only answer to the current Grand Master, Persus Saxum, who is the final arbiter of the disposition of the forces of the Knights Immaculate, and indeed may call in elements of the Crusading Companies to reinforce other elements of the Chapter.

The Librarium of the Knights Immaculate focuses especially on divinatory psychic disciplines, to aid the Crusading Fleet's dispositions and find any Imperial forces or civilians in need of assistance, so that they are constantly in action, even without clandestine tips from the Unforgiven.

Beliefs

The Knights Immaculate believe in the divinity of the Emperor and the divinity of his cause. Therefore, they fervently believe in the divine right of his armed forces to wage war in his name. Thusly, any loyal Imperial force , be they Astartes, Imperial Guard, or even a poorly assembled PDF militia, is worthy of honor and the Chapter's own loyalty. Likewise, civilians are the backbone of the Emperor's forces, for what are the origins of soldiers if not among the citizenry of the Imperium? For the Knights Immaculate, allowing a genuine distress call by any known Imperial force or presence to go unheeded is to defy the Emperor's will.

Geneseed

While not counted among the ranks of the Unforgiven, the Knights Immaculate share their Primarch, and the geneseed of the Lion remains just as pure and untainted in them as any other.

Battlecry

"Dies est Servatum!"

Edited by Avon Rekaes
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The Saints of the Angels is one of several Chapters that has been created following the 13th Founding to keep the Inquisition guessing as to where the loyalties of the Unforgiven lie. Founded in the 14th Founding along with several other similar chapters, the Saints appear to counteract the argument that the Sons of the Lion are a secretive, dark, brooding warriors.

In another unusual turn of events, the Chapter has agreed to allow Inquisitors into the ranks to be made into Space Marines in their own right. While nearly all of the genetically enhanced Inquisitors have the seed of Guilliman, the few bearing the seed of the Lion have gone on to have very noteworthy carriers in the service to the Emperor.



The Saints follow the organization of the Dark Angels. Brothers that reach Veteran status are called ‘Saints’ by their fellow brothers and it is then that they continually wear the white robes. They wear suits of polished white armor and many have taken to having battle scenes depicted on their armor in the rare gold adamantium. As the Marine continues to gain experience and rank the amount of gold visible on the armor increases allowing rank to be distinguished by how much gold is on their armor.

The Chaplains have also taken a name change to show their cordial relationship with the Inquisition as the highest ranking Chaplain are called Inquisitor-Chaplains instead of the insidious Interrogator-Chaplain of the other Unforgiven Chapters.



At the Founding of the Chapter, the Unforgiven had amongst themselves a number of warriors ready to take command however their minds were not strong enough to bear the weight of the shame of the Dark Angels. With the Ordo Hereticus busy checking chapters of the Cursed Founding for mutation, taint and other acts that would place a chapter at the wrong end of an Exterminatus or Excommunication order. The Unforgiven knowing full well that their secret could lead them into such a predicament, and have been repeatedly placed under close scrutiny by the Inquisition, volunteered to help in the 14th Founding. Their purpose was to raise Chapters that would act counter to the typical beliefs that those tied to the Dark Angels Legion are secretive, untrusting, and even traitorous.

Leading the Saints initially was Daniel, formerly of the Angels of Vengeance. While only a Sergeant in the Scout Company teaching new recruits, his mastery of tactics at the time could not be discounted. His only flaw was that he believed so fervently that the Loyalty of the Dark Angels and its Successors was unquestionable that the mere thought of there being brothers amongst the Traitorous Ones would have broken his mind and will.

As he built up his new Chapter, the Librarians and Chaplains within the ranks retained their knowledge of the Fallen and worked silently behind the scenes. For centuries, they kept the secret only to themselves as the Chapter fought in the name of the Lion without being burdened with the weight of their shame. The ruse worked and soon the Inquisition began to leave the other Unforgiven chapters alone as the new breed of Chapters kept fighting and garnered numerous victories and glory.

Around the time of the 23rd Founding, the Inquisition and the Saints were on Cordial terms. The Chaplains saw an opportunity to keep a closer eye at the Inquisition and began to train a small number of young Inquisitors. They were trained by members of both groups and in time several would hold fierce loyalties to both the Unforgiven and the Inquisition. They have gone on to help the Unforgiven find a small number of Fallen and to help keep the secret safe from within the Inquisition.



‘For the Glory of the Lion!’



During the later half of M36, Elements from the Saints of the Angels fought alongside their brethren the Dark Angels and the Angels of Vengeance as well as a number of Imperial Guard Regiments in an effort to put down an uprising of Chaos. In the course of the campaign both the Dark Angels and the Angels of Vengeance suddenly departed for a remote moon in the system. The Saints of the Angels remained and continued to battle the minions of the Foul Gods. When the fight suddenly went out of the enemy, the Saints moved in to defeat the lesser leaders. Leaving the remaining mop up work to the Guard, the Saints returned to their Fortress Monastery having suffered numerous casualties as a result of the departure of their brethren. Yet they bear them no ill will even after they have left the system.

An Inquisitor of the Ordo Hereticus came across an Enclave of Chaos hidden in the Underhive of Seguras Tertius in the Titanus system. Before landing on the planet, a hail had been sent out requesting the aid of the Saints of the Angels. Two squads of Terminators and a squadron from their Second Company responded to the call as well as a contingent of Deathwing led by an Interrogator Chaplain that would arrive at a later time. This unprecedented show of force not to mention that two Unforgiven Chapters were willing to assist an Inquisitor led to the extermination of the entire Enclave - or so the Inquisitors report says. Any witnesses to the aftermath have been not been located for further questioning.
Edited by Grand Master Belial
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