QUESTING BROTHERS
- GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): Dark Angels
- FOUNDING: 24th Founding
- CHAPTER MASTER: Judal, Grand Master of the Questing Brothers
- CHAPTER WORLD: Echelon III
- FORTRESS MONASTERY: The Penitentiary
- MAIN COLORS: Orange and Black
- SPECIALITY: Boarding Actions
- BATTLE CRY: “Through shame, honor and salvation!”
- CURRENT STRENGTH: 936 Battle Brothers
- KNOWN DESCENDANTS: None
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 as an apprentice to a craft guild. The terms of service varied but needless to say it was grueling and often menial work. Children started their service at the age of five 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 ‘life’ term of service would be sent to the new chapter. As Astartes tended to live beyond the years of mortal men, the implication of a long life of service became an effective deterrent against severe crime. In the beginning, a band of rebellious children was marched before the representatives of the legions with the purest geneseed to become the aspirants of the new chapter. The Ultramarine and Crimson Fist Chaplains scoffed at gifting their noble geneseed to petty children and withdrew. The Khan of the White Scars was also not impressed with their lack of martial pride. But Master Lorial of the Guardians of the Covenant saw an opportunity. The rigid purification doctrines and meditative habits of the Dark Angels would be what is needed to curb the rebelliousness of the aspirants into crafted warriors able to live a life of noble service to the Emperor and the Lion. That and the Master’s hidden knowledge of the Legion’s secret shame and dishonor made him a criminal as well, by virtue of the traitorous brethren from the Heresy.
Soon, contingents from a half dozen Unforgiven chapters came to induct and start up the new chapter. Chaplains, Apothecaries and Librarians began a brutal regime of hardening the rebellious scions of Echelon III into a worthy fighting force. However, their origin could not be kept from them as the local populace would remind them as they were still in training. It was not long that the new chapter asked that their armor be painted convict orange to show that they were criminals in the eyes of their home world. A notion the Unforgiven chapters granted quickly and used to further their development. The new chapter took on the Unforgiven’s habit of shunning embellishments to their armor and vows began being made that each individual marine should find redemption in their service to the Emperor and thus the Questing Brothers were formed.
HOMEWORLD
Echelon III is a world of artificers and craftsmen of all types. There are countless workshops that provide everything from a part to a industrial drill up to and including master crafted arms and armor along with artwork. Many denizens have gone to other systems to build or create wondrous works for planetary governments and the various Imperial Offices. The Ecclesiarchy is particularly fond of the artisans on Echelon III in the creation of their various shrines and monuments. Were it not for the creation of the chapter, the Ecclesiarchy would have attempted to install a bastion of sororitas sisters and commandeered the services for their sole purpose.
The Questing Brothers oversee the safety of the artisans and the routes that see them to their next project. The Brothers do not have their own artificers, but in turn go out into the world that condemned them and have them make the items that records their duties and exploits in the Imperium. The Brothers also act as a political buffer in the odd balancing act of powers requesting the services of the planet's craftsmen. While not ideally suited for the task, the tight-lipped nature and their view among the locals have allowed the chapter to hear much about what is happening around them.
PRESENT ACTIVITIES
The Chapter has taken up securing the system of their homeworld and the trade routes that is the life’s blood for their world. They continually see off pirate raids from the likes of orks, eldar and renegades. In recent years, the incursion of the Tau in their part of the galaxy has seen them switch from a boarding party to a ground assault role. A role that they are currently ill-equipped to perform for they have fought, more often than not, on foot and have very few vehicles of any kind. Only the 2nd Company has bikes and speeders in which to take to the field as it was in the teachings set forth by the Unforgiven so many years ago.
The Unforgiven recognize the chapter as being Sons of the Lion and willing take the field of battle beside them and include them in their battle plans. However, the truth of the Legion’s secret shame was not imparted upon them. The Brothers are already shamed when they joined the Chapter and consider it a mark of honor to see that shame removed by achieving a laurel and a purity seal. The two elements that make up their chapter badge. The Unforgiven had not seen fit to return them to a shamed state and leaves them in ignorance with regards to their Fallen brethren.
BATTLE HONORS
The Three Masters
Elements of the Questing Brothers, Dark Angels and the Angels of Redemption were fighting to eradicate a raid by the dark kin of the Eldar in the Galondon system. During the campaign, the Angels learned some dark knowledge from a captured Eldar and immediately pressed forward toward a webway portal and plunged into it, leaving the Questing Brothers behind to press on the campaign. The masters of the three companies of Questing Brothers present on the planet held the webway and mounted a rear action. Cut off from the portal, the Dark Eldar threw themselves at the Brothers in an orgy of pain and death. In the week of desperate fighting, a few handfuls of prisoners escaped out of the portal into the waiting Brothers. Those that survived were captured until some of their other brothers returned of which only two did with another chained between them. The Brothers handed over those they captured with the only words spoken being, 'a wrong has been righted.' A phrase the Brothers know too well and respect. The few remaining Brothers remain to finish and pacify the world and are credited with saving the planet, of which the Brothers disagree but accepted in light of keeping their brothers efforts secret.
The Quest for Archeo-tech
The Questing Brothers assist in the recovery of a potential piece of technology and even assist citizens from their own home world in the study and recovery action of the buildings surrounding the artifact. The only wrinkle was the thousands of orks rampaging around the planet. It was only a matter of time before they were discovered. The Questing Brothers and a number of Scouts seeking to earn their Laurels continued to eliminate any ork that wandered too close. But it was their smaller cousins that led to their discovery. What was at first a comical horde of diminutive free skins armed with pointed sticks soon gave way to their larger brethren with their massive blades. While the fully armored brethren were impervious to the wooden sticks, the scouts escorted the rest of the non-combatants to their shuttle - using their bodies as shields against the primitive arrows fired at them. Once the team was away, the Scouts sealed the entrance to prevent the orks contaminating the site. Only after it was done, did the Questing Brothers leave. The expedition would return once the orks had moved on. The Brothers were credited for keeping the site intact as it was later discovered to be a shrine to a fallen warrior during the Great Crusade and his arms and armor were what led the expedition to the planet.
CHAPTER ORGANIZATION
The First and Second Companies continue the traditions of the Dark Angels’ Deathwing and Ravenwing respectively. They have made no new names for themselves or have they modified their color scheme. The two companies rarely fight as a single unified company but spread themselves out to assist the other companies as necessary.
The Questing Brothers always have marines stationed at Echelon III to assist with the induction of new recruits and also to continue to record the accomplishments of their brethren in their quests to live noble lives after starting out as criminals in the eyes of their world.
As artisan’s of Echelon III hear of the Questing Brothers exploits around the sector and the galaxy, they have begun to show a level of respect and compassion for the chapter. The stories of the Questing Brothers fighting on with no tank support has brought a small cadre of artisan’s to unofficially begin constructing equipment and vehicles to be given to the chapter. The chapter receives a Land Raider and twelve Rhino-based tanks every Terran year. While they are few in number, every single vehicle has had the touch of a master on them. The few Techmarines within the chapter have only to maintain them for each one has worked flawlessly when they first arrive.
FLEET ASSETS
The Questing Brothers have only a single Battle Barge that is only committed in the most dire of needs. The bulk of the chapter’s fleet is comprised of smaller, faster vessels. These have been used to great effect to respond to any pirate attacks and to coordinate a multi-vectored attack on enemy vessels.
RECRUITMENT
Echelon III continues the tradition of sending any miscreant, any rebellious child and any criminal to the chapter. Those able to be turned into marines are started on the rigorous training and indoctrination while those who are too old or are failed aspirants become the chapter serfs as well as the planetary defense force. Once they have completed enough of their training, the new Scouts are sent out amongst the populace. This has multiple purposes: to further their training by keeping and ear and eye out for deception and conversations in the dark, to monitor the politics of the planet and the nearby systems, to act as law enforcement in their areas of control and to be reminded that they have a debt to pay and only through noble service will their duty end.
CHAPTER COLOR
The chapter paints their armor a vibrant orange with black trim and equipment. The Questing Brothers want to stand out when they are in a populace. On the field of battle, the Brothers will use capes, cloaks and robes to subdue their armor to a tactical advantage. The primary exceptions are the officers, veterans and dreadnoughts that let their orange armor shine.
Terminator
Questing Brother
Scout
Apothecary
Chaplain
Librarian
Techmarine
CHAPTER BANNER
It is an oddity for any Chapter to not have a banner of some kind on the field of battle. For the Questing Brothers, it is due to the individual nature of each chapter badge. The words inscribed with the purity seal are unique to each brother. Instead, a banner is made after an engagement that describes what that group of Brothers had done. Only in times when a Brother's efforts are to be undone will the Chaplains have the Banner recreated for their own standard and lead the chapter out to protect the deeds by their Brothers.
BATTLE HONORS, RELICS, DECORATIONS AND AWARDS
The shoulder pad that bears the Chapter Emblem is unique to each brother and stays with that brother even into death as the plate becomes a part of the brothers marker as they lie entombed. Outside the plate and a banner of their deeds, the Brothers shun any other decoration and award.
The closest thing to a relic the chapter has in its possession is the master-crafted weapons from home that a Brother may take and carry with them into battle. Should the brother fall and his weapons reclaimed, they would be given to another to use in battle.
COMBAT DOCTRINE
The Questing Brothers are still a relatively new chapter and have yet to build a full arsenal of tanks. For this reason above all others means the Chapter takes to field on foot, bike or jet pack. Even the Thunderhawks are kept from participating in pitched battles due to their limited numbers. As a successor of the Dark Angels, there is no apparent lack in the number of suits of Terminator armor and their First Company continues the tradition of taking the field in only suits of Tactical Dreadnought Armor.
The Questing Brothers are able to fabricate bikes and their attack bike equivalent, but must still take delivery of any Land Speeder they have.
One element under heated debate within the Inner Circle of the Questing Brothers revolves around the use of Dreadnoughts. To many a Brother, the thought of having to continue their quest after ‘dying’ an insult. As one’s life of service is completed on the battlefield, they are meant to be free of all commitments and duties. To continue on as a Dreadnought would be fitting only for a traitor, but no brother would take the field next a traitor and certainly not once interred into the Dreadnought’s Sarcophagus. For now, each individual brother may choose if they would allow themselves to be interred should they fall in battle. To denote their choice, they paint the lower portions of their arms and legs black. This signifies their willingness to have their limbs removed to fit into the sarcophagus.
BATTLE CRY
“Through Shame! Honor & Salvation!
LOCAL RITUALS
During their time as a Scout, the Chaplains will intentionally take them back to their crime. They will not remember their actions of the past but it is what they do when faced with the actions that they have done will they even be allowed to become a full-brother. For most Scouts, it is an act to repair the damage or an oath made that will see the ritual end. However, those who do not find remorse or desire to correct what was wrong will the see the Scout's life forfeited to be lobotomized into a servitor, his geneseed harvested and scrutinized for any flaw or defect. Should it pass, it will be the only recorded achievement stamped on the servitor.
BELIEFS
Each recruit sent to the chapter arrives in chains having committed a crime so serious that their life would be forfeit. These could be anything from killing a superior to defacing or destroying a highly valued piece work. Whatever the cause, they are brought to the gates of the chapter and handed over to the Interrogator Chaplains. There the recruit is submitted to a grueling ordeal where their every crime is extracted and recorded. The recruit’s desire for repentance and atonement will see them through into the beginning indoctrination of the Chapter. Though the mind will eventually be purged of their prior lives and their acts of crime. Each recruit keeps a piece of parchment that tells of their crimes and dishonor.
By the time they are Scouts, they are ready to make atones for the wrong that they have done and start their quests for their laurel and purity seal, the elements of the Chapter badge and their acceptance into the chapter as a full marine. The purity seal more often than not bears the brothers past crimes and their acts to absolve it. The laurel is much harder to get and can only be earned through a great victory shared by other Brothers.
Once a full-brother, their individual shames may have been absolved but there are always greater shames to overcome. Failures within a mission that must be set right. This becomes the brothers driving force, to continue to put to right what others have failed to do through strength and arms. The dogged determination and resourcefulness given to them by the Unforgiven has seen them continually set to rights the slights against the Imperium.
Within the Unforgiven, the Chapter has become an inspiration and a certain level of pride that great deeds can come from those who are shamed and have gone on to greater glory. A light of hope that the Dark Angels’ Legion will have it’s sullied honor restored in time.
GENE-SEED
Dark Angels
CHAMPIONS OF THE CHAPTER
Levi - Grand Master of the Chapter
Before his rebirth within the chapter, the boy who would later take the name Levi worked in service of the Planetary Governor. For whatever reason, he refused an order from the Governor and struck him before running away. It took two weeks before he was apprehended and sent to the Chapter. During his time with the chapter, he has shown incredible resourcefulness in the face of being ill-equipped in battle. It was this resourcefulness that saw him elevated to become the Grand Master of the Chapter. He has continued to find ways to see his fellow brothers victorious in battle and has even brokered deals to increase the armory of the Chapter.
Boaz - Grand Master of the Librarians
Boaz was sent to the chapter as soon as his gift was discovered by his mentors. As Librarians are the only ones in the chapter who can not be mind-wiped, Boaz continues in his trade of sculpting when not guiding his brothers in battle. Boaz’s dual talents have come to the fore numerous times by letting his psychic gift guide his sculpting so that he can sculpt a bust of the commander of the enemy forces with the level of detail that the Questing Brothers will know on sight if they had killed the commander.
Isiah - Grand Master of the Chaplains
Isiah came to the attention of the Chaplaincy when on campaign with the Disciples of Caliban. He exemplified the marital skill that had earned him the respect of the Disciples but it came at a cost. Isiah felt thought that the Questing Brothers should stop serving their home planet and rule it instead. It took a decade for the fires of rebellion to be quashed, but in its wake was blazing furor to see his brothers elevated and redeemed through the fires of battle. As the Grand Master of Chaplains, Isiah’s responsibilities extend to the Planetary Auxiliary and seeing those who had failed as aspirants or were too old to become a marine to find their own redemption in sight of the Emperor if not the Lion. A task he has taken up with passion.
Samuel - Master of the First Company
Samuel was a killer before he came to the chapter. His envy would often see those students who he thought were his betters either maimed or killed. The chapter replaced that envy with a fervent desire to be the best warrior in the chapter. A task in which he has succeeded and continually seeks to challenge himself to find ways to further perfect his craft. The ultimate challenge came with leadership. While he initially struggled with leading a squad, he is comfortable with the role of guiding the top 100 warriors in the chapter to even greater levels of skill and utilizing the specialties of each squad like weapons in battle.
Jehuel - Master of the Second Company
Jehuel was sent to the chapter after only a few months of service after he commandeered the controls of a smelter being used to cast statues from a servitor believing he could do the job faster than the automaton. The catastrophic mess resulting from his bravado saw him marched to the chapter solo and the casting facility closed and demolished. Even after the mind wipe, Jehuel continued to be distracted by machines and their operation, but to the disappointment of the Techmarines, not their creation or repair. With the abilities of being an Astartes warrior, Jehuel finally attained the level of control that would see him operate a machine with a precision that few can match. In a leadership role, he inspires the Second Company to understand and operate their machines to the very edges of their tolerances. Though the machines need more continual maintenance, there has been a drop in battle losses of machines the chapter can ill-afford to lose.
Edited by Grand Master Belial, 12 June 2014 - 04:17 AM.