Wolvar

Nice work, its a really well thought out and unique story as well as the slant of the marines all serving in the Chapter's Reclusiam. Great piece.

Nice story but you mentioned twins in the beginning and only one child in the main part who saves the librarian; 1st Chapter Master seems far too reckless to have made it that rank let alone be given permission to found a Chapter but it wouldn't be the first time someone was promoted far ahead of their usefulness - needs must in war. How many marines survived this disaster and what format will they now take; led by a librarian permanently like Blood Ravens or is it literally temporary until Chapter strength is regained? Anyway sounds great and good luck with it.

Nice work on the whole Chapter IA; you've really covered everything well. Also like how you've modified the games workshop pictures to include your Chapters symbols and colours - good touch.

BLACK STORM IMPERATOR INVICTUS NOVAS DAI: 2651/33E-TCX FLEET NOVAX IMPERIAL QUADRANT: 196/34X LOCAL TITLE: NOVARIA MAGNA FLEET ASSETS: CHAPTER 131 – BLACK STORM STRENGTH: TO FOLLOW PRIMARCH: ROBOUTE GUILLIMAN GENE SEED: ULTRAMARINE TAINT: MINIMAL DESPITE PROXIMITY TO GALFARS FOLLY (CLASS 9 WARP STORM) CHAPTER MOTTO: STORM COMES FOUNDING Captain Titus Avello (Storm to his men) of the Third Company the Omega Marines was awarded the great honour of founding a new Space Marine Chapter as part of the 14th Founding around 180.M35 using a tithe of Ultramarine Gene Seed. His orders from the High Lords of Terra were to found a Chapter to combat the growing threat of both Ork and Heretics raiding shipping and attacking deep within the bounds of the Novaria Sub-Sector far within the outer rim of the Segmentum Tempestus and the strategic worlds of Novaria Prime, Ferras, Tal, Grael and Merraya. The agricultural and industrial output of this far flung sector had become increasingly vital to Imperial Forces in the surrounding regions and their continued viability in holding back increasingly violent and co-ordinated Ork incursions. Fearing a full scale Waaagh Terra decided that only a new Chapter in the region stood a chance of countering this threat, Titus accepted the honour and title of Chapter Master naming them the Black Storm partly from his own renown as a Commander and assault specialist when storming the breaches of the many sieges that the Third Company had been responsible for throughout his service and partly in reverence to the large scale Warp Storms that were known to frequent the Segmentum Tempestus and Novaria’s outer edges. The colour designation came from an unlikely source; when enquiring about the situation in Noveria from a senior commander Master Avello received only one word – ‘black’ to which he laughed and declared that only a Black Storm could truly do then, and so the Chapter gained its name. To fulfil its duties and ensure the protection of the vital supply shipments the Chapter was permitted to maintain a substantial war fleet beyond that normally required for the assault warfare of the Space Marines, the Chapter founded their main Fortress Monastery on Novaria Prime – from where they could maintain a watchful eye over the Imperial Beurocracy in charge. Imperial forces In the sector were heavily reliant on and easily swayed by the Noble Houses of Novaria Prime all of whom used Imperial assets to further their own gains. The Imperium had previously been unconcerned so long as tithe shipments were met and trade routes protected; with increasing threats externally as well as increasingly factional and hostile relations between the Noble Houses looming Terra had no choice but to act. As Chapter Master Titus arrived with the first of the Chapter’s instructors, armorers, apothecaries and serfs along with twenty hand picked Omega Marines formerly of his Third Company he set about the daunting task of building the Chapter’s Fortress Monastery on the civilised heart world of Novaria Prime. Quickly establishing the strength and relative power of each of the Noble Factions he set about recruiting from their promising youth academies as well as the wider population as a whole. The administration provided detailed records for the Astartes and from there they quickly gathered suitable and hardy recruits to form their initial cadres; Novaria Prime had never seen Space Marines before but even on the far edge of the Imperium their reputations as the Emperor’s finest and deadliest proceeded them. Unknown to the Nobles the indoctrination process used to elevate initiates to the level of Space Marines left no trace of the individuals previous lives or loyalties, Chapter Master Titus even went so far as to grant new names to the Initiates upon their acceptance to the Chapter; over the years those few who had initially been chosen and elevated to the Black Storm Chapter’s ranks returned first as scouts and then as fully fledged battle brothers but they bore little or no resemblance to the young men who had gone before them. Despite the great honour awarded in becoming a Space Marine the Nobles increasingly reserved their own children for high posts in the Administratum, Guard and Navy where family loyalty and standing could be more substantially used; recruits still flowed from the upper echelons to the Black Storm Chapter but increasingly they were removed from the immediate Families themselves. The one notable exception to this came in the form of the Arvas Family; they had always been a military family of renown and had been among the first Imperial Guard Officers assigned to the sector following its founding as a Rogue Trader Colony prior to the Horus Heresy. The Arvas enrolled entire generations of their family simply for the pride of being amongst the Emperor’s finest. The Chapter also sourced recruits from among the hardy Agri-Worlds, Hive World and Forge World in the Novaria sub-sector complementing its highly educated initiates with strong and technically gifted members who fulfilled the vast majority of the Tech Marine and Assault Marine positions though not universally so. The construction of the Fortress Monastery itself took well over a Century due to the enormous ground to air missile batteries, void shields and interlinked trenches and bunkers applied to render it into a truly worthy and utterly deadly place for a Chapter of the Emperor’s finest. Should all other defences fail and enemies ever reach Novaria Prime it would be where the Chapter and all the Imperial Officials and Commanders remaining would make their final stand. Unusually a significant portion of the Fortress interior is actually maintained and occupied by elements of the Administratum, Navy and Guard who represent both the political, administrative and military power behind the Sub-Sector – in this way the Black Storm Chapter and more specifically its Chapter Master oversee all aspects of the Imperium’s actions in the Sector as well as facilitating the rapid and co-ordinated mobilization of Imperial Forces in the region, secretly it also provided the Chapter with a window on the Sector to better root out Heresy and Corruption at its source. The Chapter refrained from outright rule of the sector out of principle and respect for the Imperium’s other bodies, ‘Space Marines are soldiers’ Titus once said ‘and not administrators, the Heresy proved the dangers of holding too much power even for Space Marines; give us the tools to fight the Emperor’s enemies, we ask no more than that’. Titus began a comprehensive training programme for all PDF, Guard and Navy formations in an attempt to create a unified force for the sector and its surrounding neighbours by concentrating the command and control elements on Novaria itself. The Noble houses initially resisted this move but were eventually placated when permitted to create their own personal armies for the protection and promotion of House interests outside of Imperial control. Limits on these formations were also placed though over the Centuries some Houses have greatly exceeded these; a state of affairs that has not escaped notice. Regrettably for the Chapter; Master Titus was lost with a significant portion of the fleet delivering its first gene seed tithe in 280.M35 less than a century after its inception. Intensive searches have been carried out since as well as personal crusades by some of the more independent of the Chapters ranks yet no sign of the Master or any of his vessels have ever yet returned. CHAPTER BATTLE CRY ‘Storm Comes’ 'Fear the Tempest’ ‘Just Die’ – Sgt Braskus 1st Squad, Fourth Company, 2nd War for Armageddon while clearing out an Ork Stronghold. (Not an officially sanctioned cry but popular amongst the Fourth Company). Now Capt Braskus Hael of the Sixth. CHAPTER HOMEWORLD Novaria Prime – the seat of central government and also a bloody rebellion against ‘Imperial Tyranny’ from the Noble Houses who ruled there, it was taken as the Chapters Homeworld at its earliest founding and saw them well placed for the bloody suppression Campaign that was to come on world and in the surrounding Sector. Their Fortress was designed as an imposing bastion of Imperial might and also acts as the central hub of Imperial Administration though this is done by Imperial officials and Guard forces who live inside the massive fortress complex, the very heart of the fortress is purely devoted to the Chapter of the Black Storm. The fortress is perhaps unique in that the majority of its defences are manned by a permanent Guard formation created by the Chapter known as the Shadow Guard. In the years following the ‘Deliverance’ (return of Novaria to Imperial control and brutal suppression of the rebellious Noble houses) the Shadow Guard developed into a practical army modelling its self, equipment and role in parallel to the Imperial Guard. Once completed it effectively combined the roles of Army, Arbiters and PDF Units all in one. Besides their Space Marine overlords the two formations became the symbol of Imperial dominance and justice for Novaria Prime and its surrounding sectors; as part of the entrenchment process the Chapter ensured that subsequent fortresses were raised periodically in order to provide supply depots and communication centres for a better all-round defence, the Chapter and Shadow Guard formation spread out from there. The planet itself looks like many Imperial Administrative worlds; bustling spire cities interlinked by aerial and armoured train transports move the population from spire to spire in the pursuit of Imperial duties. There are huge rogue trader vessels docked in massive planet side dockyards unloading luxuries of every sort for the wealthy as well as valuable materials required for the forgeworlds of Novaria. The under city is filled with the teeming masses of workers attracted to the world with the promise of a better life – though most are ‘repurposed’ and deported by the Imperium to serve as indentured workers on the Mechanicum’s asteroid mines. Little of the rolling forests and great lakes remain of old Novaria having long since been bulldozed by the Imperium to form this Civilised world; although not a forge world it too has vast manufacturing buildings churning out las weapons and equipment to be shipped off to the myriad of the Imperium’s Guard and Naval forces throughout the Segmentum Tempestus. Despite a failed rebellion the remaining families are still important figures in the Imperial beurocracy, some are rogue trader families of immense wealth on whose taxes the very Imperium is born afloat, others are die hard soldiers and have served in either the Guard or Imperial Navies of Novaria for as long as they have existed. A few, and only the gifted few, became Black Storm – among the Emperor’s most feared and loyal soldiers, fear incarnate to those foolish enough to turn from the Emperor and the Imperium’s light. CHAPTER RECRUITING WORLDS Novaria Prime – providing the Chapter with many of its recruits, this civilised world and the Imperium’s military cadres on world provide the Chapter with a wealth of very loyal and disciplined recruits for them to mould into true Space Marines. Capital: Ithraya. Ferras – Large scale technological farming provides a huge yield of crops throughout the Tempestus System. Employs huge numbers of workers who are tough and hardy despite the large scale of technology available to them. Recruits from here prove both technically aware and physically robust if not as disciplined as those from Prime. Capital: Tyros. Tal – Like Ferras but with much greater forested areas and pre technology tribes whose tendency towards warfare provides excellent recruits for assault squads of the Chapter, allowing their existence has caused problems with crop yield due to continuous raiding but their uses as recruits outweighs their nuisance to production. Capital: Carthras. Grael – Hive world providing much of the natural resources and materials required by the Forge World of Merraya. The hardy population of this world also provides suitable recruits for the Chapter though they are in the minority. Capital: Epiros. Merraya – Novaria’s largest forgeworld responsible for no less than 70% of the entire total yield of materials and weapons for the sectors defence needs and beyond. This world provides the best technically gifted recruits possible for the Chapter and is where 90% of all the Black Storm Techmarines come from. Capital: Hephaestia. CHAPTER BATTLE HONOURS M35-M41 This period consists of many fleet engagements, support actions, Company and Squad deployments as the Chapter built up its strength and adjusted to its role and responsibilities in the Sector and beyond. Only the larger conflicts and Campaigns are here after noted for brevity. 143-160.M41 Abaddon's Twelfth Black Crusade - The Gothic War (Full strength deployed) 891.M41 First War of Armageddon (1st, 3rd and 7th) 891.M41 Waaagh Graznog (Pirate Novaria System – all not deployed to Armageddon), Graznog believed slain but pirates bearing his banner seen in multiple raids and conflicts since. 901-912.M41 Badab War (2nd, 4th and 5th take part in the long war for the space lanes against the Red Corsairs (post heresy name) alongside many of their fellow Chapters). 941.M41 Second War of Armageddon (1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th 7th) 947.M41 First Novaria Noble Insurrection (2nd, 3rd and 5th) – what began as a simple trade dispute between families soon boiled over into outright war when the assassination of Grier (Tal) of House Talsair ignited local tensions. 951-956.M41 Heretic Cult (New Dawn) destroyed, Alpha Legion Chaos Marines involved in company strength led by Alizzar (Shadow Step – Black Storm’s name for him), all companies deployed; despite cults destruction Alizzar escaped with twenty of his Company and has yet to resurface. 967-972.M41 Waaagh Krasha (Ork Tribes unite from beyond the vale and launch a large scale incursion into Novaria infesting both agri-Worlds, the forgeworld and even assaulting Novaria Prime itself; the conflict raged on for five years before the final climactic battle on the door step of Black Storm Fortress in the capital. Krasha was finally slain and his horde scattered to the four winds. The Chapter has been purging Orks from Novaria ever since; only in the deep forests of Tal do some of the Orks remain lurking in the shadows). 998.M41 Third War of Armageddon (2nd, 3rd, 4th, 8th 10th) 999.M41 Abaddon's Thirteenth Crusade (All bar 3rd, 5th and 6th deployed, 3rd recalled from Armaggedon, 8th and 10th deployed to Cadia with main Chapter strength). CHAPTER HERALDRY CHAPTER SYMBOL CHAPTER TACTICS In accordance with their charge from the High Lords of Terra and with the Codex Astartes the Chapter embodies all elements of warfare. There are however Sub-Sector specific areas that has led the Chapter to champion the following strategies above all: The Chapter is fully capable of fighting in all manners of warfare yet throughout its existence and in order to fulfil its mission from Terra it has consistently been forced to meet its enemies head on; this has since developed into a complete mind-set within the Chapter and they shun insertion and deep strike warfare in favour of fighting the enemy on mass in order to more swiftly deliver victory and allow the assets to quickly redeploy to where ever it is needed. This has had little effect on the Chapters equipment or vehicles. Ship to ship warfare – due to the persistent attacks from both pirates (Ork and Human) and Chaos Heretics in and around the Novaria Sub-Sector the Chapter has been increasingly called upon to field small Squads of Marines aboard rapid assault vessels in the Black Storm Fleet in order to board and assault their enemies and ensure the continued supplies from both the Agri Worlds of Ferras and Tal and the Foundry World of Merraya reach their vital destinations supplying the wider fleets and armies of the Segmentum Tempestus and especially their corner of the outer rim. As a result of this rapid assault doctrine the Chapter trains constantly in the brutal tactics and weaponry of close combat both within ships and city confines; using melta guns, plasma guns and flamers to scourge corridors, ships and buildings quickly in an unyielding advance. This has led to a reduced number of fast attack units in use by the Chapter, although a necessary part of warfare there is a certain stigma attached to these squads and the Chapter despises guerrilla warfare and raiding tactics choosing instead to always meet their enemies head on. Although braver it has resulted in a greater casualty cost as the Chapter takes no action to weaken an enemy force before it fights it – ‘We’ll fight them all head on or not at all’ (Captain Titas Pullo Fourth Company Black Storm Chapter, Third War for Armageddon when fighting besides the Raven Guard Chapter whose tactics and strategies proved anathema to them). The Chapter is otherwise armed and equipped as any other according to the dictates of the Codex Astartes though there organisational capacity varies greatly from the tenets of the Codex Astartes. CHAPTER FORMATIONS The Chapter nominally maintains the ten Companies prescribed by the Codex with the notable exception that all Companies maintain and train their own initiates and Scouts due to the lack of Deep Strike and Guerilla Warfare Missions as well as the continued need for the Rapid Deployment strategies adopted by the Chapter in fulfilling its mission as well as the length of time most Companies spend in space protecting the resources and convoys of Novaria. The Tenth Company, unlike their contemporaries maintains a full battle compliment and equipment in line with all other Black Storm Companies, likewise the normally veteran First Company is not the sole keeper of the Chapter’s fighting Elite. The equipment of the Chapter and specialised nature of both the assault and rapid attack requirements has developed to ensure that a significant proportion of its equipment is produced locally by the Forge World on Merraya and in recognition of this vital link an entire Company of the Chapter is tied down in its defences at any given time. The hive world of Grael and the deep mines below it provide the majority of the resources for the Forge World and so the highest priority is attached to the transfer of materials from the two. The Chapter is also responsible for ensuring the vast food supplies required by the enormous work populations of both worlds are met at all times. This arrangement was sorely tested when the Ork Waaagh Beltraz and his pirates hammered the space lanes and worlds of Novaria, a total equivalent of two Companies of Space Marines died in this conflict marking it as the largest loss of life seen by the Chapter since its founding. The vast majority of Gene Seed and equipment was recovered by the Chapter following this campaign – the Chapter’s Tech Marines and Artificers spend the majority of their time repairing and retro fitting damaged vehicles and equipment from the various skirmishes, fleet engagements and general wear and tear that the Chapter suffers and as such little or no Artificer Armour exists among the Chapter. All equipment and markings are both functional and easily repaired in order to ensure the rapid turnarounds and deployments required by the Chapter are maintained – patrolling the space lanes from constant Ork and renegade/heretic pirates takes its toll on both time and strained resources. Despite the established Homeworld of the Black Storm Space Marines on Novaria Prime they maintain a large fleet dispersed over a wide area in order to maintain the vital supply lanes throughout their space; for the exact details see Chapter Fleets. The Chapter also maintains small Fortresses on all of the worlds from which they recruit hardy workers, technically gifted adepts and disciplined and civilized Citizens which make up their Chapters ranks. The Black Storm Chapter Serfs are trained units on parallel with both Imperial Guard and Imperial Fleet Units in order to provide them with the necessary key support personnel they require to work alongside them in both fleet operations and as a human face between the Chapter and the rest of the Imperium. This close knit reliance has led to a greater respect amongst the Chapter than some of their brethren for the ordinary men and women of the Imperium and has also led to an increased intolerance and hatred of Renegades and Heretics they see as besmirching the rest of Humanity. Their use of such Units within their Fleets and Fortresses has led to accusations of power hoarding from the local Nobility and has been challenged by local governors in the past but the proud and continued record of the Chapter in concert with these forces has belayed these fears – at least for now. The low numbers of these units in comparison with the rest of the Imperial Forces in this Sector has also helped keep things balanced and is constantly monitored by the Nobility and Imperium at large. CHAPTER SPECIALISTS The Black Storm Chapter do not have separate Chaplains and Librarians since their initial founding; over the centuries the Chapter increasingly found that Librarians became over taxed or suffered severe psychotic episodes from the Chapters proximity to the Warp and as a result the Chapter had no choice but to purge their Librarians before the damage became irreparable. Under Chapter Master Janos Tyre the two roles were permanently merged as only those truly strong enough in their faith and loyalty to the Emperor of mankind could possibly bear the burden of ‘the taint’ as he saw it. Granted the new title Seekers these Space Marines proved immensely important to Chapter operations where through their precognitive powers (foresight – granted by their connection to the Warp) they are able to foresee certain events and guide the Chapter and its assets accordingly. Although not an exact science it has allowed the Black Storm to ambush enemies in space and on the ground catching them off guard where they had previously believed themselves to be safe as well as providing well timed attacks to prevent potential Waaagh’s and raids from escalating to reach their full potential. As previously mentioned Seekers who are proven to be wavering in either their faith, which the Chapter holds as paramount as only true faith in the Black Storm Cult and through it the Emperor can counteract the inherent failings in psykers, or are using other powers of the Warp beyond the permitted foresight are brutally and immediately suppressed by their brethren and the body, Gene Seed and all are purged with flames. This staunch policy has brought them into conflict with other Chapters in the past but as of yet they have never implemented it on another Chapters Librarian. (Quickening – represented by a Chaplain Model with a Librarian’s staff). The Chapters only other real specialists come in the form of Ork hunters, these Veteran Space Marines have fought the Chapters main enemy the Orks for centuries and pride themselves on their ability to track, hunt and kill this most ancient foe. Each company maintains its own squad of these skilled soldiers and as the repeated wars for Armageddon and their own Novaria Waaagh’s have proven there are always Orks to kill, (Normal Veterans just embellished with Ork paraphernalia). CHAPTER BELIEFS The Black Storm beliefs follow the Imperial Creed and venerate the Emperor as a god whose light is the only way to battle the darkness of Chaos and its hideous multitudes. Since the Chapter Gene Seed’s origin is Ultramarine they worship Roboute Guilliman as their Gene-sire as well as the Emperor directly. The Chapter sees death as the ultimate end of duty and a necessary path towards the Emperor, as such the death of a brother is a sacred thing in which he is finally able to slip the bonds of duty that bound his life and ascend to fight besides the Emperor in his eternal war against the powers of Chaos and the other Xenos scum that plague the Imperium. Like all Space Marines they live on after death through their Gene Seed being passed down from brother to initiate but the Black Storm still take particular care in the retrieval of their fallen even after the Gene Seed has been removed; once retrieved the bodies are shipped back to Novaria Prime where they are burned on a great pyre in order to free the Marines spirit from their body so they may move on to join the eternal battle as they see it. The Chapters Cult is heavily entwined with the overall spiritual beliefs of the Chapter; all brothers truly believe they will pass on to the Great War beside the Emperor and only the greatest amongst them will be his champions fighting by his side. As such marshal skills such as shooting, hand to hand combat and un-armed combat all feature as part of the Cult’s rituals – Space Marines all belong to the Cult of the Chapter yet each Company has its own unique Sub Cult under which they train, fight and compete amongst themselves building up Company loyalties and inter squad rivalries. Every thirty years a vast competition is held within the centre of the Black Storm Fortress Monastery where-in the best from each Company compete against each other in a series of marshal challenges from mock battles to skilled duels and battling captured enemies in a great arena that makes up the heart of the central chamber. There is enough room to fit the entire Chapter in the stands though tactical prudence and essential duties ensure that never truly occurs; the overall winner of this battle is pronounced as the Emperor’s Champion and becomes the Chapter Masters personal body guard and close advisor for the following thirty years, the longest any Black Storm Brother has ever remained as concurrent champion was a hundred and twenty years following which both the Champion Hercay Nova and Chapter Master Bruta Cassaya were killed in the great final battle of Waaagh Krasha on Novaria Prime before mopping up operations commenced. A great monument depicting their final battle was erected in the Forum in Novaria’s Capital City Ithraya. During the battle the Champion greatly wounded the Ork Warlord Skull Krasha before being killed himself beneath the beasts mighty axe, using the window bought by the Champion the Chapter Master launched himself at the Ork and hamstrung it, a rapid and vicious slash out from the Orks axe caught the Chapter Master in the chest and lodged it there, while the Ork Warlord laughed in its guttural way and with his life blood quickly fading the Chapter Master threw his last ounces of strength behind a swing of his power sword ‘Harbinger’ and decapitated the beast before he collapsed to the ground and died. It is said that the beast was still laughing when its severed head hit the floor, it stopped when the 2nd Companies standard bearer planted his standard through its skull before attending to the fallen. As part of their martial beliefs the Chapter believes that Dreadnaughts, and more specifically interring their brothers within them, is akin to heresy. If a fallen brother cannot be resurrected with augmentations (which they do use frequently) then they are given the final right with honour by the Apothecary before their brothers in arms and the body is returned to Novaria Prime for the final rights. The only exception to this is in the case of particularly gifted Seekers – where in their personal contribution is such that they cannot be lost to the Chapter without giving up a unique tactical advantage; in such cases the Seeker is interred within a dreadnaught while his replacement is trained and educated to truly fulfil his duties, as soon as the replacement is ready the interred one is removed and is at last granted the Emperor’s peace; the Chapters only current Dreadnaught is Seeker Darias Khal formerly Storm Seeker (highest rank of the Order) of the Black Storm Chapter but horrifically wounded during the Third War for Armageddon. His insights to the Chapter are such that he cannot be granted peace at this time without losing a key advantage over the Orks of Novaria’s outer rim and an impending Waaagh that Darias has foreseen; he will remain interred by his own request until this latest threat is ended and the next Storm Seeker is chosen and sworn in. CHAPTER WEAPONS Due to the largely assault orientated focus of the Black Storm they pride themselves on their skills with both flamers and plasma/melta guns for their effectiveness in clearing out corridors and rooms in space as well as their particular utility in tight close assault scenarios in which the Chapter excels. The Chapter also uses combat knives and power swords (individually forged by their bearers – see training) due to the frequency with which they are involved in close combat during their operational lives. The Chapter has been known to salvage any useful equipment from their enemies in order to make up for operational shortfalls or replace damaged equipment in the field; the lengthy operations and largely space borne existence of the Chapter, despite maintaining a fixed Homeworld, often means that entire Companies are operating far from the Chapters Fortress Monastery and any readily available supplies and replacements. As such Techmarines and battle brothers are often forced to repurpose kit and equipment from enemies and even occasionally fallen allies in order to allow them to continue the fight during high tempo operations – only standardised equipment such as bolters, chain-swords and some power armour elements have been reused in this way. Any and all power weapons/possessed equipment is left and immediately destroyed under the direct supervision of the Chapter Seekers. Most Space Marines return this salvaged equipment upon return to the Chapter Fortress Monastery on Novaria but Chapter Veterans (and some Commanders – notably Captain Aeron Grim of the Third) have in recent centuries taken great pride in their salvaging skills using and adopting the equipment of the enemy to serve their own purposes leading to a very unique appearance in the designs and components of the armour and equipment of the Chapters Elite. The stringent supervision of the Seekers to ensure all potentially harmful Chaos equipment is destroyed as well as the prevention of a wide scale adaptation of the practice amongst the rest of the Chapter has ensured its continued survival as a minor infraction in the eyes of the inquisition at large; they are long and away from the potentially heretical actions of the Relictors Chapter. Not all equipment used is from enemy sources; after multiple long term deployments by the Chapter in various strengths besides other more established Chapters; for example the Space Wolves and Iron Hands has led the Black Storm Chapters Veterans to the adopt the style and equipment of their foster Chapters on certain parts of their equipment and weaponry in place of their own standard issue. This is not seen as disloyalty to their Chapter so much as embracing a wider view of the Codex, Space Marine equipment and doctrine as a whole. CHAPTER TRAITS The Chapter is notably divergent in its adherence to the Codex despite its Ultramarine heritage; after centuries of brutal close assault warfare against both Chaos forces and the fierce Orks that plague the Tempestus’s outer rim the Chapter has tailored its forces and equipment significantly towards this end focusing heavily on assault and rapid reaction forces in order to fulfil their mission by Terra and ensure the continued survival and vital supplies of Novaria and the surrounding systems. They still maintain all of the forces and equipment expected of a Codex Chapter though they field significantly less bikes, favouring speeders, than most and only deploy heavy armour when a prolonged campaign is expected. They only have one Dreadnaught in the bound form of Storm Seeker Darius Khal and it is unknown how much longer he will be maintained in his state dependant on the impending Ork Waaagh. CHAPTER TRAINING METHODS REQUIREMENTS Recruits must be fairly young, because implants often do not become fully functional if the recipient has reached a certain level of physical maturity. They must be male because the zygotes are keyed to male hormones and tissue types. Only a small percentage of people are compatible to receive the implants and hypno-suggestion to turn them into Marines. Before the process of implantation begins the potential recruit receives tissue compatibility tests and psychological screening. If the testing proves successful the recruit becomes a initiate. If unsuccessful then the potential recruit is instead formed into the Chapters Shadow Guard forces (Chapter Serfs) to act as support staff to the Space Marines; even those who join the Guard Units are given extensive hypnotherapy to indoctrinate them into the ways and beliefs of the Black Storm Chapter – they are seen by the majority of people as an extension of the Marines themselves in a more human form and as such must conform with the Marines beliefs. Even once the organs are implanted they are generally inactive or useless without associated training and hypnotherapy and chemical treatment. Most recruits join the ranks as a brother between the ages of 10-12 years. Throughout their extensive training the marines will be taught all manner of combat strategy, field craft; especially weapons maintenance and basic field repair (unofficially including salvage techniques) due to extended deployments without tech or fleet support dependent on the missions they are carrying out according to established Black Storm doctrine. All recruits are taught about the Chapters history including a basic working knowledge of the formation of the Imperium as a whole. As they advance in rank they also gain access to more of the Chapters secrets and are confirmed into higher levels of the Chapters martial cult; blood drinking is a secret part of these rites but is also a necessity due to certain levels of degradation and subsequent alterations placed upon the Gene Seed after extensive periods of Chapter Service in and around the Warp Storms of the Segmentum Tempestus. Each Initiate is required to make their own combat knife which will bear their name and appropriate Chapter Iconography; they will rely on this blade for the rest of their service and loosing ones blade is considered a mark of deep shame amongst the Chapter. Captains are required to make their own swords under strict Artificer supervision upon acceptance and attainment of the rank. The Chapter Master is selected from amongst the Chapters Captains by a combined vote from their fellow Captains, the Chapter Seekers and their brethren as a whole. Once elected they serve for life and cannot be removed from their post except for Heresy and/or subsequent death. CHAPTER GENE SEED Defects: Due to Gene Seed degradation over the Centuries due to the proximity to the Warp in the Segmentum Tempestus the Biscopea organ also has the negative side effect of rendering the Black Storm unable to feel or even register pain – this has resulted in Marines fighting on without being aware of crippling injuries and has resulted in many deaths. The Apothecaries are monitoring this progression but have so far been unable to reverse its effects. For reasons unknown to the Apothecaries due to Gene Seed degradation the Haemasteman organ in older Space Marines has turned their blood black – other than the coloring no side other effects have been noticed. Catalepsean Node A few cases have been reported in recent years amongst Veteran Space Marines where the Catalepsean Node has failed to reactivate the brain areas and has conversely shut down the brain entirely killing the Marine outright. So far the numbers are not sufficient to warrant Gene Seed destruction and the Seed harvested and replanted has displayed no such problems in new initiates – the Apothecaries are monitoring this problem continuously but have not been able to explain it or rectify it yet. The Black Storm have the Omophagea organ but it compels the Marine to seek and consume blood especially during intense close combat operations. Apothecaries and Seekers are continuously monitoring this situation due to the Gene Seed degradation but it has had no real effect on the operational effectiveness of the Chapter as a whole. In fact it has created a fearsome reputation amongst the Chapter’s enemies and one which the current Chapter Master is keen to reinforce and exploit. Black Storm eyesight thanks to the Occulobe implant has actually been enhanced by the Gene Seed’s degradation giving them better night vision than day which is why they prefer to fight at night if possible and cannot fight in extreme light conditions without specially modified helmets. Black Storm Space Marines are naturally pale skinned due to their Gene Seed and cannot tolerate high levels of sun outside of their armored form as they will actually begin to burn as a result of the Melanchromic organs alterations and Gene Seed degradation; this is still implanted though as it seems to convey much greater healing rates to skin as a whole from trauma. The Black Storm don't have the Betcher's gland due to Gene Seed degradation in the presence of the Warp. ‘Spit on them? the only thing I spit is their blood over their cold dead corpses!’ Sgt Helias Kaine, Second Company, Assault Marine Sgt. CHAPTER FLEETS SPACE MARINE VESSELS SPACE MARINE BATTLEBARGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 425 pts Most Space Marine Chapters control two or three battle barges and the Black Storm are no exception; the Chapter initially had three in total but lost one (Tempest’s Fury) when an unexpected Warp Storm erupted on the vessels journey to deliver a gene seed tithe quota to the Mechanicum for purity testing roughly a century after its founding. The vessel, its crew and its entire escort fleet were lost to the warp (280.M35) but the Chapter has never given up hope that the ship may one day re-appear from the void. They are very brutal vessels, with only one purpose behind their design. As might be expected, a battle barge, is configured for close support of planetary landings and carries numerous bombardment turrets and torpedo tubes. A considerable amount of hull space is given over to launch bays for intra-system craft and drop pods, observations indicating that up to three companies can deploy simultaneously. The vessel is extremely heavily armoured and well shielded, presumably so that it can breach planetary defences without harm coming to its cargo. Naturally the battle barge would make a frightening opponent in any situation where boarding is involved. Tempest’s Fury – Missing. Search suspended pending new data. Lightning Storm – On station Novaria Prime. Storms Heart – On active campaign along Verossa Asteroid belt against recent increases in pirate activity. Extreme outskirts of Novaria System. SPACE MARINE STRIKE CRUISER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 145 pts While a Space Marine Chapter only rarely employs the might of its battle barges, Adeptus Astartes strike cruisers are a more common, although still rare, sight. Often the arrival of a Space Marine strike cruiser is enough to quell a rebellious system. The Space Marines are quick to act if their enemies’ surrender is not immediately forthcoming; the Black Storm only give opponent’s one chance – once missed a second is never offered. Strike cruisers are fast, lightly-armed vessels which mass slightly less than the Imperial Navy’s dauntless class light cruisers. Their primary function seems to be that of rapid response, reports indicate that they are invariably the first craft to arrive at a threatened planet. Strike cruisers normally carry approximately one full company of Space Marines (including support vehicles) and have been observed to deploy them within twenty minutes of arrival in orbit. Black Storm vessels only carry half that number and due to the specialised nature of their tactics only rapid attack support is present unless heavier equipment is required and has been sourced. The Black Storm have six such vessels used primarily as Fleet Command ships co-ordinating escort and frigate vessels used to patrol the fringe and escort vital supplies. Storm Strike Storm Shield Storms Wrath Fire Storm Storm Guard Blood Storm SPACE MARINE RAPID STRIKE VESSELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . pts: varies All Space Marine Chapters make use of ships known collectively as rapid strike vessels. These ships are mainly used for patrols through the Space Marines’ domains, and for providing a mobile escort for the battle barges and strike cruisers. Rapid strike vessels are crewed by the Chapters’ serfs, overseen by a cadre of Techmarines and other specialists. Cobra Class Destroyer: (Replaced by Hunter Class below) (bb – six), (sc –three). Firestorm Class Frigate: (bb – four) ,(sc –two). Sword Class Frigate: (bb – ten) , (sc –five). Using Rapid Strike Vessels: There are many different types of rapid strike vessel, and their design can vary from Chapter to Chapter. Space Marine Fleets may represent these various rapid strike vessels by using the escorts from the Gothic Sector fleet list, with the additional Space Marine rules listed earlier, at the points cost indicated in the Adeptus Astartes fleet list. The Chapter employs a standardised approach to these vessels with a total of ten per strike cruiser and twenty per battle barge. Instead of individual ship names they are given the last name of the command vessel and an accompanying numerical designation e.g. Guard IV – referring to the Strike Cruiser Shadow Guard Strike Vessel Four. HUNTER CLASS DESTROYER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 40 pts The Hunter class destroyer, although based on a design long available to almost all Space Marine Chapters, was pioneered primarily by the Dark Angels, whose deep distrust of other factions within the Imperial hierarchy made acquisition of vessels from shipyards and forgeworlds far more problematic than for most other Chapters. As such, the Dark Angels chose the Hunter class destroyer as the most viable counterpart to the Imperial Navy’s cobra and maintain large flotillas of the vessel in all their battle fleets. The Black Storm saw the worth of such vessels in their numerous support battles over Armageddon and earlier support engagements early in their history alongside the Dark Angels and their successors; they maintain a large number in their fleets replacing the Cobra class. Numbers as above. GLADIUS CLASS FRIGATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 45 pts Invariably the Gladius is the most numerous escort within a chapter-fleet, being one of the few escorts in relatively uniform usage across the Chapters. The vessel, although larger than any genuine gunboats likely to be in use, is relatively small by Space Marine standards, seldom carrying much more than a single squad of Space Marines who are invariably spread across its decks and control centres supervising the much more numerous chapter serfs upon whom the chapter relies for actual operation of its vessels. As such, the Gladius lacks the genuine punch of other Space Marine vessels, and is of little use in their favoured planetary assaults, but instead earns itself an admirable place as the foremost ship of the line when it comes to more mundane border patrols and deep space blockades. Due to its uses as a patrol and rapid pursuit vessel the Black Storm maintain a huge number of these ships on near constant escort duties throughout Novaria. Each fleet maintains between thirty to forty of these vessels though most are on detached service at any one time unless recalled for an imminent threat such as an Ork Waaagh or Chaos insurgency. NOVA CLASS FRIGATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 50 pts Of all the vessels in the service of the Adeptus Astartes, the Nova class frigate is commonly the single class to which the Imperial Navy take the most exception. It lacks sufficient size to really fulfil the deployment and assault roles for which Space Marine ships are primarily intended and its lance armament and speed make it a menacing gunboat in its own right. As such, the Nova remains rare in most Space Marine fleets, a trend the Imperial Navy, the Inquisition and other institutions perpetually concerned by the balance of power would dearly love to see continue. The Black Storm has however found an increased requirement for these vessels where their unique speed and armaments have turned critical battles in favour of the Chapter; especially suited to reach and tie down enemies before the rest of the fleet is able to arrive they have proved an invaluable asset and one which the Chapter is keen to maintain despite continued criticism and opposition. They maintain a total of thirty of these ships; eight per battle barge and four per strike cruiser, shortly following the Chapters own founding two of these vessels were lost in the Warp storm alongside the Tempests Fury and despite being lost are still held on record should they ever return from the void. NOVARIA IMPERIAL BATTLE FLEET IMPERIAL APOCALYPSE CLASS BATTLESHIP . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .365 pts The Apocalypse class is an ancient design that is generally believed to have been the precursor of the Retribution class battleship millennia ago. The superior technologies used to construct the multiple lance turrets on the Apocalypse have now all but been forgotten and so the small number of examples of this ship can never be replaced. The loss of even one will always be keenly felt. It has been theorised by naval strategists that the vessel was specifically created to counter the ever-growing numbers of battleships and grand cruisers that attempted to lead Chaos raiding fleets from within the Eye of Terror. In this duty, the Apocalypse has proved itself to be everything the Imperial Navy could have wished for. The rows of fearsome lance armament along the broadsides of the Apocalypse are its most distinctive feature. It has been noted that these lance arrays are fully capable of operating at much greater ranges by an engineering process that greatly increases the load-bearing capabilities of their main power relays. However, the array conduits themselves become notoriously unreliable when stressed this far and run- away power drains can easily start to sap energy from the ship’s main drives, making the Apocalypse sluggish in the midst of battle. Thus, almost all existing Apocalypse class battleships keep their lance armament limited to medium ranges. Most Segmentum fleets have at least a few examples of the Apocalypse still in battle- worthy condition, though their numbers are gradually dwindling. The Novaria Sub-Sector only has one such vessel in the Imperial Navy and it the flag ship ‘Emperor’s Light’, manned by crewmen from all of Novaria’s Noble families as well as regular Imperial Navy personnel it is a political minefield aboard yet the military power it represents cannot be underestimated. IMPERIAL OBERON CLASS BATTLESHIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .335 pts The Oberon class battleship is an incredibly rare vessel, a very early variant of the Emperor class that has been gradually phased out after the renowned successes of its more well-known predecessor. The Oberon itself was an attempt to design a battleship that could theoretically deal with all manner of threats without the constant need of all existing classes to rely on escorting vessels. Though it lacks the sheer blanket coverage of ordnance that an Emperor class can lay down, the Oberon retains all the fearsome firepower of the previous design, whilst adding two devastating long-ranged lance batteries to each broadside. Often used in dangerous armed patrols with little or no escort, the Oberon is able to utilise its superior sensor probes to allow a captain to judge the nature of potential threats long before they are aware of the battleship’s own presence, a factor that makes the Oberon superior to most other ships in this role. In combat, the Oberon lacks the hard-hitting power of the Retribution and Apocalypse classes and the massive attack craft wings that an Emperor can deploy, but it has consistently proved itself to be a very capable ship of the line that has the potential to defeat any enemy it may face. Unusually for a Space Marine Chapter – and following a bloody civil war amongst Novaria’s Noble Houses (the main commanders of the then Imperial Navy) the Black Storm became the unwilling commanders of the Imperial Fleet for the region and implemented a rigorous training regime on the newly re-founded Imperial Navy under their direct oversight. The Novaria Fleet was denied the most modern Imperial warships for fears of a re-occurrence of the previous blood shed but has gradually taken receipt of these outdated vessels as they were replaced in other fleets – as such Novaria now boasts over thirty six of these impressive all round vessels travelling in roving packs of three along with numerous support vessels they project a fearsome enough presence to deter all but the most determined attacker. Although command of the Novaria Navy has long since returned to the Novaria Nobility and central Imperial Navy Command strong links with the Chapter have been maintained ever since allowing for a wide range of mutual support missions throughout its long history. IMPERIAL EXORCIST CLASS GRAND CRUISER . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .230 pts The Exorcist class was originally developed as a long range patrol vessel, capable of self-sufficiency for long periods of time away from fleet support. Usually operating with two or three squadrons of escorts, Exorcists were often posted to the far-flung corners of the Imperium to patrol the edges of the Eastern Fringe and into the galactic halo. Down the years the Exorcist has gradually been replaced by later ship designs, especially the Mars class. Some Exorcists were kept on by fleets on the fringes of the Imperium to plough the long lonely patrol routes into the halo. Many Exorcists were used as colonial transports. The entire penal colony of Brandt 764 was moved en masse by Exorcist grand cruisers to populate and work Tor Alpha, a world beyond the Eastern Fringe, discovered by (and named after) the famous Rogue Trader Felix Tor. The Exorcist squadron, led by the Light of Ascension was then used as convoy escorts for the ore transports returning to the Imperium, and played a major part in the defence of the system when it was attacked and eventually overrun by a Tyranid hive fleet. To this day the Novarian Imperial Fleet maintains large numbers of these vessels working in tandem with the older battle ships or in small groups beside the Space Marines ensuring that all of Novaria’s valuable raw materials, supplies and equipment reach even the most isolated outpost of the Segmentum Tempestus. Exact numbers are hard to pin down but at last count over a hundred such vessels were registered in active service with the Novaria Fleet. IMPERIAL ARMAGEDDON CLASS BATTLE CRUISER . . . . . . . . . ..245 pts The Armageddon class was developed in an attempt to rapidly increase the number of available battle cruisers. Almost without exception, Armageddon class ships are built from the recovered hulls of crippled Lunar class vessels, making them one of the easiest battle cruisers to construct, though many fleet commanders have proved unwilling to sacrifice large numbers of their main front-line cruiser. The very first example to depart the extensive St. Jowen’s Dock was the Ex Cathedra. Originally named the Orion as a Lunar class, the ship suffered heavily whilst engaging Chaos raiders above the world of Pyran and, as it limped back to the Armageddon system, the decision was made not only to repair the venerable vessel, but to upgrade it to battle cruiser standards. Power relays were re-routed from the ship’s main plasma reactors to provide a substantial increase in efficiency for the existing weapons batteries, whilst long-ranged lance turret arrays were built upon a modified dorsal spine. This alone gave the ship a much greater punch at medium ranges and the ability to engage at distance. An immediate drawback became obvious as nearly three and a half thousand extra crewmen had to be drafted in simply to man the additional weapons and to maintain the short-lived relays that powered them. Despite these problems the Imperial Novaria Fleet maintains a very high number of these vessels; partly this is a hangover from the Sectors role as a break up yard for retiring Imperial Vessels and the large number of Lunar Class hulls that were available for retrofit. The great shipyards above Novaria worked tirelessly to send these vessels to the Armageddon battle zone throughout the war and has continued to maintain and export them to various fleets and Sectors ever since. BLACK STORM CHAPTER ORGANISATION CHAPTER COMMAND Chapter Master: Lionel Vestanten Chapter Champion: Hans Vegar (Vet Sgt of the Fifth) Honour Guard: Vet Sgt Jara Brak Nine Storm Shields (Vet Brothers) 2 Terminator Squads (Vets) Chapter Equeries: 2,000. (500 to monitor and record all Sub-Sector reports and transactions involving the Chapter. ARMOURY Master of the Forge: Vaelon Fel 40 Tech Marines (10 Technical Masters – Equipment maintenance and repair, 10 Fleet Masters, 10 Forge Masters tasked with replacment fabrication and construction, 10 Fortress Masters – responsible for maintenance, strengthening and expansion of the Chapters Fortress network) 120 Technical Artisans (Human specialist craftsmen) APOTHECARION Chief Apothecary: Dramon Res 12 Apothecaries SEEKER COUNCIL Storm Seeker: Darias Khal (Dreadnaught) 10 Seekers, 10 Seers (Seeker Initiates) 1ST COY Battle Company Captain: Ajax Fen 5 Tactical Squads 3 Assault Squads 2 Devastator Squads 2 Scout Squad 2ND COY Battle Company Captain: Lucius Verenus 5 Tactical Squads 3 Assault Squads 2 Devastator Squads 2 Scout Squad 3RD COY Battle Company Captain: Aeron Grim (the Black Wolf) 5 Tactical Squads 3 Assault Squads 2 Devastator Squads 2 Scout Squad 4TH COY Battle Company Captain: Titas Pullo 5 Tactical Squads 3 Assault Squads 2 Devastator Squads 2 Scout Squad 5TH COY Battle Company Captain: Hector Ter (Talon to his men) 5 Tactical Squads 3 Assault Squads 2 Devastator Squads 2 Scout Squad 6TH COY Battle Company Captain: Braskus Hael 5 Tactical Squads 3 Assault Squads 2 Devastator Squads 2 Scout Squad 7TH COY Battle Company Captain: Saran Jal 5 Tactical Squads 3 Assault Squads 2 Devastator Squads 2 Scout Squad 8TH COY Battle Company Captain: Julius Neir 5 Tactical Squads 3 Assault Squads 2 Devastator Squads 2 Scout Squad 9TH COY Battle Company Captain: Beratus Keirn (the Bear) 5 Tactical Squads 3 Assault Squads 2 Devastator Squads 2 Scout Squad 10TH COY Battle Company Captain: Ragnar Aixe (Blood Axe) 5 Tactical Squads 3 Assault Squads 2 Devastator Squads 2 Scout Squad THE LOST Command Company Master: Titus Avello 10 Honour Guards Librarian: Niahlus Lore Captain: Uriel Cairn (5th Coy) 2 Tactical Squads (5th Coy) 1 Assault Squad (5th Coy) 1 Scout Squad (10th Coy) Full compliment lost in transit aboard the Tempest’s Fury when a sudden Warp Storm erupted on the vessels journey to deliver a gene seed tithe quota to the Mechanicum for purity testing roughly a Century after its founding. The vessel, its crew and its entire escort fleet were lost to the warp but the Chapter has never given up hope that the ships may one day re-appear from the void. Unknown to most the Chapter Master had insisted on overseeing the mission personally as he believed it essential that the Chapter’s Seed be given such a high priority – ‘We must be seen as pure and beyond all reproach in the eyes of Terra; this tithe will be our first judgement and I am determined that it will not be our last’, ‘of course my Lord as you say Chapters have been struck down for far less – they must not know of the Storms effects, they must not know……’ recording between Master Titus Avello and Chief Librarian Niahlus Lore, extract time unrecorded, reason – record lost, date 280.M35. CURRENT DETACHED DEPLOYMENTS Several fleet assets deployed in support and rebuilding efforts with the beleaguered Crimson Fists. Maintaining patrol routes and resource shipments to ensure Chapter rebuilding proceeds according to plan. Pilot programme: due to the Hawk Lords excellence in Thunder hawk gun ship low extraction tactics several brother pilots (as denoted by unique white helmets – colour stripe denoting rank) are in service with the Hawk Lords’ Talon Wing. Several Techmarines are currently on detached operations besides both Iron Hands and Salamanders Companies in order to hone their body augmentation skills and armour/weapon forge skills. Both are key to the continued survivability and maintenance of high tempo close quarter operations maintained by the Black Storm Chapter. Several high ranking Veterans are also currently in service with the Exorcists Chapter whose extreme views on the dangers of Psykers mirror the Chapters own. Several Chapter Assault Specialists are working beside Space Wolf forces to improve close combat skills and learn new tactics that may benefit Chapter role; championed by Grim. Warning Alert: Current Chapter strength in Novaria Sub-Sector is severely depleted due to multiple large scale on-going operations in both Armageddon and latest Black Crusade campaigns; three remaining companies are digging in following Imperial Navy reports of ‘the Lost’ returning to the Sector – believed fallen to Chaos. 3rd Company under Aeron Grim (Black Wolf) is mobilizing to engage head on at ‘Traitors Hope’ asteroid belt but with minimal fleet support. Main Novaria Imperial Fleet and Noble House Assets are preparing fortified fronts over key worlds of the Sector. House Arvas only exception; full fleet and troops placed at disposal of Black Storm Chapter. May the Emperor save us all.