Name: Yse Cristos
Rank: Tech Sergeant
Squad: Cristos' Clankers
Chapter: Aleran Legion (Ultramarines Archtype, Temporary)
Character Archtype: Tech Marine
Wounds: 20 Fate Points: 3 XP Spent:14,000
Primary Stat Line:
[WS:44][BS:38][S:40][T:44][Ag:37][Int:56][Per:43][Wil:37][Fel:37]
Strength Bonus: 8 (unnatural strength x2) Toughness Bonus: 8 (unnatural toughness x2)
Armour Adjusted Stat Line(Power Armour):
[WS:44][BS:38][S:60][T:44][Ag:37][Int:56][Per:43][Wil:37][Fel:37]
Strength Bonus: 10 (unnatural strength x2) Toughness Bonus: 8 (unnatural toughness x2)
Gear:
Power Armour "Armour of the Forge Fathers": - 'Common' rarity, Terror be thy friend History Roll.
Servo-Arm "Aramic's Armature"
Auger Array "Phantom's Eye"
Bolter "Mechanus' Reach": - 'Common' rarity
Special Abilities
Improve Cover: The Techmarine can add a number of Armour Points equal to his unmodified intelligence Bonus to any cover. Improving Cover requires a Full Action
Skills:
Awareness[Per]: T
Ciphers (Chapter Runs)[Int]: T
Climb[S]: T
Common Lore (Adeptus Astartes)[Int]: T
Common Lore (Imperium)[Int]: T
Common Lore (War)[Int]:T
Concealment[Ag]: T
Dodge[Ag]: T
Drive (Ground Vehicles)[Ag]: T
Forbidden Lore(Adeptus Mechanicus)[Int]: T
Intimidate[Str]: T
Literacy[Int]: T
Navigation (Surface)[Int]: T
Scholastic Lore (Codex Astartes)[Int]: T
Silent Move[Ag]: T
Security[Ag]: T
Speak Language (High Gothic)[Int]: T
Speak Language (Low Gothic)[Int]: T
Speak Language (Techna-Lingua)[Int]:T
Tech-Use[Int]: T
Tracking[Int]: T
Talents
Ambidextrous
Astartes Weapons Training
Bulging Biceps - Can Fire Heavy weapons without bracing without penalty
Electro-Graft Use - May use Electo-Graft to access data ports and commune with the machine spirits. This grants a +10 bonus to Common Lore, Inquiry, or Tech-Use Tests whilst connected to a data port.
Heightened Senses(Hearing,Sight) - +10 (+20 in armour)
Killing Strike - During All-Out Attack may spend a Fate Point (before rolling dice) to make melee attacks for the round impossible to parry or dodge.
Mechadendrite Use(Servo-Arm)- Allows use of a Servo Arm. Can be used in Combat
Nerves of Steel - Re-roll failed Willpower Tests to avoid or recover from Pinning
Quick Draw - Ready weapon is a Free action
Rapid Reload - Halve all reload actions
Resistance (Pyschic Powers) - +10 bonus when attempting to resist
True Grit - Whenever character takes Critical Damage, halve the result (Round Up)
Unarmed Master - Unarmed combat attacks do 1d10+SB in Impact Damage, and these attacks no longer have the primitive quality.
Traits
Mechanicus Implants
Unnatural Strength x2
Unnatural Toughness x2
Advances Purchased
200 Int +5
400 Security T
400 Forbidden Lore(Adeptus Mechanicus) T
Other Notes
For taking Ultramarines as the Chapter choice (may change once Rites of Battle is aquired) was allowed 2 +5 characteristic bumps of my choice. Bumped WS and Int
Cristos is a relatively new Tech Marine, having earned his Tech Sergeant status only a century or so ago. Still he is a favorite of the Master of the Forge for his eye for detail, and an incredible record of successful battlefield salvage, and returning near wrecks to functional condition, when most would expect such things to be a loss.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Tactica Entry: Veteran Sergeant Marius Stephland
Name: Marius Stephland
Rank: Veteran Sergeant
Squad: Fist of the First (Tactical Terminators)
Chapter: Aleran Legion (Ultramarines Archtype, Temporary)
Character Archtype: Tactical Marine
Wounds: 22 Fate Points: 3 XP Spent:14,000
Primary Stat Line:
[WS:43][BS:50][S:43][T:42][Ag:41][Int:43][Per:40][Wil:42][Fel:41]
Strength Bonus: 8 (unnatural strength x2) Toughness Bonus: 8 (unnatural toughness x2)
Armour Adjusted Stat Line(Terminator):
[WS:43][BS:50][S:83][T:42][Ag:21][Int:43][Per:40][Wil:42][Fel:41]
Strength Bonus: 12 (unnatural strength x2) Toughness Bonus: 8 (unnatural toughness x2)
Gear:
Terminator Armour "Pillar of Might": - 'Common' rarity, Thy Strength be Legend history roll.
Power Sword "Reckoning's Edge": - 'Common' rarity
Heavy Flamer "Soulfire": - 'Common' rarity
Special Abilities
Bolter Mastery - The Tactical Marine gains a +10 bonus to all ballistic Skill Tests and +2 damage when firing a Bolt weapon. This ability only functions in Solo Mode
Skills:
Awareness[Per]: T
Ciphers (Chapter Runs)[Int]: T
Climb[S]: T
Command[Fel]:T
Common Lore (Adeptus Astartes)[Int]: T
Common Lore (Imperium)[Int]: T
Common Lore (War)[Int]:T
Concealment[Ag]: T
Dodge[Ag]: T
Drive (Ground Vehicles)[Ag]: T
Intimidate[Str]: T
Literacy[Int]: T
Navigation (Surface)[Int]: T
Scholastic Lore (Codex Astartes)[Int]: T
Silent Move[Ag]: T
Speak Language (High Gothic)[Int]: T
Speak Language (Low Gothic)[Int]: T
Tactics (Assault Doctrine)[Int]: T
Tech-Use[Int]: T
Tracking[Int]: T
Talents
Ambidextrous
Astartes Weapons Training
Bulging Biceps - Can Fire Heavy weapons without bracing without penalty
Heightened Senses(Hearing,Sight) - +10 (+20 in armour)
Killing Strike - During All-Out Attack may spend a Fate Point (before rolling dice) to make melee attacks for the round impossible to parry or dodge.
Nerves of Steel - Re-roll failed Willpower Tests to avoid or recover from Pinning
Quick Draw - Ready weapon is a Free action
Rapid Reload - Halve all reload actions
Resistance (Pyschic Powers) - +10 bonus when attempting to resist
True Grit - Whenever character takes Critical Damage, halve the result (Round Up)
Unarmed Master - Unarmed combat attacks do 1d10+SB in Impact Damage, and these attacks no longer have the primitive quality.
Traits
Unnatural Strength x2
Unnatural Toughness x2
Advances Purchased
200 - Rapid Reload
800 - Tech Use
Other Notes
For taking Ultramarines as the Chapter choice (may change once Rites of Battle is aquired) was allowed 2 +5 characteristic bumps of my choice. Bumped Fel and Int
Stephland is a veteran of hundreds, if not thousands of campaigns, to be honest he's forgotten how many. For over six hundred years he's served in the Legion, and for almost four hundred of them, he's held Terminator Honors. With Septimus's Fall, he is the most experienced Battle-Brother aboard the Wrath of the Legionnaire with the confines and power of Terminator Armour.
Rank: Veteran Sergeant
Squad: Fist of the First (Tactical Terminators)
Chapter: Aleran Legion (Ultramarines Archtype, Temporary)
Character Archtype: Tactical Marine
Wounds: 22 Fate Points: 3 XP Spent:14,000
Primary Stat Line:
[WS:43][BS:50][S:43][T:42][Ag:41][Int:43][Per:40][Wil:42][Fel:41]
Strength Bonus: 8 (unnatural strength x2) Toughness Bonus: 8 (unnatural toughness x2)
Armour Adjusted Stat Line(Terminator):
[WS:43][BS:50][S:83][T:42][Ag:21][Int:43][Per:40][Wil:42][Fel:41]
Strength Bonus: 12 (unnatural strength x2) Toughness Bonus: 8 (unnatural toughness x2)
Gear:
Terminator Armour "Pillar of Might": - 'Common' rarity, Thy Strength be Legend history roll.
Power Sword "Reckoning's Edge": - 'Common' rarity
Heavy Flamer "Soulfire": - 'Common' rarity
Special Abilities
Bolter Mastery - The Tactical Marine gains a +10 bonus to all ballistic Skill Tests and +2 damage when firing a Bolt weapon. This ability only functions in Solo Mode
Skills:
Awareness[Per]: T
Ciphers (Chapter Runs)[Int]: T
Climb[S]: T
Command[Fel]:T
Common Lore (Adeptus Astartes)[Int]: T
Common Lore (Imperium)[Int]: T
Common Lore (War)[Int]:T
Concealment[Ag]: T
Dodge[Ag]: T
Drive (Ground Vehicles)[Ag]: T
Intimidate[Str]: T
Literacy[Int]: T
Navigation (Surface)[Int]: T
Scholastic Lore (Codex Astartes)[Int]: T
Silent Move[Ag]: T
Speak Language (High Gothic)[Int]: T
Speak Language (Low Gothic)[Int]: T
Tactics (Assault Doctrine)[Int]: T
Tech-Use[Int]: T
Tracking[Int]: T
Talents
Ambidextrous
Astartes Weapons Training
Bulging Biceps - Can Fire Heavy weapons without bracing without penalty
Heightened Senses(Hearing,Sight) - +10 (+20 in armour)
Killing Strike - During All-Out Attack may spend a Fate Point (before rolling dice) to make melee attacks for the round impossible to parry or dodge.
Nerves of Steel - Re-roll failed Willpower Tests to avoid or recover from Pinning
Quick Draw - Ready weapon is a Free action
Rapid Reload - Halve all reload actions
Resistance (Pyschic Powers) - +10 bonus when attempting to resist
True Grit - Whenever character takes Critical Damage, halve the result (Round Up)
Unarmed Master - Unarmed combat attacks do 1d10+SB in Impact Damage, and these attacks no longer have the primitive quality.
Traits
Unnatural Strength x2
Unnatural Toughness x2
Advances Purchased
200 - Rapid Reload
800 - Tech Use
Other Notes
For taking Ultramarines as the Chapter choice (may change once Rites of Battle is aquired) was allowed 2 +5 characteristic bumps of my choice. Bumped Fel and Int
Stephland is a veteran of hundreds, if not thousands of campaigns, to be honest he's forgotten how many. For over six hundred years he's served in the Legion, and for almost four hundred of them, he's held Terminator Honors. With Septimus's Fall, he is the most experienced Battle-Brother aboard the Wrath of the Legionnaire with the confines and power of Terminator Armour.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Rites of Mars: Armour
Astartes Power Armour Mark VII "Aquilla" Pattern
Ceramite Plating: Provides AP 10 to the Body and AP 8 to all other locations
Enhanced Strength:Increase the Battle-Brother's Strength by +20. The effect on SB is calculated after the Unnatural Strength multiplier.
Auto-senses: The Space Marine ganes the Dark Sight Trait, and Hightened Senses (+10 to relevant Tests) for Sight and Sound, Imput filtering provides immunity to photon flash grenades and stun grenades. Note that these benefits only apply whilst the Space Marine is wearing his helmet, and the benefits from the Auto-seneses stack with the benefits of the Space Marines's Lyman's Ear and Occulobe implants (Meaning that the Space Marines have a +20 to Sight and Sound based Awareness Tests). Aditionally, the Auto-Senses make the Called Shot Action into a Half Action
Osmotic Gill Life Sustainer: With the helmet on, the Armour is enviromentally sealed and can maintain an adequate oxygen supply as long as the unit is powered.
Bio-monitor and Injectors: If the internal cogitator detects a problem with the wearer's bio-sighns, it can administerpain suppressors, combat stimms, and anti-toxins. This provides the following benefits:
* +10 to Tests resisting the Toxic Quality and similar poison effects
* The pain suppressor reservoir has a total of 6 doses, each of which can be used to ignore Critical Effects for 1d10 rounds. The doses may be used in succession or staggered.
* If the wearer is Stunned, the effect lasts a maximum of one Round before the bio-monitor detects and negates it.
Vox Link: Serves as a standard vox and a channel for any more sophisticated data transmissions the suit or its wearer can access. The bio-monitor feed also transmits through this link, permitting a squad to view each others' vitals.
Magnetized Boot Soles: Can be activated to provide the equivalent of Magboots.
Nutrient Recycling: Filters in the armour capture and purify body waste, re-constituting it into a nutrient solution that is intravenously returned to the body. This can sustain a Battle-Brother for long periods of time, but not indefinitely. For every two weeks that no other source of nutrition is ingested, make a Toughness Test or suffer one level of Fatigue until nutrition is consumed. The Difficulty of this test increases one step for every two weeks that passes without food or Preomnor-derived sustenanced.
Recoil Suppression: Provides the ability to fire Basic weapons one-handed. Ranged weapons not classed as Pistols still may not be used in Close Combat.
Giant Among Men: A Space Marine in power armour is Hulking. This increases his basic movement by 1; however, the grace afforded by his Black Carapace negates the modifier enemies would otherwise have to attack him. He Still suffers the usual penalties to Concealment and Silent Move for being heavily armoured
Poor Manual Dexterity: While protective, armoured cloves are not ideal for fine manipulation. Delecate tasks suffer a -10 penalty unless using equipment designed for Space Marines. Similarly, ranged weapons other then those of Astartes design are too small for an armoured Battle-Brother to wield at all.
Power Armour Ritual: Assuming power armour is a sacred ritual, honoring the machine spirit's history of Valiant deeds and praying for its boons in the battles to come. It takes 20 minutes to remove or don power armour un-aided, but never less then 5 minutes no matter the amount of assistance as the proper rites must be observed.
Astartes Artificer Power Armour
Improved AP: Artificer Power Armour provides all the benifits and penaltys of normal Power Armour, with the addition of 12 AP over all locations, and is also *always* Master Crafted
Additional Rules: Helmet includes an MIU in addition to everything listed above for regular Power Armour (MIU stands for Mind Impulse Unit - see Tech Marines section of Armoury in Core rules. Also, roll twice on the Power Armour History table to determine the special properties of the armour.
Astartes Tactical Dreadnought Armour (Terminator)
Improved AP: 14 AP all locations
Additional Benifits: Superior Actuator and stabilisation systems allow for Heavy and Mounted weapons to be fired one-handed. This also provies the Auto-Stabilised Trait and grants +30 to Strength instead of a +20. The Auto-senses are part of a sensorium, which provies the same capabilities as an auspex. (+20 to Awareness Tests, and may make a Tech-Use test to detect things that are not normally visible, such as bio-signatures, poison gas or other toxins, etc.) If Two or more Battle-Brothers are in Terminator Armour, the input link capabilities of a sensorium also increase the Squad's effective Rank by 1 for the purposes of determining weather or not it is in Support Range.
Crux Terminatus: This protection provides the same chance to emerge unscathed as a Force Field with a Protection Rating of 35. Since this is Purely due to the chance of the hit glancing off the armours strongest surfaces, there is no possibility of Overload. (Field Rules - Truncated: A Character may only benifit from one field at a time, regardless of how many different fields he may have equipped. When a character wearing an active field is attacked, roll 1d100. If the result is less thean or equal to the field's protection rating the attack is nullified and has no effect on the protected character. (Although the attack may have an effect on surroundings or other nearby characters, such as with weapons of a Blast Quality.))
Drawbacks: A Terminator cannot Run, and the wearer suffers a -20 to Agility and cannot Dodge (but may still Parry). Furthermore, in order for the Terminator's frame to properly support, aim, and interface with weapons they must be affixed by special couplings. Arming Tactical Dreadnought units is a laborious and sacred ritual that may only be performed by high-ranking Techmarines with the proper ceremonial accoutrements and facilities. This prohibits the weapon configuration from being changed under other circumstances.
Terminator-Compatible Weapons: Any Combi-weapon, Power Weapon or Force Weapon, Storm Bolter, Storm Shield, Heavy Flamer, Assault Cannon, Cyclone Missle Launcher.
Ceramite Plating: Provides AP 10 to the Body and AP 8 to all other locations
Enhanced Strength:Increase the Battle-Brother's Strength by +20. The effect on SB is calculated after the Unnatural Strength multiplier.
Auto-senses: The Space Marine ganes the Dark Sight Trait, and Hightened Senses (+10 to relevant Tests) for Sight and Sound, Imput filtering provides immunity to photon flash grenades and stun grenades. Note that these benefits only apply whilst the Space Marine is wearing his helmet, and the benefits from the Auto-seneses stack with the benefits of the Space Marines's Lyman's Ear and Occulobe implants (Meaning that the Space Marines have a +20 to Sight and Sound based Awareness Tests). Aditionally, the Auto-Senses make the Called Shot Action into a Half Action
Osmotic Gill Life Sustainer: With the helmet on, the Armour is enviromentally sealed and can maintain an adequate oxygen supply as long as the unit is powered.
Bio-monitor and Injectors: If the internal cogitator detects a problem with the wearer's bio-sighns, it can administerpain suppressors, combat stimms, and anti-toxins. This provides the following benefits:
* +10 to Tests resisting the Toxic Quality and similar poison effects
* The pain suppressor reservoir has a total of 6 doses, each of which can be used to ignore Critical Effects for 1d10 rounds. The doses may be used in succession or staggered.
* If the wearer is Stunned, the effect lasts a maximum of one Round before the bio-monitor detects and negates it.
Vox Link: Serves as a standard vox and a channel for any more sophisticated data transmissions the suit or its wearer can access. The bio-monitor feed also transmits through this link, permitting a squad to view each others' vitals.
Magnetized Boot Soles: Can be activated to provide the equivalent of Magboots.
Nutrient Recycling: Filters in the armour capture and purify body waste, re-constituting it into a nutrient solution that is intravenously returned to the body. This can sustain a Battle-Brother for long periods of time, but not indefinitely. For every two weeks that no other source of nutrition is ingested, make a Toughness Test or suffer one level of Fatigue until nutrition is consumed. The Difficulty of this test increases one step for every two weeks that passes without food or Preomnor-derived sustenanced.
Recoil Suppression: Provides the ability to fire Basic weapons one-handed. Ranged weapons not classed as Pistols still may not be used in Close Combat.
Giant Among Men: A Space Marine in power armour is Hulking. This increases his basic movement by 1; however, the grace afforded by his Black Carapace negates the modifier enemies would otherwise have to attack him. He Still suffers the usual penalties to Concealment and Silent Move for being heavily armoured
Poor Manual Dexterity: While protective, armoured cloves are not ideal for fine manipulation. Delecate tasks suffer a -10 penalty unless using equipment designed for Space Marines. Similarly, ranged weapons other then those of Astartes design are too small for an armoured Battle-Brother to wield at all.
Power Armour Ritual: Assuming power armour is a sacred ritual, honoring the machine spirit's history of Valiant deeds and praying for its boons in the battles to come. It takes 20 minutes to remove or don power armour un-aided, but never less then 5 minutes no matter the amount of assistance as the proper rites must be observed.
Astartes Artificer Power Armour
Improved AP: Artificer Power Armour provides all the benifits and penaltys of normal Power Armour, with the addition of 12 AP over all locations, and is also *always* Master Crafted
Additional Rules: Helmet includes an MIU in addition to everything listed above for regular Power Armour (MIU stands for Mind Impulse Unit - see Tech Marines section of Armoury in Core rules. Also, roll twice on the Power Armour History table to determine the special properties of the armour.
Astartes Tactical Dreadnought Armour (Terminator)
Improved AP: 14 AP all locations
Additional Benifits: Superior Actuator and stabilisation systems allow for Heavy and Mounted weapons to be fired one-handed. This also provies the Auto-Stabilised Trait and grants +30 to Strength instead of a +20. The Auto-senses are part of a sensorium, which provies the same capabilities as an auspex. (+20 to Awareness Tests, and may make a Tech-Use test to detect things that are not normally visible, such as bio-signatures, poison gas or other toxins, etc.) If Two or more Battle-Brothers are in Terminator Armour, the input link capabilities of a sensorium also increase the Squad's effective Rank by 1 for the purposes of determining weather or not it is in Support Range.
Crux Terminatus: This protection provides the same chance to emerge unscathed as a Force Field with a Protection Rating of 35. Since this is Purely due to the chance of the hit glancing off the armours strongest surfaces, there is no possibility of Overload. (Field Rules - Truncated: A Character may only benifit from one field at a time, regardless of how many different fields he may have equipped. When a character wearing an active field is attacked, roll 1d100. If the result is less thean or equal to the field's protection rating the attack is nullified and has no effect on the protected character. (Although the attack may have an effect on surroundings or other nearby characters, such as with weapons of a Blast Quality.))
Drawbacks: A Terminator cannot Run, and the wearer suffers a -20 to Agility and cannot Dodge (but may still Parry). Furthermore, in order for the Terminator's frame to properly support, aim, and interface with weapons they must be affixed by special couplings. Arming Tactical Dreadnought units is a laborious and sacred ritual that may only be performed by high-ranking Techmarines with the proper ceremonial accoutrements and facilities. This prohibits the weapon configuration from being changed under other circumstances.
Terminator-Compatible Weapons: Any Combi-weapon, Power Weapon or Force Weapon, Storm Bolter, Storm Shield, Heavy Flamer, Assault Cannon, Cyclone Missle Launcher.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Recuperatio
Octavian frowned, eyeing the readouts on the Admiral's board. He would have been more comfortable with a fellow Marine in charge of the bridge and the fleet, what there was of it, but Admiral Sextus was a fine man, and had served the Chapter and the Third Company Marines that were on anti-pirate patrol when the warpstorm broke quite well.
Besides which, the Master of the Fleet had died in the early battles, amoung the ruins of Kelsa. And the Master of the Forge - Magnus Damondred had enough pressing matters assisting the Apothacary with Septimus.
So many wounds to heal, but that would come in time. First there was the triage of those that survived.
"Sergeant Jeckt, remind me what and who was aboard the Sapientia." Octavian replied after a moments consideration.
"Sir, the loading was haphazard, but my records show that the rememberance tablets from the eastern wall were loaded aboard the Sapientia, along with the fifth squad of the first company, Stelpan's Sternguard. Beyond that, she held three thousand chapter serfs and a few relics that were not deemed important enough to place aboard the Wrath." Jeckt reported as he double checked the Dataslate in his hand. He had become something of the Captain's adjunct, beyond looking after his scouts - he was the provisional head of the Tenth Company. What was left of it.
"Stelpan was no fool, he and his men should still have been in their armour, and may have elected to put themselves in cold sleep. That may drop their vital signs below that which the Wrath's cognators can read. Reguardless, if possible we need to recover their Geneseed, along with any salvage the Tech Marines deem worth the trouble to retrieve. Admiral we will launch a salvage crew, if the launch bay is operational with a Thunderhawk. Sergeant Antillus and the Terminators of the Fist will accompany whatever Tech Marines Damondred can spare, and Apothacary Fenix on a salvage and recovery mission." Octavian replied as his armoured fingers drummed against the helmet latched to his belt. "Any Thunderhawks we have beyond that which are safe to fly and we can spare the pilots for should begin a close patrol of the immediate area, while the remaining ships of the fleet see to any internal and external damage and take stock. We need to catch our breath, and there is little need to push ourselves to oblivion, now that we've escaped it. Once Septimus is seen too, Magnus will work with his Tech Marines to speeed any repair and refit we need, and are able to make without a fleet dock."
"I will pass the word Captain." Sergeant Jeckt stated as he added a few notes to his dataslate.
Initium Novum
c. 0413011.M42 - Callaxis Sector
Droplets of condensation fell in rivelets down the viewscreen.
Moments earlier the Wrath of the Legionnaire, and it's handful of escorts, emerged violently from The Warp. The thin veneer of frost that had enveloped the outer hull melted from the rays of a nearby dying sun.
Admiral Albanus Sextus slouched forward over the tactical display that straddled his lap. Displays glowed amber or red, belying the critical status of numerous sectors within the ship.
"Lord Octavian." Wheezed the shaken admiral. "Despite our damage... The Legionnaire has held together. We have successfully exited the warp."
A smattering of cheers broke from amongst the crew, though most remained somber, aware that at any moment the situation could deteriorate. Admiral Sextus's hands passed over the screen, calling up further displays.
"Four of our escorts are up; the fifth, the Summa Sapientia, is showing multiple hull punctures. I'm afraid that there's nothing left of her but a drifting hulk. At your orders m'lord - what shall you have us do?"
Lore Entry: Journal of Liam Jeckt
'There is only War' is a fairly common statement from the lips of an imperial space marine, but for the Aleran Legion - that saying came home to roost. It’s been almost forty years since I've found enough time to sit in the quiet, and reflect on my thoughts in this journal. And yet, while forty years have passed for me, four hundred have passed for the universe at large.
I suppose I should start at the beginning, as it were.
Alera Prime was a fine world. One of six in the subsector our chapter called home, and the site of the Legion's fortress monastery. We were a fine order, serving our place beside our Codex Astarte's brethren, pitting our might against that of a galaxy that was set to see humanity destroyed. Subsector Alera had not seen a true battle for more than nine hundred years. Every fifty or so, one of its worlds would give up it’s due to the Imperial Guard, and we pulled out initiates off of the hardest two planets population.
It was on such a year that the Warp opened its great maw, and decided to try to swallow the subsector whole.
I can tell you that I have lived for more than five standard lifetimes - and I have never seen such a calamity as what befell the sub-sector. I've seen worlds stolen by the warp. Ships lost, then found hundred or more years later, adrift with arcane terrors in their hold, just waiting for a salvage vessel to pounce on.
And none of it compares to the horrors that descended upon us.
Daemon, Traitor Marines, and worse trod the great worlds of this subsector, and reduced them to lifeless husks of themselves. Not even Tyranids are so complete as this. For forty years the near full might of the Aleran Legion held onto its home world, the world that gave it its name, as the other five worlds crumbled and fell. Beside us a newly formed Regiment of Imperial guard fought like lions, for men so young.
It was a losing war, and every one of the brothers and sisters in that battle knew it - but we would not bow to the Gods of the Warp. In the very end, we had been reduced to but a handful. The remnants of the Chapter re-organized behind the banner of the First Company, holding the walls of our last bastion, the Fortress Monastery herself, as terrors that would shred the mind of a neophyte brother Marine on any world threw themselves against our defenses. With us stood the last remaining men and women of that ill-fated Imperial guard regiment, and every civilian and serf we had managed to save.
Together they hardly number a Battalion, and the fighting men and women of the Guard, were organized down to two company strength.
It was our last hour. The end of the Legion. As was proper, our Chapter Master Gaius Septimus held the outer wall. When the time came to fall back to the inner perimeter, he stood alone, allowing his Marine's to get their foot hold behind him before he would give ground.
It was his finest hour. Hundreds fell at his feet.
But all great men eventually fall.
And as he fell back, the storm bolters mounted on the backs of his terminator armour power fists spat death, and finally clicked dry, a moment before he would have activated his personal teleporter – still functional, at least within the walls of the monastery a terrible psyblast sliced through his armour and fell him.
Before Octavian, the longtime Captain of the First Company could react, his vanguard veterans leapt from their post, and with their jump packs running on the last remaining refined promethium we had available, slammed headlong into the oncoming wave, and for a moment, it faltered. It was enough, and Octavian gave the order to concentrate on the center. Five Thunderfire cannons, overseen by the last of our Tech Marines, and every heavy bolter we still possessed and could find ammo for rained holy death on those monstrosity’s at the gate, and cut a hole for those valiant Brothers.
Of the ten, five lost their lives on that field, but they reached their objective, and together on their Sergeants order, managed to jump as one, bringing the certainly lifeless body of our Chapter Master back to his line, where at least he might lay with his brothers.
At least, that was what we all believed.
But Septimus would not go quietly into the night, and to our Apothecary’s surprise, his body still held life, and the stubbornness that had seen this chapter through its darkest time had not abated in his near death state. Despite the Chief Apothecary’s suggestion that he allow himself to be brought within for treatment, Septimus stayed on the walls, allowing only the most necessary of treatment as he and
Octavian conducted our final stand.
Within twenty minutes of their heroic jump, the Thunderfire cannons fell silent, and soon behind them, the heavy bolters. The last of our bolter ammunition was passed out, and the remaining Guard, refreshed their lasguns with the last of their own dwindling supply of functional power packs.
We would fight to the last.
And as the horde howled, knowing their hour was near, the sky – which for what was now time immemorial had been the eye wrenching, mind destroying kaleidoscope of the warp, was ripped asunder, as if the heavens themselves had opened above us, in a blinding flash.
It was somewhat more mundane then that, however - just the earsplitting crash and mind numbing thump of an orbital bombardment, brought in danger close. But I still believe it was the Emperors own hand that finally slammed the door on the warp storm that had engulfed our subsector, and guided the Wrath of the Legionnaire through the maelstrom in our final hour.
The bombardment lasted for an hour, as fresh troops - or at least, fresh to us - four squads that had been out on antipiracy duty when the warpstorm had first swallowed the sector, fell to terra firma in
drop pods. They brought much needed ammunition, and most importantly hope.
Despite his protests, Septimus, now in grave condition was pulled off the inner wall, as Octavian saw to what was now a holding action. Even with the storm gone, Alera was lost. The land had been completely corrupted, and the survivors would not number enough to take it back, even without the warp's influence and re-enforcement. Our only option was to take to space aboard the Wrath, and her few surviving escorts, bringing our most precious relics and the contents of the Gene seed vault with us.
It took just over five days to finish the lift, and as the last of us filed aboard the last Thunderhawk, Octavian stood before the gangway, looking out one last time on Alera. Twenty minutes after our departure, the massive fusion plants buried beneath for fortress would overload, and take it, and the surrounding area for fifty miles with it.
There would be nothing to come back to.
But on that gangway the Heir Apparent to the Chapter swore that before he drew his last breath, the Legion would return, and scour clean every last one of their worlds of the filth that infested them – and deny the enemy his prize.
They were bold words.
We may yet come to rue their utterance. But they have given us a purpose. We must leave, so that we may become whole. Heal the chapter so that we might wage a holy war for that which was stolen.
They are barren horrible wastelands now - and there is little left to reclaim. But sometimes, honor demands of us the insane. And we must defend that honor to the last.
As we departed, the astropaths and navigators came to a revelation. Based on stellar drift, over four hundred years have passed for the Galaxy at large as we battled the horrors of the warp.
There were two companies off world when the Warp Storm hit, one serving near the Eye of Terror, another was in the Calaxian subsector, assisting with an Orc Uprising. There is every chance they finished their assignments and upon hearing of the warpstorm in their home sector returned with all haste, and flew their company fleets into the maelstrom, in an effort to bring some relief.
Or, they may have wisely stayed clear. We have no way to know... but the Callaxian subsector will be our first stop. It is just over a month, estimated by Warp... while I - and more than likely every member of this Chapter, and our dependents are not particularly in a hurry to step back into that particular maelstrom - the Emperor delivered us once, I do not think he will abandon us now.
But I have dallied enough for one evening. There is work to be done.
-Excerpt from the journal of Veteran Scout Sergeant Liam Jeckt, Tenth Company, Aleran Legion
I suppose I should start at the beginning, as it were.
Alera Prime was a fine world. One of six in the subsector our chapter called home, and the site of the Legion's fortress monastery. We were a fine order, serving our place beside our Codex Astarte's brethren, pitting our might against that of a galaxy that was set to see humanity destroyed. Subsector Alera had not seen a true battle for more than nine hundred years. Every fifty or so, one of its worlds would give up it’s due to the Imperial Guard, and we pulled out initiates off of the hardest two planets population.
It was on such a year that the Warp opened its great maw, and decided to try to swallow the subsector whole.
I can tell you that I have lived for more than five standard lifetimes - and I have never seen such a calamity as what befell the sub-sector. I've seen worlds stolen by the warp. Ships lost, then found hundred or more years later, adrift with arcane terrors in their hold, just waiting for a salvage vessel to pounce on.
And none of it compares to the horrors that descended upon us.
Daemon, Traitor Marines, and worse trod the great worlds of this subsector, and reduced them to lifeless husks of themselves. Not even Tyranids are so complete as this. For forty years the near full might of the Aleran Legion held onto its home world, the world that gave it its name, as the other five worlds crumbled and fell. Beside us a newly formed Regiment of Imperial guard fought like lions, for men so young.
It was a losing war, and every one of the brothers and sisters in that battle knew it - but we would not bow to the Gods of the Warp. In the very end, we had been reduced to but a handful. The remnants of the Chapter re-organized behind the banner of the First Company, holding the walls of our last bastion, the Fortress Monastery herself, as terrors that would shred the mind of a neophyte brother Marine on any world threw themselves against our defenses. With us stood the last remaining men and women of that ill-fated Imperial guard regiment, and every civilian and serf we had managed to save.
Together they hardly number a Battalion, and the fighting men and women of the Guard, were organized down to two company strength.
It was our last hour. The end of the Legion. As was proper, our Chapter Master Gaius Septimus held the outer wall. When the time came to fall back to the inner perimeter, he stood alone, allowing his Marine's to get their foot hold behind him before he would give ground.
It was his finest hour. Hundreds fell at his feet.
But all great men eventually fall.
And as he fell back, the storm bolters mounted on the backs of his terminator armour power fists spat death, and finally clicked dry, a moment before he would have activated his personal teleporter – still functional, at least within the walls of the monastery a terrible psyblast sliced through his armour and fell him.
Before Octavian, the longtime Captain of the First Company could react, his vanguard veterans leapt from their post, and with their jump packs running on the last remaining refined promethium we had available, slammed headlong into the oncoming wave, and for a moment, it faltered. It was enough, and Octavian gave the order to concentrate on the center. Five Thunderfire cannons, overseen by the last of our Tech Marines, and every heavy bolter we still possessed and could find ammo for rained holy death on those monstrosity’s at the gate, and cut a hole for those valiant Brothers.
Of the ten, five lost their lives on that field, but they reached their objective, and together on their Sergeants order, managed to jump as one, bringing the certainly lifeless body of our Chapter Master back to his line, where at least he might lay with his brothers.
At least, that was what we all believed.
But Septimus would not go quietly into the night, and to our Apothecary’s surprise, his body still held life, and the stubbornness that had seen this chapter through its darkest time had not abated in his near death state. Despite the Chief Apothecary’s suggestion that he allow himself to be brought within for treatment, Septimus stayed on the walls, allowing only the most necessary of treatment as he and
Octavian conducted our final stand.
Within twenty minutes of their heroic jump, the Thunderfire cannons fell silent, and soon behind them, the heavy bolters. The last of our bolter ammunition was passed out, and the remaining Guard, refreshed their lasguns with the last of their own dwindling supply of functional power packs.
We would fight to the last.
And as the horde howled, knowing their hour was near, the sky – which for what was now time immemorial had been the eye wrenching, mind destroying kaleidoscope of the warp, was ripped asunder, as if the heavens themselves had opened above us, in a blinding flash.
It was somewhat more mundane then that, however - just the earsplitting crash and mind numbing thump of an orbital bombardment, brought in danger close. But I still believe it was the Emperors own hand that finally slammed the door on the warp storm that had engulfed our subsector, and guided the Wrath of the Legionnaire through the maelstrom in our final hour.
The bombardment lasted for an hour, as fresh troops - or at least, fresh to us - four squads that had been out on antipiracy duty when the warpstorm had first swallowed the sector, fell to terra firma in
drop pods. They brought much needed ammunition, and most importantly hope.
Despite his protests, Septimus, now in grave condition was pulled off the inner wall, as Octavian saw to what was now a holding action. Even with the storm gone, Alera was lost. The land had been completely corrupted, and the survivors would not number enough to take it back, even without the warp's influence and re-enforcement. Our only option was to take to space aboard the Wrath, and her few surviving escorts, bringing our most precious relics and the contents of the Gene seed vault with us.
It took just over five days to finish the lift, and as the last of us filed aboard the last Thunderhawk, Octavian stood before the gangway, looking out one last time on Alera. Twenty minutes after our departure, the massive fusion plants buried beneath for fortress would overload, and take it, and the surrounding area for fifty miles with it.
There would be nothing to come back to.
But on that gangway the Heir Apparent to the Chapter swore that before he drew his last breath, the Legion would return, and scour clean every last one of their worlds of the filth that infested them – and deny the enemy his prize.
They were bold words.
We may yet come to rue their utterance. But they have given us a purpose. We must leave, so that we may become whole. Heal the chapter so that we might wage a holy war for that which was stolen.
They are barren horrible wastelands now - and there is little left to reclaim. But sometimes, honor demands of us the insane. And we must defend that honor to the last.
As we departed, the astropaths and navigators came to a revelation. Based on stellar drift, over four hundred years have passed for the Galaxy at large as we battled the horrors of the warp.
There were two companies off world when the Warp Storm hit, one serving near the Eye of Terror, another was in the Calaxian subsector, assisting with an Orc Uprising. There is every chance they finished their assignments and upon hearing of the warpstorm in their home sector returned with all haste, and flew their company fleets into the maelstrom, in an effort to bring some relief.
Or, they may have wisely stayed clear. We have no way to know... but the Callaxian subsector will be our first stop. It is just over a month, estimated by Warp... while I - and more than likely every member of this Chapter, and our dependents are not particularly in a hurry to step back into that particular maelstrom - the Emperor delivered us once, I do not think he will abandon us now.
But I have dallied enough for one evening. There is work to be done.
-Excerpt from the journal of Veteran Scout Sergeant Liam Jeckt, Tenth Company, Aleran Legion
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