War Scribes
"What meaning has conquest if the next day brings only ruin?"
Quote attributed to Primarch Arelex Orannis, upon assuming control of the II Legion
| War Scribes | ||
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| Battle Cry | "Humanity Ascendant!" | |
| Number | II | |
| Founding | First Founding | |
| Successors of | N/A | |
| Successor Chapters | Knights Draconian, Knights Penitent, Iron Scribes, Sons of Whitestone, Sons of Atalantos, Sons of Orannis, Lore Bearers, Shrouded Host, Sky Renders, Venom Quills, Lightbringers, Rekindlers | |
| Chapter Master | Ulreg Astelos | |
| Primarch | Arelex Orannis | |
| Homeworld | The Atalantos Worlds | |
| Strength | 100,000 at peak | |
| Specialty | Small-unit tactics, tunnel-fighting, boarding actions | |
| Allegiance | Imperium of Man | |
| Colours | Grey and purple, later gold, purple, and turquoise | |
This page details people, events, and organisations from the /tg/ Heresy, a fan re-working of the Warhammer 40,000 Universe. See the /tg/ Heresy Timeline and Galaxy pages for more information on the Alternate Universe.
History of the War Scribes
"From the ashes, glory."
- Motto of the Second Legion
As with the other First Founding Chapters, the War Scribes' history is long and often shrouded in the mists of time. Before the Reformation, the War Scribes went through some of the most savage fighting of any Legion. They recovered from the brink of annihilation on multiple occasions. Often derided as an unlucky lineage, nevertheless the gene-sons of Arelex Orannis have proven over the millennia that they are survivors above all else. Despite their bloody history, they constantly exhibit a curious optimism and fearlessness.
Beginnings: Legio Secundus
"We were fortunate indeed to have found our Primogenitor so quickly. Not for us the confusion and soul-searching which many other Legions endured. It was as if Lord Arelex had never gone missing, and each War Scribe felt truly blessed among the Legions."
-Maestro Ferrorum Polix Creel, Master of Fellblade "Orkburner"
Like the other Legions, the War Scribes first saw combat action as a squad of the Sacred Band of the Primarch Hektor Cincinnatus. Though Hektor was not their gene-father, the ten members of Second Squad greatly respected him as a military leader and, in a way, their uncle. The Sacred Band's success in the Pacification of the Merican Hives won the Space Marines their place as the Emperor's favourite soldiers. As the Second Squad expanded into a Legion, they recruited heavily from the Gangers who dwelt in Nord Merica's crowded Hive Cities. These men were naturally wild and savage, and were cunning urban warriors. Under Hektor's supervision, Orend Ymoro and his officers molded gang-scum into Space Marines with great success. Throughout the Unification Wars, the fresh-minted Legio Secundus acquitted itself with honour. The Legion also began to develop a more technical mindset, adding the skills of combat engineering to their prowess in built-up areas. "Dirty, Dangerous, Deadly!" became their unofficial motto.
Unfortunately, things became dangerous indeed during the war with Nathaniel Dume's Pan-Pacific Empire. Second Legion were deployed to storm fortifications commanded by Dume's vassal, Vuthros Khan, but were met by a barrage of concealed nuclear missiles. Many Marines were killed instantly, blasted into vapor. Due to the short-comings of the primitive Mark I Power Armour, even the more fortunate battle brothers suffered terrible burns and radiation poisoning. Though the Legion would survive, the resultant gene-seed anomalies kept the Second Legion from major engagements during the last decade of the Unification Wars and held up their deployment to the Great Crusade. The Emperor was greatly busy but devoted what time he had to repairing the damage from Vuthros's rad-weapons. Most of the mutations were minor, but soon Melanchrome organ mutations began emerging, causing a wide and worrying variation in skin coloration. The timely conquest of Luna won the services of a host of skilled genetors, among them the supremely brilliant Pallas Eugenesis. Without the burdens of command that sapped the Emperor's fathomless mind, Pallas and her minions were able to conduct a major repair the Second Legion's gene-seed, though the Eclipse Queen warned that its long-term stability was still in question.
As soon as they had received their conditional bill of health, the warriors of Second Legion went into action for the battles of the Solar System. Due to being stood down for the last years of the Unification Wars, the Second were rested and eager to prove themselves. They fought with distinction across the inner planets and the asteroid belt, earning great honour for their part in the Volemar Gamma Campaign. After the Treaty of Mars in 805.M30, Legio Secundus formed the backbone of the 4th Expedition Fleet, taking the Emperor's Great Crusade to the stars beyond Sol. But an even more significant event was just around the corner.
Notable Battles
- c.780.M30 The Cleansing of Calverna Although the disaster in the war against the Pan-Pacific Empire is better-known, for a time the Second Legion's victory at Calverna marked them out as rising stars among the Emperor's servants.
- c.785.M30 Dalvan Atrocity Nathaniel Dume's henchman, Vuthros Khan, unleashed nuclear weapons on the Second Legion and inflicted terrible casualties.
- 800.M30 Volemar Gamma Campaign. After healing the atomic wounds of the Pan-Pacific campaign, the Second Legion were called on to help the First Legion purge an Orkish outpost menacing Terra.
The Rediscovery of Arelex Orannis
In just the eighth year of the Great Crusade, the Emperor left his First Expedition Fleet in the command of His deputy and traveled to the newly-compliant world Whitestone. Fabricator-General Kalkas Tygian, the Primarch Hektor Cincinnatus and Legion Master Napotiel Greybeard were called on to attend their lord in his mission to this obscure planet. From the bridge of his flagship, the Emperor explained his purpose at Whitestone. A Primarch, one of Hektor's lost brothers, was soon to appear. The Master of Mankind pointed out into the void, and on cue a great hulk burst forth from the warp.
The Emperor commanded his servants to wait, then vanished, borne into the space hulk by an ancient teleporter. Kalkas, Hektor and Napotiel stood silent, their thoughts abuzz. When their lord returned, he had with him the stout, ragged figure of Arelex Orannis. On being introduced to his gene-father, Napotiel could not resist an envious look at noble Hektor. But he saw in the eyes of the first Primarch a look of compassion and warmth towards Arelex. During the short journey back to the Solar System, Arelex had only a passing interest in speaking to Napotiel about the Second Legion and their hard-won victories to date. He was far more eager to talk to the Lord of Mars, Kalkas Tygian, a man whose every word carried the weight of mankind's ancient knowledge. Hektor, as ever the peacemaker, counselled patience among all parties and recommended that his brother take some time on Mars to learn more of the new Imperium before taking command.
While his gene-father studied on the Red Planet, Napotiel returned to command of the Fourth Expedition Fleet. His mind was greatly troubled in those months, especially as the discovery of Arelex Orannis was as yet a closely-guarded secret. But the rigours of campaign helped to keep Napotiel distracted from his concerns about the future of Legio Secundus. When the news of the Primarch's rediscovery and imminent reunion with his gene-sons became public, Napotiel put on a brave face and celebrated with his command, but in his own quarters he worried. The man he had met above Whitestone seemed ill-suited to lead. Would the stay on Mars truly have improved him?
Late in 807.M30 Arelex Orannis formally took command of the Fourth Expedition Fleet on the newly-compliant Civilized World, Makkia. He arrived at he head of substantial reinforcements, mostly Solar Auxilia raised from the stations of the outer Solar System, and he cut an imposing figure in his Mars-forged power armour. None the less, many in the Legion were alarmed to see the bionic replacements that Arelex had received from the Mechanicum. Some wondered if they were to be led by a man or a machine. Napotiel alone saw the bionics as an improvement, knowing how ravaged his gene-father's body had been when he was first discovered, and was quick to lead a cheer for the new lord of the Second Legion. Over time, the Second Legion came to learn and admire the true character of their gene-father. Like the many Legionnaires who had spent their childhood fighting for survival in the Hives of Merica, Arelex Orannis knew what it was to struggle for life from an early age. He impressed on his sons the importance of self-sufficiency while forging tight bonds between squadmates. Arelex also taught Legio Secundus to seek out the lost wisdom of mankind, for a relic that could not be understood today might be of great use tomorrow. Survival, after all, is a long game.
Those who met the reforged Second Legion often remarked on their twin character as Warriors and Scribes, fierce fighters in the Great Crusade and tireless scholars, but it was the ever-caustic Fifth Legion Primarch Gaspard Lumey who first, mockingly, described them as the War Scribes in one of his dispatches. It is unclear whether Arelex Orannis realised his men were being insulted and decided to redeem the epithet or if he simply didn't see a problem with the name in the first place. Regardless, by the second century of the Great Crusade, the name of the War Scribes was famous across the Galaxy. Great victories such as the "Burning of Volganis Beta", the "Scourging Beneath Twin Suns", the "Black March Crusade" and dozens more were added to the Legion's honor rolls. A harder-won battle, the so-called Second Sagittarius Crusade to lead the expansion of the Imperium into the Atalantos Worlds would have a great effect on both the War Scribes and the Imperium.
Notable Campaigns
- The Reaving of Powanam Voct. Under Napotiel Greybeard the War Scribes win one of their first major victories outside of the Solar System.
- The Iron Waltz
- First Sagittarius Crusade
- Specularia Incident
- Second Sagittarius Crusade
Legion Culture
"These are the words of our Primarch and gene-sire, Lord Arelex Orannis. Here are the codes we live by, recorded for all time. Let there never be doubt in your minds of the correct path to take, in any given situation. We know the truths of the universe. We have seen the terrors that lie beyond the path of righteousness. The evidence is insurmountable and clear, and to defy or ignore it is the purest folly. Now, Initiates, repeat after me, the Oath of Orannis!"
- "First Address" recited by the Chapter Master of the War Scribes for each new graduating class of Initiates, at the completion of their training and gene-seed implantation.
| The Oath of Orannis |
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"Good, Initiates! Now, repeat after me the Five Truths of the Primarch, as passed down through the Chapter Masters of old, to remind you that a War Scribe's greatest weapon is his disciplined thoughts! A true Scribe sees beyond the veils that blind lesser warriors, and peers deeply into both past and future! Rededicate yourselves to the ideals of the man who would reshape the Galaxy itself! Honor the precious gifts that our Primarch has granted his children!"
- "Second Address" recited by the Chapter Master of the War Scribes for each new graduating class of Initiates, at the completion of their training and gene-seed implantation.
| The Five Truths of the War Scribes |
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Legion Colors
"Purple and grey? Those are our colors. Always have been, maybe always will be. Everyone in the Hives had their colors. It's your identity. Friend and foe."
Quote attributed to Napotiel Greybeard, choosing the Second Legion's livery prior to Arelex's arrival.
The Legion's original livery was unpainted ceramite gray, with a small amount of purple trim. They went about their business garbed in thick shrouds, cloaks, and robes, kept in memory of the rags the Nord Mericans wrapped around themselves for protection back on Terra. A warrior of the Second Legion was also never caught without at least a few pouches or satchels on his person. They remembered the harsh times from childhood when food or water were scarce, and any supplies discovered on their scavenging must be returned to the clan.
When Arelex rejoined his Legion, he permitted these traditions to remain, seeing no harm in wearing cloth over their armor, or keeping multipurpose containers on their belts. He merely upgraded them, creating heat-dissipating cowls, chamelioline cloaks, or thickly constructed flak-weave tabards capable of deflecting shrapnel.
After the Legion's victory over the Craftworld, Arelex took their colors as his Legion's own as a kind of trophy befitting their achievement. In addition to their purple garb, their Power Armor took on brilliant hues of turquoise and golden gilding. It was a bold, awe-inspiring heraldry, and served as a key step in unifying the older Terran-born warriors with the new recruits. Finally, every War Scribe had a "color" they could truly call their own.
And so it has been ever since.
The Atalantos Worlds
The Atalantos Worlds are Primarch Arelex's crowning achievement. Though progress was slow and the lives lost were many, no other Primarch managed to push the Imperium's boundaries closer to the Galaxy's Core. The Atalantos Worlds span several dozen major worlds, and countless mining colonies, from which the Galactic Core's resources are plundered with abandon, and shipped outwards to fuel Imperial industry across the Ultima Segmentum.
Necrons are here in great number, and other xenos as well, and the hazards of radiation and stellar cataclysms are always a deadly risk. Nevertheless, the lure of treasure draws in prospectors and explorers from across the Imperium, and there is never a shortage of slaves and convicts to labor in the crushing pressures and hellish temperatures inside the mines.
Because of the Atalantos Worlds' vast mineral productivity and Arelex's gift for management and logistics, the War Scribes were able to sustain the largest fleet of any Astartes Legion. Though the Legion was never the most numerous, their influence was felt across the Imperium, heralded by the sound of macrocannons pounding planets and the silent lash of lances spearing across the void.
Notable Legionnaires
The Sacred Band: Squad II
- Orend Ymoro, b. c.765.M30, d.803.M30. He was one of the first Space Marines an was selected to lead the Second Squad of the Sacred Band and led the Second Legion in the Unification Wars. Orend was a brave and inspiring leader who died too young.
- Ereleius the Red, Blood Scribe. One of the most fanatic War Scribes, practicing ritual scarification on his own body as a means of recording the most important bits of knowledge granted him on Terra. The words of the Emperor, he engraved on his very bones. Ereleius's work led to the establishment of the "Inscribed" Armor that all War Scribes Chaplains would eventually wear, and Ereleius himself would do great service to the Legion as their Grand Chaplain, ensuring that all remained pure. After the Heresy, his work would continue as the Grand Chaplain of the War Scribes' Chapter.
- Mohxes, the Warp Scribe. This Marine was and remains the only true Librarian of the Scribes, a valuable and highly skilled Marine who achieved the rank of Sergeant just before his Primarch was found. Mohxes' attunement to the Warp was enormous, steadily growing stronger as the Marine became more practiced in its use, and so Arelex was forced to send him before the Emperor himself for judgement for he was still solidifying control of his Legion and establishing their doctrines. In those early days, Arelex had yet to develop the fanatical hatred of Psykers he would exhibit in the future. Because the request was so unusual, and came directly from one of His sons, the Emperor actually took some time to train Mohxes, certifying him pure and performing a ritual similar to what would later become Soul-Binding, though with much more finesse. This eased Arelex's concerns immensely. Mohxes' final gift to his Legion was to stifle his own powers after the Council of Nikaea, upon hearing his Primarch's rejection of people such as himself. He disobeyed his Primarch at Isstvan, unleashing his stored power to ensure that the Legion's naval arm could escape the blockade by casting an enormous force shield into space to cover their retreat. It is said that Mohxes' sacrifice was the one and only time Arelex even considered the idea that he might have been wrong about Librarians and their potential benefits. Regrettably, Mohxes did not survive his herculean effort, and died in orbit over Isstvan.
- Bilzaion, the Delver. Bilzaion spent most of his time on Terra digging through the savant's databases, practicing his Primarch's art. His efforts would prove crucial during the Heresy and the rebuilding of the Imperium afterwards. Later, he would become Chapter Master of one of the War Scribes' Second Founding Successors.
- Wolzhi Steelblood. This Marine was once a being of simple flesh, but integrated bionics into every part of his body over time, laboring many years in order to prefect himself as an engine of war. Wolzhi's cybernetics are works of art, integrating ancient sciences with medical technology from distant, half remembered eras of Man. For many years, he was responsible for maintaining the War Scribes' most precious weapons of war, but despite his enhancements, the betrayal at Isstvan claimed this brave man's life.
- Pluthach He had suffered severe burns at Dalvan but the wound to his honour was much harder to heal. When the Second Legion was deployed to combat operations again, Pluthach showed increasing signs of mental instability. This troubled soul had the good fortune to find a noble end during the Volemar Gamma Campaign.
- Hellakonis, the Earth Striker. Hellakonis is a master of planetary assault, the Legion's foremost expert on planets and how to properly subjugate them, even beyond his own Primarch. He's also the Marine who named Arelex's melee weapon, for it was said that Hellakonis is the mattock with which Arelex cleaves planets. Fell at Isstvan.
- Celsam, the Xenos-Crowned. The War Scribes fought long and hard to overcome the Necron threat, and none more so than Celsam, who personally led eight missions to infiltrate Tomb Worlds and destroy what lay within. His armor is bedecked with broken shards of dead Phaerons and Crypteks, and a metallic Imperial Laurel adorns his helmet, made of their melted-down Resurrection Circuits, ripped from their unliving bodies before he slew them. Celsam still fights on in the Galactic Core, piloting an advanced Cavilier Dreadnought with great gusto. He has not been awakened for almost two thousand years though, for reasons the Chapter cannot fully explain. They fear the damaged warrior inside may have finally died a natural death, though they dare not open the sarcophagus and risk killing him to find out.
- Ang-Quos This valiant officer led the first assault at Dalvan and was slain by Vurthros Khan's nuclear weapons. His name was the first inscribed upon the Second Legion's cenotaph for the vaporized dead.
- Lygrammon, the Martyr. Lygrammon led the second echelon at Dalvan and although his indomitable will carried him through to the end of that campaign, his body succumbed to radiation poisoning just twelve days after Vuthros Khan's surrender.
Other Notable Legionnaires
- Napotiel Greybeard. Napotiel was the first aspirant recruited from the Hives of Merica to win a place among the Battle Brothers of the Second Legion. He was an exemplary warrior and a fine officer, epitomising the War Scribes dual nature as warriors and scholars. Following the death of Orend Ymoro in 803.M30, Napotiel was appointed as Legion Master by order of the War Council. His brief tenure at the head of the Legion perhaps led to bitterness between Napotiel and his gene-father, and they often differed. A particularly notorious argument, never resolved, emerged over the decision to take the Atalantos Cluster which consumed so much of his Legion's time. Though he respected his Primarch, Napotiel would forever remain a Terran born, full of a fire for conquest that few other War Scribes could match. Napotiel would later distinguish himself as the War Scribes' foremost explorer, ranging far and wide across the Galaxy in the quest for relics, and the hunt for new threats to eliminate. His records are required reading for every War Scribes Scout.
Legion Doctrine
"Be unafraid, my children, when facing that which lurks among the stars. Know that always your brothers stand beside you, behind you, and above you. We are as one mighty being, all parts in place and united in purpose. Let the foes of Man beware our inevitable advance, for we shall betray no weaknesses, and no treachery shall prevail against you."
Short speech given by Primarch Orannis to inaugurate the War Scribes' advance into the Galaxy
Arelex grew up aboard a colossal Space Hulk, now known as the Palaestram Matyas. That unusual upbringing left a deep imprint upon his Legion, though in truth the men of Merica's hives were unusually well-suited to the Primarch's vision. Men and leader alike knew what it was to live in a small band, reliant on the alertness and loyalty of a handful of humanity. Although the War Scribes were not blind to the reality of large-scale warfare, they emphasised the bond of the squad to an extent found in no other Legion.
The tactical and spiritual unity of War Scribes squads made them outstanding fighters in conditions that might have disorganised other forces. As noted in their battle history, the Second Legion excelled in tunnel-fighting and urban warfare. They were also renowned for their night-fighting, even when in thick atmospheres that imposed limited visibility on the Astartes. Although the War Scribes were not noted as being superior warriors to their brothers in other Legions, their devotion to one another frequently drove them to acts of great heroism. Unfortunately, that same bond could also see entire squads wiped out when some might have been able to withdraw.
Perhaps surprisingly, this focus on small units complemented the War Scribes' use of void-going warships. Just as a sergeant on the ground would have only a double-handful of men to maneuver through the battlefield, the commanders of War Scribes' squadrons typically found themselves with a few heavy vessels and a handful of escorts to consider. Almost as important was the quality of the Second Legion in boarding actions, another tactically-difficult situation that suited their focus on small, self-sufficient squads.
Legion Organization
While their formations had a definite uniformity of spirit and generally held to similar equipment standards, the War Scribes fielded two quite different kinds of unit to serve their dual purposes. Like all of the Space Marine Legions, their forces formed the core of mighty Expedition Fleets. In addition, War Scribes forces could be found spread wide across the Galaxy, nominally organised as Imperial Compliance Groups.
Expedition Fleets
No uniform structure for an Expedition Fleet existed. Each fleet was expected to be militarily self-sufficient and its commanders directed assets ranging from void-going warships down to ordinary human auxilia. Until late in the Great Crusade, all of the Expedition Fleets under the command of the War Scribes were based around at least one Chapter of Space Marines, supported by sizable Auxilia forces. Typically, an expedition fleet also fielded a detachment from the Cult Mechanicum.
Befitting their focus on smaller units, the War Scribes' Chapters were smaller than the norm for a Crusade Legion. Each was divided into two Battalions of 500 men each, rotating the Battalions into and out of war zones to spread the attrition on both. At the lowest level, the Battalions were divided into five Companies of 100 Marines. Squads varied in size depending on their competency, with the smallest being five men and the largest numbering twenty warriors.
Compliance Groups
From early in the Great Crusade, the War Scribes fielded very small independent bodies, sometimes just individual squads, as Compliance Groups. In theory, and sometimes in practice, these detachments were tasked with carrying out crusading actions on ill-defended worlds and counter-insurgency operations behind the Imperial lines. The reality was that these groups were roving salvage teams, who chased after rumours of advanced technology and relics. Naturally, these groups developed very close ties with Rogue Traders Militant. In addition to working with Rogue Traders granted Warrants of Trade to ply the whole scope of the Galaxy, War Scribes Captains began the custom of giving out Letters of Marquee to empower agents to work in more tightly defined areas.
Specialist Ranks
Chaplains
Chaplains of the War Scribes are honored indeed. Even before the Council of Nikaea, the War Scribes were extremely wary of the corrupting influence of the Warp, and they were heartened by the Emperor's anti-psyker decrees. The establishment of Chaplains was zealously taken up by the Second, and those chosen to shoulder this weighty responsibility received the pick of the Legion's extensive arsenals.
Sky Hunter Formations
Perhaps because of their clannish roots, the War Scribes have a great love for the Jetbike. Despite the difficulty of maintaining these rare vehicles, they are among the most frequently deployed of all of the Legion's treasured technology. Those chosen to join the Sky Hunter squads are among the most highly honoured in the Legion and are entrusted with critical reconnaissance and fast strike missions.
During the Heresy, the overwhelming firepower arrayed against their depleted forces prompted a change in Jetbike deployment. The Marines began to coordinate a handful of Jetbikes with a single Javelin Attack Speeder equipped with heavier armor and a special Force Field that could shield the entire formation for short periods. The Javelin gives up the second crewman and pintle bolter, as well as some of its missile carrying capacity, in return for this increased durability.
Techmarines
As a Legion long-beloved of Mars, Techmarines occupy proud role in the Second Legion. With the blessing of the Fabricator-General himself, those inducted into the ways of the Techmarine are permitted to pass on some minor understanding of the holy rites of Mars to their squadmates. This indulgence has led to a widespread technical know-how throughout the War Scribes.
Destroyer Squads
One might think that their history would make the War Scribes averse to deploying Destroyer Squads, but the sons of Orannis hate little more than to give away a possible advantage. Every Chapter held a small reserve of deadly rad weapons, ready to use in extreme situations. During the Heresy, such situations became routine.
Maestro Ferrorum, Lord of Armor
The small scale of War Scribes Chapters led to considerable specialisation. The Maestro Ferrorum is an honorific reserved for commanders of the Legion's three super-heavy tank Chapters. Though these Chapters were rarely deployed as individual units before the Heresy, at full strength each would have been able to field over a hundred massive war machines. Due to the demands of this position, a Maestro is invariably one of the most experienced Techmarines in the Legion.
Legion Equipment
From single squads up to entire Expedition Fleets, every War Scribes formation was keenly aware of the importance of their equipment. Battle salvage was invariably a priority, and it was common for the War Scribes to claim that they were engaged in "seek-and-destroy" operations to cover up extended searches for loot. Arelex Orannis' friendship with Kalkas Tygian ensured that the Second's candidates were always welcome to learn the arts of the Techmarine on Mars and its subordinate Forge Worlds, ensuring a large pool of technical experts to decipher rediscovered relics.
As a result of their methods, the War Scribes Legion is far better-equipped than almost any other Imperial force. In their arsenals are large quantities of Jetbikes, Fellblades, Rapiers, Cerberus Tank Destroyers, Contemptors, Javelins, Sicaran Tanks, Typhon Siege Tanks, and Deimos-Pattern vehicles. Where other Space Marines might have lost such patterns of equipment, the War Scribes are expert record-keepers. Their barracks and arsenals are just as much centers of learning as they are military installations. In addition, the Legion scattered secret stores of data and material, known as Orannis Caches across the Galaxy.
Unlike most Legions, the War Scribes were able to equip full chapters with Volkite weaponry even as the Heresy began. Despite the difficulty of manufacturing these weapons, the careful preservation of existing stores and a steady trickle of new Volkite equipment from the forges of the Atalantos Worlds gave the War Scribes an unparalleled arsenal. More terrifying still were the War Scribes many Destroyer Marine squads, armed with nuclear, biological, and chemical weaponry from the Age of Strife. Like their old nemesis Vuthros Khan, the Second Legion know the value of these devastating weapons and deploy them discerningly.
Even in the 40th Millennium, the Chapter and its successors will have access to much that the rest of the galaxy has forgotten. Though their armies have changed greatly since the days of the Great Crusade, the gene-sons of Arelex Orannis have stores of ancient weapons to draw on in times of crisis.
The War Scribes Navy is the largest of all the Legion navies, blessed with a Primarch who recognized the utility of orbital firepower and the necessity of building an infrastructure base for his Legion. Fueled by the raw materials mined from the Atalantos Worlds and the processing facilities of its Forge Worlds and Narhadul, the Legion Shipyard, the War Scribes have built their forces to roughly 1500 vessels. The Scribes prefer larger ships like Strike Cruisers and Battleships whenever possible, as these ships are hard to totally destroy, and can be repaired at Narhadul.
It is well known that the War Scribes, thanks to the profligacy of resources in the Galactic Core and their Primarch's administrative skills, had the facilities readily available for ship building. These shipyards were never idle throughout the Great Crusade, and by its end enabled the War Scribes to be almost fully self-sufficient, replacing combat losses without need of any other power. This greatly eased the resource burden their Legion placed on the Imperium's supplies, and allowed the Emperor to dedicate more resources to Legions in greater need. When the Heresy occurred, the War Scribes counted nearly 1500 vessels of all kinds in their naval arm, the largest Legion navy of all. They counted more Battle Barges and Battleships in their ranks than many other Legions.
After the Heresy, though many ships were lost at Isstvan and in other conflicts, the War Scribes' fleet became the backbone of Battlefleet Atalantos, defending the Core against Necron and other threats. Many of the vessels went to their Successor Chapters, and quite a few even wound up much farther afield, across the Ultima Segmentum. And though the shipyards of Narhadul took great damage during the Burning Crusade, they were repaired and are now one of the primary naval yards for the entire Segmentum.
Salvage is also important to Arelex's strategies, and recovering Imperial vessels is given high priority. Those who sail under the War Scribes' banner know that their Legion will go to great lengths to ensure their crippled ships are brought home safely. Many of the War Scribes' escort vessels are salvage ships, tugs, and shipbreakers, converted from damaged destroyers and similar ships.
The War Scribes' fleet is split between Battleships, Cruisers and Escorts along roughly 10:30:60 ratios, in contrast to the 7:23:70 ratios more common to other Legion fleets. While the bulk of the numbers are still Destroyers and other Escorts, the Scribes have a greater proportional tonnage at the high end than most.
Battleships: Approx. 150 vessels. Cruisers/Grand Cruisers: Approx. 450 vessels. Light Cruisers/Destroyers/Escorts: Approx. 900 vessels.
Notable Vessels of the Legion
Sol Invictus, Fortress-Monastery of the War Scribes
| Sol Invictus | |
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| Segmentum |
Ultima Segmentum |
| Sector |
Atalantos |
| Sub Sector |
Varies |
| Population |
1,000,000 Chapter Serfs and Support Staff, Several Companies of War Scribes |
| Planetary Governor |
Chapter Master |
The Sol Invictus is the greatest treasure of the War Scribes, the supreme monument to their merit as a Legion. Primarch Arelex himself wrested the immense vessel from a close orbit around the Galaxy's central black hole, a struggle lasting the better part of a year. The Sol Invictus was awash with radiation and gravitic tides, and only the Primarch's unconquerable desire to see this Dark Age relic restored to Humanity's service allowed Arelex to survive the hellish descent towards the singularity. Even when the behemoth vessel was removed from the gravitic tidal zone and all its deadly energy, the War Scribes could not even approach the vessel to assist their Primarch for three more years, so intense was the lingering radiation. For those three years, Arelex dwelled on the Sol Invictus alone, every day being injured and burned, every day healing himself back together with his Primarch's vigor and the ship's medical bay. Eventually, the fires of the Core cooled, and the War Scribes Legion took their first steps into a true technological marvel.
Upon being presented with the vessel as a trophy of war, the Emperor was so impressed with Arelex's determination to capture the behemoth fortress that he gifted the ship to the War Scribes to be their Monastery forevermore, the orbital counterpart to the Basilikon Atalantos. The Scribes would have a permanent residence within the Atalantos Worlds in order to eternally defend the Imperium against Necron threats from the Core, but the Sol Invictus would carry the Legion to the farthest corners of the Galaxy to enact the Emperor's justice whenever required.
In the glory years of the Great Crusade, the Sol Invictus was seen far and wide, leading many of the Crusade's thrusts into unknown stars, serving as an enormous safe haven for the fleets to rearm, refuel, and repair. In the waning years of the 40th Millennium, the Sol Invictus rarely leaves the Atalantos Cluster because the Necron threat has reached such a fever pitch, but when it does, for the briefest of moments the galaxy is reminded of the ancient strength of the Imperium and Humanity.
Equipment: The Sol Invictus is almost as large as Triton, Neptune's largest moon, though it lacks the internal volume of a spherical body. Endless reserves of material are stored within, everything needed to subjugate a planetary system and then prepare it for Imperial colonization. Though backups of all the War Scribes' carefully gathered knowledge are scattered in secret locations across the Atalantos Cluster and worlds beyond, the Sol Invictus houses a central repository where all is gathered in one place. Everything the War Scribes have ever learned is here, at the Primarch's, and later the Chapter Master's disposal.
The Sol Invictus contains row upon row of archaeotech foundries, some are original to the vessel and some were installed by the Primarch in later years. Though they are ever more resource-hungry with each passing year, these facilities are capable of keeping the War Scribes high-tech armies in fine condition and resupply, as well as the majority of their Successors.
Everything else one could want in a Monastery or a space station is present here as well. Conference rooms, training halls, barracks, medical facilities, communications arrays, laboratoriums, sensor equipment, rank upon rank of nested void shields, power cores capable of nearly limitless vigor, mighty engines and titanic Warp Drives, and every type of ship-based weapon one could imagine. The Sol Invictus is a world unto itself.
The primary armaments are a trio of colossal energy projectors at the vessel's prow. Two are smaller devices, useful for punching holes in enemy capital ships and more rapidly rechargeable for combat situations. The central energy projector, much larger than the other two combined, is used primarily for planetary subjugation and destruction. While not capable of outright destroying a planet, the main cannon is more than capable of scorching a continent with a single burst.
For the direst of circumstances, a Chapter Master is one of the few individuals authorized to perform Exterminatus. The Sol Invictus produces and stores two-stage Cyclonic Torpedoes for the War Scribes' use, generally against Necron Tomb worlds at the Galactic Core. These worlds contain no life upon them, so the Cyclonic weapons carry little risk of collateral damage, and the Scribes are not shy about their use. More than one Dynasty hiding in the Core's glare has been snuffed out thanks to the timely intervention of the Scribes, but dozens, if not hundreds, still remain. And some have awakened.
Ascent of Man, Gloriana Class Battleship, Flagship of the War Scribes
The Ascent of Man was the flagship of the War Scribes for many years, and served the Legion faithfully. It is regrettable that the retreat from the Isstvan Massacre resulted in the death of the mighty warship, but it was the sacrifice of her and all who served upon her that allowed the remnants of the Legion and their Primarch to escape with their lives. Without that surviving reserve of veteran troops, the War Scribes surely would have been wiped from existence.
The Ascent of Man is designed as a command vessel first and foremost, and its place is not at the head of the battle lines, but in the middle of the fleet. From this central position, its main cannon can reach out and pierce the enemy's heaviest armor, and its endless ranks of Thunderhawks can swarm in all directions to reinforce any weakened part of the War Scribes fleet. Should the enemy overcome even these defenses, the Ascent of Man bristles with exceptionally dense, though short ranged ranks of weapons batteries, both lances and macrocannons. Any foe thinking the War Scribes' flagship cannot defend itself from close assault is foolish indeed.
After the Ascent of Man was destroyed, the Battle Barge "Final Verdict" stepped in to take its place at the head of the War Scribes' fleet.
| TYPE/HITS | SPEED | TURNS | SHIELDS | ARMOUR | TURRETS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battleship/14 | 20cm | 45° | 4 | 6+ | 4 |
| ARMAMENT | RANGE | FIREPOWER/STRENGTH | FIRE ARC | ||
| Port Macrocannons | 30cm | 10 | Left | ||
| Starboard Macrocannons | 30cm | 10 | Right | ||
| Dorsal Lance Batteries | 30cm | 10 | Left/Front/Right | ||
| Port Launch Bay | Thunderhawks:20cm | 8 | N/A | ||
| Starboard Launch Bay | Thunderhawks:20cm | 8 | N/A | ||
| Prow Armageddon Gun | Range: Extreme | 1 | Front | ||
| Notes: Cost: 810 Points. The Ascent of Man has a War Scribes crew and an Honour Guard included in its points cost. You must assign the Fleet Commander to it. |
Final Verdict, Battle Barge of the War Scribes
This mighty Battle Barge carried the Chapter's most veteran troops into battle, and was responsible for the deaths of many worlds during the Core Conquests and the Heresy. The blood of uncounted billions of xenos is on this ship's records of honor, and at least as many heretics and traitors. Currently, the "Final Verdict" serves as the War Scribes Chapter's flagship, when not operating from the Sol Invictus.
The ancient vessel is well stocked for war, carrying enough armaments and vehicles of destruction to keep the entire Chapter in the field if need be. Most of its armaments are standard Battle Barge fare, though of higher quality because of its age. The War Scribes have modified the Barge by removing the massed banks of boarding torpedoes in the prow and replacing them with an enormous Mars-Pattern Nova Cannon, for use against Necron vessels which are difficult to damage with lesser guns, and pointless to board with Marines.
Other Battleships:
Lord of Storms (Apocalypse Class), Force of Arms (Apocalypse Class), Justified Avarice (Apocalypse Class), Reclamator (Emperor Class), Firewind (Oberon Class), Infinitas Rex (Retribution Class), Imperion Volant (Retribution Class), Spiritus Excoriat (Nemesis Class), Incendio Xenologica (Nemesis Class)
Battle Barges:
White Death, Farthest Star, Sundown, Pathfinder, Trailblazer, Repentance, Arelex's Pride, Legion's Hope, Shield of Atalantos, Emperor's Justice, Immolatios Heretico, Creed Bearer, Dawn Hunter, Void Predator
Strike Cruisers:
The War Scribes Legion maintained a force of Strike Cruisers several hundred strong, using them as much to escort the Battleships and Battle Barges as planetary assault vehicles in their own right.
Escort Vessels:
The Legion used very few Escort Vessels as part of their actual fleets. Those that were built were largely deployed to secure recently conquered systems after the Legion had gone. Standard procedure was to be constructing Escort Vessels continually on the march, leaving one or two behind after every conquest. Though this slowed the pace of the War Scribes, it greatly heartened the colonists and warriors left to bring the conquered worlds into the Imperium.
Legion Gene-Seed Status and Successors
The War Scribes and their Successors exhibit a handful of genetic abnormalities. While their genetic stability has been called into question during millennia gone by, the Mechanicus' official records state that there are no dangerous mutations inherent to Arelex's descendants.
Cosmetically, the War Scribes are known for their general hairlessness. It is very rare for them to have more than peach fuzz on their heads, and they are almost always beardless and bald. Their skin color varies wildly depending on how recently they've been exposed to radiation due to an overactive though highly effective Melanchrome system. A War Scribes Marine might begin the day as a bone-white albino, but end the day looking as if he had been carved from pitch black coal or obsidian. Occasionally, reddish or purplish hues may appear as the Marine's body processes cellular damage and expels dead cells through the bloodstream.
Notable successors
Not many War Scribes survived the Heresy, but post-Heresy, their numbers began to grow rapidly. Eventually, a number of Successor Chapters were split off, and the Scribes were one of the last Legions to formally disband.
As it now stands, the War Scribes are a fleet-based chapter, operating within the loose confederation of worlds known as the Atalantos Worlds. The War Scribes Chapter of the 40th Millennium looks much like it did in the 30th, wielding Crusade-era weaponry alongside small handfuls of even more ancient relics.
Brothers Itinerant
| Brothers Itinerant | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
| Founding | Splintered after Dropsite Massacre | |
| Successors of | War Scribes | |
| Primarch | Arelex Orannis | |
| Strength | unknown | |
| Specialty | Piracy | |
| Allegiance | Renegade | |
Pirates, Cowards and Traitors. The first Master of Brothers, Neheziah Bo'ash, had been a middling officer of the War Scribes legion. His accomplishments hardly worth mentioning until his first commission to the command of an escort squadron. The man's prowess in ship-based combat became well noted over years leading up to the Isstvan Massacre. It was the beginnings of the massacre that truly forged the brotherhood. Their fleet had come under attack and in the confusion Neheziah ordered the squadron to retaliate against any ship that fired upon them. Having heard reports of massacre on the planet the fateful command of Neheziah came through to the other ships of the squadron. They were to quit the field until they could ascertain the best course of action and regroup with their legion. In the aftermath of istvaan when the squadron made their way to link up with the rest of their legion, they were fired upon. As it was assumed they were in league with the traitors or worse they were cowards.
Through out the duration of the heresy the brothers raided loyalists and traitors alike, looting for supplies and materials for their ships. Any legionnaire unfortunate enough to have survived their attack and refused their offer to join the brotherhood were press-ganged into service. Those who were more easily swayed to join the brotherhood would paint white their face plates and gauntlets It is to represent their mockery of honour and loyalty; having been betrayed twice over. The lenses of their helmets are either replaced or dulled into a dark black to represent their merciless or soulless nature. Over the years since the heresy the brotherhood has acclimated to a number of sorcerers or seers captured from their raids, who are sought after for their ability to fate their raids with success. Should however their fates be wrong one can only imagine the vicious repayment that would be visited upon them.
Iron Scribes
Little is known of this Chapter, only that the War Scribes annihilated the entire Chapter, for reasons that remain unknown. The Inquisition believes the Iron Scribes to have transgressed by using and possibly even reverse engineering xenos technology, though they have no proof.
Sons of Whitestone
Responsible for defending the Atalantos Worlds against the Necron threat. Generally fights the Ulkhesh Dynasty.
Sons of Atalantos
Responsible for defending the Atalantos Worlds against the Necron threat. Generally fights the Zelrakh-Khemta Dynasty.
Sons of Orannis
Responsible for defending the Atalantos Worlds against the Necron threat. Generally fights the Il'Kholas Dynasty.
Lore Bearers
Known for their tendency to engrave their armor and weaponry with words of antiquity, everything from old poetry, to technical blueprints, to mathematical equations. Notable for having extremely good memories.
Shrouded Host
One of the few War Scribes Successors that is not stationed in or near the Core, the Shrouded Host is said to have uncovered some tidbot of data in the Primarch's records that says they will be needed in the fight against Chaos. Accordingly, they are fleet-based, in the space near the Eye of Terror, and maintain little contact with their parent Chapter.
Sky Renders
Notable for their use of Teleport Homers in conjunction with Drop Pods.
Because the Necron threat is so dangerous, and the planets near the Core so inhospitable to Scouts not wearing Power Armor, the Sky Renders have found the traditional deployment of homing beacons via infiltrating Scout Marines almost useless. Though many of the sons of Orannis have adopted this tactic, the Sky Renders are best known for it, using massed Drop Pod barrages to conceal a handful of Pods containing beacons.
The Pods land and the Marines deploy as normal, forming a beachhead, and they are rapidly followed by a massed teleport of Terminators to reinforce the assault point. They also make *extensive* use of Deathstorm Drop Pods containing Whirlwind Launchers and Assault Cannons rather than troops to provide additional weight of fire.
Venom Quills
A 26th Founding Successor of the War Scribes, the Venom Quills fight xenos threats on the Galactic Fringe, and despite their relative youth are quite well traveled. This Chapter favors the use of toxic weapons to rapidly subdue threats, and they keep a reserve of deadly poisons on hand at all times for any occasion or task. When they encounter and destroy a new species of xenos, the Chapter's Apothecaries take great pleasure in rending them down for useful components, sending most to the Genetors or the Inquisition, but keeping any novel toxins for themselves.
Currently they are very busy assisting in defense against the Tyranids. Their toxins are proving useful for now because of their sheer variety, but the Tyranids in their area are rapidly evolving countermeasures. Soon, the Venom Quills will have to come up with a new strategy, or perish.
Lightbringers
Known for using laser weapons almost exclusively, renowned for relentless campaigns and resistance to attrition. Masters of foraging and using weapons that require little ammunition or repair.
| The Space Marine Legions of the /tg/ Heresy | |
|---|---|
| Loyalist: | The Entombed - Eyes of the Emperor - Scale Bearers - Silver Cataphracts Steel Marshals - Stone Men - Thunder Kings - Void Angels - War Scribes |
| Traitor: | Black Augurs - The Justiciars - Eternal Zealots - Heralds of Hektor Iron Rangers - Life Bringers - Lions Rampant - Mastodontii - Sons of Fire |