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Traitor Legion Loyalists

2019-10-17T22:30:09Z

2600:1702:3BD0:61A0:3CE0:9860:D30C:58E8: /* List of suspected chapters */

{{Wh40k-stub}}
{{Spoilers}}
[[File:TOTALLY LOYAL AND NOT AT ALL HERETICAL.jpeg|500px|thumb|right|COMPLETELY 100% LOYAL.]]
{{topquote|Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.|Exodus 23:2}}

'''Traitor Legion Loyalists''' are the rare few Space Marines who, despite hailing from the Traitor Legions, stayed loyal to the Emperor and the Imperium, proving that despite what some characters in 40k think, having [[geneseed]] from a suspect source is no sure indicator of bad character. They are a very rare group of individuals given the initial purges of loyalists elements from the traitor legions at [[Battle of Isstvan III]]. While most of the information below has just been hints for now, this is a matter that has been popping up every now and then since a few years ago.

As it happens, many of these Traitor Legion Loyalists during the [[Horus Heresy]] who did not end up in annals of history became [[Blackshield|Blackshields]], the precursor to the 40k equivalent of the same name where a marine with no emblems or markings can petition to join with the [[Deathwatch]] on a permanent basis, no questions asked. The term "Blackshield" by itself leaves it open as to whether the individual marine seeks to redeem himself OR his chapter if it went rogue or was destroyed. Although Blackshields are a rarity in 40k, there were enough in 30k for such a tradition to begin and survive to the present time in the Imperium.

Those groups with enough numbers, or perhaps ties to the right people, were able to pass themselves off as successors of other chapters after the [[Second Founding]]. [[Blood Ravens|Or their founders purged and changed their own records, so that over time, no one within the chapter knows who their true progenitor is ]](which can lead to some [[skub|fun times]] when an inquisitor comes across evidence that it occurred).

Generic armies of them can be fielded in 30K with the Orphans of Betrayal [[Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Space_Marine_Legion_List_(30k)#Rites_of_War|Rite of War]]. As is fitting for a rogue, largely unsupported force, the rite doesn't provide many bonuses unless you're fighting Traitor versions of the same Legion you're fielding.

==Known Loyalist Members of the Traitor Legions==
'''Note:''' Characters whose names are listed in ''italics'' have received rules in some form in FW's Horus Heresy releases for the 30k era.

* [[Death Guard]]
** ''[[Nathaniel Garro]]'' (became the first of the [[Knights-Errant]], first to bring word to the Imperium about the Horus Heresy)
** Andus Hakur
** Solun Decius (member of Nathaniel Garro's command squad. infected with nurgles rot and possessed by the Lord of the Flies following escape from Istvaan system. Slain by Garro)
** Meric Voyen (former head Apothecary of 7th Great company. defected with Nathaniel Garro. Renounced his vows as an astartes following 'The flight of the Eisenstien')
** Huron-Fal (Venerable Dreadnought, Killed on Isstvan III)
** Tollun Sendec (Slain by the lord of the flies on Luna)
** Ullis Temeter (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Helig Gallor (Recruited into the Knights-Errant)
** Bajun Kyda (Recruited into the Knights-Errant. Killed at Proxima Majoris)
** ''Crysos Morturg'' (Became a Blackshield during the battle of Isstvan III, survived and was rescued by Calleb Decima. He ended up surviving the entire heresy and became Captain of the 108th Independent Company, he and his company were eventually sent out to monitor and patrol the Ghoul Stars. Notably, this was over fifty years after the Heresy ended, implying at least some surviving traitor legion loyalists were utilized by the Imperium to form "Independent Companies" instead of chapters)
** Erud Vahn (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** Juball (Died on Isstvan III)
* [[Emperor's Children]]
** ''[[Saul Tarvitz]]'' (MIA)
** Callion Zaven (Recruited into the Knights-Errant. Killed on the 'Vengeful Spirit')
** Argentus Kiron
** ''Ancient Rylanor'' (Contemptor Dreadnought, KIA post Heresy, nearly succeeded in killing Daemon Prince Fulgrim)
** Rakatio (KIA in Sol System by traitor White Scars who failed to infiltrate Terra)
** Solomon Demeter (Capitan of 2nd Company, KIA Isstvan III)
** Lord Commander Vespasian (slain by Fulgrim)
* [[Iron Warriors]]
** [[Barabas Dantioch]] (Sacrificed himself in a glorious battle to save the forces of [[Imperium Secundus]])
** Zygmund Tarrasch
** Venerable Vastopol
** ''Kyr Vhalen'' (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** ''Nârik Dreygur'' (Praevian initially allied with the traitors, he eventually defected to the side of Cassian Dracos of the [[Salamanders (Chapter)|Salamanders]])
** Auric Saxton (Warsmith. Remained fiercely loyal to the Emperor and killed the Lord Commander of the traitorous Emperor's Children during the Battle of the Harrow Ravening).
** Tubal Cayne (Recruited into the Knights-Errant. Killed on the '[[Vengeful Spirit]]')
** Zhinnon (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** Annovuldi (Warsmith)
* [[Luna Wolves]]
** ''[[Garviel Loken]]'' (Survived the battle of Isstvan III, Recruited into the Knights-Errant, rules are for Luna Wolf version only)
** [[Tarik Torgaddon]] (Killed on Isstvan III by Horus Aximand)
** [[Iacton Qruze]] (Recruited into the Knights-Errant, later killed by Horus)
** Severian (Recruited into the Knights-Errant)
** [[Nero Vipus]] (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Vaddon (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Unnamed Luna Wolf discovered and revived by the Flesh Tearers (Apparently now on a mission to personally put a boot in the ass of every traitorous Son of Horus he can find).
* [[World Eaters]]
** [[Macer Varren]] (Recruited into the Knights-Errant, killed on Terra by the Lord of Flies during the Battle of White Mountain)
** ''Endryd Haar'' (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** Tagore (Member of the Outcast Dead, slain on Terra)
** Subha (Member of the Outcast Dead, slain on Terra)
** Asubha (Member of the Outcast Dead, slain on Terra)
** Skraal (Fought with Word Bearers to weaken their forces during the battle of Calth, slain on the Furious Abyss)
** Ehrlen (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Karnaugar (Killed by his gene-father on Isstvan III with Angron staying at his side out of respect for wounding him as he died)
* [[Thousand Sons]]
** Atharva (Executed by Dorn on Terra, though either he or his shade appeared to Magnus after his defeat against Russ)
** Revuel Arvida (Fused with a fragment of Magnus and took the name Ianius, later the first Supreme Grand Master of the [[Grey Knights]])
** Omari Anat (captured by the [[Flesh Tearers]], stayed their captive to test whether or not [[Nassir Amit]] would go insane and kill him despite ample evidence of his innocence, fate unknown)
** Mhotep (Fought with Word Bearers/Chaos to weaken their forces during the battle of Calth, slain on the Furious Abyss)
* [[Night Lords]]
** Fel Zharost (Former Chief Librarian sent into exile, Recruited into the Knights-Errant)
** Kasati Nuon
* [[Word Bearers]]
**Kaspian Hecht/Barthusa Narek (Initially drawn to the Knights-Errant. Went rogue and independent of all other factions. Helped Eldrad kill off the Kabal before returning to the Word Bearers secretly with plans to assassinate Lorgar with the Fulgurite leftover from the attempted assassination on Vulkan. Final fate unknown.)
**Volkhar Wreth (Member of the Crusader Host. Mortally wounded and forcibly bonded with a Daemon on Terra)
* [[Alpha Legion]]
** Chaitan Seyhan (KIA alongside his crew on the strike cruiser ''Sigma'' by Alpharius's manipulation of the ''Sisypheum'''s crew while disguised as [[Shadrak Meduson]])
** Occam (Considers his legion a [[Cypher|tool to test the Imperium]]. Currently interrogating a Deceiver shard bound in a Tesseract Labyrinth after a very costly battle in M42)

==List of suspected chapters==
*[[Grey Knights]] (Founders were initially drawn from the [[Knights-Errant]]) - outright stated, although only from their history. While several Astartes from traitor legions were among the founders of the Grey Knights, the gene-seed is that of the Emperor himself.
*[[Exorcists]] (Successors of the [[Grey Knights]]) - confirmed by extension from the Grey Knights.
*[[Blood Ravens]] ([[Thousand Sons]]) - heavily implied but supposedly officially unsupported. Links to the Thousand Sons Corvidid Cult, similar color scheme to Pre-Heresy Thousand Sons, similarly have an extreme thirst for knowledge, and they have an abnormally high number of librarians.
*[[Brotherhood of a Thousand]] ([[Thousand Sons]]) - minor chapter with a tiny footnote implying heavy librarius and have a similar name. Use a "M" as their chapter symbol, similarly to the heraldry of the Great Crusade-era Thousand Sons.
*[[Minotaurs]]:
**(Old Lore) ([[World Eaters]]) - Speculated. Similar battle doctrine. Known for being complete berzerkers in battle.
**(Revamped Lore) ([[Iron Warriors]]) - Speculated. Maintain a similar battle doctrine, focused on pragmatic, siege, and attrition warfare tactics. Their Ancient Greek theme also matches up with the Iron Warriors.
*[[Soul Drinkers]] ([[Iron Warriors]]) - Speculated. Despite being considered Imperial Fists successors, genetic tests confirmed that they were not. Held similar pragmatic and determined views like the Iron Warriors.
*[[Silver Skulls]] ([[Iron Warriors]] or [[Word Bearers]]) - All but confirmed (origin suspected to be from the gene-seed of the Iron Warriors contingent that was led by Dantioch into taking refuge on Ultramar and stayed loyal). The Silver Skulls also have a penchant for siege warfare. Alternatively, the Silver Skulls are known for worshiping the Emperor as a god (rare for Ultramarines), having absolute faith in the Emperors Tarot, and will religiously follow the word of prognosticators. All of which is the polar opposite from both the Iron Warriors data-driven approach to battle and the Ultramarines, but wouldn't look out of place for Word Bearers...)
*[[Fire Angels]] ([[Word Bearers]]) - Speculated. While listed as Ultramarine descendants, they act nothing like their parent chapter. To the point of not even caring much for their Primarch, seeing him as an unworthy, borderline heretical, idol. I mean really, an "Ultramarine" chapter that does not have an obsession with Big Bobby G? Instead the Fire Angels are so religious that they make the [[Black Templars]] seem like rational atheists (atleast the Black Templars worship the Emperor AND revere their primarch).
*[[Red Scorpions]] ([[Emperor's Children]]) - Speculated. Have an obsessions with the "perfection" of their gene-seed, to the point of being outright hostile to any they see as "imperfect".
*[[Death Eagles]] ([[Emperor's Children]]) - All but confirmed (origin suspected due to records of a Loyalist Blackshield warband from the Emperor's Children's Death Eagles company during the Horus Heresy) while the Chapter's recorded actions stretch back as far as M32.
*[[Sons of the Phoenix]] ([[Emperor's Children]]) - All but confirmed (It's practically confirmed that [[Belisarius Cawl|Papa Cawl]] got a hold of uncorrupted III Legion Gene-seed). Similar iconography. Their name also possibly references Fulgrim, who was known as the Palatine Phoenix. Officially Imperial Fist successors operating with the Ecclesiarchy, thus explaining why they have candles on their backs.
*[[Carcharadons]] ([[Night Lords]] / [[World Eaters]]) - speculated. possible chimeric geneseed. Most similar beliefs and battle doctrine to Night Lords. Often have a black and white morality. Focus on shock and fear tactics combined with stealth. Physical traits (black eyes, pale skin) similar to both Night Lords and Raven Guard. Dagger-like teeth similar to Kurze's own. Mental mutations and unstable sanity similar to Night Lords. Similarly to Night Lords, the Charcaradons recruit from criminal populations. Only link to World Eaters is a preference for chain-weapons.
*[[Storm Wardens]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Similar battle doctrine.
*[[Executioners]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Similar battle doctrine. Known for having some of the most brutal close combat methods, even for Astartes. Lineage questioned by other Imperial Fists successors due to lacking traits associated with the sons of Dorn. Known to be reclusive, only closely associating with their own successor chapters.
*[[Crimson Axes]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Descended from the Executioners. Name is reminiscent of concepts associated with the World Eaters.
*[[Skull Bearers]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Descended from the Executioners. Name is reminiscent of concepts associated with the World Eaters.
*[[Iron Champions]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Descended from the Executioners.
*[[Iron Snakes]] ([[Alpha Legion]]) - heavily speculated.
*[[Sons of Antaeus]] ([[Death Guard]]) - Speculated. Similar genetic traits included an unnatural hardy stock.
*[[Castellans of the Rift]] ([[Death Guard]]) - Similar color scheme, iconography, and battle doctrine.
*[[Mortifactors]] ([[Death Guard]]) - Similar color scheme and iconography to pre-heresy Death Guard, similar grim attitude, and have a preference for using Power Scythes (the signature weapon of the Death Guard). This chapter is also obsessed with death, I mean really obsessed with it. Like the Fire Angels, these guys really do not like their "official" Primarch.

==The Ultramarine Connection==
*The [[Ultramarines]] are confirmed to have harboured loyalist members of traitor legions after the Heresy, rebranding them as their own to obfuscate the newcomer's past (as for why they would do such a thing, [[Roboute Guilliman]] himself is characterized as someone who abhorred the waste of any human or Astartes life.) This is not surprising given that according to Malcador the Ultramarines (along with the Imperial Fists) absorbed the remnants of the two lost legions. In any case, Guilliman needed all the manpower he could get when he thought the rest of the Imperium was destroyed during the era of [[Imperium Secundus]], so giving even legionnaires from suspect sources a chance to prove themselves was a practical solution, for which in the end he was not disappointed). Furthermore, it is confirmed that after whatever it was that led to the deaths of the Missing Primarchs happened, the Astartes of the II and XI Legions were mind-wiped by Malcador the Sigilite into thinking they had always been part of the Ultramarines and Imperial Fists- an act backed up by Rogal Dorn and Guilliman voluntarily agreeing to have their memories of what really happened suppressed beyond even a Primarch's ability to recall.
[[Category:Warhammer 40,000]][[Category:Imperial]][[Category:Space Marines]][[Category: Chaos]]

==Sources==

'''Forge World Horus Heresy Rulebooks'''
*''Betrayal''
*''Retribution''

'''Horus Heresy Novels'''
*''Flight of the Eisenstein''
*''Pharos''
*''Vengeful Spirit''
*''Corax''
** ''Weregeld''

'''Other'''
*How to Paint Space Marines, pg. 86

Traitor Legion Loyalists

2019-10-17T22:29:25Z

2600:1702:3BD0:61A0:3CE0:9860:D30C:58E8: /* List of suspected chapters */

{{Wh40k-stub}}
{{Spoilers}}
[[File:TOTALLY LOYAL AND NOT AT ALL HERETICAL.jpeg|500px|thumb|right|COMPLETELY 100% LOYAL.]]
{{topquote|Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.|Exodus 23:2}}

'''Traitor Legion Loyalists''' are the rare few Space Marines who, despite hailing from the Traitor Legions, stayed loyal to the Emperor and the Imperium, proving that despite what some characters in 40k think, having [[geneseed]] from a suspect source is no sure indicator of bad character. They are a very rare group of individuals given the initial purges of loyalists elements from the traitor legions at [[Battle of Isstvan III]]. While most of the information below has just been hints for now, this is a matter that has been popping up every now and then since a few years ago.

As it happens, many of these Traitor Legion Loyalists during the [[Horus Heresy]] who did not end up in annals of history became [[Blackshield|Blackshields]], the precursor to the 40k equivalent of the same name where a marine with no emblems or markings can petition to join with the [[Deathwatch]] on a permanent basis, no questions asked. The term "Blackshield" by itself leaves it open as to whether the individual marine seeks to redeem himself OR his chapter if it went rogue or was destroyed. Although Blackshields are a rarity in 40k, there were enough in 30k for such a tradition to begin and survive to the present time in the Imperium.

Those groups with enough numbers, or perhaps ties to the right people, were able to pass themselves off as successors of other chapters after the [[Second Founding]]. [[Blood Ravens|Or their founders purged and changed their own records, so that over time, no one within the chapter knows who their true progenitor is ]](which can lead to some [[skub|fun times]] when an inquisitor comes across evidence that it occurred).

Generic armies of them can be fielded in 30K with the Orphans of Betrayal [[Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Space_Marine_Legion_List_(30k)#Rites_of_War|Rite of War]]. As is fitting for a rogue, largely unsupported force, the rite doesn't provide many bonuses unless you're fighting Traitor versions of the same Legion you're fielding.

==Known Loyalist Members of the Traitor Legions==
'''Note:''' Characters whose names are listed in ''italics'' have received rules in some form in FW's Horus Heresy releases for the 30k era.

* [[Death Guard]]
** ''[[Nathaniel Garro]]'' (became the first of the [[Knights-Errant]], first to bring word to the Imperium about the Horus Heresy)
** Andus Hakur
** Solun Decius (member of Nathaniel Garro's command squad. infected with nurgles rot and possessed by the Lord of the Flies following escape from Istvaan system. Slain by Garro)
** Meric Voyen (former head Apothecary of 7th Great company. defected with Nathaniel Garro. Renounced his vows as an astartes following 'The flight of the Eisenstien')
** Huron-Fal (Venerable Dreadnought, Killed on Isstvan III)
** Tollun Sendec (Slain by the lord of the flies on Luna)
** Ullis Temeter (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Helig Gallor (Recruited into the Knights-Errant)
** Bajun Kyda (Recruited into the Knights-Errant. Killed at Proxima Majoris)
** ''Crysos Morturg'' (Became a Blackshield during the battle of Isstvan III, survived and was rescued by Calleb Decima. He ended up surviving the entire heresy and became Captain of the 108th Independent Company, he and his company were eventually sent out to monitor and patrol the Ghoul Stars. Notably, this was over fifty years after the Heresy ended, implying at least some surviving traitor legion loyalists were utilized by the Imperium to form "Independent Companies" instead of chapters)
** Erud Vahn (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** Juball (Died on Isstvan III)
* [[Emperor's Children]]
** ''[[Saul Tarvitz]]'' (MIA)
** Callion Zaven (Recruited into the Knights-Errant. Killed on the 'Vengeful Spirit')
** Argentus Kiron
** ''Ancient Rylanor'' (Contemptor Dreadnought, KIA post Heresy, nearly succeeded in killing Daemon Prince Fulgrim)
** Rakatio (KIA in Sol System by traitor White Scars who failed to infiltrate Terra)
** Solomon Demeter (Capitan of 2nd Company, KIA Isstvan III)
** Lord Commander Vespasian (slain by Fulgrim)
* [[Iron Warriors]]
** [[Barabas Dantioch]] (Sacrificed himself in a glorious battle to save the forces of [[Imperium Secundus]])
** Zygmund Tarrasch
** Venerable Vastopol
** ''Kyr Vhalen'' (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** ''Nârik Dreygur'' (Praevian initially allied with the traitors, he eventually defected to the side of Cassian Dracos of the [[Salamanders (Chapter)|Salamanders]])
** Auric Saxton (Warsmith. Remained fiercely loyal to the Emperor and killed the Lord Commander of the traitorous Emperor's Children during the Battle of the Harrow Ravening).
** Tubal Cayne (Recruited into the Knights-Errant. Killed on the '[[Vengeful Spirit]]')
** Zhinnon (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** Annovuldi (Warsmith)
* [[Luna Wolves]]
** ''[[Garviel Loken]]'' (Survived the battle of Isstvan III, Recruited into the Knights-Errant, rules are for Luna Wolf version only)
** [[Tarik Torgaddon]] (Killed on Isstvan III by Horus Aximand)
** [[Iacton Qruze]] (Recruited into the Knights-Errant, later killed by Horus)
** Severian (Recruited into the Knights-Errant)
** [[Nero Vipus]] (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Vaddon (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Unnamed Luna Wolf discovered and revived by the Flesh Tearers (Apparently now on a mission to personally put a boot in the ass of every traitorous Son of Horus he can find).
* [[World Eaters]]
** [[Macer Varren]] (Recruited into the Knights-Errant, killed on Terra by the Lord of Flies during the Battle of White Mountain)
** ''Endryd Haar'' (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** Tagore (Member of the Outcast Dead, slain on Terra)
** Subha (Member of the Outcast Dead, slain on Terra)
** Asubha (Member of the Outcast Dead, slain on Terra)
** Skraal (Fought with Word Bearers to weaken their forces during the battle of Calth, slain on the Furious Abyss)
** Ehrlen (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Karnaugar (Killed by his gene-father on Isstvan III with Angron staying at his side out of respect for wounding him as he died)
* [[Thousand Sons]]
** Atharva (Executed by Dorn on Terra, though either he or his shade appeared to Magnus after his defeat against Russ)
** Revuel Arvida (Fused with a fragment of Magnus and took the name Ianius, later the first Supreme Grand Master of the [[Grey Knights]])
** Omari Anat (captured by the [[Flesh Tearers]], stayed their captive to test whether or not [[Nassir Amit]] would go insane and kill him despite ample evidence of his innocence, fate unknown)
** Mhotep (Fought with Word Bearers/Chaos to weaken their forces during the battle of Calth, slain on the Furious Abyss)
* [[Night Lords]]
** Fel Zharost (Former Chief Librarian sent into exile, Recruited into the Knights-Errant)
** Kasati Nuon
* [[Word Bearers]]
**Kaspian Hecht/Barthusa Narek (Initially drawn to the Knights-Errant. Went rogue and independent of all other factions. Helped Eldrad kill off the Kabal before returning to the Word Bearers secretly with plans to assassinate Lorgar with the Fulgurite leftover from the attempted assassination on Vulkan. Final fate unknown.)
**Volkhar Wreth (Member of the Crusader Host. Mortally wounded and forcibly bonded with a Daemon on Terra)
* [[Alpha Legion]]
** Chaitan Seyhan (KIA alongside his crew on the strike cruiser ''Sigma'' by Alpharius's manipulation of the ''Sisypheum'''s crew while disguised as [[Shadrak Meduson]])
** Occam (Considers his legion a [[Cypher|tool to test the Imperium]]. Currently interrogating a Deceiver shard bound in a Tesseract Labyrinth after a very costly battle in M42)

==List of suspected chapters==
*[[Grey Knights]] (Founders were initially drawn from the [[Knights-Errant]]) - outright stated, although only from their history. While several Astartes from traitor legions were among the founders of the Grey Knights, the gene-seed is that of the Emperor himself.
*[[Exorcists]] (Successors of the [[Grey Knights]]) - confirmed by extension from the Grey Knights.
*[[Blood Ravens]] ([[Thousand Sons]]) - heavily implied but supposedly officially unsupported. Links to the Thousand Sons Corvidid Cult, similar color scheme to Pre-Heresy Thousand Sons, similarly have an extreme thirst for knowledge, and they have an abnormally high number of librarians.
*[[Brotherhood of a Thousand]] ([[Thousand Sons]]) - minor chapter with a tiny footnote implying heavy librarius and have a similar name. Use a "M" as their chapter symbol, similarly to the heraldry of the Great Crusade-era Thousand Sons.
*[[Minotaurs]]:
**(Old Lore) ([[World Eaters]]) - Speculated. Similar battle doctrine. Known for being complete berzerkers in battle.
**(Revamped Lore) ([[Iron Warriors]]) - Speculated. Maintain a similar battle doctrine, focused on pragmatic, siege, and attrition warfare tactics. Their Ancient Greek theme also matches up with the Iron Warriors.
*[[Soul Drinkers]] ([[Iron Warriors]]) - Speculated. Despite being considered Imperial Fists successors, genetic tests confirmed that they were not. Held similar pragmatic and determined views like the Iron Warriors.
*[[Silver Skulls]] ([[Iron Warriors]] or [[Word Bearers]]) - All but confirmed (origin suspected to be from the gene-seed of the Iron Warriors contingent that was led by Dantioch into taking refuge on Ultramar and stayed loyal). The Silver Skulls also have a penchant for siege warfare. Alternatively, the Silver Skulls are known for worshiping the Emperor as a god (rare for Ultramarines), having absolute faith in the Emperors Tarot, and will religiously follow the word of prognosticators. All of which is the polar opposite from both the Iron Wwarriors data-driven approach to battle and the Ultramarines, but wouldn't look out of place for Word Bearers...)
*[[Fire Angels]] ([[Word Bearers]]) - Speculated. While listed as Ultramarine descendants, they act nothing like their parent chapter. To the point of not even caring much for their Primarch, seeing him as an unworthy, borderline heretical, idol. I mean really, an "Ultramarine" chapter that does not have an obsession with Big Bobby G? Instead the Fire Angels are so religious that they make the [[Black Templars]] seem like rational atheists (atleast the Black Templars worship the Emperor AND revere their primarch).
*[[Red Scorpions]] ([[Emperor's Children]]) - Speculated. Have an obsessions with the "perfection" of their gene-seed, to the point of being outright hostile to any they see as "imperfect".
*[[Death Eagles]] ([[Emperor's Children]]) - All but confirmed (origin suspected due to records of a Loyalist Blackshield warband from the Emperor's Children's Death Eagles company during the Horus Heresy) while the Chapter's recorded actions stretch back as far as M32.
*[[Sons of the Phoenix]] ([[Emperor's Children]]) - All but confirmed (It's practically confirmed that [[Belisarius Cawl|Papa Cawl]] got a hold of uncorrupted III Legion Gene-seed). Similar iconography. Their name also possibly references Fulgrim, who was known as the Palatine Phoenix. Officially Imperial Fist successors operating with the Ecclesiarchy, thus explaining why they have candles on their backs.
*[[Carcharadons]] ([[Night Lords]] / [[World Eaters]]) - speculated. possible chimeric geneseed. Most similar beliefs and battle doctrine to Night Lords. Often have a black and white morality. Focus on shock and fear tactics combined with stealth. Physical traits (black eyes, pale skin) similar to both Night Lords and Raven Guard. Dagger-like teeth similar to Kurze's own. Mental mutations and unstable sanity similar to Night Lords. Similarly to Night Lords, the Charcaradons recruit from criminal populations. Only link to World Eaters is a preference for chain-weapons.
*[[Storm Wardens]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Similar battle doctrine.
*[[Executioners]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Similar battle doctrine. Known for having some of the most brutal close combat methods, even for Astartes. Lineage questioned by other Imperial Fists successors due to lacking traits associated with the sons of Dorn. Known to be reclusive, only closely associating with their own successor chapters.
*[[Crimson Axes]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Descended from the Executioners. Name is reminiscent of concepts associated with the World Eaters.
*[[Skull Bearers]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Descended from the Executioners. Name is reminiscent of concepts associated with the World Eaters.
*[[Iron Champions]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Descended from the Executioners.
*[[Iron Snakes]] ([[Alpha Legion]]) - heavily speculated.
*[[Sons of Antaeus]] ([[Death Guard]]) - Speculated. Similar genetic traits included an unnatural hardy stock.
*[[Castellans of the Rift]] ([[Death Guard]]) - Similar color scheme, iconography, and battle doctrine.
*[[Mortifactors]] ([[Death Guard]]) - Similar color scheme and iconography to pre-heresy Death Guard, similar grim attitude, and have a preference for using Power Scythes (the signature weapon of the Death Guard). This chapter is also obsessed with death, I mean really obsessed with it. Like the Fire Angels, these guys really do not like their "official" Primarch.

==The Ultramarine Connection==
*The [[Ultramarines]] are confirmed to have harboured loyalist members of traitor legions after the Heresy, rebranding them as their own to obfuscate the newcomer's past (as for why they would do such a thing, [[Roboute Guilliman]] himself is characterized as someone who abhorred the waste of any human or Astartes life.) This is not surprising given that according to Malcador the Ultramarines (along with the Imperial Fists) absorbed the remnants of the two lost legions. In any case, Guilliman needed all the manpower he could get when he thought the rest of the Imperium was destroyed during the era of [[Imperium Secundus]], so giving even legionnaires from suspect sources a chance to prove themselves was a practical solution, for which in the end he was not disappointed). Furthermore, it is confirmed that after whatever it was that led to the deaths of the Missing Primarchs happened, the Astartes of the II and XI Legions were mind-wiped by Malcador the Sigilite into thinking they had always been part of the Ultramarines and Imperial Fists- an act backed up by Rogal Dorn and Guilliman voluntarily agreeing to have their memories of what really happened suppressed beyond even a Primarch's ability to recall.
[[Category:Warhammer 40,000]][[Category:Imperial]][[Category:Space Marines]][[Category: Chaos]]

==Sources==

'''Forge World Horus Heresy Rulebooks'''
*''Betrayal''
*''Retribution''

'''Horus Heresy Novels'''
*''Flight of the Eisenstein''
*''Pharos''
*''Vengeful Spirit''
*''Corax''
** ''Weregeld''

'''Other'''
*How to Paint Space Marines, pg. 86

Traitor Legion Loyalists

2019-10-17T22:28:46Z

2600:1702:3BD0:61A0:3CE0:9860:D30C:58E8: /* List of suspected chapters */

{{Wh40k-stub}}
{{Spoilers}}
[[File:TOTALLY LOYAL AND NOT AT ALL HERETICAL.jpeg|500px|thumb|right|COMPLETELY 100% LOYAL.]]
{{topquote|Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.|Exodus 23:2}}

'''Traitor Legion Loyalists''' are the rare few Space Marines who, despite hailing from the Traitor Legions, stayed loyal to the Emperor and the Imperium, proving that despite what some characters in 40k think, having [[geneseed]] from a suspect source is no sure indicator of bad character. They are a very rare group of individuals given the initial purges of loyalists elements from the traitor legions at [[Battle of Isstvan III]]. While most of the information below has just been hints for now, this is a matter that has been popping up every now and then since a few years ago.

As it happens, many of these Traitor Legion Loyalists during the [[Horus Heresy]] who did not end up in annals of history became [[Blackshield|Blackshields]], the precursor to the 40k equivalent of the same name where a marine with no emblems or markings can petition to join with the [[Deathwatch]] on a permanent basis, no questions asked. The term "Blackshield" by itself leaves it open as to whether the individual marine seeks to redeem himself OR his chapter if it went rogue or was destroyed. Although Blackshields are a rarity in 40k, there were enough in 30k for such a tradition to begin and survive to the present time in the Imperium.

Those groups with enough numbers, or perhaps ties to the right people, were able to pass themselves off as successors of other chapters after the [[Second Founding]]. [[Blood Ravens|Or their founders purged and changed their own records, so that over time, no one within the chapter knows who their true progenitor is ]](which can lead to some [[skub|fun times]] when an inquisitor comes across evidence that it occurred).

Generic armies of them can be fielded in 30K with the Orphans of Betrayal [[Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Space_Marine_Legion_List_(30k)#Rites_of_War|Rite of War]]. As is fitting for a rogue, largely unsupported force, the rite doesn't provide many bonuses unless you're fighting Traitor versions of the same Legion you're fielding.

==Known Loyalist Members of the Traitor Legions==
'''Note:''' Characters whose names are listed in ''italics'' have received rules in some form in FW's Horus Heresy releases for the 30k era.

* [[Death Guard]]
** ''[[Nathaniel Garro]]'' (became the first of the [[Knights-Errant]], first to bring word to the Imperium about the Horus Heresy)
** Andus Hakur
** Solun Decius (member of Nathaniel Garro's command squad. infected with nurgles rot and possessed by the Lord of the Flies following escape from Istvaan system. Slain by Garro)
** Meric Voyen (former head Apothecary of 7th Great company. defected with Nathaniel Garro. Renounced his vows as an astartes following 'The flight of the Eisenstien')
** Huron-Fal (Venerable Dreadnought, Killed on Isstvan III)
** Tollun Sendec (Slain by the lord of the flies on Luna)
** Ullis Temeter (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Helig Gallor (Recruited into the Knights-Errant)
** Bajun Kyda (Recruited into the Knights-Errant. Killed at Proxima Majoris)
** ''Crysos Morturg'' (Became a Blackshield during the battle of Isstvan III, survived and was rescued by Calleb Decima. He ended up surviving the entire heresy and became Captain of the 108th Independent Company, he and his company were eventually sent out to monitor and patrol the Ghoul Stars. Notably, this was over fifty years after the Heresy ended, implying at least some surviving traitor legion loyalists were utilized by the Imperium to form "Independent Companies" instead of chapters)
** Erud Vahn (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** Juball (Died on Isstvan III)
* [[Emperor's Children]]
** ''[[Saul Tarvitz]]'' (MIA)
** Callion Zaven (Recruited into the Knights-Errant. Killed on the 'Vengeful Spirit')
** Argentus Kiron
** ''Ancient Rylanor'' (Contemptor Dreadnought, KIA post Heresy, nearly succeeded in killing Daemon Prince Fulgrim)
** Rakatio (KIA in Sol System by traitor White Scars who failed to infiltrate Terra)
** Solomon Demeter (Capitan of 2nd Company, KIA Isstvan III)
** Lord Commander Vespasian (slain by Fulgrim)
* [[Iron Warriors]]
** [[Barabas Dantioch]] (Sacrificed himself in a glorious battle to save the forces of [[Imperium Secundus]])
** Zygmund Tarrasch
** Venerable Vastopol
** ''Kyr Vhalen'' (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** ''Nârik Dreygur'' (Praevian initially allied with the traitors, he eventually defected to the side of Cassian Dracos of the [[Salamanders (Chapter)|Salamanders]])
** Auric Saxton (Warsmith. Remained fiercely loyal to the Emperor and killed the Lord Commander of the traitorous Emperor's Children during the Battle of the Harrow Ravening).
** Tubal Cayne (Recruited into the Knights-Errant. Killed on the '[[Vengeful Spirit]]')
** Zhinnon (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** Annovuldi (Warsmith)
* [[Luna Wolves]]
** ''[[Garviel Loken]]'' (Survived the battle of Isstvan III, Recruited into the Knights-Errant, rules are for Luna Wolf version only)
** [[Tarik Torgaddon]] (Killed on Isstvan III by Horus Aximand)
** [[Iacton Qruze]] (Recruited into the Knights-Errant, later killed by Horus)
** Severian (Recruited into the Knights-Errant)
** [[Nero Vipus]] (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Vaddon (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Unnamed Luna Wolf discovered and revived by the Flesh Tearers (Apparently now on a mission to personally put a boot in the ass of every traitorous Son of Horus he can find).
* [[World Eaters]]
** [[Macer Varren]] (Recruited into the Knights-Errant, killed on Terra by the Lord of Flies during the Battle of White Mountain)
** ''Endryd Haar'' (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** Tagore (Member of the Outcast Dead, slain on Terra)
** Subha (Member of the Outcast Dead, slain on Terra)
** Asubha (Member of the Outcast Dead, slain on Terra)
** Skraal (Fought with Word Bearers to weaken their forces during the battle of Calth, slain on the Furious Abyss)
** Ehrlen (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Karnaugar (Killed by his gene-father on Isstvan III with Angron staying at his side out of respect for wounding him as he died)
* [[Thousand Sons]]
** Atharva (Executed by Dorn on Terra, though either he or his shade appeared to Magnus after his defeat against Russ)
** Revuel Arvida (Fused with a fragment of Magnus and took the name Ianius, later the first Supreme Grand Master of the [[Grey Knights]])
** Omari Anat (captured by the [[Flesh Tearers]], stayed their captive to test whether or not [[Nassir Amit]] would go insane and kill him despite ample evidence of his innocence, fate unknown)
** Mhotep (Fought with Word Bearers/Chaos to weaken their forces during the battle of Calth, slain on the Furious Abyss)
* [[Night Lords]]
** Fel Zharost (Former Chief Librarian sent into exile, Recruited into the Knights-Errant)
** Kasati Nuon
* [[Word Bearers]]
**Kaspian Hecht/Barthusa Narek (Initially drawn to the Knights-Errant. Went rogue and independent of all other factions. Helped Eldrad kill off the Kabal before returning to the Word Bearers secretly with plans to assassinate Lorgar with the Fulgurite leftover from the attempted assassination on Vulkan. Final fate unknown.)
**Volkhar Wreth (Member of the Crusader Host. Mortally wounded and forcibly bonded with a Daemon on Terra)
* [[Alpha Legion]]
** Chaitan Seyhan (KIA alongside his crew on the strike cruiser ''Sigma'' by Alpharius's manipulation of the ''Sisypheum'''s crew while disguised as [[Shadrak Meduson]])
** Occam (Considers his legion a [[Cypher|tool to test the Imperium]]. Currently interrogating a Deceiver shard bound in a Tesseract Labyrinth after a very costly battle in M42)

==List of suspected chapters==
*[[Grey Knights]] (Founders were initially drawn from the [[Knights-Errant]]) - outright stated, although only from their history. While several Astartes from traitor legions were among the founders of the Grey Knights, the gene-seed is that of the Emperor himself.
*[[Exorcists]] (Successors of the [[Grey Knights]]) - confirmed by extension from the Grey Knights.
*[[Blood Ravens]] ([[Thousand Sons]]) - heavily implied but supposedly officially unsupported. Links to the Thousand Sons Corvidid Cult, similar color scheme to Pre-Heresy Thousand Sons, similarly have an extreme thirst for knowledge, and they have an abnormally high number of librarians.
*[[Brotherhood of a Thousand]] ([[Thousand Sons]]) - minor chapter with a tiny footnote implying heavy librarius and have a similar name. Use a "M" as their chapter symbol, similarly to the heraldry of the Great Crusade-era Thousand Sons.
*[[Minotaurs]]:
**(Old Lore) ([[World Eaters]]) - Speculated. Similar battle doctrine. Known for being complete berzerkers in battle.
**(Revamped Lore) ([[Iron Warriors]]) - Speculated. Maintain a similar battle doctrine, focused on pragmatic, siege, and attrition warfare tactics. Their Ancient Greek theme also matches up with the Iron Warriors.
*[[Soul Drinkers]] ([[Iron Warriors]]) - Speculated. Despite being considered Imperial Fists successors, genetic tests confirmed that they were not. Held similar pragmatic and determined views like the Iron Warriors.
*[[Silver Skulls]] ([[Iron Warriors]] or [[Word Bearers]]) - All but confirmed (origin suspected to be from the gene-seed of the Iron Warriors contingent that was led by Dantioch into taking refuge on Ultramar and stayed loyal). The Silver Skulls also have a penchant for siege warfare. Alternatively, the Silver Skulls are known for worshiping the Emperor as a god (rare for Ultramarines), having absolute faith in the Emperors Tarot, and will religiously follow the word of prognosticators. All of which is the polar opposite from both the Iron Wwarriors data-driven approach to battle and the Ultramarines, but wouldn't look out of place for Word Bearers...)
*[[Fire Angels]] ([[Word Bearers]]) - Speculated. While listed as Ultramarine descendants, they act nothing like their parent chapter. To the point of not even caring much for their Primarch, seeing him as an unworthy, borderline heretical, idol. I mean really, an "Ultramarine" chapter that does not have an obsession with Big Bobby G? Instead the Fire Angels are so religious that they make the [[Black Templars]] seem like rational atheists (atleast the Black Templars worship the Emperor AND revere their primarch).
*[[Red Scorpions]] ([[Emperor's Children]]) - Speculated. Have an obsessions with the "perfection" of their gene-seed, to the point of being outright hostile to any they see as "imperfect".
*[[Death Eagles]] ([[Emperor's Children]]) - All but confirmed (origin suspected due to records of a Loyalist Blackshield warband from the Emperor's Children's Death Eagles company during the Horus Heresy) while the Chapter's recorded actions stretch back as far as M32.
*[[Sons of the Phoenix]] ([[Emperor's Children]]) - All but confirmed (It's practically confirmed that [[Belisarius Cawl|Papa Cawl]] got a hold of uncorrupted III Legion Gene-seed). Similar iconography. Their name also possibly references Fulgrim, who was known as the Palatine Phoenix. Officially Imperial Fist successors operating with the Ecclesiarchy, thus explaining why they have candles on their backs.
*[[Carcharadons]] ([[Night Lords]] / [[World Eaters]]) - speculated. possible chimeric geneseed. Most similar beliefs and battle doctrine to Night Lords. Often have a black and white morality. Focus on shock and fear tactics combined with stealth. Physical traits (black eyes, pale skin) similar to both Night Lords and Raven Guard. Dagger-like teeth similar to Kurze's own. Mental mutations and unstable sanity similar to Night Lords. Similarly to Nigh Lords, the Charcaradons recruit from criminal populations. Only link to World Eaters is a preference for chain-weapons.
*[[Storm Wardens]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Similar battle doctrine.
*[[Executioners]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Similar battle doctrine. Known for having some of the most brutal close combat methods, even for Astartes. Lineage questioned by other Imperial Fists successors due to lacking traits associated with the sons of Dorn. Known to be reclusive, only closely associating with their own successor chapters.
*[[Crimson Axes]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Descended from the Executioners. Name is reminiscent of concepts associated with the World Eaters.
*[[Skull Bearers]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Descended from the Executioners. Name is reminiscent of concepts associated with the World Eaters.
*[[Iron Champions]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Descended from the Executioners.
*[[Iron Snakes]] ([[Alpha Legion]]) - heavily speculated.
*[[Sons of Antaeus]] ([[Death Guard]]) - Speculated. Similar genetic traits included an unnatural hardy stock.
*[[Castellans of the Rift]] ([[Death Guard]]) - Similar color scheme, iconography, and battle doctrine.
*[[Mortifactors]] ([[Death Guard]]) - Similar color scheme and iconography to pre-heresy Death Guard, similar grim attitude, and have a preference for using Power Scythes (the signature weapon of the Death Guard). This chapter is also obsessed with death, I mean really obsessed with it. Like the Fire Angels, these guys really do not like their "official" Primarch.

==The Ultramarine Connection==
*The [[Ultramarines]] are confirmed to have harboured loyalist members of traitor legions after the Heresy, rebranding them as their own to obfuscate the newcomer's past (as for why they would do such a thing, [[Roboute Guilliman]] himself is characterized as someone who abhorred the waste of any human or Astartes life.) This is not surprising given that according to Malcador the Ultramarines (along with the Imperial Fists) absorbed the remnants of the two lost legions. In any case, Guilliman needed all the manpower he could get when he thought the rest of the Imperium was destroyed during the era of [[Imperium Secundus]], so giving even legionnaires from suspect sources a chance to prove themselves was a practical solution, for which in the end he was not disappointed). Furthermore, it is confirmed that after whatever it was that led to the deaths of the Missing Primarchs happened, the Astartes of the II and XI Legions were mind-wiped by Malcador the Sigilite into thinking they had always been part of the Ultramarines and Imperial Fists- an act backed up by Rogal Dorn and Guilliman voluntarily agreeing to have their memories of what really happened suppressed beyond even a Primarch's ability to recall.
[[Category:Warhammer 40,000]][[Category:Imperial]][[Category:Space Marines]][[Category: Chaos]]

==Sources==

'''Forge World Horus Heresy Rulebooks'''
*''Betrayal''
*''Retribution''

'''Horus Heresy Novels'''
*''Flight of the Eisenstein''
*''Pharos''
*''Vengeful Spirit''
*''Corax''
** ''Weregeld''

'''Other'''
*How to Paint Space Marines, pg. 86

Traitor Legion Loyalists

2019-10-17T22:28:30Z

2600:1702:3BD0:61A0:3CE0:9860:D30C:58E8: /* List of suspected chapters */

{{Wh40k-stub}}
{{Spoilers}}
[[File:TOTALLY LOYAL AND NOT AT ALL HERETICAL.jpeg|500px|thumb|right|COMPLETELY 100% LOYAL.]]
{{topquote|Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.|Exodus 23:2}}

'''Traitor Legion Loyalists''' are the rare few Space Marines who, despite hailing from the Traitor Legions, stayed loyal to the Emperor and the Imperium, proving that despite what some characters in 40k think, having [[geneseed]] from a suspect source is no sure indicator of bad character. They are a very rare group of individuals given the initial purges of loyalists elements from the traitor legions at [[Battle of Isstvan III]]. While most of the information below has just been hints for now, this is a matter that has been popping up every now and then since a few years ago.

As it happens, many of these Traitor Legion Loyalists during the [[Horus Heresy]] who did not end up in annals of history became [[Blackshield|Blackshields]], the precursor to the 40k equivalent of the same name where a marine with no emblems or markings can petition to join with the [[Deathwatch]] on a permanent basis, no questions asked. The term "Blackshield" by itself leaves it open as to whether the individual marine seeks to redeem himself OR his chapter if it went rogue or was destroyed. Although Blackshields are a rarity in 40k, there were enough in 30k for such a tradition to begin and survive to the present time in the Imperium.

Those groups with enough numbers, or perhaps ties to the right people, were able to pass themselves off as successors of other chapters after the [[Second Founding]]. [[Blood Ravens|Or their founders purged and changed their own records, so that over time, no one within the chapter knows who their true progenitor is ]](which can lead to some [[skub|fun times]] when an inquisitor comes across evidence that it occurred).

Generic armies of them can be fielded in 30K with the Orphans of Betrayal [[Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Space_Marine_Legion_List_(30k)#Rites_of_War|Rite of War]]. As is fitting for a rogue, largely unsupported force, the rite doesn't provide many bonuses unless you're fighting Traitor versions of the same Legion you're fielding.

==Known Loyalist Members of the Traitor Legions==
'''Note:''' Characters whose names are listed in ''italics'' have received rules in some form in FW's Horus Heresy releases for the 30k era.

* [[Death Guard]]
** ''[[Nathaniel Garro]]'' (became the first of the [[Knights-Errant]], first to bring word to the Imperium about the Horus Heresy)
** Andus Hakur
** Solun Decius (member of Nathaniel Garro's command squad. infected with nurgles rot and possessed by the Lord of the Flies following escape from Istvaan system. Slain by Garro)
** Meric Voyen (former head Apothecary of 7th Great company. defected with Nathaniel Garro. Renounced his vows as an astartes following 'The flight of the Eisenstien')
** Huron-Fal (Venerable Dreadnought, Killed on Isstvan III)
** Tollun Sendec (Slain by the lord of the flies on Luna)
** Ullis Temeter (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Helig Gallor (Recruited into the Knights-Errant)
** Bajun Kyda (Recruited into the Knights-Errant. Killed at Proxima Majoris)
** ''Crysos Morturg'' (Became a Blackshield during the battle of Isstvan III, survived and was rescued by Calleb Decima. He ended up surviving the entire heresy and became Captain of the 108th Independent Company, he and his company were eventually sent out to monitor and patrol the Ghoul Stars. Notably, this was over fifty years after the Heresy ended, implying at least some surviving traitor legion loyalists were utilized by the Imperium to form "Independent Companies" instead of chapters)
** Erud Vahn (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** Juball (Died on Isstvan III)
* [[Emperor's Children]]
** ''[[Saul Tarvitz]]'' (MIA)
** Callion Zaven (Recruited into the Knights-Errant. Killed on the 'Vengeful Spirit')
** Argentus Kiron
** ''Ancient Rylanor'' (Contemptor Dreadnought, KIA post Heresy, nearly succeeded in killing Daemon Prince Fulgrim)
** Rakatio (KIA in Sol System by traitor White Scars who failed to infiltrate Terra)
** Solomon Demeter (Capitan of 2nd Company, KIA Isstvan III)
** Lord Commander Vespasian (slain by Fulgrim)
* [[Iron Warriors]]
** [[Barabas Dantioch]] (Sacrificed himself in a glorious battle to save the forces of [[Imperium Secundus]])
** Zygmund Tarrasch
** Venerable Vastopol
** ''Kyr Vhalen'' (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** ''Nârik Dreygur'' (Praevian initially allied with the traitors, he eventually defected to the side of Cassian Dracos of the [[Salamanders (Chapter)|Salamanders]])
** Auric Saxton (Warsmith. Remained fiercely loyal to the Emperor and killed the Lord Commander of the traitorous Emperor's Children during the Battle of the Harrow Ravening).
** Tubal Cayne (Recruited into the Knights-Errant. Killed on the '[[Vengeful Spirit]]')
** Zhinnon (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** Annovuldi (Warsmith)
* [[Luna Wolves]]
** ''[[Garviel Loken]]'' (Survived the battle of Isstvan III, Recruited into the Knights-Errant, rules are for Luna Wolf version only)
** [[Tarik Torgaddon]] (Killed on Isstvan III by Horus Aximand)
** [[Iacton Qruze]] (Recruited into the Knights-Errant, later killed by Horus)
** Severian (Recruited into the Knights-Errant)
** [[Nero Vipus]] (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Vaddon (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Unnamed Luna Wolf discovered and revived by the Flesh Tearers (Apparently now on a mission to personally put a boot in the ass of every traitorous Son of Horus he can find).
* [[World Eaters]]
** [[Macer Varren]] (Recruited into the Knights-Errant, killed on Terra by the Lord of Flies during the Battle of White Mountain)
** ''Endryd Haar'' (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** Tagore (Member of the Outcast Dead, slain on Terra)
** Subha (Member of the Outcast Dead, slain on Terra)
** Asubha (Member of the Outcast Dead, slain on Terra)
** Skraal (Fought with Word Bearers to weaken their forces during the battle of Calth, slain on the Furious Abyss)
** Ehrlen (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Karnaugar (Killed by his gene-father on Isstvan III with Angron staying at his side out of respect for wounding him as he died)
* [[Thousand Sons]]
** Atharva (Executed by Dorn on Terra, though either he or his shade appeared to Magnus after his defeat against Russ)
** Revuel Arvida (Fused with a fragment of Magnus and took the name Ianius, later the first Supreme Grand Master of the [[Grey Knights]])
** Omari Anat (captured by the [[Flesh Tearers]], stayed their captive to test whether or not [[Nassir Amit]] would go insane and kill him despite ample evidence of his innocence, fate unknown)
** Mhotep (Fought with Word Bearers/Chaos to weaken their forces during the battle of Calth, slain on the Furious Abyss)
* [[Night Lords]]
** Fel Zharost (Former Chief Librarian sent into exile, Recruited into the Knights-Errant)
** Kasati Nuon
* [[Word Bearers]]
**Kaspian Hecht/Barthusa Narek (Initially drawn to the Knights-Errant. Went rogue and independent of all other factions. Helped Eldrad kill off the Kabal before returning to the Word Bearers secretly with plans to assassinate Lorgar with the Fulgurite leftover from the attempted assassination on Vulkan. Final fate unknown.)
**Volkhar Wreth (Member of the Crusader Host. Mortally wounded and forcibly bonded with a Daemon on Terra)
* [[Alpha Legion]]
** Chaitan Seyhan (KIA alongside his crew on the strike cruiser ''Sigma'' by Alpharius's manipulation of the ''Sisypheum'''s crew while disguised as [[Shadrak Meduson]])
** Occam (Considers his legion a [[Cypher|tool to test the Imperium]]. Currently interrogating a Deceiver shard bound in a Tesseract Labyrinth after a very costly battle in M42)

==List of suspected chapters==
*[[Grey Knights]] (Founders were initially drawn from the [[Knights-Errant]]) - outright stated, although only from their history. While several Astartes from traitor legions were among the founders of the Grey Knights, the gene-seed is that of the Emperor himself.
*[[Exorcists]] (Successors of the [[Grey Knights]]) - confirmed by extension from the Grey Knights.
*[[Blood Ravens]] ([[Thousand Sons]]) - heavily implied but supposedly officially unsupported. Links to the Thousand Sons Corvidid Cult, similar color scheme to Pre-Heresy Thousand Sons, similarly have an extreme thirst for knowledge, and they have an abnormally high number of librarians.
*[[Brotherhood of a Thousand]] ([[Thousand Sons]]) - minor chapter with a tiny footnote implying heavy librarius and have a similar name. Use a "M" as their chapter symbol, similarly to the heraldry of the Great Crusade-era Thousand Sons.
*[[Minotaurs]]:
**(Old Lore) ([[World Eaters]]) - Speculated. Similar battle doctrine. Known for being complete berzerkers in battle.
**(Revamped Lore) ([[Iron Warriors]]) - Speculated. Maintain a similar battle doctrine, focused on pragmatic, siege, and attrition warfare tactics. Their Ancient Greek theme also matches up with the Iron Warriors.
*[[Soul Drinkers]] ([[Iron Warriors]]) - Speculated. Despite being considered Imperial Fists successors, genetic tests confirmed that they were not. Held similar pragmatic and determined views like the Iron Warriors.
*[[Silver Skulls]] ([[Iron Warriors]] or [[Word Bearers]]) - All but confirmed (origin suspected to be from the gene-seed of the Iron Warriors contingent that was led by Dantioch into taking refuge on Ultramar and stayed loyal). The Silver Skulls also have a penchant for siege warfare. Alternatively, the Silver Skulls are known for worshiping the Emperor as a god (rare for Ultramarines), having absolute faith in the Emperors Tarot, and will religiously follow the word of prognosticators. All of which is the polar opposite from both the Iron Wwarriors data-driven approach to battle and the Ultramarines, but wouldn't look out of place for Word Bearers...)
*[[Fire Angels]] ([[Word Bearers]]) - Speculated. While listed as Ultramarine descendants, they act nothing like their parent chapter. To the point of not even caring much for their Primarch, seeing him as an unworthy, borderline heretical, idol. I mean really, an "Ultramarine" chapter that does not have an obsession with Big Bobby G? Instead the Fire Angels are so religious that they make the [[Black Templars]] seem like rational atheists (atleast the Black Templars worship the Emperor AND revere their primarch).
*[[Red Scorpions]] ([[Emperor's Children]]) - Speculated. Have an obsessions with the "perfection" of their gene-seed, to the point of being outright hostile to any they see as "imperfect".
*[[Death Eagles]] ([[Emperor's Children]]) - All but confirmed (origin suspected due to records of a Loyalist Blackshield warband from the Emperor's Children's Death Eagles company during the Horus Heresy) while the Chapter's recorded actions stretch back as far as M32.
*[[Sons of the Phoenix]] ([[Emperor's Children]]) - All but confirmed (It's practically confirmed that [[Belisarius Cawl|Papa Cawl]] got a hold of uncorrupted III Legion Gene-seed). Similar iconography. Their name also possibly references Fulgrim, who was known as the Palatine Phoenix. Officially Imperial Fist successors operating with the Ecclesiarchy, thus explaining why they have candles on their backs.
*[[Carcharadons]] ([[Night Lords]] / [[World Eaters]]) - speculated. possible chimeric geneseed. Most similar beliefs and battle doctrine to Night Lords. Often have a black and white morality. Focus on shock and fear tactics combined with stealth. Physical traits (black eyes, pale skin) similar to both Night Lords and Raven Guard. Dagger-like teeth similar to Kurze's own. Mental mutations and unstable sanity similar to Night Lords. Similarly to Nigh Lords, the Charcaradons recruit from criminal populations. Only like to World Eaters is a preference for chain-weapons.
*[[Storm Wardens]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Similar battle doctrine.
*[[Executioners]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Similar battle doctrine. Known for having some of the most brutal close combat methods, even for Astartes. Lineage questioned by other Imperial Fists successors due to lacking traits associated with the sons of Dorn. Known to be reclusive, only closely associating with their own successor chapters.
*[[Crimson Axes]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Descended from the Executioners. Name is reminiscent of concepts associated with the World Eaters.
*[[Skull Bearers]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Descended from the Executioners. Name is reminiscent of concepts associated with the World Eaters.
*[[Iron Champions]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Descended from the Executioners.
*[[Iron Snakes]] ([[Alpha Legion]]) - heavily speculated.
*[[Sons of Antaeus]] ([[Death Guard]]) - Speculated. Similar genetic traits included an unnatural hardy stock.
*[[Castellans of the Rift]] ([[Death Guard]]) - Similar color scheme, iconography, and battle doctrine.
*[[Mortifactors]] ([[Death Guard]]) - Similar color scheme and iconography to pre-heresy Death Guard, similar grim attitude, and have a preference for using Power Scythes (the signature weapon of the Death Guard). This chapter is also obsessed with death, I mean really obsessed with it. Like the Fire Angels, these guys really do not like their "official" Primarch.

==The Ultramarine Connection==
*The [[Ultramarines]] are confirmed to have harboured loyalist members of traitor legions after the Heresy, rebranding them as their own to obfuscate the newcomer's past (as for why they would do such a thing, [[Roboute Guilliman]] himself is characterized as someone who abhorred the waste of any human or Astartes life.) This is not surprising given that according to Malcador the Ultramarines (along with the Imperial Fists) absorbed the remnants of the two lost legions. In any case, Guilliman needed all the manpower he could get when he thought the rest of the Imperium was destroyed during the era of [[Imperium Secundus]], so giving even legionnaires from suspect sources a chance to prove themselves was a practical solution, for which in the end he was not disappointed). Furthermore, it is confirmed that after whatever it was that led to the deaths of the Missing Primarchs happened, the Astartes of the II and XI Legions were mind-wiped by Malcador the Sigilite into thinking they had always been part of the Ultramarines and Imperial Fists- an act backed up by Rogal Dorn and Guilliman voluntarily agreeing to have their memories of what really happened suppressed beyond even a Primarch's ability to recall.
[[Category:Warhammer 40,000]][[Category:Imperial]][[Category:Space Marines]][[Category: Chaos]]

==Sources==

'''Forge World Horus Heresy Rulebooks'''
*''Betrayal''
*''Retribution''

'''Horus Heresy Novels'''
*''Flight of the Eisenstein''
*''Pharos''
*''Vengeful Spirit''
*''Corax''
** ''Weregeld''

'''Other'''
*How to Paint Space Marines, pg. 86

Traitor Legion Loyalists

2019-10-17T21:12:40Z

2600:1702:3BD0:61A0:3CE0:9860:D30C:58E8: /* List of suspected chapters */

{{Wh40k-stub}}
{{Spoilers}}
[[File:TOTALLY LOYAL AND NOT AT ALL HERETICAL.jpeg|500px|thumb|right|COMPLETELY 100% LOYAL.]]
{{topquote|Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.|Exodus 23:2}}

'''Traitor Legion Loyalists''' are the rare few Space Marines who, despite hailing from the Traitor Legions, stayed loyal to the Emperor and the Imperium, proving that despite what some characters in 40k think, having [[geneseed]] from a suspect source is no sure indicator of bad character. They are a very rare group of individuals given the initial purges of loyalists elements from the traitor legions at [[Battle of Isstvan III]]. While most of the information below has just been hints for now, this is a matter that has been popping up every now and then since a few years ago.

As it happens, many of these Traitor Legion Loyalists during the [[Horus Heresy]] who did not end up in annals of history became [[Blackshield|Blackshields]], the precursor to the 40k equivalent of the same name where a marine with no emblems or markings can petition to join with the [[Deathwatch]] on a permanent basis, no questions asked. The term "Blackshield" by itself leaves it open as to whether the individual marine seeks to redeem himself OR his chapter if it went rogue or was destroyed. Although Blackshields are a rarity in 40k, there were enough in 30k for such a tradition to begin and survive to the present time in the Imperium.

Those groups with enough numbers, or perhaps ties to the right people, were able to pass themselves off as successors of other chapters after the [[Second Founding]]. [[Blood Ravens|Or their founders purged and changed their own records, so that over time, no one within the chapter knows who their true progenitor is ]](which can lead to some [[skub|fun times]] when an inquisitor comes across evidence that it occurred).

Generic armies of them can be fielded in 30K with the Orphans of Betrayal [[Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Space_Marine_Legion_List_(30k)#Rites_of_War|Rite of War]]. As is fitting for a rogue, largely unsupported force, the rite doesn't provide many bonuses unless you're fighting Traitor versions of the same Legion you're fielding.

==Known Loyalist Members of the Traitor Legions==
'''Note:''' Characters whose names are listed in ''italics'' have received rules in some form in FW's Horus Heresy releases for the 30k era.

* [[Death Guard]]
** ''[[Nathaniel Garro]]'' (became the first of the [[Knights-Errant]], first to bring word to the Imperium about the Horus Heresy)
** Andus Hakur
** Solun Decius (member of Nathaniel Garro's command squad. infected with nurgles rot and possessed by the Lord of the Flies following escape from Istvaan system. Slain by Garro)
** Meric Voyen (former head Apothecary of 7th Great company. defected with Nathaniel Garro. Renounced his vows as an astartes following 'The flight of the Eisenstien')
** Huron-Fal (Venerable Dreadnought, Killed on Isstvan III)
** Tollun Sendec (Slain by the lord of the flies on Luna)
** Ullis Temeter (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Helig Gallor (Recruited into the Knights-Errant)
** Bajun Kyda (Recruited into the Knights-Errant. Killed at Proxima Majoris)
** ''Crysos Morturg'' (Became a Blackshield during the battle of Isstvan III, survived and was rescued by Calleb Decima. He ended up surviving the entire heresy and became Captain of the 108th Independent Company, he and his company were eventually sent out to monitor and patrol the Ghoul Stars. Notably, this was over fifty years after the Heresy ended, implying at least some surviving traitor legion loyalists were utilized by the Imperium to form "Independent Companies" instead of chapters)
** Erud Vahn (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** Juball (Died on Isstvan III)
* [[Emperor's Children]]
** ''[[Saul Tarvitz]]'' (MIA)
** Callion Zaven (Recruited into the Knights-Errant. Killed on the 'Vengeful Spirit')
** Argentus Kiron
** ''Ancient Rylanor'' (Contemptor Dreadnought, KIA post Heresy, nearly succeeded in killing Daemon Prince Fulgrim)
** Rakatio (KIA in Sol System by traitor White Scars who failed to infiltrate Terra)
** Solomon Demeter (Capitan of 2nd Company, KIA Isstvan III)
** Lord Commander Vespasian (slain by Fulgrim)
* [[Iron Warriors]]
** [[Barabas Dantioch]] (Sacrificed himself in a glorious battle to save the forces of [[Imperium Secundus]])
** Zygmund Tarrasch
** Venerable Vastopol
** ''Kyr Vhalen'' (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** ''Nârik Dreygur'' (Praevian initially allied with the traitors, he eventually defected to the side of Cassian Dracos of the [[Salamanders (Chapter)|Salamanders]])
** Auric Saxton (Warsmith. Remained fiercely loyal to the Emperor and killed the Lord Commander of the traitorous Emperor's Children during the Battle of the Harrow Ravening).
** Tubal Cayne (Recruited into the Knights-Errant. Killed on the '[[Vengeful Spirit]]')
** Zhinnon (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** Annovuldi (Warsmith)
* [[Luna Wolves]]
** ''[[Garviel Loken]]'' (Survived the battle of Isstvan III, Recruited into the Knights-Errant, rules are for Luna Wolf version only)
** [[Tarik Torgaddon]] (Killed on Isstvan III by Horus Aximand)
** [[Iacton Qruze]] (Recruited into the Knights-Errant, later killed by Horus)
** Severian (Recruited into the Knights-Errant)
** [[Nero Vipus]] (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Vaddon (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Unnamed Luna Wolf discovered and revived by the Flesh Tearers (Apparently now on a mission to personally put a boot in the ass of every traitorous Son of Horus he can find).
* [[World Eaters]]
** [[Macer Varren]] (Recruited into the Knights-Errant, killed on Terra by the Lord of Flies during the Battle of White Mountain)
** ''Endryd Haar'' (Became a Blackshield during the Horus Heresy)
** Tagore (Member of the Outcast Dead, slain on Terra)
** Subha (Member of the Outcast Dead, slain on Terra)
** Asubha (Member of the Outcast Dead, slain on Terra)
** Skraal (Fought with Word Bearers to weaken their forces during the battle of Calth, slain on the Furious Abyss)
** Ehrlen (Killed on Isstvan III)
** Karnaugar (Killed by his gene-father on Isstvan III with Angron staying at his side out of respect for wounding him as he died)
* [[Thousand Sons]]
** Atharva (Executed by Dorn on Terra, though either he or his shade appeared to Magnus after his defeat against Russ)
** Revuel Arvida (Fused with a fragment of Magnus and took the name Ianius, later the first Supreme Grand Master of the [[Grey Knights]])
** Omari Anat (captured by the [[Flesh Tearers]], stayed their captive to test whether or not [[Nassir Amit]] would go insane and kill him despite ample evidence of his innocence, fate unknown)
** Mhotep (Fought with Word Bearers/Chaos to weaken their forces during the battle of Calth, slain on the Furious Abyss)
* [[Night Lords]]
** Fel Zharost (Former Chief Librarian sent into exile, Recruited into the Knights-Errant)
** Kasati Nuon
* [[Word Bearers]]
**Kaspian Hecht/Barthusa Narek (Initially drawn to the Knights-Errant. Went rogue and independent of all other factions. Helped Eldrad kill off the Kabal before returning to the Word Bearers secretly with plans to assassinate Lorgar with the Fulgurite leftover from the attempted assassination on Vulkan. Final fate unknown.)
**Volkhar Wreth (Member of the Crusader Host. Mortally wounded and forcibly bonded with a Daemon on Terra)
* [[Alpha Legion]]
** Chaitan Seyhan (KIA alongside his crew on the strike cruiser ''Sigma'' by Alpharius's manipulation of the ''Sisypheum'''s crew while disguised as [[Shadrak Meduson]])
** Occam (Considers his legion a [[Cypher|tool to test the Imperium]]. Currently interrogating a Deceiver shard bound in a Tesseract Labyrinth after a very costly battle in M42)

==List of suspected chapters==
*[[Grey Knights]] (Founders were initially drawn from the [[Knights-Errant]]) - outright stated, although only from their history. While several Astartes from traitor legions were among the founders of the Grey Knights, the gene-seed is that of the Emperor himself.
*[[Exorcists]] (Successors of the [[Grey Knights]]) - confirmed by extension from the Grey Knights.
*[[Blood Ravens]] ([[Thousand Sons]]) - heavily implied but supposedly officially unsupported. Links to the Thousand Sons Corvidid Cult, similar color scheme to Pre-Heresy Thousand Sons, similarly have an extreme thirst for knowledge, and they have an abnormally high number of librarians.
*[[Brotherhood of a Thousand]] ([[Thousand Sons]]) - minor chapter with a tiny footnote implying heavy librarius and have a similar name. Use a "M" as their chapter symbol, similarly to the heraldry of the Great Crusade-era Thousand Sons.
*[[Minotaurs]]:
**(Old Lore) ([[World Eaters]]) - Speculated. Similar battle doctrine. Known for being complete berzerkers in battle.
**(Revamped Lore) ([[Iron Warriors]]) - Speculated. Maintain a similar battle doctrine, focused on pragmatic, siege, and attrition warfare tactics. Their Ancient Greek theme also matches up with the Iron Warriors.
*[[Soul Drinkers]] ([[Iron Warriors]]) - Speculated. Despite being considered Imperial Fists successors, genetic tests confirmed that they were not. Held similar pragmatic and determined views like the Iron Warriors.
*[[Silver Skulls]] ([[Iron Warriors]] or [[Word Bearers]]) - All but confirmed (origin suspected to be from the gene-seed of the Iron Warriors contingent that was led by Dantioch into taking refuge on Ultramar and stayed loyal). The Silver Skulls also have a penchant for siege warfare. Alternatively, the Silver Skulls are known for worshiping the Emperor as a god (rare for Ultramarines), having absolute faith in the Emperors Tarot, and will religiously follow the word of prognosticators. All of which is the polar opposite from both the Iron Wwarriors data-driven approach to battle and the Ultramarines, but wouldn't look out of place for Word Bearers...)
*[[Fire Angels]] ([[Word Bearers]]) - Speculated. While listed as Ultramarine descendants, they act nothing like their parent chapter. To the point of not even caring much for their Primarch, seeing him as an unworthy, borderline heretical, idol. I mean really, an "Ultramarine" chapter that does not have an obsession with Big Bobby G? Instead the Fire Angels are so religious that they make the [[Black Templars]] seem like rational atheists (atleast the Black Templars worship the Emperor AND revere their primarch).
*[[Red Scorpions]] ([[Emperor's Children]]) - Speculated. Have an obsessions with the "perfection" of their gene-seed, to the point of being outright hostile to any they see as "imperfect".
*[[Death Eagles]] ([[Emperor's Children]]) - All but confirmed (origin suspected due to records of a Loyalist Blackshield warband from the Emperor's Children's Death Eagles company during the Horus Heresy) while the Chapter's recorded actions stretch back as far as M32.
*[[Sons of the Phoenix]] ([[Emperor's Children]]) - All but confirmed (It's practically confirmed that [[Belisarius Cawl|Papa Cawl]] got a hold of uncorrupted III Legion Gene-seed). Similar iconography. Their name also possibly references Fulgrim, who was known as the Palatine Phoenix. Officially Imperial Fist successors operating with the Ecclesiarchy, thus explaining why they have candles on their backs.
*[[Carcharadons]] ([[Night Lords]] and/or [[World Eaters]]) - speculated. possible chimeric geneseed. Most similar beliefs and battle doctrine to Night Lords. Often have a black and white morality. Focus on shock and fear tactics combined with stealth. Physical traits (black eyes, pale skin) similar to both Night Lords and Raven Guard. Mental mutations and unstable sanity similar to Night Lords.
*[[Storm Wardens]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Similar battle doctrine.
*[[Executioners]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Similar battle doctrine. Known for having some of the most brutal close combat methods, even for Astartes. Lineage questioned by other Imperial Fists successors due to lacking traits associated with the sons of Dorn. Known to be reclusive, only closely associating with their own successor chapters.
*[[Crimson Axes]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Descended from the Executioners. Name is reminiscent of concepts associated with the World Eaters.
*[[Skull Bearers]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Descended from the Executioners. Name is reminiscent of concepts associated with the World Eaters.
*[[Iron Champions]] ([[World Eaters]]) - speculated. Descended from the Executioners.
*[[Iron Snakes]] ([[Alpha Legion]]) - heavily speculated.
*[[Sons of Antaeus]] ([[Death Guard]]) - Speculated. Similar genetic traits included an unnatural hardy stock.
*[[Castellans of the Rift]] ([[Death Guard]]) - Similar color scheme, iconography, and battle doctrine.
*[[Mortifactors]] ([[Death Guard]]) - Similar color scheme and iconography to pre-heresy Death Guard, similar grim attitude, and have a preference for using Power Scythes (the signature weapon of the Death Guard). This chapter is also obsessed with death, I mean really obsessed with it. Like the Fire Angels, these guys really do not like their "official" Primarch.

==The Ultramarine Connection==
*The [[Ultramarines]] are confirmed to have harboured loyalist members of traitor legions after the Heresy, rebranding them as their own to obfuscate the newcomer's past (as for why they would do such a thing, [[Roboute Guilliman]] himself is characterized as someone who abhorred the waste of any human or Astartes life.) This is not surprising given that according to Malcador the Ultramarines (along with the Imperial Fists) absorbed the remnants of the two lost legions. In any case, Guilliman needed all the manpower he could get when he thought the rest of the Imperium was destroyed during the era of [[Imperium Secundus]], so giving even legionnaires from suspect sources a chance to prove themselves was a practical solution, for which in the end he was not disappointed). Furthermore, it is confirmed that after whatever it was that led to the deaths of the Missing Primarchs happened, the Astartes of the II and XI Legions were mind-wiped by Malcador the Sigilite into thinking they had always been part of the Ultramarines and Imperial Fists- an act backed up by Rogal Dorn and Guilliman voluntarily agreeing to have their memories of what really happened suppressed beyond even a Primarch's ability to recall.
[[Category:Warhammer 40,000]][[Category:Imperial]][[Category:Space Marines]][[Category: Chaos]]

==Sources==

'''Forge World Horus Heresy Rulebooks'''
*''Betrayal''
*''Retribution''

'''Horus Heresy Novels'''
*''Flight of the Eisenstein''
*''Pharos''
*''Vengeful Spirit''
*''Corax''
** ''Weregeld''

'''Other'''
*How to Paint Space Marines, pg. 86

Saint Celestine

2019-10-17T02:17:25Z

2600:1702:3BD0:61A0:3CE0:9860:D30C:58E8: /* History */

[[Image:Tze-kun-chin-saint-celestine.jpg|thumb|Right|350px|40k's answer to St. George (although in-canon this was the EMPRAH) and St. Michael the Archangel, but Rule 63'd.]]
{{topquote|Despair, and you give yourself to the shadows. Believe, truly believe in the Emperor of Mankind, and you shall walk in His light no matter how dark the path you tread.|Saint Celestine}}

A mysterious [[Living Saint]] with incredible power, '''Saint Celestine''' is strongly implied to be the [[God-Emperor of Mankind|Emperor's]] <s> equivalent of a</s> [[daemon prince]]. She is an angelic figure wreathed in light, best known for her ability to raise the faithful dead [[Troll|(including herself)]] back to life. She seems to be significantly older than she appears, as even [[Inquisitor Greyfax]] recognized her after being locked up in [[Trazyn the Infinite|Trazyn's]] museum for a few centuries. However, [[Inquisition|the complete and utter lack of knowledge of her days as a Battle Sister]] make it nearly impossible to estimate how long she's been around. She's described as being incredibly inspirational, her personality having the perfect blend of strength, charisma, and charity. Even [[Belisarius Cawl]], a near-emotionless arch-magos, felt galvanized in her presence (and given how the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] views the [[Ecclesiarchy]], that's saying something).

==History==
Very little is known of her pre-Saint life, other than she was a [[Sisters Repentia|Repentia]] of the Order of Our Martyred Lady and participated in the Palatine Crusade. After being apparently killed in battle, her body was recovered by her sisters, who found her wounds miraculously healed. Believing this to be a sign of the Emperor's blessing, they placed her in charge of the Imperial forces for the next days attack. After the battle was an unequivocal success, she rapidly rose through the ranks, leading the Imperium to victory time and time again against the heretics, becoming a beacon of inspiration in the process. While the Imperial forces were massing to attack the sector capital, Celestine left the main force, making a pilgrimage to a crypt on the world of Sanctus Lys, which legend said had once been visited by Saint Katherine.

On the dawn of the next day, she emerged from the crypt, wearing the Armor of Saint Katherine and wielding the fiery Ardent Blade. After this, she was officially declared a [[Living Saint]] and went on a heretic-roasting-rampage, first leading the Imperial forces to victory in the Palatine Crusade, and then onto several crusades and wars of faith after. While she had become an icon to Imperial forces everywhere, the [[Sisters of Battle]] held her in particularly high regard. This lasted until she got [[Exterminatus|nuked]] on Forrax by a [[Heresy|traitorous warmaster]]. After presumably burning him to a crisp, the Sisters of Battle were comforted by the fact that she was undoubtedly with the Emperor.

[[Legion of the Damned|And that's when shit got weird.]] Sightings of Celestine began steadily increasing, typically arriving in battles when the forces of the Imperium were at their most desperate, and disappearing before the dust had settled. In particular, she seemed to have a thing for killing [[Daemon Prince|Daemon Princes]].

[[Image:Celestine Fall of Cadia.jpg|thumb|Right|350px|GTFO]]When the 13th Black Crusade hit full swing, Celestine swooped in with a small fleet of Sororitas ships that she'd rescued from the warp to wreck shit and pray to the Emperor (and she'd already said her prayers). After saving Kasr Kraf by [[Awesome|killing the daemon prince leading the chaos assault and throwing his body off the ramparts]], Celestine started doing what she did best and inspiring the hell out of the beleaguered Imperial forces along with her new Geminae Superia bodyguards (twin Canonesses she'd resurrected during the previous battle). All the while she was receiving prophetic dreams, which she believed were from the Emperor warning her of a future danger. During the Battle of the Elysion Fields, she went toe-to-toe with [[Abaddon]] himself, and although Cawl's pylon shenanigans robbed her of the Emperor's blessings, she still managed to hold her own long enough for Cawl and Greyfax to join in and force Abaddon to retreat into orbit.

Following the demise of Cadia, Celestine was the one who convinced Cawl and the [[Black Templars]] to head down to Klaisus, using her previously mentioned dreams as a guide. She then led the survivors to the webway portal and on to [[Ultramar]] to resurrect [[Roboute Guilliman]]. Following his resurrection, she played an important role in ensuring his safe arrival to Terra alongside her two [[Belisarius Cawl|new]] [[Inquisitor Greyfax|pals]], even making amends with Greyfax before the Battle of Luna. After Guilliman's arrival on Terra, she went to minister to the people of Terra before departing once again to continue the fight against Chaos.

She later showed up on Tsadrekha to help against the World Eaters, but unfortunately [[Khârn]] sensed her and showed up too. He managed to get the charge on her [[Rip and Tear|(with predictable results)]] and apparently Celestine rolled a 1 on her resurrection roll (or the writer just needed a convenient excuse for her to exit the story) because she didn't come back to life for round 2. Considering the fact that Celestine went toe-to-toe with Abaddon in Fall of Cadia without saintly powers and survived, it's safe to say that this was more of a failure on the part of the author than the character. Another thing to consider is that although the two should be fairly evenly matched in a fight, Khârn is a more popular character, and as one fan put it, "Plot Armor is powerful and good writing is rare."

In the audio drama ''Our Martyred Lady'' Celestine is caught in the middle of a political dispute between Inquisitor Greyfax and the Ecclesiarch Decius who in the wake of the Great Rift wants to rescind the Decree Passive and allow men to fight with the Sisters of Battle by reforming the [[Frateris Templar]] to increase to power of the Ecclesiarchy. Throughout the drama, Celestine is conflicted about being used as a political figure when a Lord of Change blows up the largest cathedral in the Imperial Palace on Terra and the headquarters of the Ecclesiarchy. Celestine saves Decius by flying out the window with him seconds before he is incinerated by an out of control psyker. The rest of the drama has Greyfax, Celestine, and a Custodian named Longinus uncovering the plot to kill Decius and finds the lost Abbess of the Sisters of Battle fighting daemons on the planet of San Leor where she has been for over a hundred years when it was lost in a warp storm when the Great Rift was formed. As they journey back to Terra they are assaulted by the Alpha Legion and a Lord of Change attempts to sacrifice Celestine's body and soul to pass over into the material world. Greyfax tells Longinus to kill Celestine knowing she will come back. Her resurrection is enough to awe even a Custodian. The experience convinces Celestine that her faith and powers are more important than to be used as mere propaganda by the power-hungry Eccliesiarch and summarily executes him for his crimes against the God-Emperor.

In Andy Clark's [https://www.blacklibrary.com/prod-home/new/celestine-ebook-2019.html Celestine book,] the actual process of her resurrections were described in detail. Every time she dies, she wakes up half naked in the warp. In order to come back, she has to find herself again by piecing together her armour, which is scattered on a mountain [[Grimdark|made up of her own skeletons.]] Every time she dies, another skeleton is added to the pile. Guided by the faint sensation of the Emperor's light, she travels through the nightmarish realm, finding parts of personality, confronting her doubts and fears, and purging any daemons she runs into along the way. Finally, [[Awesome|she strikes a deal with the Emperor,]] offering her service yet again in exchange for the safety of a small girl in the warp, a representation of her hope. Hope that she could rest in that final, peaceful realm she visited in her trials. At the end of the whole ordeal, she is inevitably sent to a battlefield of Big E's choice to make a grand entrance there.

==On the Subject of Wings==
A problem that plagued Celestine and [[Fags of 4chan|sisterfags]] for years was the disparity between her model and her official artwork. Normally, when Games Workshop produces a new unit for a codex, they make the model first and then give it to an artist so that the picture matches the source material. This was not the case with Celestine, and the artist and modellers were working completely independently of each other. As a result, she had this awesome artwork portraying her as a magnificent angelic figure, and a miniature that had her floating with some cherubim holding her cape up. It even included an idiotic-looking mini-jump pack under the cloak. Thankfully, her new model does not have this issue.

==On The Tabletop==

{| class=wikitable
! || Power || Points || M || WS || BS || S || T || W || A || Ld || Sv
|-
| '''Saint Celestine:''' || 8 || 160 || 12" || 2+ || 2+ || 3 || 3 || 6 || 6 || 9 || 2+/4++
|-
| '''Geminae Superia:''' || 2/model || 25/model || 12" || 3+ || 3+ || 3 || 3 || 2 || 3 || 9 || 3+/6++
|}

'''Keywords:''' Character, Infantry, Jump Pack, Fly

Before Chapter Approved 2018, Celestine was one of the best [[Distraction Carnifex]] units in the game, a nigh-unkillable juggernaut whose badass sword, free act of faith, and resurrection abilities made her a killing machine. In the grim darkness of Chapter Approved 2018 however, she's... okay. Her statline is mostly the same (minus a wound), and like before, she can resurrect with full health on a 2+. Offensively, Celestine is still a beast. Her sword is +4 Strength, -3 AP and 2 damage while also being a Heavy Flamer. With 6 attacks, she is sure to deal some damage. Instead of giving a free Act of Faith... she gets no replacement rule and GW just took away one of the best reasons to take her, especially now that Acts of Faith work differently. Saintly Blessings still increases nearby Shield of Faith saves by +1, which means Seraphim get a 4++ save, and still gives nearby Ministorum and Astra Militarum units a 6+ invulnerable save. On the downside, they inexplicably removed the Geminae Superia, making them their own unit. This might make ''some'' sense if they also did something to make the Geminae stand out on their own (they are [[Canoness|Canonesses]] after all), but they're functionally the same as they were when with Celestine; the only difference is that they can Look Out, Sir! for her on a 2+.

This is a bit of a kick in the teeth for our favorite <s>[[daemon prince]]</s> *BLAM* [[Living Saint|living saint]]. Separating Celestine from the Geminae ''drastically'' reduces her survivability. Not only does it effectively drop her wound count, but it can easily lead to situations where Celestine makes a charge, but the Geminae don't, or vice versa. In the former case, this makes Celestine much easier to kill, especially if she's fighting [[Assault Terminators|a unit that can actually cause her trouble]]. In the latter case, you get stuck with the Gemniae's dinky S3 power swords while the real melee heavyweight gets sidelined. All of this, combined with the fact that Celestine can't deep strike in this edition, encourages you to play much more cautiously with her. Whereas before she could reliably run around on her own, now it's a good idea to have some Seraphim rolling around with her to keep enemies from shooting her, and you have to be much more careful about charges now.

Pray to the Emperor that [[Games Workshop|GW]] realizes the error in their ways and repents before it is too late!

===7th Edition===
{| class=wikitable
! || Pts || WS || BS || S || T || W || I || A || Ld || Sv
|-
| '''Saint Celestine:''' || 200 || 7 || 7 || 3 || 3 || 5 || 7 || 5 || 10 || 2+\4++
|-
| '''Eleanor\Genevieve:''' || As Above || 5 || 4 || 3 || 3 || 2 || 4 || 2 || 10 || 3+\4++
|}

Celestine is arguably the best [[Distraction Carnifex]] in the entire game. Seriously, it's nigh-impossible to put her down. For starters, She's an Eternal Warrior with 5 wounds, a 2+ armor save, and a 4+ invulnerable save. In addition to that, she's got two 2-wound [[canoness]] bodyguards who have 3+ armor and share her invulnerable save. Should one or more of them die, one will automatically respawn at the beginning of each of Celestine's turns. On top of all that, assuming you actually manage to chew through 9 total wounds, she can resurrect with all wounds and res one of her bodyguards once per game with a successful leadership test.

Alright, so she's functionally unkillable, her offensive capabilities can't be great, right? Nope, with a S5 AP3 Armorbane sword/heavy flamer and the ability to call orbital bombardment, she can be a murder-machine as well. Add her ability to buff nearby Imperial units and you have one of the best HQs in the game. And the best part? She's 200 points. For less than any of [[Dante|The]] [[Logan Grimnar|Big]] <s> [[Marneus Calgar|Three]] </s> [[Roboute Guilliman|Four]], you get a unit that is nearly unkillable, and packs a decent punch to boot. Bring her to battles and send her straight at the biggest, scariest enemy unit. Even if she doesn't beat it, she's all but guaranteed to keep it tied down for the entire game. Her main weaknesses are [[Deep Strike|deep strike]] mishaps, [[Assault Terminators|heavy assault troops]], and [[Lukas the Trickster|"remove with no saves allowed"]] weapons, so be even more wary of those than usual.

==Gallery==
<center>
<gallery>
Image:Celestine 2e.jpg|Her old model
Image:Celestine 7e.jpg|Her shiny new model
Image:Celestine 7e Close-up.jpg
Image:Geminae Superia Close-up.jpg|The Geminae Superia
Image:Celestine and her girls.jpg|Celestine chilling with her girls
Image:Celestine Art Card.png|thumb|Right|350px|Now you fucked up
Image:Triumverate of the Imperium.png|Celestine with [[Belisarius Cawl|Cawl]] and [[Inquisitor Greyfax|Greyfax]] during the [[Black Crusade|13th Black Crusade]]
Image:Fall of Cadia End.png|After the fall of Cadia
Image:Saintmage.jpg|Back when she was a blonde
Image:Celestine Art 1.jpg|I summon my bird!
Image:Celestine Art 2.jpg
</gallery>
</center>

==External Links==
*[https://regimental-standard.com/2016/12/28/join-the-righteous/ Celestine in The Regimental Standard]
*[https://imgur.com/gallery/4gF5umC Celestine in cosplay] [[Awesome|(and actually done right)]]
*[https://www.blacklibrary.com/prod-home/new/celestine-ebook-2019.html Her very own book!]
*[https://www.blacklibrary.com/new-titles/audio/our-martyred-lady-mp3-box-set-cs-2018.html Our Martyred Lady, which she co-stars in alongside] [[Inquisitor Greyfax|Catherine Tate]]

{{Sororitas-Characters}}

[[Category:Warhammer 40,000]]
[[Category:Imperial]]
[[Category:Sisters of Battle]]