Editing Scythes of the Emperor (section)

==History==
[[file:scythesprofile.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Did someone say psychotic Tyranid-killers?]]
While not that much is known about the Scythes of the Emperor themselves, much of their early history can be extrapolated from the [[Horus Heresy]]:

Their homeworld of '''Sotha''' was a key world in [[Roboute Guilliman]]'s [[Imperium Secundus]], being the site of the '''Pharos''', a [[Necron]] device that aided warp travel and communication. It operated in a fundamentally different way from the [[Astronomican]]; instead of illuminating the world like a lighthouse for all to navigate by, it acted more like a lantern that allowed travel to selected worlds within its range. Moreover, it had to be directed by its operator to an intended target, rather than act as a constant point of reference like the Astronomican. Though in some ways more limited than the Astronomican, being of Necron and indeed [[C'tan]] design, the Pharos was able to pierce through warp interference utterly. Something that apparently irritated [[daemons]] to no end.

The device was fortified by the [[Ultramarines]] 199th ''Aegida'' Company, along with a small contingent of [[Imperial Fists]] and loyalist [[Iron Warriors]], although the level of fortification was kept discreet as to not attract attention to the importance of the precious artefact that was maintaining Guilliman's pocket empire. The rest of the planet was populated by farmers who were kept ignorant of Pharos' true purpose, ostensibly making Sotha an Agri-World of little significance.

Despite the best efforts of the [[Night Lords]], (who in the absence of their Primarch decided they wanted to pretend to be Iron Warriors and made the galaxy's shittiest siege attempt against the Pharos) the world clearly remained under Imperial control after the [[Horus Heresy]], and after battle the 199th company garrisoned on Sotha were allowed to bear the crossed scythes icon to represent their duty of protecting farmers. Following the [[Second Founding]], in an act of [[Double Heresy]] Roboute Guilliman allowed the Aegida company to remain on Sotha as an <u>eleventh</u> company of Ultramarines to ensure the secret of the Pharos was not revealed and with it the shame of [[Imperium Secundus]].

Later, when the '''Third Founding''' was ordered by [[Rogal Dorn]], the Ultramarines knew they would fall under intense scrutiny and offered Aegida Captain Oberdeii a choice: either leave Sotha and join the Ultramarine 5th company properly with the implied intention of allowing him to martyr himself and take the secrets of the past with him. '''OR''' quietly join the third founding as a new Chapter, but give up his status as an Ultramarine. His choice was to form the Scythes of the Emperor.

During the aforementioned struggle with the Night Lords, the Pharos was overloaded in an attempt to purge the traitors from the planet, a course of action which succeeded-- but that brief flash of energy was bright enough to seen from outside of the galaxy and caught the attention of the [[Tyranids]], practically sealing the doom of the planet when they inevitably arrived ten thousand years later.

[[file:scythesbadass.jpg|thumb|right|Last stand on Miral]]
Nearly 10,000 years later the chapter was devastated by their defeat on Sotha. [[grimdark|Only about four hundred marines survived,]] though the bulk of the Chapter Fleet managed to escape, evacuating to the world of Miral which they hoped to make their new homeworld. Alas, Kraken caught up to them and they were forced to escape once more after losing 3/4th of their number, including their Chapter Master and First Company. Shortly after their escape, Captain Thracian of the 3rd company took the mantle of Chapter Master and immediately started launching hit and run attacks against the hive fleet. They kept this up until they learned that the Ultramarines had finally halted Kraken at Ichar IV and were [[Butthurt|greatly disappointed]] that they weren't present.

Chapter Master Thracian later set about to rebuilding the chapter and avenging his fallen brothers. Low on Astartes as well as equipment, the chapter could not completely follow the Codex Astartes while they were regaining their strength. At one point they only had four suits of Terminator armour left, one of which was only partial.

In the Space Marines: The Omnibus story Orphans of the Kraken, the Scythes of the Emperor are shown working in so-called Saviour Squads, which board Tyranid hive ships to search for battle-brothers (dead and alive) and equipment to bring back to the Chapter, as well as using the opportunity to train recruits. While some in the Chapter understandably think that doing this is retarded, it is revealed that Thrasius was actually using the information brought back from the expeditions to construct a hive ship simulator on one of their ships, so that they can train recruits without risking their lives.

Overall, they are kind of like an Ultramarine equivalent to the [[Crimson Fists]].