Editing Astral Wardens (section)

=Notable Members=

'''Finnaevius Taggart, Legion Champion''': Taggart was the sole survivor of his squad, which was massacred in the Legion's first encounter with the forces of Chaos, before the truth of these "Warp-Xenos" was fully understood. Taggart returned without his shield, and has since refused to accept a new one- or indeed to join a new squad. He has seemingly undertaken a vow of silence, and his brothers have honored it, seeing it as his way of grieving for the fallen. However, this does not mean Taggart stays behind when the Astral Wardens ride to battle. Indeed, he descends upon the battlefield like grim death, chainblade in one hand and shotgun in the other. Rushing headlong into battle with preturnatural speed to break the enemy line, many say he's seeking the doom that eluded him on that fateful day. It might find him an easier mark if he didn't fight with a mad strength and uncanny ferocity, ripping into the foe with blade and gun and even his bare fists. Taggart has never manifested the signature V<sup>th</sup> legion psychic halo, and seemingly none of the typical abilities. It's suspected any power he possesses is instead being channeled into pure physical might.

	His excellence as a one-man army saw him appointed the Legion Champion, largely out of expediency for inter-Crusade politics, and there is certainly no denying he is the foremost practitioner of single combat among the Wardens, with the (possible) exception of the Primarch himself. While the Legion has always disdained the notion of dueling, they greatly respect their brother, and they're paradoxically big fans of Taggart's matches, showing up to hoot like hooligans.

	As the Legion's most accomplished solo combatant, Taggart has been Calael's consistent pick for the Great Jousts, but the man has little apparent passion for the event.  His continual failure to rein in his brutal style has seen him repeatedly disqualified, though he never seems disappointed when he loses- while the Wardens love watching him fight, the champions sent by other legions are rarely eager to face the man who has no love for the sport. Only once did Taggart pass the initial stages of the Joust- following a feud with the [[Knights Stellaris]], whose champion was the favorite to win that year's competition, Calael took Taggart aside and instructed him in clear terms to carry the V<sup>th</sup>'s pride at the Joust and make [[Solomon Tyrus]]'s champion eat dirt. In the end, the crownless Warden took home the prize, but the sheer brutality and lack of elegance in the match has led the Knights to contest the validity of the result ever since, and Solomon's champion bears the scars Taggart gave him as proof of the Wardens' insult.

	The grim warrior was last seen with his Legion at the Sanction of Zharr-Hadad, fighting knee-deep in the dead as the endless tide of Daemons overtook him. Some say that, against all odds, he survived that lethal ordeal and even now fights a tireless war on the very shores of Hell.


'''Endeavor Jones''' -   One of the original Hellbenders, and initially one of the most resistant to Cal's growing influence within the Breacher crew, Endeavor Jones eventually became one of his biggest supporters as the young Primarch proved his worth. Always ready with a sardonic wisecrack or a dubious tall tale, Jones lacks much of the attitude expected of an Astartes- but, as he'll cheerfully remind you, he's only ''half''-astartes. Jones spent time as a bandit before becoming a Breacher and still hides concerns that the whole Space Marine thing takes a better quality of man than he's cut out for, but hides it well. Despite his imperfect self-confidence, his confidence in his Primarch is rock solid, and he remains a big help when Bishop is having second thoughts.
	

'''Constance Lainne''' – An educated lady from one of the nicer sections of Providence  who, in the latter days of the Hellbenders, became their sort of home base manager and accountant, as well as vouching for Bishop to get him into the biggest library on the hulk. Following induction into the Imperium, she puts her mathematical and analytical acumen to work managing the Vth's ever-growing fleet. While reserved and proper, particularly in her older years during the Crusade, Constance is something of a Hellbender fangirl and has been compiling the most complete history of them and later the Vth legion that she can. When she is appointed the chief Remembrancer for the Wardens, it is a dream come true.

'''Olsen White''' - Grandson of the late leader of the Hellbenders. A taciturn man, and the first recruit to Bishop's Hellbenders younger than he. Connor lacks his forbear's charisma but none of his skill. May be an enthusiastic fan of Taggart's style and thus be targeted by [[Chosen of Hecate|Atreus]] to draw out Taggart. 

'''Perceval Jackson''' – A onetime wealthy heir from the same colony as Constance, disowned for some youthful affront, Perceval was a preturnaturally tall and lithe man with a high-set brow and oddly-shaped ears. After wandering the hulk proving his worth as a mercenary, he eventually wound up as the most sophisticated and learned of the OG Hellbender crew, and the most skilled in close combat, always wearing a dueling sabre in addition to his breaching gear, which he wielded with a grace and speed some deemed superhuman. He quickly took to the new melee weapons introduced by the coming of the Imperium and adopted a stylish power foil as his signature weapon.  May be the one who finds Horus' sword on Laer during the diplomatic mission and gets all corrupt and [[Isekho the Unseen]] shows up to kill him.

'''Adrian Bibbowski''' – Huge Hellbender, slow but good-natured. The first to die as a half-astartes, his soul becomes the subject of [[Lambach Kropor]]'s experimental ''Ichabod''-Pattern Dreadnought, intended to more permanently house the ephemeral spirits of fallen Wardens. When the project is nixed by higher-ups, Cal is forced to say farewell to his friend and pull the plug, promising to meet Bibbo on the other side. Bibbo says not to be in too much of a hurry.

'''Erasmus Cochrane''' – Legion Master of the Vth circa 40k. Large, one-eyed, much more stern than Cal. Born on an Imperial world that suffered a major Chaotic incursion, young Erasmus narrowly escaped being sacrificed to the Dark Gods, only to fall into the hands of the Imperial forces purging the planet, minus an eye. Identified to have great psychic potential and miraculously free of taint, he was promptly shuffled aboard the nearest Black Ship and sent on his way. He surely would have met his fate as dinner for the Emperor if said Black Ship hadn't happened to be the target of a raid by the V<sup>th</sup> Legion. Cochrane was among those rescued, and proved compatible with the Space Marine program.

	Despite his considerable power he had difficulty bonding with others among the Vth, shuffling between shield-crews without ever finding a good fit. He lacked the easy camaraderie the Wardens were known for, and though he would joke and laugh in the heat of battle, when the smoke cleared and the day was won he kept to himself, unwilling or unable to lower his defenses. His wry wit and gallows humor won him friends, but his light was always distant in the Weave, no matter who he fought alongside.

	  Cochrane would not rise in prominence until a fateful encounter with the Devilsharkz. With the Orks pressing their assault on the Sun's reliquary chamber, Cochrane took up the Solais blade within and fought the Kommodork to a standstill, drove the invaders back and quelled the raid. The battle cost him an arm, but it also cost the Commodork an eye, a slight the creature has not forgotten.

	 No previous Warden had successfully grasped the Primarch's ethereal blade, and so it was taken as a sign from their Bishop himself that Cochrane was destined to lead.

	Cochrane's style of leadership was much different from what the Wardens had come to expect.  Being inducted after the passing of the Primarch, his views had little in common with those of his genefather. He was a harder, more pragmatic man, and given his childhood it came as no surprise that he regarded the Imperium with the same contempt he held for Chaos. Indeed, he was no more likely to stay his hand facing the [[Golden Mountains]] -once counted among the V<sup>th</sup>'s closest allies- than he was the [[Loxodontii]] or the [[Death's Heads]], their ancient rivals. This led to a great deal of strain early in his rule, particularly among the elder Marines who remembered the Primarch and his ideals. Endeavor Jones, last surviving Hellbender, eventually took it upon himself to serve as Cochrane's advisor, tempering the new Chapter Master's harsher inclinations.

	The most notable change under Cochrane's tenure was a massive expansion of the Black Ship raiding parties. The new Chapter Master quickly moved to reinforce bonds with the [[Corsairs Gallant]], renegotiating highly favorable trading partnerships in exchange for the most accurate and quickly-delivered information on the Inquisition's doings and the itineraries of the Black Ships. Under Cochrane's leadership, the Wardens escalated to an unprecedented level of interference and outright aggression against the Imperium's affairs.

	On the battlefield, Cochrane is instantly recognizable, if not by his masterwork Terminator armor then certainly by the fact that he carries no shield, the Solais blade slung across his back. His spellwork has a violent, jagged cast to it- more lightning than fire- and the power he brings to bear is peerless within the Materium, but his particular vice is a love for unusual and unwieldy firearms. Indeed, the reason he carries no shield, preferring to manifest one from the Empyrean when needed, is simply because he likes to have both hands free to use the biggest gun he can find. Though he sports an augmetic arm and leg, he has never had the missing eye replaced- curious, given his predilection for firearms, but as he glibly observes, “You don't need depth perception if everything down range is a casualty.”