Undying Scions

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Undying Scions
File:Scions Icon.jpg
Battle Cry	Uyielding. Unwavering. Undying.
Number	XVIII
Successor Chapters	Many
Primarch	Sarco Funerus
Homeworld	Amaranth
Specialty	Dreadnoughts
Allegiance	Loyalist
Colours

I remember the names of the fallen. All of them. Not only those interred in dreadnought sarcophagi, for they are not truly lost to us. I remember those torn from life entirely in one fell swoop by the arms of the Ork savage, the traitorous slave, the Eldar witch. When a giant falls, I remember them too. Their names echo in my head when the Legion is called to war, a private litany of vengeance that steels the mind in preparation for battle.

-from the memoirs of Captain Venthros, senior councilor of the Faranin system.

Summary of Legion XVIII

Numeration: The XVIII Legion

Primogenator: Sarco Funerus

Cognomen (Prior): Space Panthers, Imperial Scions

Observed Strategic Tendencies: Heavy use of dreadnoughts, siege warfare

Noteworthy Domains: Unyielding Vigil

Allegiance: Fidelitas Constantus

Homeworld

Amaranth is a world of steamy jungles and stalking predators. Located near the border between the segmentums Ultima and Tempestus, its feral inhabitants face a daily fight for survival against the beasts that lurk beneath the cannopy. When Sarco Funerus arrived on the world after being flung through the warp by the Ruinous Powers, he lived in seclusion for years before he was discovered by other humans, wrapped in the furs of indigenous megapanthers and bristling with a savage cunning. It was not long before Funerus became the chief of his new tribe. Eventually he led them to a secluded valley, safe from the vicious beasts that had plagued them for so long. It was here that the Emperor found Sarco Funurus and here where the Undying Scions erected their first fortress complex.

Legion Tactics

Before the interment of Sarco Funerus, the Imperial Scions (as they were then known) were experts at infiltration, sabotage, and guerrilla warfare. After their primarch was felled and during his recovery, the legion toured with the Emperor and its tactical dogma was changed dramatically from a focus of fast-paced combat to grueling siege warfare. After recovering from his injuries, Sarco returned to his legion a changed man. Aside from his new dreadnought sarcophagus, he was humbled by his experience at the hands of the Eldar Wraithlord that struck him down. He realized that war was not for personal glory, but for the good of the Imperium.

Legion Organization

The myriad worlds of the Unyielding Vigil are ruled by a high council of the legion's oldest dreadnoughts, seated on Amaranth. Most of the legion's successor chapters have similar councils, but all defer to the high council of Amaranth.

Successor Chapters

>Adamantine Knights An oddity among the Scions successors in that, rather than becoming endeared to death, the high number of Interred among the Chapter have resulted in them valuing the gift of life more highly than most of their fellows. Staunch protectors and paragons, the Adamantine Knights boast the largest Terminator detachments out of any Undying Scions successor Chapter.

>White Lions A relatively young successor Chapter, the White Lions have surprisingly few Interred members for a Scions Chapter. The Lions' historians place great emphasis on the parables of their Primarch's early life, and strive to emulate his prowess as hunters, resulting in a knack for mobile, fast-assault tactics.

>Hands of the Immortal A fleetbound Chapter with a finely-honed tradition of precise drop pod insertion behind enemy lines. Heavily depleted after the 07th Fist of Mars Battalion and the 01st Talonic Macroclade opened fire upon them during the latter stages of the 13th Crusade, claiming that the Hands were engaged in "tech-heresy of a foul and most subversive nature." The truth of this statement is presently unknown.

>Sentinels Epitomizing the ethos of the Vigil as a bulwark against Chaos, the Sentinels are masters of defensive tactics, their infantry holding the line with a mixture of prudent decision-making and iron grit while their artillery blasts the enemy into submission from behind.

>Shield Bearers Fanatics to the cult of the Interred, the Shield Bearers have comparatively few dreadnoughts among them. Their sacred duty is to recall the legends and undying service of those Interred that have been smitten beyond the help of the sarcophagus, each Marine given a name and a livery that continues the legacy of such a fallen Brother, their past lives erased.

>Iron Regents Even by the standards of other Scions successors, the Iron Regents boast an extraordinary number of Interred Marines, their uninterred a mere skeleton force. They prize the overwhelming strength of the dreadnought, and favour close quarters engagement where this iron-wrought might is most evident, delighting in the superiority of plasteel over flesh. The Iron Regents are quite famous for their use of broad-bladed power glaives, capable of scything effortlessly through several ranks of lesser foes in a single sweep.

>Sin-Eaters The Sin-Eaters are the result of a rare and highly ironic gene-seed malfunction – many among the Chapter are unable to be properly Interred. Those that can invariably become erratic and strange, requiring the constant supervision and care of their uninterred brothers. On a constant quest to prove themselves, the Sin-Eaters are rarely at full strength, and favour dangerous close-assault tactics. They have a remarkable number of psykers among their ranks for an Undying Scions successor Chapter.

>Dust Striders The Dust Striders know that flesh is weak, and they seek to transcend it. Viewing their mortal bodies as a mere temporary convenience, they utilize a gratuitous overabundance of rad-weaponry and viral agents, and care little for friendly fire if it means the utter destruction of their foes. Flesh is dust, but plasteel and adamantium endure, so what does it matter if they contaminate their own bodies? To the Dust Striders, their uninterred lives are brief flames to be burned as brightly and fast as possible.

>Avenging Sons Almost entirely fleetbound, the Avenging Sons have made it their sacred duty to patrol just beyond the borders of Unyielding Vigil territory, keeping a constant watch for the encroachment of traitors and xenos. Their tactics are mostly typical of Undying Scions successors, utilizing large numbers of dreadnoughts alongside support detachments of uninterred heavy weapon teams. They have a particular fondness for Deredeo Pattern dreadnoughts.

>Cyclopes Recognizable by the sigil of the watchful eye, the Cyclopes are a mystery, somehow specializing in rapid redeployment despite boasting a grand number of Interred brothers even by Scion standards. How they achieve this miracle is as of yet unknown, the Chapter spending much of its time campaigning through the upper Tempestus zone, far from anything resembling a coherent Loyalist command structure, as is the method by which they leave nothing of their foes but fields of dust.

>Tomb Kings Mostly unremarkable save for their grisly custom of bedecking their dreadnought chassis’ in the bones of their fallen foes, the Tomb Kings are by all accounts a standard example of an Undying Scions’ successor Chapter.

>Talons of Funerus The Talons of Funerus are subject to a similar gene-seed mutation as their brothers of the Sin-Eaters, unable to Inter their fallen members without risking severe consequences. In the case of the Talons, their Interred almost invariably experience a violent psychic awakening upon integration into the holy sarcophagus. Some do not survive this process, but most simply become living dynamos of crackling psychic energy, their perceptions jerked out of synch with material reality. The Interred of the Talons move with unnatural speed, but, ironically, their bifurcated senses often mean that they react slowly to the events of the mortal world. The Talons of Funerus are engaged in a constant campaign of pre-emptive defence in the upper Tempestus.

>Dragon’s Teeth [RECORDS EXPUNGED] [EXCOMMUNICATUS HERETICUS] [RECORDS EXPUNGED]

>Death Lords Lumbering monoliths of blackened plasteel, the Death Lords are characterized for their extreme lack of compassion for the lives of mortals, and have become widely known for the callous efficiency of their planetary cleansing operations. Known to leave few survivors, the Death Lords believe that the Emperor will know his own, and during combat barely distinguish between innocent and sinner, making extensive use of flamers and phosphex weapons.

>Angels Adamantine Guardians of the Tempestus Gap with an illustrious history of daring drop-pod insertions, the Angels Adamantine are known to almost entirely eschew the use of Devastators and Tactical Squads – the vast majority of uninterred Marines in the Chapter are instead allocated to Assault Squads, disrupting enemy formations while the Chapter’s Interred blast them into submission with superior firepower.

Timeline

M31

The Warmaster’s Heresy

-Dismayed by death of the Emperor and the incapacitation of their father, the XVIII legion retreats to Amaranth and its surrounding worlds.

The Council of Titans -The Undying Scions send a small delegation to the Council of Titans, but does not speak.

M32

Forging of the Vigil

-The Undying Scions begin a war of conquest to reunite worlds in the western Ultima segmentum. The campaign finishes with the destruction of two entire battle companies of Iron Hearts upon the world of Sarco Primaris, whose original name has been excised from Vigilant records.

-The Karadon Cold Ones are founded.

M33

Vigilance Without End

-Battlefleet Vigilance is founded, and is baptized in blood in the Second Crusade where the Undying Scions retake the Maelstrom zone.

-the world of Hadrianus is beset by a daemonic invasion. First known use of the Baleful Blade to divine where the Scions are needed most.

M34

Divided We Stand

-In order to more effectively police their domains, the Undying Scions follow the example of Imperium Minorum and split themselves into independent successor chapters, each two thousand strong.

Expansion

-Following the liquid iron drops of the Baleful Blade, the sons of the XVIII legion push into Segmentum Tempestus and expand their territory.

M35

The Fire Rises

-The Undying Scions’ primary recruiting world, Amaranth, is attacked by Eldar corsairs. Five hundred aspirants fall defending the complex where the Baleful Blade has its place of honor.

M36

The Teliom Crisis

-Forgeworlds across the Teliom Sector suffer from rogue heretek attacks and servitor uprisings. Two whole chapters are required to put an end to the crisis.

Unwavering

-As a massive hole in the firewall opens up, Idrias Stern leads the defense of the Unyielding Vigil with the single largest detachment of marines since the Great Crusade.

-Sergeant Marius begins his investigation of a mysterious xenos threat

M37

The Ninth Crusade

-The necropolis cult reveals itself and moves to attack the worlds surrounding Amaranth with the assistance of its necron benefactors. Only the timely intervention of the Crimson Warhawks prevents the total annihilation of the world.

Unsung

-The Baleful Blade leads the current High Councilor of Amaranth and his retinue to Feingard, a remote world in the Kor Protectorate. Their fate is unknown, but the Blade later appears in its place on Amaranth. The skies above Cydonia play host to blue-tinged comets for weeks to come.

M38

Swallowed Whole

-One of the Undying Scions’ successor chapters, the Heralds of Hadrianus, are baited into attacking the Negators in their base of operations in a commorite sub-realm. They are never heard from again.

Wisdom of the Ancients

-The Undying Scions send representatives to each of the other crusader states in an attempt to ameliorate the rising tensions between primarchs and gain support for a crusade into the heart of the Dark Imperium

M39

Eldar Resurgent

-Several craftworlds move through Vigilant space towards segmentum tempestus. The Undying Scions are manipulated into attacking forces that may have presented a threat to the Eldar.

Fury of Ages

-Soon after discovering their manipulation, the Undying Scions are led against the rising Eldar Empire by Idrias Stern, who first meets his rival Muirthandril.

M40

Chosen of Eldanesh

-The war against the resurgent Eldar Empire rages on, bringing destruction to scores of worlds throughout Segmentum Tempestus. Notably, Idrias Stern destroys a blackstone fortress in a boarding action.

Undead Vs. Undying

-More and more worlds reveal themselves to be tombs for the ancient necrons. Forces must be diverted from the western front against the eldar to deal with them. The Baleful Blade is instrumental in identifying tombworlds and begins to glow as if molten in the presence of the ancient race.

M41

Terror out of Space

-Battlefleet Vigilance successfully fends off Hive Fleet Megalith

Dire Savagery

-Unbeknownst to the Scions, the Eldar Empire influences several Ork Waaagh!s to attack them. Three chapters of Undying Scion successors are depleted to dangerously low numbers.

M42

-War with the Eldar Empire starts anew, with many successors declaring their intentions to push into the territory of various corsair princes.