Void Wardens

THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS

Void Wardens
Battle Cry	We are the sword from the shadows!
Founding	M37 (23rd Founding)
Successors of	Unknown
Successor Chapters	None
Chapter Master	Sadow Kynex
Primarch	Unknown
Homeworld	Neria
Strength	950
Specialty	Shock tactics
Allegiance	Imperium
Colours	Pale Blue and Silver.

Summary

Aspirant Trials

The Void Wardens’ methods for initiation start with the acquisition of suitable candidates. Usually a group of 20-80 candidates are selected at one time. These groups are further separated into teams of five and set to train together for two to three months of trust exercises and close combat training. After the period of time has expired the teams are set against another team. The initiates are given an assortment of weapons and made to fight until first blood at which point the initiate that is struck is declared “out” and may not continue. At the end the victorious team is to execute the losing team and then immediately be sequestered off to avoid other initiates from learning about the trial. This should effectively cull the weaker half of the initiates. After the trial the initiates must pick one member of their team to execute. Further time and training is given to the remaining teams. The initiates will then be informed they will be taking part in one last fight. The final fight will have the remaining four team members facing off against each other to the death. This is done in order to psychologically break the recruits in order to make them more malleable along with reinforcing self-reliance and independence. The victors from the trials are then to be taken and given Phases 1-3 of the modifications and their official induction into the chapter.

Homeworld

Neria is a feudal world that serves as the Void Warden's chapter home world. Neria is found within the subsector of Masari in the Segmentum Ultima. Neria serves as the Void Warden's primary recruiting world along with their base of operations. The current population of the world is set at around 460,000,000 people and the technology level is similar to the Renaissance.

The planet is split up into 5 primary continents with numerous fractured archipelagos in it's vast oceans. Neria can best be described as primarily temperate with a very thin tropical belt encircling it's equator.

Chapter Appearance

Equipment

The Void Wardens most commonly use either the traditional Mark VII or the Mark IV Power armor sets. Veterans of the Void Wardens often use Mark VIII "Errant Armor." The Space Marines of the Void Wardens most commonly use the Neria pattern boltgun. The Neria pattern is distinctive because of it's slightly longer barrel optimized for mid to short range combat and an optional bayonet attachment is often included on the bolter's design. The chapter also utilizes Stalker pattern bolters to strike form a longer range or preform assassinations against enemy commanders that have been deemed as too well defended to attempt an assault against.

The Void Wardens commonly use rhinos, predator tanks, land raiders, and Storm Talons to supplement their forces in combat. Bikes and lander speeders are often eschewed by the chapter in favor of vehicles that offer more protection for their crews and passengers.

Chapter Colors

The Void Wardens use pale blue colored armor with slightly brighter trim around the edges. The chapter also prevalently features silver inserts along the pauldrons and the top of their backpack. The left shoulder almost always has a silver layer. On their terminator armor the knees on the Terminators are often also silver while the Terminus Crux skull is often bone.

Culture

View On Humanity and Xenos

The Void Wardens have a distinct view on humanity. Although they find humans to be inferior to themselves they still attempt to defend citizens of the Imperium. Many of the Void Wardens believe humans to be similar to wayward children, wandering into trouble all the time because they do not understand how the universe works yet. They see the Adaptus Astartes as the first and best hope for humanity to survive against the legions of their enemies.

The Void Wardens view xenos species as a mixed bag. Although they admire the destructive capabilities of the various xenos races' weapons they disdain the species which wields them. The Void Wardens have a particular enmity for the Eldar. The Void Wardens have had multiple fights with the Eldar warriors and have gown to hate them with a fervor. In the few cases that an Eldar warrior is taken alive from the field of battle the Void Wardens often return the unlucky Xenos to their fortress monastery where they are imprisoned and subjected to as much pain as their bodies can take before they are executed and their Spirit stone taken from the corpse after it has successfully trapped the Eldar's soul.

Ediona

The Ediona are squat creatures native to Neria. They usually come to the size of a small child and have comparable intelligence. Librarians of the Void Wardens use them as familiars because of their moderate intelligence and mostly humanoid shape. The Fortress monastery, Lux, has large warrens of the animals staying within their walls and are commonly trained to assist the space marines and serfs with their tasks. The typical Ediona appears around 2-3 feet tall and ranges from pallid to deep purple in color. They often have horns or thick tendrils covering their heads and wear robes.

Trophies

The Void Wardens after being victorious on the field of battle commonly take the heads of those that they killed. The marines sometimes mouth the heads upon trophy racks on their armor, displaying them as grisly testaments to their prowess. The heads are also kept within their fortress-monastery in the Hall of Glory, a large room littered with trophies and testaments to the chapter's strength as well as serving as a reliquary for artifacts. The most common heads taken are that of the eldar.

Downtime

During time in which a marine from the Void Wardens are not engaged in combat the marines preform a variety of tasks. Most often the marines are either training, reading through the history of the chapter, or sitting in quiet meditation. However many marines also practice art like painting, sculpting, forge craft, and other pursuits. They believe that such acts hone the mind and the soul to round out their attributes. The Void Wardens also take part in large feasts with the natives of the planet, taking time to inspire awe in the population of the feudal world. The feast commonly has many courses of food ranging from thick stews to sweetened breads along with a strong herbal teaLibrarians. The marines and other participants engage in displays of valor, strength or skill but never mixing their two numbers within the same competition.

Rituals

The Void Wardens are known for their lavish feasts and festivals in honor of various heroes, memorable battles and other feats of glory. When not embroiled in conflict the marines take time to meditate and practice artistry in order to hone their mind to the same level as their bodies.

Feast of Ascension

After the final test is completed for aspirants a great feast is held in their honor usually a week or two after the trial. The aspirants are each ushered in front of their new brothers and lauded for their abilities and welcomed into the fold as new initiates. The feast usually consists of a four course meal with elders telling stories as the battle brother eat. At the conclusion of the meal the aspirants are once again led up before the chapter where they take a knee in front of the chapter master, flanked by two chaplains of the order. The new initiates each recite the oath of allegiance and brotherhood to the Void Wardens. After the final oath is taken the initiates stand before the chapter and lead them in the shouting of the chapter's motto: "We are the sword from the shadows!"

Controversy

Geneseed

The Void Wardens' geneseed is considered to be flawed. The Void Wardens eye color often changes to black, blue, or purple after the implantation of the augments. Space marines of the Void Wardens also display hardened claw-like growths upon their fingers Veteran Space Marines of the Void Wardens also have shown a propensity towards collecting the heads of defeated foes.

Founding Chapter

The founding chapter of the Void Wardens has been a subject of debate within the administratum. There are two chapters which are considered to be the most likely founders: The Imperial Fists and The Salamanders. Their steadfast loyalty and beautiful architectural deisgn of their outposts is reminiscent of the Imperial fists. However, the minor mutations that they suffer have also been pointed to link them to the unstable geneseed of the of Salamanders, which is more prone to minor mutations than that of the Imperial Fists. Although their exact founder is unknown the chapter maintains friendly relations with both of their possible founders in order to secure their support and possible patronage.

Gallery

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  Void Warden Power Armor.
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  Void Warden Terminator Armor.