Silver Cataphracts

"That is how you would describe those poor bastards final moments? 'Glorious'? 'Magnificent'? 'Heroic'? Do not waste my time with these words!"

Quote attributed to a Silver Cataphract, upon relieving the battered defenders of Terra.

Silver Cataphracts
Battle Cry	"Let us finish this!"
Number	XXIII
Founding	First Founding
Successor Chapters	True Sons of the Regent, Seers of Winter
Chapter Master	Sergei
Primarch	Alexandri
Homeworld	Rosskar
Strength	150,000 or 190,000, or even more.
Specialty	Attrition Warfare
Allegiance	Imperium of Man
Colours	Silver, Light Grey, Light Blue

This page details people, events, and organisations from The /tg/ Heresy, a fan re-working of the Warhammer 40,000 Universe.

The Silver Cataphrcats are a Loyalist Space Marine Legion and Chapter. Led by the ambitious Primarch Alexandri, they have and always will remain ever pessimistic of the future, with only their contempt greeting the present. Dour and somber these Marines has always held realist views on subjects of glory, morality, and battle. In the Great Crusade they were famed for their slow advances, which saw countless systems receive minimal losses - if you only counted the Astartes. No matter what the cost though, they will achieve victory.

Summary of Legion XXIII

Numeration: The XXIIIth Legion

Primogenator: Alexandri (also known as "The Regent")

Cognomen (Prior): None. Note: Alexandri never cared to change it, the name Silver Cataphracts assigned to them by Hektor Cincinnatus, the Arch-Traitor.

Observed Strategic Tendencies: Attrition Warfare, Adaptation, Human-Astartes Joint Tactics

Noteworthy Domains: The Rosskar System (Primary), nineteen other systems held in tributary fiefdom at the closure of the Great Crusade.

Alliegence: Fedelitas Constantus

"I never understood the obsession with honor. Honor won't protect you, it won't shield you, and it definitely won't keep you warm. You can't touch it, you can't hold it, and you can't feel it. Trust in the heat of your brother's blood, and that of your own blood. The only truth in this world is the one you make of it, but blood is forever constant. It is always warm."

First Battle Company Captain Sergei, Grand Officer of the Legion, M.30

History of the Silver Cataphracts

Many Legions wear their honors on their sleeves, but not the soldiers of Alexandri. There are no halls of heroes upon Rosskar, there are no weapons named after dead Marines who had heroic deeds in the past. They are a stoic, solemn breed of Astartes. War is reviled for what they perceive it is, never honoring the deeds of fools who couldn't retreat or think a way out of a last stand. From the very moment the first members of the Legion were made to the present, they have kept silent of their acts and have always down played their involvement in campaigns. Some may see this humble, perhaps it even is.

For whatever reason the Silver Cataphract are what they are, stepping towards the front line with stern determination.

Infamous Beginnings, the 24th Squad

During the time of Hektor's Sacred Band, the Twenty-Fourth squad was heavily penalized for their conduct in battle. This was especially exemplified during the Pacification of the Merican Hives when the members Antoyi and Ranosmir used human shields to protect them from gun fire. They had no respect for the enemy, but held Hektor and the other members of the Sacred Band in the utmost regard. By his expressed orders they ceased their ways in operations, but it would be later revealed they dabbled in horrible and debase tactics such as leaving out a wounded soldier in the sun, just to allow other soldiers to pass over the poor soul to retrieve him. The man had planted on him a melta bomb, which would immediately detonate once his comrades would attempt to retrieve him. Other such inglorious methods were used, including the use of human shields, and children as bargaining chips.

The members of the Twenty-Fourth Squad.

• Atosh, The Spine Breaker.
• Antoyi, Lover of Devestation.
• Baroslav, The First Cataphract.
• Byk, Strongest of The 24th.
• Galash, The Witch Without Guidance.
• Mikhail, The Render of Neya-'yrk Hive.
• Nomenir, Poet of the Dour.
• Toren, the Astartes Rembrancer of the 24th.
• Ranosmir, Brother to Hektor.
• Veshnyak, Accuser of the Emperor.

The Butchering of Neya-yrk

Souls rest sound asleep

Piled among bodies deep

Bloodied and damned,

By Mikhail's hand.

Nomenir's First Poem, composed after the Pacification of the Merica Hives

---

Before there were even Legions, and Hektor was the first and only Primarch, among the first Astartes was the Sacred Band. A collection of the best minds and keenest warriors molded by the highest of savants including the Sigilite himself. Hektor choose these men to be the elite of the forming Legions, a brotherhood which would stand the test of time. The first major battle this group took part in as a whole, where they all stood side by side was the Pacification of the Merica Hives. Antoyi had been chosen for his wisdom and charisma, being able to both rally his fellow squadmates and plan ahead during a skirmish.

Veshnyak desired to be the leader, a newly found ambition flourishing in the Albian man who years before had only a burning desire to serve. He wanted to recognized as the leader, he wanted to be the man answering to Hektor himself. Throughout the battle, from the beginning deployments to the thick of a fire fight he continuously questioned Antoyi's command. He formed deep bonds with the rest of the squad further cementing his influence. Eventually no one in the squad followed Antoyi's voice, but Veshnyak's. Antoyi was merely an emissary to Hektor. As the humble soldier never wanted to cause trouble, no complaints were lobbied towards Veshnyak's conduct. But soon the Marine found a new interest, one which would lead to his undoing.

Slaughter.

The 24th Squad was positioned alongside the Thunder Warriors and techno-barbarian armies, helping to lead the spearhead into the walled and guarded hive of Neya-yrk set upon an island which had seen the ocean dry up long ago. The fighting was brutal, and nearly all of the brothers died but Veshnyak was not only power hungry, he was fiercely cunning. He used the captured soldiers of the Neya'yrkers as shields, making most of the defenders unwilling to focus their fire upon them.

But something surprised the Marines who had been able to swiftly break into the armored city. All of the defenders of Neya-yrk gave up their arms immediately. Countless millions lived in the spires and hab-blocks, and the Neya-yrkers would not risk bringing a fight here. Mikhail was distraut, wishing to make them pay for all those who had died outside. Veshnyak formed a cunning idea as more and more soldiers surrendered. He gave Mikhail the order he wanted. To kill every last Neya-yrk fighter. But as the last of the captured warriors was cut down, Mikhail, Atosh, and Veshnyak did not simply stop there.

When the Thunder Warriors arrived, savage and brutal beings that they were, joined in. The rest of the Twenty-fourth could only watch as the Hive was cut down, nearly half of the entire populace being butchered before Hektor was able to reign them in.

No one but Atosh and Mikhail followed Veshnyak after that.

The Accusation of the Emperor

For months Veshnyak had showed repeated disruptive behavior, and had been reported by other members as showing unremarkable cruelty to the wounded and capture enemies both on and off the field of battle. His drive was malicious, as the man was driven by a mix of sadism and paranoia. When the Thunder Warriors were culled, he gathered his two closest allies, Mikhail and Atosh, to join him on an errand to speak to Hektor about the fate of the Astartes. They never made it to their Primarch leader, as Veshnyak had utterly lied about his intentions. With his two brothers on tow, he attempted to threaten and berate the Emperor himself. Veshnyak did not comprehend the immense power of the Master of Mankind, and he was overwhelmed mentally by his psychic might.

A taint had taken hold in the Marine's soul, which the Emperor made a point to show to all those of his court. Hektor had been speaking to Ranosmir about the conduct of Veshnyak at the Palace while this happened, leading to both of them arriving at the scene. Veshnyak was forced to confess all his crimes in detail, which have been stricken from the Imperial records for their profaneness. The Emperor made this man an example, by showing the Marines what could happen if they did not act as proper exemplars of humankind. Mikhail and Atosh both fell to their knees, begging for forgiveness. All that is known of that day was Veshnyak was executed, and Hektor pleaded for the lives of the two other members of Squad 24.

Ever since then, the Legionnaires of the XXIIIth Legion swore never to take on a name until one was given to them. They cleared their old paint schemes and purged the old records of their deeds, only being accounted in the works of others during the Unification Wars. Many decades later, Hektor would give them the cognomen 'Silver Cataphracts', for their unpainted armor and unstoppable, yet ponderous advances during the early Great Crusade era.

The Deluge

The time spent ingloriously fighting battles on behalf of the Imperium between the Unification Wars and the finding of their Primarch was known by the Veterans of the Legion as the Deluge. The name Silver Cataphracts was used because Hektor had given them it, otherwise it would have fallen off like the other names given by their comrades. To the Scions of Europa they were known as 'The Grey Death,' and by the Steel Marshals they were known as, "The Brothers Repentant.' In every battle they fought with clear distinction, but annoyed the other Primarchs with their slow progress and unwillingness to join the fray in close combat.

Ranosmir perished in this time, when is not recorded for the Cataphracts did not believe they deserved honors or even mention. As did Baroslav, who was echoed to have first heard and accepted the name 'Silver Cataphracts' from Hektor. Toren disappeared, and what happened to was not known as his purpose had been lost. This time is not well regarded by the Veterans, but many became the perfect vessels for Alexandri's teachings and the Rosskan culture by going through this depressing episode which slowly eroded away the zealotry and replaced it with cold, hard, reason.

It was Roman Albrecht's guidance which helped the Legion. While Hektor maintained the Sacred Band, Roman took a direct hand in guiding the leaderless Legions. His own Marshals gave the Cataphracts peers to lean on, and people to aspire to match. It kept the flame of hope alive within them, however muted it was. The tenants learned during this time stayed with the core of the Legion even into the days of the Scouring, when few Veterans still lived to remember Albrecht's wisdom. It is not known when, but Sergei took an interest in speaking to both the surviving members of the Sacred Band within the Cataphracts along with Primarch Roman himself.

Discovery of Alexandri

The momentary joy of their Primarch's discovery died shortly upon arrival to their new home. Alexandri had spent decades dealing with rebel plots and he still remained stunted after his Father the Emperor's attempt to 'integrate' his world. He would not trust a single Legionnaire until every last one had become a Rosskan. Every member of the Cataphracts was stripped of their equipment and status, thrown out into the cold to fend on their own. This was later known as 'The Regent's Process', which lasted for a whole year. Every Marine took this time differently. Some went to join the nomads who lived by trading massive amounts of wood for food. Some would become the supreme crime lords of subterranean sprawls, while a few even became the leaders of cities on the planet, swearing loyalty to Alexandri himself with self aware smiles. Eventually the year came to an end with every Legionnaire arriving to the former Imperial Palace. While their equipment was restored, some were able to enjoy promotion. Those who came to positions of power or showed particular cunning were rewarded. However those who kept to a rigid code of ethics and believed in honor were demoted if they held command positions before. The most exceptional of all the Cataphracts had to be First Captain Sergei. He gained his position of command after infiltrating the Rosskan Secret Police, and rising to be its leader.

Alexandri had not been idle during the 'Process'. His foundries had been churning out thousands of MK.IV suits and even more than that in bolters. The leaders of several worlds had been bribed or coerced into cooperating with him on how to restructure themselves as well. When the Cataphracts were ready, they burst out onto the scene spreading fast and swiftly to conquer those worlds which hadn't joined the Imperium proper. The Fiefdom of the Regent was formed during this time, designed entirely on supporting and funding the Cataphracts efforts. Bit by bit the worlds surrounding Rosskar became more aligned and allied to it than Terra. Sergei trained thousands of recruits too, helping to swell the numbers of the Silver Cataphracts to never before seen heights. When time came to help in the Great Crusade, Alexandri chose to never reveal his Legion's true strength. Always lying about their numbers he was always able to leave a few thousand in reserve to conquer worlds in his name while helping take planets in the name of the Emperor. Sergei and the other Captains always took exception to this, not feeling it was wise to be dishonest with a man as serious as the Emperor. Nevertheless they moved onwards, fighting across the gulf of the stars from the final days of the Great Crusade all the way to the Scouring.

The Campaign of Astral Woe

The Fiefdom had been secured, an the desire to push further into the stars drove on Alexandri. The Great Rosskar Fleet was constructed in this time. Paying tribute to the Emperor, Alexandri sent his newly reconstructed and rebuilt Legion into the stars with their Strelky support. The new philosophy in combat was instrumental to the rapid success that followed as the Expedition fleets took planet after planet. It came to this time when the Mastodontii and Silver Cataphracts joined together for a campaign into the difficult cluster of systems which refused to acknowledge the Imperium's authority. It did not help that several Xenos raiders existed in the area, wreaking havoc on those worlds sworn to the Imperium.

[TO BE FILLED IN]

The Scouring

Rosskar was cold, silent, and nearly dead. A half-dead patient on life-support. Alexandri set the Legion alongside the Void Angels and Steel Marshals, hunting down relentlessly the forces of the Traitors. Several worlds were cleansed of life, as the Primarch saw little use in fighting for targets which could not be repopulated later. The Silver Cataphracts fought endless battles stretching them extremely thin. Tough skirmishes with the Iron Rangers and Sons of Fire saw to nearly half the Legion being lost in a whirlwind of blood and combat.

The Empire of the Bulwark was the hardest campaign fought in this time. Alexandri strode out personally in a rare display of front line leadership alongside Roman Albrecht, to face Sebastian Rex. The Legion suffered from the loss of two fathers that day, as Alexandri was reduced to a husk of his former self and Roman Albrecht was consumed by the explosion. Long dirges were held in the ruins of Rosskar, with many singing hymns to the fallen Marshals in place of the Cataphracts. They believed those brothers deserved to be beheld above even them, for all they had done for the dour Rosskan sons.

It was during this time when Alexandri chose to accelerate the training progress, to hyper-boost the rate in which Astartes were produced. Despite numerous warnings by Byk, Sergei, and Galash this continued on leading to the first of many failures in the geneseed to become pronounced. First was the loss of the Belcher's Gland, which heralded a series of coming losses in organs. The Cataphracts regained their numbers in record times, able to press the advantage on the Traitors and finish off the last few bastions in realspace. The Scouring had come to an end, the Cataphracts were now able to enjoy a victory with a cracked geneseed and still broken home.

Legion Doctrine

Always pragmatic the Silver Cataphracts prefer to wear their enemies down over an extended period of time throughout an engagement rather than attempt to bet the fate of an entire campaign on a single battle. Relying on an excess of troops and material the Silver Cataphracts usually maintain a sustained assault coinciding along multiple fronts. Seen as cowardly by most fellow Legions, the Legion brushes aside such petty opinions displaying their numerous orderly successes with limited casualties compared to the more zealous Legions.

The basis of all the Silver Cataphracts offensives depend upon a backing by more expendable supporting troops. Usually the Rosskar Strelky take this role on the battlefield as their own loyal force of auxiliaries. Although the Imperial Army and even fellow Legions can be put into this role. This force is used in either screening efforts or wave attacks, whittling down the main body of a foe before the shock troops sweep over the remains proper. When attacked, these forces allow for the Cataphracts to stand on their own admist the mayhem of combat.

Though no strangers to the carnage of melee fighting, they rarely commit themselves to a charge or throw themselves into the thick of a clash. The entire battle philosophy of the Cataphracts is to limit their own losses while maximizing those of the enemy. In symmetrical warfare with battle lines and fortifications they are able to dominate, but respond poorly to their own philosophy being used against them. Foes which strike before a response can be taken, or those who hit from within are able to reap great damage upon the Legion.

The lessons learned by the Cataphract's Primarch Alexandri on the world of Rosskar play a vital role in their combat philosophy. Any tactic, any strategy, any act is not beyond them. They believe in the pure pursuit of victory by any means. Victory is the only justification necessary for them. For this can be seen as generalists, but their reliance on wearing down an enemy can also place them as attrition experts. They prefer to overwhelm a foe without ever being drawn out into an extended engagement. Hiding behind camouflage before ambushing or disappearing into the night after making a raid on the front lines are among their favorite ways of doing this. All over their enemies are struck, with little success being had and the Cataphracts reaping not heavy losses, but cumulative ones.

A major driving force for cooperation with other Legions is to copy what works for those Legions and what doesn't, applying it to their own strategies. The Cataphracts abhor the idea of glory, as they solemnly march on to the taxing duty of warfare. Honor is a fool's word to their minds, the notion having no place on the battlefield. Never are the Cataphracts malicious or cruel for no reason. The belief of killing for killing's sake is the worst crime in their eyes, as is the pointless waste of human lives. The key word in that sentence though is pointless, as they will happily sacrifice a few for the many.

Commonly viewed as fatalistic, a Cataphract Legionnaire simply has accepted his death as an inevitability. Without the illusion of a glorious demise or an honorable life, this leaves them reclusive and quiet individuals. A precious few among their number have a unique spark within them. The desire to either make things better for themselves, or for everyone. These members usually possess qualities of their Primarch, being gifted with skills in leadership and wisdom. Sometimes they are admired, other times they are looked down upon. No matter what, they rise to positions of power within the Legion in little time.

Legion Organization

Due to the nature of their warfare the Silver Cataphracts prided themselves on being organized and orderly in warfare. The Strelky were also closely integral to how the Legion operated with the Rosskan mortals filling in gaps between the formations of Astartes giving them additional support and firepower. Every Marine held the rank of Sergeant in the Strelky, Sergeants of the Legion held the position of Captain, and Captains themselves were Colonels. An Overseer of Operations held equivalency with the Marshal-General of the Strelky too. The highest position available was Grand Officer of the Legion, which could be held in addition to another rank within the Legion. This rank utterly invalidated the Grand-Marshal's position, and their word could only be matched by the Primarch alone.

The main unit fighting beside the Expedition Fleets was the Assaultgroup, but in the Dierex campaign, the Heresy, and Scouring Battlegroups were deployed throughout to face considerable places of resistance then break up into several parts to strike out at any number of planets. This allowed for the Silver Cataphracts to sweep over entire Sectors as if they were a tide. An endless sea of armored grey which crushed its foes under the boots of their advance.

Organization Breakdown

Joint Strategic Battlegroup (Entire Legion, all Strelky Regiments Available), led by a Grand Officer of the Legion.

Battlegroup (60,000 Marines, Fourteen Hundred Regiments of Strelky), led an Overseer of Operations.

Assaultgroup (30,000 Marines, Seven Hundred Regiments of Strelky), led by a Group Commander.

Army (15,000 Marines, Three to Four Hundred Regiments of Strelky), led by an Army Commander

Battalion (7,500 Marines, One to Four Hundred Regiments of Strelky), led by a Junior Army Commander.

Battle Company (1,000 Marines, One Hundred Regiments of Strelky), led by a Captain.

Company(500 Marines, Four Companies of Strelky), led by a Lieutenant.

Assault Squad(50 Marines, Ten Platoons of Strelky), led by a Praporshchik(Senior Sergeant).

Battle Squad(10-20 Marines, Five Platoons of Strelky), by a Sergeant.

Specialist Ranks

The Librarius was formed around the Lost Witch Galash, who was tutored in part by Malcador but mostly by Alexandri himself. Galash created an evolution to the Rosskan Warlocks, making the Witchborn. They wore the name with pride, bestriding into battle by using terrible rending currents of energy to lay low whole masses of infantry and melt to slag vehicles. The Witchborn were supposed to disband after Nikaea, but they did not, which was quite fortunate for the Imperium at large as they were key in turning back the warp beasts in the final days of the Heresy and in the entirety of the Scouring. Eventually, the Witchborn melted away into obscurity as more approved of Librarians took root in the Chapters and Successors. But, some say they never did quite disappear, perhaps lurking in the depths of space.

The Salstysk are the only melee focused forces within the Legion. Taking on the role of assault marines throughout the Legion, these brave Cataphracts wield poweraxes and mighty adamantium tower shields. Several times they were the last straw between victory and defeat, fending off a viscous flanking charge or beating off a determined horde of screaming warriors. These men were chosen by Byk himself, who was the first Salstysk himself. During the battle in the Sol system, the Cataphracts would have lost nearly all their number if it had not been for the squads of determined axemen ready to hold the shieldwall.

Legion Equipment

The Silver Cataphracts have always had an enormous amount of Marines, growing well beyond their ability to arm the marines sufficiently. Some Marines make do with outdated equipment such as lesser grades of power armor. Having no concept of the term 'conservation', the Cataphracts have been recorded to use twice the amount of projectiles than other Legions in the field. Bolt shells are extremely time consuming to replace, leading many in the Legion to prefer wielding heavy stubbers or other ammunition effective solutions.

Squad Sergeants of the Silver Cataphracts prefer to forgo the usual armament of melee weaponry to use a handy bolter or even use a plasma gun. The Captains almost never engage their foes in pitted close combat either, focusing all their attention on leading and directing the Marines under their charge. Huge vox-modules can be seen attached to each Captain, along with a vast array of grenades and pistols. Captains prefer to use pistols even when confronted with claws or blades, blasting away foes in point blank range just before they reach them.

Culture

Homeworld: Rosskar

Rosskar
Segmentum	Segmentum Pacificus
Sector	Kuzgeta Sector
Sub Sector	Rosskar Principality
System	Rosskar Solar Duality
Population	6 Billion
Temperature	Subarctic

Geneseed Successors

The geneseed of the Silver Cataphracts is one of the most stable and reliable strains in the Imperium. This has allowed for a great multitude of successors to develop over the the many foundings. While this is all true, the geneseed has deteriorated due to rapid training and harvesting of geneseed. The Sus-an Membrane, Omophagea Implant, and Belcher's Gland are not longer compatible with the Cataphracts or their successors.

All successors also show universal disdain of the Codex Astartes, especially about the maximum amount of Marines in a Chapter. Commonly Cataphracts successor have numbers well beyond the established limits set, and use Imperial Guard regiments in a manner reminiscent of the Strelky of yore. However due to the nature of the Cataphracts few Chapter Masters can stay subordinate to one commander for long leading cooperation to become difficult as a Crusade pushes on. A common trait in the successor Chapters is the development of their homeworlds into industrial bases to help give them an edge in material over their enemies. Oddly enough The Silver Cataphracts and their successors cooperate closely with the Inquisition, sharing many views on the necessity of certain inglorious actions and conduct. Though there is intense arguments over the treatment of Psykers between the two organizations.

Second Founding

True Sons of the Regent

---

True Sons of the Regent
Battle Cry	"We fight for the future!"
Founding	Second Founding
Successors of	Silver Cataphracts
Chapter Master	Tilisen the Second
Primarch	Alexandri
Homeworld	Desmoxi
Strength	500+
Specialty	Raiding
Allegiance	Renegade
Colours	Silver, Light Grey, and Crimson

Sergei wanted to push all those fiercely loyal to the Primarch into one Chapter to help keep track of these uncommon, zealous elements. The True Sons of the Regent regarded their progenitor with utmost respect and reverence. His philosophy was recorded and taught as if it was religious text. His ideas on the Imperium were highly discussed and debated on the meaning as if scripture. Chaplains became theologians for this psuedo-Faith that flourished within the distant Chapter. They believed Alexandri truly was meant to be 'The Regent', meant to rule in the Emperor's stead if ever there was a reason for him to do so. Thus his word was as good as the Emperor's own, as their reasoning summarized.

The True Sons were always reclusive even by Cataphracts standards. Their homeworld was a colonized planet beyond the reaches of the Astronomicon. There in the realm of the Halo Stars they enjoyed total seclusion, protecting the Imperium at random intervals whilst keeping their lore and secrets. As the millennia dragged on, the Imperium worsened. The rise of tyrannical and evil rule became widespread. It was not even attempted to be stemmed in the slightest and in some cases even readily accepted. Religion took strong hold in the place of the Imperial Truth, tolerated since it gave the populace an opiate to sate themselves on. Even though they followed a cult of personality the True Sons demonized actual religious belief. Several times they had clashes with the Ecclesiarchy, incuring the wrath of the Ordo Hereticus.

On the world of Cyrona a Priest had cleansed one tenth of the population because he saw 'evil in their hearts'. The True Sons were helping collect tithe in system when hearing of this. A great battle raged between the Frateris Militia and the Imperial Guard assigned to the Cataphracts as the cleansing came to an end. The Space Marines swept in like a furious tide, killing every last member of the Adeptus Ministorum on the world. Any who wished to follow them were allowed to, leading to a massive population boon upon their homeworld.

The True Sons broke away from the Imperium, declaring they would no longer stand by and watch as world after world fell from within and without. Chaos planets burned where the Imperium was unable or unwilling to confront them. Hive Worlds were liberated from aristocracy and oppression, with the Imperial tithe still being paid but now with benevolent governments helped by the Cataphract's successor. Not all worlds were successful, but there was enough victories for the True Sons never to give up. Over the years however the constant warfare with all sides wore them down. A decision was made to become the ultimate pragmatists, even by their own parent Legion's standards.

Xenos who agreed not to endanger humans were accepted, some even fighting alongside the Chapter as auxiliaries. The Kroot were among the most cherished allies, seen as the truest of Xenos. Witches in the fashion of the old Rosskar Covens were used to great effect too. Imperial Guard forces abandoned in the wake of retreats or defeats were picked up, sworn in to obey the Chapter as the reborn Strelky. Elements of other Renegade Chapters were allowed in after thorough examination, as the taint of Chaos was still a major concern. The Inquisition has in recent history pursued this Chapter with the utmost fury, but due to their location in the fringes of mapped out space it is difficult to find their base. Some Inquisitors even muse the use of sorcery may give them a huge advantage, allowing them to make their own pathways in the warp.

Twenty-first Founding

Seers of Winter

---

The curse of the twenty-first did not spare the Cataphracts progeny. The only Chapter to survive this founding is the misbegotten Chapter of the Seers of Winter. The Seers had a horrible mutation in their geneseed, causing only one in one hundred recruits to live after ten years spent grafted with the genestock. Those handful that survived took specialist roles such as Chaplain or Librarian, with the few Captains living out their days along on ships with only the company of their Serfs to keep them company. Though hope was found when the Chapter Master came to a realization.

Not all their Marines needed to possess the geneseed. They could serve their Chapter as scouts indefinitely, only choosing to become full Marines on their own. While they had a ample supply of recruits, few ever survived after donning the Black Carapace. This allowed the Chapter to still operate, albeit in a limited capacity. Their small pocket of space is defended with a fury, fighting off Ork, Eldar, and Heretic alike. The Seers specialize in fast deployment, with a reliance on landspeeders and the element of surprise. Their scouts can stay behind enemy lines for months at a time wreaking havoc on the enemy from within. The lack of power armor means sometimes they must depend upon numbers, fielding at some times 30 Companies, all with scouts and landspeeders with the occasional Whirlwind or Predator company.

Alexandri, Primarch of The Silver Cataphracts

In summing up the life of Alexandri of Rosskar, it is right to judge him by his own standards - not out of sentiment, but because he viewed the galaxy soberly and correctly. Alexandri was not concerned with the love of the people, nor with gentleness and compassion. His whole existence was bound up with the struggle for Order, the only hope for mankind. Those who fret over the casualties of his campaigns miss the point. For every death caused by Alexandri's commands, a thousand more were saved.

If every general had done so much, we could lay down our arms and live in peace.

(Excerpt from Gaspard Lumey's Alexandri of Rosskar)

Appearance

Regal best describes the towering progenitor of the Silver Cataphracts. A huge, flowing brown beard that goes down the front of Alexandri's power armour is a common sight to be seen even when he is on the battlefield. Having spent most of his formative years in regular clothing, Alexandri prefers when not on the Crusade to be wearing something other than his power armor. Despite commonly holding a smile and good humor on his face, Alexandri appears to have weathered the years less than handily when compared to his brothers. Dark circles have burrowed in deep into his eye sockets and many lines have formed on his face. Even specks of grey and white have touched his beard. All this only adds to his appearance as the iron-fisted ruler of Rosskar.

Youth

During the first few years on Rosskar's surface, Alexandri did not wander the wilds as a savage or toil beneath the oppression of slavers. He was raised up in a quite wealthy family due to his quick grasp of mathematics and the arts. Orphans with capability were rare, and a good investment made by adopting them to help the family legacy grow was a common practice by the Rosskan aristocracy. Rosskar itself was a cold, frigid place filled with malicious forests and an endless host of terrifying monsters lurking within the depths of these mega-woods.

Alexandri learned of his true origins fairly early, leading him towards the desire of ruling over all of Rosskar. He began with a swift rebellion in his home city which saw the deaths of more than a hundred aristocrats, but no one else was harmed as a result. Alexandri first began to experience the revulsion from others as a direct result of his actions for the first time as he was disowned by the family who had come to love him and care for him. At the time, the Primarch did not care at all. He had a world to conquer!

The years drove on, his armies being halted until no progress was being made. The few cities holding out had fortified themselves to the point none of his forces could press onwards. Alexandri stayed young and healthy, while his family began to die around him. A great depression overtook the ruler which had him seek the society of witches upon his world, the Covens of Rosskar. Here he gained knowledge of both sorcery and the pragmatism that would dictate the rest of his life. A new, bloody and efficient doctrine still in use by the Cataphracts was employed to bring the capitulation of the remaining cities. Alexandri's grand ambition pushed him ever onward, seeking to fix the many problems with Rosskar and its people.

Sadly, this is frankly impossible. You cannot change fundamentals about a planet and it would take more than a few generations to change its people or its culture. Alexandri faced many attempts on his life by fanatic groups who believe this ridiculous change could only be brought about by his death. When these would-be assassins targeted his family, his nephews and nieces, this is when Alexandri forged his secret police which are still unknown to even his Legionnaires to this day. The police keep in check all movement upon Rosskar, making sure nothing threatens the rule Alexandri has put in place.

The Coming of The Emperor

At first the Emperor's coming was met with glee and celebration. The people of Rosskar were glad to not be the only ones alone in the galaxy. But not all turned about to be well. The Emperor disliked the existence of the Covens, which had helped the Rosskans through countless hardships and even helped Alexandri achieve victory and happiness, for a time. The Custodes were quick to expunge every trace of the society. When it turned out that some were being hidden from the Emperor by the secret police, more purges continued this time in the hearts of Rosskar's cities causing a great many deaths as Silent Sisters joined the fray, to null the effect of the witches' sorceries.

Alexandri would never forgive his Father for this act, but he understood the necessity of accepting it. He never once rose up his might to oppose him, and even as hundreds died in the purges he didn't attempt to bicker with him as a child either. A silent hatred grew between them, the same hatred which festers in the hearts of Rosskans secretly for the rest of the Imperium as a whole. It ruined their grand dreams of a better future. Every knew now that the rest of the galaxy is just the same, a damn shithole.

The Great Crusade

Never once did the Silver Cataphracts refuse the call to arms when summoned. Due to the massive population of Rosskar the Legion's ranks swelled to the brim, and then spilled over. It was never clear if the Cataphracts even once told the truth of the actual size of their Legion. To further add to this blatant growth of Astartes numbers, millions of regular human soldiers were introduced as part of the Legion as the Rosskar Strelky. The Strelky served as a valuable source of support during the Crusades, fighting as an auxiliary force to the Cataphracts main operations.

When not helping the Emperor or his fellow Primarchs however, Alexandri was eager to expand the realms of the Imperium on his own. He searched for worlds either with unrealized industrial potential or low population, high resource worlds. A huge warmachine was forged form the tiny fiefdom he claimed to help fund his ever expanding Legion and auxiliary force. When rumors of a rising amount of Librarians in the Cataphracts came to light, along with reports of witches serving in the auxiliary, it became clear that Alexandri had great ambitions that might upset the balance of order in the Imperium. Still, even if Alexandri broke regulations, he was always loyal to humanity, understanding the Imperium's way was the best way. The Imperial Truth just needed, bending.

Post-Heresy

Alexandri had lost half of his entire family in the Heresy, but this did not stop him from pushing the remaining members to fulfill their ambitions. Alexandri's kin spread out into multiple high-ranking positions in the aftermath of the Heresy. The tragedy of the event had left quite a few shoes to fill. The remaining Loyalist Major-Generals were invited to Rosskar so Alexandri could speak with then, coordinate them, and recruit them to his future goals. At this point it was clear to First Captain Sergei what needed to be done.

The Silver Cataphracts would have followed Alexandri into hell, not out of admiration, but out of the logic that Alexandri would only go into hell if it was the best option. Now? He was being driven by dreams and fancies, not by reality. With the blessing of Gaspard Lumey, Sergei eliminated Alexandri. The assassination was made to look as if the age old Rosskan rebels had finally got him. After living through the trials of his own world's conquest, fighting to the end in the Heresy, and everything in between during the Great Crusade Alexandri the Regent died from a coward's bullet. Unremembered, unnoticed. At the time the Imperium was engulfed in the Scouring, with all resources and attention focused on rebuilding and fighting the Traitors.