Night Swords
| Night Swords | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battle Cry | "For the honoured ones" | |
| Number | Non-codex | |
| Founding | M32 | |
| Successors of | Imperial Fists | |
| Successor Chapters | Unknown | |
| Primarch | Rogal Dorn | |
| Homeworld | Lavantia | |
| Strength | Unknown, but understrength | |
| Specialty | Armoured Assaults | |
| Allegiance | Imperium | |
| Colours | Pure white | |
The Night Swords are an Astartes chapter founded in M32 from the Imperial Fists geneeseed. They seem to have Prince of Persia style Zoroastrian theme going on. Descriptions of their homeworld are reminiscent of the 2008 Prince of Persia game, the chapter land raider is named Simurgh (a bird from Iranian/Zoroastrian mythology), and finally, one of their members is Isak Siavash (from the legendary Zoroastrian hero of the Shahnameh, Siyavash.
The Night Swords originated in FFG'S Deathwatch RPG. They were initially a fictional chapter, serving as FFG's in-house mock 'how-to-create' example of a home-brew following the Space Marine Chapter Creation Tables. The chapter was canonised after someone at Forge World apparently liked it enough to include them in the Imperial Armour series.
History
The chapter was founded during an Imperial Crusade in M32. Their earliest triumphs included victories over Chaos, and it is implied that the chapter was created specifically to battle the Traitor Legions that were beginning to trouble the Imperium once more.
Their home is Lavantia, a desert world in the Segmentum Tempestus that is populated by teeming hive cities.
Organisation
The Chapter is non-codex, and known for their preference for mechanised warfare and lightning quick strikes. Chapter techmarines have an affinity for technology, and produced their own version of the Proteus land-raider, the Simurgh Rex.
Geneseed
The Night Swords were founded using the geneseed of the Imperial Fists. In addition to the defects common to all Imperial Fists successors, the chapter suffers from a mutation that make their speech a ghostly whisper.
Recruitment
The Night Swords recruit from hive gangs of Lavantia. Aspirants have to make their way to the fortress-monastery, which is bit of a hell-hole task. The chapter keeps its fortress-monastery far away from the hives in the desert wastes, and only those gangers who manage to survive the long trek through the arid terrain and raging duststorms get the chance to undergo trials.
Beliefs
The Night Swords chapter cult includes the belief that their fallen heroes reside in the Lavantian deserts as elemental spirits, the 'honoured ones'. Their chaplains make regular pilgrimages into the dune seas, often residing in simple caves for many days and nights until dehydration cause them to undergo visions in which they are said to receive the wisdom of their predecessors.
Well, naturally, the Ecclesiarchy doesn't like it, and on very bad terms with the chapter. However, the Night Swords are bros with the Black Templars, so they can't be totally divergent from the Imperial creed.
Heraldry
When the chapter was first mentioned in the Deathwatch RPG, their badge was a single curved sword. However, in the Imperial Armour series the badge is two twinned curved swords.
Notable members
- Isak Siavash - Master of the Forge who presided over the development of the Simurgh Rex.