Silver Dominators (Legion)

The Silver Dominators were a Successor Legion of unknown origin created during the 3rd 'Numroi' Founding. They were initially created by the Imperium of Man as a part of a new generation of Legiones Astartes to help fight against the burgeoning pocket empire of Nova Terra, which had formed when the Ur-Council on Nova Terra decided to declare independence from the rule of the High Lords of Terra, and declared the whole Segementum Pacificus independent of Imperial rule. But the shortcuts taken in the creation of many of these 3rd Founding Legions would have unforeseen flaws, as many of them came to be characterised as being battle-hardened, and particularly bloody-handed and unforgiving. While the Silver Dominators show such characteristics they also show an obsession with tactical adaptability, believing that any organization lacking it is doomed to a horrible, grusome death.

After nearly two centuries of bloody war, the Silver Dominators became resentful and bitter towards their Terran Overlords, as they felt that the sheer incompetence of the Imperium was what was dragging out this war and, to an extent, what caused such a rebellion in the first place. Though the Legion was successful in a large percentage of the operations they were sent to, the timing and reasoning for these operations caught the eyes of the talented and well-educated leaders of the Silver Dominators and they soon came to the conclusion that there was no rhyme or reason that the Silver Dominators were sent to such operations in the place of other, more fitting Legions. Despite such a conclusion however, the Silver Dominators continued ever onward, gaining victories undreamed of in the name of the Imperium and its High Lords. Wherever the Silver Dominators went, victory followed their shining, silver-colored plate. However, eventually the Silver Dominators grew too tired of the High Lords' incompetence and, in a fit of innocence, concluded that this incompetence was intentional and the High Lords were simply abusing the might of the Silver Dominators to make themselves look better with the other Legions being none the wiser. This, during the final years of their loyalty, created a distance of anonymity and cold indifference between the Silver Dominators and their Brother-Legions.

Eventually the Silver Dominators declared for the Secessionist cause, turning their considerable talents in tactical adaptability and maneuver warfare towards the Imperium they once vigilantly fought for. Without much time and hesitation, the Silver Dominators cut a bloody swathe unlike any other through those they once referred to as allies along the borders of Segmentum Tempestus, letting none of their enemies escape and taking no prisoners. Though their brutal and relentless operations came to a halt once they were faced with the loyalist Space Marine Legions, they still held valiantly against their loyalist kin over the next two centuries.

Following the end of the conflict and formal recognition of the empire of the Nova Terra Regency in 975.M33, the Silver Dominators became a part of the Ur-Legions - the Space Marine Legions of Nova Terra's military forces. Formally recognised as the XIIIth Legion, the Iron Talons have continued to defend the realms of Nova Imperitor.

Legion History
Beginning in 075.M33, the Ur-Council of Nova Terra declared independence from the rule of the High Lords of Terra, and declared the whole Segmentum Pacificus independent of Imperial rule. They had grown disenfranchised with the burgeoning Imperial state religion, in the form of the religious organisation known as the Ecclesiarchy, that zealously promoted the worship of the Emperor of Mankind as the one, true God of Humanity. As the power of the Ecclesiarchy waxed strong, the Ur-Council of Nova Terra foresaw the dangers of having a religious organisation possess so much power and influence over the citizens of the Imperium. They felt that the Imperium had lost its way and no longer followed the tenants of the Emperor's enlightened philosophy of the Imperial Truth. The Imperium of Man no longer upheld the core values of reason, science and secular progress. Instead, they had fallen back on the old ideas of religion, superstition and faith. To compound the secession of the Segmentum Pacificus, two Space Marine Legions, the feral Space Wolves and the stoic Iron Hands, joined the rebellious Ur-Council of Nova Terra.

To combat this threat, the High Lords of Terra declared that the 3rd Founding would take place in 098.M33. Utilising accelerated gene-culturing techniques not used since the First Great Crusade, three Space Marine Legions were created in record time. These few Legions were created to be massive, hosting hundreds of thousands of Legionaries within their ranks. But the shortcuts taken in their creation would have unforeseen flaws. The Silver Dominators, like many of their fellow 'Numroi Founding' Legions, would come to be characterised by their bloody-handed and inherently aggressive. The Silver Dominators quickly garnered a reputation for being a highly adaptable Legion that could cut a bloody swathe through any foe they came to blows with. The Silver Dominators performed their duties with utmost arrogance, undermining the operations of their allies and claiming all the glory for themselves without anyone being the wiser.

As the conflict dragged on, the Silver Dominators began to realize that the operations they were sent to by the High Lords of Terra were operations that other, more specialized and more available Legions should have been sent to in their place. This initially resulted in minor animosity between the Silver Dominators, the Imperium and the Legions the Silver Dominators believed to be "slacking." However, relationships quickly worsened as the Silver Dominators were sent to more and more operations they believed other Legions were more fit to do and the Legion began to grow more bitter and resentful towards the Legions they fought alongside and the Imperium they fought for.

Nearly two and a half centuries later, the feelings of resentment and bitterness that festered within the Legion's hearts, bore bitter fruit, as the Silver Dominators boldly and worryingly proudly declared their new allegiance to their Nova Terran masters and turned against those they once called brother. In the fighting that ensued, the Silver Dominators put their adaptability to the test against the loyalist Legions and, initially, came out on top. Later on in the conflict however, the loyalist Legions came back in full force and grinded the Silver Dominators advance to a halt, forcing the once-aggressive Legion to take a defensive stance. After bloody campaign over bloody campaign, the Silver Dominators eventually retreated from the front lines to the capitol world of Nova Terra to rest their tired bodies and souls. Though they had not taken as many losses as other Legions, the Silver Dominators had grown tired and, had they not retreated from the front lines, would have been wiped to a man.

By 975.M33, an uneasy stalemate was reached, and the Imperium formerly recognised the separate pocket empire which came to be known as the Nova Terra Regency. The Silver Dominators officially became a part of Nova Terra's Ur-Legions, formally recognised as the XIIIth Legion, and have gone on to serve as one of its many stalwart protectors of their new sovereign domain.

Legion Homeworld
The Silver Dominators' current homeworld is the Shrine/Mining World of Holoam Prime. Close to the capitol planet of the Nova Terra Regency, Holoam Prime is a world of wonderous, towering spires and nobility. Holoam Prime is kept in the good shape that it is via the combined efforts of the Silver Dominators and the Holoam nobility. Holoam Prime is one, massive supercontinent and some small seas. Large, water and ore filled caves exist just below the surface and are regularly mined for materials. The plant life is eerily similar to that of Old Earth and many suspect that such plant life was brought to this planet during the Dark Age of Technology by their human ancestors in order to preserve said plant life. Due to where the planet is located, there are frequent shooting stars.

The Silver Dominators' homeworld prior to their allegiance is up for debate, with many claiming that the Legion had no homeworld before they joined the Regency and simply acted as a fleet-based Legion. This particular debate remains open due to the fact that there is no evidence supporting the theory that the Silver Dominators had a homeworld prior to joining the Regency, the so-called evidence supporting the theory that the Silver Dominators had no homeworld prior to joining the Regency is on shaky grounds and the fact that the Silver Dominators themselves refuse to comment on the matter for unknown reasons.

Legion Gene-Seed
The gene-seed of the Silver Dominators is of unknown origin and, therefore, not much is known about it. However the Legion does have one, notable genetic deficiency: Due to a malfunction in or related to the function of the Betcher's gland, the Legion’s brethren exhibit unusual vocal characteristics. Some cannot speak above a sibilant whisper for example, while others have deep, booming voices or speak with an otherworldly cant. Allies might find the effect disturbing, while enemies are likely to find it truly terrifying.

Legion Curse: Brutal Adaptation
As a Legion originating from the 3rd Founding, Silver Dominators are brutal and relentless when they wage war against their enemies, on top of this, the Silver Dominators also constantly and consistently adapt to the ever-changing galaxy around them. This expression of duty can become exaggerated in members of the Chapter after long periods in combat, especially against numerous and unrelenting foes like the Ork hordes of a WAAAGH! In these instances the Battle-Brother sees only failure; the failure of their comrades, the failure of the world and the failure of their foes. They consider that the only righteous path lies in the expenditure of their lives for these purposes and will face them with a stoic heart and a single-mindedness that can only lead to the complete annihilation of everything and everyone he faces, often eventually including himself and those that fight beside him.

When the Chapter's genetic curse manifests itself in an affected Battle-Brother, it comes on in three stages:
 * Stage 1: Extreme Fury - The Battle-Brother completely loses control when he frenzies and finds it almost impossible to claw his way back to reason as long as there are foes to fight and blades drawn. Even when foes are not near, the madness of this 'blood frenzy' grips him and he rages endlessly for battle and blood, howling out his anger and striking the ground with his blade. The Battle-Brother must take care, lest he lose control at any moment. Any time the Battle-Brother takes damage, is confronted with a clear threat, or is put in position of great stress, he must summon all his willpower in order to contain his fury for the duration of an encounter with an enemy. The Battle-Brother also begins to withdraw from the company of his colleagues, taking refuge in a chill and formal demeanour. In addition, the Battle-Brother tends to speak almost entirely in High Gothic when addressing a non-Dominator, although they can -- grudgingly -- speak in Low Gothic if need be.
 * Stage 2: Merciless - The Battle-Brother does not tolerate any enemy, whether xenos, Heretic, or even fellow humans who may have been misled into rebellion against the Imperium's rightful rule. The Battle-Brother grimly executes any opponent he encounters, even if they have surrendered, possess valuable intelligence, or are not front-line combatants.
 * Stage 3: Blackhearted - The Battle-Brother is nearly uncontrollable in-between battles, becoming hollow and murderous beyond reason, possessing  an all-consuming impulse to kill and kill again. Disregarding innocent lives as well as their own well-being, those affected battle-brothers are formed into an extermination corps, specialising in near-suicidal and all-but-unstoppable line breaker attacks, embracing the sweeth release of death. In this phase, the Battle-Brother completely seperates himself from the company of his fellow Astartes, will not lead squads and will almost always carry out missions on his own.

Legion Organisation
The Silver Dominators maintain what are currently known as "Crusade Fleets" in every Segmentum excluding Segmentum Pacificus, where the Nova Terra Regency is located. Each of these Crusade Fleets contain seventy five thousand Legionnaires and are led by the Crusade Sire and his Chapter Sires (Chapter Master/Lord Commander). These seventy five thousand Legionnaires are formed into 25 Chapters of 3000 Legionnaires each, all of which have ten Companies of 300 Legionnaires each. While these Companies are led by Company Sires (Captain), the Chapter is led by the Chapter Sire. The greatest of these Chapter Sires will be chosen as the Crusade Sire by the Grand Sire (Legion Master) himself.

The purpose of these Crusade Fleets is to extend the silvered reach of the 13th Ur-Legion across each and every Segmentum unconquered by the Nova Terra Regency. These fleets act independently from the Grand Sire but the Grand Sire may choose to take command of a Crusade Fleet if he chooses to.

Legion Combat Doctrine
The Silver Dominators, unlike many other Legions, have no set combat doctrine to speak of. Instead, each and every Astartes simply adapts themselves according to the tactical doctrine of the enemy they are pitted against.

During the beginning of a battle, the Silver Dominators will fight very defensively, holding their ground and creating kill-zones wherever they can and whenever they can. In this phase, the Silver Dominators will carefully inspect the tactics of their enemies and plan their upcoming moves accordingly. This phase may also continue for longer than usual to give the enemy a false sense of superiority and, by extension, make the coming phases easier for the Silver Dominators.

As the battle rages on, the Silver Dominators will begin their push against the enemy. At this point and time, the Silver Dominators will have begun adapting to the tactical doctrine of their foes and fight accordingly. This phase might begin earlier than usual if the enemy begins prematurely entering the Silver Dominators' territory and need to be pushed out right away.

And, finally, during the climax of the battle, the Silver Dominators will fall upon their foe like a whirlwind of death and destruction. Having fully adapted to the combat doctrine of their enemies, the proud sons of the 3rd Founding will begin to mercilessly incapacitate the enemy's decision making through sheer force in order to prevent them from adapting back. During this phase, the Silver Dominators will mimic their parent Chapter in that they will be relentless to the point of being callously disregarding to those around them. Leaving nothing but smoking corpses and ruined lands in their path, the Silver Dominators will relentlessly ensure victories for the Regency through their adaptation and relentless application of it.

Legion Culture
As masters of adaptation, the Silver Dominators believe that there is no place in the galaxy for those that cannot adapt to the ever-changing state of their massive home. To a Silver Dominator, there is nothing more important in life than adapting and surviving. Even the strongest and the smartest will die if they do not adapt, and the Silver Dominators know this and make sure that they do not join the strongest and the smartest in their graves.

The Silver Dominators hold the deepest respect for the Emperor and their Unknown Primarch. They do not, however, worship either of these individuals as gods or divine beings. Rather, they believe that both of these indiviuals were supremely talented but still mortal men who reshaped the galaxy and are thus worthy of emulation and veneration.

Unlike many other Chapters, the Silver Dominators believe their fallen to be failures in the eyes of the Emperor. Though they will still respect and commemorate their fallen brothers, they will not consider their past deeds heroic or great unless they contributed to the Chapter in a way that absolutely could not be forgotten about. The Chaplains of the Silver Dominators use these fallen Battle-Brothers as encouragement for the surviving Legionnaires, claiming that this is what happens when one lacks the ability to adapt to any given situation. Though this way of thinking leads to controversy when other Chapters are told of it, the Silver Dominators simply ignore any complaints as what they do is, to put it simply, not the business of other Chapters unless their acts are heretical and treacherous.

Silver Dominators believe that there is no such thing as "innocence", simply varying degrees of guilt, and that people who will not fight to defend themselves have no right to live as their freedom was purchased with others' blood. The Dominators will also go so far as to salvage equipment, weapons, ammunition and other resources from other fallen Space Marines of different Chapters, if they discover any.

When the Silver Dominators unite, they often spend their time showcasing their achievements in war and the grizzly trophies they have earned in their successful campaigns. The members of the Chapter believe that not only is boasting about their achievements in war and showcasing grizzly trophies to their battle brothers good for the soul, they also believe that such showcasings act as encouragements for their Battle-Brothers to do better in an upcoming war in order to one-up their Battle-Brothers. Because of this, the Silver Dominators rarerly, if ever, talk about their unsuccessful campaigns.

Notable Silver Dominators

 * Kastor Ludenberg: The current Grand Sire of the Silver Dominators. An experienced Legionnaire, Kastor appears collected, cold and cunning by nature. Kastor is a very ambitious man, as he declared that he will do anything it takes to win a war, and is ready to go as far as "removing those cursed with tardiness" or bombing civilian encampments. He is extremely selfish and values himself and his Chapter over the lives of others, stating he has no problem sacrificing others in order to save himself and his Brothers. He also has a lot of pride, refusing to surrender no matter how far into a corner he's pushed, as long as the chance for victory remains.
 * Ven Dulce Morte: A former Grand Sire of the Silver Dominators. For unexplained reasons, every record relating to him has been removed from the Silver Dominators' records and he hasn't spoken ever since he was entombed in a Dreadnought chassis and integrated into 1st Company of the Ultima Crusade Fleet.

Legion Fleet
The current list of known Silver Dominators ships are:
 * Fury of The Unknown Primarch (Battle Barge)
 * Pride of The Chapter (Battle Barge)
 * The Solar March (Battle Barge)
 * Remember Armageddon (Strike Cruiser)
 * Silver Madness (Strike Cruiser)
 * Exploding Hearts (Strike Cruiser)
 * Litany of Hate (Strike Cruiser)
 * Cosmic Rage (Strike Cruiser)
 * Meaning of Our Malevolence (Strike Cruiser)
 * The Adamantine Resolve (Strike Cruiser)
 * Bitter Vengance (Strike Cruiser)
 * Blackened Heart (Strike Cruiser)
 * The Spearhead (Strike Cruiser)