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Space Marine Articles ---

"We tried to run from the past. But now we know better. We can’t outrun that which made us. The past is something we cannot change. All we can do, is change how we live with it. And we shall devote our lives not to something as feeble as pondering about our past. We are Astartes. We are the Emperor's wrath. Regardless from whom we may hail, we are his warriors. And we shall act as such. Let none doubt our loyalty. Let none doubt our purity."

- Master of Sanctity and Lead Interrogator Chaplain Manducto

The Templarii Scientae are a strange and esoteric Loyalist Space Marine Chapter. Their exact origins and circumstances surrounding their creation is shrouded in mystery. What few extant accounts that exist, the only thing that can be ascertained for certain is that this ancient Chapter was created sometime during the 32nd Millennium. Officially, they are listed as hailing from the genetic lineage of the venerable First Founding Dark Angels Legion. But the truth of their heritage is a far more complicated and complex issue - one that could see them fall under the scrutiny of outside Imperial authorities and see them yet declared as renegades.

Founding
The history of the Templarii Scientae and its existence are as cryptic as their official progenitor, the Dark Angels. Their exact Founding is unknown, with a few records dating to early M32, making them probable an unnamed 2nd or 3rd Founding chapter, even if they are not mentioned in Apocrypha of Davio, the great and holy document created in M33, that lists all of the Adeptus Astartes Chapters created during the 2nd Founding. Following their inception, during the Chapter's early years of existence, the made the world of Maurodia, a bleak, rocky planet with few valleys, as their Chapter home world. This world operated in the middle of the Ultima Segmentum. Early on, the Templarii were noted for possessing little deviation from many standard chapters, having claimed and proven to be worthy inheritors of the lineage of Lion El'Jonson.

As a Dark Angels Successor Chapter, they too, became part of the Unforgiven and so the chapter's highest authorities learned of the Dark Angel's grim past. They would carry out their duty with extreme loyalty and were able to catch an unknown amount of Fallen and made them repent for their betrayal. But as time went on and the stagnation of the Imperium made itself present, a change within the Templarii would occur. The Chapter continued to serve the Imperium faithfully, pledging their lives and fate of their Chapter upon their own merits for the remainder of M32 and the early centuries of M33. During this time, their gene-seed was said to be pure and very stable. But eventually, one of the Chapter's Apothecaries uncovered the sinister truth about their dark origins sometime in the latter centuries of M33.

Chapter Schism
Found hidden within their progenitor's gene-seed helix, was a second strain from an unknown progenitor. Once the sinister origins of this second strain were found, the Chapter underwent a betrayal of immense magnitude. Very quickly a Chapter-wide schism formed, as the first three Companies, led by their Chapter Master, proclaimed the Imperium to be made out of lies and proceeded to seceded themselves away from the Imperium of Man, proper. Battle-Brothers of various companies would soon join these secessionist brethren as well, with only the last few reserve companies and the majority of the Chapter's Librarians remaining loyal. The battle that ensued was cataclysmic and would destroy Maurodia, splitting the planet into four giant chunks of rock. If anyone knew the truth of the destruction of the Dark Angels' home world of Caliban, they might compare the ill-fortune that befell the Templarii's home world and say, ' Like father, like son '. The Chapter's fortress-monastery however, was still left intact due to being part of one of the larger chunks of the doomed planet, but their traitorous brethren had already plundered many of the Chapter's ancient relics left within, leaving behind seemingly worthless books, data and broken wargear as well as many destroyed ancient vehicles. The Chapter took what little they could salvage from the ashes and ruins and ventured, scarred by their new reality, in search of a new home.

Worse still, the Templarii began to suffer the manifestation of a strange curse which cause those afflicted individual battle-brothers to be plagued by psychic images. Once thought to be reflections of the betrayal on Maurodia, the visions went far deeper - a massacre of long unseen scale - but the true meaning of these visions would not be understood until millennia later. The Chapter's Librarians soon learned that only they were immune to this curse and so their task became one of eternal vigilance over their fellow Battle-Brothers, finding various means to predict the onset of the curse and to save them.

Guardians of the Iritral System
An estimated 100 years passed, and as the chapter ventured to the south, continuing to seek out a new world to call their own. They wished to join Ultima South due to the lack of Imperial forces and its remoteness, in an attempt to rebuild the Chapter, but their intentions were twofold - in the words of the Librarius, ' It invited them. '. Eventually, the Templarii would settle on Iritral, a planet of landscapes filled with ancient ruins and a large concentrations of subterranean humans living underground. The Iritral System consisted largely of gas giants, with only Iritral, Berethral and Berelum being habitable planets, with the latter having been purged. In addition, the Chapter felt duty-bound to act as guardians over this isolated region due to the constant xenos presence in the form of a nearby damaged Tomb World and Orks. As such, the system never had the possibility of building up industrialised hive worlds and the world of Berethral was constantly diminished by constant attacks from ork raiding parties, making the system itself not very valuable to the greater Imperium and as such, Sector fleets often wouldn't arrive most of the time to assist and defend against attacks.

With the arrival of the Templarii however, came aid and recognition, due to there being a continuous presences of an Adeptus Astartes Chapter. Iritral was given to the Templarii formally in 4.134.455.M34. Now, many millennia later, the Chapter has managed to keep their dreadful past a secret while they continued their never-ending quest to hunt down almost all of those that once betrayed them. By this time, the Templarii had changed even more. They have embraced their origins and have become guardians of knowledge - becoming experts in seemingly lost technologies, plasma weaponry and fine weapons crafting, they and Forge World Berethral have formed an unbreakable alliance of arcane technologies that have become mere legends. The Chapter has endured many hardships, setbacks and have had to keep their doings and activity largely a secret unbeknownst to all but the Inquisitorial Conclave of Iritral, but have remained steadfastly loyal and dutiful well into the 42nd Mllennium.

Burning of Iritral
As is per tradition, every good that rises will have to face the reality of the situation. A Blood Crusade, launched by World Eaters. Due to the chapter being largely absent, Iritral proved easy picking. Chaos Cults rose from the feral sub-terrain populus and heretech endorsing techpriests unveiled their presence.

In the end, Aurux's Temples were evacuated and the Pyramid of Azerah became the last heavily fortified place on the planet Iritral, all the while Berethral erupted into a schism, unable to provide aid. The arrival of the Templarii and the deployment of the uncompleted Eternal Goliath would however lead to victory. Both Berethral and Iritral were scourged of life by sun-flare shots. And like that, the chapter and mechanicus fleet embarked upon a voyage to the only other last place known to the Templarii. Asteria.

Notable Campaigns
Not many of Campaigns are known in which the Templarii took part, as they usually operate on their own by always a minimum of 3 companies, in order to keep their existence and tactics as obscure as possible. As  such, there is a large gap between M.34 and M.41

-Battle of Maurodia, M.34: Chapter loses its homeworld. Chaos victory, Templarii abandon their destroyed homeworld

-Campaign of Berelum(Iritral System), M.34: Chapter cleanses orkz with their local forgeworld, then fights reawakened necrons, together with Astral Warriors. Imperial Victory, Berelum is completely purged

-Unknown Battles, ~M.35: Chapter goes on an extensive crusade to secure destroyed ForgeWorlds and their last remaining technologies. Victory for the Templarii, Chapter lays low

-Assault on Persus Sulpt, M.41: Chapter combats orkz, then combat chaos forces. Imperial Victory, Sector is defended

-Burning of Iritral, early M.41: Chapter attempts defence of the Iritral system. Chaos Victory, Iritral and Berethral burn, Chapter retreats with the Pyramid of Azerah

-Defense of the United Enclaves, M.41: Chapter responds to a call for help by the Astral Warriors, attacked by a necron dynasty, chapter sends 5 companies, with multiple Capital Guard mini-regiments, 200 Aureum Knights and additional Skitarii forces from Berethral. Imperial Victory, Necrons get divided by     the Great Rift

-13th Black Crusade, M.41: Chapter sends 2 companies as reinforcements, withdraws them after a fight,  upon locating their renegade chapter-master. Chaos Victory, premature end for chapter due to abandoning

-Battle of Torbas III, M.41: Chapter fights chaos forces, kills their renegade chapter-master. Outcome: Imperial Victory, Moralic Absolute Victory

Indomitus Crusade Era:

-”Relictor Campaign”, M.42: Chapter uses its armoury to a full extend to secure all nearby systems and assist the Imperium Nihilus, premature end due to the Battle of Renascar. Imperial victories, premature end

-Battle of Renascar, M.42: Chapter homeworld is attacked by a big [http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/WAAAGH! WAAAGH!] out of the Southern Fringes. Imperial Victory, minor structural damage to Iritral, Renascar and Berethral

Gene-seed
The Templarii's gene-seed helix has 80% Dark Angels origins with the rest being a stable and adapted strain of their 2nd undisclosed progenitor. The chapter's geneseed as such is very stable. However this gene-seed has a more complex build, making the process of a recruit growing to a fully grown astartes slower compared to many other Space Marine chapters. Gene-seed tithes sent to the Adeptus Terra however, often find an Inquisitorial lock

Recruitment
The Chapter recruitment is very unique. Their fleet-based presence on the Eternal Goliath, means the chapter rarely is on their planet. As such, in undetermined intervals, the chapter returns to the Moon of New Berethral, located in a region called "Asteria", now located in Segmentum Obscurus. The size of the Eternal Goliath allows to accomodate not just the chapter but alongside it:

Capital Guard, Aureum Knights, scholars, citiziens or get recruited by the Mechanicus force present

Those citiziens, that live in the designated "City District" can have their children be the potential astartes the chapter looks for. They chapter keeps tight regulations for the living space and artificial gravity to ensure healthy human offspring that have the possibility of becoming astartes.

Culture
Reclusive in nature, the chapter lived on their homeworld Iritral, far in the Galactic South and before that, in the Galactic middle, on Maurodia. Their only true allies are the ForgeWorld Berethral and to an extend, the "Scientae Conclave" of Inquisitors. Together with Berethral, they spent their time with recovering lost technologies, furthering their knowledge and at the very least partially trying to restore their own system to a highly sophisticated level. The chapter always had a natural affinity for plasma weapons, their designs and construction and combining them with arcane proes of their Librarians, a trait most likely inherited from their progenitors. The chapters adheres to the limits and guidelines of the Codex Astartes, but with a heavy degree of deviation.

In addition, the Templarii preferred to have a say in their own equipment, with their unusual amount of Techmarines and Librarians often enhancing and crafting magnificent weapons. The chapter was keen on protecting its knowledge and gathering more of it. Even old encoded and cryptic books may one day be understood. What was “worthless” to the traitors and what they left in the crumbling ruins of the Imperium all around the galaxy, the Templarii used to create a prospering system. While the Iritral system thrives on innovation, such practice is usually kept a secret and only shared with very few outsiders. The remoteness of Iritral and Berethral from Mars’ peering eyes, allows them to form an alliance of Innovation, refinement and discovery. Unlike however some notable examples of Heretechs, the chapter and Forgeworld refrain from using any kind of xenos weapons or technology, while also despising Abominable Intelligence. The chapter itself specializes in their Plasma Technology and deployment of Heavy Armour. The ForgeWorld Berethral specializes in the arcane art of Machine and Human Flesh mending. And both together work in the hopes of returning humanity to its former glory.

Due to this high value put on understanding and knowledge, the dislike of superstition has grown to such an extent, that the Templarii often refuse to fight alongside the many zealots of the Imperium. This and their reclusiveness means the chapters only deploys with a set minimum of 3 Companies in order to effectively work alone. The chapter also often tries to avoid Mechanicus forces, due to the danger of being discovered. This means that unlike many other chapters who often spread out to cover a large area, the Templarii instead cover a smaller area constantly.

In addition: The loss of their 2 homeworlds, one to betrayal, one to the rage of a Blood Crusade, has left the chapter paranoid and defensive however, often trying to keep a distance from normal imperials. The only ones that know a lot about the Templarii, is the Inquisitorial Conclave of Iritral, now known as the "Scientae Conclave", after the loss of Iritral.

But even with these hindrances, the Templarii continue to fulfill the guardian duty they were bestowed with.

Chapter Command
Chapter Master Valerius Spero:

Valerius Spero is the Chapter Master of the Scienta Templarii and bears the title:                                           “Lord of the Blade”. Relatively young looking with brown hair he only recently was promoted to his rank, due to the old Chapter Master being killed in the 13th Black Crusade, he is one of the youngest of Chapter Masters in the Imperium. But while he may be young, he already has proven himself capable and a competent leader, having being the Chapter Master of the Scienta Templarii that struck down his heretical counterpart that lived for millennia. Having lead his chapter during the Indomitus Crusade, he showed a burning desire to finish that what the many Chapter Masters before him wished to do: Hunt down not just the Fallen, but their heretical splinter and give them the Emperor’s judgement. Cladded in the chapter’s finest relics, those that have seen him can only try to describe his appearance as a legendary warrior. Unlike many Chapter Masters who prefer to wear Artificer Power armour, Valerius is cladded in one of the chapter’s greatest relics: Artificer Cataphractii Terminator Armour, called “The Will of the Primarch”.   '''Said to have been worn by one of the Captains of the Dark Angels in the Great Crusade and during the fall of Caliban, it has been finely maintained over all those years, but only ever worn for ceremonial purposes. With the state of the galaxy, Valerius declared to arm his chapter with everything their vault can offer, in order to hold the tides of the ever spreading chaos. His presence is inspiring, an aura of purity and resolve is what other Space Marines of different Chapters have described. The Cataphractii suit has been modified with an Iron Halo and was given Tartaros Terminator Armour technology to increase its mobility and agility, however the suit was not allowed to be taken apart and so still suffers from the partial Drawbacks of the Cataphractii suit.'''

In addition to this venerable and ancient suit, he wears the “Gauntlet of the Past”, a relic of the Dark Angels given to his chapter to aid in their hunt for the fallen. Its bolter that was attached to the powerfist however was exchanged, by the order of the Valerius himself, for a plasma gun.

Connected to his back is an advanced cooling device of the chapter, connected to the plasma gun, allowing for the Chapter Master to take riskier shots without the fear of the weapon overheating.

The Blade he wields is the infamous Gladius Vindicte, a Sollex-Aegis Energy Blade modified with the psychic crystals native to Renascar. Its generator has been finely crafted and was a work of months for something of such small size. The blade took many traitorous lives, but none of them are as important to the chapter as when the blade killed their old renegade Chapter Master. Its Plasma blade is able to even break through a Paragon Blade, which the renegade Chapter Master had to learn the hard way. At first only merely made as a replacement for the stolen Paragon Blade, it has ever since been modified each decade, finely tuned and stabilized by the Techmarines of the chapter. An invaluable relic, such blades are only made by a very specific sect in the Imperium and even then, the prize to acquire them are most of the time enough to scare customers away…But it is said, that a Techmarine of a small retinue that was sent many years ago to order this blade was able to secure the schematics for his chapter and now they dwell deep inside the vault of the chapter.In addition to his already impressive arsenal, Valerius’ armour carries, in its chest region, an arcane crystalline matrix, built from the arcane knowledge of the chapter's origins. When the protection of Halo and shoulderpads in the end may fail, is where the crystalline matrix has a chance to negate the incoming blow. It is said that it is linked directly to the Chapter Masters own mind through unknown means and has protected him from his own recklessness many times already.

=== Companies ===

The Chapter is divided into 10 Companies, but each heavily deviates from the proposed guidelines of the codex Astartes.

The 10th Scout Company:

Serves to train the initiates of the chapter, however it is never present as a company.

Instead, scouts are deployed into specialized squads serving all other companies, while the sergeants carry equipment similar to the “Master of the Signals” marines from the great crusade. The chapter relies on their accuracy of their scout company to plan pinpoint assaults in order to weaken foes that would usually require many sacrifices.

The 9th, 8th, 7th and 6th Companies:

Similar to the Reserve Companies of other chapters, these exist for the purpose of training space marines and only rarily deploying on the actual frontlines.

These Companies are also known as the repair companies, serve on the battlefield to secure structures and destroyed vehicles, for possible repairs and to allow the bolstering of backline defenses. In addition, these companies are usually those that are deployed to assist with civilians, defending those that can’t do it themselves, leaving the fighting to the designated Battle Companies. Due to the Chapter’s Siege Tactics, the chapter uses Centurion armour, that it has modified itself like most of its wargear, with dual plasma cannons.

The 5th and 4th Companies:

Serving as Battle Companies, they are given far more technological power in form of the chapter’s Automata, gifted by the allied ForgeWorld Berethral, and in rare occasions, more ancient patterns. They are known as the chapter’s “Mechanized Companies”, and bear a silver colour unlike the rest of the chapter, while still retaining their blue shoulderpads.

These Companies make heavy use of various Tank designs, an example being the Predator Tank, able to constantly reconfigured in times of needs with different weapons, including: C-Beam Cannons, Twin-linked Lascannons, Plasma Cannons and many more exotic weapons

The 3rd Company:

Known as the “Iron Spear” Company, and is the chapter’s fastest company, similar to that of the Ravenwing companies, but instead serving in the 3rd and not 2nd. It holds a massive amount of Landspeeders, preferring them over normal bikes and holds a heavy amount of drop pods. This Company is the 1st to arrive at the word of Fallen or their own Renegades being present and their Captain is as fanatical and proud of his work. This Company also possesses an extraordinary amount of flyers and uses each of them for the perpetual hunt for the Fallen and their own renegades….The Astartes of this Company wear a big amount of MK III armour to show their unrelenting will to make the traitors repent.

The 2nd Company:

Known as the “Warfare” Company, represents the chapter’s most capable of warriors. Cladded in the chapter’s own unique armour sets, this chapter has a vast amount of resources at their disposal and its soldiers represent the companies status very well. Equipped with finely ornate crafted armour, this company has won many glorious battles against forces of sizes multiple times over the chapter’s own and is entrusted to lead the longest of Campaigns.

This company has come to represents its ”face”, for it combines its ideals of nobility, the safekeeping of imperials and the ability to outplay their enemy, using the resources of the other Companies as their own

The 1st Company:

The 1st Company, similar to the Deathwing formation, holds a massive amount of terminator armoured units. But unlike the other Unforgiven, this chapter has also a considerable amount of Cataphractii Terminator armour that the chapter holds key access to produce. They are the bulwark of the chapter, a wall of unrelenting burning vengeance, coming at the enemy with the most ornate of decorations, and the finest of weapons at its disposal. Often accompanied by Librarian in the chapter’s own special suits of  Terminator Armour, they wear a heavy amount of cloaks, together with runes and an arcane, yet comforting aura constantly emits from each Librarian in such an armour. Chief Librarian Igniritus often accompanies the 1st Company himself during assaults, with the Chapter Master taking on different tasks. in one such armour, protecting his comrades from enemy sorcery and many more dangers that would overwhelm the chapter, were it not for their big amount of psykers.

Combat Doctrine
The Battlemantra "Use the past, to claim the future", describes the heavy usage of ancient, thought to be lost technologies on the frontline, overwhelming many combatants. The present innovation of the Templarii and their Mechanicus allies of Berethral and the production capability of the Eternal Goliath, means the chapter is very well equipped in many exotic weapons. Besides their well equipped and large armoury, the Templarii also make heavy use of Librarians, due to their psychic offensive and defensive abilities. Much of the fighting style finds its origins in the Dark Angels Iron Wing doctrine, but has slowly grown into its own unique form of Combat Doctrine.

Deathwatch Service
The chapter's hates for xenos has made them candidates for Deathwatch service and indeed, many Battle Brothers of the Templarii Scientae volunteer for Deathwatch Service. However, due to the chapter's relatively unknown nature and the will to upkeep this low profile, those that do serve, do as Blackshields. Not out of shame, but for the sake of the chapter. Once the required service time has been fullfilled, they return to their chapter and are re-instated as hardened warriors.

Notable Members
Chapter-master Valerius Spero

Chief Librarian Igniritus

Master of Sanctity Manducto

2nd Captain Lanius

Montu Dreadnought Mortim

High Master of the Signal Falius(10th Captain)

Master of the Forge Grayhand

Master of the Armour Stroheim(1st Captain

Chapter Fleet
3 Battle Barges:

“Pride of Azerah”, which survived the betrayal at Maurodia. It’s the chapter’s most venerable ship and heavily modified with additional Plasma Projectors and Plasma Macro Cannons. It said if the ship engages enemies in orbit, one can seen the shine of blue plasma filling and cleansing the sky.

“Past Glory”,  a recaptured vessel, that belonged to the Templarii's renegades. After heavy cleansing and several excorsizing procedures, the ship was sanctioned to re-enter service

“Flame of Hope”, a “relatively new” addition to the chapter’s arsenal. The Battle Barge has only seen its first long campaigns during the Indomitus Crusade and the following battles.

Rest:

-10 Cruisers: 6 Normal Pattern and 4 Vanguard Cruisers

-25 Escorts: 10 Nova Class, 6 Hunter and 9 Gladius Cruisers

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