Reverent Crusaders

The Reverent Crusaders are a Loyalist Successor Chapter of the ancient and mysterious Dark Angels, and are thus, one of many Successor Chapters that hail from the lineage of Lion El'Jonson, collectively known as the Unforgiven. This Chapter was created during the 4th Founding in the wake of the near disastrous War of the Beast, which left the Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes devastated. Since that time, they've continued to serve as stalwart defenders of the Imperium of Man.

Knights who strike fast and hard in large groups of infantry with the intent to overwhelm their foes with leads of Bikes followed by waves of infantry. Wishing to wipe out the sins of their Primarch through their actions in safeguarding the Imperium and bringing traitors to justice in making them suffer for their heresy. Encouraging worship of the God Emperor upon their own Homeworld of 'Vale', referred to as 'The Golden Lion'. Those of the world also know of the Primarch Lion El'Jonson very similarly to the God Emperor as 'The Black Lion".

Chapter History
In the ashes of the Horus Heresy the Emperor was dead, the Legions shattered and the galaxy was in ruin. The Ultramarine's Primarch Roboute Guilliman penned the Codex Astartes which dictated that the remaining Loyalist Legions were to be broken into Chapters during this historic event known as the 2nd Founding.

Hundreds of years into M32, the 4th Founding would dawn upon the galaxy and one of the Chapters to be brought to its light with their own radiance would be the Reverent Crusaders. As members of the Unforgiven, the details of their founding have been lost.

Deep within the Segmentum Pacificus they'd name Vale as their home. A society that believes that everyone must pull their weight or else be left in the cold, men and women knights across the world in endless war with one another. All in a vain attempt to get themselves in the Crusader's favor and therefore the favor of their God Emperor. The Astartes encourage this behavior because it has maintained a powerful pool of recruits to pull from, many infants stolen from their families by Initiates as part of their own training. Other children are offered by royal families who are promised a chance of their bloodline ascending to a divine being.

The construction of their Fortress-Monastery, the 'Radiant Citadel', would draw the eyes of the planet's armies and their leaders, witnessing giants who descended upon their world. Donned in suits of armour to fit their larger stature they got the fear and respect of those who had lead a hundred of battles, swearing loyalty and submission to the Reverent Crusaders. Hundreds of kingdoms around the planet to this day wage wars to prove their strength and faith in the Golden, one of the most famous of these would be the ' Königreich der Löwen ', or in Low-Gothic the Kingdom of Lions. With the rise of the Ivory Lion the land would change to its name to further appease to their angels 'Radiant Kingdom'. The Ivory Lion took control of this kingdom after her attainment of an ancient suit of armour, believed lost to the ages. It was bright white and couldn't become tainted by any physical filth. Even blood that touched its fur mantle would seemingly evaporate upon contact. Touching it would feel like petting a warm living animal. It's suspected that this armour generates a Conversion Field, for legends state that the wearer upon being struck by an enemy would receive divine punishment for daring to raise a blade to the true lord.

The system has been besieged by warp storms since M34, there'd be spans of years in which the system would become surrounded by these storms. These times would be known in Low-Gothic as ' Days of Darkness ' in which the subterranean species of the world would become more active. Mighty beasts that resemble those also found on the Desert world of Tallon Prime. Black fur, scales or feathers but many of these species would possess a skeletal exoskeleton that would envelop more of its body as they get older. In Low-Gothic they are called ' Umbras ', many with alternate names to differentiate between them. Such as 'Umbra Stalkers' or 'Umbra Brawlers'. It's believed that there may be hundreds of species on this world compared to Tallon Prime which has only a few dozen that can survive its environment. It has also been discovered that unlike those on Tallon Prime the populace of Umbra on Vale do not fear light, in additional they are Blanks attracted to psykers. Villages and even cities have been besieged by thousands of these monsters in the past which is why if one is discovered to be a Psyker they would have been sentenced to death to save the rest of the population, with the appearance of the Reverent Crusaders they are now instead sent to The Radiant Citadel where they are thought to be cleansed of their sin but rather are utilized by the Chapter.

Though the threat of the Umbras is constant the world is also besieged by Feral Orks. This is a result of an attempted invasion by an Ork WAAAGH! in M33 that would be fought off by the combined efforts of the Reverent Crusaders and several kingdoms who put aside their own grievances to aid their angels in fighting off these invaders. Thousands of years later Ork tribes still wander the world, some leading their own packs that attack small villages and make use of bands of Gretchins to scout out the locations days in advance before the Ork strike. Kingdoms will only spare a few hundreds soldiers to fight off against these green skinned creatures and the Umbra while a war with another such kingdom is given more focus. The existence of adventurers have helped the general populace against the planet's dangerous wildlife for millennia.

The dawn of the 42nd millennium brought the destruction of Cadia and the appearance of the Great Rift, the Warp Storms that once plagued the world of Vale would become less frequent, despite this it would see a rise in Umbra activity. Reacting to the appearance of the Great Rift attacks would become more frequent and on a much larger scale than thought possible. The once endless wars between men upon the world of Vale would soon begin to die down and instead would turn their attention to fight off against the seemingly infinite hordes of these monsters. The Chapter would appear distant from the conflict, in truth they would send their Initiates into the thick of this new war dubbed the 'Dark Wars', a new and more efficient means to train their Neophytes by battling a foe that threatens life on the world. Primaris Marines who join the Chapter are expected to take part in this war as part of their initiation as battle brothers, bringing the head of some of the largest Umbras they can fight.

The Ivory Lion
The Kingdom of Lions in 146.M33 was led by Kaiser Gerhardt, during the height of his rule he would approach the Fortress-Monastery of the Reverent Crusaders with his own guards, swearing that every boy born under his flag from now on would belong to the God Emperor and used as he pleased. All Gerhardt asked in return was admittance to see the insides of the Radiant Citadel which had stood as a towering palace for thousands of years. Many days would pass and the Kaiserin would leave, shocked by what he had learned of their angels. What he learned would follow him to his grave.

This arrangement with the Chapter created a new political system based around how many children ones family would become Astartes, many families would contain a single father and multiple mothers as a means to use this system to its furthest. Despite this political climate the current ruler of the kingdom who took the throne in 997.M41 is a woman with the title Kaiserin Emilia, a great descendant of the ruler who became known for his meeting of their angels.

Emilia lost her mother at the young age of 5, it was known throughout the kingdom it was of a fatal illness that had taken her. Years later Emilia would overhear one of her father's wives mention how he had disposed of her, claiming he was bored of her. Mortified by this new Emilia tried to tell her elder brothers who would hit her and tell her to shut up. Telling her that a king does what he wants and that she should learn that. Even her elder sisters wouldn't look her in the eye, too focused on their lives than to pay mind to a young girl. Through the years Emilia would grow jaded and cold toward her family, much like they had been toward her. Once she reached the age of 20 she'd understand her father, an old man, wouldn't have long left in this world. Emilia remembered a story her mother used to read to her, a story of an Ivory Lion. The ruler of the world. She'd have less than 10 years to discover it.

Originally her eldest brother was to succeed the throne but Emilia made use of her closest allies and her knowledge of the kingdom's criminal empire through her arranged fiance to discover the Ivory Armour through hundreds of sources and untold adventurers searching and dying to retrieve it for her. Once presented to her in secret she would ensure that all those who knew the location were slaughtered, all but her fiance. He was a kind man, for one whose family was filled with rats and scoundrels who had their fingers deep in the kingdom's criminal empire. Emilia would not make it known she possessed the armour till the day of her brother's crowning.

The ceremony would be interrupted by the cathedral doors being burst open by Emilia's personal guard. She would march into the room to shock the entire royal bloodline and lesser nobles as they looked upon her bright armored form. Standing above her kneeling brother who had been awaiting the crown to be placed upon his head she turned to the high priest and instructed him to crown her, as her brother stood to strike at his little sister his hand would touch the side of the helmet. As a result the room would become engulfed in light, the prince screamed in agony as the hand that touched Emilia was scorched and melting from the bone, while he lay on the cold floor weeping she took the crown in her hand seeing it as just a trophy, then took her seat upon the throne before ordering her brother to be executed for daring to strike at the king. Her other elder brothers and sisters would face judgement as well, while her brothers were fed to captured Umbras her sisters would be dragged off to be never seen again...many suspect it was the castle's barracks.

The only family that would escape such horrible fates were extended family members who knew not of the actions of her father, all her father's pregnant wives, her younger sisters and brothers and her fiance. He would be brought in to meet her at the foot of her new throne, terrified of his fate he was shocked to hear Emilia thank him for his use in finding the armour. She told him how she was sorry for using his emotions the same way her father used her late mother's but if it wasn't for him then she wouldn't be sitting on the throne. Emilia granted him and his family pardon from their secrets as long as their resources would be used by Emilia to watch her kingdom from the ground up. Finally promising him that she'd find him a bride who'd love him the way he had loved Emilia.

It would not be long before the name of her kingdom would be changed to what it is now known as, the Radiant Kingdom. Looking to the Reverent Crusaders as messengers of God she wished to please them and prove that they are the only kingdom worth their blessing. Her intentions could very well be to further herself and make ensure no other kingdom would rise to the same status as them, even if it meant destroying them all. Emilia would need to halt these intentions with the rise of the Dark Wars so she may see that her people aren't consumed and her efforts wasted by the world's Umbras. Currently Emilia takes to the battlefield leading her soldiers in an seemingly endless battle of survival, cutting down any beast that crosses her path. The shine of her armour as a beacon for those on the field of battle caught in the chaotic bloodshed and screaming.

Chapter Recruitment
Going as far back as when the Chapter first appeared on the world of Vale they would raid small villages for a time, stealing infants from their families. This was initially met with hostility from the local populace until those who resisted would be struck down by the super humans. Hundreds of years would pass and the world's religious leaders would spread the belief that the Astartes were angels seeking humans that were worthy of ascending to a higher existence. It wouldn't be long before this would be followed with churches rounding up young children to be taken by the Reverent Crusaders, to the surprise of the Astartes who found kingdoms now collecting children to just hand over to them. The Grand Master played along with this by claiming they were in fact angels sent by the God Emperor in order to protect the world and all those in the universe. This original charade became the spark that took the Chapter down a path to eventually believe their own words, feeding into their egos and viewing themselves as actual divine beings.

After the appearance of Kaiser Gerhardt the number of recruits the Chapter received was so great that they couldn't make use of all the children sent to them. The Chapter would create an order of warriors whose purpose was to protect the land from which the Radiant Citadel had called home for millennia. These thousands of men and women would become the backbone of the Chapter's Serfs, warriors with an education beyond the common people and more akin to those on Terra. Learning of the galaxy at large and the mission of their angels whom they would swear their lives to serving. The Knighthood of Vale was formed as an evolution of the Scout Company and would grow into its own kingdom, though much smaller than those around they'd be directly supported by the Reverent Crusaders, scaring off many who'd attempt to take their place at the Astarte's feet.

Due to the sheer number of recruits the Chapter receives and the widespread fear of increased Umbra attacks caused by the presence of Psykers it isn't surprising that the Chapter utilizes a much larger pool of Librarians than many other Space Marine Chapters. Once becoming more attuned in their abilities as full fledged Astartes they dwell within the walls of the Radiant Citadel unless called upon to aid their brothers off world. The Fortress-Monastery blocks off any potential Psychic presence that anyone or anything could sense beyond the borders.

With the Great Rift and therefore the Dark War now Neophytes stay closer to the Knighthood of Vale to ensure that they protect their home, with the increased threat of the world their families are permitted to live within the walls. Even if they come from the family of poor farmers. Those who have been giving all the organs required for their Gene-Seed will still go out into the world of Vale seeking adventure to further their battle experience.

Gene-Seed
As with other Chapter's of the Unforgiven the Gene-Seed is considered stable and pure. Closely watched over deep in the Fortress-Monastery by the Apothecarion and its inhabitants. The populace of Vale is seemingly free of mutation despite the planet's radius to many warp storms that can sometimes encircle the system. Initiates during their development still require a weekly examination by their Apothecary commanders to ensure nothing goes wrong.

Kept within the confines of the Radiant Citadel the members of the Apothecarion watch over the collective samples of the Chapter's Gene-Seed to ensure its purity and send all requested samples to the Magos Biologis as per requested upon each Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. The Crusaders are proud of their pure heritage as one of the few successors of a Gene-Seed with seemingly zero mutations.

Companies
As of 111.M42:

Combat Doctrine
Astartes train for years in the Scout Company, often upon the very world they call home. Challenging the threats the world presents through deadly beasts, warring Kingdoms and inhospitable environments. Growing up and training upon a feudal world comes with a life of the blade, melee combat is a specialty of the Chapter. From the young age of boys swinging to wooden toy swords and sticks to fully developed super humans wielding chainswords that tear apart their foes. Assault Squads make up the bulk of the Chapter's forces as opposed to typical Tactical Squads. Once a marine finishes his service to the Devastator Squad he will use his sharpened skill with a firearm in conjunction with his skills with the blade, becoming a deadly force to be reckoned with.

Many Tactical Squads within the Chapter are entrusted with the heaviest weaponry within the Chapter, though few in the actual squads utilized them. As outlined in the Codex Astartes only 1 Astarte per squad of 10 is permitted to use weapons such as: a Lascannon, Plasma cannon and Multi-Melta cannons. Their skill with melee combat sees that no matter the field of battle they're standing upon they'll be prepared against those from afar are those who dare charge them. Every brother is trusted with their own chainsword with their bolter to ensure a tactical advantage in either scenario.

Assault Squads charge the front lines alongside the rapid striking Bikers in their Brotherhoods, blood of their foes clashes against their black armour as the sounds of a chainsword tearing apart bone and flesh is echoed across the battlefield. Unlike many Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes Assault Squads have been trained to use a more flexible assortment of ranged weaponry. Some brothers capable of using their bolters or other advanced weaponry while maintaining a fast pace in order to outmaneuver their foes who would struggle to maintain a lock onto the Astartes before being shot at from another angle or slash upon by a sudden assault.

The 3rd Reserve Brotherhood is the designated defense force that protect Vale from any significant force that would be far beyond the abilities of the planet's native populace or the Knighthood of Vale. The company is prepared to replace all those who have been lost in either the 4th for 5th Brotherhoods should such an event occur. The formerly mentioned Brotherhoods go out into the Galaxy to provide aid to those of the Imperium against the threats of xenos or heretics.

The Noble Wing
Veterans of the Chapter who have served the Imperium for many decades, some for centuries, they are entrusted with one of the most valuable pieces of technology that any Space Marine could dream of utilizing, Terminator armour. Unlike many of those of the Unforgiven the Terminators in the Reverent Crusaders Chapter reflect the iconography of their Gene-father Lion El'Jonson, Primarch of the Dark Angels. Appearing like the ancient beasts of Terra from which their Primarch is named after.

Golden in appearance these hardened Veterans are entrusted with the secret of the Unforgiven, the knowledge of The Fallen and their mission to hunt them. Due to the Chapter's reverence for both close range combat and speed it isn't often that the 1st Brotherhood uses these legendary suits but more standardized power armour with jump packs. At most one third of the Chapter may field Terminator armour at once, not due to a lack of it being available but rather a hesitance in putting such powerful weapons be cast into battle without a second thought. Typical tactics of the Noble Wing is advancing squads of Vanguards who will either stick to fast airborn strikes or land-based ambushes. In the chaos of battle Terminators will arrive to pick apart the softened foes who wouldn't typically expect such a sudden change of tactics from the Astartes. Additionally they're only Astartes within the Chapter who may enter Space Hulks or board enemy ships due to the protection that Terminator armour can provide.

The Grim Wing
Unlike the Noble Wing who would display their golden armour as a show of faith to the Emperor the Grim Wing instead carry on the darker colours typical battle brothers display, nearly mirroring the appearance the Dark Angels once carried during the time of the Great Crusade while still utilizing hints of gold. Using fast vehicles as their primary source of transportation these same vehicles carry ranged weaponry fired while the Astarte draws closer to cut the foe down with his blades. While the Noble Wing's Terminators appear similar to Lions one would view the Knights of the Grim Wing as very avian in their overall design. Depicting the iconography of the Imperium itself.

Very similarly to the Noble Wing these Astartes are tasked with the capture and extermination of the fiendish Fallen Angels that have evaded them for so many millennia. Unlike those within the Dark Angel' Ravenwing the knights that make up the ranks of the Grim Wing are just as trained to infiltrate enemy lines with the use of quest teams of infantry. Creating gaps in the enemy's perimeter without the use of bikes that can draw too much attention. However much like the Ravenwing the Black Knights of this Chapter are skilled swordsmen who have been expertly trained to use their bikes to their fullest extent, even overwhelming enemy armored support from flanking attacks that come from seemingly no where and are gone just as quickly, leaving death in their wake.

The Knighthood of Vale
Unlike any other Brotherhood of the Chapter the Knighthood deals directly and communicates with the planet's populace of warriors and adventurers. Kingdoms host several Guilds administered by the Brotherhood's Guild Masters whose Serfs play the role of the Guild Master in their stead. Unknown by the general populace that see these pubs and inns as simple halls that reward and encourage warriors to seek out danger for rewards.

Those within the Brotherhood who cannot take on the trials of becoming an Astarte either because of their age, health or gender are trained to become members of an order that are eternally loyal to their masters. A single warrior from this Knighthood surpasses any other from any other kingdom, their advanced training and educating giving them an edge in the understanding of human biology or construction of their weapons and armour. Capable of identifying weaknesses in ones stance or armour they will take full advantage of it with deadly precision. Pushed to their humans limits there are those in the Knighthood that are trusted to lead armies on behalf of other kingdoms, sent as a sign of being in the good graces of the Reverent Crusaders. In truth the Crusaders care not for the outcome of these wars but see this as a chance to train their trusted Serfs, always wanting to see how far humans can go.

Those who succeed in the Gene-Seed implantation are sent into the world as though they are simple travelers seeking to become adventurers. Hunting Umbras, Orks, bandits or partaking in Kingdom spanning wars. The 6th Brotherhood unlike standard Scout Companies leads the Knighthood of Vale to protect the region ruled by the Reverent Crusaders. Those Sergeants within this brotherhood are instead those from the Chapter's Apothecarion as opposed to standard battle brothers, parties of these Neophytes as they travel must return to their squad leaders for examinations on a weekly basis to ensure their Gene-Seed organs don't fail to develop. Only after all 19 organs have been implanted will the Neophytes be allowed to leave the confines of their land and become full fledged adventurers.

Chapter Beliefs
Firm believers in the God Emperor of Mankind the Crusaders take to the stars to exterminate those who have strayed from his light or threaten his glorious Imperium. The Fallen are the most hated as expected, due to the shame that they brought their Chapter who they believe is the purest and most faithful. Those who fight in the name of the Lion are the purest of all of the Adeptus Astartes. Unlike the Black Templars who turn away and show a deep contempt for Psykers the Crusaders consider Psykers to be messengers of the God Emperor himself.

Battle against Ork and Umbra are a rite of knighthood in the Chapter, only truly becoming full fledged Astartes once they claim the heads of 100 Orks or the head of a single Umbra Alpha. During this time they are known as Adventurers. Those who cannot slay the beasts of their home are not worthy of carrying the name of a Reverent Crusader. The knowledge of how Orks reproduce is well known in the Chapter but unless the Grand Master sees the population as a threat then the Chapter will make no additional efforts to prevent this through the use of fire, the danger that Orks pose is seen as penitential for training and for giving Vale's populace an additional challenge.

The Umbras that roam the planet are seen as the physical manifestations of negative human emotions created in contrast to those in the Warp, the Reverent Crusaders despite their efforts still have yet to understand how they come into existence. Their origins are deep in the planet's core and any effort to delve in has been met with only failure, even from the Noble Wing. The Umbras might remain one of Vale's greatest mysteries.

Chapter Relics
The Soulless Crown- During the earliest expeditions into the world's core there was one item uncovered and returned to the Radiant Citadel. This relic is watched over closely by the Chapter's Reclusium. Any and all Psykers who get within several feet are known to feel similar effect to being around a Blank, Psykers cannot bring harm to one who wears this helm. Only during a campaign against those of The Fallen or the Eldar is this relic brought into battle, specifically by the Master of the Grim Wing.

Chapter Colours
Battle Brothers of the Chapter are dark in appearance with a silver trim along their armour. Those in the Noble Wing shine a bright gold with blackened secondary colour. Finally Grim Wing Black Knights appear as those who'd have such a title, with the only relief being their golden trim.

Chapter Relations
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Allies
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Notable Quotes
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By Your Chapter
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