Lost Sons

The Lost Sons are a grouping of Astartes that can scarcely be called an organised Space Marine Chapter, as it is made up of less than two hundred orphaned Space Marines, all of which hail from lost or fallen Chapters. To say that this motley assemblage of Renegades is regarded with suspicion by the Inquisition and the High Twelve would be a massive understatement. The Lost Sons have been on a penitential crusade ever since their First Captain, Andreas Solar, won their lives by successfully passing through the Grey Knights' ordeals. His success earned the band a temporary stay of execution from a reluctant Supreme Grand Master Kaldor Draigo.

Founding
The Lost Sons were amalgamated from Renegade Astartes who joined St. Athaliah the Flame's mini-crusade to escape the Eye of Terror defending the Saint and her motley assemblage of other followers from near constant assault. The Sons come from a wide selection of Chapters now non-existent, or Perditas, and many of them have been trapped in the Eye for millenia. Most Sons refuse to discuss their origins and some may genuinely not remember them.

The Harrowing of the Eye
Few if any of the Space Marines who became Lost Sons had actively embraced Chaos but inevitably they had been tainted to a greater or lesser degree as they wandered the Daemon worlds of the Eye either singularly or in small bands with no aim beyond simple survival or more often actively seeking death to end their sufferings.

St. Athaliah crossed their several paths like a comet, drawing them into her train and reminding them of who and what they had been; Sons of the Primarchs, Chosen of the Emperor and Defenders of His people. Her words, her touch was credited by the redeemed Astartes with burning the Chaos taint from their souls and restoring them to their full strength and power (Athaliah is on record as calling this nonsense). Many died protecting the Saint and her mortal followers, as Space Marines should die in defense of mortal men with their geneseed preserved by their brethren. The fact that said brethren had originally come from a number of different Chapters no longer mattered to any of them.

The Testing of Andreas Solar
"Back off you big grey bugger!"

- St. Athaliah the Flame putting Kaldor Draigo in his place.

Escaping the Eye was not the end of their problems - far from it. The Invictus would have been destroyed out of hand like any other warp tainted hulk emerging from the Eye if not for the prestige and persuasiveness of their fast talking 'living saint'. Athaliah may have impressed Imperial Guardsmen but she had less luck with the Grey Knight captain who came to investigate. Kaldor Draigo was unmoved by her eloquence and unimpressed by Andreas Solar's demand to take the trials on behalf of his people. It took a direct order from the Emperor himself, delivered by one of his Custodes, to win Solar his chance to save his people.

The Mandragoran Assignment
"What's a Necron?"

- A mystified Andreas Solar

Solar passed the test winning life for himself and his followers but only at the price of spending it in a continual penitence crusade. As it happened the Sons and their followers were fine with that having nowhere else to go and no one but each other. They did not know that their assignment, to defend the worlds of the Mandragoran sector against a Necron incursion was a suicide mission intended to eliminate the problem they represented but it wouldn't have surprised them a bit.

Current state of the Chapter
"So that's a Necron, don't like 'em."

- Lost Sons Battle Brother

Originally the Lost Sons numbered less then two hundred Astartes organized into three below strength companies with Andreas Solar, Captain of First Company in overall command. Over the closing decades of the 41st Millennia their numbers were augmented first by 'Lost' Astartes rescued from the hoard of Trazyn the Infinite and later by Black Shields however battle losses have kept their numbers low.

The Sons are based on their battlecruiser the Invictus, an Overlord-class vessel retaken from Chaos and cleansed by St. Athaliah - or so the Sons believe. The cruiser's heavy armament is a real advantage but the ship was drastically undermanned with less than half the standard crew when it emerged from the Eye their numbers having been considerably reduced by the Saint's cleansing. This skeleton crew was augmented by a draft from Cadian Sector penal planets before the Sons started for the Mandragoran Sector.

Combat Doctrine
The Sons prefer melee weapons to ranged ones and their bolters have weighted butts so they can be used as clubs. Many brethren are armed with relic weapons liberated from the collection of Trazyn the Infinite (long story) along with several captive Astartes who joined the Sons. Artificers serving the Chapter forge slightly curved, single edged power sabres which have become the traditional weapon of the brethren.

Chapter Culture
Due to their disparate origins, the Sons strongly emphasize brotherhood amongst their Astartes, and between Astartes and normal humanity as well. Their mortal followers are treated as equals even to being addressed as brother or sister. The original band who escaped the Eye with the Sons have been augmented by a draft from penal planets, refugees from worlds attacked by the Necrons and by volunteers from those planets which have yet to suffer their scourge. In addition to the crew of the Invictus the ship carries the equivalent of a regiment of 'Brothers in Arms', as they are known, that act as support troops for the Sons; a mission from the questionably orthodox Adeptus Mechanicus Cult of Sarnath and an ever-changing population of surviving civilians from the Chapter's various battlefields.

Origins
Solar is one of the few Sons to have given a full account of his history. He was originally a Librarian of the Blades Eternal serving aboard the Strike Cruiser ''Flail of Penance. ''His ship was among those who survived the initial assault by the Chaos Fleets. Solar and the Flail took part in the Blades Eternal's victorious assault on the Daemon world of Khemnis and both were among the tithe of the Chapter that escaped the Chaotic counter-attack. Solar and a handful of other Blades Eternal were conducting a recce planetside when the Flail was at last taken or destroyed leaving them orphaned with only their Thunderhawk for transport. Solar was down to two companions when he ran across St. Athaliah.

Personality
According to Solar he went insane at some point during his sojourn inside the Eye, found it didn't help and so went sane again. The dark humor of the remark is pretty much characteristic of the First Captain of the Lost Sons.

Origins
Jerico has been nowhere near as forthcoming about his history as Andreas but his by-the-Code behavior strongly implies he is a former Ultramarine or belonged to an Ultramarine successor chapter. He credits hanging on tooth and claw to the Code as all that kept him sane and incorrupt during his years in the Eye. This does not of course mean he remained untouched or un-traumatized.

Personality
Jerico seems to have the entire Codex Astartes memorized and spouts more or less appropriate quotations at the drop of a hat. Fortunately for everybody's sanity and survival he is pragmatic enough to ignore the Code when following it would be counter-productive and potentially fatal.

Origins
Castiel was almost certainly a Dark Angel. The antiquated style of his armor hints he has been inside Chaos for a very long time, possibly longer than any other Lost Son. It is just possible that he is one of the Fallen. He certainly seems intent on avoiding contact with the Dark Angels and their successors at all costs.

Personality
For all his secretiveness Castiel is the Lost Sons' go to guy for obscure and probably forbidden knowledge and a fund of historical information about the Great Crusade and the Heresy.

Ship-Captain Sarpesian Dontos
Captain Dontos belonged to a fleet based Chapter, which one is unknown, but his expertise in ship combat is unquestionable making him the natural choice for command of the Invictus.

Chapter Colours
The Sons have scraped off the colors indicating their former Chapter allegiances leaving their armor the deep gray of unadorned ceramite. The right pauldron is painted black with squad and rank insignia painted in white for the 1st Company; yellow for the 2nd Company and red for the 3rd Company. The left pauldron is white emblazoned with the Adeptus Astartes Icon in black, and both pauldrons are trimmed in the company color with a helmet stripe and the knee-pads painted to match. The right poleyn (knee guard) is stenciled with a High Gothic numeral I, II or III, and the left poleyn is stenciled with the squad number in Low Gothic numerals.

Chapter Badge
The Lost Sons utilise the iconography of the Adeptus Astartes which consists of a stylised winged skull, a blade bisecting it in the center, the tip pointed downwards.

Relations
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Phoenix Brethren
Now a fleet-based Chapter on the lookout for a good war, the Brethren were attracted to the Lost Sons' crusade by the presence of their revered Saint and decided that it was just what they were looking for in the way of a challenge. Unknown to Brethren or Sons the Grey Knights find having two objects of suspicion in one basket very convenient.

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The Grey Knights
The Brethren and their followers had all knowledge of the Grey Knights wiped from their memories and so are unaware that they are under constant and hostile watch by members of that order. So far their stay of execution holds.

The Harakhte Necron Dynasty
A newly awakened and extremely aggressive Necron dynasty attempting to rebuild it's ancient empire.

Trazyn the Infinite
Trazyn is decidedly cross about the Sons' raid on his collection and determined to reclaim his property along with as many Sons as possible and their patron Saint as well if he can manage it. So far he can't.

Notable Quotes
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By the Lost Sons
{{Quote|I feel like it's Emperor's Day morning and I've been a very good boy!| Captain Andreas Solar upon beholding the hoard of Trazyn the Infinite}

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About the Lost Sons
"I confess that my greatest fear is the possibility that Love is not enough. But there are too many people depending on my friends and I to ever surrender. For your sake, and theirs, I will continue to blaze a trail to a 'third way'."

- Prince Ajax in response to Captain Solar.