Invokers

The Invokers were a partially Codex Astartes-compliant Chapter of Adeptus Astartes of the Dark Angels' gene-seed. They deviated significantly from the credos of the Codex Astartes due to their heritage and training as one of the Unforgiven, employing a Ravenwing and Deathwing formations as well as two additional scout companies due to an unprecedented close relationship to the Exorcists chapter prior to their fall from grace.

The Invokers chosen path was one of daemon hunters and masters of the arcane, dealing with the Inquisition to a greater degree than most chapters and most certainly to a greater degree than their fellow unforgiven. Since their fall from grace, they bolster their lessened numbers with fratricidal daemons and fanatical auxiliary forces of Malladictios now militant populace.

Founding:
Due to a sudden rapid rise in the number of Daemonic incursions at the start of the 36th millennium, the High Lords of Terra decreed on Behalf of the Immortal God Emperor, that a number of Chapters specialising in the elimination of daemonic threats would be formed. Among those selected, were the Dark Angels chapter, a Chapter that had distinguished itself as unwavering in its service to the Imperium, and whose gene-seed was of highly pure nature. Company Captain of the Dark Angels, Belial Marce, was chosen to oversee the creation and command this new Chapter, dubbed by it's Parent Chapter, the Invokers. Due to the similarities between the practices and the combat doctrine of the Invokers and the Relictors Chapter, It is theorised that they were either created at the same time.

History:
The Invokers have been seen the length and breadth of the galaxy, battling the Imperiums many foes both within and without its borders. By far however their most hated foe has been the insidious forces of the Warp, whom the Invokers have dedicated their very existence to stamping out by any means necessary. They hold and exemplary battle record against the forces of Chaos, from preventing and putting down daemonic incursions into the material realm, to leading campaigns into Heretic controlled space. Often they have been see accompanied or accompanying members of the Inquisition, which both at once shows they have a large sphere of influence but also portrays them as untrustworthy by most other space marine chapters. The Invokers are never ones to turn down a potential weapon to use against the Imperiums enemies and will gladly use any aid they can be provided with, be that manpower or equipment. On many occasions throughout their extensive history, they can been seen battling alongside Imperial guard, Adepta Sororitas and even the mythical Grey knights. Though such engagements are kept strictly secret, for although the Invokers are blessed with the knowledge of the Grey Knights existence, they may never speak of these honoured allies. Relations with other chapters in their history annuls is rarely positive, they are either shunned by more orthodox chapters for their dubious tactics, or frowned upon by the codex deviant chapters for their strong ties to the Inquisition, leaving them few friends they can call of in times of need. As befits their, "By any means necessary" code, they are also deeply mistrusted by Imperial guard commanders and troops, who the Invokers will use as anything from meatshields to decoys to achieve victory or success. However, it is truly from their ties to the Inquisition that they draw their strength, for without the Inquisitions protection, they would not be able to pursue their agenda's through the means they do.

Siege of Orimus: 654.M36
The First great trial of the Invokers, where they lost their first Chapter Master Belial Marce as he sacrificed himself to buy his brothers time to escape the hellish confines of the Hive city, before the thermal charges laid at the chaotic gate in its heart exploded.

The Ghost War: 811.M37
The Invokers took part on the defence against Warmaster Abbadon's forces in the 7th Black Crusade, better known as the Ghost War. The Invokers saw battle on several fronts across the Segmentum Pacificus, where they played the vicious games of Cat and Mouse with the forces of chaos and they disappeared and reappeared across the galaxy. One of the few surviving marines of that terrible time was the Venerable chaplain Abbius, though whether he was interred within his sarcophagus at the time is hard to say. What is known is he recounts tales of encountering a strange being that seemed to follow them through that miserable crusade. A figure shrouded in black smoke and bearing resemblance to a knight in black armour that would appear without warning on chaos ships and slaughter the crew inside. Due to the creatures wailing howls, Abbius says they came to call the creature Grief, and were told to avoid it at all costs. After the war Grief was not seen again for almost a hundred years.

Fall of Dakvos: 878.M40
The World of Dakvos was beset by the Heretics of the Thousand sons Legion, and requested assistance from the Astartes of the Invokers Chapter. The newly appointed 3rd Captain Zephyer Kize led his whole company to the planet, and made planet fall at the governors palace with all his men at his back, so that action could be taken as soon as a counter-offensive was planned. the moment they hit the ground, they were ambushed by Thousand sons space marines and the forces of the traitorous planetary governor. Kize and a handful of marines escaped to space, where they Kize in his grief born fury ordered orbital bombardment on all city centres. the death toll was in the billions, only the Thousand sons own base was spared, saved by some dark warp magic. Kize led what little he had of his company into the base, and destroyed it, suffering near total casualties in the process. Kize and a single marine survived the campaign.

Fall from the light: 576.M41
For hundreds of years, as the galaxy darkened and the light of the Astronomican faded, The Invokers turned to more and more extreme methods and practices in the fight against the Imperiums enemies. Foreseeing where this dark path would take them, Chapter Master Azabell Vied ordered a chapter wide council to take place at the Sanctum, Fortress Monastery of the Invokers chapter. The great halls filled with Marines of all ranks and all ten captains, every chaplain, Librarian, Apothacary and techmarine sat in attendance of the chapter masters summons. There, the fate of the chapter was debated. What had been meant to be a realignment of the chapters faith and practices back to the imperial standard, swiftly divulged down to two factions vying to be dominant. Vied led the conservatives who desired a return to a more orthodox way of battle, and a return to the Emperors holy light. The other side was led by Third Captain Zephyer Kize, who believed that the only way to defend the Imperium, the Emperor and all of his subjects, was to employ the enemies weapons against them. The debate seemed brutally tied, with the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th and 8th companies standing by the Chapter master but the 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 9th and 10th siding with Kize. The various auxiliary bodies within the chapter, the Apothecarion, the Reclusium, etc, were as divided as the rest of the chapter over the decision, each one arguing the merits of each to their fellows. Finally, the argument grew to a crescendo, and Kize, vying for a peaceful solution, turned to leave Maladiction forever, saying that those who wished to follow him could do so, and that they would expunge all affiliation between themselves and the conservative Invokers. This was intended to allow the two warring sides of the debate to part ways amicably and battle the Emperors foes in their own way, Vied from without, Kize from within. Vied, refusing to allow such a betrayal of what he believed to be the true path of Astartes, drew arms and fired a bolt at Kize. Kizes life was saved only by the heroism of his second in command, Rhaine Isbeal, who pushed Kize out of the shot at the cost of losing his own left arm. With that one shot, violence erupted between the two factions. Brother fought brother in a dark re-enactment of the civil war that their primogenitors suffered through millennia before. The halls were stained with blood, and after days of vicious fighting, it was Kize and his Radicals that emerged alive. Alerted by the Vicious fighting, the Order of the vigilant Eye stationed on Maladictios moon sent scouts to investigate what was happening. Upon discovering the truth, they alerted the Imperial authorities that the Invokers had turned traitor and butchered those loyal to the Emperor. The remaining Invokers scampered to their great libraries, scrambling for something they could use to save themselves and their homeworld from destruction. Within a dark, heretical tome, they found their answer. Dark warp magiks, using the blood of their slaughtered brethren, the remaining invokers insured that the slaughter was not for naught. With a blinding flash, Maladictio disappeared from the material universe.

The Invokers knew not where the spell would take them, but that anywhere was better than in the firing line of imperial forces. transported across the breadth of the Galaxy, the Invokers found themselves stranded in the Storm of souls, even further form the Emperors light than the Ghoul stars. Lost and stranded, in a place where the Warp crossed over dangerously with the material realm. It was Kize who offered a solution to their problem and led them down the path they now follow. For many millennia it had been well documented by the Ordo Malleas that there existed within the warp cadres of daemons that existed to fight against their own kind, and desired nothing more than to slay their kin. It was with these Daemons that Kize parleyed, and with these daemons that the Invokers now fight, using their warp spawned strength to bolster their depleted numbers and lack of easily acquired supplies. The Invokers having been officially dubbed Excommunicate Traitorus, they now fight isolated and alone against the imperiums enemies, using all the arcane knowledge and power they can muster, they use the tools of the enemy against them and fight to free the Imperium of the threat of chaos, even if it costs them their souls.

Battle Doctrine
The Invokers used to employ a "By any means necessary" mantra, and this has only become more prominent since their fall. They employ any weapon, magic, sacrifice and tactic they can to achieve victory, and bolster their lacking numbers with the fratricidal daemons they are in alliance with. The inhabitants of Maladictio have also risen to the challenge, forming a powerful planetary defence force. The Invokers took direct control over Maladictio, turning it into a powerful militant dictatorship, ruled over by the new Chapter master Zephyer Kize.

Daemons of Chaos:
The denizens of the warp are the Invokers primary and most hated enemy, as they see them as the scourge of all life in the galaxy. The Invokers have accumulated vast repositories of knowledge and information on Daemons and house it in the vast libraries within Sanctum.

Chaos Space Marines:
The Invokers hate them with all the fury as the other loyalist Chapters.

Necrons:
Perhaps a peculiar kind of hate, the Invokers take especial joy from targeting Necron tomb worlds simply thanks to the technology the Necrons are in possession of. They have machines and technology that are the direct antithesis to the Warp, and the Invokers would happily seize this technology to better their fight against the immaterium.

"The Emperor entrusted us with the means and capacities to fight the enemies of mankind. He trusted us, His sons, with the power to defeat His enemies, through any means open to us. You represent the Ecclesiarchy, but we represent the Emperor incarnate, and we will do whatever we need to complete our oath to the Emperor to defeat His enemies. You disapprove of our methods Cardinal, but do not, ever, Question our faith, and our loyalty to the Emperor."

- Rhaine Isbeal, Company Champion of Zephyer Kize to an Ecchlesiarchy Cardinal prior to the fall

Eldar:
As the ancient enemies of both Chaos and the Necrons, the space Marine of the Invokers chapter repeatedly find themselves battling alongside these erstwhile allies, and are on relatively peaceful terms with the Eldar Craftworlds of Ulthwe and Alaitocs, with more fractured ceasefires enabled with Siam-Hahn and Biel-Tan.

"Yes they are Xenos, and yes, they are abominations and oppositions to Humanities rightful position as rulers of the galaxy, but they are a dying race, and they oppose the great enemy, so for now Brother, as long as their guns are pointed at our foes, they can be tolerated."

- Chapter Master Azabell Vied

Culture:
Calm outside of battle, they take great relish in learning and investigating the mysteries of the Galaxy. Their Fortress Monastery Holds a Library of great size with many sections dedicated to the destruction of Daemons and the use of unicursal hexegrammic wards. All Invokers upon completing their scout training have the Ordo Malleus' Liber Exorcismus committed to memory and a basic mastery of unicursal hexagrammic wards.

Monastic and fanatical in their belief in the Emperor, they believe that they are all lost to the Emperors light, and that it is only once Chaos is banished that the souls of their fallen brothers will be redeemed and returned to the Emperor. They maintain strict discipline and since the fall the use of Chaplains and tests of purity have been multiplied tenfold, refusing to let their exposure to the warp and their alliances with certain daemonic elements to cloud their purpose. To fight chaos with chaos, to sacrifice their very souls, to free the Imperium of the taint of chaos.

Geneseed Mutations:
The Geneseed of the Invokers, drawn from the Dark angels bloodline have almost no mutations or deteriorations. There is however a strange phenomenon surrounding the possession ritual in the Invokers training. Once a recruit has undergone and survived the possession and exorcism of the ritual, their eyes display strange changes in colour and tone. Often the eyes simply enhance from their prior colour to simply a more vivid hue, but it has been known for utterly alien and random colours to appear out of the blue. The phenomena has been studied extensively by the Invokers as to what it could mean and any effects it could have. So far, they have turned up no reason as to why the event occurs or whether it has any particular benefit or disadvantage, they cannot explain it, and since it seems to do no harm, for the moment, it is simply acknowledged as a oddity and left at that. Most choose to believe that the eyes are a sign of the Emperors blessings upon them, and that they are endorsed and protected by the Holy God Emperor. However there are others who suspect that the anomaly has much darker roots, and that the eyes of the Invokers may be a precursor to a much more extreme mutation.

Home World and Fortress Monastery
Once a verdant feudal world where young boys would compete in yearly tournies to compete for the right to be presented to the Invokers. Since their fall, Maladictio has become a brutal fortress world of strict discipline and fanatical devotion to the Invokers cause. Each part of the planet sectioned off and ruled by a separate governing body, which is in turn ruled by Kize himself. Militarised and fanatical in their belief, the brutally enforced law and imperial faith result in a world that is just as if not more adherent to the imperial creed than most worlds in the imperium.

Belial Marce:
The first Chapter master of the Invokers, Died a few scant decades after their final formation as a Chapter. He led an attack on the besieged hive City of Orimus Prime, which had been corrupted from within by chaos cultists deep in the heart of the Hive. He and the First Company struck a surgical strike straight at the base of the Hive and descended from their, battling their way through hundred of Daemons to reach the cities core. Their they found the Warp gate, from which poured hundreds of Daemons in an unending tide. The Chapter Master fought to the base of the gate, where his techmarines laid thermal charges to bring down the gate and sever its connection to the immaterium. Once the charges were set, Marce and his personal entourage held the breach while the remainder of the First Company evacuated to the surface. He was killed in the explosion and his remains were never recovered. His sacrifice was remembered eternally by the black robes of mourning worn by the veteran first company.

Harken Estronimak:
Reclusiarch of the Invokers Chapter, his massive frame clad on one of the Chapters ancient suits of Terminator Armour. The Great Curling horns that protrude from his skull helm and the furious rage with which he descends upon his foes has earned him the unfortunate, if apt, nickname of "the Daemon". Estronimak was apparently amused by the informal nickname, and did little to discourage it. At the battle of Barik, Estronimak led the fourth comapany against a horde of Bloodletters of Khorne, after being slowly pushed back by the unending horde, Estronimak turned, screaming at the top of his considerable lungs, "These foul denizens of the warp are nothing but imposters! Let them face the might of a true Daemon!" The Marines with him, emboldened by his blatant disregard for the enemies strength, cried out "For Estronimak! For the Daemon!" they charged, with Estronimak at the lead beating hundreds of Deamons to death with his mighty Crozium arcanum. The Invoker won the day, and from that point on, the fourth company adopted the dubious battle cry, "For the true Daemon!"

"Does my appearance frighten you General? Good, that is the point."

- Estronimak replies to comments made by an Imperial Guard General over Estronimaks Helm

Veilan Veistrife:
Chief Librarian of the Invokers, a tall and imposing figure, if surprisingly young for the title of Chief Librarian. His swift rise to power came about as the result of incredible amounts of both power and control, and the untimely death of his predecessor, meaning that after a very brief time as an Epistolery, he was elevated to the Status of Chief librarian. His youth is displayed in his psychic powers and his his wickedly morbid sense of humour. He can often be seen at the for front of an attack, his horned skull headed force staff crackling with energy as he tosses enemies out of his with with powerful blasts of telekinetic energy. As befits a chief librarian, he is also one of the most knowledgeable in the chapter in reference to daemonic lore, and has etched into his armour and written across his robes, hundred of wards and anti-daemonic runes to better safeguard himself against the predations of the warp.

"As much as I would like to stay around and play with you some more Heretic, we are on a tight schedule, so I guess this will have to do."

- Veistrife shortly before psychically ripping a chaos space marines limbs off

Zephyer Kize:
The Dark and mysterious Captain of the Third Company, Zephyer Kize, is the shadowy example of the Invokers will and ability to use any means at their disposal to defeat the enemy. When in the youth of his life as a Astartes, Kize was a jubilant and charismatic marine, quick with a joke and smile and possessed of an easy charm. His popularity soon saw his rise within the ranks, and he was earmarked early as a candidate for captaincy. That day came soon, and Kize was instilled in the presence of the whole chapter, as Captain of the 3rd Company. Kize soon set off to prove his mettle as a commander, taking the whole 3rd company on a campaign to liberate an imperial system from the assault of the Thousand Sons Space Marines. Kize made planet side on the hive planet of Dakvos IV, His whole company at his back, ready to meet the planetary governor and plan a counter-attack on the Traitorous marines.

The moment they made planet fall, they were decimated, ambushed by the Thousand sons and troops of the now traitorous planetary governor. Kize and a handful of Marines escaped to the transports, retreating back to the ''Inscriptus est. ''Kize was driven mad by the death of his brothers, and ordered orbital bombardment on all the primary cities and centres of the planet. The death toll was in the billions, every city reduced to ash save the Thousand sons own base, which was protected by foul warp magic. Kize, still blinded by rage, ordered an immediate assault directly into the Sons base. His men, roused to fury by their betrayal and the traitors invulnerability, followed him with gusto. It is unknown what occurred within that twisted hell, but only two souls emerged alive, a Marine named Rhaine Isbeal, And Kize himself, clutching a black sword.

Since that day Kize has never smiled, hiding his shame and guilt beneath a cloak of black, and led the 3rd in silence. Isbeal became his personal bodyguard and company champion, and Kize has personally rebuilt his company from the ground up. His men are all uttely loyal to him despite his brooding and silent demeanour, and completely dedicated to the destruction of chaos. Of the black sword Kize wears by his side, no one speaks, its presence an open mystery, its origins unknown and unlooked for. No one besides Kize and Isbeal know where Kize found the blade, and with them the secret will stay. But it is said, that on the rare occasions when Kize will draw his sword, the black blade seems to glow from within with dark green light, and that when Kize draws his sword, Isbeal ceases to fight, his eyes only for Kize, watching, waiting, ready.

"Do not ask after Kize, he is a broken soul full of sorrow and guilt, and he carries a burden none of us can even begin to imagine."

- Captain Eris Varn of the Invokers 4th Company

Contemptor Dreadnaught, Age:
The Contemptor Dreadnought known only as "Age" was discovered by the Invokers when they were in the process of putting down a Necron awakening on the Planet Litsfried at the beginning of the 39th millenium. When the Invokers descended into the Necron Crypt complex, what they found they could not have in their wildest dreams expected to find. Within what could only be described as the Necron Lab complex, was a Severely damaged Contemptor Dreadnought held within stasis. the dreadnoughts armour was the bare silver of ceramite, and no chapter heraldry was visible. The chapter techmarines removed the dreadnaught form the crypt and returned it to the battle barge Hexbreaker for further study.

Against all possibility, the Space marine entombed within the Dreadnaught still lived, kept alive by the time stopping power of the stasis technology. The Marine was tended to by the Apothecaries and Techmarines of the Invokers till he was brought back into a stable condition. The dreadnaught was then interrogated by the chaplains and Librarians of the Invokers in the search for chaotic taint and corruption. The dreadnaught said that he could no longer remember who he was or where he had come from, but that they could refer to him as "Age". When asked of the Horus Heresy, he replied that he knew nothing of the event, nor the events of the Decree of Nikea and the fall of Prospero, which eventually led his interrogators to believe that Age had in fact been captured and imprisoned by the Necrons some time before the events of the Heresy. Having no where else to go and intrigued by the nature of this ancient, mysterious figure, the Invokers requested permission from the Inquisition to induct Age into their ranks. Ever since then, Age has Fought alongside his adopted Brothers and fought against the enemies of the Imperium, forever searching for clues as to who he is and where he came from, partly dreading the answers he may find.

"Though I remember not who I am, or to which Legion I belong, I remember the vows I made to the Emperor. I vowed that so long as I lived, I would fight the enemies of Man, and protect the Emperors Imperium. I still stand by that vow. And if I discover my identity along this path, then so be it."

- Age's response when asked if he would join the Invokers Chapter

Venerable Chaplain Abbius
The Ancient and revered Chaplain dreadnought Abbius is somewhat of a mythical figure in the chapter, and a mystery in his own right. It is unclear of when Abbius ascended into Chaplaincy, and too when he was interred within the Iron sarcophagus of the dreadnought in which his body now resides. Surprisingly active for a dreadnought, present at nearly every official ceremony and meeting of the chapter, but is rarely spoken to and is rarely spoken of except in hushed questions and musings as to his origins. It would seem Abbius cares little for his own safety, and will often choose to be deployed via drop-pod directly into the enemies midst, where his heavy flamer integrated twin power fists can wreak the most carnage amongst the enemies of the chapter. To his own Chapter, Abbius is a mysterious and obscure figure, known only on a personal level by his fellow chaplains, who seem to treat Abbius with hushed respect and reverence, to his enemies, he is the burning wrath of the Emperors might.

"You do not understand, and you probably never will. Chaplain Abbius has seen more, knows more, and understands more than you could ever hope to. His vindictive rage knows no bounds, his wisdom no limits, and were he not blessed with the armour of the ancients, it would be he that leads the Chapters faith, not I."

- Reclusiarch Harken Estrominac

Battle Barges:

 * Hexbreaker
 * Incantis Ire

Cruisers:

 * Runeward
 * Inscriptus Est
 * Hexspear
 * Banisher
 * Inviolate Will
 * Daemonfear
 * Warpburn

Quotes:
Please feel free to add one of your own.

By:
""We have been called Heretics, Abominations, blasphemers, corrupted, etcetera, etcetera. What they call us does not matter, what they think of us does not matter. We know that we are faithful, we know that we do what we must for the sake of the Emperors dream. Care not how others see us Brother, the Emperor knows our truth.""

- Reclusiarch Harken Estronimak

"You say that our methods corrupt us Inquisitor, but I disagree. Our methods make us hate that which we oppose with even greater fury, but with the knowledge that we have bested it before. Tell me Inquisitor, if you burn your hand in a flame, does it make you worship the fire? No, your hate for the fire grows brighter, and the scars that it gave you, deadens you to its wrathful touch when you crush it to its ashes."

- Former Chapter Master Azabell Vied

Please feel free to add one of your own.

About:
"The Invokers are Adeptus Astartes, and are so permitted to act on behalf of the Imperium in their own way, but history has shown how easily His angels of death can be drawn to Heresy, and we are here, ready, should that ever happen."

- Sister Superior of the Order of the Vigilant Eye

"Its the eyes, there's something about their eyes that is just so inhuman. I mean, I understand that they are astartes, and are already far removed from mankind as a species, but those eyes... there's just something wrong with those eyes."

- General Harker of the 475th Maryllian Cohort

"All will fall to Chaos in the end! *Cough* There can be no escaping it, it is inevitable. *Cough* Even you... *Wheeze* I can sense it in you... the touch of chaos... *Cough* It has already begu—"

- Last words of the Chaos Sorcerer Jarix Fellwind, before his execution at the hands of Zephyer Kize

"You and your kin are as honourable as a foul Eldar. For your disgraceful ways I will see it fit to have your entire "Chapter" watch as I take your home, collapsing it upon it's corrupted self. Your pride, as I strip you of what you love while your fellow primitives watch. And at the end, the one both yourselves and I will all eagerly be waiting for, your lives."

- Overlord Hecutee of the Estomik Dynasty, before parting ways with Captain Eris Varn of the Invokers 4th Company