Mordekaisers

"Kaiser! The enemy has sealed off the deck! We're trapped!" "No, brother, the enemy is trapped on this deck with us! Slaughter them all!"

- Kaiser Markus Stahlhelm

The Mordekaisers (translated to High-Gothic as ' Murder Lords ' ) are a Successor Chapter created as a 24th Founding of the Imperial Fists. While it is confirmed that their Primarch is indeed Rogal Dorn, it can’t be confirmed which Chapter they are descended from for there is no record of which specific Chapter the Mordekaiser’s gene seed comes from. Some scholars believe the Mordekaisers descend from the Excoriators due to both chapters leaving their battle damage untouched. The Excoriators deny any link to the Mordekaisers. Either way, the Mordekaisers are merely recorded as Sons of Dorn.

Upon their creation, the Mordekaisers were sent to the far reaches of the Galaxy into the Ghoul Stars. Their destination was the Imperial Starport Morgen Schwach, located near Lunaphage before the Malefactus Warp Rift. The Mordekaisers purpose was to patrol and defend the areas surrounding the Starport and warp rift, for which they bear the title of "Stewards of the Ghoul Stars". As expected for a chapter descended from Rogal Dorn, the Mordekaisers take their duty seriously and defend the the sector vigorously. Of course, when needed, the Mordekaisers will answer summons for aid all across the Galaxy.

Earning the Scars
The Mordekaisers were created as part of the 24th Founding in the 39th Millennium. Although the Gene-Seed is of Imperial Fist, origin it is unknown if it is directly from the Imperial Fists or from one of the many other Chapters of Dorn. Several traits of the Mordekaisers' gene-seed points to the Excoriators though this is denied by the Excoriators. Regardless, the Mordekaisers were recorded as Sons of Dorn and sent off to guard the untamed Ghoul Stars in the Starport of Morgen Schwach. Once they had arrived, the Mordekaisers swiftly set about engaging the pirate fleets and Ork warbands that prowled the areas around the starport.

It was only after their first decade of combat that the Mordekaisers established their identity. The entire Chapter had deployed in answer to the sudden appearance of a space hulk near Morgen Schwach. The Hulk was full of chaos renegades ranging from pirates to heretic astartes. The fighting was so grueling that every single one of the surviving Mordekaisers left the purged hulk with significant armour damage and various wounds. However, rather than repair them, the Chapter decided to bear the damage proudly. To them, the fact that they had survived despite the wounds and damage was a sign that they could survive anything the Galaxy could throw at them. As such, the Mordekaisers refuse to repair all but the most serious of damage and prefer to engage in void and boarding operations, relying on their inherent hardiness and skill in close quarters to emerge victorious.

Since then the Mordekaisers have honed their craft, specializing themselves in void warfare and boarding operations, to the point of mastery. They became experts at boarding a ship and taking it out in a small window of time, clearing it of enemy occupants before scuttling it, and many of their ships became outfitted with Ursus Claws. What's more, due to a lack of use for them, the Mordekaisers gave their most of their vehicles away and kept only their dreadnoughts and aircraft. This came at a cost as the Mordekaisers became overspecialised in their craft and were unable to perform in a siege or open ground battle as other Chapters might. However, the Mordekaisers work just as well in the conditions of a Hive City or urban zone.

The Mordekaisers performed their appointed duty with extreme dedication, fueled by the hope that the Imperium's inevitable victory over the Galaxy would come at any time and they were determined to be there to see it though, at the same time, they would gladly give their lives if need be so that they may contribute to this victory. This is why, amongst the chaos of the Ghoul Stars, that the Mordekaisers continue their duty.

As their stewardship over Morgen Schwach continued the Mordekaisers have made allies with other Chapters that operate in the Ghoul Stars. Their most prominent allies are the Star Wardens, a Chapter who also specialises in void warfare. These Chapters often fight together where their differing combat doctrines complement each other well.

Of course, the Mordekaisers have a number of particular foes. As with all Sons of Dorn, the Mordekaisers hate the Iron Warriors. However, there is one particular foe the Mordekaisers hold a particular grudge with.

Wolf and Kaiser
Long ago, the Mordekaisers held a friendship with the Wolves of Retribution, a chapter known for its extreme zeal and devotion to the Imperial Creed. Despite the differences in belief and culture the two Chapters fought alongside each other without issue, their skills combining into an effective force. The only point of contention was that the Wolves' hardline version of the Imperial Creed that often brought them into conflict with Priests of the Ecclesiarchy and even other Chapters other worship of the God Emperor. The Mordekaisers overlooked this, seeing as the Ecclesiarchy often praised the Wolves for their devotion regardless of the strict interpretation, there could be not trouble.

Alas, they were wrong.

When reports of the Wolves of Retribution purging entire worlds came out, the Mordekaisers were concerned but stood by as Inquisitor was sent to investigate the Wolves' claims of the worlds' heresies. What he found was terrible. The worlds were no bastions of corruption, they were shrine worlds or homes to loyal regiments! The Wolves had burned these worlds not for the crimes of heresy but for the crime of not following their own strict interpretation of the Imperial Creed! At the same time, Kaiser Markus Stahlhelm, Kaiser of the Mordekaisers, received a message from Raedwald Harus, Chapter Master of the Wolves of Retribution. The message consisted of insane ranting and murmured prayer that ended, to the Kaiser's horror, with a declaration that the Imperium was rife with heresy and must be purged. Already aware of the investigation into the Wolves, who were close friends with the Mordekaisers, Markus contacted Inquisitor Heika with this new development and immediately set off for the Wolves of Retribution homeworld of Cythron in order to confront them.

But it was far too late.

When Heika and the Mordekaisers reached Cythron they found only a burnt wasteland with all life destroyed. The Fortress-Monastery, Elboros, was abandoned and filled with scenes of the Wolves' rampage. Chapter serfs had been placed in piles and used as makeshift fuel for fire pits to burn "heretics" alive, Astartes were placed in cages and similarly set alight and holy books and iconography were burned and defiled and replaced by crude icons that could only be marks of Chaos that yet praised the Emperor's name. The only living being they found was the burned form of Captain Valden, of the Wolves' 2nd Company, tied to a stake in the center of what was once the Chapter's reclusiam. In his final moments, Valden told them that he had been sacrificed to the Emperor to light the way to their new fortress from where the Wolves of Retribution will mount their noble crusade to save the God-Emperor from the Imperium's heresy. He died before he would reveal their destination, his final words being a declaration of the Wolves' of Retribution loyalty to the God-Emperor of Mankind, ignorant of chaos markings carved into his charred flesh.

For their terrible crimes and open admission of breaking from the Imperium, Inquisitor Heika declared the Wolves of Retribution to be Excommunicate Traitoris. Where there was once kinship, the Mordekaisers now only hold hatred for their former friends. Coincidentally, the Wolves return this hatred. As such whenever these two foes meet, the battle is bloody and brutal.

M42
"Bah! You old breed shall behold the might of the Primaris! Come brothers, let us show these old breeds who holds the true power!"

- Last words of Primaris Marine Uwe, right before he was vaporized by an Ork Zappa.

When the Great Rift split through the Galaxy, the warp rift of Malefactus shuddered and spewed all sorts of daemonic horrors from it’s maw. Though they were still recovering from the costly Magrin War, the Mordekaisers rallied to hold back the tide from engulfing Morgen Schwach and the neighbouring sectors. Alas, despite their best efforts, they were slowly pushed back into the Starport and casualties mounted. But as the Mordekaisers were preparing to face another wave, a fleet appeared led by none other than Roboute Guilliman, Primarch of the Ultramarines. From the ships came a new breed of space marine, the Primaris. With these reinforcements, the Mordekaisers drove back the forces of chaos. The victory was hard earned for a quarter of the Chapter had been slain. Guilliman recognised the valour of the Mordekaisers and honoured their centuries of service while gifting them the technology to create new Primaris marines.

This was not accepted gladly, however. The Mordekaisers were reluctant in accepting this new breed of Astartes. Markus Stahlhelm, Kaiser of the Chapter, secretly distrusted the Primaris but, recognising their tactical use and because refusing a Primarch was out of the question, accepted them. Even though the Primaris and Astartes work together in combat. Tensions quickly brewed nonetheless. Many Mordekaisers feared that the Primaris were here to completely replace them while several Primaris believed that they were far superior to the "old breed".

Tensions became so bad that Guilliman assigned a permanent detachment of five Custodes to watch over the Chapter in order to prevent any full blown conflicts. However, at the battle of Belmid-4, something changed. During the battle, several squads of Astartes and Primaris found themselves surrounded onboard a Chaos vessel. They fought side by side against unending waves of daemons and chaos, in fact one marine directly saved a Primaris’s life from a heretic’s chainsword. Soon the halls were stained with the blood of traitors and the marines stood together in victory. As fate would have it, these squads contained the main stirrers of the tensions, both Astartes and Primaris, who now found respect for each other. They left the vessel and declared their brotherhood, putting an end to much of the conflict.

Since then, the Mordekaisers have stood proud and continue to guard Morgen Schwach against Malefactus. With their extreme belief in a final Imperial victory and their endurance, they strike down their foes with zeal. Recently, Kaiser Markus took the 2nd 3rd and 5th with elements from 1st, 4th and 7th Companies to Vigilus alongside the Wolves of Retribution and the Star Wardens. Their skills have been made useful in the battles above the planet as well as in the clusters of hive sprawls. However, when the Forces of Chaos appeared under the leadership of Abaddon the Despoiler the Mordekaisers took heavy losses in the initial fight, losing half of their force before managing to fall back and regroup. Once rallied, the Mordekaisers stuck themselves back into the fight and swiftly taught the forces of chaos just how dangerous it was to face them in the cold of space or in the tunnels of Vigilus's Hives.

Notable Campaigns

 * Founding of the Mordekaisers (Unknown Date.M39) - The Mordekaisers are founded as part of the 24th Founding. The newly formed Chapter is sent to the far reaches of the Ghoul Stars to take up stewardship of Starport Morgen Schwach.


 * The Nudil Purge (Unknown Date.M39) - The Mordekaisers first combat action is to purge an Ork warfleet. In half a standard month, they utterly destroy all traces of the fleet.


 * First Defence of Morgen Schwach (457.M39) - A Space Hulk bearing the forces of chaos suddenly appears before the Starport of Morgen Schwach, prompting the immediate response of the Mordekaisers. The following fighting was so brutal that every single surviving Mordekaiser had received some form of armour damage. From so forth, the Mordekaisers developed a belief of being able to survive anything and began to bear their damage proudly.


 * Battle of Munias (Unknown Date) - While not much is recorded of this battle. One major note is that Kaiser Wilhelm lost an arm wrestling match with a Catachan Jungle Fighter. Allegedly, this Jungle Fighter was Sly [REDACTED]


 * The Chuda Suppression (Unknown Date.M40 - The Mordekaisers crush a rebellion in the Chuda system alongside the Wolves of Retribution.


 * The Galakos Raid (500.M41) - The Mordekaisers destroy an entire Drukhari Kabal in a swift and decisive fleet attack. The Drukhari fight fiercely but are utterly defeated by Heinrich's strategies.


 * Kilmos Crusade (Unknown Date.M39) - The Wolves go on a crusade in the Ghoul Stars alongside the Mordekaisers. Despite a huge cultural difference, the two Chapters become firm friends.


 * The Wolves' Treachery (560.M40) - The Wolves of Retribution are discovered to have been executing entire Regiments and Ecclesiarchy convents. Upon being declared heretics the Wolves turn traitor, declaring that it is, in fact, the Imperium who are heretics and vow to crusade against their false religion. Shocked and enraged that their former friends would turn traitor, the Mordekaisers swear they will hunt down the Wolves of Retribution.


 * Last Stand on Pyamax (708.M41) - The Mordekaisers engage their hated enemies, the Wolves of Retribution, over the swamp planet of Pyamax. When their ships were destroyed, the Wolves escaped to the planet below. The Mordekaisers followed them down despite their lack of skill fighting in such an environment. In the heat of the battle, Kaiser Heinrich is caught in an ambush and badly wounded with his honour guard slain. When a horde of Heretic Astartes descend upon him, the Kaiser is joined by five marines from different squads and companies who fight fiercely in his defense. Despite their defiance, they fall one by one until Heinrich himself falls. Even as he dies, the rest of the Mordekaisers mount a counterattack and wipe out the Wolves of Retribution. The bodies of Heinrich and the five marines who died in his defense were recovered and placed in tombs built on Pyamax, becoming a place of pilgrimage that many Mordekaisers will visit. Heinrich was succeed by Markus Stahlhelm.


 * The Magrin War (950.M41) - The entire Mordekaisers Chapter meet the sudden appearance of three traitor warbands: The Senseless Noise, Venom Spiders and the Desolate Sons. The war encompasses the entire sector until the traitors are broken and scattered. Victory is costly, for the 5th Company was almost destroyed in an ambush that claimed it's Hauptmann and there is doubt as to whether the Desolate Sons were prevented from their goal.


 * Second Defence of Morgen Schwach (Unknown Date. M42) - Following the destruction of the vital fortress world of Cadia by the Chaos forces of Abaddon the Despoiler, this resulted in the collapse of the last remaining defences keeping the notorious tear in reality, the Eye of Terror, to finally expand beyond its normal size. This resulted in a galaxy-wide tear in reality, known as the [[:w:c:warhammer40k:Cicatrix Maledictum|Cicatrix Maledictum, the extended from the Segmentum Obscurus to the Eastern Fringe of the Segmentum Ultima. With the veil of reality torn asunder, this allowed the creatures of the Immaterium as well as the Traitor Legions and various Chaos Warbands to pour into realspace. Strife, insurrection and slaughter soon erupted on thousands of worlds across the width and breadth of the galaxy. The Mordekaisers were besieged by a sudden onslaught of Chaos forces when the Warp Rift of Malefactus swelled wide as a result of the Great Rift. The Chapter was almost overwhelmed when the newly resurrected Ultramarines Primarch Roboute Guilliman and the forces of his Indomitus Crusade arrived to aid the beleaguered Chapter. After defeating the Forces of Chaos, Guilliman bestowed the Mordekaisers with a profound gift from the Emperor, in the form of the newly revealed Primaris Space Marines to rebuild the numbers of the sorely depleted Chapter, a gift the Chapter did not readily accept.


 * The Battle of Belimid IV (Unknown Date.M42) - The Battle of Belimid IV was a momentous event that occurred in the annals of the history of the Mordekaisers Space Marine Chapter. Following the formation of the great galaxy-wide tear in reality, known as the Great Rift, which occurred after the destruction of Cadia by the Forces of Chaos during the 13th Black Crusade, the home system of the Mordekaisers Chapter fell under siege by the Forces of Chaos. It was only through the timely arrival of the forces of the Indomitus Crusade that the Mordekaisers were saved from inevitable destruction. Before departing, the Lord Commander of the Imperium, Roboute Guilliman, gave the Mordekaisers a profound gift in the form of the newly revealed Primaris Space Marines. Unfortunately, the Mordekaisers only begrudgingly accepted these new Astartes into their ranks. It wouldn't be until the Battle of Belimid IV, that the old generation of Astartes and their Primaris brethren would finally resolve their differences. This intense and bloody conflict gave both sides cause to come together as one unified brotherhood, and finally accept one another as brothers. Despite setting aside their differences, for the most part, there are still some lingering doubts amongst some of the older Astartes of the Chapter, who fear that eventually their generation will someday be replaced by the Primaris.


 * The Battle of Karacya (Unknown Date.M42) - The recently rebuilt 5th Company under the new leadership of Hauptmann Fabian engages the Wolves of Retribution on Karacya. Despite being forced to fight on the planet, an unfamiliar warzone to the Mordekaisers, Fabian draws the Wolves into a killing zone and breaks the traitors' back.


 * War of Beasts/War of Nightmares (001-025.M42) - The Mordekaisers deploy to Vigilus alongside the Star Wardens. The Mordekaisers fight alongside their allies in the battles above the planet and in its hive sprawls. When the Forces of Chaos appeared, the Mordekaisers took heavy losses in the initial fight but held nonetheless. As the War raged on, the Mordekaisers proved them selves to be terrifying foes to the heretics

Chapter Organisation
The Mordekaisers mostly follow the Codex Astartes save for a few deviations; several titles are changed and several unit loadouts are changed. One notable feature is that the 4th Company is comprised entirely of Breacher squads, an ancient configuration from the days of the Legions. The Mordekaisers use Breachers to secure beachheads or engage in Zone Mortalis battlefields, casualties are often heavy which is why the Breachers are often attached across the Chapter rather than kept to their own Company.

The Mordekaisers also do not use Hellblasters, Inceptors or any of the Vanguard Primaris. The long ranged plasma weaponry of the Hellblasters and the Inceptor's reliance on their jump packs are of little use in the tight confines of a ship while the usually brutal and up close combat situations mean that the lighter armour and purpose the Vanguard serve would be ineffective. As such, Hellblaster, Vanguard and Inceptor squads are only formed in the rare occasions when the Mordekaisers fight on a planet.

Because of the close quarters fighting, long ranged heavy weaponry is seldom used, thus devastator squads take short ranged heavy weapons like heavy flamers or multi-meltas. Assault squads are deployed with jump packs and often sent in with flamers and shotguns along with the standard chainsword/bolt pistol loadout. Many veterans favour the storm bolter for it's effectiveness at short range.

Due to the original distrust of the Primaris that would often lead to fighting, five Custodes have been attached to the Mordekaisers to ensure the fighting stops. Although the fighting has since stopped and the Primaris have finally earned the trust of the Chapter the Custodes have not yet departed, choosing instead to fight alongside them for now.

Order of Battle
Like all Codex Astartes-compliant Space Marines Chapters, the Mordekaisers are divided into 10 companies comprised of 100 Space Marines each. Each company is led by a hero of the Chapter with the rank of Hauptmann, who -- in addition to his company command -- is in charge of a particular aspect of the Chapter's logistics:

Mordekaiser Librarians
Due partly to prejudice and a small number of psykers within the population, the Mordekaisers' Librarius is rather small. The Mordekaiser Librarians make use of their psychic powers to strengthen their battle brothers, healing grievous wounds or erecting psychic walls against incoming blows.

Rarely, a Librarian may have the ability to see a few seconds into the future. Such an ability can mean the difference between life and death, or even between victory and defeat.

Combat Doctrine
The Mordekaisers are masters of void operations, ship-to-ship combat and boarding operations. They also prefer to engage in close quarters combat, using close ranged weaponry such as meltas and shotguns due to the nature of ship warfare. The Mordekaisers also make use of their battle damaged armour to cause a psychological impact. Again, due to the confined nature of boarding operations, the Mordekaisers eschew long ranged weaponry due to their ineffectiveness in a close ranged environment. It is for this reason that assault squads do not deploy with jump packs and also why the Mordekaisers do not employ Hellblasters, Reivers and Inceptors. The former because of the dangers of using heavy plasma fire and the latter two because there is little need for stealth or jump pack deployment. The Mordekaisers also make use of the ancient breacher formation from the days of the Great Crusade. The breachers are made up of the most headstrong and hardy of the Chapter, armed with devastating close combat weaponry, they are the first into every breach in order to clear the path for their brothers. Many of them are armoured in Mark III armour due to it’s effectiveness in ship-to-ship combat.

The Mordekaisers have little use for rhinos and various patterns, using them only for beachhead protection. In fact, the Mordekaisers don’t even have a single land raider for such vehicles are of little use to them. Instead, the Mordekaisers make heavy use of dreadnoughts due to their ability to act as walking heavy support. Strangely the Mordekaisers have four contemptor dreadnoughts and two leviathan dreadnoughts, a rare number of ancient walkers especially for a Chapter formed so long after the Great Crusade. The Leviathan Dreadnoughts are released only in the most dire of circumstances, their might highly effective in the claustrophobia of a Zone Mortalis battlefield.

For all their skill in void combat, it is perhaps also the Mordekaiser’s biggest weakness. Their specialisation has made them weaker in any other theaters of combat, they perform poorly in open warfare or sieges. As such, they are relegated to supporting Imperial forces in orbit and engage enemy fleets. This does not faze the Chapter for, not only do they relish the chance of fighting in ships, their skills are just as useful in the confines of a hive city.

A typical Mordekaiser battle plan is to ensure that an enemy vessel is boarded and cleared as quickly and efficiently as possible. Once a breach is made, breachers will pour in to clear a path, they will usually be supported by devastator squads or aggressors. The devastator squads make use of heavy flamers, multi-meltas and heavy bolters to provide firing support while aggressors are used as heavy support. Once the way is clear, intercessors will arrive and act as line holders while tactical and assault squads swarm in. Teleporter homers will be placed to allow terminators to teleport in and strike into the heart of the enemy. This has been the base of several Mordekaiser battle plans and has been effective many times.

Several ships in the Chapter Fleet are outfitted with Ursus Claws which allow them to catch vessels and reel them in for easy boarding.

When Mordekaisers campaign with other Chapters, they tend to perform well but have a tendency to get very competitive with Chapters who also specialise in void warfare. The Mordekaisers will try and outperform the other Chapters in boarding and destroying more ships than any other. Those who manage to best them will earn their respect, as well as a vow for a rematch.

Chapter Beliefs & Traditions
The first thing an observer would notice of the Mordekaisers is their tendency to bear all but the most serious of battle damages, scars and markings. A single Astartes would need at least five dents, scratches and marks on his armour before he would call himself a true Mordekaiser. The drawing of a face with X’s for eyes and either a smile or frown is common, a tradition inherited from the gangers of Morgen Schwach that held that the faces warded off death. The reason for this is that the Mordekaisers believe that they are nigh unstoppable, their superhuman endurance, even more pronounced as sons of Dorn, and discipline making them forces to be feared. They believe that their battle damage signifies that they can survive whatever comes before them. This extends to the reverence the Mordekaisers have for dreadnoughts, even after the most grievous of wounds, still serve proudly. The Mordekaisers are also known for their extreme sense of brotherhood to their parent Chapter and other Chapters who share their blood. Whenever a Chapter of Dorn is in need of aid, the Mordekaisers will rush to their call if they can.

Another belief that the Mordekaisers hold close is their hope for a better future. The Mordekaisers genuinely believe that the Imperium will eventually triumph and rule the Galaxy and they want to be there to see that victory. The Mordekaisers fight valiantly in the hope that tomorrow will bring the inevitable victory of mankind.

The Mordekaisers are also known for their rigid discipline. When not in battle, the Mordekaisers patrol the sectors around Morgen Schwach. They also insist on doing many tasks that most Chapters have serfs to do. The Mordekaisers will clean their quarters and ships, cook their meals and maintain their wargear and armour. This is to instill a sense of duty and discipline within the Astartes and to prepare them for post service when they are no longer needed once the Imperium is victorious.

The Mordekaisers regularly walk amongst the people of Morgen Schwach. Ever since their arrival, their first Chapter Master, Wilhelm, made it a point that the Mordekaisers shall be known to their wards and maintain good relations. These interactions are so commonplace that, where any other citizen would quake in fear at the sight of an Astartes, particularly one in damaged armour, a citizen of Morgen Schwach would barely bat an eyelid. In fact, group of Mordekaisers frequently go out into the port to visit places or lend assistance. These groups will either patrol the halls, help with repairs or even help in cleaning an area. Whatever it is, the Mordekaisers will gladly help.

The Long Lived
The Long Lived is a collective term used for Mordekaisers who live past 200 years of service. Due to their specialisation in fighting in zone mortalis battlefields and in the void, the Mordekaisers rarely live past 100 years. Hence, those who live past 200 years are regarded as legends who can survive anything the universe throws at them. The Long Lived is typically made up of veterans of the 1st Company, dreadnoughts and senior members of the Chapter.

Chapter Gene-Seed
From the heritage of their progenitor, the Mordekaisers' gene-seed is very stable and has never exhibited signs of mutation. However, over time they have lost the use of two of the special organs produced by the basic Astartes genetic template: the Betcher's Gland, which allows a Space Marine to produce poisonous/acidic spittle, and the Sus-an Membrane, which allows an Astartes to enter a state of suspended animation.

Being sons of Dorn the Mordekaisers are able to take a large amount of punishment, a fact they are not afraid to show in the state of their armour. Superficial things scrapes, dents and the like are ignored and several occasions where Mordekaisers have fought on with terrible wounds have been recorded. These facts point to their supposed origins from the Excoriators, a Chapter of Dorn who are known to also bear their battle damage. But with the records lost and the Excoriators continued denial, none may truly know.

The Mordekaisers' voidborn heritage has the drawback of being unused to planetary environments and it is common for Mordekaisers to take time to adjust to a planet when they set foot on it. It can even be said that Mordekaisers can suffer great unease from being on a planet, the completely different environment being disorienting to one who spends most of his life in the confines of a ship. It is common for a Mordekaiser to wear his helmet all the time on a planet, even when not in battle, in order to cope with the open world.

Many Chapters have flaws within them, and the Mordekaisers are no different. They appear to suffer from what they call "Fearful Sleep". Every now and again, a Mordekaiser will dream that they are Rogal Dorn himself walking through the halls of the Vengeful Spirit. They can feel his fear as he traverses the halls, slaying all in his path, until he finally reaches Horus's chambers. But at the moment he walks in, the dream ends and the Mordekaiser is left with a bad feeling in his hearts. This dream is generally regarded as a bad omen.

Primarch's Curse: Death Before Dishonour
All Space Marines are the product of their genetic inheritance, benefiting from its blessings as well as suffering from its shortcomings, and the Mordekaisers are no different. Their Primarch was a deeply devoted warrior who fought tirelessly at the right hand of the Emperor, but even this towering exemplar had his flaws, as he himself is known to have acknowledged. Perhaps because of his dedication, Dorn was devastated when the Emperor fell, and shouldered far more than his fair share of the blame. He cast himself into a crusade of redemption that only ended in the terrible crucible of the Iron Cage, re-forging the Legion in the bloody furnace of war. Dorn's glorious legacy lives on through the Imperial Fists, but so too does his curse. This usually occurs in three levels:


 * Level 1 (Suffer Not Failure) - The Battle-Brother believes himself deficient in some manner, whether real or imagined, and becomes truculent and obstructive when ordered to redeploy in the face of a stronger foe. When acting as a squad leader or Deathwatch Kill-Team leader, he makes demands of his squad that others might consider unreasonable, and views any disagreement as outright disobedience.
 * Level 2 (Beware Hubris) - The Battle-Brother spends his every waking moment brooding on past battles, seeking even the slightest flaw in his own deeds, and those of others. While he stops short of outright criticism of his Battle-Brothers, he condemns his own actions as falling short of the example set by his Primarch, and seeks to redeem himself in the fires of battle.
 * Level 3 (None Are Flawless) - The Battle-Brother obsessively reviews every detail of every mission he takes part in, finding fault with his own actions and those of his squad. He becomes withdrawn, maudlin and confrontational, and unwilling to accept or issue any order that does not result in imminent battle.

Chapter Recruitment
The Mordekaisers recruit from the many gangs in the deeper tunnels and halls of Morgen Schwach. The small spaces of the starport mean that fights over territories are common. The chapter is known to swoop in during fights and take potential candidates to their fortress monastery for implantation. Before implantation, the gang members are placed into a maze of tunnels and made to find their way out. The catch is, they must work together to find the exit. This means that the gang members must get over their rivalries and work as a team. Not only does this erase the gangers previous allegiances to their gangs but it instills the sense of brotherhood and discipline that the Mordekaisers hold so dearly.

Once they have received their implantations, the neophytes become scout marines. As scout marines, they are tutored in the Chapter’s ways by performing menial tasks. Neophytes clean, cook and run errands for full battle brothers. This further instills discipline. When in battle, neophytes will act as hit and run units or objective takers, their smaller size making them suited for quicker movements. Based on individual performance, the neophyte will either advance to a devastator squad or become a Primaris marine. Interestingly, it would seem that the ganger influence never leaves the neophytes as they tend to wear battle paints in the form of faces with X’s for eyes and either a smile or frown. a tradition believed to ward off death.

Chapter Fleet
Instead of having a home world, the Mordekaisers make their base of operations on the starport of Morgen Schwach, a port in the Ghoul Stars near the Malefactus Warp Rift. Morgen Schwach is where the Chapter dock their ships, the Chapter themselves specifically residing in a fortress within the port. The port is a maze of small tunnels ruled by gangs who bear oil painted markings to identify themselves. Thus they are perfect sources of recruits for the Mordekaisers.

The Mordekaisers fleet is quite large; boasting six Battle barges, 17 strike cruisers and numbers of escorts. This makes them incredibly devastating in fleet battles. Several of the ships are outfitted with Ursus Claws, which allows them to cripple ships and reel them in for boarding. Fittingly all but the most superficial of battle damage is repaired, giving the ships are rugged look. Unfortunately for the enemy, the Mordekaiser ships are still very effective.

Notable Ships

 * The Void Beast (Battle Barge) - The flagship of the Mordekaiser fleet. The Void Beast has been in the Chapter's possession since their creation. It's hull has been repaired countless times and it's metal skin is covered in scrapes and craters from millennia of battle. Even so, it works just as well as it did during its early years and has been the death of countless enemy ships.
 * Dorn's Wrath (Battle Barge)
 * Mortis (Battle Barge)
 * Emperor's Might (Strike Cruiser)
 * Killer
 * Hull-Eater (Escort) - Hull-Eater's front has been repaired and strengthened due to it's reputation of ramming enemy ships.
 * Scarred Lord (Strike Cruiser) - The Scarred Lord was the 5th Company's Strike Cruiser. It was wrecked in the Magrin War when the Senseless Noise warband ambushed and decimated the 5th Company.

Deathwatch Service
Despite their considerable distance from much of the Imperium, the Mordekaisers regularly send marines for the Long Vigil when required. A Mordekaiser marine will often use close ranged weaponry and or take up roles as devastators or assault marines. Mordekaisers will gladly work alongside other sons of Dorn due to their shared blood. However, they will generally work well in any kill team although their rigid discipline and damaged armour might be a point of contention with more laid back or upstanding Chapters.

Notable Members



 * Kaiser Markus Stahlhelm - Kaiser Markus Stahlhelm is the current Kaiser of the Mordekaisers Chapter. A hulking brute of an Astartes, even without his Cataphractii Terminator Armour, he is a fearsome sight to behold. Despite his imposing visage he is known for being incredibly interactive with the people of Morgen Schwach, often walking amongst them and visiting places of work and education so that he may show that the Mordekaisers care for their charges deeply. However, in battle, Markus has been compared to a bloodthirsty beast that leaves trails of death and destruction when he is unleashed onto an enemy ship. Few can bravely stand before an advancing monster in scarred cataphractii terminator armour with lightning claws dripped in blood and even fewer can survive the encounter. His actions in battle have earned him the comparison to Tyberos the Red Wake, Chapter Master of the enigmatic Carcharodons Chapter, who the Mordekaisers fought alongside once.


 * Kaiser Wilhelm - Wilhelm was the first Kaiser of the Mordekaisers. It is believed that he was once of the Excoriators although the record supposedly proving this is long lost. He was well known for wielding two power fists that he used to rip through armour and flesh alike. He ruled for 700 years before finally falling at the battle of Morgard, slaying an entire ship of orks before succumbing to his wounds.


 * Kaiser Heinrich - Heinrich succeeded Wilhelm as Kaiser. He was a ruthless and pragmatic strategist who preferred to lead from the holo-table on his command bridge, coordinating his Chapter with well planned strategies. When he did take to battle, he would do so with his storm bolter and thermogenic combi-fist. Even though he fell in a last stand against the Wolves of Retribution on Pyamax, his strategies and tactics are still used by the Mordekaisers to this day.


 * Hauptmann Marz Fester - Marz Fester is Hauptmann of the 2nd Company. Known for being one of few words, he makes up for it in the slaying of entire ships with Ursus Claw attacks and leading the charge with assault squads.


 * Hauptmann Fabian Alric - Fabian is Hauptmann of the 5th Company. As the first Primaris to be elevated to such a command, Fabian feels he has much to prove to some of the conservative Hautpmanns. He recently led the 5th Company against the Wolves of Retribution, at the Battle of Karacya where his tactics and slaying one of the warband's greatest champions won the day, and the respect of his peers.


 * Horst the Unwise - Horst the Unwise was once Hauptmann of the 6th Company until he made the unwise decision of challenging a Hive Tyrant to a duel, his ravaged form was barely recovered and interred into the sarcophagus of a contemptor dreadnought from where he has fought for five centuries. His title is an example of the Mordekaiser's laconic wit.


 * Venerable Klaus - Klaus has been interred within a Contemptor sarcophagus since the days of Kaiser Heinrich. His ancient and weathered frame serves as inspiration for the Mordekaisers, for Klaus has survived many blows that should've slain him.


 * Ignatz - Ignatz, of the 3rd Company, was one of the five marines who fought alongside Kaiser Heinrich in his last stand on Pyamax. Known for being quite the marksman, he scored a tally of 25 heretic astartes kills before finally falling to a plague marine's power fist.


 * Jakob - Jakob, of the 6th Company, was one of the five marines who fought alongside Kaiser Heinrich in his last stand on Pyamax. His plasma gun brought down dozens of traitor marines before he was laid low by bolter fire. Before he could be finished off, however, he overcharged his plasma gun to bring a further number of heretics with him.


 * Kilian - Kilian, of the 2nd Company, was one of the five marines who fought alongside Kaiser Heinrich in his last stand on Pyamax. Despite already taking several wounds, he fought bravely anyway before finally succumbing to his wounds.


 * Raban - Raban, of the 2nd Company, was one of the five marines who fought alongside Kaiser Heinrich in his last stand on Pyamax. Even though he took many blows as he fought desperately against the Wolves of Retribution, Raban was the last to fall, firing his bolter until his last dying breath.


 * Tielo - Tielo, of the 5th Company, was one of the five marines who fought alongside Kaiser Heinrich in his last stand on Pyamax. When he finally fell against a Wolves of Retribution Champion, his final act was to plunge his knife into the champion's skull.

Non-Astartes Personnel

 * Hyamoi Amydion - Hyamoi Amydion is the Shield Captain of the five Custodes assigned to watch over the Mordekaisers Chapter by Roboute Guilliman when it was found that the Astartes were resistant to the newly arrived Primaris to the point of coming to blows. Although, this conflict has long since subsided, Hyamoi has not yet seen fit to leave. He has not given any reasons for his decision.

Chapter Relics

 * The Blade of Brand - Brand was an ancient hero of the Mordekaisers known for throwing himself into the thick of battle. He fell after 250 years of service to a tyranid horde. All that was recovered was his hand, still holding onto the sword. Unable to remove the sword from the hand the Mordekaisers have kept it as a relic. A reminder of their duty to the Imperium and that even in death they still serve.


 * Lightning Fang- The Lightning Fang is an ancient chainsword with teeth that is rumoured to have come from Storm's Teeth, the chainsword that was once wielded by Rogal Dorn, Primarch of the Imperial Fists.


 * The Bulwark - Legend holds that the ancient suit of Mark III Armour has been in the Chapter's possession since it's founding. Those who wear the Bulwark are said to be nigh invincible in battle, as the countless marks of scarring and dents can attest.


 * Gifts of the First - Wilhelm was known for his use of two power fists in battle, smashing apart his foes with mighty blows. When he finally fell, his power fists became relics. Only those who have done acts of heroism may hope to wield one of the fists and emulate the might of the First Kaiser.


 * Heinrich's Insights - Kaiser Heinrich was less known for his battle prowess than for his strategic genius and his foresight. Knowing that he would not live forever, Heinrich wrote a book detailing his strategies and tactics as well as the importance of adapting to the flow of battle quickly. Even though he has long since passed, Heinrich is remembered by this book of strategies that the Chapter follows to this day.


 * Memory of the Five - In Kaiser Heinrich's last stand against the Desolate Sons, five marines of different Companies and squads came to his defense. Despite all of them falling, their sacrifice allowed the rest of Mordekaisers to mount a counter attack and wipe out the Desolate Sons and recover the bodies of Heinrich and the Five. In memory of their bravery, the Five were buried in tombs built on the site of the last stand and their names engraved into Heinrich's terminator armour. Whoever wears the armour also bears the names of the Five; Ignatz, Jakob, Kilian, Raban and Tielo.

Chapter Appearance
The Mordekaisers are identifiable by their battle damaged armour. The Mordekaisers care little for aesthetic and simply repair their armour to the point of functionality, ignoring superficial damages and grime. Many higher ranking Mordekaisers extend this to their attires, not bothering to fix holes in capes or repairing helmet crests. All together this gives them an intimidating look; a space marine is a sight itself, but one that looks like it has been through hell is even more terrifying. The Mordekaisers also scratch kill markers, badges and ganger signs into their armour. Others draw lines in their vox grills to make their helmets look like faces while those with a Mark Vi helm draw lines to make the helmet look like a bird's beak. The Mordekaisers will also bear Imperial imagery on their armour. The fact that they rarely repair them is frowned upon by the Ecclesiarchy.

Because their recruitment stock consists entirely of voidborn the Mordekaisers have a pale skin tone and are typically gaunt and slightly taller than a standard Astartes. They also tend to be just as scarred as their armour, much to the disturbance of those outside the Chapter.

Chapter Colours
The Mordekaisers colour their helmet, torso and backpack grey and their limbs a dark green. Colour is used also used to identify ranks; Sergeants wear a light green helmet, Standard Bearers/Ancients wear dark blue helmets, Lieutenants have light green helmets with a black stripe down the middle, Hauptmanns (Captains) have bronze helmets and the Kaiser wears a gold helmet.

Chapter Badge
The Mordekaisers' badge is a damaged skull with a crown. To them it is a perfect representation of their name which means, when translated to High Gothic, "Murder Lords", a name the Mordekaisers are keen to live up to.

Chapter Relations
The Mordekaisers like to maintain good relationships with other Chapters descended from Rogal Dorn and will rush to the aid of a fellow Chapter of Dorn if they are able to. They also form friendly rivalries with Other Chapters specializing in Void Warfare

Star Wardens
Most recently, the Mordekaisers have formed a friendly rivalry with the Star Wardens Chapter. Due to their specialty in void warfare, the Star Wardens were challenged by the Mordekaisers to see who could take out the most ships in a battle. The challenge ended in a tie thus the two Chapters exchanged words of friendship and have continuously fought together in an effort to break the tie.

Wolves of Retribution
The Wolves of Retribution are the most hated foes of the Mordekaisers. Once former friends the Wolves' fall from grace and into chaotic corruption dismayed and angered the Mordekaisers making them swear an oath that they would purge the Wolves of Retribution and end their vile taint, as well as perhaps avenging the memory of the noble, and pious, warriors the Wolves once were.

Notable Quotes
-Feel free to add your own-

By the Chapter
"Foes of the Imperium hear me! Know that it is the Mordekaisers who stand before in the void! Know that it is us who will be your doom in the ever-darkness between the stars! We will cripple your engines, ruin your weapons and rupture your hulls! We will board your ships and spill your blood along the walls! We will consign you to oblivion in the void! This I swear!"

- A typical Mordekaiser message sent out to enemy fleets before battle.

"For millennia you have fought so hard for the Imperium and Emperor. So much has been lost since the Heresy, so much has been sacrificed. So many noble warriors, so many heroes, so many brothers lost to history. You have sacrificed so much to the Imperium and have received such little thanks. For ten thousand years you and your kind have defended the Imperium against all odds but now, that the Galaxy is split in two, we have come to share the burden! So rest now, brother of the old kind, for you have earned it. The Primaris have come to help."

- From the writings of Intercessor Brother Lukas.

"Long has it been since my feet have touched the dirt of a planet, brother. It saddens me that it is not with my own two feet that I have done so again."

- Venerable Manfred lamenting his interment to a Dreadnought to Brother Ernst, during the Tyli Campaign

"And that is where you are wrong, cousin. See this cut here on my pauldron? An ork chainsword did that. And this dent here. A chaos power maul glanced off it. And the scratch over my eyepiece? An Aeldari diresword did that. Took my eye with it. Why do I tell you this? I’m telling you my history. We Mordekaisers don’t just wear our scars as reminders that we can survive anything. We wear them to tell our story. These scars are not left due to negligence or barbarism. No, we leave them because they define us."

- Brother Landers to an Ultramarine

"Being a Son of Dorn blesses us with endurance like few others. But the amount of times I tend to brothers who claim they are able to keep fighting despite losing all their limbs or their guts spilling out of them is going to be the death of me."

- Apothecary Hans of the Mordekaisers

"No, captain Lysander, I am alright. It is just... I am unused to walking on a planet. Me and my brethren are voidborn, we are used to the constant sounds of the engines and used to breathing air recycled countless times. The softness of the ground at my feet, the natural air and the.... breeze, are alien feelings to me. I much prefer the home of a ship."

- Hauptmann Nilklaus Reiner to Captain Darnath Lysander

"You utter fool! Imperial science is the greatest in the Galaxy!"

- Techmarine Stroheim prior to unleashing the Leviathan Dreadnoughts on a luckless force of T'au.

About the Chapter
"I must say, these "Murder Lords" may wear their armour like they've been through hell but, by the Emperor, if it weren't for them smashing through the T'au fleet, we'd never have won this campaign."

- General Alexandros of the 50th Cadian Regiment reflecting on the Mordekaisers' actions.

"The state of Brother Gozzo's armour is an affront to all decency! I am truly surprised his machine spirit hasn't rebelled from such disrespect! Furthermore he throws himself into battle like a lunatic with a wish to die! It is for these reasons that I am writing this letter in order to ensure that his Chapter awards his service with the utmost of honours when he returns. Despite his armour's state, I have never fought alongside such an effective fighter. Many times has he saved my and the rest of the Kill Team's lives. I end this letter with a message for Gozzo himself: If we are ever reunited then I will be glad to fight alongside him once more."

- Excerpt from a letter written Kill-Team Leader Gaius of the Ultramarines to the Mordekaisers on Brother Gozzo.

"I know not who these Mordekaisers are. All I know is that they too are sons of the Primarch and they claim to be our successors. To this I say impossible, the Excoriators have have no successors. We have no records of our gene-seed being used to create successors. Regardless, I have read of their battle records, they perform as sons of Dorn should. So, while I do not accept them to be our successors, I will accept them to be our brothers."

- Zachariah Kersh, Chapter Master of the Excoriators.

A Helping Hand
Erdmut struggled to pick up the heavy crate. Once he had managed to lift it off the ground he staggered over to the warehouse when suddenly he tripped. He to lose his balance when a giant hand grabbed his shoulder and steadied him.

“Woah, boy, steady!” a voice exclaimed. “That box is too heavy for you.”

Erdmut looked up and stared right at two giants in armour, Astartes. The first Astartes was unhelmed and had a face covered in scars with hair tied back to a ponytail, an attempt of a smile was also on his face. The other Astartes was helmed, his helmet bearing a large gash running through the top to the bottom.

"What is your name, son?” asked the first Astartes.

“E-Erdmut, milord.” stammered Erdmut.

The Astartes chuckled.

“Well, Erdmut, for a start I am not your lord. I am Gamhard. With me is Hans.”

Hans simply nodded at Erdmut. Gamhard continued speaking.

“Here, allow me to carry this. Go and take a break, son.”

“But the overseer will surely punish me!” said Erdmut, his face pale.

“He will do no such thing or he will have to answer to me.” replied Gamhard. “Now go, son, you have been working all day, you've earned your rest.”

Erdmut nodded and scampered off.

“Why do you let him go?” Hans asked as he watched the boy leave. “Idle hands are intolerable to the Emperor.”

“Until now, our hands were not being used, brother." said Gamhard as he began to carry the crate. "That boy had been working for a long time, his hands deserve rest. Now get a crate, with our help offloading this ship should be over in no time."