Shadow Phantoms

"We have faced death and destruction every day. And we have always survived. Today shall be no different! So rise my brothers, and show our foes just whom they face!"

- 5th Company Captain Idran Vindict

The Shadow Phantoms are a Dark Founding Chapter, whose origins are unknown, though there is reason to believe that they are descendants of the mysterious chapter, Zero Legion. Once they were known as the Shadow Knights, but after the near destruction of the chapter, they re-change their names and ways. The Chapter is also known to offer their services to Inquisitor Alexander Zackery, and have been well respected by the various Imperial Guard Regiments they have worked alongside with.

History
Originally known as the Shadow Knights, the chapter was formed during the 13th Founding, the so-called 'Dark' Founding as it is mostly called. As such, the Adeptus Terra does not possess the original gene-seed of this chapter. Inquisitorial investigations has led to the belief that they may be descendants of the mysterious Zero Legion chapter.

The chapter's earliest records show that they made the Civilized/Hive World, Wahrheit, as their homeworld. Since then they have been known to work well in various combat situation, showing incredible intuition when fighting against different foes. Their reputation of working well with other Imperial forces, specifically other Space Marine Chapters and Imperial Guard Regiments, earned the chapter much respect during their early years.

Arrogance and Chaos
The centuries of victories and fame had begun to affect the Shadow Knights. They began to see themselves as a perfect example of the Emperor's vision of the Adeptus Astartes, as no foe could stand before them. While they remained cordial with other Imperial Forces and Space Marine Chapters, marines of the Shadow Knights were noted to hold themselves in a higher regard to their allies and soon began to rely solely on each other. This also had them believe that their own homeworld was immune to being invaded. However, that would later prove to be a fatal mistake in the 37th Millennium.

Unbeknownst to the chapter, a Chaos Cult has slowly begun rising up in the underhive of Wahrheit. While originally seen as riots, when the truth came to light, the cultists had already begun sieging the upper parts of the cities, attacking noble families, industrial facilities and Imperial Guard bastions. That is when the Shadow Knights moved in, sending in a few squads to help quell the cultists. It took over three months but the Shadow Knights, the Planetary Defense Force and Guardsmen began pushing the cultists back to their base of operations, when they were suddenly assaulted by a large force of Chaos Daemons, and Chaos Space Marines. The Chaos Marines belonged to the Chaos Warband, Dark Core, who had discovered about Wahrheit's current predicament and wished to cause more discord in the name of their Chaos God, Malice.

Battle for Wahrheit
The Dark Core Chaos Space Marines began their assault with swift ruthlessness, slaughtering the Space Marines sent to quell the rioting, along with the PDF with them and nearby civilians. Under the command of the Specters and Chaos Cultists, dissension and anarchy was spread across the planet, leading mutants and corrupted PDF and Hive Gangs against the defenders. The Shadow Knights were having difficulties in repelling the invaders, and several of their companies had to be recalled from present campaigns to assist in the homworld's defense. The conflict took over half a year, and the Dark Core were utilizing their usual tactics of sowing treachery and inner-conflicts among the populace, greatly reducing the Shadow Knight's efforts in reclaiming the planet and bringing order. Salvation came in the form of three Divisions of the Zero Legion, the long suspected ancestral chapter of the Shadow Knights. Having seen the tactics of the Dark Core in previous campaigns, the Zero Legionaries were able to assist the defenders in repelling the Chaos Space Marines, and bringing back order to Wahrheit. The psykers of both chapters worked together to close the warp gates down in the under parts of the Hive Cities, while the rest of their forces, along with Imperial Guardsmen and PDF hunted down any surviving Chaos Space Marines and Cultists.

Gene-Seed
The gene-seed of the Shadow Phantoms is unknown, as all data on it has been lost. There has been notes that the Astartes of this chapter possess an enhanced healing factor, similar to that of the Zero Legion. This has led to speculation that the Shadow Phantoms may be a descendant chapter of them. Neither the Zero Legion and Shadow Phantoms have admitted nor denied this theory.

Along with that, other records have shown the Shadow Phantoms capable of intuitively read others' body language and anticipate their actions as well as replicate movements after observation. Among these includes fighting styles and weapon proficiency. This has allowed the chapter to understand how a person thinks and fights in combat, thus adapt to any type or style of combat. The Astartes can easily predict the strategies of their enemies, allowing them to create counter-strategies to overcome their foes, resulting in less losses on their side.

Notable Quotes
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By the Shadow Phantoms
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