Dread Shadow

Dread Shadow is the name of the lamentable period of history in the Chapter annals of the Night Ravens Space Marine Chapter. Created during the 21st 'Cursed' Founding, this disastrous Founding was plagued with Chapters that underwent radical mutations and extremely troublesome genetic idiosyncrasies that saw many Chapters fall from the light of the Emperor or continue to strain the tolerance of the Inquisition, even into the present day. The Night Ravens were one such Chapter created during this ill-fortuned Founding, and during this time, their genetic flaw known as 'Crow Bone' began to manifest in many battle-brothers of the Chapter, and threatened to see the Chapter go extinct, even before it had a chance to begin to forge a notable history for themselves.

Background
Born from the cursed blood of the 21st Founding, the Night Ravens, the sickly children, were dead upon the birthing bed. The gene-meddlers, the 'Ice-in-the-Heart', sang the doom with their needles and the Night Ravens heard and remembered until the last - the cursed Vibravit in their veins rang loud in their ears. For many a year the darkness claimed them, the gloom of loss overwhelmed their spirits and set in their hearts. The dying seemed so near, but the galaxy shared not in the mourning. The Six-Hundred-and-Twelfth Adeptus Astartes would as it seemed be lost to the list of the dead without care or memory. But fate, that which had never been kind, spoke its decree with compassion and the Night Ravens rose.

On the night world of Sapio in the darkness of the north the Night Ravens began healing. Through night and nightmare the newborn Apothecarion worked unending, bending all their youthful knowledge to the task of saving themselves. The dread shadow that fell heavy upon them at the time of their birth became the anvil to forge a new strength, and after long trial the curse of the Crow Bone began to lift; though many brothers there had perished and joyless was their victory. The warriors of that time were grim and cold, the remembrance of pain owned them and fueled them in the wars that came too soon. Few they were but many were their sins - innocent life taken by the thousands for crimes committed by others. The Night Ravens sowed what they had reaped and the universe looked upon them bitterly.

For three-hundred years the Night Ravens stalked the darkness with murderous intent, slaying all those whom they found uncaring of allegiance, their hearts shattered without a care. The first who felt the wrath of the Night Ravens were the Orks of the Razor Fields who screamed their primitive battle cries even as the void claimed them. The dust world of Coroc was flooded with blood, the Kingdom of the Platinum Child shuddered and broke, and everywhere the scions of the Imperium looked on in horror. The Night Ravens had became monsters in the dark, and on distant Terra the Administratum began to take notice.