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This article, Blissful Angels, was written by CyberDragon001. This is an Expanded Universe article. The lore expands upon established canon, but does not contradict it.
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"Father of the human race, grant us the strength to always persevere on thy path, and never to fall into the darkness. May we serve thee ever faithfully in this life, and when our duty is accomplished, embrace thy peace forever. Father of all Angels, grant us the fortitude to keep the twin curses forever at bay. May we faithfully honor his sacrifice to thee, in our fateful duty to all that bathe in thy holy light."
—The Joyous Litany of the Blissful Angels
The Blissful Angels are a Loyalist semi-Codex compliant Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes created during the Fourth Founding supposedly from the gene-seed of the heroic Blood Angels. These warriors in snow white stand starkly apart from their fellows heirs of Sanguinius as, miraculously as it seems, they do not seem to suffer from the Black Rage nor the Red Thirst, the hereditary gene-flaws that are prevalent in nearly all Blood Angels' Successor Chapters. For many this makes them objects of hope, proof that the great curse of the Angel can be lifted and that on a larger scale Mankind can overcome the burdens and challenges it faces, striding forward in triumph.
Blissful Angels have inherited the angelic aspect of the sons of Baal while discarding the part that shatters that perfection with bloodthirst and grim deeds, albeit not completely. They are Angels in the truest sense, beautiful both inside and outside and are known for their near childish optimism, altruism and hope for Mankind and its God Emperor.
Though it is suspected that the Blissful Angels' lack of the Blood Angels' flaws stemmed from the simple matter of hailing from a different geneseed, rather than a miracle. Who the identity of the Blissful Angels' genefather is remains contested and the Blissful Angels themselves seemingly refuse to elaborate either out of simple blissful ignorance or fully knowing what it would mean not just for their chapter, but for all future Blood Angels Successors if the truth came into the light.
The Blissful Angels were founded originally as the Swan Guard in the aftermath of the infamous War of the Beast, a conflict that left much of Imperium space desolate and crippled from the galaxy wide Ork WAAAGH! In the wake of the death of Lord Commander Koorland, much of the Ecclesiarchy began to regain most of their privileges and their reignited dogma would spread within the ranks of the young chapter. The Swan Guard were one of the chapters tasked with retaking much of the Segmentum Tempestus from the scattered greenskins as well as spread the word of the God Emperor to the worlds they brought back into the Imperium’s fold. Though in their crusade they eventually stumbled upon what would become their future homeworld: Iazefia.
The Swan Guard recreated the world and forcibly converted the population into devout worshipers of the Imperial Creed. As they carved a new foundation within their own system and put down several heretical insurrections, the Swan Guard began to realize that unlike the rest of their brother chapters they seemed to be immune to the twin curses: The Red Thirst and the Black Rage. Through this epiphany the Swan Guard took this as a sign that their efforts pleased the Great Angel and in gratitude to their genefather, the Swan Guard rechristened their red armor into the purest color of all and renamed themselves the Blissful Angels.
The Blissful Angels became a controversial chapter among the other Scions of Sanguinius who suspected that they were suppressing the twin gene-flaws. A thorough investigation into their geneseed was carried out by the venerable Blood Angels' Sanguinary Priests though nothing would come of it, officially stating that the genecoding was inconclusive. Though according to rumor whispered among the battle brothers of the other Successor Chapters, the Sanguinary Priests had found something that pointed the Blissful Angels as not being actual Sons of Sanguinius, but instead are of a different yet unidentified geneseed. Regardless of the rumors being true or not, the Blissful Angels have proven themselves loyal to the culture of the Blood Angels, on top of being devout worshippers of the Imperial Creed, and have reconquered most of the Segmentum Tempestus from the clutches of the greenskins and heretical warbands while assisting in guiding future successors of the Blood Angels, chief among them are the Tidebenders.
Though after the Devastation of Baal, the crippled Blissful Angels would soon return back to Iazefia in the treacherous journey through the Nachmund Gauntlet, the one of two viable paths through the Cicatrix Maledictum, alongside other Blood Angel chapters that live within the Imperium Sanctus of space accompanied by their new Primaris reinforcements provided by the revived Lord Commander Roboute Guilliman. Though their experiences on Baal, especially the complete massacre of the Tidebenders forces on Baal, left the Blissful Angels questioning their place within the Imperium and more importantly if they are truly worthy sons of the Great Angel.
Notable Campaigns[]
Chapter Homeworld[]
Iazefia is located within the Segmentum Tempestus of the Imperium of Man and is classified as a Civilized World boasting a population of 10 billion humans. Though in the beginning it was classified as a Feudal World, the highest form of technology found amongst the more dominant tribal clans being aqueducts. When the Blissful Angels first arrived in the aftermath of the War of the Beast they saw the beauty and potential that the world had to offer and cultivated the population into a new generation of religious worshippers who follow the Imperial Cult. By the turn of the 33rd Millennium Iazefia's population had become an industrial age civilization, renowned for their art and culture brought upon them through the knowledge of the Blissful Angels and the Imperium. Covered in lush green forests, clear blue lakes, and large mountains, Iazefia could have at one point in its history become a Paradise World, where rich nobles and religious leaders would travel to as a relaxing retreat. Despite this the world holds indescribable beauty with cities predominantly carved in granite and alabaster which reflects the light of the sun in brilliant hues. Its people are happy and prosperous, arrayed in the finest of clothes and adorned with jewels of great worth. These City-States are alive with music and filled with religious zeal, all of them have a grand cathedral within their center, solely dedicated to the worship of the Emperor of Mankind and his son the Great Angel. Iazefia has become known for its fabrics and clothing including the famous yet elusive Piusi Silk which comes from the material excreted by the larvae of the Serafim Butterfly, a fabric long sought after by Imperium Nobles and Rogue Traders. The Capital City State of Vatinafa has become a trade hub for many merchants as well as a site of veneration for all devotees of the Imperial Creed across the Segmentum.
The Blissful Angels directly ruled over the population of Iazefia viewing themselves as the benevolent rulers of the people, guiding them under the light of the Great Angel and the Emperor of Mankind, though they mostly leave the task of governing to a personally selected Father Confessor who serves as the voice of the chapter to the blessed citizens of Vatinafa and the other City-States. While the entire population of Iazefia may look happy and caring on the surface all pursuing lives full of purpose, according to some visitors there is an air of oppression to the inhabitants of the City-States. Almost akin to a masquerade party where all the citizens are smiling and cheerful, but ultimately it is merely a mask to keep up appearances. This is more likely the Iazefians appeasing the wills of the Blissful Angels under the constant fear of what will happen if they break the façade in public or under the watchful eye of the Emperor.
Dark Lands[]
Deep within the heart of the largest continent is one of the few foreboding regions on Iazefia appropriately called the Dark Lands, a place where trees never grow and the ground is an ash black, underneath its surface is a flowing field of magma. The Dark Lands is the home of the numerous exiles and mutants that are banished from the safety of the City-States due to speaking out against the Blissful Angels or for not living up to their standards of 'purity'. Over a millennia of degeneration the inhabitants of the region have devolved into nothing more than feral tribes roaming the ash covered lands for prey and any traveler that may have been unlucky enough to find themselves within the Dark Lands.
Fortress-Monastery[]
Atop Gauris, the highest mountain on all of Iazefia, resides the Blissful Angels' Fortress Monastery aptly named the Nest of Angels. A city sized cathedral which most Imperial Missionaries liken to a smaller Imperial Palace back on Terra, the Nest of Angels is the essence of the Blissful Angels' mission to spread the glorious message of the Emperor and their genefather: Sanguinius. On the outside it is seen as the epitome of divinity, the home and resting place of the Emperor's Angels which to many followers of the Imperial Creed the fortress monastery is proclaimed as one of the most fabled and sacred sites in all of Iazefia. Many statues of fabled heroes of the Blood Angels and the Blissful Angels line the walls of the Nest of Angels, symbolizing that they will always remain vigilant over their brothers and mankind even in death.
The Nest of Angels, the holiest site on Iazefia
The interior of the fortress monastery houses many different chambers that are connected to the grand hall, the very first thing a visitor will find themselves admiring when entering. Much like all the City-States the Nest of Angels is adorned with granite and alabaster to give its divine shine, but underneath it is reinforced with adamantium and is lined with concealed Macrocannon turrets and missile batteries in the case of an invasion. The first chamber within the Nest of Angels is the Sanctum of Sentinels, the closest thing the Blissful Angels have to a museum for it contains numerous cases and displays showcasing the armors, weapons, paintings, and artifacts of fallen heroes throughout the history of the Blissful Angels. Other chambers hold what is to be expected of an Astartes Fortress Monastery such as Dormitories, the Armory, Apothecarion, Library, and Crypts. Though one of the Fortress Monasteries most sacred cell is the Chamber of Devotion, one of the most heavily guarded areas within the Nest of Angels, right next to the Apothecarion itself, it holds the most revered and treasured relic of the Blissful Angels: The Scattered Eye. This ancient relic is said to be a fragment of one of the gems embedded on the breastplate of Sanguinius which rests atop a piece of fur, which is rumored to be the Charadon cloak the former Primarch bared proudly during the Great Crusade.
Chapter Organization[]
The Blissful Angels have a larger respect for Robute Guilliman's Codex Astartes compared to other Blood Angels successors, though they see it less as a guideline and more of a basis to improve further upon while keeping the spirit of the Codex. The Blissful Angels are known to be a highly flexible unit and have five distinct companies, a Veteran Company, four Battle Companies, four Reserve Companies, and lastly a singular Scout Company. Given that the Blissful Angels don't have the Blood Angels' infamous twin gene-flaws they rarely worry about employing a Death Company, though several millennia after their inception they would find such a unit to be necessary for the Saint-Brothers that succumb to their own unique flaw called The Curse of Shadows.
Within the Blissful Angels Chapter Companies are referred to as Hosts and Squads as Fellowships.
Officer Ranks[]
Archistrategos - The Blissful Angels' own Chapter Master is the Exalted Ruler and Protector of Iazefia. The Archistrategos is considered to be one of the most powerful, skilled, and intelligent of the Blissful Angels, their strategic mind and swordsmanship unmatched by many within the Imperium with the exception of those in the 1st Founding Chapters. They are also considered to be the most devoted and pure of the entire Chapter save for members of the Celestial Guard and Heavenly Priests. Ultimately for one to become an Archistrategos, a chosen candidate must be brought before The Scattered Eye which will judge the individual and determine if they are worthy of the role or not, though such judgment can only be interpreted by a High Heavenly Priest.
Chosen One - The Blissful Angels' Captains are called the Chosen Ones appropriately named as according to tradition, only the High Priest of Prophecy must select a Chosen One even if it was during the middle of a pitched crusade across the galaxy. While this practice may seem inconvenient for some and backwards for others, the selection is made through the High Priest's power in foresight which has proved invaluable for selecting a replacement as the wrong choice could spell disaster for their current campaign. Regardless of a preemptive prediction, each Chosen One is an accomplished warrior and tactician in their own right, rivaling the Archistrategos in terms of tactical planning and skill, with many Archistrategos being former Chosen Ones.
Guiding Light - The Blissful Angels' more recent addition to their chapter is the Primaris Lieutenant otherwise known as the Guiding Light. Much like the rest of the Primaris during their reveal to the Imperium, the Lieutenants were initially a massive unknown for the Blissful Angels. Though as time continued it was made abundantly clear that the Primaris were the way of the future for the chapter and that they all must embrace the gifts of Belisarius Cawl and reawakened Roboute Guilliman. The Guiding Light, as they are now called, shared new insights with their firstborn counterparts on how to effectively reorganize their companies with the new Primaris squads composed of Intercessors, Inceptors, Eradicators, and many others.
A Firstborn Ring Bearer
Ring Bearer - The Ring Bearer serves the role of Veteran Sergeant within the Blissful Angels. Each Ring Bearer is a Deacon that has been through a minimum of 8 campaigns in their combat service and as according to tradition when a Deacon receives a promotion they participate in a ceremony where the High Heavenly Priest along with other accompanying Heavenly Priests place a giant golden ring upon each wrist of the decorated warrior while skilled Vassals helped replace the Imperial Aquila with the Spirit of Baal upon their chest plate. The rings that they are given are called the Armlets of Devotion, one of the most sacred status symbols amongst the Blissful Angels. After their ceremony is complete, the newly christened Ring Bearer is placed within the 1st Host as one of its most skillful and vigilant warriors of the Blissful Angels.
Senior Specialist Ranks[]
High Heavenly Priest - The High Heavenly Priest serves as the Master of Sanctity within the Blissful Angels and therefore is the most important religious figure within the Chapter. They led all the traditional and sacred ceremonies within their chapter from evaluating the Patrons into Acolytes to the selection of the next Archistrategos, as such their word is seen as absolute with others rarely having the ability to overrule when it comes to matters involving the Imperial Creed.
High Earthly Priest - The High Earthly Priest serves as the Master of the Apothecarion within the Blissful Angels, making them the overseer of all new Initiates that are recruited by the Heavenly Priests. Aside from the Archistrategos and much of their inner circle the High Earthly Priest knows the darkest secrets of the Blissful Angels' origin and keeps the secrets of their genestock close at hand, only passing on this knowledge verbally as opposed to keeping it on a scroll thus risking the likelihood that a curious scholar might accidentally stumble upon their true beginnings.
High Priest of the Iron Heart - The High Priest of the Iron Heart serves as the Master of the Forge within the Blissful Angels. They are responsible for crafting some of the most treasured weapons used by the Archistrategos as well as the maintenance of some of their more valuable vehicles left over from the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. The High Priest of the Iron Heart has the collective knowledge of all weapons created throughout the history of Iazefia and has found ways to improve upon it in almost every aspect, though along with this they are tasked with the perilous task of linking themselves to the Machine Spirit of the Nest of Angels, essentially becoming one with the fortress monastery itself being able to see all and direct the defenses against any intruder. Such a role requires a mind of indomitable might and unbending loyalty to the chapter against both physical and mental incursions, the ability to resist the overwhelming ripples of the titanic Machine Spirit that reside within the walls of the Blissful Angels' home.
High Priest of Prophecy - The High Priest of Prophecy is the Chief Librarian of the Blissful Angels and is one of the most respected figures within the chapter. Like all the Priest of Prophecies beneath them they have the power of premonition, though theirs are much more far seeing and more potent than usual. These 'omens' come at random though some can be triggered through events of grand importance and usually they foresee the worst possible outcomes related to said events. Through their more potent psyker abilities the High Priest is responsible for directing events away from this darker future, though their more potent power gives them a greater risk of succumbing to the Curse of Shadows then any other Saint-Brother within the chapter if it is used for prolonged periods of time.
Specialist Ranks[]
A Firstborn Heavenly Priest
Heavenly Priest - The Heavenly Priests serve as the Chaplains of the Blissful Angels and the religious leaders within the chapter. Each Heavenly Priest can recite quotes from the Imperial Creed and remembers them all by heart and memory giving them the ability to inspire their Saint-Brothers during sermons and before the initiations of campaigns in the name of the Emperor of Mankind and the Great Angel. Unlike most Chaplains in other chapters the Heavenly Priests much like their Saint-Brothers wear snow white armour to symbolize their state as the purified Blood Angels freed from all rage and blood thirsty desires, this uniquely makes them one of the few individuals amongst the Blissful Angels to be immune to the Curse of Shadows, or at the very least resistant to it, whether it is due to their incredible willpower or their overwhelming sense of zealotry remains unknown. Regardless of the reasons they are the most steadfast members of their chapter and they can be trusted to pull through any objective no matter the odds or at least be able to kill as many heretics and filthy xenos as possible before allowing themselves to feel the warm embrace of the Emperor.
Earthly Priest - The Earthly Priests serve as the Apothecaries of the Blissful Angels. They are responsible for maintaining the purity of the Blissful Angels' unique geneseed, ensuring that it is free of any mutation that would be reminiscent of the twin gene-flaws of the Blood Angels. Though the Earthly Priests serve a more unique role within their chapter compared to other Apothecaries, for they serve as counselors for Saint-Brothers that are undergoing the 1st stages of the Curse of Shadows in order to lessen the psychological effects on the individual or even administer an experimental amnestic to repress the flaw in extreme cases.
Priest of the Iron Heart - The Priests of the Iron Heart serve as the Techmarines of the Blissful Angels. They are responsible for maintaining and crafting a majority of the chapter's weapons and vehicles, their most famous creations being the Iazefia Pattern Bolter which all share the sacred Spirit of Baal on its frame. The Priests of the Iron Heart are one of the few ranks within the Blissful Angels that have conflicting loyalties between the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Imperial Cult which makes them almost ostracized by many Saint-Brothers. Though this difference is left to a minimum as they hold a crucial role within the chapter and they hold their own unique belief of interpreting each Machine Spirit as an aspect of the Great Angel.
Priest of Prophecy - The Priests of Prophecy serve as the Librarians of the Blissful Angels. They are seen as the most feared ranks within the Blissful Angels as they all inherently possess the unique ability called Ominous Omens, which gives them premonitions of the worst possible future and sometimes even foreseeing their own demise. All Priests of Prophecy believe that this is a warning given to them by Sanguinius in hopes that they will avoid the wrong choice. These omens can prove to be helpful, however for a less powerful member they may not be able to grasp the full picture and would require assistance from other Priests in deciphering the warning, almost akin to a half finished painting on a canvas or fragments of a data file.
Line Ranks[]
Deacon - The Deacon serves the role of Sergeants within the Blissful Angels. Deacons are considered to be personally blessed by the Emperor and Sanguinius in the fields of battle, rising amongst their Saint Brothers and inspiring them against the enemies of the Imperium. This honor would be recognized by their Host’s Heavenly Priest who evaluates them with the Mark of the Angel. Deacons command their own squad of Saint Brothers and they assist with the Heavenly Priests in their Joyous Litany if a loyal Vassal isn’t available.
Saint Brothers - The Saint Brothers are the rank and file of the Blissful Angels, Acolytes who have elevated into fully fledged holy warriors of the chapter. Each Saint-Brother is a master of combat as well as devoted followers of the Imperial Creed, where each of them are considered to be honored warriors of the Emperor's will and the living exemplars of Sanguinius himself.
Acolyte - The Acolytes serve as the Scouts within the Blissful Angels. They are treated as the new initiates within the chapter and are sent off to study at the churches of each City State on Iazefia until they truly understand their mission within the Imperium and the texts of the Imperial Creed.
Specialist Units & Formations[]
Celestial Guard - The Celestial Guard are the unique Sanguinary Guard of the Blissful Angels who serve as the honor guard of the Archistrategos. These legendary warriors come from Ring Bearers personally selected by the Archistrategos who elevates them into one of the most prestigious positions in the entirety of the chapter where they embody the nobility and divinity of their genefather: Sanguinius, by adopting the death mask that represented the last expression of the Great Angel before dying at the hands of Horus. Much like their counterparts the Celestial Guards are equipped with the finest war gear and artificer armour making them the most powerful and skilled warriors of the Blissful Angels and the most devout followers of the Imperial Creed.
An Eternal Flame Terminator
Eternal Flame - The Eternal Flame is a unique squad of Terminators that are equipped with Heavy Flamers and Stormshields. Clad in the usual snow white along with lines of blood red flowing across their armour, the Eternal Flame are the Terminators best suited to cleanse locales of religious or strategic importance that are infested with large numbers of heretics or xenos. Though uniquely all members of the Eternal Flame not only have found prominent service as Veterans within the 1st Company, but would also have extensive service with the Death Watch as not only would they be devoted followers of the Imperial Creed, but they would require extensive knowledge on dealing with the unclean xenos races across the realms of the Imperium and beyond. They are the exemplars of even when all hope seems lost, the loyal sons of the Emperor will always be there to light Mankind's darkest hour through flame and shield.
Condemned Company - While it is true that the Blissful Angels are freed from the Twin Curses of Sanguinius it seemed that they were only destined to receive another curse which is entirely unique to the chapter itself appropriately called the Curse of Shadows. While the exact origins and causes are a mystery within the Blissful Angels it's effects are more than apparent, the greater the symptoms become the more insane and desperate the Saint-Brother becomes to the point they lose all sense of control and are more concerned with killing an unseen entity called the Shadow Man. While those infected with the Curse of Shadows were normally executed, the Heavenly Priests saw fit to make them into their chapter's form of the Death Company which in their case is called the Condemned Company. Like the Death Companies of other successor chapters the Blissful Angels cover their Condemned in black colored power armour filled with the appropriate saltires and purity seals, but additionally each of their hands are covered in blood red to signify that they are condemned and is symbolized that when they die the blood on their hands will be wiped away, their sins finally released.
Order of Battle[]
Headquarters[]
Chapter Command
Alsifbriel, Archistrategos of the Blissful Angels and the Exalted Lord of Iazefia
All Blissful Angels Space Marines who have succumbed to the madness of the Curse of Shadows serve in the Condemned Company.
Hosts (Companies)[]
1st "Loudest" Host, "Archangels"
2nd Host, "Seraphs of Destiny"
3rd Host, "Wise Cherubs"
4th Host, "Thrones of Iazefia"
5th Host, "Swords of Truth"
6th Host, "Shining Knights"
7th Host, "Winged Blades"
8th Host, "Angels of Hope"
9th Host, "Pale Dragons"
10th Host, "Cloud Spirits"
Mortals[]
Chapter Serfs[]
Female Savant openly praying to the Emperor of Mankind
The Vassals, or Chapter Serfs, within the Blissful Angels are treated fairly well by each Saint-Brother and seen as faithful servants of their chapter and by extension the Great Angel and the Emperor themselves. However while they aren't seen as slaves, the Blissful Angels see their Vassals as nothing more than walking extensions of their will and expect complete and utter loyalty. All Vassals give off the appearance of handsome and beautiful clergymen and women, wearing lavish robes to compliment their roles and often are seen carrying many types of religious items such as Holy Scripture and ceremonial daggers. When they are in combat they are expected to wear standard looking robes as to not besmirch the items given to them by the will of the Emperor, under any circumstances of warfare all Vessels are required to change out of their lavish clothing, sealing them away within a capsule and put on their standard robes. The serfs of the Blissful Angels have a reputation of being one of the most disciplined within any chapter due to their closeness as servants of the chapter they all require the practice of celibacy, no sexual relationships are allowed. Any Vassal that shows a line of unfaithfulness within the chapter and their divine mission will be reconditioned as servitors who act as the caretakers of the Nest of Angels. Female Vassals in particular appear to show the most dedication toward the Imperial Cult and are commonly seen alongside Heavenly Priests as their their scribes and acolytes assisting in sermons and rituals necessary to bringing faith among the Saint-Brothers. Most vessels are to some degree of Iazefian origin, though some vessels are humans that the Blissful Angels have picked up in some of their divine crusades across the realms of mankind.
Combat Doctrine[]
The Blissful Angels when they were once known as the Swan Guard shared the same doctrine as most Blood Angel Successors with a heavy focus on Assault Squads and close quarters combat. Though ever since coming to terms with lacking the twin curses of Sanguinius, their combat doctrine changed as drastically as their chapter culture. No longer restrained by the Black Rage nor the Red Thirst, the Blissful Angels came to accept the tenants of the Codex Astartes, believing them to be the path to spiritual purity. The Blissful Angels have a well balanced fighting force that specialize in many areas of combat, even to the point of undergoing psychological training and hypnosis to strengthen their minds against corruption. When engaged in combat they are noted as being very flexible and almost unpredictable, each one of their maneuvers executed with calculated precision while taking their enemies by surprise with a massive show of force. Though if the enemy's resolve isn't broken within the first day or two of a campaign then the Blissful Angels will move to break morale within the opposing army such as destroying high value assets and killing important commanding officers. While most chapters will see their discipline and need for perfection as gratuitous, the Blissful Angels simply see it as the need to live up to the standards of the Great Angel for he never gave them the twin curses. As high and pious this may sound to a lot of chapters that believe in the Imperial Truth for others that adopted the Imperial Creed they see the Blissful Angels as admirable in their divine duty in the name of the God Emperor to the point they would rarely cause collateral damage to cities and world's loyal to the Imperium as such structures should never be desecrated by any servant of the Imperium unless their reason is justified.
Chapter Belief[]
A Heavenly Priest and Vassal performing a sermon
The Blissful Angels believe they are a chapter descending from the Blood Angels and given their unique circumstances of not inheriting the Black Rage and Red Thirst, they pursued the divine perfection and angelic nature of their forebears and by extension their Primarch: Sanguinius. Blissful Angels seek to master all aspects of humanity, not only the martial ones, and as such their Saint-Brothers are expert scholars, philosophers, artisans and diplomats as much as they are excellent warriors. There is a strong emphasis on efficiency and beauty, both of the soul and mind and of the outside, the flesh and their power armour, to glorify the Emperor by being the Angels that the masses of Humanity believe them to be. As such they instill absolute perfection into their subjects, having them educated in the lines of art, music, artistry, and the theater along with devout worship toward the Great Angel and the God Emperor.
Despite their unquestionable loyalty to their lineage, the Blissful Angels seem to have a strong aversion with their ancestry among the Blood Angels such as shunning certain blood rituals and the scattered uses of blood drop iconography which is commonly seen amongst other Blood Angel successor chapters. Blissful Angels never refer to their Primarch as "Sanguinius", instead calling him "Great Angel", "the Brightest One" or "Purest of Princes". Their veneration to their Primarch is seen as almost obsessive by many of their sibling chapters, as seen in their decorated and most unique piece of iconography called the Spirit of Baal, a redesigned Aquila patterned after the Primarch's famous armour design which had rubies that represented Terra, Baal, and her two moons. Though for the Blissful Angels they added a fourth ruby to symbolize Iazefia.
Librarians[]
Blissful Angels, just as most other Space Marine Chapters, possess a Librarius. Those Blissful Angels who possess or developed psychic powers will be trained as Librarians or "Priest of Prophecy" as they are known among their ranks if they are deemed to be stable enough. Though despite their perceived stability each Priest of Prophecy has the Ominous Omen, which gives them premonitions of the worst possible outcome and sometimes even their own demise.
Despite this dark curse the Priest of Prophecy are among some of the most disciplined within the Blissful Angels as they regularly have to perceive each foreseen outcome with many of their number and correctly deduce how to avoid it, all while keeping their mental faculties intact to help their Saint-Brothers within an active war zone and campaign.
Known Unique Abilities[]
Pure Hearts - A Priest of Prophecy removes fear and doubt from the hearts of his Brothers and allies, replacing them with reassurance and optimism. The presence of the Blissful Angels can increase morale for all allied forces, but a skilled Priest of Prophecy can strengthen the morale of those around them by implanting a sense of holy divinity within their very souls. This can change the course of many battles as even the most outnumbered of armies can rally against a superior enemy when they know that the Angels smile upon them from the heavens, and especially when those Angels fight alongside them.
Angel of Heaven - A Priest of Prophecy or any Battle-Brother of his choosing temporarily grows magnificent swan-like wings and roams in the air across the battlefield, not unlike the angelic Primarch himself during the Great Crusade. While successors of the Blood Angels see this ability no different to the more common Wings of Sanguinius, the major difference between both is that the Angel of Heaven has a similar effect to the presence of Living Saints including the appearance of doves that follow in the wake of said Priest of Prophecy.
Iazefia's Light - A Priest of Prophecy projects a powerful blinding light from their form which can stun enemy combatants within their radius, though it does not affect the Priest’s allies. One of their more hopeful and awe-inspiring abilities, the Priest of Prophecy can truly embody the Astartes as the Angels of the Emperor, being potent enough to drive away Daemons and lesser Chaos entities. This ability truly is the light through Mankind's darkest hour among the ranks of the Blissful Angels.
Angel's Glare - A Priest of Prophecy can stare into the eyes of an enemy and force them to see visions of their past sins and murders. When a Priest of Prophecy becomes especially vengeful they will draw upon their inner rage, waiting for it to be unleashed upon any heretic or traitor that has committed incalculable immoral acts. For this to be accomplished the Priest of Prophecy must have direct eye contact with their victim and for said target to contain a soul. All victims that have been on the receiving end of the Angel's Glare will feel the pain of all the innocent souls they have harmed throughout their entire life. Most die or at the very least pass into a coma from the overwhelming sense of agony, making the Angel's Glare a Priest of Prophecies most potent and indiscriminate ability at their disposal.
Ominous Omen - A Priest of Prophecy can receive random visions of the future, many of which only illuminate damaging outcomes instead of bright ones. As grim as it might be, the Ominous Omen serves to be the Blissful Angels' most valuable gifts as while it may not inspire hope it can prove insightful on which future action should not be taken to avoid said outcome. While all Priest of Prophecies can utilize this ability, groups of Prophets must work in concert to utilize the ability to its full potential as each Priest see's merely a fragment instead of as they called The Full Picture. If one Priest of Prophecy foolishly attempts to decipher the omen by themselves, they will quickly succumb to insanity or at the very least unresponsive.
Chapter Gene-Seed[]
Gene-seed of the Blissful Angels seems to be in excellent condition and possess all the implant organs in functioning form. Infamously the Chapter does not seem to suffer from the Red Thirst and the Black Rage, the horrific genetic flaws that torment all Blood Angels chapters. Uniquely each Saint-Brother has glowing white skin almost akin to an angel given flesh among the living, though while they may appear divine their appearance gives an almost uncomfortable aura to those that observe their features. Due to this, each Saint-Brother prefers keeping their helmets on in front of allies and citizens of the Imperium, only taking them off in front of their loyal Vessels or most trusted friends.
As much as they believe themselves to be the scions of Sanguinius the Blissful Angels have been the subject of controversy within the Blood Angels and their successors, having suspicions that the Blissful Angels may not have a lineage from Sanguinius' geneseed. While the Blood Angels Sanguinary Priests' initial study of the Blissful Angels' geneseed was officially inconclusive, what is known from the investigation is that the material was surprisingly stable even amongst other loyalist chapters which caused most to speculate that they may have came from either Dark Angels, Ultramarine, or Imperial Fist geneseed. A selected few have even suspected that the Blissful Angels have traitor geneseed, a theory that a majority of the Blissful Angels detests.
Primarch's Curse: The Curse of Shadows[]
While the Blissful Angels may have lacked their parent chapter's twin curses, it seems inevitable that they would receive their own unique genetic curse found in no other Blood Angels successor chapter. This gene curse would slowly manifest within an individual Saint-Brother which caused them to see brief shadows within their peripheral vision. While this could easily be mistaken for fatigue or stress to most outsiders for an Astartes to be affected by such afflictions is not as easy compared to a baseline human, and the main problem was Saint-Brothers of the chapter can be more easily affected when compared to other chapters. Over time the presence of the shadow gradually began to manifest, moving from being in the Saint-Brother's peripheral vision to a constant, almost living, hallucination always present within the individual Astartes' vision. Even keeping their eyes closed only gives the Saint-Brother brief reprieve for they are forced to keep their eyes open and obsessively long for brightly lit areas even if the area was illuminated by a singular candle. These affected Saint-Brothers are filled with an unquenchable insanity and overwhelmed with a paranoia for all around them making them rarely listen to reason, even by their closest allies. As such these affected Saint-Brothers would be labeled as Condemned and were thrown into the Condemned Company, which served as a unique counterpart of the Blood Angels' own Death Companies.
When the Chapter's genetic curse manifests itself in an affected Saint-Brother, it comes in three stages:
Stage 1 (Lingering Malice): The Saint-Brother begins to see small glimpses of a shadowy figure in their peripheral vision, though whenever they attempt to focus on the shadow it disappears. Saint-Brothers in this stage describe feelings of malice from the shadow almost as if the figure conveyed intense vitriol, despising their very existence and wishing for nothing but suffering upon the victim. As time continues the Saint-Brother would feel their skin crawl every time they notice the shadow and feelings of uncertainty become more prominent. This stage is arguably the most crucial step in preventing the Saint-Brother from fully succumbing to the gene curse, once the stage has been properly identified by a Heavenly Priest, the individual is required to attend counseling sessions with an Earthly Priest who either gives them psychological training to block out the repeated hallucinations or at the most extreme administer an experimental amnestic to give their patent a resolved peace of mind. Though most of the time due to being thrusted into numerous campaigns or crusades, most often the beginning stages aren't able to be identified until it is too late.
Stage 2 (Restless Paranoia): Should the curse manifest into the 2nd step it is mostly accepted that this is the beginning of no return for the Saint-Brother. Once enough time has passed usually within three to four weeks, sometimes in as little as a single week, the shadowy figure has fully manifested and no longer solely appears within the Saint-Brother's peripheral vision, but instead is always present as if it has been given physical form viewable only to the individual. According to many of the Saint-Brothers this living umbra is collectively called The Shadow Man, who is described as several feet taller than an average Astartes and sometimes wears a long flowing cape along with sharp talons in place of its hands. Though usually this is the only information most would get about The Shadow Man before the individual Saint-Brother begins the fall into insanity. Within the next couple of days the individual would become quiet and observe their surroundings more closely than they normally would and eventually to the point they deliberately search through every meniscal detail of their environment such as around corners, within air ducts, under tables, anything that might conceal someone, or something. Through these days the Saint-Brother will completely ignore other Saint-Brother who attempt to interact with them. To most observers that witness this stage, they theorize that the Saint-Brother no longer perceives their existence, not even reacting when shot at by several Bolter rounds. Though one the third day their expression changes from paranoia into what could be described as shock and horror which is soon followed by the Saint-Brother passing out in a death like state, lacking even a slight pulse.
Stage 3 (He Has Come For Us): Though within a couple of minutes the individual comes back into consciousness and hurriedly scrambles away almost as if they are getting as much distance away from them and The Shadow Man while screaming many obscenities, though the most common declaration uttered by all Saint-Brothers being "He is Coming For Us!". Afflicted Saint-Brothers utter almost completely incomprehensible speech under their breath, only occasionally speaking out loud in High Gothic and sometimes in an unknown language that sounded almost poetic and filthy at the same time. The victim would refuse to be anywhere near shadows, let alone a dark room and would always prefer being in more brightly lit areas even if said area was lightly illuminated by a megger candle. Fortunately unlike in the previous stage the Saint-Brother is a little more knowledgeable to others around them and can even recognize those that they trust, however they have completely lost all sense of sanity and will constantly ask to check the darkness for any intruders or frantically demand that they should not be left in the darkness. Though despite having some mental faculties it is generally accepted that those that reached this stage are completely irrecoverable, though they maintained their combat efficiency and can be utilized within the Condemned Company.
Deathwatch Service[]
Blissful Angels are bound by many ancient oaths and treaties to send some of their most skilled Saint-Brothers into the ancient Deathwatch brotherhood and are valued among its ranks, particularly for their refusal to give up during missions.
Notable Members[]
Alsifbriel the Savior - Current Chapter Master and Archistrategos of the Blissful Angels Chapter.
Sloane the Immolator
Barlaam the Exalted
Ignatius the Devoted
Mitrophan the Visionary
Archibald the Escutcheon
Birinus the Paladin
Nikolai the Journeyman
Amphilochios the Shepherd
Cyriacus the Counsellor
Gotthard the Guardian
Eligius the Butcher
Maximilian the Outrider
Xenophon the Curator
Gerasimus the Orator
Perun the Zealot
Simaius
Bellerophare
Ubaldio
Cosimo
Corbulias
Karlor
Kafziel
Malach
Orifiel
Evangelos
Angelo
Non-Astartes Personnel[]
Kzrysta (Mother Superior) -
Chapter Fleet[]
Glimmer of Hope
Life-Guarding Spear
Ancient Light
Chapter Armorium[]
Unique Equipment[]
Iazedia Pattern Bolter
Chapter Relics[]
Ilsazena - An ancient Power Sword of unknown origin wielded by the Archistrategos. It is said to be one of the tech-wonders of Oauris, created in mists of time before the Great Crusade and even the Long Night that it swept away. Ilsazena is much stronger and more durable than an average Power weapon and holds a much larger amount of energy.
Ray of Terra’s Glory - A reinforced Las-gun combined with a Bolter wielded by the Archistrategos.
Cloth of Light - A magnificent suit of snow white Artificer armour modified and decorated so heavily that it barely resembles any of the original marks. It is worn by the Chapter's Archistrategos.
Chalice of Blood and Chalice of Tears - Similarly to the Blood Angels, the Blissful Angels possess a chalice that they believe contains blood of the Great Angel and from which newly transformed Neophytes drink after their year long sleep. However after drinking from the Chalice of Blood they will also drink from the Chalice of Tears which, as the name implies, is believed to contain tears of their Primarch. There are those who believe that it is this drinking of their primogenitor's tears that frees Blissful Angels from their gene-curses, yet experiments involving Neophytes of other Chapters of the Blood drinking from the Chalice of Tears bore no results.
Banner of the Future - An intricate and ancient Chapter Banner of the Blissful Angels.
Scattered Eye - A piece of shattered ruby that is seen as the Blissful Angels' most sacred relic and kept within the center of the Chamber of Devotion. According to legend the Shattered Eye is a fragment of Sanguinius' own breastplate that was damaged by his fallen brother; Horus when they dueled aboard the Vengeful Spirit. How a fragment came into the possession of the chapter is a mystery even among their most ancient of Dreadnoughts, but regardless the Scattered Eye would be the focus of the Blissful Angels devotion of the Great Angel. It played an important role in selecting the next Archistrategos via the High Heavenly Priest.
Chapter Appearance[]
Chapter Colours[]
Primary colour used by the Blissful Angels Chapter is pure snow white with blood red and gold being secondary colours. Blissful Angels, much like their Blood Angel primogenitors, often decorate their armours more extensively and elegantly than many other Chapters, though notably display far less red upon themselves.
Blissful Angels iconography inspired by the Iazefia Rose
Badge[]
Chapter badge of the Blissful Angels is an ornate angelic symbol of Iazefian origin. Based on the sacred flower; the Iazedia Rose, the badge is meant to symbolize the purity of the Blissful Angels and to spread the Imperial Creed to others that would be willing to listen.
Blissful Angels and Blood Angels maintain warm relations, though Blissful Angels are known to almost shun some aspects of their primogenitor's culture, such as their focus on blood and excessive battle fury.
Blissful Angels and Salamander share their optimistic attitude to life and desire to protect the citizenry of the Imperium and not merely crush the Emperor's foes.
Blissful Angels have a close relationship with the younger Blood Angels successor chapter to the point that they have a big brother and little brother bond. This is evident in the founding of the Tidebenders as they were assisted by the Blissful Angels via offering Aspirants from Iazefia and even shared most of their books with the chapter to add to their Librarius in Mnesitis. This exchange of recruits and knowledge would inspire the Tidebenders to do the same with other allied chapters in the future through their Exchange of Virtues. Though despite their close bond the Blissful Angels can act a little too overprotective toward the Tidebenders if they believed a chapter could be taking advantage of their perceived naivety such as the case with the Abators Golden. Regardless, both chapters work extremely well together in campaigns, though their most tragic venture would be the Devastation of Baal where there would be no survivors of the Tidebenders sent to assist. Each Saint-Brother openly wept for their younger brothers long after the battle was over.
Despite being calm and benevolent Blissful Angels cannot help but to be filled with hatred when facing warriors of the Black Legion, traitors of the highest degree who crippled the Imperium to such an extent it had not recovered from in ten thousand years, slew their beloved Primarch as well as mortally wounded the Emperor Himself.
