Some ambient music for you to enjoy while you read, "Fraternitatem Lunae Tenebrae" by Monasterium Imperi. Enjoy!
- "Mortem omnibus, et omnes ad mortem!"
- — Translated from High-Gothic as, "Death to all, and all to death!" from the Credo Mortis
The Death Templars are a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter of the 2nd Founding that occurred in 021.M31, following the brutal and bloody years of the Great Scouring. An ancient and proud Chapter, the Death Templars are scions of the proud line of Rogal Dorn of the Imperial Fists Chapter. Aside from an unbreakable sense of honour and a history of unparalleled skill at arms, the Death Templars share little in common with their forebears' culture and traditions. Left to operate alone at the edge of the Imperium has bred within them an isolationist and fiercely independent streak that has seldom been embraced by outside command. Over time they have also gained a shadowed reputation for themselves with other Imperial authorities as well as fellow Adeptus Astartes, who view their seemingly unnatural obsession with death and strange mortuary traditions with suspicion.
Formerly a fleet-based Chapter, during their inception the Death Templars launched a crusade from Terra towards the hellish realm known as the Eye of Terror. During this long and glorious campaign, they fought every kind of foe imaginable, including: renegades, heretics, apostates, xenos and the fell servants of Chaos. Over time, they earned the grudging respect and admiration of their forebears and their fellow Scions of Dorn for their stoic resolve and tenacious drive as they earned countless bloody victories in the name of the Emperor. After crusading for nearly two centuries, the Chapter settled somewhere within the Segmentum Obscurus. Here they claimed the newly rediscovered feral world of Vrykul as their Chapter homeworld and demesne. They built their mighty fortress-monastery, the Castellum Mortem (the "Fortress of Death") amongst the formidable peaks of the Valcan Mountains. Since that time, they have continued to launch various campaigns against the enemies of Mankind.
Recently, the Chapter suffered grievous losses while fighting against the Forces of Chaos during the 13th Black Crusade. This tragedy occurred at the hands of the infamous Khornate Champion, Khârn the Betrayer. The Chapter has since vowed to hunt down this maniac across the width and breadth of the galaxy, until they are able to enact their bloody vengeance against the former World Eaters Equerry.
Chapter History []
Inception[]
- "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee."
- — John Donne, ancient poet and cleric, Old Earth, ca. M2
Death Templars Chapter Banner, the Vexillum Mortis, or 'Standard of Death'.
Death Templars Battle-Brother Bacchros Amedeus of the 6th Harrow, 3rd Reaper Squad (Battleline) wearing a mixture of late production Mk II 'Crusade' and Mk III 'Iron' pattern Power Armour while on crusade following the Second Founding in 021.M31.
The Death Templars are an ancient and proud Chapter whose origins are found in the chaotic decade following the Horus Heresy. This Chapter are proud scions of the proud and stoic Imperial Fists Legion. Their patriarch was a fierce captain by the name of Vigo Malik. The inception of the Death Templars occurred during the 2nd Founding, which occurred in 021.M31. Upon taking his oath as the first Lord Marshal (Chapter Master), Vigo proclaimed a crusade against the foes of Mankind. The Death Templars would harrow the renegades, the apostate and the xenos in their places of strength, bringing them the fires of wrath with both blades and bolters.
Embarking upon their crusade, the Death Templars proceeded to make their way from the Segmentum Solar towards the hellish realm of the Eye of Terror. During their long sojourn, the Death Templars earned numerous honours as a crusading Chapter - despatched from warzone to warzone - in order to battle Mankind's enemies, honouring their Progenitors with each bloody victory as they began to forge their own legacy in the annals of Imperial history. Evidence of their presence and exploits can be found on battle shrines throughout the regions of the Segmentum Solar and Segmentum Tempestus. Often times the Death Templars responded to emergencies, adding their strength to ongoing conflicts, and often helped to tip them in the Imperium's favour. Though they garnered much glory, the Death Templars shunned such accolades, for duty was reward enough for them. Crusading for nearly two centuries, the Chapter finally settled somewhere within the Segmentum Obscurus.
Discovery of Vrykul[]
After a long and arduous search, the Death Templars discovered the feral world of Vrykul located near the western border of the Segmentum Obscurus, which showed great promise as a potential homeworld for the Chapter. The fierce and capable warriors of Vrykul, with their pure genes and neolithic warrior culture, presented excellent candidates for recruitment into the Death Templars. However, the Death Templars also encountered a long-standing menace on Vrykul - the vile Drukhari of the Kabal of the Bloodied Blades. These Dark Eldar had made a habit of raiding the human population of Vrykul for slaves. But to their surprise, they found themselves facing an entire Chapter of Adeptus Astartes lying in wait.
A brutal and bloody war erupted between the Death Templars and the Drukhari Kabal. The Death Templars, with their unmatched strength and determination, gradually wore down the Drukhari, reducing them to a mere shadow of their former power. The Kabal was forced to retreat, and the Death Templars, ever relentless, pursued them relentlessly. The pursuit of the Drukhari turned into a xenocidal crusade, with the Death Templars launching relentless attacks against the Drukhari throughout the sector and even venturing into the treacherous depths of the Aeldari Webway. This relentless campaign resulted in the annihilation of the Kabal and the collapse of a significant portion of the Webway.
With their victory over the Drukhari and the conquest of Vrykul, Lord Marshal Malik declared the world and its surrounding system as the rightful domain of the Imperium. Vrykul became the permanent home of the Death Templars, serving as their Chapter homeworld and the center of their operations. From that point forward, the Death Templars continued to hunt down the Drukhari, fighting them with unwavering zeal and indignation. The conquest of Vrykul not only provided the Death Templars with a new home but also served as a testament to their determination and their commitment to the eradication of xenos threats.
Eternal Sentinels[]
Over the span of nine millennia, the Death Templars have become renowned for their unyielding dedication and unwavering determination in the face of their enemies. Their relentless pursuit of crusades against the foes of the Imperium has become a defining characteristic of the Chapter. With their fierce pack tactics and stubborn resolve, the Death Templars are known to press on even when retreat seems prudent, considering such an act worthy of execution. This iron resolve has allowed the Death Templars to achieve victory in seemingly impossible situations, often emerging triumphant despite overwhelming odds. However, their determination has come at a great cost, with the Chapter enduring significant losses in battle-brothers' lives. Their active strength, which typically numbers around 1,000 warriors, has been reduced to a mere fraction of that on multiple occasions, sometimes as low as 200 warriors. Where other Chapters might flounder and fall, the Death Templars Chapter have always managed to grow stronger, rising from the ashes of defeat like a proverbial phoenix.
Yet, the Death Templars have proven their worth time and again, securing a place of glory and honour among the forces of the Imperium and their fellow Successor Chapters. Their reputation for achieving victory against all odds has earned them favour in the procurement of new wargear and supplies, surpassing many of their peers. Despite the heavy losses they have endured, the Death Templars persist, always rebuilding their strength with new waves of recruits. Their dedication to their duty and their indomitable spirit ensure that the Chapter remains a force to be reckoned with, continuing to bring glory to the Emperor and the Imperium.
Woe of the Death Templars[]
After long and illustrious service to the Imperium and the Emperor of Mankind, the Death Templars were finally laid low during the recent 13th Black Crusade. This was the largest incursion of the Forces of Chaos from the Eye of Terror since the Horus Hersey. They were led by none other than Abaddon the Despoiler. Lord Marshal Valdar ordered the mobilisation of the entirety of the Death Templars Chapter to take part in this glorious campaign to face their ultimate foes - the hated Traitor Legions. As the Death Templars launched their crusade to engage the Forces of Chaos, soon disturbing Astropathic reports began to trickle into the Cadian High Command. The most disturbing of these reports hailed from a Planetary Defence Force major from the hive world of Tabor, located in the Bar-el System within the Agripinaa Sector. A large Khornate warhost was currently assaulting the besieged planet. If the report was to be believed, none other than the infamous Khârn of the World Eaters Traitor Legion, the so-called 'Betrayer', had fallen upon that doomed world and shed the blood of its brave defenders in the name of his unspeakable patron Khorne, the Blood God.
Responding to the distress call from Tabor, the Death Templars swiftly moved their Chapter fleet to aid the Imperial defenders. Despite the arrival of Khârn and his Murderhorde, Imperial forces still managed to make gains upon Tabor and across the Agripinaa Sector. If the Imperial defenders could somehow contain Khârn's mad rampage, the strategic situation in that region would be, at the very least, somewhat more acceptable. When the Death Templars faced the blood-crazed berzerker and his large detachment of Khornate Berzerkers on the field of battle, the confrontation resulted in the destruction of almost half the Chapter, shattering it as a cohesive force. In the wake of this tragic event, Lord Marshal Valdar swore a solemn oath of vengeance against Khârn, vowing to hunt down the Khornate Champion and exact retribution for the fallen warriors of the Death Templars. His determination to avenge his Chapter's losses knows no bounds, and he is prepared to pursue Khârn to the farthest reaches of the galaxy if necessary. The aftermath of the 13th Black Crusade and the confrontation with Khârn left the Death Templars in a state of great turmoil and mourning. Rebuilding their shattered ranks and regaining their strength would be a monumental task, but their resolve to honour the fallen and continue their sacred duty to the Emperor remained unbroken.
Fall of Cadia[]
The fortress world of Cadia is destroyed
As Abaddon the Despoilers' armies continued to rage unabated throughout the Cadia System, their ultimate objective was to seize the fortress world of Cadia at its heart. This victory would remove the last major bastion preventing Abaddon from unleashing his full force upon the Imperium of Man's defences and assaulting Terra for the second time in ten thousand years. Though the Imperial defenders valiantly defended Cadia, making untold sacrifices by doing so, ultimately, the fortress world was doomed. Abaddon released the full daemonic fury of the Eye of Terror directly upon an already-battered Cadia.
Though the arrival of some unexpected Imperial reinforcements prevented Abaddon from personally sealing his victory by crushing Cadia's defenders and led to the destruction of the Blackstone Fortress Will of Eternity, the Despoiler unleashed a brutal contingency plan. He had the massive fragments of the Will of Eternity hurled from orbit like an artificial asteroid onto the surface of Cadia. The strike destroyed what remained of Cadia's faltering defences and the network of Necron-built Cadian Pylons that had long prevented the Eye of Terror from naturally expanding into the Cadian Gate. Within only solar hours, most of Cadia was in the process of being consumed by the Immaterium when the tectonic instability caused by the impact of the Blackstone Fortress finally caused Cadia to tear itself apart.
However, amidst the chaos and destruction, a small group of Imperial heroes managed to escape the fall of Cadia with the assistance of the Ynnari, a new faction of Aeldarii led by the enigmatic Yvraine. They discovered a Webway gate on the ice moon of Klaisus in the Cadian System, which provided them with an escape route. This group, known as the Celestinian Crusade, forged an uneasy alliance with the Ynnari, uniting to fight against the forces of Chaos. Together, they offered a glimmer of hope in the face of the encroaching darkness. This alliance would also play a significant role in the resurrection of Roboute Guilliman, the Primarch of the Ultramarines and the former Lord Commander of the Imperium.
The Shadow Falls[]
Departmento Cartographicae map showing the extent of the Great Rift that has sundered the known galaxy.
The 13th Black Crusade had been a triumph for the servants of the Dark Gods, and the Eye of Terror began to slowly expand without limit, opening Abaddon the Despoiler's coveted Crimson Path to Terra and creating the Great Rift. This great tear in reality, known also as the Cicatrix Maledictum by the Imperium, was a galaxy-wide warp storm that has essentially rent the territory of the Imperium of Man in half, spreading from the Eye of Terror to the Hadex Anomaly on the Eastern Fringe. To those on the Terran side of the rift, it is a tainted scar stretching across the sky. To those unfortunates on the far side, it is something much worse -- the very gates of Hell. Fortunately for the Death Templars, the Vrykul System escaped the worst of fates of the ever-expanding tear in reality, being located as they were on the extreme edge of the Segmentum Obscurus.
Nevertheless, the Death Templars were trapped on the Terran side of the Great Rift, as they were forced to withdraw southwards as the great tear in reality engulfed the entirety of the Agripinaa System. Despite suffering the loss of over half their Chapter, the Death Templars refused to give into despair, and instead, made the best of their dire situation. The Death Templars observed that the shadow of the Dark Gods had descended upon the realm of the Emperor and that the innocent cried out in desperation for the Imperator Mortifex to judge the apostate and the heretic, and have his Angels of Death bring their holy wrath down upon them. Hearkening back to their early years as a crusading Chapter the Death Templars hurled themselves against the Imperium's enemies, never resting in their duty to the Emperor to seek out and slay the foes of Mankind.
Despite the encroaching darkness that surrounded them on all sides, the Death Templars did their Emperor-sworn duty, and brought death to those who would defy the will of the Emperor or seek to thwart His holy purpose. They brought hope to dozens of besieged worlds, helping to destroy the enemies of Mankind who sought the destruction of the Emperor's people, and bringing back hope to the downtrodden. Though their task was daunting, the Death Templars did not shy away from their chosen task despite the severe losses they had suffered at the hands of Khârn and his Khornate warhost.
A Light in the Darkness[]
The resurrected Primarch Roboute Guilliman.
As the Death Templars continued their crusade, unending war threatened to tear the galaxy asunder. The beleaguered forces of the Imperium's armies did their best as they fought in new wars across nearly every world in the Emperor's domain. Whole sectors of the Imperium were going dark, while others reported the onslaught of rabid greenskin hordes, aggressive Tau fleets or deathless Necron hosts, seemingly driven to conquest in the face of the expanding warp storm fronts. Heretic Chaos Cults and rogue psykers rose up in their billions, and every Imperial world now seemed set to burn in the fires of unending galactic war. But all was not lost, as a miracle-of-miracles occurred upon the Ultramarines' home world of Macragge - the Primarch Roboute Guilliman had been resurrected from his millennia-long, deathless slumber!
The news of the rebirth of the Avenging Son quickly spread like wildfire across the Realm of Ultramar, and despite the difficulty of Astropathic communication, rumours had begun to trickle out of the besieged Segmentum Ultramar into the galaxy beyond. The resurrected Primarch and his Terran Crusade, faced untold hardships as they fought their way to the Throneworld, in order for Guilliman to commune with his father, the Emperor of Mankind. When the Primarch finally emerged from his father's chambers, he immediately assumed the post of Lord Commander of the Imperium and forcibly removed several High Lords of Terra from office and replaced them with individuals of his own choosing. Guilliman's return brought renewed hope and leadership to the Imperium, inspiring a resurgence in the fight against Chaos. This brought the servants of the Emperor a newfound strength to confront the growing power of the Archenemy.
As the terrible encroaching darkness descended upon the galaxy, the Primarch enacted his ultimate contingency plan, which had long been put into motion by Guilliman 100 standard centuries past. Utilising the sagacity of the Adeptus Mechanicus, combined with the long-forgotten technology from the Dark Age of Technology, a new legion of transhuman warriors had been created beneath the surface of Mars - the Primaris Space Marines.
The Primaris[]
Death Templars Reaper-Brother Alito Galal, 6th Harrow, 5th Moritat (Battleline) Squad.
Guilliman had anticipated the need for a new breed of hero for this, the darkest age in the Imperium's history. He knew that the galaxy would need warriors resilient enough to stand against the Forces of Chaos as the Imperium was poised on the brink of annihilation. New armies were raised, in breathtaking numbers. Guilliman brought forth his new and terrible weapons whose fury even the worshippers of the Dark Gods would be unable to withstand. Gathering his new armada, along with elements of the Adeptus Custodes, the Silent Sisterhood and a vast war host of Primaris Space Marines from many newly founded Chapters, the Lord Commander of the Imperium launched his Indomitus Crusade. Strike forces from over a dozen pre-existing Chapters, including the Death Templars, led by their Progenitors, the Imperial Fists, joined the Indomitus Crusade fleet.
Lord Marshal Valdar, along with those Chapter Masters who were present, sent delegations aboard Guilliman's flagship, and kneeled before the Primarch to swear their undying allegiance to him. Guilliman informed them of the newly created Primaris Space Marines - a gift to help alleviate the losses suffered by several of the Chapters that were present. The Death Templars' sorely depleted ranks were quickly replenished with hundreds of newly created Primaris Space Marines. Lord Marshal Valdar graciously accepted this profound gift from the resurrected Primarch and welcomed these new warriors into his Chapter's ranks.
With the welcome addition of the Primaris Space Marines, Intercessor Squads were quickly inducted into the ranks and spread throughout the various companies. Eager to prove themselves to their elder brethren, the Primaris quickly adapted to their Chapter's beliefs and culture. Their unpainted storm cloud grey Mark X 'Tacticus' battle-plate was painted in the Chapter's ebon and white colours. Despite initial misgivings by some within the Chapter, they quickly came to see the value of their new brethren as the Primaris Space Marines' superior combat capabilities and superlative combat acumen helped to turn the tide of battle during several campaigns. Though the Primaris were a step removed from their brothers, they still bore the gene-seed of their Primarch Rogal Dorn, and as such, had proven themselves to be worthy successors. Now, with their Chapter fully restored to its original strength, the Death Templars continue to prosecute their solemn duty against the myriad of threats which assails Mankind on all sides, determined not to let humanity go gentle into the long night.
Chapter Home World []
Vrykul, Homeworld of The Death Templars (the planet on the upper right).
When first discovered, the Death Templars claimed the Feral World of Vrykul by right of conquest. Located somewhere on the edge of the Eye of Terror, the exact location of Vrykul is a closely guarded secret and the entire system is heavily defended. This domain serves as a bulwark against Chaos incursion. All that is known is that the Death Templars operate from a world located deep within the dense stellar drifts of the Mors Pallida Nebula somewhere on the northern border of the Segmentum Obscurus. Although which world locked within its coruscating depths is Vrykul, is a matter they have kept deliberately obscure, to avoid being attacked by the many enemies they have made during their long and glorious service to the Emperor.
When this savage world was first discovered by the Death Templars crusade fleet nine millennia ago, they discovered that it was home to a population of feral humans. These primordial humans had somehow managed to not only adapt to living in the most hostile of environments, but to actually thrive in it. They proved to be incredibly strong and had developed superior reflexes compared to baseline humans. The Death Templars promptly rounded up hundreds of the ferocious humans and the Chaplains and Apothecaries of the Chapter set to work, testing their minds and bodies in soul-destroying trials to determine if there was any evidence of corruption caused by their long isolation from the rest of humanity. Though extremely backward and primitive, the Death Templars ultimately deemed them free of genetic or spiritual deviancy. Lord Marshal Malik saw the value of Vrykul. The inhospitable terrain and deadly fauna proved an ideal testing ground for his warriors, whilst the primitive humans already inhabiting the world could easily be moulded into potential Battle-Brothers.
The Death Templars are warriors shaped by the harsh environment of their savage world. The barbaric warrior tribes of Vrykul form the primary recruitment stock for the Death Templars. Today, Vrykul's people continue to endure a brutal life of constant inter-tribal bloodshed marked by elaborate mortuary rituals. Often times a Vrykulan youth will have taken hundreds of skulls before being chosen to become a Death Templars Neophyte and earning the opportunity to slay the enemies of the Emperor, who is worshiped as the great judge of the souls of the dead by the Vrykulan tribes. Vrykul tribal beliefs holds that life is transient and the manner of a warrior's death is all that matters. This world's hardy and brutal native population reside primarily across the equatorial regions' cave warrens found throughout the numerous mountain ranges across the planet.
Vrykul System[]
The Vrykul System consists of three inhabitable planets, one gas giant and an outer ring of asteroids, mobile defenses and star-fortresses. Notable planets include the following:
- Vrykul - The Chapter homeworld of the Death Templars, the savage feral world of Vrykul, is a land of rugged windswept plains and sprawling, enless deserts. The inhabitants of Vrykul are known for their resilience and unyielding spirit, shaped by the harshness of their environment and their enduring survival through countless hardships. It is amidst the imposing Valcan Mountains that the formidable fortress-monastery of the Death Templars, known as the 'Castellum Mortem' (the 'Fortress of Death'), stands as a bastion of their Chapter.
This mighty citadel serves as the heart and soul of the Death Templars, a colossal complex where the Battle-Brothers of the Chapter reside and train when they are not engaged in crusades against the enemies of the Imperium. Nestled within the ceramite-rich mountains, the fortress-monastery benefits from the natural defenses offered by the rugged terrain, providing a formidable barrier against conventional attacks.
Within the walls of Castellum Mortem, the Death Templars hone their martial skills, study ancient texts and strategies, and engage in the sacred rituals and ceremonies that bind them together as a Chapter. The fortress-monastery houses training grounds, armories, gene-labs, and sacred chambers where the Chapter's rituals and rites are conducted. The architecture is a testament to the grim and imposing nature of the Death Templars, reflecting the stoic and unyielding character of their warrior creed.
The Death Templars' home stands as a symbol of their Chapter's unwavering commitment to the defence of humanity and the eradication of the enemies of the Emperor. It is from this formidable fortress that the Chapter draws strength, unity, and purpose, as they prepare to embark on their relentless crusades across the stars in the name of the Imperator-Mortifex.
Pict-file of the forge world of Mesar.
- Mesar - This forgotten outpost of the Adeptus Mechanicus was, from its inception in the early 30th Millennium, created to be a war-world - a fane of weapons and armaments solely intended to serve the needs of the ever-advancing frontline forces of the Great Crusade. But following the events of the Horus Heresy, contact was lost with Mesar, due to the vagaries of war and every increasing warp turbulence that made interstellar travel and communication precarious, at best.
Rediscovered by the Death Templars in the 34th Millennium, they found the Tech-Priests of Mesar's Cult-Mechanicus still loyal to the Emperor and His Imperium of Man. The Mesaran Priesthood swore their allegiance to the Space Marine Chapter when they helped to turn back a large full-scale invasion by the Forces of Chaos. The Warpsmiths of the Traitor Legions, long denied the technological wonders unearthed since the Horus Heresy, had led raids beyond counting to Mesar. Were it not for the stout defence of the Death Templars, Mesar would have fallen to the powers of Chaos.
Today, this forge world primarily provides war material for the Death Templars and its industrial heartland is also engaged in the production of arms and ammunition for other regional Imperial military forces. The industrial heartland of Mesar is dedicated to the production of weapons, and the world is ringed with concentric layers of orbital docking platforms, habitation modules and transit tethers, and beyond those rings lay outer boundaries of autonomous planetary defence batteries, kill-satellites and spatial mine fields guarding the world's approaches. These formidable defences far surpass those possessed by other individual forge worlds, making Mesar a formidable bastion.
The Death Templars maintain limited contact with Mesar, mainly through their Chapter's Techmarines who interact with the Masaran Tech-Priests. The isolation of Mesar has allowed the Tech-Priests to develop and create non-standard patterns of weapons and vehicles according to their own vision and needs, free from strict adherence to sanctioned designs. Mesar stands as a testament to the resilience and loyalty of its Tech-Priests, who have remained faithful to the Emperor and continued their sacred work despite turbulent times. The alliance between the Death Templars and the Mesaran Priesthood ensures a steady supply of advanced weaponry and technology, strengthening the Chapter's arsenal and bolstering the defences of the Imperium.
- Crysemel - Crysemel, originally a feudal world, underwent a significant transformation during the latter years of the Great Crusade and became a fully managed agri-world. As one of the relatively few worlds in the region dedicated to agricultural production, Crysemel holds strategic importance for its ability to provide high-yield fruits, grains, and grox herds to sustain the Imperium.
The planet itself experiences little strife, with its inhabitants mostly unaware of the dangers and horrors that exist beyond their peaceful existence. The people of Crysemel toil diligently, their lives focused on tending to the land and ensuring the bountiful harvests that feed countless populations throughout the sector.
Crysemel's orbiting moon, Dimalas, offers a stark contrast to the tranquil planet below. This harsh volcanic orb serves as a training ground for the Death Templars' Space Marine Neophytes. The inhospitable environment of Dimalas challenges the recruits, pushing them to their physical and mental limits, honing their skills and preparing them for the arduous path of becoming fully-fledged Battle-Brothers of the Chapter.
The utilization of Dimalas as a training ground demonstrates the Death Templars' commitment to rigorous discipline and preparation. The contrast between the serene tranquillity of Crysemel and the harsh trials of Dimalas reflects the duality of the Death Templars' existence, where they are both protectors of peace and warriors forged in the crucible of war.
Fortress-Monastery[]
The Death Templars fortress-monastery, Castellum Mortem (the "Fortress of Death").
The Castellum Mortem (the "Fortress of Death") is the fortress-monastery of the Death Templars Space Marine Chapter. This formidable Imperial bastion is located to the planet's southern polar region, deep within the Valcan Mountains, built into the heart of Vrykul's mightiest peak. The fortress-monastery comprises of dozens of ramparts, watchtowers and bastions. The ceramite-rich mountain provides a natural defence against conventional attack. Like all fortress monasteries, Castellum Mortem is armoured and void-shielded to withstand any siege or bombardment that might befall it. Armed to repel attackers from land, air or space, its walls bristle with enough heavy ordnance to flatten a hive city. Covering every entrance and approach, macro-cannon turrets, heavy bolter bunkers and missile batteries scan the horizon for foes, ready to unleash their deadly ordnance at a moment's notice. The fortress-monastery also incorporates shimmering void shields as added protection to ward off orbital bombardments or even assaults from Battle Titans. In addition to the thick rock walls and adamantium gates, the Chapter also utilises many other kinds of defences to discourage an assault. These consist of deadfalls, grav-mine nets and hidden automated defences. The area beyond Castellum Mortem’s gates is considered hostile, as the surrounding peaks are filled with deadly carnivorous predators and inhospitable terrain.
The tribesmen of Vrykul fear the "Fortress of Death," warning their children against even straying into its shadow, lest they summon the giant sky-gods themselves from their sacred mountain to come and take them away to the underworld. Once in a generation, there are those youths who are bold enough (some would say foolish) to venture into the Valcan Mountains on a spirit quest, to seek communion with the sky-gods. This is not a thing to be undertaken likely, for to journey into the mountains is a veritable death sentence. The jagged rock faces can slice flesh from bone, and the erratic weather and gale force winds can easily kill a person from prolonged exposure. This doesn't even account for the fact that the Valcan Mountains are crawling with deadly predators that are inimical to all human life. Those who face the impossible without faltering and who survive long past the point they should have perished are recovered by the Death Templars' Apothecaries, often having succumbed but not yet died, and revived, having been judged worthy of becoming an Astartes Neophyte.
Chapter Serfs march in procession within the halls of Castellum Mortem, performing sonorous chants for the honoured dead.
The Death Templars' mighty edifice serves both as the abode and sanctuary for the Death Templars. This is where the Chapter safeguards its heritage and keeps its trophies of war. It is rare for more than a fraction of a Chapter to be in residence at any one time, since most of the Chapter's companies spend years away campaigning across the Imperium. Unlike many other Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, the Death Templars have never once mobilised their entire Chapter to fight in the innumerable warzones across the galaxy. Each battle-brother has sworn a sacred blood oath that their fortress-monastery shall never be left undefended and each time the Chapter has been called to war, at least one company is duty bound to remain behind to guard it. Several times in the Chapter's history the masters of the Chapter have had their loyalty questioned when the rearguard company of Death Templars have refused the High Lords of Terra's requests for aid, when the rest of the Chapter is out on crusade. The source of this blood oath is unrecorded, but Imperial histories show that in the years following the Second Battle for Vrykul in 398.M37, when their sanctuary was penetrated by a small force of Chaos Space Marines, the Death Templars made a vow -- never again would their spiritual home be desecrated in such a manner.
When it is fully occupied, Castellum Mortem is home to the 1,000 Battle-Brothers of the Chapter and all their officers, with a supporting staff of Chapter Servitors and Chapter serfs, including scribes, technomats and functionaries that number a further 6,500 souls. Within the Death Templars' fortress-monastery, its halls are studded with alcoves and shrines to the honoured dead. Tiny niches are lit by delicate, diffuse lights, which hold stasis-sealed vessels containing some of the Chapter's holiest relics. Every portal and chamber are adorned with more skulls and only upon closer inspection does one realize that none of them are carved or fashioned by human hand. All are real, bleached human skulls made dusty with age. Along many of the fortress' walls are what appears to be seated statues that run along its length. Like the skulls, these forms are not actually statues carved from the stone of Castellum Mortem, but preserved human corpses. But these are no ordinary corpses. These seated figures are the preserved bodies of fallen battle-brothers who died in glorious combat, and now reside at the right hand of the Emperor. The monastery's Reclusium is similarly filled with memento mori, but with the skulls and bones of the Chapter's many foes claimed in the aftermath of victory upon thousands of battlefields.
Notable Campaigns []
- Terror on Abregado (233-254.M31) - Just over two centuries after their inception, the fleet-based Death Templars still crusaded from Terra towards the hellish realm known as the Eye of Terror. One of their most notable campaigns during this time was known as the Terror on Abregado. During this time, the Imperial Fortress-World of Abregado was besieged by a massive tide of Orks, the largest greenskin army seen since the end of the Great Scouring. Slowly, the orks had begun to overwhelm the mighty defences of the Imperial world. The Void Ravens' vessel, First Hold, was the first to answer the call to arms. As the fighting intensified, more Orks from nearby sectors were drawn into the brutal war on Abregado. The beleaguered world was soon reinforced by other Space Marine Chapters as well as several Imperial Guard regiments and several detachments from the Imperial Navy's fleets. As the war ground on, the number of casualties remained high, with no end in sight to the ceaseless fighting. The solace of Abregado came in the ebon and white armoured forms of the Death Templars Chapter, who had received the astropathic distress call for help, and had diverted their crusading fleet with all haste. Death came to the greenskins both on Abregado and their own foul worlds, which resulted in the death of several of their Warbosses. This resulted in internecine fighting amongst the greenskin horde. The Death Templars determined that they couldn't afford to be dragged into the prolonged fighting on Abregado itself, and so, they diverted two Harrows to reinforce the Imperium on the planet itself. The rest of the Chapter harried the the Orks in their own domains, were their unbending dedication allowed them to slay several warlords preparing to lead their forces to Abregado. Successfully whittling down the xenos, the Death Templars would also later take part in the final xenocidal purges of Abregado itself.
- The Battle for Vrykul (269.M31) - The Death Templars discover the feral world of Vrykul within the Segmentum Obscurus. They also encountered the foul xenos known as the Drukhari – specifically the Kabal of the Bloodied Blades – which had come to the human world to inflict pain and misery upon the humans, before eventually retreating to the Dark City of Commorragh with a screaming bounty of slaves clutched in their merciless grasp. The raiders' plans were foiled, however, as they didn’t count on facing an entire Chapter of Space Marines. Soon a bloody war ensued between the Death Templars and the Kabal. Over time, the attrition of the Drukhari forces left the xenos little choice, but to flee or face annihilation. The Death Templars gave chase, haranguing the Drukhari across the Segmentum Obscurus, and chasing them into a Warp Gate that led into the AAAeldariii Webway itself. Over many long months, the Death Templars relentlessly pursued their foes through the twisted pathways of the Webway, bringing them to battle, and slowly ravaged their forces through their use of brutal shock assault tactics. In the end, it became too difficult for the Death Templars to keep up with their fleeing foes, as the Drukhari used their innate knowledge of the webway's hidden paths to outmanoeuvre their foes. In frustration, Lord Marshal Malik ordered his Death Templars to utilize heavy weapons and explosives to collapse a portion of the Webway, effectively blocking the Drukhari's path back to the Segmentum Obscurus. But this was merely a temporary solution, as the webway possessed more than one hidden gateway throughout the galaxy. The Death Templars knew that the Drukhari would return one day, and that when they did, they would finish what they had started.
- The Tenebra Uprising (014-103.M33) - The Tenebra Uprising was a massive sub-sector wide conflict that erupted in the Tenebra Sub-Sector located in the Caligari Sector, an ancient and nearly forgotten region located on the fringes of the Segmentum Tempestus. Several forge worlds formed an outlaw-technocracy, declaring their independence from the Imperium proper, and soon began raiding nearby worlds in their obsessive quest to obtain lost technology. When word reached the ears of the High Twelve, they immediately dispatched a large Imperial castigation Crusade in order to bring the wrath of the Emperor down upon the upstart forge worlds. Several Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, including the Death Templars, the Blades of the Lion, Imperius Ravagers and the Tempest Knights, alongside several Astra Militarum regiments and Skitarii forces of multiple forge worlds, joined the Imperial Crusade to take back the disputed sub-sector. As the conflict ensued for over a decade, the staggering death toll continued to climb into the hundreds of millions. With no end in sight, and lacking the resources to end the conflict decisively, the Imperial forces blockaded the system, to contain the sessionist technocracy forces. From the outer dark, an unknown Imperial force soon arrived, unheralded and unlooked for - the mysterious and previously unknown Space Marine Chapter, the Shadow Talons. With the arrival of such a fierce force, the tide of the entire conflict was about to shift in the Imperium's favour. Without preamble, the Shadow Talons officially entered the conflict during the Siege of Metis, which was under siege by both the Blades of the Lion and the Tempest Knights Chapters. Launching an all-out assault on the forge world's capital city, launching a Vanguard Strike force deep into the bowels of capital city's primary forge. Once they reached their intended target, the forge's main reactors, and then in an act of pure malice, they planted melta charges. In a series of coordinated explosions, the Shadow Talons caused a catastrophic chain reaction, which resulted in significant damage to the capital. The Siege of Meratis was effectively ended, and though the cost was high, it was nothing compared to the lives that would've been lost had the siege been protracted. Following the end of this conflict, the Shadow Talons would continue prosecuting this campaign, reaping a huge tally in enemy lives and establishing a fell reputation as harbingers of death.
- The Second Battle for Vrykul (389.M33) - The Drukhari returned to the Vrykul System to enact their revenge against the upstart Space Marine Chapter that had humiliated them two millennia earlier. A large Kabalite Raiding Party struck the feral planet in order to inflict as much suffering and terror as they possibly could. The Second Battle for Vrykul lasted many months, with both sides inflicting horrific casualties upon one another. Often, small strike forces would engage each other in smaller skirmishes that saw both sides fighting each other to mutual annihilation. Unbeknownst to the Death Templars, a small cabal of Word Bearers Chaos Space Marines had made a dark compact with the Drukhari raiders, who would distract the Death Templars in open conflict while the Word Bearers infiltrated the Death Templars fortress-monastery Castellum Mortem. Led by a Dark Apostle, the Word Bearers were intent on stealing the Chapter's sacred relics, but fortunately, the Chaos Space Marines were quickly discovered, and a small fire fight ensued, forcing the Word Bearers to retreat. Lord Marshal Valdar concocted a cunning plan that would trap both the Drukhari Kabalites and the Word Bearers on Crysemel's moon, Dimalas. Though it galled them to do so, the Death Templars feigned a tactical withdrawal from Vrykul, and made their way to the isolated moon. Sensing inevitable victory, both the Drukhari and Word Bearers believed they had forced the ignominious retreat of the Death Templars, and quickly gave chase. Luring them to the moon's surface, the enemy forces believed they faced the last of the Chapter's survivors, but this was when the Lord Marshal sprung his trap. The token Death Templars force drew the opposing forces into a ravine, where unknown to them, the rest of the Chapter's forces had been shielded and unseen. Falling into a fighting withdrawal, the Death Templars lured the Drukhari and Word Bearers further into the ravine. Then, the Lord Marshal ordered his Chapter to attack. At point-blank range the unsuspecting enemy were cut down by the hundreds, by the Death Templars' tanks and Dreadnoughts, catching them in a blizzard of missile and lascannon fire. Explosive pyres ignited in droves up and down the enemy's battle lines. Death Templars gunships raked across the sky, raining down phosphex and cluster munitions, screaming Thunderhawk gunships followed in their wake, and without warning, the Chapter's Terminator veterans of the elite 1st Company, cut their way through the enemy's flanks, murdering with ruthless efficiency, while the Death Templars fast-moving armour and mechanized squads encircled the Drukhari and Word Bearers before slicing into them with a surgeon's precision. In orbit, the Death Templars fleet, which had remained hidden by powering down their vessels to bare minimum power on the far side of the moon, launched a brutal orbital attack on the joint fleet of the Drukhari and Word Bearers. Caught unawares, the foul xenos and Chaos Space Marines were utterly decimated as the Death Templars secured swift victory before the full might of the foe could be roused to wakeful wrath against them. The Lord Marshal's plan was executed brilliantly. The few remaining Drukhari and Word Bearers' vessels were forced to retreat, leaving the majority of their vessels behind as ravaged and burning hulks within the moon's orbit. The enemy forces on the ground were utterly annihilated. The Death Templars ensured that their foes would never again rear their ugly heads within the Vrykul System.
- The Pentarchy of Death (732.M33) - In a dark and chaotic period of Imperium's history, the Segmentum Obscurus was thrown into anarchy, causing great distress within the Imperium of Man. To restore order and enact their judgement upon the traitorous elements, the High Lords of Terra convened the Pentarchy of Death. This council consisted of five Last Wall Chapters: Death Templars, Mortiferous Shades, Holy Hospitallers, Revealers, and the Tempest Knights. Tasked with the responsibility of bringing justice and retribution, the Pentarchy of Death systematically targeted and destroyed ten Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes which were deemed Traitoris Perdita (meaning "Lost Traitors" in High Gothic). These chapters deviated from their loyal path, succumbing to treachery and betrayal. The Last Wall Chapters unleashed their combined might, bringing devastation to the traitorous Chapters and laying waste to their home worlds. Through coordinated campaigns and overwhelming force, the Pentarchy of Death sought to cleanse the stain of betrayal and purge the heretical elements within their own ranks. The conflict that had plagued the Segmentum Obscurus for nine decades was finally ended through the relentless actions of the Pentarchy of Death. By extinguishing the traitorous Chapters and bringing destruction to their strongholds, the Pentarchy aimed to reestablish order and restore the Imperium's grip on the affected regions. This hidden and purged chapter of history is shrouded in mystery and often lost to the annals of time, known only through whispers and fragments of information. However, its impact on the Imperium's struggle against internal chaos and treachery remains a haunting reminder of the sacrifices made to uphold the Emperor's will.
- The Anteus Crusade (521-537.M34) - The Death Templars, along with their fellow Scions of Dorn Successor Chapters, participated in the Anteus Crusade, which resulted in the conquest of the Kampala Sector for the Imperium. The Anteus System had been rediscovered by the Imperium in the mid 34th Millennium on the outer fringes of the galaxy. However, the system had long been prosperous and independent, rejecting Imperial interference. Initial attempts to integrate the Anteus worlds into the Imperium through the Missionaria Galaxia, a group of Imperial priests and missionaries, ended in bloodshed as they were slaughtered by the inhabitants of the system. Undeterred, a second group of Imperial priests arrived, accompanied by the three Scions of Dorn Chapters. The combined might of the Death Templars, Tempest Knights, and the Holy Hospitallers' 2nd Priory was brought to bear in the Kampala Sector. These Scions of Dorn Chapters fought side by side, deploying their formidable Adeptus Astartes forces to enforce Imperial compliance on the system. The forces of the three Chapters, fighting as one, vanquished the opposition and firmly established Imperial dominance over the long-lost Anteus System. Through relentless combat and the unwavering dedication of the Scions of Dorn, the Anteus Crusade succeeded in bringing the Kampala Sector back under Imperial control. The Anteus Crusade stands as an example of the unity and strength displayed by the Scions of Dorn Successor Chapters in their pursuit of Imperial compliance. Their combined efforts ensured the return of the Kampala Sector to the fold of the Imperium, bringing order and stability to a region that had long been isolated and independent. The Death Templars, alongside their fellow Last Wall brethren, played a crucial role in this conquest, exemplifying their unwavering loyalty to the Emperor and their determination to enforce Imperial authority throughout the galaxy. The Anteus Crusade serves as a testament to their valour and the indomitable spirit of the Adeptus Astartes in upholding the will of the Imperium.
- Burning of Belainu Minor (471.M35) - In a joint campaign between the Mortiferous Shades' 4th Harrow and their progenitors, the Death Templars' 6th Harrow, they were dispatched to the world of Belainu Minor in the Karkora Sector. Tasked with dealing with a defected Planetary Governor and his administration, the Mortiferous Shades took the lead in the operation. The Mortiferous Shades were sent in for reconnaissance and gathering intelligence on the weak points and vulnerabilities of the Governor's forces. Utilizing their expertise in covert operations, they sabotaged key defensive positions such as planetary gun turrets and shield generators. Once the Mortiferous Shades had accomplished their mission, the Death Templars were deployed as the second wave. They executed a surgical strike against the Imperial Planetary Governor and his apostate forces, launching a focused assault on the Governor's palace. The Death Templars purged the palace, eliminating all life within, while the Mortiferous Shades simultaneously detonated inferno devices that reduced the palace and the surrounding eight square kilometres of the planet's surface to cinder ash. The outcome of this operation was a resounding success. The populace of Belainu Minor was brought back under Imperial compliance after the cleansing of the dissidents and the removal of the defected Governor. The events that transpired left an indelible mark on the history of Belainu Minor, becoming an enduring legend within the mythos of the native population. The Mortiferous Shades and Death Templars, known as the "Wraiths of Death," became figures of fear and awe among the people of Belainu. Their swift and devastating actions created a lasting legend that continued to survive even as the planetary civilization collapsed and throughout the present day. The tale of the "Wraiths of Death" serves as a reminder of the unwavering loyalty and determination of the Adeptus Astartes in upholding the Emperor's will and safeguarding the Imperium from internal threats.
- The Fury Crusade (456-466.M38) – Leading a frenzied mass of lesser Khorne Daemonkin warbands, the Skullsworn launched a brutal invasion into the Ixaniad Sector, leaving a trail of destruction and death in their wake. With a frenzied appetite for wanton destruction and murder in the name of the Blood God, they mercilessly slaughtered billions of Imperial citizens across multiple worlds. In response to this horrific threat, the High Lords of Terra called upon the Death Templars, Sable Lions and Iron Scorpions Chapters, all successors of the Scions of Dorn, to put an end to the slaughter. United in purpose, these three Chapters embarked on the Fury Crusade, launching a relentless war against the Skullsworn and their unholy followers. The war that ensued was long and bloody, lasting for years as the Scions of Dorn Successor Chapters fought to halt the brutal onslaught of the Skullsworn. They faced countless battles, enduring heavy casualties on both sides and sacrificing the lives of their battle-brothers and countless Imperial citizens to achieve victory. Through unwavering resolve, unyielding combat skills, and a deep devotion to the Emperor and the ideals of their Primarch Rogal Dorn, the triumvirate of Scions of Dorn Chapters ultimately brought an end to the slaughter perpetrated by the Skullsworn. The combined might of the Sable Lions, Death Templars, and Iron Scorpions proved instrumental in turning the tide of the conflict and securing victory for the Imperium. However, the cost of this triumph was significant, with the loss of numerous battle-brothers and countless lives of Imperial citizens. The Fury Crusade serves as a testament to the grim determination and sacrifice of the Scions of Dorn Successor Chapters in the face of unimaginable chaos and bloodshed, upholding their duty to protect the Imperium and purge the enemies of the Emperor. The brutal war against the Skullsworn stands as a grim reminder of the unending struggle between the forces of Chaos and the defenders of humanity, highlighting the constant need for vigilance and the indomitable spirit of the Adeptus Astartes in defending the Imperium against such malevolent threats.
- The Third Battle for Vrykul (635.M39) - During this tumultuous period, the Segmentum Obscurus was punished by wave after wave of greenskin uprisings and invasions, the largest being an Ork WAAAGH! comprised entirely of Ork Speed Freaks led by the infamous Warboss Zhardsnark, "da Rippa," a brutal and grizzled Ork Warbiker. Numerous outlying sectors were overrun, until WAAAGH! Zhardsnark encroached upon the Vrykul System. With the majority of the Death Templars Chapter deployed upon crusade, only a token force remained on Vyrkul to defend the sector from the onslaught of the green tide. The Chapter's astropathic choir sends a desperate astropathic message recalling the rest of the Chapter back to Vyrkul. The timely arrival of the remaining Death Templars prevented far greater destruction from occurring within the sector, though it took a further eight months of grueling fighting to drive off the remainder of the WAAAGH!. The Death Templars launched a surprise attack upon the Warboss's headquarters, that nearly saw the death of Zhardsnark, who only avoided this fate after he fled upon his custom warbike, "da Beast". In his wisdom, at least for an Ork, Warboss Zhardsnark decided to recall his Boyz and left the Vrykul System in search of easier prey.
- The Scouring of Mehna (589.M40) - The Scouring of Mehna was a joint Imperial xenocidal purgation campaign conducted by the Death Templars, Star Reapers, and the Black Dragons Space Marine Chapters against a large invading force of Orks on the Imperial world of Mehna. This conflict lasted for a period of two years and saw the convergence of the three Space Marine Chapters to combat the Ork threat. The initial situation on Mehna was dire, with the planet overrun by a horde of Orks that had been allowed to grow in the shadows of the city. The local Planetary Defense Forces (PDF) were quickly overwhelmed as the greenskins rampaged across the planet, wreaking havoc and causing widespread destruction. It was during this chaos that the Star Reapers Chapter, who was pursuing the Freeboota Kaptin Teefstompa, found themselves drawn into the warzone. With the arrival of the Death Templars and the Black Dragons, the combined forces of the three Chapters began a relentless campaign to purge the greenskins from Mehna. The Space Marines brought their superior combat prowess, tactical acumen, and formidable weaponry to bear against the greenskin invaders. The battle was fierce and hard-fought, with numerous engagements taking place across the planet's surface. The Scouring of Mehna lasted for two arduous years, during which the Imperial forces steadily pushed back the Ork horde. The coordinated efforts of the triarchy of Space Marine Chapters proved highly effective in reclaiming territory and liberating the planet from the Ork menace. The campaign culminated in a final decisive battle, where the combined Space Marine forces dealt a crushing blow to the remaining Ork forces and secured victory. The Scouring of Mehna stands as a testament to the unity, bravery, and martial prowess of the Space Marine Chapters involved. Their joint efforts and unwavering determination resulted in the liberation of Mehna and the eradication of the Ork threat. This successful purgation campaign served to strengthen the bond between the participating Chapters and showcased the might of the Adeptus Astartes in defending the Imperium against its enemies.
A pict-capture of the Death Templars fighting alongside their Succesors, the Mortiferous Shades during the Kilandros Crusade.
- Kilandros Crusade (271-276.M41) - In the 270.M41, the Mad Skullz Orks of the planet Kilandros and surrounding systems formed into WAAAGH! Golrag. WAAAGH! Golrag was large enough to not only devastate the Celtic Sector in the Segmentum Ultima, the home sector of the Iron Spears Chapter, but seven other nearby sectors as well. That was not all, as in 271.M41 the Imperium launched a reconnaissance strike on WAAAGH! Golrag's "capital world" of Kilandros and discovered the Orks were attempting to convert their homeworld's moon into a mobile fortress they dubbed 'Da Great Rok'. The Orks planed to use 'Da Great Rok' as the flagship that would lead WAAAGH! Golrag in an assault on Terra itself. To combat this threat, the Imperium deployed a fighting force consisting of numerous Imperial Guard Regiments, at least three Titan Legions, and several notable Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes including; the Death Templars, Ultramarines, Blood Angels, Imperial Fists, Space Wolves, Salamanders, Black Templars, Storm Wardens, Blood Ravens, Iron Spears, Charnel Brethren, Angels of Salvation, Mordekaisers, Holy Hospitallers, Sons of Odin, Knights of Guilliman, Penitent Knights, Astral Paladins, Steel Crusaders, Storm Riders, and the Corvus Legion. The Imperium believed that such a large force they would easily be able to smash through the planets held by the Mad Skullz Klan, however this was not the case as the Ork WAAAGH! was far larger than initially believed. After five years Imperial forces finally arrived at the Kilandros System and attacked 'Da Great Rok'. Though while Imperial forces failed in their initial plan to disable the thrust system using meltabombs, the Astartes of the Storm Riders and the Corvus Legion managed to gain control of the area around the primary power generator and rigged it with manually activated incendiary devices. The Imperial forces were ordered to withdraw so that the power generator may be detonated. By then however, many Iron Spears had fallen victim to the Red Thirst, ignoring the order to withdraw and instead focused on personally slaughtering every Ork present, inspiring the Death Templars to do the same. It was left to the more "level-headed" Chapters such as the Angels of Salvation to successfully reign in the frenzied Iron Spears and forcibly remove them from the battlefield. It was through this that the Angels of Salvation earned the respect of the Iron Spears, something that could not be said for many sons of the Lion. Chieftain Thoore of the Iron Spears, having had his honor stained in a previous engagement, elected to stay behind with the detonator alongside a small group of other Marines while the other Imperial forces escaped in order to restore dignity to his name. The destruction of the primary power generator not only successfully destroyed "Da Great Roks" machinery, but also created massive tectonic upheavals that killed all the Orks on the planetoid. Despite their victory, the Imperium was once again unable to eliminate the Ork presence on Kilandros and the surrounding systems. The Imperium once again turned to conducting periodic raids in order to limit the Ork population and prevent further Ork expansion.
- The War on Mondas (917.M41) - The Death Templars received a distress message in the form of a garbled astropathic relay from the abandoned Imperial Ice World of Mondas in the Scarus Sub-Sector. When they finally arrived, the Death Templars discovered that the Iron Warriors had already culled the remainder of the planet's population. After reconnoitring the planet, the Chapter's Scouts quickly discovered that the Iron Warriors were busy excavating the ice caverns below the planet's surface in an effort to discover some unknown, ancient technology that would enable them to defeat the forces of the Imperium. However, unknown to both the Death Templars and the Iron Warriors, the world of Mondas was in actuality, a Necron Tomb World. The Iron Warriors' seismic activity caused by the use of explosives to delve ever deeper into the planet's crust had awoken the Necrons from their slumber. The Iron Warriors were forced to fight for their very survival. Lord Marshal Valdar led a lightning assault, intended as a crippling alpha strike, but was instead blunted by a series of impeccably-planned Necron ambushes on the Space Marines' Drop Pod and Thunderhawk drop zones. Soon the frozen caverns echoed the roar of explosions as the Death Templars and Necrons fought a series of brutal close-assault battles over a period of six months. The Necrons were tenacious, and the never-ending tide of Necron Warriors soon resulted in a stalemate. Recalling his forces, the Death Templars departed the surface of the ice planet, and the Lord Marshal soon after ordered an Exterminatus upon the doomed world, which eradicated both the remaining Iron Warriors and the Necron forces.
- The Titan Wars (920.M41-925.M41) - The Titan Wars, which took place in the latter centuries of the 41st Millennium, are shrouded in mystery and surrounded by conflicting accounts. This enigmatic conflict involving the Death Templars Chapter has left only fragmentary records, and the details of the campaign remain elusive. However, within the annals of the Death Templars, the Titan Wars hold a special place as one of their greatest accomplishments in their Chapter's history. The battles fought during this campaign are believed to have tested the Chapter's mettle and exemplified their unyielding determination in the face of overwhelming odds. While the specifics of the Titan Wars may remain obscured, the legend of the Death Templars' resounding success endures within the Chapter and serves as a source of inspiration for future generations of Battle-Brothers. The notion that they emerged victorious against formidable foes during these mysterious conflicts stands as a testament to their unwavering dedication to the defence of the Imperium and the pursuit of glory in the Emperor's name.
- The Crimson Crusade (926.M41) - During the joint Crimson Crusade conducted by both the Death Templars and Star Reapers Chapters into the Golgenna Reach within the Calixis Sector, the two Space Marine Chapters found themselves heavily engaged against the large Death Guard traitor warband of Blight-Master Ussalax, upon the inhospitable feral world of Dusk. Ussalax is a vile Chaos Sorcerer that serves within the inner circle of the Daemon Primarch Mortarion. Blight-Master Ussalax travels from one warzone to the next, unleashing his vile plagues upon the innocent and harvesting the bodies of the victims. Both Chapters finally managed to run the elusive Chaos Sorcerer to ground upon the world of Dusk. As both sides engaged one another within the swamps that covered the planet, they were set upon by the first elements of a splinter Hive Fleet of Tyranids. Beset on both sides by the foul Plague Marines of Blight-Master Ussalax, and deadly Tyranid bioforms, both Chapters prepared to sell their lives dearly. With both their forces depleted to their mortis threshold, reports of strange black-armoured Space Marines bearing symbols of death and covered in burning flames began to crop up. Soon, both the enemy forces were beset upon, as squad after squad of black-clad Space Marines emerged from the swamp's rising mists, forming a cordon around the surviving Death Templars and Star Reapers. The relentless pounding of their bolters and the billowing flames of their heavy weapons blasted back the Tyranid bioforms scuttling around them, as well as making short work of the foul forces of Blight-Master Ussalax. The invading swarm and Traitor legionaries were shattered, dispersed and hunted to extinction. The surviving Chapter battle-brothers soon realized they had been saved by none other than the mysterious spectres known as the Legion of the Damned. The whereabouts of Blight-Master Ussalax remains unknown.
- The Third War for Armageddon (998.M41) - When Ork Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka launched the largest Ork WAAAGH! ever raised against the vitally important Hive World of Armageddon, the massive conflict quickly drew in over two dozen Space Marine Chapters, dozens of Imperial Guard Regiments and several Titan Legion into the brutal conflict. The Death Templars responded to the Imperial call to arms, deploying nine companies from their Chapter to the besieged world. Upon arrival, they coordinated their efforts with the overall Imperial commander, the Great Wolf Logan Grimnar, of the feral Space Wolves Chapter. The Death Templars were deployed to the Equatorial Jungles where feral orks had continuously infested the Armageddon jungles since Ghazghkull's first invasion over fifty years earlier. The Chapter set about attacking the largest nest of orks, known as Plateau Greenskin, which had proven, up until that point, to be impregnable. The approach to the mountain were rigged with all manner of ork booby traps, and only through the valiant efforts of the Departmento Munitorum Engineer Corps clearing a path to the mountain's summit, were the Death Templars able to launch a full scale assault. The orks proved highly adept at fighting within the jungle environment and this advantage was telling as they pushed the Death Templars to the limit as the conflict became bloodier by the day. After months of grinding conflict, the hive world had still not fallen. As the Imperium committed vast reinforcements to War Zone Armageddon, countless waves of Orks flooded to meet them and the war became a contest of grinding attrition with no end in sight. After a year of brutal fighting, the Death Templars were recalled to the Segmentum Obscurus, to face an even more dire threat -- that of Abaddon the Despoiler and his 13th Black Crusade.
- The 13th Black Crusade (999.M41) - As the end of the 41st Millennium drew closer, the first signs of Abaddon's long-feared return came in the form of numerous sightings of drifting vessels emerging from the Warp in the sectors of Imperial space surrounding the Eye of Terror. The Death Templars, fresh from their war on Armageddon, made all haste to the bastion world of Cadia. When they finally arrived, the Chapter's fleet astropaths received disturbing reports from the Hive World of Tabor, located within the Agripinaa Sector, that they were besieged by none other than the brutal World Eaters Khornate Berzerker, Khârn, the so-called "Betrayer," who had fallen upon that doomed world and shed the blood of its brave defenders in the name of the Blood God. The Imperial forces hoped to make gains upon Tabor and across the Agripinaa Sector by attempting to contain Khârn's mad rampage. But the blood-crazed berzerker was not alone, as he was followed by a sizable force comprised of Khorne Berzerkers. When the two opposing forces met upon the field of battle they stained the ground of Tabor red with blood. But in the end, the Death Templars were shattered as a cohesive force, as nearly half the Chapter fell to the bite of Khârn's infamous chainaxe, Gorechild. As the followers of the Blood God hated all psykers, the majority of these casualties were from the Chapter's Librarius. The Chapter's spiritual leaders also suffered grievous losses as well. Both were almost completely wiped out. Despite their horrendous losses, the Death Templars were wont to leave the field of battle when an enemy still stood, but were forced to make a tactical withdrawal, when another large Word Eaters warband, Gladiator Group 138, arrived on Tybor to take part in the slaughter. Lord Marshal Valdar swore a mighty oath against Khârn -- that he would seek the blood-mad killer across the width and breadth of the galaxy -- promising him that he would die by the Lord Marshal's hands. Valdar would be the one to finally end him and claim his grisly prize -- Khârn's head -- in retribution for all the slain Death Templars at the butcher's hands.
- Indomitus Crusade (999.M41) - At the climax of the 13th Black Crusade, the titanic forces unleashed upon Cadia, caused the doomed fortress world to break apart and be consumed by the ever-expanding Eye of Terror. With the veil of reality and immaterium finally fraying to the extreme, the Materium was ripped apart as a large warp storm of prodigious size, tore open across the width of the known galaxy - from the Eye of Terror to the Hadex Anomaly in the Eastern Fringe. To escape the doomed Agripinaa System, the Death Templars were forced to withdraw to escape the gaping tear in reality. Despite suffering grievous losses, the Death Templars continued to fight on, to perform their Emperor-given mandate of bringing death to the myriad of foes that assail Mankind and the Emperor's sovereign domain. In the meantime, a miracle had occurred on the Ultramarines' homeworld of Macragge - the resurrection of the long-dead Primarch Roboute Guilliman! Taking command of his Chapter, the Avenging Son fought a brilliant campaign, cleansing his home world of the foul taint of Chaos. He then launched his Terran Crusade towards Terra, in order to reach the Throneworld in order to speak with his father, the Emperor of Mankind. After much trial and tribulations, Guilliman reached his destination. After speaking with his father, Guilliman assumed command of the entirety of the Imperium's military forces as well as his former position as the Lord Commander of the Imperium. He then revealed his ultimate contingency plan that had been ten millennia in the making - the creation of the genetically superior transhuman warriors - the Primaris Space Marines. Launching his new armada to take the fight to Chaos, the Indomitus fleet encountered dozens of battered and bloodied Chapters, including the Death Templars, and led by their Progenitors, the Imperial Fists. The Chapter Masters gathered aboard the Primarch's flagship and swore their fealty to the only known living son of the Emperor. Humbled, Guilliman then revealed the Primaris Space Marines. They were arrayed in the various livery of the Chapters that now stood before the Lord Commander. Guilliman presented them to the venerable commanders of the Adeptus Astartes, and ensured that those Chapters that had suffered significant losses would be bolstered by these superior gene-crafted warriors. With their Chapter's numbers fully restored, the Death Templars launched their crusade anew, intent on ridding the galaxy of the foul presence of the apostate, the heretic, xenos and daemonic.
Chapter Organisation []
The Death Templars are rumored to follow similar organisational structures as the Black Templars, but after their defeat by the hands of Khârn the Betrayer they were reduced to just under 500 marines. The Chapter's exact numbers before that fateful battle is unknown, but estimates range between 800 to 1,000 Space Marines, but following the tragic events of the 13th Black Crusade their numbers were reduced by half. The Death Templars originally had a scattered deployment, with Battle-Brothers on crusade all across the galaxy. However, with the formation of the Great Rift, the Chapter was forced to withdraw, regroup and consolidate their remaining forces. The Chapter's Librarius and Reclusiam also took heavy casualties during the Black Crusade and were almost wiped out. Despite their dire circumstances the Death Templars continued their never-ending battle against the myriad of foes, despite the chaos that raged all around them in a galaxy gone mad.
With the resurrection of the Primarch Roboute Guilliman, the launching of his Indomitus Crusade, the Death Templars numbers were reconstituted with the introduction of newly created Primaris Space Marines into their Chapter's ranks. These superior transhuman warriors were quickly inducted into the Chapter's various companies to bring them back to full strength. As the Death Templars began to forge new and glorious deeds in the annals of Imperial history, their newly inducted brethren proved their worth hundreds of time over, as they slaughtered their enemies with the same cold, calculating savagery of a true Death Templar Astartes. These new warriors' superior skills in the arts of death soon earned them the moniker of the bygone name of 'Moritat' (from the ancient words mori meaning "deadly" and tat meaning "deed"). Inspiring their fellow battle-brothers with their intrepidity and valorous deeds, they have proven to be worthy Scions of Dorn.
The Death Templars' order of battle contains several specialist formations and officer positions not present in other Space Marine Chapters:
Senior Command & Specialist Ranks[]
Specialist Ranks & Formations[]
Squad Specialist Formations[]
Order of Battle[]
As mentioned above, the Death Templars nominally follow the dictates of the Codex Astartes in most of their organisation. There are 10 Harrows (Companies) in the Death Templars Chapter and each is led by a Moritat-Captain who is protected by a Necros Champion, an elite Veteran Astartes who serve as his Honour Guard. The 1st Harrow is composed of the Chapter's Space Marine Veterans, warriors with experience forged in countless battles throughout the Imperium and trained in the use of the sacred and extremely rare suits of Terminator Armour, while the 2nd to 5th Harrow are the Battle Companies who carry the weight of the Chapter's combat duties.
The 6th to 9th Harrows serve as the Chapter's Reserve Companies and are composed of squads of the same overall type who often act as support for the Battle Companies, as well as providing replacements for the casualties suffered by the Battle Companies. The 6th and 7th Harrows are composed entirely of Reaper Squads (Tactical Marines), while the 8th Company is a made up of Wraith Squads (Assault Marines), and the 9th Company has a full complement of Revenant Squads (Devastator Marines). Finally, the 10th Company is composed of the Chapter's Spectre Squads (Scout Marines) and Wraith Squads. Squads of Neophytes (those who are not fully-fledged Battle-Brothers) are spread throughout each of the Harrows.
The following represents the order of battle of the Death Templars Chapter as it stands in 999.M41 following the tragic events that occurred during the 13th Black Crusade:
Headquarters[]
| Chapter Command | |||||
|
 | |||||
| Reclusiam | Mortis Sanitorum (Apothecarion) | Armoury | Librarium | Fleet Command | |
|
Mortriarch Gethyn Merodach, Reclusiarch of the Death Templars, Master of Faith 10 Funerary Chaplains 20 Mortis Sanators |
 Siarl Agronus, Mortis Sanator Primus Mortis Sanator (Apothecaries) Medical Serfs & Servitors |
 Forge Lord Grigori Demekos, Master of the Forge 30 Forge-Smiths 95 Servitors 20 Predators 18 Land Raiders 6 Vindicators 5 Whirlwinds 40 Land Raiders 45 Stormraven Gunships |
 Samael Nazr, Master of the Librarius & Chief Astral Seer 6 Epistolary 10 Codiciers 8 Lexicanum 15 Acolytum (Neophytes) 2 Furioso Librarian Dreadnoughts |
Moritat-Captain Malvolius, Master of the Fleet 3 Battle Barges (Death's Vengeance, The Reaper's Rage, Eternal Fury) 7 Strike Cruisers 15 Rapid Strike Vessels (Escorts) 35 Thunderhawk Gunships 3 Thunderhawk Transports | |
Companies[]
| Veteran Company | Battle Companies | |||
| 1st Harrow |
2nd Harrow | 3rd Harrow | 4th Harrow | 5th Harrow |
|
Moritat-Captain Drystan Altair 2 Moritat-Lieutenants Command Squad: (Funerary Chaplain, Forge-Smith, Lexicanium, Mortus Ancient) 20 Death Knights (including Terminators) Squads – 100 Death Knights 6 Neophyte Squad 4 Furioso Dreadnoughts
|
Moritat-Captain Garralt Arkio 2 Moritat-Lieutenants Command Squad: (Funerary Chaplain, Forge-Smith, Lexicanium, Mortus Ancient) 1 Moritat Squad (Intercessor Squad) 6 Reaper Brethren (Battleline Squads) 4 Scythe Veterans 4 Wraith Squads (Close Support Squads) 3 Revenant Squads 2 Dreadnoughts 2 Neophyte Squads
|
Moritat-Captain Idris Aeron 2 Moritat-Lieutenants Command Squad: (Funerary Chaplain, Forge-Smith, Lexicanium, Mortus Ancient) 1 Moritat Squad (Intercessor Squad) 5 Reaper Brethren (Battleline Squads) 3 Scythe Veteran Squads 2 Wraith Squads (Close Support Squads) 2 Revenant Squads 1 Dreadnought 5 Neophyte Squads
|
Moritat-Captain Garreth Malvolius, Master of the Fleet 2 Moritat-Lieutenants Command Squad: (Funerary Chaplain, Forge-Smith, Lexicanium, Mortus Ancient) 1 Moritat Squad (Intercessor Squad) 6 Reaper Brethren (Battleline Squads) 2 Scythe Veteran Squads 2 Wraith Squads (Close Support Squads) 4 Revenant Squads 2 Dreadnoughts 3 Neophyte Squads
|
Moritat-Captain Padrig Mortanius 2 Moritat-Lieutenants Command Squad: (Funerary Chaplain, Forge-Smith, Lexicanium, Mortus Ancient) 1 Moritat Squad (Intercessor Squad) 5 Reaper Brethren (Battleline Squads) 4 Scythe Veteran Squad 2 Wraith Squads (Close Support Squads) 2 Revenant Squads 2 Dreadnoughts 5 Neophyte Squads
|
| Reserve Companies | Scout Company | |||
| 6th Harrow | 7th Harrow | 8th Harrow | 9th Harrow | 10th Harrow |
|
Moritat-Captain Mabon Dragos 2 Moritat-Lieutenants Command Squad: (Funerary Chaplain, Forge-Smith, Lexicanium, Mortus Ancient) 1 Moritat Squad (Intercessor Squad) 12 Reaper Brethren (Battleline Squads) 1 Dreadnought 6 Neophyte Squads
|
Moritat-Captain Rhobert Vorus 2 Moritat-Lieutenants Command Squad: (Funerary Chaplain, Forge-Smith, Lexicanium, Mortus Ancient) 2 Moritat Squads (Intercessor Squad) 8 Reaper Brethren (Battleline Squads) 1 Dreadnought 2 Scythe Veteran Squad 1 Neophyte Squad
|
Moritat-Captain Leonti Ulric 2 Moritat-Lieutenants Command Squad: (Funerary Chaplain, Forge-Smith, Lexicanium, Mortus Ancient) 10 Reaper Brethren (Battleline Squads) – 42 survivors (Formerly 50) 2 Scythe Veteran Squad – 3 survivors (Formerly 10) 1 Dreadnought – 1 survivor 5 Neophyte Squads – 3 survivors (Formerly 25) |
Moritat-Captain Mordaan Vaako 2 Moritat-Lieutenants Command Squad: (Funerary Chaplain, Forge-Smith, Lexicanium, Mortus Ancient) 1 Moritat Squad (Intercessor Squad) 10 Revenant Squads (Fire Support Squads) 4 Neophyte Squads 3 Dreadnoughts
|
Moritat-Captain Dracul Merikh 2 Moritat-Lieutenants Command Squad: (Funerary Chaplain, Forge-Smith, Lexicanium, Mortus Ancient) 1 Moritat Squad (Intercessor Squad) 12 Wraith Squads (Close Support Squad) 4 Scythe Veteran Squad 3 Spectre Squads (Assault Bike Squad) 1 Neophyte Squad
|
Chapter Beliefs []
Imperator-Mortifex[]
- "Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid."- — From the ancient poem, Invictus, by William Ernest Henley, Old Earth, ca. 875.M2
The Death Templars, like many Chapters within the Adeptus Astartes, have their own and often unique cult belief system, martial philosophies and variations on the Cult Imperialis. Specifically, they practice a Mortuary Cult belief system, indigenous to their brutal home world of Vrykul. It is looked upon as a more extreme variety of beliefs by the more conservative elements of the Adeptus Ministorum. The Death Templars embrace their homeworld's feral beliefs of the God-Emperor in the manifestation as the Imperator Mortifex – the supreme judge of the souls of the dead and keeper of martyrs. Accordingly, the Death Templars see themselves as preordained killers – living manifestations of "Angels of Death" – consumed with the never-ending task of bringing death to those who would defy the will of the Emperor or seek to thwart His holy purpose. The Chapter's tenet belief is that life is transient and that the manner of a warrior's death is all that matters. The Death Templars' doctrine demands that the fallen are honoured above the living, and no warrior is held to have truly served until he has passed on. Thus, the Castellum Mortem resounds through the ages with the mournful dirges of past heroes sung by life-bonded Chapter Serfs. These sonorous chants constantly emanate throughout, echoing throughout the halls of the massive fortress-monastery, ensuring that these heroes' memories live on.
The strange and elaborate funerary customs observed by outsiders are looked upon with some trepidation, as many fellow Astartes find the Death Templars' fascination with death as distasteful, but none would gainsay their effectiveness in battle. It is commonplace for battle-brothers of the Chapter to decorate their armour with the bones and skulls of worthy enemies as well as carry small reliquaries containing the ashes of a fallen comrade. The display of such grisly adornments of hanging bones lends the battle brethren of this Chapter a fearsome aspect indeed, a practice purposely calculated to deepen the terror intended to sow in the hearts of their enemies. Some detractors darkly whisper, though always out of earshot, that the Death Templars have also taken to using the crushed bones of their enemies as lapping powder for their battle plate. But the truth of these rumours remains unanswered, and the Death Templars consider any queries into their cult practices as inherently presumptuous and cause for offence.
Maudlin Nature[]
- "To practice death is to practice freedom. A man who has learned how to die has unlearned how to be a slave."
- — Attr. ancient Francian philosopher Montaigne, Old Earth, ca. M2
The Death Templars have a unique and somewhat grim outlook on life and their purpose as the Imperator Mortifex' 'Angels of Death'. Their emphasis on death and mourning sets them apart from other chapters like their noble and virtuous progenitors - the Imperial Fists. While the Death Templars may appear consumed by grief, they channel these emotions into their Chapter's rites and traditions, using them as a weapon against the enemies of Mankind. The belief that each Battle-Brother is already dying serves as a reminder of their mortality and reinforces their commitment to their duty as Space Marines. By embracing the inevitability of death, the Death Templars find liberation from doubt and fear. This conviction allows them to face their enemies without hesitation or uncertainty, knowing that they have already conquered their fear of death through the trials and rites of selection.
The maudlin nature of the Death Templars may make them appear dark and brooding, but their stoicism and dignity enable them to bear their affliction with strength. They have honed their emotions and transformed them into a source of strength and resolve, using them to drive their actions on the battlefield. This unique perspective on life and death sets the Death Templars apart from other Space Marine chapters and shapes their approach to warfare.
Eaters of the Dead[]
One of the more unsettling practices of the Death Templars is the ghoulish practice of devouring their dead. This practice has rarely been witnessed by outsiders and for those who have, reported never having seen such a horrific display of barbarism. Following the end of a battle, the Chapter's Funerary Chaplains are known to lead their brethren in a macabre display of cannibalistic rites where they ritualistically consume the flesh and blood of their fallen. Few among their detractors realised the purpose of this grim practice. Among the implants required to turn baseline humans into transhuman Astartes, the Omophagea is an organ that allows a Space Marine to absorb the memories and skills of their foe by consuming their flesh. Capable of reading and absorbing genetic material, the Omophagea extracts information as a set of memories or experiences that are added to the recipient's own. The effects of this specialised organ allow for new recruits to be inducted and granted a basic competence with extreme rapidity through the flesh of the newly fallen.
This ritualistic practice of consuming their dead has been a part of the Death Templars' cult practices since before their inception, when they were still a part of the Imperial Fists Legion, during the horrific Age of Darkness when the galaxy burned and the Imperium was torn apart in civil war. Space Marines died in droves and by the latter years of the Horus Heresy, hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Legionaries, both fresh recruits and veterans, had fallen across the galaxy. Legions loyal to the Emperor had suffered greatly at the hands of the Warmaster's machinations, their strength battered and depleted, while those that marched beneath Horus' banner were hard-pressed to sunder the Imperium's defences and tear down its throne before their foe could regroup.
Faced with a neverending demand to replace those that had fallen in battle, across the Legions, they were forced to resort to desperate measures in order to replace their losses with viable candidates. Thus began the launch of the Inductii programmes within each Legion. Methods varied greatly across the Legions, dependent on the availability of supplies and adequate facilities, dictated by a commander's morality or lack thereof and limited only by the depraved visions of those who believed themselves greater in erudition than the Emperor.
As safe training facilities were difficult to acquire as the war escalated, more rapid methods were developed, which included the use of hypno-indoctrination - a psycho-encode process involving rapid injection of knowledge within the psyche of a subject. This included weapon training and the impartation of tactics, combined with memetic packages, which were loaded into the brains of aspirants in an attempt to rapidly mould Legionaries' minds. During this era, the practice of hypno-indoctrination was swiftly accepted by the Legions and though numerous records indicate the lack of respect veteran warriors held towards those Legionaries who underwent the process, it was accepted as a relatively benign method of expediting recruitment.
A deviation of this process was flash-indoctrination, a knowledge assimilation process that relied upon the direct impartation of memories harvested from the brains of the recently deceased. To many, flash-indoctrination was akin to desecration, the theft of the dead's thoughts to mould the minds of the living. Individuals were transformed into simulacrums of the dead, straying close to the fables of Nekromantiae, or 'The Divination of Death'. Ultimately, flash-indoctrination proved a highly effective tool yet limited in scope, more likely to forge a warrior of narrow mindset and unstable temperament than a Legionary of great calibre; to those who saw Inductii as little more than disposable tools such drawbacks were negligible.
However, there are documented instances of some Legions who utilised this outlawed practice during the earliest years of their existence. One such Legion was the IXth Legion, whose utilisation of flash-indoctrination garnered them the moniker, 'Revenant Legion'. Operating in the most extreme battlefield conditions, necessity had forced upon them a number of practices that might otherwise be seen as monstrous. One among these, fostered by the nature of their design and the conditions under which they fought, was the consumption of fallen captions by their followers in order to preserve their hard-won skills and experience. As a mark of honour as well as practicality, it also became accepted that recruits took the names of those whose skills they absorbed, and lieutenants would assume the names of their captains. Thus, many heroes of the IXth achieved a subtle brand of immortality. Over time and battles past count, this practice became an honoured tradition of the Legion, a visceral ritual that bound the survivors together despite their often disparate origins.
During the Horus Heresy, the Death Templars' first Chapter Master, Vigo Malik, was forced to utilise such extreme methods in order to survive, as his forces had been cut off from the rest of the Imperium by the Ruinstorm, forcing him to fight a desperate guerilla campaign and suffering extensive losses at the hands of the Traitors. Faced with a lack of facilities and access to a viable source of potential candidates to become Legionaries, Malik was forced to take extreme measures in order to survive the onslaught of the Warmaster's forces. Though it was frowned upon within his own Legion, Malik's forces resorted to stalking the fallen and wounded champions of the enemy across fields choked with corpses, stealing their enemy's power from them, absorbing their knowledge and skill and making it their own. In the broken places where they fought, alone and far from aid, this trait brought them priceless information and made even the most raw recruits battle ready. This ghoulish practice became commonplace during the earliest years of the Death Templar's existence, allowing the swift replacement of battlefield casualties. Where other Chapters might flounder and fall, the Death Templars Chapter only grew stronger, rising from the ashes of defeat like a proverbial phoenix. This practice carried over into the Chapter's rites and has become an integral part of their cult practices and mortuary beliefs.
Memento Mori[]
- "Respice post te. Hominem te esse memento. Memento mori!"
- — Translated from High Gothic, "Look behind. Remember thou art mortal. Remember you must die!"
In keeping with their mortuary traditions the Death Templars are known for practising the ancient tradition of Memento Mori (or the 'remembrance of death') - the reflection on mortality and the transitory nature of mortality. They often adorn their battle-plate with gruesome displays of the bones and skulls of their fallen battle-brothers, a reminder that life is both fleeting and that only in death, is their duty done.
These morose Astartes have a keen understanding that death is the one constant in the universe and that inevitably all living things die. These macabre collections are evidence of their former comrade's faith, loyalty and dedication to the Imperator-Mortifex (the God-Emperor) - the supreme judge of the dead. To a Death Templar, the prospect of death serves to emphasize the emptiness and fleetingness of earthly pleasures, luxuries, and achievements, and thus also as an invitation to focus one's thoughts on the prospect of their duty's end. For a Reaper-Brother, there is no higher honour than fulfilling one's duty to the Emperor than falling in glorious battle. These fallen brothers are considered martyrs of the Imperium, and as such, their comrades hold them in extreme reverence.
The most common motif of Memento Mori displayed by the Death Templars is a skull symbol, often accompanied by one or more bones, an hourglass or a coffin symbol. These macabre icons offer a grim reminder to the living, conveying the impermanence of human endeavours and of the decay that is inevitable with the passage of time. Another Chapter tradition is the wearing of funerary wraps. These are toughened leather strips that are traditionally used by native Vrykulans to wrap the bodies of their deceased loved ones. Tribal chieftains will often use funerary wraps that have clothed sacred statues of the Imperator-Mortifex, while the average tribesman collects old clothing and other household linen. This ancient tradition was carried over into the Death Templars following the induction of native Vrykulans into their Chapter.
When a battle-brother dies their body is prepared by the Funerary Chaplains for burial, who methodically wind these leather bandages around the different parts of the body. Then the body is wrapped as a whole, and additional layers are applied until it is entirely wrapped from head to toe. Once they have completed the wrapping of the body, the fallen brother's fellow squad members are allowed to enter their martyred brother's presence and cut small strips from any additional material left over. These leather strips are then ritualistically wrapped or attached to various parts of their battle-plate and worn as a reminder of their comrade's heroic sacrifice.
Chapter Gene-Seed []
The Death Templars are proud exemplars of the line of Dorn, and like their progenitors, they too, exhibit the loss of some of the more minor genetic enhancements such as the use of the Sus-An Membrane that allows an Astartes to enter a healing state of suspended animation. They also do not have a Betcher's Gland that would normally allow them to excrete corrosive saliva that could be used to chew through iron bars or spit into the faces of their foes. The Death Templars do not lament such losses. Their gene-seed is very stable and exhibits no other signs of mutations. However, some Imperial Fists Successor Chapters have displayed a troubling genetic deficiency known as "Dorn's Darkness" – a genetic curse that afflicts random battle-brothers with visions of their Primarch at the moment he discovered the grievously wounded Emperor aboard Horus' flagship, the Vengeful Spirit. They feel the profound misery of Dorn and his paralyzing fear of what the galaxy would be like, even for a moment, of an Imperium without the Emperor.
Death Templars, like any of the Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, are intensely loyal and do not take their oaths to the Emperor nor their duties lightly. Regardless, they have been observed to retain fatalistic tendencies which seem to cling to them even in their most triumphant moments. This isn't to say that they desire to die as it is an acceptance that death is the only end to the path that a Space Marine treads -- for only in death does duty end. Everything a Death Templar does is another step along this path and one closer to their eventual demise. These melancholic moods does not affect their willingness to do their duty nor make them turn from their battle-brothers, but it can press upon those they serve alongside all the same.
Primarch's Curse: Call to Darkness[]
The genetic curse within the Chapter's gene-seed manifests differently in the Death Templars Chapter than it does in their fellow Successor Chapters. Often, certain battle-brothers will display suicidal urges and a blatant disregard for overall combat doctrine. Gathered together in specialised units known as 'Death Seekers', these battle-brothers operate independently on the field of battle, and are often employed as efficient shock assault troops and assassins. The Lord Marshal will often utilise such afflicted brethren to undertake suicidal Zone Mortalis missions from which they are not expected to return. These battle-brothers will undertake such missions willingly, to rid themselves of the dark visions that plague their every waking moment, and to sell their lives dearly in service to their beloved God-Emperor.
When the Chapter's genetic curse manifests itself in an affected Battle-Brother, it comes on in three stages:
- Stage 1 (The Shadow of Death): The Battle-Brother starts to see death in everything. He becomes distant and makes little effort to forge new alliances with new squad members, knowing they will soon be in the grave. He becomes more dismissive of death and the praising of the dead, seeing little glory in their sacrifice, only the inevitable end to their duty and another corpse to feed the gods of war. This attitude can grate on those around the Battle- Brother and he suffers with his fellowship when dealing with other soldiers or members of the Adeptus Astartes.
- Stage 2 (Death Cometh): The Battle-Brother cannot help but reflect on the worst side of a new development and will endeavour to find the worst aspect of even the most favourable of circumstances. Quite apart from causing friction within his squad, the drawing of focus onto potential problems and unforeseen dangers (regardless of the actual likelihood they will impact on the squad's mission) can cause compromises in command and less than direct tactical judgements.
- Stage 3 (The End is Nigh): Death is inevitable and the Battle-Brother is already a walking corpse just waiting for the moment when an enemy's blade or bullet ends him. Filled with visions of his own demise, the Battle-Brother begins to act recklessly, accepting that it is his time and there is nothing he can do to prevent it coming. This will not only place him in danger but can endanger his entire squad. The Battle-Brother does not contribute to the squad's cohesion as he fails to adequately aid them in battle. In addition, he tends not to gain the benefit of hiding behind cover, as even when behind barricades and walls he exposes himself to fire with little mind to remaining concealed.
Combat Doctrine []
- "Death is nothing, but to live defeated and inglorious is to die daily."
- — Attr. Lord Marshal Than Mortanus
The Death Templars have followed the same tried-and-true fighting style throughout their millennia of existence. Known for their centuries-long tradition and combat expertise, the Death Templars have developed a distinctive fighting style centred around close-quarters combat and pack tactics. Their companies are renowned for their aggressive and decisive approach to both spaceborne and planetary assaults, employing highly mobile forces to overwhelm their adversaries.
In their typical assault actions, the Death Templars rely on dedicated close support units such as the Death Knights and Wraith Squads. These units are adept at identifying the weakest point in the enemy's defensive position and swiftly closing in on it, benefitting from covering fire provided by other elements of their forces. This early engagement allows the assault units to exploit a breakthrough in the enemy lines.
The Death Templars are not content with achieving a single victory; they aim to maintain momentum and keep the enemy off-balance. Once the initial breach is secured, mounted battleline units and armoured forces move into support the assault units. This combined force continues its advance, targeting successive enemy positions behind the front line. By doing so, they prevent the enemy from organising an effective response.
Simultaneously, the remaining Death Templar units engage in mop-up operations, eliminating any remaining enemy forces and consolidating their gains. These units then manoeuvre into positions of support, providing covering fire and effectively pinning down the next target. The available firepower is strategically employed to keep the enemy suppressed and unable to mount a coordinated counterattack.
Overall, the Death Templars' fighting style focuses on aggressive, swift, and relentless assaults, exploiting weak points in the enemy's defenses, and maintaining momentum to prevent the adversary from regrouping. Their coordinated use of close support units, mounted battleline units, armoured forces, and supporting fire support enables them to achieve decisive victories in various realms of warfare on the battlefields of the 42nd Millennium.
Deathwatch Service []
The Death Templars have a long and storied history of service with the Deathwatch, the Chamber Militant of the Ordo Xenos of the Inquisition. This august organisation is dedicated to combating alien threats that pose a danger to the Imperium of Man. Within the Death Templars, experienced battle-brothers are often chosen to serve in the Long Watch. The Long Watch is a term used to describe the extended service of Deathwatch Space Marines who have earned great renown among their comrades. These battle-brothers are selected from various specialized ranks within the Death Templars, including Funerary-Chaplains, Scythe Brethren, Death Knights, and Scourges.
Each of these ranks brings unique skills and expertise to the Deathwatch, making them formidable warriors in the fight against alien adversaries. Funerary-Chaplains, with their deep knowledge of death and mourning rituals, provide spiritual guidance and support to the Deathwatch Kill-teams. Their presence helps to maintain the grim resolve and stoicism necessary to face the monstrous alien threats encountered on the Long Watch.
Scythe Brethren, known for their mastery of close combat and lethal melee weapons, excel at engaging xenos foes in brutal and relentless combat. They bring their expertise in melee warfare to the Deathwatch, serving as powerful frontline warriors.
Death Knights, distinguished by their skill in wielding heavy weapons and their proficiency in ranged combat, contribute their firepower to the Deathwatch's arsenal. Their expertise in dealing with heavy ordnance and anti-vehicle tactics proves invaluable in the fight against formidable alien war machines.
Scourges, specialized in reconnaissance and stealth operations, excel at gathering intelligence and infiltrating enemy lines. Their ability to gather critical information and conduct covert operations makes them invaluable assets within the Deathwatch's operations against alien threats.
Through their service in the Deathwatch, the battle-brothers of the Death Templars extend their already considerable skills and experience, working alongside Space Marines from other Chapters to protect the Imperium from the dangers of the alien menace.
Notable Death Templars []
- Lord Marshal Vigo Malik - The patriarch and first Lord Marshal of the Death Templars, Vigo Malik was a former Captain of the Imperial Fists Legion. He was a renowned veteran who had experienced the trials and tribulations of both the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. His sombre and mortuary beliefs, developed through his experiences in those tumultuous times, were passed down to the warriors of the newly created Death Templars Chapter when he assumed command as its first Lord Marshal. As a superlative warrior and exceptional commander, Vigo Malik possessed unparalleled tactical acumen. Following its inception during the Second Founding, the newly appointed Lord Marshal Malik led his Chapter, the Death Templars, to numerous victories as they embarked on an eponymous crusade from Holy Terra. Under his leadership, the Death Templars carved a path of conquest and righteousness, bringing the Emperor's justice to those who opposed the Imperium. For over three centuries, Lord Marshal Malik guided his Chapter with unwavering dedication. His stoic demeanour and unwavering commitment to duty inspired the Death Templars to stand firm against their enemies. The Death Templars, with their maudlin nature and unyielding resolve, were a testament to Malik's influence and teachings. However, it was during the Second Battle for Vrykul that Lord Marshal Malik met his ultimate fate. The battle was a fierce and monumental clash, with the Death Templars facing not only a large Drukhari raiding force but also a substantial contingent of the traitorous Word Bearers. In this epic confrontation, Lord Marshal Malik fought valiantly, leading his Chapter from the frontlines. Whether Lord Marshal Malik fell in battle or met his demise through other means, his passing marked the end of an era for the Death Templars. His legacy, however, lived on in the Chapter's traditions, beliefs, and the warriors he had trained and inspired. Lord Marshal Malik's contribution to the Death Templars and his indomitable spirit in the face of darkness ensured that his memory would be honoured and his teachings upheld by those who succeeded him. His leadership and tactical brilliance remained an integral part of the Death Templars' identity as they continued to fight in the Emperor's name.
- Lord Marshal Gath Valdar - Lord Marshal Valdar, the current Chapter Master of the Death Templars, is a grim and relentless warrior known for his formidable prowess in battle. He first distinguished himself as an Assault Marine Sergeant during the brutal Merikh System Purge in the early 700s.M41, where he showcased his exceptional combat skills and unwavering determination. After the death of his predecessor, Than Mortanus, during the First Tyrannic War in 745.M41, Valdar was chosen to assume the esteemed position of Lord Marshal, the leader of the Death Templars Chapter. His ascension to this role is a testament to his capabilities and the trust placed in him by his fellow Battle-Brothers. Lord Marshal Valdar has earned a reputation as a ruthless and bellicose commander, known for his uncompromising approach to warfare. He is unyielding in his pursuit of victory, and his leadership has propelled the Death Templars to numerous triumphs on the battlefield. Despite his reputation, Lord Marshal Valdar is undeniably a competent Chapter Master. His strategic acumen and tactical brilliance have played a significant role in the Chapter's successes. He leads by example, displaying unmatched personal valour and inspiring his Battle-Brothers to fight with the same unwavering determination. Lord Marshal Valdar's relentless pursuit of victory and unwavering dedication to the Emperor's cause has solidified his position as a respected and formidable leader within the Death Templars Chapter. Under his command, the Chapter continues to uphold its traditions and carry out its mission of protecting humanity from the enemies of the Imperium.
- Lord Marshal Than Mortanus - Lord Marshal Than Mortanus, a revered figure within the Death Templars Chapter, held the esteemed position of Chapter Master for nearly seven centuries. His long tenure as the leader of the Chapter is a testament to his wisdom, experience, and unwavering dedication to the Emperor's cause. Tragically, Lord Marshal Than Mortanus met his ultimate fate during the devastating conflict with Hive Fleet Behemoth, one of the largest Tyranid forces to ever threaten the Imperium. In the year 745.M41, the vile Tyranids launched a ruthless invasion, overwhelming the defences and unleashing their insatiable hunger upon the worlds of the Imperium. Lord Marshal Than Mortanus, valiantly leading his Death Templars against the xenos menace, fought with unmatched courage and strategic brilliance. However, the Tyranid threat proved too formidable, and in the heat of battle, Lord Marshal Than Mortanus fell, sacrificing himself in the defence of the Imperium. His loss was deeply felt by the Death Templars and the Imperium as a whole, as he had guided his Chapter for centuries, imparting his wisdom and leadership to generations of Battle-Brothers. His legacy and contributions to the Death Templars would be remembered with reverence and honour. Following his death, Lord Marshal Valdar succeeded Than Mortanus as the Chapter Master of the Death Templars, leading the Chapter with his own unique style and strengths. Each Chapter Master leaves behind a distinct mark on the history and traditions of the Death Templars, shaping the Chapter's identity and guiding its warriors in the eternal battle against the enemies of the Imperium.
- Lord Marshal Dhargus Voltan - Lord Marshal Voltan, the Chapter Master of the Death Templars during the 35th Millennium, was renowned for his exceptional tactical prowess and brutal strategizing. His ability to orchestrate elaborate ambushes and outmanoeuvre his enemies made him a formidable force on the battlefield. One notable display of Lord Marshal Voltan's tactical brilliance was his leadership during the Second Battle for Vrykul. In this conflict, the Death Templars faced a formidable enemy force, and Lord Marshal Voltan devised a tactically brilliant defence to counter their advance. Utilizing his understanding of the terrain and his keen strategic mind, Lord Marshal Voltan set up elaborate ambushes and traps, luring the enemy into carefully planned kill zones. These ambushes proved devastating, decimating the ranks of the Chapter's adversaries and ensuring a resounding victory for the Death Templars. His ability to anticipate and exploit the weaknesses of his enemies, combined with his mastery of battlefield tactics, made Lord Marshal Voltan a formidable adversary. His leadership and strategic brilliance inspired his Battle-Brothers to fight with unwavering determination and achieve remarkable feats on the battlefield. The tactically brilliant defence of Vrykul under the leadership of Lord Marshal Voltan showcased the Death Templars' ability to turn the tide of battle against overwhelming odds. His legacy as a master tactician remains an integral part of the Chapter's traditions and teachings, influencing future generations of Death Templars.
- Mortriarch Vigo Zharhan - Mortriarch Vigo Zharhan, was the venerable Reclusiarch and Master of the Faith of the Death Templars following its inception. As a veteran of the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy, he commanded immense respect among his younger Battle-Brothers. As a spiritual leader within the Chapter, his role was pivotal in bolstering the faith and determination of the Death Templars on the battlefield. Known for his inspirational words and fiery rhetoric, Vigo possessed the ability to ignite a fervent zeal within his brethren, urging them to face the most dire circumstances with unwavering courage. His speeches and sermons resonated with the warriors of the Death Templars, instilling in them a sense of purpose and a willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice for the Emperor and the Imperium. In the face of overwhelming odds, Vigo's leadership was crucial in rallying the Death Templars to acts of suicidal bravery. He channelled the indomitable spirit and unyielding resolve of the Chapter, inspiring his Battle-Brothers to defy the odds and fight with unwavering determination. As the Master of the Faith, Vigo upheld the spiritual and moral principles of the Death Templars. He ensured that the Chapter's traditions and beliefs were upheld, guiding his brethren in their unrelenting devotion to the Emperor and the defence of humanity.
- Mortriarch Gethyn Merodach - Mortriarch Gethun Merodach is the current Recluisarch and Master of the Faith. As Mortriarch, he holds a position of great importance within the Chapter. His presence on the battlefield serves as a guiding light for his Battle-Brothers, instilling in them a deep sense of faith and unyielding determination. As the Master of the Faith, Mortriarch Gethun Merodach carries the responsibility of upholding the spiritual and moral well-being of the Death Templars. Through his leadership and words of inspiration, he strengthens the resolve of his brethren, urging them to fight with absolute conviction and selflessness. With his unwavering faith and unyielding resolve, Mortriarch Gethun Merodach embodies the ideals of the Death Templars. He leads by example, demonstrating unwavering loyalty to the Emperor and the Chapter's cause. His words resonate deeply with his Battle-Brothers, inspiring them to rise above the challenges they face and triumph against all odds. Under Merodach's guidance, the Death Templars are motivated to embrace bravery and sacrifice, for they believe in the righteousness of their cause. His presence on the battlefield becomes a symbol of hope and inspiration, bolstering the morale of the Chapter and inspiring acts of heroic valour. The leadership and words of Mortriarch Gethun Merodach elevate the Death Templars, empowering them to face the darkness with unwavering faith and unyielding determination. His role as the Master of the Faith ensures that the spiritual legacy of the Chapter remains strong, guiding his Battle-Brothers in their unrelenting devotion to the Emperor and the defence of humanity.
- Mortis Sanator Primus Siarl Agronus - Mortis Sanator Primus Siarl Agronus is the current Master of the Apothecarion, holding a crucial position within the Chapter. In this role, he is responsible for the well-being and medical needs of the Battle-Brothers of the Chapter. With his extensive knowledge of gene-crafting and medical expertise, Brother Siarl ensures the preservation of the Chapter's gene-seed and oversees the process of creating new Space Marines. He upholds the sacred duty of the Apothecaries to monitor the physical health and combat readiness of the Battle-Brothers, providing necessary treatments and care when needed. In addition to his medical responsibilities, Mortis Sanator Primus Siarl Agronus plays a crucial role in the overall survival of the Chapter. His expertise in gene-crafting helps contribute to the longevity and strength of the Chapter, as he ensures the preservation of their gene-seed for future generations of Astartes.
- Chief Astral Seer Samael Nazr - Samael Nazr, the Chief Astral Seer and current Master of the Librarius, possesses immense psychic abilities that make him a formidable force on the battlefield. As the Master of the Librarius, he is responsible for overseeing the psykers within the Chapter and harnessing their psychic powers for the benefit of the Death Templars. With his formidable powers as a battle-psyker, Samael Nazr plays a crucial role in guiding the Chapter towards victory. His ability to peer into the Warp and receive prophetic visions aids in strategic planning and decision-making, enabling the Death Templars to anticipate their enemies' moves and counter them effectively. Feared by the enemies of Mankind, Samael Nazr's mastery over the powers of the Warp makes him a formidable adversary. His psychic abilities allow him to unleash devastating attacks, manipulate the battlefield, and shield his Battle-Brothers from psychic assaults. As the Chief Astral Seer, Samael Nazr is highly respected among the Death Templars for his psychic prowess and his ability to tap into the chaotic energies of the Warp. His presence on the battlefield instils both awe and fear in the hearts of his enemies, knowing that he wields immense power derived from the æther. Samael Nazr's role as the Master of the Librarius contributes to the strategic advantage of the Death Templars, as his psychic guidance and divinations aid in their overall success. With his formidable powers and unwavering dedication to the Chapter's cause, he ensures that the Death Templars remain a force to be reckoned with.
- Forge Lord Grigori Demekos - Current Master of the Forge.
- Moritat-Captain Drystan Altair - Altair is the current commander of the Death Templars' elite 1st Harrow (the 'Death Knights'). Altair is a relentless and remorseless killer who excels in the field of suppression and pacification warfare. His peerless skills as a warrior and tactical acumen as a leader is all but unsurpassed within the Chapter, with the exception of Lord Marshal Valdar himself.
- Moritat-Captain Garralt Arkio - Arkio is the current commander of the Death Templars' 2nd Harrow.
- Moritat-Captain Idris Aeron - Avgust is the current commander of the Death Templars' 3rd Harrow.
- Moritat-Captain Garreth Malvolius - Current commander of the Death Templars' 4th Harrow. He was a former Shade Warden (Veteran Sergeant) who was personally selected raised to this esteemed position by the Lord Marshal himself.
- Moritat-Captain Morgan Thanaton (Deceased) - Thanaton was the former commander of the Death Templars' 4th Harrow. He was tragically killed whilst battling Khârn and his Khornate Berserkers during the recent events of the 13th Black Crusade.
- Moritat-Captain Padrig Mortanius - Current ommander of the Death Templars' 5th Harrow. Mortanius was the squad leader of his own Wraith Squad and the senior-most surviving Scourge of his Harrow. He was personally selected for the honour of command by the Lord Marshal himself.
- Moritat-Captain Gruffudd Morana (Deceased) - Morana was the former commander of the Death Templars' 5th Harrow. He was tragically killed whilst battling Khârn and his Khornate Berserkers during the recent events of the 13th Black Crusade.
- Moritat-Captain Mabon Dragos - Dragos is the current commander of the Death Templars'6th Harrow.
- Moritat-Captain Rhobert Vorus - Vorus is the current commander of the Death Templars' 7th Harrow. Vorus served as a Shade Warden before being selected by the Lord Marshal himself to assume command of his Harrow.
- Moritat-Captain Osian Valdis (Deceased) - Valdis was the former commander of the Death Templars' 7th Harrow. He was tragically killed whilst battling Khârn and his Khornate Berserkers during the recent events of the 13th Black Crusade.
- Moritat-Captain Leonti Ulric - Ulric is the current commander of the Death Templars' 8th Harrow and the Lord of Executions. He is a ferocious warrior whose zealotry and lust for war are barely restrained between battles. His bellicose and often fiery temperament has served him well as the supreme commander of the Chapter's assault elements and has seen him lead the warriors of his Harrow in snatching victory from the jaws of inevitable defeat on more than one occasion.
- Moritat-Captain Mordaan Vaako - Current commander of the Death Templars' 9th Harrow, Vaako formerly served as his Harrow's Necros Champion before being selected by the Lord Marshal himself to command.
- Moritat-Captain Aeron Than (Deceased) Than was the former commander of the Death Templars' 9th Harrow. He was tragically killed whilst battling Khârn and his Khornate Berserkers during the recent events of the 13th Black Crusade.
- Moritat-Captain Dracul Merikh - Merikh is the current commander of the Death Templars' 10th Harrow and also serves as the Chapter's Master of Initiates.
Pict-file of Lord Marshal Devas Kane, "The Soulreaper", upon his assumption of command of the newly formed Mortiferous Shades Chapter (ca. 544.M32).
- Moritat-Captain Devas Kane, "The Soulreaper" - Devas Kane, the patriarch and first Lord Marshal of the Mortiferous Shades, was a renowned and fearsome Moritat-Captain of the Death Templars' elite 1st Company, known as the 'Death Knights' during the middle centuries of the 32nd Millennium. As a ferocious and merciless warrior, Kane embraced his reputation as a bringer of death and chaos in the name of the Emperor of Mankind. After the devastating War of the Beast and the subsequent loss of numerous Adeptus Astartes, the 4th Founding was initiated to replenish the ranks of the Space Marine Chapters. Devas Kane was chosen to lead one of these newly formed Chapters, the Mortiferous Shades, which was created from the gene-seed of the Death Templars. Taking on the role of the Chapter's first Lord Marshal, he embarked on a century-long campaign, leading the Mortiferous Shades in countless battles across the Imperium. During their suppression of a rebellion on the forge world of Ordon Primus, the Mortiferous Shades found themselves engaged in a brutal conflict with Chaos Cultists. It was during this clash that Lord Marshal Kane met his demise in his 135th year as the Chapter's leader, valiantly fighting against the Forces of Chaos. The passing of Lord Marshal Kane marked a significant loss for the Mortiferous Shades, as he had been instrumental in shaping the Chapter and leading them to victory in numerous campaigns. His legacy as a fierce warrior and a symbol of death in service to the Emperor would be remembered by his fellow Battle-Brothers and future generations of the Chapter.
- Funerary Chaplain Venerable Dreadnought Vasile
- Dreadnought Tomos Demetrios
- Necros Champion Vlad Radoslav - Vlad Radoslav, the current Necros Champion and personal protector of Lord Marshal Valdar, holds a position of great honour and responsibility within the Death Templars. As the Chapter's preeminent master of the blade, he is a formidable warrior and stalwart defender of his lord and commander. Vlad Radoslav's primary duty is to ensure the safety and well-being of Lord Marshal Valdar. He stands as the Lord Marshal's shield, ready to lay down his life in the defence of his lord. With unwavering loyalty and exceptional combat skills, he is prepared to face any threat that may come their way. In addition to his role as the personal protector of Lord Marshal Valdar, Vlad Radoslav also oversees the Lord Marshal's Honor Guard. Comprised of the Chapter's elite Death Knights, this select group of warriors stands at the forefront of the Chapter's defences and is entrusted with the important task of protecting the Lord Marshal. Vlad Radoslav's leadership and skill inspire those under his command, and his presence instils a sense of confidence and reassurance within the Death Templars. His unwavering dedication to his duties as Necros Champion and his commitment to the protection of Lord Marshal Valdar make him a respected figure among his Battle-Brothers. Through his unwavering vigilance and martial prowess, Vlad Radoslav upholds the traditions and honour of the Death Templars. He embodies the ideals of loyalty, duty, and sacrifice, serving as a shining example to his brethren and a symbol of the Chapter's unwavering resolve.
- Scourge Stefan Carac
- Scourge Sadon Varrick
- Funerary Chaplain Samuil Illarion
Chapter Fleet []
The Chapter fleet of the Death Templars is known to contain the following starships:
- Mortis Vindictus (Unknown Class Battleship) - The Mortis Vindictus is an ancient and revered battleship whose origins lay back to the early days of the Great Crusade, when it first served as a vessel for the ancient VIIth Legion. Surviving the campaigns of both the Great Crusade and the horrific era of strife known as the Horus Heresy, this mighty and formidable vessel has continuously served as the flagship of the Death Templars since the Chapter's inception. As the centrepiece of the Chapter's fleet, this mighty vessel symbolizes the power and authority of the Death Templars as they carry out their duties in service to the Imperium. The exact class of Mortis Vindictus is unknown, but it is undoubtedly a formidable warship, designed to engage and vanquish the enemies of the Imperium. With its advanced weaponry, robust defences, and superior technology, Mortis Vindictus is capable of projecting the might of the Death Templars across the void of space. As the Chapter's flagship, Mortis Vindictus plays a vital role in the Chapter's operations. It serves as the command center for Lord Marshal Valdar and his senior officers, coordinating the actions of the Death Templars in their various campaigns and battles. The battleship also provides a mobile base of operations, allowing the Chapter to respond swiftly to threats across the galaxy. Mortis Vindictus stands as a symbol of the Death Templars' power and resilience. Its imposing presence and formidable capabilities strike fear into the hearts of the enemies of Mankind. The battleship's long history and the legends associated with it inspire the Battle-Brothers of the Death Templars, reminding them of their Chapter's rich heritage and the indomitable spirit with which they serve the Emperor.
- The Reaper's Rage (Battle Barge)
- Eternal Fury (Battle Barge)
- Shadows of War (Strike Cruiser)
- Claws of Strife (Strike Cruiser)
- The Pale Spectre (Strike Cruiser)
- Doom's Herald (Strike Cruiser)
- Death's Wings (Strike Cruiser)
- Doombringer (Strike Cruiser)
- Fury's Fist (Strike Cruiser)
Chapter Relics []
Lord Marshal Valdar's helmet -- the ancient Chapter relic known as the The Reaper's Mask
- The Reaper's Mask - This ancient Chapter relic was the skull-helm of Mortriarch Mordua, the Death Templars' first Reclusiarch. Fearsome in aspect, the leering skull was carved to resemble the face of a human skull, an ancient symbol of death that evokes the Emperor's wrath and marks the memory of the His terrible sacrifice for humanity. Since Mordua's death, each Lord Marshal has taken up this relic helm and worn it in battle, both to honour the dead and strike terror into mankind's foes. There can be no denying the pall of death that surrounds this malevolent relic, nor the power when one sees the baleful red glowing light shining from its optic lenses, cowering the enemies of mankind with its penetrating stare.
- Armour of Death - The traditional relic artificer armour worn by each Lord Marshal, the Armour of Death is a highly modified Mk IV 'Maximus' Pattern Power Armour made to resemble bleached bone; the breastplate is formed from long ribs, bent and fashioned into the proper shape, the Imperial Aquila at its center is also skeletal. Every piece of this great warrior's armour, from the greaves to the vambraces, cuissart and gorget is formed from bone. Similarly to the ceremonial skeletal eagle worn on his armour's chestplate, the rear of the cuirass has a second skeletal eagle as a head-guard that emerges from the shoulders when worn over the backpack of the armour. This is known as the Aquila Mortis, an archaic device that protects the Lord Marshal similarly in function to an Iron Halo. This device emits a very strong gravitic conversion field around its wearer, which makes his armour even harder to pierce with enemy weapons. In addition, it also provides its wearer with immense resilience to even the most potent weapons on the battlefield.
One of the Death Templars' most prized relics, the ancient power weapon known as The Black Scythe
- The Black Scythe - This relic weapon is a massive two-handed battle scythe of unknown provenance, its ebon blade spanning as long as most human warriors are tall. A powerful relic of war, The Black Scythe has long been the chosen weapon of each successive Lord Marshal (Chapter Master) of the Death Templars. This great scythe is perfectly balanced, having been made of micro-folded adamantium, etched at a molecular level with liturgies of harm and destruction. But what makes The Black Scythe so special is its disruption field generator, which is far more powerful than that found on a standard power weapon and which gives the blade its devastating strength. In the skilled hands of a Lord Marshal, the scythe can bisect even a Chaos Terminator in a single blow or shatter granite without so much as marring the blade's mirror-like finish.
- Doom's Pistols - A pair of baroquely-styled energy weapons similar to a plasma pistol, these unique weapons utilise individual charged shells to produce powerful laser-like blasts capable of cutting swathes through even heavily armoured foes.
- The Book of Death - This ancient and revered tome is utilised by the Chapter's Funerary Chaplains as a chronicle of the Chapter's victories since their inception. The Book of Death also marks the individual paths of glory forged by each Death Templars battle-brother. The slaughter-tallies of the Chapter's honoured dead are entered within the tome's ancient, dessicated pages with their own blood and are recounted during holy feasts and ceremonies. Mortriarch Scar is the current guardian of The Book of Death.
- The Claws of War - The Claws of War are a set of unique lightning claws and a long-cherished artefact of the Death Templars Chapter that was gifted to the first Lord Marshal Vigo Malik by Rogal Dorn himself. In close combat, the Claws of War are all but unmatched weapons, as the unidentified phase-frequency disruption fields imparted to their cutting edges prove able to slice though solid matter at a sub-molecular level, parting ceramite and adamantine plate effortlessly and sundering all energy fields and force barriers they encounter. The Claws of War are currently wielded by Moritat-Captain Altair of the 1st Harrow.
Chapter Appearance []
Chapter Colours[]
The Death Templars primarily wear even parts white and black coloured power armour. The power pack vents, chest plate, shoulder pad trim, fauld, vambrace, gauntlet on both arms as well as both knee guards and greaves are all black in colour. The helmet, main portion of the power pack, shoulder guard insets, lower torso, belt, groin and cuisse (upper leg armour) are white in colour. The Aquila or Imperialis on the chest guard is also white in colour. The shoulder pads inset are bone white. The black coloured squad specialty symbol -- Tactical, Devastator, Assault and Veteran -- is located on the right shoulder pad. A white coloured gothic numeral is stenciled in the centre of the squad specialty symbol, indicating squad number. Company number is designated by a company symbol on the right knee guard. Personal honour and totemic symbols are often worn on the left knee guard.
Mortis Praeconium[]
In keeping with their mortuary practices the Death Templars utilised a number of macabre symbols and icons as a reminder of the transience of life and the inevitability of death. The Chapter commonly utilises symbols such as skulls, bones or the angel of death, however, they will sometimes use other motifs such as a coffin, hourglass and wilting flowers which signifies the impermanence of human life.
The following is a list of how each Harrow represents itself:
- 1st Harrow: The Angel of Death holding a scythe in one hand and an hourglass in the other. The first, is associated with the grim reaper as a symbol of death because of its use to cut down the harvest (reap). The second, symbolises that time is fleeting, for death has come.
- 2nd Harrow: A skull and bones to dexter (facing to the left) within an open-faced circlet, centered upon a pair of crossed scythes.
- 3rd Harrow: A large skull facing fowards, centered upon three skythes in.
- 4th Harrow: Skull and crossbones, the skull facing forwards within an open-face circlet and centered upon a downwards facing dagger.
- 5th Harrow: A large skull facing fowards above a laurel, centered between to crossed scythes, the blades facing one another.
- 6th Harrow: A large custom hourglass made of bone and decorated with skulls. The sands of hour glass indicating that time has run out and that death is coming.
- 7th Harrow: A foward-facing skull in an open-facec circlet, centered within a double-headed Aquila with downward striking lightning bolts emanating from it.
- 8th Harrow: A skull centered within a decorative open-faced circlet and surrounding by a pair of skeletal wings of an unidentified creature.
- 9th Harrow: A large white forward-facing skull overlaying above an ancient Fire Support icon and centered within an upside-down triangle consisting of three femurs.
- 10th Harrow: A skull and crossbones symbol centered within a pair of wings.
Chapter Badge[]
The Death Templars Chapter badge is a white coloured open-faced equilateral triangle inside a white coloured open-faced roundlet. A white skull with glowing red eyes is centered within the triangle, on a field of black.
Relations []
Allies[]
Feel free to add your own
| Imperial Fists |  |
The Death Templars look up to their progenitor chapter as many Scions of Dorn do, although with a slightly fanatical fervour. The Death Templars Funerary Chaplains teach recruits to revere their Primarch and their founders second only to the Emperor Himself, for it was he who stood by his father's side during the darkest hours of the Horus Heresy, during the final pivotal battle known as the Siege of Terra. It was the Imperial Fists who resolutely held the line against the tide of Chaos that assailed the Imperial Palace, despite facing overwhelming odds and potential defeat at the hands of the Arch-Traitor Horus. Therefore, in their eyes, the Imperial Fists are held as the pre-eminent Chapter amongst the ancient First Founding Chapters, and are considered living legends to the Death Templars. Therefore, the Imperial Fists are treated with a mixture of awe, reverence and the utmost respect. The Death Templars consider it a high honour any time they have the opportunity to fight alongside their genetic forebears. |
| Black Templars |  |
The Death Templars and Black Templars share an unusual brotherhood, even for Space Marines. Like their fellow Successor Chapter, the Death Templars also have a penchant for close, melee combat to ranged warfare. This is further emphasised by the shared fanaticism of both Chapters, for their righteousness and zeal allow them to face and to overcome the most terrifying enemies facing the Imperium. No one is quite sure when such a bond occurred, but what is known, is that the two Chapters will fight alongside one another until the bitter end. |
| Dark Angels |  |
The Death Templars and Dark Angels share a mutual debt involving a fearsome Ork Warboss and the purging of an Ork-infested Space Hulk. While the two don't fully trust one another, they share a strong respect for one another as warriors, and will fight alongside one another without comment. |
| Mortiferous Shades |  |
Almost from their inception, the Death Templars formed a strong bond with their successor Chapter, the Mortiferous Shades. The Shades found themselves well-suited to long-term isolation, as they often found themselves deployed deep behind enemy lines. Stalking the outer dark, the Mortiferous Shades would launch swift surgical strikes without warning, catching their enemies unaware and utterly annihilating them in one fell swoop. The Mortiferous Shades quickly forged a reputation for melding stealth and guile with vigilance, swiftness and adaptability. Forming bonds of brotherhood, despite their inherent distrust and paranoia of outsiders, these two Chapters will willingly answer the call-to-arms, should the need ever arise - an oath which has only been fulfilled on a handful of occasions. |
| Star Reapers |  |
The Star Reapers and the Death Templars first crossed paths during the Scouring of Mehna in 589.M40, when the Death Templars were given the duty of defending a critical manufactorum from a brutal Ork onslaught. The Death Templars eventually abandoned their defensive position in favor of a devastating counter-attack. The Chapter were quickly overwhelmed however, by the masses of Orks. The Star Reapers then decided to come to their aid, valiantly launching a decisive counter-attack that saw the Chapter strike down the Ork Warboss directing the assault and scattering the greenskin forces. The Death Templars have never forgotten their debt owed to the Star Reapers have sworn to always come to the aid of their brother Chapter whenever they have been called - a debt that has only been called upon twice, in over a thousand years. |
| Blades of Dorn |  |
The Blades of Dorn and Death Templars have fought alongside one other throughout the centuries. The attack stratagems of both Chapters complement one another -- the Death Templars are the encircling hammer, and the Blades of Dorn the immovable Anvil. It is not known when the Blades formed a bond with their more venerable cousin-Chapter, but when these two Chapters have crusaded together they have often proven to be worthy allies, playing a pivotal role during several dozen major Imperial campaigns down the millennia. When called upon, each Chapter often eagerly responds to aid their fellow Scions of Dorn, without question. |
Conflicting Chapters[]
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| Marines Malevolent |  |
The Death Templars loathe the brutal Marines Malevolent Chapter and their excessive use of force against civilian populations. They especially hate their flippant attitude in regards to collateral damage and disrespect towards those they are sworn to protect. The Death Templars have been known to outright refuse to fight alongside them should they be a part of an Imperial Crusade or campaign force. Tensions will often simmer just below the surface when these two Chapters encounter one another, and so far, on a number of occasions the two Chapters have even come to blows, but thankfully, these incidents have been minor altercations. No one knows the exact circumstances that have earned the Marines Malevolent the Death Templars' ire, but some Imperial savants have been able to pinpoint the origins of this seething animosity between the two Chapters, to the events that transpired during the Titan Wars. |
Enemies[]
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| World Eaters |  |
The Death Templars hate the World Eaters above all else, for it was they who laid their Chapter low, taking half the their number of battle-brethren during the recent 13th Black Crusade. The Death Templars long for revenge, and will go out of their way to take part in a campaign, especially if the World Eaters are involved. |
| Khârn The Betrayer |  |
The Death Templars hold Khâarn the Betrayer and his Khornate Berzerkers with the utmost contempt, and will go to any lengths to prosecute them and bring them to meet the Emperor's justice if there is even a whisper of their presence in local space. |
| Evil Sunz |  |
The Ork klan known as the Evil Sunz earned the Death Templars eternal animosity following the Third Battle for Vrykul, when Warboss Zhardsnark and his Ork WAAAGH! led a brutal and devastating invasion of the Vrykul System. The population of Vrykul suffered terribly at the hands of the marauding greenskins, but fortunately the Death Templars' timely arrival averted even more brutal bloodshed. Though both sides suffered devastating losses, the Death Templars' tenaciousness paid off in the end, when they launched a devastating surprise attack that saw the death of most of Zhardsnark's Nob retinue, and the breaking of his WAAAGH! Though the "da Rippa" escaped the Emperor's Justice when he fled the wrath of the Death Templars. Whenever the Death Templars hear rumours of Zhardsnark's presence, they endeavour to despatch a strike force across the width and breadth of the galaxy in the hopes of finishing what began over a millennia earlier, in the hopes that they will one day bring back the prize they have sought for so long -- Zhardsnark's head. |
| Drukhari |  |
The Death Templars harbour a special hatred for the Drukhari for what occurred thousands of years earlier during the First and Second Battles for Vrykul, as the Chapter despises those who prey upon the weak. When they have encountered these treacherous xenos over the centuries, their discipline and judgement has been known to slip occasionally when facing these vile foes in battle. |
Notable Quotes []
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By the Death Templars[]
- "KHÂRN!!! You can't escape for long. You will be hunted down like the animal that you are, and when you are all alone, I will be there to see your death at my hands. The Death Templars will have their vengeance for the fallen battle-brothers that you butchered."
- — Lord Marshal Valdar to Khârn The Betrayer during the 13th Black Crusade.
- "What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for the Imperator Mortifex and the galaxy remains and is immortal."
- — Mortriarch Gethyn Merodach
- "Many will say that the Legion of the Damned are warp-tainted and need to be purged, and others will say that they're the Emperor's will made manifest. But we Death Templars see them as fellow battle-brothers that want to die in battle with honour."
- — Necros Champion Vlad Radoslav, Exalted Moritat, following the Crimson Crusade
- "I suggest you should be more careful Marine Malevolent! Treat the innocent with disrespect again and you will see what it feels like to have a mass reactive shell go through your thick head!"
- — An unknown Death Templars Astartes, threatening a Marine Malevolent for treating Imperial citizens with disrespect during the Titan Wars
- "Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them."
- — Funerary Chaplain Samuil Illarion
- "The life of the death is placed in the memory of the living."
- — Scourge Stefan Carac
- "When your time comes to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home to dwell in the halls of the Imperator Mortifex!"
- — Attr. unknown Funerary Chaplain to Astra Militarum defenders during the 13th Black Crusade
About the Death Templars[]
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- "Death as a skull, or a serpent's coil, the dead tell no tales, bar the reapers toil. "
- — Unknown Mortarchs Serpentia Astartes
- "Prepare to move out, our morbid hungry brothers will be here soon, and they will not appreciate us taking their kills. Move out to the next target, leave no trace behind."
- — 1st Captain Ovair of the Obsidian Blades
- "Hmph, no, you are far too obsessed with your own mortality to embrace the life eternal that chaos can offer. I have neither the time nor patience to enlighten you, so I will simply deliver unto you that which you desire so much."
- "Though these warriors are dark of aspect and morose by nature, they have shown to uphold the khabar and asabiyya as true Scions of Dorn. My bolter and blade are theirs, if the need ever again arises."
- — Rafiq Ardeth Tizqar of the Sable Lions Chapter, 2nd Kárdake, in a rare display of admiration for the Death Templars, following the Fury Crusade, ca. 466.M38
- "Even I have found him, and thus them, grim, that's a fact. It is also a fact that their fascination with death is distasteful. Still. If the one I fought with is a paragon of his brethren, then to say that it makes them weak is a lie. And lying is what make us weak. Now, go make penance for such weakness."
- — Anonymous Sons of Iron Veteran Battle-Brother recalling his time in the Deathwatch with a Death Templars Astartes, ca. 998.M41
- "Alas, before me are brothers-in-arms that have embraced death while they are still among the living. Reminds me of myself."
- — A Laughing Skull Astartes commenting on a Death Templar
Acknowledgements []
I cannot take sole credit for this article, as the Death Templars were originally created by TheSpawn117 over on the affiliate Warhammer 40,000 Fanon Wiki. As the originator and inspiration for this Chapter, he was kind enough to place his special trust and faith in me, by entrusting his original article to me, in perpetuity, and let me revise it as I saw fit. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you!
| Second Founding Space Marine Chapters | |
|---|---|
| Dark Angels Successors | Angels of Dusk • Black Knights • Ebon Knights • Iron Templars • Lion Blades • Seraphim of the Abyss • |
| White Scars Successors | Iron Juggernauts • |
| Imperial Fists Successors | Dawn Templars • Death Templars • |
| Blood Angels Successors | Angels Celestial • Angels of Anguish • Angels of the Cruciform Grail • Golden Seraphs • Knights Angelicus • Sanguine Templars • The Unblooded • |
| Iron Hands Successors | Iron Gorgons • Iron Harbingers • Templars of Iron • |
| Ultramarines Successors | Archangels of Manasseh • Blades of the Phoenix • Imperius Ravagers • Indominable Legion • Royal Herculeans • Sons of Midas • Storm Wraiths • Swords of Guilliman • Wolves of Dantra • |
| Salamanders Successors | • |
| Raven Guard Successors | Iron Eagles • Steel Crows • |
| Unknown Lineage | Celestial Knights • |
| Renegades | Iron Invictors • The Watchers of Anarchy • |
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