This article, Draconian Impalers, was written by CanelitoB. Please do not edit or 'acquire' this fiction without the writer's permission.
"It is my belief that even the greatest of our chapter’s heroes should know the name of our lowliest serf. The Emperor made us more than men, we must not become less than human"
— Vlad Rhapthorne on the Chapter's relations with the mortal population
The Draconian Impalers are a venerable loyalist Successor Chapter of the ancient and valiant Blood Angels created during the 3rd Founding at the dawn of the 32nd Millennium. Down the millennia, this Chapter has garnered a reputation for their savage mien and use of unconventional tactics and were eventually given an ultimatum by their Progenitors;
lose all contact with their Founding Legion or change their ways. The Draconian Impalers chose to lose the support of Baal and become a Chapter apart from their fellow Chapters of the Blood.
The Draconian Impalers were founded in the Third Founding, by Vlad Rhapthorne a Blood Angel who was not born of Baal. Rhapthorne was born on a feudal planet known as Wallchilla, which the Blood Angels brought into Imperial Compliance. In return for solidifying his rule, the planet's lord, a king who's name is forgotten, gave his only son to the Blood Angels for ascension. Rhapthorne was that son, and in his service he found more and more ways to distinguish himself to his superiors, especially the Primarch, for he felt inferior to his Baalite brothers. Rhapthorne was an extremely competitive warrior and strove to master the blade in all its forms.
During the Great Crusade, the vicious Blood Angel was seconded to the Night Lords during a joint mission as an inter-Legion emissary. Disgusted by what he saw, Vlad swore that he would curb the worst of these crimes as long as he could. This event led to The Draconian Impalers to having a dangerous vendetta against the Night Lord Traitors in particular.
During the Siege of Terra, the final epic battle of the Horus Heresy, Vlad Rhapthorne fought hard as any of the enemy and as hard as any of the oldest heroes of the Imperium. At the moment of Sanguinius's death, the first vestiges of the Black Rage rent through Vlad, and the Night Lords on Terra would feel his murderous wrath. In the aftermath of the siege, the Blood Angels remnants found a forest of Night Lord corpses impaled on twisted ceramite spikes, and at the center, Rhapthorne sat upon a throne of the dead. Rhapthorne suffered exile along with a number of his supporters.
Soon after, Gulliman created the Codex Astartes and the formation of the first Chapters was initiated during the subsequent Second Founding. Vlad Rhapthorne and his followers found solace amongst the ranks of the newly formed Flesh Tearers Chapter for some time. At the dawning of the 32nd Millennium, the High Lords of Terra authorised the Third Founding. The venerable Impaler Lord, now sealed within a dreadnaught due to injures, requested, and was granted the authorization by the High Twelve, to form his own Chapter on the world of his birth. His newly formed chapter would dedicate themselves to combating the Night Lords in their own arena. Terror became their allies, with Night Lord champions being captured and returned to Wallchilla to be impaled on great spikes in public rituals.
Like all Chapters descended from the lineage of the Great Angels, the Draconian Impalers are also greatly affected by the twin-flaws of the Black Rage and the Red Thirst. However, unlike many of their fellow Chapters of the Blood, the Draconian Impalers are very open with their Red Thirst curse, and over the last 10,000 years, the population of the feudal world have both accepted and deified the chapter. Every full moon, the people offer their oldest members, those who can serve no purpose and now await death, to the Draconian Impalers' fortress-monastery and have a communal mourning and celebration for the blood offerings. The two curses have another name to the Draconian Impalers - the Red Thirst is called the 'Dragul's Hunger' and the Black Rage is knowin as the 'Rage of the Janissary'. Every Draconian Impalers Astartes carries a ceremonial low power sword in the form of the 'Killij', the traditional blade of Wallchilla. These blades act as large combat knives.
Notable Campaigns[]
The Purge of Nosious (609.M34)- The first millennia after the founding of the Draconian Impalers was spent building their infrastructure, repairing the Castelul Bestiei to make it a proper fortress-monastery and engaging in minor skirmishes around their homeworld of Wallchilla, usually attacking small Night Lord warbands to fulfill their oath of vengeance. However, centuries had now passed and a new Dragonking was chosen, one who would see notoriety cemented in violence. News had reached Wallchilla of a planet nearby that had been conquered by a sizable Night Lord warband and its people were being forced to build something currently unknown. This news enraged the chapter, and the new Dragonking Florin Dalca ordered a crusade on the world Nosious and the might of 10 companies went to war. The siege lasted for 2 months, but the true horrors of the situation were not made clear until the chapter breached the main fortress of the warband. The Night Lords were forcing the mortal population to breed more sacrifices, the children forced to fuse their own parents’ still living flesh into a massive monument. A great towering, screaming, bleeding statue in the shape of the primarch Konrad Curze. The Night Haunter reborn, made from human half life and worshipped by the maddened population of the suffering world. Enraged by the sight, the Draconian Impalers deemed the world lost and began an intense purge of the world’s populace and Chaos Space Marine masters. In the course of a week, millions were brutally destroyed and burned. The corpses of those who sold their planet to the Night Lords were impaled upon great stakes, and the massive statue burned. The stench of burning meat filled the air for 6 days and the great cloud of smoke that billowed up from it could be seen for miles. The Night Lord capture count from this Purge has yet to be rivaled, with all 30 Night Lords of the Warband captured and impaled in the Forest of the Damned.
The Festeross Rebellions (807.M37)- A dark period in history of the Draconian Impalers and other chapters, overshadowed by the 7th Black Crusade, the Rebellions were not unconnected to Abaddon the Despoiler's attack but a prelude. A chaos Lord by the name of Puram Festeross, servant of Abaddon and blessed by Nurgle, was charged by the Despoiler to spread the corruption of chaos across the stars to bolster his forces. To this end, the foetid warrior traversed the galaxy, drawing dozens of other warbands and traitor forces to himself all in preparation for the next Black Crusade. In order to help stem the tide of growing evil, the Draconian Impalers sent their 4th> and 5th companies. It was here that the stain of betrayal would darken the Draconian Impalers and hang over their history like a pall for generations to come. During an action against a Khornate horde, the Lieutenant Tristam was drawn into a trap and forced to grapple with the Dragul’s Hunger. Writhing in torment for 3 days, a deamon confronted the marine and offered him freedom in exchange for a body. Initially, the veteran warrior refused but soon found the strain of thirst too unbearable and relented to the vicious creature. Fully half of the 4th Company joined the Festeross warbands as Khornate berzerkers, alongside elements of other chapters to various powers of Chaos. Cut to the core by this harsh betrayal, the Draconian Impalers sent the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th companies into war, to blot the inky stain of betrayal that now covered their name, fighting alongside a number of other chapters who took action against the growing warband. After many months of battle, the 4th Company, going by the Dragons of Blood, were destroyed save for the possessed Tristam, known now as Scourge of the Angel, who was captured. Sealed within the Pillar of Twin Tragedies, Tristam was seemingly all that remained of the failed rebellion.
The War of the Innocents (Unknown Date.M39)- A land war between the Draconian Impalers and a large warband of the World Eaters. The War lasted five straight days, with the relentless World Eaters forcing the Draconian Impalers to rotate their forces to avoid depleting their ammunition. It was only after Dragonking Alexandru Denis killed the Chaos Lord Guraz with his own chainaxe after a 12 hour brawl that the warband fell into a state of frenzy, killing one another and being picked off by the surviving Draconian Impalers. The War was one of the few times the full chapter mobilized against a single enemy. The War of Innocents is known by some of the Draconian Impalers as the War of Orphans, due to the losses sustained by the chapter forcing a large drive to take in recruits from orphans left on the planet they were defending. After these orphans were inducted fully into the chapter, they received special markings on their armor. Two teardrops mark their left knee pads, one red as the blood they spill for humanity and the other aquamarine blue, representing the tears they shed for their families. These "Vengeful Orphans" had each made a vow to destroy the Forces of Chaos. The hatred felt by the Orphans is particularly incensed by the servants of Khorne, but any who proclaim allegiance to the gods of the warp feel the sting of their wrath.
The Blackest Night (ca. 999.M41)- Answering a call from the Chapter Master of the Flesh Tearers, Gabriel Seth, the Draconian Impalers sent the 2nd and 3rd companies into the Warp to join their parent chapter on Baal to fend off the Tyrannic assault. However during the warp transition, the fleet’s engines were disabled and they were stranded in the Realm Beyond, their comms suddenly filled with orders to return to Wallchilla. After the fleet had jumped out of realspace, the planet of Wallchilla was besieged by the largest combination assault of Night Lords since the Siege of Terra. Dozens of warband combined efforts to take revenge on the chapter for their vendetta against the Chaos Legion. What was left of the chapter was launched into a full scale repelling of the attack, with the mortal PDF Wallchillan Dragoons joining into the war. Despite driving off the enemy forces, thousands were killed in the attack, both mortal and Astartes alike. Hundreds of homes were destroyed, and various chapter buildings were heavily damaged. It was not until well after the assault that it was discovered that the former Lieutenant Tristam was freed from his prison under the Pillar of Twin Tragedies, a survivor of the attack claiming that a group of chaos terminators led by a Dark Apostle who had come with a single goal, to claim his master, Tristam. What this could mean for the chapter in the future is yet to be known.
The Destruction of Brothelarus (135.M41)- When the Primaris Marines were first introduced into the Draconian Impalers, they were not trusted and not allowed beyond the outer walls of the Castelul Bestiei, confined to only a select few of the sparring circles. Tensions were high as the leadership of the chapter argued over what to do with the new generation of Astartes. News had come from Mars about the nature of the Primaris marines and many were extremely against the new additions, proclaiming that they would never fit into the chapter and its culture. Among the few arguing for the new Primaris marines was the elected leader of the group, Horatiu Scortisoara, whose hot headedness led to the bargain that would see the Primaris to be accepted. The Whisperer of Shadows proposed that this unofficial Company would take on a mission, and their acceptance would be dependent on a time limit. If they succeeded, they would be accepted, and if they failed they would become their own chapter, the Draconian Impalers first successor. Ultimately the mission was a success, with the Primaris Marines besieging the Slaaneshi Deamon World of Brothelarus, a gilded world bejeweled and covered in villas. The Company devastated the enemy, destroying thousands of cultists, chaos space marines and deamonic forces, however it was not until the last villa that they truly solidified their win. The enemy had gathered in the chaos lord’s villa, fortifying it with blasphemous ritual and protecting themselves from total annihilation. The standoff wasnt broken until the Captain, and his personal guard besieged a secret passage, dueling the Chaos Lord and his men. The head of the bulbous Chaos Lord was presented to Dragonking Alexandru Denis and the Primaris were formed into their own company.
Chapter HomeWorld[]
Wallchilla, Chapter home world of the Draconian Impalers.
Wallchilla is a planet made up of lush forests, many lakes, and an abundant ocean system. The wildlife is sparse, and the planet ecosystem contains numerous mutant and hybrid strains of formerly terran breeds. The planet was settled in the Dark Age of Technology, and was barely a colony before the Warp storms cut the entire planet off from contact with the rest of the galaxy. The small number of humans, numbering merely in the thousands left the planet in a tight position. When the planet was rediscovered during the Great Crusade, it was found to be a home to a half feudal half technological people, and while there were no widespread wars or tribes, there were 2 distinct cultures that cohabited the world alongside one another.
The majority of the people belonged to the several fiefdoms that dotted the surface of the world, with the largest portions being farmers and villagers who had large families and worked from the time they could stand to the time they were to die. The villagers were simple, clothed in simple garments and guided spiritually by shamans, who oversaw daily rituals, assisted in birthings, and baptized the infants in the name of the Gilded Throne, a god like figure who was said to have guided humanity from the shadows. The fiefs were arrayed so that the farmlands would circle around the main citadels, places of learning, religion, politics, and occasionally war. Here the barons would rule their people, each a practical king, taking taxes, making laws, and train for battle. Indeed, were it not for the High King of Wallchilla, these barons would be kings, warring for land and looking to topple their rivals. However, the High King only allowed for territory disputes, land battles to extend the borders a few hundred yards, never allowing full scale war to engulf the planet. The Long Night had deprived the planet of Wallchilla of many STCs and many dark age weapons, meaning that nuclear and biochemical warfare never occurred on the planet. The most advanced technologies were limited to personal carriers, quick building devices, and small arms and rifles. These grouping referred to themselves as oameni obisnuiti, or the common men.
The second grouping of people were the minority, outnumbered 20:1 by the oameni obisnuiti and were not confined to the villages or farms`. They were hunters, dancers, drinkers and storytellers at best. They were thieves, gamblers, seducers, and bandits at worst. They were the Lupii Padurii, or the wolves of the forest. The Lupii Padurii were caravan travelers, often seen on the sides of paths leading from village to village. When they make an appearance in villages, the people are sure to tighten their purse strings and lock their doors extra tight. The Lupii Padurii are good people in the most, merely families travelling the planet’s surface looking for work and providing the people with rare entertainment, as is their culture. But there is a reason they are called wolves, and a reason some towns are prone to attacking them on sight. Some Lupi take the woods as their hideaway, attacking passersby and robbing them, going into villages and stealing precious items and resources while the oameni obisnuiti watch their plays and hear their songs. These lupi were called the lupi negri, or Black Wolves. The lupi negri were the ones who put up the most fight against the Imperium when the Great Crusade was at Wallchilla. For some hundred years, the lupi negri were driven out, destroyed and killed off by space marines. However the peace could not last, and the lupi negri made their return. The Draconian Impalers occasionally go into the woods, and upon finding the lupi negri, take the most aggressive ones back to their fortress monastery to become new marines. The Lupii Padurii as a whole venerate the Draconian Impalers as a manifestation of an ancient God Emperor aspect they call “The Shadow Walker”. It is not unheard of for them to leave some of their people as an offering to the blood drinking marines to curry some kind of blessing.
Portrait of Chapter Founder Vlad Rhapthorne in traditional Wallchillan armor
The planet of Wallchilla is located to the Galactic North of the Storm of the Emperor's Wrath. It was discovered and liberated just before Baal during the Great Crusade. The Wallchillans who joined the ranks of the Revenant Legion found that their feudal world's style of fighting was similar to the Legion's tactics. Soon, however, the Great Angel Sanginius was found and he sought to curb this violence and make noble warriors of his sons. The Old Legion, Vlad Rhapthrone included, attempted to be good for their gene sire, and some successes were had. Rhapthrone and his Wallchillan descended brothers still found themselves in the thick of battle, cutting and slicing with their power kilijes. During the Great Crusade during a one off joint mission between the Blood Angels and the Night Lords, Vlad and his team were seconded to the Night Lords and were disgusted by what they saw there. Following the events during the Siege of Terra, the Wallchillan elements of the Blood Angels were exiled, and later formed the Draconian Impalers chapter on their homeworld of Wallchilla.
The Wallchillan Dragoons[]
Just as every other Imperial World, Wallchilla maintains a standing army: The Wallchillan Dragoons. However, unlike other PDFs, the Wallchillan Dragoons are highly trained, well equipped and possess a very familiar structure. This is due to the fact that 1000 years before Alexandru Denis became the Dragonking, the Draconian Impalers helped rescue a Cadian Platoon from an Aeldari siege. In return the Platoon Commander, an honorable man, swore his platoon to Draconian Impalers. The former Dragonking, a forward thinking man, asked the Platoon Commander to help refine and better train the Dragoons, who were at the time a loose grouping of 7 companies. The Platoon Commander became the first Duke Commander and began to restructure the PDF regiments. He found that the Wallchillans had a strong, ancient warrior culture, and used this to create a deeply unique military force. The 7 companies became organized, with central command going to the 7 Company Commanders, called the Dukes of Hell. The first Dukes named the Companies after legends and great deeds their warriors had committed. Wallchillan Dragoons quickly evolved their style, the warriors allowed a measure of individuality, such as family crests, animal pelts or gifts given to them by their loved ones. Promotions are earned by great deeds and mighty actions. The commanders are not only called the Dukes, but are actually part of the Wallchillan elite, with 6 of the Dukes being given control over fiefdoms across the planet’s surface. The Prince of Wallchilla also leads a Company, usually the first and oversees military ventures while the High Princess oversees more political affairs. The 7 Dukes are generally considered equally ranked, and when on joint missions, playful rivalries layered with familial cooperation. While the Dragoon do not have the same resources as the Guard, they do possess some of the same gear, including valkyries, Chimeras, Leman Russ, a small number of Baneblades.
Fortress-Monastery[]
The fortress-monastery of the Draconian Impalers in the Dark Ridge Mountains
The Fortress-Monastery of the Draconian Impalers is split into 4 separate parts, each the headquarters of the 4 Circles of the Draconian Impalers. The Castelul Bestiei is home to the Circle of Blades and the Chapter leadership, including the Dragonking (Chapter Master) and all 10 captains. The Tower of Blood is found offworld, on the Wallchilla's moon and is home to the Circle of Rebirth, and where all Draconian Impalers start their journey to becoming Astartes. The Circle of Shadows is situated within the Dark Ridge Mountains, in a great tower known as the Pillar of Twin Tragedies and contains many relics. The Crucible is the great and mighty forge, home of the Cog, the techpriesthood of the chapter.
Castelul Bestiei is an ancient castle, once owned by the bygone lords of Wallchilla. Owing inspiration to the designs of castles on Old Terra from before the Dark Age, the Fortress was used by the mortal High Lords of Wallchilla before the Revenant Legion ever stepped foot upon its surface. Following the conquering of the world by the Imperium, the fortress was overseen by the last kings of Wallchilla, of whom would give up their sons to become space marines, an honor owed to them for their allowance of their continued rule. At the Third Founding, Vlad Rhapthorne took his newly founded chapter back to Wallchilla, and invoked his birthright to become the first of the Draconian Impaler kings to rule the world. After this, Castelul Bestiei was refurbished, equipped with massive anti aircraft weapons, and expanded deep underground, where the Draconian Impalers spend their time in between missions, meditating and sparring.
The Tower of Blood, where the Circle of Rebirth is based, is located on Wallchilla's moon. The Tower of Blood is where all Draconian Impalers are born, and kept for their accession before being sent in to Castelul Bestiei. Centered in the thickest part of the Forest of the Damned, the Circle of Rebirth conducts their many rituals, services, and experiments here. Much like their brothers among the Blood Angels, they seek a cure for both Rage of the Janissary and the Dragul's Hunger, but grow no closer to a cure than before.
Tall, obsidian black and with deep end shadows blotting windows, the Pillar of Twin Tragedies houses the many secrets that the Circle of Shadows, including many cursed artifacts and chapter relics. It is here that the Whisperer of the Shadows, Corvinus listens to the Realm Beyond and inscribes the name of Night Lord champions in the Chronicles of Vengeance. Rune carvings and anti warp inscriptions line the walls, growing in number and potency the further one descends into the vaults within the Pillar. At the deepest levels, the chapter's ultimate secret and shame is contained, the unkillable, possessed form of former Lieutenant Tristram, sealed away so that he might never darken the reputation of the Draconian Impalers ever again. Other artifacts include cursed weaponry, the remains of armor used by Night Lords and the grimoires of chaos sorcerers. Those who enter the Pillar of Twin Tragedies unprepared are found weighted by an overwhelming sense of grief and despair, the impossible shadows and twisting halls only deepening this dread.
The Pillar of Twin Tragedies, the home of the Circle of Shadows
Deep beneath the surface of the planet's crust, close to the core is the Crucible. It is here that the armory of the Draconian Impalers are maintained and ancient artifacts kept until their are to be used again. The Lord of the Cog oversees the construction of the stakes that Night Lords are captured, as well as the blessing of all vehicles and weapons. The Crucible is a mighty forge, blistering hot and carved directly into the metal rich stone of Wallchilla, the glistening gemstones in the ceiling mirroring the night skies on Terra and the polish marble ground mirroring the night skies of Wallchilla. Several giant chimneys belch smoke and soot into the sky above the Blood Salt Sea, which the Crucible lies under. The entrance to the Crucible rests in the center of the caldera of an extinct volcano, known as the Molten Gate.
Chapter Organization[]
As a semi-Codex compliant Chapter, the Draconian Impalers do utilize ten full companies in compliance to the dictates of the Codex Astartes, however, they make use of several specialist titles and formations unique to their Chapter homeworld of Wallchilla.
The Four Circles of the Draconian Impalers[]
Similar to the three Spheres of the Blood Angels Legion of old, the Draconian Impalers are split into four parts, or Circles, all of which fall under the command of the Dragonking.
The first circle is the 'Circle of Shadows', which is the equivalent to the Librarium of other chapters. The Circle of Shadows is headed by the Whisperer of Shadows (or chief librarian) and contains within it the tasks of maintaining chapter records, the logging of Night Lords slain in the Chronicles of Vengeance, seeing to the upbringing of both new librarians, called Umbra Shamans, and to the examining of Space Marines after battles with particularly corrupt Night Lords. The current Whisperer of Shadows is Corvinus the Bloody, a ferocious warrior and astute scholar of the Draconian Impalers' history.
The second circle is the 'Circle of Rebirth', headed by the Red Dragon and contains within it the combined aspects of the Chaplaincy and the Apothecarium. Where most chapters separate the two, the Draconian Impalers second Circle is tasked with maintaining the chapter's collective soul and the chapter's stream of recruits, a task left to a single organized unit. Indeed, while each Blood Priest may have a preferred position, each is fully trained and qualified to be either an Apothecary or a Chaplain. The position of the Red Dragon is in the place of both the Master Apothecary and the position of the High Chaplain. The name is taken from the title of the first Red Dragon who was called this by his fellow Blood Angels for his extreme use of flame weapons. The current Red Dragon is Antonis the Large, called this for his mountainous size and musculature.
Fiii de Fier Captain Cleatus of the 3rd Company
The third circle is the 'Circle of Blades', led by the Punisher of Deeds and the Blotter of Hate. These two champions of the Draconian Impalers oversee the training of Space Marines from their induction as Scouts (called 'New Wings') all the way up to the ranks of full-blooded Space Marine (called 'Blood Wings') They rarely leave the fortress-monastery, seeing to the many duties that come with their positions. The Punisher of Deeds is one of the few Astartes among the Draconian Impalers who utilize Terminator Armour, as the majority has a great deal of uncertainty in them. This is because the Draconian Impalers feel the need to fly, in inherent need born into their gene-seed more strongly than that of other sons of the Great Angel. As a result, a vast number of the Impalers are Assault Marines. When asked if terminator armor would be an improvement on current wargear, the Draconian Impalers' answers were mostly, "I would try it once".
The final circle is called 'The Cog' and consists of the chapter’s Techmarines. Here wargear is maintained, and vehicles repaired. The Cog operates almost exactly the same as the forges of other chapters, with the additional task of creating the massive spikes that Night Lords are impaled upon. This Circle is led by the Lord of the Cog, Serghei Razvan.
Specialist Units & Formations[]
Order of the Dragon Brother Leon Balan the Wrathborn
The Order of the Dragon[]
12 of the deadliest warriors within the Draconian Impalers, the Order of the Dragon each wields a relic weapon and bears skeletal wings upon their backs. While some wield Glaives Encarmine, the majority wield weapons taken from the cold dead hands of traitors and purged of the taint of chaos. At their most basic, they are the sanguinary guard, but among their many tasks includes hunting down enemy commanders and overseeing populous purges, should the need arise. Part of their mystery comes from the fact that they never remove their helmets and that they never speak, except to issue warning once. Each of the 12 represents a Wallchillan month, and each has this represented on their left knee cap, by way of symbol. Brother Leon Balan, for instance, is the 5th month, Nașterea Leului, the first month of summer. His kneepad depicts a snarling lion, for it is the Soare Leu, or Lion Sun, that brings the heat. Each also takes the name Balan as a last name to honor the first of the Draconian Impalers to complete all 37 of the Vows.
Grandmaster Petru Balan, the Divine Hammer, Destroyer of the Flayed Host
Aside from the 12, they are lead by the Grandmaster of the Order, who himself represents the planet Wallchilla. The current Grandmaster is Petru Balan, also known as The Divine Hammer. Petru wields a deamonhammer known as HateMonger, given to him after he ground the head of a Keeper of Secrets into the dirt.
The Circle of the Blade[]
Thunderhawk, Chalice of Predation, belonging to the 2nd Company and manned by Brother Horea
New Wings: Recently inducted Scout Marines. They act mostly in the manner prescribed by the Codex Astartes, though as sons of Sanguinius they have the tendency to charge their opponents with combat knives when they get too close. It is as New Wings that these young warriors learn to harness the Dragul's Hunger. All New Wings are distinguished by a dragon hatching from an egg on their right knee pad.
Blood Wings: Fully implanted and trained as Scouts, New Wings become Blood Wings, warriors equipped with jump packs and standard weapons. As all Draconian Impalers wield low power Kilijes similar to combat knives, they are not considered fully equivalent to Assault Marines but can come armed with bolters, plasma rifles, and meltas. In fact, all Blood Wings act as Tactical Marines until the enemy is devastated by the fusillade that the highly trained combatants loose. Once the enemy line is considered safe, the Draconian Impalers draw their Kilijes and fly into the heat of battle, eager to wet their swords. Blood Wings are marked by a fully grown dragon on their right knee pads.
The Uria: Named after the giant men of the forest said to protect spots considered sacred to the native Wallchillans, the Uria bear a close resemblance to Devastator Marines of the Codex Astartes. The Uria take it upon themselves to shed their wings and become ground-bound, if only for some short-term. Carrying heavy weapons and specialty charges, the Uria support their brothers, targeting that which could spell doom for their winged kin. Vehicles, artillery, and armored lines will face the relentless pounding of Uria formations, too distracted by the damage being wrought to properly target the Blood Wings. The Uria are marked by a golden mountain on the right knee pad.
The Fiii de Fier: Called the sons of iron in the native tongue of Wallchilla, the Fiii de Fier are Terminator Marines, however the position is never permanent due to the reluctance to give up flying, even for its superb protection, by the Draconian Impalers. These warriors are chosen from the most skilled marksmen and close combatants of the Blood Wings, and equipped to withstand the harshest environments and toughest opponents. The Fiii de Fier are often only chosen for these missions in the most dire circumstances, such as Space Hulk boarding missions. When not in use, terminator armor is kept in the very heart of The Cog, under constant guard, relics of the Draconian Impalers through and through. On the right knee pad, Fiii de Fier bears a silver chain wrapped in a circle.
The Mist Runners: Another name for those Space Marines on attack bikes. Their bikes are modified to be slightly quieter than the average bikes of other chapters, creating excellent opportunities for devastating stealth attacks. Despite not needing any marking, Mist Runners bear a lupine beast shrouded by mist on the right knee pad.
The Strigoi: Dreadnoughts of the Draconian Impalers are called the Strigoi after an ancient legend of undead creatures said to rise from the grave late at night to attack and punish the wicked for their committed sins. The Draconian Impalers interred in dreadnought sarcophagus are fearsome warriors, each a legend his own. The Strigoi are awoken from time to time, their brothers asking for advice and occasionally to feed them the blood of that is collected to sate the Dragul's Hunger that affects even the dreadnoughts.
The Onorat: Meaning the "honored", the Onorat are chosen to represent the chapter as the champions of the Draconian Impalers. They are given the power to pick ancient artifacts for his gear, armor, and weapons. They protect their captains, and engage the champions of the xenos and Chaos. They are warriors unparalleled, armed to the teeth to kill. Most Onorat wield a heavy bladed power scimitars and small buckler storm shields to protect themselves and their wards. All Onorat have a shield and two swords crossed behind on their right knee pad.
Purtatori Antici: The Chapter's ancients, chosen to bear the honour scrolls, and the company banners. There has never been a case of the Purtatori Antici dropping the banner entrusted to them. Purtatori Antici are marked by a snarling lion on their right knee pad.
Janissaries: The Rage of the Janissary is one of the few signs that connect the Blood Angels back to their abandoned sons, the Draconian Impalers. The psychic imprint of the death of Sanguinius at the hands of Horus plays at the pit of their souls, threatening to plunge the Draconian Impalers into a maddened bloodlust, making them like beasts. In the eyes of the Janissary, they are fighting on the walls of the Imperial Palace, or even battling the Arch-Traitor Horus as the Great Angel himself. Those who are still useful are structured into loose teams, similar to the affected Astartes of the Blood Angels' Death Company, led by a Blood Priest specially trained to corral the frenzied marines. Due to the equipment loss that is associated with the path of the Janissary, the maddened marines are given chainswords instead of power Kilijes and standard bolters. The armour of the Janissary is painted black and red, with a golden death mask to symbolize their death, both of mind and later of the body. Violence and death follow in their wake.
Primaris Marines: Called more simply The New Sons, the Primaris marines inducted into the Draconian Impalers took new form, new life and became new weapons in the battle against the Night Lords
Night Howlers: The various vanguard units of the Primaris found more than welcome home among the Draconian Impalers, who strike hard and strike fast. Incursors and Reivers in particular were quickly accepted, their preference for getting up close and personal with their foes giving them a quick edge. Called the Night Howlers after the sub culture of elite scout marauders who helped train them. Night Howlers are exclusively pulled from the Lupi Negri population, their former lives as bandits giving them excellent experience to draw from. All Night Howlers are marked by a blood red wolf in front of a half moon on their right and left knee pads.
Solomonar: Not called Blood Wings, Inceptors and Assault Intercessors are blended into a strange and dangerous combination. Flying through the sky to deliver death with their boltstorm gauntlets before engaging with the foe in melee distance. Each of the warriors wields a single boltstorm gauntlet and a chainsword, allowing them to do battle from afar and up close, giving them the power to spill blood anywhere on the battlefield. Named after the Wallchillan myth of ancient wizards said to create the tempests and hailstorms that would batter the world. These dangerous warriors are marked by two crossed ice blue axes on the right knee pad.
Tineri Vanator: Meaning the Young Hunters, the Tineri Vanator are also known as Primaris Outriders, blazing into the battlefield on attack bikes to rip into enemy lines. These warriors wield power lances to shatter their lines and then draw short power swords to hack the enemy from limb to limb, their forward bolters roaring as they kill droves of enemies. These dangerous warriors are marked by a spear piercing a heart on the right knee pad.
Respiratii de Foc: The Codex Astartes prescribes the use of heavy intercessors, eradicators and heavy hellblasters as separate troops, but the Draconian Impalers have combined into a single squad known as the Fire Breathers, who support the Solomonar much like how the Uria support the Blood Wings. These 5 man squads pack intense firepower and can burn whole enemy lines to ashes in moments. The Respiratii de Foc are marked by a dragon head belching flame on their right knee pad.
Stapanii Lamei: Known as the Lords of the Blade in Wallchillan, these primaris warriors mirror the Bladeguard Veterans of other chapters. They are violent, destructive and cold blooded, Stapanii Lamei can cut a bloody swathe across the battlefield to strike directly at the heart of the foe. Where the Night Howlers are a scalpel, the Stapanii Lamei are a heavy bladed knife, designed to destroy with impunity. They wield similar gear to the Onorat, but with the heavy primaris gravis to give them greater defensive capabilities. Some Lamei sergeants wield large boar spears, power mauls or heavy broad axes, to give them an even deadlier edge in combat. They do not leave survivors, to do so would be a dishonor on themselves and on the chapter. A single one is called a Lordul Lamei, or a Lord of the Blade. They are marked by three knives in a descending order on their right knee pads.
Honorbearers: Eager to prove themselves worthy, the Honorbearers zealously carry the few banners that they have, facing death and destruction to avoid allowing the sacred cloth to touch the ground for even a moment. They blast those that come too close to them with powerful bolt rifles or hack at them with power swords, fulfilling their many oaths of piety and loyalty. It is not unusual to find the Honorbearers reciting the history of their banners to themselves, always seeking to better learn their history and embody the ideals of the Draconian Impalers. These pious sons are marked by a laurel wreathed skull on their right leg and are represented by the company Honorbearer Anatolie Stocia, who marches into battle with the banner "Victory over Excess", encouraging his brothers to greater heights of glory.
The Renascutul: Heroes of the 11th, with their flesh sheered and their bodies destroyed will find themselves sealed within a Redemptor Dreadnought Sarchopagus, reborn as one of the Resurrected and sent to burn the enemies of the Imperium down with reckless abadon. Not lightly are these dread warriors loosed, for their bodies are merely batteries for the powerful vessals they inhabit, and thusly require frequent mantainance from the Forgeborn primaris techpriests.
Specialist Ranks[]
The Circle of Rebirth[]
Pater Nicu Ciobanu of the First Company
Blood Priests: The Blood Priests look over the physical well-being of the chapter as Apothecaries and the spiritual well-being as the chaplains. Every Blood Priest is trained to carry out both positions, however each one has his own preference over which he acts more as. Those who take the position of apothecary more are referred to inofficially as the Red Surgeons, and those that follow the path of the Chaplain are called the Soul Clerics by their brothers. The Soul Clerics that are trained to lead the Janissaries are old, highly experienced and much respected members of the Circle of Rebirth. If the Janissaries are too far gone to die in battle, the Soul Clerics use specialized crozius arcanum axes to remove the head, giving them a quick honorable death. Due to the restrictions placed on the Draconian Impalers by the Blood Angels, High Chaplain Astorath the Grim does not visit this Successor Chapter, and the Draconian Impalers refuse the visits of the Redeemer of the Lost on the rare occasions that he chooses to ignore the commands of Baal. They insist that until Baal accepts the sons of Wallchilla as true sons of Sanguinius without price, they will take care of their own in their manner. Every member of the Circle of the Rebirth wears crimson armor with bronze trim and white cloth, representing their twin roles of chaplain and apothecaries.
Primaris Preotii Renastrtii have recently been added into the Draconian Impalers, eager to make their mark on the universe, learning from their predcessors and forging their own path in the Draconian Impalers. The Preotii Renastrtii are very similar to the Blood Priests, with the Primaris warriors being blended apothecaries and chaplains, seeing the care of the physical being and the spiritual being as a task suited for a single group.
The Calau Jalnic of the Draconian Impalers, wielding the Reaper's Burden
The Calau Jalnic, or Mournful Executioner, is a single warrior charged with the tasks of a judicar, keeping the primaris marines in line and to eliminate those lost to the Rage of the Jannisary. To keep the sin of fratricide from staining the hands of the Preotii Renastrtii, only the Calau Jalnic slays those that are cursed, allowing the scorn and distrust to rest on a single soul. Due to the strain of the burdens carried, and the horrible noose around the throat of this warrior, the process of choosing the Calau is strenous, beginning with the near total massacre of his squad, leaving only him. He is marked as deceased in company records, and he takes the name Sadia Intunecata, and he wears a masked helmet to hide his true identity at all times. At his death, he is quietly buried and another fills his place almost instantly. The Calau Jalnic wields "The Reaper's Burden" and wears the armor "Weight of the Lost".
The Wyrms: Fourteen Blood Priests chosen by the Red Dragon for their formidable skills as both apothecaries and chaplains. The 14 Wyrms are given a silver spiraling dragon on their left shoulder pad, to mark him as an heir to the title of Red Dragon. Various tests are presented to the Wyrms, all designed by the Red Dragon to mold them into proper heirs of the position. The final test is given when three Wyrms remain. They are cast into the Den of the Beast to create their masks and to survive the mutated Draconian Impalers left there. When the surviving Wyrm claws his way back, the Red Dragon passes on his armor, and retires to become a Lorzii Mortii or to help train those who are to become Blood Priests.
Lorzii Mortii: Equivalent to the Moritats of the ancient Legiones Astartes, these warriors wear armor that is colored white and black, the Lorzii Mortii are marines who, for some reason or another, pledged an oath to The Red Dragon and the Circle of Rebirth to give their lives in service. The Death Lords are armored like their brothers among the Blood Wings but with stylized wings that swoop from their jump packs and wear special masks, half marked as a perfect golden rendering of their face, and the other a silver skull in a horrid grimace. Many of the Lorzii Mortii are marked by scars, missing limbs, and mechanical implants. Each is a survivor, and many among the Draconian Impalers joke that it would be easier to kill a god than a Lorzii Mortii.
The Ultima Linie: Among the Lorzii Mortii are an even more honored group. The Ultima Linie are two dozen of the oldest and most experienced of the Lorzii Mortii, and when the Red Dragon enters battle, the Ultima Linie will be by his side, tearing through enemies with malice and hate tempered by pain and regret. Should the Red Dragon be in mortal danger, the Ultima Linie will throw their bodies in front of him, regardless of what it is that threatens their lord. Their weapons are exotic, some even more ancient than the armories of Baal. Master wrought plasma weapons, bolt pistols with history scrolls longer than a man, and relic weapons whose original bearers names are lost to the fog of time and prehistory.
The Circle of Shadows[]
A Draconian Impalers Umbra Shaman, Mannfred Von Carstein
Umbra Shamans: The Libarium of the Draconian Impalers is a unique one, each member who takes to the field tried and tested against the Realm Beyond in vigorous trials and tests. The Umbra Shamans are trained to wield the Warp as a weapon unlike any other, when a Shaman casts his power out, the very shadows cast by the enemy surges out, gripping their flesh and armor, dragging them down and tearing them apart like wild animals. The Shaman will cast his hand out, the black daggers streaking across the ground and slaying the foe without leaving a mark on the body. It is not unusual for a skilled shaman to be able to summon up familiars from their inky black double, with particularly powerful familiars appearing almost white. Some Shamans are capable of moving across the surface of the Realm Beyond to step out of the black behind enemy lines, a whole squad suddenly materializing to wreak havoc on the damned. Umbra Shamans is what the epistolary is called by the Draconian Impalers chapter. Primaris Umbra Shamans are slowly building their reputation within the Draconian Impalers.
Penumbran Wardens: The equivalent of the Codicier is referred to as the Penumbran Wardens, and they finalize all battle reports and have access to the rarer chapter relics and records.
The Keeper of the Scrolls: Lexicaniums are called The Keepers of the Scrolls, as they are trained and grow more powerful they maintain chapter records and help compile battle reports. Keepers of the Scrolls are occasionally called on by their shadow Shaman teachers to help check on and reinvigorate wards that are placed upon the corpses of the Night Lords and upon relics captured from the Chaos Lords.
Dhampir: Primaris Librarians are called Dhampir, after the half vampire, half mortal denizens of the night. These legendary beings were born of illicit pacts of witches to grant them a hold over mortal populations. These Dhampir are not born of demonic pacts, but they use their special blend of umbramancy and Obscuration disciplines, they can produce the effect of being born of evil. Creating hallucinations from nothing, diving into their enemies minds with shadowy apparitions and peering into the very soul to torment their foes with visions of their worst fears. Dhampir often paint their faces with black skulls and white spirals on the forehead.
Note: Some Umbra Shamans are blessed with the Great Angel's foresight, these ones are given a place alongside their commanders to guide his hand in battle. These ones are called the Piercers of the Veil.
The Mare Strigoi: Umbra Shamans too injured to be saved, but not quite dead enough to bury are entombed in dreadnought sarcophagi and reborn as Mare Strigoi. Wise and powerful, it seems that when cut off from the world by their metal tombs, Draconian Impaler librarians only grow in power, as though their connection the the Realm Beyond is strengthened and deepened. Mare Strigoi have been known to use powers that living Shamans could only ever dare to dream of, tearing apart an enemy aircraft squad apart like paper with barely an effort, tumbling whole fortresses down as though they were children's toys, even enemies warded seem no match for the Mare Strigoi. It is said that if required, the Mare Strigoi could move a whole company of marines through the shadows behind enemy lines, and that were they to combine their power, the full power of them could tear the planet of Wallchilla out of its orbit and relocate it and its moon. Fortunately for the enemies of the Draconian Impalers they are rare and are often only deployed in the most dire of situations.
Order of Battle[]
Headquarters[]
Chapter Command The Order of the Dragon
Dragonking Alexandru Denis,
The High King of Wallchilla, The Lord of the Lupi
Gemeni de Moarte (Ladinas & Uta Gemeni)
Personal Bodyguard of Alexandru (Chapter Champions)
Command Squad:
Purtatori Antici (Chapter Standard Bearer)
Blood Priest (Apothecary/Chaplain)
Soul Cleric (Chaplain)
The Steel Brothers (Techmarine)
Chapter Equerries
Serfs & Servitors
The Circle of Rebirth (Blood Priesthood)
The Circle of Shadows (Librarius)
The Cog (Armourium)
Chapter Fleet Command
Antonis the Large, The Red Dragon
The Patriarch of Rebirth
The Wyrms
Blood Priests-
Red Surgeons(Apothecaries)
Soul Clerics (Chaplains)
Corvinus the Blood, Whisperer of Shadows
Keeper of Records, The Sandman Reborn
Umbra Shamans
Penumbran Wardens (Codiciers)
The Keeper of the Scrolls (Lexicaniums)
The Mare Strigoi
Serghei Razvan, Bender of Steel
The Lord of the Cog (Master of the Forge)
The Steel Brothers (Techmarines)
Servitors
Captain Anghel
The Winged Blade (Master of the Fleet)
Battle Barges (The Blood Devil, Forsaken Fraternity, Stefan's Blade)
Strike Cruisers (The Howling Castle, The Beautiful Son, The Black Whisper, Mihai the Fearless, The Rage of Rhapthorne)
16 Unnamed Frigates
Companies[]
The Order of the Blade (Companies)
Veteran Company
Battle Companies
1st Company The Blood Spillers
2nd Company The One Hundred Swords
3rd Company Lupii De Aur
4th Company The Avenging Angels
5th Company Rhapthorne’s Claws
The Prince of Blood,Captain Grigore Tepes, The Dragul's Spear
2 Lieutenants
1 Purtatori Antici
1 Onorat
75 Blood Spiller veterans
5 Veterans Mist Runner Blood Spiller Squads
10 Furioso Strigoi
The March Commander, Captain Vilhelm
2 Lieutenants
1 Purtatori Antici
6 Blood Wings Squads
2 Uria Squads
2 Mist Runner Squads
5 Strigoi
The Gilded Wolf, Captain Mihas
2 Lieutenants
1 Purtatori Antici
6 Mist Runner Squads
4 Blood Wing Squads
5 Strigoi
The Winged Blade, Captain Anghel
2 Lieutenants
1 Purtatori Antici
1 Onorat
7 Blood Wing Squads
2 Mist Runner Squads
1 Uria Squads
6 Strigoi
The Wrathful Watcher, Captain Nicusor
2 Lieutenants
1 Purtatori Antici
1 Onorat
5 Blood Wing Squads
3 Mist Runner Squads
2 Uria Squads
3 Strigoi
Reserve Companies
Scout Company
6th Company Leii Urland
7th Company The Kings of Ruin
8th Company The Blood Drakes
9th Company Seekers of Hope
10th Company The Lupi De Wallchilla
The Master of Bombardments, Captain Spiridon
2 Lieutenants
1 Purtatori Antici
1 Onorat
3 Blood Wing Squads
5 Mist Runner Squads
2 Uria Squads
5 Strigoi
The Master of Towers, Captain Virgiliu
2 Lieutenants
1 Purtatori Antici
1 Onorat
3 Blood Wing Squads
2 Mist Runner Squads
5 Uria Squads
2 Strigoi
The Lord of Flight, Captain David
2 Lieutenants
1 Purtatori Antici
1 Onorat
5 Blood Wing Squads
3 Mist Runner Squads
2 Uria Squads
4 Strigoi
The Master of Redemption, Captain Avram
2 Lieutenants
1 Purtatori Antici
1 Onorat
5 Blood Wing Squads
3 Mist Runner Squads
2 Uria Squads
1 Strigoi
The Pup Handler, Captain Luca
2 Lieutenants
10 New Wings
(Constantly fluxing number of unassigned neophytes).
Primaris Company
11th Company Fiii Semizeului Pierdut
Domnul Lamei Captain Horatiu Scorţişoară the Worthy
1 Stapanii Lamei Squad
The Dread Walker Gabriel Pichter
4 Dhampir
The Angel Priest Caturix Popa
6 Preotii Renasterii
2 Pazitorii Furioi: Razum Sala the Pastrator al Redepsei and Varujan Rosu the Gardian al Valorii
Virgiliu Terniceriu The Blackened Gauntlet
6 Forgeborn
Anatolie Stoica The Bringer of Glory
2 Honorbearers
The Calau Jalnic Sadia Intunecata
4 Night Howler Squads
7 Solomonar Squads
4 Respiratii de Foc Squads
3 Renascutul
3 Tineri Vanator Squads
The 11th Company is unique, in that they are still proving their worth to the greater chapter
and as such can be seen as microcosm of the wider chapter's culture and organization.
Chapter Combat Doctrine[]
The Draconian Impalers' method of war, also known as the Foxowl Hunt
The Draconian Impalers are a violent chapter, scorching the earth and burning the sky around them as they tear apart the enemies they are sent to destroy. Blood and smoke follow in their wake, fire cleansing the taint of chaos and xenos filth from the memory of the Imperium.
Specializing in rapid deployment, fast attack and total devastation, the Draconian Impalers do not take part in lengthy sieges and drawn-out wars, preferring to use their Storm Hawks and Stormravens to cut a hole in enemy defenses and flood the gates with their Mist Runners to drive back their foes. As the fast attack bikes push the enemy into bottlenecks and corners, Uria and Blood Wing squads spring from positions to lay down hailstorms of fire power, and land in the midst of the fleeing foe. Close combat skirmishes lead to hacked limbs and bloodied corpses strewn about the battlefield. Despite the chaotic appearance of the scene, the Draconian Impalers’ approach to warfare is clinical and structured, designed to cause intense damage and isolate leadership for destruction.
The systematic attack follows a preordained order, each step made to herd enemy forces into areas that will make further battle even easier. The first step involves infiltration, using scouts and Umbra Shamans to smuggle forces behind enemy lines and into advantageous positions for surprise attacks. What follows is a massed assault using tanks, aircraft and long range artillery, battering the foe’s defenses and sowing confusion in the enemy. Once defenses are broken and the enemy in a state of disarray, the Mist Runners and Land Speeders rush the enemy, tearing into the foe and herding them into tight bunches. Finally, the Uria and Blood Wings spring from their ambush positions and lay down massed fire into the tight groupings. Blood Wings will fly into the thinned herds, and continue to cull their hated foes until none remain. The quick and aggressive approach to battle was inspired by the Wallchillan practice of foxowl hunting, an ancient and prestigious hunt.
The Predator, Earth Scorcher, part of the 7th Company, manned by the Techmarine Brother Flaviu.
Chapter Culture & Beliefs[]
As a whole the chapter draws the majority of its culture from the Wallchillan culture that they collectively stem from, however there are also several sub cultures within the Draconian Impalers, each with a single defining event that connects them as a whole.
Chapter wide practices include a special celebration at Sanguinala, where New Wing scouts become Blood Wings and are fully inducted into the chapter and are treated to a massive feast, as well as ritual combat to strengthen bonds of brotherhood and sharpening their skills. At this great feast, the whole chapter gathers as the newly inducted Blood Wings enter the hall, now armored fully in their Space Marine power armor for the first time. These new brothers then circle the hall, receiving blessings from each of the Captains of the ten companies. Upon reaching the masters of the 4 circles, they receive their Kilijes from the masters of the Blade, their jump packs from the lord of the Cog, the Whisperer of Shadows and the Red Dragon grants them a small beaded necklace representing the vows they took as well to protect them from the Realm Beyond. Other practices are collecting blood to create vita-wines, ritualized practice battles among brothers and subtle customizations of the armor and weapons to further the legend of the chapter.
Sub cultures that currently exist within the chapter are:
The Night Howlers: represented by an elder band of 15 elite warriors, the Night Howlers are fully inducted marines who remained in the scout company as an elite cadre of assassins and recon specialists, forgoing the skies to use the darkness of night to strike fear into the hearts of their foes. The Night Howlers are all drawn from the Lupi Negri, loathing to give up their mortal ways of banditry and skullduggery. The 15 elite warriors have seen many years, fought many battles and have taken many lives and all have earned the right to call themselves Order of the Dragon and are referred to as the Dragon Wolves. The Night Howlers are one of the few sub cultures that are constant. The firstborn Night Howlers later went on to train the Vanguard primaris marines in the ways of assassination and subterfuge. All Night Howlers are marked by a blood red wolf in front of a half moon on their left knee pads.
The Vengeful Orphans: Initially formed entirely from the orphaned wretches left in the wake of the War of the Innocents. These Orphans stick together, feeling at home among the chapter but still apart due to their off world heritage. The Orphans have a special hatred for the forces of chaos, particularly Khorne and the World Eaters, and will stop at nothing to destroy those forces, as their hatred pushes them to ignore wounds that would fell them otherwise. Once a large subculture, numbering 250 marines, the Orphans have been whittled down to around 100, still sizable but not as large as they once were. Occasionally, the Orphans will adopt orphaned boys from campaigns involving chaotic forces. This maintains their numbers steadily and keeps the rage against the Archenemy alive. The Orphans are often spoken for by Brother Godhere, one of the first Orphans, and a bold marine with a sharp tongue.
The Knights of the Castle: Brave, stoic, tenacious, all words to describe the Knights of the Castle. But one word stands out above all the rest: loyal. They are loyal to the Imperium, to its people, to Wallchilla, to the Draconian Impalers and to it’s lord. Dedication to their craft leads to those inducted into this group often becoming members of the Onorat bodyguard and champions. This subculture attracts those who desire to be the best, even if they never attain the rank to show it properly, and is led by the younger of the two Gemeni de Moarte, Ladinas, who founded the group as well. Their left knee pad is marked by a helmet over a fortress.
The Wallchillan Headhunters: Led by the second Gemeni de Moarte, Uta the Flame of Wallchilla, the Headhunters are made up of those who choose to hunt the greatest sports, those who take glories not from laurels and titles but from that which they can cut from the still warm flesh of their fallen enemies. They are marked by pelts, teeth, skulls and bones over gilded armor and medals. They fight with a savage disposition, often abandoning their helmets to bite down on enemy throats and tear at exposed flesh with their armored hands. Of the dour Draconian Impalers, the Headhunters attract the rowdiest, loudest and often most humored space marines, leading to a rather rambunctious bunch. While some mistake Uta as the first of the Headhunters, this subculture has existed within the Draconian Impalers for several centuries, a splinter of the Night Howlers. Headhunters are marked on their left knee pads by a skull with two crossed spears behind it.
The Rite of Midnight Clad[]
The Storm Eagle of the 1st Company, Breath of Violence, manned by Brother Marku
Of all the Sons of Sanguinius, even the ones shunned enjoy a modicum of support and pride in that title, save for the Draconian Impalers. By decree of their parent chapter, the Blood Angels, the Draconian Impalers may only claim the title of the Great Angel for geneseed testing, and may never admit to being sons of Sanguinius to other chapters. The reason for this comes from the Rite of the Midnight Clad, a terrifying and dark ritual performed on the still living prisoners from the Night Lords legion of traitors. The rite is a testament to the blazing hatred the Draconian Impalers nurse their entire careers. The ritual involves the human population of Wallchilla, who are not shielded from the truth of Chaos’s existence but rather taught to hate, defile and curse it from their youngest days. As part of the ancient ritual, the Sisterhood of Rhapthorne and the Dukes of the Dragoons partake in the debasement of the Night Lords
Firstly, the Night Lord captive is stripped of their armor, and locked in stockades, hidden in the Castelul Bestiei. As the traitor is there, his armor is twisted and rent into the shape of a tall spike, which complex machinery is wired into.
Secondly, the naked warrior is strapped to a large stone, known as “The Stone of Repentance”. There, the Red Dragon intones an ancient chant, decrying the Night Lords’ actions as a whole as cowardly, declaring that even the arch traitor Horus was once a man of honor but Konrad Curze was always a man of cowardice and a disappointment to the name “Primarch”. The Red Dragon then produces several tools and, with ritualistic prayers, removes the organs implanted that were once gifts from the Emperor. As he tears out the innards of Night Lord, he casts them into the crowd of marines and scouts that have gathered, where they spat onto the meaty pulp.
Thirdly, two warriors of the Draconian Impalers come forwards, one the Punisher of Deeds, the other the Blotter of Hate. The Punisher of Deeds takes and cuts off the hands of the Night Lord, and nails them to a massive wall, where the hands have gathered for 10,000 years. The Blotter of Hate plucks out the traitor’s eyes and forces the warrior to eat them. These are symbolic atonements, one for the pain wrought onto innocents, the other for the pain enjoyed with the eyes.
Lastly, the Night Lord is impaled, and with these descendants of the Blood Angels, this is their art. The impaling will not kill the Night Lord, only make his suffering immense. At this point the Master of the Librarium comes forward, called the Whisperer of Shadows, he is to perform the last actions of the ritual. He asks the Night Lord 3 times to repent, and if he does, he will be slain instantly. Never has a Night Lord repented. After the third refusal, the traitor’s mouth is sewn up, and the Whisperer calls a bolt of red lightning into the ceramite spike, which activates a mechanism that will electrocute the Night Lord on a low setting, preventing death but prolonging his hellish torture.
Once a Night Lord has died, their corpse is moved to the planet’s moon, which after 10,000 years has been covered in untold numbers of bloody spikes. This macabre monument to savagery is called the Forest of the Damned.
The Recolta De Lfie[]
The Draconian Impalers are like all the sons of Sanguinius, plagued their whole lives by a hunger for the lifeblood that flows through the veins of all beings. Most sate their thirst in battle, tearing their helmets from their heads and tearing into the foe to suck out the red vita that they crave. However it is not always enough. The New Wings must undergo a year of training and meditation before being allowed to take to the field as fighters, in accordance with Vlad Rhapthorne’s instructions. In this time, it can be difficult for the young Astartes to cope with their hunger. As the Codex decrees, the Draconian Impalers obtain recruits in cycles, every couple of years trials and tests are run to create a large recruiting pool. Another ritual cycle follows shortly after the Rebirth of the New Wings. The population of Wallchilla, who revere the Draconian Impalers, wander the planet’s surface, gathering the men and women who can not work and provide further assistance to their families. The elderly and infirmed who chose to follow this path are brought to the Fortress monastery of the Draconian Impalers, Castelul Bestiei, and in the light of the moon of Wallchilla, blessed and given a public funeral. When the morning sun rises, the Blessed are alone, to be taken into the sacred castle, never seen again.
When the Blessed are taken into Castelul Bestiei, they are treated with the utmost respect, given comfortable lodgings, rich food and are even pampered by serfs of the Draconian Impalers. The Blessed are given a life befitting their role, and when their sacred duty is to be fulfilled, the Blessed are taken one by one to be consumed by New Bloods as they cope with the new craving. The bodies of the Blessed are taken away, and buried in a grand mausoleum like kings and queens. They are buried with full honors and are even given an honorary rank within the Draconian Impalers.
The Unique Priesthood of The Draconian Impalers[]
The Draconian Impalers are a strange chapter, who recognize the strength and usefulness of terminator armor but are loathe to use it, citing speed and stealth above all else. However scholar records among the techbrothers shows that for several centuries after the Third Founding, the Draconian Impalers had little to no terminator suits at all, a product from the rocky birth of the Draconian Impalers. From the beginning, the Blood Angels were suspicious and indeed distrustful of their cousins, claiming that their tactics flew in the face of the Great Angel Sanginius's nobility, and as such the Blood Angels spared every expense for their cousins. The Blood Angels allowed for only enough power armor and enough weapons to go to the Draconian Impalers for each marine, and only 1 terminator armor was given to Vlad Rhapthorne as a status symbol.
The armor was passed over to Rhapthorne's second-in-command, the first of the High Sanguinary Priests, an Astartes by the name of Anghel Kronid. Anghel donned the armor and had it decreed to be the symbolic mantle of the 'Red Dragon' or the High Sanguinary Priest of the Draconian Impalers. The Red Dragon's armour is covered from head to toe in intricate details, including two folded wings above the warp generator, an iron halo that is shaped like a blazing sun, in place of the skull mask typical of chaplains, the Red Dragon's mask is bone carved into the visage of a monstrous dragon head. The left pauldron is covered in thick spines, representing the Forest of the Damned where the Tower of Blood is located.
The Tower of Blood is the home of the blended Chaplaincy and Apothecarium, located on the small moon that orbits Wallchilla. It stands as a great gothic cathedral in the thickest section of the Forest of the Damned, where the oldest of the impaled Night Lords stand grouped. Outside the Tower of Blood is a statue, a gilded symbol erected to honor those killed, flayed, and tortured by the Night Lords. The Tower of Blood is also home to the first and final entombing of Draconian Impalers, in their rebirth and in their deaths. In a great subterranean vault, there lies a massive skeletal structure, the bones of a deceased creature from the time before the Imperium, a monster slain by the ancient kings of Wallchilla. This is where the Red Dragon must go and carve his own mask from the bones of the dead, and avoid being killed by the monsters that lie there. Those that succumb to the Rage of the Janissary (the Black Rage) are cast into the Den of the Beast, and left there as a trial of sorts for those chosen to be the next Red Dragon. Even in their frenzied state, the Janissaries are enthralled to those that are truly the Red Dragon, for through their frenzied eyes they see in the Red Dragon the leader who will guide them into the arms of the Great Angel and redemption.
The 37 Vows of the Draconian Impalers[]
In order for a New Wing to become fully inducted into the vaulted halls of the Draconian Impalers, he must take the 37 vows, the hallowed oaths that bind each marine in soul and in purpose. These vows are taken before the Throne of Wallchilla, each one counted out on a set of ritualistic beads given to the New Wings. Once taken, it is the endeavor of each Draconian Impaler to fulfill these vows to the best of their abilities before their deaths. If a marine can fulfill the first 36 vows, he may be inducted into the Order of the Dragon. The vows are varied, slaying a Night Lord in battle, drinking the vita of a xenos, serving in the Deathwatch, and capturing a Night Lord Champion being just a few of the vows. After each vow is fulfilled, the Draconian Impaler will be tattooed with a symbol of his victory, the insignia of the Night Lords shattered, a xenos skull, the Inquisition seal, or a stake wrapped by a rose above the heart.
Some do not fulfill these 36 vows in their lives, but fulfill the 37th vow in their final moments. To the Draconian Impalers, this is the greatest vow, the one that should be at the forefront of their minds at all times. This vow is to sacrifice their own life in exchange for the life of a single mortal, to forsake their own mighty existence for the life of a single fragile human being. In the eyes of the Draconian Impalers, they are but a tool, a weapon of single use, worth nothing should the human race be laid low. Because of this, where others see the Space Marines as the ultimate sign of the God Emperor's favor, the Draconian Impalers see themselves as the lowliest of His servants.
The Sisterhood of Rhapthorne[]
While the Impalers are considered the de facto rulers of Wallchilla, there is a mortal aspect to the ruling class. Called the Sisterhood of Rhapthorne, the ruling class is made up of the mortal daughters of the ancient Rhapthorne bloodline, who rule when the Dragonking is not on world. When Vlad Rhapthorne returned to Wallchilla, he found that his sister had taken over the throne, and established a line of queens that ruled the world in Vlad’s absence. When Vlad returned and invoked Supremacy to the throne, he did not kill or demote his nieces but had them continue their royal practices, with the daughters trained in leadership and the sons either turned over to the PDF or the Draconian Impalers. The eldest of the Sisterhood is called the High Princess, and is the regent of Wallchilla. Alexandru Denis, the current Dragonking, has been known to leave the High Princess in charge for extended periods of time. The Dragonking Denis recognizes that Space Marines are weapons in the hands of the Emperor, and as such it is better if mortals led mortals. The Sisterhood is greatly respected by the Draconian Impalers, treated with incredible reverence. The 30 or so members of the royal Sisterhood live in Castelul Bestiei, the religious members living in a cloister near the Grand Cathedral of the Gilded Throne.
A secondary larger pool of Sisters exists within the priestesses, acting as a unique group of serfs that are pair bonded with the space marines. Referred to as the Maiden Brides, these Sisters serve as the closest thing to romance and affection the Draconian Impalers will ever experience, allowing the Draconian Impalers to sleep with their heads in their laps, petting their hair and spending time with the Space Marines as if in courtship. The practices origins are largely forgotten, but the gentle warmth of these chosen daughters of Wallchilla seems to help keep the harrowing anger of the Rage and the Hunger at bay, at least for a time. It is not unusual to see throngs of these Maidens awaiting their suitors near the landing docks as missions come to a close, often greeting the Space Marines with warm meals, homemade gifts and tender embraces, leading their mate back into the Castelul Bestiei to unwind and destress. Pair bonds are decided in a grand ritual during the scout induction, the then young girls learning and growing with their suitors until he has become a full fledged warrior and she a clement spouse. Many among the mortal population of Wallchilla believe the world spirit of the Wallchilla itself choses these daughters and grants upon them dreams to travel to the fortress-monastery to meet their soulmates even after ascension.
Recruiting Practices[]
The Draconian Impalers recruit from the native population of Wallchilla, the sons of the om obisnuit travelling the world to the doorstep of Castelul Bestiei to partake in several trials in order to become Space Marines. As many of the mortal families bear large numbers of children, the sons that travel can be numerous. The trials involve staged battles, vigils, and genetic testing to ensure that the aspirants are strong and qualified. When the Draconian Impalers recruit from the Lupi Negri, they only do genetic testing, as the Lupi Negri are often trained warriors from birth.
Chapter Gene-Seed[]
The geneseed of the Draconian Impalers is prone to the same mutations as their parent chapter, the Twin Curses of the Red Thirst (called the Dragul's Hunger) and the Black Rage (called the Rage of the Janissary). The Rage of the Janissary transports the mind of the afflicted into that moment when Sanguinus himself fought Horus on the bridge of the Vengeful Spirit. So great is the bloodlust of the afflicted, that they are forever lost to this spiritual disease, and as such they are considered killed in the line of duty. Unlike their brothers who can be retrieved and released onto war again, Umbra Shamans who have become struck by this all consuming rage must be eliminated immediately. They become irretrievably warped, their discipline and control over their abilities becoming erratic and dangerous as they act out the final moments of their Gene Father. Massive fiery wings spring from their backs, bloody tears streaming from their faces, and the shadows around them being shaped and reshaped into weapons that tear at friend and foe alike. Their berserker howling causes those around them to suffer from dizzying headaches and ruptured eardrums, and they dive into the fray with spear and sword crafted from hellfire and lightning. A special shrine was erected for these fallen, as they became the Furtuna Îngerului, or the Storm of the Angel.
The Draconian Impalers embrace the Hunger more so than their other cousins, allowing themselves to drink more deeply of the red vita that sustains and calls them. Many of the Draconian Impalers use the Hunger to absorb the knowledge of combat and tactics that the enemy may possess in bloodletting rituals and midbattle throat attacks. All the Draconian Impalers have developed their own tastes for which blood tastes the best, which has evolved into playful arguments among themselves over who is wrong and who is a true connoisseur of the taste.
Another peculiarity among the Draconian Impalers is that of all the Blood Angels, the Draconian Impalers feel the call of the jump pack strongest. To imitate their gene father and fly among the heights and the skies. Because of this, the Draconian Impalers employ the largest number of jump packs known to the Blood Angels successors, possibly even more than any other excepting the Raven Guard. 2 unique mutations within the Draconian Impalers create interesting effects among those who take the gene seed. The first is a strange reaction to the Wallchillan genetics, creating dark hair, pale skin, and yellow eyes that seem to glow. The second is a mutation within the omophagea gland, causing a seemingly minute change. The mutation creates highly sensitive taste buds, allowing for a Draconian Impaler to detect the slightest differences in the blood they consume. This has lead to the various blood drinking rituals chapter wide debates of which vita tastes the best.
Deathwatch Service[]
Deathwatch Service is incredibly important to the Draconian Impalers, as it is part of the 37 vows to be seconded to the deadly brotherhood. The Wallchillan marines see the service as a good way to learn the trade of war, to develop their combat skills by learning from other chapters and to build friendships with the others who have been seconded to them. Usual of their chapter, most if not all Draconian Impaler Deathwatch warriors are close combat masters, wielding xenophase swords and heavy thunder hammers into the brink against all odds. Blood runs in rivets in their wake and flesh lies mangled behind these most ruthless alien hunters.
Before being able to even join the elite Order of the Dragon, a Draconian Impaler must join the Deathwatch for a tour, serving to push back the tide of xenos threats in the galaxy. To be a member of the Deathwatch is the greatest of honors and to bear the silver pauldron is a right that all strive to obtain. Once a Draconian Impaler has joined the Deathwatch, they pursue the art of xenocide with reckless abandon and it is said that these expert warriors are capable of dissecting a tyranid bioform with ruthless precision. Many Draconian Impalers members of the Deathwatch bring their chapter traditions to their service and develop a taste for xenos blood, playfully arguing over which vital fluids taste the best. Some argue that it is eldar with its bitter sweetness, while others say Tyranid blood and its harsh afternotes is better. A small minority claim the brutish taste of orkish blood is the most superior, though all seem to agree that the over ripe flavor of Tau and the diluted water blood of genestealers are only worth the secrets encoded in them.
Notable Members[]
Dragonking Alexandru Denis, The High King of Wallchilla, The Lord of the Lupi[]
Alexandru Denis was born to a pair of lupi negri parents and raised in the culture of violence and warfare that came with it. On his eleventh birthday, the Draconian Impalers came to his caravan, the complaints of the om obisnuit having drawn the eye of the marines. The lupi negri, a small band, attempted to fight back but quickly surrendered. The Draconian Impalers tested the young men of the lupi negri and found several sons genetically suitable to become space marine scouts. Alexandru became a Blood Wing assault marine as was customary of the chapter, and distinguished himself regularly against Heretic Astartes of the Night Lords. While Alexandru was never a squad leader, he was a second in command for his squad and a premium fighter, going toe to toe with champions of chaos while his squad leaders were busy capturing the Night Lords who were recorded in the Chronicles of Vengeance. His accession to the position of Dragonking was a surprise when the former Dragonking declared him to be the lord of Wallchilla with his last breath. Upon his installation, Alexandru hunted down the Night Lord who slayed his predecessor and put him to the stake.
The dedicated Land Raider of Alexandru Denis, The Redemption Thorned
Alexandru wields the relic power sword Bautor de Sange, or The Blood Drinker, the very blade wielded by Vlad Rhapthrone during the chapters infancy. In his other hand, Denis wields a master crafted plasma pistol named The Moon’s Wrath, a gift from a magos of the Admech he once rescued from a xenos warrior. The plasma blasts that come from this mysterious pistol are a silvery color and seem to be able to sear through even the cursed armor of Heretic Terminators. His armor is ornate master crafted power artificer armor Mark III, replete with various details, such as engravings depicting the 4 Circles of the Draconian Impalers, a spike rising from above the backpack with the chapter badge brought to life in carved bone and ceramite.
Corvinus the Bloody, Whisperer of Shadows, Keeper of the Records, The Sandman Reborn[]
Corvinus the Bloody, the Lord of the Shadow Shamans, and a lost son of Wallchilla. Before his accession, Corvinus was found in the woods by the shaman of the local village. The boy was young, some 5 years of age and already manipulating warp energy with some vague proficiency of his art. The shamans were able to put a vague connection of the boy’s history, abandoned by his padure lupi because he was considered to be a danger for his powers and raised himself for some number of years. When Corvinus turned around 11, he was offered up to the Draconian Impalers to become a space marine. After his accession, Corvinus’s career was rather violent, as was all the Impalers' careers, but Corvinus was even bloodier. Corvinus used his gifts to eviscerate his enemies, tearing them apart and flinging shadowy blades like magic knives. His rise to the position of Chief Librarian was meteoric, rising through the ranks with various feats of heroism and by slaying chaos lords and xenos threats.
The event that saw to Corvinus's ultimate rise solidified was an assault on a fortress that had fallen into the hands of the Iron Warriors. A sorcerer lord known as The Rust King had captured an Astra Militarum stronghold and was using it as a launching point for a full planetary invasion. The Draconian Impalers answered the call of reinforcements and in a drawn out battle, were being destroyed. The Rust King was standing upon the ramparts and casting many doombolts down on the Draconian Impalers, ravaging the Space Marine lines. Corvinus, against the pleas of his battle brothers and the orders of his superiors, strode to the front lines and engaged in a psychic battle with the sorcerer, both distracting the warrior and weakening the enemy forces. As the battle of souls escalated, a storm formed overhead, the elements of the planet reacting to the forces probing one another.
Finally after many hours, the Rust King slipped mentally and Corvinus was upon him like a wolf, tearing into the enemy’s spirit and causing his body explode in a bloody tornado, showering the Iron Warriors in the gore of their own lord. Corvinus then took the traitor's twin hearts, which he spared and crushed them in his hands and drank deep the vita that spilled from them. The act of violence and gore destabilized the storm overhead and the resulting chaos slammed into the gates of the fortress, tearing it apart. The following Draconian Impalers assault devastated the Iron Warriors and ensured victory for the imperial forces.
To celebrate his installment as Whisperer of Shadows, Corvinus was gifted a 2 headed psyber witch vulture by the Master of the Cog. The construct, named Hellbrood, both allows the Umbra Shaman to scout ahead of himself and deliver messages through its parrotlike ability to speak. It is said that Convinus's skill in umbramancy is so advanced that he is able to step from the shadow cast by his bird and attack his foes.
The Red Dragon, Antonis the Large, The Patriarch of Rebirth[]
Antonis the Large is the Red Dragon of the Draconian Impalers, which is the title of the Master of the Cicle of Rebirth. Wearing the Dragoni Cantar terminator armor and armed with a massive spear topped crozius arcanum, the Red Dragon is a force to be reckoned with, a frightful vistage cutting down his foes with his massive blade left and right. His war sermons are endless, filled with calls to action and exhortations to the Emperor to witness the deeds of the Draconian Impalers. Antonis is called the Large for his massive stature, his body far larger than those of his brothers around him. He joined the Circle of Rebirth soon after being inducted into the Impalers due to his natural inclination to protection and healing. His training was swift, and filled with indecision. Where his other brothers easily know whether to be Soul Clerics or Red Surgeons, Antonis was gripped with a near impossible skill within both classes, causing him to be destined for a path to greatness. He was taken under the wing of the Red Dragon, inducted into the secrets of the ancient order and knighted as one of the Wyrms, the potential heirs of the mantle of the Red Dragon.
As a Wyrm, Antonis was bidden to assist his brothers above and beyond the call of normal Blood Priests, to put himself on the line to heal and to preach. Those who could not fulfill those requirements were slowly weeded out. As the Wyrms reached a final three, Antonis had a vision of the Sangiunor, motioning him to Den of the Beast. His calling was never more clear, and he fought all the harder to become worthy of the rank of Red Dragon. It was at this time the 3 Wyrms were called to the Tower of Blood and stripped of their armor, given an ancient carving tool and sent into the Den, only to return if they carved a mask from the bone of the ancient beast, and if they survived the mutated Janissaries. Antonis was believed dead, but after a month he climbed out of the Den, his face covered with the mask he carved, and the mutated brothers softly touching his legs and heels, their hope and redemption slowly pulling itself out of the deep pit. Soon after, The Red Dragon died, his life taken by an enemy sniper shot. The xenos who killed him was punished swiftly and Antonis was appointed the new Red Dragon in a grand ceremony.
His first sermon was on the Drukhari ship that he and his squads had boarded with the Salamanders to punish the xenos for their crimes against the innocent. His sermon was then inscribed into the honor scroll that acts as his tabard. He also acted as the liaison between the two chapters during the exchange of relics that followed the action.
Zaharia Omor, The Punisher of Deeds, The Bladestorm[]
Zaharia Omor is one of two Draconian Impalers that wears terminator armor with any form of regularity. He is the Punisher of Deeds, charged with the sacred duty of removing the hands of captured Night Lords, and their heads should they choose, for their sins against the innocent of the Imperium of Man. His armour was passed down from an early Draconian Impaler praetor who served as Vlad Rhapthorne's honour guard champion and modified extensively to play into the warriors strenghts. He also wields the massive two handed powersword Deathsong, and makes expert use of the weapon.
Zaharia is called the Bladestorm, a nickname given to him by Corvinus the Bloody not long after he first became the Punisher of Deeds. Zaharia and Corvinus were sent by the Dragonking of the time to a world that had supposedly fallen to chaos influence, and they were to assess the situation. Immediately upon landing, the two were surrounded by a mob of mortals, all holding crude weaponry and marked with the sigil of Khorne. The mortals were barely holding back the rage that filled their souls and minds as they ordered the two marines off their world. Corvinus struck out with the Sandman’s grip and disemboweled the nearest man, the smell of blood loosing the violence in them. Corvinus ordered the young Zaharia to take care of the heretics alone and leapt into the air, his cloak acting as wings. The battle was short but bloody, the Deathsong leaping from its scabbard and Zaharia spun, almost as though dancing to a song only he could hear. The worshipers of Khorne were no match for the master of the blade, and Corvinus later remarked that to call Zaharia a master was an insult to his skill and talent for death.
When Corvinus landed, he found only one of the heretics dead, the one he himself had disemboweled, the rest wounded and bleeding to death. The Whisperer of Shadows looked at the blood splattered warrior enraged and demanded to know why he had spared the craven heretics. The Punisher of Deeds removed his helmet and gave a simple answer, "Any one of our brothers could have killed these wretches. Indeed had you asked it, anyone of our brothers would have been able to spare a single heretic. But that is not what you sought to test me on, I know. I spared them not because I pity them, but to show you that I do not boast when I say I am the best swordsman this chapter has ever seen." The terminator gestured at one of the writhing men, "I could have killed him with any number of strokes, severed his head and torso in two with a single perfect strike, but I didn't. I removed his hands, and his legs below the knees, an insult to his death god, and to show you even in the heat of war, I will cause the most pain to those who reject the Emperor’s Light." With that, Zaharia upholstered a bolt pistol and strode around the circle ending each life with a bolt round to the head. Corvinus smiled, and looked the terminator in the eye, replying "Well then, young Bladestorm, take us to the center of the city and let us kill us a prophet."
Neculia Garridan, The Blotter of Hate, the Ashmaker[]
Wielding two ancient artificer volkite serpenta from the dawn of the Heresy and clad in glimmering ceramite, the Blotter of Hate is chosen for his nigh uncontrollable rage against the enemy, and is often seen flying high above the enemy with his jump pack, volkite weapons blasting wildly before landing and unleashing violence with his power daggers. Neculia Garridan is a beast, Dragul’s Hunger blazing through him, stirred to a fever pitch by the smell of blood and death on the battlefield. Enemies that engaged this maddened warrior in close combat are stricken silent by his blood streaked visage, elongated fangs tearing throats out. The volkite serpenta, called Patience and Ire are used to lethal effect by the Ashmaker, often by him taking a high position and raining down a hailstorm of thermal blasts on vulnerable targets, the explosive effect of the weapons causing far far more damage than the sniperlike shots alone.
Neculia is a deadly man, his career marked with several incidents, his commanding officers giving him both repentance missions for his carelessness and glories for his excellence in combat. He can barely control his rage, hate and bloodlust when a mission starts, a problem that has plagued the scarred warrior since the beginning of his induction as a New Wing. Where the other Draconian Impalers saw a violent creature destined for the path of the Janissary doomed to die mad, the Dragonking at the time, Caturix the Farseeing saw a path that no other could. Long before the death of the previous Blotter of Hate, Neculia was given a special mission, to kill as many enemies as possible as quickly as possible, a job he seemingly excelled at. Slowly, eventually the former Blotter of Hate brought the Ashmaker into training and taught the young warrior all the rites and rituals involved with the position but most importantly, he taught Neculia how to contain his rage in a raging furnace, nursing it and waiting until the final moment on the battlefield to consume all who oppose him.
In the Rite of the Midnight Clad, the Blotter of Hate has the task of removing the eyes of the Night Lord to punish them for seeing the deeds they committed. This task is carried out with twin power daggers, sharp as a paper’s edge, to sever the optical nerves. The eyes are then fed to the Night Lords in twisted ritual. The daggers are stylized, the hilts appear as the faces of monsters, their tongues sticking out of the mouths as flame bladed razors. The blades are also used in the Naming Rite, where the Night Lord is tortured until they give up a name that can be recorded in the Chronicles of Vengeance.
Gemeni de Moarte, The Personal Bodyguard of the Dragonking[]
The Gemeni de Moarte are a pair of biological twins who ascended to the rank of space marine, a rarity among the chapters. The two identical twins defied their father and secretly joined the ranks of a band of boys who were to test the genetics and the will of the person. The two were placed in the same squad, repeatedly proving their worth to their superiors. When Alexandru Denis became the Dragonking, he picked the 2 men closest to him, the twins, the 3 men having served in the Deathwatch and the Order of the Dragon together. The twins became masters of close combat and now protect the Dragonking with a fiery zeal. They serve not only as Denis's bodyguards, they are also his best friends from his time as a line brother and his closest advisors. The brothers seem to both exhibit weak psychic powers, allowing them to read one another's emotions and offer the ability to occasionally read the others mind. The twins represent the two sides of humanity, Ladinas embodying civility: partaking in sculpting, painting, writing and composing whereas his brother is more primal, hunting beasts and stuffing them for his trophy room, skinning and preserving pelts and skeletal remains. These differences go over to the battlefield, Uta using savage abandon, baring his teeth and relying on his instincts to guide his blade; his brother the converse, training at all hours, studying the records of other battles to become a more effective killer, fighting with a cold efficiency unmatched within the Draconian Impalers. The Gemeni de Moarte are the first and only Firstborn to cross the Rubicon Primaris, refusing to allow their ward, to cross it himself. Now more powerful, these already expert killers have become true masters, their upgraded forms expanding their skills to once untold levels.
Ladinas Gemeni, the Exalted Paladin[]
The first of the two brothers, Ladinas is slightly shorter, and wields the Blade of the Red Crusader and the Wall of the Hurricane in battle. Ladinas wears the armor Oath of the Gilded Son, a suit of artificer armor that is notable for its long white plumed crest and white pteruges hanging from the shoulders, a tabard to match at the waist. Gold chasings edge the blood red trim of this armor. He is a killing machine, often fighting in tandem with his brother Uta to clear the field of enemies, creating an arena for Lord Denis to battle his chosen foes. Ladinas is quiet, so rarely speaking that when he does all turn to listen. He has a keen strategic mind, looking at the battlefield once and sensing the weakest points. He gains his nickname from his dedication to the arts of war and to the keeping of his oaths, something the paladins of old were known for. Ladinas's gallery is a legend in the chapter, his creations things of beauty and artistry. His finest works include a pure marble hand sculpted statue of the Emperor, a harp carved from an Eldar's bones and a book of original compositions written by the brilliant marine.
Uta Gemeni, the Flame of Wallchilla[]
The second brother, Uta is the larger of the two, wielding the massive relic sword, the Oath Reaper. Two handed and heavy, the blade is modelled after the ancient great swords of old Terra. In battle, Uta is a powerful force to be reckoned with, moving at lightning speed to run his foes through. He is become an expert on fighting daemons and chaos lords, his blade allowing him to cause terrible damage to the archenemy. Uta is the polar opposite of his brother, loud and quick to rage, prone to outbursts. Uta is emphatic, he becomes enraged at the deaths of his brothers and reports of imperial civilian deaths. This violent temper has led to his nickname, the Flame of Wallchilla, for it is said his hate burns as hot as the core of Wallchilla. He wears the Bloodied Lion’s Hide and frequently goes on personal hunts, the bodyguard has connections with other chapters, some of his connections even unusual for the Draconian Impalers. His favorite trophies from his hunts are an Ork and Dark Eldar in combat, several tyranid heads, and an incomplete tau stealth suit.
Serghei Razvan, The Lord of the Cog, Bender of Steel[]
The Lord of the Cog, Serghei is very similar to the masters of the forge of other chapters, a Techmarine of impeccable skill, marked by his twin loyalties to Wallchilla and to Mars. Like the other members of the Cog, his armor is standard Draconian Impalers colors, except for his left arm, which is Martian Red, as with his ceremonial cloak. The cloak, which has a cog pattern across the hem and esoteric geometry across its surface, covers the servo harness that the Bender of Steel wears at all times. The Servo harness is capable of being equipped with a number of weapons, tools and gear to assist Serghei. Four mechandrite extend from his back, helping him to manipulate the world around him. When not in use, they curl just behind his shoulder blades, barely rising above them, appearing almost as some kind of power nodes. He wields a massive Omnissan pattern power axe, handed down from each Lord of the Cog to the next. The power axe, called Thunderstorm Axe, is marked by the cog tooth pattern of the Adetpus Mechanicu, and like the cloak of the Cog, has strange runes and patterns carved into it, culminating into the shape of a lightning bolt. When the proper binaric code is canted, the ancient axe will light up, powered by some arcane energy and is capable of firing off a wave of plasma like streaks. However, when the Thunderstorm Axe is used this way, the weapon seems to become fatigued and grows heavy to wield, even for the gene enhanced Space Marine.
Contrary to the Wallchillan personality and to the ways of the Machine Cult, Lord Razvan is incredibly humorous, occasionally playing pranks on other marines, and teasing the lords of the other Circles, who are all younger than him. He enjoys feasting and drinking with his brothers, and it is not unheard of for him to be singing a jaunty tune learned from a Space Wolf who he met on Mars, or humming old Wallchillan lullabies while fixing machinery. Many among the dour Draconian Impalers find it impossible not to smile when the Lord of the Cog regales them with tales of triumph, exaggerated to the extreme and accompanied by vox sound effects. In battle, however, the old marine lives up to his name, bending and tearing through enemy tanks, canting ancient hymns to cause enemy machine spirits to malfunction and rebel against their masters. He is also an interesting leader on the battlefield, creating elaborate and unconventional plans to close the distance and wreak havoc. One of his most notable plans was to hijack an enemy Chimera, filling it with the other leaders of the Draconian Impalers, and drive it into the enemy fortress. The recently fallen guard regiment were shocked when the APC exploded, with some of the most accomplished killers in Space Marine history protected by a psychic shield charging into their midst, butchering them in droves. While the loss of the transport was gravely disappointing, the victory was resounding, and gained the techmarine many accolades for his quick thinking.
Much like his other Steel Mason brothers, Serghei is augmented, with many bionic parts, including a "third heart", a power core built into his lower chest, connecting him to his armor in a way largely unheard of, and both of his arms are replaced by mechanical ones. His left arm has a mounted bolt pistol and energy field, giving him a weak power fist if his enemy should disarm or pin him down. His face is largely untouched, instead his augments there are contained within his brain, allowing him incredibly enhanced interfacing with any machine he connects to. The only physical sign of these augments is a long scar that runs from between his eyes to the base of his neck.
Grigore Tepes, Captain of the First, The Dragul's Spear[]
Honoured, deadly, fast, hungry for blood, these are all things that Grigore has been labelled in the past, and he wears them all with pride. Grigore Tepes is a warrior of impeccable skill and rage. He wields the Bleeding Pike, a relic power spear with an unknown history and wears the power armor the Moartea Inger Mant, or the Death Angel Mantle. Savoring the fight, the leader of the Blood Spillers Company rides his attack bike into the heart of his enemy’s lines, his spear darting left and right to end the lives of all of the Emperor’s foes. Bolters on the front of the bike roar like a wild beast, the mass reactive shells turning those that bar his path into red paste. The ancient bike, the Leul Negru, has the vistage of a lion, a snarling maw and bared claws placed over wheels, it's blackened form gliding over the battlefield.
Grigore Tepes is not a native Wallchillan, with many believing that due to this, he would not ever make it past line brother or lieutenant, some detractors even claimed he could not be trusted because of his off world heritage. Grigore grew up on the only other planet in Wallchilla's system, a terrible nameless wasteland made in the Dark Age, the people there barely scraping by on the meager plants and fauna that wander the surface. Normally the Draconian Impalers avoid the planet, as the locals are incredibly hostile and have been known to attack the space marines with primitive weaponry. However, Wadim The Ancient Eye had a vision of a young man who could change the course of a coming battle, and on the command of Lord Denis, the boy was found and inducted.
The boy suffered some stigma from his home world, becoming used to verbal abuse and in some occasions being forced to do demeaning tasks fitting more to a serf. Lord Denis was going to step in, however Wadim told him that in order for the boy to make his mark in the coming battle, he must be forced to become more through fire and pain. It became evident that the prophetic words were not quite up to interpretation, a tyranid spore mine causing the young marine to enter a coma, his face and body permanently scarred by the corrosive acids. After a 2 year slumber, the marine awoke violently, suddenly disappearing from the Castelul Bestiei and was driven by visions to a small chaos warband that had come into possession of the Bleeding Pike, a relic thought lost forever. Tepes returned as quickly as he left, the black spear covered in blood gripped tightly, eyes wild with blood lust and fatigue.
At first, the young marine was censured, and was about to be executed. But Lord Denis stepped in, finding honor scrolls for the ancient relic spear and put Grigore on watch, giving him the spear to use in battle and placed him in the First Company by the Dragonking’s command. As the years passed, the marine proved himself again and again, rising beyond his past and his short renegade status to become captain of the First, earning the epithet 'The Dragul's Spear' from his preferred position in battle of being first to strike, first to draw blood, tip of the spear of the Emperor on His Golden Throne. He always seems to be on the threshold of falling to the Hunger, the bloody desire to feed edging on his thoughts more than those around him, yet he always seems to find his way back. It is unknown how long he can keep resisting that urge.
Venerable Thanatos, The Whispering Behemoth[]
The Venerable Strigoi Thanatos, the Whispering Behemoth
A dreadnought of great renown, Thanatos is over 2 thousand years old, having fought under numerous suns and in dozens of different battlefields. Once a member of the Order of the Dragon, Thanatos fulfilled the 36 Living Vows with a zeal unmatched by any other and was even slated to receive a captainship before his death. Unfortunately, this would never come to pass, for during an action against the hated Night Lords, Thanatos was struck down by a cowardly champion of chaos. Thanatos and his squad were ordered to help evacuate civilians and while physically carrying a young mortal child, the Night Lord warband launched a surprise attack. Thanatos was severed at the waist by a deamon possessed blade, his now poisoned body concealing the young mortal from the warriors of chaos, a fulfillment of the 37th Vow all Draconian Impalers take. When the Draconian Impalers were able to drive the enemy forces away, Thanatos's body was recovered and it was found that while he seemed dead, life still beat in his veins. Entombed within the dreadnought, Thanatos was reborn as a Strigoi, a creature reborn from death to punish the wicked. Thanatos, now nearly invincible and filled with rage, was part of the squad tasked with tracking down and destroying those who rent his life from his form. Upon finding the chaos empowered Night Lords who attacked him, Thanatos ripped the leader in two and had the helmet and skull of the warrior attached to his chassis for all time.
All dreadnoughts suffer some changes during their entombment, and Thanatos is no different, his slipping sanity causing him to recite poetry while on the field of battle. What he recites seems to change from battle to battle, some days it is original works created on the spot, others it is the works of Sanguinius himself, others they are fairy tales and lullabies from his childhood. All whispered out on the field of battle, like some ancient demon of the darkest corners, death with quiet comfort spoken in awe.
Chapter Fleet[]
The Blood Devil (Battle Barge)
Forsaken Fraternity (Battle Barge)
Stefan's Blade (Battle Barge)
The Howling Castle (Strike Cruiser)
The Beautiful Son (Strike Cruiser)
The Black Whisper (Strike Cruiser)
Mihai the Fearless (Strike Cruiser)
The Rage of Rhapthorne (Strike Cruiser)
16 Unnamed Frigate
The Battle Barge, Forsaken Fraternity of the Draconian Impalers
Chapter Relics[]
Bautor de Sange: A master crafted power killij made before the Blood Angels Primarch Sanguinius was found by The Emperor. The sword is elegant, perfectly balanced and honed to an edge as sharp as a razor and as hard as a diamond. The blade is beautifully wrought, the sword carved with several references to the flora and animals native to Wallchilla. A rose sits at the crossguard, connecting the base of the blade to the hilt. The crossguard extends out, curling vines. The hilt is wrapped with the hide of a Wallchillan Land Shark, a rare and dangerous creature with extremely durable skin. The blade has golden carved vines climbing the back of it, thorns and leaves, the silver steel blade surrounded by the soft blue electricity that the power node sends across it. The Bautor de Sange was wielded by Vlad Rhapthorne in the beginning of his career, and was his steadfast weapon up until his death, his own blood staining the leathered hilt, and pried from his cold fingers after his body’s return to Castelul Bestiei, to be given to his successor as a symbol of his position. The sword was called the Blood Drinker in the native tongue of Wallchilla, for in Wallchillan belief, weapons have a soul of their own, and Rhapthorne frequently told of the blade’s bloodthirsty warmonger’s soul, mirroring the vampiric soul of the Draconian Impalers.
The Mantle of Gifflet: The Mantle of Gifflet is ornate master crafted artificer power armor Mark III, replete with various details, such as engravings depicting the 4 Circles of the Impalers on the greaves, a spike rising from above the backpack with the chapter badge brought to life in carved bone and ceramite. It is named after an ancient Wallchillan myth, a warrior who supposedly became immortal but lost his life after tossing his magic sword into the oceans of Wallchilla. The left pauldron has the names of every Dragonking picked into it with fine detail, and the right is a walking shrine to these heroes, as at the death of each Dragonking, their eye teeth are taken and implanted into the right pauldron, creating a mosaic of history and legend. Each gauntlet is a menacing thing in of itself, metal claws topping each finger and blade like ridges rising from the backs of the hands, allowing for them to be used as weapons should the wearer be disarmed. Along the forearms run three elegant vines, each branching into smaller vines, like the veins in his body. The three base vines meet at the elbow, topping the elbows in a single red rose, to remind the Impaler Lord that there is beauty in violence. The chest piece is adorned with carven skulls, each marked on their forehead with an ancient etched VIII crossed out to represent the eternal grudge the Draconian Impalers bear against the Night Lords. His helmet is designed after the Mark IV Maximus, with winged flares coming from the face, giving the appearance of an almost angelic visage. The breathing slits on the face are modeled to look like blood drops. The four circles are represented by engravings of four actual circles carved into the greaves of the armor. The Circle of Rebirth is a wreath of roses, the Cog marked by a Mechanicus cog wheel, the Circle of Shadows is marked by a flaming sun and the Circle of Blades is a spiked chain with a fist in the center. The armor is normally unattached from a jump pack, but should the wearer request it, the armor is joined with its ancient companion, the Gilded Wings.
The Gilded Wings: The Gilded Wings has been in the Dragonking’s armory since the dawn of the chapter. The ancient jump pack are beautifully made, the jets marked by two sweeping wings, made to appear as the wings of the ancient Terran bat, red as the morning sun. The rest of the pack is dark grey and bronze colored. The Gilded Wings are a shrine to the Great Angel Sanguinius, between the two jets is a peaked grove, the grove showing the Primarch in his splendor, armed with the Spear of Telesto and the Moonsilver Blade. The jets are much thinner and far less bulky then the standard jump packs, and has the landscape of Wallchilla engraved into it, a reminder of the origins of the space marines, born mortal and risen to become angels of death. The Wings roar like a great dragon when in use, the deep throated machine spirit howling for blood with every jump. The jets even possess two secondary vents that when activated spit flames around the wearer, burning those who get too close to the deadly warrior. The Gilded Wings, when in use, are paired with their ancient host, the Mantle of Gifflet.
The Moon's Wrath: A newer relic added to the armory of the Draconian Impalers, the Moon’s Roar is a plasma pistol given to the current Dragonking Alexandru Denis. It was given to him by an Adetpus Mechanicus magos that the Dragonking saved from a warband of Night Lords who were searching for wargear. The plasma pistol has a bronze body, its mouth made to appear as a bear, an ancient symbol of the moon, the coils softly glowing with a silver light. A small global shape is at the butt of the pistol, gray like Luna, who it was named after. The shots fired by the pistol are like a silvered white, and seem to burn hotter than the standard plasma pistol. It is said that a well placed shot with the Moon’s Roar is enough to topple even a chaos knight. This boast has never been tested by Lord Denis. A purity seal inscribed with some of the oldest prayers to the Omnissiah hangs from the grip. Lord Denis had the Cog mark the pistol as an Draconian Impaler artifact by adding the chapter’s symbol into the globe with wallchillan gold. The Moon’s Wrath possesses a young soul, brash and quick to anger. It seeks to prove itself on the anvil of conflict and earn its place in the hallowed halls of the Impalers' Armories.
The Deathsong: A two handed power scimitar crafted about 50 years after the Draconian Impalers were founded. The blade was forged by the first Master of the Cog, and given to the then bodyguard of the first Dragonking Vlad Rhapthorne. The Deathsong was named from the singing noise that the blade makes when it cuts through the air. The whistling that comes from the blade is a dirge that signals that the one who hears it has reached their end. The whole sword is fairly simple in adornment, but incredibly well made and incredible powerful. The blade is plain, with several thin nodes that send the vibrant green energy across the blade. The hilt is an unimpressive thing, simple black and red weave to keep the hand from being hurt when in use, the pommel a small gold skull with a jeweled blood drop in the forehead. The crossguard is a gold dragon's skull, from which the blade extends, and the crossguard itself is a long tongue that curves over the first 3 fingers and thumb of the wielder and a horn that protects the wrist. The sword has come to be the symbol and weapon of choice of the office of the Punisher of Deeds, a position within the Draconian Impalers that formed as the chapter came into its own. The Deathsong has several serrations going up the crossguard about 1 and a half inches. The blade is seven feet long, and at its widest point four inches. The blade’s spirit is an honorable and humble soul, prone to no arrogance or pompousness, seeking righteousness and purity in the flames of war.
The Unyielding Will: Worn by the Punisher of Deeds, The Unyielding Will was passed down from an early Impaler praetor who served as Vlad Rhapthorne’s honor guard champion. The armor is an ornate suit of Cataphractii pattern armor, the wrought artwork on it as ceremonial as the act of violence the Punisher commits in the Rite of Midnight Clad. The armor’s knee pads are carved in the image of two monsters, the right a stylized dragon, and the other a roaring leonine beast. The belt buckle is carved into the shape of an ancient Wallchillan religious symbol, an old ward against the Realm Beyond. An iron halo marked by three tall twisting spires, the skulls of various enemies topping them, prayer beads wrap around the neck as protection against the spells of xenos and chaos alike. The armor was modified slightly by the masters of the Cog when Zaharia took the position of Punisher to make the armor faster, lighter, and more agile, to accommodate the master swordsman’s style. Called the Unyielding Will because in its long history, it seems capable of shrugging off even the most destructive blows and attacks.
The Sandman's Grip:The Sandman's Grip is a heresy pattern Lightning Claw, its 5 fingers topped by deadly sharp blades crackling with electricity. It is said the weapon was given its name by a lone survivor of a squad destroyed by an ambush by xenos forces. The one marine was heavily injured and the lightning claw’s twin was crushed in the aftermath, and at this point the marine found a new fire inside him, and using his stealth, slaughtered the xenos as they slept. The lone marine survived for two Terran months until Imperial forces could reach his position in a vicious land war. It is claimed the ruthless spirit within the claw developed a taste for the hunt, its power nodes refusing to spark until the enemy is close enough to smell the breath of their killer. When used in the stealth mission, the Sandman’s Grip emits an extremely low hum, almost imperceptible to the ear of those listening. It hungers in particular the blood of the Night Lords, who use the very methods it adores. Those who have heard it's hum after battle claim its crackling sounds content with the slaughter it inevitable basks in.
The Veiled Rod:The Veiled Rod, symbolic of the position of Whisperer of Shadows. The Veiled Rod is forged from the bone of a monster killed many centuries ago by a librarian, the fibers of it now attuned to the power of the warp. The Veiled Rod became the symbol of the Whisperer of Shadows after its first owner, an Umbra Shaman who carved the force staff out of the broken bone of an Aeldari construct and the shards of his own shattered force rod, hastily rebuilt in the heat of battle. When the Umbra Shaman returned to the Castelul Bestiei, the Blood Priests and lords of the Circle of Shadows re-wrought the staff to sanctify it and make it fit to be used by the psychic warriors of the Emperor. The Veiled Rod is also covered in several totems of psychically charged objects taken from when the various Whisperer of Shadows have claimed their position and carved with ancient Wallchillan rune blessings. The gemstone embedded in the head of the staff is a crystal containing the dust from a ground up Aeldari soulstone. A shard from an Iron Warrior sorcerer’s armor is sharpened and planted into the bottom of the staff, creating a small blade. An Ork Warboss' teeth on a string wrap around the staff, the brain matter of a Tyranid Zoanthrope contained within a vial joining the teeth. Several other various parts and armors are present in the staff. The force rod has developed a wise and collected spirit, reserving its owner’s power until the perfect moment to cause the most damage. If the Whisperer of Shadows is attuned to the Veiled Rod, they can sense the staff’s mood and act accordingly.
The Ochi Rosii:The Ochi Rosii is the psychic hood that the Whisperer of Shadows wears as another symbol of his office. The hood, called the Red Eye in Wallchillan language, is named after the large red focusing crystal in the middle of the hood, which allows the Whisperer of Shadows to amplify his powers to untold levels. The hood is currently worn by Corvinus the Bloody and is attached to his armor, The Farfurie Inger.
The Farfurie Inger: Artificer Armor forged to offer the most protection for the wearer without putting the wearer in terminator armor. After the armor was adopted by Corvinus, it was covered in Wallchillan runes and blessed with several prayer seals and votive candles. The candles are arrayed in a group of 5 along the power pack. While the Farfurie Inger is made of the parts of several marks, the main armor is based on the Mark III armor, the left pauldron marked by a book surrounded by a circle of flames along with the left arm itself being the bright blue of the Librarium. The right is marked by the Chapter sigil. The armor has a chain of 37 prayer beads along the belt with an Imperial Aquila, both as a protection against the warp and a representation of the 37 vows of vengeance against the Night Lords each Draconian Impaler takes at the beginning of their careers. The greaves are studded with silver rivets and the vambraces have bladed protrusions. The boots are clawed at the toes, and has a bladed claw at the heel. The chest piece has a silver winged skeleton on it, the skull in the center of the gorget, with a vox caster in it so that the wearer can bellow out his hatred. The power pack has two small censures that hang from the back in the shape of rose bouquets. The armor currently has a large billowing black cloak that obscures the shape of the wearer. Called the Angel’s Plate, it is said that those who wear this armor emulate the Great Angel Sanguinus in his rage on the battlefield.
The Dragoni Cantar: Originally worn by the first Red Dragon of the Impalers, the Dragoni Cantar were named this as the warrior accumulated a reputation of being like that of a vicious beast of legend. As the Red Dragon, a Draconian Impaler named Anghel Kronid, built his legend and reputation he added details to his armor that built up the aspect of the dragon. The armor is covered with hundreds of dragon motifs, such as two large folded wings on the back covering the warp generator. An iron halo shaped like a blazing sun crowns the head armor, and a hand carved dragon skull mask obscures the face of the wearer. The greaves are marked with a bronze skeleton on each, one holding a chalice, denoting his position as High Apothecary, and one holding book and staff, his rank as master chaplain revealed here. The left pauldron bristles with disorganized spikes, a constant reminder of the Forest of the Damned and the right bearing the chapter sigil. The armor is scaled across the vambrace and the backs of the greaves, much like the dragon that it claims the name of. An honor scroll hangs from the belt, the names of its wearers and their greatest sermon inscribed upon it. Unique among the Impalers, the armor is primarily blood red with a blackened trim, and bronze scales.
Patience and Ire: Twin volkite serpenta wielded by the Blotter of Hate, they are wired to the killer warrior’s jump pack, its engine powering the thermal coils that turn his enemies into nothing but ash and dust. They screech loudly, the roar of the rockets blending to create a multi-throated howl, like the animal that the Blotter of Hate becomes on the battlefield. The two volkite weapons are remnants of the Great Crusade, another symbol of the Draconian Impalers origins, only wielding the weapons they could scavenge in their initial exile. The serpenta are named Patience and Ire however this is a kind of irony, with Patience’s spirit always firing at the slightest touch of the trigger and Ire harder to fire, seemingly awaiting the perfect moment to allow its wielder to even compress the trigger.
The Diavoli Aripi: The armor and jump pack of the Blotter of Hate, called The Devil’s Wings in Wallchillan, painted similarly to the colors of the Janissaries, black, bronze and red. A golden mask adorns the helmet, but not in the way of the Janissaries who wear a death mask. The Diavoli Aripi mask is in the shape of a demonic beast, snarling and spitting bloody vile at the enemy. Intricate detailing covers its surface, giving it many many qualities that draw heavily on the ideas of ancient demons and devils. Two large wings swoop out, a darkened mirror of Astorath the Grim, giant black and red bat wings rising from the single massive jet that launches the wearer into the sky. The armor is covered in spikes, bones and blades. The armor is a weapon onto itself. Initially designed and worn by the first Blotter of Hate, and having seen combat endless since becoming the ceremonial armor of the Blotter of Hate. The armor is also seen as a symbolic "sin eater", containing within it the weight of the Rage of the Janissary. It has the uncanny affect of causing a primal terror in its foes, more so than the transhuman dread that Astartes already spread before them.
The Righteous Blades: Measuring three and a half feet in length, these two power daggers are sharp as biting ice, and as swift as the wind that the Blotter of Hate rides to use them in battle. The daggers are stylized, the hilts appear as the faces of monsters, their tongues sticking out of the mouths as flame bladed razors. Used in the rite of Midnight Clad and the Naming Rite, these blades were hand forged by Vlad Rhapthorne for his biological cousin, the first Blotter of Hate nearly 100 years after the Great Angel Sanginuis was rediscovered. The Righteous Blades were used by the bloodthirsty scout for years before being assigned to being a Moritat by his captain after refusing to follow numerous orders. The blades have taken on the first Blotter’s soul into themselves, filled with blessed rage against the Archenemy, desiring nothing more than to punish the Night Lords with endless pain.
The Thunderstorm Axe: The power axe called Thunderstorm Axe, is marked by the cog tooth pattern of the Adeptus Mechanicus, and like the cloak of the Cog, has strange runes and patterns carved into it, culminating into the shape of a lightning bolt. The blade is a half-moon, stopping a long spike, forming a halberd, the blade extending into a quarter of a circle. When the proper binaric code is canted, the ancient axe will light up, powered by some arcane energy and is capable of firing off a wave of plasma like streaks. However, when the Thunderstorm Axe is used this way, the weapon seems to become fatigued and grows heavy to wield, even for the gene enhanced space marine who carries it. Ancient beyond compare, the Thunderstorm Axe is thought to have been forged before the Imperium of Man struck the first bargain with the tech priests of Mars. Strange and intricate patterns cover the ancient blade, tracing strange lines and dotted with bizarre shapes like stars and lightning bolts. A few lines appear to have a jagged line, much like heartbeat monitor lines from the Dark Age of Technology. The weapon has an old spirit, older than any other in the Draconian Impalers armory. The Thunderstorm Axe is grizzled, wise and filled with arcane knowledge. When the binaric charge is canted, the axe is filled with rage and becomes uncontrollable.
The Starforged Plate: Artifacter Armor forged for the Lord of the Cog in the heart of the dying star captured in an ancient Adeptus Mechanicus device. It is worn by the lord of the Cog, the armor covered by esoteric carvings and warp inspired engravings. A cloak hanging from its shoulders appears to have a strange star map stitched into it, but repeated searches have yielded no such map in the known universe. The armor is thick, as impenetrable as the bulwarks of Terra, unbreaking in the face of adversity. A symbol of office as much as a powerful piece of armor, the Starforged Plate has been passed down for generations, each Lord of the Cog giving the armor a minor upgrade, adding to its continued legacy.
Moartea Inger Mant: The Death Angel’s Mantle, a suit of armor so brutal and so dark that it seems fully out of place with the normally elegant Draconian Impalers. The Draconian Impalers tend to show beauty in violence, light in darkness, hope in despair. Not so the MoarteaIngerMant, for it, along with the Diavoli Aripi, is the sin eater, containing within it the darkness of the Hunger. It is covered in images that exude violence, no poetry in form, only death. It’s wearer is considered the pinnacle of the Dragul’s Hunger in the flesh, the living expression of the curse. There have been many a time when a chaotic servant sees the wearer and assumes fellowship, only to be disemboweled by the bloodthirsty warrior. The greaves each have a diabolical serpent crawling up the legs, their fangs bared at the knee, facing all who approach, prepared to strike. The belt is made of 37 carved skulls, each with its mouth opened, screaming for all eternity, their eye sockets filled running with bloody tears. Some claim that the mouths will bite down to clamp unto grenades when they are placed unto the belt, the Chapter laughs at these claims but does not dispute them. A trio of ragged strips hangs from the belt, honor scrolls that are marked with the names of past wearers and the dates of their deaths. Other Draconian Impalers also wear the winged skull on their chest, but the MoarteaIngerMant’s skull is far more unnerving, for it is not the crisp unbroken skull that is imprinted onto the others. It is a haunted affair, its eyes wide, the bones misshapen and missing teeth. It seems to grin with a disturbed countenance, the wings curling from behind it are equally unnerving. They are uneven, crooked skeletal things, too long and give the impression of some kind of unnatural being. The left pauldron is a massive vampiric head, flesh pulled taunt, caught in the act of using it’s needle-like teeth to feed. The eyes of the fiendish beast glow an unearthly red, and its sharp features could cut flesh if it were to make contact. The other pauldron is the typical Draconian Impalers motiff, with the surface raised and laurels behind the insignia to represent the user’s veteran rank. The power pack has extended joints between the base and the exhausts, allowing for 2 smoldering braziers to be added on top of the braziers. Curved claws top the fingers of the gauntlets, for the wearer is often gripped in the moment to rip his foes apart with his bare hands. To wear the MoarteaIngerMant is to be marked as a monster, a damned beast apart. Where others see a burden, it’s wearer sees the greatest honor. The battle plate exudes an air of unease, throwing those who see it off their balance.
The Bleeding Pike: A power spear from the infancy of the Draconian Impalers, lost to a group of Chaos warriors not long after. The spear is simplistic in appearance, an iron black rod, metal wrapping around a vial of blood just above the hand grips. The liquid vita constantly leaks from a crack in the bottle, however never runs empty of the dark red blood. The spear was recaptured by the Draconian Impaler Grigore Tepes, who snatched the power weapon from the dying form of a Night Lord and brought it back to Wallchilla. The Pike is like a feral beast, tortured by the Chaos Warpsmiths to bring it into compliance. Like a wounded wolf, the Pike became bonded to the young marine, only usable by Tepes. Any other marine that lifts the Bleeding Pike suddenly finds it heavy, inert and fighting the will of the attempted user. The spear has a teleportation device keyed to a unique augment that in a bionic replaced Grigore’s right arm, allowing the weapon to always return to his hand regardless of armor he wears. Where both the augment and teleportation device came from are both a mystery that Grigore will die with. The spirit of the Bleeding Pike is a wild beast, constantly pacing and hungry to do battle with those who share the chaotic taint that tortured it. Several Umbra Shamans have read the weapon’s soul and found no corruption but have found that the Pike is vicious, hungry, and unstoppable in its hatred.
The Bloodied Lion's Hide: Colored much like a normal Draconian Impaler marine, the Bloodied Lion's Hide is a piece of master crafted power armor that has seen several upgrades since being handed over to Uta Gemeni. Uta is a consummate killer, and over his long service has been known to occasionally take short hunting trips off world to improve his natural skill and to learn to become the ultimate predator. The armor is covered in the trophies from his many kills, but the name comes from the greatest trophy of them all. Uta took a trip to a world that had once been colonized by Orks, but since abandoned, the only life remaining being grots and squig variants. Uta spent three days traveling the planet's surface killing every lifeform that stepped in his path. On the third day, a colossal squig hound charged the marine, followed by a pack of similar squig monsters. The creatures were like squig hounds, but had thick manes and rough fur coats, a variant born from wild mutations and radioactivity. After slaying the beasts, Uta skinned the largest one and threw the red furred cloak over his shoulders, and flew back to Wallchilla. After the gore and blood were washed clean, the fur cloak was integrated into the suit, pinned to the armor by a decorative blood red lion’s head that replaced the leftmost pauldron. Other such trophies are a necklace of talons and teeth from Tyranids, Squigs and other animals that have been hunted. Leather, furs and chains cover the armor.
Purtatori Antici of the Dragonking and the Order of the Dragon, Mikhael Cojacar, called the Uncrowned Heir(Son of the former 5th Duke of Wallchilla). He is pictured holding the Banner Remaining.
The Banner Remaining: A chapter standard carried by the personal Purtatori Antici of the Dragonking, the Banner Remaining is the oldest banner borne by the Draconian Impalers Chapter. On it is the image of a Space Marine garbed in a robe, wielding a massive flaming blade, and standing atop a mountain of misshapen skulls. The banner has the names of a whole company stitched into it, many appearing to be names incredibly dissimilar to the angelic names of the Blood Angels, however some are Baalite names. The banner was the only thing left after a failed operation that a large number of Revenant Legion Astartes were sent to attack a xenos planet. While the xenos were destroyed, the alien scum used a weapon in their final moments that infected the warriors with a flesh eating plague that killed the whole company. The atmosphere was destroyed by the virus as well, the planet scrubbed of all life. When the Blood Angels arrived on the planet, they found the legion's corpses were huddled around the banner, as though giving homage to the only thing left. The banner was ripped from the ground, the Primarch had the names of the fallen inscribed into the fabric, and gave the banner to Vlad Rhapthorne because most of the dead were Wallchillan born. The Banner Remaining is a testament to the blood spilled by the Draconian Impalers in the name of the Great Angel Sanguinus, and the pain felt by the Draconian Impalers at their disowning by the Blood Angels.
The Wall of the Hurricane: A storm shield that has made a name for itself in the Draconian Impalers Chapter, seemingly never cracking under any pressure. Many times has the momentum of a relentless assault slowed to a halt by a last minute block by the wielder of the shield. Once, a member of the Order of the Dragon was under the attack of a Carnefix bioform, crushing armor and bone. The poor marine would have perished had it not been for the Wall of the Hurricane, dropped by a fellow marine in an ambush attack by the Tyranids. Driven to the ground, the warrior snatched up the shield in a last ditch effort to preserve his life. As the claw slammed down on the storm shield, the shield’s energy shot through the massive creature, throwing it backwards, and apparently giving the creature some kind of heart attack. The warrior, still wounded, rallied the surviving warriors and with the Wall of the Hurricane on his arm, pushed back the endless hordes and were able to hold the line until reinforcements arrived. Ever since the first time, the Wall of the Hurricane has performed countless such feats throwing back the blows of several powerful foes on the verge of its bearers death. Unique among the relics of the Chapter, the Wall of the Hurricane’s chapter insignia is blended with the Salamanders with the head of the Drake replacing the dragon skull, for it was forged by a member of the esteemed First Founding chapter after a joint operation attacking a Dark Aeldari raiding party and as a symbol of the goodwill between the two chapters. The shield is modeled after the ancient heater shield, medium sized and made of ceramite and blessed by the chaplains of both the Draconian Impalers and the Salamanders. The shield is marked by the combined Salamander and Draconian Impaler sigils and creeping rose vines are picked across the edges. Small silver studs are peppered across the surface, mirroring the stars that shone in the skies on the night of that mission. Since Ladinas crossed the Rubicon, the Wall of the Hurricane required upgrading and the Salamanders were summoned. For 2 terran weeks, the combined efforts of the two chapters upgraded the shield, embedding the original shield within a larger, Bladeguard variant thunder shield to increase its area of protection and boosting its already powerful shockwave effect to untold levels.
The Blade of the Red Crusader: Another relic gifted by another chapter, the Blade of the Red Crusader was given to the Draconian Impalers by the Knights of Blood at the beginning of the renegade chapter's beleaguered existence. The Knights of Blood were wandering the stars, sending delegations to every known Blood Angels Successor, attempting to build relationships with their cousins. When the Knights came to Wallchilla, the Draconian Impalers were surprised, believing themselves so far detached from their parent chapter that any and all love with their cousins would not exist. Greeting the young chapter with open arms, the Draconian Impalers brought the delegates into their halls and bade them to celebrate, making oaths that should the Knights need them, the Draconian Impalers would have their backs. Despite not having many tools or weapons, the Knights of Blood presented their cousins with the Blade of the Red Crusader, a master crafted dual edged power sword, the guard slopping over the hand on both sides, elegant and simple, a gift for a friend. The sword, in of itself unimpressive, was fondly taken and is often given to the Dragonking’s personal champion, a warrior unparalleled and a close friend and advisor to the Dragonking. The blade’s personality is troubled, as though it can sense the hurt inside its creators souls. When in battle, it fights to redeem and honor its beloved parent chapter. After the Knights of Blood were declared renegade, the Impalers mourned the loss of their close friends, and when very small bands of the warriors come near Wallchilla, the chapter reluctantly sends them to a small, uninhabited planet nearby, where they can rest and refuel if required, their oath of brotherhood still honored.
The Lamenting of the Heart: A beautifully crafted bolt rifle, gilded, golden and steeped in tragic history. The rifle was forged by the chapter techmarines of the Lamenters, made for some lieutenant or champion. The symbol of the Lamenters is engraved into the siding, and the checkered pattern of the field is marked and marbled into the plating on the sides of the rifle. The rifle was taken from the hands of a dying marine found by the Draconian Impalers drifting through space. The space marine told the Draconian Impalers to return the rifle to his chapter "when the curse was lifted and the Lamenters could return to the light", the Draconian Impalers had this promise engraved around the muzzle of the barrel. The rifle has a mournful soul, each blast of the weapon crying out for forgiveness and wailing in pain. The Draconian Impalers rarely use the weapon, only taking it out when it is absolutely necessary to.
The Oath Reaper: The origins of the 'Oath Reaper' Relic blade reside in the hands of Geldon the Giant. A former member of the Storm Giants Chapter. Upon sending aid to the 6th company of Storm Giants in the Irodux Campaigns, the Acherons First Company Master Suriel Shadowbane was met with no line to reinforce. No living space marine was visible for miles across the war torn trenches of Irodux Prime. Suriel had deemed they had been too late to stop the traitors assault on the planet. Though fate would present a different path. As the Acheron First company swept across the plains of dead cultists and peppered loyalists and traitor astartes toward the embankment of the final trenches he sat. Gore drenched, broken, battered, but alive. Suriel had not noticed the Astartes amidst the tens of other dead storm giants and thousands of cultists. That is until he shook from the attempt at standing. Suriel had seen the man standing stoic on the battlefield, a massive blade in his hands. Suriel had suggested finishing the seizure of the planet but Vla'shain had assured the Company Master that the force sent to cripple the loyalist and aid the cult dominating the planet had been repelled. And that he stood upon the ground of which was the final battlefield afore victory over the Word Bearers. He alone lived. His entire company was massacred and Vla'shain had insisted that Suriel claim him dead and induct him into the path of the Lion. He had seen the flaws of Vulkans gene-seed. And though its stalwart defender. He did not wish to watch this happen time and time again only under different dirt and sky. That his brothers in arms die in horrendous amounts so a cluster of women and children may live until the next savage strike from the ruinous powers. Suriel had played with the thought in his mind but knew one not of the Lion’s blood would be accepted as their own even under his direct suggestion to the Seraphim. So he had made a bargain with the son of Vulkan. And die that day did Vla'shain. But emerging from the fields of death, war and victory was Geldon the Giant inducted as a Sergeant. Geldon over the many years has risen up to a Deathwing ancient, his stature and blade size made him a formidable foe on his own. And only bolstered his men to come and reinforce the giant of a Astartes in modified terminator armor. Though even the greatest of those in our halls of remembrance had fallen to our greatest foe. One day the Killwing of Acheron assaulted a Khornate warp rift ebbing and flowing carnage onto a hive world whose blood cults for the holy day of sanguine had over the years been twisted into horrible mutilation of children and animals incurring the wrath of the blood god from repeated sacrifices and rituals summoning Excarius the Old Blood a prominent Daemon Prince of Khorne. As the Acheron outside the main hive clustered bled might across the grounds pressuring their way inside to reinforce the contingent of Killwing led by Geldon. The Teleportarium sent the force in to shut closed the jaws of oblivion. And after many hours of slaughter and chaos the acheron had breached the deepest portions of the underhive of which resided the warp rift and the contingent of killwing. The master had seen death everywhere but at the fore of his vision stood the ancient Geldon. And the massive 17 foot demon prince. Geldon fought hard but as the master entered he witnessed the end of his struggle, the demon had his wrists severed from his body but the beast had lodged his axe too deep into the chest plate of the Ancient. The beast upon seeing many tens of Astartes and being bolted down ever since they entered the door and being disarmed chose to leave before his banishment. Geldon has bestowed his massive 2 handed blade soaked in the blood of hundreds of fallen to the master who tried to comfort his old comrade before he was taken to the emperors side.Since then the blade used by Master Ahriel Sollix 'The OathReaper' has been used to hunt and kill those who have wronged the first and the Acheron. Upon the siege of Cistra, a hive controlled by a Fallen operative, was shattered by the combined might of The Draconian Impalers and Acheron Angels a barter was enacted. Ahriel Sollix master of the second company had still many Night Lord traitors of high standings. Three rising war band leaders with valuable intel were given in exchange for the fallen operative captured by captain of the Draconian Impalers, without losing the information of the Great schism within the Dark Angels. Along with this a gift of good fortune was bestowed to Ahriel. Master crafted armor, taken from the Fallen at his capture was purged of the heresy steeped within its machine spirit and re-purified. In good tidings Ahriel deemed this heresy relic armor was far more valuable than that which had been given for it, and as a token of kinship between the chapters, Ahriel gave also to the Captain of the Draconian Impalers a large 1.5x power sword length' blade of which was altered by the technicians of the Acheron. The tech-brothers were able to activate one of the still held many secrets from the dark age, allowing the sword to emit twice the energy field produced by power weapons, giving it an edge unlike any other. Ahriel had ordered the blade be restored to its glory days before it had become dull and war torn from thousand of battles. The blade was reforged and sharpened to the preference of the captain who showed great kinship to Ahriel. Inlaid with intricate runes that bolstered the blades will to rend the flesh of the ruinous powers and deal even further damage to those amidst the legionaries in prestigious positions amidst the heretics. The hilt was inundated with gold from Caliban and was re-wrapped with red leathers blessed by the living saint of Hevrus III, the final embellishment was the ornate hilt piece displaying the icon of the chapter. A great Drakes skull with a drop of blood inlaid in its forehead, the cross guard given the shape of the swords from the chapter sigil of the Draconian Impalers. From this day the brother chapters had vox connections to one day perhaps face the forces of chaos in arms once more. The Oath Reaper is currently wielded by one of the personal bodyguards of Alexandru Denis, a space marine by the name of Uta Gemeni.
Chapter Appearance[]
Chapter Colours[]
The chapter armor is colored primarily bronze, in homage to the bronze armors worn by the Wallchillan natives. The trim is a bloody red, a scant reminder of where the Draconian Impalers draw their lineage from, and their boots are colored a dark gray. This gray comes from the many campaigns Vlad Rhapthorne led during the great crusade, the ash of a thousand worlds staining his ceramite, and reminding him that the Astartes are weapons, tools to a violent end.
Chapter Badge[]
1st Company Onorat Vladimar of the Draconian Impalers displays chapter colors and livery
The Chapter badge of the Draconian Impalers depicts the skull of an ancient Wallchillan drake, several centuries extinct from hunting from the bygone kings. In it's forehead is embedded a scarlet blood drop, one of the few signs of the Blood Angels connection the the Draconian Impalers. At the jaw line of the drake are two Wallchillan kilijes, to represent the culture of war born from the lush planet.
The Knights of Blood, before their renegade status was ordered, were good allies with the Draconian Impalers, due to the separation between the chapters and their parent legion. The two successors often fought together, trading gear, ammunition, and gathering gene-seed for one another when necessary. After the Knights of Blood were declared Excommunicate Traitoris, the Draconian Impalers were forced to withdraw their support officially, and were some of the largest advocates for the renegade chapter, often sending pleas to the High Lords of Terra to reinstate the Knights to their proper status. The Draconian Impalers secretly supported their cousins whenever the Knights were in the Wallchillan region.
The Salamanders Chapter has had limited interaction with Draconian Impalers, but the few minor actions undertaken by both of these two chapters have went over well. While not in frequent contact, the Salamanders have made occasional contact with this Blood Angels Successor Chapter when it is believed that the Night Lords are involved, and the Draconian Impalers attempt to reach out when the Drukhari are the target. Their friendship was solidified with a customary exchange of wargear.
The Night Lords Traitor Legion are first and foremost among the enemies of the Draconian Impalers. The deep and bitter rivalry the Draconian Impalers feel for the Night Lords stems from the atrocities witnessed by the first Dragonking, Lord Rhapthorne during a joint operation between the two legions. Lord Rhapthorne declared that the Night Lords were to be purged and punished with extreme prejudice at every possible meeting. The Draconian Impalers will slay any and all Night Lords, except the leaders, who the loyalist space marines capture and torture before executing. The Night Lords have taken to calling the Draconian Impalers “the Bastard Sons of Sanguinius” and “castaways” in an effort to demoralize the chapter, however this was a wasted effort, as the Draconian Impalers wear these badges with a morbid pride.
Notable Quotes[]
By the Draconian Impalers[]
"By the blood in my veins, the life in my soul, by the spark the Emperor instilled in me, I will place the life of the innocent and the fragile before my own mighty life. This is my final and ultimate vow."
— The 37th Vow of the Draconian Impalers, taken from the Scarlet Book of Rhapthorne.
"We ride into the night! We ride into the flames! We die in the light! And we die in His name!"
— Grigore Tepes Captain of the First
"Do not mistake me, mortal. We are not saints or heroes, we are murderers. We murder in the name of the Emperor, we hate and we kill. We burn, and we leave behind nought but the corpses of the damned. We are not good men, corporal. We are murderers. And if you were wise, you would be too."
—3rd Captain Mihas to an unnamed Vostroyan guardsman during a joint operation.
"We are the Sons Forsaken, and so we will fight every battle as though we will be forgotten if we did not!"
— The Red Dragon, Antonis the Large
About the Draconian Impalers[]
"The Draconian Impalers give many that meet them an impression quite dissimilar to their cousins. One Imperial Colonel had this to say: ‘I’ve met the Ultramarines before. Bunch of heroes, first to charge the enemy line. Greatest honor of my life. But the Draconian Impalers are.... different. Don’t get me wrong, it was an amazing honor and they charged with the same zeal but. The way they charged, the energy that came off of them. It reminded me more of a suicide charge. Like they were trying to prove themselves to someone else. Unnerving lot.’ Several other guardsmen I spoke to had similar things to say about this mysterious chapter of unknown origin."
—- Treaste on Chapters of Unknown Lineage, Historitor Jacobian Lynx
"The Impalers are a somber sort, dour and quiet. They speak only what must be said, taking their honors when forced and denying the pomp others seem to revel in. But when the fires of war are lit, the air filled with the sounds of the dying, I'd want no other than one of those sour bastards by my side."
— Captain Veril of the Cadian 389th Shock Troops Regiment.
"Curious. There is hate deep within the blood of these warriors, deeper than most, and it is most prevalent in their infamous Forest of the Damned. Despite their macabre practices and their nigh unpredictable violence, there is something very human in how they lay down their lives to save those that the rest of them Imperium see as expendable.
I hail thee, fellow warrior against the eternal dark. May your swords remain sharp and your hate remain pure."
—Viceroy Gharosh Khal of the Lightning Wraiths' 8th Pillar of Wisdom
"I remember when I fought for the very freedom of my people against the Blue Menace decades ago. That hate of an enemy that forced hardship upon me is something I know all too well. Together, we can liberate humanity and free mankind from such a need for vengeance against insidious and murderous foes. Liberty or death, now and always, Red Dragon."
