|
This article, Ghast Knights, was written by CadaverificRenegade. Please do not edit or 'acquire' this fiction without the writer's permission. |
|
This article, Ghast Knights, is currently under active construction. The author, CadaverificRenegade, apologizes for the inconvenience. |
The Ghast Knights are a renegade space marine chapter originally descended from the Gilded Knights, a 23rd 'Sentinel' Founding Successor Chapter created from the lineage of the stoic and unforgiving Iron Hands. However, this is only known to the Ghast Knights and the traitorous Leviathan Dogma. The Inquisition has its suspicions, but they are based solely on anecdotal evidence.
Despite this scrutiny, those that have fought by their side know them to be ardent defenders of the Imperium and its people. The Ghast Knights aggressively patrol their sector and answer any cry for aid with a company's worth of Astartes. Their presence is usually heralded by smoke bombs and deafening shrieks.
Chapter History
According to public record, the Ghast Knights appeared seemingly out of nowhere in the Moirrum Sub-Sector toward the beginning of M39. Their first recorded appearance was at the Battle of Sorilia, where they supposedly assisted in the quelling of a traitor uprising which ended with the annihilation of the Gilded Knights Space Marine Chapter. They claim to be of the 23rd Founding, coincidentally the same as the Gilded Knights, but records indicate no such chapter being formed at that time.
Armorial of the Now-Extinct Gilded Knights.
In truth, the Ghast Knights were originally known as the Gilded Knights. The chapter was led by their master, Atassian Invibus who was renowned as a charismatic warrior and hero. Alongside his circle of trusted veterans, he led his knights personally into every battle. The Gilded Knights revered personal strength above all else; carried away, eventually, to a sinister and catastrophic fault. Later generations of Gilded Knights revered glory, personal achievement, and the attainment of strength by any means, usually utilizing technological augmentation to do so. Among these tendencies, hyper-aggression slowly began to manifest throughout the chapter. Eventually, the newer battle-brothers even began to look down on humans for their apparent weakness.
The subterfuge culminated in the chapter-wide devastation of the Gilded Knights at the Battle of Calrath, where the chief traitor, Urlaban, devoted himself and his followers to the ruinous powers and killed Invibus. After hours of system-wide fighting and with the help of a Freeblade known as Dreadmaul, the loyal Gilded Knights drove the traitors, now calling themselves the Leviathan Dogma, into the Eye of Terror where they have begun to increase their numbers. In an effort to prevent themselves from being culled by the Inquisition the Gilded Knights reinvented themselves as the Ghast Knights and modified their strategies and combat doctrine to match.
To further back up their story, The Ghast Knights claim that they are a separate chapter who witnessed the Gilded Knights bravely defending their home against hordes of traitors at the final battle at Sorilia. According to public record, the loyalist Gilded Knights fought the traitors in their ranks to the last man before ordering that the Ghast Knights glass the planet from orbit, killing any remaining Gilded Knights. In actuality, it was the Inquisition who bombarded Sorilia due to a disastrous misfire on the part of the Ghast Knights. Now they patrol their sector and seek out traitors with extreme prejudice while avoiding the prying eye of the Inquisition.
Chapter Home World
Departmento Cartographicae pict-file of Ghroth, Chapter home world of the Ghast Knights.
After the devastation of their former homeworld, Sorilia, the Ghast Knights fortified Ghroth, a neighboring planet. Ghroth is a feudal world with toxicity levels rivaling those of Barbarus, the long-forgotten home world of the formerly loyalist Death Guard, thus making every day a fight for survival. A radioactive atmosphere and acid rain paired with gangs of mutants make farming, one of Ghroth’s primary sources of income, a constant struggle. The PDF (Planetary Defense Force) is usually all that stands between the peasants and the countless raiding parties that fight for what little resources the planet has to offer.
However, there is one lucrative occupation that led the Ghast Knights to choose Ghroth as their new home. Ghroth is abundant in an extremely rare mineral that seems to be exclusive to such radioactive planets. This mineral, known as Lekrite, has a variety of applications that make it extremely valuable, mainly as fuel additive. Only a small number of forge worlds within the Moirrum Sub-Sector possess the knowledge needed to process the mineral so it can be used effectively, thus ensuring the continued protection of a backwater planet like Ghroth.
Additionally, the Ghast Knights seem to have adopted usage of the mineral into their culture and combat doctrine. When used properly, Lekrite produces seemingly anomalous effects on weapons, vehicles, and even candles. Firstly, the mineral produces an eerie, green flame when ignited. At first glance this does not seem strange, but, depending on the intensity of the combustion, the flame produces a sound similar to human speech. When paired with a gentle flame, like a candle, the flame seems to produce a sound akin to various whispering voices. Likewise, when the Lekrite is used in ship fuel, plasma weapons, or bolter shells, the emerald flame emanates a terrified, screaming noise. Once mined, the Lekrite is sent to the Ghast Knights’ fortress monastery, Ichabod Bastion, where the Forge Master refines the material before separating the chapter’s percentage and distributing the rest to the various forge worlds in the Moirrum Sub-Sector.
Fortress-Monastery
Ichabod Bastion lies at the top of Praxis Height, wreathed in the gloom of toxic, green clouds. This monastery, stationed on Ghroth's highest peak, is the base of operations that the Ghast Knights use to watch over the system. The repurposed manufactorum reaches from the mountain’s peak to the very depths of the planet and houses what little remains of the Gilded Knights' former reclusiam and wargear vaults. These relics are fiercely protected by Reclusiarch Pharol and the forces of the 1st company. It is this monastery where the seven Marshal's of the Ghast Knights annually convene to discuss the state of their chapter and share information that each company has collected over the year. This meeting is known as The Rekindling and lasts three days, during which the battle brothers from each of the seven companies feast in the great hall and share the exploits of their respective companies. This serves to both boost morale, something the Knights severely lack, and educate newer recruits in the methods used in defeating their various foes.
This "festival" lacks the mirth that one would expect from such an occasion, mostly involving songs of penance and exercises in restraint. The only pastimes other than tests of spirit are duels, which can either be held in the various fighting pits within the monastery or on the peak of Praxis Height, or feasting in the great hall on the eaves of the first two days. The Rekindling ends on the third night, replacing dinner with a closing ceremony in which each of the chapter's seven Diviners deliver sermons to remind the chapter of their dishonor at Calrath and the need for their emotional suppression. The ceremony closes with a retelling of the events by 1st Marshal Thosis Terion and Brother Dreadnought Gilliam and a chapter-wide shout of "In Morte, Redemptio!".
Chapter Recruitment
Though the Ghast Knights take recruits from the various worlds in their territory such as Ghroth, their primary source of neophytes is Calrath, the site of Urlaban's treachery. Calrath is classified as a death world, as it is covered in eternal darkness due to thick clouds and raging blizzards. Even during the sparse periods of the planet's solar cycle that the sun does shine, it barely gives any light due to the extreme distance between Calrath and its star. These factors give the world a foreboding and dead aura as the snow prevents any sound lower than gunfire from permeating the air and suffocates most plant-life. Temperatures on Calrath hover slightly below zero degrees Fahrenheit during its summer months and drop down to - 80 in the winter. This oppressive environment is also home to a host of predatory animals that use the combination of silence and darkness to their advantage. The invasion of the Ork Warboss 'Edsmaasha and his WAAAGH!, a recent development, have served to make the planet even deadlier, as the remainder of the late warboss’ horde still stalk the frozen tundra as feral tribes.
Two Guardsman on Patrol at the Base of One of Calrath's Fortress Monasteries.
These factors have served to create a hardened, resilient people who place great value in the concept of survival of the fittest. The people of Calrath, called Rathians, are well-adapted to their cold environment and have become sensitive to light and are capable of singling out sounds that few mortals can even hear, much less specify. The majority of the Rathian populace are organized into the sparse hive cities that dot the planet’s surface. Unlike most hive cities, where the elite live in the tallest spires, the poor and working class are made to live in surface dwellings while the rich thrive on the subterranean heat beneath. While personal protective equipment (PPE) is a necessity on the surface, as fatal exposure takes mere minutes to set in, they are reserved for the Planetary Guard, as the average citizen uses connective tubes and tunnels to move from building to building. The PPE’s include thick, fur-lined fatigues, a respirator that serves to both condense and recycle water vapor and maintain a steady body temperature, and a night-vision visor that can be converted into a set of Inuit-styled snow blinders in case of a sudden cloud clearing, as even short exposure to the unhindered UV rays can cause permanent blindness. It is from these guard regiments that the Ghast Knights evaluate their potential additions, as most of these individuals have survived life-or-death situations due either to the harsh conditions or feral orks.
Regardless of what planet a neophyte is recruited from, the inductees are usually thrown into Calrath’s wilderness after receiving the Ghast Knight geneseed and are instructed to survive long enough to find their way to the world’s fortress monastery. Much like the Space Wolves, the recruits undergo their physical changes while en route to said monastery, the geneseed adapting the neophyte’s physiology to the environment throughout the journey. They learn to utilize their enhanced senses to find their way to safety, defend themselves from aggressive fauna, and to avoid the roving bands of Orks. Upon arrival, the neophyte is put through extensive hypno-indoctrination and receives the rest of the necessary implants, including the black carapace.
Notable Campaigns
The Battle of Calrath 089 M.39: What began as the culling of an Ork Waaagh! became the initial site of Urlaban's rebellion. After murdering Atassian Invibus, the chapter master of the Gilded Knights, Urlaban led his traitors in an attempt to wipe out the remaining loyalist Gilded Knights, but was ultimately foiled. With the help of Dreadmaul, then-veteran sergeant Thosis drove the traitors from the planet and chased them to Sorilia.
The Purge of Sorilia 089 M.39: Began at the same time Urlaban initiated his rebellion on Calrath when Talobas, the former Forge Master, and his fellow traitors were violently transformed via the activation of Urlaban's pact with the Ruinous Powers. After slaughtering a majority of the Gilded Knights' scout company, the traitors cornered the remaining loyalists of the 8th company into the reclusiam while Talobas raided the wargear vaults. After awakening the Leviathan Dreadnought, Mortag, Chaplain Pharol rallied his brothers and used the relics at his disposal to make a final stand against the heretic astartes.
Remembrancer's depiction of Reclusiarch Pharol leading the charge at the Battle of Sorilia.
During the battle, the surviving traitors from Calrath arrived to receive Talobas' stolen wargear and vehicles. Despite his best efforts, Pharol did not have the means to focus his efforts on both defending the vaults and killing Talobas, leading to a majority of the Gilded Knights' wargear being stolen.
However, before the last of the wargear could be transported to Urlaban's battle barge, The Vindex, loyalist reinforcements arrived with Dreadmaul and made planetfall. In a panic, Talobas left the remaining spoils on the surface and took his followers into orbit. Thosis collected Pharol, the 8th company, Brother Mortag, and the wargear while the remaining ships in orbit attempted to fight off The Vindex and its escort. While Urlaban wanted to leave Sorilia somewhat intact for future geneseed raids, Talobas wanted to eradicate the loyalists and keep them from regrouping. In an act of cowardice, Talobas ordered The Vindex to bombard the planet. Believing it to be Urlaban's order, the retinue of ships followed suit, annihilating the major cities and, by association, the gene vaults entirely. Thosis and the survivors managed to escape the destruction just in time to see the Leviathan Dogma preparing to retreat.
Chapter Organization
Ranks
Marshal: The equivalent of a captain. The chapter master is always called 1st Marshal, while those below him are denoted by the companies under their command. For example: a captain of the fifth company would be called, 5th Marshal.
Diviner: The equivalent of a chaplain. Their role is not only to reinforce the fundamental beliefs of the chapter, but also to seek out spiritual weakness and bring swift retribution to astartes who show a lack of emotional control. In accordance to the Codex Astartes, the highest ranking diviner is still referred to as the Reclusiarch.
Reaniumus: The term used to describe the master of the Apothecarion. In addition to collecting geneseed and outfitting astartes with bionics, they are tasked with modifying said geneseed in order to prolong the lifespan of the chapter, which has led to the chapter's genetic mutations. The current Reanimus is Brother Hervist.
Mythoclast: The title of the chapter's chief librarian. The current Mythoclast, Tobias Malona, is tasked with detailing the history of the chapter and determining the whereabouts of the mad warpsmith, Talobas.
Eldrathos: The equivalent of a Librarian. The word comes from an ancient Ghroth story detailing the life of a man who called down storms and banished evil spirits. Psykers are extremely rare among the Ghast Knights, so there are only 5 Eldrathos within the entire chapter.
Companies
Ghast Knights Company Markings
The Ghast Knights rarely assemble more than one company for a formation, instead opting to keep each company in its own Strike Cruiser, with the exception of the 1st and 2nd companies, who share a Battle Barge. This fleet is always on the move, patrolling the Ixaniad Sector and its surrounding territories. Each ship is the equivalent of a company and possesses a crew of 100 Astartes and varying numbers of chapter serfs. Unfortunately, this practice keeps the chapter perpetually fragmented, and leaves the system open to attack due to their low numbers. Nevertheless, the Ghast Knights are always quick to answer any distress calls with extreme force.
While regarded as traitors, the Ghast Knights still adhere to portions of the Codex Astartes regarding framework. As was previously mentioned, the chapter organizes itself into seven companies, each of which commands its own strike cruiser. This lack of troops also means that the Ghast Knights do not possess a scout company, instead holding a rigorous selection process. Any survivors are converted into fully fledged space marines and are trained in devastator squads. The two reserve companies act as a source of reinforcements for the other five, supplementing them with a supply of devastators or assault marines. This both serves to aid the companies and to show the neophytes in the reserve how to function as a unit.
Chapter Fleet
1st Conquest Fleet, "The Phantoms": The 1st is comprised solely of veterans and is personally led by 1st Marshal Thosis. They and the 2nd company patrol the space around Ghroth and respond to the most serious threats to the Chulanus system, such as a resurgence of the Leviathan Dogma.
2nd Retaliatory Fleet, "The Vengeful": The 2nd company shares the battle barge, "Tithonus" with the 1st company and, as such, accompanies them on their missions. They have been known, however, to separate from the battle barge in their own strike cruiser and aid their fellow companies.
3rd Retaliatory Fleet, "The Justiciars": The 3rd company specializes in armored assaults and complete decimation of an enemy. Much like their forebears, the Iron Hands, they use mechanized infantry and heavy amounts of bolter fire to slowly but surely encircle an enemy and grind them to dust.
4th Expeditionary Fleet, "The Wardens": The 4th company and its Marshal, Obed Tsedoch, specialize in the use of close-quarters surprise attacks paired with long-ranged fire support. Assault squads harass the enemy on the front lines while devastators lay down covering fire. Meanwhile, tactical squads utilize the distraction and flank the enemy relatively undetected.
A Razorback of the Ghast Knights' 4th Company.
5th Expeditionary Fleet, "The Anathema': The 5th is the first destination for neophytes that have completed their training and have been given the title of battle brother. Here, the newly trained battle brothers learn to function in a proper tactical squad and are trained in the methods of using special weapons. As such, the company lacks specialization, instead adapting to the battlefield as the Marshal sees fit.
6th Assault Reserve, "The Wraiths": After having spent time in the 7th company, neophytes are trained in the Assault Reserve in order to instruct them in the methods of melee combat. Their time in the 6th is the most crucial step in their training, as they are tasked with mastering the balance between control and unforgiving fury. The Company's leader, 6th Marshal Issakar, stands as the role model for these neophytes, as he showcases this balance in his combat style. Many neophytes never progress past this stage.
7th Fire Support Reserve, "The Arbalests" : Neophytes are first trained in Fire Support, as it teaches them how to keep their rage in check and reduces the likelihood of a loss of control. Because it serves as their scout company, the 7th claims its symbol for their company marking.
Due to the pyrrhic nature of their victories at the battles of Calrath and Sorilia, much of their wargear was either stolen by traitors or destroyed, leaving the newly founded Ghast Knights without many of their vehicles and dreadnoughts. After the Battle of Sorilia, the entire chapter possessed 5 drop pods, 3 Rhino tanks, 3 Vindicator tanks, 1 Predator tank, and 1 Land Raider.
Chapter Gene-Seed
Physical Traits
Though they are descended from the Iron Hands, the Ghast Knights share similar mutations with the Raven Guard. They possess a genetic deviation that changes the pigment of their hair and skin to a dead white, regardless of age. Additionally, their melanchromic organ darkens the skin around their eyes, giving them a ghostly appearance. This abnormality also causes the eyes to develop black rings around the sclera and iris, which loses its pigmentation. This also seems to give them a degree of photosensitivity, another trait shared by the Raven Guard.
Remembrancer's Depiction of Sergeant Ganrus of the 4th Company
Lastly, a large number of Ghast Knights possess various mutations regarding their vocal cords, whose effects range from changing a marine’s voice to a harsh whisper, to giving it the likeness of a savage beast. Those rare individuals whose voices are unafflicted are considered for chaplaincy, as projecting one’s voice is necessary for such a position. Regardless of rank or aptitude, however, every Ghast Knight is capable of unleashing ear splitting shrieks that the chapter uses both to demoralize its foes and rally their brothers. As a result of their grotesque physical appearance and unsettling voices, The Ghast Knights often refrain from removing their helmets and keep communication with individuals outside of the chapter to a minimum, opting to use closed communication channels when in the presence of mortals and even fellow space marines.
In true Iron Hands fashion, however, the Ghast Knights attempt to cover up their deformities by replacing offending limbs and body parts with mechanical and bionic components, making them hardy combatants. It is not uncommon to find space marines in this chapter who are more machine than man, having been through so many battles that they are essentially bonded to their armor. As the chapter is under-strength and on bad terms with the Inquisition, the Ghast Knights cannot afford to waste any gene-seed by simply letting a warrior die, much less interring them within a dreadnought.
Chapter Beliefs
The Ghast Knights live a dour existence, as they spend each day in penance to the Emperor for their failure to quell the rebellion that claimed the majority of their chapter. One can observe their sour disposition reflected in their architecture, with the interiors of their fortress monasteries and battle barges resembling dimly lit mausoleums adorned with skulls and statues of sorrowful angels. The fact that the only light present in these places originates from stained-glass windows and the eerie, green flames that dance above the numerous torches and candle sticks adds to the morbid gloom that follows the chapter.
Rather than debilitating sorrow, however, the Ghast Knights’ chapter-wide shame manifests as an unflinching resolve. They see only two means of redeeming themselves in the eyes of the Imperium. The first being the complete and utter annihilation of their fallen brothers (the Leviathan Dogma) and the second being death in service of the Emperor, hence their battle cry, "In death lies redemption". This, unfortunately, inspires many battle brothers to cut out the middleman and charge headlong into the fray in a complete disregard of their personal safety. To make matters worse, the Ghast Knights still possess the blinding bloodlust that was present in Gilded Knights. If left unchecked, some battle brothers will perform furious suicide charges, ultimately ending with one or two kills before being gunned down due to their rage. It is for this reason that Diviners are an absolute necessity among the Ghast Knights.
These chaplains were instituted after the treachery at Calrath. They use litanies and other methods to focus the astartes’ anger where it is most useful. A common tactic that the Diviners use to regain their marines’ focus is to list the names of the planets in their territory, reminding the astartes that a premature death would only leave those worlds with one less protector. They also serve as a reminder of the consequences of letting their rage carry them too far, as Diviners are tasked with snuffing out any battle brother whose bloodlust becomes uncontrollable.
Because of their chapter-wide shame and their scarce supply of gene seed, they visit their recruitment worlds sparingly and those that are selected are scrutinized heavily. They believe, one day, the Emperor will invite them back into the Imperium once they have redeemed themselves in his eyes. Until then, they fight to defend the mortals that the traitors so vehemently abhorred. The Ghast Knights hold human life in the highest regard, even going so far as to divert entire squads from active combat situations for the sole purpose of protecting and evacuating civilians. Extensive hypno-indoctrination ensures that each marine performs their duty not only for The Emperor, but for his people, regardless of age or status. This tendency for evacuating and protecting mortals is dual-purposed, however. While the Ghast Knights’ desire to protect civilians is sincere, it also prevents mortals from witnessing their murderous tendencies.
Chapter Combat Doctrine
Before making planetfall, the company analyzes the battlefield from orbit and develops a plan of attack based around kill boxes and choke points. Once a company arrives on a planet, they fortify city centers and evacuate civilians before firing a single shot. As a disregard for mortals was what led to their original downfall, the Ghast Knights make an extra effort toward their defense. Once the barricades are prepared, the astartes create ambush emplacements around the battlefield and use assault squads to lure the enemy into the line of fire.
The aforementioned humanitarian nature present in the chapter’s fundamentals is prevalent in their combat doctrine. The Ghast Knight’s specialize in using a deadly combination of subterfuge and gun fire to maneuver their foes away from civilians and/or tactical objectives and into kill boxes. When it comes to defense, the Ghast Knights work with local guard regiments to organize civilians behind barricades and gunlines while the chapter’s forces use a combination of smoke, plasma, and bolter fire to corral their foes away from strategic points and keep them at bay using assault squads and covering fire provided by devastators.
Notable Ghast Knights
1st Marshal Thosis Wielding the Dread Maul and Fear's Grip.
Thosis Terion, 1st Marshal of the Ghast Knights: Thosis is a veteran of the Battle of Calrath and has been credited with founding the Ghast Knights. He is renowned for his victory over the traitor, Urlaban, using the severed arm of the Ork Warboss, 'EdSmaasha. Like many of his kin, he is characterized by an overwhelming sense of shame and a burning desire for redemption which reveals itself in the heat of battle. Thosis is relentless in his search to purge the Ghast Knights' sibling warband from the stars, often at great cost.
Reclusiarch Pharol: Pharol is a veteran of the Battle of Sorilia and the former chaplain of the Gilded Knights' 8th company. In this battle, he was responsible for defending the chapter's reliquary from Talobas and his retinue of traitors. Though the losses were great, Pharol served to rally his loyalist brothers and defend the wargear vaults until reinforcements could arrive. After the battle, he reluctantly accepted the title of Reclusiarch from Gilliam before his interment. Now Pharol defends not only the Ghast Knights' territory, but also the spiritual purity of his brothers with righteous fury. He seeks to destroy Talobas both for his treachery and for humbling him at the Battle Sorilia.
Kanrus, Bearer of the Heart: Kanrus is the current Chapter Champion and bearer of "The Hallowed Heart", the blade of the former chapter master of the Gilded Knights, Atassian Invibus. As his position dictates, Kanrus strives at all times to be the very best that the Ghast Knights offer in both body and mind. This has proven to be a heavy burden, as he is not only relatively young by the chapter's standards, but also plagued by the murderous slaught that destroyed the Gilded Knights. When in combat, he seeks to mask his urges behind zealous fervor, in hopes of inspiring his brothers to do the same.
Brother Gilliam: Gilliam is the former Reclusiarch of the Gilded Knights and a veteran of the battle of Calrath. After nearly killing Urlaban, the Chaplain was gravely wounded and was forced to be interred within a venerable dreadnought. He still serves his brothers as a spiritual guide, but also as a fearsome source of firepower. Brother Gilliam is only brought to bear where hope is most needed, as he is a most valuable asset.
Brother Mortag: Mortag is the eldest member of the chapter, as he was interred within his Leviathan Dreadnought armor even while the Gilded Knights were young. Mortag was saved from the treacherous clutches of Talobas during the Battle of Sorilia when Pharol reactivated him in hopes of driving back the traitors. However, due to the poorly understood technologies that were used in the chassis' construction, Mortag was and is little more than a rampant hulk of armor and weaponry. Due to his unpredictable nature, the dreadnought is only ever deployed in the most dire of circumstances, being constrained to the Reclusiam at all other times.
Obed Tsedoch, 4th Marshal of the Ghast Knights: Obed Tsedoch is the Marshal of the 4th Expeditionary fleet. His most notable feat was retaking his ship, "The Trenchant", from traitors during the Battle of Calrath and transporting reinforcements to Sorilia. In addition to forming the spearhead of chapter engagements, the 4th Marshal is also the Ghast Knights' envoy to other Imperial organizations, as his fleet travels the farthest of the chapter's fleets. It is fortunate that Marshal Tsedoch is also the most amicable of the seven Marshals, as he spends much of his time in the presence of mortals.
Issakar Motus, 6th Marshal of the Ghast Knights: Issakar Motus is the brutal Master of the 6th Assault Company. He has been hardened by combat and his duty to eliminate brothers who allow their rage to carry them too far and, as such, fears not the sting of death. Issakar charges into battle brandishing his Thunder Hammer atop a modified bike.
Rembrancer's Depiction of Lieutenant Randolph.
Lieutenant Carter Randolph: Carter Randolph is the only lieutenant of the 7th company, as very few battle brothers stay to take up a permanent position in the Fire Support Company. Lieutenant Randolph was a scout during Talobas' attack on Sorilia and has never forgotten the deaths of his brothers. Inspired by the lack of coordination during the attack, the lieutenant has become adept at finding the best possible routes and landing zones in the chaos of battle. Due to his prowess, Lieutenant Randolph is rarely tied down to the 7th company and is often hired out to the other companies for reconnaissance operations.
Chapter Relics
Visage of Mourning: A modified mk.4 helmet painted bone-white. Acts as the symbol of Thosis' authority.
Fear's Grip: A combination of a powerfist and stormbolter currently used by 1st Marshal Thosis. Resembles a "prototype" boltstorm gauntlet.
Kanrus, Current Bearer of the Heart
The Dread Maul: A flail fashioned from the remains of Thosis' former powersword. Currently used as Thosis' primary weapon and acts as the 1st Marshal's symbol of status. It crackles with green lightning and shrieks when swung.
The Helm of Absolution: A helmet that greatly amplifies the user's voice by being paired with its sister relic, The Mantle of Vengeance. It resembles the Ghast Knights' chapter symbol and is currently worn by Reclusiarch Pharol.
The Mantle of Vengeance: An array of amplification apparatus attached to a set of mk. 7 astartes power armor. Currently used by Reclusiarch Pharol.
Perdition: A crozius arcanum that is passed from one reclusiarch to the next as a symbol of status. Four folded wings make up the head with skulls in between each one. Spikes protrude from each of the four mouths. Not indicative of its size, the crozius hits as hard as a thunder hammer and electrifies everything it strikes.
The Hallowed Heart: The power saber used by Atassian Invibus, former chapter master of the Gilded Knights. Its shape resembles a scimitar and it glows with a purple energy. It is currently utilized by the chapter champion, Kanrus, and is passed on to each successor, called "Bearers of the Heart".
Chapter Appearance
Chapter Identity
After the destruction of Sorilia, the newly founded Ghast Knights realized that, if they were to survive, they would have to change more than just their name, as the Inquisition would no-doubt be out for blood. To avoid being culled by association, the remaining loyalists rebranded themselves as the Ghast Knights, adopting a new color scheme in honor of the Freeblade that aided them in their darkest hour, Dreadmaul.
A Veteran of the Ghast Knights' 1st Company Sports a Set of Kitbashed Armor.
They shifted from the pristine white and gold of the Gilded Knights to ashen black armor with helmets and gauntlets resembling bleached bone. They abandoned the livery depicting themselves as honorable knights in favor of a nightmarish depiction of an angel of vengeance. Traditionally, the left pauldron is painted black with a green trim, while the right is painted grey with a silver trim to symbolize the loss of Dreadmaul's right shoulder in the Battle of Sorilia. While standard marines paint their hands and helmets bone-white, sergeants only paint their hands and face-plates in this fashion, leaving the majority of their helmets black. Veterans paint both shoulders black with green trim. Additionally, veteran sergeants paint the crest vent on the top of their helmets white.
Physical Appearance
In order to effectively sow disorder and terror among their enemies, many marines outfit their armor with vox amplifiers to increase the range of their shrill cries. These can usually be found on the neck armor of an astartes and usually resemble rebreathers.
Due to their limited resources, their armor also shows signs of kitbashing different armor patterns together, such as Mk. 4 helmets on Mk. 6 bodies (etc.). This also means that the armor of every battle brother, regardless of rank, is covered in unpainted scratches and burns, as they rarely have time to focus on touch up. Regardless, some battle brothers have taken to writing oaths of devotion on various parts of their armor.
Ghast Knights are rarely seen without their helmets, as they attempt to hide their gaunt appearance from mortals. Because their geneseed affects their voices as well, they either remain silent or use closed-communication channels when in the presence of outsiders, adding to their eerie nature.
Markings
Devastator Marking
Like many codex compliant chapters, The Ghast Knights place their squad numbers on their left knee-plate, while their company markings can be found on the opposite side. Regardless of company, these markings are painted in the same shade of green as their shoulder trim and the crown on their backpack. If the armor lacks a knee-pad, like the Mk. 6 pattern, the Roman numeral signifying their company is place in the center of their designator marking. The Ghast Knights' placement and design of squad designators, however, is atypical when compared to the specifications listed in the Codex Astartes. Rather than on the right pauldron, squad designators are placed at the base of the right leg.
Additionally, though the assault and tactical symbols are the same as those listed in the Codex Astartes, the symbol for devastator squads is entirely different. These marines can be identified via a downward pointing triangle with a horizontal line above it. This symbol is also typically found on the forehead of their helmets as well. Assault squads are the only other subtype to receive such treatment with a black stripe going down the center of the forehead. Sergeants also bear these helmet markings, albeit painted white instead.
Chapter Badge
Symbol of the Ghast Knights
In order to further distance themselves from the Gilded Knights, the Ghast Knights threw away their "shining-knight" persona out of shame and adopted a more grim outlook. As their previous symbol was a medieval knight's helm, the survivors of Sorilia chose to become a symbol of terror and vengeance. They chose to model their badge after Reclusiarch Pharol's newly acquired Helm of Absolution, a skull adorned with a barbaric helmet, whose only purpose was to illicit fear. The badges of Ghast Knight Marshals and veterans feature this skull facing upward in a look of perceived penance to symbolize their search for forgiveness.
Chapter Relations
Relationship with The Imperium
To the Imperium at large, the Ghast Knights are a small group of isolated space marines, their only interaction, being the defense of Segmentum Obscuris and their supply of Lekrite. Only the Inquisition and the Adeptus Mechanicus have any idea regarding the events of Calrath and Sorilia, thus making them the only reliable source of information about the Gilded Knights. Unfortunately for the chapter, the Inquisition is heavily biased against them and have labelled them as renegades. As such, many of the Imperium's offices and organizations actively hunt them.
Allies
Feel Free to Add Your Own
- Dreadmaul: Dreadmaul is the freeblade that assisted the Ghast Knights during the battles of Calrath and Sorilia. The knight and its pilots have been staunch allies of the chapter since the end of M.38, adding a ferocious amount of firepower to the Ghast Knights' engagements. To the Ghast Knights, Dreadmaul is viewed with the reverence of an honored veteran and serves as a kind of totem for the chapter. Because the knight's the cantankerous machine spirit constantly hungers for combat, the freeblade is always seen where the battle is thickest, using its gatling cannon to mow down infantry and tossing enemy tanks into fortifications with its Thunderstrike Gauntlet. The only thing known to slake Dreadmaul's thirst for violence is the destruction of the Leviathan Dogma's forces, as they were responsible for damaging its shoulder at the battle of Calrath.
- Adeptus Mechanicus: The Ghast Knights have all but excommunicated themselves from the Imperium, save the close ties they have formed with the Mechanicus. It is this relationship with the Mechanicus that is responsible for the chapter’s continued existence. Apart from the pact they have simply due to being Iron Hands successors, the Ghast Knights’ territory features a number of key forge worlds in Segmentum Obscurus which lies on the other side of the Cicatrix Maledictum (The Great Rift). Because the Mechanicus cannot send reinforcements to these forge worlds without the risk of grievous losses, The Ghast Knights are the closest source of aid that these manufactorums have. Additionally, the Mechanicus has tasked the Ghast Knights with hunting down the Warpsmith, Talobas, who has sieged and conquered a number of forge worlds and claimed their resources since his fall to Chaos. In exchange for the protection of their forge worlds and the bounty placed on Talobas, the Mechanicus ensures that the chapter receives a supply of techmarines, vehicles, and an albeit scant supply of gene seed under the table.
Enemies
Feel Free to Add Your Own
- The Leviathan Dogma: Since Urlaban and his followers rebelled and destroyed the Gilded Knights, the Ghast Knights have been on an eternal conquest of vengeance. Though the Leviathan Dogma are much larger and better equipped, the Ghast Knights constantly patrol their sector to keep them from harming civilians or raiding their scant gene vaults. Because they share the same geneseed, the risk of an attack by the Leviathan Dogma is always perilously high.
- The Inquisition: To the Inquisition, the discrepancy in their gene seed was grounds enough for aggressive investigation, but Urlaban's rebellion at Calrath and the subsequent crippling of the Gilded Knights chapter has invited nothing short of animosity. It is for this reason that the chapter changed its name to the Ghast Knights and altered its color scheme. In an effort to properly accuse the Ghast Knights of treachery, certain Inquisitors have been tasked with locating evidence to back their claims. Recently, these Inquisitors have found a correlation between the Ghast Knights and the Leviathan Dogma in that the warband tends to almost exclusively target the Ghast Knights' gene vaults. They have yet to find any evidence of shared genetics, however, as the fallen heretics of the Leviathan Dogma offer only burnt flesh, ash, and corrupted bionics after death.
Notable Quotes
By the Ghast Knights
- "Oblivion awaits all who would threaten the Emperor's flock, and we shall bring it to them."
- — 1st Marshal Thosis Terion
- "The machine is strong, but our faith is stronger! For The Emperor! For His people!"
- — Reclusiarch Pharol rallying his brothers.
- "We shall give the enemies of man cause to fear the night!"
- — 4th Marshal Obed Tsedoch
About the Ghast Knights
Feel Free to Add Your Own
- "There we were, surrounded by Greenskins, bullets ripping through the battlements. We had kept them off the walls for the better half of the day, but we were losing men faster than we could count and night was beginning to fall. Suddenly, we started hearing screaming. Not Ork screaming, mind you. This sounded like a combat knife scraping against a Baneblade, but a hell of a lot louder. Just as the sun set, we heard something make impact near the tree-line, but the Orks didn't seem to notice over all their yelling. That was when the weird mist started closing in. Shortly after, the Greenskins started firing all over the place. From what Brecha could hear, they sounded scared."
"I'd never heard of a scared Ork but if anyone could tell, it'd be Brecha. She's from Calrath so she could place noises better than the lot of us. Anyway, it didn't take long for the mist to cover the whole battlefield. For about 10 minutes, we couldn't see anything but the mist, but, by the Emperor, could we hear. The Orks were screaming something awful and were slowly going quiet. Just as everything went dead, Brecha nearly had a heart attack. When I turned to see what happened, there was this Space Marine standing behind us. Nobody, not even Brecha, heard him climb the wall or use the stairs, but there he was, clad in black with a white helmet and glowing eyes."
"None of us said a word. He just looked at us for a while before dropping the head of what we could only guess was the Ork's leader. I guess we were so shocked that we didn't notice that he was holding it. After that he walked down the stairs, quiet as the dead, and disappeared into the mist. Soon we heard that shrieking again before we saw a Thunderhawk take off from behind the tree-line. After the mist cleared, we saw hundreds of dead orks scattered everywhere."- — Private Huskins of the Vorgox PDF detailing an encounter with the Ghast Knights
Gallery
Trivia
A number of the names and titles of the Ghast Knights are references to the works of H.P. Lovecraft and his colleagues. The following are the references listed in order of appearance
- The first word of the Ghast Knights' name refers to the humanoid creatures present in "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Cadath". They are pale, light-sensitive, pack hunters with an "unwholesome" appearance.
- The Ghast Knight's homeworld of Ghroth is a direct reference to a sentient planet of the same name. It possesses a giant eye and destroys other worlds.
- The name of the chapter master, "Thosis", is a loose reference to Yog-Sothoth, a major deity of the Lovecraft mythos.
- The name of the current Reclusiarch, Pharol, is a reference to the Great Old One of the same name. A wizard would often summon him for arcane knowledge.
- Less of a reference to Lovecraft, the name of the Fortress Monastery, Ichabod Bastion, directly translates to "Forsaken by God", which reflects the Ghast Knights penitent disposition toward the Emperor.
- The frozen description of Calrath and the placement of hive cities are an homage to the dreaded "Plateau of Leng" detailed in H.P. Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness", a long forgotten city built by the ancient "Elder Things".
- The name and title of the chief apothecary, Reanimus Hervist, is a direct reference to H.P. Lovecraft's short story, "Herbert West: Reanimator".
- Mythoclast Tobias Malona's name is a reference to detective Thomas Malone, featured in Lovecraft's story, "The Horror at Red Hook".
- Brother Mortag's name is a reference to the Great Old One, Mortllgh. The being is described as "a lustrous orb that floats at the center of a whirling vortex of razor-sharp, metallic-looking blades.". To emulate this, Mortag is equipped two Siege Claws outfitted with Melta guns, three Hunter-Killer Missiles, and two Volkite Calivers.
- The name of the captain of the 4th company, 4th Marshal Obed, is a reference to "Obed Marsh", a man who made a proverbial deal with the devil. The devil being a race of ancient fish people. His last name, Tsedoch, is a reference to the town drunk of Innsmouth, "Zadok Alan". Both characters were featured in the story, "The Shadow Over Innsmouth".
- Lieutenant Carter Randolph is a direct reference to H.P. Lovecraft's self insert character, "Randolph Carter" featured in the "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Cadath".