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This article, Night Sentinels, was written by Aussie Raven. Please do not edit or 'acquire' this fiction without the writer's permission. |
The Night Sentinels are a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes and a suspected Successor Chapter of the Salamanders, formed during the Ultima Founding. The chapter is composed of a mix of Primaris (Greyshields and newer recruits) and Firstborn (just under a hundred from the now-extinct Wesroni Hawks chapter) Space Marines. Their primary tasking is to protect Imperial interests and, more importantly, Imperial citizens in the Imperium Nihilus, the area of space opposite of Terra of the Great Rift. More recently following the Blood Purge the Night Sentinels have also taken on the mission of eliminating as many renegade Space Marines as they can find.
Chapter History
The Night Sentinels were created during the Ultima Founding in 999.M41, formed by battle-hardened members of the Salamander Greyshields that had accompanied Robute Guilliman during the Indomitus Crusade. Oddly, their first chapter master was not of Salamanders origin, but was instead a Space Wolf; Gin Aven would lead the chapter for the first sixteen years of its existence. At first the chapter had about 600 marines. This number sharply increased to 700 when the Night Sentinels absorbed the surviving Firstborn members of the Wesroni Hawks (a 9th Founding suspected Salamander Successor chapter that almost went extinct following a long engagement with Orks) and has since steadily grown to 1200 from recruitment drives on their homeworld.
While most of the chapter's members had combat experience from the Indomitus Crusade, the chapter as a whole cut their teeth during the Battle for Falmoria. A small (by Ork standards) WAAGH! was undergoing on the planet and the local PDF were unable to push back the Ork assault. The Night Sentinel's support was requested, and their support they gave. The full force of the chapter slammed into the Orks like a sledgehammer, breaking their integrity and ending the assault when then-1st Company Captain Atreus Kadachi beheaded the warboss with a swing of his power sword.
The Night Sentinels established their fortress-monastery on the planet and then started on recruiting more Astartes into the chapter, while sending out individual companies to ensure the safety of Imperial citizens in surrounding systems. They quickly established a reputation as always being there to defend civilians, no matter the time, place or situation. This reputation put them into odds with two other Space Marine chapters; the Marines Malevolent and the Skull Crushers. The former believed that their humanity was a detriment to operational effectiveness, while the latter went as far to call out the Night Sentinels as weak for caring about lesser humans. Ironically, the Skull Crushers would later go renegade and it was left to the Night Sentinels and a company of Space Wolves to deal with these renegades.
Notable Campaigns
- Battle for Falmoria (000.M42): After being established as a chapter, the Night Sentinels were sent off to the Imperium Nihilius to establish a foothold. This move would bring them within proximity of the Triton system which contained the Industrial World, Falmoria. The planet was being assaulted by an Ork WAAGH! and the PDF were under threat of being routed from the planet. The Night Sentinels swung in with full force upon the unsuspecting Orks and within a solar week were able to completely destroy the Orks with minimal losses.
- Sentinels and Hawks (001.M42): Shortly after the Night Sentinels retook Falmoria and Triton from Orks, an emergency transmission from a nearby system was detected. This transmission came from the Feral World of Crakin, the homeworld of the Wesroni Hawks chapter. Their planet was under assault by a massive Ork WAAGH!. As the closest military force, the Night Sentinels responded and arrived two Terran days after the transmission was sent. However, when the majority of the chapter arrived it was too late to save the planet. The majority of the already-depleted chapter had been slaughtered by the Orks, with the last remaining 100 marines making their last stand in the ruined remains of their fortress-monastary. The Night Sentinels deployed five companies to stall the Ork advance and rescue the survivors, but a far larger force would have been required to retake the planet. Once the confused survivors were herded onto Thunderhawk and Overlord transports, the Night Sentinels withdrew from Crakin, hitting the fortress-monastary with an orbital bombardment. 70 marines from the Wesroni Hawks, mostly 1st Company veterans, survived. They were happy to be absorbed into the 1st Company of another Salamander successor. Following this battle, their chapter was declared Extinct.
- The Yataki Push (003-005.M42): Technically a series of many battles in the Yataki sub-sector, the so-named Yataki Push was what put the Night Sentinel's reputation as saviors out there. A mix of the forces of Chaos, Orks and T'au were threatening the safety of many planets within the sub-sector, and numerous Space Marine chapters were deployed to release the pressure, the Night Sentinels being among those chapters. While other chapters fought violently to purge the threat, the Night Sentinels acted as a guard for civilians and their evacuation convoys. This conflict also encompasses the Skull Crushers Incident, where the entire chapter of Imperial Fist successors, disillusioned by the Emperor's promise, rebelled. It was the job of the Night Sentinels and a company of Space Wolves led by Ragnar Blackmane to purge or at least render the Skull Crushers combat-ineffective. The Night Sentinels were once again able to get the job done with minimal losses.
- The Ionus Crusade (005.M42): While the Yataki Push was ongoing, a Night Sentinels strike force led by 4th Company Captain Sebastian Darach was tasked with pushing out a Black Legion warband from the Ionus sub-sector. The Ionus Crusade was originally meant to be a much smaller campaign, but when the scale of Chaos forces in the area became apparent, Captain Darach boldly decided to press on despite the odds, and managed to turn the tide of the crusade in his favour during the Battle over Everon, where the Night Sentinels were able to completely destroy a numerically superior fleet via the use of mines dating back to the Great Crusade. The following Battle of Everon saw that the bulk of the warband's forces were destroyed planet-side. While this battle destroyed the planet via usage of the same mines that had been used in orbit, the Night Sentinels were ultimately victorious. For the efforts that Captain Darach went to to secure victory, he was presented with a relic power axe that Darach named Fang by Ragnar Blackmane, who had been present during the battle.
- Battle of Pollinsken (006.M42): Pollinsken was a backwater Feudal World south on the galactic plane of Falmoria. When the Tau attempted to liberate it as part of their expansion efforts, the 4th Company, recently having returned from Everon, went out to defend the planet. The small size of the Tau strike force worked against them, as Darach, his company and his group of ships destroyed the Tau fleet in orbit before deepstriking onto the planet-side attackers. Equipped with his new frost axe, Darach was quickly able to slice his way through the Tau's vanguard into the enemy command team, breaking Tau morale and allowing an easy victory for the rest of his company.
- The Crusade of Maw's Reach (016.M42): Maw's Reach was home to a number of planets important to the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Astra Militarium. Located within an unnaturally placed circle of black holes, the keystone of Maw's Reach was forge-world Gallax II, home to the Titan house, the Legio Atraxii, the infamous Longswords. Maw's Reach was assaulted by a massive force of Renegade and Chaos Space Marine chapters, notably including the Black Legion, World Eaters and Iron Warriors. Multiple Space Marine chapters (including the 1st, 2nd, 5th and 7th Companies of the Night Sentinels), Imperial Guard regiments and even a shield-host of the Adeptus Custodes were deployed to beat off the Chaos invasion. Led by Chapter Master Gin Aven, the Night Sentinels were the first into the breach. While hilariously outnumbered, the Sentinels were responsible for securing landing zones for the Guard regiments. Heavy casualties were taken, but the landing zone was kept open. During this first action, an Iron Warrior warsmith was slain by Atreus, his head taken off by his power sword when the warsmith had arrogantly charged the First Ranger. Once the main bulk of the Imperial forces had landed, the Night Sentinels next performed a flanking maneuver into the side of the Black Legion's forces. This separated them from reinforcements. The Sentinels then forced them to move into the waiting jaws of the Imperial Guard's Baneblades and Leman Russ battalions. The Black Legion did not last long. Once their legion forces were depleted and on the run, Gin Aven, the 1st and 2nd Companies moved up against the remainder of the traitor forces with the Legio Atraxii and the Novamarines chapter while the 5th and 7th remained around Gallax II's primary forges to safeguard them from remnant forces still in the area.
- Battle of Lothbrok (016.M42):: After the campaign at Maw's Reach, the Night Sentinels returned to Falmoria. The traitor legions were not going to let off a force that had caused so much damage to them that easily. In the Lothbrok system, Strike Force Maw was attacked by a Chaos and Renegade fleet. The loyalist fleet managed to slip out of the trap, losing a plethora of escorts and five light cruisers in the process, but the traitors had managed to get a significant number of boarding personnel onto the Elysium. The loyalists onboard prepared for a fight, but they were depleted by the crusade at Maw's Reach and were also outnumbered. The fight went as one would expect; the Night Sentinels on the Elysium took horrendous casualties and it was only through a counter-boarding from the escorting strike cruisers that the traitors were pushed off at all. When First Ranger Atreus and Chief Apothecary Hyen found where the last stand had taken place, they found their crippled chapter master; Gin had been greviously injured and left for dead in the fighting. Hyen managed to stablise him and put Gin into cryosleep for the remainder of the journey back to Falmoria. Before Gin was placed to rest, he decreed that Atreus was in command of the chapter until further notice.
- The Blood Purge (175.M42): A hundred and fifty standard years after the Yataki Push and the Battle of Lothbrok, an ancient enemy came back from the depths of the warp to exact its revenge on the Night Sentinels. While much of the chapter was away fighting battles in many corners of the Imperial Nihilius, a Khornate warband raided Falmoria. This warband was led by Daacius Bloodcall, the Skull Crushers captain who grieviously wounded Gin Aven at the Battle of Lothbrok, and who now had ascended to become a Chaos Lord dedeicated to the blood god, Khorne. He led his warband and daemonic host to assault the planet, starting by blowing through the giant orbital structure between Falmoria and Triton II that was used as a dock for the Night Sentinel's fleet. Once this space elevator was severed the attack on Fort Black began. It was 140 marines (the 4th Company, most of Chapter Command and two Ranger Terminator squads from the 1st Company) against roughly 300 renegades, a large daemon host and five thousand cultist fanatics. Heavily outnumbered, the Night Sentinels focused most of their manpower within the walls of Fort Black while Atreus and Chief Librarian Quintin Taladis led Black Squadron to assist the local PDF in defending against the cultists. This left Captain Sebastian Darach in defence of the fortress monastery, but utilising the local terrain effectively his company were able to stave off the assault by using the recklessness of the Khornate marines against them, shredding most of them apart using massed fire from Repulsors, Repulsor Executioners, Aggressors and the recently-introduced Heavy Intercessor formations. Once the assault on the fortress-monastary was over and the cultist threat in the bio-domes outside of the fortress had been dealt with, Atreus learned that Daacius had retreated to his ship and was preparing for a second strike. Before the Chaos Lord could begin his assault however, the 1st and 2nd Companies arrived back at Falmoria onboard the battlebarge Oathkeeper and raked through Daacius's fleet, disabling his strike cruiser and leaving the ship vunerable to a boarding action. This opportunity was taken, and a force was assembled; Atreus, Quintin, Chief Apothecary Hyen Jakal, Chapter Champion Raven Halmer, First Ranger Bastille Longwood, Sebastian and 2nd Company Captain Ranks Pirret, the top fighters in the chapter would lead the assault while escorted by 1st Company Terminators. Onto the crippled strike cruiser did 57 marines go. 47 of them would leave the ship alive. It didn't take long for the commanders to find Daacius waiting for them in his ascended form and a massive battle broke out in the bow of the ship. The fight was fierce but short-lived for the power that Daacius had acquired far outshined even the skill of three captains, a librarian, an apothecary, a chapter champion and a chapter master. Ranks was the first to go, his head pulverised with a single blow. Hyen took a deep slashing wound and was forced out of the fight. Raven got hit hard enough to be sent through the hull of the ship where he would later land on a neighbouring escort. Running out of options, Atreus ordered Bastille and Quintin to find the ship's reactor and overload it while himself and Sebastian would continue to fight Daacius. This fight continued and the pair were even able to exhaust the Chaos Lord, but unfortunately Atreus was being exhausted at a quicker rate and when he moved too slow to parry he paid for it with a hammering blow straight to the chest which was followed up with a sword through the primary heart. Atreus was crippled, but before passing out he threw his sword to Sebastian. Armed with both Shadowcaster and his own Frost Axe, Sebastian was able to hold his own and landed a few hits on Daacius. Elsewhere, Bastille and Quintin found something more tasty; the ship's warp drive. The pair attempted to overload it along with assistance from a Terminator team, but when that didn't work Bastille ordered his Rangers to depart the ship and then started hacking at the drive with his relicblade. The drive started to destablise. A series of explosions rocked the ship, which finally allowed Sebastian to get the killing blow on Daacius, severing his weapon hand with Shadowcaster and then hacking off his jaw with a swing from the axe, quickly followed by a swift decapitation. The battle was over, but Sebastian had to quickly jump ship to avoid the warp drive explosion, leaving Atreus's now-dead body on the ship as it was torn apart by internal explosions. In a blink of an eye, the strike cruiser was gone and the battle was over. However, there were multiple implications of what the Blood Purge had done to the chapter. The chapter master was dead, and the First Ranger had gone missing in the warp explosion. The captain of the 2nd Company was also dead, and the Chief Apothecary was badly wounded. Sebastian took over tempoary command as Lord of Falmoria while he waited for Hyen to recover from his injuries and for the rest of the chapter to return home. A chapter meeting was held, and several things were set straight. Hyen Jakal was voted in as the new Chapter Master, while Lieutenant Kial Ja'Stan of the 2nd Company would fill the void left by the death of Ranks Pirret. Sebastian would be made First Ranger and leader of the 1st; Captain Aramat Nixson, captain of the 3rd, would take over the 4th while one of his own lieutenants, Kalipso Felix, was made a captain.
Chapter Homeworld
The Night Sentinels resides on the icy Feudal World of Falmoria and its adjacent moon Triton II. Both are habitable, but the proximity of the planet and moon from their host star means that for the majority of a local year Falmoria and Triton II suffer from extreme drops in temperature. Blizzards, snowfall and water sources icing over are a very common occurrence. In addition to the chapter presence there, Falmoria has a civilian population of 2.3 billion while Triton numbers at 4 million. Falmoria's primary form of income is via exporting valuable materials such as high-grade focusing crystals or gases that are used for fuelling smaller ships. The population also provides its top ten percent of the planet's PDF to the Imperial Guard as per the Imperial Tithe.
Falmoria's solar system is located just north of the Hadex Anomaly (and by extent, the T'au Empire), two lightyears away from the Great Rift. The system was originally occupied during the Great Crusade by a small fleet sent by the Emperor's Children. A civil population soon followed to occupy the two habitable bodies. Falmoria was left relatively untouched during the Horus Heresy as it was an unimportant system during that betrayal of mankind. Falmoria slowly gained a reputation for providing guardsmen that were hardened to operate in extremely cold environments, as well as the export of fuel for civil-grade ships.
The Night Sentinels chose to use Falmoria as their homeworld after being called on to provide help to the civilians on the ground after the planet was attacked by a small Ork WAAGH!
The usage of the planet as a home world by the Night Sentinels has done little to change the planet's situation. Nothing has changed aside from the construction of a Fortress-Monastery and numerous shipyards in orbit above the planet for the chapter's fleet to dock, repair and resupply at. Astartes being present on the planet has caused an ideal shift among some people - many are inspired by the presence of the sons of the Emperor, especially those of Vulkan's heritage.
Fortress-Monastery
The Night Sentinel's Fortress-Monastery is named Fort Black. It is located on Falmoria along the equator, on the outskirts of the planetary capital of Saipan. Fort Black is surrounded by giant walls that serve as an obstacle to would-be intruders on the ground, as well as for defensive gun emplacements. Inside the walls lies the entryway to the main areas of the fortress, Ghost Temple, and flat ground surrounding the latter. This flat ground is divided into three segments. The northern-most segment is used as training grounds for the chapter's recruits and also includes live fire ranges. The south-eastern segment contains many landing pads and refuelling stations for sending off and receiving void and aircraft. The south-western segment contains administrative offices and accommodation for chapter serfs and other human personnel.
When one enters the Ghost Temple, they would find statues depicting historical Imperial heroes - the Emperor, Malcador the Hero and Commissar Yarrick are a select few - surrounding a giant loading bay with elevators and a single central staircase leading to the main body of Fort Black. Beyond the vehicle storage bays and exceptional amount of space above the surface reserved for the Night Sentinels, Fort Black is otherwise similar to fortress-monasteries used by other chapters.
Chapter Organisation
The Night Sentinels loosely follow the coveted Codex Astartes, but they have made their own modifications to it to better suit their mission profile. There are two significant changes to meet this doctrine change. The first is that the ten companies of the chapter are composed of 120 marines, not the standard 100. This extra twenty marines allows each company to punch above their weight. The second significant change is that every company has a wide range of different squads at their disposal. While this is standard in the codex for fighting companies (IE, 2nd, 3rd and 4th), this also applies to the reserve companies (5th through 10th). As a result, each company can also adapt widely to any threat.
The 1st Company retains its position as the company for all of the chapter's Veterans. The squads in the 1st Company, Ranger Teams, are similar to Salamander Firedrakes or Space Wolf Wolf Guard in that all the Ranger teams have a variety of equipment. Some utilize bulky Terminator armour, some specialize in the usage of ranged weaponry (equivalent to Sternguard), and some are masters at melee combat (equivalent to Vanguard).
All ten companies are able to operate independently for extended periods of times, and this has indeed been the case for a long time so that the Night Sentinels can cover the most ground. However, at least one company is home at Falmoria at any given time in addition to the neophytes and recruits that are present in the training company. This homecoming is not random. Each company has a period of rest, known as shakedown among the chapter, where a company will rotate on and off the battlefield. Unless occupied in a campaign or crusade, each company will spend a Terran year on combat rotation before returning to Falmoria for a month-long shakedown.
Ranks in the Night Sentinels
Officer Ranks
- Chapter Master - Leader of the chapter. Currently held by Hyen Jakal.
- First Ranger - Equivalent to a 1st Company Captain. Currently held by Sebastian Darach.
- Captain
- 2nd Company: Kial Ja'Stan
- 3rd Company: Kalipso Felix
- 4th Company: Aramat Nixson
- 5th Company: Orman Greyash
- 6th Company: Rensaw O'Stan
- 7th Company: Halvor Hemsey
- 8th Company: Zard Kelios
- 9th Company: Ikaris Ward
- 10th Company: Xavier Dac'tyr
- Lieutenant
Quintin Taladis fights a Lord of Contagion.
Leadership Ranks
- Reclusiarch - Master of the Faith; senior-most chaplain. Currently held by Cikar Byrell.
- Chief Librarian - Master of the Librarius; senior-most librarian. Currently held by Quintin Taladis.
- Chief Apothecary - Master of the Apothecarion; senior-most apothecary. Currently held by Hyen Jakal.
- Master of the Forge - Master of the Armoury; senior-most techmarine. Currently held by Jaime Esseter.
- Chapter Champion - Bodyguard of the Chapter Master. Currently held by Raven Halmer.
- Ancient of Rites - Senior-most dreadnought, advisor to the Chapter Master, oversees the recruitment process for initates. Currently held by Gin Aven.
Specialist Ranks
- Chaplain
- Librarian
- Apothecary
- Techmarine
- Ancient
- Company Champion
- Psyker-Sergeant - Leader of the specialist Black Squadron. Currently vacant.
Line Ranks
- Ranger Sergeant (Veteran Sergeant)
- Sergeant
- Ranger (Veteran)
- Battle-Brother
- Neophyte
- Recruit
Specialist Units & Formations
- Ranger Team - Ranger Teams are the squads that comprise the members of the 1st Company. Their specialties range, but the most common are Rangers equipped with Terminator Armour. Ranger Teams are rarely ever seen with a full 1st Company, and are often dispersed around the active companies as force multipliers.
- Black Squadron - The Black Squadron is a five-man team of Space Marine pyskers; Librarians. Black Squadron serves a similar role to Vanguard Ranger teams, but they have the combination of their powers at their disposal to deal with hostile threats. It was formed during one of the final battles of the Yataki Push to deal with sorcerers being used by Chaos Space Marines on the field.
Order of Battle
Headquarters
| Chapter Command | ||||
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| Specialist Departments | ||||
| Armoury | Reclusiam | Apothecarion | Librarius | Fleet Command |
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Companies
| Veteran Company | Fighting Companies | |||
| 1st Company "Rangers" | 2nd Company "The Masters of Falmoria" | 3rd Company "The Vigil Guard" | 4th Company "Sentinels of the Fleet" | 5th Company "Citizen's Shield" |
First Ranger Sebastian Darach Chaplain Librarian Terminator Apothecary Company Champion Ranger Bladeguard Veterans Ranger Terminator Teams Ranger Vanguard Teams Ranger Sternguard Teams 1 Venerable Dreadnought 1 Redemptor Dreadnought Repulsors Land Raiders Razorbacks Impulsors Storm Ravens Thunderhawks
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Brother-Chaplain Lekk Ra-Dasa Librarian Company Champion Wess Garrix Apothecary Brad Shen Incursor Squads Intercessor Squads Hellblaster Squads Outrider Squads Heavy Intercessors Aggressors Eradicators 1 Redemptor Dreadnought Storm Speeders Repulsor Transports Repulsor Executioners Impulsors Overlord Gunships |
Brother-Chaplain Librarian Axel Taladis Company Champion Ashal To'Stan Apothecary Nathan Wilde Incursor Squads Intercessor Squads Hellblaster Squads Outrider Squads Heavy Intercessors Aggressors Eradicators 5 Redemptor Dreadnoughts
Storm Speeders Repulsor Transports Repulsor Executioners Impulsors Overlord Gunships |
2 Lieutenants Chaplain Librarian Techmarine Apothecary Company Champion Incursor Squads Intercessor Squads Hellblaster Squads Outrider Squads Heavy Intercessors Aggressors Eradicators 2 Redemptor Dreadnoughts 1 Ironclad Dreadnought 1 Lethavithan Dreadnought Storm Speeders Repulsor Transports Repulsor Executioners Impulsors Overlord Gunships |
2 Lieutenants Chaplain Librarian Company Champion Apothecary Incursor Squads Intercessor Squads Hellblaster Squads Outrider Squads Heavy Intercessors Aggressors Eradicators 1 Redemptor Dreadnought Storm Speeders Repulsor Transports Repulsor Executioners Impulsors Overlord Gunships |
| Reserve Companies | ||||
| 6th Company "Watchful Protectors" | 7th Company "The Silent and the Unseen" | 8th Company "The Ashen Brothers" | 9th Company "Violence Incarnate" | 10th Company "The Recruits" |
2 Lieutenants Chaplain Librarian Company Champion Apothecary Incursor Squads Intercessor Squads Hellblaster Squads Outrider Squads Heavy Intercessors Aggressors Eradicators 1 Redemptor Dreadnought Storm Speeders Repulsor Transports Repulsor Executioners Impulsors Overlord Gunships
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2 Lieutenants Chaplain Librarian Company Champion Apothecary Incursor Squads Intercessor Squads Hellblaster Squads Outrider Squads Heavy Intercessors Aggressors Eradicators 1 Redemptor Dreadnought Storm Speeders Repulsor Transports Repulsor Executioners Impulsors Overlord Gunships |
2 Lieutenants Chaplain Librarian Company Champion Apothecary Incursor Squads Intercessor Squads Hellblaster Squads Outrider Squads Heavy Intercessors Aggressors Eradicators 3 Redemptor Dreadnoughts
Storm Speeders Repulsor Transports Repulsor Executioners Impulsors Overlord Gunships |
2 Lieutenants Chaplain Librarian Company Champion Apothecary Incursor Squads Intercessor Squads Hellblaster Squads Outrider Squads Heavy Intercessors Aggressors Eradicators 2 Redemptor Dreadnoughts 1 Ironclad Dreadnought 1 Lethavithan Dreadnought Storm Speeders Repulsor Transports Repulsor Executioners Impulsors Overlord Gunships |
2 Lieutenants Chaplain Librarian Company Champion Apothecary Incursor Squads Intercessor Squads Hellblaster Squads Outrider Squads Heavy Intercessors Aggressors Eradicators 1 Redemptor Dreadnought Storm Speeders Repulsor Transports Repulsor Executioners Impulsors Overlord Gunships |
Combat Doctrine
Like all Space Marine chapters the Night Sentinels are well-versed in many different methods of waging war. Like most Space Marine chapters the Night Sentinels also have a distinctive way of war that identifies them; a combination of combined-arms warfare and obsuration warfare.
When a Night Sentinel company goes to battle wherever it might be, they will most likely be seen in a detatchment of heavy and light vehicles with roaming bike patrols moving ahead of the vehicle column. When an enemy contact is spotted, infantry in the variety of Impulsors, Repulsors and Repulsor Executioners will dismount and act as a counter against foot mobile anti-tank weaponry. Squads of Outriders will go out to scout out enemy positions for the approaching troops. Infiltrators move up and mark the enemy for a strike by the bulk of the main force. By the time the enemy knows that a company of Space Marines are about to hammer their location, it is often too late. From a distance, Repulsor Executioners unload on heavy armour and bunkers with their las-destroyers and macro-plasma cannons. Intercessors and Outriders move forward ahead of Impulsors and Repulsors to keep them clear of anti-tank weaponry while the latter unloads Gravis-armoured Aggressors into the fray, turning the surrounding hostiles into slag with flamers. If they are needed, Eradicators are brought in to slag armoured targets. Such is the anatomy of a usual Night Sentinel attack.
In areas where this may not be possible (heavy forests too thick for vehicles to move through, ice unable to handle the weight of armour, ect.), the Night Sentinels bring out their next method of attack. Stealth warfare. Phobos-armoured squads are sent to infiltrate an occupied area and whittle away at the enemy in that area, be it via long-range marksmanship, calling in artillery strikes/close air support or quiet demolition. Across the range of planets that the Night Sentinels have to cover, situations like this occur frequently. The Night Sentinels possess more Phobos armour suits than is the norm for an Ultima chapter for this reason.
Chapter Recruitment
Locations
Night Sentinels primarily recruit from their homeworld, Falmoria and Triton II, although it isn't too uncommon for recruits to be found amongst favourable populations from other planets should the need for more bodies arise. A couple of notable planets that some Night Sentinels have been recruited from include the death world of Deacon Prime and the now-destroyed Feudal World of Everon.
The Recruitment Process
The Start
Recruits that show promise are approached by a chapter recruiter, normally a billet filled by Chaplains but sometimes also Librarians or Sergeants. They are offered the chance to give back to the Imperium, to be a part of something far, far bigger than themselves. Those that accept the offer are taken by chapter recruiters to Fort Black, the chapter's Fortress-Monastery, for a quick induction to the chapter. They are inspected by the chapter's Libarius and Apothecarion to screen out any potential medical issues or, more rarely, the taint of Chaos. From here they will undertake their first trial; The Scouring.
The Scouring
The Scouring, as it is called by those who pass the first segment of the Night Sentinel's trials, is a week-long period in which recruits are dropped into the northern wildlands of Falmoria and told to survive by any means nessecary. Due to the local wildlife, geography and weather patterns, Falmoria's wildlands are extremely dangerous even for well-equipped people, and many that enter the wildlands alone do not return. The Scouring is meant to teach recruits how to survive in harsh conditions using their wits and their will to survive. Those that do survive the Scouring are often tired, hungry, cold or a combination of the three. They are recovered and sent onto the next part of the trials; The Scavange.
The Scavange
The Scavange is a month-long period where recruits are placed into a team five men strong and sent out into the harsh forests of Falmoria's southern hemisphere. Teams will need to scavange materials from the forest around them while searching for an isolated cave system. Much like the Scouring, Falmoria's forests are dangerous to tread through unprepared, mostly because of the hostile wildlife in the area including camoflauging wolves, giant snow eagles and blood worms as a select few examples. This phase teaches recruits how to work in a team to survive. Once the team finds the cave system, the next phase begins; The Search.
The Search
The Search is a month-long period where recruits, in the same teams from the previous phase, are instructed by marines of the chapter to find 'binding crystals', crystals that are said to be important to mental and spirtual health for all members of the chapter. This is a blantant lie told to the recruits; the true meaning of the Search is to teach recruits that sometimes there is no meaning behind things, be it an object, a phrase or a person. Once the month period has crossed, recruit teams will be recovered by brothers of the chapter and returned to Fort Black for gene-seed implantation. On average, full implantation of gene-seed takes four Terran years, but there have been cases of it only taking two. The recruits that survive the implantation process can now call themselves neophytes. Once neophytes have recovered from the process, the next phase begins; The Hunt.
The Hunt
Neophytes are sent out alone into the forests of Falmoria, this time with their enhancements, and are instructed to hunt down five forms of dangerous wildlife and return their bodies to Fort Black. The time for this takes anywhere from a week to over a month. Once neophytes have returned the requested five forms of hunt to the fortress-monastery, they will swear by the Night Sentinel's Oath. Once the oath has been sworn, they are accepted as a brother of the chapter, and their combat training will then begin.
External Scrutiny
The process that the Night Sentinels use to recruit is seen as normal, as many chapters use far more brutal methods of selection to find their marines. However, the fact that the Night Sentinels have failed to cease their recruitment drives after reaching the mandated number of marines as allowed by the Codex Astartes has found its way outside of the chapter as a series of rumours. The Night Sentinels have neither confirmed nor denied this breach of the Codex, but the Ordo Hereticus has received these rumours and have dispatched a team to investigate. Wherever they have arrived to confirm the rumours is currently unknown.
Chapter Beliefs
Members of the Night Sentinels believe that they are part of a cause that is far larger than themselves, that involves the Imperium at large. Thus lies the chapter's core belief; that Imperial citizens must be safeguarded from the horrors in the galaxy that would see them dead or enslaved were it not for the involvement of the Imperium's military forces. Night Sentinels live and die by this ideal, so that others may live.
As it is a part of their training, Night Sentinels also don't believe that the Emperor of Mankind is a god, or at least not to the extent that other Space Marine chapters do. Some of the Greyshields in the chapter were alive when the Emperor walked, and know that He refused to be called a god then. These Greyshields have taught recruits the same ideals. In this way, the Night Sentinels are one of the few believers of the Imperial Truth in the modern day and age.
Chapter Gene-Seed
Night Sentinels are functionally identical to their brothers in the Salamanders and other successors in terms of gene-seed function. It should be noted however that those who haven't been exposed to the radiation emitted by Nocturne's sun are not the characteristic jet black of a normal Salamander. Most retain the skin pigmentation they were born with. Night Sentinels also lack the slightly slower reaction speeds of the average Salamander. The cause for this has yet to be determined, because brothers born of Falmoria that have been to Nocturne don't possess this defect despite charcoal-like skin.
Primarch's Curse: Cold-Hearted
The Night Sentinels are a caring chapter compared to most, but perhaps because of the situations that they find themselves in, or maybe due to the unyielding cold that their homeworld possesses, many Sentinels have been subject to a hidden flaw possessed by their Primarch. This manifests itself in two stages:
- Level 1 (Indifferent): The affected battle-brother begins to lose empathy for people around them. This is such a subtle change for the affected marine that he may not even notice it, but under heavy fire or high stress the flaw may become apparent.
- Level 2 (Uncaring): Next the affected battle-brother will outright stop caring about any resemblance of a barrier that they are supposed to be against the enemies of the dark and will openly show nothing but coldness for anyone besides their own brothers.
Deathwatch Service
The Night Sentinels have started sending eligible members worthy to be Deathwatch to that xeno-hunting army. Two notable members are Sergeant Jen Fragel (a 5th Company Aggressor Sergeant) and Brother Eren Jaefer (an Outrider in the 8th Company). Two members formerly of the Wesroni Hawks that joined the Night Sentinels, and a single member of unknown origin, have previously served in the Deathwatch. These three are Bastille Longwood (former First Ranger of the 1st Company), Rensaw O'Stan (Captain of the 6th Company) and Kial Ja'Stan (Captain of the 2nd Company).
Notable Members
- Chapter Master Hyen Jakal - If there were a figure that represented the core values of the chapter, Hyen Jakal, Saviour of Maw's Reach, Chapter Master and Chief Apothecary, would be that figure. Charismatic, fearless, loyal to the end and a genuinely good man, Jakal was a Greyshield and a member of Atreus and Gin's battle squad during the Indomitus Crusade. Originally the 4th Company captain, a lack of chapter Apothecaries and Jakal's overwhelming tendencies to attend to his men's wounds on the battlefield saw to it that Gin moved him to the position of Chief Apothecary. Jakal made a name for himself during 009.M41 during the Battle of Deavon IIa, where he, a strike force and an armoured battalion from the Cadian 201st Regiment held off three solar months worth of an invasion from a Thousand Sons warband. Cutting into the enemy with power sword and blasting away with plasma, Jakal's intervention saved tens of thousands of lives. After the Blood Purge, a wounded Hyen Jakal replaced Atreus as Chapter Master of the Night Sentinels.
- Chapter Master Atreus Kadachi - Atreus was one of the founding members of the chapter, a Greyshield recruited during Guilliman's Indomitus Crusade. During the crusade, Atreus was assigned to the same battleline squad that founding Chapter Master Gin Aven was part of, and he would later join the Night Sentinels like him. When Aven was greviously wounded by a traitor Marine, Atreus was the captain of the 1st Company and was unanimously voted in as the next chapter master. Atreus is a man of honour; he will always remain true to his word, and he always leads from the front. An unmatched marksman and good with a sword, Atreus's preferred method of battle is via jumppack right into the enemy's vanguard with his relicblade Shadowcaster and master-crafted plasma pistol. To this end, he has made his own power armour to match his needs. Unfortunately, a long-forgotten enemy eventually caught up with the Night Sentinels. When the Blood Purge came around as a result of the Skull Crushers invading Falmoria, Atreus came into combat with the same captain that had wounded Gin Aven some 160 years earlier. Atreus attempted to battle this now ascended captain, but in the battle was severely wounded by the impact of a daemonic fist. In his dying moments, Atreus ordered the detonation of the Dawn of Fear's warp drive to destroy the Skull Crusher invasion force. He was consumed in the resultant storm; Atreus is assumed dead from a combination of his wounds and the trauma of being sucked through the warp.
- Ancient of Rites Gin Aven - The Night Sentinel's founding chapter master was a legend for the short time that he maintained his role. A Greyshield of Space Wolf geneseed, Gin found that he never fit in with his fellow brothers and so went the way of his closest friends, Salamanders Hyen Jakal and Atreus Kadachi. A ferocious Astartes with a thunder hammer, anyone who got in the way of the chapter master was swiftly crushed. However, that changed when he was almost slain by a warband led by a traitor Skull Crusher. The Night Sentinels managed to repel the ambush, but much of their chapter command was killed; including Gin. Barely clinging onto life, Jakal and Atreus managed to stabilize him long enough to inter him in a dreadnought chassis. Gin survived the procedure and now acts as a voice of reason for the chapter, having surrendered his former role to Atreus. In the years since his interment in a Venerable Dreadnought chassis, Gin has never rested for he is always on the front lines taking the fight to the enemy.
- First Ranger Sebastian Fang Darach - Sebastian Darach, best known by the nickname Fang, is the current First Ranger of the 1st Company, former captain of the 4th Company, and before that captain of the 6th Company. Darach, alongside Raven and Kadachi, is one of the best fighters in the chapter. Originating as a Salamander Greyshield, he was one of those assigned to the Night Sentinels as a captain. Darach earned his nickname when he hunted down a number of Black Legion champions and Chaos Lords responsible for incurring heavy losses on the Imperium in numerous campaigns. But Darach is not known for beheading traitors; his reputation comes from leading the Ionus Crusade, a fighting push that was aimed at dislodging the Chaos presence away from the Ionus Sector. When Battleforce Icarus was met by a massive Chaos force, Darach led the forces under his command to victory with minimal losses. In the Blood Purge, Sebastian replaced the previous First Ranger after Bastille went missing. Sebastian wields the frost axe
- First Ranger Bastille Longwood - Bastille Longwood's origins are shrouded in mystery. He is not of Salamanders descent, nor does he recall what Primarch he originally descended from. He appeared at some point in M40 as a Blackshield with the Deathwatch, before being assigned to the Night Sentinels. Despite his age, Longwood is a very capable fighter and even more so after he crossed the Rubricon to become a Primaris Marine. Former First Ranger of the 1st Company, Longwood led his Ranger Squadrons to combat clad in Mark X Gravis power armour and equipped with a sword called the Burning Blade. In the aftermath of the Blood Purge when the strike cruiser Dawn of Fear detonated its warp drive to take down the traitor Skull Crushers assaulting Falmoria, Bastille was dragged down with the explosion. He was assumed Killed in Action afterwards.
- Captain Kial Ja'Stan - Kial Ja'Stan is the Captain and former Lieutenant of the 2nd Company and a former Scout Sergeant in the Salamander's 7th Company. An incredibly good shot with bolt weapons, Ja'Stan was one of those transferred over to the Night Sentinels. Shortly after transferring, Ja'Stan crossed the Rubricon to become a Primaris Marine. Donning a suit of Mark X Phobos armour, Ja'Stan is one of the silent and the unseen. His unofficial title, Phantom of the Mercian Jungle, stems from an engagement on the jungle moon of Mercia where he was separated from his company for an extended period of time. Operating alone and up against a numerically superior enemy, Ja'Stan helped free the moon's people from their rule under a traitor Imperial Guard regiment. Men sent into the jungle to find him were later found eviscerated. Tanks that were sent in after them were seen as smokestacks, their hulls penetrated by melta charges. Artillery blasted the jungle away; those same pieces would explode later, compromised by faulty ammunition. When he became the new captain for the 2nd, Kial ditched his Phobos armour and adopted a newer suit of Artificer Armour. Physically resembling Mark X Tacticus armour, Kial's new artificer armour still maintains the same stealth traits as Phobos armour.
- Reclursiarch Cikar Byrell - Formerly a chaplain belonging to the Wesroni Hawks, Cikar was one of the survivors of his chapter who left to join the Night Sentinels. The most experienced of the Night Sentinel's Sanctity, he was promoted to the chapter's highest position in that regard, Reclusiarch. Much like Atreus, Cikar is a man of honour, although as a chaplain Cikar expresses this aggressively in combat, always leading from the front. Clad in Terminator armour, Cikar is a formidable force to come up against in battle, and he is among the best fighters in the chapter.
- Chief Librarian Quintin Taladis - The current Chief Librarian was one of three siblings with psychic powers who joined the chapter after it had been created. Quintin's powers were quickly noticed by the chapter's Librarius and he was trained as a librarian of the chapter. He became the Chief Librarian when the previous occupant was killed in the same battle that Gin Aven was badly injured. Quintin is a powerful psyker, not quite the top in the Imperium but certainly capable of putting up a fight against names like Mephistone or Tiguris. Oddly for a Librarian, Quintin carries two melee weapons; his force sword and a power fist. This isn't the only thing he's known for. Quintin was also the creator of Black Squad, a five-man team of Librarians that act in a similar capacity to Vanguard Veterans.
- Chapter Champion Raven Halmer - One of the youngest members of the chapter command, Raven Halmer has distinguished himself time and time again in the fires of combat as an expert swordsman. Originally a Marine born of geneseed from a Firstborn, he was assigned to the chapter as an Assault Marine in the 8th Company; ironically, this was where he first proved his swordsmanship to the company's command squad when his entire team was slaughtered on the battlegrounds of Prius VIc. Later on when the Battlebarge Elysium was attacked by a horde of Khorne Bezerkers, Raven proved his combat skills to then-chapter master Gin Aven, who was impressed by his abilities enough to assign Raven as his personal bodyguard. Unfortunately, Raven was unable to save Gin from his injury by a traitor, himself being seriously injured in that battle. Gin's successor, Atreus, honoured Gin's decision and filled a vacancy left by the death of the previous Chapter Champion. Raven is now Atreus's bodyguard whenever he can keep up in his Cataphracii-pattern Terminator armour. Raven's pride took a hit when he was unable to protect Gin, and Raven has long looked for the traitor who interred his chapter master in a dreadnought chassis.
- Lieutenant Eddard Thorn - Eddard Thorn is a Lieutenant and former Veteran Sergeant and Intercessor in the 2nd Company. A founding member of the Night Sentinels, Thorn is unique in the fact that he has taken some sort of injury in every battle he has been in. As a veteran, Thorn's body is more machine than man as a result. All of his limbs are mechanical, half of his face has been replaced with sensors and he has even replaced his damaged secondary heart with a fragmentation grenade that explodes in case his primary heart fails. Thorn's demise has yet to be seen however for he is a fierce force in battle. Armed with a custom-crafted combi-flamer and a Lightning Claw, Thorn leaps into battle wherever it might be. He replaced Kial Ja'Stan as a Lieutenant after the shift in positions at the Blood Purge.
- Ranger-Sergeant Jon Snow - Jon Snow is an Intercessor Veteran Sergeant in the 2nd Company. Part of Captain Nixson's vanguard force, Snow managed to save his captain and company champion from the jaws of death by killing a Chaos Lord when he was distracted dealing with the former two. Snow took Sergeant Thorn's spot as part of Captain Ja'Stan's vanguard force following the force reorganization.
- Sergeant Erwin Connelly - Erwin Connelly was an Eradicator Sergeant in the 4th Company. He was part of Sebastian Darach's command team during the Ionus Crusade. Connelly was present for the final fight on Everon and assisted his captain in killing Thousand Son sorcerer Vicaris, but was killed by Vicaris in retaliation.
Chapter Fleet
As a chapter dedicated to protecting a large number of people across a large number of systems, the Night Sentinels have a slightly larger than normal fleet consisting both of their assigned vessels, vessels that were captured and put into use, and vessels that were near-destroyed but recovered by the chapter. A few ships were stolen during the Battle of Falmoria. As such, the Night Sentinels possess two battlebarges, nine strike cruisers, six light cruisers, and 38 escort type ships.
Battle Barges
- Oathkeeper (Nemesis-class Fleet Carrier) - Oathkeeper is a modified Nemesis-class fleet carrier inherited from the Imperial Navy when much of its crew was killed by a demonic invasion. The Night Sentinels's 4th Company managed to secure the ship against all odds, repaired the ship and recrewed it. While officially listed as active in service with the Imperial Navy, it is crewed by more people provided by the Night Sentinels than it is from the Navy. Oathkeeper currently serves as the chapter's flagship.
- Isstvan V (Astartes-pattern Battlebarge) - Isstvan V is an Astartes-pattern Battlebarge. Named in honour of the Drop Site Massacre, Isstvan V doesn't have any permanent companies posted to her. She is more often used in space combat, where she has been very successful at destroying enemy fleets and individual vessels. Her most notable success was at the Second Battle of Isstvan V where she defended a Night Sentinels strike force on the planet recovering loyalist wargear from a large Black Legion invasion.
Strike Cruisers
- Snowfall II - Snowfall II is a Mark II Astartes-pattern strike cruiser. She was named in honour of the original Snowfall, previous ship of the 4th Company.
- Bladed Fury - Bladed Fury is a Mark II Astartes-pattern strike cruiser.
- Vulkan's Anger - Vulkan's Anger is a Mark II Astartes-pattern strike cruiser.
- Yarrick - Yarrick is a Mark II Astartes-pattern strike cruiser.
- Sturnn - Sturnn is a Mark II Astartes-pattern strike cruiser.
- Ad Astra - Ad Astra is a Mark II Astartes-pattern strike cruiser.
- Honour of Rylanor - Honour of Rylanor is a Mark I Astartes-pattern strike cruiser dating back to the Horus Heresy. She formerly belonged to the Emperor's Children, but was taken by their loyalist 201st Company. The ship's crew faded into myth, but the ship was kept in reserves until the Ultima Founding where it was given to the Night Sentinels.
- Ravenclaw - Ravenclaw is a Mark III Astartes-pattern strike cruiser.
- Shadow of Falmoria - Shadow of Falmoria is a Mark III Astartes-pattern strike cruiser.
Chapter Relics
Melee weapons
- Shadowcaster - Shadowcaster is a relicblade in the form of a power sword. Longer than a normal power sword, Shadowcaster is believed to have been crafted by a Salamander artificer, although its age has yet to be determined. The blade is made out of a jet-black alloy of unknown composition, but it is known to be sharp enough to be able to cut through power armour like a hot knife through butter.
- Fang - Fang is a relic power axe crafted by the artificers of the Space Wolves, and is currently wielded by Sebastian Darach. This weapon was formerly part of the weapon selection of Ragnar Blackmane, but the latter gifted it to Darach as a prize for leading his men so well during the closing stages of the Ionus Crusade.
- The Burning Blade - The Burning Blade is a unique power sword that was crafted by Bastille Longwood when he joined the Night Sentinels. While visually resembling a normal Astartes power sword, the Burning Blade is unique in the fact that it has microchannels spread out across the blade that, when activated, unleash a steady stream of promethium that engulfs the blade. This makes the sword appear as if it was on fire, and also helps its armour piercing qualities. Unknown to the Night Sentinels, this weapon is currently in the hands of the Blades of Rifas, who found it upon a Space Hulk.
- Bloodbane - A thunder hammer crafted from the unique alloy exoskeleton of bloodworms native to Falmoria, Bloodbane is a lethal weapon to behold. Lighter and more wieldy than a regular thunder hammer, yet able to pulverise adamantite and ceremite on contact, this weapon is currently in the hands of Captain Orman Greyash.
- The Sword of Ytta'can - Forged and wielded by former Master of the Forge Ytta'can, this master-crafted power sword was noted for being near indestructible and held a certain amount of beauty to it. This weapon currently resides in the chapter's relicary.
- Eagleblade - Crafted using the talons of the near-mythical snow eagles of Falmoria, this chainsword has the ability to steal the lifeforce of anyone who comes in contact with its blade. However, a fear of corruption of the user means that Eagleblade is selfdom ever used. Its owner, Hyen Jakal, who used the chainsword during the Blood Purge, admits that he felt a sense of uneasiness while using it.
Chapter Appearance
Chapter Colours
The Night Sentinels wear power armour painted in a quartered green and orange scheme similar to that of the Novamarines, with silver power packs and white pauldrons. Pauldron trim varies depending on the company the marine is assigned to. Their chapter heraldry is displayed on the right shoulder, while the marine's tactical designation (Battleline, Fast Attack or Heavy Support in 2nd through 9th Companies and Ranger in the 1st) is displayed on their left shoulder. Squad markings are determined by a symbol of varying shape and colour on the right kneepad. The first battle honour that a marine received (participating in a crusade for example) is depicted by a certain colour on the left kneepad.
Brother Snow, a Night Sentinel Intercessor.
Most marines will use a split green and orange helmet. However, there are some exceptions.
- Chapter Command have black helmets.
- Captains have a black faceplate and have an upwards pointing arrow on the forehead region.
- Lieutenants have a black stripe in between the orange and green.
- Sergeants have their orange half of the helmet replaced with black. Ranger sergeants have the green replaced with red.
- Rangers have a red faceplate.
- Company and Chapter Champions have a gold faceplate.
Chapter Badge
The Night Sentinel's badge takes the form of a rounded shield on a background of white. This badge can also be seen on banners and Dreadnoughts, but is almost never seen on vehicles.
Relations
Allies
- Space Wolves - The Space Wolves and the Night Sentinels have fought together in a great number of battles since the latter's inception. The Night Sentinels respect the Space Wolves' disregard for authority and the honour they hold themselves to, while the Space Wolves appreciate that the Night Sentinels put the safety of Imperials before their own. The Space Wolves respect the Night Sentinels enough that when one of their Great Companies encountered a genestealer-infested Space Hulk, they specifically requested assistance from the Night Sentinel's 1st Company and its Terminator-clad Ranger teams.
Enemies
- Skull Crushers - The Skull Crushers first came to blows with the Night Sentinels for the latter's actions on the planet of Mawr, where the 2nd Company was responsible for safeguarding the planet's population from an Ork WAAGH!. The Skull Crushers took heavy losses in the same battle and openly insulted the Night Sentinels for their humanity. Later on near the end of the Yataki Push, the Skull Crushers openly rebelled against the Imperium. The Night Sentinels were one of the chapters sent to deal with the survivors. Most of the Skull Crushers were killed as a result, but some survived. This would come to bite the Night Sentinels a decade later when a surviving Skull Crusher captain now fallen to Chaos managed to grievously wound Gin Aven and kill most of the chapter's command team at the time.
- Black Legion - Warbands of the Black Legion and the Night Sentinels have had many run-ins with each other, enough that they are considered to be one of their biggest targets.
Notable Quotes
Author's Note: Feel free to add a quote from your own chapter regarding the Night Sentinels in here.
By the Night Sentinels
- "We are the sword in the darkness. We are the watchers on the wall. We are the shield that guards the realm of men. I pledge my life and honour to the Night Sentinels, for this night, and all the nights to come."
- — The Night Sentinel's Oath.
- "I might not have your mastery of the warp, but I'm not going to need it when I shove my axe through your skull."
- — Captain Sebastian Darach to Thousand Sons Sorcerer Vicaris during the Battle of Everon.
- "A Space Wolf, a hundred Wesroni Hawks, two Blackshields and just over a thousand Sentinels. Yes, I think we're an inclusive group."
- — Chief Apothecary Hyen Jakal after being asked about the heavy presence of members of other chapters in the Night Sentinels.
About the Night Sentinels
- "I don't know who they are, but they hit us before we had a chance to react. They're wearing green and orange power arm-"
- — A Black Legion marine to Chaos Lord Phoenix shortly before being executed by a Night Sentinel Ranger during the Battle of Everon.
Trivia
- The Night Sentinels are inspired by the Night Watch from the HBO TV series Game of Thrones.
- The Night Sentinels are also inspired by the Space Wolves. The most promiment example is Captain Sebastian Darach of the 4th Company who is loosely based off Wolf Lord Ragnar Blackmane.