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The Purgatorians are a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter created during the recent Ultima Founding that is comprised entirely of Primaris Space Marines, the next generation of transhuman warriors and far superior to their Firstborn cousins. Not much is known about this Chapter's origins or from which genetic lineage they are descended from, and the few extant records that exists are contridictory or have been redacted by order of the High Lords of Terra.
Chapter History[]
Records detailing the Purgatorians' origins are either heavily redacted, unreliable or just plain missing. What narrative exists can be structured around a series of events, referred to by Purgatores themselves as the Ignomonia (roughly 'humiliations' in Low Gothic).
Humiliation I[]
Combatants in the Drop-site Massacre, including Chapter Master// +Redacto+ //and his long suffering Lieutenant Daedemes, formed a Blackshield company in the aftermath of the Horus Heresy. However they were detained indefinitely on Luna. They were increasingly desperate to reinvent themselves as avenging sons of the Emperor and visit retribution upon their traitorous brothers. After petitioning constantly for combat sanction, in c150.M36 their request was granted. However the Inquisitorial Detachment was to fortify a Forgeworld on the frontier of the Maelstrom instead. It was arguably a pointless task and the message was clear. This is a punitive campaign staged as far from 'decent' humanity as possible.
Humiliation II[]
The Blackshields received a frosty reception on the Forgeworld Purgatoro. Unbeknownst to them, they had been unwittingly exploited by shadowy figures from the lofty reaches of the Imperium; part of a wider manoeuvre targeting the Forgeworld. No record exists of what happened to instigate this. In hindsight the mounting paranoia and instability of the Apostasy must have sprouted numerous secret conspiracies and cults. Therefore some urgent reason compelled clandestine scrutiny of the Forgeworld and its leaders.
A Blackshield company of dubious repute offered the ideal pretext. Their presence warranted the auspices of many, including the Inquisition. Whatever reason was spun, for permanently stationing 100 Legio Astartes on the planet, convinced the Tech Adepts of Purgatoro. They would accommodate their transhuman guests and tolerate periodic Inquisitorial intrusion. Invigilators from Mars would also be present to conduct a long overdue audit. It also appears that some deal was struck between the parties as well. The Astartes began their thankless and prickly labour; fortifying the sacred machines of their suspicious hosts. They were ultimately unable to escape their former identities and apparently the Emperor was not interested in their glorious salvation either.
Humiliation III[]
History largely forgets Purgatoro at this point. Its defensive capability was apparently guaranteed and supposedly under watchful scrutiny from Mars. So the planet quietly belched out a constant stream of materiel. Reliability bred complacency and watchful eyes eventually began to droop.
In 750.M36, neighbouring systems began receiving bizarre and increasingly frantic messages from the astropaths on Purgatoro. They were ignored; the Astartes would doubtless handle whatever it was. Soon after, Purgatoro was enveloped by warp storms from the Maelstrom and never seen again.
However as the 13th Black Crusade drew to its cataclysmic finale, the Warp storms surrounding Purgatoro abated slightly and the transmissions suddenly returned. They triggered silent alarms that brought forth a cell of agents from the mighty Ordo Malleus//+Redacto+//
We only know that the battered remnants of the Purgatorian Astartes were escorted to Terra under heavy guard. Purgatoro itself was totally engulfed by the Maelstrom during the rending of the Cicatrix Maledictum. Their arrival caused a quiet earthquake amongst the Terran leadership. Only the direct intervention of the Lord Regent quieted demands for their summary execution. Perhaps he saw the latent potential of warriors that had held a world of the Imperium for millennia, against impossible odds, and lived. Or maybe there was a touch of nostalgia for the ancient warriors of the//+Redacto+//Legion.
Humiliation IV[]
Perhaps wisely these 'Purgatores' were imprisoned on Mars under the purview of one Belisarius Cawl and some other Magos, notable for their involvement in the Mechanicum research into//+Redacto+//. He used their crossing of the Rubicon to further their own arcane research.
Little was then seen of these enigmatic blue-black warriors after departing Terra. There were occasional mentions of stoically grim Primaris defending Mechanicus fleets and installations. However their encounters with other Imperial forces have been unfortunate. Their presence appeared synonymous with horrific casualty rates and pyrrhic victory. This notoriety was only compounded by the latent aura of grim dismay clinging to the despised warriors. There were even faint whispers of an incident scant parsecs from the Charadon Sector. They regarded a Mechanicus Explorator Fleet and the Purgatorians' Chapter Master, that might have cataclysmic//+ Redacto +//
Whatever the Chapter's alleged involvement, it has wrought humiliation and penance upon its Purgatores once more. Again upon intervention by the Lord Regent, the Chapter has been distanced from their increasingly hostile detractors and largely isolated from the wider Adeptus Imperium. As always with Purgatorian history, the exact motives and reasons are mired in conspiracy, politics and nefarious agendas.
A Sisyphean Task[]
Having taken on reinforcements of 1,000 Greyshield Primaris, the Chapter has been officially seconded to the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, imposed by an Imperial Writ of Penance. The Telepathica has been extremely reluctant to accept this dubious gift. Indeed the delay created by constant attempts to renegotiate minutiae of the Writ's clauses, meant that the full compliment of recruits had been fully trained at the time of their deployment.
It appears that despite the outward authority of the clauses of the Imperial Writ, an underlying compromise was brokered between the Lord Regent Guilliman and the Telepathica. Guilliman proposed that the Purgatorians would nominally remain within the Adeptus Astartes, with all the ligatures that entailed. However all strategic decision-making was seconded to the Telepathica, allowing them to totally control their new asset without any responsibility for their supply. That burden would ultimately fall to Guilliman via the usual procedures for the Adeptus Astartes, with the Telepathica's ultimate approval over what was supplied.
This vague muddy jurisdiction suggests how the Telepathica view and treat Purgatorians. They are a tragically necessary evil and to be shackled as such, both in how they operate and what resource they can command.
So in accordance with the revised ordinances of the Imperial Writ, the Purgatorians have begun garrisoning worlds of the Holy Astronomican along the new frontier of the Cicatrix Maledictum. With a phalanx of Obsidium shields and a will of steel, their mission is to guard the Emperor's Holy Lighthouses and push out against the all consuming blackness that now permeates the void.
Chapter Homeworld[]
Purgatores, as they now identify, consider the lost Forgeworld of Purgatoro to be their planet of origin. All archives pertaining to the planet and its fate are sealed at the highest level, aside from the meagre scraps below.
Purgatoro[]
All that can be said is that the Forgeworld has existed for an incredibly long time and remained curiously resistant to the ravages of the Warp, especially given its proximity to the Maelstrom. This quirk may shed some light on the shards of Obsidium borne by all Purgatores and the present state of their Chapter Master.
There is another single mention of the planet that survived the sealing of its archives. An entry, in a wider tome about the Ultima Segmentum, refers to an Obsidium Mine-world near the 'Great Baleful Star'. It continues that Obsidium had been classified by the Mechanicum, representing great import and value. The Adeptus Terra have vehemently denied the existence of any such resource, de facto confirming its existence. Whatever it was used for then, has apparently been lost to the Imperium. So Obsidium endures as a beautiful, albeit unsettling, archaeological curiosity. Only a Purgatores could tell more, if one could endure a conversation with them.
Photia Kamares (Garrison Worlds/Monasteries)[]
The aforementioned mission is centred around garrisoning and fortifying the precious relay worlds required by the Telepathica to ensure Mankind can navigate and communicate. The worlds currently garrisoned are scattered along the southern fringes of the Cicatrix Maledictum. As their jurisdiction falls under the Telepathica, they are generally off-limits to other Imperial factions without express permission.
The Purgatores themselves have rigorously assigned limits of operation on the planet's surface and under no circumstances are they to approach the towers of the Astropathic Choirs. Despite their ostensible paranoia, the Telepathica wisely assigns these limits based upon the chapter's meticulously elegant strategic analyses of the planets in their charge. Each planet then is given a separate designation as a Garrison World or Photia Kamares by the Purgatorians.
This analysis is conducted according to a unifying martial philosophy* called the Phalanx Obsidium. It sets out the ultimate attritional campaign, emphasising long termism, flexibility and efficiency. The insurmountable goal of the Phalanx is to forcibly push the Astronomican into the Cicatrix Maledictum itself, in an attempt to re-establish communication with the so called Dark Imperium.
The Phalanx is composed of a strategic network of Photia Kamares with overlapping arcs of naval support from the aforementioned fleet. They comprise a planet-wide network of fortifications and defences, often linked to formidable orbital defence systems. This fiendish defensive labyrinth is coordinated from a series of Garrison Monasteries, also referred to as Kamares. There are several bastion systems stationed at critical locations along the Cicatrix. These hubs are named Zakros, Gournia, Malia and Knossos. Beyond confirming their existence, the Adeptus Astra Telepathica has refused to share any information on them.
The Black Ships[]
There have also been noted instances of Purgatores appearing aboard the notorious Black Ships. These reports have sparked rumours that the Purgatorians are again unwitting pawns in a wider political game being played for the recently reinvigorated Sisters of Silence.
*The nature of the Phalanx Obsidium is not merely limited to the assets or military operations of the Purgatorians. Its intellectual principles guide every aspect of the Chapter and it is subject to constant examination, debate and improvement. Although mostly a matter of semantics, this adept has decided 'philosophy' is the most apt translation in this particular record. It will be described in greater detail later within the Index.
Chapter Organisation[]
Combat Doctrine[]
Chapter Beliefs / Culture[]
Although primarily comprised of Greyshields, the legacy of its founding permeates the chapter's identity. Impossibly long chains of tradition, history and culture have led the Purgatorians to this fate. They are deferentially referred to as Nomos. Only recently mentioned in Imperial records, the informed simplicity and elegant profundity of these Nomos prove they have been forged in the crucible of war and wrought over millennia.
It explains why the chapter was able to exploit the protracted delay in their deployment so effectively, despite the latent obstacle of their stubborn genetics. When the Purgatorians were finally revealed to the Imperium, they were utterly monolithic in outlook; every member was absolutely immersed within the Phalanx Obsidium.
We can also assume that the Purgatorian command created the Nomos, as they are the only surviving members of the original Blackshield Company fatefully dispatched to Purgatoro. The Phalanx Obsidian itself is another living fossil from those mysterious days. Therefore the profound influence these individuals have on the chapter is necessary to introduce in this record, followed by more detailed portraits later within the Index.
As mentioned previously this martial philosophy organises the positions and disposition of the chapter's resources on the Photia Kamares and the intricate movements of their fleet. This is only the final most simplistic result of the Phalanx Obsidium in action, positioning and organising material. In reality the Phalanx is the philosophical, intellectual and ethical underpinning of the Purgatorians. It guides every thought and act of the Purgatores and governs the identity and attitude of the Purgatorians as a whole.
Within the Purgatorian mind, it is a binary mode of logic that mentally places the individual and the collective at two poles. The terms of these poles are then rationally integrated using any and all relevant evidence. This appears to exploit the interaction between their Logos and Ethos genes and allows a Purgatores to solve almost any problem they are presented with (assuming a purely logical answer is desired). When combined with their training, this totally binds a Purgatores to didactic logic and reason.* However such savant-like calculation often comes with a significant time penalty. As many exasperated Imperials can attest, it is unwise to get a Purgatores 'going' mentally.
At an 'external' level, these logical poles are literally the Purgatores and the Chapter of Purgatorians. The fundamental principle is that of 'cell' and 'organism'; a single unique component of an invincible whole. This has led some Imperials to disparagingly joke “that would make Purgatorians a tumour”.
The needs and requirements of a unitary individual (i.e. either one or many Purgatores) are completely managed by that 'cell', within the conceptual Spheros Oikos. The ways each 'cell' then contribute to the formation and direction of the collective 'organism' is conceptualised by Spheros Polis. Reciprocally the direction of that 'organism', as defined by the Polis, dictates limits and assigns priority to the needs of a 'cell'. The result is that every Purgatores decides what is best for the chapter and the chapter simultaneously decides what is best for every Purgatores. This dichotomy colours every aspect of Purgatorian organisation at every scale, from a single Astartes to the entire fleet.
Their binary mindset, when coupled to their innate resistance to indoctrination, means Purgatores must be logically convinced of something, before they will accept it. This obviously makes any traditional application of the Codex Astartes completely unwieldy and ineffective. Instead they use the methodologies and laws of the Nomos as the organisational armature, to better capitalise upon the idiosyncratic minds of their Astartes. The resultant Phalanx Obsidium is a guarantee that the objective of the Purgatorians is always met, whether by an individual member or the whole chapter, regardless of the situation.
*Whilst this is painfully true most of the time, there is evidence that Purgatores have been conditioned to at least some extent. Certain topics, especially pertaining to the chapter's past, hold a quietly powerful sway over their thoughts. This does seem to lead to certain behaviours or responses that are uncharacteristically irrational, although the agency behind such outbursts is unclear.
Chapter Gene-Seed[]
Purgatorian geneseed is one of best kept secrets in the Imperium, unsurprisingly with corresponding levels of speculation about its origins and make-up. Certainly given the abhorrent presence a Purgatores commands, such conjecture is warranted. There are currently several Imperial agencies petitioning to unseal the records; whether these attempts are successful remains to be seen. Regardless at least three genetic traits can be inferred by observing Purgatores closely, as they spread across the galaxy and increasingly do battle with their myriad foes. They might begin to explain their esoteric identity and organisation.
Logos[]
Brothers of the chapter are inflexible unyielding souls. This is married to higher than average rationality and technical intelligence. They have a natural affinity for any manner of construction and learn preternaturally fast. The structures or objects produced are invariably of superior artifice. This astonishing degree of intellect and technical capacity breeds free-willed sceptical individuals. Indeed they seem naturally resistant to all but the most fundamental psycho-indoctrinal practices of Astartes. Naturally this disposition raises serious questions about how order is actually maintained within the chapter.
More pressingly for some, whether the gene is the cause or a symptom of the chapter's alarming 'beliefs' might have grave implications for its survival. Especially concerning the mounting animosity towards the Purgatorians by various Imperial factions, no less the Ecclesiarchy and the Mechanicus themselves.
Ethos[]
Whomever the Purgatorian primogenitor was, their gene-seed is unimaginably stable. Purgatorians replenish battle losses with incredible efficiency, thanks to the purity of this raw material. It also explains the exceptional retention of the Purgatores' distinctive characteristics. Physically Purgatores are almost identical to one another and all share a monolithic taciturn expression. The final benefit conferred by their geneseed's purity is an incredible resistance to mutation. Purgatores apparently endure certain 'charged' environments totally unfazed, making them ideal for deployment so close the Cicatrix Maledictum. Notwithstanding the thousands of psykers 'employed' by the Telepathica.
The interaction of these two genes immediately presents a paradoxical dilemma. When faced with such outward consistency, human nature blurs (or even ignores) individual identities. Moreover the chapter is rendered homogeneous and rigid by a lack of any natural advantage between brothers. For example, being slightly stronger or faster might have allowed a particular Primaris to excel on the battlefield and gain promotion. Being uncharismatic and emotionally stunted further denies Purgatores the typical avenues for advancement, within the Astartes. Therefore on the surface, Purgatores seem best analogous to the vat-grown soldiers of Krieg; a blunt single-minded drone.
In fact every single Purgatores has an immensely rich inner world and highly individual mind. They all possess the intellectual capacity to completely understand the chapter's mission on every scale, from the correct digging of trenches to commanding the entire fleet. Although broad schools of thought and standardised doctrines are common, each Purgatores has his own position on every facet of the Phalanx Obsidium. How the Phalanx resolves this paradox goes a long way to explaining their unique organisation and unorthodox culture.
Pathos[]
It is the third, most poorly understood, gene that makes Purgatorians so nightmarish and has repeatedly condemned them to infamy. They are a dull anathema to most in the Imperium and it would be better to burn all evidence of the truth. Whether by accident, or more worryingly by design, every Purgatores is Psy-Classified as 'Upsilon' or below. The exact extent and breakdown beyond this chilling fact is unknown. The precise nature of the gene's manifestation is unknown. It is reluctantly divulged that examining those abhorrent texts, regarding that grim pole of humanity, will unlock the enigma of both the Purgatorians in M42 and their fateful black history.
Notable Members[]
Chapter Master Ares[]
Almost all records of the Purgatorian Chapter Master are unimpeachably sealed by the highest authorities on Terra. Although at least partially involved in the command of his chapter, there is no evidence that he is actually present in their ranks and apparently rules in absentia. The extent of his contribution to the intellectual framework of the Phalanx Obsidium is unknowable, but his influence on the Nomos is extensive. It also appears that he is most likely responsible for the Pathos geneseed. Much of the extant information surrounding this abomination was established prior to the Purgatorians departing on their crusade. It leads many to believe that this 'Ares' was heavily involved in gene's sinister contribution to the Phalanx.
There is but a single mention of a black armoured giant, armed to the teeth with heavy weaponry and an enormous spear, teleporting into an escalating conflict on a recently fortified planet. The embattled Purgatores announced him as Ares and their battle-line snapped apart, creating a clear hole for the fearsome enemy to pour through. He immediately sprinted through and single-handedly ground their assault into a bloodbath. He was reported to plough forward through their panicked ranks out of sight, as his Purgatores reformed their firing line behind him, annihilating the survivors with precise volleys of semi-automatic bolter fire.
Architékton Daedemes[]
The title Architékton also combines the various positions like Chief Apothecary, the Masters of the Forge, and the Fleet etc. into a single nominal individual. This cumulative role represents a distillation of the Phalanx at the highest level in the chapter. Furthermore, the Architékton must mediate between the aforementioned dichotomy of Oikos and Polis to frame the scope, direction and form of the Phalanx Obsidium. It is testament to the power of Daedemes' intellect and his aeons of experience that he can manage such an onerous burden.
Clad in a heavily modified suit of Gravis Pattern MkX Power Armour, he cuts an imposing silhouette on the battlefield. Preferring to tip any spearheads, when he personally engages in battle, the Architékton's weapons load-out is optimised for extended and aggressive levels of firepower. Aggressive is always a relative term concerning Purgatorians and Daedemes is a sober pragmatic individual, with eons of battlefield experience to call upon (although this has been increasingly difficult to retain after becoming a Primaris). He also possesses a highly sophisticated servo harness apparently of his own design and construction. This can only be assumed because no record of this pattern satisfactorily matches any possessed by the Adeptus Mechanicus. However it shares much of the same basic structure and clearly share a common origin. The design was originally intended to fit a suit of Tactical Dreadnought armour and has been re-engineered to the Gravis Pattern. The Boltstorm Gaunlets have been integrated with a pair of small servo-arms to demount the weapons from his arms and fire independently via neural impulse link. This frees the Architékton's hands for more dexterous tasks required by a commander. The weapons are fed from an extended reservoir, containing a variety of necessary munitions, that auto-loads sequences of rounds to wreak maximum destruction at any given situation. He can also confer ammunition to his subordinates via a trio of servo-skulls housed within extended backpack. This helps to evaluate remaining reserves of ammunition and maximise efficiency. A second pair of larger arms are capable of mounting a range of task-specific heads. Finally an improved cooling system allows the armour's reactor to support a powerful vox-caster and personal shield generator.
Chapter Fleet[]
To better facilitate its new mandate, the chapter is essentially fleet-based. It is strategically arrayed to endlessly rove the void between the various garrison worlds stationed along the frontier of the Cicatrix Maledictum. The web's nexus is the Battlebarge Talio Obsidian. It is equipped with an immense astral relay and an astonishingly large arsenal for its tonnage. Similar can be said for most the ships within the fleet; they are all highly advanced and incredibly well wrought. Purgatorians might still count some allies on Mars it seems. This is incredibly fortunate because the Purgatorians are only granted the barest minimum of resources necessary to complete their crusade.
Chapter Appearance[]
Chapter Colours[]
Chapter Badge[]
Relations[]
Allies[]
Enemies[]
Notable Quotes[]
There is a revealing interaction that highlights the rigidly atheist mindset of the Purgatorians and their antagonistic relationship with the wider Imperium. During their tumultuous return to Terra, the Purgatores were challenged on their refusal to acknowledge the Emperor's divinity by a prominent member of the Ecclesiarchy. They were mockingly asked if they also dismissed the existence of the Ruinous Powers. The Ecclesiarch's condescending assumption was that the Purgatores clung to quaint and archaic views, due to their marooning on Purgatoro. He was clearly expecting that once the veil of such primitive ignorance was lifted, the Purgatores would welcome indoctrination in to the Imperial Cult. The response shocked all assembled to the core.
- "You mock us as backward, too feeble to comprehend your supposed truth? We are denounced because we will not worship the 'God' Emperor; here is the fact. The Ruinous Powers are the only gods in existence (sic*). Worship and religion is their domain and the only loyal response to prayer is a bolt round through the eye."
- — Architékton Daedemes
- "He shall never be denied his Soldiers of Iron. We had a duty as a Legion to Mankind and we shall not waver for a moment nor an age."
- — Chapter Master 'Ares'
Gallery[]
