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Of all the horrific enigmas spawned by the 21st 'Cursed' Founding, the Purifiers are perhaps the most terrifying. Like most born during that dark time, these Astartes did not last long. Though others such as the Blood Gorgons succumbed to either corruption in their minds, bodies or both, the madness of the Purifiers was something deeper, something the Imperium at large could little understand. Exemplary even by the nightmarishly high standards of the Adeptus Astartes, the mystery of the Purifiers' extermination will eternally puzzle those few who know of them.
The early history of the Purifiers is a sinister mystery, owing both to the 21st Founding's secrecy and to the edict of purgation issued against all those exiled from the Imperium. Since their annihilation on Iyrin the Inquisition has attempted to eradicate any and all traces of these insane and nightmarish Astartes, going above and beyond even their normal thoroughness.
What few scraps still remain, show a bloody trail of devastation. Given the fragmented passage of time that Goge Vandire's ruinous lordship over the Imperium caused, the Purifiers' actions cannot be properly plotted. However, given their seeming lack of concern over slaughtering their own supposed allies, many believe that this was not the first time the Chapter's violent insanity had resulting in the Purifiers turning on those they aided only moments ago.
Enigmatic in the extreme, the first solid record in Imperial history is their bizarre entrance into the so-called 'War of the Damned' the greatest mobilisation of Chapters from the 21st 'Cursed' Founding. With Goge Vandire's mounting insanity the Chapter known as the Imperators Unyielding claimed to be the most worthy successors of the God-Emperor of Mankind, heretically and rather ironically given their distain for the mad High Lord, believing they spoke with the authority of the Lord of Terra's voice.
During the Indomintus Crusade, when Belisarius Cawl awoke the Primaris Space Marines and requested to use the gene-seed of every Primarch (which Roboute Guilliman denied, allowing only those who remained loyal to be used), the Archmagos also desired to use the mysterious gene-seed of the Purifiers. Before he could even request its use, both the Grey Knights and High Lords of Terra openly and unequivocally threatened Cawl, saying they would kill the Archmagos if he even attempted to use the gene-seed of these mysterious, mad Astartes. Given the power of those threatening him and, quite frankly their specificity, the Primaris Marine's creator backed down.
Chapter Homeworld
The Purifiers had no homeworld beyond their massive fleet. Since their extinction, the fleet has been stripped of all signifiers of their former Chapter, their names, everything that tied them to their terrifying former masters was eradicated.
Recruitment
As all traces of them have been as thoroughly eradicated as is possible given the sheer terrifying mystery around them, not much is known about the Purifiers' recruitment methods beyond their near celestially high requirements for a recruit's genetic and spiritual purity. So exacting were their standards, it is believed that, had the Purifiers' insanity not finally claimed them, that the Chapter would have died out anyway given the dearth of recruits that met the desired standards of purity.
Fortress-Monastery
As a fleet-based Chapter, the immense Cleansing Wrath served at the de-facto Fortress-Monastery of the insane Chapter. After it self-destructed during the final battle of the Purifiers, all trace of it was eradicated from the Imperium of Man's history.
Notable Campaigns
The Massacre of Erfyl (M35) - The planet Erfyl was reduced to a blasted dead world during this time period. Invaded by the forces of Khorne, this innocent argi-world sent out a frantic call for aid. Though, like all of their history, it has been largely destroyed, it is believed that the Purifiers answered...and then, after destroying the daemonic forces, turned on the innocent civilians, utterly destroying them and burning Erfyl down to a scorched ruin.
The War of the Damned (M36) - What would be known as 'the War of the Damned' was perhaps the single largest mobilisation of Chapters born from the 21st Founding. The Imperators Unyielding, seen as one of the successes of Inculaba (before their betrayal) turned on Goge Vandire's Imperium, looking to install themselves as the rulers of the God-Emperor's empire in his name. Initially, the Purifiers did not join this massive crusade. However, as the war dragged on, the Purifiers joined, compelled by their violent mania. As expected by those who know of the insane Marines, the Purifiers did not coordinate alongside their supposed allies, instead they simply carved a horrific, bloody path through the Imperators' brewing empire. Before they simply vanished from the War of the Damned, the Purifiers were known to be on the world of Feng VI, utterly annihilating the treasonous, but prosperous Knight House, Dagrah, with rumours speaking of Samyaza himself butchering the ruling patriarch, carving him from his massive walker.
The Fires of Nasirdin (M.36) - Like so many worlds, Nasirdin was a former colony of the Imperium, an industrial world lost to the brutish hordes of the Orks. Once a centre of manufacturing now simply a
The Annihilation of the Purifiers (M.36) - The final battle of the Purifiers, and Iyrin's second and last purge. It was on the cardinal world of Iyrin that the Chapter's puritanical insanity was revealed to the Imperium and transformed them from successful, if insular warriors of the 21st Founding, to the cautionary tale and mystery they are seen as today. Even before the coming of its mad destroyers, Iyrin was already a world with a sinister past. In times long since lost to the shadows of Damnatio Memoriae, heretical cults slaved to the dark powers of Chaos sprung up in the dark slums of the religious world, hidden behind a veil of the countless esoteric sects and personality cults of the Imperial Faith that inevitably spring up on such worlds. Whilst the Black Huntsmen believed their work finished in the first purgation of Iyrin decades prior in rooting out the cult of personality to the equally renowned and loathed Paimon; a former Field Marshall of the Astra Militarum of similar standing to the much later Macaroth who headed the Sabbat Worlds Crusades. It was the failures of the Black Huntsmen to fully weed out the cult threat that seeded the conditions necessary to sprout the second revolt to follow in the coming decades: the events that would herald Iyrin's second and final purge, and the presence of the Purifiers. Believed by those who still know of the events, the Black Huntsmen's failure in the first purging of Iyrin was likely due to their bloodlust distracting them from more hidden cultists who went to ground, slipping back into the depths of ignominity amongst Iyrin's immense populace. The second purgation came to a head when one of the escaped cults upended Imperial authority and sent the world's population into panic and indiscriminate bloodshed and warring with garrisoned Krieg Militarum regiments and Sisters of Battle barely surviving in time for the Imperial response. The dispatching of astropathic distress calls brought the attention of the Purifiers who fell on the forces of Chaos. Ruthlessly butchered by the insensate Purifiers, the armies of the Great Enemy retreated in the face of the purifying flames of the newly arrived Space Marines. The Imperial Forces, once preparing to sell their lives dearly against the Dark Gods' slaves, now rejoiced at the sheer power of their apparent saviours, gazing in awe as they walked, unconcerned and unaffected by the horrid devilry the sorcerers cast at them. After the battle, the Canoness who offered her thanks to Samyaza was instead cut in half by the Angel of Annihilation in a fit of jealousy and unbridled psychosis before falling on the populace with a renewed fury before another distress call again attracted the presence of more Astartes with the first response being the Grey Knights Purifier units led by Castellan Krios who were annihilated by Samyaza and his Purifiers. The next wave of reinforcements came too late to assist the Grey Knights but still did battle with the Purifiers, spearheaded by the Immortals, Imperial Wardens, Drakes Encarmine and the Black Huntsmen. Ultimately the battle was won and Samyaza slain, but only at a monumental cost to the terrified Imperials. It was this battle that posthumously catalogued the Purifiers as Excommunicate Traitoris.
Chapter Organisation
Little was known about the Purifiers' Chapter organisation before their destruction. Due to their brief history, nigh on every single engagement by the Chapter was made at full strength. It is believed that the Purifiers generally followed the edicts of the Codex Astartes.
Of note however is that, such is the anathematising strength of the Purifiers' gene-seed, there are no Librarians in their ranks. Though all show at least some affinity with the pure 'anathematised' variety of the warp displayed by both the God-Emperor of Mankind, the Grey Knights and Saint Celestine, no single member of the Purifiers show the more active, conscious manipulation of the tides of warp displayed their three contemporaries and of the Librarians of other Chapters.
Specialist Ranks
The Watchers: The guardians of the Chapter Master, the Bearers of the Ten Blades, the Watchers were the personal companions of the the Angel of Annihilation. Paragons of everything it meant to be a Purifier, this august gathering was seen constantly at the side of their master, their blades, like his own, wreathed in that same scourging blue fire. As with most things to do with the Purifiers, little is known of the Watchers, for few records remained, even before the edict of obliteration sealed or destroyed all records of them to any but the highest ranking in the Imperium. What is undeniable however, is their sheer skill and strength, for as with Samyaza, it took monumental effort to kill each member during the purging of Iyrin, for each of their lives taken, a heavy toll was extracted from their killers.
Combat Doctrines
Given the Purifiers' all-consuming, maniacal loathing towards Chaos and the warp, their skill at combating the ruinous powers should be obvious. Well obvious however, is the sheer extent of their skill. Whilst not to the extent pariahs, the average battle-brother's mere presence, much like the Grey Knight, is anathema to the denizens of the warp. Such is their single-minded disgust and hatred for the Immaterium, the Purifiers were near unrivalled in their skill at purging the servants of the Ruinous Powers.
Given their madness, the complete disinterest in accounting for any save themselves should be obvious. The Purifiers were brutal combatants, using their disturbing strength and abilities to utterly dominate their opponents, this lack of concern for others gave them a distinct advantage robbing their foes of any opportunity to hide behind supposed allies of the Chapter. The Purifiers wage war with a brutal, single-minded butchery, though not lacking in finesse or intelligence, the sheer, all-consuming insanity leaves them unmoved by loss, so long as their foes are killed. Their close-combat units especially are of note, given the fearful power showed by the Chapter, Samyaza especially displaying the strength to easily and spontaneously life up and tear in half an armoured canoness, as well as single-handedly (quite literally in this case) lift up and strangle a Grey Knight purifier, before fatally snapping his neck.
Chapter Gene-Seed
Perhaps one of the greatest mysteries of the Purifiers is their gene-seed. Their lineage, their powers, non of them show any markers of any Primarch. Purer than even the Grey Knights, these terrifying warriors were paramount. Even compared to the Warriors of Titan, the Purifiers were peerless, faultless in genetic and psychic purity, the embodiment of absolute virtue.
What the Grey Knights undergo, to accomplish their feats of strength, through nightmarish, arduous effort, the Purifiers achieve through mere existence. Their soul is like a searing sun, burning away all corruption. The tides of the warp die around them, even their weakest members have a great resistance to the power of the Immaterium. Such resistance is not the entire extent of the Purifiers' strength; Samyaza had such a protection from the power of the warp that those attempting to use it upon him would suffer a crippling, agonising psychic backlash.
The psychic potency of the Purifiers was utterly apart from any known, save for some believed to be part of the Emperor's power, completely anathema to the chaos of the warp tides. Though they bear no physical mutations of any sort, the relentlessness and strength of the Purifiers is terrifyingly beyond the norm. Where the cleansing fire of Grey Knight Purifier would incinerate all, burning out even the mildest corruption, the Marines of the Purifier Chapter were utterly unharmed. Their spiritual and psychic might was such, that Samyaza and his guardians, wielded weapons constantly wreathed in an cleansing, searing blue flame like a sun, destroying everything before them.
Despite this nightmarish, terrifying power, the Purifiers' genetic purity seems have caused an almost mono-maniacal insanity and obsession with the purity desired by the God-Emperor of Mankind. Though it is unknown if this madness was genetically bound, the lunacy and almost jealousy every member showed seemed uniform enough that it could been seen as such. Despite any attempts, the sheer insanity that gripped the Chapter cannot be overstated, whilst not the feral, animalistic madness that blighted the Makhai and so many others, zeal and utter contempt and murderous hatred the Purifiers felt for those deemed unworthy of the Emperor's love (which included virtually all aside from themselves and the Emperor himself) was truly terrifying.
Chapter Beliefs
To the Purifiers, only the Emperor and his ideals matter. No matter how impossible it is, given the simple facts of reality and the Master of Mankind's absolutely singular nature; no one and nothing deserve anything but death, if they are not the absolute picture of the flawless, incorruptible being the Lord of Terra wished for mankind to be. There is no leniency, no compromise, nothing. Any who are not the ideal, utter paragons are hideous, disgusting, unworthy of anything, their mere existence is an insult to the Emperor in their eyes. Such is their insanity, that even ones such as the Grey Knights, the purest servants of the Imperium and their greatest shield against the forces of the Immaterium, are not pure enough. Their hatred of the Warp is such, that when confronted with those corrupted by Chaos, the Purifiers almost act as though singularly possessed, despite their murderous loathing for those not the examples of purity they are, the Chapter will single-mindedly eradicate any 'blessed' by the Dark Gods...before inevitably turning on those they saved.
Deathwatch Service
Given the speed with which they succumbed to whatever madness lurked within them, there were no Purifiers serving in the Deathwatch. Given the terrifying mindset and prodigious abilities displayed by its battle-brothers this is considered to be a great relief.
Notable Members
Samyaza, the Angel of Annihilation
Chapter Master Samyaza - The Lord of the Purifiers, the Angel of Annihilation, Samyaza was terrifying almost elemental force of death. As the first and only leader of the Chapter, it was his actions that exposed the violent lunacy of the Purifiers on the world of Iyrin. Through whatever means were used to craft the gene-seed of these Astartes, Samyaza exemplifies its greatest strengths and its most damning flaws. Where other, lesser Purifiers simply had a resistance the warp on varying levels, use of it directed at the Angel of Annihilation was not only resisted, but caused a painful psychic backlash. Like all of his Chapter, a vicious mania gripped Samyaza. The existence of a humanity not as the Emperor desired it means those who are not of that calibre deserve only to be slaughtered, unworthy of the Master of Mankind's love. Bearing a great two-handed blade, permanently wreathed is searing blue fire and surrounded by an aura of these anathematic flames, Samyaza truly lived up to his title, an angel, pure of soul and boundless in his madness, sowing destruction wherever he sees those who the Purifiers' dogma decrees do not deserve to live. Perhaps more disturbingly than his powers was Samyaza the man, though like the rest of his Chapter Samyaza was gripped by a monomaniacal insanity, amongst his own brethren those few records salvaged from the remains of the Chapter fleet after the battle of Iyrin paint a picture of an affable, even-tempered warrior who, though remote and enigmatic shared a bond of respect and care for those under his command. Such an image is utterly at odds with the demented madman known to the wider Imperium (or rather the wider Imperium sanctioned to know of the Purifiers) and draws an unnerving portrait the sheer magnitude of the Angel of Annihilation's lunatic convictions.
Captain Ananiel - The 1st Captain of the Purifiers, Ananiel was a great hulking brute of a man. Clad in terminator, this angel of death was Samyaza's second and, during the Chapter's final massacre, given command of the Purifiers' flagship; the Cleansing Wrath. It was on Ananiel's orders, in a final act of venomous rage, that the Cleansing Wrath self-destructed inflicting horrific casualties on the Drakes Encarmine, Black Hunstmen and Imperial Wardens who had boarded it. It was whispered that, as they breached the bridge, the last sight those doomed warriors saw, was the disturbing, serene smile of Ananiel, before the light of the exploding battle-barge took them.
Bezaliel, the furious Lord of Virtue
Bezaliel Master of Sanctity - The lord of the Purifiers' chaplaincy, Bezaliel was a bombastic, furious orator, somehow capable of fanning the raging inferno of the Chapter's puritanical insanity to apoplectic levels. During the Purifiers' final battle on Iyrin, when the Black Huntsmen and Immortals managed to flank the rampaging Purifiers and begin driving them back, it was Bezaliel who rallied his battle-brothers around him, to drive back the undeserving on this new flank (after the Huntsmens' bloodlust got the better of them, and they began tearing through the Immortals to get to their shared foe).
Chapter Fleet
Before their extinction, the Purifiers' fleet was absolutely immense. A massive engine of destruction, it was often seen either near or in its entirety. After the Chapter's extinction, any salvageable ships were distributed amongst the survivors, stripped of anything that could link them to their now dead former masters.
Cleansing Wrath (Battle-Barge) - A huge vessel, the ominous, looming palace to stark, utter purity known as the Cleansing Wrath served at the flagship for the Purifiers. During the Battle of Iyrin, the Cleansing Wrath reaped a horrific tally against those who responded to the Sororitas' desperate calls for aid after the Purifiers' turned their guns upon their apparent allies. During this vicious battle, the Cleansing Wrath was successfully boarded by the Drakes Encarmine, Black Huntsmen and Imperial Wardens. With the majority of the Chapter deployed to the surface of Iyrin, and with so many enemies flooding into the veins of the ship, the loss of their flagship was inevitable. However, thanks to their own violent impulses, the Black Huntsmen, led by their Chapter Master Melqart, were conducting extensively through purges of the Battle-Barge, whilst negelcting their assigned role in boarding the Cleansing Wrath; to take the bridge, allowing the invading parties to then wipe the ship clean of the mad Astartes. Melqart's bloody actions allowed Ananiel, 1st Captain of the Purifiers to overload the battle-barge's plasma drives resulting in a cataclysmic self-destruction, resulting in further horrific casualties.
Illumination (Battle-Barge) - During the Annihilation of the Purifiers, the Illumination was boarded and, after a vicious space battle that caused countless casualties, the Battle-Barge was purged of the mad Astartes.
Searing Rapture (Destroyer) - During the destruction of the Purifiers, the Searing Rapture caused untold damage after being damaged to such an extent that it crashed into the surface of Iyrin causing widespread devastation and massive earthquakes.
Judgement's Reach
Eyes of Fire
Heavenly
Love and Fury
Chapter Relics
The Blade of Samyaza
The Blade of Samyaza - A massive two-handed, relic power sword, the Blade of Samyaza was the weapon borne by the Purifiers' lord. When he wielded it in life, the blade was permanently wreathed in the same purging flame that seems to surround Samyaza like an aura and also burns across his guardian's weapons. Anathema to the impure, this sword has a long and brutal history, soaked in the blood of those the Purifiers deemed undeserving. None know what happened to the massive blade after its wielder's death. Though it is rumoured that the Librarians of the Black Huntsmen desired it, after their vicious missteps during the whole debacle, the Immortals of the Third Spear claimed the blade as recompense for their losses.
Banner of the Pure Dawn - The Chapter Standard, the Banner of Pure Dawn, was well as having the expected symbol of the Chapter bears an image of the sun rising on Master of Mankind, reigning supreme over all, the Purifiers by his side. A symbol of the Purifiers' utter devotion to the God-Emperor's vision and, to their almost desperate desire to see their lord returned and to validate their existence. In the end, during the purge of the Purifiers' memory, the fallen Chapter Master Samyaza was wrapped in the Banner of Pure Dawn, before both it and his body were incinerated, with their ashes scattered in the Sol system by Krios, the sole surviving member of the Grey Knights deployed, strangely as some manner of tribute.
The Ten Blades of the Watchers - Perhaps rather obviously, these ten beautiful swords were wielded by Chapter Master Samyaza's eternal guardians; the Watchers. The ten are thus; the Blade of Judgement, Blade of Abjuration, Blade of Contempt, Blade of Silence, Blade of Sanctuary, Blade of Retribution, Blade of Devotion, Blade of Brotherhood, Blade of Wrath, Blade of Light and Blade of Fidelity, each venerable blade once wielded by the guardian of the Purifiers' lord.
Chapter Appearance
Chapter Colours
The Purifiers bore a cold, stark two-tone colour scheme. Their helmet, pauldron inset and arms are white. The rest of their armour is a bright silver.
Generally, the Purifiers leave their armour relatively undecorated by Space Marine standards, only occasionally adding images of those unnerving and terrifying angels of old Terra.
Chapter Badge
The symbol of the Purifiers
The symbol of the Purifiers is a winged, blue flame emerging from a shimmering star. A symbol of their brutal, unrelenting purity.
Relations
To the Purifiers, there is but one thing that matters; the realisation of the God-Emperor's dream. They have no nuanced relationships, no allies. There is simply undying, extreme devotion to the Master of Mankind's dream. Their world-view is binary; there are simply the worthy and the unworthy. The worthy live. The unworthy, which, rather unfortunately encompasses virtually all but themselves and the beloved Emperor, deserve only to be slaughtered, to wipe the stain of their existence from the Emperor's perfect universe.
— Bezaliel Master of Sanctity during the Purge of Iyrin
"“Unworthy, unworthy, UNWORTHY! Weakness! Corruption! IMPERFECT! YOU SHOULDN’T EXIST! WHY DOES HE LOVE YOU MOTES OF FILTH?! WHY?!”"
— 1st Captain Ananiel during the Extermination of House Dagrah
"We may never know our father my brothers. Lost to history we may never be reunited…But I know, deep in my blood I feel it; we walk in his footsteps. One day, a sun will rise on an existence set to rights. We will reunite with our sire. And Lord of Terra will rule over all. Perfect universe."
— Chapter Master Samyaza
"Silence…pure, b-blessed…silence…"
— The last words of Samyaza
About the Purifiers
"Die in peace Purifier. Let the dreams of purity carry you to your eternal sleep and may your kind never feel the light of existence again."
— Krios, sole surviving purifier of the Grey Knights, as Chapter Master Samyaza died
"Once again they could march. As Lord Guilliman said, my Primaris Marines were forged for Mankind's darkest hour. A new founding of the Purifiers could be a light." "It would not be a light any could survive Cawl."
— Unknown Grey Knight to Belisarius Cawl regarding use of the Purifiers' gene-seed
"So we’d krumped dem sneaky ‘umies, den dose angry ‘umies, den da sneaky an’ angry ‘umies right? Den some uver, shiny ‘umies show up. Well, da boss fort dey looked roight flash, so ‘e wanted der gubbinz. So anyway, deze shiny boyz were dead ‘ard. Dere boss ‘ad dis big choppa, so e’ flew up and ‘ad a go wiv da big boss. Boss was luvin’ it, but dat ‘umie boss, iz choppa must’ve been ded lucky, waz all blue and everyfing. But it took da bosses ‘ead off. Shame we ain’t seen doze shiny ‘umies again. Dey wuz fun."
