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This article, Stewards of the Crucible, was written by The Bannerman. Please do not edit or 'acquire' this fiction without the writer's permission. |
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This article, Stewards of the Crucible, is currently under active construction. The author, The Bannerman, apologizes for the inconvenience. |
The Stewards of the Crucible, previously known as the Crimson Warders, are a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter of unknown genetic lineage created during the 4th Founding in 546.M32 following the catastrophic War of the Beast, which saw the near destruction of the Imperium of Mankind and the full destruction of several Space Marine Chapters. As one of the new hundreds of Chapters created in the destructive wake of the massive Orks WAAAGH!, the Stewards of the Crucible were charged with crusading across the Segmentum Obscurus to hunt down remnants of the Greenskin hordes. In this mission, the Stewards would act as the quelling of numerous would-be Ork WAAAGHS!, putting down innumerable upstart Warlords seeking to take over the species-wide void left after the death of The Beast.
Beyond the initial goals of their creation and deployment, the Stewards have become subject to many curious theories, rumors, and threats from within and without the Imperium. Many of these come about from their unknown genetic lineage, non-Codex-compliant culture, and their many secrets. Their methodical, almost machine-like approach towards combat points to possible origins in the Iron Hands, although their nomadic and secretive gallant-like nature implies some connection to the Dark Angels, while the mutations of their Oolitic Kidney and Biscopea implants that have left them standing larger and oddly colored than standard Adeptus Astartes which could indicate that they possess some lineage in the Salamanders. However, none of these theories, some more blunt or complex than others, have received any hint of answers or truth, leaving the Stewards in a shroud of mystery they do not seem to be intent on lifting.
Most intriguing about the chapter, recently at least, is their new obsession with the hunt and eradication of the World Eaters and forces of Khorne. This can be tied to the disastrous "Vengeance Unbridled" campaign of 321.M36, which cost the Chapter half of their forces and the abandonment of their spacefaring ways. Such were their losses and Chapter-wide trauma that they have never recovered their full strength, although some would say that this has merely strengthened certain beneficial factors of the Chapter such as their uniquely strong brotherhood and forms of assault.
Chapter History
Notable Campaigns
Chapter Homeworld
Chapter Recruitment
Recruitment for the Stewards of the Crucible is performed as a ceremony, taken into form from legends stemming from the days of the world's first civilizations. The legends speak of an eternal order of warriors known as the Crimson Lodge who would prowl the landscape every winter in search of new inductees into their ranks to wage endless war in the stars against daemonic adversaries known as the Shadows. Over time, the Crimson Lodge would come less and less each year until, finally, they vanished into thin air never to be seen again, the legends passing out of the memory with them.
The arrival of the Stewards - clad in crimson armor - has led the people to believe that the Emperor's Angels of Death are the warriors of Crimson Lodge returned. Since the day of their arrival following the "Vengence Unbridled" campaign, the Stewards have used the hardy people of Florastega's Hope to replenish their ranks, finding their anachronistic medieval society quite compatible with their own Chapter culture. Thusly, every winter on Florastega's Hope, when the lands freeze and the great ice beasts awaken to prowl the fields and skies, each of the kingdom's great families select the best of their broods in the hopes of becoming a member of the Crimson Lodge.
The tradition is usually heralded by the 10th Company Aoda, though a Clerical Serf may also do should the former be occupied. Regardless, the presidor arrives on the continent of Autun at the head of a host of Glaive Marines along with a Laec of the Lacearion. During the initial days of recruitment, the presidor's presence was marked by the scattering of the ice beasts and the scorching of ice and snow. Now, a great temple has been erected by the people of Florastega's Hope to honor the Crimson Lodge and the revived tradition. The presidor is routinely greeted with mirth and cheer by the gathered throngs - which can range from hundreds to thousands of people from across the world's kingdoms. With a simple wave, these ravenous hordes of onlookers are quelled into silence and the inspection of the offerings is commenced.
Compatibility with the gene-seed and Astartes organs takes precedence, conducted in secret in the bowels of the temple. Those who are found incompatible are returned to their families, to their shame and disgrace, while those who are found compatible with the genetic traits of the Chapter are presented with ceremonious announcements. Over the next few weeks, these aspirants are subjected to gruelling trials designed to test their endurance and psychological willpower in the face of overwhelming odds. To the Astartes of the Crucible, if an aspirant cannot match the mettle of an Imperial Guardsman facing down impossible fates, there can be no hope of them serving as a Space Marine. These aspirants are then whisked away to the distant Seagrass Haven, where the Fortress-Monastery of the Crucible awaits. For some, this is the path to their glorious destiny. For most, it is the path to their doom.
During each of the many trials, the aspirants will be told of the history of the Imperium, the Emperor, and the dangers of the galaxy. On days when the trials are more scholastic, the aspirants will be routinely quizzed on the most recent subjects they have learned. Failure can result in expulsion or reprimandation.
The first of the major trials is the 'Forging of Kinship', where combatants must fight as one against beasts captured from across the planet. Creatures such as the brutish Aslozarn, the quick and agile Zlatondeth, and the savage Wuatorog are all penned in the vast arena at the peak of the Crucible, the flames of the scones and pyres sending out dazzling displays to the onlookers on the coasts of Autun. For every life snuffed by the beasts, a flame goes out. Failure to fight as one additionally results in immediate expulsion from the trials if one live to receive such a sentence. This trial is seen as a necessary step as the lesser number of Marines in the Crucible makes for closer bonds out of necessity to ensure no ounce of doubt or mistrust can ever take hold. Following this trial, the aspirants are taken to their quarters where they are lectured and quizzed.
The second of the major trials is the 'Depths of Endurance', where the aspirants must become shackled and weighted down in the freezing ocean. Whilst sinking, they must free themselves of their bonds and swim to the nearest landmass all the while avoiding the dangerous inhabitants of the icy water. From this landmass, the aspirants must then recall the location of the Chapter's Fortress Monastery and swim there as well whilst surviving on the resources of the islands and freezing ocean.
The third trial is the 'Foundations of Oratry', where the surviving aspirants must take all of their experiences and transform into into a tale of legend, both written and spoken. Deep as warrior-poet nature is within the Chapter, any aspirant must possess the skills to regale their brothers and paint pictures with their words. The greater the skill of the poet, the more clear their charisma and capability to have men follow them into the jaws of Hell itself.
The fourth trial is the 'Test of Knowledge', where the last of the aspirants will be quizzed on the history of their own world and all they have learned of the Imperium during the previous days. Failure to recall the information with perfect accuracy will result in either a mindscrub or transformation into a servitor (the latter stemming from utter failure, rather than partial failure as with the former). This trial ensures that only those with working minds may join the Chapter.
The surviving aspirants are then granted one final night with their kin to celebrate the greatest achievement possible on Florastega's Hope. Secretly, this is considered an unofficial final test for the aspirants to see if they can survive attempts on their lives from jealous rivals or grieving families. Those that do are then whisked away the following morning to the Chapter's fortress-monastery. Those who fail to become Neophytes, but live to return to their people are often granted prestigious ranks within their tribes.
Fortress-Monastery
Chapter Organisation
The Seven Houses
- The First House:
- The Second House:
- The Third House:
- The Fourth House:
- The Fifth House:
- The Sixth House:
- The Seventh House:
Kempa Cropp
- Prim Kempa:
- Kempa of the First House:
- Kempa of the Second House:
- Kempa of the Third House:
- Kempa of the Fourth House:
- Kempa of the Fifth House:
- Kempa of the Sixth House:
- Kempa of the Seventh House:
Senior Specialist Ranks
- Prim Aoda:
- Prim Lacian:
- Prim Geborg:
- Prim Bokere:
Specialist Ranks
Veteran Ranks
Line Ranks
Recruit Ranks
Specialist Units
Specialist Formations
Order of Battle
Headquarters
Companies
Chapter Culture
Warrior-Poets Society
Though they have become more than the standard human, the Astartes of the Crucible are still very much of humanity and hold tradition close to their heart. Where the battlefield showcases the wrathful burning of the Crucible's endless war forge in the form of dirges and thundering songs, the private sanctums of ships and keep reveal a softer side none beyond the serf and diplomat has ever seen.
Even since the days of being known as the Crimson Warders and their hunting down of Greenskin hordes, the Stewards of the Crucible have held great traditions in the antiquated Warrior-Poets Society. Tales of would-be WAAAGHS! and incursions upon heretical cults have spanned the annals of the Stewards' history for millennia, growing more and more vivid and explosive as the Galaxy continued to fall into the turmoil following the Great Heresy. As taught by Moroniex Rushal, the Stewards believe that the greatest of warriors must also be the greatest of orators and authors, capable of spinning tales for Astartes and humans alike as vibrant as any Pleasure World's landscape. For where is the growth and evolution to be had from the joy of victory and the sting of defeat if none can remember the events of hearth and war? Thus do the Stewards of the Crucible record everything they encounter, from Xenos to Daemon, weaving the acts into stanzas and epics for all in their Chapter to hear and read.
These tales of war and the Chapter's history are revered so much that the rites of ascension into the Kempa Cropp are based around the writings of the candidates, just as they are for a recruit's induction into the Chapter. To the Stewards, to be a leader means to embody the very spirits of their founder and his kin. Contests of oratory, feasts to honor the fallen, and mirthful recollections of battle are quite frequent within the halls of their Fortress-Monastery and voidships.
And while the Chapter does not view the Emperor of Mankind as a God, nor His Sons as Demi-Gods or their Sons - loyal or traitor alike - many of their tales do place them upon pedestals that near deific. It should come as no surprise that the paragon atop these pedestals beyond the Master of Mankind is Moroniex Rushal himself, who the Stewards believe embodied the very best of their ideals and attributes. Some Chapter tales say that the man was blessed by the Lord of the Golden Throne Himself, for his fell Power Maul sundered even the mightiest of Xenos scum or the most diabolical of Traitor Astartes with one blow as he bellowed out the songs of war.
Cultural Equipment
Chapter Gene-Seed
Genetic Flaws
The deficiencies present in the Stewards and their propensity to deal with the Forces of Chaos have made them subject to scrutiny by both the Inquisition and Ecclesiarchy.
- Oolitic Secretions: The skin of the Stewards of the Crucible is noted to be a stark shade of snow-white. It is believed by some that this mutation might be due to the frequency in which the Chapter has come in contact with the forces of Chaos near the Eye of Terror, although this has been disputed by the existence of similar chapters who do not bear this mutation such as the Black Templars.
- Hyper-stimulated Biscopea: The Stewards of the Crucible, similar to the Sons of Anteas, boast incredible physiques even for Space Marines. While granting them immense strength and even greater durability than their kin, these mutated statures do make it difficult for the Chapter to produce both stable neophytes and armor for current marines.
- Disturbing Voice: Where the other Chapters with this mutation often speak in a whisper or remain silent entirely, the Stewards of the Crucible possess voices that are bombastic and crackling like dragon’s fire. This has allowed them to maintain a great deal of terror on the battlefield for their very voice is seen as a herald of doom.
Combat Doctrine
Deathwatch Service
Notable Members
Chapter Fleet
Chapter Relics
- The Thunder of Rushal: A Power Maul of prodigious size, ferocious power, and ever-growing history, the Fist of Rushal has been the focal point of many of the Chapter's stories and poems. Possessing a hardened bone haft and vibrating with incredible energy capable of crushing even the carapace of a tyranid as if it were putty, it is said that the Fist of Rushal was crafted from the skeletal remains of the greatest Warboss ever slain by Rushal: Mekhak Ghur Skullstompa Zhada, an Ork born to a latent psychic potential. Since his disappearence into the Eye of Terror whilst chasing down a warband of Khorne in c.100.M33, the Fist of Rushal has been passed down to each Prim Kempa to be wielded with great purpose and the hopes that the greatest of their line shall one day return from the Warp to reclaim his prestigious weapon and lead the Stewards to glory once again in the face of their devestating loss.
- Plate of the Brother: Said to have belonged to Moroniex Rushal's greatest friend, Vos Anes, during the time of the Third Founding, this suit of Relic Artificer Armor boasts impressive physical defenses of an almost otherworldly scale. It is said that Vos Anes held such faith in the Emperor of Mankind and the missions given to him that his very armor was imbued with His protective energies. Wearers of this armor have found themselves unscathed even after suffering strikes that would have felled even a Space Marine. Yet, there they stood without a single mark, fighting as if nothing had happened. Since the disappearance of Vos Anes into the Eye of Terror alongside Moroniex Rushal, this set of armor has been given to each Prim Aoda.
- Dragon Masks: Uniquely designed pieces of equipment, the Dragon Masks are said to have belonged to Rushal and his closest friends during the early days of the Chapter. While all who could know the validity behind this has long since perished, the mythological adornments have subsequently been taken by members of the Second House. While serving as a notice of seniority in the Chapter, the Masks also possess advanced auspex sensors, communications, and targeting arrays.
- Draconine Axes: Allegedly discovered during the Crusading Days of the Chapter, the Draconine Axes are powerful relics of a forgotten time. The method of their creation remains lost to the Stewards who now revere the weapons as a gift of destruction from the Emperor. Wrought from arcane metal as hot as psyker flames, the weapons possess durability that makes them nigh-impervious to damage and edges capable of shredding stone with ease. Because any repairs are impossible and the weapons are thus irreplaceable, they may only be wielded by members of the First House.
- Tempest's Wrath: A curved power sword, Tempest's Wrath is the weapon of choice for the Prim Scolere who prefers a much more dexterous form of combat compared to his Battle-Brothers despite his size. Each swing of the saber creates waves of potent lightning and is said to grant its wielder preternatural visions of the future during combat, allowing him to better defend against stronger and hardier foes.
- Spear of Ascendancy: A Relic Power Spear of unique and mythological design, this once unnamed weapon has become synonymous with the rites taken on Florastega's Hope. Wielded by the 10th House Aoda, the Spear of Ascendancy gained its name following the first trials on the planet, the onlookers of native people taken aback by its majesty in the hands of its wielder. Failed aspirants, gaudy and overreaching monarchs, and the fell sea beasts have since all tempered the blade of this terrible weapon.
Chapter Appearance
Chapter Colours
Chapter Badge
The Stewards of the Crucible appear to have taken an image of Terran antiquity that showcases what appears to be Gorg of Albyon slaying a Great Drake. Some of the Astartes of the modern-day Stewards believe it to be a image of the Emperor of Mankind pinning down a tyrannical overlord. Others believe it is a retelling of Moroniex Rushal's character during life and after death. How the Stewards came about this image is unknown, regardless of belief, though given their penchant for historical accuracies mixed with anachronisms, it is possible that the Founder of the Chapter took upon heavy reading from scholastic libraries.
Relations
Allies
Enemies
Notable Quotes
By the Stewards of the Crucible
About the Stewards of the Crucible