Order of the Stone Lion

A chapter forged in the fire of the Indomitus Crusade, the Stone Lions were a small relatively unknown chapter of White Scar descent prior to the Ultima founding when they were reinforced by a large contingent of Primaris marines. They are unusual in that they specialize in hand to hand fighting and are noted for being particularly limber. They have little contact with other White Scar successors and, in fact, are fiercely independent even from their chapter members. A strict code of martial honor dictates their everyday life and honor bouts are common among the battle brothers.
== Equipment ==
The Stone Lions are famous for their use of Power Fists and Thunder Claws, often in pairs, on many of their marines. Even standard battle brothers sometimes equip them but more commonly squad Sergeants and assault marines will use them. Stone Lions equip themselves with a host of martial weapons in place of the standard knives. Many prefer the dao, jian, or even more exotic weapons like hook swords, monk’s spade, or sickle & chains. While well versed in the art of firearms (no soldier would be able to call themselves such in this age without being skilled with it) the Stone Lions believe that the less advantage one has, the greater honor victory brings. As such they tend to use underwhelming firepower and less powerful weapons when fighting a foe. They are not however without tactic- they measure their foes and bring the appropriate weapons to a fight (as loss is a shame few can bear).
== Organization & Homeworld ==
The planet of Chibi is a feudalistic Agri-World in Segmentum Pacificus near Macharia. The planetary governor holds little sway over the local population who are loyal to the god-warriors they revere, marines from the Stone Lions chapter. They have very little to do with the day-to-day management of the planet but serve as figureheads and neigh-immortal philosophical leaders for the various kingdoms on the planet’s surface. The “companies” each dictate a continent or major cultural area and are referred to as “clans”. Clans are very tight-knit and betrayal of one’s clanmate is just below dishonor to the Emperor or the chapter.
Promotion is based on unarmored martial combat and only those who have earned a great honor may challenge those above them. A good showing, if not a victory, can still result in a promotion in one of these highly ceremonial matches. If they win, the junior always makes some excuse as to why their senior let them win (“It was so kind of you to let me win to teach me this lesson in how to act with grace”, “Thank you for still fighting with me despite your broken arm”, or “It was kind of you to afford me this promotion despite your clearly superior skill; I am undeserving”). This is not just custom- oftentimes the seniors will give themselves some great handicap both to show off their prowess and to give themselves a way of saving face if they lose.
Though they have 12 clans, some of them are smaller than your typical company and the total number of marines ends up around 1,000 (if not a little less).
=== The Duel ===
Once every decade two of the chapter’s greatest warriors engage in wrestling matches with two members of Triarii chapter in order to determine who gets to take home an ancient banner that symbolizes a bond of friendship between the two chapters.
== Recruitment & Training ==
Potential initiates are watched over by the Clan Lords (Captains) in a martial arts tournament held every 3 years. These matches are brutal hand-to-hand contests that often end in death or dismemberment and many young men train their entire lives just to get a chance to join their numbers. You need not win the tournament to join the chapter and a Clan Lord offers a ceremonial fringed armband to those they wish to join them. After a screening for purity and the other factors a space marine must qualify for, they are inducted into the chapter under the loyalty of the clan who invited them. Those who fail the screening may yet become ministers, officers in the planetary defense force, or even enter the cadre of an Inquisitor.
== Notable Campaigns ==
* Gates of Fire: The Order of the Stone Lions partook in a number of defensive actions, mostly around the Gates of Fire. They stood vigilant for many years and monitored the area around there, continuing this task even to this day.
* Eldar Raiders: They are noted to have engaged the Saim-Hann eldar a number of times in small skirmishes after their creation. These incidents received no great note as they were not major engagements and no world was impacted as they were fought over a number of small moons and asteroids.
* Sabbat Worlds Crusades: A number of times the Stone Lions, most notably the Tiger Clan, partook in the Sabbat Worlds Crusades.
* The Battle of Blue Hope River: After liquidating several imperial cities the Aquila Legion began to infect the Blue Hope River. Following the mysterious Noven Prophecies Eldar from Craftworld Nova'cor struck at them. This sudden support surprised the Imperial forces (who had fought the Craftworld a year earlier) and threw them into disarray. However, the Aquila Legion was thwarted and the water system of the planet was only mildly tainted. The Order of the Stone Lion were dispatched to attempt to defeat them. Inquisitor Grace Parmenion made the first recorded observations of Eldar Dust Cannons and the Adder Super Heavy Grav Tank at this battle.
* Operation Helsing 
:: Main Article: Operation Helsing
:: Early in their existence the Sons were called in to help with Operation Helsing along with several other 26th founding chapters. A protracted war between the Imperium and the Rasmodine was fought for many years. The conflict saw many young space marine chapters (Sons of Gwydion, Emperor’s Marauders, and Order of the Stone Lion) as well as the older Megamarines take the field with support from the 6th Neo-Jerionite Regiment to oppose the migration. They liberally used planet-buster when progress was slowed and only by pledging the dying Rasmodine species to Nurgle (their "Deity of the Divine Disease") could they survive. Ultimately a Deathwatch Kill-Team was used to assassinate many queens. The final battle saw the Sons of Gwydion luer the last of the Rasmodine into a trap and their chapter master assassinated Rasmo. Rasmo lives on as a greater daemon of Nurgle whose all consuming goal is to take revenge for his exterminated race.
* Indomitus Crusade: The chapter itself remained in relative obscurity, its numbers slowly declining, until the call to the Indomitus Crusade. The Stone Lions were called to battle, their number reinforced with Primaris Marines, and saw action during the Terran Crusade. They partook in the Second Battle of Terra, though not on Holy Terra itself. The Stone Lions are noted to have served with the Triarii and the Brotherhood of the Mammoth during this campaign. They fought a number of daring boarding actions against the forces of Khorne and many members of the Rooster Clan lost their lives. The Tiger Clan is noted to have not partaken in the Indomitus Crusade, having been engaged in other minor conflicts with the Eldar at the time. Following the Indomitus Crusade much of the chapter was converted to Primaris Marines.
== Clans ==
=== Rat Clan (Scout Company) ===
Trim Color: Black
Ambitious and intelligent, Rat Clan marines are as cunning as they are tenacious. They are famous for their scouts. Many new marines are trained by the Rat Clan when they are scouts. Though not the Clan Lord the clan has a famous old minister who is known as Tactician Kongming. He is the wisest marine in the chapter and his powers of deduction put him almost on par with a Librarian in terms of foresight.
* 7 Scout Squads
* 3 Tactical Squads
=== Ox Clan (Reserve Company) ===
Trim Color: Gold
Stalwart and strict, the Ox Clan produces all of the chaplains for the chapter. They are famous for their loyalty and clean spirits. They are often seen as “priestly” and above reproach. Their marines take longer to train and there are far fewer of them and because of this they are a small (but respected) clan. They are technically a reserve company and remain on Chibi.
* 5 Tactical Squads
=== Tiger Clan (Battle Company) ===
Trim Color: Orange
The mainstay of the Stone Lions are from the Tiger Clan and they are very infrequently on Chibi. They are most often off fighting somewhere in the name of the Chapter. They delegate much of their holds to the Ox Clan and the two have a strong relationship. The Tiger Clan has the most tactical marines and is renown for their bravery and willingness to fight great foes. They run a monastic martial arts school where they train a small group of exceptional students who cannot become marines to become unparalleled masters of martial combat. They did not partake in the Indominus Crusade but are famous for having earned great honor in the Sabbat Worlds Crusades. They do not have Primaris Marines in their clan, though they may add them in the future.
* 8 Tactical Squads
* 1 Assault Squad
* 1 Devastator Squad
=== Rabbit Clan (Battle Company) ===
Trim Color: White
The Rabbit Clan forms the bulk of the fighting forces of the chapter. They are known for their skill with ranged weapons and they have a double complement of Devastator marines. They are known for their practice of taking a child-wife and giving her back to their family when she comes of age. This marriage is a ceremonial one and she simply is an honored attendant but the position of “Rabbit’s Wife” is an honor that none can surpass in the pastoral farming villages that the Rabbit Clan oversees. They frequently become chaste priestesses, dedicated to the Emperor, after their tenure. Rabbit Clan marines often wear a token from their Rabbit’s Wife on their armor.
* 5 Tactical Squads
* 1 Assault Squad
* 4 Devastator Squads
=== Dragon Clan (Veteran Company) ===
Trim Color: Purple
The prestigious Dragon Clan is only a clan in name. They are the veteran company of the chapter and those who display the skills and drive necessary are “adopted” by this clan. Members of this clan wear their own clan’s trim but their helmets are the purple color of the dragon clan. The Dragon Clan’s Clan Lord is the Chapter Master and they maintain all the suits of terminator armor in the chapter.
* 20 Terminator Squads
=== Snake Clan (Reserve Company) ===
Trim Color: Green
The Snake Clan is the logistical arm of the chapter and maintains many of the vehicles and pilots said craft. They also are in charge of the navy of the chapter, overseeing the deployment of spacecraft and even planetary defenses. The Snake Clan has a mysterious and deep connection with the Adeptus Mechanicus and they are known to keep secrets from their fellow marines. All Techmarines come from the Snake Clan and they wear the green trim no matter who they serve. On Chibi the Snake Clan is paid a ceremonial toll each time a ship sets sail by a snake being offered to the Emperor in their name for good fortune.
* 10 Tactical Squads
=== Horse Clan (Battle Company) ===
Trim Color: Yellow
Even within a chapter known for its hand-to-hand combat the Horse Clan is revered as the masters of the form. Clansmen wear no armor on their hands while in combat and are said to be able to crack the chestplate of a Chaos Space Marine with nothing more than a fist. They seem to have some mystical power than they can channel; they say it is faith and others suspect worse...
* 10 Assault Squads
=== Goat Clan (Reserve Company) ===
Trim Color: Dark Blue
Known as “The Blind Ones”, the Goat Clan is odd in that they are so few in number. They rarely ever can field more than two squads but are revered in much the same way that the Ox Clan is. They are overseen by the “Seer”, the Chief Librarian of the chapter who trains all those with the potential for psychic powers. His clan spends much of its time locating and eliminating psykers and often act in an advisory role rather than a combat unit.
* 2 Tactical Squads
=== Monkey Clan (Battle Company) ===
Trim Color: Brown
The Monkey Clan employs a fast-attack approach to battle that others do not see the value in. They have a rivalry with the Dog Clan and many duels of honor have occured between them. They use landspeeders and assault bikes regularly. They are superstitious and are noted to be exceptional horsemen. The Monkey Clan does not participate in the martial arts tournament and choses to recruit instead from the nomadic mountain folk from the northern reaches. They are most like their White Scar forefathers but they are too stubborn to see the resemblance.
* 10 Fast Attack
=== Rooster Clan (Reserve Company) ===
Trim Color: Red
A Clan on the brink of destruction, the Rooster Clan was once a full Battle Company that was destroyed during a battle with Eldar. They participated in the Indomitus Crusade and won much glory for themselves but were so wounded by the experience that they could no longer function as a full battle company and the Dog Clan was moved up so the Rooster Clan could find time to recover. They are a proud clan and, in honor of their sacrifice, each of the clans (except Dragon) gave marines to the Rooster Clan to restore it a bit. Each of these marines was “adopted” into the clan and given new names. This makes the Rooster Clan lack a bit of coherence as they are still melding the unique personalities together but it also makes them the most well-liked clan as everyone can claim some tie to them. The Rooster Clan now watches over the Gates of Fire, a task the Dog Clan once had.
* 5 Tactical Squads
=== Dog Clan (Battle Company) ===
Trim Color: Light Blue
The upstart Dog Clan is known for its battle frenzy and flaunting of conventions. Still, under their latest Clan Lord, Jing Fu, ruled the clan with an iron fist and brought it back into the fold. They participated in the Indomitus Crusade and are mainly composed of Primaris Marines. After the Rooster Clan took large losses the Dog Clan was promoted to a full battle company. The clan gets ritual piercings to signify great victories and milestones. For many years they were the Clan assigned to watch over the Gates of Fire but now this is a duty of the Rooster Clan. As this was something of a great honor, the Dog Clan feels slighted somewhat but holds their tongue due to their good fortune.
* 6 Tactical
* 2 Assault
* 2 Devastator
=== Pig Clan (Reserve Company) ===
Trim Color: Silver
A smaller clan, the Pig clan is known for its apothecaries and their skill in orbital assault. They sometimes form the spearhead of attacks done with drop pods and are the chapter’s leading marksmen behind the Rabbit Clan, whom they have a close relationship with.
* 4 Tactical
* 4 Devastator
== Notable Stone Lion Marines ==
Tactician Kongming: The brightest mind in the chapter is Kongming of the Rat Clan. He has passed up the honor to become the Clan Lord 6 times, preferring to dedicate himself to a number of eclectic hobbies and interests that always seem to somehow relate to a victory he pulls off later. He is a close advisor and minister of the chapter master and his words are heeded by all members of the chapter.
Sergeant Gou: Gou doesn’t play by anyone’s rules but, by the Emperor, he’s the best marine they’ve got. He holds no clan loyalty and goes where he is needed. He’d be a Clan Lord right now if he could only play well with others. Gou is a lone wolf and the rank of sergeant is an honorary one- he commands no squad but could best anyone in the chapter. He wields two master-crafted bolt-pistols, is unmatched on an assault bike, and is famous for his dragon-fist punch technique.
*Gameplay: Sgt. Gou can be taken in place of a Space Marine Sergeant. He is equipped with two mastercrafted bolt pistols and counts as having a powerfist despite not being equipped with them. His stats are WS 5, BS 4, S 4, T 5, I 4, A 2, LD 3, SV 3+. If taken as part of an assault bike squad he gains an assault bike at no additional cost.
Lord Liu: The current chapter master or “Dragon Lord” or the Stone Lions is known as Lord Liu. He is the Clan Lord of the Dragon Clan but was the Clan Lord of the Rooster Clan before his “adoption”. In the Rooster Clan he was known as Lord Han. He replaces the last chapter master, Lord Lao, who perished during the Indomitus Crusade. Lord Liu is a quiet, humble, unassuming marine who many miss for his quiet ways. When he speaks he is wise, when he strikes he does not miss, when he asks a question the answer is already certain. He is seen as a modernizer of the chapter and has undergone the process of becoming a Primaris Marine himself. Those who were hesitant were assured by Lord Liu’s action. He wields a reliquary guan dao that is made of some metal that is lost to time- a powerful weapon that can shift its density at the wielder’s pleasure and can cut a body without harming the armor on it.
Lord Jing Fu: The Dog Clan’s lord is the iron-willed Jing Fu. He is an even-keeled conservative who was just what the Dog Clan needed to reform itself. He was a contender for the position of Dragon Lord (chapter master) but was beat out by Lord Liu due to seniority. He has never been invited to join the Dragon Clan and says he would turn it down due to his clan loyalty to the Dog Clan. He wields the Hammer of Chibi- a powerful maul of immense weight due to itse construction out of an ultra dense material that is said to weigh almost as much as a Rhino tank. When he strikes the ground with it, his foes tremble.
Friend Song Su: The Master of the Forge and overseer of the Snake Clan, Su Song is regarded as a paternal figure to all members of the chapter. None dislike him and his genius is known far and wide. Unbeknownst to the rest of the chapter he has kept his dedication to the Changer of Ways secret.
Zhao the Tempest: Zhao is an unconquerable warrior whose skill is matched only by his hate of Tau. Zhao has thrice fought them and thrice won pyrrhic victories against them. His hatred blinds him sometimes but his exuberance and zeal are infectious. He drives the clan he commands, the Rabbit Clan, hard as a result and he has embraced the Primaris Marines the chapter received redaily. Zhao is the youngest of the clan lords and his lack of experience shows. He was largely promoted due to his natural talent and peerless unarmed skill. Zhao has a rivalry with Lord Jing Fu who is his polar opposite politically and strategically. Zhao' only known loss since becoming a Captain was a duel where he fought Gran Maestro Daddo Fiorina of the Collegio Della Senza Corona to a standstill in a friendly sparring contest. He has also secretly trained with the legendary grappler Magistrate Jaxon Hunter of the Star Marshals chapter.
== Tabletop Options ==
=== Order of the Stone Lion Battle Hardened Formation ===
Battle Forged Armies of the Order of the Stone Lion benefit from the “And They Shall Know No Fear”, “Defenders of Humanity”, and the following tactic:
Chapter Tactic- Martial Monks: ORDER OF THE STONE LION units gain +1 WS and do not count losses suffered in melee range as losses when rolling for Leadership.
Stone Lion Dragon 3.png|Lord Liu, Lord of the Dragon Clan and chapter master.
StoneLionPrimaris.png|A Primaris marine from the Rabbit Clan
Stone_Lion_Dragon_1.png|Zhao the Tempest, Lord of the Rabbit Clan.
Sergeant_Gou.png|The rebellious veteran Sergeant Gou.
MATac.png|A Tactical Marine from the Snake Clan
MAPrimus.png|A Primaris Marine from the Dog Clan
MAColorSpade.png|A Tactical Marine from the Rabbit Clan
MAAssault.png|An Assault Marine from the Tiger Clan
Stone Lion Tiger 1.png
Stone Lion Snake 1.png
Stone Lion Rabbit 1.png
Stone Lion Dog 1.png
Category:26th Founding
Category:White Scars Successors