Order of the Darkest Night

The Order of the Darkest Night are one of several Ruling Factions on the planet of Daine, a world of approximately 19 million people on the south-eastern border of Segmentum Obscurus. They specialise in the production of rarer military weapons and equipment. They recently aquired one of the largest personal armies for a faction on Daine, something that has raised suspicions and worries among the population. They recieve income and supplies primarily by raiding and destroying other factions. Over the past hundred years, their weapons have been sought after by higher ranking Guardsmen of nearby systems. Recently, a large portion of those weapons have been distributed to the personal military. War is the way of life for their members, and skirmishes, and even outright war, is a near-constant occurance. Leaders are expected to command from the "front lines" during battle, and the life of a Faction Leader is short and brutal.
== History ==
Throughout the history of Daine, the Order of the Darkest Night has been one of the most militarised factions with some of the best weapons. All that has stopped them conquering Daine has been a massive deficiency in troop numbers, to the point where they only have enough to keep their own area safe. It has been a constant sore point for the Faction Leaders over the ages, as they believe that they need enough soldiers to be able to fight a major offensive.
=== War with the Crimson Swords ===
The Crimson Swords was a Faction which took up most of the northern section of what is the Order of the Darkest Night today. In the past, they had been allies, but when the original Faction Leader of the Crimson Swords died and was replaced, the Crimson Swords declared war against the Order of the Darkest Night in an attempt to become a major power. Every soldier from all over the Crimson Swords' area marched on to the territory of the Order of the Darkest Night, quickly overwhelming the outside settlements.
== Traditions ==
The Darkest Night's traditions include the training of their military personell with weapons other factions would not normally have such as Automatic Combat Shotguns, Triplex Pattern Lasguns, and a Stubber. They make their forces wear the rarer Carapace Armour over standard armour types. Out of battle, they go to great lengths to avoid their soldiers being spotted.
== Economy ==
The Order of the Darkest Night produces amost nothing other than military supplies, and relies on raids and trade to keep food stocks.
== Armed Forces ==
The Armed Forces of the Order of the Darkest Night vary greatly in role and equipment. As such, an army of them can be seen as a daunting prospect to face, as years of experience mixed with high-quality weapons and armour make each member worth three of any other Faction. Their preferred tactic is to use flyers to drop the more powerfull troops into combat. The scouts will reveal their advanced position, and in such a surprise raid, forces are hard for their opponents to muster. Because of such speed and mobility, the Order is more than capable of rapid reinfocement missions, more than making up for their lack of numbers. While their standard issue equipment is shown here, most of them will have fought in battles and scavenged other armours and equipmant from the field. The Order has had a strong friendship with the forge world of Ryza, something that has contributed greatly to the technological level of the Order. Due to the level of technology, all military members of the Order of the Darkest Night have small cameras inbuilt into their helmets. The information can only be accessed and read by specialised equipment.
=== Infantry ===
==== Scouts/Assassins ====
The Order of the Darkest Night's least usefull role. These soldiers who are shown to excell at sharpshooting are placed in here. They see very little action aside from removing political opponents and setting up ambushes, where there can be as many as twenty firing away. Discipline depends entirely on success, and if the battle goes against them, they will rout.
Standard Issue Equipment
*Long Rifle
*Knife
*Flak Vest
*Camo Cloak
==== Linebreakers ====
Viewed as the most couragous of their soldiers, they are the first into combat and, unfortunately, the last to leave. Soldiers who show exceptional courage or close combat skills are placed in here.
Standard Issue Equipment
*Chainsword
*Suppression Shield
*Carapace Armour
==== Guardsmen ====
Not to be confused with the Imperial Guardsmen, these soldiers are the balanced troops, able to fight at close or long range with an average success rate. This is the first position a member is able to attain. Sometimes they are used as meat shields by more heartless commanders. If they survive that tactic, they deserve to be promoted.
Standard Issue Equipment
*Hellgun
:The trade relations with Ryza means the Order of the Darkest Night can purchase these recently phased-out of the Stormtrooper Corps weapons.
*Short Sword
Quicker and more manuverable than a bayonet or a longsword, the shortswords of the Order of the Darkest Night give them an edge in a close-quaters fight.
*Mesh Armour
Affording better protection, lighter and manuverable than standard Flak Armour.
==== Specialist ====
The soldiers who show a grasp of using heavy weapons, these are often grouped into squads to maximise their firepower.
Standard Issue Equipment
*Heavy Stubber or Multi Laser
*Mesh Armour
==== Praetorians ====
The elite veterans of the Order of the Darkest Night's military, these are responsible for guarding the command heirachy of the Darkest Night. These are also the rarest.
Standard Issue Equipment
*Hellgun, Automatic Combat Shotgun, or Stubber
*Power Weapon (varies)
*Storm Shield
*Reflective Carapace Armour
==== Faction Representative ====
These members represent the faction in battle and in political dicussion. As such, they are the members who have shown a strong force of will and personality as well as great tactical acumen.
Standard Issue Equipment
*Hotshot Lasgun or Hellpistol
*Power Sword, Lightnig Claws or Power Fist
*Carapace Armour
*Refractor Field
==== Military Psyker ====
Since the rise of Algernon, Military Psykers are a common site within the Order of the Darkest Night. Algernon sees each psyker personally, and after such a meeting, the psyker's powers are increased greatly. Many suspect the hand of Tzeentch in such a matter, but they are too afraid of Algernon's wrath to mention it to anyone else. The psykers themselves try and stay out of a fight, as they are too lightly armoured, and so they can use their powers to a more efficient level.
Standard Issue Equipment
*Flak Armour
*Force Staff
*Psychic Hood
==== Youngbloods ====
A tradition dating back to the earliest ages of the Order of the Darkest Night, the Youngbloods are people around the ages of ten to twenty-one. When humans in the Order of the Darkest Night reach the age of ten, they are immediatly conscripted into the Youngblood platoons. The trainings are harsh, far harsher than that of the Guardsmen. Once a Youngblood reaches the age of fifteen, they are seen fit for field combat. Knowing that they are the future generation of the Faction, they are kept mostly out of direct fighting, providing overwatch for the more forward engaged elements. They are ofen underestimated by other forces, something that has allowed them to tip the balance in battles throughout history.
Standard Issue Equipment
*Carapace Armour
*Lasgun
*Machete
=== Vehicles ===
The Order of the Darkest Night makes a somewhat greater use of vehicles ever since Ryza bowed somewhat to their demands for greater equipment for their military.
==== Leman Russ Battle Tank ====
Even a Planetary Faction makes use of these. While a considerable rarity due to the costs involved in their production, they are often seen just behind the main lines, offering powerfull support to the infantry.
==== Basilisk ====
The recent circumstances for the Order of the Darkest Night has had Algernon order all other facilities to "drop whatever they are doing and start making them". It was only very recently that the facilities were allowed to resume normal production. As such, they have an unnumbered amount of Basilisks, which has been estimated to be anything between five hundred to a thousand. Aside from the few hundred specifically purchased from the Order of the Green Talon, they are customised from the Chimera chassis.
==== Assault Drill ====
The Assault Drill was originally made to transport infantry under the walls of a fortress during a siege. It simply was the chassis of a Leman Russ Battle Tank with a massive moveable drill at the end. It wasn't the most efficient weapon during a siege, due to having to rely on pre-programmed information while underground, but made up for it in the psychological benefit and its ability to sometimes kill an entire squad as a drill bursts out from the ground, ripping up anyone too close and spraying Heavy Bolter rounds and shards of rock at once.
=== Sea Vessels ===
The Ships of the Order of the Darkest Night fufill a very specialised role, that is to say, they are hard to stop when they are in the role they were made for, but ridiculously easy to stop if they are not. Any member of the Order of the Darkest Night must find a way to use each where they are most efficient, else they will quickly crumble.
==== AAIV ====
The AAIV, otherwise known as the Amphibious Assault Infantry Vessel, or the "Floating Box" is one of the variations of the AAV, a rectangular shaped small, open-topped ship with both treads and propellers, making it highly efficient in beachead landings. The AAIV can fit ten soldiers in at once, plus crew required for steering. The engines are located on one of the long sections of the AAIV, with the other section mounted with moters to allow it to raise and lower as the situation requires. The walls reach neck height on an average person, allowing cover to be taken from it and soldiers inside to fire over. A lack of thick armour and no mounted weapons makes this difficult to use in land or sea based combat, and so is often regarded as nothing more than a floating, mobile, box. The designer was shot, but it was later regretted when it was tested in the field.
==== AAIV Mk II ====
The Mk II version of the AAIV was put in place to attempt to fix the crippling issues introduced with the Mk I version. It boasted heavier frontal and side armour, as well as an autocannon mounted on the rear, giving it crucial fire support while onboard troops were still landing/ disembarking. It was still the same size, however, and ammunition capacity was low. New engines weren't installed to keep up with the heavier Mk II version, and speed was reduced somewhat.
==== AAIV Mk III ====
The Mk III version of the AAIV was made for the purpose of assaulting some of the heaviest beachead fortifications the Order of the Darkest Night saw becoming more popular. With the inability of the Mk II versions to attack such emplacements without massive losses in mind, they developed a "floating fortress" as such was to be nicknamed, in an attempt to stop the casualties occuring from assaults. The Mk III was completely closed, two times the size of the Mk I version, and had three enclosed turret-mounted Lascannons which are tasked with taking out bunkers and walls which would normally terrorise the Mk I and II versions, as well as the infantry carried. The front section can easily and quickly disengage from the top and lie flat out, making the troops inside easy access, but also exposing the machinery in the process. The engines have been updated to allow the weight of the new additions, but it is without doubt the slowest of the three AAIVs, making it unwieldy at best and downright useless at worst in a lighning assault.
==== AAAAV ====
The AAAAV, or the Anti-Aircraft Amphibious Assault Vessesl, is one of the many variants of the AAV. Like its other variants, the AAAAV is likened to a floating box. It was designed along the lines of providing anti-air support while the AAV variants attempt to land. It was based along the design of the AAIV Mk III, replacing the standard turrets with twin-linked Autocannons. It could transport some infantry, but that feature was not commonly used, as due to the rate of fire of the guns most space was taken up by ammunition.
==== AAVC ====
The AAVC, or the Amphibious Assault Vehicle Carrier, is another of the succesful Amphibious Assault Vessel. It was made off the AAIV Mk II to carry the vehicles of the Order of the Darkest Night into combat, although sometimes it is used to carry a Basilisk, turning it into a sea-based artillery piece.
==== Skyterror Artillery Battery ====
The Skyterror is a massive ship around a hundred metres long and twenty metres wide. It was developed as a way to use up all the spare Earthshaker Cannons after the last war the Order fought in. On each side is no less than 60 Earthshaker Cannons, which cannot be fired if the Skyterror is moving, else it will capsize. The Skyterror is consequently the slowest sea vessel on Daine, little more than a moving Gun Emplacement. To make up with the problems, the hull was made mostly of Adamantium. The production of the Skyterror very nearly bankrupted the Order of the Darkest Night, and consequently there is only one in existence.
==== Submarine Drill ====
The Submarine drill is a black cigar-shaped submarine around ten metres long and only three metres wide. At the nose cone is a drill similar to the one found on the Assault Drill, only plated with Adamantium. It was made for speed and stealth rather than toughness, and can easily be destroyed by a Lascannon shot. It is used to attack shipyards at night, where it is nearly invisible and special equipment makes it nearly impossible to detect by any form of scanners. It keeps well below sea level untill the last minute, where it speeds up and either drills a hole straight through the hull of the ship, or fires special magnetic-lock torpedoes made to explode five seconds after pentration of a hull. In magnetic areas they are known to be unreliable, sometimes devastatingly, but the tradeoffs are more than balanced out by the fact that few ships can survive an internal explosion of that magnitude, and those that can are usually badly damaged enough to return to port for major repairs.
=== Aircraft ===
==== Valkyrie ====
The staple air carrier of the Order of the Darkest Night, their large complement of Valkyries allows their military to deploy and redeploy with maximum efficiency.
==== Vendetta Gunship ====
The Vendetta Gunship sees much service as a primary assault vehicle.
== Faction Ranks ==
This section encompasses all the ranks available to a member of the Faction.
=== Miner/ Production ===
*Worker
*Chief Worker
*Overseer
*Master Overseer
*Faction Reperesentive
*Work Leader
=== Soldier ===
*Youngblood
*Youngblood Leader
*Youngblood Commander
*Guardsman 
*Veteran Guardsman
*Master Guardsman
*Scout, Assassin
*Specialist, Psyker
*Linebreaker
*Praetorian
*Faction Representive
*General
== Capital Defences ==
=== The Keep ===
The Keep is made to withstand most attacks. The outer Rockcrete areas are laced with adamantium. The ground is cleared nearly a hundred metres on all sides of the keep. The cleared round is covered in razor wire stretching from the ground to the head of a standard human, making crossings very difficult for infantry. Vehicles can have tracks jammed in the wires, regardless of most modifications. At the feet of the walls are hidden pits that can make someone fall far enough to break most bones in their legs. If they are lucky. Higher up on the walls, it is bristling with Lascannons, in case a flyer were to try and attack, or a vehicle got too close. At the top of the wall stands almost all the Guardsmen and Specialists the Order of the Darkest Night an muster, whose job is to stop any infantry from climbing the walls or attacking the gates. If anything managed to sieze the walls, they would be facing a death trap, as Heavy Bolters on the wall behind it, unseeable from the ground, will open fire on the aggressors. On the wall behind the first, a great deal of Scouts with night vision goggles have a job to take out the leaders or those who are making it through the barbed wire emplacements. Behind the wall, nearly fifty Earthshaker cannons are used for bombarding any aggressors in the opening stages of a battle. In the very core, deep underground, lies four power generators in hidden locations. Each can generate enough power to keep the keep running at maximum efficiency. Also, in case of a major offensive or bombardment, is a shield generator which generates a shield more than powerfull enough to survive a shot from a Volcano Cannon. The drain from such a shield requires all the power from all four shield generators, rendering the outer weapons of the base almost useless. If it is used in that way for too long, the generators will burn out, permenantly cutting out many keep defences In short, it turns itself into a near-indestructible rock for a period of time.
=== The Sea Wall ===
The Sea Wall, or simply just "the Wall", is a defence that makes a seaward attack extremely costly, if not suicidal. The costal area has many floating mines throughout it, and a reef lies close to the shore. The only way in is a cleared channel leading to the capital which is constantly guarded by soldiers with Autocannons, Lascannons, and Earthshaker Cannons sitting behind a chest-high rockrete wall. At the mouth of a channel is a massive rockrete wall which can be retracted to allow trading vessels through for a limited time. If an agressor were to attack it, it would most likely fall into the channel, blocking it off completely. On both sides of the channel is a 300 metre high hill which the channel cuts straight through. Inside the hill are Lascannons which are hidden by artificial sections of rock. During an attack they can slide out, fire, and return in under a minute.
== Recent News ==
Recently, the original heirachy has vanished unexpectedly. The heirachy was replaced by a strange group of people whose agendas and beliefs remain hidden. Shortly after their arrival, portions of their weapon stocks have been vanishing, shipped off-world for an unknown cause. Whatever the cause is, it bodes ill for Daine. As well as that other bad news, in the form of conscription edicts, have arrived. With that, the military of the Faction is expected to swell to around 85% of its members. In some of the worst news yet, Algernon has recently been pressuring the forge world Ryza and other Imperial Authorities to allow the Order of the Darkest Night to construct Bolt Weapons, claiming that the other factions are moving closer to war each day, and that higher levels of technology is required to keep the Order still around and loyal. Initial attempts have failed, but as Algernon is both an incredibly charismatic speaker and an Alpha-level psyker, it can only be a matter of time. Ryza and Imperial Authorities have relented somewhat and have allowed Ryza to supply the Dakest Night with many armoured vehicles such as the Leman Russ tank and artillery such as the Basilisk at a reduced cost. Whether the Order's true allegiance can be revealed before the point of no return is a much-debatable one.
== Notable Members ==
*Algernon Gosselin
Algernon is the leader of the Order of the Darkest Night, and almost certainly the most dangerous member. he is always seen wearing a black, hooded robe inscribed with an inunderstandable symbol on the chest. In his left hand is a blackwood staff inscribed with similar symbols. He always keeps the top of his head covered in the hood, with his blood-red eyes glowing out. His skin is a pasty colour, and has a deathly hue to it. At his side is a sword with the metal hilt shaped like a serpent. Known only by the other Outsiders is that the weapon contains a willingly trapped Lord of Change. It often acts as a messenger of Chaos, speaking to him about what he should do next. Algernon himself is an Alpha-level psyker, something he prefers not to display even in battle, instead psionically guiding the weapons of his army, while cursing the accuracy of his opponents.
*Outsiders
The hard core of 20 Outsiders that followed Algernon to Daine are Beta-level psykers, rather than the standard Theta-level common to the Outsiders.
*Steve Salveill
Steve Salveill is the Commander-in-Chief of the Order of the Darkest Night's military. He wears a full suit of the finest armour the Order of the Darkest Night can provide, festooned with medals which have more than once taken a bullet for him. While on the outside he is a kind, gentle person, on the inside he suffers from a severe form of sadistic personality disorder. He has found his true home as one of Algernon's most trusted and loyal aides. In battle, he wears a special form of a cuff on both wrists which has four hollow Lightning Claws on each. The reason for the Lightning Claws to be hollow is evidenced by poison sacks which connect into them, turning them effectively into syringes.
*Conall the Brute
Conall the Brute is one of the most distingushed warriors of the Order's military. He vanished a while ago, but Imperial records and proceeding differ somewhat on the matter.
According to Imperial Records, he begun worshipping Khorne a while ago. When discovered, he ran off into the wilderness, and despite many attempts to find him by the Order of the Darkest Night he has evaded capture. Algernon's knowledge of the proceedings is completely different
== Relations with other Factions ==
*Order of the Green Talon
The Order of the Darkest Night relies a great deal on supplies from the Order of the Green Talon, and as such has slipped into an uneasy peace between the two over the past few years. It has been helped along by diplomatic trade relations between the two factions, where the Order of the Darkest Night supplies 80 Valkyries to the Order of the Green Talon in exchange for 200 Basilisks, 100 Chimeras and 100 Hellhounds every 50 years. The Order of the Green Talon has no idea that the Chimera-class vehicles are being made into field-converted Basilisks.
*Knights of Valkaiser
The Order of the Darkest Night is normally distant and suspicious of any non-members, but the strong military background of the Knights of Valkaiser has helped earn them some of their trust (and weapons). Their refusal to fight unprovoked, however, is a source of some tension between the factions. They are trading partners, exchanging weapons and Valkyries for supplies. All supply transports to and from the Knights of Valkaiser is secretly watched by large numbers of Assassins. Any attempt to escape into Dakest Night territory or to attack any member of the Order of the Darkest Night unprovoked will result in an immediate termination of the supply crews and a possible war between the two Factions.
*Aegis Infernae
The Order of the Darkest Night see Aegis Infernae as their greatest opponent. Many past wars that have ended in stalemates and minor battles have caused tension to be high with both sides, and it will take a mere spark to ignite a war. The Order of the Darkest Night has used these wars as yet another reason to allow the use of Bolt Weapons, but to no avail. Many Assassins have attempted to infiltrate the higher ranks. Few have made it, only just enough to make things more difficult for the Aegis Infernae in the event of a major war.
*Order Of The Burning Light
The Order of the Darkest Night views the Order Of The Burning Light with mixed feelings. Their gathering of information is usefull towards the Order of the Darkest Night's shadowy endings. The Order of the Burning Light's lack of numbers means the Order of the Darkest Night believes that they haven't got the strength to defend their lands. The Order of the Darkest Night does trade their Valkyries for Ravenger Class Battleships.
*Society of the Scythe
The large territory and numbers of the Society of the Scythe means that the Order of the Darkest Night considers an ouright attack to be costly at best and suicidal at worst. It is for that reason that the Order of the Darkest Night is attempting to up the size of their military, to the point where an attack would not be so defeating.
*Criminal Underworld
Before Algernon rose to power, he worked in disguise for the criminal underworld of Daine. While technically not a "Faction", the underworld has a strong alliance with the Order of the Darkest Night.
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Category:Planetary Factions
Category:Industries of War