Regis Drazen

Regis Drazen is a Venerable Dreadnought and the current Captain of the Onyx Knight's 3rd cpmapny. He has been serving the Imperium since the Great Crusade, and has been transferred to numerous fledgling Chapters in order to use his expertise to help the Chapters grow. Imperial records show that he was originally a part of the Space Wolves Chapter. However, the truth is that he was actually one of the Luna Wolves and is a legitimate survivor of the betrayal at Isstvan III. Despite being a Space Marine Dreadnought that is over 10'000 years old, he is a rather eccentric and outgoing individual.
==History==
===The Great Crusade===
Drazen's illustrious career is long and complicated. He was recruited into the Luna Wolves shortly after Horus took charge of the Legion. This makes him amongst the oldest serving Marines. None the less, the young Regis Drazen quickly made a name for himself. At first the sergeants that he was put under viewed him as a serious troublemaker. This was because Drazen was a very independent warrior. He was proned to disobey orders from a superior officer if he felt that they would not help or that he could come up with a better tactic. He also had a tendancy to act on his own, executing tactics on his own. Finally, his chatty, wisecracking, easygoing personality was seen as a lack of zeal and a hindrance to the disiplined machine that is a Space Marine squad.
Looking at Drazen as a problem child, his superiors transfered him from squad to squad, hoping to find a sergeant that could reign him in and make him a proper marine of the Luna Wolves. This happened for some time with the captain of his company becoming more and more frustrated with Drazen's inability to fit in with his brothers. In hindsight one would have noted that the squads that Drazen was a part of did extremely well. His officers had been so concerned with his attitude that they had failed to see the results of his actions. It was not until the company tranfered him into the hands of their most strict sergeant that his talents would finally be realized.
Marlonus Corm was a decorated Brother Sergeant. He was well known for being a hardcase and for being very by the book. When Drazen was put under his supervision they immediately took a dislike to one another. Despite working very hard to break Regis of his rebellious streak, Marlonus simply could not get Regis to fall in line. It was during a battle with Exodite Eldar that a change would occur. The squad had been cut off from the rest of the forces. During the battle Regis disobeyed a direct order from Marlonus and seemingly diserted his squad to be massacred. He had actually been maneuvering into a better spot. His tactical insight ended up saving the whole squad. It was then that Marlonus realized that while he was not always obedient, regis was a loyal Marine with a true gift for tactics and strategy. From this point onward the tow developed a deep respect for one another, and Marlonus would often consult with Regis on strategy.
Marlonus became something of a father figure to young Regis and, between the two of them the squad excelled. However, Drazen could not stay under Marlonus forever. During a battle with an Ork tribe, Marlonus waa given a fatal wound. Regis was heartbroken at losing his mentor, but did not despair. Instead he took over his squad, and thanks to his efforts the battle with the Orks was ended in victory. Now that his superiors had begun to recognize his gifts, Regis was made a Sergeant and given his own squad.
Under his lead, drazen.s squad gained some renown. It was at this time that he would meet Orvus Talik and Maros Elanius, two young marines who Drazen noticed had potential and thus took under his wing. Eventually Regis's abilities got him the rank of Captain. Maros and Orvus were made into Sergeants under his command. He would go on to accomplish many heroic feats during his career
====Befriending the Space Wolves====
During a Crusade being executed by the Space Wolves, one of their forces were attacked by the Dark Eldar. This particular contigent of Space Wolves had just finished conquering a particularly resistant human civilazation, and were ill prepared to fight off this vicious surprize attack. The Space Wolves were forced to take a defensive strategy, and the Dark Eldar took advantage of their superior mobility to perform hit and run attacks, picking away at the Space Wolves at their leisure.
With no way to win in their current state the Space Wolves sent out an SOS with their last surviving Astropath. Nearest Space Wolves to them were too far away to provide assistance in time. However, Drazen and his company had been nearby, having just finished mopping up a campaign. Recieving the SOS, Drazen immediately gathered his troops and set off to aid the Space Wolves.
When Drazen and his men arrived, the Space Wolves were in dire straights. They had held out for as long as they could, but constant harassment from the Dark Eldar had taken a toll on their morale and fortitude. Drazen immediately made an attack on the Dark Eldar. The Dark Eldar retreated, but were soon back again. Drazen's troops simply could not keep up with the mobility of the Xenos.
It was then when Drazen hatched one of his clever schemes. This battle would be the first time that he would use one of his signature strategies, called the Merry Chase. Drazen ordered all of his men to mount up into their vehicles. Individual squads would then take the vehicles and assualt the enemy positions. This prompted the Dark Eldar to give chase, at which point the squad would make a speedy fighting retreat with the enemy pursuing. While the forces attacked the fleeing squad, another squad would approach and take the position. Hearing that their position was overrun the Dark Eldar squads would head back to retake the position. The Squad would hold out as long as was convenient, and then mount up and retreat.
Done over a large area, this strategy worked well on the Dark Eldar. They soon found their forces spread out and exhausted as they tried to react to the randomly attacking and retreating Space Marine squads. Drazen greatly enjoyed making his enemy chase their own tails. Realizing that the marines would pick them apart as they had done to the Space Wolves, the Dark Eldar gathered their forces in one spot.
This is what Drazen had been waiting for. He ordered his troops to make an attack. The Archon of the Kabal thought that the Space Marines had gone crazy in their desperation for victory. That was until he recieved word that their flank was being attacked as well. Completely focused on the Luna Wolves, the Dark Eldar had forgotten about the Space Wolves, who had time to recover and no longer had to chase an enemy that out ran them.
The battle raged for some time. It would have been quite the bloody affair had it lasted. Not long after several ships appeared in orbit. It was none other than reinforcments from the rest of the Space Wolves Legion. Leman Russ himself dropped down into the fray. The Dark Eldar now suffered the wrath of the Primarch for having attacked his sons.
After the battle Drazen spoke with the commander of the Space Wolves that they had aided, a marine named Bjorn. Bjorn thanked him for his speedy aid, and for giving his men a chance to repay the Dark Eldar for their villainy. The two quickly became friends, and Bjorn invited Drazen and his men to feast celebrating their victory.
Aboard the Space Wolves Battle Barge, Drazen and his men had a good time with the Space Wolves, drinking heartily and making merry. Drazen found this a refreshing reprieve from the discipline of the Luna Wolves. During the feast Drazen made a joke at the expense of Leman Russ, and to the Primarch's face no less. The hall went quiet expecting Drazen to recieve horrible punishment for his boldness. To the collective surprize of those present, Leman Russ roared out luaghing, amused that a mere Line Officer from another Legion had the audacity to make light of him to his face, despite knowing that he could be torn apart. Leman Russ then gave drazen a "tap" to the chin that knocked him clean out. When he awoke leman Russ told him this.
Drazen and his men left the Space Wolves on good terms, and returned to the Luna Wolves.
====Becoming a Dreadnought====
It was during the Ullanor Crusade that Drazen would be placed within a Dreadnought. As the Luna Wolves pushed forward to Ullanor to crush the Ork Empire, Drazen was called to stand before the Mournival. They had a special mission for Drazen to complete.
On the planet there was a particular fortress. This fortress was extremely well defened. More importantly, the force housed powerful Orbital Defense Cannons. The Fortress protected the city where the Warlord stayed. If the luna Wolves were to attack while this fort was still active, then their ships would be blown out of the sky. With this in mind they chose to send Drazen and his men as an advanced party to neutralise this fortress in order o open the way for he main force to attack. Drazen relished the challenge.
Drazen and his men were covertly sent to the planet. Drazen then went about the business of disabling the formidable installation. He used every trick he could think of to breach the fortress. In the end he succeeded. His men got into the fortress and began a bloody batle with the Orks within the confines of it's walls.
Despite all of his brilliant strategies, the battle still ended up as an all out assualt. Realizing that his men would not last long fighting close quarters with Orks that outnumbered them, Drazen went straight for the Warboss in charge of the fort. The two of them had a bloody duel in which Drazen recieved several mortal wounds. Despite this Drazen managed to kill the Warboss, and with the disorder that followed he and his men completed their mission.
For his bravery and the part he played in the astounding victory of the Ullanor Crusade, Drazen's body was entered into a Dreadnought. He would spend the rest of eternity fighting under his Primarch, or so he thought. It is also interesting, that despite the fact that is was Orks that killed his first mentor and caused him to be placed in a Dreadnought, they are still his favourite opponents by Drazen's own confession.
===The Horus Heresy===
After Horus's corruption at the Hands of the Word Bearers Chaplain Erebus, the legion began to change. While he did not understand the full extent of the corruption within the Sons of Horus, Drazen still noted the changes that were occuring, and they concerned him. He brought this up with his superior, Bevid. Little did he know that Bevid was already corrupted and was privy to the treachery that was to happen.
When Horus ordered the loyalist elements of his Legion to attack Isstvan III, Bevid made sure to point out Drazen as a potential problem. So it was that Drazen was sent down with the rest of his brothers, unaware that they were to be massacred. When the attack came, it was a shock to everyone, even Drazen. He had been aware that there was something malicious going on within is Legion, but never in his wildest dreams did he believe that his own Brothers would attack him.
Even so, he did not have time to stay shocked. He quickly coordinated with Gavriel loken, Saul Tarvitz and the other loyalist commanders and fought back. When the attack came, Drazen would be pitted against his old commander, Bevid. Despite Bevid's masterful leadership, Drazen and his men continued to withstand his gambits, frustrating Bevid.
This ended with an unexpected betrayal. Suddenly Bevid seemed to see through Drazen's tricks and broke through his line. Bevid attacked Drazen's squad personally, hoping to kill Drazen personally. It was then that Maros and Orvus turned their guns upon their mentor. They had leaked Drazen's strategies to Bevid in order to rejoin the Legion a gain Horus's favor. Drazen narrowly evaded death at the hands of the comrades he had most trusted, fleeing and swearing that they would all regret their betrayal.
On the run, Drazen and what men he had left searched for a defensible position with which to make a stand. It was their good fortune which lead them to a massive underground vualt. This bunker had been made by the Planetary Governor in case he came under attack. The vualt was well designed, with withstanding Exterminatus in mind.
Drazen and his men decided that this would be the best place to hold their ground. However, a malfunction with the door caused Drazen and his men to be trapped within the bunker. It was thanks to this that Drazen and his men had survived the bombardment that had wiped out his comrades. They would remain here for the remainder of the Heresy.
===After the Heresy===
The Vualt was later found and opened by aan investigation team. After the Horus Heresy the Imperium went about trying to find out as much as they could about the incident. So they sent a team to Isstvan III in order to learn as much as they could about what had transpired. It was then that they found the bunker and the Luna Wolves inside.
Drazen and his men were immediately brought to Terra to be tried for the crimes of their Legion. When drazen arrived on Terra, he was surprized and dismayed by what he had learned, He was glad that Horus had been stopped, but was disappointed that the rest of the traitors had not been wiped out. He also was shocked about what had happened to the Emperor. Nonetheless, he had no time to worry about such things when he and his men were about to be tried as traitors.
Naturally Drazen and his men pleaded innocent to the charges against them. Despite this they were considered to be guily by the officials. They were subjected to numerous tests of their loyalty and purity, some of which were unbelievebly cruel or onesided, and many perished as a result. Despite finding no evidense that they were traitors, the officials were more than willing to continue testing them until there was nobody left.
Luckily it was then that help arrived. Bjorn and a number of his men came to testify on behalf of Drazen's men. Despite this the officials still did not want to release them, but when Leman Russ himself came to vouch for them and claim them as his kin, the trial was over. The officials were uneasy about allowing the Luna Wolves to leave, but none dared to defy the Primarch. Thus it was that Drazen and his men became part of the Spoace Wolves.
====Founding the Knights of Lupercal====
Drazen and his men then remained with the Space Wolves for a time. The Space Wolves provided a Wolf Priest, and allowed them to take a certain number of their Aspirants to replenish their numbers. Even with this the luna Wolves element withn the Space Wolves was slowly dwindling. They often suffered losses during battles that they could not replace. Drazen realized that if this continued, the last remnant of the noble Luna Wolves heritage would be wiped out.
He knew that he could not ask the Space wolves to use the Luna Wolves Gene-seed, as it would impune the purity of Russ's genetic legacy, and that was too much to ask even for a comrade. seeing no alternative, Drazen approached the High Lords of Terra with a request to make a new Chapter for him and his men. The High Lords immediately refused this request, not trusting the luna Wolves and fearing betrayal. Knowing not what to do, Drazen spoke with his old friend Bjorn, who had become the Chapter master of the Space Wolves by then.
Bjorn then approached the high lords with a proposition. They would allow Drazen and the Luna Wolves to have their Chapter, but this chapter would be a mix of the Luna Wolves and Space Wolves, with the First Chapter master being a Space Wolves Marine. The High Lords of Terra agreed on two conditions. First, the new Chapter could not produce descendant chapters, and second, they would allow the Adeptus mechanicus to study and experiment with the Wulfen Gene. Faced with no other options, Drazen accepted the terms, and the knights of Lupercal were formed. Drazen would stay with the knights for many years to come.
Drazen remained a powerful voice within the Chapter despite not being it's leader. The appointed Chapter Master Kjal Falcontalon was a talented Space Wolves Marine. While with the Knights of Lupercal Drazen took part in many victories. He primarily took an advisory role to Kjal.
Drazen participated in pushing back Abaddon's 2nd Black Crusade with the rest of his Chapter. During this time Kjal became separated from the rest of his Chapter. While he was concerned for Kjal's safety, Drazen knew that he had to prioritise the rest of the Chapter and the battle first. He took over as temporary leader in Kjal's absence. When they found Kjal, he informed Drazen of an amazing discovery. Loyalists from the other Legions had survived and formed their own Chapters just like the Knights of Lupercal. He also informed him of their intention to form the Brotherhood of the Faithful. Drazen was glad to hear this and visited the other Chapters, andeven met up with an old face from the Great Crusade, another Dreadnought named Mecanicil. The old warriors hit it off, and have been friends since.
It seemed that things would work out for Drazen. However, a dark figure from his past was soon to re-enter his life. Slightly after the 2nd Black Crusade, the Fortress monastery of the Knights of Lupercal was assualted by a Black Legion Warband. As the Chaos lord leading the Warband approached, Drazen recognised him. It was none other than his former comrade, Bevid. Until then Drazen had assumed that bevid had died at the end of the Horus Heresy. Blinded by rage at this discovery, Drazen charged at Bevid with intent to kill.
This would be a near fatal mistake. Bevid had alas been a skilled warrior, and his abilities had swelled with the favor of his new gods. Bevid easily defeated Drazen, and was about to deliver the coup de grâce when Kjal intervened. The Chapter master fought furiously against the Chaos Lord, but was handed a mortal wound all the same. It was then that aid came from the Space Wolves, forcing Bevid to retreat. Realizing his mistake in losing his cool and fighting Bevid on the traitor's terms, Drazen swore that their next encounter would be different.
It was shortly after this that Drazen was transfered out of the Knights of Lupercal.
====Swapping Colors====
===The Onyx Knights===
==Personality and Traits==
==Friends and Rivals==
===Friends===
====Magnarius Tonn====
====Raphael Kilkin====
====Lars Skywolf====
====Mecanicil====
===Enemies===
====Bevid====
====Vigorak the Chessmaster====
====Gruletak the Honorless====
====Bulgrom Grimslitta====
==Quotes==
===By===
===About===
Category:Space Marines
Category:Characters
Category:Imperium