Clara Marlyna

"*Let St. Jeanice be praised and the God Emperor's wrath descent to the infidels and the mutant! Sisters of the Blessed Laurel, let us march to meet our doom! Laurus Victrix!!*"
— Canoness Commander Clara Marlyna, Firra Crusade, M42.
**Clara Evy Marlyna** is the former Canoness Commander 2nd Perceptor, 3rd Commandery of the Order of the Blessed Laurel before she met her demise at Amparios. Widely known for her calm, caring, but discipline nature as well as possessing undying devotion to the God Emperor of Mankind. Presumed dead buried under her house due to the raids conducted by the Tau Empire led by Tau Commander Ravenbane on Jeras. She was miraculously healed and resurrected sometime at the end of 41st Millennium. She possess an inspiring aura among her sisters and rise to become one of the minor sisters promoted as Canoness by the Order.

## History

Clara Evy Marlyna was the second born, first daughter of nobleman Elijah Chaim of House Chaya, a famed noble house that excel in mining business in Jeras. Being half Jerasian half Xianyang, she is described as both devoted and exemplar of beauty by her parents. As she reached 12 years old she witness her parents and her older brother slain by assassins from other rival house. Escaped with her younger brother and sister to Ceramite Mining Town of An Geidi, she live her life as a beautician for female citizens and even Imperial Patricians of An Geidi. At the age of 13 she lived a happy live where she work as a beautician. At the age of 15, An Geidi is attacked by the xeno forces of Tau Empire and while Clara tend her customer, a plasma grenade smash the window, rolling on the floor than explodes destroying her home and she fall beneath it.

It was said that at the end of Commander Ravenbane's raid the Storm Zealots Space Marine arrived to hunt down any surviving Tau Fire Warriors and Kroots, while at the same time the Hospitallers from the Order of the Blessed Laurel arrived and aid the citizens of An Geidi. Clara's corpses alongside other presumed dead females were carried by sister Hospitaller and put into healing sacrophagus and carried to Pontavar.

Through the healing hands of the Order of the Blessed Laurel Hospitallers team, Clara Marlyna was nursed back to health although remain unconscious. Hundreds of her cracked bones healed, her broken tendons regenerate, and plasma burns treated with new placental protein acid sprayed by the Biomancers. She was then stabilized and put into healing tank for 2 Terran years then proceed to cryostasis chamber entering her long slumber. Awoken at the beginning of 980.M41, Clara was soon entered the Schola Progena of the Good Shepherd Basilica at Western Pontavar. There she befriends many sisters from fellow Jerasian Gavriella Yuna, Arnella Lydia from New Merica, the mute but friendly Alfrisca Koryna, Privati Harviji from Indravari, Argevina Riana, and Jesica Meridia from lower hives of Pontavar.

Years of brutal strict training, Imperial Cult indoctrination, and various combat doctrines shaped Clara and transform her from ordinary Progena to a zealous Battle Sister. Clara Marlyna soon well known for her prowess in Aerial Combat, Swordsmanship and the usage of Null Rod. She is assigned to the 4th Seraphim Squad of the 1st Perceptor 3rd Commandery led by Sister Superior Magrita Qing she receive her first mission at 984.M41 at Heron Prime where the Ecclesiarchy send her Order against the invasion of Thousand Sons splinter warband the Cult of Sheti. The battle was won in favour of the Imperium but with moderate casualties among the sisters of the Order of Blessed Laurel including her mentor Sister Superior Magrita. Taste her first kill, Clara was tremble in fear at first, but her devotion and hope in the God Emperor of Mankind bring courage to her heart as she shot down every cultists and Rubric Marines with her Bolter and grenades alike.

At 990.M41 she was elected as Sister Superior of 2nd Perceptor 1st Commandery Zephyrim squad thanks to recommendation of Canoness Preceptor Meliyana Ligurys. During her flagellation ritual and assignment ceremony, Clara Marlyna saw the vision of the God Emperor who sit on his throne in High Heavens, the Emperor tear his Golden Laurel and give a piece of the leaves to Clara and from it a warm ray of light shines, blind her and as she fall down to her knees, a horde of doves pass her and an energy of hope shrouds her body as she rose up and receive a power sword with a gold laurel vines on the cross guard and a seal of Zephyrim by Canoness Preceptor Ligurys.

As she fight through many battles as Sister Superior, Clara Marlyna never forget her solemn duty to the God Emperor and never was vain and jealousy befall to her. From Marauding Ork invasion of Tarcius III, to facing hordes of Daemonettes on Karabakh. Sister Clara Marlyna stand slaughter and dueling every foes of the Imperium in war as she kneel administering first aid and wraping bandages to fallen guardsman or Astartes alike.

At the end of 996.M41. Clara Marlyna through her undying devotion, charismatic leading skills, and calm nature rose to become Canoness Commander under supervision of Confessor Agerlach and Canoness Superior Varina herself. The 5 nights of her 'meeting' with the benevolent Saint Jeanice brought the attention from the Ecclesiarchy and the entire officers of the Order as Clara retell her vision of St Jeanice, her death and her ascension at the Halls of Constellation sit on the baroque granite throne below the Emperor of Mankind himself. Confessor Agerlach testing her spiritual encounter credibility through chemical investigation and ritual flogging, found Clara pure in the Eyes of Ecclesiarchy and the Emperor. As she is promoted to become Canoness, she witness her power sword was reforged and was given new power armor and a blessed rosarius filled with force field energy.

Now serve as the Commander of the 2nd Perceptor 3rd Commandery she lead her sisters through calm and caring minds yet stern discipline and righteous fury against the enemies of the God Emperor from daemons to xenos and cultists alike. Perhaps the greatest story of Canoness Clara Marlyna started at Cruachain Secundus where she duels a Chaos Lord Drovas the Debaucherer of the Enslavers warband. As the Chaos Lord filled with Slaaneshi energy so does Canoness Clara with her ever bright faith in the Emperor. As the battle reach its ends so does the Chaos Lord fall headless to the ground. But she did not stop there, within a Terran month, she embark again this time on the ice world Everon where she conduct counter guerrilla operation against the Genestealer Cult of Remembrance Hands. It was said that the Order of the Blessed Laurel had successfully destroy and purify the mines of Everon with the Canoness leaving the Worship Chamber with the spine and head of Genestealer Patriarch and medals of the Magus.

Canoness Clara Marlyna is one of the few Canoness to survive the horrors of daemon world Kardera where she locate and rescue the near abandoned Sisters Repentia and a Grey Knight Justiciar Lotharius. With only ten Zephyrim and a Dominator squad along with Sisters Repentia and Justiciar Lotharius, Canoness Clara besiege the Iron Warriors Dungeon deep inside Kardera, freeing Imperium captives while purify every Heretic cultists and Chaos Space Marines alike. It was in this dungeon did Canoness Clara saw the horrific Daemonculaba in which with she mercy killed all of them. Fueled with hatreds of Daemon and her despise of how Chaos enslave the Imperium citizen, she took a vow to free and defend the Imperium against the Forces of Chaos and xenos alike.

### Death

When the Daemon World Amparios emerge from the warp to the Belicar System, the Order of the Blessed Laurel were sent to purify the planet led by Canoness Clara Marlyna. Although she manage to puriify some strategic points in the planet, she was ambushed and captured along with her sisters while the remainings were slain and slaughtered. As she is bound to a totem, Clara Marlyna witness Thunderhawks and Lightning Fighters followed by void battles in the surface, shortly before she was captured she pray to the Emperor that her sacrifice was only for Him and Him Alone and no soul no daemons nor entities will take her soul other than Him. With a glimpse of a Storm Zealots and Palatine Arielle far from the altar, she smile as her throat were slit and a dark entity enters her body.

## Personality

"*You come with me with cursed bolters and the foul litanies of the warp, but I come with you with nothing but the Bright Flame of the God Emperor incarnate!*"
— Clara Marlyna during Karderan Crusade
Canoness Clara is well known for her calm and kind nature, her feminine behaviour is able to create harmony and a soothing calm aura in the eyes of those she aid from a citizens of the Imperium, orphans of the underhive, to hapless guardsman or near death Space Marine. She is well known to operates in Pontavar Apothecary in peace time, where she will conduct healing researches and even as far as operating patients and reviving those who near death. Her aid even extend to abhumans alike as her Jerasian background of not discriminating abhumans carried on by Clara even after become a Canoness. Her religious change from Jerasian Ark to Imperial Cult brings positive impact to her life as a Sister of Battle. Canoness Clara Marlyna never miss any litany and is well known for her St. Jeanice litany readings at 04.00 AM dawn. Her willingness to bring litanies and chants of saints empower her sister and bring courage and faith to every sisters that heard the litany.

Canoness Clara is also known to defend her sister and considered all of them especially within her commanderies to be the most valuable and will do all things to avenge those who fallen especially if her sisters are executed by Imperium authorities. As much as Clara devoted to the God Emperor and the Ecclesiarchy, she somehow show a disdain and hate to Inquisitors typically the Puritans like Inquisitor Malrida Tavouz at Firra Crusade that executes three Sisters of Battle under Clara's command.

She is also widely known for her distaste of Imperial and Ecclesiarchal Politics. She often despise Imperium bureaucrats, Inquisitors, and Ecclesiarchy Cardinals scheming one another in desire of higher power and authority over her order and Imperium subjects. Clara prefer solitary prayers in the chapel or studying medicines over involved in decision making over squabbling between politicians. Her distaste even go as far as walking out and ignore the debates and discussions among Ecclesiarchy High Officials during meetings nor briefing alike. This act caught the attention of Confessor Agerlach whom questions her devotion to the Order and willingness to work and purge in the Order's Holy cause. Regardless, Clara is proved pure in the eyes of the Emperor and her sisters of the Order.

Resurrected in 711.M41 and awake from her cryostasis slumber in 980.M41 she suffers amnesia and could not remember her past well but a small chunk of her memory. Over the course of time during the early years of M42, she was taught of battle and mind meditations under supervision of Canoness Lam Xing Yan. This meditation resulted in her calm assertive mind and regain her past memories.

## Appearance

Native to Jeras, Clara Marlyna is a half Jerasian of Menash Tribe and Xianyang Water Clan, possessing a long Dark Brown hair and light skin. She stood 1.6 metre tall and her face is described by an unnamed Terran remembrancer as "inherit her father's hair and her mother's looks".

Once she became an Adepta Sororitas Progena she cut her hair short but it grew again as she become a Seraphim squad where she make a braid from her long hair as an honor to St. Jeanice.

As a Canoness she wore Sororitas Power Armor with a black Rosarius and a chained Litany of St. Jeanice book behind the mantle. She seldom wore her helmet and her hair grew as long as her waists. She always carry her master crafted Inferno Pistol with her.

On several occasions when fighting Eldars, Gene Stealer Cults or Forces of Chaos, she is often wield a Null Rod to ward off the psychic energy. Her primary weapon is a blessed Katranite infused power sword named *Dawnrender*.

Surprisingly there are no scar or wounds around her face and neck but a collection of flogging wounds and scar is all over her back from shoulder to bums and back legs. burnt wounds can be found on her left hands from the hand palm to elbow. a diagonal scar and stabbing wound on her stomach marks her battle against daemonettes of Slaanesh.

Due to the effects of cryostasis pod, Clara Marlyna stay youthful for hundred years of her sleep until she woke up in 980.M41. Like many of her sisters that enter the cryostasis pod, most of them appeared young and experience slow aging process.

## Combat Skill

Canoness Clara Marlyna is well known for her excellence swordsmanship. Able to wield and strike any target with a sword. She is ambidextrous and able to wield and strike *Dawnrender* in both hands with extreme versatility. Canoness Clara Marlyna is also excel in reading enemy movement from every corner within her conscious reach thanks to years of meditation. Her Ranged weapon of choice is an Inferno Pistol.

## Wargear

* ***Dawnrender** -* A mastercrafted blessed power sword that is twice reforged by the Ecclesiarchy and the Order armory. This power sword is filled with Katranite crystal essence and a shard from '*Magna Gracia*' a Blessed Warblade wielded by St. Jeanice. The power sword possess a gold vine cross guard and bronze Fleur de lis pommel with a slightly longer grip. The power sword could emanate fiery flames through a strong Faith in the God Emperor as well as its ability to suck and disintegrate daemonic spirit with ease.
* **Inferno Pistol** - Seldom used. The small compact Inferno pistol is used by Canoness Clara only when executing her foes and to some occasion, create a hole in the hull of enemy's vehicle.
* **Null Rod** - Seldom used. She only use it when fighting psykers.
* **Black Rosarius** - A unique ruby crested and dark coloured rosarius that emits a very strong gravitic Conversion Field around its wearer, which makes her power armour even harder to pierce with enemy weapons. In addition, It also provides its wearer with immense resilience to even the most potent weapons on the battlefield such as railgun or chaos weapons of all varieties. Rumor has it that the Black Rosarius was once worn by Canoness Superior Maria Jessica Varhan back when she was a Sister Superior of the Order.
* **Sororitas Power Armour** - Standard issue Adepta Sororitas Power Armour, mastercrafted and donned with Order's medal and mantle. It provides a great protection and its more durable,versatile and slightly lighter than most Sororitas Power Armor. Like all Canoness of the Order of Blessed Laurel. Clara's Power Armor possess Black colored Torso, a token of honor to the Order's Roots.
* **Litany of St Jeanice** - A prayer book of litanies and prayers to God Emperor and veneration St. Jeanice. Clara is often seen chanting, praying, and preach to her sisters and all subjects of the Imperium both in war and after.