Knights of the Fist

Knights of the Fist armorial with Chaper iconography.

Knights of the Fist Battle-Brother, circa pre-Tenebris era.

(*Fedelitas Scindere*)*Note, Chapter is viewed as **Excoriate** by some of the Imperium.*

### **Successor of**

Imperial Fists
(Rogal Dorn lineage)

### **Chapter Master**

None, Chapter is governed by a council called the *Kamarilla*.
 See *Chapter Organisation*.

### **Homeworld**

N/A; Fleet-Based (Currently)
Caledon (Formerly; Destroyed)

### **Fortress-Monastery**

*Dorn's Graal* (Battle Barge; Flagship; Formerly *Sword of Caledon*)

### **Specialty**

Shock Assault, Close-Quarters Actions (Space Hulk Purgation, Void Warfare), Planetary Pacification & Suppression Campaigns, Planetary Interdiction, Liberation & Limited Theatre Compliance Campaigns. Modern Chapter also specialises in clandestine warfare.

### **Colours**

Quartered Green, Grey & White. The modern Chapter also wears yellow helmets.

### Successor Chapter(s)

None

The **Knights of the Fist** are a crusading Successor Chapter descended from the proud lineage of the stoic Imperial Fists. Once known as the Knights of Caledon upon their inception, they formerly derived much of their doctrine from the example of the Black Templars, however, they have since developed their own direction, especially in the post-Tenebris era.

The Chapter stands on the precipice of loyalty and apostasy. Following the resurrection of Guilliman, his appointment as Lord Regent, and the subsquent Indomitus Crusade, the Chapter's formerly *Codex*-skeptical outlook has become more extreme. The Chapter is now openly hostile to Guilliman and Ultramarines successors, but nonetheless professes its loyalty to the Emperor.

The Knights fervently believe Rogal Dorn's return is imminent and have tasked themselves with preparing military and political bodies to allow their gene-father to wrest control from Guilliman and rightly restore the Emperor's rule.

## Chapter History

The Chapter's history is generally divided into three sections as per the writings of Chronicler Pollanius D'Vergil. These are the "Caledon", "pre-Tenebris" and "post-Tenebris" eras. D'Vergil identifies the three eras as split by the Fall of Caledon and the disastrous Tenebris campaign, both of which had overwhelming impact on the Chapter's direction and ideology.

As noted by D'Vergil and also by Chronicler Savelli Croyland, much of the knowledge of the Caledon era are derived from the memoirs of Ancient Eredimus and Lord Gaspar. As both of these figures were deceased by the time a comprehensive history of the Chapter could be completed, certain parts of the Caledon era are viewed as potentially exaggerated or otherwise inaccurate. Later testimony from Commanders Lettow and Knazs are seen as more reliable, and therefore readers should be aware that the pre- and post-Tenebris eras are likely to be more accurate.

### Caledon Era

#### Pre-Caledon's Fall

Particularly little is known prior to the fall of Caledon itself. The memoirs of Ancient Eredimus indicate that the Chapter had considerable links with the Black Templars from its inception, but Eredimus himself is unclear on when exactly the Chapter was founded. D'Vergil and Croyland estimate it is likely to be between the 24th and 26th Foundings.

It is known that the Chapter participated in several campaigns with the Black Templars themselves during this period, apparently with distinguishment. Croyland particularly speculates that these close bonds inspired the beginning of the Chapter's now dominant ideology, especially the skepticism of the *Codex Astartes* and a reverential attitude towards Dorn and the Emperor. Gaspar's memoirs indicate that several of the early members of the Chapter were seconded from the Black Templars. Gaspar himself believed that Grand Master Sigismund was a Black Templar who took on the moniker "Sigismund" to honour the former Imperial Fist's First Captain's role in the creation of the Templars, stating that his name should also be present for the creation of further Chapters derived from his lineage. Eredimus provides no evidence to support this claim and neither D'Vergil nor Croyland have been able to corroborate this with other sources.

Beyond this scant detail, the majority of what is known for this era concerns Caledon itself. As both Eredimus and Gaspar were deployed to Caledon's garrison, the majority of accurate information concerns the battle.

#### Fall of Caledon

Caledon, a feudal world, located close to a minor warp rift on the East Fringe, was the home to the Knights of Caledon chapter until its destruction at the hands of Hive Fleet Jormungandr in 251.M41.

The Knights of Caledon, whilst expected to fulfill a warden role towards the aforementioned rift, nonetheless undertook aggressive campaigns against hostile forces in their immediate sub-sector. Notably, they declared at least two crusades against encroaching Tau Empire forces, with Eredimus recording several captured Tau battlesuits as battle-trophies in his inventory of the fortress-monastery on Caledon. The Chapter had also been briefly involved in crusades against Chaos forces near the Eye of Terror before Jormungandr descended on Caledon.

The Hive Fleet attacked in its usual manner, using subtler methods to unleash spores of Ravenor broods, trygons and mawlocs onto the planet that were then awakened when the Hive Fleet arrived in orbit. The Planetary Defence Forces on the planet was swiftly overwhelmed and the fortress-monastery was besieged by the endless swarm. Similar to on Megyre, the Hive Fleet deployed another gargantuan creature resembling a Trygon that flung itself against the fortress-monastery, causing significant damage. The approximately 100 marines stationed in the Fortress Monastery under the command of Knight-Commander Eredimus fought bravely whilst doing all they could to contact the remainder of the chapter.

It is unclear why the Chapter was so blindsided by Jormungandr. Eredimus's memoirs place considerable blame on his own actions. His belief was that it was his decision to direct efforts on Caledon towards sustaining the Chapter's crusades throughout the galaxy with weaponry and reinforcements, to the detriment of fortifying and securing the planet's surface which allowed Jordmungandr's vanguard to remain undetected. However, Gaspar, despite being a Squire at the time, primarily places blame upon the Chapter's upper leadership. He claimed that the Chapter operated as a fleetborne force with a Fortress-Monastery, a strategy he believed was doomed to fail as the Fortress-Monastery was deliberately undermanned compared to non-crusading chapters.

When message was received of the attack on Caledon, Grand Master Sigismund issued a call to arms for the entire chapter across the galaxy, raising between an estimated 1,200 and 2,600 marines of the chapter to defend their homeworld. The call to arms was answered further by an Imperial Battle Fleet and 7 Imperial Guard regiments based in the Caledon sub-sector. Readers should note that these figures were derived from Gaspar's estimates. As Gaspar was among the Monastery's defence, and did not have communication with the relief force, his writings must be taken with careful consideration. Records from the Adeptus Administratum for previous campaigns in the Caledon era indicate that the Knights did inflate their numbers of at least one occasion, likely with the intention of gaining overall command of Imperial forces.

The Knights' fleet and the Imperial Battle Fleet arrived in orbit above Caledon and engaged the Hive Fleet. The battle was short and bloody, with great losses on both sides, including the loss of two Battle Barges and extreme damage to the *Sword of Caledon.* The Hive Fleet's orbital forces were successfully scattered, however. This left the planet open for liberation by the Astartes. In the traditional combat doctrine of the Knights, planetfall was preceded by a huge orbital bombardment which was successful in killing the Tyranid bio-titan, before Thunderhawks and drop pods were launched to carry the Astartes to the surface.

The remainder of the Battle for Caledon was a gruelling conflict which saw three months of fighting before the landing forces could manage to reach the besieged Fortress Monastery. Upon their arrival, the garrison there had been reduced to a mere 7 Space Marines, the remaining Knight Bannerettes of Eredimus's household and the heavily wounded Knight Commander himself. The Knight Commander was swiftly transferred into a Contemptor Dreadnought chassis in order to preserve this heroic warrior of the chapter. At the time of their rescue, the garrisoned Astartes had been forced into the highest reaches of the Fortress Monastery, a series of spires that rose into the upper atmosphere.

This was when tragedy struck once more. Out of the warp rift emerged an army of Daemons and Traitor Marines, Word Bearers and Iron Warriors among them. The Imperial fleet was driven out of orbit, leaving the Knights of Caledon and the Imperial Guard regiments alone and unsupported on the surface. Under attack from both Tyranids and the forces of Chaos, the chapter was forced to mount a desperate defence inside what remained of their fortress monastery.

After a month of siege, all ammo was spent, barely 150 Astartes were alive and the enemy had pushed them back into the inner halls of the fortress monastery. With all hope of victory faded, Grand Master Sigismund lead a counter-attack into the enemy in an attempt to take as many enemy lives as possible before they fell. The Knights fought with an intense, unmatched fury and cut through traitor and tyranid alike but were quickly surrounded by superior numbers. As the traitors prepared to deliver the killing strike to the Knights of Caledon, the dark sky was lit by the exhaust plumes of Thunderhawk gunships descending from the heavens. The Imperium had answered Caledon's call for aid, and the Knights were finally saved.

The invasion of Chaos forces is regarded dubiously by D'Vergil and Croyland. As with the estimates of Chapter numbers, the account for this period comes from Gaspar. Gaspar had been wounded during the Tyranid assault and as such spent the remainder of the campaign following the arrival of the relief force with the Apothecarion. D'Vergil and Croyland's alternate hypothesis is that the Chaos invasion was cover for the Chapter's inflated numbers with the secondary invasion providing an additional explanation for how the Chapter's numbers fell so dramatically.

By the end of the conflict, out of a potential 2,600 Astartes, less than 100 remained. The Imperial Guard regiments serving alongside the chapter had been slaughtered to a man and the fleet of the chapter was devastated. Caledon was designated as no longer habitable, the biomass of the planet had been nearly all consumed by the Hive Fleet and the intensity of the weapons unleashed by the fleets above the planet and those on the surface had rendered Caledon a barren wasteland. It was with great sadness and remorse that the Knights of Caledon left their home planet for the final time.

### Pre-Tenebris Era

Following the destruction of Caledon, the Knights of Caledon spent many years rebuilding. They recruited from many worlds in the Caledon sub-sector and raised their numbers as quickly as possible, despite losing the previous unity that the natives of Caledon shared. In order to combat this problem, the Grand Master ordered the chapter to be split into Crusades that corresponded to the world that the Astartes were recruited from. These crusades would be allowed to keep the heraldry and traditions of their home worlds but would still wear the colours and the symbol of the chapter as a whole. During major campaigns these crusades have been combined to form a large, multi-world force of the chapter's Space Marines.

This resulted in hybrid squads formed from the survivors of a conflict. An example is Bannerette Squad Invictus. Having taken major casualties against Orks during the war on Hydromon VI, Bannerette Squads of the Eredon Crusade and the Heronnius Crusade merged. The result is a squad with mixed heraldry, symbols and traditions, but a commond brotherhood. All types of squad are merged together to form hybrid squads.

#### Notable Campaigns of the pre-Tenebris era

The Chapter fought in various campaigns from the destruction of Caledon in early .M41 to the Tenebris campaign in early .M42.

* **The Abata Campaign (896.M41)-** The Knights of Caledon fought for the first time since the destruction of Caledon. Joined by 3 Space Marine chapters, as well as several Imperial Guard regiments and an Imperial Battlefleet, the Knights join the assault to liberate Abata from the foul servants of Chaos. Venerable Ancient Eredimus leads the assault upon the planet in order to recover Imperial relics that were stored on the planet. At the height of the battle, newly promoted Knight-Commander Nicolaus slays the enemy commander, a Daemon Prince of Khorne after it rampages through the Knights advance, killing Knight-Commander Hermannus, a Caledon veteran as it goes. With their leader dead, the Chaos forces begin to fall into disarray and are destroyed in the Imperial advance.
* **The Hydromon VI Campaign (901.M41)-** Eredon and Heronnius Crusades, lead by Knight-Commanders Ligarius Cariaso and Juron Knazs, reinforce Imperial defenders fighting to defend the Forge World against Ork invaders. The Orks are pushed back, though reckless behaviour from Cariaso results in Eredon Crusade losing most of its vehicles in a suicidal attempt to destroy a series of Ork Gargants and Stompas.
* **The Otreon Campaign (921.M41)-** The Karwitz Crusade, lead by Grand-Master Sigismund, assaults the Tau held world of Otreon on the Eastern Fringe. The Crusade takes heavy casualities due to the Tau firepower arrayed against them however the assault is won when Sigismund and his household spearhead an armoured assault which manages to break through Tau lines and hit their HQ.
* **The Norvarik Campaign (937.M41)-** A Space Hulk exits the warp close to the recruiting world of Norvarik. The Norvarik Crusade commences boarding actions, to find the ship infested with Orks. The Strike Team manages to battle its way through the hulk, before teleporting back to their Strike Cruiser only to detect the remainder of the Ork fleet exiting the warp. A call for aid is broadcast and the Norvarik Crusade is joined by the Eredon Crusade and a strike force from the Karwitz crusade. A series of desperate boarding actions are undertaken by the Knights in an effort to prevent the Orks from making planetfall. In vain of the attempts, an Ork Kroozer manages to launch Landas and commence an assault on the surface of Norvarik. The PDF are vastly outmatched by the Ork brutality however one unit manages to hold a small city in the North of the planet. The Norvarik Crusade deploys to the surface, leaving the others to prevent any further planetstrikes. Over a period of months the Norvarik manages to relieve stranded PDF units and eliminate the threat on the surface whilst the other Crusades deal with the Ork fleet.
* **The Numos Campaign (952.M41)-** Karwitz and Heronnius Crusades defend two desert fortresses on the agri-world of Numos in an attempt to blunt a splinter of Hive Fleet Dagon. Far more Tyranids are present on the planet than initially thought and one fortress is overwhelmed by repeated attacks from above and below by specialist Tyranid units. Grand-Master Sigismund and Knight-Commander Juron Knazs lead their Households into the swarm in an attempt to decapitate the Tyranid command structure. Sigismund's Household is cut off from Knazs and is overwhelmed before they can be reached. The Grand Master himself is cut down by a Hive Tyrant whilst the Hive Guard battle his terminator bodyguard nearby. Knazs and his depleted household pull back to the fortress, having lost their armoured support to Tyranid monstrous creatures. The horde swarms the fortress, caring little for casualities as the Knights' heavy firepower shoots down wave after wave. Eventually the Xenos reach the walls and vicious hand to hand combat erupts. Assault squads cause mass casualities as they make the Hive Fleet pay dearly for every inch and life it claims while three dreadnoughts deal with the monstrous creatures that throw themselves at the Astartes. The Hive Tyrant along with its Hive Guard breaks through Space Marine lines and engages Knazs and his bodyguard. Knazs is wounded by the Tyrant but manages to lay it low and give enough time for Knight-Champion Fernau to kill the beast with a melta bomb. Heronnius Crusade is saved when Knight-Commander Davian Gaspar and Vlaeminck Crusade make planetfall in Thunderhawk gunships and push back the Tyranid onslaught. Following Sigismund's death, Gaspar is elected Grand Master of the Chapter. *Note, previous records erroneously stated that Knazs was killed on Numos.*

#### The Homerian Incident

The Homerian Incident, sometimes referred to as the *Homerian Massacre* and the *Homerian Apostasy*, was the destruction of the Hermetic Brothers Chapter on the plant Homeria, allegedly at the hands of the Knights of Caledon. It is seen as a secondary turning point in the history of the Knights and is regarded as one of the primary explanations of the Excoriate designation given to the Knights by some of the Imperium and as a major influence on the events during the Tenebris Campaign.

The planet of Homeria was a roughly Terran sized agri-world located in the northern fringes of the Imperium. It was regarded as a crucial producer of food and manpower for its local sub-sector, which was heavily involved in the war effort against Chaos forces near the Eye of Terror. When reports that two separate incursions, one by a Chaos-aligned cult and another by a genestealer cult, had captured the most strategically important portions of the planet and prevented sorely needed supplies from being dispatched, the Knights of Caledon and the Hermetic Brothers were deployed at Chapter strength to bring a rapid end to the occupation.

The campaign to liberate the planet proceeded with rapid success, with full compliance achieved in less than a month of fighting. Tensions had begun to build rapidly towards the end of the liberation effort, however. The prideful Hermetic Brothers and fanatic Knights were not ideal partners in war, and several units had engaged each other briefly over disputes regarding de-cultification efforts.

The instigating incident occurred when Knights proceeded to carry out decimation (the execution of one in every ten) of several of the planets cities. Commanders from the Hermetic Brothers ordered the Knights to stand-down and declared that they had assumed administration of the planet's recovery efforts. When the Knights refused, the Hermetic Brothers attempted to forcibly stand-down and disarm the Knights. This act provoked the Knights to undertake retaliation with without prejudice, attacking the Hermetic Brothers with the intention to kill rather than disarm.

Whilst deployed units of the Hermetic Brothers were able to mount defensive actions against the Knights assault, much of the chapter's strength was in reserve, recuperating after the campaign. These units were ill-prepared for the unexpected retribution, with the entire Hermetic Brothers fleet being either captured or destroyed in surprise attacks. Planetside units held out for longer, but were eventually destroyed through determined assaults and orbital strikes. In an effort to cover up the event, much of the planet's population was also executed, lest they give testimony to Imperial authorities.

The Knights of Caledon have fervently denied the incident occurred. In statements made by senior commanders, they claimed that the unexpected casualties were the result of an ambush of traitor Astartes, which the Hermetic Brothers bore the brunt of. Commanders Lettow and Knazs stated in interviews with D'Vergil that the Knights made efforts to relieve encircled Hermetic Brothers formations, but were unable to break through traitor defences in time.

D'Vergil's opinion is that the truth lies somewhere in between both accounts. It was well-acknowledged that the Hermetic Brothers and the Knights were uneasy allies and came to blows on at least one verifiable occasion, however, he argues that the evidence of a massacre is limited and places blame on the Inquisition which he argues was keen to find an excuse to eliminate the increasingly radical Knights over fears they may become renegades.

Regardless of the true nature of the event, there are two consequences which are agreed on with certainty by scholars of the Chapter. Firstly, the Knights absorbed most of the Hermetic Brothers fleet into their own. Though renamed, a handful of Hermetic Brothers vessels were positively identified by Imperial forces during the Tenebris campaign. Secondly, the Inquisition cited the event for its elimination of considerable portions of Knights forces during the Tenebris campaign. This fact was corroborated with Imperial forces present in the system, and recently captured documents.

### Tenebris and the post-Tenebris era

The Tenebris campaign fell under the umbrella of the Plague Wars. The Tenebris system is a vital populated system in a sub-sector of the Ultima Segmentum on the borders of the Eastern Fringe. Being on the very edges of Imperial space, the system is a last bastion and stronghold for Imperial forces. Its optimal location and features make it vital in defence against encroaching enemies and a common mustering point for
crusades and invasions.

When Chaos forces, spearheaded by the Death Guard, invaded the system, a call for aid was broadcast across the Eastern Fringe. The Chapter, now renamed as the Knights of the Fist, responded at full-strength.

#### The War on Kaladria

Several Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, alongside considerable additional Imperial Forces, deployed to Tenebris, though none at similar strength to the Knights. Davian Gaspar, now leading the Chapter, and adopting the title Lord over the former title Grand-Master, assumed overall control of the Astartes forces.

Gaspar planned to utilise the Astartes as specialist detachments with the mission to secure the vital areas of the planet necessary to sustain an invasion in the death world Kaladria's unforgiving terrain. Astartes air forces rapidly gained air supremacy, whilst forces under the command of Commander Knazs conducted boarding actions against the Chaos fleet to prevent further deployment of traitor air forces to the planet. On the ground, combined forces of the Knights and other present chapters deployed via drop-pod, thunderhawk and stormraven to secure six key sites on the Chaos flank and rear. These included bastions, a spaceport, and three junctions on the planets highway system which rose above the jungle. Five of the six sites were secured within a day, with fire support provided by heavy dreadnoughts, stormravens and fire raptor gunships melting away Chaos resistance in with rapid efficiency. The sixth site was deemed secure after three further days, when Knights forces consisting primarily of newly arrived Primaris marines distinguished themselves by repelling a determined counterattack from traitor Astartes and daemons.

With these sites secured, Gaspar deployed his armoured forces (primarily Predator main battle tanks, land raiders and relic land raider patterns), including close to 600 marines equipped as mechanised infantry. These forces utilised the highway system to advance rapidly over the jungle and conduct a devastating assault into the Chaos flank. This assault was successful in breaking the backbone of the majority of the non-Astartes traitor infantry, and dealing significant damage to the traitor armour advancing on Imperial lines.

Before the Astartes could continue the assault, which aimed to bisect the Chaos forces, allowing the main body of traitor opposition to be encircled and eliminated, news was received from orbit which necessitated an alteration in strategy. Imperial Forces had identified a warp artefact known as the Tenebris Lumina on the planet. Chaos forces had attacked the otherwise strategically insignificant Kaladria in an attempt to seize the artefact to open a warp rift, thereby providing them with additional reinforcements for the conquest of the system.

Gaspar therefore split his force in two. A smaller force of 150 would be left to garrison the advances the main force had made and prevent Chaos counterattacks from regaining their original position. The remaining 450 would launch a directed, high-speed assault into Chaos forces to secure and destroy the Tenebris Lumina before it could be used by Chaos forces.

As expected, the assault met severe resistance to its assaults. Heavy casualties were sustained, but without tactical withdrawal as an option, they were forced to continue despite waning strength. On two occasions, the growing power of the Tenebris Lumina allowed greater daemons to slip through tears in reality and assault the Knights' forces. In D'Vergil's recording of Knazs's account of the battle, he states that it was his belief, based on conversations with Gaspar during the battle, that the greater daemons were ultimately what prevented Gaspar's forces from reaching the Tenebris Lumina in time.

Chaos sorcerers were able to fully harness the power of the Tenebris Lumina and tore open a warp rift across the planet's surface. Nearly the entirety of Gaspar's force, including the Lord himself, were instantly annihilated by the all-consuming rift. Gaspar's last words called the retreat of all Imperial forces on the planet.

It was at this point when the Inquisition intervened. The rearguard force left to defend the Imperial advance's territorial gains was able to board thunderhawks in good order and prepared to evacuate to the ships in orbit. However, Inquisition-aligned Astartes (suspected, but not confirmed, to be the Minotaurs Chapter), conducted aerial strikes against the evacuation sites, and eliminated all but one stormraven of the forces able to take off.

Upon observing their destruction, Commander Knazs ordered the immediate retreat of the Knights' ships in orbit, fearing a determined attack to seize the Chapter fleet. So sudden was the retreat, in fact, that Commander Lettow's forces, deployed to the planet J'Migan, were left behind and forced to begin a guerrilla war.

#### The Guerrilla War on J'Migan

Upon their arrival in the Tenebris system, Commander Lettow, with a host of close to five dozen Astartes, was ordered to make planetfall on the armoury-world of J'Migan to prepare a headquarters and staging ground for campaigns on the other worlds in the system. Lord Gaspar had severe concerns over the size of traitor fleets within the system, especially with reports of Tau, Eldar and Necron flotillas being sighted by Imperial forces, and therefore desired a headquarters that could be more easily fortified and held than the Knights' fleet in orbit above Kaladria. J'Migan had suffered heavily during the 13th Black Crusade when heretic forces had stormed its armouries and razed many of its fortresses as they stampeded through the Tenebris system. J'Migan had struggled to make any progress in rebuilding in the time since the Black Crusade and became a low priority military target. Nonetheless, its surviving fortresses and infrastructure, including two functioning spaceports, as well as largely untouched prometheum refineries in its deserts, made it a promising location to host the Knights' headquarters in the system.

Lettow made planetfall whilst Gaspar was preparing strategy for the war on Kaladria and immediately set to work establishing bases. A fortress in the Al-Anhen mountains on J'Migan's largest continent was identified as a suitable site and was immediately secured for further fortification. Constables assigned to Lettow found that only minor repairs were required to re-activate its void shields and that many of its defensive weapons were still functional. A series of Forward Operating Bases were established to provide support for the transport routes from the planet's spaceports, also, and were rapidly fortified for protection against orbital weapons.

When the disaster on Kaladria occured, Commander Knazs retreated from the system without being able to perform an evacuation for Lettow's forces stationed on J'Migan. Fearing, and accurately predicting, a large-scale collapse of Imperial forces, Lettow prepared a series of traps across the two spaceports and the major infrastructure connecting the planet. When traitor forces made planetfall, they attempted to seize these targets as a priority. Lettow, having been allocated a large number of bikes and land-speeders (thereby leaving the heavier armour to be used on Kaladria), launched assaults on these troops as they landed. These hit and run strikes not only caused significant traitor casualties, they forced the traitors to undertake hasty fortification of the spaceports, a move which Lettow had hoped to bait. With many traitor forces dug-in at the spaceports and occupied in securing infrastructure, he activated the traps and charges which had been left. Buildings collapsed, heretics died by their hundreds, roads and terminals became unusable, and the traitors, at least for a short time, were denied a secure landing zone with which to land and supply their forces.

The Al-Anhen fortress was largely impervious to orbital strikes thanks to its void shielding and with its defensive weapons and complement of Astartes it became a formidable site to besiege. This, combined with the otherwise strategic insignificance of the fortress (the reason it had managed to survive the assaults of the Black Crusade relatively unscathed), meant that traitor forces were highly reluctant to commit manpower and equipment to destroying it. Thus, it served as an important base of operations from which the Knights were able to launch hit and run strikes against high-value traitor targets, thereby becoming a constant thorn in their side.

This situation inevitably could not last forever. With no means of re-supply, and low, constantly dwindling manpower, the Knights were unable to launch any real offensives to dislodge Chaos forces on the planet. In response to this, and seeing the lack of military support given to many of the planet's isolated communities, especially those in the Al-Anhen mountains, Lettow devised a plan to raise much of the local population as a militia. Though the Astartes lacked dedicated marine equipment, they possessed large reserves of equipment reserved for Astra Militarum and PDF formations in the armoury of the Al-Anhen fortress. Furthermore, with their expertise, they were able to formulate a training regime to turn the local population into a fighting force. Inspired by his youth on the planet Karwitz, Lettow termed these new regiments Dragoons, after the Astra Militarum regiments of his homeworld.

With his Dragoon regiments, Lettow was able to launch more daring campaigns against the traitor forces, eventually linking up with Imperial forces on the planet to make the traitor position untenable. When the Knights fleet returned to evacuate Lettow and his troops, he offered the Dragoon regiments the choice to accompany him in further campaigns. Many, believing Lettow to be an effective and fair leader, took up his offer. The remainder of the chapter saw merit in this idea also, with all of the Households now maintaining at least one Dragoon regiment in addition to their Astartes forces.

#### The Bardonian Deception

The Bardonian Deception refers to a campaign undertaken by the Knights on the shrine-world Bardon. The campaign began with the Brotherhood of Dorn attempting to peacefully secure a Great Scouring Era suit of armour, with the corpse of the legionary still encased within. However, when the planet's rulers fired on the Brotherhood, they called upon the assistance of Uraeg FitzLovell's household.

For a period of close to a solar-year, nearly the entire Brotherhood of Dorn had received visions concering some aspect of the shrine upon the planet Bardon, and specifically revealed to them to presence of the legionary within a sarcophagus on the planet. Through prayer and interrogation with Padre Bors Malory they took the decision to embark on the journey to Bardon and attempt to recover the legionary and his armour.

Unbeknownst to them, however, the Ecclesial Council on Bardon was similarly plagued by visions and dreams. These glimpses of a potential future showed Astartes in green and grey laying waste to Bardon's capital, Nene, and forcibly breaking open the gates of the shrine to recover items within. Many of the Council foresaw their own deaths- cut down defending the shrine, or executed by the merciless Astartes. So similar and vivid were the premonitions experienced by the Council that they immediately gathered to discuss them, and came to the decision to mobilise the planet's PDF, orbital strategic defence platforms, a detachment of Sororitas, and two Imperial Guard regiments, in addition to fortifying both Nene and the shrine complex within.

When the *Phall's Retribution* entered Bardon's orbit, the planet entered a state of high-readiness, yet the Council was concerned at the arrival of merely a single ship and moreso at the communications requesting a parlay on the surface between a handful of Astartes the Council. Suspicious, the Council agreed, directing the Brotherhood to a landing site well outside of Nene. The Brotherhood obliged, taking two thunderhawks carrying twelve of the thirteen down to the surface. In a move which secured the Knights much benefit after the arrival of FitzLovell, four of the Brotherhood deployed to conduct reconnaissance. They jumped from their thunderhawk in low orbit using grav-chutes, landing undetected on Mount Swannymote which overlooked Nene, but lay mostly outside of its void shields.

When the remainder of the Brotherhood landed, the Ecclesial Council knew their fears were true. Barely able to maintain their compusure as the green and grey Astartes exited their vehicles, they immediately ordered the orbital platforms to prepare firing solutions and deployed units nearby to the landing site into ambush zones. The Knights asked for permission to take the relic, a move which again confused the Council, and were unequivocally refused. The Astartes, realising now that their suspicions of something amiss were certainly true, boarded their thunderhawks in good order and began to withdraw to the *Phall's Retribution*. Once they had left the ground the order was given for the orbital platforms to fire. One thunderhawk was struck and destroyed, taking with it six Bannerettes, before the *Phall's Retribution* could manoeuvre to block the guns from being able to target the second. This thunderhawk, containing a mere two Knights, was able to dock with the strike cruiser. It fled the system, only three of its original thirteen Knights aboard, the other ten vapourised in the upper atmosphere or trapped on Bardon.

Over a period of six months, the *Phall's Retribution* sought out and rendezvoused with FitzLovell's household whilst the four Bannerettes trapped on Bardon remained hidden on Mount Swannymote. FitzLovell, upon hearing that the Brotherhood had been fired upon, vowed to bring the planet to heel and deployed his full household- an estimated 300 Astartes, a battle barge, and six strike cruisers. When they entered Bardon's orbit, FitzLovell gave the Ecclesial Council an ultimatum to surrender and relinquish the relic. This was met with fire from the orbital platforms. Pre-empting this response, FitzLovell's household were launching boarding torpedos before the weapons had struck their void shields.

The orbital platforms, though significant, were nonetheless a meagre challenge for an Astartes boarding party and were swiftly overwhelmed. FitzLovell was still, however, presented with the dilemma of how to assault the surface. Nene was both heavily fortified and protected by void shields, yet an orbital bombardment risked damaging or even destroying the relic. His solution was presented by the four members of the Brotherhood on Swannymote. Having seen the orbital platforms firing, they established contact with the vessels in orbit and received orders to infiltrate Nene and destroy a section of its air defences.

Under cover from Bannerettes Romemner and Halbalici, Bannerettes Rogaegmund and Luxedrad utilised their grapnel launchers and silenced bolt carbines to disable or destroy a series of AA weapons and void generators, creating a hole in the protective dome. With perfect timing, the Knights in orbit deployed from drop pods and thunderhawks, landing in the outer districts of Nene. There, utilising surprise and precise landing zones, they struck the head of the defenders, destroying the HQ companies of the PDF and Guard regiments and, though it pained them to defeat such fervent servants of the Emperor, decimated the Sororitas detachment. With the defences in disarray, the Knights advanced upon the shrine.

Here, the Ecclesial Council's vision truly came to pass. The Knights broke open the gates, cutting down over half of the Council as they took up arms to defend their relics and capturing the remainder. Those captured were executed- the standard punishment for those who impede the Emperor's will.

It was, however, to be entirely for naught. The sarcophagus, far from containing a mighty warrior of Dorn's legion, contained a mere mockery- a mortal human armoured in a crude replication of Astartes power armour. The relic had been a fake, the campaign a lie. Hundreds of the Emperor's true servants lay dead, turned against each other by malicious deception.

## Chapter Organization

### Caledon and pre-Tenebris eras

The Knights of Caledon occasionally strayed above the 1,000 Marine mark due to the Chapter's crusading nature and the varying recruitment rates that contributed to each crusade. Furthermore, as each crusade acted as an almost autonomous Space Marine strike force in itself, the chapter's numbers were difficult to keep track of and the chapter may be deployed in many different places in the galaxy at one time.

Though there was always a Grand Master of the Chapter, the Grand Master did not hold total control and was rather a representative of the Chapter as a whole instead of its leader. The Chapter was commanded by the Crusading Council, a council of the Knight-Commanders of each Crusade that met to decide the Chapter's future and deployments throughout the Galaxy. These Knight-Commanders also voted for one of their number to become Grand Master of the Chapter and represent the Chapter in negotiations with other Astartes and members of the Imperium.

The Chapter was organised into Crusades that recruit from individual worlds in the Caledon sub-sector and were named after the world that they recruited from. These Crusades consisted of the Knight-Bannerettes of the Knight-Commanders Household, which usually consisted of 10 to 20 Marines; the bulk of the Crusade, the Knight-Errants who fulfilled the typical tactical, assault and devastator roles of the Crusade and were usually led by a Knight-Bannerette or Knight-Champion; the Knight-Constables who served as mechanics and technicians to the Crusade's vehicles, and the Squires who had recently completed their transition into Space Marines and accompany the Knight-Errants until they are bonded with a suit of armour. It was also part of Crusade tradition to maintain a champion, called a Knight-Superior, whose role is to challenge enemy commanders and champions to single combat on the field of battle.

Prior to the Tenebris campaign, the Chapter consisted of nine Crusades. The background of the Crusades varied drastically. For example Eredon and Heronnius are planets of warm temperate climates with populations that thrive on art and politics whereas Norvarik is a planet with an almost permanent winter that is filled with periods of darkness when the sun cannot reach the planet; it is populated with hardy, brutal people who are very fierce and warlike. This resulted in a Chapter that was very diverse, but is also prone to argument and controversy due to the differences between the Astartes that made it up.

### Post-Tenebris Era

Following the disaster on Kaladria, the Chapter implemented many reforms to both rebuild and maintain its combat effectiveness whilst viewed as potential renegades by the Imperium-at-large. These reforms were led primarily by Commander Knazs, being the most senior of the Tenebris survivors, except Commander Lettow.

Firstly, Knazs reformed the Crusading Council as the **Kamarilla**. As the only present, surviving senior commander of the Tenebris campaign, he found himself in desperate need for additional guidance and organisational ability to re-organise and reform the Chapter. The Kamarilla was therefore created to undertake a similar, yet more centralised role than the prior Crusading Council. Where before each member of the Council had acted almost independently, with the Council as a place for discussion of matters relating to the overall Chapter, the Kamarilla would now act instead of a support body to the Lord himself. Immediately, Knazs ordered Knight-Champions Uraeg FitzLovell and Faustonus de Ros promoted to Knight-Commanders, to assist with the regrouping effort and to lay the foundations for the Chapter's continuation. Unaware of Lettow's ultimate fate, Knazs chose to refrain from promoting further, lest the veteran Knight-Commander still live and return to claim his rightful place amongst Chapter leadership.

The Kamarilla immediately set to work. Knight-Commanders had previously maintained their own Households, including the vehicles and spacecraft to support them. Knazs seconded what he could spare of the remaining Knights' forces to his new Knight-Commanders to form the basis of their infant Households, and dispatched them to commands of their own ships. Then, the Kamarilla began to deliberate on the Chapter's direction post-Tenebris.

They decided foremost that, on account of the Chapter being unaware of the Imperium's intention towards them, they must make considerable effort to conceal their strength and establish footholds to rebuild it. In order to do so, records of Household strenghts, including mechanised and void componenets, were to be expunged at any more than the highest level. The Chapter full strength of the Chapter would be known only to the Kamarilla, and then only at times when Commanders were able to convene to discuss the matter. No written or digital record would be kept. Secondly, the standardisation of squads and Households would be considered null and void. Squads would now be categorised only as Errant or Bannerette, denoting veterancy, and would be renamed Lances. It was decided that each lance would be commanded by a Knight-Champion to whom the squad would turn for its recruitment and organisation. Lance sizes would hold no limit, swelling and shrinking as need arose, or as casualties occurred. Similarly, lances would not be expected to maintain any particular set of equipment, though they would be expected to maintain their capacity to conduct all types of warfare. D'Vergil speculates that this is the primary reasoning for the Chapter maintaining so many power weapons- many of the Knights themselves find the weapons to be optimal for a variety of circumstances, more so even than the humble bolter.

Once this had been decided, the Kamarilla turned to the matter of individual Households and their relation to the Chapter as a whole. They agreed upon the merit of individual Households being able to conduct campaigns independently, similar to the former role of the chapter's Crusades. However, it was agreed, given the precariousness of the current situation, that a firmer hand would be required to ensure the Chapter's integrity as a fighting force. The Lord, therefore, would be given the power to wield overall command of the Chapter as necessary, unless a unanimous vote of the Kamarilla overruled him. Nonetheless, each Household would be responsible for its own recruitment, arnament, and tactical decision making, unless the Chapter reformed to fight as one, in which case the Lord would be given overall command of the Chapter's combat capabilities.

The return of Commander Lettow, following his evacuation from J'Migan, heralded two further changes.

Following the success of Lettow's **Dragoon** battalions on J'Migan, it was decreed that Households be given permission to raise non-Astartes troops, outfit them, and command them as seen fit in order to supplement the fighting capabilities of the Chapter. The Kamarilla particularly emphasised the utility of this in campaigns whereby the allegiance of other members of the Imperium could not be guaranteed.

Finally, and perhaps most influentially, the Kamarilla agreed upon a new direction of warfare and military conduct for the Chapter. Whereas previously, the Knights had been zealous and highly independent, they now truly needed to be independent. Permission was therefore given for Households to undertake any actions necessary to maintain their functional integrity, including firing upon Imperial forces. Furthermore, the Chapter would begin to openly take advantage of the inefficiency and incompetence of Imperial bureaucracy to further their ambitions. The Knights have disguised themselves as alternate Chapters, sent Astartes as spies to the Deathwatch, forged documents and communications to gain access to equipment and supplies both for themselves and their Dragoon auxiliaries, kindapped Imperial citizens to serve as Chapter serfs, and on at least one occasion, blackmailed a planetary governer into allowing their planet to be used as a recruiting world.

### Specialist Formations

#### Brotherhood of Dorn

The Brotherhood of Dorn is a specialist formation within the Knights of the Fist Chapter. This group of thirteen, the number chosen for its ritual significance throughout human history, is composed of Astartes of the Knight-Bannerette rank or higher. The formation is afforded a strike cruiser, *Phall's Retribution*, named for the Heresy-era battle, and is allowed to requisition any troops, equipment or other support it may need in this task. On at least two occasions, the Brotherhood has requisitioned an entire Household for assistance in securing a relic or piece of information, one of those being the infamous *Bardonian Deception*.

With this allowance, many of the brothers opt to arm themselves with relics dating back to the Heresy-era. Cataphractii and Mark IV power armour are common choices on their incursions, and one of their members has opted to be interred within a leviathan dreadnought chassis to continue his duty as part of the Brotherhood.

A Knight-Padre is also permanently assigned to the Brotherhood to act as guidance for the Brotherhood's actions, a guardian against corruption they may encounter on their quest, and as an aid in discerning meaning from relics and other sources of information. This Knight-Padre is also entrusted with the administration of their quest- both the recording of the events occuring (for a Chronicler is not trusted to accompany the Brotherhood) and the communication with the wider Chapter for support.

##### Touch of the Emperor

These veterans are individually selected by the Knight-Padres and must demonstrate, through both prayer and interrogation, the "touch of the Emperor". This refers to a phenomenon, not unlike the Black Rage of the Blood Angels or the Dorn's Darkness of the Excoriators, whereby a Knight believes himself to be reliving the experiences of First Captain Sigismund during his time as Emperor's Champion whilst the Primarch Dorn battles aboard the Vengeful Spirit. Unlike the Black Rage and Dorn's Darkness, however, this is not believed to be a genetic flaw, but rather some form of faith-induced psychosis. In this state, a Knight is often confronted with visions of Heresy-era relics and distorted voices speaking in cryptic riddles, both of which are believed to hold information about the fate of Rogal Dorn. Knights generally pray throughout these experiences, calling upon the Emperor to bestow them the sight and wisdom to learn the truth.

The Chapter, ever wary of warp-magic and the taint of Chaos, treats these incidents with the utmost seriousness. Knight-Padres accompany the Brothers in prayer before interrogating them as to the contents of their visions and revelations. Interrogations are often violent and skeptical due to the aforementioned fear and a Knight may receive considerable wounds before their devotion and experience is trusted. Those successful still count themselves blessed- those who fail to justify their condition adequately are executed as a precaution against warp-taint.

#### Knight-Padres, Deacons and the Diocese

As the Knights followed the doctrine of the Black Templars from their conception, they thus do not maintain a Librarius and rely heavily on Chaplains (known as Padres) for spiritual guidance, record-keeping, and discipline. However, they began a major divergence from the Black Templars in the later stages of the pre-Tenebris era. During this time, a new section of Padres was formed named the Diocese. These Padres were tasked with understanding warp phenomena and psykers, including potential uses, through the lense of the Imperial Cult. With assistance from the Librariuses of other chapters, the Diocese has evolved into a proto-Librarius, with a handful of Padres mastering rudimentary psychic powers and becoming referred to as Deacons. These Deacons retain their role as Padres, hence becoming a hybrid of a Codex chapter's Chaplains and Librarians.

In a similar fashion to the Space Wolves Rune Priests and their "Wyrd", the Knights refer to their psychic abilities as being in some way distinct from warp sorcery, instead arguing that it is faith based. In particular, they cite the powers of Celestine and other Living Saints as evidence of the psychic ability of faith in the Emperor, believing that they are merely harnessing their faith in ways previously unstudied. Deacons draw upon their power through prayer and incantation, often calling upon the Emperor himself to empower individual Knights, or smite their foes.

#### Chapter Size

Whilst the Knights deliberately attempt to obscure their strength, both in numbers and equipment, from the greater Imperium, some attempts have been made to quantify the size of the chapter. It is certainly clear from campaigns conducted in the post-Tenebris era that the Lances employed by the Knights are not a like-for-like comparison with their Codex squad equivalents. FitzLovell's Household during the Bardonian Deception, for example, sported at least 150 marines spread across four Lances, in addition to support ranks such as Constables, Padres and Pages. If Croyland's account of her time in FitzLovell's Household is accurate, this was not even the Household's full strength, with Croyland estimating FitzLovell's Household to number closer to 250 Marines. This would put the chapter's total strength at close to 1,500 marines if extrapolated to the published Order of Battle.

This account has been matched with some considerable skepticism. Imperial scholars researching more obscure chapters argue that it is highly implausible for a chapter severely weakened during a major campaign to replenish its numbers so quickly- a chapter replacing losses of close to 500 Astartes and indeed then growing in size over a period of less than a century is otherwise unheard of. Croyland, in concert with D'Vergil, offer a retort to this, arguing that it is implausible if one only relies on public figures. They argue instead that three particular factors influenced the chapter's rapid growth: Firstly, the chapter retained a considerable reserve of Squires that were not counted in official statistics and were excused under the "crusading loophole" used by other chapters. These Squires were promoted to Errants in rapid time following the disaster on Kaladria; Second, they argue that a considerable portion of the "missing Astartes" in these statistics in fact already existed- size projections for the chapter post-Kaladria assumed that the chapter was compliant with the 1,000 marine limit before the Tenebris campaign. In the opinion of Croyland & D'Vergil, this is perilously naive considering the outright hostility of the Knights towards the Codex even pre-Tenebris; Finally, they argue that the Knights likely swelled the chapter even further using gene-seed harvested from the deceased Hermetic Brothers. While this relies on assumed ill-intent during and after the Homerian Incident, it is certainly plausible and within the character of the chapter to enhance its resources in such a way.

Neither side has conclusively proven their point, and with the Knights leadership staunchly refusing to reveal more, it is unlikely that a resolution will ever be attained.

### Officer Ranks

* **Lord** - Chapter Master equivalent.
* **Knight-Superior** - Champion equivalent.
* **Knight-Commander** - Captain equivalent.
* **Knight-Champion** - Lieutenant equivalent.

### Specialist Ranks

* **Knight-Padre** - Chaplain equivalent.
* **Knight-Constable** - Techmarine equivalent.
* **Knight-Deacon** - Chaplain/ Librarian hybrid.

### Line Ranks

* **Knight-Bannerette** - Sergeant equivalent.
* **Knight-Errant** - Battlebrother equivalent.
* **Squire** - Scout equivalent.

### Squad Formations

* **Bannerette Lance** - Veteran Squad equivalent.
* **Errant Lance** - Battleline Squad equivalent.

### Order of Battle

**Lord Juron Knazs**
***Acting Commander of the Kamarilla and the Chapter***
**Knight-Superior Philip D'Chande**

***Brotherhood of Dorn***
**13 Veterans, sworn to locate Dorn and return him to the Imperium**

***Administratum & Logisticanum***
**1,241 Chapter Serfs, Equerries & Servitors**
**Knight-Commander Paulinius Lettow**

**Four Bannerette Lances**

**Knight-Constables Zohane filius Henrici and Alfonso Benfo**

**Knight-Padre Jan Vorbeck**

**Unspecified number of vehicles**

**Knight-Commander Faustonus de Ros**

**Two Bannerette Lances**

**Three Errant Lances**

**Knight-Constable Ferdinand Skanderbeg**

**Knight-Padre Pipo Odinici**

**Unspecified number of vehicles**

**Lord Juron Knazs**

**Six Bannerette Lances**

**Two Errant Lances**

**Knight-Constables Lorenzo Schnee and Mkaniz de Zeech**

**Knight-Padre Nicolaus Kurjak**

**Unspecified number of vehicles**

**Knight-Commander Uraeg FitzLovell**

**One Bannerette Lance**

**Three Errant Lances**

**Knight-Constable Tos Arshur**

**Knight-Padre Valentian Smuts**

**Unspecified number of vehicles**

**Knight-Commander Maxare Holland**

**Four Errant Lances**

**Knight-Constable Hashmal Loring**

**Knight-Padres Toral Baaleas and Palmerin Ughtred**

**Unspecified number of vehicles**

## Chapter Recruitment

In the post-Tenebris era, the Chapter has found itself without a reliable way to source a continual stream of aspirants to become the new generation of Knights. The Chapter therefore has recruited in three primary ways:

* **Warzone Recruitment-**  The Chapter will often dedicate some time following the end of combat campaigns to scour warzones for potential recruits. Aspirants are often not difficult to find in these circumstances. Where families face years as refugees, with no guarantee of safety or survival on their war-torn planets, the decision to allow their sons a chance to become an Astartes, to escape the life of a refugee for that of a warrior of the Emperor, is often an easy one. On many planets also, the Chapter has found that the overwhelmed orphanage systems, the inevitable result of any war, are more than willing to hand over willing (and sometimes unwilling) aspirants for the Chapter's trials. Given the intense process and years of indoctrination that is already required for an aspirant to become a Space Marine, this process has rarely produced adverse outcomes, and serves as the primary method of Chapter recruitment.

* **Raiding-**  In circumstances where Households recognise a dire need for new aspirants, and other methods have been unsuccessful in producing the required number of new aspirants, they may resort to raiding for aspirants. In these situations, the method of attaining aspirants is little more than kidnapping. Astartes may make planetfall, taking children from communities willing to allow them, or strong-arming them where diplomacy fails. Where a Household finds itself truly desperate, the Knights have even been known to resort to attacks on transport ships, conducting boarding actions to seize as many suitable aspirants as possible, before rapidly exfiltrating from the system.

* **Planetary Coercion-**  Finally, where a more stable pool of aspirants is required, the Knights have, on occasion, coerced Planetary Governers or rulers to provide them with the necessary ability to recruit. Often, the Chapter will undertake actions such as these on feudal or otherwise backwards worlds- ones without the capability to contact any others for aid. Communication systems are destroyed, usually taking advantage of scheduled visits by the Adeptus Administratum to time them to perfection; the Administratum may take another quarter of a century to return to the planet, and for that quarter of a century the Chapter may recruit freely from the otherwise helpless planet.

Once a pool of aspirants has been identified, they are primarily assessed for physical ability, mental resilience, and intellectual astuteness. Trials are not necessarily deadly, but do aim to observe how aspirants react when put into extreme circumstances. No personal history is proscribed against, so long as an aspirant shows strong personal character and a devotion to those around him. Several criminals have made it through the aspirant process in this regard. Whilst the Chapter may lack the ability to keep a continual pool of aspirants available, this does not mean that quality of sacrificed. All aspirants are expected to show they have the personal qualities to become a Knight, and the Chapter does not hesitate to reject an entire pool if they are shown to be unworthy.

Once an aspirant is deemed worthy to ascend to the Chapter, they must be assessed and accepted by a Lance. The Knight-Champion of each Lance within the recruiting Household is given the opportunity to take on as many worthy aspirants as they deem appropriate. There is no limit in either direction- a Knight-Champion may take the full pool of aspirants, with the consent of his fellow Lance commanders, meanwhile another may take none at all. If the pool has any remaining aspirants once the Knight-Champions have made their decisions, remaining aspirants are judged by the Knight-Padres on their merit to become a Page. Pages are allowed to undergo gene-seed implantation and become Astartes, but are trained by the Knight-Padres and assist them in their work, before being inducted into a Lance at a later date. This ensures that high-potential aspirants are not lost if a Household is unwilling or unable to take the full pool directly into its Lances.

If an Aspirant is deemed unworthy of becoming a Page, they are given the choice to serve as a Chapter Serf, or to enter the Dragoons regiments. Many Aspirants choose the latter, having always intended to make warrior careers, with many becoming successful officers and NCOs within the Dragoon regiments. Many retain a lifelong regret at having failed to become Astartes, however, and are privately referred to as "Curthose" by some members of the Dragoons, on account of having come just short of accomplishing said task.

## Chapter Beliefs

"*These be the points, cause and mischiefs of gathering and assembling of us, the Astartes of the Knights of the Fist, the ten-thousandth year of our Lord, the God-Emperor's reign atop the Golden Throne, which we trust to the almighty God-Emperor to remedy, with the help and the grace of his loyal sons and our Father, Rogal Dorn, and the poor commons of the Imperium, and else we shall die therefore: We, considering that the Emperor our sovereign lord, by the insatiable, covetous, malicious persons that daily and nightly are about his highness, and daily inform him that good is evil and evil is good...*"
—from the Proclamation of the Grievances of the Knights of the Fist Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes.
The Chapter holds extreme ideological beliefs even in comparison to many of the Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes. Whilst many Chapters derive beliefs from their homeworld, or the teachings of their gene-sire, the Knights of the Fist believe firmly in the role of the Astartes in the good governance and commonwealth of the Imperium. In the ideology of the Knights, the Space Marines are not merely humanity's guardians, they are intrinsically political, and the willingness of other Space Marine chapters to disregard this has condemned the Imperium to an "invisible conquest" and betrayal of the God-Emperor's divine will.

### Proclamation of the Grievances of the Knights of the Fist Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes

The primary collection of the Chapter's ideology is within the document, the Proclamation of the Grievances of the Knights of the Fist Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. Within this document, the Chapter sets out ten core tenets of their beliefs, upon which they base their actions and conduct their campaigns. This document is the most controversial item of the Chapter's history, surpassing that even of the Homerian Incident, and is the primary cause for their classification of **Excoriate** by many Imperial organisations.

The Proclamation is directed mainly at the Regency of Roboute Guilliman, and also targets the Inquisition, the Adeptus Terra, and the Ecclesiarchy. For the Chapter, it is rationale for their loyalty, and also attempts to create a legalistic approach for their actions in warfare with it deeming many Imperial bodies traitorous to the Emperor, and therefore valid combat targets. Finally, the Proclamation acts as a declaration of the sovereignity of Dorn as the Emperor's Praetorian, and submits the Chapter to his will and judgement, upon his return to the Imperial fold.

Select items of the proclamation are reproduced, with explanation, here:

"*His True Servants will it be known that the progeny and affinity of the Primarch Guilliman have, through means most deceitful and foul, undermined and usurped the divine rule of the Emperor and have lost his law, his possession, and his faithful, to ruin.*"
—Excerpt from the Third Item, First Complaint of the Proclamation.
The excerpt, calling the Knights "true servants" of the Emperor (though as D'Vergil notes, ambiguously so as to insinuate speaking on behalf of all "true servants"), calls the Lord Regent and his progeny and affinity (meaning his Astartes descendants i.e. the Ultramarines and later founding Chapters; and those who collaborate with Guilliman, such as the High Lords, the Astra Militarum, etc.) traitors to the Emperor's rule. It, with copious venom, declares that Guilliman and his conspirators have wrested the rulership of the Imperium from its rightful, divine ruler through backhanded means and in doing so have condemned the Imperium to its current state.

"*The armies and servants of His Will serve of nought else in these days but for to do wrong, for they are blinded by false dogma, for daily they are misguided by Guilliman's proclamations, which profess martial wisdom to shroud their political intent and so no remedy is is had by those faithful.*"
—Excerpt from the Fourth Item, First Complaint of the Proclamation.
This Item places the failure of the Imperium to combat the treachery in its midst at its "misguidance" by Guilliman's "proclamations"- the Codex Astartes. The Knights allege that the Codex, rather than being a guiding manifesto for the Astartes, is in fact the basis for Guilliman's coup. Though not quoted here, the Proclamation alleges that the Codex's decree to split the Legions into Chapters was not an altruistic act to prevent the horrors of the Horus Heresy from reoccuring, but rather a deliberate and insidious ploy by the Ultramarine's Primarch to remove the basis for the other Primarchs to rule and in doing so cement his own position. They allege that the only Primarchs capable of challenging Guilliman after the siege of Terra were Dorn and the Lion, both of whom had considerably more divided Legions than Guilliman. Therefore, by splitting them into Chapters, Guilliman intended to allow his rival Legions to fracture and sunder whilst his own more uniform Ultramarines legion would operate in the same structure, with merely superficial alterations.

The ultimate effect of this, they allege, is an Imperium unable to effectively challenge Guilliman's power. The Ultramarines legion remains unchanged at its core, with only the Imperium's perception of it having been altered, whilst the remainder of the Imperium, particularly the Astartes, are forced to adhere to his teachings or risk excommunication. No force is able to challenge Guilliman because they must play by his rules.

"*They say that the servants of the Imperium would first destroy the Emperor's loyal counsel and afterward himself, and then bring the traitorous Despoiler to rule, or else rule by the archenemy and the alien's decree, so that by their false means and lies they may bring the God-Emperor to hate and destroy his true servants, and cherish his false traitors. They call themselves his loyal children, and if there were no more reason across the Imperium to know, he may know they be not his humble servants by their covetousness.* "
—Excerpt from the Second Item, Second Complaint of the Proclamation.
In this Item, the Knights continue to make press the argument of Guilliman and his co-conspirator's treachery through their consolidation of the Imperial political apparatus and the resultant ability to define treachery through their own lense. They allege that legitimate complaints against the rule of Guilliman are branded as support for the servants of Chaos or xenos races. This false dichotomy, they allege, is used to de-legitimise any opposition to the regime, especially for the organisations able to genuinely challenge the Imperial rulership such as the Astartes. Hostility to the Codex, Guilliman or his lackeys is branded heresy and crushed.

Though not stated explicitly, this Item targets the Inquisition in particular. The Inquisition, being the primary body of prosecuting traitorous activity, is actually the most traitorous of all. They covet power above all and thus enable the regime and the Guilliman ideology to persecute those who would truly serve the Imperium, rather than the Imperium they represent.

"*We will it be known that we will not act with malice, nor rob, nor plunder, nor will we conduct immoral war, but that which attempt to impede the Emperor's true servants, until his Holy rule is restored; wherefore we exhort all the God-Emperor's faithful followers and true servants to help us, support us, and join our cause, for he who defies our cause and strikes against the Emperor's faithful is falser than an Eldar.* "
—Excerpt from the Sixth Item, Second Complaint of the Proclamation.
Again, the Knights profess their loyalty and innocence, vowing to act morally and without ill-intent to all but those who attempt to prevent their mission. This again appears to be left vague in order to legitimise violence against targets who would otherwise be considered non-combatants. Is a planetary governer refusing to allow her world to be used to swell the ranks of an extreme Astartes brotherhood a traitor to the Emperor? For the Knights, they are impeding the God-Emperor's will, and therefore are as traitorous as Horus himself.

"*It is to be known that it was Dorn, not Guilliman, who was entrusted with the defence, commonwealth, and maintenance of Holy Terra and His Imperial Palace and thereby entrusted as true regent of the Imperium; the false Pretenders shall be found guilty and heretical upon his return.* "
—Excerpt from the Seventh Item, Second Complaint of the Proclamation.
The final Item of the Second Complaint lays out the basis for the Third. Here, the Knights state the claim of Dorn's legitimacy as true regent of the Imperium.

The entirety of the final Complaint is devoted to the search for Dorn. In a rare act of belligerence against their perceived own, they attack their progenitors, calling the Imperial Fists Chapter's worship of Dorn's fist "folly". It is the Knights' belief that the fist is a ruse, intended to obscure Dorn's true fate (and insinuated survival), from the Imperium. This final Complaint declares the Knights of the Fist to be true sons of Dorn and therefore soldiers of his legion. They renounce their Chapter independence, instead referring to themselves as the 397th Company of the Imperial Fists Legion, awaiting orders from their Primarch. In his absence, they vow to continue the search for him, until either he is found or the last legionnaire of the 397th Company is struck down.

## Chapter Gene-Seed

The Chapter possesses generally stable gene-seed, being from the relatively pure Imperial Fists stock, but notes some proneness to the flaws encountered by other Imperial Fists descendants.

### Genetic Flaws

Whilst the "touch of the Emperor" is not viewed as a genetic flaw, it is believed by some in the Chapter's apothecarion that the condition may bear some relation to Dorn's Darkness suffered by the Excoriators, particularly due to the prevalence of similar physical symptoms in the early stages. However, as the Knights believe they are reliving the memories of Sigismund, not their gene-sire, it is unclear as to how the condition would be hereditary in their gene-seed.

The current consensus across the Chapter is that the condition is a milder form of Dorn's Darkness modified by extreme faith- where the Excoriators undergo a waking nightmare, the Knights experience a revelation, though nonetheless they are laid low by its physical properties.

## Combat Doctrine

The Knights combat doctrine is unusual for a chapter of its character and nature, being focused primarily on pragmatism and adaptability, over the concepts of honour and glory which dominate many crusading Astartes chapters. Each Knight is expected to be well-read and both tactically and strategically well-informed. The chapter regularly organises exercises to test and debate doctrine on a strategic scale, in addition to the regular tactical and physical based training undertaken by Astartes.

### Strategic Doctrine

The Knights, unlike many chapters, divide their doctrine into two sections- strategic doctrine and tactical doctrine. These refer to the scales over which combat occurs, ensuring that decisions are made appropriately at each level.

#### Evolution of the Doctrine

Having taken much of their early example from the Black Templars, for long periods of the chapter's history they fought in a similar manner to Dorn's eternal crusaders. They favoured large scale orbital assault, armoured spearheads, and the iconic close quarters savagery that defined the war-making of their Second-Founding cousins.

However, over the course of their time crusading, the chapter began to delve deeper into the strategic considerations of its doctrine. Senior leaders of the Knights performed considerable analysis on the tactical and strategic of both the Imperial forces and their enemies. The results were eventually compiled into an essay termed *The Warfare of Adeptus Astartes and its Enemies*. In its most controversial move until the publishing of the Grievances, the essay not only criticised the methods with which the Astartes conducted war, but also the Imperium as a whole, and indeed praised the strategy of a number of the Imperium's enemies, most notably the archenemy and the upstart Tau Empire.

The primary criticism levelled at the Imperium was a failure of the Quest as a master principle of war. The Imperium, they alleged, failed to communicate its Quest in any more than the vaguest terms, which prevented it from making any distinct gains on a strategic level and impaired sound judgement on a tactical. Conversely, the Knights alleged that the likes of the archenemy were consistent in their Quest, from the highest strategic overview to the lowest tactical level:

"*The archenemy, though diffuse and nebulous in nature, perhaps only unified in any form under its vilest and most traitorous servants such as the Despoiler, nonetheless possesses a most well-defined and executed Quest- the worship of their dark Gods and the destruction of the Imperium. In every facet of their fight is this Quest honoured, through violence, chaos, sorcery, is the will of the Gods continually performed and the ruin of the Imperium brought forth.*"
—Excerpt from the Warfare of the Adeptus Astartes and its Enemies
Alternatively, the Imperium fails to define its Quest in terms other than defend. Eternal war does not favour the Imperium- they are not strengthened by the constant fight, nor is the Emperor empowered in any manifest way. The archenemy, however, it does. So why, therefore, does the Imperium throw millions into the jaws of death? Why, are Astartes spent without consideration on vain glory? Because the Imperium does not know why its fights, just that it does.

From these observations came their Principles of War, a set of guiding points that the Knights have used to wage war from all levels from the highest strategic view down to the individual Lances on the battlefield.

#### The Principles of War

##### The identification and maintenance of the Quest

The Quest is the first and foremost principle of the Knights' approach to war. It is the guide for all of their decisions. The overarching ideology is, of course, to find Dorn and restore his rule as the Emperor's Praetorian. From there, the Quest is re-assessed and formulated at each level of conflict, strategic, operational, and tactical, to constantly ensure it is aligned with the aforementioned ideology. There is no aimless action- each planetfall, hive assault, boarding operation and so on, is conducted because it brings Dorn's return closer. Actions, operations and indeed entire campaigns are reviewed against this goal, and mistakes consistently debated and analysed.

Needless to say, this often does not earn the Knights many friends, and leaves them often out of misstep with the overarching Imperium. It is not uncommon for Imperial worlds to send out requests for aid, only to find the Knights pre-occupied gathering information on relics, or performing political favours to trade guilds and forgeworlds in return for their aid in the coming return of Dorn.

This is not always the case, however, for optics will also matter when the time comes- Dorn needs support from the poor commons to overthrow the insidious cult of Guilliman.

##### War is Political

"*War is not merely an act of policy but a true political instrument, a continuation of political intercourse, carried on with other means*"
—M.2 Europan warlord Karol v. Clowsvist, quoted in the Knights' Principles of War
Secondly, the Knights believe firmly in the act of war as a political act. It is a clash of wills, with each side determined to assert their will upon the other. War, they assert, must be fought entirely with this in mind. Even the insidious hive mind, driven presumably by mere animalistic instinct, intends to politically subjugate the Imperium of Man for the purpose of consuming its biomass. Whether they break that will through falsehoods with their genestealer cults, or literally with tooth and claw, it matters not. Even the Orks are forcing political will through their fight for unending conflict.

The Knights use this principle to guide their actions wherever possible. Traitor cults are broken into submission by shadows which tear apart their leaders, unseen snipers who doggedly harass them with silenced bolter fire whenever one leaves the safety of cover, and orbital strikes turning supply depots into glass- thereby sending the survivors to re-education camps to be reintegrated as loyal Imperial citizens. Orks are baited by continual feints from hardened melee veterans until they are brought, vulnerable, into the sights of the gunline.

There may be only Eternal War, but this war is inherently political, and striking at the aims of the enemy, rather than simply aiming to face them on the battlefield, is a core of the Knights' doctrine.

##### Adaptability at all levels

"*The first casualty of battle is the plan*"
—Warriors proverb, quoted in the Knights' Principles of War
War is chaotic, and nothing, even the iron resolve and honed skills of the Astartes, will prevent that. Even the humble Squire, in the right moment, will understand the tactical decision required better than the Knight-Commander and his grand battleplan. Knights are continually encouraged to take personal initiative to dynamic situations to resolve them in the appropriate way.

Every battle, skirmish and conflict, faced by the Astartes is dynamic, incredibly rapidly moving, and fundamentally adverserial. It is not prudent to encourage Lances on the ground the follow orders to the letter or to rely on senior commanders to make timely and appropriate decisions in response to the changing situation. Nor is it wise to expect Knight-Commanders to take the field in every engagement. Whilst a Knight-Commander, like all of his veteran space marine brethren, is a fearsome foe to encounter, he cannot be expected to make accurate strategic decisions whilst he is hilt deep in an Ork's sternum. Furthermore, in many conflicts fought in the 42nd millenium, the sheer magnitude of communication-jamming assaults occuring make it incredibly difficult for even the Adeptus Astartes to maintain adequate links between strategic and tactical level commanders.

As such, the Knights make considerable effort to pass strategic direction down to the lowest levels whilst maintaining their ability to focus on the task at hand. This includes, amongst other solutions, clear and consistent communication of the Quest, and the trust in junior commanders to implement it. Mutual-bonds are encouraged, not only amongst one's closest brothers in one's Lance, but with commanders up to and including the Kamarilla.

##### The Tree of War

"*If you want peace, prepare for war’*"
—M.1 Warrior-Philosopher Vejetyus, quoted in the Knights' Principles of War
The most radical departure from the combat doctrine employed by the Knights prior and during the Tenebris campaign is that of the "Tree of War". This metaphor refers to the various methods of waging war as a tree, with branches representing different methods. Lethal force on the ground is but one branch of this tree. Others include the manifestation of faith in the Emperor used by the Deacons, aerial warfare, void combat, and inclusions that were not previously deemed the realm of Astartes by the chapter, like propaganda, espionage, and misdirection and diversion. All branches, the Principles of War argues, are of importance to waging war in the 42nd millenium.

The Tree of War also presents, again through analogy of shade and roots, the consequences of war. The Tree, it argues, is not alone in a vacuum- its shade prevents light reaching other plants below it and its roots tear up rockrete and earth around it. So too, does war affect life around it. The roots and their effect are an analogy for what the Principles calls *Partakers* or the *Party*. These are not only those involved in the conflict directly, but those who make decisions based on the outcome of conflict. As the roots may break open the earth, war may destroy planets, end lives, disrupt colossal political bodies. The Partakers are ultimately what empower or destroy the Tree. As an old oak destroying the road with its roots is cut down and its stump wrenched from the ground, a Chapter engaging in conflict wihtout regard for its repercussions invites its own woodcutters. This is intrinsically linked to the shade, the analogy for the *Listeners* as they are referred to. Where shade prevents life blooming, so too does war stifle populations, trade and growth. The shade is the partner to the roots, for though it may not be as destructive of what exists, its prevention of what could be once again brings the woodcutters. And when the farmer, whose crops do not grow for the shade, and the peasants, whose wagons are crippled by the uneven roads, join forces, the Tree will surely be doomed.

Severe criticism is made in the section on the Tree of War against the leadership of the chapter before and during the Tenebris campaign. Leadership failed, it contends, to not only account for the additional branches which may have served them (the use of espionage to uncover the threat of the Tenebris Lumina being a primary example) but to also fail to heed the effects of their conflicts on the Party and the Listeners (the wider Imperium) condemned the chapter to be brought to the brink of extinction. The branches unused withered and died, sapping the Tree of its strength, and the shade and roots brought the ire of the farmer and peasant to finish what the sickness of the branches had started.

The section vows to never again let the Tree of War become so weak, or find itself the target of the woodcutters' wrath.

### Tactical Doctrine

On the tactical scale, the realm of Lances and small-scale forces, the Knights are generally expected to be generalists and to select the appropriate weaponry and style of combat for the task at hand. A Knight relies on three weapons- his bolter, his pistol, and his sword (note this usually refers to a power sword, rather than a combat weapon or chainsword). With these weapons, the Knight should be able to accomplish the vast majority of tasks relayed to him. However, when he judges that an alternate approach is more suitable, such as the use of a flamer for to clear choke points and emplacements, or a plasma weapon to break through heavy infantry, these resources are almost always made available to him, whether in the form of combi-weapons or the full-scale weapon itself. Nevertheless, perhaps due to their forebears or their crusading past, many Knights still favour the sword and shield, a combo that they still tend to be stubborn to drop for alternative weapons.

D'Vergil himself noted that the Knights tactical doctrine now, rather ironically, considerably resembles that of the Ultramarines, a remark which did not endear him much of the chapter.

### Jus Ad Bellum and Jus In Bello

Perhaps unusually for a space marine chapter, the Knights have also developed a basic theory of just war through the two theories jus ad bellum (justice of war) and jus in bello (just conduct in war). These ideas came primarily as a result of discussions around how and when hostilities were permitted by the chapter against forces of the Imperium and former Imperial citizens. The reasoning given was that the Knights are not seeking to overthrow or conquer the Imperium, merely to restore the Emperor's rightful rule, and therefore should take action where harm may occur to Imperial citizens only when absolutely necessary for their task.

#### Jus Ad Bellum

The justice of war theory concerns when the chapter may take hostile action against an adversary. There are three reasons for which the chapter may take hostile action:

* **Self-Defence** - The Knights may take hostile action when attacked by any force, regardless of the allegiance of their adversary. The hostile action taken must always be the least devastating to ensure success in retaining the chapter's operational and fighting capability. If attacked by Imperial forces, the Knights may act in self-defence but must always seek to ensure they can withdraw in good order, rather than attempting to defeat or disable their opponents. This is for two reasons. Firstly, the Knights are fully aware of the forces that may potentially be arrayed against them and therefore will always seek to retain their operational integrity. Better to withdraw and preserve strength for the long-term than to sacrifice capability unnecessarily to destroy an opposing force. Second, the vast majority of the Imperium, even those who profess their loyalty to the traitor Guilliman, are not the true enemy of the Knights. Every one of those misguided killed is a potential ally lost forever and another cause for resentment of the Knights' mission. The politics of the fight is, as per the strategic doctrine, still in the forefront of the commander's mind in these situations.

* **Defence of the Imperium** - This is the just cause under which the majority of the Knights' hostile action takes place. Nearly all enemies that would seek to destroy the Imperium or the Emperor are just targets, be they traitor, xenos or otherwise. The one potential exception to this rule are the unwitting pawns of the enemy- misled guardsmen, brainwashed Tau auxiliaries, rebels of a just, albeit false cause. These are true servants of the Emperor who are merely attempting to defend themselves or their interests. It is not them who are enemies of the Imperium but their leadership and where possible these enemies should be captured so they may be re-educated and re-integrated into the Imperium as once-more loyal servants.

* **On the wish of the Emperor** - The final cause refers to hostile actions guided by the Emperor's will. This is used rarely, and particularly scrutinised before it is invoked. Under this cause, the Knights are permitted to undertake hostile action against any target in order to achieve the Emperor's will. This is most often employed in circumstances whereby hostile action must be taken against Imperial forces to secure relics and information, usually based on the visions of the Brotherhood of Dorn.

#### Jus In Belli

The just conduct in war theory is generally kept quite simple, especially in comparison to its historical counterparts in Terran history. It is guided by one overarching principle: to reduce suffering and death amongst hostile Imperial force wherever possible. If possible, when hostile action against Imperial forces is unavoidable, action must be taken to reduce the Imperial death count to an absolute minimum. If a bloodless conflict can be achieved, steps to ensure this must be taken. In practical terms this generally means seeking to disable rather than destroy, to only incur necessary deaths to prevent Imperial forces from denying the Knights the completion of their Quest or their withdrawal, and the good treatment of the main body of any enemy forces who are generally acting under orders alone rather than true hostility.

## Deathwatch Service

The Chapter no longer sends its members for the Long Vigil. Individual Astartes are deemed too vital to be seconded to other organisations. Additionally, the friction between the Chapter and the Inquisition means many would refuse to enter Deathwatch service on an ideological basis, regardless of necessity.

Chapter records indicate that many now deceased members served in the Deathwatch, but the secondment of Marines took a steep fall following the Homerian Incident.

The Chapter has, according to the writings of D'Vergil however, sent Astartes to the Deathwatch with the intention of spying on their activities and in turn, the Inquisition. D'Vergil claims that Lord Knazs received intelligence reports from Marines stationed with the Deathwatch, including the acquisition of further assets within other Ordos of the Inquisition. Whilst this may be the case, it is unclear how the chapter would manage to conduct any effective espionage, given the Inquisition's already cautious approach towards them. D'Vergil nonetheless remains adamant that the Knights were able to glean some useful intelligence, but was unable to substantiate this claim.

## Notable Members

* **Grand Master Davian Gaspar** - Former Grand Master of the Knights of Caledon. Died on Kaladria.
* **Grand Master Ambroth Sigismund** - Former Grand Master of the Knights of Caledon. Died on Numos in the year 952.M41. Succeeded by Davian Gaspar.

## Chapter Fleet

The Knights maintain a particularly large fleet, even by the standards of fleet-based chapters. They possess seven battle barges, two of which have been withdrawn from service to be refitted. Though it is unclear how they came to possess it, the *Dorn's Graal* appears to date from the Heresy-era, being unusually large and well-armed in comparison to many modern battle barges, with some even suggesting it may be a mobile battle station rather than a ship. It was hence the obvious choice to serve as the chapter's fortress-monastery following the destruction of Caledon.

The chapter possesses a further twenty seven strike cruisers, one of which, the *Phall's Retribution,* is permanently seconded to the Brotherhood of Dorn. Additional support and escort vessels are also controlled by the chapter.

The size of the chapter's fleet notably increased after the Homerian Incident, with many of the Hermetic Brothers' former ships being absorbed into the Knights' fleet.

A handful of ships are named below:

* ***Dorn's Graal* (Battle Barge)** - Current flagship and fortress-monastery of the Knights of Caledon.

* ***Sword of Caledon* (Battle Barge)** - Former flagship of the Knights of Caledon, renamedd *Dorn's Graal.*

* ***Caledon's Fury* (Battle Barge)**

* ***Ice Spear* (Strike Cruiser)**

* ***Caledon's Vengeance* (Strike Cruiser)**

* ***Noble Wrath* (Strike Cruiser)**

* ***Hermannus* (Strike Cruiser)**

* ***Phall's Retribution* (Strike Cruiser)**

## Notable Quotes

### About the Knights of Caledon

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## Gallery

Knights of the Fist Knight-Bannerette arrayed in relic Indomtius pattern Terminator Armour and armed with an Assault Cannon and Power Fist.