Knights of the Lion

*Theme music for the chapter to listen to as you read.*

**This article, Knights of the Lion, was written by Sugarcombz. It may be linked to any page without asking for the author's permission.**

## Knights of the Lion

Knights of the Lion armorial with Chapter iconography.

* Primaris
* Firstborn

A Knight (Battle-Brother) of the 3rd Host, 3rd Battleline Squad.

## Space Marine Chapter

### **Allegiance**

Imperium of Man
(*Fedelitas Constantus*)

### **Successor of**

Dark Angels
(Lion El'Jonson lineage.)

### **Specialty**

* Close Quarters Combat
* Combined Arms
* Drop Pod Assaults
* Frontline Spearheads (Deathwing)
* Scouting & Flanking (Ravenwing)
* Scorched Earth Tactics (Dreadwing)
* Intelligence & Sabotage (Firewing)

### **Battle cry**

"Si vis pacem para bellum!"(If you want peace, prepare for war.)

### **Colours**

* Steel Metallic, Gold, & Dark Green (Steelwing)
* Black, Bone White, & Red (Deathwing)
* Black, Silver, & Red (Ravenwing)

"*My subjects, this is the end of me. If this planet dies, then I will die with it. Let it be known that we Knights of the Lion have never and will never leave the loyal servants of the Imperium undefended. If we fall in battle, let us fall with our swords raised in the air, so our foe must march through a field of blades to reach those we protect! Do not weep for me, be stronger than that, and honor me by carrying on my legacy not with song and statue, but by carrying my ideals into the next generation. For the Lion, for Antioch, for the Emperor, and for the Imperium! Give me death!*"
—Grandmaster Carolus' final recorded transmission on Surtalamus Reach
The **Knights of the Lion** are a loyalist Space Marine Chapter created during the 24th Founding and are members of the Unforgiven of the Dark Angels. Sharing many similarities with their original Chapter, the Knights were made to be extremely flexible and well-rounded, as well as *Codex*-compliant, at least on the surface for appearances. The one aspect where they do stand out is in close quarters combat, and even Knights who share specialties such as siege-warfare or armored assaults still excel at dueling and swordsmanship. Other than that, the Knights of the Lion appear to be nothing more than honorable, devoted guardians.

Guided by the current Master Chaplain, the Chapter presents themselves as protectors to place themselves in between the helpless mortals and the horrors that prey upon them. The Chapter holds parades, feasts, hunts, and other acts of showmanship for worlds they liberate, consolidate, or otherwise save. However, within the halls of the Chapter, duty always comes first before anything else, least of all appearances, and they will not hesitate to get their hands dirty. To the Knights of the Lion, necessary collateral is just that: necessary.

Originally founded to be a near identical chapter to the Dark Angels, the feudal world they settled on was beset by Chaos warbands from the Shroud at the onset of their history. Barely forged, many of the most influential Dark Angels veterans within the chapter were killed, incurring near apocalyptic losses for the chapter. Successfully repelling their besiegers, the Knights of the Lion recovered its massive casualties with swathes of recruits from Antioch, their fortress monastery world. Forcefully disconnected from their parent chapter, the Dark Angels now only loosely associate with the Knights of the Lion, on the outside and within Inner Circle affairs, mainly due to the different culture that took root within the chapter.

## Notable Campaigns

### **Siege of Antioch (371.M39)**

168 years after the birth of the Knights of the Lion, the chapter was mostly lead by Dark Angels veterans, with Knights from Antioch making up the minority of the chapter's numbers. It acted as a puppet for the Dark Angels behind closed doors, with a close connection to their sire chapter and a chapter culture very similar to it. But that relationship would be rocked during the Siege of Antioch, a legendary war known to the members of the chapter as Antioch's first real conflict, and the most defining event of their history. Returning from a short campaign, the majority of the chapter was housed at Antioch along with most of their fleet, consisting of seven companies, their battle barge flagship, a Retribution-class battlship named 'Ruler Eternal', and six strike cruisers. This force, led by Grandmaster Kamael, former member of the Dark Angels' Deathwing, would defend the planet Antioch from a sudden surprise invasion pouring out from the nearby warp rift, 'The Shroud.' A massive force of traitor astartes led by Nehabrak of The Vitrifiers, Spartikhan of the World Rippers, and a Fallen Angel known as Urien. Supplemented to this force were squads of Iron Warriors and Emperor's Children who were both promised ulterior rewards by Urien of the Fallen. Descending upon the world on 4.191.371.M39, the chaos warfleet began their grand assault to destroy the Knights of the Lion chapter.

"*I tire of this bickering, and my nails yearn for combat. You have your duties, as do I. Fulfill them and you'll gain a modicum of my respect, sorcerer.*"
— Spartikhan the Exsanguinator speaking to Blazing Serpent Nehabrak at the onset of the Siege of Antioch
(Placeholder)

### **Siege of Pylerold (700.M40)**

Travelling through the warp, Radragael the Great, Grandmaster of the Knights of the Lion, commanded a flotilla of ships travelling to the galactic southeast, to Antioch. Within this flotilla were the strike cruisers 'Fist of the King' and 'Honor's Reprisal,' along with half a dozen escort vessels. As they passed the currents of the Charadon Sector, astropaths aboard the Fist of the King picked up a distress signal from the Pylerold System, as well as faint communications from an astartes force near the system. At the command of Radragael, they were to answer the call for aid, and the navigators of the flotilla made the short detour into the Pylerold System. Exiting the warp above the hive world Pylerold Tertius, the Knights found an ork fleet embroiled in combat with another fleet of space marines. As their vessels barreled ahead to engage, the Knights established communications with the other astartes, the Iron Juggernauts chapter. The Siege of Pylerold had begun. The Fist of the King plunged into a gap within the ork fleet like a knife, flanking the ork flagship and pummeling it with macrocannon volleys. Cut off and flung into chaos, the orks were unable to repel the boarding craft of both chapters, and the Iron Juggernauts breached first. Drawn to the roaring, fur-coated Iron Juggernauts, the orks flooded their beachhead, hoping for a proper fight. Exploiting this, assault rams containing terminators of 1st Host, Deathwing, as well as elements of 5th Host, Regents, including Master Eredain, slammed into the opposite end of the ship, blitzing ahead to reach the poorly defended bridge. With the marines under his command defending him from flanking orks, Eredain dueled the ship commander and swiftly killed the ork leader, cutting him into a pile of bloody green chunks with his swordsmanship prowess. With their leader dead, chaos and cowardice overcame the orks within the fleet, and those remaining were either slaughtered or forced into escape craft to land planetside with the rest of the ork forces. With the ship cleared, both chapters briefly greeted each other, both expressing brief respects to one another in their own ways. Saving full traditions and rituals for after the battle was won, they returned to their own vessels and prepared a full scale deployment onto Pylerold Tertius. The guardsmen of the Hive City Smeltos  were near the brink of failure, the greenskin tide was overwhelming but the line held only for the threat by the nearby rank officers who were barking orders with grim efficiency, when suddenly a vox message arrived, a booming and deep voice ordering to hold, reinforcements inbound, nobody nor guardsmen nor officers had the time to realize what was happening high in the sky when bulky unpainted drop pods and other standard green painted crushed onto the alien heads. Red gore and scattered limbs jumped around the drop pods, while the Astartes marched of the vehicles bolt shell flied and exploded into the green body cluster that bellowed in anger before charging handling crude weaponry. The roar of chainswords and flamer covered the alien bellows who were burned to a crisp or stomped down by the Iron Juggernauts, the iron armoured Astartes moving forward to the rhythm of their war chants in hard contrast, the Knight of the Lion proceeded almost solemnly, the only sounds they made were the blasts from their bolt pistols and their blades cutting the air while ork limbs rolled on the ground, only to be trampled by their kin. Small flyers flew over the battlefield, firing death from their weapon systems while a nebula of thick dust arouse onto the air as bike from both Astartes forces charged the flank of the greenskins, glittering halberds and pointed spears replaced the Bolters that chanted death as they charged. Aliens lay dead all around from the warlike prowess of the Astartes when the Ork chieftain showed himself, stomping the ground with the feet of his crude and rusty battle armour, smoke raised from his back as engines and mechanism allowed him to move. The fight looked like to stop as a crab like claw pierced the air, as the creature roared a challenge. Both Legate Ferrox Rustclaw and Grandmaster Radragael the Great stepped out from the ranks, pointing their weapon to the brute, accepting his challenge. They looked at each other eye lenses when realized that both could not accept the duel, when the Warboss spoke, his giant tongue and huge fangs unallowing him to speak fluent a civilized language, he mocked the ranked Astartes, accepting them both as his opponents. The gargantuan claw pierced the air once more and the engine of a grease motor axe started roaring as the Astartes exchanged a sign of acknowledgement before charging the creature, the great power sword of the Grandmaster Radragael sizzled as energy raced on the blade length while the curved power sword and the combat blade of Legate Ferrox Rustclaw were ready to strike the joints and weak points of the raw amass of metal and mechanism of the mega armour. The giant green alien laughed once more at the Astartes charged swinging his motor axe in a crude brutal arc that crushed on the power sword of the Grandmaster of the Knights of the Lion that quickly exchanged his offensive stand with a defensive one in a quick movement of feet while Ferrox Rustclaw ducked under a piercing slash of the deadly power claw before stabbing the elbow juncture of the orkish armour. Grease mixed with oil and blood dripped down on the ground where the combat knife punctured, the ork grunted in disgust watching the fur-cloaked Astartes, changing position for a further attack. The few moment of distraction were enough to Radragael to slide under the still blocked blow, forcing the motor axe to crush on the sandy ground of the planet, changing again feet posture and combat stance, allowing him to make a horizontal slash on knee height. A shrieking sound produced as the metal protection and the blade meted each other. Blood soaked the ground as with a singular strike the leg of the warboss was detached, the sound of sizzling and burning flesh climbed in the air. The Grandmaster turned on itself, preparing a second blow aimed to the head of the greenskin but the power claw punched forward, meeting in the air the unbalanced swordmaster that was pushed on the ground few steps behind. Ozhak Gitrippa moved forward, leaving the motor axe and using the hand as support, the claw clutched the air once more read to cut in half the black armoured Astartes. The alien drooling in anger, watching the Knight of the Lion at his mercy, didn’t expect the Legate jumping on his back from behind, both combat blade and power saber pierced the weak joint of the neck armour, both blades sticking out from the other side, the greenskin as didn’t caring of the mortal wound and catched with the claw by one of his arms and cutting through the ceramite of the power armour with ease. A distorted deep howl of pain emerged from the crested helmet of the warrior, which cursed the xenos in his language, the ork licked his lips in anticipation as the Astartes draw is bolt pistol shooting the alien on the chest, bolter shells ricocheted on the crude pectoral plastron as the claw snapped a second time. The bestial satisfied expression of the boar-like alien face froze as Grandmaster Radragael stepped in, stabbing the greatsword forward and impaling the ork in the middle of the mouth. With the death of Ozhak Gitrippa the remaining orks forced were killed or forced to leave the system in less than a standard month, 2nd Legate Ferrox Rustclaw will die in the medical deck of the *Piercing Spectre* for the wounds but from his ashes, that will be kept in the Iron Sanctum together with the other heroes of the Chapter, a bond of friendship will born between the Iron Juggernauts and the Knights of the Lion.

### **Battle of Ultima Epsilon (202.M41)**

The Knights of the Lion were called to a system holding the planet Ultima Epsilon over a phenomena the PDF of the planet was unable to recognize or adequately combat. The nearby strike cruiser Valormonger containing the 'Regents' 5th Host was dispatched to investigate and swiftly neutralize what the planetary government couldn't identify. Upon their arrival, the Regents' command briefed themselves on the situation. After industrialization, the climate of the planet was being changed to turn frozen ice caps into seas and oceans for the planet's usage, however after the northern cap was shrunken substantially, two northern outposts responsible for monitoring the terraforming efforts went silent. Officials sent to the outposts to check on them also when dark, and the planetary governor mustered PDF forces to accompany the next batch of officials who were investigating. 10,000 PDF soldiers disappeared once crossing the 80th parallel. Another force of 50,000 PDF soldiers were sent north, splitting into two detachments of 25,000 for each outpost. This time, they received an important final transmission before being lost as well. They reported finding the previous forces waiting for them, and they were confused as to why their detachment had been sent north too. The officials and PDF present were friendly and invited them all inside the compound to recuperate from the cold, and they were never heard from again. The planetary governor immediately requested Astartes support. 5th Host was split in half, with one half led by the Fifth Master taking 50 space marines into the outpost on the 81st parallel, the other half being led by Paladin Carolus taking 50 space marines into the outpost on the 85th parallel. The compound was large, and so Paladin Carolus split his forces into five squads of ten each, planning to enter from the south side at five points and sweep through the facility until grouping up again at the northernmost point. Four Thunderhawk transports departed the Valormonger and descended into the atmosphere. Paladin Carolus' Thunderhawk held two squads, and landed at Southern Platform B. Descending the ramp, they were met by the commander of the first PDF force and a small contingent of PDF soldiers. Apart from them, the platform was empty, and the facility was silent. The PDF forces seemed unfazed by the sight of Astartes, which tipped Carolus off, and within his helmet he told the rest of his detachment to regard any humans on site with suspicion. The PDF commander asked for their identification, to which Carolus responded by chastising him for even asking that of space marines. The commander was quick to backtrack, and seemed to want to please Carolus, but not out of fear as the commander still seemed unfazed and actually rather jovial. The Paladin asked why they haven't contacted the rest of the planetary government and why they had to be called to the world in his stead. The PDF commander didn't even apologize and simply blamed faulty communications equipment. In the distance, Carolus saw the second Thunderhawk land at Southern Platform A, and watched as a separate group of PDF arrived on the platform to greet them. The Paladin stepped in close to the commander, pushing aside PDF soldiers in his way, who obliged without a word. He was done asking, and finally stated that if it was just equipment issues, the PDF should have returned to their craft and informed the government as much. The PDF commander didn't respond for several moments, his soulless eyes locked onto the Paladin's lenses, before offering to bring the Astartes into the compound for a meal. With a single motion, Paladin Alajos unholstered his bolt pistol and fired a round into the commander's head. He told the rest of the squads to kill suspicious humans on sight, and the rest of his squad all simultaneously pulled their bolters on the PDF forces. The commander's body refused to fall, however, and instead where his neck stump was, his flesh started growing out and forming chitinous claws, like spider legs were growing from where his neck was supposed to be. Carolus fired two more rounds into its torso and the creature that was pretending to be the PDF commander finally collapsed and died. The PDF soldiers around him were being torn apart by the rounds, but some of them were rapidly mutating, their bodies changing to serve another purpose. Their arms extended into red, bloody tendrils that tried to stab at their faces and joints, while some of them formed mouths where there should be none. Once the platform was cleared, Carolus told the Thunderhawks to depart, and changed his orders to kill all humans on sight. The five squads rapidly pushed through the facility, entering underground and fighting countless 'humans' who all changed into random, monstrous forms once in close combat. Otherwise, they used lasguns and grenades against the Knights. The further north they got, the worse the facility became. The air inside was becoming thick and foggy with a red mist, and stringy, web-like filaments covered the walls and doors. The northern meeting point was meant to be the station of a massive laser drill being used to burn organic deposits stored under the ice to release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. However, upon reaching the site, the station has been transformed and repurposed. The drill had been tampered with to be less powerful and more precise. Any other machinery or devices had been disassembled and reassembled into alien forms of technology by the humans inside. They were constructing new machines unrecognizable to the Knights. The squad cleared the station out and awaited the rest to arrive at their rendezvous, and took the time to inspect the drill's target. It was melting the ice and cutting out large segments of rock from something utterly massive underneath the ice cap, something metallic and almost perfectly shiny. It seemed like the laser drill had punched a large hole into it from above, and that was the deepest the drill got before ceasing its intended operation. Infected by Xenos technology, Paladin Carolus made the decision to destroy the laser drill, and they did so by attaching every power core in the station to it, overloading it, and destroying its supports so it would fall into the hole it made into the structure below. It was a success, and the entire facility became destabilized by the explosion. As Carolus and his squads evacuated, the compounded started falling into the molten structure below, feeding material into a growing bowl of liquid rock and metals. Once back to their Thunderhawk, they watched as the Xenos structure was buried utterly by slag, slag which was quickly cooled by the on rushing tides of melting ice. After a few hours, nothing remained of the facility but a lake with a bottom made of bedrock and steel. They reconnected with the other half of the Regents and the Fifth Master ordered an orbital bombardment on the other facility to destroy any remnants of the Xenos corruption. The Knights swiftly left the planet without a word to the planetary governor about what was hiding under the ice, and instead simply contacted the Ordo Xenos to decide what should be done with the area they left buried.

### **Tyranid Campaign of Pakwaza (750.M41)**

A tendril of the Tyranid Hive Fleet Behemoth sets its eyes on the Hive-World of Pakwaza Prime, a planet situated within the Azuriz subsector. Fearing that the aliens may advance towards Azuriz itself, the Astartes Chapter known as the Azuri Astra rallies all three of their 'Historitor Fleets' to face the devourer. After weeks of fierce fighting, the Knights of the Lion finally arrived in force to aid against the alien threat. While the Azuri Astra wage a more flexible war involving surgical strikes against priority bioforms and sudden shock assaults, the Knights of the Lion resolve to hold the line with blade and boltgun, shepherding the fleeing populace of Pakwaza Prime to the besieged spaceports. The Knights of the Lion fight with minimal losses as the Azuri Astra take the blunt of the enemy attacks, but the Hive Fleet tendril is dealt grievous blows all the same. Eventually, pressure on the void fleets of both Chapters and the planet itself is about to reach a boiling point, and the Knights attempt to rally their forces together for the incoming tide, only to find the Azuri Astra off the battlefield, looting historical documents. This leads to a confrontation between them and their allies, for the Knights of the Lion believe that further sacrifice by the Astartes may save both the world and its people. Given the choice between saving human life and saving the precious relics collected, the Azuri Astra choose the latter, leaving the Knights of the Lion without support and forcing them to withdraw as well. Once the Tyranids cover the entire world in a feeding frenzy, the Azuri Astra enact Exterminatus on Pakwaza Prime, burning away most of the remaining aliens of the Hive Fleet and effectively saving the subsector from destruction at the hands of the Xenos. Though tens of thousands of civilians were given refuge on the ships of the Knights of the Lion, the millions left behind on the planet were committed to unfeeling fire. The Knights of the Lion chastise the Azuri Astra coldly, but the response is minimal, as they believe the Knights to have a hidden agenda as well, and the two Chapters part on bad terms.

### **Loss of Surtalamus Reach (976.M41-981.M41)**

After the PDF forces on the snowy world of Surtalamus Reach requested aid to squash a minor rebellion, the nearby strike cruiser 'Valormonger,' hosting the Knights of the Lion 3rd Host along with Grandmaster Carolus, swiftly answered the call. In only a few days, thanks to a decisively crushing drop pod assault, the Knights wiped out the rebellion entirely, ending with Master Astorean discovering a Genestealer Cult under the capital city and slaying its Patriarch with his chainsword. However, before he did, the xenos seemed to perform some sort of psychic ritual, which Astorean interrupted with the help of two other marines. As they left, the Ordo Xenos Inquisitor Giovanni Thorne arrived on world and advised that a garrison be stationed on the planet indefinitely. This advice was ignored due to the strain of resources it would cause, and instead a garrison of Imperial Guardsmen would be requested to help supplement the PDF forces. Five years passed on Surtalamus Reach when suddenly a splinter of Hive Fleet Hydra appeared in-system, and the guardsmen managed to send out a small vessel far enough outside of the effective range of their shadow in the warp to send a distress signal. This cost the planet time, however, and Grandmaster Carolus organized a response force that consisted of half the Chapter's fleet, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th Hosts, as well as the Grandmaster himself. They arrived to a completely ravaged world, and immediately landed on the only two standing cities remaining. Coincidentally, it seemed Inquisitor Thorne responded to the distress call as well, although he never made contact with the Chapter and descended to the surface on his own. Attempting to save the lives of the Imperial citizens taking shelter behind the city walls, Grandmaster Carlous led the 1st Host, 3rd Host, and half of the 2nd Host into a charge to prevent Hive Fleet Hydra from pressing their own assault against the city. They managed to cut deep into the Tyranid forces, focusing the xenos' attention on themselves through devastating attacks. Within the first three hours, the Grandmaster's forces managed to kill 30% of the Tyranids outside the city, while suffering minimal losses of their own, but their momentum and resources were starting to run out. At the tipping point of the battle, Hive Fleet Hydra counterattacked with foul creatures like the Haruspex, the Maleceptor, and the Zoanthrope. Carolus realized he had been played, and the resulting battle was crushing for the Knights of the Lion. Out of 300 Astartes present, over 180 died during the counterattack, and Grandmaster Carlous was fatally wounded and maimed while killing the Tyranid leader, a Hive Tyrant. It seemed like Surtalamus Reach would be lost, and worse than that, all five hosts present seemed doomed. That was until the defenders got an unlikely break which pulled the Tyranids attention away from the Imperial forces. Ascending from underneath the surface of the planet, Inquisitor Thorne finally contacted the Knights forces and told them to retreat and evacuate the planet immediately. With no other option than to agree, what was left of the hosts of the Knights fled back into the city walls and began to load as many citizens as they could into shuttles to escape the planet's surface. Outside the walls, the Knights watched as Necrons emerged from the ground in towering pyramids, the sheer volume and weight of their attacks pulling all of Hydra's attention and forces. Without a leader on the ground and already stretched thin from the Knight's assaults, the Necrons easily wiped out the Tyranids from the surface of the planet and began to chase them into space, ignoring the Imperial ships. Once all the Astartes and citizens were off world, the Knights of the Lion fleet distanced themselves from the world, only to watch the entire planet disappear in a shimmer of blue light. As a result, hundreds of thousands of Imperial citizens were displaced, Surtalamus Reach was lost to the Imperium and seemingly the galaxy as a whole, the Knights of the Lion suffered heavy losses, and their Grandmaster was entombed within a Dreadnought. However, with his final words before being taken into the medicae, Grandmaster Carolus named Master Astorean as his heir to replace him, passing over the current 1st Master and previous heir, Sidirel.

### **Tragedy of Systymos (990.M41)**

While traveling back to Antioch after a joint campaign, the Ruler Eternal, flagship of the Knights of the Lion, received a distress call from a nearby Hive World, Systymos, telling of a Chaos uprising. In the absence of their Grandmaster, First Master Sidriel was in command when the vessel arrived in system. Unfortunately, their arrival was delayed by an unexpected time dilation within the Warp, spitting the Ruler Eternal out two months later than expected. The planet was ravaged by the insurgence, and the Chaos forces had all but won. Even from orbit, the Knights of the Lion could see bright pink points of light sparkling on the world's surface, heralding unknowable amounts of Slaaneshi corruption from the cults below. Any survivors would be undoubtedly tainted by the time of their arrival, which made the discovery of shuttles fleeing into orbit even more distressing. These shuttles hailed the flagship of the Chapter multiple times in distress, but the Knights never responded. Instead, Sidriel contemplated on the crossroad he was facing, the first and last decision he would make that would cement his being for the rest of his days. The Ruler Eternal waited in orbit, silently, allowing the shuttles to flee to them, getting within engagement range. Once all scanned shuttled were close enough, the Knights of the Lion, under the orders of First Master Sidriel, fired upon the loyal citizens of Systymos within the shuttles. The barrage barely lasted two minutes, a blip in Imperial history, but Sidriel forced himself to watch the atrocities he was commanding for every single second of the barrage, burning the image of shuttles going silent, one after the other, into his mind. Finally, Sidriel would call upon the archeotech left to his Chapter by their progenitors, the Dark Angels, summoning the Dreadwing. Loading the unnamable weaponry into one of the weapons bays, the Ruler Eternal fired a single, continuous, golden beam onto Systymos. The cannon took hours to complete its work, using every ounce of power the ship could spare once the engines and void shields were disconnected, but its terrible work would be done. The surface of Systymos that suffered the sustained blast would be flattened, condensed by such intense gravity that a stable black hole would form on the surface, and rapidly fall into the crust, eating everything it touched. Sidriel watches as the planet collapsed from the inside, the continents unable to hold themselves together as the core turned hollow. Cities of billions sank underneath tidal waves of molten rock so high they reached into space, and within a few more hours, Systymos was nothing but a fractional black hole, surrounded by a molten asteroid field. Sidriel ordered a report to be fabricated: unknown xenos assaulted the planet and, instead of allowing themselves to be bombarded, took their own lives and the lives of billions with a suicidal doomsday weapon. It was all a lie, but a necessary one that the Administorum would believe. However, Sidriel would never be the same afterwards, and he would feel the weight of every action thereafter with the burden of knowing he would need to do it again one day.

**Mordos Crusade (009.M42-022.M42)**

### **Deliverance of the Damned (029.M42)**

Sliding out of a temporary warp rift approximately 200 AU from the nearest star system, a space hulk returned to the galaxy within the Bastion Sector of Segmentum Ultima. First to approach the space hulk was the Echoes of the Abyss, a Hunter-class Destroyer of the Tidebenders astartes chapter. Scouting the dormant vessel, a squad of 10 Hunters (Tidebenders Scout Marines) were sent in via Thunderhawk to investigate. Soon after, a small splinter fleet of the Knights of the Lion chapter arrived to investigate the space hulk, led by the Sword of Carolus strike cruiser. Establishing communications, the Tidebenders gladly shared the status of the investigation with the senior officers present on the Sword of Carolus. The Hunter squad had been in the space hulk for nearly an hour, and there were minimal signs of any activity. However, when one of the Deathwing marshals present inquired their use of the term "minimal," the Tidebenders revealed a sound recording the Hunters had picked up a few times. Present in company was Interrogator-Chaplain Precentor Palamedes of the 1st Host, and he was the only member present in the briefing who recognized the sounds. A veteran of decades of war against the Tyranids, he recognized the noises as the alluring calls of a Lictor, which meant the Hunters were being led into a trap. The Echoes of the Abyss held a very small crew of space marines, most of them being Hunters, and so Palamedes rapidly assembled a squad of 5 Deathwing terminators onboard and departed for the teleportarium. Within the space hulk, the squad of Hunters were informed via vox that they were being led into a trap, and that they should retreat immediately. However, as soon as the warning was received, they heard an ear-piercing screech and were ambushed by genestealers. Their boltguns tore through many of the approaching xenos, but they were swiftly overrun. Just before their fates were sealed to be ripped apart and devoured by malicious beasts, the squad of terminators appeared in front of them with the sharp crack of air being forced away from where the Knights landed, propelled through the space hulk's walls by overwhelming their teleportarium. The Knights, led by Chaplain Palamedes, shattered the charge of the genestealers, forming a defensive circle around the Hunters. Storm bolters, autoguns, plasma cannons, and Palamedes' combi-flamer roared through the passageways of the vessel, their weapons commanding the deaths of dozens of Tyranids. Moving as they fired, the Terminators stayed synchronized in their defensive circle, herding the Hunters as they too fired bolts at their foes. Guided by vox via the intelligence on board the Echoes of the Abyss, the group navigated the passageways as swiftly as terminator plate would allow them, heading for where their Thunderhawk was landed. As they ventured closer and closer to the void, the tide of genestealers grew thicker, and the Knights found themselves resorting to their melee weapons with increasing frequency. Suddenly, the Lictor revealed itself as it burst through the ceiling, falling upon Chaplain Palamedes. Its claws raked into the back of his armor as its talon-like pincers swept for his shooting arm. With the combi-flamer in its maw, the Chaplain attempted to pull the triggers and blast the monster to Hel, but his fingers did not answer his thoughts. Glancing down, his eyes told him before his nerves that his arm had been severed at the elbow, the bloody black gauntlet pulling away from him and down the beast's gullet. With a cry filled more with hatred than it was with pain, he swung his crozius arcanum for one of the arms clamped to his back, smashing it where the Emperor would have placed its bicep if it were human. The blow was so mighty that the blunt power severed its arm in turn, causing the Lictor to let go of him and retreat back into the ceiling, chased away by bolts from the Hunters' guns. Continuing to advance to the Thunderhawk, Palamedes roused the bravery of the entire group with litanies of their triumphs, of the legend that would be written about these Knights afterwards while also blessing the Hunters to become great champions of their chapter one day, and all while crushing Genestealers with one arm. With one passageway left to cross, they only had one more turn to make before they were upon the Thunderhawk. That's when the Lictor returned to finish its job, bursting through a wall this time, its speed so inhuman that it slipped between two Knights as a blur, talons extended for the heads of two Hunters. Palamedes lunged to save them with a sweeping blow from his crozius, but his attack was blocked by its remaining arm, ripping the weapon from his grip and tossing it down the passageway in one motion. Unarmed, Palamedes saw the Lictor tower over him, claws and pincers pointed down towards his vital joints like daggers. But just as it went for the blow, a single bolt from one of the Hunters blasted it in the side, staggering it and stripping away a chunk of chitin. With all the wrath he could muster, Palamedes stabbed his open palm into the wound like a trident, plunging his gauntlet into its stomach and ripping out his severed arm, still gripping his combi-flamer. Howling in pain, it stumbled back from the Chaplain before two Knights finally trained their weapons onto it, erasing it from existence with the cracks of a dozen bolter shells and a couple massive blasts of plasma. As they resumed down the hallway, two Hunters picked up Palamedes' crozius arcanum and shouldered it into the hangar housing their Thunderhawk. There, they saw dead genestealers piled across the hangar, blasted apart by Knight and Tidebender space marines, as well as Hunter reinforcements covering their retreat. In the end, thanks to the actions of Palamedes and the Deathwing squad, not a since life was lost, and the xenos deception was thwarted. Palamedes returned to the Sword of Carolus, where an Apothecary successfully managed to reattach the severed arm, tattooed with the skull of the lictor that tried to take it, flanked with the insignia of both the Deathwing and the Tidebenders chapter. Now that the threat was understood, the chapters' combined forces, as well as reinforcements from the arrival of the Tidebenders vessel Lucky Break, successfully tackled the space hulk menace as Palamedes recovered and visited the Tidebenders' command ship, lauded with honors and a relic from their chapter.

*Some more theme music for the chapter to listen to as you read, since the last one likely finished.*

## Chapter Homeworld

On the edge of the Segmentum Ultima, within the Sargos Sector lies the world known as Antioch. Classified as a Death World upon discovery, Antioch is a planet of varied climate about 17% more massive than Terra. It's surface is 77% landmass making it mostly dry, and the few oceans it does have are deep and unexplored due to the distance from population centers and the dangers of venturing out too far from said population centers. Antioch is home to tundras on its poles, savannas across the largest minority of its surface, dense and wide forests, deserts, and mountain ranges. The climate usually changes in gradients, from desert into savanna into forest, and vice versa with the exception of the oceans, mountains, and tundras.

The natural inhabitants of Antioch are a diverse collection of megafauna that range in size and species, yet mostly reflect a hostile temperament. Any attempts to domesticate the creatures have degraded into cautionary legends of what happens to those who sympathize with monsters. The beasts generally avoid major population centers in M41, however smaller villages are under constant threat of being preyed upon by desperate, starving monsters. There are dozens of different species of megafauna across the planet, none smaller than a man, and all apex predators within their ever shifting territories.

Apart from the megafauna of the world and the lesser fauna they prey upon, the flora of Antioch is equally diverse and potentially deadly. Every fruit bears a different poison, every vine has its thorns, and within the dense forests of Antioch, greater networks of plants have brought entire settlements to a mysterious end. The herbivores of Antioch are thus finely tuned and acclimated to the planet and have innate instincts on which plants cause which effects. The colonizers of Antioch did not share this instinct, and once Old Night plunged the world into the dark ages, the tribes of the humans who remained learned to take after these herbivores and study them, eating only what they ate, following trails only they followed, and sleeping only in environments they would sleep in.

    Over time, the large and diverse planet began to grow pockets of civilization once more, namely wherever old technology was buried or otherwise hidden, and a feudal society formed from the population. Those who founded the settlements successfully became the nobility, and the tribal savages who fled to them for survival were slowly turned into the working knaves of their noble masters. The nobility held the power, technology, and wealth, and the knaves offered the food, labor, and other services in exchange for protection from the predators that hunted them. However, not everyone gathered under these feudal societies, and the hostility of Antioch's environment has created natural barriers between the techo-medieval cities and the primitive tribes that still live amongst the wildlife.

### Fortress-Monastery

Carleon stands as a marble and stone spire that pierces the clouds above the Calim Steppe. It flows naturally into the city beneath it, allowing the knaves below quick access to their duties above. From the lowest street below to the tip of the spire's mast the fortress-monastery stands nearly eleven miles tall. Displaying a massive flag at the top of its mast, Carleon also brandishes multiple banners down its faces to honor the families, houses, and orders across the planet. Its many halls can be nearly three hundred feet tall and over a hundred feet wide, framed by banners and statues of ancient and recent knights alike, carved into marble and sandstone. Entire sections are dedicated to trophies, feasts, rituals, and even immense kennels for captured beasts and monsters.

Standing as the greatest bastion of civilization on Antioch, a massive avenue leads from the main gate of Carleon to the first wall of the city, lined by the buildings of the knave population. This avenue has served as the grounds for countless parades, celebrations, and military drills over the centuries, even before the Imperium rediscovered Antioch. Initiates returning from their deadly quests and trials are always greeted by an adoring fanfare from both knaves and the knights themselves, riding or marching proudly towards the towering fortress. Even greater ceremonies are held for knights returning from successful missions and campaigns, and the parades and subsequent parties held for a successful crusade are sights of unrivalled cheer and celebration. Banners stretched hundreds of feet from building to building, tens of thousands of golden leaves and white flower petals are rained down onto the knights from above, bands play perfect, triumphant orchestras reserved for these occasions alone, held as the highest secrets for the bards responsible for recording such songs. These celebrations are capped off by massive feasts for the knights and night-long festivities for the knaves, obligated to relinquish all duties that are non-essential to allow themselves to celebrate their heroes. Allies of the Knights of the Lion are often invited back to Carleon to take part in these ceremonies as symbols of the bond forged only in combat, and are immortalized by the populace as trusted allies the world can call on in times of aid.

## Chapter Organization

Like most of the Unforgiven, the Knights of the Lion are mostly *Codex*-compliant with a few exceptions. The first host is similarly known as the Deathwing, and the second host is known as the Ravenwing. On the surface, the rest of the Chapter appears *Codex*-compliant, and it is reported as such. However, this image is intentionally misleading in order to avert attention from their practices. The Chapter is home to at least 1,300 astartes without counting the specialist roles of the Chapter, as a large garrison is always stationed upon Antioch to protect its citizenry.

The ten hosts mirroring the ten companies of codex compliant Chapters are also largely malleable, with each knight owing allegiance to their host, their orders, and their wing at the same time. This flexibility allows extremely specialized units to be pooled from multiple squads of different hosts, organized by the officers of the Table. What these units lack in numbers they often make up for in competence, and enemies of the Knights of the Lion often find themselves surrounded by surgical scalpels aimed directly at their most vital points to shatter them quickly so the bulk of the Chapter's forces can sweep over the rest.

A biproduct from traditions of Antioch's past, the Knights of the Lion naturally fit in as Dark Angels successors, but while the transition into becoming a Chapter was easy enough, it meant the Dark Angels provided minimal indoctrination for the Knights of the Lion. Thus, instead of having an "Inner Circle" the Knights have what is called the Table. Named such after the very real table that rests at the heart of Carleon, the Table and its encompassing chamber is the sole place where the Knights discuss all matters without discretion. To sit at the Table during a meeting is to hear every secret the Grandmaster is willing to loose upon his most trusted subordinates, as well as to share a brotherhood considered absolutely unbreakable, forged by the candor constantly encouraged within those walls.

Each individual knight is expected to prove themselves in a great quest, an undefined event in their future that will grind them to the very breaking point that they must overcome and do so with pride and honor. Those who have completed their quest and proven themselves display such by painting the mask of their helmet white, a symbol of valor that anyone who looks at a knight's face can see. This quest holds massive cultural significance to the knights themselves, with unproven knights eager to dive into the most dangerous scenarios with a stoic bravery that will see them either killed or finally vindicated by their peers. Thus, unproven are often known to be impulsive, impatient, and reckless, and while most Chapters would see this as a negative, the waves of new, green unproven willing to place themselves in the jaws of death means that even the youngest of knights will not hesitate in their duties, even in the worst of odds.

### Officer Ranks

* **Grandmaster** - Chapter Master of the Knights of the Lion and King of Antioch, the Grandmaster is the most beloved and respected title within the Chapter. The current Grandmaster is privy to every line of information in the Chapter, allowing him to keep up with every order, host, and wing within the Knights of the Lion, and no secret goes whispered without the Grandmaster hearing it. Either underneath his helmet or on display when unarmored, the Grandmaster wears a ceremonial circlet of gold around his head, signifying his status for all to see.

* **Master** - Captains of the Knights of the Lion, there are always eleven of these Masters, demarcated by the number of their host (e.g., First Master, Third Master, Seventh Master) with the exception of the Master of the Garrison who remains on Antioch, in charge of its defense. Each Master has a seat at the Table and is thus privy to the deepest rituals and secrets of the Chapter, allowing them to take direct orders from the Grandmaster without risk of miscommunication, though it is up to them to omit details when commanding their own subordinates. Similar to the Grandmaster, each Master is given a silver circlet to wear at all times to signify his rank.

* **Paladin** - Lieutenants of the Knights of the Lion, they are also demarcated by their host (e.g., Second Paladin, Fifth Paladin, Tenth Paladin) and serve as the left and right hands respectively of their Master. Only a select few Paladins who have gone through the many rituals and proven themselves many times over are allowed a seat at the Table. These Paladins are the ones intended to take their Master's place one day.

### Specialist Ranks

* **Interrogator-Chaplain** - Interrogator-Chaplains, colloquially shortened to simply Chaplains, are responsible for the morale, culture, and policing of the Knights of the Lion Chapter. They lead knights in battle chants and songs, they hold interventions with officers to guide their behavior in line with Chapter beliefs, and they are responsible for punishing both the Chapter's own knights and those enemies they have captured alive, and they are especially adept at this duty.

* **Apothecary** - As with all Chapters in the Imperium, the Apothecaries of the Knights of the Lion are integral to the survival of their Chapter. Following hosts from the backlines, apothecaries figuratively float over the ravaged battlefields like grim reapers, landing on the dead to perform their duties. When the commanding officer of an engagement sees the tide of battle is turning against their favor, the apothecaries are called to the front line to act as both reinforcements and to extract what gene-seed they can before any ground and thus bodies are lost to the enemy.

* **Mystics** - Librarians of the Knights of the Lion, Mystics derive their own names and culture from ancient Antiochian traditions, acting as either hermits in the wilds of Antioch, defending themselves with token spells or dark sorceries, or as high in society as the personal advisors to kings, offering gifts between entertainment to omens of the future. This transformed into the Mystics of the Knights of the Lion being distinguished from their non-gifted peers as unpredictable yet valuable assets for the Chapter. Their practices of warp sorceries manifest as runic spells and enchantments, usually vocalized in the ancient tongues of the tribes of Antioch, as well as chillingly efficient and invasive mind probes that extract every ounce of information from one's mind, most likely destroying it in the process. Due to this mind-reading threat, Mystics are naturally brought into the Deathwing and placed at the Table during their indoctrination and training.
* **Tech-Seer** - Techmarines of the Knights of the Lion, Tech-Seers hold the important duty of maintaining the many swords vital to the culture of the Knights, as well as the armory of the Dreadwing. Without the Tech-Seers, the Chapter would quickly lose some of its most valuable assets and degrade, as is the same relationship with most other Chapters and their techmarines.

* **Advisor** - Only a single advisor ever exists within the Knights of the Lion, and he spends most of his time wandering the halls of Carleon, only joining the Grandmaster's side when he is ordered to do so. In reality, the Advisor is never actually a Knight of the Lion, but a Dark Angel, acting as a direct line to the Chapter proper for multiple purposes. It allows the Supreme Grandmaster to keep a close eye on the Knights' dealings, it allows him to deliver messages for the Grandmaster's ears alone, it allows the Grandmaster to send messages back to the Dark Angels Chapter, and it keeps a unifying thread between the Unforgiven should they ever need to unite once again. However, from the outside, the Advisor is simply an aloof Knight of the Lion that never seems to actually have any duties other than watching from corners or standing at the side of the Grandmaster.

### Line Ranks

* **Marshal** - Sergeant of the Knights of the Lion, Marshals each lead a squad of knights within their Host, numbering from five to ten members. For a knight to ascend to Marshal, he must be elected by his Master or Paladin after proving himself adept at leadership, as these Marshals serve as the pool of recruits for the Paladins themselves.

* **Knight** - The baseline battle-brothers of the Knights of the Lion are known simply as Knights. They are stalwart defenders of their knaves and their masters above them, acting as swords and shields for the enemy to break and die upon.

### Specialist Units & Formations

There are five wings to the Knights of the Lion, three are publicly known to the Imperium and Antioch's own populace, but two are hidden until a knight displays suitable traits and experience to be introduced to and indoctrinated into the other wings.

* **Deathwing** - The most well known wing to those outside of the Unforgiven, the Deathwing are the Knights of the Lion's elite veterans, acting as shock assault troops, spearheads, and immovable defensive lines. Each member of the Deathwing is a master swordsman and the pinnacle of what it means to be a knight, earning them legendary respect and admiration on Antioch. Those who enter the Deathwing are sworn to never leave one of their brothers behind, and retreat in general is anathema to them, unless it is to give them a more advantageous position to defeat their enemy. These warriors are permitted free access to and from the Table, effectively indoctrinating them in any secret they ask to learn more about. The color scheme of this wing takes after the ancient colors worn by the original Dark Angels, cladding themselves in black ceramite with silver and red accents. Members of the Deathwing also hold a very sacred tradition known as "The Plates of Oaths." When a Deathwing knight takes a potentially fatal blow that was meant for another knight, they replace the plate that was struck with a bone white copy, forever symbolizing the lengths they will go to cover each other's backs. The Deathwing encompasses the entire 1st Host.
* **Ravenwing** - Serving as their Grandmaster's fastest weapon and tool, the Ravenwing are often seen as the most versatile and used wing, although not necessarily the wing to see the most combat. The Ravenwing are sent ahead of the rest of the Chapter in nearly every operation, either as only a single squad supplementing a minor mission or as an entire wing ahead of a campaign or crusade. This can be in the form of naval vessels or bikes or interceptor craft to scout the enemy forces before the main force arrives, and they are allowed autonomy to act without the order of their Grandmaster, either engaging the enemy upon first contact or recording as much information as they can before retreating and relaying it back to the rest of the force. This makes the Ravenwing the most heavily vetted and scrutinized wing, even above the Deathwing, as the Grandmaster must trust their leaders to act in his stead confidently and with good judgement. They specialize in reconnaissance, flanking maneuvers, encirclement, and motorized rapid assaults. The color scheme of this wing is entirely black, turning the knights into hooded voids of light as they meet their foe on mechanical steeds. The Ravenwing encompasses the entire 2nd Host.
* **Steelwing** - The largest wing of the Knights of the Lion and the least specialized, the Steelwing are any of the knights who aren't in the other four wings. The Steelwing encompasses the 3rd Host through 10th Host.
* **Dreadwing** - Secret to most within and without the Chapter, this wing is entirely recruited from those already within the ranks of the Table. Authorized only by the Grandmaster or the **Dreadbringer** himself, this wing controls the various weapons of mass destruction locked within the vaults of Carleon and the flagship of the Knights, gifted to them by right as Unforgiven. Those within the Dreadwing are forbidden to speak of its existence, and its usage as a wing is sparing. For a majority of the time, whenever the Dreadwing is called upon, it is by another placeholder pseudonym, and the weapons they wield are simple meltaguns and plasma weaponry for armored opponents. However, every so often, a threat appears that is unable to be brought to heel through normal means, or simply leaves a vital opening that is only exploitable by the most despicable weaponry. These scenarios are when the true duty of the Dreadwing is called upon, and the armories are unsealed. Once ordered or deemed fit, the Dreadbringer distributes the weapons to the other members of the wing, or loads the devices into the weapon bays of their flagship. Then, the Dreadwing is singularly aimed at a very specific target, and weapons not meant to be seen, even by transhumans, are unleashed with prejudice. This wing does not distinguish themselves with color schemes, and instead use other minor iconography to identify each other, iconography that seems inconsequential to outsiders. The Dreadwing finds most of its members within the 1st host, but also has some members from the 2nd Host and beyond.
* **Firewing** - The Firewing are known only to two entities: the Grandmaster and the Firewing themselves. When a new Grandmaster ascends, an emissary of the Firewing organizes a meeting with him to reveal their presence and purpose. Thusly, even to members of the Table, the widely held belief is that the Knights of the Lion only have four wings. The Firewing's organization is loose and the nature of the wing means that the command structure is mostly obscured to even themselves, and members largely treat one another as equals. This works out well for them, since a command structure within the Firewing is entirely unneeded, as the only person they answer to is the Grandmaster, and the rest of their duties can be performed as free agents. The duty of the Firewing is to build a hidden information network within the Chapter that also extends out to any entity the Firewing touches, spreading like a blaze contacting dry wood. Any new developments are reported in code to fellow members of the Firewing until it eventually reaches the Grandmaster, keeping him within the loop. However, apart from this passive role, they also serve the active roles of infiltration, espionage, and sabotage. Units will often be pieced together from multiple different squads or even hosts and sent off under the guise of serving honor guard for some Imperial diplomat or as a quick mission to bring a rogue ship to heel, but in reality, this cover story is entirely fabricated as their duties are to go unknown to even the Table. This wing has even less distinguishing features than the Deathwing, without any physical identifiers. The Firewing finds most of its members within the 2nd host, and at least one knight from each host belongs to this wing.

The Knights of the Lion contains many more specialized organizations within their ranks known as Orders. These structures are far less rigid than the hosts and wings, and lack a command structure. Instead, they act as lodges where the members meet together to train and discuss their specializations. New Orders are created at the discretion of any member of the Knights of the Lion, and prominent Orders are created according to the demand of newly encountered threats. Each Order has its own levels of secrecy from the rest of the Chapter, their own indoctrination rituals, traditions, symbols, and purposes, and the term "Order" is a blanket name for any specialized formation within the Chapter that does not fit into the wings nor hosts.

* **Order of the Nephila** - One of the earliest Orders created, the Order of the Nephila was adapted by the founders of the Knights of the Lion and renamed to be the Order that stands today. It is a brotherhood of roughly eighty knights who specialize in the study and efficient elimination of daemons. Made up of Deathwing members in the majority due to the large number of Mystics filling this Order, they are widely known by the rest of the Chapter as an elite club of well respected knights, owing this status to the Order's age. Members of this Order paint their right arms red to signify their knowledge and skills by being associated with the Order of the Nephila.
* **Order of the Watchers** - A very secretive order, the Order of the Watchers are a collection of around three dozen knights trained in anti-psyker techniques. This manifests both in combat tactics to take down the highly dangerous psykers in combat, or in refined hypnotic training to build their mental defenses from telepathic attacks. Although this Order is merely a rumor to the Chapter, the idea of an Order that specifically hunts psykers leaves a bad taste in the mouths of the Mystics of the Chapter, who already find themselves treated differently from the rest of the knights. This Order prefers to have no designating features, and often membership is not admitted to.
* **Order of Stone** - Within the darkest reaches along the edges of the galaxy, very close to the homeworld of the Knights of the Lion, there lies enemies of unpredictable terror. Some enemies are dangerous simply to know about, which is where the Order of Stone find their charge. Rumored to only be around a dozen members, this Order focuses on the memetic threats to humanity, those who worm into the minds of the unsuspecting simply by learning about them. Most of the methods of the Order of Stone are left unspoken, most likely on purpose, but the easiest solution for minor exposure to such threats are erasing the memories of the victims. How they deal with the threats themselves, however, are left up to myth for the rest of the Chapter. The distinguished yet hushed members of this Order paint their right arms grey, a massive symbol of respect and enigma.
* **Order of the Dance** - The Unforgiven are specifically vulnerable to threats of infiltration, with threats like the Alpha Legion and the Fallen capable of infiltrating their ranks and bleeding their Chapter from the inside. Other Chapters would respond to this threat with intense paranoia and silent oversight of every layer of command. The Knights of the Lion respond to this threat by pouring that intense paranoia into a single, undefinable Order. The Order of the Dance keep nothing of certainty, not their methods, not their numbers, not their structure nor rituals. Even their name is meant to misdirect and deceive. This order is adept at keeping track of initiates and lost knights, and investigations are common across the Chapter even if the majority of the knights don't even realize they're being investigated. Akin to their need for anonymity, this Order has no distinguishing differences from the unsworn Knights. This allows them to secretly observe and interrogate much easier.
* **Order of the Wolf** - One of the most popular Orders within the Knights of the Lion, the Order of the Wolf focuses on the perfection of the art of the hunt. This Order has nearly two hundred members, and as such meetings with the entire Order at hand are nearly impossible to form. Luckily, a large minority can come together regularly as the wilds of Antioch cause a large number of garrisoned knights to seek out the Order and enter the trials required to be indoctrinated. Apart from simple sport, members of this order find great use in battle as trackers of especially stealthy prey, such as Lictors or Kroot, or as adept monster hunters when faced with titanic beasts rampaging through their lines. Members of this Order paint their right arms green to distinguish themselves proudly, as their founder, Grandmaster Radragael the Great once did.

### Order of Battle

#### Headquarters

**King Astorean, Grandmaster of the Knights of the Lion**
**Advisor to the Grandmaster**
**10 Members of the Royal Guard**
**Chapter Equerries**
**Knaves & Servitors**

**First Master Sidriel**
**Second Master Holgais Hectoss**
**Third Master Ezekan**
**First Paladin Israphel**
**First Paladin Alajos**
**Second Paladin Lazrel**
**Master Chaplain Idravir**
**Master of the Mystics Belphor**
**Master of the Mystics Belphor**
**Epistolaries**
**Codiciers**
**Lexicaniums**
**Acolytum**
**Knaves & Servitors** | **Master of the Fleet Holgais Hectoss**
**1 Retribution Class Battleship**
**2 Battle Barges**
**10 Strike Cruisers**
**20 Gladius Class Frigates**
**14 Hunter Class Destroyers**
**6 Nova Class Frigates**
**Master Tech-Seer Beauwain**
**Tech-Seers**
**Knaves & Servitors**
**Battle Tanks**
**Land Raiders**
**Warsuits**
**Light Attack Vehicles**
**Transports**
**Master Chaplain Idravir**
**Reclusiarch Mordin**
**Master Apothecary Andrelan**
**Apothecaries**

## Chapter Recruitment

Aspirants of the Knights of the Lion are sourced from Antioch's primitives in its wilds, the knaves in its cities and Fortress Monastery, and from its mortal garrison, the Antiochian Fyrd. Interrogator-Chaplains or Mystics are commonly the Knights who discover potential recruits from Antioch's cities and fyrd, discovering diamonds in the rough, however some recruits are discovered by other Aspirants and Astartes while in the wilds themselves. Primitive survivors, if young enough, are almost always brought in to become aspirants if found by members of the Chapter. The two most lucrative traits in potential recruits are bravery and cunning as the trials ahead will demand both traits simultaneously.

Aspirants range in ages from 7-15, and are immediately subjected to harsh physical conditioning. Those of older ages skip the first step of physical training and immediately begin the second, much harder stage. Older aspirants are also treated much harsher as they are expected to excel quickly and pass their challenges on their first try. This is due to the limited time the aspirant still has until their body is too mature to finish the process and become a marine. All of these complications mean that a large majority of older aspirants die in the process of training. Stage one includes basic exercise and education, teaching them how to exert themselves without damaging their bodies and also teaching them basic Algebra and linguistics. Stage two is when Aspirants are pushed to their physical brink at all times, and few aspirants leave this stage without broken bones and torn muscles. This is also where the first deaths are seen. Aspirants are subjected to intense pain and starved to increase levels of adrenaline, and then made to run courses and participate in team-based exercises with their weight in metal strapped to their torso. Aspirants are submerged in freezing water for several minutes, dehydrated for days on end, and physically abused. This stage is meant to shock the aspirants constantly until they gain control of their body, mind, and their fight or flight response. By the end, aspirants are expected to be able to perform at their bodies limits without loss of composure or thinking capacity. Stage three continues physical training, but the severity is drastically reduced to allow time for psychological indoctrination. Aspirants are taught the Chapter's history, beliefs, vices, and knowledge. Aspirants also learn of their larger role in the Imperium and steadily have their past lives indoctrinated out of them. By stage four, aspirants are closer to becoming Astartes than they are to what they were in their past life, physically, mentally, and psychologically. They begin identifying with their Chapter and the Astartes around them instead of the mortal knaves of Antioch. In this stage, weapons training begins and aspirants are taught military strategy and tactics. Aspirants also learn basic survival skills for extreme environments, which often takes them on training exercises to the distant corners of Antioch.

Finally, the fifth stage is the final step standing between aspirants and becoming members of the 10th Host, officially joining the Chapter. This step is colloquially known as 'The Trial' by scouts and aspirants. The aspirants are clad in light robes, light armor, and basic weaponry, before being brought deep into Antioch's most dangerous wildernesses. There, groups of ten aspirants are dropped off their transports and left alone to survive in Antioch's incredibly deadly environments. Usually, this journey will take them a few hundred miles away from the nearest civilized station, and the aspirants must orient themselves, navigate the wilderness, and find food and shelter. The journey averages from between one to two weeks, and the real challenge comes with a final order given to the aspirants: they must return with the body of one of the species of megafauna. These creatures are usually either predators or violent and aggressive herbivores. Meeting one normally means death, and the aspirants must hunt and kill one to become scouts. Returning without one means punishment, and they are taken back into the wilds again the very next day, in a different region and even further from civilization. However, those who do return with a beast receive great congratulations upon return to the fortress monastery, along with a knighting ceremony by the Master of the Garrison himself.

## Chapter Beliefs

The Knights of the Lion have a strong connection to their world, since most of their culture comes from it rather than their parent chapter or the wider Imperium. The traditions of the older knights remain, as does their resilience, making the Knights noble, unwavering, and honorable warriors. They see those under them, both their knaves and the wider populace of Antioch, as helpless innocents who they've sworn oaths to, oaths to protect and shelter them. In return, they expect utter loyalty, obedience, and their tithe of Aspirants and knaves. Often, though, this tithe is volunteered willingly out of reverence.

For millennia, the defenders of Antioch's castles and fortresses protected their people with nothing but their swords, even once better ranged technology was discovered. Today, this manifests in a Chapter that is utterly dedicated to their swordsmanship, be it with an actual sword or any other melee weapon. No matter their position, a Knight is expected to be able to hold their own in melee combat, even their specialists. Knights are openly allowed to challenge each other to duels to settle disagreements, for sport, or simply for training. Their fortress monastery, Carleon, even has a chamber specifically for duels between the highest ranking members of the Chapter. However, despite all of this, they don't allow their obsession to cloud their judgement, and the importance of flexibility and ranged competency is never forgotten.

Hierarchy is also very important to the Knights of the Lion, and their entire planet revolves around it. The three highest ranking officers within the Chapter each has a crown, with the Grandmaster's being gold to identify his status as King, the First Master's being silver, and the Second Master's being bronze, both of which act as Regents when the Grandmaster is off world. Therefore, Antioch holds immense reverence for whoever is King, and Carleon holds many honors and artifacts to remember previous Kings by. Even in death, a Grandmaster is always revered by his Chapter.

## Knights of the Lion Mystics

The Mystics of the Knights of the Lion hold a special place within the Chapter, as their culture developed separately from the honorable knights of the past. Most psykers from before the Imperium arrived were labeled as witches as dark sorcerers by the populace, either executing them personally or exiling them to the wilderness, which for most others was a death sentence. However, some of these sorcerers and witches survived off their talents alone and formed enclaves in the wilderness. Eerie huts, dark caves, mountain passes, any nook or cranny on Antioch could house a psyker, practicing rituals to stave off the daemons they knew they were being preyed upon by. Luckily, the majority of sorcerers knew the risks of their abilities and rarely used them, but they still had to live on their own, often contacting one another and forming their own society under the noses of the rest of Antioch.

By the time the Imperium came, they had strayed so far to have developed different accents, and they did not have the same sense of honor, duty, or nobility. Thus began the difficult process of removing that society from Antioch's wilds for the Black Ships, and the Knights' own Mystics. After multiple millennia, the forest sorcerers are all but extinct, however many potential Mystics still cover from the woods, and Mystics make a habit of seeking out old witches' dens for knowledge of their past and of their daemon binding rituals.

## Combat Doctrine

Due to the Chapter's heritage as members of the Unforgiven, the Knights use the 'wing' system for their first two hosts, giving them specialists to aid in flexibility. Their two secret wings aid with this as well. Most of the Chapter are trained to specialize in close quarters engagements and drop pod assaults, burying the enemy's weakest points in swords and bolter fire. For especially entrenched foes, the Deathwing excel at spearheading, slamming into the enemy lines with the brutal efficiency that only veterans can produce, and providing an opening for other elements of the Chapter to fill. Still, the strong emphasis of swordsmanship effects even the Deathwing, and they often lead these spearheads with a melee charge. The Ravenwing is the most multi-purpose aspect of the Chapter, acting as scouts, motorized assault troops, rapid insertion and evacuation, and interception of enemy reinforcements.

However, most battles do not require full hosts of singular purpose, and so they are often split into squads and attached to elements of other hosts with the specific composition the highest ranking Master believes will be best for the mission ahead. Every host is used to this, especially the reserve hosts, but the First, Second, and Fourth Hosts almost never fight as a single company. Most campaigns have at least one squad from both the Deathwing and the Ravenwing, and the Fourth Host, the aptly named 'Cracked Host' is nearly always split apart to act as the go-to resource to pull from if a Master needs reinforcements. The Third and Fifth Hosts, on the other hand, are relatively stable and kept together, allowing for a more traditional approach to campaigns and offering the most vertical mobility for the Knights within.

Lastly, some situations cannot be efficiently handled through glorious campaigns, bringing the enemy to heel with blades, and this is when the Knights are forced to deploy their most reserved tactics. Desiring to keep their reputation as noble Knights, these events are rarely spoken of and are rather considered as dark duties done for the Lion and for the Emperor. This is when the secret wings of the Knights are employed, for foes either too dangerous to be remembered or too hidden for simple combat. The Dreadwing deploy ancient plasma weaponry, orbital bombardment, DAoT relics bequeathed to them by the Dark Angels themselves to only use in the most dire of circumstances. In these battles, the bravado and stories come to an end, and only silent death remains. The Firewing employs more sinister means of espionage and infiltration, sometimes forcing them to betray the trust they've grown with others to investigate he darkest of leads. Their findings are then kicked back up to the Grandmaster, who dispatches a dark kill team to eliminate any threat. Once done by either wing, the battle is forgotten, simplified as engagements 'too minor to be written of,' only recorded in the darkest and most hidden annuals of the Carleon, viewable only by members of the Table.

## Deathwatch Service

Knights, Marshals, and Paladins within the Knights of the Lion are allowed to volunteer for service within the Deathwatch. This task is seen as the next great quest for the Knight to embark on, and they leave with great honor, not expected to return. Those that do are lauded with respect and reverence, often acting as a catalyst for a promotion. The most notable member of the Knights of the Lion to have joined Deathwatch is former Grandmaster Carolus, spending four years in its service.

## Notable Members

* **Grandmaster Astorean** - Humble, charismatic, and assertive, Astorean leads his chapter across the stars through the will of the Grandmasters before him, sending brave knights to distant systems to honorably do the Emperor's work. To his chapter, Astorean is one of the most gregarious Grandmasters they've ever served, rousing entire cities with his speeches. He can seemingly read a person's mood and intent in an instant, tailoring his speech to enrapture anyone, no matter their mood. This paired with his nature as a good listener makes him excellent at handling people, artfully weaving personal relationships with anyone he speaks to one on one, even mortals. In private, however, Astorean feels himself undeserving of his role as Grandmaster, a fact very few know. This internal guilt drives him to ensure he is a better leader each day than he was the day before, potentially honing him into the greatest Grandmaster the chapter has ever seen.
* **Master Chaplain Idravir** -
* **First Master Sidriel** - The presence of First Master Sidriel, the Dreadbringer, injects an air of brooding silence to any room he's in, like any word spoken without his permission only draws more ire to yourself. He is stoic, he is dutiful, and he is sullen, making him more akin to a machine than a man. While this makes him a brilliant strategist, an intimidating combatant, and a commander willing to do the dirty work, it makes him a poor leader. Those under his command follow orders through loyalty and duty, not out of sheer reverence for their Master. Even still, Sidriel's deeds have garnered him respect among even the youngest of Knights, for all know the destruction the Dreadbringer can bring upon his enemies.
* **Second Master Holgais Hectoss** -
* **Champion Alajos** - Impulsive, brave, and incredibly stubborn, Alajos has the unending urge to carve his own path, sure that his instincts can never and will never lead him astray. Fortunately, his instincts are incredibly sharp, forged in his younger years as a savage child in the wilds of Antioch. A prodigy with a blade, he rapidly climbed the ranks of the chapter, always eager to prove himself through competency alone, another consequence of his stubborn impulsivity. Still, he is tolerated and even elevated through the ranks by his tendency to place the safety of his chapter before his own. Alajos has ended many near-disastrous missions by throwing himself at the largest threat to his allies in order to give them a gap to exploit or time to make their escape, which has earned the respect of a large majority of the chapter. In the end, despite his shortcomings, Alajos is the beating heart of the Knights of the Lion and will always answer his brothers' calls.
* **Interrogator-Chaplain Palamedes** -
* **Mystic Epistolary Kiraman** -
* **Apothecary Medic Ju'ras Vagarious** -
* **Grandmaster Carolus (d. 981.M41)** -
* **Grandmaster Gwenmour (d. 407.M41)** -
* **Grandmaster Luchaer (d. 121.M41)** -
* **Grandmaster Calchias (d. 906.M40)** -
* **Grandmaster Radragael (d. 715.M40)** - Grandmaster Radragael of the Order of the Wolf, colloquially known as Radragael the Great, was one of the greatest Grandmasters the chapter had ever seen, only being matched in reputation by Carlous the Cherished many centuries later. Known for ushering the first true golden era of the Knights of the Lion, Radragael's campaigns brought many glories and honors to those Knights who served him, saving countless worlds and killing thrice as many enemy leaders. Well known for being the founder of the Order of the Wolf, which would become the most numerous Order within the chapter, members of Chapter Command would jokingly refer to him as the "Lost Wolf," saying he was truly a son of Russ. His appearance further backed up this moniker, with flowing red hair and a beard, yet in truth his sire was never in question. After his disappearance and supposed death, the name gained much wider use as it took on a somber double meaning, and his loss is felt by the chapter to this very day. The number of offerings, oaths, and prayers that rest before Radragael's statue within the Hall of Kings outnumber every other Grandmaster, even Carlous. In life, Radragael was brash, charismatic, outspoken, and intelligent. His capability to weave wisdom into seemingly meaningless conversation was mesmerizing, lauding truths and insights in the same sentence as a mild joke. Radragael's mind never ceased running, taking in information at all times, causing him to be a bit restless. He would scratch this itch through numerous long hunts, which he became infamous for. If he did not have present duties, he would hunt alone, or use the activity as a training exercise for the Knights who would follow him, either hunting game on Antioch or any nearby world deadly enough to spend their time on. Unfortunately, Radragael the Great would disappear in a violent warp rift while dueling a chaos sorcerer, the only remnant of his existence being his personal sword.
* **Grandmaster Imodriel (d. 324.M40)** -
* **Grandmaster Kamour (d. 044.M40)** -
* **Grandmaster Jemias (d. 822.M39)** -
* **Grandmaster Odrifel (d. 596.M39)** -
* **Grandmaster Kamael (d. 371.M39)** -

## Chapter Fleet

**Ruler Eternal -Retribution-class Battleship**

**Ebony Claw - Battle-barge**

**Inexorable Will - Battle-barge**

**Fist of the King - Strike-cruiser**

**Iron Verdict - Strike-cruiser**

**Reprisal of Honor - Strike-cruiser**

**Hand of Antioch - Strike-cruiser**

**Valormonger - Strike-cruiser**

**Sword of Carolus - Strike-cruiser**

**Prince of Justice - Strike-cruiser**

**Vinco Raptorus - Strike-cruiser**

**Unbearable Burden - Strike-cruiser**

**Consul of Glory - Strike-cruiser**

## Chapter Relics

Maintained by the Chapter Reclusiarch, the Knights of the Lion hold numerous relics in the form of suits of power armor, terminator armor, swords and other melee weapons, bolters, plasma weapons, and trophies from the Chapter's greatest victories.

* **The Hall of Kings** - One of the most holy and revered sections of Carleon is the Hall of Kings, a monumental chamber at the heart of the Fortress Monastery that holds 100 foot tall statues of every Grandmaster who has served the Chapter and died. In front of each of these statues is the artificer armor they each wore, posed as if the Grandmasters themselves are still inside, standing guard within Carleon, waiting to reanimate during the Chapter's darkest days. In reality, they are simply suits of armor, cleaned and maintained by the Reclusiarch. The armors are rarely taken out of the hall or worn, especially now that the current Grandmaster crossed the rubricon, so they will forever stay within the hall, ever present for Knights and Knaves to visit with awe.
* **The Blade of the Forest** - Forged in 325.M40, a year after King Radragael the Great was raised into position as Grandmaster, the Blade of the Forest served as his sword for his long 391 year reign. Acting as the first truly great hero of the Knights of the Lion, it is believed by some that without this powered longsword, Radragael would have never reached the heights he is currently remembered for, and thus the blade is said to bestow luck and glory to those who wield it. However, the same Knights who hold that belief also think the blade's luck is limited, and using the sword for the sole purpose of earning personal glory is said to weaken it and curse the user to a grizzly, untimely death. So, the sword is only taken up in dire circumstances, given to those noble enough to control their ambitions and use it for the Chapter's good, not their own.
* **Death's Shell** - Reserved for the Master of Death, the First Master of the Deathwing, Death's Shell is a modified suit of Cataphractii Terminator armor. It has been worn by every First Master since the Chapter's founding, and when Sidriel, the current First Master, crossed the Rubricon, he had the suit further modified to be able to fit his now larger stature. As a result, Death's Shell turns the user into a giant of impregnable plate armor, shielded further by an invisible energy shield that covers most of the body, and an iron halo that projects another force field just for the head. Despite its relative slowness, Death's Shell serves as a nigh impenetrable wall on the battlefield, giving First Master's the ability to lead the Deathwing from the very front, diving into lines of enemies with minimal risk.
* **The Sword of Carolus** - Ever since his death and entombment into a Dreadnought, the Knights of the Lion have been mourning the loss of Carolus, their greatest Grandmaster yet. For some Knights, it still doesn't feel real, and they relieve their grief in rituals led by their Chaplains. The past cannot be changed, however, and this sword now holds legendary status since its wielder fell. A Heavenfall Blade created by materials given to them by the Dark Angels themselves, the longsword was forged for Carolus when he became First Master in 356.M41. It stayed by his side ever since, never dulling even after thousands upon thousands of battles, until his eventual death when it formed a single chip near the tip. Now, the Sword of Carolus is wielded by Carolus' successor, the current Grandmaster, Astorean.

## Chapter Appearance

### Chapter Colors

The majority of the Knights of the Lion are called the Steelwing, and they color their armor a dark metallic due resembling steel, painting their pauldrons the deep green of Antioch's forests and highlighting it with bright gold around the pauldrons, aquila, and any other additions to their armor. Once their 'great quest' is completed, Knights paint the masks of their helmets bone white to symbolize their maturity and standing within the Chapter. Knights are also allowed great flexibility with their armor, personalizing it to symbolize great deeds, their origins, or their induction into the many Orders of the Chapter. Deeds can be symbolized by anything, from writing to badges, but a Knights origins are usually shown by the colors of their tilt shields, and most Orders are shown by coloring the right arm differently.

The Deathwing use a different color scheme to the rest of the Chapter, adorning themselves in the colors of their parent Chapter from back when the Lion commanded them, showing their respect to their Primarch by painting their veterans how he would have wished. This means the Deathwing are painted in black, swapping gold trims for silver ones. They still retain their markings from their 'great quest,' so their masks are still painted white. The Deathwing also hold another tradition that changes their paint scheme, a tradition where if a member of the Deathwing takes a wound that was meant for another, the plate of armor that was struck is repaired and repainted bone white to signify their dedication to their brothers. Few Knights garner as much respect as a member of the Deathwing adorned in bone white plates.

The Ravenwing use a simple color pallet, forgoing metal trims for pure black armor. Some members of the Ravenwing even take this as far as to remove any markings denoting their glories, origins, or Orders, though all Ravenwing Knights still keep their white masks if they've completed their quest.

Lastly, most Knights are also adorned in some kind of robes or hoods, which are either green, red, bone white, or a combination of two colors for all hosts.

### Chapter Badge

The Knights of the Lion's badge is straightforward and simple, showing an image of a lion biting down on the helmet of a knight, or a knight wearing the pelt of a slain lion, depending on how one wishes to look at it, which is flanked by red wings. This symbolizes many things; their devotion to the Lion and his memory, their history as beast hunters, their honor as knights, and their ferocity in battle.

## Relations

### Allies

*Feel free to add your own*

 Iron Juggernauts |      | Ever since the Siege of Pylerold, the Knight of the Lion have owed the Iron Juggernauts an unpayable debt. In a duel with an Ork Warboss, an Iron Juggernaut saved the life of their Grandmaster, and the Knights have showed their gratitude tenfold through their actions ever since, both on and off the battlefield.

## Notable Quotes

### By the Knights of the Lion

*"My subjects, this is the end of me. If this planet is dies, then I will die with it. Let it be known that we Knights of the Lion have never and will never leave the loyal servants of the Imperium undefended. If we fall in battle, let us fall with our swords raised in the air, so our foe must march through a field of blades to reach those we protect! Do not weep for me, be stronger than that, and honor me by carrying on my legacy not with song and statue, but by carrying my ideals into the next generation. For the Lion, for Antioch, for the Emperor, and for the Imperium! Give me death!"*
-Grandmaster Carolus' final recorded transmission on Surtalamus Reach

*"Woe, woe, this is thine fate: you shall struggle unrecognized and unknown. You will be hated whilst also being loved as who your servants see you as, not who you are. Heed my warning or suffer your Chapter, bury these questions and unearth them before me and me alone. The dark, oh precious sleep, let me rest, for I tire. Bury these questions, Albus, and act as if you have none."*

-Carolus, beloved Redemptor Dreadnought giving newly crowned Grandmaster Astorean cryptic advice in private

*"People of Carleon, of Antioch! Musicians and artisans! Scribes and farmers! Workers! Your work does not go unnoticed, even by your King! Every man I see next to me on this platform recognizes your labor in this ceremony, and we thank you! Even without fanfare, we would protect you all to the last drop of blood, and yet you still choose to celebrate us! You choose! You choose of your own volition to give thanks and sing praise, to welcome our allies as if they were our own and to show the galaxy how Carleon not only lives, but thrives! Today may be our day of triumph, but you celebrate each other as much as you do us, and the Knights of the Lion celebrate you as well! So I dedicate this speech and my thoughts to you, my subjects! The parade has ended, so let the grand party begin!"*

-Grandmaster Astorean addressing the knaves of their Fortress Monastery and the city below during a Celebration of Triumph

*"History will not favor us this day, so we will need to rewrite it. We will create accounts of what happened here to deflect blame. In the end, it will not matter, our duty will be performed and the Imperium will be safe, even if it's at the expense of this world. I would do it a thousand times, in fact, and if I am to be remembered as a bastard then so be it. The preservation of the Imperium is far too important to allow reputation, ego, or morality to get in the way."*

-First Master Sidriel, Dreadbringer, deliberating the fate of Hive World Systymos after an irreversible Chaos inssurection

*"Information is a precious thing. That's all life is, really, the exchange and usage of information. The same goes for war. Where a threat is, what the threat is, what makes it threatening, and how to neutralize it. Information is exchanged, used, and discarded trillions of times every day across the galaxy, in minor and major ways. So if you master the art of concealing information, you've mastered the art of war. Or dare I say, of life itself."*

-Kiraman, Mystic of the Deathwing, explaining why he has been hiding in the back of the hangar bay on Ruler Eternal

### About the Knights of the Lion

*"I wouldn't believe myself either, but they are one of our most steadfast allies. Perhaps they understood our plight with the Lingering Abyss much more than anyone in the Imperium, let alone a singular Inquisitor. Perhaps fighting alongside us made them softer, though I will admit it's wishful thinking. Regardless of how it came to be and why, we are thankful to have such loyal allies with the Knights of the Lion. Such nobility and honor, a rare commodity in this galaxy."*

-High Chieftain Pryce Dukka of the Tidebenders

*"Sons of the Lion they are indeed, that much is obvious to anyone. Yet like all their kind, they carry an air of secrecy, of conceilment. What do they hide? I do not know. But I look ill upon those who would shroud the truth from others. It is a shame, for were we able to put our trust into them, perhaps we could assist them in uncovering their Legion's legacy. Our archives hold much knowledge of the past, who is to say theirs is not lingering beneath Azuriz as well? Then again, some Lions bite the hand which feeds them..."*

- Chapter Master Godwyn of the Azuri Astra, regarding the Knights of the Lion

*"Their valor on the field of battle is commendable, though that much can be said of any Chapter. Their displays of swordsmanship are, I am forced to admit, rather excellent, perhaps surpassing our own. We have never bound ourselves to a single discipline, but they seem content to be masters of their craft. Yet still, they could be so much more, if only they discarded their archaic codes of honour which hold them back. Then their victories might be as complete as ours are. Honour is a tool like any other, a hinderance if applied incorrectly. Imagine their potential if they moved per the way of the lighting. Imagine the wrath of Lions unfettered."*

-Thoughts of High-Captain Uthred Judor of the Azuri Astra on the subject of the Knights of the Lion

*"Too easily our brothers from other Chapters decide to put aside traditions and ancient deeds, to see that a younger Chapter still honours and follows the tradition of their father's legion, I've to say, it warms my heart with pride."*

-Iron Otec Verdas Sulnolkir about the Knights of the Lion

*"I've heard they are stoic and right, like the fabled knights of ancient Terra. They chase perfection in swordsmanship, to honour their Primarch probably, a thing that I highly respect."*

-Lord Commander Asthios of Rok discussing about the Knights of the Lion with his equerry

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 White Scars Successors
 Space Wolves Successors
 Imperial Fists Successors
 Blood Angels Successors
 Iron Hands Successors
 Ultramarines Successors
 Salamanders Successors
 Unknown Lineage

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