Astral Ravens

Astral Ravens armorial with Chapter iconography.

An Astral Ravens Primaris Intercessor of the 5th Company, 4th Battleline Squad.

### **Specialty**

Strategic Interdiction Operations, Reconnaissance in Force, Guerilla Actions, Close-quarters Actions (Space Hulk Purgation, Boarding Operations, Line-breaker Attacks

### Successor Chapter(s)

None

The **Astral Ravens** are a Successor Chapter created from the rare lineage of the Raven Guard, raised during the 25th 'Bastion' Founding during the latter half of the 40th Millennium. They were one of several newly created Successor Chapters to act as a bulwark against the myriad of threats that assailed the Emperor's realm.

The Imperium facing more dangers than ever before. Chaos gaining momentum, the Tyranids had smashed into the galaxy, and aliens that would have never dared defied the Imperium before were now brazenly striking out against the Imperium.

Trained extensively in close-quarters warfare and veterans of dozens of close-fought campaigns, the Astral Ravens have proven to be highly effective in their chosen realm of warfare. Although a newer Chapter, the Astral Ravens have already earned a reputation for their pragmatic brutality and relentless aggression towards their foes.

## Chapter History

The Astral Ravens were founded in the late 40th Millennium on the medieval world of Orion 4 following their inception during the Bastion Founding Due to their homeworld's pre-industrial state they have abandoned the use of bolters in favor of the more barbaric chain-cleavers they've come to call the Ravens Talons.

The Ravens have suffered heavy losses in the millennium since their founding being driven to the near edge of annihilation on multiple occasions only really being saved by frenzied mass recruitment before finally being rebolstered with primaris marines during the recent Ultima Founding giving their battered chapter new life and a sense of worth. Since then they have taken great pride in proving their worthiness to justify the new reinforcements.

Trained extensively in close-quarters warfare and veterans of dozens of close-fought campaigns, the Astral Ravens have proven to be highly effective in their chosen realm of warfare. Although a newer Chapter, the Astral Ravens have already earned a reputation for their pragmatic brutality and relentless aggression towards their foes. After it was discovered that several of their battle brothers had fallen to the chaos gods and the lack of the Chapter reporting these instances, the Astral Ravens were sent on a Crusade in the early years of the 41st Millennium completing their crusade in 050.M41 and regaining their Homeworld.

## Notable Campaigns

* **Defense of Orion 4 (001.M42)** - Defense of Orion 4 from the Tyranid Hive Fleet Jormungandr despite being cut off from the Imperium at large due to the Shadow in the Warp. One early morning near the close of M41 the world of Orion 4 lost contact with their imperial allies leading to wide-spread confusion and panic amongst the citizens who feared the imperium had finally abandoned them due to their relative isolation on the outer fringes, The Astral Ravens however immediately went into high alert knowing something was amiss, for over a week they prepared their homeworld for an impending attack, finally on the morning of the 8th day their scouting party reported back on the presence of a hive ships entering their sector, this news immediately sent the Ravens into action as they mounted a defense high in the mountains of their world calling upon every combat capable citizen they were ready when the first of the swarm made planet fall, they held strong for 8 days as wave after wave of ravenous beast came from all sides, their victory was not without cost however as much of their once rich forests were stripped barren of all life down to the smallest insects, despite the loss they set out to recover and in the centuries since their forests have mostly recovered with only the scars in the very earth remaining from the attack

## Chapter Homeworld

Orion 4 is a medieval world on the outer fringes of the Segmentum Obscurus in the Scarus Sector. Often plagued by warpstorms and daemon incursions, however standing steadfast against all threats daemon or xeno alike. The inhabitants live in massive walled cities in the mountains to avoid the often harsh winters and large carnivorous wildlife. The people of Orion 4 rely on meat to survive as their summers are mere weeks long.

### Fortress-Monastery

The *Aegis* is a massive fortress-monastery built into the crust of Orion's only moon Illian. The Astral Ravens, due to its status as outcasts among their battle brothers, there is not much known about them and who knowns what secrets are contained within the walls of their fortress.

## Chapter Organisation

### Officer Ranks

* **Raven Master** - (Chapter master equivalent)

## Chapter Beliefs

The Astral Ravens possess a great reverence for both crows and ravens to the point of seeing their presence on the battlefield as a symbol that their primarch is watching and protecting his children. The Ravens regularly take a mixture of their homeworld's various herbs to convene with their religions sacred spirit, a massive raven with electric blue eyes. Many of the Astral Ravens' brothers from other chapters see this as heretical, but tolerate it as they have an unwavering loyalty to the Imperium and the Emperor.

## Chapter Recruitment

The Astral Ravens recruit from their home world of Orion 4. The recruitment process involves taking aspiring candidates and dropping them off deep in the massive forests of their world. It is for the candidates to fend for themselves and survive for a week in the frigid cold. Many of the recruits fall victim to the worlds carnivorous counterpart of the ancient Terran moose. Othere recruits fall victim to the sub-zero temperatures. Those who survive the first week pass onto the next of several trials before eventually becoming an acolyte.

## Chapter Gene-Seed

The Ravens have suffered catastrophic losses on several occasions throughout their brief history. As a testament to their perseverance, the Ravens have carried on to recover each time.

In spite of massive losses, they have shown the ability to rebuild which would suggest that their gene-seed is healthy and stable. Under the conditions of rebuilding, the success of each implantation into a neophyte is crucial for the Chapter's survival.

In spite of this fact, many of the genetic flaws of their progenitor Chapter continue to haunt the Ravens. Contrary to their progenitors, battle-brothers of the Astral Ravens Chapter gradually attain an ever darker skin tone as they age. After just a few standard centuries of service, some have skin that is very nearly sable in appearance.

At the same time, their hair colour whitens, so that the Chapter's Veterans are easily identified by their white hair and dark complexions.

## Chapter Combat Doctrine

The Astral Ravens often infiltrate behind enemy lines in the cover of darkness. The Ravens hide in wait for the early hours of morning to charge out with chain-swords revving to cleave limbs from bodies to all of the Emperor's enemies.

## Notable Space Marines

* **Alvus Aurelian** - Chapter Master Alvus Aurelian who was the first to be granted the privelege of becoming a battlebrother, he served valiantly and honorably for several standard centuries before undergoing the Rubicon primaris to become a primaris, a stronger newer breed of marine where he has continued to serve proudly alongside his brothers.

* **Kaessian Belis**  - The chapter honors and respects Belis, who has been a life long companion of Alvus. When he was offered the opportunity to join Alvus as an Astartes, Belis did not hesitate in accepting the offer. Being known for his kindness but also his fearless undying loyalty to the emperor.

* **Calus Tariros** - Known as one of the few in the Astral Ravens to have been reborn within the walking sarcophagus of a dreadnought. Tariros was granted the great honour of being encased in one of the few Contemptor Pattern Dreadnoughts. Tariros is an especially rare case, as he has laten psychic abilities that have prevented him from descending into insanity. His psychic abilities have allowed him to be a more regular presence among his brethren on the battlefield, only slumbering when absolutely necessary to further prevent the long term effects of slow insanity.

* **Cassim Achillrecht** - Commander Cassim Achillrecht "The Lightbringer" as he's known among his brothers, is one of the last remaining members of the original 300 brothers as well as the only of the remaining to have received the crux terminautus granting him the high honor of being granted a suit of relic Tartaros pattern Tactical Dreadnought Armor which he uses to bring the light of the emperor to all those who oppose or have forsaken him.

## Chapter Fleet

The Chapter fleet of the Astral Ravens only known vessel:

* ***Orion's Wrath* (Battle Barge)** - Named after the Astral Ravens' home world.

## Chapter Relics

* ***Ravens Damnation*** - A Relic Tartaros pattern Tactical Dreadnought Armor with a pair of relic master crafted lightning claws known as the *Ravens' Talons* within the chapter.
* ***Calus Tariros*** - A Relic Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought chassis with twin master crafted close combat contemptor pattern powerclaws with grav-guns, as well as storm bolter and flamers to swap out when in too close of quarters to use grav guns

## Relations

### Allies

* **Blood Drakes**

* **Exalted Guard**

## Notable Quotes

### About the Astral Ravens:

"*Where an open war is impossible, devious tactics can continue quietly behind the scenes.*"
—Shade Captain commander Merykh Valravyn of the Shadow Talons' 1st Company

[Source]

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

[Source]

## Gallery

Astral Ravens Veteran Marine of the Chapter's elite 1st Company arrayed in relic Tartaros pattern Terminator Armour and armed with a pair of relic, master-crafted Raven's Talons (Lightning Claws).Astral Ravens Firstborn Battle-Brother of the 4th Company, 9th Battleline Squad.Astral Ravens Firstborn Battle-Brother of the 8th Company, 7th Close Support Squad.

## Notes

* All art credits go to Algrim Whitefang and Achilles Prime.