Silver Hands

Silver Hands armorial with Chapter iconography

* Firstborn
* Primaris

Silver Hands colour scheme

"*You filthy xenos, I will expunge your existence from the universe.*"
— Brother Makail
The **Silver Hands** ('Manus Argenti' in High Gothic) are a Chapter from unknown lineage, founded during the mysterious 13th 'Dark' Founding as a fleet-based Chapter. Following a nomadic pattern, their role is to reinforce other imperial forces in time of need on the battlefield. Stoic and proud, they are also known for being merciless and sometimes excessively violent.

## Chapter History

### Founding

The Silver Hands were founded during the 13th Founding by unknown lineage circa mid M35. From their knightly, stoic and sometimes stubborn and ruthless nature is heavily speculated that one amongst Dark Angels, Iron Hands or Imperial Fist could be their progenitor, but the truth remains unknown and unconfirmed by none of the Chapters involved.

### Sonne α Liberation

The first notable engagement of the Silver Hands was during 300.M37 when the **Sonne α** system susteined heavy attacks from the traitor forces of the Night Lords, which assaulted the capital word of **Yrminsul** supported by an artificial night created by a mysterious bomb launched into low orbit from their vessel, the ***Warbound***. With the darkness as ally, the Night Lords launched a swift and bloody terror strike which cutted off the major defensive systems, leaving the world almost helpless, being able only to launch a single distress call before falling in utterly dismay and fear.

The roaming nomadic fleet of the Silver Hands who was travelling through the rims of the **Titan-Sub Sector**, returning from the galactic east, managed to catch the signal and sent the fastest Strike Cruisers, ***Iron Guardian*** and ***Fang of Avora***, to intervene. On their arrival, immediatly boarded the traitor vessel, forcing the crew in a brutal corridor fight and convincing the surface deployed forces to disengage to join the vessel defence. However the *Warbound* wasn't the only enemy vessel, as in the system were lurking other Night Lords forces backed up by mortal heretics that rapidly overwhelmed the small relief force of the Silver Hands.

The surprise attack was a success, destroying *Iron Guardian* and damaging heavily *Fang of Avora*. Forcing the latter to abort the ongoing boarding action, leaving the boarders inside to give no quarter with the objective to try to take control of the enemy vessel, to respond at the new threat.

Even if their battle prowess was unmatched, the boarding team was slaughtered without the *Fang of Avora* support, which after launching a succesfull counter-attack found herself encircled and boarded by the enemy forces. The distress signal from Yrminsul however managed to reach far beyond the only Silver Hands and a relieve force from the Iron Juggernauts, the Sub-Sector protectors, arrived to face the pillagers. The twin fast attack frigates ***Erynia*** and ***Ekhidna*** followed by the mighty Battle Barge ***Mother Swan***, with the latter taking immediate action against the enemy vessels, launching brutish boarding attacks while the nimble frigates shot against the disengaging vessels which were utterly destroyed.

In the end the combined forces of the two Chapters managed to destroy the attackers, with very few managing to flee to safer position to regroup. The Silver Hands pledged an oath of alliance to the Iron Juggernauts for their intervention and both Chapters got reworded with recruiting rights on the world of **Thuringia**, with the Silver Hands taking the most advantage from it.

"*In the name of our Chapter, the Silver Hands, I swear a vow of brotherhood and alliance with the Iron Juggernauts Chapter. As long as the Silver Hands exist, our brotherhood will endure.*"
— Chapter Master Menelaus 'Meno' Kundaros
### Strike Force Retribution

The Silver Hands joined the imperial effort during the events of the 13th Black Crusade, fighting alongside their allies, the Iron Juggernauts, in the temporary strike force known as Retribution, committing over six companies. Fighting in the thousand of battlefields and boarding operation against enemy forces, engaging traitors, heretics and xenos alike.

While the conflict asked for an heavy toll in Astartes lives, the Silver Hands fought unrelentless with the only objective to accomplish their vows. During one of this battle, the Iron Juggernauts were caught in an ambush and on the brink of annihilation, only with the intervention of the Silver Hands they were capable to safely withdraw, in some way paying back their first encounter with their allies.

After the Iron Juggernauts were forced to withdraw for the heavy casualties, the Silver Hands kept their ground, proceding with their duty and covering the retreat of their brothers waiting for them to return with fresh forces and reinforcements. However after the archtraitor objectives were reached and the forming of the Cicatrix Maledictum divided the Imperium, the Silver Hands remained stuck in what will be later called Imperium Sanctus while the remaining forces in the **Ogun System** remained with the Iron Juggernauts, unable to reach out their Chapter.

### Battle for Tundra

The Silver Hands on the Imperium Sanctus side joined both their own Primaris reinforcements and the one for the Iron Juggernauts and set course together to join their allies and the remaining forces who remained behind in the Ogun System.

During the perilous journey, many time the fleet suffered hardship and difficulties, losing both in man power and vessels. In the end they managed to reach their destination only to find out that the entire system was under siege by traitor and daemonic forces. The combined forces of Silver Hands and the Unnumbered Sons, jumped into the frey taking the enemies by surprise and managing to capture them in an hammer and anvil manouver, allowing the battered defensors to finally prevail after a bloody and painful resistance.

**Primaris Reinforcements**

While on the very moments the Silver Hands knew about the Primaris Astartes, the Chapter had some doubt about it but nonetheless accepted and joined their so called brothers. After the events in the Ogun System, Chapter Master **Aleksrecht Garandon** found himself positively surprised. After a reunion with the higher echelons of the Chapters the 'Rubicon Dictate' was issued, which not only fully accepted the reinforcements but also declared that the Silver Hands from that point will start to make only Primaris Astartes, with the remaining Firstborn deciding if and when to cross the Rubicon.

### Steel Bonds

During the Indomitus Crusade, the Silver Hands answered an assistance call from the world of **Barbore Prime**, that was under attack of traitoris Death Guard forces. With the assistance of a local blasphemous cult, the Death Guard managed to summon a large number of daemonic hosts who started to corrupt and spread the Nurgle disease on the world with the final objective to fully convert the planet in a Nurgle's garden.

The Chapter considered the possibily for a direct Exterminatus, but the absence of a vessel equipped with such weapons would have required more time wasted on waiting, so the decision was moved on a regular approach. The deployed Astartes found a situation far worse of what appeared from the orbit and was immediatly overwhelmed by the traitor Death Guard and the zombie-like corrupted human inhabitants of Barbore Prime. The inability to conquer a safe port, forced the reinforcements to be deployed via drop pods and so, the Silver Hand strenght was scattered. Even the interventation of the Purifiers, the notorious members from the 1st Company was unable to conquer some ground. Restricted in fighting pockets, the contingent of the Silver Hands called for aid from their main fleet or to anyone nearby able to land assistance and the **Void Vultures** Chapter answered.

The arrival of the Void Vultures was as fast as unexpected, they quickly deployed en-masse, filling the gaps in the battleline with flamers while Thunderhawk gunships supported from the sky thinning and dispersing the enemy bulk. Thanks to their intervention the loyalist had both a stable battleline and a safe zone for further reinforcements to deploy. With a foothold on the world, both Chapters started the eradication of the enemy forces, in particular was noted how much the Void Vultures dedicated themselves, even by breaking the battleline to purge the traitors, bringing them the punishment they deserved. The entire campaign and the conflict prolongued for several weeks, with the result of the world being scorched by flames and plasma with most of the population annihilated by the plagues of Nurgle.

Leaving behind them nothing more than a dead world, the Silver Hands and the Void Vultures aknowledged each other as the bond forged in battle of Barbore Prime was arranged in a proper alliance, vows of friendship were made by the Silver Hands as their costums dictated. As ceremonial ended both Chapter leaved as duty ordered no lingering but not before some of the Void Vultures joined the new ally ranks, a traditional sign of trust and friendship.

"*Silver Hands brothers, I join thy ranks for I see honour in fighting alongside you against the arch-contaminator and his vectors of death. May Our Steel bonds hold eternally.*"
— Vow of Batariel Hanro after joining the Silver Hands
## Notable Campaign

* **Sonne α Liberation (300.M37)** - The Silver Hands answered a distress call from the Sonne α system who was under the attack of Night Lords forces, while acting bravely they found themselves outnumbered by the traitor forces thanks to a surprise attack. Only the relief intervention of the Iron Juggernauts allowed the beaten strike force to survive;

* **Suppression of the Macharian Heresy (399-469.M41)** - After the death of Lord Commander Solar Macharius, the Silver Hands took distance from the rebels and joined the retribution force later sended by the High Lords of Terra alongside elements from more then other 100 Adeptus Astartes Chapters;

* **First Tyrannic War (745.M41)** - The Silver Hands providend assistance on the eradication of the survived tendrils of Hive Fleet Behemoth;

* **Second Tyrannic War (991-993.M41)** - The Silver Hands provided assistance on the eradication of the survived tendrils of Hive Fleet Kraken;

* **Strike Force Retribution (999.M41)** - The Silver Hand joined the Iron Juggernauts taking the battlefields of the Cadian System against the 13th Black Crusade. With their intervention priceless, allowing the safe retreat of their allies badly mauled by Drukhari's surprise attacks. This however will cost as the forces deployed will remain stuck in Imperium Sanctus;

* **Battle for Tundra (010.M42)** - The Imperium Sanctus' Silver Hands and the Unnumbered Sons destined to both Chapters, arrived on the last stage of the siege of Ogun System, saving the battered Iron Juggernauts and the other defenders from the enemy forces;

* **Indomitus Crusade (011-110.M42)** - The Silver Hands joined the imperial efforts to defend and reclaim those regions of the Imperium of Man threatened by the surging forces of Chaos;
	+ **Steel Bonds (???.M42)** - The Silver Hands and the Void Vultures successfully repelled a Death Guard invasion from the world of Barbore Prime;

## Chapter Homeworld

While the Silver Hands doesn't have an homeworld, they have recruiting rights from the Feudal world of Thuringia, in the Sonne α system, granted after the military actions against the traitoris forces of the Night Lords who attacked the capital world of Yrminsul. The star system is at the northernmost rim of the Titan Sub-Sector, in Segmentum Ultima.

The Sonne α system is made by four worlds, Saxonia, Frixia, Yrminsul and Danmark, all under Imperial rule and categorized as Feudal Worlds (μ-class). All the system's worlds are feudal in culture and covered by lush woods and high mountains and they are still ruled by a now decayed Knight House.

### Fortress-Monastery

The Dauntless Shroud is a Courageous-class Battleship which serves both as Flagship and as Fortress-Monastery.

## Chapter Organisation

### Officier Ranks

* **Chapter Master**
* **Company Captain**
* **Lieutenant**

### Specialist Ranks

* **Chaplain**
	+ **Master of the Reclusiam**
* **Techmarine**
	+ **Master of the Forge**
* **Apothecary**
	+ **Master Apothecary**
* **Librarian**
	+ **Master of the Librarium**
* **Chapter Champion**
	+ **Company Champion**
* **Chapter Herald**
	+ **Company Ancient**

### Line Ranks

* **Veteran Sergeant**
* **Veteran Battle-Brother**
* **Sergeant**
* **Battle-Brother**

### Specialist Units & Formations

* **Purifiers** - The 1st Company of the Silver Hands, this veterans are specialized in both plasma and flame weaponry. Usually they are heavily bionicly augmented after susteining weapons backfires, due to the habit of overcharging to better cleanse their enemies;

* **Immortals** - The Immortals were an elite cadre of Breachers, veterans of the worst assaults in Zone Mortalis they were grouped in special formentations and used as spearhead where their superior experience would play a major role. Many of them suffered the greatest number of mechanical augmentation to be able to return on the field, with the full passage of the Chapter to Primaris however there are not enough surviving breachers and the formation is currently disbanded;

The lost cadre of the ImmortalsDreadturion, boarding variant KLVL-02
### Order of Battle

#### Headquarters

Chapter Master
Chapter Master Honour Guard
Chapter Champion
Chapter Herald
Master of the Librarium
5 Epistolary
9 Codicier
10 Lexicanum
20 Acolytum

Master Apothecary
12 Apothecary
15 Apprentice
30 Medicae Serfs
35 Servo Meds

Master of the Forge
30 Techmarine
100 Tech Servitors
18 Predators
7 Vindicators
8 Whirlwhinds
5 Land Raiders
45 Gunships
Warsuits
Drop Pods
Master of the Reclusiam
Reclusiarch
10 Chaplain
10 Apprentice
20 Acolytes

#### Companies

After the 'Rubicon Dictate', the vast majority of the Armoury vehicles from the 'Firstborn era' will be retired, as the companies will be re-arranged to be Primaris only.

## Combat Doctrine

"*Boarding torpedoes at ready, launching in twenty. Weapon ready, comply to your vows and your duties.*"
— Unknown officier to a squad ready to be deployed
* **Blood on the void** - The Silver Hands specifically trains themselves to endure the void and the low oxygen conditions, due to their nature as a Fleet-based Chapter and the simple fact that boarding actions are their most common kind of engagement. This makes them, together with their natural attidude to violence and close combat clashes, a specialized force for indoor fightning and boarding actions;

* **Purifing plasma** - The revulsion for the xenos of the Silver Hands is well known and suprass the one of the other Adeptus Astartes Chapters. The favourite method of purification of the Silver Hands, and believed in the vision the best one, is by plasma weaponry which find large use among ranking Astartes and heavy weaponry specialists. However due to their revulsion and the inhability to feel immediate pain, the Silver Hands operators too often completely forgot their own safety, usually bringing the weapons to overchange and explode as the desire to cleanse is unbearable;

* **Flesh of steel** - Due do their passion for plasma and the inhability to recognize immediate pain, the Silver Hands wear extra layered Power Armour and bionics to compensate both their condition and the body parts who may had been lost;

## Chapter Culture & Beliefs

**Suffer not the xenos**

While on their patrols the Silver Hands engages anykind of enemies of the Imperium, they foster a deep revulsion for the xenos of any kind, they cannot bear to see some living and never miss a chance to strike a blow against them. For this reason the Silver Hands have a close tie with the Ordo Xenos and many are called to serve the Deathwatch for their fervored hate of the alien.

Under no circumstances the Silver Hands will ally or spare a fight with the xenos, even in the presence of a greater foe, refusing to take part or even abandon the battefield if such occurance will happen.

**Honour bound**

A near knightly sub-culture devolped inside the fleet of the Silver Hands, their pride in their accomplishemnts push the Chapter to greater deeds. Oath and vows are taken on various matters, as bonds of brotherhood and alliances after actions on the battlefield. No matter the oaths' subject, once taken the Silver Hands will go to any lenght to comply their word.

## Chapter Recruitment

After the events of Yrminsul and the Sonne α system, the Silver Hands mainly recruits from the feudal world of Thuringia, but as being a fleet based Chapter endlessly patrolling the Segmentum Ultima and its borders it is not rare that during their nomadic journey they will find some recruits from other worlds, both offered or taken by force. The recruits and the aspirants will face the selection rites on board of the Flagship, while the Chapter continues its patrol route. Three main trials must be passed to start the process of ascensions as Astartes of the Silver Hands.

**Trial of Endurance**

The aspirants will be mind wiped and they will be forced to extreme physical and mental training through a serious of challanges as lifting and holding high weight objects, running for hours, climbing and completing various times obstacle courses. This way the weakest will lay down exausted and only the fittest will prevail.

At this point the one who failed will be taken as Chapter serf while the other will start the indoctrination process.

**Trial by Duel**

A duel among the fittest will take place, a tournament of violent but almost non lethal combat. The aspirants will fight with swords and their bare hands if disarmed until the opponent is incapacitated or forced to submission, but at this point this second option will be rare as the mental indoctrination will kick in, forcing the aspirant to hardly surrender.

While not contemplated, death will occure and the ones badly wounded could be converted into servitors if the injury are too much for being treated.

**Void Hardening**

The last and hardest trial is called by the Silver Hands 'Void Hardening' as a main part of their combat doctrine is boarding actions and fighting in extreme conditions as low oxygen, no gravity and so on. While many of this conditions will be confrontend only and if the aspirants will become Astartes, the forbidding cold of the void or at least something recreated to be similar must be faced.

The aspirants will go on a special chamber, cooled to simulate harsh temperatures which they must endure for one day standard. This trial has the most high death rate, usually from hypothermia or body failure, and even the survivors will sometimes sustain lost limbs or severe cold burnings.

## Deathwatch Service

The Silver Hands are known to work happily together with the Ordo Xenos if their might is required and any Astartes will gladly join and serve the Deathwatch in their hunt for xenos, seeing this as both their duty and a great honour.

### Known flaws and mutations

* **Stubborn** - The Silver Hands are stubborn and overzelous to comply to their oaths and vows, prefering to be decimated against a foe over to dishonour their own word;

* **Void Hardened** - The skin of the Silver Hands is dry and hard, almost insensible to cold and pain, it is believed to be consequence of the 'Void Hardening' trial on the skin of the aspirants, but has been recognized to be a lesser mutation. This insensibility allows them to act relentlessly against the worst conditions and the worst wounds, but in the end this bring them to their doom as they are incapable to recognize how deadly their wounds are;
* **Betcher’s Gland Mutation** - The Betcher's Gland of the Silver Hands ceased entirely to function;

## Notable Members

* **Chapter Master Menelaus 'Meno' Kundaros** - First Chapter Master;
* **Chapter Master Aleksrecht Garandon** - Current Chapter Master;

* **Skariel Thidd** - Skariel Thidd was the sole survivor of his squad during the events of Barbore Prime. He held the line long enough to receive reinforcements. He will later have the honour to join the Void Vultures in their ritual Astartes exchange;

## Chapter Fleet

* ***Dauntless Shroud* (Courageous Class Battleship; Flagship)**
	+ *Dauntless Shroud* was found a drift in the outer space by the patrolling fleet of the Silver Hands during the middle of M38. The vessel presentend minor damage but no trace of her crew and the former owner was to be found after the boarding action. With the need of a new flagship, the Silver Hands claimed her after the mandatory maintence and purity checks. Since then Dauntless Shroud served as Flagship replacing the shamefully destroyed *Fist of Meno*, distinguishing herself during the following conflicts always guiding the fleet from the first line;

* **Battle Barges**:
	+ ***Undying Guardian*** (Legate-class Battle Barge);

* **Strike Cruisers:**
	+ ***Fang of Avora*** (Strike Cruiser);
	+ ***Silver Talon*** (Strike Cruiser);
	+ ***Eternal Vow*** (Strike Cruiser);
	+ ***Implacable Admonisher*** (Strike Cruiser);

* **Escorts:**
	+ ***Warcrest*** (Nova-class Frigate);
	+ ***Silver Monger*** (Nova-class Frigate);
	+ ***Argentii Contrador*** (Nova-class Frigate);
	+ ***Gladius of Sonne*** (Nova-class Frigate);
	+ ***Sun Storm*** (Cobra-class Destroyer);
	+ ***Storm Spirit*** (Cobra-class Destroyer);
	+ ***Hellcaller*** (Viper-class Destroyer);
	+ ***Valorous Baron*** (Viper-class Destroyer);

* **Retired and lost vessels**:

* ***Fist of Meno*** (Kontos-class Battle Barge, destroyed);
	+ More ancient as the Chapter itself and revered both as the living memory of their founding Chapter Master and a relic of ancient times. The *Fist of Meno* was a Kontos-class Battle Barge, a out of production and now extinct class of ramming vessels, and served as flagship and Fortress-Monastery for the ranking astartes and the veterans of the Chapter. Destroyed by the **Forlorn Slaughter** warband during M38 with the loss causing unbearable shame for the ranking Astartes of the time, which vowed an oath of vengeance, chasing the responsible untill death;

* ***Iron Guardian*** (Strike Cruiser, destroyed);
	+ Together with *Fang of Avora*, *Iron Guardian* fought against the Night Lords forces during Sonne α Liberation with the Astartes crew succesfully boarding the enemy vessel, the *Warbound*. Unfortunately enemy reinforcements layed in ambush, unleashing themselves at the right time, *Iron Guardian* was unable to disengage in time and ultimately destroyed;

## Chapter Relics

* ***Silver Blade*** - A master-crafted power sword, badge of office of the Chapter Master;
* ***Cleanser*** - A revered plasma cannon which sustained multiple overcharging without failing once. The weapon was elevated as a relic after the blessed machine spirit allowed its operator to obliterate superior enemy forces;

* ***Fist of Meno*** - Named after *Menelaus Kundarus*, the founding Chapter Master of the Silver Hands, was a relic Kontos-class Battle Barge who served as flagship for the Chapter in their first millennia, utterly destroyed by the Forlorn Slaughter warband in M38 for the shame of the ranking Astartes of the time, who later atoned by forcing themselves in hunting their enemies;

## Chapter Appearance

### Chapter Colours

The primary colour of the Silver Hands is silver grey with gold trims and helmet, hand gauntlets, knee poleyn and shoulder pads in bone white. With the right knee poleyn also, shows the Company insignia.

While the helmet variations shows with different colours the following ranks:

* **Battle-Brother**, bone white;
* **Sergeant**, bone white with red face mask;
* **Veteran Battle-Brother**, white with stripe and face mask silver grey;
* **Veteran Sergeant**, white with stripe and face mask red;
* **Lieutenant**, bone white with red stripe;
* **Company Captain**, bone white with double stripe red and silver grey;

Despite the Chapter being a *Codex Astartes*-compliant, the specialists such as Librarians, Apothecaries, Chaplains and Techmarines wears the regular Chapter colours but the right shoulder with the fitting colour designation.

### Chapter Badge

The Silver Hands badge is a metallic silver gauntlet, the similarity with the badge of the Iron Hands had been noted by many and is the main point, combined with the high number of bionic prosthetics in use by the Chapter, for the followers of the theory that marks the Silver Hands as Iron Hands successors.

## Relations

### Allies

 Ordo Xenos |      | Due to their high intollerence for the xenos, the Silver Hands and the Ordo have close ties and a good relations. Many Silver Hands are called to serve into the Deathwatch and in few occasion some company from the Chapter directly assisted the Ordo Xenos in various operations;

### Enemies

 Tyranids |      | Among the hated xenos, a special place is occupied by the Tyranids;

## Notable Quotes

### By the Chapter

"*You filthy xenos, I will expunge your existence from the universe.*"
— Veteran brother Makail of the Silver Purifiers
"*You will fulfill your vows, for the honour of the Chapter, for the Emperor... or you will die doing so.*"
— Speak of Chaplain Melkior before guiding an attack against enemy forces
"*In the name of our Chapter, the Silver Hands, I swear a vow of brotherhood and alliance with the Iron Juggernauts Chapter. As long as the Silver Hands exist, our brotherhood will endure.*"
— Chapter Master Menelaus 'Meno' Kundaros
"*In the ancient times we swore a brotherhood, we will mainten it.*"
— Chapter Master Aleksrecht Garandon
"*Silver Hands brothers, I join thy ranks for I see honour in fighting alongside you against the arch-contaminator and his vectors of death. May Our Steel bonds hold eternally.*"
— Vow of Batariel Hanro after joining the Silver Hands
"*I may be wearing different colours, but my vows will endur to my last breath. I will not suffer the unclean, the xenos nor the traitor as to kill is my duty.* "
— Skariel Thidd promise before joining the Void Vultures
### About the Chapter

"*Their vows are their pride, their duty is to kill as is ours. They are two times our brothers, from birth and form oath.*"
— Lord Commander Urthor Greyheart of the Iron Juggernauts
Template:Thirteenth Founding Chapters

## Trivia

* The Silver Hands are inspired by the 'Silver Hands' from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, a group of knigthly (at least the appereance) but ruthless werewolf hunters;

## Gallery

Firstborn Silver Hands Astartes,
 from the 6th CompanyPrimaris Silver Hands,
 from the 6th CompanyThe Astartes known as Batariel HanroAleksrecht Garandon,
 current Chapter MasterPurifier TerminatorSilver Hands Battleline Astartes,
 from the 5th Company