Hidden Hands

Hidden Hands armorial with Chapter iconography.

Hidden Hands Veteran Marine of the elite 1st Company displaying the paint scheme utilised by his Chapter's stealth forces.

## Space Marine Chapter

### **Allegiance**

Imperium of Man
(*Fidelitas Scine Recursu*)

### **Successor of**

Raven Guard
(Corvus Corax lineage)

### **Specialty**

Sabotage, Infiltration, Insurgency & Counter-Insurgency Warfare, Assassination, Multi-Vector Attack, Surprise Assault, Void Warfare

### **Colours**

Black and sandstone for 1st company. Sandstone and black for 2nd company.

### Successor Chapter(s)

None

"*The only way to know victory is to hear the silence after the last of our enemies are slain, the only way to know glory is first to know victory* "
— First Shadow Walker Vykus Khylo 994.M35
The '***Occultatum Manus***', or **Hidden Hands** in Low Gothic, is a loyalist Space Marine Chapter from the ill-fated 21st Founding, known also as the "Cursed" Founding, created in 991.M35. The Hidden Hands is a Successor Chapter of the Raven Guard. Additionally, following the loss of their homeworld, they became a fleet-based chapter, often operating on limited supplies as they reside in the far reaches of the Imperium Nihilus and find themselves consistently in conflict. The only real time they stock up is when they are drained of nearly all munitions and are in desperate need of recruits.

## Chapter History

### Origins

The origins of the Hidden Hands harken back to the closing decade of the 35th Millennium. The Adeptus Mechanicus sought to perfect and remove existing, identified deficiencies in flawed gene-seed, and to ultimately produce new and improved primarch-like Space Marines as a part of what was called "Project Homo Sapiens Novus". Unfortunately, the Magos Biologis genetors proved far less skilled in the genetic sciences than the Emperor of Mankind, resulting in seriously flawed gene-seed that was used to craft the organ implants for several newly created Space Marine Chapters.

When it became clear that the widespread experimentation on gene-seed had resulted in a near guaranteed manifestation of the XIXth's gene-flaw, the "Sable Brand", the Hidden Hands were sent to take dominion on an isolated feral world on the fringes of the Imperium. Their world of Myrkr was lush and full of various forms of wildlife where civilization had just entered infancy. It was too distant from any support to be considered for any meaningful colonization. The Hidden Hands were sent to Myrkr to be isolated and act as a vigil for the wider imperium. This was done in the hope that if any further side effect manifested and the chapter became uncontrollable, it would not cause any severe harm to the imperium, as It would be seen as waste if the gene-seed could not be employed to serve the Imperium in some way. Their continued existence was deemed acceptable as the Sable Brand was seen as a more minor flaw in comparison to the flaws from other gene-seeds.

Since the fall of their homeworld shortly after their founding, the Hidden Hands seem to have become obsessed with the very idea of glory. Each individual member is willing to do almost anything to have their deeds remembered in the sagas they paint among their fleet. This individual thought has extended to the behavior and tactics of the chapter, going out of their way to ensure they accredited in imperial records with the deeds necessary for victory.

The Hidden Hands specialize in assassination, sabotage, ambush tactics, and void warfare. Often they target enemy logistics including supply lines and reinforcements in transit, isolating entire worlds or even systems before making planetfall. Because the chapter is small in numbers, they will seldom take a fair fight. As a result, they go as far as to entirely avoid enemy forces moving into Imperium space just to have slightly less resistance when carrying out their missions. However, the one exception to this behaviour is when any Aeldari are spotted by the chapter. it seems that their primary targets become non-existent when Aeldari are spotted, they will engage these xenos with reckless abandon.

Even though the chapter prefers chasing xenos' targets, their records show that they have also taken on several Traitor Astartes as targets. While the chapter is officially on somewhat of a perpetual crusade, they are far from the behaviours of the Black Templars and are more akin to the 'Nomadic-Predation' pattern of the Carcharodons, a far rarer form of crusading.

The Hidden Hands have had very unsteady relationships with most chapters they have fought alongside since their founding. Even though there have been many reports of the Hidden Hands stealing resources and sabotaging allied forces, only one force has any solid evidence of this behaviour from a skirmish that took place on the outer edges of the Badab War. Since they were caught attempting to plunder ammunition and promethium from the Minotaurs, this led to a prolonged exchange of bolter fire between the chapters. As a result, many chapters even view news of the Hidden Hands' arrival as a bad omen.

Claiming somehow, shortly before their arrival to a conflict, an allied force’s engines are cut off their munitions stockpile drained, and then the Hidden Hands move forward without offering aid to the inert ships of their allies. When the dust finally settles, a chapter one-fifth the size of most is claiming glory for the Imperium’s victory having suffered minimal losses.

### Notable Conflicts

* **The Siege of Myrkr** (047.M36) The Chapter's unfortunate beginnings have their first major battle see the loss of their homeworld to the Aeldari. The unnamed Aeldari forces laid brutal siege to the world of Myrkr in claims that it was one of their long-lost maiden worlds. These spared no resource and took little risk in fighting a near full-strength chapter, opting to conduct strikes from orbit on any fortifications on the planet. Communications were immediately sent for reinforcements as this assault was not something the planet's forces could hold out against. After weeks of bombardment, the Hidden Hands were forced to meet the Aeldari fleet in orbit and engage already having taken massive casualties. Once in orbit the chapter would take small victories in boarding actions against the Aeldari and would be able to successfully cut down enemy leadership and disable weapons aboard their fleet. Already wounded the chapter could not risk staying aboard enemy vessels for any time further than it took to accomplish their goals of disabling weapons and routing enemies aboard. With the fleet of the Hidden Hands still being torn away by the Aeldari, the chapter was in an absolute state of seeking damage reduction until the arrival of requested reinforcements. The Hidden Hands would continue taking casualties until their flagship, the Forgone Conclusion, was successfully disabled and boarded by the enemy. This prompted the first chapter master, Vykus Khylo, to call on all remaining Astartes to return to the Forgone Conclusion to purge the enemy and have time to return the ship to function. This battle aboard their flagship would take many bloody hours but saw the chapter regain control and be able to move freely in the void. With what little the chapter had remaining united on the Forgone Conclusion and no reinforcements in sight, the chapter master called for a full retreat and withdrawal from Myrkr.

* **Saga of the Shadow Walker** (098-104.M36) A portion of the Space Wolves Chapter was engaged in a reconquesting campaign against a tide of Orks that had recently taken over a minor imperium system. The Hidden Hands were in a nearby system when they received a signal to aid the ancient Space Wolf chapter. The Space Wolves had made planetfall and were undoubtedly victorious in their battle on the surface. However, an ork warboss had musted forces in the void to make a counter-attack against the small Space Wolf fleet in the system. The Space Wolves, having underestimated the undertaking of this campaign, were not in a position to defend to their fleet with most of their forces still engaged on the surface. With the core of the Space Wolves being occupied in other engagements, the call for aid was found necessary to prevent their fleet from taking on losses. The Hidden Hands took the request immediately and move to aid the Space Wolves. When the chapter arrived they found a Space Wolf battle barge already engaged as the orks were committing to a boarding action. The orks were completely unaware of the Hidden Hands moving to reinforce and were already deeply focused on the battle at hand. The chapter kept itself from sight and sent out small boarding ships from a great distance to dock and reinforce the battle barge. By the time the Hidden Hands engaged within the ship, they had already cut off all of the orks options for retreat. Striking from the shadows the first chapter master, Vykus Khylo, was the first to drive his blade into the tide of orks. Moving from shadow to shadow, untraceable by any mortal eyes on the ship, Khylo cut down orks in the dozens with his ancient lightning claws, leaving bystanders in awe. The Hidden Hands saw a heroic victory aboard the Space Wolves' vessel and were greeted in celebration when the Space Wolves returned from the surface of the planet. The two chapters were then united in the conquest of the system, and the Saga of the Shadow Walker was put up by the Space Wolves inside the halls of the Forgone Conclusion to begin their campaign and start forging a bond between chapters. The next years of the campaign featured a slow conquest filled with victories for the Astartes and crushing defeats for the orks. The Hidden Hands had a deep respect for the Space Wolves following their first celebration and would slowly begin to some of their culture and traditions.

* **Skirmish at the edge of the Badab War (912.M41) .** The Hidden Hands had a short appearance in this war but still found themselves branded as traitors for a brief period following their involvement. The Hidden Hands, whether for insidious purposes or not, were found about a Minotaurs' ship stealing supplies including munitions and promethium. While in transit a Minotaur's ship had become idle, with many systems powering down the Minotaurs astartes aboard the vessel were forced to investigate. They had found many of their weapons platforms completely gutted and missing without a trace of any enemy forces. The ship then went on a full-scale lockdown in pursuit of traitor Astartes. Upon reaching their armoury they found a squad of Hidden Hands stealth forces plundering their supplies, led by none other than the Thirteenth Shadow Walker, Ragmuth Skelden. Upon this discovery, the Minotaurs assumed the worst and Captain Zelaos immediately ordered them to open fire. This prompted Skelden to immediately signal for his forces to act in response and a full boarding party was deployed onto the now hostile vessel. Bolterfire was exchanged for hours, but ultimately even on a single ship the the Minotaurs' had more resources and manpower than nearly the whole of the current Hidden Hands. The Hidden Hands had taken on numerous casualties and had not made much progress in witling down the enemy. Their attempts to slay Captain Zelaos all met with the death of another Hidden Hand. The chapter had called for a retreat and were forced to abandon any supplies they did not already have secured aboard their vessel. Upon victory, Captain Zelaos immediately declared the Hidden Hands as an enemy of the chapter. Within a few days of the Minotaurs' victory, the thirteenth Shadow Master Ragmuth Skelden returned to the Minotaurs' vessel, alone. The Shadow Master was oddly devoid of the chapter's signature pair of lightning claws and cloak of their homeworld. He had no wargear aside from his combat knife. He walked on the ship in seeming peace announcing that he wished to challenge Captain Zelaos to an honor duel. The captain accepted this challenge without further consideration. Captain Zelaos, clad in terminator plate, would tear the Shadow Maser of the Hidden Hands limb from limb in a very short duel and then cast his remains into the void.

* **Dawn of the Endless Night (Currently engaged M42) -** The Hidden Hands were ill-prepared and licking their wounds from a haphazard engagement with Aeldari. They descended upon another chapter's highly advanced homeworld in their tradition of Nox Redemptionis, believing it to be a hive world with a rich source of recruits and munitions. The Chapter in their hurry would not realize they were trespassing upon the **Phoenix Kings'** sanctuary world of **Altare** until they were directly engaged with numerous astartes clad in terminator plate. The Phoenix Kings would seek to ask no questions to the trespassing force roaming the streets of their beloved world and kidnapping their populace. They opened fire at the sight of the Hidden Hands. The Hidden Hands infested with their hubris would refuse to engage in a parley and seek to prove their warriors superior to these fanatics. After all, their reward would be restoring their chapter's numbers and moving onward towards Myrkr. (This campaign is being carried out on the tabletop and the results of which will be reflected in the lore here in time.)

### Era Indomitus

"*This Saga will paint the halls of Terra itself. This Saga will shine in eternal glory next to the Allfather. The Chapter will be called upon for the Allfather's greatest battles, and we will only know victory.*"
— Fourteenth Shadow Walker Tyr Hrafn M42
In the Era Indomitus the Hidden Hands are on a crusade in search of their homeworld Myrkr. They have become obsessed with this goal and believe it to be the "Saga of the Chapter." The current Shadow Walker Tyr Hrafn has been the driving force of the chapter taking this course. He believes that the chapter will be restored to its whole strength on Myrkr and the Allfather's will have their saga immortalized on Terra. Hrafn claims the return to Myrkr is the chapter's highest duty to the imperium, and no other goal comes before this. However, the chapter would never pass up an opportunity for glory in their search for their homeworld.

The Hidden Hands have abandoned all logic when it comes to achieving this goal. Their hunt for the Aeldari becomes ever more tormenting. They have been recorded abandoning allied forces at a moment's notice if they hear that Aeldari has been sighted nearby. This has caused them to create a few enemies even within the Imperium. Most notably, the Salamanders were en route to reinforce the Hidden Hands who were engaged in defending a mostly civilian population against a horde of Orks, but when the Salamanders arrived the Hidden Hands were only a rumor and the Orks had already savaged the civilian life. The Hidden Hands will continue to behave this way as they hope that each Aeldari they chase down will lead them closer to Myrkr.

## Chapter Homeworld (Myrkr)

The stories that the Hidden Hands tell of Myrkr conflict directly with imperial records of the world. All imperial records describe this long lost world as a small and harsh feral world with little hope of colonization. The large scaled beasts native to the planet dwarf even astartes and the human populations once found on the world were in constant hiding and were forced into nomadic lifestyles and relegated to hunting and eating vermin, even turning to cannibalism when the hunger was too great. These large beasts were described as highly intelligent and highly social. Though they were carnivorous, they would still be recorded destroying any attempt at agriculture development among the tribes to draw them out for hunting. This made any hope of developing the primitive humans into civilization a far flung dream. Since the world is too far from the imperial core, it was not considered worth the investment of resources to purge the local local predators and prep for colonization. With the world now being under Aeldari control for millennia, the hope of any remaining human population is extremely low if they were not all slain by Aeldari bombardments in the initial siege, or all killed off by the worlds unforgiving wildlife.

The Hidden Hands have a much different description of the world, believing to be akin to paradise. The chapter tells tales of a lush, green world teeming with the beginnings of civilization that they were meant to guide to prosperity. Their records describe the scaled beasts as glorious companions to roam the world with, even stating that they would assist the populace in hunting and hauling their supplies. With senses so keen they could even track their gene-father, Corvus Corax. Their descriptions of the world are jaw-dropping at the very least, describing a world with sights so beautiful it could soothe the hearts of veteran warriors at the peak of the Sable Brand's at the very peak of its potency. They continue to have hopes for the humans left on Myrkr, claiming that they are tenacious enough to have survived any Aeldari attempts to purge them; that they will return to world brimmed with experienced warriors fit to become astartes and return the chapter to its maximum fighting strength.

Even though not a single living member of the chapter has set foot on the world, each one is obsessed with their return home to Myrkr. Each one feels a constant shame for the loss of their homeworld and seek eternal glory at the victory in the battle for Myrkr.

## Chapter Fleet

The Forgone Conclusion is a slightly larger imperial battle barge that serves as the chapter's flagship and fortress monastery. Not much is known about the service of the Forgone Conclusion, but what little service record has been kept displays service during the Horus Heresy for the XIXth legion. All that is known concretely is that it had taken heavy damage at the drop site massacre and was docked on a forge world left to be nearly forgotten by the forces of the Imperium. The forge world near to the world of Altare claims that the battle barge was forcibly seized by the chapter, but the Hidden Hands claim it was assigned to them before their boots ever walked Myrkr. The Forgone Conclusion in its service to the Hidden Hands has been decorated with countless sagas depicting the chapter's victories and past Shadow Walkers, with most displaying the deeds of the 1st company. Most of the interworking corridors have been reforged into a labyrinth to protect against hostile boarding actions. In the few times allied forces have been stationed aboard their flagship, they have all claimed that the halls of the ship had shifted after their return from battle, but the Hidden Hands continue to claim it never changes.

The Forgone Conclusion lacks many broadside bombardment options as the chapter has replaced many weapons housings with hangars for carrying their smaller splinter ships and pods for boarding actions. When it enters into conflict in the void it is as if the ship turns into a small fleet on its own, delivering a thousand cuts into enemy ships before sending astartes to board and slay the battle-shocked crew. As for the rest of the fleet there is nothing to speak of. All smaller vessels in the fleet are docked on the Forgone Conclusion travel and only deployed when combat in the void is inevitable, though a deployable splinter fleet often catches enemies off guard. The chapter is filled with experienced navigators and thus is adept at avoiding any unfavorable conflict for its fleet.

## Chapter Organization

The organization of the Hidden Hands is somewhat codex-compliant. The Chapter consists of only two companies due to working with minimal numbers and only having the Astartes to reasonably spread amongst two companies. The two work closely together to achieve glory and victory in a swift manner. The organization of these companies is a reflection of how they behaved in the latter years of the Saga of the Shadow Walker alongside the Space Wolves. Having the 1st Company ("The Cloak") deploy as a vanguard utilizing stealth tactics to ensure a swift victory once they strike. The 1st company utilizes almost exclusively Phobos pattern armour donned in black. After the initial engagement of the 1st company, the 2nd Company ("The Dagger") follows closely behind and makes effective use of fast-moving assaults to engage an already surprised enemy.

While the two companies synergize very well together, they are both more than capable of making war isolated from the chapter if the need arises. The companies also have somewhat of an internal rivalry, often competing for kill counts and skulls of enemy leadership. As with each individual and the chapter as a whole, each company wishes to be accredited with the deeds necessary for victory. Each saga that depicts their glory only serves to embolden the fury of each space marine.

#### 1st Company ("The Cloak")

"*The Cloak delivers the first note before a crescendo into the melody of glorious battle.*"
— Seventh Shadow Walker Latros Mendax
Using some of the most prevalent tactics that their gene-seed would suggest, the 1st Company of the Hidden Hands utilizes stealth and guerilla tactics to create the most ideal situations for the chapter when making war. The Cloak will deploy as a vanguard force led by the Shadow Walker and seek to target key enemy commanders or supply lines before engaging in full-scale assaults. They will deploy squads to any logical pathways to squander any chance of reinforcement or retreat from the enemy. Before the enemy knows they are there, the Cloak will have already secured sightlines and high ground to ensure that they make 10 Astartes fight with the efficiency of 100. Once the first strike is made, it is followed by a volley of bolter fire and the slashing of the tsunami of blades.

Donned in black and favouring Phobos pattern armor since the crossing of the Rubicon Primaris, the Cloak has selected the best wargear for their duties. The 1st Company will utilize all logical tools to carry out the first strike of war. They deploy an infantry front supported by Storm Speeders, Invictor Warsuits, and the occasional dreadnought if the battle calls for it. The infantry will deploy key tools to be effective at all ranges in combat, using long-range sniper fire, paired combat blades, and explosives with which to sabotage the enemy's advance. This, of course, is always in support of a vast array of bolt weapons.

Slowly their battle is planned, and swiftly their enemy is executed,

#### 2nd Company ("The Dagger")

"*To be swifter than your foe is to deliver the fatal blow.*"
— Twenty-first Storm Walker Ventus Rex
The Dagger is led by the Storm Walker and specializes in brutal speed and heavy weapons fire to break enemy lines and shatter their will. With tactics inspired by their time with the Space Wolves, the Dagger has become very fond of melee prowess and overwhelming force. When supporting the initial engagement of the Cloak, they will find that they must take advantage of a disorientated enemy and drive the final strike into the enemy's formation. When the Dagger is making war without the cloak, they will seek to overload and assault the flanks of enemy forces and then slash into a now isolated core. Members of the 2nd Company are heavily encouraged to challenge the most daunting of foes to honour duels, even if the outcome of such is clearly out of their favour.

Donned in a brighter sandstone colour and favoring tacticus pattern armour, the wargear of the Dagger will be more varied than the 1st Company. The 2nd Company seeks glory in a more bombastic nature and will utilize any tool that the coming battle calls for. In terms of wargear that the Dagger finds to be vital to their tactics they will always be found using jump packs, chainswords, and heavy battle tanks. Most dreadnoughts will be deployed with the 2nd Battle Company as well as the minimal terminator plate that the chapter has access to.

The weapon that cuts their enemies the deepest with a single slash is the weapon of choice for the second company.

## Recruitment and Gene-seed

"*The Sablebrand is not a curse nor a flaw, it is the anvil on which the most fierce warriors are forged.*"
— Fourteenthth Shadow Walker Tyr Hrafn 007.M42
Shortly following the chapter's founding, their homeworld of Myrkr was besieged by Aeldari believing it to be a long-lost Maiden World. The battle for Myrkr was long and bloody, nearly destroying the chapter in its entirety. Though the Hidden Hands essentially begged for imperium reinforcements, none arrived and the world of Myrkr was lost to the xenos forces. The location of the world was somewhere in the outer reaches of what is now known as the Imperium Nihilus. Still, information about its exact location among the stars was lost from imperial records following the creation of the Cicatrix Maledictum. Since the loss of their homeworld, the chapter has become a nomadic fleet-based chapter forced to recruit from disparate worlds.

Their recruitment is far less voluntary than that of chapters descending from a legion like the Ultramarines. The chapter descends on crime-ridden hive cities of the imperium in a ritual they call Nox Redemptionis, targeting populations from the slums of violent crime gangs and abducting the most capable looking among them for fresh recruits. The Hidden Hands do not have any blessing from higher powers to behave in this way and they provide no warning to the worlds they fall upon. However, most worlds view their arrival for recruitment as a boon even if unexpected.

Once abducted, recruits are given nothing but a combat knife and will be told to "slay the monster in the dark, and then you will know freedom". They are then loosed upon the dark labyrinth located in the lowest decks of the forgone conclusion. However, there is no monster lurking in the dark, there are only other freshly abducted recruits told to do the same.  Often there is an awkward phase before the recruit realizes that they are there to slay each other. Sometimes the recruits will even attempt to team up to search for the monster in the dark, then slowly but without notice the realization sets in and a bloodbath ensues. Once the first kill happens within the labyrinth, an uproaring cheer can be heard echoing through the halls and corridors encouraging the recruits to continue and seek glory. Continuing until the pool of recruits is cut down to one-fifth of its original size.

Following this trial, the recruit is seen to have potential and then will undergo the long and painful surgery of becoming an Astarte. The Hidden Hands do not find use in aspirants and will instead attempt to accelerate the process of surgery and will not field neophytes in battle. This practice increases mortality rates among recruits which is not something the chapter is concerned with as they believe only those worthy will survive.

Due to the nature of the 21st Founding and its failed attempts to cure gene-flaws, the Hidden Hands possess a gene-seed that is nearly certain to cause the Sable Brand to manifest instantly among new Astartes.

### The Sable Brand

"*Since the earliest days of the Raven Guard, some of their numbers have been prone to a battle madness known as the Sable Brand. This consists of cold-blooded determination to fight on with no regard for self-preservation coupled with an inability to separate the whispers of the dead from the words of the living. Thought to be an original flaw in Corax's gene-seed that he himself may have suffered, it is marked by one's eyes becoming completely black. Though its effects are not permanent, it is often ever-present among those who suffer from it.*"
— Note on the XIXth Legion's so-called "Sable Brand"
The Sable Brand is seen by most of the sons of Corvus Corax as a curse. However, the Hidden Hands instead see it as the early mark of a great warrior. The chapter is an absolute inverse of most beliefs regarding the Sable Brand, believing that if it does not manifest in a new warrior, then that warrior is cursed. For those they see as cursed, the chapter will carry out secret executions to purge the chapter of any perceived weakness. The Chapter will wait thirty terran days after the gene-seed implant for the Sable Brand to manifest within their new Astares before believing them cursed. Once the gene flaw manifests, the new Astartes will each be sent out to hunt an almost arbitrary target as a lone operative to have time to recover from the more undesirable effects of the Sable Brand. During this time, most of the lone operatives will find themselves thirsting for the glory and admiration of their now-brothers and reminiscing on the hunt within the labyrinth. Surviving this final trial will instil the dogma of the chapter's strategies and tactics.

"*If they do not hide in the shadows, they will die. If they do not deceive the enemy they will die. If they do not strike at the perfect time, they will die. If they do not overcome the Sable Brand, they will die. If they die, then they are not destined to be a battle-brother.*"
— Stargazer Ordias Torvaecc 467.M41
The few survivors that succeed in their mission will return to the chapter and be showered in cheers and glory and have the saga of their triumph painted on the walls of the Forgone Conclusion. They will have finally achieved the freedom they were promised within the labyrinth. They will owe everything to the chapter, for they have escaped the worst depths of the criminal undergrounds from whatever disgusting hive city they once inhabited. For they are now honoured warriors and brothers amongst the Hidden Hands.

Since this process has proven to create Astartes who are staunchly loyal to the chapter, they will fight in the name of the chapter before any other. These warriors will seek to bring endless glory and honour to their battle brothers. As a result, the chapter finds no reason to have dedicated chaplains, instead leaving the role of spiritual direction and ritual solely to the current Shadow Walker, Tyr Hrafn.

"*The Sable Brand is of the Allfather’s design and our victories are a result of our faith in his craft.*"
— Twelfth Shadow Walker Sevgar Nihilsong
## Culture and Traditions

"*Legendary deeds amid battle are an intoxicating mead. Those who witness them are inspired to greater feats of daring and valour, determined to prove themselves worthy of their champions.*"
— Attr. Space Wolves
Following the loss of their homeworld the Hidden Hands would find themselves serving in campaigns assisting the Space Wolves chapter in an offensive against the Orks. As a result of this prolonged exposure, the chapter would slowly adopt some of the traditions and beliefs of the Space Wolves. This would lead to a complete reorganization of the chapter that was not compliant with the Codex Astartes.

During their time with the Space Wolves, they adopted many things, including their name for the Emperor of Man, the Allfather, as well as their lust for glory and grand celebrations of victory. The name of the Hidden Hand's position of Chapter Master also comes from interaction with Space Wolves. The title of Shadow Walker was first a nickname of their first Chapter Master Vykus Khylo, given to him as an honour for his unusual ability to Wraith-slip and disappear. This honoured title stuck within the Hidden Hands chapter itself as the Astares began referring to Khylo as the Shadow Walker rather than Chapter Master, and this was carried on and the title was passed down to the next leader of the Hidden Hands.

Among their first engagements alongside the Space Wolves, the Hidden Hands behaved akin to carrion birds. They would wait for the Space Wolves to strike first and then they would clean up the scraps, chasing down retreating forces and ensuring that none could escape and regroup to provide further resistance at the next battle. These tactics would slowly morph into nearly the opposite with time. Their relationship with the Space Wolves would become a very competitive one as the Shadow Walker would spend more time amongst wolves and develop a bond. The want for this great and ancient chapter to sing tales of his chapter and his glory would become something that Vykus Khylo was obsessed with.

The behaviour of carrion birds was not the destiny of the Hidden Hands, as they began to strike first and seek to claim the skull of the largest orks they could find. They would seek to leave nothing but scraps for starving wolves. This spirit of competition became fierce as the bond grew, though the Space Wolves would often attribute the Hidden Hands victories to fortune, the glory and praises would be given to the chapter all the same. In the later years of the campaign, the Space Wolves would run into small misfortunes such as miscounting their munitions stockpiles or having fleet malfunctions within the hours before the battle. So the Hidden Hands would often pull ahead and reach their target first.

"*You must be the first to strike, or else you are seizing victory to your enemies.*"
— First Shadow Walker Vykus Khylo M36
### Victory, Defeat, and Death

The respect given for their fallen warriors is carried out in a ceremony called Invenire Domum after each battle as the preamble to the celebration of victory or the solitary penance of defeat. Each warrior, if their body can be recovered, will be stripped of their gene-seed and their wargear all except for the combat knife that they received upon becoming full-fledged battle brothers. The fallen warriors will then be wrapped in the parchment of their first saga detailing the glory of the final trial of the Hidden Hands, and then the warriors will be released into the void to find their way home to Myrkr.

In victory, the chapter will hold a grand celebration involving brews learned from the Wolves and the fine drinks of their ancient legion of the Raven Guard. The Shadow Master will select a captain from amongst the chapters to paint the saga of battle and add it to the colourful walls of the chapter’s fleet. The brothers of the chapter will then offer up their stories of battles and speak of their yearning for their next opportunity of battle.

In defeat, the chapter will fall silent and hear no words apart from the Shadow Master’s wrath. The Shadow Master will select a single captain from amongst the chapters to bear the shame and responsibility of defeat, and he will be exiled from the chapter to return to the site of defeat by a lone operative. It is there that the Astartes will fight until death to reclaim the chapter’s honour. Then all records and sagas of the Solus Poenitus will be ripped from the chapter's history and be forgotten. His name is never to be spoken in the chapter again and he will never return to Myrkr.

## Notable Relics and Wargear

* ***Kaed's Grasp*** - An ancient pair of master-crafted Lighting Claws forged during the days of the great crusade and wielded by the revered Kyrin Kaed. Passed down from each Shadow Walker to the next. Kyrin Kaed was a Raven Guard Legion Praetor who recovered from the Sable Brand during the Horus Heresy.  Kyrin Kaed was slain by a World Eaters Heretic Astartes during the Scouring and now serves the Hidden Hands as an ancient Leviathan Dreadnought.

* ***The Shroud of Myrkr*** - A wonderfully crafted cloak found upon the chapter's homeworld of Myrkr. It emanates a psychic aura, creating a cloud of darkness large enough to shroud an entire squad of Astartes, allowing them to move behind enemy lines without a trace. This cloak is worn by each Shadow Walker until death.
* ***Myrkrian Warsuit*** - Upon taking the title of Shadow Walker, Tyr Hrafn commisioned a forge world for the creation of a personalized warsuit that could take advantage of the inherited Shroud of Myrkr. This would allow the Shadow Walker to to command at the very front of ambushes while still being shrouded from enemy view by a cloud of darkness. The warsuit also comes with an enhanced arsenal, including a dreadnought-sized lightning claw, an enhanced targeting array, and a main canon with lethal accuracy. Tyr believed that this creation would lead him to many glorious sagas and result in fewer casualties of his brothers deployed deep behind enemy lines. Though deployment of this relic is not always necessary it has become a tool the Shadow Walker will deploy when open warfare is innevitable.

## Relations

### Conflicting

* **Minotaurs**

* **Salamanders**

* **Phoenix Kings**

## Gallery

[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]