Eternal Vigil

Eternal Vigil armorial with 'Eye of Terra' iconography.

Eternal Vigil Legionary

### Observed Strategic Tendencies

Surprise Assault, Strategic Decapitation Strikes & Extended Unsupported Operations Within Hostile Domains

### Colours

Midnight Blue and Silver

The **Eternal Vigil**, known informally as **the Hunters**, were an elusive formation of mysterious Space Marine legionaries and mortals who possessed unbreakable faith and stalwart devotion to the Emperor's Imperial Truth. These mysterious individuals were consummate warriors, skilled in a variety of arms, appearing on the field of battle as ghostly Astartes clad in battle-plate of midnight black, trimmed in silver or as the murderous forms of the Sisters of Silence. No one knows where these Astartes came from, their origins shrouded by the Sigillite himself and the highest levels of redaction, and even fewer are aware of their mission.

## **Organisation**

### The Towers

The Towers of the Vigil are built and strategically located around the Eye of Terror and the Maelstrom, and are used as listening posts as well as staging grounds for launching their forces against any Chaos or Daemonic incursions. They also utilise these hidden fortresses as a training ground for any potential candidates they encounter.

* **Tower of Light** - Led by
* **Tower of Reason**
* **Tower of Truth**
* **Tower of Vigilance**

### **Vigil Stations**

All around the Eye of Terror and Maelstrom, there are located Vigil Stations. Each of these is a small satellite, hidden by arcane cloaking technology and manned by Eternal Vigil serfs. Each of these stations serves a dual purpose. Their primary purpose is to monitor the regions around the Eye of Terror and Maelstrom zone for warp activity in order to provide the Eternal Vigil with an advanced warning for when a warp incursion shall occur. Their secondary purpose is to act as a resupply point, enabling the Eternal Vigil to rapidly redeploy anywhere around the Maelstrom zone or Eye of Terror adequately supplied. These watch stations are capable of being garrisoned by up to 100 space marines although they are normally only garrisoned by around 50 serfs.

### **The Sisters**

With the reduction of Black Ships, the Destruction of Luna and the numbers of Talons of the Emperor decimated, the Sisters of Silence were incorporated within the new organisation of the Eternal Vigil by the High Lords of Terra and the fortress-monastery of the Vigil on Titan was expanded to include new facilities for them. They maintained their previous roles as the guardians of the Black Ships and the hunting of psykers, rarely acting as the garrisons of the Towers unless called upon by the High Lords or a Watchmaster.

## **Rank Structure**

The Eternal Vigil was divided into three Orders: the Order of the Knight Hunters, the Order of the Silent Hunters and the Order of the Coventry Brotherhood. Even most of those who know about the Eternal Vigil are only aware of the first two Orders, with the third being kept a deep secret. Though all were referred to by the uninformed as the Hunters, the three Orders served different purposes and were composed of different breeds of warrior.

### **The Order of the Knight Hunters**

The Order of the Knight Hunters is the force of Eternal Vigil Astartes, consummate warriors who, through unknown means, appear and disappear from battlefields to fulfil unknown objectives. The Knights are the premier garrisoning force of the Towers, maintaining their vigil over the greatest of the Warp tears to either intercept threats or else inform their brothers of a threat too great for them to counter. They have also been known to venture into the Warp to deal with emerging threats, though usually these require reinforcements from the other Orders to be effective.

#### **Command Ranks**

* Watchmaster = The highest ranking member of the Order, in overall command of the Cohorts of the Knight Hunters
* Watchmarshal = The commander of a Cohort

### **The Order of the Silent Hunters**

The Order of the Silent Hunters is the force of Eternal Vigil Sisters, organised along the same lines as their pre-Ruins organisation but in a reduced capacity. The rank structure of the Sisters was retained, though the Order’s role as the judges of psykers was reduced.

#### **Command Ranks**

* Knight-Commander
* Mistress of the Black Ships
* Nemesis Praxia

### **The Order of the Covenant Brotherhood**

Unknown to all, the Order of the Covenant Brotherhood are the synthesis of what the Eternal Vigil was designed to be. The Astartes of the Covenant Brotherhood are all Pariahs, not the imitations of the Warriors of Peace but true Pariahs along the lines of their Sisters in the Order of Silent Hunters. Numbering only a thousand brothers, the Covenant Brotherhood is only called upon to deal with the most direct or dire threats.

#### **Command Ranks**

* Grandmaster = The current commander of the Covenant Brotherhood

## **Legion Colours**

The Eternal Vigil wear midnight-clad coloured power armour and hooded cloaks and tabards, as well as censers or burning candles - a nod to their monastic lifestyle. The Vigil personnel of each Tower have their own unique appearance:

* **Tower of Light** - Face masks which only cover the top part of the face, and leopard or jaguar skin cloak

* **Tower of Reason** - Drake scale cloaks and more ornate masks.
* **Tower of Truth** - Plain cloaks and blank face masks.
* **Tower of Vigilance** - Fur trim to their cloaks and fairly plain death masks.