Gottfried Tann

Gottfried Tann is the current Master of the Forge of the Apophasis Crusade, master of the Crusader Pattern Forgeship ***Maximian Rex***. He is responsible for the overall upkeep of the crusade's fleet assets and vehicle motor pool. A fully initiated member of the Cult Mechanicus and the Black Templar, he was taught how to empathize with the Machine Spirits of the war machines that are under his watchful eye.

Originally a Firstborn Space Marine, Gottfried petitioned and was granted the right to cross the Rubicon Primaris alongside his brother shortly after the birth of the Great Rift.

## History

> *"Innovation may be considered heresy but everything is acceptable in the pursuit of prosecuting the enemies of the Imperium."*
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Gottfried Tann is the older blood brother of Marshal Aristeo Tann. He successfully undertook the trial of the Expectanten several years ahead of Aristeo and for nearly a century, they were unaware that each had survived and had been elevated into the vaunted brotherhood of the Black Templar. It is tradition that a chapter sends its marines who share a high affinity with technology to the cult of the Omnissiah. Those Adeptus Astartes who train in the ways of the Adeptus Mechanicus become members of two worlds, and are forever known as Techmarines. Due to the zealous nature and importance placed on melee prowess, the Black Templar chapter is not particularly known for its Techmarines, despite possessing the gene-seed of Rogal Dorn. In spite of this, it was the Black Templars who would raise Brother Gottfried into the ranks of the Techmarines. A sharp and inquisitive mind, Gottfried showed a great propensity for technology as a neophyte, and even had a knack for soothing unruly machine spirits. These talents were quickly picked out by the Techmarines of his household, and he was quickly selected to join the Cult Mechanicus on the forge world of Campania. Spending many years honing his skills, he would return to his chapter, a fully realized Techmarine.

Despite the dichotomy; Techmarines, especially those among the Black Templar are held in great regard. Due to the nature of being a fleet-based chapter and most fighting happens in the various Crusade Fleets, Techmarines like Gottfried are all the more necessary to maintain and repair their household's fighting strength.

Techmarines will spend years training and learning what they can from their Mechanicum masters, soaking in the rites of activation for their machine spirits, maintenance and repairs. Only the most senior of Techmarines of the Black Templar are given the title of Master of the Forge and overall command over a fleet's armoury and Forgeships. His knowledge of the arcane sciences being refined over the centuries can rival any Tech-adept from Mars or other Forge Worlds attach to the Black Templar. In addition to his duties to the chapter and fleets, a Master of the Forge is responsible for the conservation of the chapter's relics. It is only upon his word that the most potent of these relics can be released for use in the persecution of Mankind's enemies.

Like most Masters of the Forge, Gottfried is able to modify and or even overhaul a weapon or vehicle to better suit his chapter's needs. Though due to Gottfried's unsavoury proclivity, carries no hesitation to affect his ideals on the panoply of war under his watch. In fact, most will testify that he seems to operate with a positive attitude when it comes to these kinds of activities.

It was only after the Imperial Regent visited the Eternal Crusader did they discover that they both served the God-Emperor as part of His eternal crusaders. Already a fully fledged Techmarine, Gottfried was informed then eventually permanently assigned to Aristeo's household. He crossed the Rubicon Primaris at the same time as his brother did.

### Artifice

Like most Techmarines, Gottfried is responsible for the repair and upkeep of the household's gear. He does not display the dismay or outrage usually associated with the more extreme acts of modification and will not hesitate to attempt to improve on an item's performance.

#### Armour of Tortosa

The *Armour of Tortosa* is a suit of Mark X Gravis Power Armour that Gottfried has specially modified for Marshal Aristeo that provides an unprecedented level of protection. Since this particular suit of armour was made for his blood brother, it was named after their home world Tortosa. Cleverly wrought damage control systems and materials considered even rare for the Adeptus Astartes allow this suit of Mark X Gravis Armour to offer a much greater degree of protection than standard Gravis Armour, even rivaling that offered by the Relic Terminator Armour found in the Temple of Dorn and *Maximian Rex*.

#### Gram

*Gram* is a Master-crafted Thunder Hammer built by Gottfried for Marshal Arnulph Torismund. A brutal looking Heavy Thunder Hammer, *Gram* is both the personal weapon and badge of office of Torismund. Officially recognized as the Ukonvasara pattern Thunder Hammer, it houses a twin linked energy field emitter and state of the art dampeners allowing for tremendous damage output while compensating for the additional force. Built after his sword was shattered during the Battle of Vatrica Prime, Torismund sponsored a competition amongst the chapter's Techmarines for a new weapon. Many weapons were submitted but it was Gottfried's Gram that won that day.

### Innovation

Although a talented mechanic, he possesses an unsavory characteristic that almost cost him his position; that being the need to innovate. It has been a long standing policy of the Mechanicus to not seek innovation or change, a rule that Brother Gottfried often ignored in his pursuit to create. This often led him into direct disagreements with his Tech-Priest instructors. After returning back to the Eternal Crusader after his training, he became a Primaris and learned more about Belisarius Cawl. Learning more and more about the upstart Dominus and his frowned upon behaviour, Gottfried has been at the forefront of many amazing innovations. Although they are not wide spread among the Imperium, his inventions have become great boons for the Black Templars, and particularly the Apophasis Crusade. Truthfully it was his innovation that has saved multiple lives that would have been otherwise lost. His largest contributions so far being the Atoner Assault Dreadnought and the Primaris Repulsor Evangelizer.

#### Atoner Assault Dreadnought

The *Atoner Assault Dreadnought* is a new pattern of Adeptus Astartes Dreadnought used by the Black Templars of the Apophasis Crusade to allow critically injured Primaris Space Marines to continue fighting against the enemies of the Mankind. It has not been shared with the Imperium nor Black Templars chapter as a whole as of yet.

Using technology from both the Leviathan pattern Siege Dreadnought and the Redemptor pattern Dreadnought; the Atoner as it's better known was created to save the life of dying Black Templars Space Marine deemed too important to allow for his final rest. A Leviathan is capable of saving the life of a Firstborn Marine, but its technology is lacking to do the same with a Primaris, clouding his mind in a haze. While it was believed that a Leviathan could extend the life of a Primaris, it could not save him. A Redemptor uses newly developed technology allowing an unprecedented dexterity and speed not normally associated with the older patterns of dreadnoughts used by the older space marines. Though as demonstrated by the Redemptor, these came with a price. The destructive prowess and power of the chassis burning out the mind of the interred over time.

After a study of the designs, Gottfried surmised that perhaps the clouding of the mind from the Leviathan and the excess power and information of the Redemptor could cancel each other out if they were somehow combined. These would alleviate the strain to the mind of those interred while still giving them some semblance of the dexterity and speed that had been the Redemptor's hallmark.

Gottfried was successful in his work and the Atoner pattern Assault Dreadnought came into existence.

#### Primaris Repulsor Evangelizer

The *Primaris Repulsor Evangelizer* began its development as a repair of a Repulsor that had been the personal transport of Marshal Aristeo after being nearly destroyed in battle against the Necrons. It was handed over to Brother Gottfried for repair as Aristeo assumed command of another Repulsor. Little more than a wreck with most of it's weaponry inoperable or completely destroyed, Gottfried could have just repaired the stricken vehicle and returned it to the Crusade's motor pool but he couldn't leave good enough alone and began to modify and innovate upon it.

Always an admirer of the Land Raider Crusader but unable to embark on one, Gottfried sought to mount the weaponry of the Crusader upon a Repulsor. This modification was easy enough to achieve and he presented his newest creation to Aristeo. Aristeo expressed his usual displeasure at his brother's behaviour but there was a hint of admiration in the new vehicle. The newly repaired vehicle had had all of it's weaponry replaced and reconfigured with the weapons of the Crusader.

### Chastisement

Gottfried's reckless behaviour in regards to innovation and improvement was usually easy enough to look over. His war record and maintenance of his household's wargear and vehicles being generally positive. It was only during an operation in cooperation with Mechanicum forces were some of his more frowned upon behaviour was observed by less than accommodating eyes. Belisarius Cawl's own ideas was still considered problematic and the Dominus in charge of the allied forces did not agree with Cawl's rejection of dogma. It did not want to see this radical new course spread any farther if it could be helped.

#### Knighthood

Gottfried was knighted shortly after his return from...

## Wargear

* **Mark X Gravis Power Armour**
* **Servo-Harness**
* **Forge Bolter**
* **Grav-Pistol**
* **Omnissian Power Axe**
* **Mechadendrite**
* **Frag Grenades**
* **Krak Grenades**