Golden Knights

Golden Knights Armorial

Gold, silver, and black trim

(There are unsubstantiated that the Chapter's actual numbers far exceed the *Codex Astartes*-mandated number of 1,000 Battle-Brothers, but due to their crusading nature these numbers have yet to be accurately verified.)
Under Investigation

### **Specialty**

Mass assault, precision strikes (The Custodes Regent)

### **Battle cry**

"Purification in death, redemption for the Fallen!"

### Successor Chapter(s)

None

The **Golden Knights** are an ancient Space Marine Chapter of Unknown Founding and unknown origin, though the paucity of surviving records point to this Chapter being Founded soon after the events of the Horus Heresy. However, much of their earlier history, from their inception onwards through M37 has been lost. During M38, a massive Chaos incursion of their Chapter homeworld, Zinthreon II, located in the Segmentum Obscurus, resulted in the destruction of most of the Chapter's records pertaining to their origins.

The Chapter strays greatly from the dictates of the *Codex Astartes* and have nearly been declared traitors for several charges of 'legion building' after several cases where the Chapter's numbers exceeded the maximum-allowable 1,000 battle-brothers. These charges would have led the chapter to being declared *Excommunicate Traitoris*, if it were not for the chapter's creation of 'The Weeding' wars.

## History

During the 38th Millenium the 9th Black Crusade launched out of the Eye of Terror in 537.M38. The homeworld of the Golden Knights was attacked by the forces of the Black Legion and the Alpha Legion, led by the infamous Chaos Champion Abaddon the Despoiler in what became known as the Siege of Zintheron. The siege by the forces of chaos decimated the Zinthreon II populace and the fortress monastery of the Golden Knights.

In order to survive the losses sustained by this conflict, the chapter joined forces with the Ultramarines and Space Wolves. The combined might of these space marine chapters would help provide a defense against a secondary assaults from the Forces of Chaos.

After the conclusion of the conflict an Inquisitorial investigation was launched against the Golden Knights. What was discovered was that one of the few chapter relics of the Golden Knights to survive the conflict was a suit of relic artificer armour called, '*The Bane of Traitors*'. This particular suit of armour was made of Auramite, the rare material reserved for the construction of the battle-plate that is exclusively worn by the Custodians. This sparked a full investigation of the Golden Knights by both the Adeptus Custodes and the Inquisition. The conclusion of these investigations remains sealed, by an Inquisitorial Bull, even to the Golden Knights themselves.

However, what is known is that the Custodes allowed the Chapter to keep the suit of armor so long as it was worn by only the Chapter Master, and even then, only when facing the Forces of Chaos. The Inquisition, on the other hand, left without an explanation. Soon after the investigation of both Imperial organizations, the Golden Knights were allowed to comb through their own records, only to discover most of the surviving documents from the conflict was lost, presumably taken by an Alpha Legion spy within the Inquisition or even the Inquisition themselves. The only remaining document was titled '*The Tale of the Lost Son*' which points to a founding prior to Guilliman's battle with the Daemon Primarch Fulgrim. With the loss of all of the chapter's Librarians and the Chapter Master during the siege, they were unable to confirm if this document was legitimate. Despite accepting this document within the chapter's records, they view it with open scrutiny as one confirmed and one suspected Alpha Legion raids could mean that this document was purposely planted within the chapter's records.

By 894.M38, the chapter had finally returned to full-strength, accidently surpassing the 1,000 astartes limit. This led to the creation of the Weeding Wars, a series of crusades headed by the chapter to weed out weaker astartes within the chapter by engaging in brutal conflicts that will result in the rapid reduction of the astartes number in order to return to the 1,000 astartes limit. The first series of Weeding Wars took place between 894.M38 and 895.M38 where the chapter faced a building Campaign of Subversion in the Tirian subsector. During this campaign the Golden Knights, along with a strike team of Gray Knights that arrived later during the conflict, halted an attempt to summon the Daemon Primarch Fulgrim, as well as to face a pair of Greater Daemons known as The Twin Succubi.

Soon after, the chapter established safeguards against breaking the 1,000 astartes limit, combining most companies into one large company and creating three scout companies that will contain most of the astartes within the legion, putting them through high risk scenarios to force the numbers to stay at, or even below, the 1,000 astartes limit.

Outside of a few small WAAAGHS!, the chapter wouldn't engage in a major conflict until 001.M39 during the 10th Black Crusade. Intent on getting revenge against the Black Legion for the Siege of Zintheron, the Golden Knights were the first to respond to the Iron Hands' call for aid and arrived days before other elements of the Imperial reinforcements. In the Days prior, the Golden Knights promoted most of their recruits to full astartes and recruiting another six hundred scouts in secret. The forces of the Golden Knights second company, a full nine hundred astartes, deployed upon the front lines and began a counter attack against the forces of the Black Crusade. At the same time, The Custodes Regent, the Golden Knights first company, deployed near the command center of the traitor forces and forced their way through the Black Legion and Iron Warrior's defenses. Eventually, the Custodes Regent reached the command center where they faced Abaddon the Despoiler, his chosen, and the Bringers of Despair. The assault resulted in the near total annihilation of the Custodes Regent, including the death of the Chapter Master and four of the five members of the Custodian Council, the leadership of the Custodes Regent. The remaining members of the Custodes Regent barely managed to escape with the bodies of their Chapter Master and Custodian Council. On The Tides front, similar levels of casualties occurred within the company. By the time the rest of the Imperial reinforcements arrived, the total number of Golden Knights astartes had been reduced to only two hundred full astartes.

In the years following the crusade, the only survivor of the Custodian Council, Gellan Auroran, would be named Chapter Master. In 301.M39, the 11th Black Crusade began, and the Golden Knights rushed to join the conflict and finally end the threat of Abaddon the Despoiler. Arriving on the world of Relorria, the Golden Knights discovered an ongoing three way war between the forces of the Imperium, the Black Legion, and an Ork WAAAGH!. In response, the Custodes Regent and The Tide were launched in a brutal assault against the forces of the Black Legion while The Recruits, the collection of all of the scout companies, engaged the threat of the green skin horde. Abaddon soon retreated from the world, but this time the Golden Knights would not let the traitor escape and began to pursue the Black Legion fleet, following it into the warp, leaving The Recruits behind to return to Zintheron II.

While traveling through the warp, the chapter came across numerous daemon worlds within the Eye of Terror and set out on a campaign to liberate several of these worlds mortal inhabitants from their daemonic rulers. Those that could be saved were recruited to the chapter.

It wouldn't be until 999.M41 that the bulk of the Golden Knights would return, too late to save Cadia. Still in pursuit of the Despoiler, the Golden Knights would follow the Black Legion to the moon of Kalisus, bringing a full 1,000 astartes to bear as well as an ancient Maelstrom-class Galleass of War. As the Aeldari saviors of the Celestian Crusade fled into the webway, the Golden Knights deployed in full force near the webway gate. When the Aeldari were gone and the Despoiler prepped to leave, the Golden Knights chapter, intent on finally ending the threat of Abaddon, threw themselves at the Black Legion and their allies. During the conflict, Chapter Master Auroran faced the Despoiler in single combat, suffering grave wounds in the process. Despite the strength of both the Golden Knights forces and fleet, they were beaten back by the traitors sheer numbers. In order to escape the world, the The Tide opted to stay behind and face the Despoilers legions alone. Their sacrifice allowed the Custodes Regent, whose numbers had been reduced to thirty astartes, and The Recruits, where all three companies were at half strength, to flee with their wounded Chapter Master aboard most of the chapters fleet, save for the Gloriana battleship, which stayed behind to hold back the traitors fleets.

Days after returning to Zintheron II, the Golden Knights linked up with the recruit companies that were left behind, with only the Dreadnoughts having survived the millenium that the rest of the chapter was gone, and only 200 initiates within the old recruit companies. These initiates were made into the replacement astartes for The Tide's losses, as well as the fifth company that had returned with the Custodes Regent.

In the early days of the Indomitus crusade, the Indomitus crusade stopped at the world of Zintheron I, a dead world where the rumored battle between Fulgrim and "The Lost Son" took place. It is unknown why Roboute Guilliman visited this world, just that he retrieved something from the planets surface. Guilliman's meeting with Chapter Master Auroran was brief, and the only significant event was the delivery of two hundred Primaris marines, returning the chapter to full strength.

## Notable Campaigns

* **The Lost War (Unknown, prior to 121.M32)** - The only remaining records of the Golden Knights that dates prior to the Siege of Zintheron in 537.M38. Strangely, the dates found point towards existing prior the division of the Legions into various chapters. Not much information remains about this conflict and it is unknown where this battle even took place. The document makes several references to an Astartes only known as "The Lost Son" and a fight between him and the traitor Primarch, Fulgrim, before he disappeared, leaving the Astartes that fought with him upon the Maelstrom-class Galleas of War, *The Redemption of the Lost*. However, while the document confirms that this Astartes was not one of the lost primarchs, it does not give any information to who this warrior was, or from whom he was descended.

* **The Siege of Zintheron II (537.M38)** - The earliest, officially recorded conflict in the Golden Knights Chapter annals that bears full information. The siege of Zintheron II began when large elements of all nine Traitor Legions attacked the world of Zintheron II, when a warp storm opened up next to the system's sun. The assault was orchestrated by the Daemon Primarch Perturabo and the Warmaster of Chaos, Abaddon the Despoiler. In the early days of the siege, the Chapter's fleet, as well as the Sector Defense fleet, engaged in a brutal stalemate against the traitor fleets. During the course of this space conflict, elements of the Night Lords and Alpha Legion Traitor Legions made planetfall and engaged the recruit companies, dealing heavy casualties to the recruits in the process before fleeing to the underbelly of the hive city as the bulk of the chapter arrived. Utilizing the diversion, an Alpha Legion infiltration team, led by a warrior that referred to himself as Omegon, though it remains unknown if it was the Primarch Omegon or a common astartes claiming to be Omegon, entered the planetary Fortress-Monastery of the Golden Knights and stole numerous records, before destroying what he could not take, and fled along with the entirety of the Alpha Legion forces that took part in the conflict. After weeks of orbital conflict, the defending fleets were forced to flee from the system. Soon after, the remaining forces of the Traitor Legions made planetfall at the south pole of the planet, far from the Golden Knights' fortress. The bulk of the traitors forces began assaulting the lines of both the Golden Knights and their Imperial Guard allies. Meanwhile, elements of the Iron Warriors Traitor Legion deployed behind the Golden Knights' lines to destroy their frontline supply posts, and at the same time, the Night Lords, whom came out of hiding after the other traitors made planet fall, would attack key manufactorums in the heart of the hive before elements of the Custodes Regent could respond. By 174.M38, the Traitors had pushed the forces of the Golden Knights back to their fortress-monastery, taking extreme casualties in the process. After over a year of fighting, the Golden Knights were on their last legs, with only about three hundred Astartes remaining. However, the siege was lifted when the Golden Knights fleet finally returned, along with a detachment of Ultramarines, Space Wolves, and Blood Angels, as well as several of their Successor Chapters.

* **The First Weeding Wars (Unknown Date.M39)** - The reconstruction of the Golden Knights Space Marine resulted in the development of over 1,000 Adeptus Astartes, not including a full six hundred initiate astartes that the chapter had set out on their own training crusades. With the threat of excommunication hanging over their head, the chapter set out to face any major threat approaching the Imperium. In the later days of 894.M38, the chapter found their target, a rapidly building Campaign of Subversion within the Tirian sub-sector. The chapter arrived on the world of Aboras, the capital of the Tirian sub-sector, and rushed the traitor guard fortifications. Meanwhile, the first company of the Golden Knights deployed on Vex, the sector's only agricultural world, and engaged elements of the Emperor's Children Traitor Legion upon the world. After nearly a month of fighting, the planet Aboras was recaptured by the forces of the second company while the fist company managed to secure several key fortifications on Vex, neither suffering many casualties. Using the footholds that the Custodes Regent made on Vex, the Tide deployed on the world of Vex and began a mass assault of the main Emperor's Children base upon the world. During this push, a strike team of Gray Knights arrived with grave news, the Emperor's Children had managed to summon a pair of Greater Daemons of Slannesh to the planet. With this knowledge, the Custodes Regent, along with the Grey Knights, assaulted the summoning grounds of Emperor's Children. Upon arriving, they discovered something truly horrifying, a partially summoned Daemon Prince of Slannesh being guarded by the pair of Greater Daemons. The Daemon Prince, despite only being partially summoned, led the daemons against the astartes. Eventually, the Golden Knights defeated the Daemons at the cost of most of their number, as well as the entire Grey Knights strike team. However, as he was cast back into the warp, the Daemon prince announced that he was proud of his "sons" for besting him in combat. Knowing the daemons patron deity, the Golden Knights realized with shock and fear that they had just faced a Daemon Primarch, and he had just claimed that they were his sons.

* **The 10th Black Crusade (001.M39)** - The Golden Knights were the first Imperial elements to respond to the Iron Hands call for aid. The Golden Knights sought vengeance for the siege of Zintheron and began a full-scale assault on the traitor legions front line. In preparation for this conflict, most of the chapters recruit companies were integrated into the 2nd companies numbers. Meanwhile, the chapter master of the Golden Knights at the time led the Custodes Regent in a direct assault against the Despoilers position. After several days of fighting, the Tide finally reached the Custodes Regent's forces, finding most of the leadership of the chapter dead. With only 200 astartes remaining, the Golden Knights fell back, with the aid of newly arrived reinforcements, and managed to escape the conflict.

## Chapter Organization

The chapter, despite its large size, is only formed into five companies of astartes. This is due to the chapter specializing in mass assaults, similar to those undergone by the imperial guard. Each company within the chapter serves its own purpose and specializations.

* The Custodes Regent
	+ The First company of the Golden Knights Chapter consists of 100 Veteran Astartes. These Astartes utilize their decades of combat experience to combat threats possessed by the most dangerous foes, usually only entering combat should a hostile commander or greater daemon of chaos reveals themselves.
	+ These astartes are armed with intricate power armor, customized by their wearers to bear a similar appearance to that of the armor worn by the adeptus custodes. Most wield power spears with mounted storm bolters to further their similarities to that of the custodes.
	+ They are headed not by one but five captains that serves as a council, referred to as the Custodian Council, to the chapter master. Each of these captains has undertaken a pilgrimage to Terra where they have undertaken extensive training administered by the custodes themselves as was ordered by the Adeptus Custodes after their investigation of the planet.
* The Tide
	+ The Second Company of the chapter. Consists of the remaining number of full Astartes within the chapter.
	+ Unlike most companies in other astartes chapters, the companies of this Chapter are divided up into platoons of about 20 Astartes per platoon, however, some platoons can reach sizes of up to a hundred astartes depending upon the current combat situations, such as the loss of platoon sergeants.
	+ They are led by a council of fifteen Astartes. These astartes usually bear the most experience within the second company, and, except for when a lower astartes displays exceptional strength and skill in combat, the first to be chosen to rise to the first company should a spot open.

* The Recruits
	+ A general name given to the third and fourth companies of the chapter. These companies consist almost entirely of recruits, with the only exceptions being their dreadnought commanders.
	+ Occasionally, typically when a Weeding War occurs, these three companies are non-existent as all members of the chapter are full astartes

* The Primaris
	+ The current fifth company of the Golden Knights chapter. Consists purely of Primaris space marines and their initiates.

### Recruitment

Most recruitment for the chapter occurs upon the world of Zintheron II. However, the chapter will occasionally select recruits from the Zintheron IV, a feral world, in an effort to bolster the raw strength of the chapter.

## Chapter Beliefs

Unlike most chapters, who see the Emperor as either a god or as a grandfather, the Golden Knights do not acknowledge the Emperor as anything other than an Emperor. Because of this, the chapter does not fight to enforce the will of the Emperor, but instead will fight to enforce the will of the Imperium of Man. The Golden Knights, in secret, abhor faith as well as what it has done to the Imperium of Man. As a result, the Golden Knights are willing to use any piece of technology they must, with the only exceptions being demonically possessed equipment

## Chapter Gene-Seed

The chapter's gene-seed bare a unique flaw that prevents the recruitment of corrupt individuals into the chapter. However, while this flaw results in the death of any impure aspirant that slips through the chapters screening process, it also destroys the gene-seed in the process. This forces the chapter to undergo various screening processes that most other chapters don't have to undergo in order to minimize the loss of gene-seed. This does not prevent members of the chapter from falling to chaos and has even been found to make it more likely for the aspirant to fall to chaos after the implantation. This downside has led the High lords of terra to deny the creation of future chapters based off of this gene-seed out of fear that any mutations that might occur to cause those successor chapters to quickly fall to Chaos. Aspirants of the chapter are formed into large 200 man companies, though sometimes these companies will exceed the 200 man limit, and are sent out on small crusades, typically against Xenos foes, in order to prove their worth to the chapter. These aspirant companies are led by a scout captain, an honor held by ancient dreadnoughts. Survivors often crusades are made into full brothers of the chapter, though those that are undeserving of becoming Astartes will die during the first few crusades.

### Primarch's Curse: Unknown

The chapter has no knowledge of what their chapters curse is, other than that it prevents the recruitment of corrupt individuals. No visible signs of any curse afflict the legion however the Chapter Master, Gellan Auroran, believes, based on the combat doctrine and personalities of the Astartes in the chapter, point to three different curses; the Unyielding Curse of the Salamanders (though none of the physical changes seem to be present), Lure of Shadows (Due to the mentality that develops in the Astartes by the time they are in the Custodes Regent), and, one that he hopes he is incorrect in this belief, Perturabo's Curse (From the 2nd companies preference for vast sieges and assaults upon superior enemy positions).

## Combat Doctrine

Combat doctrine differs between the two primary companies of the chapter. The first company of the Chapter focuses on commencing precision strikes upon critical positions within their enemy lines before eliminating the enemy's leadership. The second company, however, focuses on vast assaults and drawn out sieges against enemy positions, relying on overwhelming firepower and attritional warfare to defeat their enemy.

## Notable Members

* **Gellan Auroran** - The oldest member of the chapter, this Astartes has served in every notable campaign the Golden Knights have fought in since the Siege of Zintheron, where he was one of the few scouts to survive the conflict. During the first Weeding war, he was among the Custodes Regent that fought the twin greater daemons and Fulgrim, managing to slay one of the two greater daemons on his own as the rest of the Regent and the accompanying Grey Knights faced Fulgrim. Though wounded, he joined in on battle against the daemon Primarch and managed to land the banishing blow against the Primarch while he was focused on slaying the last of the Grey Knights. This left the only ones to hear the traitor claim them as his son be the last members of the Custodes Regent, specifically those that would become the council. During the 10th Black Crusade, he fought the Despoiler in single combat after the death of the previous Chapter Master, but, after dealing several wounds upon each other, they were both forced to retreat as reinforcements arrived. Upon returning to Zintheron II, he was named chapter master. After the chapters journey through the warp, the chapter master once again faced off against the Despoiler in combat, a battle that eerily mirrored the Emperor's battle with Horus, though only Abbadon was able to recognize the similarities between the two fights. Gellan was forced to retreat after being impaled upon the Talon of Horus.