Ashen Wraiths

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## Ashen Wraiths

Ashen Wraiths Armorial

Ashen Wraiths Tactical Marine (Battleline), unknown Company.

## Space Marine Chapter

### **Allegiance**

Imperium of Man
(*Fedelitas Tenebrae*)

### **Allies**

Raven Guard
Shadow Talons

### **Specialty**

Close-Quarters Combat, Reconnaissance in Force, Guerrilla Actions, Stealth Operations, Infiltration

### **Battle cry**

A Deafening Screech like that of the Ravens of Old Terra.

### Successor Chapter(s)

None Known

The **Ashen Wraiths** are an Astartes Chapter and a rare successor of the Primarch Corvus Corax and his Raven Guard though fragmentary evidence points instead to the Revilers or the Raptors, indeed another name used for the Chapter is that of the '*Ashen Raptors*'. Regardless, like all sons of the Raven, they are renowned as cunning and patient hunters, adept at biding their time until the moment to strike is at hand and then attack with overwhelming force that leaves their foes with no chance of resisting.

The Ashen Wraiths' exact Founding is unknown, but the first record of them dates back to the 36th Millennium. Whenever their founding occurred, the Ashen Wraiths have served the Emperor with a cold, calculating and even intellectual temperament since the day of their inception. As expected of those who hail from the Raven Guard, the Ashen Wraiths' possess superb infiltration skills and skill at furious close-quarters engagements as the foes of Mankind are destroyed in a flurry of crackling lightning claws and the bark of bolters. Many an enemy has considered himself safe, only to come face-to-face with the pale skin and jet-black eyes of these ruthless Astartes.

## History

The Ashen Wraiths are an old and storied Chapter with a history and record that would rival even Second Founding Chapters. Descended from the Raven Guard they are masters of stealth, able to strike from the shadows and attack with impunity. Although their exact Founding has never been confirmed as noted above it is likely to have been early. The first recorded mention of the Ashen Wraiths was during the Battle of Alpha 11, an action to defeat Ork forces of the Deathskull Clan which took place in 784.M36. The fighting was particularly brutal as Imperial Guard forces had been bogged down for three years.

Encircled by the Orks, the Imperial forces were unable to break out of their shrinking cordon. It seemed as though they were doomed to a slow destruction by the Kommandos and Stormboyz of the Orks, who delighted in their slow destruction of the Imperial Guard Forces. Finally receiving news that Astartes forces had arrived, their orders were to launch an assault when they saw the Thunderhawks of their Space Marine rescuers. When the time came, they launched their attack, but were soon on the verge of destruction, when suddenly, the Orks seemingly lost focus and began to not only retreat but to fight amongst themselves. Easily brushing aside the Orks, the Imperial Guards' elite Storm Troopers made their way into the Warlord's stronghold, only to find that he and his entire retinue had been killed, ripped apart by Lightning Claws and Chainswords. The Space Marines who had rescued them were nowhere to be seen, for they had returned to orbit and left without a word. In one surgical strike the Space Marines had turned the tide of the entire war. Later investigations determined that these unknown Astartes were the Ashen Wraiths.

## Noctis Aeterna

During this dark period the hopes of trillions was reignited with the return of one of the Emperor's loyal sons - the Primarch of the Ultramarines - Roboute Guilliman, and he brought with him the fruits of 10,000 years of research and labour - the Primaris Space Marines. Representatives from the Primarch were dispatched to every Astartes Chapter to gift these wondrous creations and soon Primaris Astartes were serving alongside their elder brethren with distinction, but unlike many other Chapters that received full-grown and battle-hardened Primaris, the Ashen Wraiths instead received the technology and knowledge to create their own Primaris Space Marines.

The wargear to arm these formidable warriors was also received including 500 suits of Mk X Power Armour in their various Patterns, Hundreds of Cawl and Belisarius Pattern Weapons, four Redemptor Dreadnoughts Chassis, 2 Overlord Gunships and two Repulser Grav Tanks, all of which have been assigned to the newly formed 19th Company. Thanks to this great fortune the Ashen Wraiths now prosecute their wars with even greater vigour. The numbers of Primaris Astartes currently serving are unknown but during the battles of the Indomitus Crusade they were able to field an entire company. The Primaris Astartes have proven to be just as adept at the stealth and furious close combat that defines the rest of their brothers and their Reivers have become a truly devastating element of their wars.

## Notable Campaigns

* **Battle of Alpha 11 (784.M32)** - A Battle against Ork Forces, Ashen Wraiths arrive in 3rd year and eliminate the Ork Warlord and ending the Ork menace.
* **Kilandros Crusade (271-276.M41)** - In the 270.M41, the Mad Skullz Orks of the planet Kilandros and surrounding systems formed into WAAAGH! Golrag. WAAAGH! Golrag was large enough to not only devastate the Celtic Sector in the Segmentum Ultima, the home sector of the Iron Spears Chapter but seven other nearby sectors as well. That was not all, as in 271.M41 the Imperium launched a reconnaissance strike on WAAAGH! Golrag's "capital world" of Kilandros and discovered the Orks were attempting to convert their homeworld's moon into a mobile fortress they dubbed 'Da Great Rok'. The Orks planned to use 'Da Great Rok' as the flagship that would lead WAAAGH! Golrag in an assault on Terra itself. To combat this threat, the Imperium deployed a fighting force consisting of numerous Imperial Guard Regiments, at least three Titan Legions, and Astartes from nine Chapters; the Ashen Wraiths, Ultramarines, Blood Angels, Imperial Fists, Iron Spears, Angels of Salvation, Mordekaisers, Storm Riders, and the Death Templars. The Imperium believed that such a large force would easily be able to smash through the planets held by the Mad Skullz Klan, however, this was not the case as the Ork WAAAGH! was far larger than initially believed. After five years Imperial forces finally arrived at the Kilandros System and attacked 'Da Great Rok'. Though Imperial forces failed in their initial plan to disable the thrust system using meltabombs, the Astartes of the Storm Riders and the Ashen Wraiths managed to gain control of the area around the primary power generator and rigged it with manually activated incendiary devices. The Imperial forces were ordered to withdraw so that the power generator could be detonated. By then, however, many Iron Spears had fallen victim to the Red Thirst, ignoring the order to withdraw and instead focused on personally slaughtering every Ork present, inspiring the Death Templars to do the same. It was left to the more "level-headed" Chapters such as the Angels of Salvation to successfully reign in the frenzied Iron Spears and forcibly remove them from the battlefield. It was through this that the Angels of Salvation earned the respect of the Iron Spears, something that could not be said for many sons of the Lion. Chieftain Thoore of the Iron Spears, having had his honour stained in a previous engagement, elected to stay behind with the detonator alongside a small group of other Marines while the other Imperial forces escaped in order to restore dignity to his name. The destruction of the primary power generator not only successfully destroyed "Da Great Roks" machinery, but also created massive tectonic upheavals that killed all the Orks on the planetoid. Despite their victory, the Imperium was once again unable to eliminate the Ork presence on Kilandros and the surrounding systems. The Imperium once again turned to conducting periodic raids in order to limit the Ork population and prevent further Ork expansion.
* **Cerberus Crusade (821-844.M41)** - A Crusade against Secessionist and later Chaos Forces, the Ashen Wraiths's actions were notable in the Battle of Sigma VI where they destroyed 4 regiments of the Atillan Traitor Militia without losing a Single Astartes.
* **The Knights of Shadow (111.M42) -** In the aftermath of the Great Rift, thousands of worlds were plunged into darkness where heretics and other foul creatures ruled, only the intervention of a Son of the Emperor, a Primarch stemmed the flow. Roboute Guilliman's Indomitus Campaign swept across the Galaxy bringing hope to Trillions, but even he could not be everywhere, tens of trillions more had to hope that someone took notice of their plight and came to their aid. The world of Albia Prime was unremarkable in many ways, a hive world located within the Solar Segmentum's sole feature is the vast amount of raw materials it exported but even this is a mere drop in the ocean compared to other worlds so when the Forces of Chaos invaded it barely registered in the Administratum. The foul Heretics of the Night Lords and Alpha Legion took control of the world sometime in 105.M42, turning it into a nightmarish place where only fear and terror ruled. Only one message had escaped before the world fell, a message of hope, that someone, somewhere would help. That message was heard by the Ashen Wraiths and in 111.M42 with Rhargrimm Korax newly elevated to Chapter Master they set course Albia Prime. When they arrived at the beleaguered world, no Heretic vessels were in orbit or within the System itself and the only life forms registered were within the massive Hive Alpha, the Planetary Capital, these readings were the Night Lords and their Alpha Legion allies, the Heretics had killed everyone else but they had made a mistake, they had lingered too long a Korax was determined to punish this mistake. The Ashen Wraiths landed in full force outside the walls of the massive hive where they found the Night Lords who had veiled the city in an unnatural gloom, darkness prevailed there was not a scrap of light to be found, breaking their way into the city was soon accomplished and it was here the black and white-armoured Astartes fought a cat-and-mouse battle with vicious bands of Night Lords and cruel Alpha Legion, blood both loyal and heretic flowed in rivers as the 2 sides fought in the most brutal fighting imaginable. Korax was a thunderbolt, wherever he fought the heretic Astartes it was as though a tank shell had exploded amongst them, his every blow sending mutated corpses tumbling through the air. The Traitors hurled themselves at the towering warriors in their midst yet they were laughably outmatched in every regard, heads were ripped from their shoulders, bones pulverised, gene-forged superhumans torn apart as if they were nothing, and none could stand before him. At the climax of this cataclysmic battle, Korax fought the vile lord of the host in single combat, Lord of Woe, a vile Damon Prince was a being of grotesque power, a manifestation of the unimaginable power of his vile gods, muscles able to rip apart a dreadnought with ease barely contained within Daemonic flesh as strong as Ceramite, massive bat-like wings jutting from his back and a screaming Daemon Sword infused with the essence of a Greater Daemon clutched in hands tipped with razor sharp talon's able to cut armour with ease yet he was laughably outmatched in every regard, the two duelled for mere moments before Korax overwhelmed and defeated the vile daemon, ripping him apart and sending him screaming back to depths of hell where he belonged, finally, the Heretics were banished and a mysterious blood ritual halted before it could come to fruition, though the entire Hive had subsequently to be levelled from orbit for fear of its Chaos taint. The Ashen Wraiths left with their Dead and Wounded leaving behind a dead world, perhaps in time it would be repopulated but the Heretics had suffered a defeat and for now that would have to be enough.

## Chapter Homeworld

The Ashen Wraiths's homeworld is the Hive World of Coraxium which is located somewhere in the Segmentum Solar, but like their parent chapter, they are based on the planet's moon. Their Fortress-Monastery is known as the Fortress of the Raven, and like all Astartes' citadels, it is a massive structure containing everything that an Astartes Chapter needs to wage war including vast workshops and cavernous hangers.

## Chapter Organisation

While the Ashen Wraiths are organised along the rough guidelines of the Codex Astartes, their application of its principles is subtly different. Far more assault units are deployed and fewer Devastators, Armour is also used sparingly and the Chapter often deploys without them, the Chapter also Contains no known Scout Company, rather each Battle Company contains its own Scout Units which are drawn from the Chapters pool of Unassigned Neophytes. Older Marks of Power Armour are used with a particular emphasis on the Mk VI Corvus Pattern that was named after their Primarch.

The officers of the Corvus follow their Parent Chapter and are known as Shadow Captains and the Chapter Master is called the Shadow Lord. Corax himself is reputed to have ordered the use of these titles in the Raven Guard before he disappeared and the Ashen Wraiths have made use of them ever since.

### Unique Formations

* **Moritat** - Named for the Raven Guards formation the Ashen Wraiths's Moritat are certain Astartes who display suicidal urges and a blatant disregard for overall combat doctrine. Operating independently or in groups on the battlefield, these individuals are often employed as efficient shock assault troops and tactical assassins and they are often used to undertake missions from which they were not expected to return. They forsake all pretence of self-preservation, fighting with a terrifying, silent determination and the sole aim of causing as many casualties and as much destruction as possible before succumbing to their foe. This strange blood-soaked ennui that drives many amongst the Ashen Wraiths to sacrifice themselves in battle is known amongst these Astartes as becoming "Ash Blind". They are formed into a special unit commanded by the Shadow Captain Kaedes who is eerily named for the Moritat Prime of the Raven Guard.
* **Shadow Guard** - The elite bodyguard of the Shadow Lord, these Astartes are among the most ruthless of the Chapter, each wields unique and razor-sharp lightning claws, clad in ancient Mk VI Corvus Plate dating to the days of the Heresy and Jump-Packs they fight for one reason, the defence of their Lord.
* **Executors** - Veteran pre-eminent infiltration and execution units, the executors are armoured in modified MkVI 'Corvus' battle-plate that bears the symbol of their Chapter. Each wears a cloak and is equipped with a sniper rifle, bolt pistol and a selection of grenades, few who enter their sights will survive.

### Librarians

Like their fellow Astartes Chapters, the Ashen Wraiths also maintain a Librarium of potent psykers who are highly talented and trained to master the power of the Warp. Each Chapter selects its Librarians in its way, either from seed worlds, as it does with the bulk of its Initiates, or from the ranks of gifted psykers brought to the Scholastica Psykana. Most Chapters train and test chosen psykers following the ancient ways laid out in the Codex Astartes. Librarians of the Ashen Wraiths are trained in this way, and, with few minor traditional variances, have been taught to live by the word of the Codex. Ashen Wraiths Librarians have several unique psychic abilities only used by the psykers of their Chapter:

* ***Corax' Ingenuity*** - A Ashen Wraiths Librarian can plunge his mind into the Warp, harnessing its power. He is infused with power, embodying the pure ideals of Corax, and emanating this power to those around him, increasing their skill in battle and fortitude in the face of the enemy's blows.

* ***Curse of the Raven*** - When an Ashen Wraiths Librarian employs this ability he curses his opponent, condemning him to death at the hands of the Emperor's champions. Warp energies eat at the target's mind, and reveal weaknesses in his defences that the Battle-Brothers can exploit. This power only works on a single target.

The Unkindness of Deliverance - The Ashen Wraiths Librarian can manifest his psychic power as an unkindness of ravens. Black as night, these ferocious birds swarm over his opponents. The Librarian can either have the ravens target one individual or swarm several opponents, blinding them temporarily.

### Order of Battle ca.111.M42

The following is the disposition of the Ashen Wraiths during the Knights of Shadow  ca.111.M42

#### Headquarters

**Shadow Lord Rhargrimm Korax (The Shadowed One)**
**Chapter Master of the Ashen Wraiths**
**5 Shadow Guard**
**Ancient Korin Banner Bearer of the Ashen Wraiths**
**Chapter Equerries**
**Unknown Number of Chapter Serfs & Unknown Number of Servitors**
**Brother Ghelt**
**Master of the Forge**
**12 Techmarines**
**94 Tech-Servitors**
**3 Rhinos (Chapter Reserve)**
**1 Razorback (Chapter Reserve)**

**2 Predators (Chapter Reserve)**

**3 Land Raiders**
**9 Stormtalons**

**2 StormHawks**

**21 Stormravens**
**Korpheus**
**Brother Alcorax**
**Chief Apothecary of the Ashen Wraiths**
**Gallovax**
**Master of the Librarius**
**& High Librarian of the Ashen Wraiths**
**3 Epistolaries**
**5 Codiciers**
**7 Lexicaniums**
**Brother Valerius**
**Master of the Fleet**
**Relic Battleship (*Shadow of the Raven*)**
***Claw of the Raven Lord (Battle Barge)***

**Unbroken Chain (Strike Cruiser)**

**Unknown Number of Strike Cruisers**

#### Companies

**Apothecary Stradon**
**91 Veterans (including Terminators)**
**3 Venerable Dreadnoughts**
**3 Land Raiders**
**4 Rhinos** | **Shadow Captain Rydulon Laotz****Lieutenants (Medovax& Gaerax)****Brother Chaplain Ardaric**
**Apothecary Aevar**
**3 Battleline Squads**
**3 Scout Squads**
**7 Close Support Squads**
**3 Dreadnoughts**
**11 Rhinos**
**1 Razorback**
**2 Land Speeders**
**7 Bikes**
**2 Predators** | **Shadow Captain Melierax****Lieutenants (Ardanor& Alverius)****Brother Chaplain Aremis**
**Apothecary Koryn**
**1 Command Squad**
**4 Battleline Squads**
**2 Scout Squads**
**6 Close Support Squads**
**2 Dreadnoughts**
**11 Rhinos**
**2 Razorbacks**
**5 Land Speeders**
**11 Bikes**
**2 Predators** | **Shadow Captain Kyaneus****Lieutenants (Alviasiex& Daeral)****Brother Chaplain Alerin**
**Apothecary Aethon**
**1 Command Squad**
**2 Battleline Squads**
**1 Scout Squad**
**8 Close Support Squads**
**1 Dreadnought**
**11 Rhinos**
**1 Razorback**
**2 Land Speeders**
**2 Bikes**
**1 Predator** | **Shadow Captain Deyth****Lieutenants (Setarus& Corventin)****Brother Chaplain Vykar**
**Apothecary Kaed**
**1 Command Squad**
**2 Battleline Squads**
**4 Scout Squads**
**8 Close Support Squads**
**1 Dreadnought**
**11 Rhinos**
**2 Razorbacks**
**3 Land Speeders**
**7 Bikes**

**Apothecary Nathian**
**1 Command Squad**
**3 Battleline Squads**
**3 Scout Squads**
**5 Close Support Squads**
**2 Fire Support Squads** ​
​​**4 Dreadnoughts**
**11 Rhinos**
**2 Razorbacks**
**3 Land Speeders**
**6 Bikes**
**3 Predators** | **Shadow Captain Alerin Koryn****Lieutenants (Kref& Sevdax)****Brother Chaplain Inachus**
**Apothecary Korin**
**1 Command Squad**
**6 Battleline Squads**
**3 Scout Squads**
**4 Close Support Squads**
**4 Dreadnoughts**
**11 Rhinos**
**4 Razorbacks**
**3 Land Speeders**
**6 Bikes**
**3 Predators** | **Shadow Captain Carakon****Lieutenants (Torendi& Arakoli)****Brother Chaplain Gallovax**
**Apothecary Kyrin**
**1 Command Squad**
**2 Battleline Squads**
**4 Scout Squads**
**8 Close Support Squads**
**1 Dreadnought**
**11 Rhinos**
**4 Razorbacks**
**1 Land Speeder**
**1 Predator** | **Shadow Captain Aloni****Lieutenants (Gaeryn& Oraths)****Brother Chaplain Chamell**
**Apothecary Kirhane**
**1 Command Squad**
**2 Battleline Squads**​​​​​
**4 Scout Squads**​​​​​
**8 Close Support Squads**​​​​​
**1 Dreadnought**​​​​​
**11 Rhinos**​​​​​
**4 Razorbacks**​​​​​
**1 Land Speeder**​​​​​
**1 Predator**​​​​​
**2 Razorbacks**​​​​​
**1 Land Speeder**​​​​​
**6 Bikes**​​​​​
**3 Predators**​​​​​ | **Shadow Captain Nuran****Lieutenants (Seterax& Severax)****Brother Chaplain Heklan**
**Apothecary Alekto**
**1 Command Squad**
**2 Battleline Squads**
**4 Scout Squads**
**7 Close Support Squads**
**1 Dreadnought**
**11 Rhinos**
**2 Razorbacks**
**3 Land Speeders**
**7 Bikes**

#### Specialist Formations

**Shadow Captain Primaris Corvin Heklan 'The Ghost'**
**Lieutenants (Aremis & Kyaneus)**
**Epistolary Primaris Krahzen**
**Brother-Chaplain Primaris Kayvaan Severax**
**Apothecary Primaris Alekto Ghelt**
**6 Battleline Squads**
**4 Close Support Squad**
**3 Scout Squads**
**27 Primaris Neophytes/Aspirants**
**11 Rhinos**
**4 Razorbacks**
**1 Land Speeder**
**1 Predator**
**4 Redemptor Dreadnoughts**
**2 Dreadnoughts**
**2 Repulsers**
**4 Invictor Tactical Warsuits**
**2 Repulsor Executioners**
**3 Gladiators**
**4 Impulsors**
**1 Astraeus**

**Shadow Captain Kaedes**
**Moritat Operatives (Unknown Number)**
**All those battle-brothers that fall to the Chapter's genetic curse and become 'Ash Blind' are assigned to this specialty company, including Dreadnoughts.**

## Gene-Seed

The genetic material of the Raven Guard was greatly damaged by the accelerated processes utilised by Corax to rebuild the Legion following the Drop Site Massacre of Istvaan V. Much of the gene-stocks of the Raven Guard was lost or irreparably damaged and so when the Legon was spilt each new chapter could only take a limited amount and as such a significant portion of the Chapter's genetic material now comes from Terra. Additionally, the process of transformation into an Astartes is notably more difficult for Aspirants in the Ashen Wraiths and so many casualties early in training only add to the slow and limited recruitment process of the Chapter. Even further degeneration in the gene-seed has caused several of the implants to fail.

Due to the degeneration of the Raven Guard's and therefore, the Ashen Wraiths's gene-seed, several of the genetically-engineered organs normally implanted in Space Marines no longer function properly or simply no longer even develop after they are implanted as zygotes. For instance, Ashen Wraiths Astartes do not possess the Mucranoid organ which allows a Space Marine to survive extremes of heat, cold or even exposure to the vacuum of space or the Betcher's Gland organ, which allows them to spit a venomous toxin.

The Raven Guard's Melanochromic organ that allows an Astartes' skin to adjust to variable levels of solar radiation has a unique mutation that causes the skin of an Ashen Wraith to lose its pigment, regardless of its original hue. Eventually, the Space Marine's skin becomes pure white while the hair and eyes darken until they are jet black, which was the pigmentation carried by their Primarch Corax.

### Primarch's Curse: Lure of the Shadows

Like many Chapters, the Ashen Wraiths also suffer from certain genetic deficiencies. The Ashen Wraith's demeanour heavily reflects their combat doctrine. Generally reserved, Ashen Wraiths Astartes stay in the shadows until the right time to speak. When they do pitch in they tend to be very recalcitrant and terse, often condemning the more direct tactics of their fellow Chapters. As they become unstable, they begin to mimic the sullen nature of their Primarch before his mysterious disappearance. When the Chapter's genetic curse manifests itself in an affected Battle-Brother, it comes on in three stages:

* **Stage 1** - The Battle-Brother is used to working in his small Ashen Wraiths strike team, and finds the direct tactics used by other Chapters to be brutish and ineffective. When commanded into a direct attack that he finds foolhardy, the Battle-Brother is resistant, almost to the level of disobedience.
* **Stage 2** - Becoming increasingly intractable, the Battle-Brother is quiet and brooding. In mission briefings he stays in the shadows, only speaking when absolutely necessary.
* **Stage 3** - The Battle-Brother despises the tactics of his fellow Battle-Brothers, knowing that his more intelligent approach is the best way to victory.

## Chapter Beliefs

Like many other Chapters, the venerable Ashen Wraiths maintain long-standing rituals and beliefs assimilated by the cultural beliefs of their homeworld. One such example is the fetishes worn by warriors of the Ashen Wraiths Chapter, known as Corvia. During the long, arduous initiation process of a prospective Neophyte, all must undergo an initiation in the form of a meditative trance or spirit quest to hunt the minuscule avians of their homeworld that have been introduced to the forests of Coraxium Trained by the finest Shadow Masters of the Fortress of the Raven in the arts of stealth and infiltration, it takes many months for Neophytes to master the fine art of "Wraith-slipping", to hone the necessary skills to sneak up on the small and alert ravens, snatching them up with their bare hands and quickly snapping their necks. Known as Corvia, the skulls of these small birds are worn as potent totems which hang from small chains from an Astartes' belt or battle plate.

These fetishes represent an individual warrior's honour. When one falls in battle, one of his fellow Battle-Brothers will recover the Corvia from their fallen brethren and continue to carry it in battle, and thus, carry their fallen brethren's honour until such time that they can return to Kiavahr and bury the small avian skulls in the soil of their Chapter's homeworld. The claiming of a fallen warrior's Corvia goes hand in hand with stripping the body of the deceased Battle-Brother of all equipment and Chapter trappings, which includes the harvesting of the all-important gene-seed. Once the Chapter has claimed its due, the stripped corpses are then left for the local carrion birds to feast upon.

The Ashen Wraiths do not venerate the Emperor with the fervour or zeal of many other Astartes Chapters, viewing him as a distant figure, the master of the galaxy and the founder of the Imperium but little more. Corax is viewed as a mighty leader capable of making tough decisions when the need is great. The Ashen Wraiths still follow the path that Corax set for them, reviewing the data collected from each battle to learn its lessons and a great deal of the tactical doctrines of the Ashen Wraiths were learned and laid out from such examinations. As for the leaders of the Ashen Wraiths, they emphasize initiative and tactical skill as much or more so than personal martial prowess. The Ashen Wraiths are much more likely to use a swift surgical strike than to engage in long, protracted battles or sieges. However, this tendency causes some tension with other Astartes Chapters whom the Ashen Wraiths consider blunt and clumsy, such as the Blood Angels

As masters of stealth, infiltration and sabotage, all Ashen Wraiths Neophytes are trained by the finest Shadow Masters of the Fortress of the Raven. Despite their Astartes-enhanced physiology and their cumbersome armour, they are taught to move with silence and invisibility, shifting from one pool of darkness to another within the shadows. Like their Parent Chapter, this art of silent and stealthy movement particular to Sons of Corax is known as wraith-slipping. Neophytes are trained in this art firstly in the Hives of Coraxium where they hunt the gangs and mutants that infest the lower Levels of these huge edifices, if they prove their worth here they will be returned to the Fortress of the Raven where they will gifted with the gene-seed of Corax and turned into Astartes when this is complete they will undergo years of further training as their bodies grow and strengthen into Astartes, finally they will return to the massive hives but this time they are hunted by a Veteran Battle-Brother of the Chapter, their goal is to make it off-world and back to the fortress-monastery on Coraxium's moon. Only the very best recruits will make it back, most will be caught by their tracker but if they are impressed enough they will be accepted into a Battle Company's Scout units. However, for those who do not make a good impression, their punishment is to be killed by their tracker, thus ensuring that only the very best are accepted.

## Combat Doctrine

The Ashen Wraiths generally follow the dictates of the *Codex Astartes*, though there are some differences in how it chooses to carry out tactical deployments. The Chapter specialises in guerilla tactics behind enemy lines, using precisely coordinated attacks and refraining from frontal attacks or protracted attrition warfare. The Ashen Wraiths are known for hitting weak points in enemy defences hard and performing lightning strikes upon locations of tactical importance to cripple their enemy. The Ashen Wraiths disdain the notion of recklessly charging into the enemy's ranks. This differentiates the Chapter's tactics, particularly from those of the Blood Angels. The Chapter also relies heavily on their Scout Marines for pinpointing enemy positions and for reconnaissance to identify good drop sites for the rest of the Chapter's deployed forces.

Ashen Wraiths' Captains are fiercely independent, and it is incredibly rare for the Chapter to fight as a whole. Individual companies are completely autonomous and are quick to lend their aid to Imperial commanders across the galaxy, but only with the sanction of their Chapter Master. This behavior leads some Imperial observers to question the tactical utility of the Chapter since its officers seem to lack a unified respect for command and are thus prone to dilute their efforts, but this method of operation displays the extraordinary discipline of the Ashen Wraiths's captains and the trust that the Chapter places in them, not the lack of these qualities.

The Chapter's typical tactical doctrine consists of rapid manoeuvre engagements consisting of the deployment of Assault Marines, Land Speeders and Attack Bikes aimed at harassment, sabotage and the destruction of key strategic targets over the frontal engagement of enemy forces at large. The Ashen Wraiths' Battleline Squads are deployed via Thunderhawk gunship insertions, supported by Drop Pod-deployed Dreadnoughts. The Chapter maintains few and fields even fewer armoured fire support vehicles such as Predators and Land Raiders, preferring to make use of an infantry-heavy force.

The Ashen Wraiths relies heavily on its Scout Marine elements, which operate without support for extended amounts of time, even by Space Marine standards. The Chapter, by and large, operates as something of a cross between a mechanized infantry and a series of special forces units, combining small unit tactics with their preference for covert operations behind enemy lines. Because of its preference for hit-and-run guerrilla tactics, the Ashen Wraiths also make extensive use of Close Support Squads. The Battleline Squads of the Ashen Wraiths are often deployed via Thunderhawks or Drop Pods. The favorite weapons of Ashen Wraiths Force Commanders are Lightning Claws and it is a common sight for their command squads to also be equipped with these weapons in addition to their Jump Packs.

## Chapter Wargear

Like their progenitors, the Ashen Wraiths Chapter tends to make wide use of the Mark VI 'Corvus' pattern helms ("beaked") versions of the standard Space Marine Power Armour. Primarily Marks IV-VI, with a heavy reliance on the beaked Mark VI helmet pattern). After the near-destruction of the Raven Guard on Istvaan V during the Drop Site Massacre of the early Horus Heresy, the Raven Guard and their successors have had to make due wdoith the older Power Armour patterns and equipment that remained in their reserve armoury. The available resources were too few to re-equip them up to the most advanced technological standards of the Imperium and even today there is a higher percentage of ancient suits of Power Armour amongst the Chapter than in most others.

## Notable Ashen Wraiths Astartes

* **Shadow Lord Aremis** - The very first Chapter Master of the Ashen Wraiths, he fell sometime during the later years of M.32.
* **Shadow Lord Aethon** - Chapter Master at the time of the Cerberus Crusade.
* **Shadow Lord Rhargrimm Korax (The Shadowed One)** - The Current Chapter Master he has led his Chapter for under a year, obtaining his position just before the Knights of Shadow Campaign. A towering warrior of unapparelled skill and determination but his most potent ability however is his "wraith-slip", also called a Shadow-slip or Shadow-Walk. This allows him to seemingly meld with the shadows around him, disappearing from the view of his foes before striking unseen, an ability no doubt psychic in nature. A rare pict-log taken from a battle showed him as a massive figure, a giant in sable Armour, a pale face framed by jet black hair, massive wings jutting from his jump pack, an arsenal of weapons at his side.
* **Shadow Captain Deyth** - Captain of the 5th Company and the Chapters Master of the Shadow, he strikes from the darkness with a speed that puts other Astartes to shame.
* **Shadow Captain Kaedes** - A dark figure of gruesome repute amongst the Astartes of the Ashen Wraiths and a sullen and withdrawn Astartes, Kaedes is a highly vicious and aggressive Astartes that has led the Moritat for 200 years. He holds the distinction of being the only Ashen Wraith to kill his tracker during his trials, condemned to death, he was reprieved by order of the Shadow Lord and placed into the Moritat. His long years of command have done nothing to dampen his temperament, he accepts orders only from the Shadow Lord but Kaedes is fully aware that should he fail his lord then the sentence reprieved all those years ago will finally be carried out.
* **Shadow Captain Corvin Heklan 'The Ghost'** - Born in the waning years of the 41st Millennium in the depths of Hive Corvus as a member of a pure human gang, he was raised amongst the violence and learned quickly what was needed to survive, earning a reputation as vicious and remorseless killer as well as master of stealth, many was the time that a rival gang would awake to find to 'The Ghost' had visited them taking as many victims as he wanted without making a sound. Noticed by the Shadow Lord himself he was granted the honour of transformation into a hulking Primaris Astartes, combining his Emperor-given physiology with skills honed into a razor-sharp edge, during his training he made it back to the Fortress of the Raven without once being seen, rising quickly through the ranks he now commands the brutal 19th Company and has become a legendary figure among his brothers and even after 80 years of service you can still see glimpses of the ganger he was, clad in Mk X Phobos armour and armed with a pair of lightning claws and an ornate pistol he is one of the most formidable members of his chapter.

## Chapter Fleet

The Ashen Wraiths's Fleet is relatively small compared to other Chapter containing just 2 Battle-Barges and an unknown number of Strike Cruisers but it contains far more escorts than is normal, the exact composition of the Fleet is not known at present and despite a history dating back millenia only some of the chapters vessels have been identified including the Ashen Wraiths's Flagship *The Shadow of the Raven*.

Individual Companies are assigned their own vessels with the 1st, 3rd and 5th Company garrisoning the Chapter flagship the *Shadow of the Raven*, the 19th, the newly received Battle Barge *Claw of the Raven Lord*, the remaining Battle Companies garrison their own Strike Cruiser:

* ***Shadow of the Raven* (Relic Battleship)**
* ***Claw of the Raven Lord* (Battle Barge)**
* ***Sabalis Liberatus* (Battlecruiser)**
* ***Unbroken Chain* (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Shadowstrike* (Strike Cruiser)**

## Chapter Relics

* ***Corvus Talons*** - Master Crafted Lightning Claws fashioned after those of Corvus Corax himself, used by 5th Shadow Captain Korax.
* ***The Raven's Panoply* -** A collection of weapons used by the Shadow Lord, an Ancient Master-Crafted pair of Lightning Claws, each a masterpiece of construction with talons a meter long and an equally ancient pair of master-crafted archeotech pistols, each shot hitting with force of a Lascannon shot, both sets of weapons are wielded with inhuman skill by the Shadow Lord
* ***The Shadow Plate* -** A sable suit almost unparalleled perfection, its plates a masterpiece of craftsmanship, ancient and said to date back to the time of the Heresy the Shadow Plate is almost impervious to damage, shrugging off shots that would pierce even Terminator Armour and sized to fit the Shadow Lord perfectly, it is one of the Chapters greatest treasures.
* ***The Pinions* -**  Like the Ravens of Old Earth Rhargrimm soars through the sky thanks to the Pinions, a Masterwork example of an Astartes Jump Pack but so much more, it contains technologies that were rare even before the Heresy and able to carry the Shadow Lord across the Battlefield at great speed it ensures that wherever the fighting is at its thickest, the Shadow Lord will be there.

## Chapter Appearance

### Chapter Colours

The Ashen Wraiths primarily wears deep blood red-coloured power armour. Their secondary colour is black, which includes the backpack and both shoulder pauldrons. The Aquila or Imperialis worn on the plastron (chest guard) is gold in colour. In honour of the ancient XIXth Legion, the Ashen Wraiths makes extensive use of Heresy-era, Legion markings and idiosyncratic symbols, whose exact meaning are unknown to outsiders. Company markings are often displayed on the right poleyn (knee guard) while various avian symbols are displayed on the left poleyn. White-coloured squad specialist symbols are prominently displayed on the right shoulder pauldron (Fire Support, Battleline, Close Support, Veteran and Command), which indicates a battle-brother's assigned squad specialty.

### Chapter Badge

The Ashen Wraiths's chapter badge takes the form of a large stylised white-coloured raptor's head centered upon a field of black.

## Relationships

### Allies

*Feel free to add your own*

 **Shadow Talons** |      | The Shadow Talons are an ancient and mysterious 4th Founding Successor Chapter created from the lineage of the Raven Guard, creates sometime in the fifth century of the 32nd Millennium following the near-disastrous invasion by the gargantuan Ork WAAAGH! of the infamous Ork Warlord known only as The Beast. Though deemed by outsiders as a reclusive and suspicious Chapter, the Shadow Talons are not adverse to working alongside other Chapters descended from the same genetic lineage as themselves.On several occasions down the long millennia, these two Chapters have fought and died alongside one another, forging everlasting bonds of brotherhood, each sworn to answer the call to war from one another should the need ever arise - a vow which has been fulfilled on at least a half dozen occasions, as recorded in official Imperial annals.

## Notable Quotes

### About the Ashen Wraiths

*Feel free to add your own*
"*What do you mean you have marines in my artillery bombardment co-ordinates? Get them out before they become collateral damage, you can sneak through their camp once I've reduced it to rubble.*"
— Warmachines Captain during a joint engagement
"*Infiltration? Sneak attack? Subtlety? Shadow Captain we are Astartes, not back alley cutthroats. If you need me or my men, we will be engaged with the enemy, where you should be.*"
— Eulitus Ephrain of the Wings of Salvaxes

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## Gallery

Ashen Wraiths Veteran Marine assigned to the role of one of the Chapter's elite Shadow Guard, the personal bodyguard of the Chapter's Shadow Lord.