Dead Bells

Dead Bells armorial with Chapter iconography

Battle Brother of the Dead Bells. Note the black helmet shaped as a skull and the external air filters.

## Space Marine Chapter

### **Successor of**

Phantom Knights *(Dark Angels,
Lion El Jonson lineage)*.

### **Fortress-Monastery**

Immortalis Veritas (in Low Gothic; *The Immortal Truth*)

### **Specialty**

Specialized in warfare against Nurglite Deamons and servants, Massive Drop-Pod Assaults, Void Warfare

### Successor Chapter(s)

Trench Walkers

" *Do you hear them, do you hear the bells..? They are in my head! Please make them stop...!*"
— A surviving Renegade Soldier during the *Hundred Planet Rebellion*.
The **Dead Bells** Space Marine Chapter are a loyalist semi-*Codex* compliant Successor Chapter that was created from the lineage of the proud Dark Angels. The Chapter was founded in 831.M33 during the strange period called the *Year of Ghosts*. Little are know what happened during this event, but there are reports that spectres of honoured dead rose up and defeated an incursion from the Warp.

## Chapter History

The Chapter has a long history as loyal servants of the Emperor and Mankind. Originally the Chapter was named the **Phantom Knights** and was founded as a Fleet-based Chapter with the task of patrolling and securing the utmost border areas of Segmentum Obscurus, the region of Imperial space to the galactic north of Terra.

The Chapter was almost completely exterminated due to a huge invasion by Daemons of Nurgle that swept over the Garion System near the borders of the Ixaniad Sector.

### The Founding

The Phantom Knights was founded to protect the borders of Segmentum Obscurus as a Fleet-based force. According to the Emperors Tarot there would be a threat in this area that could destabilize the entire sector and this was the reason in which the Chapter was created. The Chapter patrolled these areas for nearly 2,000 years to ensure that the interests of the Imperium were safe and secure.

### The Plague Princes

In 742.M35 there came an urgent distress signal from the Garion System. This planetary system consisted of eight planets, three of these planets could support life, the lush Agri-World Garner, the
Pleasure World Lotus and the heavily overpopulated Hive World *Ulterior*.

Three Daemon Princes of Nurgle had attacked the system and devastated huge areas on these populated planets. The three festering daemons were Volar the Unearthly, Gor the Obnoxious and Maleox the Foul. Each of these had chosen their own planet on which to unleash their demonic hordes.

*Garner* and *Lotus* fell to *Volar's* and *Maleo's* grotesque forces. Through a ferocious defence by the Planetary Defence Forces on Ulterior, small scattered forces of guardsmen had managed to survive *Gor´s* onslaught and they were in desperate need of reinforcements.

### The Battle of Garion

As the only Imperial military force close enough to the Garion System, the Phantom Knights responded to the distress signal. When the Chapter arrived in the planetary system it quickly became apparent that *Garner* and *Lotus* could not be saved. The plague of Nurgle had transformed these planets into rotten wastelands.

So that the infection would not spread further, the order of *Exterminatus* was issued through the use of Cyclonic Torpedoes upon these two planets, leaving them barren and dead.

Now the Chapter focused all its resources on saving the Hive-World Ulterior. Eight full companies of Battle-Brothers boarded their Drop Pods and plummeted through the atmosphere of the planet to face the hordes of Nurgle. Tens of thousands of demons were slaughtered as hundreds of Drop Pods landed and the Space Marines stormed out of their landing crafts.

After several hours of fighting, the Brothers managed to reach several of the groups of guards that had managed to survive and gathered them together so that they could continue to fight on. It soon became apparent that every city on the planet was wiped out and only parts of the capital *Azalea* had managed to hold out against the onslaught of demons.

When the Chapter finally reached the capital after two days of continuous fighting, *Gor the Obnoxious* finally appeared on the battlefield. Armed with a huge hell forged sword and the Doomsday Bell, *The Vexation*, he rushed into battle, but not before opening a portal and summoning a Pathogenus Legion that poured out into the realspace.

At the same time as the portal to the Immaterium opened, a Plaguefleet appeared over the planet, commanded by *Volar* and *Maleox* themselves.

The trap was sprung.

The Chapter was completely outnumbered, both on the planet's surface and in the space above. The servants of Nurgle, like a tidal wave, swept over the Battle-Brothers and the remaining guardsmen and started to slaughter them mercilessly. The Chapter fleet faced an enemy that was many times larger and better armed. Despite a heroic battle, the entire fleet was destroyed.

All hope seemed lost.

### The Salvation

Under the dead bodies of his brothers, Chaplain Verum awoke. Nearly dead, he saw that he had fallen near the portal. Hundreds of his brothers lay dead around him. With his last strength and righteous wrath, he got up and took a firm grip on his Crozius Arcanum and a Melta Bomb which lay before him.

He felt the Emperor's light shone upon him, and then he started running towards the portal. Hundreds of daemons stood between him and the opening to the realm of Chaos. The demons fell, one by one. When he finally fell himself he had reached the portal and before he took his last breath, he detonated the bomb.

The portal was torn apart by the explosion, resulting in a massive discharge of chaotic power that knocked over and destroyed everything within a kilometre radius. Thousands of daemons swept along and succumbed. Even Gor himself was knocked to the ground.

The few Battle-Brothers who still stood up saw their chance. They rallied and under the leadership of Apothecary Valetou they attacked the Daemon Prince and his abominations and after a bloody fight, they finally defeated him.

### Aftermath

After their Filthlord was killed, the rest of the troops of Gor the Obnoxious were scattered och the Plaguefleet left to seek out new planetary systems to destroy. The Battle-Brothers who, against all odds, had managed to survive gathered their fallen brothers and vowed to one day take revenge. This promise became the impetus to gather the remnants of the Chapter with the hope that one day they could rebuild it to its former glory.

Almost the entire population, millions of people, on the planet, had been wiped out, hundreds of thousands of soldiers had died and all the Hive-Cities on the planet lay in ruins, the capital Azalea was practically a pile of rubble. Only 37 Space Marines had survived the massacre.

### Building a new Home

Even though the Chapter was all but wiped out, the remaining Battle-Brothers decided to rebuild it. The battle had left all the commanders dead or missing. The first step was to appoint a new Chapter Master and Apothecary Valetou was awarded this honorable title. His first priority became to recover the gene-seed from all the slain brothers. They managed to establish communication with the Imperium and after a few weeks came the Ark Mechanicus Utruzta which was commanded by Magos Biologis Xan Eryln with resources to start rebuilding the Chapter.

Chapter Master Valetou decided that Ulterior would be their new home, in honour of all their brothers who fought for their survival. Resources were shipped to the planet and together with the Adeptus Mechanicus, the surviving population and the soldiers of the PDF, the construction of their new Fortress-Monastery began upon the ruins of Azalea.

In honour of Chaplain Verum who destroyed the portal and was regarded to be the one who saved the Chapter from extinction, the new Fortress-Monastery was named *Immortalis Veritas* (in Low Gothic; 'The Immortal Truth'). Chapter Master Valetou took the Doomsday Bell, *The Vexation*, that the foul Gor the Obnoxious had swung and buried it in the ruins of Azalea on which *Immortalis Veritas* was to be built. This is so that from this day forward the Chapter would never forget to avenge their fallen brothers.

To mark its rebirth, the Chapter changed its name to the 'Dead Bells'.

### The Resurrection

It took the Chapter over 500 years to regain its full strength. In the centuries that followed the devastating battle, the planet had more or less transformed into a Cemetery World after millions of tombs, burial chambers and monuments had been built all over the surface to honour the dead. The population of the planet had also begun to worship the Chapter and a religion had been created where the Battle-Brothers were seen as the Saints of Life and Death and were regarded as their guardians.

The Chapter took advantage of this by recruiting candidates who might be suitable aspirants to be tested to find out if they could become new Neophytes. In this way, both this religion and the Chapter were strengthened so that even an ordinary person could be elevated to become one of the Emperor's Angels of Death.

### Seeks out the Rot

The Chapter was during the first quarter of the 36th Millennium. ready to begin the hunt for *Volar the Unearthly* and *Maleox the Foul*. Even though the Chapter wasn't battle-ready for several centuries, that didn't mean they weren't searching for the Demon Princes. The Chapter mapped all the activities and found a pattern in their movements in the realspace.

Once every 150-200 years the presence of Nurgle's plague increases in a very small area in the Ixaniad Sector. This sector is right on the border of the chapter's homeworld. The Chapter identified that periodically a small Warp Rift opened near a highly magnetized rotating neutron star, a pulsar, which made it impossible for it to be detected on any sensors.

The Chapter had an eye ever vigilant over this opening to the realm of Chaos. It was discovered that Plague fleets of varying sizes were sneaking into realspace through this opening every few centuries. And it was through this that the *Volar*, *Maleox* and *Gor* had passed when they attacked the Garion system.

The Chapter preserves this discovery as a well-kept secret, they did not report to the Imperium about this Warp Rift. It was the Chapter that would exact revenge, on no one else.

For almost 3,000 years, the Chapter stood in utmost secrecy as a gatekeeper against all the ships that passed through the opening. Most often the ships were pursued from a distance and attacked just before or after they began an invasion of a planet.

In 205.M39 a Plague Fleet came though that was identified as belonging to Volar the Unearthly and Maleox the Foul. This was the moment the Chapter was waiting for.

### The Retribution

The Chapter gathered their forces and began their familiar strategy of pursuing their enemy. The fleet was pursued far into uncharted territory in the Ixaniad Sector. It stopped at a small unnamed planetary system that was apparently uninhabited and surrounded by a large asteroid field. The two Daemon Princes stopped at a moon around one of the planets in this system. It soon became apparent that this was a place of importance.

On the moon, a huge base was observed with Death Guard traitors and scores of the Plague Lords
followers and daemons. This was the nerve centre and command post for their assaults in the Materium. In the middle of this facility, a huge construction was being built that was nothing more than a giant portal to the realm of Chaos, big enough to tear apart realspace and create a gigantic Warp Rift that could consume this entire sector, and which could threaten the whole Segmentum Obscurus.

This was the threat that the Emperors Tarot had predicted almost 5500 years earlier. Now the time had finally come when the Chapter would have its revenge.

The Chapter planned their attack carefully. They divided their army into two forces. The first would attack the moon and the second would attack the Plague Fleet.

Without warning, the Chapter began its attack. The first force set off straight for the moon and began bombarding it and the other force set a collision course for the Plague Fleet and opened fire with everything they had. The enemy was completely surprised and suffered huge losses in this initial phase.

As soon as the bombardment of the moon was called off, the Chapter landed 700 Battle-Brothers with Drop Pods to clean up what was left of Nurgle's servants. Despite the attack on the moon, thousands of demons and traitors had survived and a bloody battle followed.

In space above the moon, the Chapters Battle Barges crashed into and boarded the enemy fleet and a savage battle between three companies of Space Marines and countless monstrosities of Nurgle erupted throughout the traitor ships.

Neither the daemons nor the marines of the Death Guard stood a chance. The rage of the Battle-Brothers could not be stopped and soon the surface of the moon and the corridors of the ships were filled with the bodies of the Chapters enemies.

The two Deamon Princes stood on the command bridge of their flagship, *The Eruption*, with a huge retinue of grotesque Nurglite daemons. Captain Venger and his Vanguard Veterans stormed onto the command bridge and met their enemies head-on, unleashing all the hatred the Chapter had accumulated over millennia.

After a bloody battle, the demons were defeated, and the Chapter finally got its revenge.

### Repercussions

The Chapter eventually informed the Imperium of the Warp Rift in the Ixaniad Sector. This was not received kindly by High Lords of Terra and the incident was thoroughly investigated.
The Chapter was condemned for withholding this information for such a long time and strong voices were raised to declare the Chapter as traitors. But finally, the decision was made that the Chapter would be supervised by the Ordo Malleus for the time that Inquisition considers it necessary.

At present time the Chapter is still monitored.

*Under Investigation*

### Chronology of Events

#### M33 - The Founding

* The Chapter was founded as the Phantoms Knights in 831.M33.

#### M33-M35 - The Long Watch

* The Chapter patrolled the border areas of Segmentum Obscurus for almost 2,000 years.

#### M35 - The Rot of Nurgle

* The Battle of Garion occurs in 742.M35 which almost exterminated the Chapter.

#### M36 - A New Dawn

* The Chapter was reborn after 500 years from the ruins and ashes on Ulterior as the 'Dead Bells' Space Marine Chapter.

#### M36-M39 - Guardians of the Void

* The Chapter carefully monitored a Warp Rift and attacked any enemy forces that passed through it for almost 3,000 years, without informing the rest of the Imperium.

#### M39 - The Revenge

* The Chapter avenged their brothers after hunting and defeated their banesmen in 205.M39.

### Notable Campaigns

#### M34

* During the 4th Black Crusade in 001.M34 the Chapter fielded a number of companies.

#### M35

* The Chapter fought in the Nova Terra Interregnum in the early M35.

#### M35-M39

* Between the 742.M35-205.M39 the Chapter did not participate in any Imperial campaigns or battles.

#### M39

* In 427.M39 the Chapter took part in the inquisitorial purge of the Phaenonite splinter faction within the heart of the Ixaniad Sector.

* The Chapter joined forces with the Dark Angels during the *Hundred Planet Rebellion* in 519.M39 and suppressed a uprising by Chaos Cultists on the borders of the Veiled Region.

#### M40

* In 738.M40 fought the Chapter, together with other Chapters from the Adeptus Astartes and the Titans of Legio Venator, to put down an uprising on the Hive Worlds of the Gelmiro Cluster that had turned against the Imperium and started to worship the Ruinous Powers.

#### M41

* The Chapter took a part in the Gothic War between the 139.M41-160.M41 against Abaddon the Despoiler during the 12th Black Crusade.

* The Chapter fought during the 13th Black Crusade in 999.M41.

#### M42

* Between 999.M41-111.M42 the Chapter joined the Indomitus Crusade with several companies.

## Chapter Homeworld

The planet Ulterior was formerly a prosperous, but very overpopulated Hive World. Together with the Agri-World Garner and the Pleasure World Lotus, these planets formed the habitable part of the eight planets of the Garion System.

Garner had a thriving and favorable trade with the rest of the Imperium and Lotus was a sought-after destination for many wealthy citizens. Ulterior's population was close to 100 million and functioned in many ways as a stable recruitment factor for the planet's defense forces and also sent fresh recruits to various Imperial Guard regiments across the Imperium.

After a Nurglite attack on the planetary system in 742.M35 had left Garner and Lotus desolated and dead after the Phantom Knights Space Marine Chapter was forced to order an exterminatus of those planets to stop the Rot of Nurgle from spreading.

Ulterior itself was almost destroyed during the devastating battle between the Space Marines and the servants of Nurgle and afterwards left only ruins and an almost extinct population.

The centuries that followed changed the planet to a Cemetery World after millions of monuments, burial sites and headstones had been built across the planet. Small communities had formed trying to survive in the difficult environment that had become a reality after the war and shaped the population into a hardy and resilient people.

### Chapter Fortress-Monastery

The Fortress-Monastery of the Chapter was built on the ruins of the former capital Azalea of Ulterior. The new Fortress-Monastery was named *Immortalis Veritas* (in Low Gothic; 'The Immortal Truth').

It took several hundred years to build the Chapter's new headquarters. The building was built in black stone and designed like an immense cathedral with towers, large stained glass windows and huge church bells. Throughout the building are cells and dormitories where the Battle Brothers can worship, meditate and train, it is also a place where the Space Marines and their servants rest.

#### The Great Hall

The Great Hall of the *Immortalis Veritas* is known as the *Sacrarium*  and is lined with statues of heroes and reliefs depicting the history of the Chapter. From the ceiling hangs a huge iron bell, called *The Horologium*, that is adorned with the names of all the Battle Brothers who have died since the Chapter was founded and all brothers who perish in the future will have their names written there.

Every time a brother dies, this bell rings a death knell, along with all the other bells all over the fortress-monastery, to announce that a new name has been carved into it and that the brother now rests with his predecessors.

#### The Underground

Underneath the fortress-monastery there is a huge network of passageways, corridors and dungeons. The remains of Azalea still remain here. Deep down under *Immortalis Veritas* is the place preserved there Brother Valetou buried the Doomsday Bell, The Vexation. Down here there is also a huge laboratory, known as the *Black Pit*, where the Chief Apothecary conducts lethal experiments on living and dead Nurglite daemons to develop ways to both protect the brothers and annihilate their foes.

## Chapter Recruitment

The Chapter only recruits new brothers from the population on their homeworld *Ulterior*. Among the population, a religion has been created that worships the Chapter and the Battle-Brothers as saints and guardians. For many, it is the absolute highest goal in their lives to have the opportunity to become an aspirant to the Chapter. To succeed in being chosen as an aspirant elevates them to almost deities themselves because even if they fail to become a Neophyte, their life will be better because they often will then live the rest of their lives in the Fortress-Monastery to serve the Chapter and the Battle Brothers as Chapter Serfs.

### Recruitment Process

Every year the Chapter organizes a big ceremony outside their fortress-monastery where willing aspirants come from all over the planet. These ceremonies are huge events among the population, for it is the only time of the year that many can catch a glimpse of one of their saints.

Just like the number seven is the sacred number of the Plague God, the recruitment process to become one of the brothers of the Chapter consists of seven steps.

#### Step One - The Selection

The selection is done by having everyone who wishes to test their abilities meet in unarmed combat one on one. It is not uncommon for there to be thousands trying their luck.

#### Step Two - The Trial

It is often a couple of hundred aspirants who advanced from the first step. They are now subjected to intensive combat exercises where they are evaluated based on their ability and leadership. In the end, just about a third of all aspirants are selected to continue the trials. This step usually takes about a month in total.

#### Step Three - Test of Endurance

The remaining aspirants now face a huge challenge to test if they have what it takes to become a Neophyte. All these remaining five steps are done right after each other and usually takes about a week in total. During this time the candidates neither sleep nor eat.

During this step, the physical endurance of the aspirants is tested. They carry out long runs and various strength exercises. These exercises continue over and over until only about half of all aspirants remain.

#### Step Five - Test of Resilience

The aspirants during this stage are exposed to various drugs, poisons and diseases designed by the Apothecaries of the Chapter just for this occasion. In order to progress to the next stage, the aspirant's combat ability must not be impaired even though they are affected. They are assessed based on their resilience to these different substances. It is not uncommon for aspirants to hallucinate, have convulsions, or even develop boils.

#### Step Five - Test of Fear

Still affected by drugs and poisons the now remaining aspirants are ushered into a huge pitch-black area far below the fortress-monastery. This area consists of a large number of dark corridors, culverts and rooms. The aspirants must orient themselves as quickly as possible through this labyrinth of passages in total darkness. This is a test to see if the aspirants are able to face their own fear and control it.

#### Step Six - The Choice

At the penultimate stage, the aspirant's goal during the previous test is to reach the Chapter's laboratory, the *Black Pit*, where the Chapter holds various types of Nurglite daemons and monsters captive. The aspirants now get to choose one of all the hideous creatures they will face in a duel during the final stage. The choice they make affects the assessment of the aspirant. Do they choose an opponent that is too difficult or one that is too easy. This test is about finding out the aspirant's self-awareness.

#### Step Seven - The Duel

Those aspirants who have managed to make it all the way to this final step will now face the Nurglite abomination of their choice in close combat. Still, under some influence from the substances they ingested during stage five, they must fight to the death. Those who survive are accepted into the Chapter as new Neophytes.

## Chapter Organisation

### Pre-Era Garion

As the Phantom Knights and before the Battle of Garion in 742.M35 the Chapter was a loyal follower of the Codex Astartes. They organized themselves and fought according to this scripture for 2,000 years.

### Post-Era Garion

After the devastating victory against the Nurglite daemons on Ulterior the Chapter was completely reorganized, and they renamed themselves to the Dead Bells, not only because almost the entire Chapter was wiped out, but also because they considered that the Codex was no longer reliable enough.

### Pre-Era Indomitus

Before the opening of the Great Rift, the Chapter had developed and honed its own way of waging war and organizing themselves for thousands of years. They however still used the Codex as a source of inspiration but did not follow this book in the way that many other Chapters do.

### Post-Era Indomitus

The integration of the Primaris Space Marines into their ranks following the start of the Era Indomitus the Chapter reorganized themself again in unison with the Codex, but retained much of its own traditions.

### Officer Ranks

* **Patriarch** - Chapter Master equivalent.
* **Protector** - Captain equivalent.
* **Prefect** - Lieutenant equivalent.
* **Prelate** - Sergeant equivalent.

### Specialist Ranks and Formations

* **Bell-Ringer** - The *Bell-Ringer* are equivalent to a Ancient or Standard Bearer and is a hand-picked honorary title. Instead of carrying a battle standard they carry a heavy bell on a pole which they ring in during battle.

* **Pestis Medicus** - The *Pestis Medicus* is a Chapter unique Apothecary who specializes in nurglite diseases and infections. Usually, they function as ordinary Apothecaries, but is only in combat during battles with Nurglite daemons or where there is a risk for the Battle-Brothers to be exposed to the Rot of Nurgle. Otherwise, they all spend their time in the fortress-monastery to develop and research new ways to protect their brothers.

* **First Sword** - The *First Sword* commands the Hostia and is the title given to the Chapters foremost warrior and finest swordsman. He is also the closest advisor, the Equerry, to the Patriarch himself and it is his responsibility to both protect and support the Patriarch in battle. If it comes to that, it is also his responsibility to defending the honour of the Chapter.

* **Hostia** - The *Hostia* is the elite cadre of the Chapter and is ferocious and unyielding in the heat of battle. They serve as the Patriarchs personal retinue and bodyguards on the battlefield. They are the Chapter's most elite warriors in the war against the daemons of Nurgle.

## Order of Battle

### Headquarters

**Quietus Cessare -**
*Patriarch of the Dead Bells*
*and Lord of Ulterior*
**Macedon Cruscellio -**
*First Sword and Equerry*
**The Hostia**
*Aulus Faltox, Cælius Serapio, Ferox Lupus, Glaucia Centax*
**Hyginus Dorsuo -**
*Pestis Medicus*
**Calix Hortator -**
*Librarian*
**Spurius Imbrex -**
*Chapter Bell-Ringer*
**Chapter Serfs and Servitors**
*Chief Librarian* | **Pyrrhus Falcox -**
*Reclusiarch* | **Stasius Rullux -**
*Chief Apothecary/Pestis Medicus* | **Appius Crassus -**
*Master of the Forge* | **Egnatius Mento -**

### Companies

*(Master of the Keep)*
**\* 2 Prefects**
**\* Company Bell-Ringer**
**\* Company Champion**
**\* 10 Veteran Squads / Terminator Squads**
**\* Dreadnoughts**
**\* Transport Vehicles**
**\* Land Raiders** | **Protector Antonius Vulso -**
*(Master of the Watch)*
**\* 2 Prefects**
**\* Company Bell-Ringer**
**\* Company Champion**
**\* Company Veterans**
**\* 6 Battleline Squads**
**\* 2 Close Support Squads**
**\* 2 Fire Support Squads**
**\* Dreadnoughts**
**\* Transport Vehicles** | **Protector Alexis Libo -**
*(Master of the Arsenal)*
**\* 2 Prefects**
**\* Company Bell-Ringer**
**\* Company Champion**
**\* Company Veterans**
**\* 6 Battleline Squads**
**\* 2 Close Support Squads**
**\* 2 Fire Support Squads**
**\* Dreadnoughts**
**\* Transport Vehicles** | **Protector Egnatius Mento -**
*(Master of the Fleet)*
**\* 2 Prefects**
**\* Company Bell-Ringer**
**\* Company Champion**
**\* Company Veterans**
**\* 6 Battleline Squads**
**\* 2 Close Support Squads**
**\* 2 Fire Support Squads**
**\* Dreadnoughts**
**\* Transport Vehicles** | **Protector Theocles Mancinus -**
*(Master of the Marches)*
**\* 2 Prefects**
**\* Company Bell-Ringer**
**\* Company Champion**
**\* Company Veterans**
**\* 6 Battleline Squads**
**\* 2 Close Support Squads**
**\* 2 Fire Support Squads**
**\* Dreadnoughts**

*(Master of the Rites)*
**\* 2 Prefects**
**\* Company Bell-Ringer**
**\* Company Champion**
**\* Company Veterans**
**\* 10 Battleline Squads**
**\* Battle Tanks**
**\* Dreadnoughts**
**\* Transport Vehicles** | **Protector Eligius Salinator -**
*(Lord Executioner)*
**\* 2 Prefects**
**\* Company Bell-Ringer**
**\* Company Champion**
**\* Company Veterans**
**\* 10 Battleline Squads**
**\* Land Speeders**
**\* Gunships**
**\* Dreadnoughts**
**\* Transport Vehicles** | **Protector Vesperus Corculum -**
*(Chief Victualler)*
**\* 2 Prefects**
**\* Company Bell-Ringer**
**\* Company Champion**
**\* Company Veterans**
**\* 10 Close Support Squads**
**\* Bikes**
**\* Dreadnoughts** | **Protector Helier Sylla -**
*(Master of Relics)*
**\* 2 Prefects**
**\* Company Bell-Ringer**
**\* Company Champion**
**\* Company Veterans**
**\* 10 Fire Support Squads**
**\* Dreadnoughts** | **Protector Ludo Licinus -**
*(Master of Recruits)*
**\* 2 Prefects**
**\* 10 Vanguard Marine Squads**
**\* Scout Squads**
**\* Bikes**
**\* Land Speeders**

## Chapter Combat Doctrine

The Chapter are specialists in fighting nurglite demons. For millennia they have waged war against Nurgle and his abominations which has led them to develop a range of strategies and modes of warfare entirely adapted to face this plague. The two most effective methods the Chapter uses are void battles and massive Drop-Pod landings. Destroying an enemy fleet before they can even land their troops is always the primary goal of the Chapter. If this does not work, the Chapter lands an overwhelming force to defeat the enemy as quickly as possible before the plague has time to spread.

In the Chapters beginning as a fleet-based military force, it was then strongly focused on void battles. During their patrols in their designated sector, they surprised enemy forces and fleets numerous times. They developed their own strategy of stalking from a distance and then splitting up and attacking the enemy from several sides through ambushes with boarding actions and sheer firepower. In this way, they could defeat larger fleets and stronger opponents.

Another tactic often used by the Chapter is massive Drop-Pod landings. It is not uncommon for almost the entire Chapter, with hundreds of Drop Pods, to be landed simultaneously or in waves. Along with different gunships and transports they deploy their forces to the surface of a planet quickly. Through a quick and hasty landing of troops, the enemy is usually taken by surprise and does not have time to organize his defence.

Although the Chapter currently organizes itself according to the Codex, they still retain their own traditions in how they wage war.

## Chapter Gene-Seed

The Gene-Seed of the Chapter originated from the noble Dark Angels. Despite the fact that the Chapter originates from the absolute purest source of Gene-Seed, there are certain deviations that have emerged among the brothers.

This deviation is interpreted as a mutation and the reason is deemed to be connected to the Chapter's many thousand-year struggle against Nurgles Rot. This mutation manifests itself in the fact that all the brothers of the Dead Bells have pale skin, sparse or no hair, and long yellow nails, which almost look like claws.

Most likely, the Chapters are affected more deeply after thousands of years of fighting against all the abominations of Nurgle. Both the Inquisition and the Adeptus Mechanicus suspect that the brothers have developed increased resistance to Nurglite poisons and diseases. It has been observed on several occasions that brothers from the Dead Bells have survived devastating virus bombs and other similar weapons, while Space Marines from other Chapters have succumbed.

However, this does not seem to be a mutation of their Gene-Seed, but rather a natural development of their resilience. This natural resilience seems to have to do with the fact that the brothers of the Chapter are much more exposed to various types of poisons and hostile environments than many other Space Marines. But this is also affected by the fact that the Chapters own apothecaries often subject their brothers to various immunological tests in order to develop better protection against poisons and diseases.

#### Primarch's Curse: Tainted Nature

Although the brothers of the Dead Bells have developed a natural defence against disease and poison that is far stronger than other Space Marines, this too is a curse. Some Battle Brothers do develop an appearance that causes those around them to back away and distance themselves. Symptoms of this can be anything from a certain yellowing of the skin to fully developed deformities of the face and body:

* **Level 1 (Change)** : The Battle-Brother begins to develop yellowed skin and the hair becomes thinner and in some cases, the brother loses large tufts of hair. Some brothers begin to distance themselves from others outside the Chapter.
* **Level 2 (Outsider)**: The brother becomes more and more isolated the more his face and body change. Most often, the brother has lost all his hair and his skin is light yellow or very pale. In some cases, minor deformations develop in the face and body. It may be that certain facial features change or that the posture becomes different.
* **Level 3 (Disfigurement)**: Some Battle Brothers develop an increasingly grotesque appearance during this stage. Their skin has turned completely yellow or white and their face is completely deformed. Most never take off their helmet except when alone or in the safety of their brothers. In very rare cases, their body has also changed so they can become hunchbacked or similar.

### Faith of the Chapter

The Chapter worships and honour their own heroes and ancestors above all others. The brothers live and die for their fallen comrades. All brothers who have died in battle have their names cast into the great bell in the Sacrarium of their Fortress-Monastery. It is not uncommon that names of some of the greatest heroes of the Chapter is painted upon the power armour of the Battle Brothers.

## Chapter Fleet

The Chapter Fleet of the Dead Bells is an impressive sight. Their fleet consists of a large variety of different types of ships. In this way, the Chapter can face a large number of different types of threats and then be able to deploy the resource they deem best.

Before the disaster that befell the Chapter in the late M33, which not only decimated the entire Chapter but also annihilated their entire fleet, the fleet consisted of a small number of heavily equipped vessels. The fleet then consisted of four Emperor-class Battleship with escorts. The Chapters's primary mission at the time was patrolling imperial space, then these ships were considered excellent for this task.

After this event, however, the Chapter decided that they instead would have a more flexible and adaptable fleet. It took the Chapter several centuries to build up their new fleet with the support of the Adeptus Mechanicus. The current fleet consists of:

* **1 Apocalypse-class Battleship**
* **1 Oberon-class Battleship**
* **4 Battle Barges**
* **15 Strike Cruisers**
* **Various Escort Ships**

### Sensor Shields

During the time of the founding of the Chapter, they received a prototype from the Adeptus Mechanicus purely for testing purposes. This prototype was a unique device, called sensor shields, that was believed to cloak a ship, rendering them undetectable to almost all forms of scanning equipment

The Chapter was selected due to its original mission as a patrolling force and was then able to test this prototype in real conditions over a long period of time. However, it didn't take long for the Chapter to notice the enormous benefit they were getting from this unique technology.

The Chapter's fleet was able to sneak up on enemy ships without being detected by their sensors. And thus could carry out devastating surprise attacks. The only problem was that these sensor shields took some power away from their Void Shield which made them somewhat more fragile in direct attacks from enemy forces. But this was offset by the fact that the Chapters own ships often managed to knock out or greatly weaken the enemy before they were discovered

This technology was utilized to the maximum by the Chapter and they adapted their strategy by implementing these sensor shields on all of their ships. Nowadays, all vessels in their fleet are equipped with this technology.

### Notable Vessels

* ***The Sovereign* (Apocalypse-class Battleship)** - *The Sovereign* is an Apocalypse-class Battleship and functions as the flagship of the Chapter. This was the first vessel that the Chapter received after its fleet was destroyed.

* ***The Cyclops* (Battle Barge)** - This Battle Barge has been involved in every void battle the Chapter has been involved in the past 3000 years.

* ***Omega* (Battle Barge)** - The Battle Barge *Omega* is the latest addition to the fleet. The Chapter was assigned this ship only 100 years ago.

## Chapter Appearance

### Chapter Colours

The left side of the power armour of Chapter is painted white and ornate with the names of fallen brothers. The right side of the armour is unpainted, rusty and often bears traces of past battles. The helmet is shaped like a black skull and equipped with extra external air filters that provide better protection for the Battle-Brothers. All the brothers are dressed in brown frayed cloaks with hoods.

A black Roman numeral stenciled on the left poleyn (knee guard) indicates squad assignment and on the right poleyn indicates the company assignment. A black coloured squad specialty symbol stencilled on the right pauldron indicates a Battle-Brothers assigned squad specialty (Fire Support, Close Support, Battleline, Veteran or Command).

### Chapter Badge

The Chapter Badge is a black church bell surrounded by three white skulls.

## Relations

### Allies

*Feel free to add your own*
* **Adeptus Mechanicus** - The Chapter has a long and trusting partnership with the Adeptus Mechanicus.

## Notable Quotes

### About the Dead Bells

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