Exalted Blades

Exalted Blades armorial with Chapter iconography.

Color Scheme of the Exalted Blades

### **Specialty**

Shock Assault, Line Breaker Assaults, Hammer & Anvil Tactics, Strategic Decapitation Strikes, Punitive & Excoriation Campaigns

### Successor Chapter(s)

None

The **Exalted Blades** are an 11th Founding Imperial Fists Successor Chapter that was born out of the Feast of Blades, the martial tournament held between the Sons of Rogal Dorn. When one of the Feasts became the target of a Chaos invasion the Imperial Fists and their successor Chapters of the day pooled their resources and formed a joint garrison to safeguard the region of space around which the Chaos incursion had originated. Years later, the many petitions made by the Chapter Masters of the line of Dorn were answered and the 11th Founding was sanctioned by the High Twelve. The surviving members of the joint garrison would go on to be among the founding members of the new Chapter, serving as both it's officers and it's veteran core. And so the Exalted Blades were born.

## Chapter History

### Founding

"*...and what news of the garrison on Dominion? My brothers fighting a war alone out there in the gathering dark. They are but a single blade set against the gathering night, and we will not abandon them. I will see to it. Prepare the Phalanx and set course for Terra.*"
— Bronwin Abermont, Chapter Master of the Imperial Fists, M34
In the wake of the Chaos assault on the Feast of Blades the sons of Dorn discovered the attack originated from a warp storm, dubbed the Morbus Gyre, that had erupted in the Uhulis Marches, the border realms between Segmentum Tempestus and Segmentum Pacificus. In response to this threat the Chapter Master of the Imperial Fists proposed a joint Chapter garrison be stationed on Dominion until such a time as a proper reinforcement of the region could be organized. Squads drawn from all of the Imperial Fist successor Chapters of the day formed a force numbering nearly some 300 warriors, many of whom were champions of their respective Chapters who stood for them in the Feast of Blades, plus attendant staff. Overall command was given to Julius Ata, Captain of the Crimson Fists Chapter and overall champion of the Feast.

As the sons of Dorn pooled their resources into the endeavor, a mighty fortress grew around the arena which was located in the ruins of the Durasid's last stronghold on Dominion, with the original tournament halls forming it's inner keep.

In time, the fortress would come to be known as Sentinalia, fortress-monastery of the Exalted Blades.

Before the Crimson Fists depart to begin their century long custodianship of the *Dornsblade*, the hallowed relic of the sons of Dorn and the victor's prize of the Feast of Blades, Garrison Commander Julias Ata takes up the *Dornsblade* for the first and only time. In the first assemblage of the garrison in the newly constructed main Chapel presided over by Chaplain Baris of the Black Templars, Ata bids each warrior come forward and swear oaths of duty upon the *Dornsblade* itself in the sight of the Emperor and their Primarch Rogal Dorn.

To mark this moment, the Exalted Blades would later take the *Dornsblade*, super-imposed over a symbolic representation of the Morbus Gyre, as their Chapter badge.

### Julius Ata: The Exalted Blade

"*Our ancestors carried this sword, and their ancestors before them all the way back to the founding of the Legion, the history of our bloodline was written with this sword long before it was forged by the hand of the Primarch. For what it represents was imprinted first into the very soul of the Imperial Fists by the Emperor himself. For Rogal Dorn, for the Emperor of all mankind so long as a single son of Dorn lives to carry this blade into battle their fight will continue. We are the inheritors of their legacy, honor them both by living a life dedicated to duty that is worthy of their sacrifice.*"
—Julius Ata, founding Chapter Master of the Exalted Blades. Excerpt from transcribed speech later titled: ‘The Proclamation of the Blade’ prologue to ‘The Founding of the Exalted Blades’ by Chief Retainer Tarid Ymnal, 713.M34
Julius Ata, former Captain of the Crimson Fists 2nd Company, Champion of the Feast of Blades, Commander of the Dominion Garrison and founding Chapter Master of the Exalted Blades.

Julius Ata will forever be remembered as one of the greatest warriors of his time. Before competing in the Feast of Blades he would later win, Ata was already a venerable champion of the Crimson Fists as well as the celebrated Captain of its 2nd Company.

In the years leading up to the creation of the Exalted Blades, tragedy befell the Crimson Fists when their Chapter Master was killed at the fated climax of the Zanchora Crusade. Many of his brethren considered nominating Julius Ata as Chapter Master, but in the end, he choose to honor the Dominion Oath and remain as the garrison's commander and later Chapter Master of the Exalted Blades.

Chapter Master Ata would go on to lead the Exalted Blades over the course of nearly the first three hundred years of their existence. Ata would meet his end aboard the Space Hulk *Bane of Light* fighting against the vile Druhkari.

As word of Ata's death spread the skies above Dominion darkened as the Crimson Fists Battle Barge *Sabre of Scarus* entered high orbit. A delegation of the Crimson Fists 1st Company delivered to Sentinalia the relic suit of Tartaros pattern terminator plate known as *Solis Taria* as a gift to honor their fallen brother.

Following his confirmation as Chapter Master, Lord Dantari commissioned a statue of Ata’s likeness to be raised in the Hall of Blades and entombed in the statue’s base, sealed in an adamantine sarcophagus were interred the mortal remains of the first Exalted Blade.

## Notable Campaigns

* **M34 Xanithos** - The Iron Knights Chapter pursue and exterminate the remnants of an alien race known as the Durasid throughout the reaches of the Uhulis Sector. On the surface of Xanithos, their last colony world, where for many years they held sway over the planets’ native human population forcing them harvest the natural resources of Xanithos for use by their Xenos Masters. As the victory pyres of alien are set alight the Iron Knights discard the name Xanithos and rename the planet Dominion.
* **M34 Feast of Blades** - To mark their victory the Iron Knights summon the Sons of Dorn for a Feast of Blades, their right as the reigning Champions of the previous Feast. During the final hours of the tournament the Feast is interrupted when it becomes the target of a Chaos invasion. In the wake of the assault, the sons of Dorn discover the attack originated from a warpstorm that erupted in the Uhulis Marches, the border realms between Segmentum Tempestus and Segmentum Pacificus. In response to this threat the Chapter Master of the Imperial Fists proposes a joint chapter garrison be stationed on Dominion to safeguard the region from further incursion.
* **M34 The Exalted Blades** - The many petitions made by the Chapter Masters of the line of Dorn are answered and the 11th Founding is sanctioned by the High Lords of Terra. The surviving members of the joint garrison on Dominion would go on to be among the founding members of a new Chapter, serving as both it’s officers and it’s veteran core, while the tournament halls of the Feast become it's Fortress Monastery. And so the Exalted Blades were born.
* **M35 The Forebear’s Blade** - The *Forebear's Blade* is forged in the wake of the Nova Terra Interregnum and the death of Chapter Master Dantari. Thereafter, the *Forebear’s Blade* is the symbol of office for the Chapter Masters of the Exalted Blades. Worked into either side of the sword's hilt are fashioned death masks of both Julius Ata and Dantari to serve as reminders of the legacy of the Dominion garrison and what they stood for.
* **M36 Restless Tomb** - When a necromancer of the Plague God comes to the graveworld of Cieran II the Exalted Blades 6th Company are dispatched neutralize him. Soon the 6th Company becomes mired in a brutal war of attrition as the numberless dead of Cieran II are resurrected and hurl themselves at the Exalted Blades who are forced to fallback into the capital Necropolis city of Mortemire. All contact is lost with the Exalted Blades as Cieran II goes dark until weeks later when the battered but victorious warriors of the 6th emerge and begin constructing enormous pyres for the plague-ridden dead.
* **M37 Price of Victory** - In the subterranean caverns of Tutrar, the Exalted Blades find themselves fighting alongside a strike force from the Nova Wings led by their Chapter Master. The two Chapters face off against the Eldar of Craftworld Tir-Val who sought to repair a dormant webway portal. Both Chapters suffer horrific casualties with the Nova Wings being virtually slain to a man. Before the portal can be activated the Exalted Blades and the last of the Nova Wings manage to destroy it only for the Eldar to summon one of their Avatars of War in an attempt to turn the tide. During the fighting the Chapter Master of the Nova Wings is killed along with the last of his brothers. The Exalted Blades fight hard to recover his body. In an act of solidarity, the Apothecaries of the Exalted Blades recover the progenoids of the fallen Nova Wings which are later sent back to their homeworld along with the weapons and armor of their lost brothers.
* **M37 Fall of <REDACTED> ++Record Status: Sealed++Dominus Level Verification Required++**
* **M38 Crusade of the Dawn** - No heresy shall go unpunished, the decades long Crusade of the Dawn launched in late M38 culminates in the liberation of the entire Pontius Cluster lead by both the Adepta Sororitas of Order of the Throne's Light and the Exalted Blades. The shared bond earned on those battlefields has ensured that even to this day the Sisters of Battle remain one of the Blades staunchest allies.
* **M39 The Odyssey of the Aquinas** - When a mysterious alien race makes itself known in the Halsorian System in early M39, the Exalted Blades dispatch a strike force aboard the Battle-Barge *Aquinas* to engage. A fierce void battle ensues in orbit above Halsorian Prime. At the battles climax, the xenos fire upon the *Aquinas* with a strange weapon that envelopes the Battle-Barge and flings it into the Warp. When the Exalted Blades emerge it is amidst a war being fought in the Ghoul Stars on the far side of the Imperium. The Odyssey of the *Aquinas* as it fought it’s way across the galaxy back to the Uhulis Marches to rejoin the Chapter is one of the most famous legends of the Exalted Blades.
* **M39 The 5th Morbus War** - When a plague fleet spills from the Morbus Gyre, the archenemy bypasses Dominion entirely and attempts to break through to the greater Uhulis sector via the Marhalt system. Chapter Master Thozra mobilizes the Exalted Blades to meet them. Two companies are lost before the enemy is halted along with Lord Thozra himself who defeated the Great Unclean One, Pustulis, before succumbing to his wounds.
* **M41 Iron Sky** - When the Sable Claws Chapter are declared Excommunicate, the Exalted Blades are tasked with their extermination. Elisar Sokuun leads the Chapter in the decade long systematic purge that culminated in a assault on the Claw's homeworld, Iron Sky. Lord Sokuun himself confronts and slays the renegade Chapter Master of the Sable Claws, Nharm Kas, in single combat.
* **M41 Era Indomitus** - Chapter Master Rholan Marn rallies the Exalted Blades, now reinforced with Primaris Space Marines and systemically restores order in the Uhulis Marches before dispatching the Exalted Blades to a dozen beleaguered warzones.

## Chapter Home World

#### Sunrial

The aspirants drawn from Sunrial are quite different from those drawn from either Volturnus or Hypax. Unlike the nomadic savages of Volturnus, the people of Sunrial live a much more regimented and strict lifestyle. Unlike the anarchy of the rust pits on Hypax, the society of Sunrial is more stable despite its war torn past. This alone is not enough to warrant the attention of the Exalted Blades, what sets the Sunriash apart is a code of martial honor and a warrior culture that dates back to its original colonists. From a very young age, and for as long as anyone can remember the youth above a certain societal caste are taught the ways of war. As soon as a boy or girl is able, a sword is placed in their hand and they are made to fight. Sunrial originally was never intended to provide aspirants for the Exalted Blades as the planet itself hugs the outer coreward edge of the Uhlus Marches and only those worlds closer to the Chapter’s homeworld of Dominion were considered. This changed soon after the Exalted Blades’ creation.

Sunrial is a prosperous mid-grade tithe world defined by snow capped mountain ranges and frigid tundras. For generations the Sova dynasties primarily held to these tundras in cities situated along river valleys, coastal regions and in the foothills of the mountain range that dominates the entire western side of the continent known as the Jamnii. Long ago the mountains held a number of settlements first constructed by Sunrial’s original colonists. One by one they were abandoned as the Sunriash began to spread out and favor the coastal tundras and valleys. In time, the inhospitable mountains grew into a bit of a taboo subject for many of the Sova, local superstition has always held that when you die, your spirit becomes one with the wind and the storms that flow across the Jamnii, purifying your soul before it departs to join the Emperor. What the Sova contributed to the Imperium up until that period were specialists. For millennium, the Schola Progenium located in Ortyo, the one time planetary capital of Sunrial, produced uniquely skilled men and women who would go on to serve as officers in the ranks of the Astra Millitarum, on board Imperial Navy vessels and even contribute the occasional asset to the Holy Inquisition.

In ages past, the Exalted Blades came to the defense of Sunrial and the marks of that conflict have defined the planet ever since. Following the creation of the Chapter, the Blades first major campaign was to halt the advance of Waaagh Irongrabba. As worlds burned, Sunrial lay directly in the path of the Orks. It was for it’s natural bulwarks that Sunrial was chosen by the Exalted Blades rather than try to defeat the Orks elsewhere. A line was drawn in the sand, the Ork would go further. Chapter Master Julius Ata send word ahead of the Blades advising the planetary governor to begin evacuating as much of the population as possible and head for the ancient colonial settlements. While the Chapter fleet carrying demi-companies from the 2nd, 4th and 8th companies and reinforced by Sunrial’s own defensive fleet harried and delayed the Orks at every turn the Exalted Blades made planetfall in force and began reshaping the peaks of the Jamnii, reclaiming the old settlements and fashioning them into a series of interconnected fortresses made nigh unassailable by the natural terrain around them. Down in the valleys the 10th company of the Exalted Blades sowed the terrain with mines and laid automated ambush sites designed to lure the greenskins into deadly shooting galleries of sniper fire or into dead-end canyons packed with explosives. Minor outposts manned by tactical and devastator squads augmented by platoons of the Sunrial planetary defense force dotted the slopes of the mountains and were tasked with destroying as many of the clanking warmachines Warboss Irongrabba’s horde was known for as they could and bleeding as much strength from the Orks as possible before they reached the walls of the mountain fortresses.

By the time Orks reached the first fortress they found its defenders thoroughly dug in. When the Orks would fall back, assault squads and armored sorties would harry the enemy back down the mountain side. By the time Warboss Irongrabba was cornered and slain by Chapter Master Ata himself, his horde was a shadow of its original strength. At the cost of many lives the Orks were repelled by both the sacrifices made by the people of Sunrial and the Exalted Blades. In the end, nearly three hundred Exalted Blades were lost over the course of four months of hard fighting in defense of Sunrial. To honor their sacrifice, the Planetary Governor of Sunrial petitioned both Chapter Master Ata and the High Lords of Terra to allow Sunrial to become a permanent source of recruits for the Exalted Blades.

"*Take from this land our sons so that may serve and die for the Imperium just as you have done for us.*"
—Planetary Governess of Sunrial, Koya Harada
Governess Harada's own youngest son would not only go on to join the Chapter, but eventually rose to become Captain of the Exalted Blades 1st Company. A position he would hold for over a century until his death.

Though many returned and rebuilt the cities in the lowlands, many of the Sova stayed in the Jamnii mountains. The massive mountain top fortresses across the Jamnii slowly grew into city-states whose size was well beyond the boundaries of the original settlements. The planetary capital was relocated to the fortress-city of Ududtaii, it’s central keep became the palace of the governatorial household and the Exalted Blades in time would construct a Chapter house within its walls through which to process aspirants for the Exalted Blades.

Though it would be not be for nearly a decade before the Exalted Blades recouped their loses from the campaign, all knew that the chapter was forged on the battlefields of Sunrial.

### Volturnus

Hard places breed hard people, a truism as old as humanity itself. So it was for the first men of old Earth and so it is for the Urut of Volturnus. Volturnus is a deathworld made up of several continents divided by narrow seas. Each continent is covered in lush jungles and crisscrossed by tens of thousands rivers and waterways.

Very little is known of early Volturnus, by the time the planet was rediscovered towards the closing years of the Great Crusade, the 278th Expeditionary Fleet expected to find a colonized world for unearthed records dating before the chaos of Old Night showed that settlers had indeed intended to come here. But instead no sign was found. Only after extensive surveying of the planet was complete did the Crusade Fleet discover several colonial space craft seemingly abandoned and completely submerged beneath the surfaces of swamps and lying at the bottoms of lakes across the northern continent. For those vanishingly rare few who know of such things, the disappearance of those early settlers remains unsolved to this day. At the time, many held the hyper aggressive indigenous creatures as responsible but still some persisted that something far more sinister befell the settlers.

Shortly after, the Crusade Fleet established a number of outposts across the planet to begin accessing its resources, it was during this period of exploration that the planet was renamed Volturnus after an ancient river-god of old Earth, so named for the planet's many thousands of rivers. On the heels of the Crusade Fleet came the Adeptus Mechanicus whose interests were solely on the recovery of the colonial vessels scattered across the planet and the secrets they might contain.

In the wake of Horus’s accession to Warmaster of the Great Crusade two full cohorts of the Tzargalla Deathworlders Solar Auxilia arrived to begin their long garrisoning of Volturnus once the main body of 278th Crusade Fleet moved on. Ostensibly brought in to subjugate Volturnus’s many hostile creatures and escort Magos Biologis surveyor expeditions as they sought to catalog Volturnus’s biospheres, the Tzargallans were a specialized force suited for the harsh environments and hostile life forms found on many deathworlds. Hailing from Tzargalla, the largest moon of the gas giant Tzar in the Vurboda Cluster, the 47th Tzargalla - the Red Lions - and the 53rd Tzargalla - the Pathfinders - had already amassed quite a reputation for themselves across a hundred war zones during the Great Crusade.

What is known of the period that followed is that once the fires of Horus’s treachery were revealed, the Adeptus Mechanicus magi overseeing operations on Volturnus had secretly committed themselves to the Warmaster and Kelbor Hal, the traitor Fabricator-General of Mars. Corrupting the technology at their disposal the servants of the Dark Mechanicus turned on the Tzargallans and attempted to purge Volturnus of Imperial loyalists.

A guerrilla war soon raged across the planet as loyalist forces fought the Dark Mechanicus. When the tipping point was finally reached, Solar Marshal Jozeph Kahara of the 47th Tzargalla led the final assault on the primary Mechanicus citadel, personally executing the leader of the dark magi and detonating the explosives that sent the citadel sinking into the swamps of Volturnus.

As power slowly began to fail in the last uncorrupted outpost on Volturnus, Marshal Kahara set the distress signal to repeat before leading the Tzargallans into the jungles to wait out the storms of treachery battering the Imperium. And there they would stay for thousands of years, slowly regressing back to a more primitive way of life as their technology failed and were eventually shaped by the world that had by circumstance, become their new home for little did they know that their homeworld of Tzar was scoured of all life by the Word Bearers Legion during the final days of the Heresy after refusing to renounce the Emperor.

The Urut tribes of today are the direct descendants of the survivors of the Tzargalla Cohorts.

So much was lost in the period following Horus's defeat, including Volturnus, which would be made nigh-inaccessible for nearly half a millennium by warpstorms in the region. It would not be for many years before the planet was rediscovered, the Imperium content to leave the planet unmolested and observe the Urut from afar. Briefly, the planet would play host to the Imperial Inquisition when the Inquisitor-lord Rahm Jhak relocated his based of operations to a hidden fortress constructed deep in the jungles of the equatorial regions. Lord Jhak is believed to have even recruited several Urut into his service until eventually the Inquisitor and his entire retinue were killed in service to the Emperor or simply moved on, leaving their secret fortress to be abandoned.

As time passed the Tzargallans began to separate and spread out, family groups and communities soon emerged as generations came and went until finally the old bonds eroded altogether. The Tzargalla soon came to be known as the Urut, the name literally translated as "children of the river", a name believed to have been coined by Inquisitor Jhak himself who was known to have admired the hardy people. Much of what we know of the story of the Urut was pieced together by the Inquisitor-Lord.

The Urut were eventually forced to adopt a nomadic life on Volturnus, constantly wandering up and down the rivers and waterways aboard their raft-villages and navigating the monster infested jungles in between as they make their way from hunting ground to hunting ground. To linger in one place for too long is invite the attention one of Volturnus’s many natural predators as the Tzargallans once discovered and a truth their descendants know all too well. Tribal conflict is not uncommon among the Urut as tribes fight over control of scarce resources or as fighting erupts when one tribe simply wanders into the hunting grounds of another.

When the planet was first selected to provide recruits for the Exalted Blades the early visitors were impressed by what they found and even more pleased when the Urut proved to be suitable genetic match for the line of Rogal Dorn.

The blood of Tzargalla would once again serve the Imperium.

### Hypax

Hypax, at once one of the brightest jewels in sub-sector Artaigan (also known as the Uhulis Marches) and a cantankerous pit of scum and villainy. An though some may balk at the notion, it is for these reasons that Hypax was chosen to provide recruits for the Exalted Blades.

As well as fighting each other, the Slum Raider Clans of the lower reaches of Hypax’s hive cities flock in massive numbers to the various blood sport arenas, lured there by promises of wealth and prosperity orchestrated by the dark underbelly of Hypaxian society. Little do the proprietors of these illicit fighting rings know that the Exalted Blades are completely aware of their illegal activities and have even gone so far as to turn aside the eyes of the Hypaxian Arbites for many of these would be gladiators begin their careers at a young age and so make for ideal candidates for induction into the Exalted Blades. Residing atop Hive Ortago's, the capital hive of Hypax, highest spires can be found the Basilica of Saint Miranda which houses the bones of Saint Miranda herself alongside her entire retinue. Standing watch over the tomb of Saint Miranda is a entire Sororitas covenant of the Order of the Thrones Light, the Order to which Saint Miranda belonged. In life, she was the catalyst for the decades long Crusade of the Dawn in late M38 which, alongside Chapter Master Takia Asano, led to the liberation of an entire system cluster by both the Order of the Thrones Light and the Exalted Blades. This bond has ensured that even to this day the Sisters of Battle remain one of the Blades staunchest allies.

## Chapter Organisation

### Officer Ranks

* **Lord of Blades** - Chapter Master Equivalent.
* **Captain**
* **Lieutenant**

### Specialist Ranks

* **Chief Librarian**
* **Librarian**
* **Master of Sanctity** - Reclusiarch equivalent.
* **Chaplain**
* **Chief Apothecary**
* **Apothecary**
* **First Blade** - Chapter Champion equivalent.
* **Master of the Forge**
* **Bladewrights** - Techmarine equivalent.

### Line Ranks

* **Veteran Sergeant**
* **Sergeant**
* **Battle-Brother**
* **Scout Marine**
* **Neophyte**
* **Aspirant**

### Specialist Units & Formations

* **Order of Retainers**
* **Sentinel Watch**

### Order of Battle

Chapter Organization of the Exalted Blades in the Era Indomitus:

## Chapter Combat Doctrine

The combat doctrine of the Exalted Blades is akin to that of a warrior presenting his shield for the enemy to batter himself against before ramming a sword into his heart.

As such the Chapter has developed a preference for close combat warfare and hammer blow tactics as well as they have honed a keen eye for identifying the weaknesses of their foes and striking where they're most vulnerable. Seizing and holding ground with all the tenacity of their progenitors in order to draw the enemy out before striking with overwhelming force.

Tactical/Battleline Squads form the core of their preferred battlefield strategy and for this reason they are known colloquially within the Exalted Blades as Shield Squads, or simply 'Shields', and take a Shield icon as their tactical insignia.

While Battleline Squads are the Shield, the Close and Heavy Support Squads of each company form the Sword, which strikes with overwhelming force to deliver the killing blow. Such are the preferred tactics of the Exalted Blades who value decisive maneuverability at critical moments that within each company the Blades field an additional Close Support Squad in place of one of the Battleline Squads.

## Chapter Culture & Beliefs

The Exalted Blades revere the memory of their founders, the Dominion Garrison, those warriors drawn from every Imperial Fists successor Chapter of the day who would go on to serve as the leaders and veteran core of the early Exalted Blades.

By their example, and in keeping with the general demeanor of their progenitors, the Blades' seek their purpose in the performance of great deeds, not the recounting of them.

Those who fight alongside them are often left with the impression of stoic and aloof warriors cast in the same mold as many of the sons of Rogal Dorn are.

## Recruiting Practices

Though Dominion is their home, it is not a world the Exalted Blades recruit. Instead, the Blades look to nearby worlds in order to replenish their ranks. The Urut tribes of the jungle world of Volturnus, the slum raiders of the rust pits on the hive-world Hypax and the sons of the Sova dynasties on Sunrial form the bulk of the recruits for the Exalted Blades.

When the Exalted Blades we’re first set up three worlds were originally selected to provide aspirants for the new chapter as the Chapter homeworld Dominion could was unable to provide. Each world had its population extensively screened to test the suitability of it sons to fill the ranks of an Adeptus Astartes Chapter. The Hiveworld Hypax, the deathworld Volturnus and the now lost world of <REDACTED> were the original worlds from which the Exalted Blades recruited from. Sunrial would not be counted among them until shortly after the Chapter’s creation.

The Exalted Blades maintain a steady presence on each of their recruiting worlds. From Chapter houses on both Hypax and Sunrial the Blades oversee the various trials designed to winnow out all but the strongest aspirants. On Volturnus, those among the Urut must first make the journey to the proving grounds on the Isle of the Sundered Star off the coast of the planet’s southern most continent, where the trials are traditionally held. Only those that survive are taken by the Chapter. In the rusts pits of Hypax the Exalted Blades maintain a careful watch on the belligerent Slum Raider gangs that are constantly at war with one another across the scrap wastes of the lower Hives. It is in the wake of these bloody conflicts that those marked as suitable for recruitment are spirited away by the Chapter.

No matter their origin the aspirants are equal in the eyes of the Chapter just as strands of individual strength are wound together to form a greater whole.

Once aspirants are brought to Dominion they are put through the trials at the Fortress Dantari, a secondary stronghold of the Chapter on Dominion, and the Exalted Blades' primary training facility. During their time at Dantari, each recruit is extensively screened to ensure genetic compatibility by the Apothecaries while Chapter Librarians examine their minds for any latent psykers among them all while also being tested further through yet more strenuous tests of strength and endurance.

Those that fail these initial trials are typically given a place among either the Order of Retainers, the Chapter Serfs of the Exalted Blades, or the Sentinel Watch, the mortal guardians of the fortress monastery and the Chapter’s holdings so that they may still serve the Chapter. For those aspirants who do succeed it is during this period that they will undergo the first and second stages of implantation.

From there, neophyte cohorts typically in groups of twenty or thirty each lead by a Veteran Instructor will be taken out onto the surface for the first time to brave the strenuous environments of Dominion. Months will be spent navigating the most dangerous landscapes that Dominion has to offer. When not ranging across volcanic calderas or ash tundras the Neophytes spend their time engaging in mock battles and war games against other cohorts in the vast ruins of Dominion’s former civilizations. Kilometres of uninhabitable urban sprawl serve as training grounds for the aspirants. Over the course of this period, the neophytes will learn stealth and survival techniques as well as various other skills they will need. This grueling phase is designed to break the aspirants down so that they can be rebuilt as warriors of the Chapter. It is also designed to stimulate the first round of implants, allowing them to be tested for effectiveness. Once they return to Dantari, the aspirants will then begin their hypo-indoctrination and undergo the third stage of implantation. Subsequently their days become a whirlwind of near constant and increasingly rigorous training and combat drills as the aspirants are taught the use of the myriad weapons of the Adeptus Astartes. It is also during this time that Chaplains begin inducting the aspirants into the Cult of the Blade, explaining the history of Rogal Dorn, the VIIth Legion, and that of the Chapter as well as it's philosophies and beliefs.

The final test of the Exalted Blades induction culminates in a trial known as *The Tempering*, each aspirant is grouped into small squads and tasked with crossing a section of the darkened depths of Xa’kul, otherwise known as 'The Gloaming', the vast subterranean twilight realm that spans the gulf between Sentinalia and Dantari. Within the Gloaming lies a labyrinth divorced from the wider underworld that is known as *The Crucible*, it is here that the aspirants will face their hardest challenge yet. The journey typically takes 2-3 days and the aspirants are expected to utilize everything they have learned up to this point as well work together with their fellow aspirants to make it to the other side. Traps and hazards, both natural and those created by the Chapter lie around every corner. However, these are not the only challenges the aspirants will face during the Tempering, the Gloaming is also home to many deadly creatures. Throughout the millennium the Exalted Blades have cultivated a diverse and deadly menagerie of beasts selected for the Tempering. Such as Basilisk Lions from distant Gvar, rare Namorian Morgants and even on occasion, Bolvangs from Volturnus. All while their progress is observed by the Chapter via hidden observation devices. Into the darkness and blood of the Crucible the aspirants are sent, and they will emerge forged anew and ready for service in the Chapter or not at all. In the days of darkness, the Exalted Blades cannot afford to accept any but the strongest into their ranks.

Those who successfully arrive at Sentinallia are then taken to the Hall of Blades where they swear the Dominion Oath for the first time. It is there that the ancient and symbolic words of the Dominion Garrison were first spoken before the founding of the Chapter and now where resides Julius Ata, the first Lord of Blades, and his brothers, the first Lords of the Chapter, for all eternity.

Afterwards they are then formally given a place among the Scout Squads of the Battleborn, the 10th Company of the Exalted Blades, and begin accompanying warriors of the Chapter on campaign.

## Notable Members

* **Julius Ata** - (Dominion Garrison - Crimson Fists) The Blade of Dorn. The 1st Lord of the Exalted Blades. Formerly Captain of the Crimson Fists 2nd Company. Champion of the Feast of Blades. Commander or the Dominion Garrison for sixteen years. Led the Exalted Blades for the first three hundred years of it's existence. Lord Ata fell in battle aboard the Space Hulk *Bane of Light* against the Dark Eldar. Held as a paragon of everything Rogal Dorn stood for, his memory and example are revered by the Exalted Blades.
* **Dantari** - (Dominion Garrison - Excoriators) The Unyielding Blade. The 2nd Lord of the Exalted Blades. Formerly a Sergeant of the Excoriators 5th Company, when he became an Exalted Blade he rose to command the 4th, and eventually, the elite 1st Company. By the time of his death, Lord Dantari was more machine than man as his extensive bionics claimed more and more of his flesh due to his many grievous injuries earned in battle. Lord Dantari was killed during the many wars of the Nova Terra schism. Following his death, the Fortress Dantari is raised in his honor.
* **Ephrem Akaki** - (Volturnus) The 3rd Lord of the Exalted Blades. Formerly Captain of the Exalted Blades 2nd Company. Ordered the forging of the *Forebear's Blade* in the wake of the Nova Terra Interregnum and the death of Chapter Master Dantari. Thereafter, the *Forebear’s Blade* is the symbol of office for the Chapter Masters of the Exalted Blades. Worked into either side of the sword's hilt are fashioned death masks of both Julius Ata and Dantari to serve as reminders of the legacy of the Dominion garrison and what they stood for. Lord Akaki fell in battle against the forces of Chaos during the pacification of the Valokar belt.
* **Mikyas** - (<REDACTED>) The 4th Lord of the Exalted Blades. Formerly Captain of the Exalted Blades 6th Company. The Hero of V'run. Inducted into the Chapter along with his twin Brother, Torbrind, who went on to serve as the Apothecary of the 1st Company for many years. It was Torbrind who recovered his brother's Progenoid Glands following his death during the conquest of the Urgoal Greenskin Empire.
* **Ara Saskai** - (Sunrial) The 5th Lord of the Exalted Blades. Formerly Captain of the Exalted Blades 10th Company. Served as Chapter Master during the Age of Apostasy and the Plague of Unbelief and liberated many systems throughout the Uhulis Sector held under the clutches of the renegade Cardinal, Vicktor Ilosk. Lord Saskai died of his wounds following the siege of Hive Tenabris on Lorkarn Secundas.
* **Tiebalt Ozmont** - (Hypax) The 6th Lord of the Exalted Blades. Formerly Captain of the Exalted Blades 1st and 2nd Companies. His decisive leadership during the Jeskarian crisis saved multiple systems from being completely engulfed by Chaos. The Hephaestion-Class Heavy Strike Cruiser *Ozmont*, commonly assigned to the Exalted Blades 2nd Company, bears his name. Lord Ozmont died during the Jonrir Planetstrike.
* **Tihomir** - (<REDACTED>) The 7th Lord of the Exalted Blades. Formerly Captain of the Exalted Blades 8th Company and served as First Blade. The longest serving Chapter Master, Tihomir held the rank of Lord of Blades for over nine hundred years. Lord Tihomir was killed during the <REDACTED> when his Thunderhawk was shot down during the opening assault on Dominion.
* **Ezekias Juram** - (Hypax) The 8th Lord of the Exalted Blades. The Blade of Retribution. Formerly Captain of the Exalted Blades 1st and 4th Companies. Lead the Chapter out of the turmoil of the <REDACTED> and the purge of <REDACTED>, the darkest period in the Chapter’s history. Lord Juram was known to have been one of those rare scions that bore an uncanny resemblance to the Primarch Rogal Dorn. Lord Juram fell in battle against the Knights of House Azzakath who turned traitor during the War for Alrallad III.
* **Auno Kenu** - (Volturnus) The 9th Lord of the Exalted Blades. Formerly Captain of the Exalted Blades 5th Company. During a duel against a Champion of the Night Lords, the *Forebear’s Blade* is lost when Lord Kenu's arm is cut off and the Night Lords are able to withdraw with the Sword before it could be recovered. Auno Kenu personally spearheads the Chapter's efforts to locate the *Forebear's Blade*. Years pass before the Night Lords warband is finally cornered and captured. As the wrath of the Exalted Blades fell upon them, the defeated Night Lords enact their last act of spite and detonate a vortex warhead aboard their strike vessel. Auno Kenu is lost in the maelstrom but not before he places the recovered *Forebear’s Blade* in the hands of Kedar, Captain of the Exalted Blades 2nd Company.
* **Kedar** - (Volturnus) The 10th Lord of the Exalted Blades. Formerly Captain of the Exalted Blades 2nd and 6th Companies. Known as the Sage of Blades and remembered for his resolute leadership and tactical acumen. A warrior scholar, Lord Kedar wrote many treatises on the art of war that are regarded as definitive works on the subject within the Chapter and abroad. Was known to have briefly counseled the young Planetary Governor of Rayel Prime, the capital system of the Artaigan sub-sector. Lord Kedar fell in battle against the Hrud.
* **Takia Asano** - (Sunrial) Formerly Captain of the Exalted Blades 1st and 3rd Companies. One of the venerable Fratres Immortalis. Lead the Exalted Blades during the Crusade of the Dawn, the campaign that liberated the Pontius Cluster. Possessed a keen mind for military politics and logistics, the commanders of the Crusade relied heavily on his counsel. Lord Asano died of his wounds following single combat against the daemon known as Izreron.
* **Davo Boreal** - (Hypax) The 12th Lord of the Exalted Blades. Formerly Captain of the Exalted Blades 5th Company. When a mysterious alien race makes itself known in the Halsorian System in early M39, Lord Boreal leads a strike force aboard the Battle-Barge *Aquinas* to engage. A fierce void battle ensues in orbit above Halsorian Prime. At the battle's climax, the xenos fire upon the *Aquinas* with a strange weapon that envelopes the Battle-Barge and flings it into the Warp. When the Exalted Blades emerge it is amidst a war being fought in the Ghoul Stars on the far side of the Imperium. The Odyssey of the *Aquinas* as it fought it’s way across the galaxy back to the Uhulis Marches to rejoin the Chapter is one of the most famous legends of the Exalted Blades. Reputably one of the finest marksman ever produced by the Chapter, Lord Boreal crafted the relic combi plasma rifle *Dorn’s Edict*. Lord Boreal fell in battle against a chaos-worshiping alien species known as the Shades. Many years later, the Exalted Blades fighting alongside strike forces from both the Deathwatch and Grey Knights, would finally locate and destroy the hidden homeworld of the Shades known as the Fortress of Night.
* **Zarm Thozra** - (Volturnus) The 13th Lord of the Exalted Blades. Formerly Captain of the Exalted Blades 1st, 3rd and 9th Companies. When a plague fleet spills from the Morbus Gyre, the archenemy bypasses Dominion entirely and attempts to break through to the greater Uhulis sector via the Marhalt System. Lord Thozra mobilizes the Chapter to meet them. Two companies are lost before the enemy is halted along with Zarm Thozra himself who defeated the Great Unclean One, Pustulis, before succumbing to his wounds.
* **Asukai Tsunena** - (Suniral) The 14th Lord of the Exalted Blades. Formerly served as First Blade. A legendary swordsman in the Chapter, countless foes were felled by the *Forebear's Blade* when wielded by his deft hands. To date, Asukai Tsunena held the rank of First Blade longer than any other and was the only Lord of Blades to not have held a Captainship before his accession. It was Lord Tsunena who orchestrated the relocation of the displaced Knightly House Khuneus, whose own homeworld was overrun by Orks, to the Feudal-World of Vamund in 082.M41 cementing a bond between the Knights and the Exalted Blades. Interred within a Dreadnought following his near death during the assault on the Fortress of Night. Today, Lord Tsunena marches into battle alongside the 1st Company.
* **Boros Odoin** - (Hypax) The 15th Lord of the Exalted Blades. The Blade of Wrath. Formerly Captain of the Exalted Blades 2nd and 8th Companies. A somewhat controversial figure among the Lords of the Exalted Blades. Although none could doubt his skill in battle, he is nevertheless remembered as the most brutal and merciless Chapter Master in the history of the Exalted Blades. Lord Odoin was killed during the Exalted Blades' assault on a Worldnest of the vile Varsine.
* **Honjou Narisuke** - (Suniral) The 16th Lord of the Exalted Blades. Formerly Captain of the Exalted Blades 1st Company. A gifted tactician, Lord Narisuke once won three battles in a single day against the Orks of WAAAGH! Bloodtusk with nothing more than a single demi-company of warriors under his command. Successfully defended Dominion from an invasion by a Aeldari warhost, whose unclear motivations for assaulting the homeworld of the Exalted Blades remain a mystery to this day. Lord Narisuke was assassinated by the Alpha Legion during the Macinia uprising.
* **Elisar Sokuun** - (Volturnus) The 17th Lord of the Exalted Blades. The Blade of Judgement. Formerly Captain of the Exalted Blades 5th Company. The youngest warrior to ever be elected Lord of Blades. When the Sable Claws Chapter are declared Excommunicate, the Exalted Blades are tasked with their extermination. Elisar Sokuun lead the Chapter during the decade long systematic purge that culminated in a assault on the Claw's homeworld. Lord Sokuun himself confronts and slays the renegade Chapter Master of the Sable Claws, Nharm Kas, in single combat. Lord Sokuun fell in battle against Aeldari corsairs.

* **Rholan Marn** - (Hypax) The 18th Lord of Blades and current Chapter Master of the Exalted Blades. He was recruited from the Hive World Hypax, one of the Exalted Blades' principal recruitment worlds. In the rusts pits of Hypax the Exalted Blades maintain a careful watch on the belligerent Slum Raider clans that are constantly at war with one another over territory and resources as well as face each other in blood sports perpetrated by the underbelly of Hypaxian society across the scrap wastes of the lower Hives. Rholan Marn has led the Exalted Blades for nearly two centuries. Before taking up the mantle of Chapter Master he served as First Blade, leader of the Oathbound and champion to the previous Chapter Master as well as Captain of the Exalted Blades 4th Company. Traditionally the rank of First Blade is held by the finest warrior of the Chapter, and Marn held the position for several years before being called to join the ranks of the elite Deathwatch xenos hunters. In the years that followed, Marn earned a name for himself and brought glory to his Chapter by facing and slaying hundreds of vile alien species that plagued the Imperium. Eventually, Marn took up the role of Watch Captain during his third and final oath of service. It is perhaps his time in the kill teams during his third oath that most shaped Marn in the years afterward for though none ever spoke directly of it to him, many remarked that Rholan Marn was a much grimmer soul upon his return to the Chapter. On the battlefield, Marn wields the *Forbear's Blade*, the symbol of his office and the weapon forged in the wake of the Nova Terra schism in memory of and to honor those last warriors of the original Dominion Garrison who fell during that tumultuous period.
* **Samitar Kray** - (Volturnus) 1st Captain of the Exalted Blades, Samitar Kray was born amidst the red roil of blood and battle on Volturnus, Samitar Kray was the youngest son of the Ko’Mazan (Chieftain) of the Burning Tree tribe who left with the Apashtar (translates as ‘Starfarers’, colloquial Urut name for the Exalted Blades) during the Season of Trial. A contemporary of Chapter Master Rholan Marn, the two young warriors served in the same scout squad during their time in the 10th Company and later as sergeants in the 5th Company. Rholan Marn would go on to be appointed 1st Blade of the Chapter while Kray was invited to join the hallowed Unbroken Blades, the veteran 1st Company of the Exalted Blades following the 5th Company’s successful campaign to destroy the heretic Astartes warbands that had plagued the southern reaches of the Uhulis Marches. Kray would go on to distinguish himself during his time spent among the Unbroken Blades, learning much from the Chapter’s finest and even on occasion having the privilege of fighting alongside the Oathbound and Chapter Master Sokuun himself. In time, Samitar Kray would be given a Captainship of his own and left the 1st Company to become Captain of the 6th for a time and then Captain of 2nd following Rholan Marn’s return to the Chapter after decades spent away from the Chapter serving in the Deathwatch. Following the deaths of both Chapter Master Sokuun and 1st Captain Ellic, Rholan Marn would be elected Chapter Master and the 18th Lord of the Exalted Blades. His first act as Chapter Master was to appoint Samitar Kray as 1st Captain. Armored in *Solis Taria* an archaic suit of Tartarus pattern terminator plate gifted to the Exalted Blades from the Crimson Fists following Chapter Master Ata's death, and the oldest of its kind possessed by the Exalted Blades made even more famous by the revered Chapter Master Ezekias Juram during his time as 1st Captain. Upon his appointment as 1st Captain of the Exalted Blades he entered the Hall of Armaments in the forge-district of Sentinalia and emerged carrying the relic halberd known as *The King's Brother* that had once belonged to Edmure Lorcos of the Iron Knights, a founding member of the Exalted Blades. A musician of some repute, in those rare moments when his attention is not demanded elsewhere the soft notes of a Urut tribal Njoni can be heard echoing from the halls of the Sanctum of the Unbroken Blades.

## Chapter Fleet

To better execute their appointed duties as the guardians of the Uhulis Marches and wardens of the Morbus Gyre the Exalted Blades maintain a large fleet and a strong void presence in anticipation of the constant threat of the Morbus Gyre. The Exalted Blades fleet is centered around the *Aegis*, a tribune class-starfort constructed for the Blades to better facilitate deployment at a moments notice, itself situated in high anchor above Sentinalia, the fortress monastery of the Exalted Blades. The flagship of the Exalted Blades is the venerable *Aquinas*, which has only ever served the Exalted Blades since it was forged in the shipyards of Hephaestion.

* Starfort - ***Aegis***
* Battle Barge - ***The Aquinas***
* Battle Barge - ***Ata’s Reckoner***
* Strike Cruiser - ***Ozmont***
* Strike Cruiser - ***Warrior's Grace***
* Strike Cruiser - ***Linebreaker***
* Strike Cruiser - ***Iron Specter***
* Strike Cruiser - ***Validictor***
* Strike Cruiser - ***Keranos***
* Strike Cruiser - ***Blade's Edge***
* Vanguard Cruiser - ***Jovian Light***
* Vanguard Cruiser - ***Stone Soul***
* Vanguard Cruiser - ***Amanar***
* Vanguard Cruiser - ***Valor Ascendant***
* Vanguard Cruiser - ***Eternal Storm***
* Vanguard Cruiser - ***Vengeful Hunter***
* Vanguard Cruiser - ***Hammer of Marhalt***
* Vanguard Cruiser - ***Thunder Consul***
* Vanguard Cruiser - ***Bastion Tower***
* Frigate - ***Dorn’s Ire***
* Frigate - ***Orzren***
* Frigate - ***Resolute***
* Frigate - ***Spear Thrust***
* Frigate - ***Lance of Damartus***
* Frigate - ***Tempus***
* Frigate - ***Shield of Ruin***
* Frigate - ***Parapet***
* Frigate - ***Konoc***
* Frigate - ***Decurion***

## Chapter Relics

#### The Fratres Immortalis

One of four company banners currently in circulation within the 3rd Company, the *Fratres Immortalis* commemorates the legacy of Takia Asano and Yonas Barut, two legendary warriors who once served in the 3rd Company.

When the world of Xangora rises up in rebellion in 257.M38, the Exalted Blades dispatch the Fists of Dominion, the 3rd Company, to settle the matter. As the quelling of the Xangoran rebellion raged across the surface a new threat entered the fray. A Ork war-hulk arrives in system and smashes into the Imperial fleet in orbit above Xangora. Unable to prevent the greenskins from making planetfall, Orks flood the planet’s surface. As city after city already weakened by war falls, Xangora was on the verge of being overrun. In orbit, the situation becomes even more dire as the Imperial fleet is forced to retreat before the Orks and abandon Xangora. Seemingly cut off from further reinforcement, their own strike cruiser among the wrecks floating in orbit, the Fists of Dominion throw themselves into this new and brutal war. It would be several months before a relief force of sufficient strength arrived. On Xangora, the passing months of hard fighting against both the rebels and the Orks sees the Exalted Blades’ numbers dwindle to just two battle brothers. Takia Asano, a Sergeant of the shield and Yonas Barut, who was the company standard bearer.

At the head of the relief force were the Exalted Blades, lead by Chapter Master Kedar, known as the Sage of Blades, who sought to avenge their brothers thought lost in the conflict. A strike force composed of the Exalted Blades 1st Company fought their way aboard the Ork war-hulk as Chapter Master Kedar led demi-companies drawn from the 4th, 7th and 8th Companies to the surface where pockets of Imperial resistance still fought. When the Sage of Blades set foot on Xangora and the grim reality of the situation was laid in front of him, he was forced to accept the possibility that the 3rd Company was lost. Instead he learned of the two Exalted Blades who had rallied what strength they could and were still fighting in the northern regions, holding a fortress situated at the mouth of a mountain pass denying the last Imperial held city on Xangora to the Orks.

As the relief force closed in around the greenskins, Asano and Barut managed hold the attention of the Orks and even lured the Warboss of the horde who had come to finish them off in person into a building before collapsing the structure on top of him and killing him. The two warriors were found grievously wounded amongst the rubble, resting atop a mound of slain Orks with broken and empty weapons in their hands. Refusing any respite, Asano and Barut took up fresh weapons and fought in the liberation of Xangora. Within the next month, the Orks were broken and Xangora subjugated and once again brought back under Imperial control. To memorialize the bravery and skill of his brothers, the Sage of Blades commissioned this banner and presented it to Takia Asano, who became the newly appointed Captain of the reconstituted 3rd Company following their return to Dominion. In time, Asano held both the Captainship of the 1st and 3rd Companies before eventually rising to become the 11th Chapter Master of the Exalted Blades. Yonas Barut would go on to retain his rank and position and served as his brother's standard bearer for many decades before his eventual death during the humbling of Corithe.

## Chapter Appearance

### Markings & Heraldry

The Exalted Blades forgo standard codex markings and insignia in favor of the ad hoc system developed by the original garrison. Each company bears a heraldic symbol typically displayed in the center of the chapter badge which is reversed so that the Blade of the Chapter’s namesake is always facing their enemies and is worn on the Warrior’s right hand shoulderpad. The tactical insignia and squad number are also displayed on the right hand shoulderpad.

## Notable Quotes

### About the Exalted Blades

[Source]

 White Scars Successors
 Space Wolves Successors
 Imperial Fists Successors
 Blood Angels Successors
 Iron Hands Successors
 Ultramarines Successors
 Salamanders Successors
 Raven Guard Successors
 Unknown Lineage

[Source]

## Gallery

Squad Sol, 1st Shield (Tactical/Battleline) Exalted Blades 3rd CompanySquad Arum, 2nd Shield (Tactical/Battleline) Exalted Blades 3rd CompanySquad Caulan, 3rd Shield (Tactical/Battleline) Exalted Blades 3rd CompanySquad Talzin, 4th Shield (Tactical/Battleline) Exalted Blades 3rd CompanySquad Hayn, 5th Shield (Tactical/Battleline) Exalted Blades 3rd CompanySquad Kanato, 6th Assault Squad, Exalted Blades 3rd CompanySquad Volgo, 7th Assault Squad, Exalted Blades 3rd CompanySquad Jeharas, 8th Assault Squad, Exalted Blades 3rd CompanySquad Krist, 9th Devastator Squad, Exalted Blades 3rd CompanySquad Nolus, 10th Devastator Squad, Exalted Blades 3rd CompanyCaptain Avram Helsk and the Exalted Blades 3rd Company command staffCaptain Helsk's command squad led by Sergeant Tibor, Exalted Blades 3rd CompanyAn Exalted Blades Firstborn Battle-Brother.