Iron Templars

Iron Templars armorial with organisation iconography (3rd Chapter).

Iron Templars Tactical Legionary of the 3rd Chapter, 4th Tactical Squad.

### Allies

Blackshield Chapters (Ashen Hawks, Soul Drinkers, Tungsten Shields), Unforgiven, Black Templars, Ultramarines (Secret)

### Observed Strategic Tendencies

Frontier Defense near Sources of Warp Storms, Combined Arms and Multi-Spectra Warfare, Exterminatus and Purgation Campaigns, Extended Independent Void Operations, Seige Operations, Combat Engineering

### Identified Leader(s)

Grand Marshal Katatasia Delacroix, The Templar Queen

### Homeworld

Orthrus V (Current),
 Fleet-Based,
 Camelot (Former)

### Warcry

"We are the hammer, the right hand of our Emperor!"

### Colours

Grey, Red & White

"*I'm no stranger to death. Carrius Minoris was my home and birthplace. But when the need was evident, I didn't hesitate to contact the Inquisition. By my hand, my homeworld burned. The innocents who died to ensure its secrets were sealed beneath ash still haunt me. But I have no regrets. The threats to mankind are eternal and ever-present, an ocean sinking for every draft in the dam. Carrius Minoris's secrets now live only with me, and so shall they die with me. Whether I am victorious or slain, my sins will know retribution.*"
—Katatasia Delacroix on the subject of Carrius Minoris, her Homeworld after it had been subjected to an exterminatus
The **Iron Templars** are a Loyalist Space Marine Demi-Legion based out of the planet Orthrus V. Founded on the imperial planet of Camelot in the Fourth Founding, the Iron Templars are a successor demi-legion to the Divided Dark Angels Space Marine Legion. They are a unique Space Marine Demi-Legion among all of the imperium, as they are an all-female Demi-Legion. They are also the only Space Marine Demi-Legion to be implanted with a unique gene-seed implant known as the Breastplate of Celestine, which takes the form of Ballistic Material Breast Implants that add another level of ballistic protection to their already powerful physical prowess.

Due to the sight of them working with various Unforgiven Demi-Legions, some believe that they are another Unforgiven Demi-Legion, though others believe otherwise. Others believe that the Iron Templars are the Successors to both the lost 2nd and 11th Space Marine Legions, which had been purged from Imperial History, but no substantial proof can be found. Nonetheless, the Iron Templars stand as some of Humanity's most powerful stalwarts.

They are a proud Demi-Legion, with syncretic traditions stemming from a combination of the beliefs of the sisterhood that they once were, the beliefs of the Caliban Knights that the Dark Angels were descended from, and the beliefs of Camelot's Knights. Their organization is similar to the organization of the fallen of the Dark Angels Legion and the Unforgiven Loyalist Demi-Legion Coalition which they fight alongside as allies, and as such, they are one of the only Demi-Legions the Unforgiven can fully trust with their lives.

The Demi-Legion is currently led by The Templar Queen, Grand Marshal Katatasia Delacroix.

## History

The Iron Templars first started out as the Order of The Iron Sword, a branch of the Brides of the Emperor sisterhood that escaped their order's destruction on Terra to the planet of Camelot, a Feudal World that was starting to modernize and would soon be the home to a large contingent of the Unforgiven, a scattered loyalist offshoot of the traitorous Dark Angels Space Marine Legion. The Order was led at the time by Prioress Anastasia Agna, an experienced member of the order.

When the Unforgiven constructed the mighty Fortress of The Angels, their new fortress-monastery, the Order of the Iron Sword was establishing its first convent at the base of the Guinevere Mountains, located near the Hive City of Lancelot. They would first meet at the Hive City of Galahad, located near the Arthurian Mountains.

It is unknown as to what transpired during the meeting between the two factions, but their meeting resulted in the members of the Order of the Iron Sword becoming Adeptus Astartes, with their Prioress, Anastasia Anga, becoming the new Demi-Legion's Legion Master.

The sisterhood, now recognized as a Space Marine Demi-Legion, was reformed with a syncretic belief system that combined the beliefs of the Unforgiven, the old sisterhood, and the knightly orders of Camelot, their founding planet and first home.

From this union, the new Space Marine Demi-Legion was called the Iron Templars, changing their Iconography to that of knights as an homage to the knightly orders of Caliban, Terra, and even Camelot, which had been home to many such orders. They also inherited the organization of the Unforgiven.

## Organization

The Iron Templars shares much of their organizational doctrine with the Unforgiven, which in turn came from The Order, the order of knights in which the Dark Angels were descended from. The Lion's tenets of loyalty, discipline and self-efficiency were incorporated into everything the new Demi-Legion did. As the original Unforgiven had been created from Terran warriors gifted with the gene-seed of the stalwart, if reticent, Lion El'Jonson, the Iron Templars had always been regarded as dedicated and serious-minded warriors. Like their primogenitor, they were slow to anger, but tenacious and all but unstoppable once roused.

Under the supervision of the Unforgiven, the newly converted Iron Templars were organized into specialized formations known collectively as the Hexagram, and colloquially as the "Six Wings". These specialized formations existed outside the regular chain-of-command and organization of the Iron Templars Legion. These formations were an amalgamation of the Terran pre-*Principia Belicosa* approach and organization of the proscribed formations of the early Legiones Astartes and Caliban's knightly orders.

Before the creation of the first Space Marine Legions back in the day, the Legiones Astartes were organised into a formation known as the "Six Hosts of the Angels of Death", with each of these Hosts having its own specialisation and purpose. Following the Original Dark Angels' reunification with their Primarch Lion El'Jonson on Caliban, the Lion incorporated the traditions of the Six Hosts and The Order, thus, the Six Wings were created.

The Iron Templars as of now, follow a variation of the principles of the old *Principia Bellicosa* and combined those principles with the principles of the *Codex Angeli*, written by the Unforgiven's leaders, in organizing their strength into Company-Chapters, which were led by Marshals and Orders, which were in turn led by Paladins. These formations were further broken down into Companies, led by Captains. Members of the Six Wings were distributed amongst squads and companies, where they acted as Captains, Sergeants, and line Legionaries, or in specialized formations when assembled on orders from their respective voted-Lieutenant of a Wing.

These Marshals acted as both commander of their Wing and often acted as counsel to the Grand Marshal. Voted-Lieutenants were elected by their peers rather than being nominated by a superior. They would then have their nominated successor chosen to command the Wing in the event of their untimely death, so as not to interrupt the cohesiveness of a Wing's command.

On the field of battle, a commander responsible for an area of operations or campaign had to request the intervention of one of the Six Wings. When such a request was made and eventually accepted, the members of the requested Wing were summoned from their duties, when possible, in order to assemble and conduct operations under the command of their voted-Lieutenant's orders.

The Hexagram formations utilized by the Iron Templars were the following:

* **Death Wardens**
* **Reapers of Hera**
* **Phoenix Division**
* **Valkyries**
* **Roaring Storms**
* **Smiths of Hestia**

#### Death Wardens

The Death Wardens serve the same purpose as the Unforgiven's Deathwing Protocol. They are unique among the Space Marines Chapters in that the entire 1st Company of each Chapter fights exclusively in Terminator Armor. They are stubborn and resistant, refusing to buckle under extreme pressure from enemy advances even when it would be more advantageous to retreat. Yet the Death Wardens are not solely a tactical formation. Promotion to the Deathwing also means that an individual gains access to many of the Unforgiven's dark secrets. The most closely guarded of these secrets is that of Luther and the Fallen's betrayal of the Dark Angels, and the subsequent supposed loss of their Primarch, Lion El'Jonson.

#### Reapers of Hera

The specialty of the Reapers of Hera was total warfare using the deadliest of weapons and armored warfare, which is the same as the Dark Angels' Dreadwing Protocol. The elected lieutenant, bearing the title of Reaper Mistress, commands a network of Destroyer Squads supported by other types of armored units to bring total annihilation of a foe on a specific battlefield. The Reapers utilize mass armored assaults of Land Raiders, Rhinos, Razorbacks, Predators, Vindicators, Whirlwinds, Rapiers, Spartan Assault Tanks, Mastodons, and Fellblades armed with advanced weaponry. Their hallmark was the use of extremely dangerous munitions such as Phosphex Weapons and the use of Anti-Armor and Anti-Infantry Weapons.

#### Phoenix Division

The Phoenix Division, known by the Dark Angels as the Firewing Protocol, was one of the six wings of the Hexagram that existed during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy and was revived upon the founding of the Iron Templars. They excel in destroying enemy command structures, sabotaging vital installations and supply lines, and to sow destruction and anarchy within the ranks of their enemies, similar to a Legion Seeker Squad employed by other Space Marine Legions around the Imperium. They also specialize in aerial warfare, using such units as Dark Talons, Nephilim Jetfighters, Raptor Gunships, Stormhawks, Stormtalons, Storm Eagles, Stormravens, and Thunderhawks to rain down hell on enemies. And, just like their namesake, contain the Demi-Legion's Apothecaries and Chaplains.

#### Roaring Storms

The Roaring Storms of the Iron Templars serve the same role as the Stormwing Protocol of the Dark Angels, as they consist exclusively of Breacher Squads with Boarding Shields and most of its line infantry. The Stormwing specializes in spaceborne boarding operations, mercantilism, close-quarters combat, ship capturing, and the use of craft such as the Caestus Assault Ram and Boarding Torpedoes. This Protocol also contains the Demi-Legion's Librarians, known to the Iron Templars as Stormcallers.

#### Valkyries

The Valkyries serve the same purpose as the Ravenwing protocol, and make up the 2nd company of each chapter, focusing on the use of grav-model units, exosuits, and all-terrain bikes, and had its origins in early Legiones Astartes tactics for rapid moving search and destroy formations, some of which dated back to the nomadic war clans of pre-Unification Terra. After Caliban's discovery, these formations were revived and expanded as they offered a form of rapid strike warfare the Knights of Caliban and now the Knights of Camelot perfected over many generations, with steeds of both unyielding metal and of untiring flesh. They use units such as Attack Bikes, Bikes, Scout Bikes, Outrider Bikes, Invader ATVs, Land Speeders, Ravenwing Darkshrouds, and Invictor Tactical Warsuits. They are also known for using Kreig Mounts, powerful horses used by the Death Korps of Kreig.

#### Smiths of Hestia

The Smiths of Hestia are the Iron Templars' version of the Dark Angels' Ironwing Protocol and contains the Demi-Legion's Dreadnoughts and Techmaidens, which served the same purpose as the Techmarines of Space Marine Legions. Their purpose is to build new bases on recently conquered worlds and to Maintain the Demi-Legion's Dreadnoughts, Weapons, Armor, Vehicles, Ships, and Buildings alongside deploying heavy armor onto the battlefields. They also help with base defense, siege tactics, and fortification of hive cities and the creation of new vehicles.

## Homeworld

The Iron Templars' Homeworld is the feudal death world of Orthrus V, located in the Segmentum Obscurus, near the planetary system where Caliban used to be. Orthrus V is a unique death world, with many of the fauna of the world being a combination of the Faunas of the planet of Fenris, the original homeworld of the Space Wolves living in the high mountains and oceans, Nocturne, the original homeworld of the Salamanders that live in the Volcanic Islands of the Planet, and of Caliban, the Original Homeworld of the Dark Angels that live in the Lush Forests that dominate the Landscape of Orthrus V, which had been carried by Mechanicus Arks that resettled the once-barren dead world.

It also has its own brand of native species of fauna created by warp influence on some of the animals and original settlers that once lived there, with such creatures as the Chimera, Forest Minotaur, Great Centaur, Coast Serpent, and most feared of all the fauna on the planet, the Leviathans. As such, in fear of the many creatures that lurk in the uncharted depths of Orthrus V, the Human Settlers of the Planet live in Hive Cities near the Coast of the Aegaimean Ocean and the Canyons of the Orthurian Desert.

### Fortress-Monastery

The Fortress-Monastery of the Iron Templars, Castle Delacroix, started out life as the Residence of the Delacroix Family, a wealthy aristocratic family that lived on the feudal world of Carrius Minoris. At first, the castle was built as a Vacation Home for the Family. When the war of the Dornian Heresy came to Carrius Minoris, the Delacroixes moved to the Castle as their new permanent home. They would enjoy centuries of peace there until the Minotaurs Warband attacked the planet, causing mass destruction and death on the planet, and the slaughter of nearly all of them.

In response, one of the surviving members of the Family, Katatasia Delacroix, ceded the Formidable Castle that had once been her home over to the fledgling Demi-Legion and joined them as a neophyte, eventually rising to the ranks of the Demi-Legion to become its current Grand Marshal, which functioned as the Iron Templars' equivalent to the position of Legion Master.

The Techmaidens of the Demi-Legion fortified the already-powerful castle, adding multiple Heavy Bolter Emplacements, Macro-Cannons, Lascannons, Melta Emplacements, Defense Lasers, and Missile Batteries throughout the castle, adding more formidable ramparts, bastions, and watchtowers, adamantium and ceramite gates that were impervious to anything that chaos can throw at them, and the addition of void shields that can endure even an Exterminatus action. The fortress-monastery is known for its mighty armory and forges that churn out much of the Templars' equipment and its state-of-the-art Apothecarion.

## Legion Recruitment and Geneseed

Being founded as an branch of the Sisterhood, the Iron Templars recruit female neophytes heavily, with their way of recruitment coming from the Order, the group of Caliban Knights that influenced the Dark Angels in their infancy. They, like the Order, recruited not by rank, inheritance, or status, but by merit and deeds, choosing the most resilient, intelligent, and faithful recruits to serve as apothecaries, chaplains, techmaidens, and standard Space Marines. They are also known for choosing young potential recruits from Imperial Guard penal legions, choosing from among the citizens of Orthurus V, and choosing their Stormcallers among the most powerful psykers taken from their homeworlds by the Black Ships of the Inquisition.

Their Gene-seed, being that of the Dark Angels, but modified to be compatible with the female form, is pure and without flaw. But unlike the Unforgiven, the Iron Templars are accepting of Outsiders provided that they do not tell what they did on Orthurus V to others.

## Demi-Legion Fleet

* ***Delacroix's Wrath*** **(Gloriana-Class Battleship) -** Combined Fleet Flagship/Secondary Fortress-Monastery. Retrofitted and converted into a Gloriana-Class Battleship from the Archangel, a former Unforgiven Battle Barge.
* ***Inflictor* (Company Barge)** - Flagship of Templar Battle Squadron Alpha and the 1st Chapter.
* ***Hammer of Camelot* (Company Barge)** - Flagship of Templar Battle Squadron Beta and the 2nd Chapter.
* ***Invictus*** **(Company Barge) -** Flagship of the 3rd Chapter.
* ***Swordbreaker* (Company Barge) -** Flagship of the 4th Chapter.
* ***Stormcaller* (Company Barge) -** Flagship of the 5th Chapter.
* ***Ward of Dawn*** **(Company Barge) -** Flagship of the 6th Chapter.
* ***Zweihander*** **(Company Barge) -** Flagship of the 7th Chapter.
* ***Claymore* (Company Barge) -** Flagship of the 8th Chapter.
* ***Relentless* (Company Barge) -** Flagship of the 9th Chapter.
* ***Sentinel*** **(Company Barge) -** Flagship of the 10th Chapter.
* ***Katherine's Fury* (Company Barge) -** Flagship of the 11th Chapter.
* ***Chimera* (Company Barge) -** Flagship of the 12th Chapter.
* ***Cavalier* (Nemesis-Class Fleet Carrier)**
* ***Spear of Camelot* (MK 3 Vanguard-Class Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Attrition* (MK 3 Vanguard-Class Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Font of Iron* (MK 3 Vanguard-Class Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Sunbreaker* (MK 3 Vanguard-Class Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Stormhawk* (Nova-Class Frigate)**
* ***Giantslayer* (Nova-Class Frigate)**
* ***Maelstrom* (Nova-Class Frigate)**
* ***Crossfire* (Nova-Class Frigate)**
* ***Mortis* (Destroyer)**
* ***Blade of Agna* (Destroyer)**
* ***Hellfire* (Destroyer)**
* ***Black Spur* (Destroyer)**
* ***Iron Will* (Destroyer)**
* ***Guilotine* (Destroyer)**
* ***Lion* (Destroyer)**
* ***Storm Herald* (Destroyer)**
* ***Cobra* (Destroyer)**
* ***Blade of Camelot* (Destroyer)**

## Notable Iron Templars

* **Grand Marshal Anastasia Agna**
* **Grand Marshal Katherine**
* **Grand Marshal Katatasia Delacroix (Current Grand Marshal)**
* **Great Stormcaller Hectate**
* **Great Stormcaller Circe**
* **Great Stormcaller Merlin** **(Current Great Stormcaller)**
* **Stormcaller Hathor**
* **Stormcaller Nephthys**
* **Stormcaller Isis**
* **Castle Warden Artemis**
* **Castle Warden Mirael Sabathiel (Current Castle Warden)**
* **Company Marshal Diane (Current Hammer of Orthurus)**
* **Company Marshal Gulia**
* **Company Marshal Anna**
* **Company Marshal Selena Agna**
* **Company Marshal Agnes**
* **Company Marshal Praxedes**
* **Company Marshal Ephrael Stern**
* **Company Marshal Enoshima, "The Despair of Sanguinus"**
* **Venerated Ancient Luna**
* **Venerated Ancient Mortaria**
* **Venerated Ancient Athena**
* **Head Hospitaller Asahina**
* **Forge-Mother Elsa**
* **Battle-Sister Tsukino, "The Moonborn"**
* **Battle-Sister Mizuno**
* **Battle-Sister Hino**
* **Battle-Sister Aino**
* **Battle-Sister Kino**
* **Battle-Sister Hatsune**
* **Battle-Sister Kagamine**
* **Battle-Sister Meiko**
* **Battle-Sister Megurine**
* **Battle-Sister Gumi**
* **Battle-Sister Lily**
* **Scout-Sister Jericho**

## Demi-Legion Beliefs

Like the Unforgiven, The Iron Templars gives praise to the Emperor of Mankind but, much to the chagrin of the Ecclesiarchy, and the Word Bearers, they do not revere him as a god, but as a great leader.

Like most First Founding Legions like the Unforgiven, the Iron Templars venerate their primarch as much as they do the Emperor, who they venerate as the founder of the Imperium and as their creator. To both the Unforgiven and the Iron Templars, the Emperor is a man, perhaps the greatest and most perfect of men, but not a god.

The driving force of the Demi-Legion's Beliefs is the hunting of the Fallen Dark Angels who were also swept into the Warp vortex that destroyed Caliban alongside their loyalist counterparts. The Iron Templars and Unforgiven believe with iron conviction that only by hunting down, capturing and forcing each and every one of the Fallen Angels to repent their crime will the heresy of the Dark Angels be absolved in the eyes of the Emperor.

Both Fallen and lone Unforgiven have been scattered throughout time and space and thus the Unforgiven's ten millennia quest is far from over. It is this quest that drives both the Unforgiven and Iron Templars and they will follow up any rumour, no matter how slim, if it offers them the chance of capturing one of the Fallen.

Should one of the numerous Fallen Angels that prowl the Galaxy be captured by an Unforgiven of the Dark Angels or a Battle-Sister of the Iron Templars, he is taken back to the Fortress of The Angels and thrown in the darkest dungeon where the fearsome Interrogator-Chaplains of the Unforgiven attempt to make him repent his past sins. Should the Fallen repent, he will suffer a swift and painless death, but in most cases, he will refuse and the Chaplain will be forced to use any and all methods to force him to repent. Often this will result in the Fallen's death, but this is a small price to pay for adding his name to the *Book of Salvation*.

## Demi-Legion Appearance

### Demi-Legion Colors

The power armor of an Iron Templar is predominantly grey, red, and white. The actual application of the colour scheme varies from Astartes to Astartes, and individual Iron Templars usually decorate their armor with devotional imagery, litanies, and Purity (and Crusader) Seals.

Squad specialty symbols are not indicated. Instead, the Astartes' tactical role -- whether on the battleline, acting as fire support, Veteran or close support -- is displayed by the colour of the pauldron trim. The Chapter icon is proudly worn on both shoulder guards. Squad number is stenciled as a white Low Gothic numeral upon the right knee plate. Unique seals, often worn on the left greave, show which Crusade the battle-brother belongs to.

Iron Templars Techmaidens and tank crews have a predominantly red color scheme for their armor (the color favored by the servants of the Machine God); however, they still display their Chapter colors so as to not anger the Machine Spirits of their tanks and armor.

### Chapter Badge

The Iron Templars' Demi-Legion badge is a Gold Maltese Cross on a field of white and Red. The shoulder plates of Iron Templar Power Armour depict the Chapter badge, with colour dependent on their rank and role within the Chapter.

The Cross depicted on the shoulder plates of the Iron Templars mirrors the emblem of the Knights Templar of the ancient Christian Crusades during the early 2nd Millennium.

## Notable Quotes

### By the Iron Templars

"*I am the pretty and mighty stalwart who fights for the Emperor, for love, for justice, and for the Templars! I am the Moonborn! And now, in the name of the Emperor and the Moon, I'll punish you!*"
—Tsukino "The Moonborn", Battle-Sister of the Iron Templars
"*Death to the Betrayers! Death to Luther! Death to Sigismund! Death to Russ! Death to the Khan! Death to Corax! Death to Sanguinius! Death to Vulkan! Death to their Gods! Forward in the name of the Emperor and El'Jonson! Leave nothing standing!*"
—Company Marshal Gulia at the second Battle of Istvaan V
"*The Alpha Legion is a mysterious and confusing enigma of a legion that I've fought alongside. You don't know if they're Alpharius, you don't know if they're Omegon, and you don't know if their either lying or telling the truth about who they are.*"
—Castle Warden Mirael Sabathiel on The Alpha Legion
"*Bring it on, you brass monsters!*"
—Battle-Sister Enoshima at the Battle of Castle Delacroix to the Minotaurs attacking the Castle
*Feel free to add your own*

### About the Iron Templars

"*The Iron Templars are some of the deadliest warriors I've ever fought with. Their way of war has been perfected for eight millennia due to their training by the Unforgiven. They are precise, but they hit hard and they hit loud.*"
—Fulgrim, Primarch of the Emperor's Children after the battle of Olympus Mons
"*What is up with all of these knights of silver?! They just came in and murdered all of our forces at their Castle like they were nothing! Oh no! They're coming! Run!*"
—Last words of Unknown Raven Guard Legionary at the Battle of Castle Delacroix
*Feel free to add your own*