Brotherhood of Embers

Brotherhood of Embers Armorial

Brotherhood of Embers Battleline Brother of the 3rd Company

### **Specialty**

Fervent Ideology, Policing Actions, Suppression of Ideological Revolt, Urban Assault, Planetary & Suppression Campaigns

### Successor Chapter(s)

None

"*The sky is desolate. Black as the void above, with light blue hues that form the clouds. The sun, radiant in its warmth is quiet and forever stationary, the clouds holding back its powerful gaze. That was then, when mischievous Gods ruled the depths of the land. The sun, manifested in a body of gold, purged this world in cleansing fire. The Emperor of Mankind had descended on Nocyor. His drakes burned the world to cinder, removing all that was an affront to his power, his prestige, and his right. When the Archtraitor declared his war and ripped the Empire of Man to the brink, the embers on Nocyor began to cool. Untouched by the bloodshed, the planet was left desolate. But the light returned to the world, the first of the righteous arrived in the name of salvation. Blessed as the children of the Emperor, they rebuilt Nocyor. Forever in his forgiveness and mercy, the fire of his heart beats within theirs*"
—Conn Sutherland, Master of Faith of the Brotherhood of Embers
The **Brotherhood of Embers** are a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter that is a suspected descendant of the Salamanders Chapter, with their founding being held during the 3rd Founding. The Brotherhood, as a chapter, is concerned with two pillars of ideology: Faith and Purpose. The Brotherhood of Embers is generally concerned with the promulgation of the Imperial Cult and the preservation of what the Emperor sought to create, an empire of humanity across the stars. The Brotherhood achieves this through policing actions across the Segmentum Pacificus.

When in combat, the Brotherhood puts the preservation of civilian life before all else. They see it as an important virtue to protect the lives of the Emperor of Mankind's most faithful subjects whenever and wherever possible, in order to replant the planet's society after a campaign has concluded.

This attitude stems from the troubled history of the planet Nocyor, the Chapter's home world, where family ties were prioritized in order to maintain survival for the colony. Like their suspected parent chapter, they are one of the few Chapters of Astartes to continue interaction with their families and the people of their home world after their transformation into Space Marines.

## Chapter History

### The Founding (001.M32)

The truth of the Astartes founding is surrounded in superstition and myth. Every word said about its founding is both a lie and a truth. Only the officers of the chapter known the true origins of the chapter, including the detailed history that details the chapters actions and fervent ideology. What is for certain is that the world of Nocyor was selected by the newly founded chapter due to its historical significance to the Great Crusade. This selection was not without conflict, as the system governor, Maklus Notin Claire II, protested the interference of his system and his capital world. However, in great reluctance the Governor allowed the chapter to find refuge on Nocyor. From this day forward, the founding myth of Nocyor is as true as the founding of the chapter itself.

### The Nova Terra Interregnum (mid-M34 to the beginning of M36)

"*I called for action. They said to watch. We watched the embers of war spread across the void. I called for force. They said to watch. We watched the stars boil in blood. I called them cowards. They didn't watch. They branded, they sacked, they tried to remove me from history. But in their inaction, our system laid barren. The Throne had nearly lost all faith in us. When watching no longer worked, they allowed me to return. When I called for action. They acted. When I called for force. They forced our enemies hand. One plasma bolt. That started a war. They ended our humiliation. They no longer watched. They no longer stood. Bless be thy Emperor. Bless the thy name.*"
—Adog Frang, Master of the First Flame
During the mid-34th millennium, Imperium of Mankind entered into an age of political strife over Segementum Pacificus, when the self-proclaimed Ur-Council of Nova Terra subverted the authority of the High Lords of Terra and claimed dominion over the Imperium's worlds in the region. The conflict arose due to the establishment of the Imperial Church, with the Ur-Council using the turbulent power struggle between the Administratum and the Adeptus Ministorum to establish dominance over imperial space.

Since the founding of the Brotherhood of Embers, religious pilgrims and missionaries have traveled throughout the Nocyorian system, using the newly established presence of the Space Marine Chapter to instill governmental control over the planet and subsequent population. However, due to the history of the world in relation to the early crusades of the Emperor and his legionaries, the world was steadfast in their belief of the Emperor's divinity, with the Brotherhood itself having established tenet beliefs that would outline the Chapter today.

However, due to the complex nature of the internal struggle of Imperial government and the decentralization done post-hersey, the Brotherhood of Embers entered into a schism between cultural lines. The Master of the First Flame, Artiar Tearlad, was one of the Old Thirty, which were members of the chapter that were part of the first generation of recruited battle brothers into the chapter. The Old Thirty still followed the original beliefs set by believed Oarstine Kaathe during the chapter's founding. The Old Thirty particularly believed the Emperor of Mankind was not a divine god, rather the most perfect human being and that all Astartes should not become involved in the squabbles of the Imperial government. This was contested by the First Brother, Adoh Frang, who belonged to the new generation of Nocyorian recruits, who revered the God-Emperor due to the faith of the Ecclesarchy disseminating into the population.

For years after the Schism emerged, the Chapter remained isolated during the conflict, maintaining distance and only intervening when either Ur-Council or Imperial forces approached on Nocyorian space. The Imperium grew distrustful of the Brotherhood for their inaction, with some claims of treason due to Chapter preventing the movement of supplies, manpower, or Imperial fleets through their sub-sector. With mounting odds and fears of being labeled traitors of the Imperium, Artiar Tearlad organized a diplomatic envoy to the Ur-Council with the Brotherhood acting as the representatives of the Imperium.

Upon arrival, it is said that Artiar Tearlad and his personal guard were attacked by the traitorous diplomatic party. Artiar Tearlad was slain, with the his body being recovered by Adog Frang, who had accompanied the Master of the First Flame to the meeting.

With the Master of the First Flame deceased, The Rite of the Embraced was held and votes were cast throughout the chapter for Tearlad's successor. In overwhelming agreement,

was elected and under him the Brotherhood entered into the conflict on the side of the Imperium, declaring the Tearlad crusade in the name of their fallen Master of the First Flame, who was butchered by renegades and heretics to the Emperor himself.

### The Night of a Thousand Rebellion (992.999.M41)

In the year 992999.M41, the Segementum erupted into outright rebellion against Imperial rule. Mass waves of heretical tide swept through sectors of the galactic west, overthrowing Imperial institution. These rebellions were ones stoked for centuries, organised by the malicious tendrils of Chaotic war bands and long planted insurgents within Imperial space.

When word reached the planet of Nocyor rebellion, hundreds of uprisings were underway. Mass unrest destabilized planets, forcing Imperial responses across all sectors. However, due to the scale of the rebellions and aid of agents of chaos directly, Imperial counterattacks and responses were disorganized.

At first, The Brotherhood of Embers organized a response to the nearby planet of Locus II, a mining settlement on far fringe of the Nocyorian system. With the rebellion so close to the Astartes chapter home world, the Chapter erupted into religious fervor. The Demos was called into emergency session, with all members present to decide a course of action. Within one standard Terran hour, the Master of Faith, Conn Sutherland, organized the Nocyorian Home Fleet to bring the Emperors fury onto the heretics that were an affront to his prestige.

With operations taking place within the Nocyorian system, the home world of Nocyor faced political strife between the Administratum and the Astartes Chapter. The Brotherhood had always faced opposition from the Planetary Governorship since the birth of the Chapter, due to their presence on the capital home world overriding the Governor's power in the southern hemisphere. The Chapter, who had organized to restore Imperial rule over Locus II, revealed a schism within the Chapter's command structure. Several of the Marshals, and even the Master of Faith, believed House Clarie, who had ruled the system for 7,000 years, to be responsible for the rebellion within their system, seeing the current Governor, Jackis Torbis Claire XVI, incompetent and believed his inaction to stop heresy was an affront to the Chapter and to the Imperium as whole.

With growing resentment for the Imperial Governor, the Master of the First Flame, Karael Gwyndolin, personally led himself and his personal guard, the Ashen Ones, to the city of Dawnslight. Upon their landing, the Chapter Master and his men stormed the Governor's palace and placed him and his advisors under arrest for the failure to prevent heresy in the system, the inability of the government to effectively prevent the revolt, and the responsibility for the countless deaths attributed towards innocent civilians caught in the conflict.

With the Imperial Governor removed from office, and the appointed cabinet of ministers disposed, the Chapter Master ordered that the planet and the system were now under direct control of the Chapter, issuing the Decree Hultz.

The Decree Hultz was an order by the Chapter to seize Imperial Assets across the system by Battle Brothers of the Chapter. The ultimate goal was for the chapter to size control of the government across the system, arrest those deemed heretical or treasonous, and to organize chapter efforts to ending the rebellions in the nearby sectors.

### The Age of Struggle (999.M41)

The Age of Struggle is the self-anointed name for the current period of the Brotherhood's actions, as the Master of Faith, Conn Sutherland, deems this period as a time of great challenges that chapter must overcome. This period began after the pacification of Locus II and the subsequent crusading parties sent out to reclaim nearby sub sectors that housed imperial military institutions in order wage war against the malignant rise of chaos in the Segmentum.

With the Pacification of Locus II and the measures taken to secure the system by the Chapter in the year 992.999.M41, the Domas colluded that the system was pacified of all perceived threats. With all present dangers subsided, the Domas organized the return of Battle fleet Cinder and the preparation for the Home Fleet to begin a military campaign not seen by the Chapter since the events of the Cataclysm. With forces organized the Master of the First Flame took the Rite of the Fallen, declaring a crusade to reclaim the Segmentum in the name of the Emperor.

From the early onset of the Struggle, the Chapter's efforts were disrupted by warp interference and marauding war bands of Chaos legionaries who began to enter the Segmentum. At one time, both fleets were active and Battle Brothers saw combat in several sub-sectors. In early stages, success occurred in the systems closet to the Nocyorian system, however, as the crusading forces left the security and safety of home space, the crusading forces became bogged in overwhelming resistance. During the Night of a Thousand Rebellions, hundreds of worlds were ravaged by heretical rebellion, with much of the Imperium's bulwark being destroyed or captured. This prevented the Brotherhood to communicated with many Imperial worlds, forcing the Chapter to use more resources to locate and isolate rebellious pockets of resistance.

This is seen heavily during the engagement Auchas III, a agri-world set ablaze. Originally, the Chapter relied on the previous Intel collected by the PDF Garrison, who stated the majority of the imperial stockpile used was evacuated or destroyed before the Garrison retreated to the Systems capital, the Hive-City Moon of Ballis VI. When the Chapter began to make planet fall, heavy anti-air weaponry was detected as shuttles braced the atmosphere of the world.

This was problematical as at that time, the subsidiary fleet in the system was active on six fronts on six planetary bodies. This revealed the stressed nature of the Chapter's limited resources, as the growing anti-imperial movements disrupted or cut off communication with Imperial worlds, the Chapter lost contact with several other Astartes Chapters and Imperial regiments. This forced the Chapter to spend more resources reclaiming and establishing communication sites, while simultaneously conducting military operations to secure worlds.

By the time the Battle fleets conquered over two-hundred planets, the Immanterium exploded in turbulent fury. With growth of the Great Rift severing the Imperium into two, the forces of Chaos and Xenos empires invaded the crippled Imperium. With the Light of the Astronomican obscured, the Brotherhood and their crusade was forced to retreat towards the Nocyorian System, as the legionaries of the heretical Alpha legion began to out move the Brotherhood.

Unable to compete with limited resources and unable to secure further assistance as the Imperium was forced to focus elsewhere during the Tide of Chaos, the Master of the First Flame ordered the Nactus Sanctum, the The Last Bastion protocol. In the way of the Hydra and the malignant warp spawn that was birthed from the foul reaches of the warp, one system stood in its path to strangle the Brotherhood home world out of existence. That world was the Shrine World of Hallis IV. The Defiance of the Shrine had begun.

## Chapter Homeworld

### Overview

The Planet Nocyor is a world that resides in the Nocyorian System in Segmentum Pacificus, the Galactic West of Holy Terra. The Nocyorian system comprises six planets, three of which are habitable. The capital of the Nocyorian system is Nocyor, a feudal world that resides in perpetual night, with the skies covered in clouds that create a perpetual solar eclipse over the entirety of the world except the Mountains of the Emperor’s Grace. The landmasses are four large basalt continents that cover 80% of the world, with frozen oceans of liquid methane that seep under the worlds landmasses. The only vegetation is fungal groves that span the majority of the planet and patches of rare cotton grass that grow in the polar regions of the planet along the coast.

On the world there are two major cities: Dawnslight, which was the original landing site of the colony, and Lordlan, the bustling metropolis gathered around the mountain pass of the fortress monastery of the Aldrich Vault.

#### Pre-Hersey

The world of Nocyor was discovered and colonized by humanity during the  Dark Age of Technology, where it was originally known as Bastel. During the Great Crusade, the forces of the Imperium arrived and rediscovered the human inhabitants. The world was undeveloped, and largely inhospitable to human life, but possessed valuable mineral deposits. Upon closer inspection, it was discovered the inhabitants worshiped and sacrificed to four gods: a God of War, A God of Life, A God Knowledge, and A God of Pleasure. It was deemed that the inhabitants were corrupted by forces within the warp. In response, legionaries of the Salamanders XVIIIth Legion descended onto the world and purged all life in fire, cleaning it with the Emperor's mercy.

#### Post-Hersey

After the Horus Heresy, the planet of Bastel was renamed Nocyor, with the Imperium beginning colonization efforts over the system. The planet of Nocyor was named the capital due to its centralized location within the system. Nine-hundred years after colonization, the Third Founding took place. Over one hundred writs of succession were issued as part of the Founding with one hundred more being considered. The world of Nocyor was chosen to be the Chapter world of the newly founded Brotherhood of Embers. However, the Chapter did not take control of the planetary government, rather the Chapter was granted control over the southern hemisphere of the planet in exchange for yearly tithes to the Imperial Governor, who resides in the capital city of Dawnslight. The Chapter built their fortress monastery in the Mountains of the Emperor’s Light, this caused a mass migration to the mountain pass which caused the construction of Lordlan, the second major city on the planet, that acts as a trading hub.

## Notable Campaigns

* **The Subjugation of Quarle VI (Unknown Date.M32)-** The Subjugation of Quarle VI was the first military operation carried out under the Brotherhood of Embers. The world of Quarle VI was located on the far western fringe of Segementum Solar. As hundreds of worlds across Solar erupted in cult uprisings, entire planetary governments were crippled. With full might assembled, the world of Quarle VI was sacked and burned, gaining the chapter reputation for their fervent destruction of anything that offends the Imperium.

* **The Tearlad Crusade (151-Unknown.M35)-** The Tearland Crusade was series of military operations carried out by the Brotherhood of Embers after the assassination of the previous Master of the First Flame Artiar Tearlad. Under the newly elected Master of the chapter, Adog Frang, the chapter for the first time, operated the entire might of the chapter against the traitorous Ur-Council.

* **The Wars of Apostasy (Unknown.M36)-** The Brotherhood of Embers chapter, due to their alliance with the Church of the God Emperor, committed to a sequence of conflicts and wars under the High Lord Goge Vandire against heretical and traitorous organizations that were an affront to the God Emperor. The involvement of the chapter ended when the Black Templars chapter, an ally of the Brotherhood, was attacked by Vandire's forces. This attack forced the Brotherhood to follow their oaths with the Black Templar and cease military operation.

* **The Pacification of Locus II (992.999.M41)-** During the The Night of a Thousand Rebellions, the mining settlement of Locus II erupted into rebellion against Imperial rule on the fringe of the Nocyorian system. Within one hour, the Home fleet of the Nocyorian system began bombardment of the planetary surface. Within two hours, battle brothers of the chapter, under command of the Master of Faith Conn Sutherland, began to make planet fall, cleansing the planet in cleansing burning fire.

* **Neotus Crusade (992.999.M41)-** Following the Pacification of Lucus II and the issuing the Decree Hultz, the Master of the First Flame, **Karael Gwyndolin,** began the Neotus Crusade to reclaim the sub-sector and surrounding sectors from chaotic insurrection that threatened the stability of the Segmentum.

* **The Defiance of the Shrine (Unknown Date.M42)-** The Defiance of the Shrine, also known as the Last Bastion Protocol, is the standing order of the Brotherhood of Embers. On the shrine world of Hallis IV, the entirety of the chapter's forces, with aid of local PDF and Imperial garrisons, hold a three front war over the Hallis system against the traitorous Alpha Legion. On the capital world of Hallis IV, the Master of the First Flame and the Master of Faith dedicate to a desperate defense on the hive world, organizing defenses on the system's asteroid belt under the Grand Commander of the Emperor's Crest and naval operations of what remains of Fleet Cinder and the Nocyorian Home Fleet. As word reaches the chapter of the far off support of the Black Templars who are sending fleets to reclaim the shrine worlds, the chapter continues their defense until aid arrives.

## Chapter Organisation

### Chapter Hierarchy

#### Officer Ranks

* **Master of the First Flame** - The Master of the First Flame is the Brotherhood's equivalent to Chapter Master. The Master of the First Flame was first held by Oarstine Kaathe, who founded the Brotherhood on the World of Nocyor and discovered the chapter relic of the Crown of Cinder. The position of Master of the First Flame is the most experienced position in the Chapter, with the Master being chosen during the Night of Thousand Candles, which only occurs after the passing of the previous Master. The position of Master of the First Flame is responsible for the organization and deployment of the entire chapters ready supply of man and naval power. The Master of the First Flame is the only member of the Domus with veto ability, any decision made by the chapter's officers, regardless of vote, can be overruled by the Master, however, this is rarely used. The current Master of the First Flame is Karael Gwyndolin.
* **Master of Flame**
* **Master of Faith** - The Master of Faith is a specialist officer that is only second to the Master of the First Flame. The Master of Faith is appointed to minister and advise the spiritual well-being of their brother Space Marines and the Chapter. The Master oversees the election and indoctrination of Burned Brothers, who are recruited after passing the Six Trials. The Master of Faith assigns the position of Chaplain to Battle brothers that prove virtuous in their belief of the Primarchs and the Emperor. He watches over every action of a Battle-Brother from his initiation to his last breath, in order to ensure religious purity in the eyes of the Emperor. The current Master of Faith is **Conn Sutherland.**
* **Vault Drapier** - The Vault Drapier is a specialist officer that is in charge of maintaining the Fortress Monastery of Aldrich Vault. The Vault Drapier administers the Chapter's bondswoman, who are normally sisters and/or members of the Nocyorian Households that bared Space Marine Brothers. The Administration of the Chapter's bondswoman is done to operate the day to day duties of various chapter positions of the Master of the First Flame, the various chaplains, and other organizations within the Chapter. The Vault Drapier also commands a select council of bondswoman, known as the Motherhood, who are tasked with maintaining the inner sanctum of the Fortress Monastery, known as the Vault. Inside the Vault, the remains of the former Chapter Master's, Master's of Faith, and notable Battle Brothers are entombed. As well, the Vault itself contains the Chapter relics, the stasis-sealed reliquary chambers of Dreadnoughts, and the historical records of the Chapter. The current Vault Drapier is Carandor Talon.
* **Master of the Fleet** - One of the Space Marine Captains within the Chapter who is designated to command all of the Chapter's space assets and is deemed to have the most experience and greatest skill at planning and executing void-combats. The Master of the First Flame designates one of his Captains to command the Chapter fleet, who essentially serves as the Chapter's fleet admiral, commanding its flagship and all other space assets when they deploy for major engagements.
* **Marshal of the Order** - Captain equivalent.
* **First Brother** - Captain equivalent.

#### Specialist Ranks

* **Grand Commander of the Emperor's Crest** - The Grand Commander of the Emperor's Crest is an honorary position that is granted by the agreement between the Master of Faith and the Master of the First Flame. The Grand Commander of the Emperor's Crest acts as the leader of the crusading force sent on behalf of the chapter to cleanse systems or aid Imperial operations that are deemed of upmost importance or religious significance. The Grand Commander is selected in time of great crisis. During prayer, one battle brother will enter into a state of hysteria before succumbing to visions of burning worlds throughout the Imperium before ending on visions of Terra itself. It is believed the Emperor himself chooses the Commander, with the Masters of the chapter respecting his wishes and granting the battle brother control of the military campaign or operation. During the Defiance of the Shrine, battle-brother **Calin Barra** was granted the Emperor's blessing.
* **Forebearer**
* **Under Marshal** - The Under Marshal is a rank that is given only by a Master of the Order's or the First Brother. This rank is given to a battle brother, regardless of rank, to act as the personal squire to the Master or First Brother. This is seen as a great honor, as all Master's and First Brother's were the previous Under Marshal. Under this rank, the Under Marshal is designated commanding power of one of the companies, taking over duties that are granted by the leader of each company.
* **Standard Bearer** - The Standard Bearer is the Chapter's equivalent to a Chapter Ancient. Like the Chapter Ancient, the Standard Bearer is a hand-picked brother of the chapter who is chosen to bear the sacred battle standards of the chapter or one of its individual companies.
* **Knight Brothers** - A Knight Brother is a battle brother that has been transferred under the command of the Master of Faith and the Chancellery, the chapter's religious organization. Each Knight Brother is the officer rank of each battle squad, with the Knight Brother acting as both officer and chaplain for each individual squad.

#### Line Ranks

* **Elderly Brothers** - An Elderly Brother is the rank granted to the greatest warriors in each company. Each Elderly Brother is considered an unofficial officer, due to their land standing presence in the chapter and their skill in combat.
* **Initiates** - A Initiate is the first promotion of the Burned Brother. Initiates are the standard rank-and-file Marines of a Company. Upon receiving the rank, the Initiate adopts a Burned Brother and takes the brother under his wing to train and teach him the ways of the chapter.
* **Burned Brother** - A Burned Brother is the standard rank for the finalized recruits of the chapter who have passed the Seven Trails. This rank denoted the battle brother has been indoctrinated into the chapter's official structure and has survived gene-seed implantation.

### Specialist Units & Formations

* **The Domus** - The Domus is an advisory war council that consist of six members: The Master of the First Flame, the Master of Faith, The Grand Commander of the Emperor's Crest, and three captains that are elected by the other three. The Master of the First Flame was focused on the entire chapter and the Imperium as a whole. The Master of Faith is concerned with religious doctrine and adherence to the Imperial Cult. The Grand Commander of the Emperor's Crest is concerned with the on going war effort. This contrast with the captains that are chosen to serve in the Domus. Generally these captains were considered the best officers by their peers. In general, the elected members are chosen because they each possess very different personalities and characteristics that were intended to complement one another and provide a wide array of different viewpoints. The Domus is charged with fighting doctrine and internal/external politics within the Chapter and other Imperial Organizations. It takes a majority to decide a course of action between all members, however, in most cases each member of the Domus acts interdependent of one another within their respected Orders.
* **The Chancellery**
* **The Providence of Forebearers**
* **The Ashen Ones**

### Order of Battle

#### Headquarters

***Karael Gwyndolin, Master of the First Flame***
***The Domus***
**Master of Faith**
**Ashen Ones**
**Command Squad:**
**(Standard Bearer, Master of Faith, Forebearer, Apothecarius, Techmarine)**
**Veteran Squads**
**Scout Squads**
**Vanguard Squads**
***Chief Forebearer Talisen Daithe***
**Elderly Scribe**
**Coercer**
**Forebearer**
**Acolyte**
***Master of Faith Conn Sutherland***
**Knight Brothers**
***Chief Apothecarius Cail Herne***
**Apothecarius**
**Bondswoman** | ***Master of the Fleet Draken Lugh*****Two Battle Barges****Nine Strike Cruisers****Rapid Strike/Escort vessels**
**Various Support Ships**
**Thunderhawk Gunships**
***Master of the Forge Brother Techninus***
**Techmarines**
**Servitors**
**Predators**
**Repulsors**
**Vindicators**
**Whirlwinds**
**Land Raiders**

## Chapter Combat Doctrine

Like the history of their distraught past, the Brotherhood of Embers operates in the manner similiar to how the world of Bastel was brought to its knees. The Brotherhood specializes in ensuring the plantary governments and worlds maintain the precisce faith in the God-Emperor. This is displayed in their police actions of systems within their subsector, interfering directly with interplantary politics and affiars to ensure correct reverance. If a world is in open rebellion, the Brotherhood is quick to action, sending the full might of their chapter to destroy and purge any affront to the Imperium. The heretic, the mutant, and traitor are met with bolt and sword. From the void the cinders of flame fall and purge the world, cleasning its foes from existence.

## Chapter Culture & Beliefs

### The Nocyorian Cult

The Nocyorian Cult governs the beliefs of each Brother within the chapter. The Cult places a great emphasis on self-reliance, loyalty, and belief in the eyes of the chapter. These values stem from troubled history of Nocyor, which had its previous population destroyed for being tainted. The founding of the Cult came centuries after the settlement of Dawnslight and the government policies to facilitate population growth. The Cult calls on its followers to emulate the deeds and be true to the teachings the Emperor, using his example to dictate government and social policy.

Nocyorians believe deeply in the virtues of self-reliance and self-sacrifice for others, long defining cultural values of the people, who have struggled to survive the harsh environment of their inhospitable home world. They hold a firm belief in isolationism, with the great clans of the world being separated due to their own individual doctrine and beliefs to prevent conflict. This is why within the chapter, the companies have separate outpost and recruiting pools, to ensure homogeneous relation between battle brothers.

The chapter itself make use of fire in many of their rituals and ceremonies and believe that they must be cleansed by the pain of fire before every major undertaking or initiative. From the indoctrination of the chapter, aspirants have their right hands burned in molten heat to symbolize their world's sacrifice to emperor and to hold his cleansing fire in their hands. Each rank uses branding to symbolize triumph and denote rank within the chapter.

A subgroup of the bondswoman, The Motherhood,, are a valued group of Chapter Serfs who administer maintenance of the Vault. The Motherhood organizes and administers the ritual brands to the flesh of the chapter. Once healed, each of these scars represented a living history of the brothers many conflicts. Each was a battle won, a foe vanquished.

The chapter has five types of burning rituals which are authorized by the Domus: The Rite of Initiation, The Consecration of Honor, The Rite of the Fallen, The Rite of Entombment, and The Cracked Walk.

#### Rite of Initiation

The Rite of Initiation is a ritual held for aspirants of the chapter who survive the first five trials of indoctrination. In this ritual, the Master of Faith takes each of the remaining aspirants right hands, burning their flesh against the roaring metal of his armored palm, which is sat in the roaring fire known as the Emperor's Eye until it is glowing. This ritual is the symbolic welcome into the chapter, representing the fire of the Emperor is now in their hands.

#### The Consecration of Honor

The Consecration of Honor is a ritual held by each individual company in their company outpost. This rite is administered by the Knight Brothers, except for the first company which is administered by the Master of Faith. In this ritual, commanding line and support officers name three battle brothers who shown themselves in battle. Under authorization of the Knight Brother or Master of Faith, the battle brother is stripped of his armor and is brought before the administrator. The battle brother is granted prayer. Depending on the deed, the battle brother places one bodily limb into the fire. If the battle brother is heroic in battle, they will place ther left hand into the fire. If the brother is granted a promotion of rank, the brother places his right arm into the fire, burning the forearm.

#### The Rite of the Fallen

The Rite of the Fallen is the ritual held when the Chapter Master declares a crusade. In this ritual, only the Master of the First Flame is allowed to be witness. The Master of the Flame enters into the Vault, deep into the bowels of the underground tomb, traveling to the burial sight of the First Master: Oarstine Kaathe. Upon his prayer, the Master of the First Flame takes the Torch of Holy Fire and burns his chest until the flame extinguishes on his flesh, only to relight once pulled away.

#### The Cracked Walk

The Cracked Walk is the rarest ritual held only when a battle brother is met with a humiliation or an embarrassment that shames the company or chapter as a whole. The battle brother is stripped of his rank and armor and set the walk the frozen methane plain of the world, only to return once they found and consumed the native fauna known as the Pyrite. A Pyrite is a lizard-like beast that is no larger than 16 inches. The ability kill a Pyrite is not what is tested, it is the Astartes ability to survive consuming the beast. Once consumed, the Pyrites body breaks down and devolves into an acid that burns and melts the brother's bodily structure, tearing the digestive tract and other systems of the Astartes. If killed, the body of the Astartes is located and burned, his corpse not allowed to be entombed and his name forgotten. But if the Astartes manages to consume a Pyrite and prevent death, he as suffered the ultimate trial. He is brought back into the chapter, where he is made a member of the Master of the First Flame's personal guard, the Ashen Ones.

## Recruiting Practices

### Aspirant Trails

The recruits of the Brotherhood of Embers are derived exclusively from the two largest contents of Silic Maxima and Maud of the planet of Nocyor. This is due to the high concentration of the feudal populations in the two major cities of Lordlan and Dawnslight and the mass algal farming plantation in the center of Silic Maxima that is an unofficial third large city of the world. Children aspiring to become chapter brothers begin their training at the age of six or seven Terran years as the apprentice to a Burned Brother.

Each company within the chapter recruits solely from one of the great clans of Nocyor, therefore making each Battle-Brother a member of the same clan within the company. Due to each company maintaining separate outpost and military installations in the Nocyorian system, the Master of Faith will organize and select the recruits during the Season of Darkness, when the planet enters into its furthest distance from the home star. One selected, Burned Brothers and Under Marshals from each company arrive from their respected companies to observe and aid the Master of Faith in initiating the Seven Trails of the chapter.

#### The Art of the Hammer

The Art of the Hammer facilitates two key principles: knowledge and combat. In the Art of the Hammer, a Burned Brother from each respected company chooses a recruit. For one year, the Burned Brother teaches the recruit how to forge, maintain, and operate melee weaponry. Each company focuses on a different style of close quarters combat. This means the Burned Brothers will instill different beliefs and doctrines that personalize each company. After one year, the Burned Brother releases the aspirant into the hands of the Under Marshal. The each Under Marshal from each company, is brought to the large sunken valley of Toris, where the first four challenges are held under the authority of the Master of Faith, who presides over each stage.

The Master of Faith then decides that one of the Under Marshals shall commence the end of the first trial. Due to there year of studying under the companies, the aspirants are then expected to craft and wield a weapon of their own design. The aspirants are then brought before a bare Under Marshal, who combats each aspirant at the same time. The Under Marshal is under specific order not to kill, however, this does occur. As well, bodily harm that is damaging to ones mental or physical ability is allowed. This is due to the nature of the test. It is not designed for the aspirants to succeed to defeat the Under Marshal, rather it is a evaluation of how the aspirants would handle a situation like this and the evaluation of their craft.

The combat will last until the following day, when the remaining aspirants, including those who injured, will be taken and healed. Their weapons will be examined, and those deemed to understand the importance of their craft and the obedience of their company's doctrine, shall move onto the next stage. Those deemed failures or renegades are sent to return to there homes.

#### The Art of the Vault

The Art of the Vault facilitates the principle of mental fortitude against the horrors of reality. For one Terran week, the aspirants hold prayer. During this, each aspirant is to fast, prevented from consuming anything material. During the fast, each aspirant is required to maintain their duties around Toris, maintaining operation of the valley. This tests the aspirant's nervous system and resolve in difficult situations. Each aspirant who fails to fast or collapses in exhaustion is sent to their clans, those who keep their conscious long past the point he would otherwise have passed and move onto the next stage.

#### The Bastion of Survival

The Bastion of Survival is held the day following the Art of the Vault. The remaining aspirants are flown to the frozen methane plain of Kropik, which covers much of Silic Maxiumia. Each aspirant is expected to survive for one month, in which the space marines will return to find the remaining recruits. During this trial the aspirant must go out into such an environment and simply survive for a set period of time while under constant threat from the native fauna and the toxic flammable earth under their feet.

#### The Bastion of Sanity

After thirty days, the Master of Faith arrives on the wasted plains, locating each aspirant remaining aspirant and delivering them to the point where they first arrived. Each aspirant is lined in rows of three. The Master of Faith speaks of nothing, rather the chapter's Forebearer, the chapter's librarian, administers the test. Before each aspirant, they stand motionless except for breath. For hours, days, even weeks. The Forebearer during this time enters each of their minds, searching to break their resolve. Rather than the Art of the Vault that used natural processes, the Bastion of Sanity is expected to break each aspirant, where the Forebearer will instill the history, doctrine, and fundamental teachings into each of their minds once broken by the Forebearer's psychic gifts.

#### The Walk of A Thousand

Once each aspirant is deemed ready by the Forebearer, the aspirants are brought into the city of Lordlan by the Master of Faith, who invites them into the mountain pass that feeds into the mouth of the Aldrich Vault, the fortress monastery of the chapter. One by one each aspirant is led through the passage by the Burned Brother who trailed them during the Art of the Hammer trials. The aspirants walk the passage known as the Thousand, where statues and great works of the famed chapter brothers are held in honor the founding generation. By the end, the aspirant would reach Aldrich Vault, which stands on the highest peak of the world, the Mountains of the Emperor's Grace that stands at 5,642 m (18,510 ft). During this journey, the Burned Brother who accompanies must only watch and examine how the aspirant survives the sheer elevation of the climb. Under no circumstance can the Burned Brother intervene or aid the aspirant, even if they collapse from exhaustion or dehydration.

#### The Vigil

The Vigil singles the final physical and mental test of the aspirant. Once the surviving aspirants enter into Aldrich Vault, they are brought to the Cathedral of His Blessing which is the highest tower of the monastery. The aspirants are knelt before a large roaring flame that is never ending, known as the Emperor's Eye. The Master of Faith stands before each aspirant and initiates the following prayer:

"*From birth I was nothing. Through his intellect, I was blessed. I was taught by his children. His children caressed my wounds, my broken soul and mind. Through his guidance, I shed my weakness. In cleansing flame, my hands hold the Emperor's fire. His cleansing power that shaped my world, and now the worlds of the endless void. Bless be his name. Bless be the cinders that fall on my shoulders. For the fire roars. For the fire roars. For the fire roars.*"
— *The Prayer of Initiation*
Upon the end of the prayer, the Master of Faith places their power armored hand into the fire. For several minutes, the hand simmers as the Emperor's Eye roars before the aspirants. Once the hand is pulled from the fire, with the metal glowing a bright red. Each aspirant extends their right hand, which is placed against the open palm of the glowing hot glove, with skin and bone burning and melting under the intense heat. This is done to leave a mark of sacrifice to the Emperor, as once they are become full space marines, the burn remains with the resistant regrowth of skin being deformed after becoming full space marine brothers.

#### The Entombed

Once the Vigil is completed, the exhausted and broken aspirants are granted rest. Unknown to the aspirants, each one is entombed in stasis chambers in the Vault. The Vault Drapier watches over the aspirants for an entire year, where life support nodes are attached into their bodies. They are fed intravenously with a mixture of nutrients while the gene-seed is introduced into the frail adolescent bodies. Many Aspirants die at this stage, their bodies unable to cope with the sheer strain of the physical changes that now overtake them within a short period of time. Those who live grow at a stable rate, put on muscle mass and acquire the extra internal organs that mark a true Space Marine.

During this period of entombment, the aspirants enter into a stage of visions. During this state, the aspirants witness the destruction of Nocyor, the burning of the heretical founding population under the Emperor's grace. The world is burned, rebuilt and restored by the faith in the one true power, only for the vision to begin again and again until they are awoken.

On rare occasions, an aspirant may awake before the year has concluded. If this occurs, the gene-seed begins to break down the mental capacity of the aspirants. The visions are said to fade, with the aspirant entering into a state of hysteria as there muscle structure collapses. Within minutes the aspirant suffers severe organ failure, with the aspirant passing. These aspirants are not returned to their clans, rather they are forever entombed in the Vault.

When the aspirants finally emerge from their tombs they are forever changed. They are tall, strong and super humanly powerful as the other space marines of their chapter. Their senses are keener, their muscles stronger than tempered steel. They are ready to begin their training as Space Marines.

Upon finishing the Seven Trials, the new battle brothers are allowed seven hours to celebrate with their clans and families, with their training beginning the moment the seven hours end.

## Chapter Gene-Seed

The strength of constitution displayed by fully developed battle brothers display high tolerance to extreme temperatures, radioactive/toxic environments, and high cellular repair. However, some worrying traits of self-contrition for perceived failures, both real and imagined, have been noted by outside observers of the chapter. For failures, battle brothers may enter into a trance-like state that is akin to a living nightmare, only broken when willed out by the afflicted. In the nightmare, it is said that the battle brother enters into limitless combat against themselves, symbolic some say to defeating ones failure and rising above it.

## Notable Members

* **Karael Gwyndolin** - Current Chapter Master
* **Conn Sutherland** - Current Master of Faith
* **Caldor Asgall** - Master of the Order of the Cracked (4th Company)
* **Andrii Koth-** Master of the Order of the Undying (3rd Company)
* **Carandor Talon (The Elder)-** CurrentVault Drapier
* **Oarstine Kaathe-** FIrst Chapter Master

## Chapter Fleet

### The Fleet

The Chapter Fleet of the Brotherhood of Embers comprises of two subsidiary fleets that act as defensive and offensive military forces depending on the campaign and region of space they are operating in. The fleet, as stated, is broken into two fleets: Battle Fleet Cinder and the Nocyorian Home Fleet. Battle Fleet Cinder comprises most of the operational vessels of the chapter, including the chapters two battle barge vessels. The Nocyorian home fleet maintains a sizable force. Unlike Battle Fleet Cinder, the Nocyorian Home Fleet is designed for quick operational strikes and planetary air control. This means the Fleet itself maintains a wide array of cruisers and escort vessels in order to screen and maintain void coverage.

### Notable vessels

* ***The Failures of Bastel* (Battle Barge)**
* ***Emperor's Retribution* (Battle Barge)**
* ***Empire's Blessing* (Nova Frigate)**
* ***Stubborn Divine* (Nova Frigate)**
* ***The Volley* (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Gallimimus* (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***The Ardent* (Gladius Frigate)**

## Chapter Relics

* ***The Crown of Cinder*** - The Crown of Cinder is the most valuable possession of the chapter. The Crown of Cinder is said to be the only remnant of the Bastel civilization that was destroyed during the Great Crusade. When Aldrich Vault was constructed, the First Master of the chapter, Oarstine Kaathe, discovered the Crown in the rubble of the mountain pass. It was said to be untouched by the promethean flame that scorched the world. The Crown of Cinder is a symbol of the Emperor's punishment and his awesome power over the world of man.

* ***The Torch of Holy Fire*** - The Torch of Holy Fire is the eternal flame of the inner sanctum of the Vault that lays the graves and tombs of each battle brother and officer of the chapter. The Torch is maintained by the Motherhood of bondswoman, with the Torch being a symbol of the enteral crusades of the chapter.

* ***The Helm of the First*** - The Helm of the First is the only relic that passes down through rank. While the Master of the First Flame is an elected position, where any brother is a viable candidate, the Helm of the First passes from each Master of the chapter to the next. First worn by Oarstine Kaathe, the Helm is over ten thousand years old, kept in high condition by the Master himself.
* ***The Emperor's Eye-*** The Emperor's Eye is an ever going fire that signals the indoctrination and entrance into the chapter. From the moment the surviving aspirants enter the Cathedral of His Blessing, the aspirants bath in the fire, repenting the past life and entering into their next life, as the Emperor's sons and warriors.

## Chapter Appearance

### Chapter Colours

The Brotherhood of Embers primarily wear sable-clad power armour trimmed in silver. They commonly decorate their battle-plate with symbols of the Promethean Cult - the hammer and anvil and flames, as well as scales and visages of the powerful lizards of their Progenitor's home world of Nocturne. When worn, the Aquila or Imperialis attached to the cuirass is also silver in colour.

Each Battle-Brothers' right pauldron displays their squad specialty and tactical designations (Close Support, Fire Support, Battleline, Veteran or Command). On their left pauldron, the Chapter's iconography is proudly displayed.

### Chapter Badge

The Brotherhood of Embers Chapter badge takes the form of a large white stylised skull, the top of its head cut off and used as a brazier, a large incandescent flame burning brightly from it.

### Allies:

* **Guardians of the Convenant**
* **Black Templars**
* **Truth Bringers** - Both zealots of the God-Emperor, the Truth Bringers always find it easy to communicate with Chapters of a similar mien, such as the Brotherhood of Embers, and will willingly work alongside them should they ever be in the same area of operations.
* **Adepta Soroitas**

*Feel free to add your own*
### Enemies:

* **Word Bearers**
* **Alpha Legion**

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

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