The Sons of the Morning

Ist Legion Armorial

Ist legion legionary bearing bare-bones and unspecialized Mark V: Thunder Armor

### Observed Strategic Tendencies

Multi-angled combat (Crossfire tactics, swift surgical strikes in order to prevent harm from population), Flexible Approach on Warfare, with focus on fast attack and mobility (Landspeeders, Jetbikes, Jumppacks). Close-Combat Specialists.

### Colors

(Primary) Ivory, (Secondary) Black, (Tertiary) Off-White, (Accents) Gold

### Warcry

For The New Dawn, Glory to His Light, Honor unto the First, Helios Maxima

**The Sons of the Morning**, also known as **“The Morning Sons”** or **“The Blades of Sol”**, are a Firstborn Primaris Founding Legion and Firstborn of the Imperial Marine Legions, raised by the Emperor of Mankind upon Terra in the waning decades of The Terran Unification Wars, before the dawn of The Sol Reclamation Wars, and before the Great Crusade in the mid 90th Millennium.

After the Emperor discovered the Legion's Luminarch, Llucerian Morningstar, upon the world of Lecarro, and subsequently gave him command of the Ist Legion—Llucerian would go on to lead the Ist Legion in earning thousands of battle honors over the span of the Great Crusade.

Few other Legions could match their achievements and of those that could, few could rival the Ist Legion for the brightness with which their victories shone. Spread across hundreds of expeditionary fleets and on countless battlefields, the Sons of the Morning would break the enemies of The Stellar Imperium against the might of Imperial Metal and push the Great Crusade ever forwards.

The position of Llucerian as the Emperor's favored and twice first son undoubtedly enhanced their triumphs. The Emperor fought alongside all of the Luminarchs, and led all of the Legions at different times, but Llucerian and the Sons of the Morning stood beside him for many of his greatest victories. The Sons of the Morning stood with the Emperor from the near beginning of the Great Crusade and the Stellar Imperium itself.

## Origins and History

### The Primaris Founding

The Primaris Founding, or the *"First Founding"* of the Imperial Marine Legions, also titled the *Legiones Angelus*, occurred in the middling years of the 90th Millennium in the year M90.474, some odd one thousand years into the Terran Unification Wars that founded the Stellar Imperium upon Terra.

The firstborn Eight Imperial Marine Legions, along with the subsequent Parousian and Trichotomic Foundings were created from the Inheritance-Helix clusters of the 20 superhuman Luminarchs engineered by the Emperor of Mankind from His own genetic code in His gene-laboratories beneath the Imperial Palace on Terra in the Kilaminjanto (Kilamanjaro) Ranges.

In spite of the fact that the gestalt Luminarchs were still in their pre-embryonic stages, the Emperor still waged his Unification Wars of Terra and later the reclamation Wars of Sol - and to these ends He managed to forge complete and viable samples of each Luminarch's DNA—at least prior to their scattering and subsequent far-flung births.

The Emperor used these templates to create the first generation of eight Imperial Marine Legions by genetically enhancing His own Terran-born soldiers with the Inheritance-Helices derived from the genomes of the first eight Luminarchs. The Imperial Marine Legions born of this process were used to complete the Unification Wars upon Terra, forging the iron hold and cleansing terra of all elements that would undermine the Empire so many had already died to create.

## Notable Campaigns

### The Terran Unification Wars

* **Operation Silent Night (M90-482) —** The Flagship combat Operation for the original Eight Firstborn Legions of the Primaris Founding. Wherein the 8 Legions, each a 10–40,000 strong force, would either bring aid or a quick end to the already ongoing conflicts of the Unification Wars. The Ist Legion specifically would be seconded by the VIth and VIIth wherein the three forces would commit mass Assault Rapid Deployment Operations, Strategic Surgical Strikes, Guerrilla Assaults, and Low-Collateral Damage Imperative Compliance Operations against many of the Techno-Barbarian States of Old Terra. Decapitating many outright as they Infiltrated Palaces and Combat Emplacements all under the cover of a single night across the planet, leaving a thousand Barbarian States leaderless and easy pickings for the much stronger I’cartes and Imperial Troop Regiments once the dawn touched down once again. Specifically, the Ist Legion would ride upon prototype Path-Runner & Dagger Quick Deployer Units into the shattered Gyptian Territories even as the Warlords had once kept the bulk of Imperial forces at the bay on the edges of their Empire.
* **The Silencing of Gar (M90-485) —** Showcasing what would make them the greatest of the Legions, the Ist would
* **The Rallian Persecutions (M90-477 - M90-514)** — The Rallian Rad-Sea’s, The Rad-Basin or simply the Rallian Wastes are
* **The Pacification of Taipan (M90-Unknown) —** The Legion is tasked with quelling a rebellion within the sprawling Spire of Taipan City. With a focus on minimizing civilian casualties and swiftly neutralizing key insurgent leaders. The First utilized its mobility advantage with the usage of Experimental Jetbikes and Land-speeder designs to navigate within the narrow urban sprawl and execute precision strikes. Close-Combat Specialists lead surgical assaults on rebel strongholds, aiming to swiftly incapacitate resistance elements without causing widespread and unnecessary harm to the population.
* **Suppression of Dissent Within the Ursholian Highlands (M90-Unknown) —** Facing resistance in the northern mountainous regions of Ursholia from scorned rebels, the Legion is called in lieu of their Cousin forces to suppress dissent without causing extreme damage. Prototype Jetbike Designs would prove essential for navigating the challenging northern terrains swiftly, whilst Jumpack-equipped combat-squads would engage in hit-and-run tactics against rebel encampments. Crossfire tactics are employed to disorient and overwhelm the enemy, allowing for rapid strikes and withdrawal. The focus is on maintaining control without resorting to large-scale warfare.
* **Coastal Defense —** The Legion is assigned to defend coastal territories from seaborne threats during the Unification Wars. Deploying Land-speeders along the shoreline, the Legion intercepts invading forces swiftly, preventing harm to civilian settlements loyal to the Imperium. Jetbikes conduct reconnaissance missions to identify potential landing sites, and Close-Combat Specialists engage in lightning-fast boarding actions against enemy vessels. The flexibility of the Legion ensures a rapid response to threats from multiple angles.
* **Campaign Galeforce: Suppression in Open Plains(M90-Unknown) —** Legion Forces face resistance in vast open plains where traditional armies struggle. Employing swift hit-and-run tactics with Land-speeders and Jetbikes, the Legion disrupts enemy supply lines and communication networks. Close-Combat Specialists use their mobility advantage to engage in lightning assaults on enemy command centers, preventing the coordination of large-scale attacks. The focus is on exploiting the flexibility of the Legion to control vast territories efficiently.
* **Operation Whispering Winds: Infiltration and Sabotage (M90-Unknown) —** The Legion is tasked with infiltrating enemy territories to gather intelligence and conduct surgical strikes on critical infrastructure. Utilizing stealth and speed, squads equipped with Jumpacks infiltrate deep into enemy lines to disrupt communication hubs and supply depots. Land-speeders provide a rapid extraction mechanism, ensuring the Legion's swift retreat after successful sabotage missions. The Legion's focus is on flexibility, mobility, and minimizing collateral damage.
* The Final Conflict of Hu'dons Bason (M90-527) —

### The Sol Reclamation Wars

* 551-573 - The Luna Pacification
* 547-649 - The Black Cleansings of Mars
* 666 - The Mercury Gambit
* The Saturn Reclamation
* 732 - Conflict Upon The Forra'kiir Engine
* 740 The Jovian Accords (Treaty of Europa)

## War Disposition

### Legion Combat Doctrine

The combat doctrines of this formidable Legion were firmly rooted in the relentless application of overwhelming and ferocious force, expertly directed toward the precise vulnerabilities of their adversaries.

These devastating strikes were meticulously employed to obliterate enemy command centers and critical strategic support infrastructure, launching brutal offensives that targeted the very heart of an opponent's military capabilities. Often, a single well-timed and savage assault would suffice to completely shift the course of an entire conflict.

At an individual level, the Sons of The Morning wholeheartedly embraced this unrelenting doctrine. Much like the ancient wolves of Terra, they possessed an innate instinct to exploit an adversary's critical weaknesses, swiftly encircling and mercilessly dismantling outnumbered or exposed foes before they could regain their composure in the wake of an assault.

The Ist Legion, known for their unparalleled adaptability, emerged as a truly versatile fighting force, capable of navigating and succeeding in virtually any conceivable combat scenario.

## Legion Fleet

* Star of Lecarro -
* Solaris and Polaris -
* Solar Claw -
* Starlight Fang -
* Wolf's Radiance -
* Serpent's Gaze -
* Sunfire Howl -
* Lunar Serpent -
* Star Viper -
* Wolf's Eclipse -
* Serpent's Dawn -

## Legion Appearance

### Legion Colors

Since its inception in M90-474, the Ist Legion donned a distinctive silver armor, a uniformity that was shared by nearly all Legions prior to their reunion with their Luminarch. However, following their reunion, the Ist Legion underwent a significant transformation, adopting the ivory and black armor of the clandestinely formed Sons of The Morning Legion, a group covertly established by the Emperor during Llucerian's 15-year formal education on Terra.

A visible manifestation of the sudden influence of the Legion's Lecarrite brethren was the early integration of Lecarrite gang-sigils and Black-Light Paints into an Imperial Marine's armor. These markings served as enduring records of the Marine's notable achievements, such as kills and heroic deeds, and indicated the specific company within the Legion to which they belonged. This tradition gained rapid momentum, especially after the Ist Legion initiated a large-scale induction of Lecarrite Born Marines into its ranks through its Mass Smart-Induction process penned my Llucerian himself.

### Legion Badge

The Ist Legion's badge is a white orb representing Lecarro imposed over a stylized black sun surrounded by a bright halo.