Highermoore

Departmento Cartographicae stellar cartographic pict-file of Highermoore, Chapter home world of the Ebon Angels.

## Planet

### Class

Adeptus Astartes Chapter Home World/Ice World

### Population

100,000 colonistsUnknown indigenous population

## Location

### System

Pandessa

**Highermoore** is an Imperial Ice World that serves as the Chapter home world of the Ebon Angels Space Marine Chapter. Located in the Segmentum Obscurus, this isolated planet is also home to a sizable population of Imperial colonists as well as a regiment Valhallan Ice Warriors of the Astra Militarum.

## Background

Highermoore is a frozen ice world home to continent spanning mountain chains, vast evergreen forests with great ice plateaus that cover large parts of the worlds ocean body and the planet itself is located in Segmentum Obscurus. Prior to the arrival of the Ebon Angels the planet only had two small cities that had just been constructed and were occupied by the construction workers and a regiment of Valhallen Ice Warriors who had been granted settlement on the world as a right of conquest. There was a fleet of colonists incoming to the system to populate these cities but it had been lost in the warp weeks before, other than that there were tribes of indigenous locals who had learned to survive on the planet and live in the great mountain chains.

In the abrupt arrival of the Ebon Angels the two cities would be caught up in the violence of the chaos onslaught, with both cities fighting valiantly and ferociously against the various Daemons that laid siege to their homes. Fighting in the cities was brutal and the defenders would have been completely overrun by the later stages of the conflict if not for the arrival of the Primaris of the Ebon Angels who relieved the defenders and drove off the abhorrent attackers.

The two cities have been maintained and rebuilt by the Ebon Angels, with new colonists being escorted into the system, in order to create an immediate and reliable recruiting pool and an extra layer of defence for the *Ebon Sepulchre*. These cities therefore maintain their own garrison forces locally known as the the Highermoore Rangers who will often have their members be used by the chapter to guard their fortress monastery, and they will have had enough training to make them suitable for the crucial task.

The local tribes have been left mostly undisturbed in order to make them prime candidates for recruitment into the chapter and have continued to survive in their small mountain holds and camps. They have however, been visited by the Ebon Angels in order to confirm their allegiance to the Imperium and to grant recruitment for the Ebon Angels. The tribes often fight amongst themselves for hunting grounds and resources but during the chapters recruitment periods the largest of the tribes will call the 'Old Council' together in order to declare their truces to each other in front of delegates from the Ebon Angels. This is done to confirm that the period of recruitment conducted by the chapter will go forward without any interruptions from tribes out for vengeance or resources.

### Fortress-Monastery

The *Ebon Sepulchre* is an ancient battleship that was constructed for the purpose of becoming chapters flagship and has served in that role faithfully for millennia. The mighty vessel is home to both the chapters reliquary and the Forgotten Vault where the chapters most deadly weapons that were carried over from the Silver Lions Dreadwing arsenal are stored and has only been unlocked on several occasions. The Vault is permanently guarded by the only two Leviathan Siege Dreadnaughts that the chapter has and they are known as the 'Forgotten Wardens' as it is hoped that they will never be disturbed. The *Ebon Sepulchre* also has a vast hall known as Lions Triumph, here the throne of the Grand Master is placed and all triumphs and victory feasts are held, with some saying it is capable of holding the full might of the chapter, although this is simply rumour from some no doubt overwhelmed Wards.

During the opening stages of the Battle of Highermoore the *Ebon Sepulchre* was crippled by a concentrated attack from the Chaos fleet, which included several smaller ships ramming the *Ebon Sepulchre* before they were destroyed. This concentrated attack caused the ship irreversible damage and Grand Master Akeon before his death ordered that the ship was to land on the planet below in order to save the vessel and its occupants. The ship impacted in the northern mountain chain of Highermoore, overlooking miles of evergreen forests.

The *Ebon Sepulchre* has now been further fortified and converted into a useable fortress. Great caverns, tunnels and rooms have been carved into the mountain that the vessel lies against with great walls being raised in front and beside to act as a first layer of defence against possible attackers. The *Ebon Sepulchre* has been transformed into a castle fortress worthy of the chapter and now watches over the rest of the planet from its raised position. The Forgotten Vault has been transferred deep into the mountain alongside the hidden chambers used for housing and interrogating the Fallen. The extent of these caverns and tunnels has been kept from those outside of the Inner-Circle and as a result many of the Inner-Circles gatherings and records are now kept within the mountain away from prying eyes.

## Life on Highermoore

### The Angels

For the Ebon Angels their usual customs and way of life have been effected by their arrival on Highermoore, thanks to their previous status as a fleet-based chapter, but because of the edicts of Grand Master Herankis that all changed and the *Ebon Sepulchre* now rests within the Frost Peaks instead of its previous place amongst the stars. The restoration of the sepulchre was a difficult and time consuming task as the Forge-master and his Forge-wrights laboured endlessly to restore large portions of the ship for use whilst also digging caverns and tunnels into the mountain side and erecting massive walls and defensive emplacements around and above the fortress-monastery. The act of guarding the now stationary fortress-monastery was initially a task that seemed to offend those who came before Pandessa, as few liked the idea of staying put on a single planet, seeing it as restrictive and a waste of effort. However, Herankis persevered and began moulding the chapter to its new way of life. The first thing he did following the start of the restoration was to task the Dark Warden with overseeing the full defence of the *Ebon Sepulchre,* effectively making him castellan of the fortress-monastery*.* For those stationed on the planet Herankis had them act as dignitaries to the cities of Guards Landing and Frostmire to solidify the idea of astartes rule on the planet, and to make sure the chapter always knows what is happening in the cities. Otherwise, Knights and Paladins would be encouraged to aid in the training of the new Wards of the chapter, whether by sparing with them or taking them out on hunts and expeditions into the frozen wastes. Although, many brothers of the chapter have begun to take on hunting as a newly beloved pastime of the chapter, with competitions even taking place between those stationed on the planet. Additionally some sterner battle-brothers choose to take squads from the Highermoore Rangers or Ebon Guard out on hunts to test their skill and keep them active.

### The cities

The two pre-existing cities on Highermoore are named Frostmire and Guards Landing, and were founded for the purpose of holding Imperial colonists once mineral and promethium deposits were located on the planet as it was hoped these cities would support wider mining efforts and help defend the valuable resources. To aid this the 902nd Valhallan Regiment was awarded a right of conquest for the planet so they could act as both a source of workers and an already veteran PDF. They were awarded this esteemed honour for their actions during the Fredician Campaign (992-999.M41), which saw the regiment decimate traitor and xenos forces alike as they battled to retake the Fredician Sub-sector. As a result they were shipped off and dumped on the frozen landscape of Highermoore, which pleased the entire regiment for its resemblance to their homeworld. They would split the regiment in two and spread across the two cities. As they got to grips with their new environment, they formed Ranger squads to go out and hunt the wild beasts of the world for both sport and better food. The regiment as a whole was left in awe as they saw the massed ships of the Ebon Angels Brotherhoods of Bone and Stone muster above their world, and some even wept as they saw the immense bulk of the *Ebon Sepulchre* fall into the atmosphere and then smash into the mountains.

As the war on Highermoore began, the cultists and raiders amongst the chaos forces laid siege to both Frostmire and Guards Landing with the fighting in both cities soon becoming especially vicious as the walls fell and house to house fighting began. All seemed lost until the forces of Lieutenant Master Malifor arrived and aided the defenders, driving back the chaotic onslaught and saving the last remaining Valhallans and construction workers had managed to survive. The aftermath of the battle saw the cities largely in ruins, yet Grand Master Herankis would organise the remaining Vallhallans and construction workers, using them to aid in the rebuilding efforts of the cities. Herankis would also order elements from his chapter to help aid the reconstruction efforts there and pulled strings to have a new colony fleet dispatched to Highermoore to replace the original fleet that is believed to have been lost in the warp. As for Colonel Brokkin and his Valhallans, the Grand Master ordered them to be reorganised into the Highermoore Rangers which would act as a dedicated PDF for the world and the most veteran of this new organisation would be formed into the Ebon Guard who would aid in the guarding of the *Ebon Sepulchre.* With this task done, and the construction and expansion of both cities now completed the Ebon Angels now have access to a dedicated recruiting pool and potential workers to aid in mining efforts.

### The indigenous tribes

The indigenous peoples of the planet largely reside in the mountain chains of Highermoore, attempting to avoid the snow swept and inhospitable plains below, as they make use of cave networks for dedicated shelters whilst the mountain sides help them avoid the high winds found elsewhere on the planet. The Ebon Angels focused their efforts into locating and contacting those tribes within the Frost Peaks mountain chain, where the Ebon Sepulchre resides, to begin the process of evaluating and selecting potential recruits for the chapter. Attempts to find tribal groups in other mountainous regions have been scarce and only undergone as potential contingencies if something should happen to their main groups within the Frost Peaks region. The tribals themselves often battle with one another, not only for resources but also as a form of honour, with each tribe viewing war as a way of challenging one another to test if they are worthy of surviving the frozen landscape of their home and as such at the annual gathering of the Old Council there is little in the way of bad blood or animosity amongst the tribes, which has aided the Ebon Angels recruitment greatly.

The indigenous peoples were largely ignored by the traitor forces who focused their efforts on the siege lines of the *Ebon Sepulchre* and at both Guards Landing and Frostmire. However, the tribal shamans took notice of the lights of void war above and the crash of the Sepulchre, seeing it as an omen of a new era to come. Once the fighting on Highermoore was finished Grand Master Herankis would task Grand Interrogator Haffore and Grand Apothecary Melice with sorting out the chapters new recruitment procedures, as Herankis focused his efforts to the growing issue of the Primaris. Both esteemed members of the Inner-Circle would personally venture to the major tribes within the Frost Peaks, meeting with each tribe and discussing their new plans for them. Once summoned each Elder of the tribes would swear fealty to the Ebon Angels and by extension the Imperium, and would agree to a truce during the Angels recruitment period and would offer up their youths to go through the trials for joining the chapter. In return the Ebon Angels would offer aid to the tribes in the form of food should it become sparse, and the Ebon Angels would allow the tribes to carry on with their day to day lives un affected. The tribes, understanding that all this was more of an ultimatum with a not so hidden dagger beneath it should they refuse, accepted the terms of the Angels proposal and now provide the chapter its fresh recruits.

## Recruitment on Highermoore

Due to the Ebon Angels declaring Highermoore to be their new homeworld the chapter has been forced to introduce new training doctrines to fit the frozen environment and old practices used on their previous outposts. This mixture has culminated in the Highermoore Trials, the new methods of testing aspirants for their worthiness to join the chapter.

**The 'Trial of the Frost Blades'** - The first of the trials is a relatively simple one and has been used by the chapter since its inception. The trial involves the aspirants duelling one another before their combined tribes whilst the Ebon Angels recruiters watch on and decide their worth and skill. Victory over an opponent here does not guarantee advancement as their have been many cases where a lengthy duel between two equally skilled aspirants has led to both being accepted and even defeated youths can be accepted, as it is entirely up to the recruiters who is chosen. This trial can therefore be seen as not just one of martial ability and strength, but also of endurance and comradery as youths out to kill each other are not as valuable as those who understand brotherhood and unity.

**The 'Trial of the Frozen Path'** - Almost immediately after the first trial the aspirants will be gathered up before the recruiters and informed of their next task, which is to carry a piece of power armour all the way to the Ebon Sepulchre. The aspirants are allowed to tackle this anyway they wish, whether it be alone or as a group, but each must carry a piece of armour as well as the required supplies for the journey. The recruiters then inform them that they must depart before sunset and then they leave the aspirants and tribes in order to await the aspirants arrival at the fortress-monastery. The journey to the Ebon Sepulchre is treacherous to say the least, with many of the quickest routes taking the youths through the hunting grounds and lairs of deadly beasts and the longest routes taking them around the bases of the mountains seeing the worst of Highermoores weather. Should the aspirant arrive at the Ebon Sepulchre without their armour piece they will be immediately failed and the youth will be sent out to recover the lost piece, so far no aspirant sent back out to find the armour has returned alive. The entire journey will be monitored by the chapter through hidden servo skulls and other surveillance equipment, to look out for valuable skills like determination and leadership as well as negative ones and to mark the location of lost armour pieces. When the youths arrive at the gates of the Ebon Sepulchre they will be examined medically for injuries obtained on their journey and then sworn in as Wards of the Ebon Angels.

**The 'Trial of the Black Angel'** - After a period of recovery from their journey the Wards will begin learning the teachings of the Ebon Angels, learning the chapters history, structure and culture. They will then begin martial training alongside these more traditional lessons where they will conduct large scale battles between training groups and individual duels, as well as strenuous fitness regimes. A Ward may even request a duel with their training instructor, who is typically a Paladin, but there has unsurprisingly never been a case of a Ward winning one of these duels. Unbeknownst to the Wards, throughout these exercises the Paladins and Chaplains heavily monitor the Wards, and based on findings in both this stage and from the Trial of the Frozen Path they will note those Wards who will not pass. This can be due either to their attitudes or their repeated failure. These Wards will be designated as 'Black Angels', and be given survival equipment and sent out of the Ebon Sepulchre with the idea that this is another trial and they must survive as long as possible in the wilderness alone. The other Wards will then be informed of how the Black Angels have defied the chapter and they must be hunted down. The Wards are not told whether to kill or capture the Angels and are simply informed that they must return with evidence of their completed mission. After this they will be sent out in hunting teams and told not to return until the mission is completed. When the Wards locate their quarry they will be watched very carefully for how they act as the Wards, if they have listened to their classroom training, will know they must capture and return their quarry as a prisoner. Those who choose to meter out their own justice will be deemed as failures and scolded for it, although they will not be prevented from advancement they will have to under go more harsh physical training as a result and have a permanent mark on their record in the eyes of the Inner-Circle.

**The 'Trial of the White Lion'** - After further training and surgeries, the Wards will be gathered up and ordered to go from the Ebon Sepulchre and hunt down a great beast of the mountains, to achieve this they may take a single melee weapon and limited supplies and will the be dropped off somewhere within the mountains and tasked with returning to the Sepulchre with evidence of their kill. The Ebon Angels will usually pick the most inhospitable locations within the mountain chain to drop the Wards in order to truly test their worth. Completion of this final trial will result in the Wards being officially made Squires and given entrance into the 5th Orders of one of the Brotherhoods.

**The 'Trial of the 5th'** - The final trial encompasses the Squires service in the 5th Order, and here they will be tested for strategic and tactical skill, leadership, ability to carry out orders and martial ability. The trial essentially followers their career as a scout and they will be pushed by the Master of the 5th Order to see how good they really are. The trial ends with the Squire becoming a fully fledged Knight of the Ebon Angels, and the representatives of the 3 main wings will choose who they want from the graduating Squires.