Alexandros Darshan VonSalim

**Alexandros Darshan VonSalim** is the Primarch of the Vth Legion - the Halcyon Wardens. Under his guidance, his Legion's former past aggression was put in check, and they changed their tactical doctrines towards defensive warfare, placing a priority of protecting Imperial citizens and other humans, rather than simply slaying the enemies of Mankind. Upon their Primarch's ascension to the esteemed rank of High Regent, the Halcyon Wardens became the 'Regent's Own' and drove themselves to high discipline to reflect their newfound primacy as the elite of the Legiones Astartes, which would be sorely tested with the onslaught of the Five Ruins.

## **Origins**

During the dark age of Old Night, the Delos System had become bereft of its connection to the rest of Humanity and surrendered to overriding fear as a brief and intense civil war reduced its technological levels to pre-Industrial capabilities. Yet, the blow was temporary and several planets including Delos Prime were still rich in natural resources. In time, the Delians struggled to return to their past prosperity, eventually spawning several new civilizations that would commit war and diplomacy against one another. Technological progress suffered when xenos raiders targeted the system, stealing valuable resources and destroying scientific centres, in moves obviously meant to impede advancement, all the while, never outright attempting to destroy the Delians, despite possessing the capability to do so. Though these setbacks greatly hampered progress and caused great fear of these 'night demons', these attacks would aid the Delians' on the road to political unity. Unfortunately, it was unknown which scenario would occur first: the Delians' eventual annihilation or developing the means to fight off their monsters.

That answer would arrive in an incubation pod in the form of a nascent demi-god. It would be during this nadir for people of the Delos System that a miracle occurred.

### The Coming of Alexandros

The Primarchs were the 20 genetically-engineered transhuman sons of the Emperor of Mankind created in the late 30th Millennium after the end of the Unification Wars. They were intended to be the immortal and superhuman leaders who would command the Emperor's Great Crusade to reunite the scattered human race beneath His leadership. Their genomes would later serve as the genetic templates from which the Emperor crafted the 20 Space Marine Legions. Despite his best efforts to protect the gestating Primarchs, hidden in the gene-vault deep beneath the Imperial Palace in the Himalazian Mountains where they were created, the Chaos Gods learned of the Emperor's plans and the existence of the Primarch Project and decided they had no wish to see the Anathema attempt to weaken their power succeed by extending the grip of Order across the galaxy.

The incubation pod of the Vth Primarch came to the world of Delos and landed near a village within the small Hellasan state of Massidon. The infant Primarch was discovered and adopted by the local magistrate. Named Alaexandros Darshan VonSalim, only a few years would pass before Alexandros was known throughout the planet, making his mark through his military victories over their xenos raiders, while becoming an unparalleled statesman. While some of his brother Primarchs conquered their homeworlds with force, Alexandros would take the longer, more difficult, and less trodden road of unification solely through diplomacy. With his innate, Emperor-given gifts, this nigh impossible feat was accomplished in a decade. Not only was he appointed as supreme military commander & de facto political leader, Alexandros had invested small portions of his time into technology and science causing a new boom of innovation and progress.

It was to this prosperous system the Emperor and his armies arrived. Knowing four days before the first of the Imperial ships would reach the system, Alexandros began a subtle propaganda campaign that would plant the seeds for the inevitable Imperial compliance. Broadcasting planet-wide, the Primarch spoke to his people of his dreams. He dreamed of reuniting with the rest of the Humanity. A dream to share in lost technologies. A dream of an even brighter future, where they were made whole. Although it seemed obvious, we must remember we have the benefit of hindsight, and the Delians had no knowledge of the Imperium.

Thus, when the Emperor arrived, his Son was waiting and willing to join the Great Crusade. The Compliance of Delos was achieved quickly as Alexandros departed from his homeworld to Terra to learn directly from his Father. It was during this time he would learn about the Imperium and his place in it. Once his time came to an end, he would finally take his place at the head of the Vth Legiones Astartes - the Storm Riders. Assuming his rightful position as Master of the Legion after a period of apprenticeship under the Emperor, Alexandros led the Storm Riders on three campaigns as he familiarized and established his place among his sons.

Few legions have undergone such a drastic change as the Vth Legion did with Alexandros' ascension. Renaming the Legion as the Halcyon Wardens, Alexandros changed the appearance and guiding principles of the legion. No longer was the priority on destroying the enemy, but on preserving Humanity and the Legion. Instead of aggressive assaults, Alexandros moulded the legion into a powerful defensive army that could absorb much firepower before unleashing devastating counter-attacks or force their enemies into suicidal charges. With contemporary warfare involving close quarter fighting as much as long-range ballistics, an ancient tool of war was resurrected and underwent an apotheosis through technology: the shield.

Remade with adamantium and powerful generators, the shield would become the symbol of Alexandros as he campaigned across the galaxy. Able to defend against both melee and ballistic weaponry, it offered a utility hinged on its size from the small, agile combat shields to the elite, mammoth storm shields. More importantly, in Alexandros' eyes, it sacrificed a small portion of offensive power for a greater degree of defence that could be shared by both wearer and any units behind him.

While the shield remained as the legion's most visible change, Alexandros wrought another, greater change upon taking command. The incidents of insanity that had reeked havoc upon the Vth Legion simply stopped. Curiously, for a Primarch who had been infamous for his insistence on transparency, how this came to be is still unknown. Where truth remains hidden, rumour is more than eager to fill its place. From early whispers of the Emperor himself secretly curing the legion to the latter fears of malicious pacts, none could be sure. Whenever questioned on the subject, Alexandros would merely offer a wink, a grin, and say, "Que sera, sera."

Regardless of the mystery, in a decade, Alexandros had completed the transformation of his legion. With his new combat doctrines and philosophy of command, the Halcyon Wardens transitioned from being ostracized to being a welcome sight on the battlefield. With his men in full control of themselves, their brother legions and the Imperial Army could rely on them to do their part. With the Wardens taking special care to defend the Imperial Army on deployments, the mortals fighting for the Emperor released their former suspicions and eventually cheering at the mere sight of the Halcyon Wardens.

## **Personality**

Alexandros was known among the Primarchs for his levity and even-tempered bearing. A trained philosopher and orator, he delighted in debate and made this a cornerstone of the Warrior Lodges. In stark contrast to to several of his brothers, he was courteous to mortals of all stations.

Nonetheless, Alexandros was a warrior, and his patience had its limits. The latter led to disagreements between him and his father, especially over the bluntly rationalist Imperial Truth, and he made enemies of other Primarchs when his ideals were challenged.

## **Wargear**

* **The *Lorica Praeses*** - Perhaps the finest single example of Tactical Dreadnought Armour ever based on the Tartaros pattern, the *Lorica Praeses* was wrought by Niklaas to mark Alexandros’ appointment as High Regent. As well as a breath-taking degree of protection and cutting-edge systems, it incorporated psycho-reactive crystals. These served to bolster Alexandros’ already prodigious abilities to greater heights.
* **The *Panoplia Auspica*** - Forged under the Emperor’s oversight, this armour was presented to Alexandros at the end of his education on Terra. Ruined by the Koloss AI monstrosity on Stengah, it was painstakingly repaired by the magi of Eskut and retained by Alexandros for occasions and battles in which the bulk of the *Lorica Praeses* might be unsuitable. As with his Terminator plate, it enhanced Alexandros’ psychic powers considerably.
* ***Aegis*** - Extensively reworked in the Vth Legion’s forges after Stengah, Alexandros’ shield was equipped with a field generator which could negate even the blast of a main battle tank.
* ***Xiphos*** - A Tyrin gladius of exquisite quality, *Xiphos’* monomolecular edge and disruptor field made it perfect for Alexandros’ preferred method of sudden, precise kill-strokes. It was said to have been forged from Medusan steel.
* **The *Spear of Terra*** - The *Spear of Terra* was gifted to Alexandros as both a badge of office and an extraordinarily deadly weapon.
* ***Ultimatum*** - Constructed by Lukas to honour the new High Regent, this plasma pistol immediately became Alexandros’ favoured sidearm. Such was its potency that on the field of battle it was known to reduce whole squads of enemy soldiers to drifting smoke, scorching the ground on which they stood to naked earth.