Dragons of the Rift

The Dragons of the Rift are a brutal and vindictive chaos warband that fell from the Emperor's light after making a dark and unholy pact upon the cemetery world of Marax's Tomb. Their treacherous deeds are known by their foes with great hatred and fury and to those who do not seek their destruction their name is followed with great respect. The warriors who clad themselves in the colours of the Dragons are devoted followers of chaos undivided and are divided into five subfactions who each govern sections of the warband separately but all answer to the call of their Dragon King.

## History

### Time of Shackles

The warband that would become the Dragons of the Rift were originally known as the Imperial Dragons. They were a fierce and proud astartes chapter who would preach their feats of glory in mantras during battle. Their fury would burn traitorous worlds to ash and crush the populace under the winged claws of the Imperium. Though some distrusted them and this distrust would prove to be more than justified as in the depths of their fortress monastery they tampered with their gene seed to cure their mutated gene seed. while it only affected one in a thousand of their battle brothers on average it was a flaw they could stand to even exist. The flaw had them slowly mutate into abominable creatures with long claws and scaled hides that would go mad and slaughter all those around them. This was known as the Draken Madness and had plagued the chapter since the first millennia of it's creation.

Deep within their fortress monastery, the Dragons' chief apothecary was trusted with the knowledge of these monsters and was tasked with finding a cure for the draken madness. Eons seemed to pass as the chief apothecaries rose and fell in efforts to save their chapter from the Draken Madness but only one battle brother was able to be saved from this curse. This astartes would go on to become the Dragon King Viserius Zerex.

### Rise of Viserius

Viserius was the only astartes to ever recover from the Draken Madness and was seen with great suspicion by the chapter's command for the first ten years of his return. During these times he formed a close bond with the astartes known as Dracus Numeron. They met each other during a campaign defending against an ork WAAGH where they had to survive against the green hordes for a week before being retrieved by imperial forces. During this time, Viserius would slay a great many greenskins with his chainsword alongside his battle brother. The two would become honour brothers after this and this act would have grave consequences for the chapter. After this, Viserius would become more and more respected in the eyes of the chapter's command. Maybe this warrior was meant to lead the chapter to greatness?

Viserius quickly claimed the ranks of lieutenant and captain after leading the chapter to victory against the tyranid swarms that plagued Malix-7, the drukhari raiders of Linatras-5 and the chaos cults that rose to prominence on the world of Demaltus-3. Until eventually the influence he had gained through various miliary campaigns landed him the opportunity that would drive the Imperial Dragons into the claws of the Chaos Gods. He was made chapter master.

### The Road to Hell

It was during the cleansing of the Konarus system that the first note on the song of the Dragons' fall would be struck. The Chief Apothecary heard whispers of a group of four scholars who knew of the Draken Madness and how it could be solved. The whispers told the astarte that the scholars were upon the dead husk of a world known as Marax's Tomb. A former cemetery world that had every bit of biomass torn away by tyranids. The Chief Apothecary discussed this news with the chapter's high ranks and a fleet of the first company was assembled. Viserius was the head of this fleet and led the chapter to meet these scholars.

### Marax's Tomb

One thing was apparent when the chapter reached the world they so desperately sought after. The world's report had not reported what happened to it in the following years. A daemonic force had corrupted the carcass of a world and had slowly morphed it into a ball of ethereal magma, blood thirsting winds, seas of rotting stone and fields of perfectly imperefect glass. Any other chapter would have declared exterminatus on the world. Any other chapter would have left. Any other chapter would have left and never spoken of this. The Imperial Dragons were not any other chapter.
Viserius landed a force on the planet accompanied by the Apothecary, his Master of Sanctity, Chapter Champion Artivrus Belamis and 5 squads of veteran astartes. They landed on the perfectly imperfect fields of glass and walked to the centre of the world.

Upon reaching their location they were met with the four scholars. They offered the cure for the Draken Madness in return for a favour. The chapter master barely had any time to think before his chief apothecary accepted the deal. A shard of the ground morphed into a tentacle and impaled the astarte, lifting him above the ground, his armour and flesh melted away leaving only his transhuman skeleton upon which had the details needed to cure the Draken Madness. When Viserius ordered to fire upon the scholars he found they had already gone. Viserius took the skeleton back to his ship in orbit and returned back to their homeworld.

### Crescendo

After the force returned to their homeworld, they descended to the depths of their fortress monastery where the victims of the Draken Madness were held. Following the instructions engraved upon the skeleton of the former chief apothecary, a serum was created and injected into the victims of the madness. Miraculously, the cure worked and many of their brothers thought lost returned to them. However what was not known to them was that it opened their souls to daemonic possession. This flaw was unfortunately revealed to those outside of the chapter when the Atrilox campaign arrived in their history.

The Atrilox system was a system devoted to the collection of resources. It's planetary governor also possessed an oath of protection the Dragons were bound to. The Dragons sent a group of three companies worth of astartes to save this system from the threat of tyranids. Alongside these warriors was the zealous and wrathful adepta sororitas order known as the order of the Vengeful Rose. While the two imperial forces held horrible views of one another, they put up with one another to purge the tyranid menace. One year into the campaign, the blood of the imperial defenders and the xenos menace could fill an ocean. It was so dire that the minions of Khorne sprung forth from the lake alongside a warband of chaos space marines who's name has been lost to time. This was when the song of the Imperial Dragons would take a deathly fall. Those who had supposedly been cured of the Draken Madness became hosts to khornate daemons. The most notable of these was the captain Amadeus Betaros. This revelation caused the sisters of battle to turn upon the Imperial Dragons forcing them to flee from the Atrilox Campaign.

### Sanctuary Broken

When the remnant forces of the Imperial Dragons returned to their homeworld, they found it already a warzone. The Imperium had already gotten word of the Dragons' treachery and their homeworld became engulfed in war. Chapter Master Viserius frantically fought against both the whispers in his mind and the screams of war around him. He could feel the Draken Madness slowly clawing it's way back into his soul. He knew he couldn't fight against the Imperium forever. If he fought them off they'd just return in a decade or less to enact an even bloodier crusade against him and his brothers.
One fateful night in his command deck the four of scholars appeared before him and called in the favour they had been promised so long ago. They requested for the chapter master to take his brothers and go into the Immaterium. As a way of solving the issue of getting to the warp, the scholars provided Viserius with a scroll where a ritual was inscribed.
In the following days the ritual was prepared. Serfs were brought forth by their astarte masters who took their unwilling lives and chains of ethereal sorcery sprung out from the corpses into the sky and trapped the imperial ships in orbit. This allowed the Imperial Dragons to escape where they fled into the far reaches of the galaxy to escape the wrath of the Imperium.

### Outcasts

Their banishment from the Imperium left the wounded chapter without a great many resources. This issue was seemingly resolved by the appearance of a traitor warband known as the Vorpal Prophets who offered aid to what was left of the chapter. Viserius met with the Prophets' leader and negotiated trade. In return for resources, the Dragons would aid the Vorpal Prophets in raiding the world of Safrix 9. Before they took this task they went under a new name. The DRagons of the Eye

### Safrix 9

Upon the world of Safrix 9 the two warbands would end up merging after Viserius caused the deaths of their leadership in a convenient 'accident' and subsequently merged his forces.
During the years which followed this merge the five subfactions of the warband would rise as the warband descended further and further into chaos' clutches. These subfactions were:

* **The Knights of Khorne**

Led by Artivrus Belamis
Martial prowess and strength is valued above all by these delusioned knights. To them they are honourable and noble warriors who fight for survival and glory in the name of He on the Throne. In reality they are merciless butchers who's armour, while usualy unpainted, is coated in the visceral remains of their foes be they a soldier or civilian. Founded M39 800.

* **The Rotten Drakes**

Founded by Bruz the Rustbringer, now led by Gitrux the Plaguedrake
Vile potions and putrid diseases are crafted by these worshippers of Nurgle. Rust coats their armour as tubes of flesh burst out like vile limbs as these astartes walk. Founded M39 799.

* **The Wyverns of Depravity**

Founded by Solarnis Hiss, now led by Wanton Scourge
Torture and ectasty are the two tenets these worshippers of Slaanesh live by. Their bodies are augmented by the machinations of sonic weaponry and vile stimulant injectors that make these astartes remain in a never ending cycle of craving more and more depraved joys. Founded M39 802.

* **The Mind Eaters**

Founder unknown, now led by Celakorus the Mindflayer
None truly know the prophecies these mad sorcerers spew from their mouths given by Tzeentch. Mutation is a gift in their eyes and the knowledge held within their foe's mind and the only way to absorb it is to devour the fleshy prison it is held within. Robed figures are part of this sect and they remain as ever mysterious as ever. Founded M39 800

* **The Iron Wyrms**

Founded by Ishmiik Torne, now led by Klech the Platinum Claw
The efficiency of iron and the purpose of steel is ever present in these minds. Influenced by Vashtorr, Ishmiik founded this faction from those who resist the calls of the chaos gods. The warriors hailing from the Iron Wyrms are usually augmented with bionic replacement limbs and lack chaos mutations their kin may possess. Founded M39 803

### Present Time

Since the formation of the subfactions, the Dragons of the Eye took up the new name of the Dragons of the Rift as a result of the Despoiler's machinations on Cadia which is represented by the white lash across their icon. They have plundered, raided and wiped out many worlds gathering their gruesome reputation. They have taken on the new primaris in the indomitus crusade and taken many lives. The Dragon King has become a fearsome beast of an astartes. Those who see the gruesome lord of the warband claim to be unable to differentiate Zerex's flesh from his suit and describe large wings tearing out from his back.

## Notable Campaigns

* **The Storming of Lysix (500.M36)**

* **The Siege of Jitax (750.M39)**

* **The Defence of Leonich (800.M41)**

The Defence of Leonich is a conflict which occurred during the year 800 M41. The Dragons of the Rift set their eyes upon the imperial world of Leonich. A hive world of seemingly no value. However it served a purpose in the eyes of Viserius Zerex. He sensed the rising tensions within his warband and so he selected the world of Leonich to vent his warband's frustrations. A scout force of wyrmlings yielded the needed results alongside the attention of imperial forces. This resulted in a techmarine known as Skaar Desaan being sent to the world in order to reinforce it. When the warband arrived a siege lasted for several weeks. The warband won this conflict through subtly corrupting Desaan's lieutenant. When the lieutenant fell he opened a hole in the defender's battlements before being killed. This allowed for the Red Knight of Khorne, Artivrus Belamis, and a few of his most trusted warriors to invade the commanding fortress. Artivrus chose to engage the commander and his honour guard alone. Killing the honour guard swiftly, Artivrus defeated Skaar. Howver, he chose to spare their life seeing their defeat as too easy. Instead he let them live allowing them and their transports to leave ,with their tail between their legs'. Soon after the elimination of the commanding body of the defenders, the world fell providing the warband with new resources, glory and a good deal of relieved tension. The last of which, Viserius Zerex appreciated greatly.

* **Fall of Libra's Paradise (M41.951)**

Libra's Paradise was an Imperial shrine world in segmentum ultima. The Dragons of the Rift attacked in full force. Many in the warband earned vast amounts of glory as legends rose and fell as often as the sun. The campaign lasted a year and the Dragons of the Rift eventually crushed the imperial defenders and took relics and slaves as their reward. This would not be the end of Libra's Paradise however. A force of Black Templars swore bloody vengeance on the Dragons. These templars have pursued the Dragons ever since. Though they have yet to catch them.

* **The Assault on Paradise (M42)**

The Assault on Paradise is a term used to describe the raid the Dragons of the Rift performed on the eldari Maiden world of Belanix VI after they believed it would be a prime location to conduct a chaos ritual. Almost a week after the warband had landed on the planet, a force of craftworld eldar revealed themselves to the Dragons which resulted in a brutal campaign of open, backstage and covert warfare.

## Fleet

The fleet used by the Dragons of the Rift is known as the Draco Examen. Inside the fleet is six battle barges and one transport vessel:

* **Hero's End**

Viserius' personal starship. It was the chapter's capital flagship before their fall and has served them well ever since. It's most defining feature is the large figurehead of a dragon attached to the the bow of the starship. In the mouth of this figurehead is a large battle cannon that has been the doom of many a ship that entered void combat against the Dragons of the Rift

* **Ecclesia Sanguinis**

The battle barge of the Knights of Khorne. Originally owned by a particularly zealous space marine force, the Dragons freed the chapter of having to care for this vessel

* **The Cimiterium**

This transport vessel is the home of helbrutes and dreadnoughts the warband has captured or constructed in it's time of being a thorn in the galaxy's side.

* **Navis Ferrea**

The battle barge of the Iron Wyrms

* **Navis Putridum**

The battle barge of the Rotten Drakes

* **Navis Improbus**

The battle barge of the Wyverns of Depravity

* **Navis Labyrinthum**

The battle barge of the Mind Eaters

## Organisation

### Subfactions

Within the warband known as the Dragons of the Rift there exist groups of heretic astartes known as subfactions. There exists five of these groups within the warband who relate to different aspects of worshipping the chaos gods.

#### Knights of Khorne

Leader: Artivrus Belamis 'The bloody sword of Khorne'
The Knights of Khorne believe themselves to glorious; noble warriors who bring victory and glory in the name of their patron deity. They fight with honour and duty, restraint and focus. In reality they are bloodthirsty savages who become lost to blood-lust when battle calls and will slaughter any foe they encounter be they soldier, civilian or prisoner. They are favoured by Viserius as they foiled a rebellion by the Wyverns of Depravity and have acted like hounds for their Dragon King who uses them to stop any more rebellions.

#### Rotten Drakes

Leader: Gitrux the Plaguedrake
The Rotten Drakes were originally formed from the remnants of the Imperial Dragons' 3rd company. They embraced Nurgle shortly after their homeworld fell as a way to survive the brutal injuries. Their founder was known as Bruz Rustbringer, who was a key figure in causing the Dragons' to embrace chaos, who has since vanished after a failed attempt to usurp Viserius as leader of the warband.

#### Wyverns of Depravity

Leader: Wanton Scourge
Once a prominent faction, the Wyverns of Depravity are now a shadow of their former selves. They were founded by Solarnis Hiss who was usurped by a nameless astartes. A failed rebellion against Zerex caused their numbers to be cut down like farm grain against a scythe. When the warband goes to war, the Wyverns are now used on the front lines as punishment for their actions.

#### Mind Eaters

Leader: Celakorus the Mindflayer
The Mind Eaters are subfaction with the highest number of psykers in the Dragons of the Rift. It is not known who founded. They appeared at random in M40 and have served the Dragon King ever since. Their goals are a mystery and their reasons for acting are an enigma. What is know is that being captured by them is a worse fate than death.

#### Iron Wyrms

Leader: Klech the Platinum-Claw
Founded by a figure known as Ishmiik Torne, the Iron Wyrms are prominent as they are responsible for the production and manufacturing of weapons, armour and daemon engines for the warband. They are a methodical and tactical group who have remained neutral within warband feuds similar to their patron god Vashtorr and their deals with the gods of chaos.

### The Disciples of the Serpent

A small group of around ten astartes, the Disciples of the Serpent are led by the mysterious Tantalus and follow the equally mysterious god Fidityphonos. They appeared in the atermath of the failed Wyvern rebellion, their numbers grow through the use of strange serpentine creatures that attach themselves to the backs of victims' heads causing their minds to be surrendered to the serpent god.

## Combat Doctrine

The Main combat doctrine of the Dragons of the Rift is dependant on the battlefield though they will mostly use the daemon engine known as igni-krars as nests of the abomnable daemon engines can be found on the various ships in the Draco Examen like barnacles on a boat that drifts across the seas. Each subfaction within the warband has it's own combat doctrines that portray that subfaction's beliefs. Though a unique sight that is uncommon among raids the warband partakes in, is chaos space marines riding igni-krars. The krars are equipped with chains that go through it's mouth connected by a bar of metal. These 'helchains' at attached to the rider's gauntlets via a locking mechanism. The rider of the the monstrosity sits atop a saddle built into the daemon engine's back. Some choose to mount weaponry such as: Autocannons, plasma cannons, meltas and other abominable weaponry near the rider's saddle so that they can be used in battle.

Each subfaction within the Dragons of the Rift operates differently from each other when the time for war calls them.
Knights of Khorne: ambushes, melee, terror and shock assault
Rotten Drakes: siege warfare, plague warfare, slow+unstoppable advances
Wyverns of Depravity: long range, terror, psychic assault
Mind Eaters: psychic assault, terror, back lines
Iron Wyrms: armoured assault, siege warfare

## Gene-Seed

[INQUISITORIAL REPORT START]

The primarch from which the Dragons of the Rift is descended from is unknown. Suspected Guilliman deviant via mutation or chimeric geneseed.
The Draken Madness causes an astartes to transform into a large reptillian creature with some cases of them granting wings. These abominations re to be destroyed on sight due to possible daemonic influence. Any unauthorised viewing of these abominations is to be opunishable by mind wiping or execution.

[INQUISITORIAL REPORT END]

## Warband Culture & Beliefs

Each subfaction (excusing the Iron Wyrms) follows a pantheon of greater daemons with their chosen deity at the head of this pantheon.

**Knights of Khorne**

Within the Knights of Khorne, those inducted into the subfaction are given the role of 'Squire' and are assigned to a commander under which they will learn the tenents the Knights live by. These tenants talk about ideals of bloodshed, melee combat and martial prowess; they also speak about a survival of the fittest way of life where the strong thrive and the weak die.

**Rotten Drakes**

Within the Rotten Drakes, experimentation into new plagues and ways to cause death to the warband's foes. These putrid followers of the plague father value the degradation of their foes and have started to grow plage gardens from the corpses of enemy commanders slain by them. These gardens are seen as signs of rank with it being a baseline factor for those who seek to gain glory and infamy within the warband.

**Wyverns of Depravity**

Torture and pain are valued most by the Wyverns of Depravity. Most spare time is spent uncovering new methods of torture and delight for the astartes of this subfaction. They're tortures are excruciating and painful with their culture sprouting from it. Whoever can extract the most delightfully painful screams from their victims and prisoners has the most respect within the Wyverns.

**Mind Eaters**

The culture of the Mind Eaters is largely unknown at worst and confusing at best. They value knowledge and often find it through the consumption of brains. This culture has gathered both attraction and repulsion by those who know of it. They also value power of psychic might and often receive visions of psychically potenet places or items to then seek these out.

**Iron Wyrms**

The Iron Wyrms value creation and innovation above all else. Their leader earned the name 'platinum-claw' after constructing an adamantine lightning claw and forcing a daemon into it. This display of innovation and creation led to his ascent to the role of subfaction leader.

## Notable Warband Members

* **Viserius Zerex 'The Sky-Breaker' , 'The Dragon King' 'The Fire-Bringer'**

Chaos Lord Viserius Zerex also known as 'The Dragon King', 'The Sky Breaker', 'The King of Dragons' and 'Fire-Bringer' Viserius Zerex rules the Dragons of the Rift with an iron fist. His feats are many and his weapons have spilled blood across hundreds of worlds from the bodies of thousands of enemies.

Viserius then discovered a chapter had a chaos relic buried deep underground in their homeworld and began to prepare for war a few years before the Great Rift opened. Whether the chapter knew of it or not, Viserius did not know. Shortly after the opening of the Great Rift he led his warband to lay siege on the Clerics’ homeworld using sorcery and other chaos abilities to spread corruption amidst the Clerics’ ranks. In a matter of weeks the chapter had fallen and their chapter master gaining a new place sitting on a spike upon the Red Knight of Khorne's trophy rack. Viserius then claimed the relic, finding it locked away behind seals deep inside the Clerics fortress monastery. It was this act, that would spark to the road to glory for the Dragon King.

Wielding an ancient relic known as the 'Axe of the Warp' Viserius rules the Dragons of the Rift with an iron grip and has survived numerous rebellions from the subfactions within the warband. He uses numerous ways to keep the foundation of his rule strong such as: fear and respect. His bloody right hand, Artivrus Belamis the Red Knight of Khorne, aids his lord by quelling rebellions before they have chance to reach the Dragon King's flagship.

Reports on the Dragon King have described him as having large wings that lift a furious plated body off the ground. A large axe held in one hand. With a golden claw in the other that spits death. He has also been apparently able to survive on space though this rumour specifically is hardest to believe as there have been no recordings of it. He has been shown to be able to breathe all types of 'elements' (if the recordings do not contradict each other). His true face has been erased from imperial records as it was only seen before he fell from the emperor's light. Now his face is covered by a grisly daemon visage resembling that of a dragon.

* **Signatus the Insane**

Once an ancient Dreadnought that provided wisdom to the warriors of the Imperial Dragons, Signatus is now an insane gibbering mass of metal. Found deep within the bowels of the Cimiterium, only the strongest chaos lords are able to gain the contemptor in their forces. Where once a mighty power fist stood, metallic cables tipped with spikes now remained. It's once noble frame now replaced with a menacing image of fury, pain and anger. This helbrute is considered the most difficult to capture as it lurks in a zone known as 'The Death Maze' a large sector deep within the Cimiterium with so much radiation that only the strongest astartes can endure it's twisting depths and that is not taking into account Signatus own insanity-fueled attacks.

Signatus has had very few appearances supposedly favouring xenos or other chaos warbands as his prey though whenever he is deployed it is usually to lead a spearhead assault.

* **Brus Rustbringer 'The Decaying Drake'**

Brus Rustbringer, also known as 'The Decaying Drake', is a Dragons of the Rift battle-brother who hails from the old days of the chapter before their fall. He was a simple tactical marine then but has since risen through the warband's ranks. His melee weapon, a power maul, has been changed to imbue wounds with Nurgle's plagues transformed into a plague mace while his combi-flamer became a plague spewing gauntlet. His organs, armour and weapons have merged, creating an undying monster of an astartes similar to the astartes of the Death Guard whom he had earned the respect of. He was one of the last members of a raiding party that sieged an eldar craftworld, in alliance with the Word Bearers, taking their soul stones as a reward. However he was slain by lord Viserius after a failed rebellion against the Sky Breaker, his final moments trapped within his plague mace. His legacy is still clear within the warband as the Nurgle worshiping subfactions claim that he still lives and is imprisoned somewhere within the flagship of the Dragon King

* **Artivrus Belamis 'the Red Knight of Khorne'**

Artivrus Belamis, the Red Knight of Khorne, is the only subfaction leader to have never betrayed the Dragon King and as such has been given the honour of being his most trusted advisor and his bloody right hand. He wears a pristine suit of blood red power armour and is the only Knight of Khorne to not wear silver instead he wears red due to his partial possession by a greater khorne daemon. He is the first Knight of Khorne and chose to found the subfaction after witnessing the "madness of Khorne' that affects the blood god's followers and, after suffering it himself, he founded the Knights so no others would harm the warband due to their madness. Teaching the ways of meditation, he forged the path to making the honourable Khorne followers that serve the Dragon King loyally. He has forged a bond with a daemon known as the 'Blood Dragon'

He has slew countless imperial champions and sees the primaris as honourless creatures not worth his time. This however. Proved to be his downfall granting him his first defeat, since his possession, at the hands of an Emperor's Champion.

Since the dawn of the Dragons of the Rift to it's modern days, the Red Knight of Khorne has become Lord Viserius' most loyal bodyguard quelling many rebellions before they even have a chance to get off the ground and lay siege to the Dominus Draculorum. The mere mention of him being near has caused several warband rebels to fall back in line.

* **Belictus the Twice-born**

Belictus the Twice-born is one of the few surviving astartes who have not gone insane from the effects of the Draconic Formula. He is known as a 'Mongrel' by most of the veterans of the warband due to him not being an imperial dragon. Those who call him this 'nickname' are soon killed after saying it (even if it's in the middle of battle). He has reaped a brutal tally and has managed to earn a spot as one of the bodyguard's of Viserius Zerex in which he has served faithfully for nearly 3 centuries. His armour is contorted and twisted to support leathery wings and viscious talons. His helmet is torn open around the mouth from which: fire, ice, acid, boiling blood and lightning are propelled forwards. His hands are gruesome and taloned, often covered in blood. He is the most famous example of a stable product of the Draconic Formula and his brutality in combat show that any successful product of the draconic formula is a serious threat for any battle the mutated astartes step foot on.

## Relics

The Dragons of the Rift have gained many relics throughout the centuries of their existence. Whether they be from raids, infighting or before their fall. The armouries the Dragons' possess are home to several relics taken from their raids or owned since their fall from the Emperor's light.

* ***The Blood Dragon's Scales*** - *The Blood Dragon's Scales* are an ancient set of power armour kept from before the chapter fell to chaos. Originally a MK VII ‘errant’ pattern power armour this suit of armour has become the home of a deranged greater daemon of Khorne this suit is a treasured relic of the Knights of Khorne. The daemon trapped inside allows the wearer to increase their strength tenfold though they must always keep a calm mind lest they fall to the insanity Khorne challenges them with. Kept in pristine condition by the Drakes of Iron, this suit bears the markings of the blood god as well as a cloak of blood red dragon scales believed to have come from the daemon trapped within this cursed relic.

* ***The Rustbringer's Mace*** - Originally used by Brus Rustbringer, this mace glows with nurglite magics. Even before the Rustbringer’s death, this weapon was imbued with powerful plagues and nurglite sorcery. After this weapon was taken by the Dragon King it was used to kill the Rustbringer, trapping the traitor’s final moments within the mace. Now it glows even brighter with chaos sorcery. When used in battle by a member of the Rotting Drakes it fuels them with undying vigor as they envision themselves as the Rustbringer in his betrayal slaying foes aboard the Dominus Draculorum. However the warrior’s strength is tested constantly as the vision goes on, eventually ending with the Dragon King slaying the user causing them to black out from it.

* ***The Depraved Plate*** - *The Depraved Plate* is a relic suit of power armour. It originally was a suit of armour used by n astartes loyal to Zerex that was looted during the attempted assassination of the Sky Breaker. It was once worn by a warrior known as Alighurst the Extinguisher, a mighty warrior who made good use of the combi flamer he had chosen upon his elevation to the Chosen of Zerex. He was a problem for the usurpers and was killed by the leader of this rebellion, Delkarus the Banshee, personally. His body was taken by the Wyverns during the fight with his body being returned in pieces found throughout the ship. The armour was recoloured to the livery of the Wyverns of Depravity and was modified to have speakers, chemical injectors and other malicious contraptions including a built in combi-flamer made from the same weapon used by Alighurst. It is now worn only by the greatest champions of the Wyverns. It’s machine spirit is twisted and deranged after the claws of the Wyverns dug into it, transforming it into its current state.

* ***Flayer's Crown*** - The *Flayer's Crown* is a relic with origins that are unknown to even the Mind Flayers who keep it. It is an amalgamation of living and dead. Organic and inorganic. Alive whilst also being dead. Dead while still alive. Strong yet weak and weak yet strong. The Flayers Crown appears to be a parasitic entity that attached itself to the psychic hood of a space marine librarian. It has transformed into a fleshy web-like object that is attached to the back of a sorcerer’s head. While none tell of what they see after the Crown’s implantation, it drives some mad, others have their heads explode while the strongest are granted a notable increase in their psychic powers. If the crown is worn by a non-psychic member of the Mind Flayers it appears to control the victim making them more susceptible to interrogation by the psykers of the Mind Flayers. However the removal of the Flayer’s Crown will almost always result in the victim’s head erupting into red mist. From what outsiders of the Mind Flayers subfaction have gathered, the Flayers’ Crown was once the psychic hood of the Imperial Dragons’ chief librarian who’s name has been lost to the immaterial seas. It has since been used by the Mind Flayers as their sacred relic.

* **The Draconic Formula** - The Draconic Formula is a vial of arcane sorcery combined with the dark science of the Drakes of Iron. When taken, the bearer is transformed into a being known as a 'Drakeborn' at the cost of their sanity the bearer gains the gift of true flight as well as an enhanced breath weapon, improved strength and speed alongside other benefits. The process of making these serums takes 100 years so each vial is treated as a sacred relic by the warband. The only astartes to retain their sanity after the injection of the Draconic Formula is Belictus the Twice-Born. Also known as the Red Blade.

* **The Axe of the Warp** - The Axe of the Warp is an ancient power axe dating back to the Imperial Dragons’ creation. Though then it was an ordinary power axe now it is a warp infused terror. Used only by Viserius zerex, the Axe of the Warp has gained its name due to its ability to harness the warp to channel psychic energy as well as tear holes in the materium that lead to warp if enough psychic energy is gathered. This ability has made it devastating against armoured foes as the axe tears a whole into the warp as it cuts causing an effect similar to a grav weapon. Though it was once a power axe, after Viserius’ ascension into a daemon prince of chaos undivided it too changed form. This weapon has allowed the Dragon King to retain his title with many of his would-be usurpers falling to pieces after the Axe of the Warp cleaves through them.

## Warband Appearance

### Warband Colours

The main colour of the Dragons of Rift is red. Their livery also sports a silver left arm and pauldron with golden and silver accents

### Warband Icon

The Dragons of the Rift symbol consists of a crimson circle with a dragon silhouette at its center, a white slash across it diagonally.

## Relations

**Chaos**
Praising chaos undivided the Dragons are servants of chaos ever since the rise of Brus Rustbringer. They still convince themselves that they use it as a tool though they are followers of all four gods now.

**The Imperium**
The imperium are openly hostile to the Dragons ever since they were declared as heretics. They raid pillage and burn imperial planets taking their treasures and people as either spoils of war or as slaves.

### Allies

(Feel free to add here)

* **The Watchers of Anarchy**

The Watchers of Anarchy are an ally of the Dragons of the Rift. The alliance between the Watchers of Anarchy and Dragons of the Rift is based around relics and is uneasy at best. The Dragons would deliver the Watchers relics and information that they otherwise would be unable to obtain and in return the Watchers provide the Dragons with weaponry and resources.

A result of this alliance is a representative of the Watchers of Anarchy serving in the Dragons of the Rift. This astartes is called Kushiel and was sent to the Dragons to make sure the voice of his warband is heard in Zerex's court. Demidieas has acted as a voice of command, reason and tactics in war and has been able to quell brawls and conflict in campaigns where the two warbands work together.

Demidieas has also been granted the honour of having the protection of the Chosen of Zerex due to their lord seeing the fallen as a valuable asset that cannot be lost. This protection has warded off the hungry knives of several other warband members who sought to claim his weaponry and armour due to its value however Demidieas has also proven to be a fierce combatant in the fight pits earning himself a great deal of respect from the Knights of Khorne.

### Enemies

* **The Inquisition**

The Dragons of the Rift hold a particular disdain for the inquisition that has stayed ever since the faction destroyed their homeworld when they were the Imperial Dragons. This hate has led to many of the Dragons' raids being against inquisition owned ships which, more often than not, results in a destroyed inquisition ship though cases have turned up where the Dragons had to flee after a ship of their's was destroyed.

* **Order of the Vengeful Angel**

Many factions know the dark fury of the Dragons through the constant raids the warbands pulls off in search of relics, glory and infamy. None have taken it as personally as the Order of the Vengeful Angel. Shortly after the opening of the Great Rift, the Order's main ship was raided by the Dragons. While the warband was fought off, a kill team comprised of Wyrmlings was sent to steal as many artefacts as they could. The team only managed to steal one artefact before having to retreat. This artefact was a finely made blade embedded with runes and prayers to the god emperor. This weapon was returned to the chaos lord Tharagast Skullblade of the Chosen of Zerex. The blade now hangs on Tharagast's belt as a mocking image to the Order of the Vengeful Angel. Viserius has fought these zealous warriors many times and has had a moderate success rate with elimanating them though there have been many times where Zerex has underestimated the zealotry of the Sisters leading to his plans being foiled many a time

* **Eldar**

Ever since their service to the Emperor, the Dragons have had a severe hatred for the eldar. Whether it be the sadistic torturers of the dark eldar, the mysterious dancing harlequins, the monastic craftworlders or the new ynnari the Dragons despise every kind of elf. In the Wyverns of Depravity subfaction it is a common tradition to sport spirit stones on the astartes armour or their weapons. The eldar of the craftworlds have plagued the warband for centuries and continue to do so. Viserius is even unsure as to why they continue to do so though he always has his theories. Some in the warband believe they wish to stop the Dragons before they can achieve a goal that opposes the eldari race. The eldar and Dragons of the Rift have reaped a brutal tally on either side with many dead because of the other.

## Notable Quotes

### By the Dragons of the Rift

"*Rise wyrmling. Rise and be reborn anew. Long have you waited for this day. Long have you trained through perilous trials where many of your brothers have died. But fret not for now your wings have been earned. You will go on to achieve great victory and your life from now on will be great and filled with glory.*"
—Arch Flayer Celakorus shortly before sacrificing an unknown Wyrmling astartes and offering up the corpse to a daemon
"*You stand before me Brus. You stand before me with the hope and belief hope that you can kill me. I will give you and your traitorous welps one chance to return to your bloated rotting ship and get back in line or else you will fall beneath me and my Chosen's might.*"
—Viserius Zerex 'The Dragon King'.
"*All these years I served beneath you Zerex. All these years me and my wyverns were ordered around by you! Go here. Do that. Defend this relic. Well I've had enough and now I will finish you once and for a-*"
—Delkarus the Banshee shortly before being killed in a surprise attack by the Knight of Khorne known Atrus the Honourable.

### About the Dragons of the Rift

"*The Disciples shall be our first foray outside of our Segmentum. Should they succeed in their task, our Lord will have gained a powerful new group of servants. Until they succeed, they shall have our full support and aid.*"
—Agamemnon Tyrannos, Autokratoras of the Nova Autokratoria, remarking on one of the DotR subfactions

 Tzeentch Warbands
 Nurgle Warbands
 Slaanesh Warbands
 Chaos Undivided Warbands
 Malice Warbands
 Minor Chaos God-Aligned Warbands

[Source]

## Gallery

Dragons of the Rift Chaos Terminator.A Traitor Marine of the Dragons of the RiftA Traitor Marine of the Dragons of the Rift