Lunar Blades

Lunar Blades 3rd Company Tactical Marine

The **Lunar Blades** is a Successor Chapter of the mysterious and secretive Dark Angels created during the 23rd 'Sentinel' Founding to reinforce the losses substantiated after the 9th Black Crusade. The relatively young successor chapter was forged into the shock troops of the Unforgiven. With their willingness to engage in close-quarters combat along with further reinforcement of the Dark Angels' ideals of devastating firepower makes them a terrifying sight for defenders on the battlefield and a sight to behold to their allies. They diverge from the Dark Angels' template with 2 additional specialized companies - the *Dread Wing*, which has its history as a bygone formation of the ancient Ist Legion during the halcyon days of the Great Crusade. The revival of this near-forgotten formation was only done with the Lunar Blades. Secondly, the *Iron Wing*, a company which is made up of Ares Pattern Land Raiders, Whirlwinds, and Dreadnoughts to obliterate anything that the chapter's marines cannot deal with unsupported. Due to their many combat honors in a short time, their officers were quickly brought into the Inner Circle of the Dark Angels and Unforgiven, and due to them being in the Segmentum Ultima they cover a vast area for the Inner Circle's needs.

## Chapter History

With the complete destruction of 2 entire Space Marine Chapters and the Lamenters being a shadow of its former self, the High Lords of Terra sought to bolster Imperial forces through another founding, thus the 23rd Founding. Due to the Dark Angels being near prefect for gene seed purity the High Lords decided another successor chapter would prove useful especially since the dreadful 'Cursed' Founding. The small near near-frozen feral planet of Lumrys was chosen for the chapter's homeworld. Just on the edge of its stars habitable zone Lumrys's human inhabitants grew into a tribal hunter-gather society during the Long Night and since the world had near zero strategic or resourceful value it was left to its own devices for millennia until it became the Lunar Blades home. The first Supreme Grand Master Kiraman Daedalos decided that the locals would prove useful in recruitment so the fortress monastery was built at the north pole because of its sheer inhospitality.

### Origins

During the first 3 years of the Lunar Blades, the Dark Angels and other high-ranking Unforgiven chapters concluded 'Betrayal at Zambeque' (883.M37) that a force dedicated to aggressive warfare was needed and so they influenced and gave reinforcements to the new chapter to become this role, they would succeed beyond their wildest imaginations. After only 5 years the Lunar Blades were 500-strong and ready for war, and so they sought out battle. The first campaign saw the Lunar Blades utterly annihilate an Ork war band in the Boras Minor Sector. Seeing the fruits of their labors so soon made the Inner Circle redouble its efforts to get the fledgling chapter to full strength. In 900.M37 the Lunar Blades were at full strength.

#### Era of Silence

Most records following the chapter getting to full strength are filled with ambiguity, vagueness and silence. Many of the Supreme Grand Masters, Grand Masters, Chaplains and Masters after this period believe it was due to a vow of atonement for a forgotten failure.

### The Expansion Era

In 027.M38 following a decision made by the Inner Circle mostly due to the insistence of the Supreme Grand Master of the Dark Angels Chapter. The Lunar Blades would expand their numbers to add 2 Storm Wing companies over 50 years. When this was complete the Lunar Blades were unleashed in their full might on a local pirate band that had been terrorizing local shipping. Following the complete annihilation of the pirates the Lunar Blades began a 100-year patrol of a vast section of the Ultima Segmentum.

At the end of their grand patrol the Blades rested for a standard year before the several Unforgiven chapters joined them in the 'Confessors Crusade'.

#### Confessors Crusade

A total of 6,000 astartes assembled over Lumrys to expand the Imperium with the Lunar Blades acting as the vanguard for the crusade. They set out for the southern edge of the eastern fringe, and approximately 1 year later they arrived. The crusade met no real opposition, most worlds that were inhabited had regressed into feudal or feral worlds. The notable exception was a world named Torvas II which hosted a somewhat advanced society. The void-capable civilization was horrified at first when an armada of 100 ships entered their system, the world had fought Orks before and feared they'd returned for more bloodshed. Their horror turned into confusion when humans hailed them, but this confusion did not last, horror replaced it soon following.

When Supreme Grand Master *Astovial Nemane* had hailed the world he expected a quick surrender, what he did not expect was near-open hostility when he ordered their surrender. Who were these mortals? Did they not know of the glories of the Astartes or the Emperor. His confusion turned rapidly into great anger at the thought, and he and the other Supreme Grand Masters agreed this world must be made to repent for its ignorance. The Death Wings of 5 Chapters launched a massive planetary assault of drop pods into the capital of Torvas nearly 600 terminators accompanied by a dozen dreadnoughts, a force that could conquer a sub-sector. The invasion was a completely one-sided massacre, within an hour of the landing the main government had been eradicated.

After the massacre of *Torvas* amongst the Unforgiven the Lunar Blades became looked at with both admiration and tinges of fear for their brutality. The rest of the Confessors Crusade was uneventful, in 270.M38 the crusade was ended. However, the brashness in which the Lunar Blades acted drew the attention of the Inquisition, and a lone inquisitor was dispatched to inspect the chapter. This agent froze in the harsh Lumrys winters, the suspicious death increased the Inquisition's concerns. Following the 2 extra companies of the Lunar Blades went on far-flung assignments to other Unforgiven chapters and the Deathwatch to avoid detection.

### Badab War (906.M41 - 912.M41)

In 906.M41 the Lunar Blades received orders from the High Lords of Terra to provide reinforcements to Lord High Commander Carab Culln in the ongoing Badab War. The Supreme Grand Master Sidriel Bethar had long expected this, the Badab War had been raging for 5 years already and with the proximity of Lumrys to the war zone it was only natural. However, the lengthy amount of time that had passed since the wars started until the order for reinforcements made Supreme Grand Master Sidriel paranoid as to the motives of why they hadn't asked sooner. Paranoia aside the Lunar Blades would heed Terra's call, and shortly thereafter the entire chapter had organized and was en-route to the front.

Upon arrival Lord High Commander Carab seemingly didn't want the Dark Angels' Successor Chapter around, this slight quite angered Sidriel but he knew that the normal amount of autonomy Astartes chapters had was reduced because of the spark of this war. And so the chapter waited for offensive orders, tasked with garrisoning keeps, holds, and listening posts or guarding convoys. A tense atmosphere hung over the chapter because of this, they came to put down renegades not babysit tithe ships. This tenseness grew to a titanic bitterness after the Minotaurs and Carcharodons Chapters joined the fray and were to the Lunar Blades's eyes completely independent. That was till *Epsilon IV*.

Finally, Lord High Commander Carab ordered the Lunar Blades into battle. But it would not be the battle they'd wished for. The small moon of Epsilon IV was a mining world under the secessionist banner, its resources were a key boon to their war effort. And so in 907.M41 the Lunar Blades launched a full-scale invasion. The aggressive assault was at first very successful, it was a complete route of the PDF. That was till the remaining forces retreated into a massive mine complex, the 3rd Storm Wing Perused with all haste.

With an earth-shattering loud boom half the mountainside collapsed. Nearly 2/3rds of the 3rd Storm Wing was buried in thousands of tons of rock the remaining third was trapped inside the mine. The 4th and 5th Storm Wings were sent to assist them but they were ambushed by the Astral Claws, the ambush was brutal in its efficiency. Even tho they had won the battle the entire 3rd, 4th and half of the 5th Storm Wings was wiped out. This Pyrrhic victory enraged Supreme Grand Master Sidriel and he swore an oath that the Astral Claws would be completely eradicated by the Lunar Blades no matter the cost.

After Epsilon IV, Sidriel started taking a proactive role in requesting orders. But Lord High Commander Carab had her doubts of the Lunar Blades proved to her in her mind and dismissed the Lunar Blades entirely to convoy escort duty. The Lunar Blades after the war went on an utter eradication campaign across the sector of pirates seemingly to vent their frustration of escort duty on the ones who necessitate it.

### Wraith Defiance or Wraith Massacre (956.M41)

In 955.M41 the chapter received a distress call from the Triplex Sector concerning pirate activity, that was raiding convoys leaving the forge world of Triplex Phall. Normally the chapter would not concern themselves with such small matters however in the report it had been implied that the Red Corsairs could be responsible; Due to the vow the Supreme Grand Master Sidriel Bethar had sworn during the Badab War the chapter made ready with all haste to depart. After the initial report had reached Lumrys the 2nd Raven Wing, 5th Storm Wing and 5 squads from the Scout Wing had set out on the lengthy journey to the Triplex Sector, the decision to not send the entire force together would haunt Sidriel for the rest of his days.

2 months later in 956.M41 the forward element of the Lunar Blades had finally made it into the Triplex Sector. Anxious for battle Captain Ophaniel Alajus at the Helm of the leading Strike Cruiser *Tempest Sword* set the crew to alert stations and began his search of their foe, roughly 15 hours into the scanning of the sector the Cobra Class Destroyer *Dagger of Iron* reported it had contacts on sonar orbiting the dead world of *Omian Minoris*. Immediately the fleet began its intercept course to catch the traitors unaware and crush them, this however was a ruse. The fleet engaged 3 hours after the discovery, with torpedoes and thunder-hawks being deployed followed shortly afterwards by long-range lance fire.

It became apparent that something was amiss when the chaos vessels didn't fire back at the Imperial fleet, Captain Ophaniel had an awful feeling and relayed the order for the thunder-hawks to return to the fleet and for his fleet to deploy in a defensive formation, but it was already too late. Near instantly after his order 10 chaos void craft pierced through the veil of realspace and their warp-infused weaponry fired with such fury that several Cobra destroyers were vaporized in seconds. While the Imperial fleet did return fire, their volleys were confused and spread out. As to seal their fates the derelicts that the fleet had originally fired upon sprung to life and charged at the fleet with all haste.

The Imperial crew's morale was evaporating at a terrifying rate, the only thing keeping the ships in order was the Astartes. Realizing they would all perish if they attempted to fight the chaos fleet Grand Master Jazaric Vasson of the Raven Wing ordered that they needed to make planetfall or they would all perish for nothing. With that, all battle-brothers could descend on the dead world by whatever means they could. About half managed to descend by drop pod or thunder-hawk the final remaining 50% was unable to escape before the *Tempest Swords* drives completely failed under chaos bombardment, leaving the Cruiser to de-orbit under the Omians gravity well. Captain Ophaniel did his best to safely get the cruiser to land but with the main engines destroyed, there was not much he could do.

*Tempest-Sword* crashed into the ruins of a hive city, the damage was catastrophic. Of what remained 99% of the mortal crew was dead on impact. The Astartes faired better but the losses were just as disastrous. Of the original 250 Battle-Brothers only 140 Remained, scattered across the Omian. It did not take long for the traitor to give pursuit but the remnants of the Lunar Blades had bought some valuable time. The contingent rallied at the *Tempest Swords* crash site, the ship was a Lunar Blades vessel it could not be lost to chaos manipulations or sorcery, the ruins of the hive city could be fortified along with the ship itself to prove a final point of resistance. Helpless to stop the traitors from landing Grand Master Jazaric organized what was left of the Raven Wing and their vehicles to harass the enemy upon landing, to pick away at them to make the final clash as much in their favor as possible. The Red Corsairs began their planet-fall 2 hours after the *Tempest Swords* landing, those in command remembered the Lunar Blades from the Badab war and how fierce they were in melee combat. So they took up a strategy of caution. Never committing fully until what remained was so pitiful and weak it would barely be a fight.

For about 3 weeks the Corsairs slowly closed their noose around the Blades position. One by one battle brothers would fall to the Corsairs persistence. The Raven Wing did its best to lure them out and kill what they could but it was looking very grim. At the start of the 4th week the Lunar Blades were reduced to merely 58 Brothers, most of them wounded. Grand Master Jazaric, Sergeants Wraith, Arakiel, and Tarchail were all that remained of the command structure; Apothecary Merlel was always busy trying to heal his brothers and reaping the gene seeds of any fallen brothers, his optimism in their rescue is what keep most of his brothers morale up. But they all knew the end was drawing near, their ammunition stocks were low, their fortified positions were slowly getting reduced to dust and every loss they inflicted was returned in kind. They would die here. Sergeant Wraith recommended to Jazaric that if they must die here then they should go out in a way the Lion would be proud of, and they retreat to the interior of the *Tempest Sword* and engage the enemy in close quarters. Jazaric agreed.

So on the morning of the 28th day, the 58 Astartes of the Lunar Blades entered their tomb knowing they wouldn't see the sun again. Despite their best efforts, the Corsairs knew now that they would have to engage the Lunar Blades in close quarters. The walls and floors of the once noble Strike cruiser was painted red with the blood of Loyalists and Heretic Astartes. Hallway by hallway, room by room, deck by deck the Red Corsairs pushed deeper into the vessel. They would be engaged from one corridor only to find it empty the second they fired back. Anytime a Corsair would be alone they would be slain. Frustrated with the lack of results and casualties the commander of the Corsairs ordered a full-scale charge. This is what they were waiting for. Finally given the chance to kill their foe in a glorious melee the Lunar Blades met them with all the fury, strength and martial prowess they could muster. The Blades killed scores of heretics before they would fall they would see to that. At last, though it was time for their valiant and heroic last stand to end. While each Lunar Blade took 3 or 4 traitors with him it wasn't enough.

Grand Master Jazaric, Apothecary Merlel and Veteran Brother Azroph were all that was left. They waited for the traitors on the crumpled and crushed remains of the bridge, but they didn't come. For some time they waited there, they didn't know how long. The confusion they felt soon turned into elation, as they heard through the many decks and bulkheads a tremendous battle started to rage. Their chapter had come for them. The Red Corsairs who landed on Omian Minoris were swiftly and with great anger and fury butchered by the Death Wing, the Supreme Grand Master *Sidriel Bethar* himself was leading the charge and killed dozens of traitor astartes in his wake of vengeance. In all the Lunar Blades lost 285 Battle Brothers. In honor of Sergeant Wraith the campaign was named the *Wraith Defiance*. Soon after the arrival of the rest of the chapter all the Red Corsairs in the Triplex Sector were annihilated.

## Minor Campaigns

In 987.M37 the Raven Wing deployed along with the Dark Angels to scour *Picus* in the Orar Sub-sector for Solas, they would prove unsuccessful.

They would aid the Dark Angels in the Altid Crusade (299.M38-309.M38) providing 6 Devastator squads to the cause and would prove useful in slaying Traitor Astartes.

Following the Angels of Vengeance into battle at Grymm's Landing (Unknown Date.M39) the *5th Storm Wing* suffered severe casualties.
Was marshalled for war in the Macharian Heresy (399-469.M41) by the High Lords of Terra, besides their involvement nothing else is known.

## Major Campaigns

### Hundred Planet Rebellion (518.M39)

In pursuit of Cypher, the Lunar Blades joined the Unforgiven in destroying Alldric the Subverter's rebellion in the Veiled Region.

### Fortress-Monastery

The Fortress-Monastery Citadel of Secrets is on the north pole of the world, permanently frozen over with the average temperature during summer reaching -5 C, during winter this can plummet to -60 C. As a result, the fortress's walls are thick with insulation, and the fortress itself is designed much like a void craft meant for individual compartments to be able to support themselves.
An underground complex contains the chapter's most vital systems: Shrine, Armoury, Gene Seed vault, Life support, main power plant, and magtrain.

A magtrain stretches underground for 200 Kilometres to the main starport where the chapter voidcraft can dock and load cargo and marines.
The Monastery itself has 3 hangers for Thunderhawk gunships, Dark Talons and later the Nephilim Jetfighter

## Chapter Organization

### Officer Ranks

* **Supreme Grand Master (Chapter Master)**
* **Master (Captain)**
* **Seneschal (Lieutenant)**

### Specialist Ranks

* **Reclusiarch**
* **Chaplain**
* **Interrogator-Chaplain**
* **Chief Librarian**
* **Librarian**
* **Chief Apothecary**
* **Apothecary**
* **Master of the Forge**
* **Techmarine**
* **Chapter Champion**
* **Company Champion**
* **Chapter Ancient**
* **Company Ancient**

### Line Ranks

* **Veteran Sergeant**
* **Veteran**
* **Battle-Brother**
* **Scout Marine**
* **Neophyte**
* **Aspirant**

## Chapter Appearance

### Chapter Colours

Green
Purple
White
Black

## Relations

### Allies

Dark Angels
Unforgiven

### Rivalries

Space Wolves
Ultramarine's
Inquisition

### Enemies

Red Corsairs
The Fallen
Dark Eldar

## Gallery

[Source]

 White Scars Successors
 Space Wolves Successors
 Imperial Fists Successors
 Blood Angels Successors
 Salamanders Successors
 Raven Guard Successors
 Chimeric Lineage
 Unknown Lineage
 Renegades

[Source]