Laternax Councils

Opposing Factions Iconography, Puritans (left) & Radicals (right)

**+++NOTE: The folks listed above are merely the primary authors.+++**
**+++See the Gallery & Credits section for a full contributor list.+++**

The **Laternax Councils** were a series of closed meetings between various groups of Astartes, as well as members of the Inquisition and select representatives from the Adeptus Mechanicus, that occurred in the latter half of the 41st Millennium. These meetings began as an attempt to prevent open conflict between two Space Marine Chapters – the Aasvogels, Successors of the Ultramarines, and the Saurians, Successors of the Salamanders – in the closing years of the otherwise shockingly effective and cooperative Ontiac Campaign. For towards the end of that campaign, during what would later be referred to as the **Robanni Incident**, the Aasvogels suddenly turned their guns upon the Astartes of the Silver Flames Chapter – former allies of both themselves and the Saurians – and purged them all, much to the Saurians’ fury.

Citing and submitting undeniable proof of issues regarding the purity of the deceased’s gene-seed as their primary motivation, the Aasvogels only antagonized the Saurians further – who nearly responded with open war, narrowly prevented from such by the intervention of other, more diplomatic Chapters. What would emerge from this initial mediation was a lengthy series of council meetings, at first intended only to judge the nobility of the Aasvogels' actions. However, while many came to view the Aasvogels’ specific actions against the Silver Flames as rash and dishonorable, detailed investigations into the deceased quickly yielded results that threw the question of the necessity of the Aasvogels’ deeds into hotly contested debate. For in researching the Silver Flame’s Apothecarium, and in chasing whispers leading elsewhere, the Councils soon compiled a growing collection of scraps of evidence from across the galaxy that pointed, ultimately, to the strong possibility of more widespread tampering, contamination, and intentional mutation of gene-seed than ever before thought possible.

This news, kept secret out of practical concern regarding its profound implications, proved deeply shocking to all involved. That Loyalist forces might have not only managed to stabilize hybridized gene-seed, but in fact willingly perpetuated the practice in creating what those present at the Laternax Councils later came to refer to as ‘the chimeric’, was a powerful accusation not to be made public lightly. The discussion of the veracity and permissibility of these so-called Chimeric Chapters existing within the Imperium at first merely competed for priority against the founding peacekeeping mission, but then came to dominate the latter half of the deliberations (much to the detriment of relations between the Chapters involved, who drove themselves further and further apart in mutual disdain as the Councils dragged on).

Compared by some to a modern day Council of Nikaea, the Councils ultimately ended in a failure, as the question of what to do with the chimera was left ultimately unanswered, and the permissibility of the Aasvogel’s attack at Robanni never made clear. However, the Laternax Councils would remain a notable part of the history of the Imperium, and a turning point in the discussion about the nature of the Astartes – even if stricken from official record.

## The Ontiac Campaign

A decade after it began, the Ontiac Campaign came to an altogether successful conclusion. The Ontiac Campaign, named after the crown world of the Ork Empire to be toppled, was in many ways a vigorous act of retribution on the part of the Imperium. The worlds within had been lost centuries prior, conquered by Ork warlords, its citizens enslaved, its factorums turned over to producing weapons of war for their greenskin masters. The Crusade (as it was also known) to cleanse and free these worlds drew more than a dozen Space Marine Chapters and, were it not for the events to follow, the heroism and fury of these warriors should have enshrined this section of Imperial history in glory:

* The Breaking of the Walking Hive, where Astartes of the Redemptors Chapter invaded and destroyed a hive city that had been transformed into a massive, mobilized fortress.
* The Melee in the Sands, where for fifteen hours spread across hundreds of kilometers, the Knights Angelicus fought a constant hand to hand battle against thousands of Orks, the swirl of a sandstorm preventing anything but point blank combat.
* The Ancient Bij'ahn's Ambush, where a massive Ork supply convoy en route to Gitsnikk was destroyed by the Dusk Vultures, preventing much-needed dakka from reaching the boss.
* The Hunting of the Kommandos, where Boss Gitsnikk and his Mork's Best Kommandos were pursued into - and finally exterminated within - the swamplands of Tellaris IV by the Aasvogels.
* The Destruction of the Cosmo-roks, where precision actions by the Optimus Legion disrupted the guidance systems of a trio of moon-sized megaroks, leading them to jump into a nearby star.
* The Drowning of Conar's Hope, where the Saurians detonated hundreds of dams planet-wide to unleash a massive flood, crushing the enemy's Squiggoth herds beneath endless waves of water.
* The Breach of the Blockade, when the fleet of the Calthen Justitians pierced the greenskin armada surrounding the core worlds of Ontiac.

These and other such actions defined the Ontiac Campaign as a time period of martial genius and cooperation among the servants of the Emperor...or at least, it almost did.

## The Robanni Incident

*Thidd’s bionic eye scanned the horizon frantically. There they were, clear as day - dozens upon dozens of them, just as the condemning voice on the vox proclaimed. The sight of the torpedoes hurtling down brought the warrior to his knees. For all his strength, there was nothing he could do.*

For months the Silver Flames worked alongside the Saurians to clear the mud-drenched world Robanni III of Orks, a strenuous, grinding task that denied the Marines their usual speed (everyone is slow in two feet of muck). Silver Flame and Saurian had bled and died together, but bit by bit they drove most of the Orks off-world. The majority of what remained of the greenskins rallied at their final stronghold on the nearby moon, where the Silver Flames deployed en mass to meet them. Whilst the Saurians remained below to finish cleansing the main world, the Silver Flames Chapter pledged to burn this last bastion to the ground alone.

And so it was done.

Deep in the northern reaches of Ultima Segmentum, on the second moon orbiting the third world from the star Robanni, the last bastion of the Orks smoldered and smoked. The plains around what remained of that sunken fortress held near-countless dead, and yet the Astartes of the Silver Flames rejoiced. Gashkutta’s headless body burned, mounted high on a pike for all to see. The sun shone bright and grass waved lazily in the breeze. It was a moment of peace.

And then the vox crackled to life. The Space Marines smiled, eager to share the glorious news with their allies. They looked skyward, optics racing to be the first to spot the Saurians’ green hulled voidcraft to which they had become accustomed. Yet their smiles turned to disappointment as the hulls gliding into orbit bore the color blue, and the heraldry of the Aasvogels: it was their least favorite Chapter of the joint command who would bear first witness to their victory.

But disappointment would not long last, as it soon turned to concern. The voice upon the vox dismissed their victory, overriding the Silver Flames transmission. It spoke not joyously, but with condescension and slowly building fury. A sudden revelation. The Aasvogels knew.

Concern turned to shock, and a scramble for arms. The Silver Flames knew what was next.

Despite fighting side-by-side with the Silver Flames Chapter for years, to ever-mounting victory tolls, the Aasvogels wasted no thought on what must be done upon discovering the chimeric nature of their former ally’s gene-seed. The illegal blending of Primarch DNA could not be tolerated; the Silver Flames would be put to the torch for their corruption of the legacies of the Fathers of the Iron Hands and Salamanders.

Immediately after confirming the source and contents of the aberrant gene-seed delivered to them in secret, the bulk of the Aasvogels fleet departed their assigned subsector ahead of schedule. Knowing the entirety of the Silver Flames Chapter remained isolated and entrenched in their siege of ‘da Sunken Rok’, they raced to deliver their justice before anyone else could intervene. Such was their efficacy of movement and speed of deployment that by the time the Saurians and Optimus Legion arrived on-time for pre-scheduled rendezvous, not a single marine of the Silver Flames remained alive to greet them.

## The Laternax Councils Begin

Some say it was a blessing that the Saurians waited for the Optimus to join them before they departed for the rendezvous - others that it was a curse - for once the Saurians knew the extent of the Aasvogels' actions, learning the ferocity and hate they had unleashed, the Sons of Vulkan were all but lost to fury.

At first, only the restraining presence of their immediate allies had stayed the Saurians' wrath for what the Aasvogels had done. But as word began to spread of the incident, more and more Imperials would become involved - widening the potential conflict to an unacceptable degree. The news had brought in too many parties, especially as (with the threats of violence never fading), both Chapters called out to allies so as not to be caught facing overwhelming odds.

The idea of an arbitrating council to determine the validity of the Aasvogels action was submitted as a desperate compromise in order to prevent open violence and with it the utter collapse of the wider Crusade. Surprisingly, this proposal was met with a certain eagerness by the two belligerent factions: ostensibly they saw the wisdom in avoiding open war, but privately both Chapters remained absolutely assured of their righteousness, looking forward to proving it in a gathering of their peers.

The first council began in 843.M41, following the construction of the Laternax Cathedral, a grand structure situated on the edge of the crater where the heaviest of the Aasvogels bombardments once struck. It overlooked the graveyard of the Silver Flames in the way that the council would symbolically overlook the Aasvogels actions. While initially the council was intended only for those that had participated in the Ontiac Crusade, word quickly spread of the council and its intent, and soon Chapters far and wide would arrive, sending representatives for the opportunity to either debate and weigh their perspectives or, in some cases, dredge up old grudges in a public forum.

From the very first day, factions began to form, rallying around the two key players, the Saurians and Aasvogels. But not all who arrived fit neatly into camps, and soon a sophisticated political climate formed: the Laternax Councils had begun.

###   Optimus Legion, Chief Mediators

"*Friends, brothers, warriors of righteousness, allow me to welcome you now to these council chambers. I look out and I see proffered before me some of the finest of the Emperor's angels! I am proud to name myself among you, and guide these discussions. Ever since the founding of our Imperium, men such as us have sought council with others, sharing in wisdom and insight. It is a trait that is truly, uniquely human. The Ork obeys their master and the Eldar seeks their fortunes and portents, but it is man, in our humility, that can speak and seek truth in what others of his kind may offer. Even the Emperor himself sought council with our primogenitors; if such an act is wise for him, how much more should we seek to emulate it? Let it be known that what happens in these chambers is not a judgment, nor am I an Inquisitor. We shall seek truth, even if it is unpleasant, but it shall not, MUST not, be done at the behest of our own pride, or in anger for past slights. Let us come together in common cause, and may the words spoken here serve to build a greater Imperium.*"
—Chapter Master Erias Zerakot of the Optimus Legion, in his opening address to the Laternax Council.
The Optimus Legion's role as mediators began even before the Robanni Incident and the forming of the council. Chapter Master Erias Zerakot, famous for his skills as a diplomat, had already began forming connections and establishing rapport among the Chapters and participants of the Ontiac Crusade, during which he had succeeded in coordinating inter-Chapter actions and support. Through these works, he had already come in contact with the Saurians and Aasvogels Chapters, and represented one of the few individuals that both groups felt they could trust, both to act fairly and to not harbor a hidden agenda.

Though it had not been his idea to have a council - Erias wanted this event to be handled privately without prying eyes - the Optimus Legion Chapter Master was unanimously appointed as Chief Mediator, and the Optimus Legion itself would act as the intermediaries for the council. In exchange for the right to bear arms in the Cathedral and mediate negotiations, the Legion would not get a final vote in the council's say, as their role was to be impartial diplomats.

A whirlwind of activity, Chapter Master Erias took to this appointment with vigor and focus. Smoothing over offenses, building trust, assuaging bruised egos, forming a consensus, there was not a participant at the council that did not speak personally with the Master of the Optimus, who had made it his personal mission to see this council through successfully.

But what he faced was an uphill battle. Anger ran deep, which would only fester further as the discussions rose. What would begin as a question of the actions of one Chapter against another would rise into a debate about the very nature of being a Space Marine, and who deserved to be one. Through it all, whatever the Chapter Master's true opinion was, he never spoke it; he was a friend and ally to each, his feelings hidden behind a mask and a smile.

###  Aasvogels' Argument

"*Listen well, for I speak the truth that pierces the veils of ignorance. The teaching of the Ecclesiarchy is clear. The Emperor fashioned humanity in His own flawless image, and any deviation from the physical norms is indicative of inner impurities and sins. The Aasvogels, with our unparalleled tenacity and unyielding spirit, stand as the Imperium's chosen sword against the encroaching darkness of chimeric abominations. We are not mere warriors; we are the guardians of purity, the embodiment of duty. Our campaign against these twisted creations is not driven by arrogance, but by an unshakable conviction in our mission. We alone possess the keen discernment to detect the taint of heretical gene-seeds and the prowess to exterminate them without mercy. Our exploits in the face of such horrors have earned us the right to claim our place as the Imperium's chosen, and we shall not falter in our duty. So I implore you, wise sirs, to cast aside your doubts and recognize the vital role we play in safeguarding the Imperium's future. The Aasvogels, with burning zeal and unmatched skill, will not rest until every last vestige of chimeric corruption is eradicated. Stand with us or face our implacable wrath.*"
—Captain Aahronus of the 1st Company "*Pride of Aasarikaan*" of the Aasvogels.
The Aasvogels found themselves engaged in fierce council dispute with other Chapters, defending their unwavering belief in the threat posed by chimeric Chapters to the Imperium. With steadfast conviction, they argued these abominable creations were a dangerous menace that warranted eradication. The Aasvogels believed that their Chapter served a vital mission in safeguarding the Imperium against this growing threat from within. They presented a compelling case, citing numerous instances where chimeric Astartes had wreaked havoc and caused devastation. Their unwavering dedication to their cause and their proven track record in hunting down and eliminating these mutated warriors showcased their effectiveness. They firmly believed it was their duty to protect the Imperium from the insidious influence of chimeric gene-seeds, ensuring the purity and integrity of the Emperor's vision. Their defense in the councils was not merely about personal pride or Chapter glory; it stemmed from a genuine concern for the Imperium's well-being and a profound sense of duty. The Aasvogels stood steadfast, unwavering in their belief that they were the vanguard against the rising tide of chimeric Chapters, and their mission was crucial in upholding the Imperium's survival.

###   Saurians' Argument

"*Passion, and hate… these are virtues, to be sure… in moderation. But yours is a reckless fury. It is blind and without tact. Be thankful that none of our own were amongst their transports, and that you yourselves are not an elder Chapter… otherwise, we would have struck you down in your dishonor. But you are young…

So we have shown you restraint… a chance at trial and redemption. Something you so summarily denied our former allies is now yours. For unlike them… dead, and rotting in the fields they helped liberate… you may yet atone for your sins.

It would be wise of you to learn from these proceedings… to realize that you are not, and can never be, beyond reproach. You are not the only angels of his wrath. Look around…

Here assembled stand our forerunners, older and more shrewd than either of us. They could tell you, as I have tried, of greater and more pressing threats to our Imperium. Yet you seem unwilling to listen…*"
—Captain Adayon Moise, Saurian Master of Mists
The Saurians finally locked horns with the Puritan Chapters of Segmentum Ultima in late M41, by wrestling arguably their most emblematic representative to court. To them, the atrocities committed on Robanni III-b were but the latest and greatest of vexations caused by their more closed-minded Puritanical brethren. More than a millennia of strife preceded the Aasvogels, during which time the Saurians bore witness to countless asinine purges that only served to pave the way for future incursions by more malignant forces of Xenos or true Traitors.

A detailed record of each of those inane acts - and their fallout - were brought before the assemblies in time, transferred from the Saurians' extensive Librarius with meticulous care. In whole, they presented an equally compelling yet utterly contradictory case to that built by their rivals: where Chimeric Loyalist Chapters existed, the foes of the Imperium could not coexist, and the relative threat posed by the presence of such admittedly deviant Astartes varied wildly instead of always proving dire.

## Council Factions

*Iconography of the Core Participants and Factions of the Laternax Councils*
* [Lefthand Side]:
	+ (Top Row) - Novamarines, Aasvogels, Molten Fists;
	+ (Bot Row) - Starborn Giants, Calthen Justitians, Optimus Legion
* [Righthand Side]:
	+ (Top Row) - Knights Angelicus, Saurians, Redemptors;
	+ (Bot Row) - Iron Juggernauts, Dusk Vultures, Abators Golden

###   THE PURITANS

"*Embrace purity, protect the Imperium. Chimeric Chapters threaten our lineage. Stay loyal, preserve purity. Puritans' cause is just. Together, cleanse and protect our legacy!*"
—Aazir Cathaar the Purifier

The Puritan faction, led by the Aasvogels, were composed of Space Marine Chapters as well as Puritan members of the Inquisition that supported the Aasvogels in their unrestricted crusade to genocide chimeric Chapters. These Chapters tended to be composed of the more zealous and more religiously inclined, as to them the abomination that is mutation required eradication, regardless of the cost. Furthermore, those with strong, passionate ties to their own Primarch and the culture that emerged from the Legions stood with the Puritans, as this mixing of gene-seed only served to muddy and eradicate the purity of the original Astartes. More traditional factions of the Adeptus Mechanicus came out in support of the Puritans as well, claiming that the mixing of gene-seeds was a dangerous unknown; if this mixing of traits was something that was desirable or even permissible, the Emperor and his Primarchs would have sanctioned such experimentation ten thousand years ago. That it happens now only in accident and in secret is indicative that it can be nothing good: far better to stick with the wisdom of the past.

The Puritans had the benefit of the legal high ground, as the Aasvogels mission was officially sanctioned with no specified overview; the Aasvogels were permitted to do as they saw fit, with only an Inquisitor able to investigate their actions if need be, nothing more. Formally, while the Administratum has no official position on the status of chimeric Chapters, they have been generally perceived in a negative light, as deviations from the norm are not well received within the Imperium.

####  Novamarines, Ardent Exemplars

"*Our duty as Novamarines is not only to uphold the sacred Codex Astartes, but also to safeguard the purity of our gene-seed. Just as we meticulously follow the tenants of the Codex, we must be equally vigilant in preserving the sanctity of our genetic heritage. It is through this vigilance that we ensure the strength and loyalty of our noble brotherhood. We stand resolute, unwavering in our commitment to the purity of our gene-seed, for in its purity lies the foundation of our Chapter's greatness.*"
—Novamarines Lieutenant Remus Sullerius
Whilst the eldest of all Chapters to play a pivotal role at the Laternax Councils, and the first to rally to the side of the Aasvogels in the debates therein, the Novamarines were not present from the outset. They had not bore witness to the initial standoff following the Robanni Incident, nor in fact had they participated in the Ontiac Campaign at all; the Astartes of Honourum active in the Galactic Core at the time, those far-flung few, shared proximity by happenstance alone. Instead, the Novamarines earned the dubious honour of being the first Chapter outside of the Ontiac Crusaders invited to weigh in on the proceedings.

The Aasvogels - finding themselves surrounded and outnumbered early on - refused to be put on the defensive, and so called out to their nearby Brothers of Ultramar. A lone representative managed to sway the Novamarines to intervene, the youthful zeal with which that Aasvogel spoke of the strictures of the *Codex Astartes* instantly endearing the Novamarine commander to their cause. From that point forth, the Novamarines would retain an honoured place at the table - one often left vacant and reserved due to the demands of unending war, but just as often used to launch passionate monologues speaking out against the folly of Chimeric gene-seed.

####  Molten Fists, The Zealous Faithful

"*We of the Molten Fists are used to pain, but it pains me more than I can say that this meeting has become necessary. Not even a year ago, I would have thought it impossible that there are so many who would vehemently protect abominations such as these. They are mutants. Freaks of nature. Follies of the highest order. That such Chapters exist turns my heart cold, but it freezes over such that even the hottest flames of Fortiar cannot thaw it to know that they have the protection of others who claim to follow Him on Holy Terra.

In the name of the God Emperor I call for these chimaeras to feel the purifying wrath of fire! In the name of the Cult of Flame I call for them to burn! And in the name of Fortiar and the Imperium, I call for their corpses to be scorched and the presumptions of the Mechanicus that led to their creation to never be repeated!

Those who would stand against the infernal wrath of the God Emperor are* Prodotis Qedami, pri Deabi *- traitors, cold of heart. We will never stand alongside you.*"
—Opening speech of Ragnar Vulkus,
 Lord Commander of the Molten Fists, King of Kings of Fortiar
The involvement of the Molten Fists in the Laternax Councils was motivated by religious zeal. Since the days of their second Lord Commander, the Molten Fists have been fierce adherents of their own version of the Imperial Creed - the Cult of Flame. The influence of the Cult of Flame within the sons of Fortiar was dwindling as the Laternax Councils began, but Ragnar Vulkus, the Lord Commander, saw the Councils as a way to generate a new wave of devotion towards the God-Emperor. The Lord Commander, knowing the importance of the Councils, sent a significant delegation. Accompanied by the Chief of the Izi Ebhari, Di Nahod, 1st Captain Gadarat, and several veterans, Ragnar Vulkus himself arrived at Laternax, determined to take a harsh stance against Chimeric chapters.

The majesty of this delegation was quickly dissolved, the demands of warfare calling away the Lord Commander shortly after his impactful opening statement. The Molten Fists called upon the rigid doctrines of the Imperial Cult to argue for the persecution of the Chimaeric chapters, saying that they were vile perversions of the vision laid out by the God-Emperor. To support the Chimaeras was to go against the God-Emperor. They believed that the Chimaeric chapters should be put through the gauntlet of fire, sent on an endless penitent crusade to make up for the sins of their birth.

Although Ragnar Vulkus, Di Nahod and Gadarat did not remain at the council long, one Molten Fist remained a permanent fixture within the councils. Gersem Nahaji was one of the 1st Company's most devoted members. Upon seeing how many chapters believed that Chimaeric chapters should not be punished, he took an oath to never leave the Councils until an agreement was reached. Nahaji was among the puritan faction's most fervent advocates, an expert in the nuances of the Imperial Cult and the Ecclesiarchy's every word by the time the Councils came to an end.

Ragnar Vulkus had returned by the time of the brawl. He believed that the Compromise was tantamount to cowardice and heresy, and had come back to the Councils to argue against it. However, when the fighting broke out, he tried to stop it. If Astartes blood was to be spilled, then it should be under official order, not in an impromptu brawl. His veterans, however, led by Gersem Nahaji, did not follow the policy of their King of Kings. They were at the thick of the fighting, made irritable by their constant pain and drawn in to the centre. One of them was slain. As the brawl fizzled out, Ragnar Vulkus recieved a worrying message from Fortiar - Hive Fleet Nidhogg was amassing nearby. He called all members of the Molten Fists immediately, heading back to Fortiar to make his homeworld secure from the incoming Tyranid attack.

####  Calthen Justitians, Restrained Fanatics

"*I will speak our case plainly. The Silver Flames were butchered, taken by surprise and put to the sword by those they once called brothers. This is true. We have not come to condone the nature of this act, for there was no honour in it. Yet do not call it treason. So often has this word been called upon to discredit and judge, when few alive now understand its true meaning. We do. We recall all too clearly the bite of treachery. We remember more than most what happens when foul gene-seed is introduced to blood of loyal servants.

The Silver Flames were not of traitor stock, but if the legacies of Manus and Vulkan can be defiled, who else might be subject to such mongrel alchemy? Will the Great Angel have his sanguine heritage diluted by the stoic nature of Dorn? Shall the Lion and the Wolf be joined in savage discord?

I ask you, assembled lords of war, you who have witnessed abominations and heresies across the length of His domain, where does it end? Where, indeed, has it ended? How can we be certain that those of mixed stock are created from only loyal sources? Would any of you still speak in their defense, if those beside you were half-hewn from traitor stone? Shall our own sire be next, the Lord Guilliman's gifts perverted, even twisted, to serve in the same body as the bastard spawn of Lorgar?

I hear your murmurs of dismay at my daring to imply such, yet it shows that too many here are willing to avert their eyes when corruption has infested us. What occurred was a terrible necessity, one which was perhaps executed poorly, but done all the same for the purity of His armies. Chimeric Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, loyal or not, present an inherent risk to the integrity of our kind. We would be remiss to not address the matter swiftly and decisively.

I say that those Chimeric Chapters loyal to the throne should be given the chance to surrender themselves and be disbanded, forcefully joined into existing brotherhoods, their gene-seed forbidden to be passed on. Any who resist must be crushed, those with traces of traitor lineage exterminated utterly. Decry me as foolish or close-minded if it pleases you, I have said what I came to say, and my words cannot be unspoken, nor can they be unheard. I urge you to consider them.*"
—High Chaplain Constav Martorius of the Calthen Justitians

The Calthen Justitians based their support of the puritan faction not on religious beliefs, for they have never held the Imperial Cult in high regard, but rather on the more ideological conviction that the purity of the Astartes lineages would be diluted and weakened if allowed to be mixed with others. In their minds it also presented a great risk of possibly enabling gene-seed from the traitor legions to be introduced into their genepool under the guise of chimeric Chapters. The very idea of allowing Word Bearers stock to intermingle with loyal genelines, especially that of the Ultramarines, was enough to kindle their unending hatred.

They stood with their fellow puritans, but could not identify with their faith-driven motivations, which they privately described as "beyond foolish".

Throughout the Councils the Calthen Justitians presented their arguments firmly, often even aggressively. Their stance was not as extreme as had been expected, for despite their reputation as bloodthirsty fanatics they intended compromise. This was thanks in great part to High Chaplain Martorius, by far the most restrained and diplomatic individual within the Chapter, who was present for the vast majority of the Councils.

They endeavored to aim the resentment of the other puritan Chapters at the potential traitors hiding amongst Chimeric orders, in an effort to remind them of their ancient grudge against the archenemy. At every opportunity during the various hearings and discussions it was their voices drawing comparisons to bygone wars with the servants of Chaos, citing anecdotes from as far back as the half-remembered Horus Heresy. It was hoped that this might focus the faction and prevent direct conflict with the radicals.

Yet even so, the teachings of the Calthen Chapter Cult came to the fore quite frequently. More than once did they insist on being the first to speak, and their demands for an ultimate decisions to be reached swiftly betrayed their barely subdued impatience. As the deliberations dragged on and on, said impatience grew more pronounced with each day.

Never was this more apparent than during the incident towards the end of the Laternax Councils, when the tensions between the radicals and puritans eventually reached their breaking point, and a brawl ensued. Those of the Justitians present inside the Commons were among the first to enage in the violence, hurling themselves into the midst of the fighting mere seconds after the first blows had been struck, and no doubt greatly contributing to the escalation of the entire ordeal.

###   THE RADICALS

" *'Justice? Ha! That does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it? I can't think of another word more enticing to those here assembled. But,' Akdar leaned forward to snarl, 'what you call justice smells rotten to me.'* "
—Lord Carnivore of the Saurians, 1st Laternax Council

The Radicals faction, led by the Saurians, were composed of Space Marine Chapters as well as Radical members of the Inquisition that supported the position of the Saurians as well as arguing that, so long as chimeric Chapters were loyal Chapters in service of the Emperor, they should be permitted to serve unimpeded. The Radicals tended to be composed of more pragmatic Marines, as well as those more willing to deviate from the *Codex Astartes*, as they felt a kinship with those Chapters that were different or prosecuted by the more zealous factions within the Imperium. They felt strongly a man's worth was determined by their actions, and that these purges were nothing more than a waste of much needed Astartes. Perhaps not helping their case, the Radicals attracted not only Inquisitors who had been labeled dangerously revolutionary by their peers, but also more extreme elements of the Adeptus Mechanicus, such as the Xenarites (curious about and fascinated by the phenomenon of chimeric gene-seed, not wishing to see that unique data wasted).

The Radicals struggled against the reality that, as far as the Imperium was concerned, the Aasvogels had broken no laws or violated no decrees. Fortunately, they were bolstered by an outpouring of support, as many of the chimeric Chapters, including the Silver Flames, had allies and friends that saw the council as an opportunity to get revenge on the Aasvogels and their ilk.

####  Redemptors, Fanning the Flames

"*Are we not Brothers? Sons, of Him on Holy Terra? Are we not, aIl of us, Blessed by the Seed of His Divinity?

I know the answer, in my bones, as should you all. His Angels lie unburied with knives in their backs and this council calls for reason and debate. The Redemptors call for the justice of Blood, and for the purity of Flame.

 Unto these Vultures of the Inquisition, I, Gideon of Lachrimorta, Cairn-Lord, speak the Words of Severing. I raise my Hand against them, and I name them Traitor.*"
—Gideon Corvath, Redemptors Chapter Master, selected opening remarks translated from High Gothic
Typical of his Chapter and his homeworld's people, Gideon brought an uncompromising, polarized outlook and the impulsive brashness of a freshly promoted commander to the Laternax Councils. A steadfast ally of the Saurians, and a man for whom oaths and alliances were sacrosanct, the Redemptors' Chapter Master came to the Council with war and vengeance in his hearts. Like most in his Chapter, Gideon had a dim and suspicious view of the machinations of the High Lords of Terra and their Inquisition. To the Redemptors, the Aasvogels were at best, undisciplined youths, at worst a band of mercenaries drunk on power and corruption.

Unwilling to compromise, the Redemptors were a source of constant contention and dissent during the Council's proceedings.

####  Knights Angelicus, Paladins Extreme

"*You call yourselves Loyalist. But yet you kill loyal Astartes in cold blood! You have not seen the battles I have, where lower numbers have lost us those wars. You do not know how badly those Astartes were needed! You may doubt me, but you can see the records yourselves. So many times my brothers have been lost, when only a few more men could have held our flank and spared them! You demand absolute purity at the cost of otherwise loyal warriors... you are shortsighted. You take action first - without thinking - just like those damned Ecclesiarchs!*"
—Kyler Klein of the Knights Angelicus, Knight Paladin
To serve and protect one another, and to fight with honor and courage – these tenets form the core of the Stygian Oath. All Knights Angelicus commit themselves to that solemn cant, holding each other to the highest standards of conduct with a steely discipline which proves impressive even amongst Astartes. But few would take notice of such faithful adherence to their creed were it not tested sorely; that the legend of the Stygian Oath remains well-known across the stars speaks to the great multitude of trials and tribulations the sons of the lost Sakanna stood firmly against, for in the grim dark of Humanity’s 41st Millenium horrific deeds abound.

When the Knights Angelicus learned of the contemptible, underhanded actions of the Aasvogels –
their former trusted allies in the Ontiac Campaign – more than a few of their number nearly succumbed to rage. That they held firm, guided by their mentors and role models against the temptation to smite the treacherous without trial, proved another testament to their chivalry. They insisted instead, and against the urging of others, on a public tribunal.

This idea quickly gained traction with the Saurians, who took greater notice of the Knights Angelicus in the wake of its proposal. While the two Chapters did not much collaborate during the fight against the Orks (being deployed to different sectors), they quickly came into diplomatic alignment. Unlike the other early members of the Radicals faction, and much like the Saurians themselves, the Knights Angelicus tended towards pragmatism and strict level-headedness when not stirred to fury. These sons of Sanguinius typically clad themselves in a degree of cold formality and self-control which the Saurians gravitated to, and they soon became the closest political ally the Saurians had within the Councils.

For unlike the rest of the core members of their faction, the Saurians and the Knights Angelicus did not base their stance in zealotry, nor in the pursuit of inter-Chapter comradery. The primary stone which they built their case around was cold and distant reason. While they agreed upon seeing little need to purge chimeric Astartes without indication or proof of chaotic corruption, neither of them exuded excess warmth towards their cousin Chapters. Both the Saurians and the Knights Angelicus were unwilling to dilute the strength of their internal brotherhoods by binding themselves to strangers, and so instead they argued not for universal camaraderie but expanded tolerance. To them not all Angels of Death needed to be trusted friends, but at the very least their wrath should be focused outwards instead of at each other.

####  Iron Juggernauts, The Hearthkeepers

"*You call yourself a paragon of humankind, whose duty is to kill the heretic and the mutant. However I only see you murdered Astartes, brothers who had the same duty as all of us, all made the same way we have been made, the same way the ancient Legions were made. On which height did you elevate yourself and your Chapter to believe yourselves to be judges of the Emperor's creation? I suggest you desist and leave such matters to higher echelons, to far more ancient institutions - before you find yourself the one hunted.*"
—quote from a high-ranking Astartes of the Iron Juggernauts
*(details of their identity lost to the ravages of scrap-code)*
If the Astartes bearing Saurians heraldry could be described as cold and distant towards other Chapters by default, then those who shoulder Iron Juggernauts pauldrons would be the opposite; the fur clad Sons of Jaghatai who hail from Tundra greet all flavors of Loyalist Marines with open arms, calling them Brother unless given more than ample cause for wariness. This welcoming warmth - combined with their ancient status and fondness for reminiscence - served the Radicals faction well, as over time the Iron Juggernauts became, in many ways, a spiritual cornerstone of their alliance.

That these White Scars Successors adhere strongly to the Imperial Truth, and yet still grew into the role of rallymen for a faction deeply divided over religious beliefs, proves a lasting testament to both their temperment and their careful introduction. Indeed, the Saurians spent many moons deliberating on the exact manner by which to call the Iron Juggernauts to the Councils, despite the ease of their prior collaborations during the Bogragawa Massacre. In the end, the Saurians settled on first inviting their level-headed allies to corroborate the Redemptors' fiery testimonial, in the hopes of cultivating comradery between the two Chapters within the Radical faction perhaps most likely to find themselves at odds.

This well planned manuever succeeded, and soon the Iron Juggernauts found themselves bonding with the younger Sons of Dorn over other cultural matters (such as their shared traditions involving throat singing and mutual obsession with taking lessons from the past). Yet for all their successes and comraderie within their faction, the Iron Juggernauts found the Councils to be a generally infuriating affair. Their introduction to the Aasvogels came with what they deemed an "impetious insult", when the young Chapter demanded unrestricted access to their Librarius and chance to test the quality of the elder Chapter's gene-seed. Responding at first with flat rebuffment and a refusal to elaborate to whomst they saw as, at best, disrespectful upstarts, the Iron Juggernauts seemed poised for conflict from the start. Only the intervention of similarly matured Chapters - namely the Knights Angelicus and Optimus Legion - kept them from early open conflict. This initial fury and activism by the Iron Juggernauts soon faded to constant irritation and passive reactionism as the Councils ground on, a state they settled into for much of the remaining deliberations.

####  Dusk Vultures, The Radicals of Radicals

"*Cousins! Are we not all Astartes, uplifted from the common populace to protect from the horrors of this cruel galaxy those who cannot defend themselves? Were we not all united under a single banner, that of the Imperium of Mankind, to repel the Orks at Ontiac? Is that not still our purpose, that of the shield and sword of humanity, to fight together?

But you Puritans isolate yourselves! You condemn Space Marines born of so-called lesser stock outright, dismissing any victories they helped you achieve, intent upon erasing their history and writing yourselves to glory in their place. You speak of their gene-seed as if its purity alone determined their loyalty, but this defies any modicum of reason!

 The Aasvogels speak of the Silver Flames' chimeric gene-seed as a curse. But was the flaw in their gene-seed, that didn't even impact their capability as Astartes, so serious a crime to warrant outright expurgation? What next? Will you hunt us, the Dusk Vultures, as our gene-seed differs from our ancestry ever so slightly? Or will you attempt to butcher the Sons of Russ, for their unique traits that no other Chapter doth possess?

Maybe you will not, I cannot yet see what the future holds. But that said, who are the Lords of Terra to decide who is and isn't pure? If some of us Astartes aren't, then wouldn't make the Emperor's work imperfect? And if not, if every lineage is perfect by design, why would mixing them yield anything lesser? Who is to decide that, without any shred of concrete evidence supporting said argument? Is it you alone, who call yourselves righteous for slaughtering innocents amongst us warriors of humanity? Could the sons of the oh-so-perfect Master of Ultramar enlighten us as to why they deserve, above all others, to make such judgements? I patiently wait for answer, if you ever can decide amongst yourselves who can draw such lines!*"
—Grand Iudex Atahk Gryv of the Dusk Vultures
When the Dusk Vultures joined the Councils, none doubted where their loyalties would lie. Their fervent opposition of fanatical and overzealous Chapters had limited their cooperation with other Astartes during the preceding campaign, foreshadowing their opposition to the Puritans long before the events on Robanni transpired.

That said, they also found themselves a bit at odds with members of their own faction, as it coalesced. In particular – and perhaps unsurprisingly – their relation with the Redemptors proved quite strained in the beginning. But soon, after much effort on behalf of the coalition, the two Chapters came together over their shared battlefield tactics and field of operations, erasing in short order all tension between the two Radicals (even with their religious disagreements).

If their presence in the Councils seemed inexplicable at first, their reasons were unveiled just at the first words spoken by their representatives were uttered: their objective, even if their means were outlandish by their comrades' standards, was to steer the council members towards matters they felt more pressing and meaningful to the fate of the Imperium and Humanity.

### OTHERWISE INVOLVED

Not everyone who participated in the Councils took sides. Some remained undecided, unable to in good conscience cast their vote one way or another. Others may have held private allegiances or opinions, but were unable or unwilling to speak them aloud, lest they endanger relationships and alliances shared across both factions. A few hoped to take a diplomatic position, aiming to act as a unifying force between the factions, either out a genuine desire for the good of the imperium, or perhaps aiming to seek political advancements from what was turning into a dynamic and impactful event. Some, still, were there out of morbid curiosity, lacking an opinion or a stake in the council itself but desiring to see how it turned out or, perhaps, win allies or inconvenience enemies.

As Space Marines are as a group notoriously single-minded in their nature, these middle-ground groups would become the targets of diplomatic endeavors from both sides, aiming to acquire allies and votes from those not yet committed to the radical or puritan factions. Many, however, would leave the councils without having taken a side at all, though their names were recorded and would have, should the council have concluded successfully, been tied to its decisions.

####  Starborn Giants, A Perplexing Presence

"*My brothers, let us not forget why we call the Ruinous Powers the Archenemy of Mankind; corruption from within poses a threat greater than any xenos race could ever muster. The greatest force in the galaxy is that of Mankind, a power Chaos seeks to harness against us. Insidious whispers poison the very souls of man, preying on human weaknesses to tear apart the fabric and foundation of the Imperium. To safeguard humanity is the righteousness of the Aasvogels’ mandate— the charge to ward against the mutant, just as the Starborn Giants stand vigil against the heretic and the Novamarines abhor the alien.

At times, we are all misguided. What you say is true, Lord Saurian: the purity of my Chapter’s gene-seed attests to the young Aasvogels’ fallibility. But I ask you: are any among us free of flaw? Name an Astarte here who has never erred, never made a mistake. He alone on Terra is perfection, and it was His infallible will, manifested by the High Lords of Terra, that the Aasvogels would join the armies of the Adeptus Astartes in defending the legacy, prosperity, and purity of Mankind. We Astartes are as much responsible for ensuring the purity of each others’ ranks as our Chaplains do within our own Chapters.

It matters not whether Traitors hail from our own Chapter or another. Is it not our duty as Astartes to vanquish the alien, the mutant, and the heretic wherever they arise? … I was called as a witness of character, to speak on my Chapter’s behalf and of our experience with the Aasvogels. In that capacity, I declare: the Aasvogels’ work is the will of the Emperor! Let purity reign and prosperity follow. The magnificence of Mankind cannot coexist with mutant-taint. I shall not suffer the mutant to live, and to that end I would gladly serve alongside the Aasvogels.*"
—Veteran Brother-Sergeant Hassan Adamir of the Starborn Giants,
called as a witness before the Laternax Councils
The Saurians requested a representative from their allies within the Starborn Giants to serve as a witness during the Laternax Councils. Prior to the Councils, the Starborn Giants were among the first Chapters of Adeptus Astartes that the Aasvogels indicted for being Chimeric abominations.

The first two Chapters purged by the Aasvogels had been formally sentenced to death by the High Lords of Terra during the Aasvogels’ Founding. However, the Chapter stumbled after its first successful missions, when determining its next targets: the formal accusation of tainted geneseed leveled at the ever unpopular Starborn Giants was eventually dismissed, full access to the Chapter’s archives being granted under pressure from the Aasvogels and Ordo Hereticus of the Inquisition; evidence within the Starborn Giants’ vaults, corroborated by numerous sources over millennia, verified their lineage and vindicated their indignation at the accusation of being abominations.
Hence, the Saurians sought to exploit the bad blood between the Starborn Giants and Aasvogels Chapters who had only recently parted ways, less than a dozen years before. It was much to the Saurians’ shock, however, when their fellow Salamanders successors defended the Aasvogels upon the witness’ stand: Master Brother-Sergeant Hassan Adamir endorsed the Aasvogels’ mandate; the Starborn Giants’ acquittal proved that the Aasvogels’ assaults were well-founded and thoroughly vetted, the targets of their ire guilty beyond any doubt. Much like the duty of the Starborn Giants themselves, the Aasvogels’ mission remained uncomfortable but necessary: to uncover abominations amongst the Emperors’ Angels protected humanity, but exposed humanity’s fallibility.

A testament to the Saurians’ honor, their Space Marines accepted the Starborn Giants’ testimony with grace, rather than seeing it as a betrayal; both Chapters of Vulkan’s lineage remained close allies. Meanwhile, the Aasvogels appreciated another senior Chapter coming to their defense; at the time of the Starborn Giants’ arrival, the Aasvogels found themselves outnumbered by Radicals, chief among their scant supporters the zealous Novamarines.

####   The "Intellectuals"

This unofficial group within the Laternax Councils represented a small subsection of individuals and Chapter representatives that took a distinctly academic take to the discussion at hand. Theirs was a debate of philosophy and legal precedence, pragmatism and logistical demands, scientific curiosity, and mathematical probability. Detached from the more intensive and often emotionally driven debates that so dominated the council floors, particularly between the two chief participants, this collection sought to assemble a rational answer to the question at hand, one that would, in theory, put a final, definitive answer to the question of the Aasvogels actions and chimeric gene-seed as a whole, with no need for further debate or discussion.

Despite their best intentions, members of this group were broadly despised by the members of the council as a whole, seen as dismissing the personal, religious, and practical implications of the events at hand for detached and unsatisfactory logic, that left questions unanswered and anger unsated. This led to the nickname disparagingly placed upon the group, "the Intellectuals" that they eventually accepted for themselves. While they briefly ascended to prominence a short way through the council's history, acting as a rational and reasonable alternative to the anger of the two major factions, this only lasted until members within became ostracized and lost favor one way or another, and the group gradually lost significance as the councils went on.

#####  Abators Golden, Imperfect Arbitrators

"*What has this Council done? What have we accomplished? Why are we here? We Abators have put our time and labour into what we were called to do, to provide an answer to this council to determine the justice of the Aasvogel's destruction of the Silver Flames, and to address the question of stances towards Chimeric Chapters. We did our duty, and yet we cannot even discuss the truth of the matter before the Council like rational men, as brothers in arms. But nay- we are the problem, we are the compromised ones, we are the ones who ought to be thrown out of the Council. Again, I ask, why are you here?

But seemingly, you have forgotten that why we are here to begin with. You have become so blinded by your opinions that you have lost any sight of a just or true outcome to this council. Merely because what I have said violates your hopes and expectations, you call us biased. As loyal servants of the God-Emperor and lovers of his truth, we will never surrender to false opinions or to injustice which threaten his Imperium. We will not forget the blood which lays upon your hands as violation of Imperial Law and a betrayal of the faith. Nay, not even the Chapters which support the Aasvogels can claim to be free of the Silver Flames' blood, for your obfuscation of justice has rendered it so that you are complicit as well.

But alas, I doubt that you are alone in your factionalism. Had we said the act was just and that all chimeric Chapters ought to be destroyed, it would be the other side which says that we deserved to be cast out to the dogs. Oh, but no, that cannot be, since we clearly, according to the first side, betrayed the truth to side with the Saurians. For what, I ask? Acclaim? Alliances? What have we to gain by siding with either faction? Brothers, someday I pray you learn to stand up for what is good and what is true, and learn to think about what you believe is true and why it is, for otherwise you can never understand our position. We will not stray from the truth, even if all in the room were against us, as I have no doubt will be once my discourse here is accomplished!

O tempora, o mores! Brothers, we came to this Council out of a sincere desire for truth. What do we find? A place where we openly work to determine the right course in a difficult matter? That is not what we have found, by any means! We have tried, but consistently we have been hindered at every turn. I sincerely hoped that perhaps, just maybe, with report we could have a genuine conversation on what we have come to discuss, as brother marines. But alas, my hope was a fool's hope. Never have I seen such disgusting partisan fighting, such blatant disregard for truth! But this Council is rife with it! It saddens me to say, but I do not think this Council will ever come to a true conclusion, or one that truly addresses the problems we have come to discuss. Shame on the folly of this Council! Only the grace of the God-Emperor can save it from the disgrace it has become.*"
—Deusdedit, Praeco of the Abators Golden, before walking out of the Council chamber
While the Optimus Legion functioned more as diplomats trying to keep control over the council, the delegation of the Abators Golden were brought in to discover the truth and to give a fair and just recommendation to the court. As a Chapter known for their brilliant intellects, pursuit of truth and virtue, love of reason but also strong religious fervor, they were seen as a key third party which both sides could agree to have at first. Their delegation, headed by the Chapter's *Praeco*, Frater Deusdedit, worked extensively to ask questions, acquire evidence, and listen thoroughly to the discussions. Deusdedit cross-examined witnesses on the floor of the council room, asking piercing questions which delved down into the principles of the matter at hand. As the Abators ignored tensions and riled passions in pursuit of a just and true verdict, the members of the council started to mock them. Some called them weak for their overly intellectual approach to the matter, although the Puritans remained hopeful that the Abators would one day give a conclusive argument to destroy the Radicals.

In 975.M41, Deusdedit gave a conclusive report on the findings of the Abators delegation, put forward as a formal submission to the councils. The report was extremely methodical, logical, and well-researched. Deusdedit hoped that this reasoned response would help defuse the situation, as Space Marines should listen to reason. However, as it continued, it it became clear to the Puritans that the conclusions were conceding everything to the Radical faction, granting their rivals exactly what they wanted. The delegation condemned the destruction of the Silver Flames, called the Aasvogels to receive a formal punishment, and agreed that chimeric Chapters should not be destroyed without evidence of treason. This complete capitulation to the other side, as it seemed to the Aasvogels, had completely destroyed the Abator's credibility with the Puritans. Furiously, they clamoured in anger to expel the Abators from the council for having failed to fulfill their expectations, while the Radicals snapped up the evidence from the speech quickly, pivoting to defend those whom they had expected to attack.

Deusdedit tried to calm down the room, but to no avail. The Aasvogels refused to address his arguments, claiming the Abators were no longer capable of being true mediators and had violated neutrality. To make matters worse, the Calthen Justitians carefully insinuated rumours that the blood of the Abators Golden might be impure. Now, in an extremely rare fit of agitation for the normally calm and controlled Abators, Deusdedit gave a new and furiously scolding speech calling out the Puritans for being intellectually dishonest, unconcerned with truth or with justice. However, in it he also suggested that, because all here gathered were too concerned with their emotions, the Radical Chapters would have done the exact same had the truth been with the Puritans, thus also alienating them. Bemoaning the status of the councils, with the participants' inability to see reason, Deusdedit marched out of the main council chamber to a hall stunned to silence.

For the remainder of the council, the Abators would not play a major role, as they had alienated both sides, and the Councils would not budge on the general state of affairs and listen to reason alone. Only once more, years later, did Deusdedit feel compelled to speak: the chief Abator broke his silence to give another speech before the Councils as one of the few outspoken advocates against the Dandoori Accord of Leonardo, on account that no justice would be given to the Silver Flames and no punishment would be given to the Aasvogels. However, by this point the majority of the Council moved towards the compromise in spite of objections. On account of their concerns being ignored, the Abators left the council by 985.M41. The Abators remained unsurprised at the subsequent collapse the councils underwent, and proclaimed the whole ordeal a failure after its conclusion.

## The Laternax Councils Close

### Glimmers of Optimism

Although admittedly sparse amidst the general intensity and frustration that dominated most council meetings and discussions, moments of comradery and goodwill occasionally shone through. When calmer heads prevailed, the councils would see travel and equipment embargoes lifted, vital communications infrastructure repaired, and collaborative intelligence shared. Sometimes joint strikes and even brief allied campaigns occurred, almost always executed flawlessly against local xenos infestations.

Of these periods of détente, perhaps none proved more promising than the one that occurred in the wake of the **Hand Bearers Purge**. All the major faction leaders lent a hand in the destruction of that wayward Chimeric Chapter, the first time all present at the Councils could agree to granting the Emperor’s Mercy upon fellow Astartes. Those Lost Sons, even swollen well-beyond regulated strength as they were, stood no chance against their united might, smote from the galaxy for their obvious slide into the madness of worshiping Warp Entities. This urgent campaign against the condemned proved to all invigorating. Threats did exist which could unite them. The Councils could work.

On the heels of this great victory, Leonardo of the Knights Angelicus submitted the seed of an idea to his fellow Space Marines. He proposed a specific compromise to those assembled, one whose prior iterations had been dismissed in committee due to mistrust or indignation, but which now found itself before the general assembly, buoyed there by feelings of good faith. Many of the participants heard his impassioned words and joined their voices with his, eagerly hammering out the blueprint of a plan which might once and for all resolve their feud. In its semi-final form, a copy of the **Dandoori Accord** was dispatched for all to read and ratify individually, and the bones read as such:

* The Aasvogels would be required to submit to either the Laternax Council or the Inquisition their plans for targeting specific Chapters, including all evidence already gathered and any additional evidence requested.
* They would then need to wait for approval before moving forward. Once approval was garnered, however, the Aasvogels could demand any support and resources needed from members of the Laternax Council, who would then be obligated to assist the Aasvogels in their duties (through completion).

In theory, this plan should have satisfied both parties. For the Saurians, it put the Aasvogels on a leash, and required them to check with others first before they were allowed to act. For the Aasvogels, it gave them a tremendous boost of power; they could now call on the strength of a dozen Chapters in their quest, who were then honor-bound to aid them.

However, while the supermajority of those assembled believed in the plan and began to ratify it one-by-one, the two Chapters at the epicenter found themselves both disgruntled with what lay before them.

To the Aasvogels, the Dandoori Accord was a slap in the face, and a denial of their right and duty as decreed by the Emperor. Furthermore, by submitting to a review council, their targets would have time to continue to grow, or even realize they were being targeted, making campaigns increasingly costly and inefficient while also elevating the risk of chimerics seeking out Chaos prior to their purging.

The Saurians, as well, were disappointed with what was offered. There was no justice for what was done to the Silver Flames (not even a passing mention), nor was the slaughter stopping any time soon. Additional issues lay in being honour-bound to the Aasvogels’ targets and requisitions, something not even their closest allies could demand of the selective Salamanders-successors.

But as unpleasant as the plan was, it proved, at least, tolerable. While neither party was particularly happy with the accord, the bulk of their two Chapters begrudgingly agreed it was a better outcome than continuing to drag out the Councils or resorting to open violence. Their Chapter Masters pledged to limit their representatives to hammering out only a minimum number of additional amendments to the accord as needed.

So it was that the Dandoori Accord was, or should have been, the great diplomatic triumph of Erias Zerakot, as he worked tirelessly to bring the full body of the councils together in a unified vision. The question was no longer what they would do, but the details. Final negotiations began about the standing members of the council: who would act as the representative of the Inquisition, which Magos Biologis was to analyze the gene-seed. These were important details to be sure, but little more than the last stretch of a marathon of work. It was done, and it would take a disaster to break down what had been built.

### The Brawl

When the Council Chambers were constructed, space was designed for Marines to integrate and engage between Chapters, dubbed the Commons. Tables for eating and communing together, chapels for meditation, prayer, and preaching from chaplains, and even dueling arenas so that Marines could test their skill against each other in friendly sport.

Despite the best of intentions the place rarely served more than to serve as a place for tensions to fester, as Marines stuck within their Chapters and ideologies, with little fraternization between groups. Still, it saw fairly regular use, partly for the convenience which it offered, and partly because surrendering the place to the other faction would, in a sense, be surrendering ground - and Astartes are by nature unwilling to admit defeat. Yet as the centuries grew long the Commons would see more use, as the representatives spent further time in the Council, and the demands of plotting and politics kept them discussing with peers. And eventually, as the Councils grew closer and closer to a conclusion, with a possible answer to the ongoing debates, the tension within the Commons would gradually melt. Marines of competing factions would begin to speak, even break bread together, forming in a common cause.

As the last days of the Council were coming to a close, Chaplain Aazir Cathaar the Purifier was rallying members of his Chapter with a rousing speech. He spoke boldly, and - for what it is worth - in support of the Compromise. He spoke about how, through the council, a dozen chapters would rally to their banner, and through them the curse, the scourge, of the chimeric would be purged from the ranks of the Emperor's Angels.

"*With righteous conviction and unwavering resolve, we will march forth in the name of purity and loyalty of the Imperium. The halls of the Commons may have witnessed tensions simmering, but let it be known that when united by a common cause, we transcend the boundaries of chapters and ideologies.

With all of us rallying under one banner, we forge an unstoppable force against the cursed scourge of the chimeric gene-seeds. The Emperor's Angels shall be cleansed of this abomination. Let the adversaries tremble before our might, for we are the heralds of purification, the champions of true loyalty, and we shall prevail!*"
—Chaplain Aazir Cathaar the Purifier, Master of Sanctity
Well-intentioned as such a speech may have been, it did not come across as such when overheard by Acadian Marcel, Chaplain of the Saurians. What he heard was a rallying cry of victory, one he could not - in good conscience - permit to besmirch the good name of his own Chapter, even in passing. Passionate and profoundly bold, he stood in the face of the Aasvogels and he extorted his defiance. He did not mean to speak out in opposition to the accord, but instead against the way in which Chaplain Aazir was speaking of it.

Words were shared, and then raised, in anger and intensity. Soon, crowds began to gather; Aasvogels, Saurians, Knights Angelicus, Novamarines, Redemptors, joined in and what began as a loud debate evolved into shouting... anger. At the fever-pitch height of this impromptu confrontation horrible accusations were hurled, and then threatened to be enacted: the Aasvogels claimed the Saurians would sabotage the accord, bringing the full weight of bureaucracy to bear against the Sons of Ultramar to crush their campaigns out of hostility to their cause - which the Saurians, impassioned, agreed that perhaps they should; the Saurians claimed the Aasvogels would seek out a pet Inquisitor, to rubber stamp their directives and allow them to draw the honour-bound Sons of Vulkan into their heinous acts - which the Aasvogels, similarly inflamed, agreed that perhaps they should.

Neither Chapter claims to have struck the first blow, and both claim to have emerged the victor. Regardless, the shouting and fury boiled over into physicality, as Marines did what they were trained to do: fight. Superhuman resilience met superhuman strength, and thankfully the requirement for disarmament kept the bloodshed to a minimum... but only barely. Only by the intervention by armed members of the Optimus Legion - and the presence of no fewer than six Chapter Masters - was the fighting stopped. Several Marines were dead, and any sense of goodwill along with.

### Accusations of Heresy

Not long after **The Brawl**, Chapters from both sides began to close ranks, as the fires of resentment exploded into a raging inferno. It was the Saurians, backed by the Radical Chapters, that made first formal accusation: the Aasvogels were not simply overzealous, they were heretical! There was no other explanation in their mind for why a Chapter would be so deliberate, so callous, and so cruel in their destruction of loyal Astartes. In fact, they must be Alpha Legionnaires, traitors in the guise of loyalists, who no doubt destroyed countless loyal servants of the Emperor! They MUST be stopped, before further damage could be done.

In return, the Aasvogels had their own words to share. They knew, without a doubt, their actions were righteous and sanctioned by the Imperium. As such, the only explanation for the vitriol of the Saurians counter-response must be their failings as Space Marines. At best, they accused, they had failed in their duty as loyal sons, strayed on a rogue path with no regards for the wider needs of the Imperium. But perhaps the truth was worst still; perhaps their own gene-seed was chimeric, or Throne forbid, drawn from traitor seed. They immediately demanded that the Saurians surrender their weapons and gene-seed for testing.

The hope of a diplomatic solution was gone, and all any could hope for now was preventing violence. First the Aasvogels left the council chambers, and then the Saurians. The tension built to a horrible apex as the *Carrion Lord*, flagship of the Aasvogels fleet and a battle barge of tremendous power, locked its weapons on the *de Marisa*, warship of the Saurians, ready to fire at a moment's notice.

### An Unwelcome Distraction

"*Forgive me friend, I have failed your trust. I put great faith in us, that conflict among our kind could be resolved through reasoned discussion. But it seems the very fury we were given to conduct our noble duties stands in our way to peace. Your brothers lay dead. I do not blame your rage, nor your desire for vengeance. All I ask, my friend, is that in your wisdom and grace we not let this disaster escalate further; no more of the Emperor's angels should die from this travesty.* "
—Erias Zerakot, Chapter Master of the Optimus Legion, speaking with Coragyn Atratus, Chapter Master of the Aasvogels
While the Chapters were at each other's throats, they remained, nonetheless, true and loyal sons of the Emperor. As the Council was moments away from descending into open war, a message was received by an Optimus Librarian; a splinter of a local Hive Fleet had split off, and was threatening dozens of unprotected worlds. The Imperium was calling on those chapters present to leave, immediately, to its defense.

The Astartes anger for each other was eclipsed by their hatred for the Tyranid threat, and one by one guns were lowered, the fleets turning to make haste towards the next crusade. Bloodshed it seems would be avoided, if only for now. The council then, would be resolved without conclusion; no final agreement or decision was made. Instead, only anger festered between those chapters that participated, and the question of the chimeric left to the interpretations of the individual chapters. Most of all, the events of the Council would breed a distrust and rivalry between the Saurians and Aasvogels that would not be easily overcome.

Of note, while a splinter fleet was indeed discovered, no message was ever sent requesting Marines, and the worlds threatened did not even know of the oncoming Tyranid threat until the Marines sallied in to defend them. In fact, no other librarian received this call. The question of this mysterious message was ultimately irrelevant, in the face of a very real threat, as it seemed to have averted civil war, at least temporarily.

### A Tragic Consequence

"*There's nothing. I don't even know how the battle was fought. I can only assume everything of value was stripped, as the soul of this world is ground down to bone. This wasn't destruction. Wasn't a raid. It was...an extraction, a calculated removal of value and the obliteration of everything else. I cannot say for certain if a battle was even fought here at all.* "
— Baptiste Elbe, Techmarine, 4th Company of the Optimus Legion delivering his report on the remains of Neutrulold
With the majority of participants backing out of the Laternax Councils prior to the turn of the Millennia – citing lack of good faith in the wake of the Brawl, or the demands of war concurrent with the tyranid incursion – the halls of the Laternax Cathedral fell into disuse. Cold seeped in as the generatorium lay silent, with no gathered throngs in need of warmth. Dust collected at the corners of the massive window overlooking the craters. To all those who still patrolled it, it was clear the place had been abandoned once more.

So on the day the distress beacon sounded, only the Marines of the Optimus Legion heard its call.

The Astartes present beheld the Imperial seal of Neutrulold’s Planetary Governor upon the screen, after brushing away the cobwebs on the alarm panel with haste. They frowned. That world was far away, at the very tip of the former protectorate the Silver Flames had once enforced. As the emerald fleet departed swiftly for investigation, its tacticians gathered in their strategium to review the ancient contingencies and postulate as to the cause of distress.

What, this time, was it? Another wandering mob of minor Xenos lifeforms stumbling in, or perhaps merely one more critical shortage of grain fomenting rebellion? The world had been lucky so far, the data suggested, with more than a century of generally quiet productivity. The cloud of obfuscation which the Saurians had blanketed the region in following the destruction of the Silver Flames had kept Neutrulold safe while the cogs of Imperial bureaucracy turned painfully slow, as of yet unable to appoint a new defender worthy of the cause. Hopefully whatever ailed the world could be solved upon the arrival of the sons of Ultramar, and so they prepared all manner of relief medicines, foodstuffs, and weaponry in anticipation.

But when the Chapter arrived, there was nothing left to fight for or save. The worst had come… the veil had failed. All was ash, death, and ruin.

Once the Optimus Legion confirmed the lack of hostile presence in-system, away teams deployed to the surface with rapidity. It did not take long to discover traces of the Forgekings, a massive warband of Iron Warriors, and reconstruct what had occurred. After all, the blood was still fresh and left uncleaned.

But now the Astartes faced a terrible dilemma – long-anticipated, yet never decided – forced before them at last. What would they do, now that the truth of Imperial vulnerability was known to the enemies of Mankind? And, more importantly, who would they tell of the atrocities here?

Should they tell the Saurians, and in so doing vindicate them, driving them to the height of fury?

Should they tell the Aasvogels, who may be honor-bound to pursue the much more powerful Forgekings?

Or would Chapter Master Erias Zerakot want to deal with the matter quietly, for the sake of his friends Coragyn and Hauri? In the end the answer was distinctly Imperial.

He lied.

Neutrulold died from a chaos uprising, destroyed in fire to prevent a daemonic incursion. The world would then be burned down and rebuilt on the ashes, the crimes of the Silver Flames dying with their world. It was a believable answer, especially given recent events, and one that would satisfy those parties involved: The Aasvogels could rest comfortable in the knowledge that their foe had been corrupt and spawned from a corrupt world. Similarly, the Saurians could grin in grim vindication that, in the absence of the Silver Flames it had allowed a world to fall uncontested to chaos, but with no further action needed, as the deed was done. The records were stricken, and the Optimus Legion made yet another deal with the Inquisition, allowing life to move on. The peace would be maintained, the sector rebuild, the roots of the Astartes chapter replanted and regrown. But for those hapless slaves lost to the Forgekings, no effort would be made to recover them, their suffering and enslavement the price to be paid for the fury of the Astartes.

### Lasting Dissolution

Following the opening of the Cicatrix Maledictum, the Aasvogels and the Saurians found themselves separated from each other in a seemingly more permanent fashion. A literal schism now matched their metaphorical one.

To the Saurians, this was their final vindication: the Aasvogels were sundered from the light of the Astronomican, swallowed whole into *Imperium Nihilus*.

For the Aasvogels, the bulk of their chains fell free: the Chapter central to seeking their censure was cut off, unable to even see - let alone obstruct - their acts of justice any longer.

Each Chapter managed to relay message to the other participants of the Laternax Councils, signaling their permanent withdrawal from the already paused proceedings and declaring their symbolic victory. Though closing meetings and other formalities trundled on for a few years further between other participants, the absence of the driving antagonists and the subsequent departure of their factions led the Optimus Legion to formally dissolve the Laternax Councils in 012.M42.

### Damnatio Memoriae

Following the **Lasting Dissolution** of the councils, Inquisitorial Agents of the Ordo Redactus finally made their move. They had been patient to the extreme, determined to win the long game in spite of being ever-outnumbered by the competing wills and presence of rival agents of other Ordos. From the first day of their involvement, they had understood the magnitude of what occurred before them – perhaps better than most. And so they had waited, unusually affable in the face of such an unusually large gathering of Space Marine dignitaries, making little more than notes whilst ancient history was dredged up time and again by the so-called Intellectuals (who so fervently and recklessly sought truth). They had been patient, only disappearing mortal witnesses when absolutely necessary: they refrained from all but the most minimal of documentation deletions and communique sabotage, when nearly certain there was no chance of discovery. But now, as their colleagues made final departure, their work truly began.

All records from the deliberations they could gain access to, and any merely referencing them, were at long last censured. Thousands of permanent seals of closure were applied at once, and millions more reports were obliterated outright. Dozens upon dozens of Chapter Serfs, menial Servitors, and even other Inquisitorial henchmen found themselves disappearing in short order. Those too important or powerful to remove - Chapter Masters, Chaplains, and the like - were coerced into vows of silence, ordered to never again speak of what had transpired. Yet all of this paled in comparison to what came last. After having purged the living records of the councils to the best of their ability, the agents of the Ordo Redactus turned their eyes upon the third moon of Robanni – where the Laternax Cathedral still stood, where the bodies of the Silver Flames still lay unburied, where the whole debacle had taken place.

And they declared Exterminatus.

The spectacular detonation sent shockwaves throughout the System and beyond. By destroying the abandoned moon and Cathedral which once stood at the epicenter of the councils, they put a period on the matter in their eyes, taking away (to them) an antagonizing eyesore and replacing it with a grim warning to all not to re-investigate the matter which proved so troublesome.

This coverup proved so complete and shockingly effective that only at the insistence of a living Primarch were the scraps partially reconstructed almost a century later. And even then, the dedicated Scribe of the Logos Historica Verita which penned it never lived to see Lord Guilliman’s reaction – for he was found dead, an assassin’s knife lodged deep within his spine.

[**Remembrancer Plaque 30w-56d-584v0]**
* {5.(569).941.M41}: Artifact Confiscated
* {5.(570).941.M41}: Scheduled for Obliteration
* {5.(570).941.M41}: Stay of Execution
* {5.(234).948.M41}: Relocated, Praetorium Perdita #1855-g45

## Quotes

*The quotes below are only a small sample of expanded content available to you.*
*Please click the link above to navigate to the dedicated quotes page.*

#### From

"*We stand at the precipice of a daunting task, burdened with the weight of a duty that few comprehend. It is a duty born out of necessity, for when others turn away, we remain steadfast to the teachings of the Adeptus Ministorum. We carry the burden of cleansing the chimeric abominations that threaten the Imperium. It is a somber duty, one that requires us to confront the abhorrent union of gene-seeds. While we may be viewed as the zealots, the uncompromising, we do so with a heavy heart, knowing the sacrifices demanded of us. Yet, it is this unwavering resolve that sets us apart, for we understand the gravity of our mission. We tread a path shrouded in darkness, but we shall illuminate it with the fires of purification. We shall cleanse the Imperium of this taint, even if it means standing alone, for it is a hard duty that must be done, and we are the ones to carry this burden. I will continue to demand the very best from my Astartes for this night and all the nights to come.*"
—Coragyn Atratus, Chapter Master of the Aasvogels following the events of the Robanni Incident

"*I speak these words in the Imperium's common tongue, that all assembled will hear them.

There are some gathered here with memories longer than ours, but few. From Brother to Brother, the chain of remembrance has been passed unbroken for millennia. Our histories tell us of the atrocities wrought by the minions of Terra's bureaucracies. My ancestors carried the torch of the Emperor's Light beneath blackened skies and across seas of ash; with Hammer and Boltgun we have cleansed cities razed by Rebellion and buried innocents felled by the hands of Traitors, and for four thousand years the tombs of Lachrimorta have been filled with the bones of Heroes. This has been done in the Emperor's Name, and in His Name, heed me.

The stink of Heresy and the stain of Treason is as familiar to me as the breath in my lungs, and I tell you that the reek of it is perched before us now. This Vulture's beak is wet with my brothers' blood, his crop stuffed with Astartes flesh. Where next will the scavengers' eye fall, Brothers? Upon you, or you ? Make no mistake, restraint is not a weapon in the Traitors' arsenal; there will be no end to their hunt. How long until justification is manufactured to exterminate all of us who will not be bought by the Lords of Terra? How long until Atratus looks into my eyes and sees the hated Mutant?

And you, Murderer, where is the gutless worm who gave you your supposed orders? Who will defend the worlds once shielded by the Silver Flames? You and your coven of assassins? Where are the Silver Flames' armaments and ships? What is to be done with the sacred relics in their vaults? Are they to be given over to you and your gang of children, the ill-gotten spoils of criminality? How convenient for you and the rats that hold your leash.

My convictions will not be swayed by the silken words of poets and diplomats. The destruction of the Silver Flames was an act of Treason, and every world lost to the darkness, left undefended by protectors who will never return, damns the Aasvogels further. Dissolve this charade, Brothers, and let Justice be done.*"
—Gideon Corvath, Redemptors Cairn-Lord, excerpt of accusations leveled at the Aasvogels, 857.M41

"*...In summary, the destruction of the Silver Flames has no strict foundation in Imperial Law either ecclesial or administrative; and that the precedent of the Aasvogel's chapter founding cannot justify the destruction of a loyal chapter with no signs of mutation without the express permission of the High Lords of Terra. The arguments in favour of their destruction come from a particular interpretation of certain passages which lies outside of the law itself. As such, the Aasvogels have acted without proper authorisation in the destruction of a fellow loyalist Space Marine chapter on no better legal grounding than effectively personal spite. Furthermore, reason shows us that gene-seed is no absolute indicator of loyalty, and the distinction between temperament and habituation is key, meaning that a chapter's chimeric gene-seed cannot be sufficient reason for their murder.

 In conclusion, our judgement is this: such wanton destruction of innocent lives, especially such valuable ones as Astartes, ought to be censured with severity, just as an Inquisitor who destroys an Imperial world with an unjust Exterminatus, according to the fullest extent of Imperial Law.*"
—Deusdedit, Praeco of the Abators Golden
Conclusion, Judgement on the Proceedings of the Council

"*While I appreciate the fervour with which the brothers to my left seek to ensure the purity of our Primarchs' respective legacies, I would remind them that the whims and dogmas of the Ecclesiarchy do not apply among the ranks of the Adeptus Astartes - save by a given Chapter's consent. And then only within that Chapter.*"
—one of Chapter Master Sedullos' opening remarks

"*This farce has gone far enough. Three of my Brothers, Sons of Dorn and the Emperor Himself, are dead. Slain, not bravely in battle, but murdered, by Traitor's hand. This treachery is the last insult we will suffer from these mongrels.

Let it be known that the Aasvogels' enemies have Sanctuary on Lachrimorta, no matter the "purity" of their blood.

Our presence here is ended.

Alien horrors descend upon the Emperor's worlds, and the Walls are unmanned. Remain, cowards, and fight heresy with words if the weight of Duty is too much for you to bear.*"
—Gideon Corvath, final statements before departing the Council Chamber
*(translated from High Gothic)*

"*My next questions are for the other Puritans present: who among you would willingly submit your brothers to the judgement of a Chapter younger than every member of your respective 1st Companies, one that stabbed its allies in the back? What manner of Space Marine would you be if you permit this?

You claim the right to destroy chimeric Chapters. Yet it is understood by all present that the root cause of chimerism is elements among the Magos Biologis. So to the Aasvogels, I ask: what say you? Are you content to waste your resources battling the symptoms of this problem forever more? Or are you willing to declare war on the Adeptus Mechanicus and split the Imperium in twain to stop it altogether?*"
—Chaplain Rianorix, trying to parse how well-reasoned the Puritans' position is

"*Chimeric Astartes? They are an abomination, a twisted amalgamation of bloodlines that taints the clean and perpetuates the impure. We Golden Sons bear the burden of our own flaws, the Black Rage and the Red Thirst, with a purity of purpose gifted by our beloved Primarch. We do not shy away from our afflictions; instead, we channel them into the relentless punishment of our foes, for mercy is not ours to give to the enemies of mankind or ourselves.

Chimeric Astartes make a mockery of such purity: they lack the power of legacy and lineage that drives us; our rich culture, derived from Sanguinius, defines us. But they are an affront to the Emperor's vision, a stain upon the glory of the Adeptus Astartes. I have witnessed torment, seen dozens of our brothers succumb to the Black Rage. They knew their duty— to perish in the ranks of our revered Death Company and earn a warrior’s death. Yet these Chimeric Astartes, devoid of such sacrifice, cling to their wretched existence; they refuse to accept their duty. Such heresy must not be tolerated. They have forsaken the true path of the Adeptus Astartes— the path of sacrifice and selflessness.*"
—A Vanguard Veteran of the Golden Sons Chapter speaking in private to the Knights Angelicus

"*The Aasvogels claim some divine mandate for the Silver Flames' extinction but all I see is an attempt to reduce the Emperor's good name to a synonym for betrayal. In the Hallstat Sector, my Chapter has seen time and again one needless internecine war after another weakening the sector's defenses and allowing the scourge of the Ork, the Eldar, and worse to find purchase. Every boltshell, every chainblade, every battle-brother spent persecuting loyal Astartes is one less to purge the alien, the mutant, and the heretic. The Aasvogels may not be traitors but their actions border on those of the renegade.

Enough of this. We declare for the Radicals.*"
—Sedullos throws his Chapter's support behind the Saurians

"*Let any Astartes foolish enough to shrug his shoulders, shirk his duty, and cry “I am not my brother’s keeper!” be the first to feel the keen sting of betrayal.*"
—Tessararius Gallus Rufus of the Calthen Justitians, following the testimony of the Starborn Giants

"*ANY force attempting to invade Caer Dunross will be up to its neck in blood: its own!*"
—Chaplain Rianorix responds to threats from the Puritans moments before **The Brawl**
#### About

"*Too much talking. Not enough hunting.*"
—Captain Maarnim Jhinaar of the Aasvogels

"*How gracious of these degenerates to congeal in one place and announce their deviancy for all the Galaxy to witness. And to think that such profligacy flourished amongst the Emperor's Angels themselves...

See to it you have departing vessels tracked, and open channels with our contacts on Mars; by the Grace of The Throne there shall be a reckoning.*"
—Inquisitor Aurelia Sternhauer, Ordo Hereticus, intercepted communications

"***[REDACTED]***"
—Inquisitor **[REDACTED]** of the Ordo Redactus

"*The gene seed used to create us Astartes is a limited resource granted to us by the God-Emperor. This divine gift is not to be wasted on tinkering by those of the Mechanicus with more augmetics then sense. The needless killing of loyal marines is also as great if not a greater waste. One should consider options such as disbanding these chapters and converting their warriors into Deathwatch Black Shields or a Penitent Crusade before wasting the boltshells.*"
—Chaplin Saullus of the Pyre Guards giving the view of his Chapter on the affair

"*No, I will not attend. No good can come of it. For an argument to be productive, at least one party must be willing to admit they are wrong. And they remain steadfast in their ignorance.*"
—Veteran Haros Tarsen, refusing a Laternax Council Summons

"*It is interesting Seleukian, it does seem like Di’Saak is right, we do have a unique opportunity presented to us thanks to the actions of the Bastards of the 13th.*"
—Tybos, Head of the Tyrant Triarchy, Forgekings Warband
## Gallery & Credits

Primary Article Contributors

Tactical Marine of
 [Vrchangel's]
 Aasvogels ChapterTactical Marine of
 [WingAutarch's]
 Optimus Legion ChapterTactical Marine of
 [Zhadorak\_Hesh's]
 Saurians Chapter

Other Key Article Contributors

Master-Sergeant of
 [GobbyTodger's]
 Otherwise Involved Chapter,
 The Starborn GiantsBrother-Sergeant of
 [LookatYOUbud's]
 Radical Chapter,
 The RedemptorsPrimaris Marine of
 [RagnarVulkus's]
 Puritan Chapter,
 The Molten FistsTactical Marine of
 [Nepechri's]
 Otherwise Involved Chapter,
 The Abators GoldenTactical Marine of
 [Son\_of\_Sanguinius1's]
 Radical Chapter,
 The Knights Angelicus Tactical Marine of
 [Rhaestar's]
 Puritan Chapter,
 The Calthen Justitians Tactical Marine of
 [Maelvvine's]
 Radical Chapter,
 The Iron Juggernauts Tactical Marine of
 [TwoFeetOnAPedestal's]
 Radical Chapter,
 The Dusk Vultures Traitor Astartes of
 [Giadrome76's]
 Chaos Warband,
 The Forgekings

Additional Article Contributors

Flame Brother of
 [The\_Emperor42000's]
 Puritan Chapter,
 The Pyre GuardsPrimaris Intercessor of
 [SlaaneshiLord42's]
 Otherwise Involved Chapter,
 The Obsidian FistsPrimaris Intercessor of
 [Primaris Hive Tyrant's]
 Otherwise Involved Chapter,
 The Iron DrakesTactical Marine of
 [Zurago's]
 Puritan Chapter,
 The AacharnsTactical Marine of
 [Trolling Panda's]
 Otherwise Involved Chapter,
 The Wolves of Dantra