5th Company

Fifth Company of the Knights Vigilant

Fifth Company Marine

Fifth Company of the Knights Vigilant - Obsidian Squad

Fifth Company - Obsidian Squad Marine

Salamanders

The prestigious Fifth Company of the Knights Vigilant acts as the bulwark against all who would dare defy the will of the Imperium of man, routing any who dare attempt to assail their fortifications across the worlds

they set foot upon. From atop battlements, tactical and devastator squads rain havoc upon the opposition, while the war machines under their command obliterate those unworthy of the tender mercy given by ranged weaponry, ending in the champions of the Fifth breaking the spine of the enemy, and soon thereafter their will to continue the battle.

For the 5th Company is ever-vigilant against the machinations of the enemies of mankind and will never falter, not until they have all fallen.

## Company History

A history of brutal defensive battles, glorious charges, and steadfast loyalty to the Imperium of Man is had by the Fifth Company, otherwise known as the 'Guardians of Vigilance' by those planets they've defended, as well as across the Knights Vigilant chapter. Yet, thousands of years of conflict, ranging in sizes and severity, have not been kind to the Fifth Company. Even still, onyx-trimmed pauldrons always find their way to the defense of the worlds most threatened by the enemies of the Imperium of Man, led by the unyielding Fifth Marshal, Mikathras Vermillion. Bold Astartes of the Fifth, bearing the numeral upon their armor, fight and die for humanity, as is their duty. There is no other goal, other than to see the Imperium of Man ruling over the stars as it was meant to, be it marching to the death of the Fifth Company or worse.

Duty over happiness, loyalty over disgrace.

### **The Battle of Zarrac**

Zarrac, a world torn by war against the vile Orks, then plagued by Dark Eldar raids was once more made a battleground, as Imperial forces clashed against both Orks and Dark Eldar raiders. This time however, the Imperial forces were able to send a message to the Knights Vigilant Fifth Company in a neighboring sector. Fifth Marshal Varidus Alvaritus received the message and redirected his forces towards Zarrac.

Upon the Fifth Company reaching the world of Zarrac, Alvaritus sent a majority of his forces in thunderhawks down to the surface, in order to assist the battered and surrounded Astra Militarum forces. Meanwhile, he and his hand-picked squads and forces dropped down into the main battlefield using drop pods. From above, the Fifth Marshal and his select few slammed into the Dark Eldar lines, Alvaritus and several Iron Warrior Venerable Dreadnoughts at the vanguard. Upon the drop pod doors slamming open, joyous Dark Eldar were met with the brutal efficiency of Alvaritus' two-handed power sword, then the unbridled fury brought down by the Venerable Dreadnoughts. What was left of the center of the Dark Eldar line was then assailed by the remaining squads of Astartes raining from the heavens, led by Fifth Company Captain Mikathras. Before long, the Dark Eldar raiding forces were shattered and fled from Zarrac in all due haste. Finally, the Fifth Company would need to face the Ork threat.

About the main Militarum base, the majority of the Fifth Company held off nearly-endless waves of Ork invaders, gunning down tens of thousands of Orks every wave, their numbers only swelling as more and more Orks joined the ranks of the dreaded Warboss Gruntcrusha. It would take several days for the forces led by Varidus to reach the surrounded Fifth Company and Militarum forces, so the forces fortified their position and prepared to hold as long as they could. No matter the skill of the Astartes, nor the intelligence of the Militarum officers, the Orks broke the first defensive line of the Imperial forces, killing several squads of Knights Vigilant marines, then several thousand Astra Militarum. It was upon the main assault of the second defensive line, that Alvaritus and his forces reached the battle, slamming into the flank of the Ork forces and cutting the force in two parts. From the defenses, the Imperial forces charged out and destroyed one side, while Alvaritus and his forces cleared the other. At the climax of the battle, Alvaritus fought Warboss Gruntcrusha in single combat, slaying the Warboss and putting down the remaining Ork forces. Zarrac was saved, for the time being.

From the remaining few who survived beside Alvaritus, Obsidian (sometimes called Onyx) Squad was born.

### **The Schism**

Still returning to strength from the Battle of Zarrac, Fifth Marshal Varidus Alvaritus was caught unawares by the Schism, led by the Sixth Marshal, Ulysses. Called upon to give his vote in the possibility of a new Grand Marshal, Alvaritus arrived with his forces outside of the Shattering Sun, then entered to cast his vote of confidence in the current Grand Marshal, Crabbus.

In the heat of the debates, Ninth Company took over the Reclusiam. This move incited violence across both sides, bolters being fired, and brothers slaying brothers. Alvaritus had clearly chosen his side, marching with Obsidian Squad to utilize stun mauls against the Ninth Company. During the chaos of the fighting across the Shattering Sun, Alvaritus and the Ninth Marshal met in combat, exchanging blows until Alvaritus emerged victorious and forced the Ninth Marshal and Company to lay down their arms and surrender. Few losses were had on either side, but not all were so lucky.

At the end of the Schism, Ulysses and his Captain, Xepherial lay slain. Grand Marshal Crabbus claimed victory.

### **The Defense of Grauis II**

Grauis II had reached the point in its cycle about the sun, in which the world was covered in complete darkness, forcing the inhabitants to take to artificial light sources. However, from the darkness came a Chapter of traitorous Astartes, led by a corrupted Chapter Master. The first strike was hard and caught the planet unprepared, which ended in a vast majority of the loyalist Militarum forces being scattered or entirely decimated. Once more, the Fifth Company was called.

Upon arriving to Grauis II, the Fifth Company came under heavy assault, the Fifth Marshal thinking it best that they get right into the fight, as the corrupted Chapter Master probably wished. The Fifth Company prepared and every single capable Astarte dropped down upon the traitorous Chapter. All around, loyalist and traitorous forces alike fell in the brutal close-quarters combat. Leading the charge was Varidus and Obsidian Squad, both taking heavy hits and dropping Astartes fast. Luckily, they were soon backed by the rest of the Fifth, which aided in turning the battle slightly in favor of the loyalist forces. Noticing this, the corrupted Chapter Master challenged Fifth Marshal to a duel, while the forces clashed around the duo. Alvaritus accepted.

In a clearing, the two met and brought all of their might down upon the opposition. Armor was dented, slashed, ripped, battered. Flesh was gouged, pierced and bloodied. However, Alvaritus couldn't defeat the power bestowed by the Chaos Gods unto the Chapter Master, and was nearly slain, until an anonymous Fifth Company Astarte leaped into the traitorous Chapter Master, throwing him off balance before he could offer the killing blow. While the Astarte was offered a brutal end, this allowed Alvaritus to rise from near-death and impale the traitor through the back, until he was on his knees before the Fifth Marshal. Without a single doubt in his mind, Alvaritus then removed the Chapter Master's head from his shoulders. Another victory for the Imperium of Man and the Fifth Company, but not without a hefty price.

Only ten percent of the Fifth Company forces remained.

### **The War for Syradus III**

A celebration held in the name of the Astra Militarum and Adeptus Astartes was held upon the world of Syradus III, upon the Fifth Company arriving on the bustling world filled with towering buildings and Imperial Bastions. Not all went to plan, as Word Bearers descended upon the world, slaying any and all who got in their path. In the chaos, Alvaritus got his forces together and met the Word Bearer forces, while the Astra Militarum set up defensive perimeters.

During the conflict, Alvaritus gave command of Obsidian Squad to Captain Mikathras, while he led the majority of the Fifth Company in securing and holding off the Word Bearer forces, aided by every single Fifth Company dreadnought, including the Iron Warrior Venerable Dreadnoughts. The first battle was won when the Fifth Company's Emperor's Champion defeated the Word Bearers champion, but there were many more battles to be had.

At the end of the War for Syradus III, the world lay in ruins and the Imperial forces crippled, but they came out victorious. Upon the final victory, Alvaritus killed the leader of the Word Bearer forces and returned to the stars, awaiting the next time he is needed by the Imperium of Man. The people of Syradus III erected a statue of the Fifth Marshal in his honor.

Ever-vigilant, it is said that the Fifth Marshal still awaits a time he and Fifth Company are needed most by the people of the Imperium of Man. And so he does.

### **KURN PRIME**

++ 128.M42 ++ KURN PRIME :: KURNIAN EXPANSE :: ULTIMA SEGMENTUM ++

With progress slow in quelling an increasingly more dangerous ork tide, a small detachment of first company veteran marines enlists the succor of the relatively nearby fifth company. The communicae never arrives, however, as it is somehow intercepted by drucharii raiders. The brigands heed the request for aid, arriving clad in the colours of the fifth company, and bearing haphazard mockeries of their heraldry. Distrought, but able to capitalise on the sudden arrival of a new foe, Brother Lieutenant [ERROR::REDACTED] directs the veterans to strike at critical soft targets as they rapidly materialise on the field of battle. It is a victory for the imperium, but a pyrrhic one. The forces arrayed against this meager agriworld had wiped out over ninety per cent of the planet's population, dooming the subsequent planets within the Kurnian expanse to imminent famine.

Great panic ensues within the ranks of the xenobiologians when news of the irregularity of an intercepted message reaches Holy Terra. All agree that the drucharii have become far more bold and insidious in their plots...

In response to the actions taken by the drucharii, Fifth Marshal Varidus Alvaritus marshals the Fifth Company and begins to hunt for any drucharii within the region. When asked about his thoughts by battle-brothers and others, Alvaritus stays constant in saying that he will wipe any drucharri that dare use his colors from the sector. He offers no other words, but leaves a trail of destroyed drucharri vessels and bodies in the wake of the Fifth Company.

The message is clear: no drucharri survivors, no prisoners.

## Tactics

The Fifth Company utilizes a specific set of tactics, though the main tactic goes as following:

### **Assessment**

During the Assessment phase of planning, the Marshal and his higher-ranking members will meet in a command center upon the surface of a planet, or within the Fifth Company Strike Cruiser. Depending on the situation below, they will choose one of two strategies: offensive or defensive.

#### Offensive

In the event of an offensive approach, the Fifth Company will muster all of its forces and embark upon the following steps:

***Rally:*** The Marshal rallies all of his forces, whether they have seen combat, or not, pulling them from the fighting to set a clear rally point, in which the Fifth Company shall muster and hold a summit over the planning of the offensive maneuvers. If above the surface, this means the Fifth Company shall meet within an assembly room.

***Excursion:*** From their current position, the Fifth Company will leave their defensive fortifications and seek out any enemy forces along the way to a main campaign target in the region. If the Fifth Company is currently in their Strike Cruiser, this means they will either choose to drop down onto the planet in drop pods, or shall head down in thunderhawks.

***Search and Destroy:*** Upon destroying any outer forces, the Marshal will converge all of his forces onto the main campaign target and begin laying siege to any defenses raised by the opposing forces. If there are weak defenses, the Fifth Marshal will go about crushing the defenses, and having the Fifth Company assault the remaining portions of the campaign target immediately. Upon victory being claimed, be it over a period of a long time, or a short time, the Fifth Company will allow nearby Astra Militarum forces to take over the lands retaken by the Knights Vigilant Fifth Company.

#### Defensive

In the event of a defensive approach, the Fifth Company will relay information across all fellow Imperial forces as to the plan, then embark upon the following steps:

***Fortify:*** Upon getting into defensive positions, the Marshal and his forces will begin setting up necessary defensive measures around their positions, creating several lines of defensive fortifications. If on their Strike Cruiser, first, the Fifth Company will arrive on the planet, hold down a landing zone, until all forces are accounted for, then move onto their chosen defensive position to begin the fortification phase.

***Defend:*** Once the opposing forces have begun laying siege to the fortifications raised by the Fifth Company and any accompanying Imperial forces, the Fifth Company will send the Astartes with the strongest firepower to the front lines, leaving their stronger melee fighters in the second defensive line, in the case that the opposing forces begin breaking through the first defensive line, so the melee forces may cover the retreat of the ranged forces, by meeting the enemy in melee combat, effectively forcing them to fight only the melee Astartes, while the ranged forces set up on the second defensive line. Upon setting up, the ranged forces shall signal the melee combatants to clear the field, then begin volleying back into the opposition.

***Breaking the Spine:*** When the enemy has taken sufficient casualties, the Company will use their defensive walls as more of an offensive tool as they push forward and cut a swathe in the direction of the opposing side's command. Upon reaching the commanding forces, one of the Fifth Company champions, be it the Marshal, the Emperor's Champion, or the Captain, will fight the enemy leader to the death. Upon the enemy commander falling, or fleeing the field of battle, the Fifth Company shall then move onto splitting the enemy force into two parts.

***Scouring:*** Finally, after splitting the enemy forces into two pieces, the Fifth Company will scour the remnants of their forces, destroying one half of the force, then the other. Should the enemy army rout from the field of battle, they will be hunted down by the Fifth Company until fully-eliminated. From there, Mikathras the Fifth Company will give the Imperial forces on the planet command, once more, and return to their Strike Cruiser.

## Organization

The organization of the Fifth Company is as such, from the highest ranking forces, to the lowest:

### **Command**

The Command forces of the Fifth Company changes depending on the current campaign, but only if there is a great need for the Fifth Company to split and attack enemy forces from different sides. The Command forces of the Fifth Company are made up by the *Fifth Marshal* and the *Fifth Captain*, as well as sometimes including the *Fifth Emperor's Champion.*

### **Obsidian Squad**

Originally formed by the former Marshal, Varidus Alvaritus, Obsidian Squad is where the few strongest members of the Fifth Company reside, and follow the Fifth Marshal into battle. Obsidian Squad is occupied by the *Fifth Captain*, the *Fifth Emperor's Champion*, the *Fifth Master Warsmith*, the *Fifth Chaplain*, as well as the *Vigilant Lords.* As well, it is likely that other skilled veterans of the Company find their way into Obsidian Squad, as it is not limited to only those of high rank.

#### Vigilant Lords

Vigilant Lords are incredibly powerful and talented marines, though with enigmatic origins. They play vital roles as advisers to the Office of the Grand Marshal. Though none within the chapter, perhaps not even the Grand Marshals themselves, know their true origins, these marines are respected warriors, deploying either as field commanders, or engaging in devastating solo operations, delivering death to entire warcamps on their own.

### **Veterans**

Veterans of the Fifth Company are often set as squad leaders in Astartes squads, and may even be raised to Obsidian Squad status, where they will be allowed to choose the armor they wear into battle, as well as use their weapons of expertise. Dreadnoughts are counted as veterans.

### **Astartes**

As a non-veteran member of the Fifth Company, Astartes are sent to serve in a squad led by a veteran. These Astartes may rise to the rank of Veteran upon serving for many years, or upon completing impressive feats noticed by the Fifth Marshal or any other higher-ranking member of the Fifth Company.

## Notable Members

'*Fifth Marshal - **Mikathras Vermillion'***

**Fifth Emperor's Champion - Crabbus**

**First Lord - [REDACTED]**

**Second Lord - Impartiallus Crabbus XXIX**

**Third Lord - Kiridus**

**Fourth Lord - Varidus Alvaritus**

## Company Relics

### ***Weapons***

***Vigilance:*** The two-handed power sword wielded by *Fifth Marshal Varidus Alvaritus*, Vigilance is finely-crafted and has been renamed several times in the past. The blade is shaded to a full silver, though some parts are of a darker variety than the actual blade. The pommel of the power sword is stylized in the form of two hawk heads, both facing outwards, while the crossguard of the power sword is stylized in a very Black Templar-ish fashion, yet is given the stoic nature of the Imperial Fists, by a silver laurel about the very center of the crossguard.

***The Fist of Judgement:*** The power fist wielded upon *Fifth Marshal Varidus Alvaritus'* left hand has seen nearly as much battle as the Marshal's valued power sword. The power fist itself is the same color as the majority of the Fifth Marshal's armor, that being a rather dark gray. About the back of the power fist, a skull is bolted to the dark gray surface, then kept in place by dark silver chains. Each of the segmented power fist knuckle portions are given pointed, square studs for all the more damage to the enemies of the Imperium of Man.

***Artificer Bolt Rifle:*** One of the first of its kind, handcrafted by the famed Nucosian artificer, Delebrid Hetmon and awarded to select marines for exceptional feats in the line of duty. This particular boltgun is embellished with fine jewels, intricate prayers, and renditions of packs of lions. Currently wielded by *Second Lord Crabbus*.

***Thrice Blessed Combat Knife:*** Shining gilded gold and blessed in the halls of the ecclesiarchy, this knife can withstand increased wear during combat, purportedly, even against the fell powers of chaos. Currently wielded by *Second Lord Crabbus.*

***Vulkan's Eye:*** A Vulkite Charger dating back to the Horus Heresy, this weapon was gifted to *Terminator Sergeant Arda'val* by his mentor.

***Banisher:*** One handed double headed Force Axe wielded by the *Fifth Captain Mikatras Vermillion*. The master crafted force axe is fitted with the symbol of the librarius on its head with a blood drop gem embeded in the skull of the librarius symbol. It was forged in the Chapter Forge of the Blood Angels and is one of the few Force Axes created for the newly trained Lexicanum of the Blood Angels right after the end of Horus Heresy.

***Inferno Gauntlet:*** The Inferno Gauntlet is a Power Fist with a side mounted Mars Pattern Inferno Pistol permanently fitted onto the left artificer bionic arm of the *Fifth Captain Mikathras Vermillion*. The power fist is in the colours of the Obsidian Squad dark grey and on it´s back is fitted the Crux Terminatus.

### ***Armor***

***Armor of the Vigilant:*** Artificer armor created for *Fifth Marshal Varidus Alvaritus* personally, this set is made up of several different schemes of armor, ranging from a Knight pattern helmet, all the way to a pair of Mark III boots, then a dragon head-nozzled pack across his back. This armor is rather recent, in terms of age, but it is the best armor worn by the Fifth Marshal, as of yet.

***Hide of To'Gash:*** The skin of the beast *Terminator Sergeant Arda'val* slew to be inducted into the ranks of the Astartes. The Hide of To'Gash is worn as a cloak.

## Company Strike Cruiser

The Vigilance of the Fists strike cruiser, active since the earliest recorded instance of its use, circa M38. During the waning days of the ever more violent campaigns waged by Grand Marshal Pudis Vardzkan, the ship was critically damaged, and fell from orbit, crash landing in the wastes below. Suffering a near two week long barrage of crazed lunatics, the vessel proved vital in preserving lives of the two dozen survivors. Following the Vigilus Crusade, the Vigilance of the Fists was repaired and refurbished, seeing it operate at unprecedented levels of efficiency, even with reduced manpower.