Order of the Blazing Horizon

A Battle-Sister of the Order of the Blazing Horizon.

The **Order of the Blazing Horizon** is an Order Minoris of the Adepta Sororitas based in the Sentar System of the Sanctus Sector in the Segmentum Ultima. They were founded by Canoness Becca Paratus and settled on Noliath because, being at the edge of the Imperium and being victim of a warp storm that cut them off from the Imperium, there were frequent invasions in the system. Noliath is now a relatively peaceful planet, but it hasn't always been so. This was the most strategic planet for the Sisters to set up their secondary convent in order to keep a watchful eye over the other planets in the area and become a rapid response team. This was also a politically sound planet to call their homeworld. The Sisters of the Blazing Horizon have a fondness for purging by fire, and they work well with other Imperial forces, including the Inquisition. They are very focused, and if one word of potential heresy crosses a person's lips, there are no second chances. The sisters will immediately be taken and tested for the taint of chaos. Then the culprit, if able to pass the test, is placed in a reconditioning school and must do their penance. Surprisingly enough, this order does not have a larger than average number of Repentias, but they do have quite a bit of penitent engines and mortifiers.

## History

Noliath had been cut off from the Imperium by a warp storm. It had been an essential Imperialist agri-world in the Sentar sector. The Sisters of the Blazing Horizon were sent to Noliath to make sure that the world was still a part of the Imperialist cult and free from corruption. When the Sisters arrived, they realised that the world was primarily intact, but cultists were overrunning the Imperial guard. They came to the battle, and they purged the heretics together. It would take time to find them all and ensure that none were corrupted, so the Order of the Blazing Horizon requested permission to build a second convent on the world and continued their mission. Their mission continued for years and spread to nearby planets. Noliath was safe. Once they were satisfied with the results on Noliath, they moved on to the neighbouring planets, cleansing the heretics and pushing back the Xenos.

## Homeworld

Noliath is an agri-world in the Sentar sector in the Segmentum Ultima. It boasts majestic sceneries reminiscent of the tropical islands of ancient Terra. With vast oceans with white sands, Noliath has four large land masses with very fertile lands. The weather is comparable to the climate of Terra, although it never gets cold enough for the crops to freeze. The range of temperature is between 15 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees. The inhabitants of Noliath are farmers of both animal livestock and root vegetables and other fruit. The population is made up of farmers, and the harvests are tremendous, but recently, the relative peace that Noliath had known had been disturbed by the evils of chaos. Its history is filled with grand battles, the most infamous one being a war that brought the Sisters of the Order of the Blazing Horizons and the Imperial Guard of the planet to work together to thwart a chaos invasion.

The people of the world are divided into five major groups. The Religious including the Ecclesiarchy and the Adepta Sororitas, the Imperial Army and the potential recruits. The Nobles watch over the farmers and the workers, the farmers who take care of the day-to-day needs of the livestock and crops and the workers who are the people who transport and transform the primary product to be shipped across the system.

### Secondary Convent

The primary convent of the Order of the Blazing Horizon is the Convent Sanctorum, on Ophelia VII. Once they established themselves on Noliath in the Sentar system, a secondary convent was built as both a place of worship and a headquarters for the newly founded order. This convent was called **Ignis Filias**. Ignis Filias is a convent built in the centre of a City. Around it are stone walls, and the main entrance is through two large wooden doors. Inside is a cobblestone street that goes around the convent and a walkway to the main doors of the building. Statues of both The Emperor and Saint Alliandra are erected on each side of the walkway to the convent. The God Emperor's statue is made entirely of gold, while the Saint's statue is made mainly of white marble and golden details. The convent itself is grand and can house the whole order but is rarely occupied at total capacity. Usually, the main gates remain open for people to pray in the public worshipping area, but the sororitas have their own private worship room.

## Beliefs

The Sisters of the Order of the Blazing Horizon believe in the divinity of the Emperor. They have a deep-seated, ingrained hatred for the heretic and the alien. They fight with vigour and zeal when called to battle to defend mankind. They know no fear, and they can ignore pain. They believe that they were sent to bring faith and order to the Imperium and that they are doing the Emperor's work. They think that death is honourable if met on the battlefield and that honour is very important. Doubt, even fleeting, is expected to be quenched, and a sister who has doubted must tell the canoness and be advised on whether she can continue to serve the Emperor as a Sister of the Blazing Horizon or if she should join the ranks of the Repentia. She is never forced to take the oath of Repentance, but if she chooses to go against the advice of the Canoness, she risks the fate of the Penitent engine.

## Doctrine

The Battle Sisters of the Order of the Blazing Horizon like to arrive in the thick of a battle, tanks firing as they advance. The Sisters Repentia open the way into any battle, and behind them come the other Sisters. They refuse to back down and keep advancing until the enemy forces are terminated. Any Sister who retreats without receiving the order or before the battle is won is likely to be encased in a penitent engine or a mortifier. There is no room for doubt and cowards in the order of the blazing horizon. Any sign of weakness or doubt will be squashed and punished. The only way to leave a battle unfinished is dead or severely injured; even then, it is seen as a failure.

The Sisters of the Order of the Blazing Horizon enjoy taking the offensive. They usually prefer close combat, but they do come in shooting. They traditionally use flamers but are not adverse to using bolters. Most sisters use chainswords in battle. The Repentias usually come in first, marching ahead of tanks and clearing the way for the Sisters militant. The canoness of this order is more hands-on than usual and likes to join major battles and fight with the relics kept in their vaults.

## Organisation

* **Canoness** - She is the commanding officer of the order of the Blazing Horizon; political decisions and discussions with the Ecclesiarchy go through the canoness of the Chapter. The Sisters under the Canoness are all under her supervision.

* **Palatines** - Are the direct subordinate officers to the Canoness. The palatines have more leeway and do not have to deal with the political aspects of being a leader. They are on the battlefield most of the time.

* **Sisters Superior** - The Sisters Superior are the squad commanders that lead the Sisters into battle. They deal directly with the fighters on the ground and make instant decisions, moving their squads around on the battlefield.

* **Battle Sisters** - These Sisters are the equivalent of line ranks, and they are standard infantry. Most of the squad would be Battle Sisters.

* **Dominions** - The Sisters Dominion are the melee specialists in close combat. They are the Elite infantry of a squad.

* **Seraphim** - Sisters Seraphim are jump pact infantry, and there are not many in the order of the blazing horizon, but they do provide some cover fire by air. They can start destroying the enemy before they even touch the ground.

* **Sisters Repentia** - The Sisters Repentia are led by the Repentia Superior in combat. Usually, they would clear the way for the other sisters to join close combat, ground attack.

## Order Appearance

### Order Colours

The armour of the Sisters of battle starts with a black boot that blends into a darker red for the legs, then a lighter reddish-orange colour for the bodice and a golden helmet. The Aquilas are golden in colour, and the robes are red. The trims are black. The sisters of the blazing horizon have a fondness for flamers and chainswords.

The Canoness usually wears golden robes and carries a long sword into battle.

### Order Symbol

The Order of the Blazing Horizon symbol consists of a skull centred within a sun rising over a fiery horizon.

## Notable Campaigns

### The Invasion of Noliath

Orks were invading Noliath; The Imperial Guard were the first to respond. As they tried to push back the invaders, with only partial success, the sister of battle of the Order of the Blazing Horizons took arms and assisted the Guard in battling the vile Xenos. There was no way these disgusting, war-loving creatures would take over their homeworld. Canoness Klara Berkquist joined the battle. Many guardsmen were killed, but the Orks were not gaining any more terrain, and the Imperialists thought they were winning the fight. Most of the orks were slain, but a group had broken away and created havoc on the city's east side. The Noliath Riders went after them, and so did the Canoness and a small squad of Sisters.

More orks were arriving, and so were reinforcements from the previous battle, but before most had arrived, a Warboss roared and charged in, killing everyone in its path, eyes fixed on the Canoness. She stood her ground and prepared to engage. Every other Imperialist was locked in their own battle. As he ran toward her, she fired her bolt gun, which only slowed him down moderately and got the attention of other orks who soon surrounded her. She fought with all her might but realised that she could not win this one. She vowed to take down as many orks as she could before falling. As the warboss picked her up in the air to deliver the final blow, the ork dropped her to the ground. A long sword had run through him. The other orks are divided between the cavalryman who had killed the warboss and the Canoness. The Guardsman, Captain Benjamin Brak, slew all of them with his lasgun and his longsword. This battle was an Imperial victory but cost many lives. The Canoness, showing a token of appreciation for the hero, decided to honour him by taking his firstborn child, Bethany Brak, to the Schola Progenium to become a member of the Adepta Sororitas.

### The Timerian Conflict

The sister of the Order of the Blazing Horizon received a message from the Ecclesiarchy. They were to rendezvous with a Space Marine chapter named the Scarlet Constrictors. The Sisters were to confirm that the Scarlet Constrictors were indeed standing down, as per orders of the Inquisition. Palatine Zolara Caronira would conduct the preliminary inspection, and when the Inquisitor arrived, they would continue the investigation. If the Order of the Blazing Horizon detected any signs of heresy, they were instructed to immediately purge tainted members. If there was suspicion of heresy, their orders were to detain the Chapter. If the Scarlet Constrictors refused to stand down, they would stand down by force. The Ecclesiarchy sent a team to the nearby planet or Timar, ready for battle. In preparation for this encounter, Sisters Repentia and penitent engines would be on standby if diplomatie failed.

Seeing what looked like the Constrictors destroying the world and taking hostages to their ship, the Palatine called in reinforcements. A Repentia squad and penitent engines joined the Palatine while the ship was told to contact the Ecclesiarchy and inform them of her findings. The Scarlet Constrictors did not heed the warning and continued their operations. After consulting with the local PDF, the Sisters were under the impression that the Chapter leaders may have been a traitor, which prompted a response to the refusal to stand down. The ground engagement began, sending the Repentia and penitent engines to break through the city's fortifications, along with strategic orbital strikes.

Extremely confused at the practice of the Scarlet Constrictors removing their helmets, Palatine Zolara understood that there was more to the situation than it seemed. Palatine Zolara ordered the sisters to return to the leading group, except for the scouts who were to report. However, the Repentias kept moving forward as per their mandate. Everywhere she looks, the Sisters of battle are holding their own against the Scarlet Constrictor Astartes. The Chapter Master and the Palatine duelled. The Chapter Master tried to explain that the Alpha Legion had infiltrated his chapter. This did not discourage the Palatine, for the order had been to stand down and await judgement and the Scarlet Constrictors went against that mandate. Soon, the Inquisition arrived and asked the Sisters of Battle to stand down, which they did immediately, but a grudge remained between them. Having seen the Chapter Master wielding a heretical blade, the Palatine would not forget her place and leave this time, but she would slay him the next time she encountered the heretic.

### The Martyred Sister

The Order of the Blazing horizon was called to a planet where a Khornate uprising occurred. The Imperial Guard was overwhelmed. A kill team was sent to the centre of operations of the Khornate cult. When they made landfall, they realised that the cultists had desecrated a chappel and led the conflict inside the buildings. The Sisters arrived and entered. Their horrible sight was that their holy rage almost became...unholy. The statue of the Emperor of Mankind was desecrated, and a pile of skulls sat at the foot of it. Sister Besjana Besnik ran, fought many cultists and accidentally took the life of one of her squad mates when the cultists surrounded her. That is when her rage became unholy. Outside, the Order of the Blazing Horizon was making progress with purging the cultists, but Besjana, having lost herself in outrage and grief, ran forth. Once at the front of the chapel, she listened to the whispers of the Khornate worshipers as she was being flayed and prepared to become a Champion of Khorne, but in her heart, she was still loyal to the Emperor of Mankind. The Emperor granted her a last moment of strength. This resulted in Sister Besjana taking her own life. Soon after, the Khornate worshippers were purged or fled the planet. Unfortunately, the Order believed that they had won the war, but they had only won the battle for, on that day, another Champion of Khorne took the place of Sister Besjana.

### Retaking Sondown

A Tzeentchian Sorceress and her army had taken Sondown. The Taskforce **the Chosen** and the Red Crusader's 7th company were determined to save the planet and purge the evil Sorceress. The Order of the Blazing Horizon was called upon to help retake the planet. While the Crusaders and the task force went for an attack on the Sorceress' stronghold, the Order of the Blazing Horizon came in to help the Imperial Guard retake the nearby City. As the Imperial forces started pushing back the enemy, the Sisters of the Blazing Horizon continued their purge as the pure civilians were liberated. This campaign was deemed an Imperial victory. The casualties were acceptable, and the planet was released from the evil Tzeentchian Sorceress and her army, although it would take a very long time to rebuild all that was lost.

## Notable Sisters

* **Sister Besjana Besnik**- Sister Besjana was deployed with her battle sister squad to fight an insurgence of khornate cultists. Being forced to choose between her faith and becoming a champion of Khorne, she decided death before Heresy after a throne of bone grabbed her and started merging with her body.

* **Canoness Vera Fides** - Canoness Vera Fides climbed the Order of the Blazing Horizon ranks faster than any other Sister had before. She was not offered the role of Canoness but was assigned it. She was not very interested in the political side of the role, thinking that her skills were better suited for the battlefield, so she had an adviser who spent more time than she did on the battlefield. Since she became Canoness, the number of Sisters who took the oath of Repentance dropped significantly. This happened because she had heard of the heresy in the Order of the Dawn, and she understood that only by being firmer could she prevent something similar from happening within her Order. If someone did something slightly questionable, they were sent to a penitent engine. Naturally, the sisters became more and more devout and perhaps even more zealous than at any time in its history.

## Relics

* **The dagger of Sister Besjana** - This dagger was used by Sister Besjana to kill herslf in order to stop her forcible transformation into a scion of Chaos. As she sat on a skeleton throne and it started flaying her skin and fusing with her body, she used the last of her energy to pick up her dagger and defy the will of Khorne. With the blessing of the Emperor, she used the last of her strength to kill herself before the transformation was complete.

* **The Guardsman's long sword**- This is the long sword that was used by Captain Benjamin Brak of the Noliath Riders, to save Canoness Klara Berkquist from certain death at the hands of a band or orks and a warboss. This action earned Brak the favour of the Order of the Blazing Horizon. The long sword is symbolically carried by any canoness that leads a battle.

## Relations

### Allies

* Noliath Riders- The Imperial guard cavalry regiment of Noliath. They have always been allies, and the Sisters are always available to help out if the guard is in dire need. The guard also returns the favour.

* Order of the Dawn- Being in a nearby system, the Order of the Blazing Horizon sometimes assists the Order of the Dawn on significant campaigns. They also always have several Sisters in the task Force **The Chosen** tasked with destroying the Slaaneshi Warband, the Sisters of the Night.

### Enemies

* Scarlet Constrictors- After the altercation between the two factions during the Timerian Conflict, the Sisters of the Order and the Scarlet Constrictors have a deep-set hatred for each other. The Order believes that the Chapter Master was a heretic and that the duplicity of the Chapter blinded the Inquisition. They believe that the Scarlet Constrictors are traitors, but they cannot prove it yet.

## Stories

* Death Before Heresy

In this short story, a squad of Sisters arrive at the epicentre of a Khornate cultist invasion. Sister Besjana is invited to take a seat to the right of the Emperor's throne.

* Behind the Veil

This is a short story featuring Sister Novitiate Marika Moliere, who has sinned against her Order and the Imperium, and now she must pay the ultimate price and pilot a penitent engine in hopes of being forgiven by the Emperor for her heresy. Published first on www/coldopenstories.com.

## Quotes

### By the Order of the Blazing Horizon

"*It is of no importance whether or not your Chapter had been infiltrated by an original traitorous legion. The way I see it, your Chapter is heretical either by lying to us about this so-called infiltration or by allowing itself to be duped and infiltrated in the first place. The taint of chaos is upon you, now and forever!*"
—Palatine Zolara speaking of the Scarlet Constrictors after the Timerian Conflict.