Death Bearers

Death Bearers armorial with Chapter iconography.

Death Bearers Chapter colour scheme.

The **Death Bearers** are a Successor Chapter founded, in all probability, from the lineage of the Raven Guard during the 24th Founding. Calm and disciplined, the Death Bearers unleash the full fury of the Adeptus Astartes once they come into contact with the enemy, but not without first establishing a solid strategy. Equally adept with the sword and the bolter, this chapter relies on adaptability and flexibility during their campaigns. They proudly proclaim their kinship with Corax and his Raven Guard, and make sure to incorporate and adapt the Primarch's precepts into their strategies to honor him.

## Chapter History

### Origins

Created in the early part of the 39th Millennium during the 24th Founding, the Death Bearers were founded to counter the T'au Empire's Second Sphere Expansion in the far reaches of the Ultima Segmentum. Strongly influenced by the conduct of the Ultramarines, the Death Bearers embraced the edicts of the *Codex Astartes* in violent confrontations with the T'au and their proven strategies. When the xenos' advance came to a halt in the Gulf of Damocles, the chapter moved to the nearby desert world of Abiectus and conducted several major operations throughout their zone of influence. With every attempt by the T'au to expand, the Death Bearers answered the call and were one of the first lines of defense against the invaders.

## Notable Campaigns

The many operations carried out by the Chapter in the vicinity of the Gulf of Damocles are known to the vast majority of the Imperium, but are also protected by the seal of secrecy because of their sensitivity and the immediate proximity of the T'au Empire.

* **Second Sphere Expansion (Circa M39) -** The chapter was founded from the bloodline of the Raven Guard in the Ultima Segmentum to reclaim the worlds lost during the Second T'au Expansion Sphere. It was during these early battles that the chapter earned its name and reputation. It was also at the end of the conflicts, near the Gulf of Damocles, that the Death Bearers lost their Founding Father.
* **Foundations of a Home (700.M41) -** The Chapter settles on Abiectus, a desert world near the Gulf of Damocles, and establishes its monastery-fortress, The Peak, on one of the mountainous peaks of the poles. An intense period of recruitment followed, in order to reach as quickly as possible the numbers recommended by the Codex Astartes.
* **Third Sphere Expansion (997.M41) -** The T'au incursion known as the Third Expansion Sphere mobilized much of the chapter in the Gulf of Damocles and Imperial territory. The Death Bearers supported the other Astartes chapters present in numbers and made numerous evasive and sabotaging maneuvers to halt the xeno advance.
* **Indomitus Crusade (999.M41-Present) -** The formation of the Cicatrix Maledictum shook much of the Imperium. The Chapter was at the forefront of the horrors spewed forth by the Great Rift. Never before has the Chapter had to face so many Warp creatures and corrupt cultists or Chaos Space Marines. However, with occasional interventions from successor Ultramarine chapters, the Death Bearers were able to maintain control of their territory. However, the chapter's losses were most significant during this period.

## Chapter Homeworld

Abiectus is a wild world, with only a few large hives and 90% of it is covered with charcoal grey desert sand. The heat that reigns during the day is much more intense than on most of the wild worlds of the sector. This is mainly due to its star, Abiecta, a red giant at the end of its life which, by growing, has reduced the distance between it and Abiectus. There is no doubt that the chapitral world must have been a land favorable to life and endowed with a luxuriant vegetation, but all this no longer exists, burned by the intense radiations emitted by Abiecta.

### The Upland Cities

The few important population gatherings are on the rocky plateaus of the areas less affected by heat and radiation, namely near the North and South Poles. The cities that have been built there are neither hives nor megalopolis with flourishing trade. Just disparate groupings of several thousand humans at the most. The Upland Cities are like oases of civilization in the middle of the blackened dunes of the planet, and are the only place where it is possible to survive several years without dying of thirst or radiation.

## Chapter Organisation

The Death Bearers were greatly influenced by the conduct of the Ultramarines at the time they founded their Chapter. They quickly understood the potential benefits of studying the Astartes Codex and its application in depth. This was applied to all levels, from squad markings to rank displays.

### Hierarchy

#### Officer Ranks

* **Chapter Master** - Lord and Commander in Chief of the Chapter.
* **Captain** - Senior officer in charge of a company.
* **Brother-Lieutenant** - Junior officer, serves as a Second to an Iron Paladin as a chief advisor.

#### Specialist Ranks

* **Master of Sanctification** - One of the Masters of the Chapter, Master of the Faith, Senior Chaplain.
* **Reclusiarch** - Master of the Reclusiam, Senior Chaplain.
* **Chaplain** - Chaplain attached to a Company
* **Forges Master** - Senior Techmarine, in charge of the Chapter's Armorium.
* **Techmarine**
* **Epistolary** - One of the Masters of the Chapter, Master of the Librarium, Principal Librarian.
* **Librarian**
* **Chief Apothecary** - Master of the Apothecarion, senior Apothecary.
* **Apothecary**

#### Line Ranks

* **Veteran Sergeant** - Senior Sergeant of a Company.
* **Brother-Sergeant** - Commands a squad.
* **Battle-Brother**
* **Scout Marine**
* **Aspirant**

### Specialist Formations

#### Invector Squads

Over the centuries, the Death Bearers have made a specialty of the well-known tactic of the deep strike, in order to deliver a powerful blow to the enemy's most sensitive devices, or to support a frontal assault via reinforcements on the rear lines. This tactic having more than proven itself, the Chapter adopted it fully and formed squads specifically for its dangerous air assaults. Thus were born the Invector squads, composed of Assault Marines, Tactics and Devastators. The role of these squads is to deploy in the most dangerous areas and to progress and act as a Kill-Team. Several types of squads exist for several types of situations. Thus, one can find lightly armed squads for quick attacks or sabotage, or heavily armed squads for rear-engagement of the opponent. This specialized formation is probably the only deviation from the Codex Astartes of the Death Bearers. It was also the origin of the chapter's name.

#### Devastators Space Marines

The chapter's Devastator marines are heavily favored for mop-up operations or frontal assaults, to help the other Astartes squads advance. Death Bearers never skimp on the amount of firepower to be deployed in a theater of war. The support of the Devastator brothers within the squads is a much appreciated asset and is considered indispensable, as the experience of these astartes in the handling of heavy weapons can be decisive.

#### Primaris Space Marines

The chapter's recent losses from the opening of the Great Rift weakened the Death Bearers' hold on their territories. At the most crucial moment, as streams of demons and mad cultists attacked the worlds on the outskirts of Abiectus, Primaris reinforcements, sent by none other than the resurrected Primarch Roboute Guilliman, arrived and slaughtered the Demon Ost and its mortal followers. The Chapter gratefully welcomed these new brothers and celebrated their incorporation by launching a campaign to reclaim the worlds near the Cicatrix Maledictum.

### Order of Battle

#### Chapter Companies

Each company in the chapter scrupulously follows the edicts of the Codex Astartes, the only exception being the presence of Invector squads. Their composition, number of astartes and vehicles never deviate from the Codex prescriptions. The 10th company is naturally dedicated to the scout squads, so it does not have any Invector squads.

## Chapter Recruitment

The Death Bearers recruit the majority of their midshipmen on Abiectus, but can also recruit on the surrounding worlds where they have to operate. Any battle brother can recommend a child to take the tests on Abiectus, if the child has a higher than normal resistance, a potential success for the implantation of Space Marine organs.

### The Tests

Once spotted, the neophyte is taken to the desolate wastelands of Abiectus, whether he is a native or not. Once left to his own devices, the child must find the path to the Juchoir, the Chapter's monastery fortress. There is no time limit on the journey and all means are good to accomplish it. If he survives the intense radiation of the sun during the day and the nocturnal predators that roam the anthracite sand dunes, he must find the location of the Fortress. For this, it is common for the aspirant to seek information in one of the planet's plateau cities. The child will still have to dodge gangers, slavers and traffickers. He will have to blend in and go unnoticed to get the information, because anyone who makes the mistake of asking around or finding the Emperor's Angels will attract the worst criminals in the slums. Once the information is acquired, the neophyte will reach the South Pole of Abiectus and the Peak.

### The Initiation

When the child reaches the Peak, he is greeted by a veteran of the chapter. The latter will take him to a darkened room with other children who have also passed the first test. There, a strange game will begin, the goal of which is to flush out the other possible children without being flushed out yourself in the dark. This practice has two interests: the first is to allow the children to become familiar with total darkness and to test their hunting instinct. The second is to observe how well some recruits are able to hide. This test is not eliminatory and allows to select the children who will receive a more specialized training. When the game is over, on the orders of the veteran present, the children are taken to spartan quarters or waited for the muscle-strengthening training and psycho-indoctrination sessions to begin.

## Combat Doctrine

Adaptability and the study of the Codex are the essential values advocated by the chapter. Each captain, lieutenant or sergeant must be able to quickly adapt his strategy according to the situation and the type of enemy encountered. Thanks to this, Death Bearers are able to intervene on any type of terrain and against any opponent while limiting their losses. The precepts of Corax are also central to the doctrine of the chapter, but each Death Bearer knows how to renounce them when they are no longer adapted to the situation. In this way, the fluidity and speed of action of the chapter is reinforced, and guerrilla actions, assassination and sabotage are just as much favored as large-scale assaults.

## Chapter Gene-Seed

The gene pool of the Death Bearers is relatively stable and pure, despite a probability, on the order of about 20%, of failure. The chapter never hesitates to provide progenitor glands that are considered to be possibly defective, but clearly separated from the healthy ones, during the genetic tithes so that the Biologis of Mars can possibly find the reason and the solution to this defect.

### Missing organs

* **Mucranoid:** This organ, which secretes hormones that are then assimilated by the colon and modify the glands responsible for perspiration to secrete an oily sweat that protects the skin against the coldest temperatures, is absent in all brothers of the chapter for an unknown reason.

### Malfunctioning organs

* **Oolitic Kidney:** This organ, which improves the filtering performance of the multi-lung or the functioning of the auxiliary heart, can fail, resulting in a greyish complexion in the brothers of the chapter suffering from this defect.

## Notable Personnel

### Corvo Validus

Founding father of the Death Bearers and former archivist of the Raven Guard, he led the chapter to countless victories with his prescient skills and knowledge of the Raven Guard's doctrines. Thanks to him, the chapter was able to get up and running in no time while recruiting heavily to prepare those who would become the first Death Bearers of Abiectus. He was killed in a warp accident during the conflicts to recover worlds that fell to the T'au during their Second Expansion Sphere. The Death Bearers believe that he is still alive and will return on the day the chapter needs him most.

### Kerith Ren'shaw

Ren'shaw is the fourth chapter master of the Death Bearers since its creation. He is a silent being but proud of his origins and his chapter. Like all of his predecessors, he has made it his goal to keep the chapter on the path of the Codex and the precepts of Corax, without allowing the latter to encroach on the former. Bordering on hubris, the pride he takes in his good relations with the Ultramarines and some of their successor chapters makes this chapter master an astartes quicker to react out of honor than out of real necessity, which is not lost on the brothers of the chapter as well as their allies. Once a member of his previous Chapter Master's Honor Guard, the near destruction of the Guard and the murder of their master forced Ren'shaw to take over the leadership of the chapter, with the blessing of the Sanctification Master Aloreion. Since then, he has led the chapter with honor and pride against the vomitous horrors of the Cicatrix Maledictum and the treacherous xenos who seek to take over the Emperor's domains.

## Deathwatch Service

The Death Bearers never hesitate to send their best xeno hunters to work for the Inquisition and the Deathwatch. This is because of the knowledge of xeno eradication that this can bring to the chapter, as well as the Deathwatch's own eradication methods.

## Chapter Fleet

* ***Corax's Wrath* (Battle Barge)**
* ***Vigilant Imperator* (Battle Barge)**
* ***Abiectus Judgment* (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Shadow of the Raven* (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Sword of Corvo* (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Dawn's Storm* (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Torment of the Darkness* (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Will of the Raven* (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Bane of the Xenos* (Gladius-class Frigate)**
* ***Spear in the Shadow* (Gladius-class Frigate)**

## Chapter Relics

* ***Mors Armiger***: This bolter model Stalker once belonged to Corvo Validus, Founding Father of the Chapter. It is considered one of the most spiritually valuable relics. All of the Chapter Masters who succeeded Corvo carried this bolter with them into battle.
* ***Red Corvus***: This antique drop pod once belonged to the Raven Guard chapter, and was taken by Corvo when the Death Bearers were founded. The belligerent spirit of this drop pod allows only the most accomplished veterans of the Invector squads to use it. This pod is always sent in at the height of battle.
* ***Shadow of the Raptor***: This exceptional Chameleoline cloak is a relic of the chapter for reasons known only to the senior officers of the chapter. It is never used and only displayed in the battle barge Corax's Wrath. Rumors have it that this cloak belonged to Corvo Validus himself and that he left it to the chapter before he passed away, but there is no way to confirm this as the versions differ from company to company.

## Chapter Relations

### Allies

* **Ultramarines:** Due to the chapter's proximity to the Ultramar domains, the influence of the Ultramarines on the Death Bearers' doctrines and approaches to warfare has been correspondingly significant. Since their founding, the Death Bearers have enjoyed an excellent relationship with the Ultramarines due to the many joint battles they have fought with the Sons of Guilliman, whom they and some of their successor chapters treat with great respect.
* **Novamarines:** As successors to the Ultramarines of the second foundation, and guarantors of the perpetuation of their values, the Novamarines are viewed and respected in the same manner as the Ultramarines by the Death Bearers. This unconditional respect and the oaths of assistance sworn by the sons of Corax have provided fertile ground for a lasting friendship between the two chapters.

### Enemies

* **T'au Empire:** The xenos were the very first enemies of the then fledgling chapter, and indirectly responsible for the demise of their Founding Father. Since then, the Death Bearers have had a particular hatred for the T'au Empire. As a result, it is certain that several of the Chapter's companies will systematically come forward to deal with any proven T'au incursion.

## Notable Quotes

### By the Death Bearers

"*Invector squads are in position. The shadows are working in their favor for now, so strike, brothers. Strike with all your might to spread the shadows for our isolated brothers !*"
—Captain Arkage leading the third company of Death Bearers during the Damocles Gulf Crusade
"*May the Shadow of Corax cover me and deceive those who face me. No mercy, no respite, let my call fill the skies !*"
—Traditional Battle Prayer of the Death Bearers Chapter
### About the Death Bearers

"*Our cousins are leading the assault into the heart of the enemy formations, this precious time they offer us must not be wasted, my brothers. Onward!*"
—Attributed to a Novamarines sergeant during the Damocles Gulf Crusade

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 White Scars Successors
 Space Wolves Successors
 Imperial Fists Successors
 Blood Angels Successors
 Iron Hands Successors
 Ultramarines Successors
 Salamanders Successors
 Unknown Lineage

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