Lightkeepers

Lightkeepers armorial with Chapter iconography: a torch bearing a golden flame, to lighten the dark hours and burn the foes of Mankind.

Lightkeepers Battle-Brother of the 3rd Company, 6th Battleline Squad.

## Space Marine Chapter

### **Allegiance**

Imperium of Man
(*Fedelitas Totalis*)

### **Successor of**

Ultramarines
(Roboute Guilliman lineage.)

### **Allies**

Adeptus Mechanicus; Blood Ravens; Inquisition; Raptors; Tome Keepers

### **Battle cry**

"Pierce the darkness!" / "Burn the enemy!"

### **Colours**

Black, white, gold, red

"*We are what the Imperium was in its glory,*
*What His sons were meant to be.*

*We are memory to a decaying mind,*

*The enlightened vision guiding the blind.*

*We are guardians of the forgotten gold,*

*Hands wielding the treasures of old.*

*We are vessels carrying His Truth entire,*

*Slayers of the creeds and the liers.*

*We are the light in the suffocating night,*

*The last beacon of hope and might.*

*We are the Lightkeepers. And we are here for you.*"

- A Lightkeepers' war song.

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The **Lightkeepers** are a loyalist Space Marines Chapter founded in 546.M32, during the 4th Founding, just after the near-disastrous War of the Beast, which nearly brought the Imperium of Man to its knees. Suffering catastrophic losses after making great sacrifices to halt the massive invading Ork WAAAGH!, the Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes began the long, tedious process of rebuilding their ranks. The Lightkeepers were one of several newly created Chapters that came into being during this time. They were created as a successor Chapter of the Ultramarines. Upon their inception, they were charged to defend the vitally important Lighthouse System, an administrative hub for all the sectors surrounding theMaelstrom, as well as the Ereb-Assou sector which contains this system.

The Lightkeepers constitute a Chapter of warriors eager to learn. They believe that by understanding their world and their foes, they will be better prepared to defend humanity against its enemies. These battle-brothers have repeatedly shown a willingness to accept non-traditional techniques and extreme approaches. They also efforce to recover lost relics or tomes, somethimes even forbidden artifacts or entities, and secure them within their vaults.

These marines also have a peculiar trait in their gene-seed. When implanted with a Progenoid Gland from their Chapter, they gain access to parts of their predecessors' memories. When their glands are extracted (one in their youth, the other at their death), their own memories and those that they received are stocked again in these organs. This allows for a continuation of shared expertise from generation to generation.

Their motto is "*In Tenebris Lux*", the High-Gothic for “light in darkness”. The Lightkeepers set themselves the mission of maintaining hope for the imperial population, even more so during the darkest times. They also aim to protect what remains of science in the Imperium, to keep humanity's path lighten.

Every battle is meticulously planned, every foe tactically analysed and every ally carefully scrutinised to ensure that victory is achieved in the most efficient manner possible. Then, the battle-brothers adapt to any evolution of the situation, methodically eliminating new threats as they come. When the battle is won and the fallen counted, all is recorded to better serve the Lightkeepers in their next wars.

The Chapter is very wary of the idea of martial glory or honour, which they see as vain purposes. They prefer instead to emphasise pragmatism, adaptability and completion of the mission over all other concerns. They nonetheless seek glory whenever this does not conflict with their objectives, because they know that a good image is essential to fulfilling their role as keepers of hope for Mankind.

Besides their military proficiency, the members of the Chapter are naturally free thinkers, diplomats, tacticians, negotiators and scholars. When they fight alongside other Imperial factions, they act as mediators between these factions. Because they constitute a generalist Chapter in terms of combat doctrine, in battle they try as much as possible to fill in their allies' shortcomings.

Contrary to most Ultramarines successor Chapters, the Lightkeepers view the *Codex Astartes* as a highly effective set of guidelines rather than absolute doctrine. This sometime puts them at odds with other Ultramarines successors.

The Lightkeepers are led by the **Golden Council**, which gathers the Captains and the other Masters of the Chapter.

These Marines are based in the **Pharos**, a gigantic hive spire, more akin to a disproportionnaly high bastion than anything. This Fortress-Monastery houses a particuliar light source at its summit, which brings strength and protection to humans in the whole stellar system. The Pharos was constructed during the Age of Technology, supposedly by a being called the **Lightbringer**. The Chapter, like the population of their homeworld, believes that this Lightbringer is no-one else than the Emperor himself under a secret identity.

The Pharos, as well as many places on Lighthouse and on board of the Chapter Fleet, are swarming with the Chapter Serfs. Those are called the **Grey Flames**, because of the colour of their clothes. The Lighkeepers consider the Grey Flames as equals and full members of the Chapter, for the Chapter could not live nor function without them. These Serfs are highly trained in their respective civil field, but also in military matters. They can well protect the Pharos or the Chapter Fleet all by themselves. However, as Space Marines are not allowed to control a complementary army, the Grey Flames are authorised to fight only in defence. Outside of these primary missions, they also serve as the Lightkeepers' anchors into the mortals' life and preoccupations, helping the Astartes to keep understanding who they fight for.

## Chapter History

The Lightkeepers have a long and rich history. Hereunder are disclosed the most important events. A complete view is accessible on this article: Lightkeepers' History.

### Founding and Trial by Fire

The Lightkeepers are an old Chapter, created during the **4th Founding** in 546.M32, just after the **War of the Beast** followed by the event known as the Beheading, in order to protect the **Ereb-Assou sector**, especially the planet of **Lighthouse**. As their gene-seed was newly designed through the alteration of pre-existing material, it was decided that upon their founding no Lightkeeper could be drawn from other Chapter's veterans, to avoid mixing gene-seeds. Instead, each and every new Astartes had to be recruited from aspirants and go through the Ascension process. The first Lightkeepers were then trained in the Segmentum Solar by veterans of the Ultramarines, Salamanders and Raptors. Meanwhile, on Lighthouse the **Pharos**, the highest hive spire on Lighthouse, was prepared to accommodate the Astartes and hereby become their Fortress-Monastery. The cojoined preparations were programmed over twenty-five years.

Unfortunately, during this period the whole Ereb-Assou sector got besieged by an Ork invasion. Aeldari pirates and Drukhari Kabals took this opportunity to launch raids upon the planets damaged by the Green-Skins. Meanwhile, insidious incursions on several mining worlds by Word Bearers and Chaos cultists sought to corrupt the population and set uprisings. The imperial forces in place slowly but continuously lost control of the sector, as two decades of grinding defence progressively took their toll on them. Despite all these foes, the **Gawain sub-sector**, containing Lighthouse and some other important worlds, held strong, repelling raid after raid.

In 570.M32, the Lightkeepers had to discontinue their initial training, as the situation in the Ereb-Assou sector grew too much alarming. The Chapter counted at that time four full Companies, for a total of about four hundred and fifty Marines. As they never had seen official engagements, they had no veterans yet, thus the Companies were numbered from 2 through 5, leaving a phantom 1st Company to be progressively completed by the best Marines. The Chapter also possessed some empty Dreadnought chassis, in the provision of the losses they would soon face. After a gathering of wargear and spaceships, a great ceremony occurred, then the Lightkeepers, led by their Chapter Master **Karia Herodotus**, set out for distant stars.

Upon their arrival on Lighthouse, the Astartes got well received by the population and the imperial forces in place. Their welcoming was not completely warm though, as they still had to prove their valour in a sector ravaged by war. **Diane Octavia**, the Planetary Governor of Lighthouse, a well-learned and old woman, was quite relieved to see such a great force come to save the sector. But at the same moment, she perceived that her time as a governor would have to end soon, since Chapter homeworlds are ruled by a Chapter Master and not a mortal. Up to that day, she effectively had managed to defend her planet against many invasion tentatives, all while meeting and often exceeding the quotas required by the Administratum. Consequently, Diane knew what Lighthouse would lose with her gone, and she feared that the Lightkeepers would not be able to correctly manage the planet from the start, or even at all. Besides, representatives of the Imperial Knight **House Liger** on Lighthouse shared the governor's feelings, for their planet was situated in the same system.

Understanding the situation, Karia Herodotus asked for a private meeting with these important figures. He knew that offending the Governor or the representative of House Liger would only result in resentment and sub-optimal resource production and distribution for his Chapter. Together, they held council for hours. The details of their discussions are not publicly known, but in the end, an agreement was concluded. From now on, Diane Octavia would cede her position to the benefice of Karia Herodotus, but she would remain in charge of a large part of the planetary activity as a Vice-Governor. The relationship between House Liger and Lighthouse would not be affected by this change. For the moment, Diane would work in the same way as she always had, while giving the Lightkeepers every means and resources they asked for, provided that their demands were reasonable. The exact repartition of duties between the Governor -now the Chapter Master- and Vice-Governor would have to wait. Once the Gawain sub-sector would be fully secured, this question would be important for the future generations occupying these two roles. But war could not await and each hour counted.

So the Lightkeepers briefly settled in the Pharos, as intended during their founding, before propelling themselves in and around the Gawain sub-sector. They vaillantly fought all the threats they encountered, mainly Orks. Their strikes were surgical, concentred on the xenos leaders or critical assets, to disorganise the enemies and allow other imperial forces to finish the work.

When the Chapter first met the Skitarii manipules from the forge world **Crucible**, Karia Herodotus and the Tech-Priests settled a light alliance. They worked out how each faction would interact with the other in battle, while also agreeing not to arrange a mutual defence pact for the moment. In this manner, both organisations would retain total freedom until they better knew eachother. The same agreement was then landed with the Imperial Knights of **House Sequena** when the Lightkeepers reached the **Gallica system**.

As the sub-sector was already the best-defended in Ereb-Assou, it only took a solar year to definitively secure it. When this first phase in the defence of the sector was completed, the Lightkeepers returned to the Lighthouse system to briefly recover and rearm. Karia Herodotus and Diane Octavia took the opportunity to update the balance between their roles. Together, they optimised at length the repartition of their respective duties, what eachone needed, and how to work together. The Chapter Master would supervise all military aspects on Lighthouse, while the vice-governor would be in charge of all civilian matters. The Chapter Master would also have absolute powers, so he would have the final say on every subject.

Before the many victories already attributed to the Lightkeepers, House Liger also negotiated an alliance with the Chapter. The Imperial Knights were used to only protect their stellar system and a small area around it, but they were eager to prove themselves on a much larger scale. They perceived that fighting alongside these Astartes would be an excellent opportunity to be even more successful in battle, and at the same time elevate their own glory to the level of greater Houses. Karia Herodotus also negotiated a full alliance with representatives of Crucible and Gallica, this time with mutual defence terms.

Then, the Lightkeepers had to face a challenge greater by orders of magnitude. They helped in the liberation of many worlds over the following years, each time freeing new assets for the imperial forces to push back the Orks and other xenos further and further. The Lightkeepers also encountered the Word Bearers for the first time, operating only in the underhives and mining networks of mining planets, as if the Chaos Space Marines were afraid to reveal themselves in open light. The Chapter grew a special hatred for this Legion, while they were chasing the unexpecting worshippers of Chaos in the darkness. Two adversaries could not be as distant as these Astartes. The Lightkeepers were fighting for the salvation of Mankind while promoting science and reason, in opposition to the Word Bearers who propagate the most abhorrent of religions and zealously subjugate humans to please their dark masters. Lastly, the Chapter happened to inadvertently catch some Aeldari and Drukhari raiding parties and made them pay dearly for their attacks. However, all these combats were costly for the Lightkeepers. Every success was paid in sweat and blood. That period saw the first activation of their Dreadnoughts, after the fall of particularly skilled battle-brothers.

To compensate for its losses, the Chapter detached some of its first veterans permanently to the Pharos and missioned them to train recruits. Diane Octavia helped in the process, sending her Enforcers to scan the hive-cities in search of good -willing or not- candidates. Neophytes soon showed some strange particularities. They suddenly got access to vast quantities of lore, tactics and other knowledge that were not yet taught to them. Later, some were somehow able to remember memories of deceased Lightkeepers, recognising people or places they never had met. This confused the Neophytes and puzzled their mentors. The latter, unsure of the right conduct to adopt, informed the Golden Council of the phenomenon. The Masters debated together, then recognised in this surprising outcome a great opportunity. Thanks to that strange ability, recruits would train faster and be ready to battle early. It was decided, however, that the Master of Sanctity, Chief Apothecary and Chief Librarian would investigate the matter, to assure this memory feature was not the sign of a detrimental mutation nor a taint of Chaos.

In the dawn of 600.M32, after decades of struggle, the Ereb-Assou sector was still at war. But the situation was now controlled and the imperial forces finally had the upper hand. In only thirty years after their founding, the Lightkeepers had already lost more than a quarter of their numbers. Recruitment only slowed the decrease in manpower, unable to stop the regression. As things began to cool down in Ereb-Assou, the Lightkeepers took the time to reinforce their foundations.

With the help of the authorities of Lighthouse, then other planets in the sector, the Lightkeepers started a vast enrolment campaign to replenish their strength. The Master of Sanctity, Chief Apothecary and Chief Librarian firsthand supervised this process, searching for signs of mutations, or anything else that would explain the recruits' ability to recall things experienced by previous Lightkeepers. They found out that the gene-seed of the Chapter originated from a modified stand of Ultramarines. In some inexplicable way, the Progenoid Gland of each battle-brother collected his memory. This meant that, when those glands were implanted in a neophyte's body, he acquired those memories. Some information was readily accessible after the surgery, notably tactics and general lore, whilst others were only triggered by meeting a person, hearing specific words, seeing some places, etc. This second category mostly encompassed direct memories of the neophyte's predecessor's life. As this ability proved not to be linked to Chaos and did not cause other mutations, the Golden Council saw it as a blessing that would help the Chapter in its mission. A Captain suggested that every fresh Lightkeeper shall receive the surname of their direct predecessor, whom they inherited their progenoid glands and memories. This would help the Chapter keeping track of lineages among its members. And so started a new tradition, which the Chapter still maintains today.

The fifty veterans of the 1st Company at that time trained the new units. The Lightkeepers also sent some Astartes to the homeworlds of other Chapters, one squad each, with three objectives in mind. They wanted the bring help where it was most needed, forge strong bonds with their distant brothers, and learn new strategies and tactics to be even more efficient. Some Chapters turned down the offer, politely or not. Some persistent tensions originate from this period. Fortunately, the three Chapters that trained the first Lightkeepers, the Ultramarines, Salamanders and Raptors, welcomed the sent away Lightkeepers with open arms. The White Scars, Imperial Fists, Raven Guard and Tome Keepers also accepted the squads. Some Lightkeepers, feeling a special hatred for the xenos they fought for decades, elected to join the Deathwatch. This willingness to learn directly from other Chapters by seconding some squads became a tradition for the Lightkeepers since that time.

### The Forging (ca. M32 - ca. M35)

In 626.M32, after eighty years of tyrannical ruling, Drakan Vangorich, the Grand Master of Assassins of the Officio Assassinorum, became so paranoiac that he was deemed a menace to the Imperium. Vangorich was forcibly removed from power and executed by a large Space Marine retribution force led by the Imperial Fists as well as the Halo Brethren and Sable Swords Chapters. In the aftermath of Vangorich's fall, the Imperium proceeded to descend into a period of political anarchy for some time. The Ereb-Assou sector and its surroundings were no exceptions. The Lightkeepers had to recall their brothers seconded to other Chapters, in order to reinforce and quell the rebellions. They did so until 640.M32 when peace was forcibly imposed in Ereb-Assou. During this period Korinthos Xenophon, a veteran of the 1st Company and hero of the Chapter, fell in combat and was entombed in a Contemptor Dreadnought. He is still currently active, which makes him the oldest Lightkeeper by far, with more than seven thousand years of active duty. When the calm returned after forteen years of instability, the Lightkeepers started to send away a few squads again to assist other Chapters.

During the second half of the 32nd Millennium, the Chapter faced numerous revolts in the Ereb-Assou sector. It is suspected that Chaos agents from the Maelstrom, maybe Word Bearers, instigated these uprises. However, no clear evidence was ever found. The Imperial forces of the sector had to spread their strength thin to answer all these conflicts. Some Drukhari began to prey on the weaker settlements while the main body of defense was away. The Lightkeepers proved unable to help the planets invaded by the Dark Eldars, whowere striking too swiftly to be intercepted.

In parallel, the Lightkeepers' Chapter Serfs were officialy renamed the "**Grey Flames**", after the color of their clothes and the fire-like symbols they wore. This started a serie of incremental reforms, through which the Lightkeepers gave them more and more autonomy. The overall aim was to free the Astartes of some tasks where their super-human traits were not needed. This period of changes culminated with the creation of the White Flames, senior Serfs with roles normaly attributed Space Marine Captains, and their integration in the Golden Council.

Before the end of the 32nd Millennium, the Lightkeepers reached full capacity despite their many military engagements, thanks to the numerous population of their homeworld.

In 760.M34, a massive WAAAGH! managed to pierce through the defences of the Lighthouse system. Lighthouse II, home of the Imperial Knight House Liger and only agriworld of the system, took the bulk of the invasion. The Lightkeepers and some Astra Militarum regiments from Lighthouse helped the Imperial Knights to hold the planet. When reinforcements from the rest of the Gawain sub-sector finally arrived, the Imperial forces still needed years to completly purge the xenos stain from Lighthouse II. They had to painstakingly burn each centimeter of the planet in order to prevent any reappearance of the Orks. And so the rich biomass of Lighthouse II disapeared. This tragedy was later called the **Scouring of Lighthouse II**.

After that, the Lighthouse system had difficulty importing enough food. But in the following decades, a Lightkeeper expedition came back with a set of microorganisms and flora that proved able to grow on the calcined surface of Lighthouse II. The process of regrowth took a long time to be completed, and a new fauna had to be introduced. But in the end, the planet regained its position as an agriworld, feeding the stellar system again. Because House Liger's green painting now shared an unfortunate associated with the invading Orks, the Knights changed their heraldic colour to black, the colour of their burnt soil. By doing so, the Knights also aimed to honour the Lightkeepers, who bled at their side then brought the seeds of a new biosphere for Lighthouse II. House Liger elected to become a protegee of the Chapter. Since that time, many Knights choose to serve the Chapter directly, joining the Astartes in battle as Freelances.

At the end of the 34th Millennium, the ***Blazing Lotus***, an Oberon-class battleship, got regurgitated by the Warp. It is supposed that the vessel got lost during the events following the Howling. Some Terminator squads of the Lightkeepers investigated the relic spacecraft, finding it devoided of life. The Chapter thus secured the vessel. After a long process of retrofitting, the massive spaceship became the Chapter Command's flagship. It is still used to this day.

Nova Terra Interregnum (ca. Mid M34 - Late M35)

Upon the declaration of independence of the Ur-Council, the Lightkeepers immediately sent several expeditions to fight what they considered a major rebellion in the distant Segmentum Pacificus. Despite their efforts, and those of many more imperial factions, the Ur-Council of Nova Terra effectively established itself as the ruling power of the segmentum. This period of division is called the Nova Terra Interregnum.

Seeing their foes were too numerous and well-organised, the Chapter members changed their strategy. The groups dispatched in the Segmentum Pacificus reorganised into small Kill-Teams, each regularly tasked to eliminate an important target. These Space Marines' approach thus evolved to become more akin to that of assassins and infiltrators, rather than that of battlefield forces. They did their best to kill insurrectionist leaders on unnumerable worlds, sabotage industrial assets and forcibly scuttle space vessels. The Chapter Scouts proved highly efficient in such operations.

Meanwhile, the Moirae Schism tore the Adeptus Mechanicus apart, dividing it between the orthodox followers of the Cult Mecanicus and a new kind of faith. Some Tech-Priests began to believe that the Adeptus was to be destroyed and that the Cult Mecanicus and the Imperial Cult would fuse into one religion. Members of the Adeptus fought a bitter civil war for decades. Several imperial factions outside of the Adeptus Mecanicus, even some Astartes Chapters, got contaminated by the teachings of the hereteks, especially those closely related to Tech-Priests.

Even if the Lightkeepers, as ever, distanced themselves from any kind of religion, several of their Techmarines got seduced by some of these new teachings. These saw the situation as an opportunity to reforge both Cults at the same time to remove a great lot of superstition. But this proved to be a foul's hope, as the Schism only furthered the place of faith in imperial lives. While the events quicly devolved into a civil war, most Lightkeepers Techmarines only could watch their faint hope of enlightenment turn into a devastating blaze threatening the Imperium. The few of them who still took the side of the Moirae followers got declared as hereteks by the Adeptus Mecanicus, but the Chapter refused to hand them to the Tech-Priests. These foul Techmarines clung to a ghost hope, trying to convince their brothers that there was a way to turn the Schism into a favourable outcome. When the orthodox Techmarines understood that they could not talk their brothers out of their madness, they decided to take definitive action. One fateful night, with much resentment and sadness, they suddenly pointed their guns at the hereteks' heads and shot, shedding a tear for each lost brother they brought down. A handful of heretek survivors managed to escape the first onslaught, but the rest of the Chapter chased the fugitives and administrated the Emperor's Peace to every one of them. The Lightkeepers heavily suffered during this dark event, as they were supposed to incarnate Mankind's hope, but were forced to extinguish their brothers'. This tragic event was later called the **Iron Tears Night**. It is since comemorated by the Chapter as an example against unchecked optimistic beliefs.

After the initial Schism, it took over two terran millennia of desperate warfare before the Moirate doctrines were considered fully purged from the servants of the Machine God. The Chapter took upon itself to hunt down Moirae partisans.

The Nova Terra Interregnum elongated well beyond the main events of the Moirae Schism, the Lightkeepers and other imperial forces being overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the secession. This period lasted for nine hundred terran years.

When the Golden Council's members sensed the first foretelling hints of the **Cataclysm of Souls**, they suspected that a massive war of faith would soon submerge the Pacificus segmentum. The Masters of the Chapter feared that the raging believers would take the opportunity to kill some Lightkeepers because those were fervent defenders of reason over faith. Not wanting to needlessly lose men to the hands of the very people they were supposed to protect, the Chapter withdrew all its forces from the Pacificus segmentum. Not long after, the Ur-Council officially rejected the Ecclesiarchy's teachings, which led to a tidal wave of popular rises in all the Segmentum. The Ecclesiarchy ultimately proved successful and the Ur-Council was overthrown after much bloodshed, then the Segmentum Pacificus was reintegrated back into the broader Imperium.

### Age of Apostasy (M36)

The Lighthouse system upheld its name during the Age of Apostasy by providing a beacon of hope for billions of people fleeing some Ecchlesiarchy members' madness, particularly that of **Goge Vandire** during the Reign of Blood. Like lost sailors on a stormy night, attracted by the faint and distant glow, masses of refugees flooded the stellar system. They had followed tales and legends about the Lightkeepers and their realm outside the grasp of the Church. Seeing waves of millions arrive at their doors, the Lightkeepers and the population of Lighthouse took as many people as they could under their wings, and dispatched the rest to other planets in the system or to nearby stars under their protection. The refugees were put at work as soon as they landed. Their first task was to produce the means and resources necessary to house and feed themselves. Such life was so hard that many died in the process, but most survived.

Meanwhile, the Lightkeepers patrolled the whole Ereb-Assou sector to screen any suspicious activity. Each time they encountered a vessel belonging to the Ecclesiarchy, the space marines politely but firmly asked the crew to leave the area immediately. Some of them refused, so skirmishes happened between both factions. This systematic denial alienated the Chapter and the whole Ereb-Assou sector to the eyes of the Church. Such defiance got met with increasing hostility from the Ecclesiarchy, as well as a diminishing support from other factions of the Imperium at large. So, the Lightkeepers prepared to face directly Goge Vandire, in order to put an end to his folly. They knew that their strength would not be sufficient however to besiege the Ecclesiarchal Palace alone, so they tried to subtly rally other Chapters to their cause.

Suddenly, in 353.M36, a serie of massive Warp Storms surrounded the Gawain sub-sector, heart of Ereb-Assou, cutting most of its safe routes. Travel was still possible through the rest of the sector, but only during short lulls between the storms. Communication were intermitent at best, with sometime several months separating contact with the exterior. To top this, million of daemons spilt from the Warp breachs and attacked the planets housing the most refugees, Lighthouse being one of their prime targets. This event indefinitely postponed the operation the Lightkeepers were preparing, as they could not reach for allies nor safely travel to Terra, and had to protect their own territory. The Chapter turtled up in the Gawain sub-sector to wither the storms and fight the daemons back. Such was the intensity of the daemonic incursions that the remainder of the sector had to be completely abandonned for many years.

The storms only decreased in intensity in 378.M36. At that time, the Lightkeepers received delayed communications from the Black Templars, who just had forged a crusade with other Chapters to eliminate Goge Vandire. The Lightkeepers immediately dispatched all the squads they could spare -which was not that many after two decades of intense struggle against daemons- and sent them to Terra as well. Upon their arrival, the Space Marines found out that the Ecclesiarch had been killed a few day before. This meant that they would not be remembered as liberators, unlike their brothers who arrived first. But the Lightkeepers kept their heads high, as there still were pockets of insurgents, previously loyal to Vandire, to purge.

Once the calm returned on Terra, while other factions paraded to celebrate the end of the Reign of Blood, the Lightkeepers rummaged in the Ecclesiarchal Palace for weeks. They found and secured many precious documents about the dirty works of the Church, which they then took back to Lighthouse. The Chapter later used the information thus collected to blackmail the Ecclesiarchy in the following millennia, each time the institution threathened to sink its claws in Ereb-Assou.

While this party was out, the remainder of the Chapter discovered that the Ecclesiarchy, as well as various xenos and Chaos factions, had taken over parts of the Ereb-Assou sector while the Lightkeepers were confined in the Gawain sub-sector.

The space marines used the information gathered in the Ecclesiarchal Palace to threaten the Cardinals settled in the sector. Most of them, sensing that their position could escape their grasp if those secrets were made public, got easily convinced to leave the area.

One Cardinal however resisted the blackmailing. The Lightkeepers then revealed to the Imperium at large communications made between this very cardinal and Vandire's administration, which contained evidences of child trafficking and numerous other dark practices. The Cardinal managed to persuad part of his dioceses that these allegations were lies, and that the proofs provided by the Astartes were faux. This part of the sector remained in a hot and tensed state for years, until higher ranks in the Ecchlesiarchy deemed necessary to act. The Cardinal was moved to a distant location, but because of the vacuum left in the local power structure, a civil war exploded between those in the population who supported the Cardinal and those who opposed him. The Lightkeepers interfered in this conflict in favor of the latter, mercylessly crushing the other side into submission. In the following years, this Cardinal was found dead in his private apartments, choked by a plastic bag wrapped around his head. It is unknown to this day who killed him, as no trace had been found in the room, but a great number suspect the Lightkeepers.

The rest of the sector had to be taken back from xenos foes and Chaos cults. The process took decades of intense fight.

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Because their numbers were depleted, in 385.M36 the Lightkeepers began to secretly use volonteers to multiply their gene-seed stocks and produce more marines. The Astartes implanted these men with their gene-seed, but instead of beginning the long process of training after that, once the volunteers reached maturity the Space Marines immediately administrated to them the Emperor's Peace and extracted the gene-seed. By renoveling this disturbing cycle for short while, they generated enough organs to rebuild a greater number of Lightkeepers at once.

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### Age of Redemption (ca. M37)

The Lightkeepers took part in many Imperial Crusades during the Age of Redemption, to recapture the lost wealth of the Imperium and push back the hordes of Chaos, Orks and other alien threats to Humanity. To this end, they had to spread their strength in and out of the Ereb-Assou sector as they were drawn into longer and more terrible crusades. This heavily strained the Chapter.

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In the middle of the 37th millenium, the Chapter Master of the time decided that the Chapter would stop sharing its knowledge and treasures. They were the Lightkeepers, so they would keep for themselves the light provided by the Emperor. To him, most other imperial faction were too much backward-minded, corrupted, or doctrinal. So, the Chapter would make a better use of the technologies it had discovered or maintained.

This situation lasted only for a few years, until the other members of the Golden Council stepped in. They unanimously voted the Chapter Master out of his position. As there was no free position among the Captains, the outing Chapter Master had no choice but to simply join the 1st company as sergeant. This action humbled him deeply, but did not made him change his view.

The former Chapter Master remained a source of embarrassment for a time. He found his end during a boarding operation, where he was leading a terminator squad in the metallic maze of an enemy battleship.

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### The Waning (ca. M38 - ca. 750.M41)

Anarchy throughout many sectors of the Imperium was rife during a dark period in Imperial history that is now called the Waning. Ever more star systems were turned over by the Administratum to direct rule by Space Marines Chapters to preserve stability, as only the Astartes possessed the inviolable military strength required to restore imperial control in the more lawless regions of the galaxy. Thus, more and more systems got placed under direct control of the Lightkeepers, until they ruled over almost the entire Gawain sub-sector. This stretched thin the strength of the Chapter, as their numbers were too low to permanently occupy each of these systems.

In 737.M41, **Sidon Herodotus** was elected as the new Chapter Master of the Lightkeepers. He is still in charge today.

### Time of Ending (ca. 744.M41 - ca. 999.M41)

The second half of the 41st Millennium proved disastrous for the Lightkeepers, as for most other imperial factions. Being spred thin on too many fronts, fighting too many enemies at the same time, the Chapter progressively lost more than three quarters of its numbers, irreplacable dreadnoughts, and unvaluable relics. The 4th, 5th and 7th Companies got almost completely erased from existence by the end of that period.

The **Rebellion of Masym** took place in 999.M41. After Khorne cultists poisoned the minds of its population, the forces stationned on the planet Masym rebelled against the Imperium. The cultists intended to bring their master, the bloodthirster Ghalan'Kzar, in realspace through unspeakable dark rituals. Imperial Guard regiments came first, but their numbers proved insufficient to face the millions of foes before them. Part of the Lightkeepers 6th and 7th companies joined the fight, just before Ghalan'Kzar's summoning. Thanks to the ***Spear of Rusting Blood***, a mystical relic, Captains Byzanthion Komnene and Berytus Procopius managed to banish the greater daemon back into the Warp. This campaign saw the near annihilation of the 7th Company's forces in place, as well as Procopius' death.

In 982.999.M41, the **Great Awakening** occured, when a ripple of psychic activity passed through the Imperium, awakening the dormant powers of countless latent psykers. On Lighthouse, many thousands of them suddenly manifested their powers, causing panick and chaos around them. The resulting backlash created innumerable Warp rifts and daemonic incursions, including in and around the Ereb-Assou sector. The 2nd, 5th and 9th Companies of the Lightkeepers defended Lighthouse and as much worlds possible in the Gawain sub-sector. Because of its already diminished numbers, the Chapter had to leave the rest of the sector to its fate. The 5th Company bore the brunt of the defence, which reduced it to a handful of survivors. When the Warp storms finally ceased, the other two companies reached for the fallen worlds in the remainder of the sector, to bring them back under imperial control.

In 993.999.M41, wave after wave of astropathic pleas for help flooded at once from all across the galaxy, though there is only an eerie silence from the segmentum Pacificus. So powerful was the influx, so overbearing was the psychic current, that the Adeptus Astra Telepathica suffered serious personnel losses amongst their Astropaths. Whole choirs collapsed at once, driven mad or slain outright, their minds bursting. Vast breakdowns in imperial communications ensued, increasing both anarchy and panic as the endless psychic screams for help echo across time and space. This event virtually cut most of the Lightkeepers from the Imperium, for days or weeks depending of their specific locations.

In 995.999.M41, a Lightkeepers detachment contributed to the overall defence of the Cadian Gate during the 13th Black Crusade. These Astartes brought a frigate with them, which they used as a plateform to launch boarding parties against enemy vessels in orbit of Cadia. They unfortunately did not see the end of that war. Those few who had survived the initial battle for Cadia and the subsequent destruction of the planet were killed shortly after, during the last hours of the battle in space which concluded the 13th Black Crusade. Their frigate also got lost.

### Era Indomitus (ca. 999.M41 - Present)

After their awakening on Mars, the first Primaris Marines Lightkeepers quickly understood that they were not like the others. They already possessed some memories from their their forebearers, as all Lightkeepers do. Together, they shared what they collectively knew about their soon-to-be Chapter: places, names, faces, events. This enabled them to "remember" the Lightkeepers' general culture, although they lacked details. This did set them apart from the others Primaris Marines, who were instructed in Bellisarius Cawl's way. These Lightkeepers also had gathered pieces of old information about First-Born members of the Chapter, but could not know whom were still alive. Thus they were eager to join their Chapter as soon as possible to connect the dots.

When the Lightkeepers finaly met their Primaris brothers, they almost immediately recognised themselves in those new Marines. The culture that they already shared, even before they met, made a big difference to ease the integration of the Primaris. For both sides, it was like seeing for the first time some distant family members that they often had heard about.

Because of the depletion of their ranks and the near complete loss of three Companies, when the Primaris Marines finally joined their brothers, the Lightkeepers proved once again quick to adapt. The Golden Council designed a massive re-organisation of the Chapter (which can be seen in the new order of battle hereunder). This allowed for a smooth integration of the Primaris, as well as new strategies to face upcoming threats. The Companies integrated both First-Born and Primaris, going so far as to mix them in certain squads, to ensure a complete fusion of wargear and battle doctrine, but also to unite the minds. All Lightkeepers agreed that doing otherwise would have been ridicule, because this could have seeded fractures in their ranks.

*NB: Due to the problems of the Chronostrife, all the following events cannot be dated precisely. Thus, they are merely listed in a plausible order, with no grounded certitude.*

Shrine worlds of the Imperial Cult came under assault by heretic Astartes and daemons across the Segmentum Solar and Segmentum Pacificus. The Word Bearers traitor Legion was especially active in this endeavour. To combat the servants of the Ruinous Powers, members of the Lightkeepers joined the Black Templars and many other imperial factions in the defence of these Shrine worlds. The Chapter took part in these wars not to defend the faith, but rather to save lives, resources and infrastructures. In order to avoid infight with other imperial factions, they keep this fact to themselves.

The Tyranic Siege

A splinter of the Hive Fleet Leviathan reached the border of the Ereb-Assou sector. Its course indicated that it was heading for the Gawain sub-sector, the most populated area of the sector. At the same time, Sialidase, a central Hive-World of the sector, rose against the Imperium. This shortly proved to be a Gene-Cult uprising, the first ever in Ereb-Assou. The heretical mutants took over the whole planet in only one bloody day. The **Planetary Governor Gasgada**, an ambitious but efficient old woman, managed to escape the onslaught with a small force. She fled in space and rallied some spaceships of the stellar system, then waited with them while calling for help from the Imperium.

The Lightkeepers arrived at the head of an imperial army, accompanied by **Inquisitor Arsene Zarni**. They fought for days to regain control over the planet, engaging the heretics in gruesome battles from the top of the spires to the bottom of the underhives. The Lightkeepers had experience against Gene-Cults, but this time was different. The tides of enemies seemed to never end. The Astartes and their allies often ran out of ammo before the unceasing violet waves, forcing them to fall back. At no point the imperials managed to penetrate in the insurectionists holdouts or to damage critical infrastructure. They were surprised to face such a potent opposition, until they understood that almost a third of the population on the planet was directly involved with the Cult. The planet had already been lost.

Inquisitor Arsene Zarni then ordered global retreat and an *Exterminatus*. This appeared as the only mean to stop the infection spreading. But, before the final destruction of the hiveworld could be performed, a major part of the loyalist fleet turned against their own and joined the rebel vessels in orbit. Those were secretly lead by Gene-Cultists waiting for their time. No imperial spaceship equiped with *Exterminatus* ordonance could approach Sialidase. The loyalists desperately called for reinforcement. But none answered.

In the ensuing battle, the heretics held strong against all assaults. Meanwhile, they specificaly harassed the few vessels capable of conducting the *Exterminatus*, as if they knew exactly what ship to priorise. Arsene Zarni's retinue followed some clues until they discovered that the Planetary Governor Gasgada was also a traitor, and that she had unnumberable spies in the imperial fleet. There was no point in continuing to fight in these conditions, since this could only lead to a major defeat without progress. Thus, Arsene Zarni and the Lightkeepers decided to fall back on the Egress Point of the stellar system. By holding this point of space, they could prevent the infestation to leave the system *via* the Warp. At least for some time. So the imperials broke the engagement to regroup, while purging their crew from the taint of the xenos.

Instead of pursuing the loyalists, the insurectionists celebrated on Sialidase. They reached out for the stars, prompting others to emulate their success. Thus, the xenos started a propaganda war on Ereb-Assou. They had enough Psykers bypass any imperial censorship. They contacted dormant cells on many worlds, awakening embers of rebelion. Soon, what started as a spark became a raging blaze. Dozens of star systems answered and repeated the call. Citizens and goverments -Cultists in disguise- gathered their voices into the spatial void. First this sounded like a low and discret growl for some days, then it grew to end up like a thunderous scream, as the different Cults gained the trust of a wider population. They presented themselves as liberators, the holders of Truth, the vanquishers of the decaying Imperium.

## Notable Campaigns

* **Scouring of Lighthouse II (760.M34)** - A massive WAAAGH! managed to pierce through the defences of the Lighthouse system. Lighthouse II, home of the Imperial Knight House Liger and only agriworld of the system, took the bulk of the invasion. The Lightkeepers and some Astra Militarum regiments from Lighthouse helped the Imperial Knights to hold the planet. When reinforcements from the rest of the Gawain sub-sector finally arrived, the Imperial forces still needed years to completly purge the xenos stain from Lighthouse II. They had to painstakingly burn each centimeter of the planet in order to prevent any reappearance of the Orks. And so the rich biomass of Lighthouse II disapeared.

* **Gulf of Black Shadows (M35)** - Of all the battles of the Moirae Schism, none were so expansive or long-lasting as the prolonged naval engagement over the nebula space fields of the Gulf of Black Shadows. There, mining wars between rival forge worlds escalated to massive fleet battles. The whole 3rd Company of the Lightkeepers joined the fight to support the orthodox side of the Adeptus Mecanicus. They interveined as assault forces against enemy spaceships, launching boarding teams in their most crucial systems to cripple them, or to fully take control of the vessels. The Astartes rigged engines and void shields to blow up in catastrophic explosions, took over command bridges, and purged weapon sections of any life. In the end, no side managed to take the upper hand, and the bloodshed ended with each faction depleted and exhausted, but no clear victor. It is estimated that the wrecks of over ten thousand starships -- from mining craft to vessels of war -- floated between the gas clouds. The space marines themselves lost two thirds of their forces in place and their strike cruiser got damaged beyond repair. The surviving Astartes thus had to use spaceship carcasses as bases of operation. Yet the battle was far from over, for within the floating graveyards, salvage crews continued the war for centuries, fighting each other in desperate boarding actions, each side seeking to reclaim valued technology. Entire robot maniples were recovered by opposing sides, and reprogrammed to attack their former controllers. The Assault Marines of the 3rd Company, trapped here because most spaceships were disabled, continued to fight for their survival, scavenging fuel, oxygen and ammunition. They used their jump packs to fly in the vacuum of space and through vessels fragments, hunting down their preys like preying birds. As the situation elongated for years, they succumbed one by one. The last of them took his last breath after a blow in the back disabled his oxygen supply.

* **Terran Crusade (378.M36)** - After Goge Vandire's death, a detachment of Lightkeepers helped the imperial forces to purge insurgents previously loyal to the tyrant.

* **9th Black Crusade (537.M38)** - Near the end of the 9th Black Crusade, two squads of the Lightkeepers respectively accompanying the Ultramarines and White Scars followed them in the liberation of Corilla, among a battle group led by these Chapters. This was the first time members of the Lightkeepers met in person the Lamenters, who had held against Chaos Forces till the coming of imperial reinforcements.

* **12th Black Crusade (151-160.M41)** - The imperial reinforcements relieving the Gothic sector in the late months of 151.M41 counted the full 2nd Company of the Lightkeepers, along dozens of space marine Chapters, nearly one hundred Astra Militarum regiments and the better part of three Titan Legions. The Lightkeepers Company came with its strike cruiser and three frigates. While the strike cruiser and one frigate participated in the battle of Schindelgheist with the main imperial force, the two other frigates hunted Chaos vessels in other systems. After Abaddon's defeat above Schindelgheist, the imperials managed to reconquer the planets lost to the Black Crusade, although the process necessitated eight years of intense ground combat.

* **Macharian Crusade & Heresy (392-470.M41)** - The 4th Company of the Lightkeepers took part in the Macharian Crusade between 392.M41 and 399.M41, under the command of Lord Commander Solar Macharius, which conquered 1000 systems in the segmentum Pacificus. When Macharius' general began to fight over the conquered area after their leader's death, the 2nd and 3rd Lightkeepers Companies joined their brothers to help crush the now called Macharian Heresy. They brought with them their respective strike cruisers and frigates, as well as the Sky Castle battle barge.

* **Rebellion of Masym (999.M41)** - This rebellion, led by Khorne whorshipers, crushed the most experienced members of the 7th company and some of the 6th. Captains Byzanthion Komnene and his twin brother Berytus Procopius managed to banish a greater daemon back into the Warp, but this costed Procopius' life.

## Chapter Homeworld

The Lightkeepers' home is a hiveworld called Lighthouse. It is the third planet of the Lighthouse System by proximity of the central star. It once was terraformed to look like Old Terra, but now more than fifty percent of its surface is covered by buildings and factories. The other half of the planet surface is composed of seas and oceans. Some water bodies can also be found underground or under buildings. All the natural water is lifeless and polluted. Fresh water is only available through artificial reservoirs and canalisations. It atmosphere is polluted but bearable, with many clouds of smoke rising from billions of chemnies. Respirators, rebreathers or enhanced physiologie are strongly recommanded for long periods of exposure. As all the land surface of the planet is built upon and some platforms even nibble the seas, it can be qualified as a ecumenopolis.

Lighthouse is presently home to about fifty billions souls.

All the inhabitants of the planet have at least a basic military training, because the population had to fight for its very survival since the end of the Age of Technology. With the required equipment, the whole population could become a Planetary Defence Force.

After their majority, the inhabitants generally specialize in one of three fields: industrial production, administrative work, or military matters.

The first one is self-explainatory, since Lighthouse is covered by factories. This includes thousands of discret laboratories. However the population does not advertise their research and engineering activities, as those could be deemed borderline or totally illegal by the Mechanicus.

The administrative life is inherited from the ancient history of the planet, when small pockets of civilisation had to retrieve, copy, pass on and archive any information they could to survive. Only those who were successful in this endeavor, gaining and maintaining access to advanced technology, made it through the Age of Strife. This came to be an important part of the whole population's culture, and later of the Lighkeepers' one too.

This particularity made Lighthouse an ideal central administrative hub for all the Maelstrom Zone. Since the Great Crusade, billions or clercs work tirelessly to treat, archive or redirect mountains of documents and items. The system in place allows for a much greater precision than everywhere else in the Imperium. Each paper sheet can be easily found on the right shelve, each data bit is readily accessible in the right memory bank.

Finally, the option for a military life is the continuation of the basic training everyone on the planet get. Lighthouse used to form many Imperial Guard regiments of good quality, before it became home to the Lightkeepers. Since its change in status, the planet is not requiered to produce soldiers. Nonetheless, many inhabitants still become Imperial Guardmen, but they number lower than before as efforts are more oriented to support the Chapter.

The other planets in the Lighthouse system serve to produce various raw ressources that are then processed by the hiveworld. Most notably, Lighthouse II is an agriworld that feeds the whole system. This second planet is protected and led by the Imperial Knights of House Liger since the Great Crusade era. Through time, these Knights became the Lightkeepers' closest allies.

The system is a crossroad for various trade routes. As such, it imports and exports many goods, and receive thousands of travelling vessels each day: Rogue Traders, Inquisitors, merchants, Black Ships, Arbites, Imperial Navy logisticians, etc. Thus, a vast amount of curious and exotic items, sometime forbidden, are exchanged in the system. Some are routed to the many laboratories of Lighthouse for analysis, documentation and archiving.

### Fortress-Monastery

The Pharos is the highest spire emerging from the ecumenopolis of Lighthouse. The whole structure is a gigantic bastion reaching outer space.

At its peak lies a gigantic light source that is said to illuminate the hearts of the people under its golden rays, even through kilometers of ferrocret and rock. The light of the Pharos can even be seen in the Warp as a feeble glow reaching up to the limits of the stellar system.

Above this light source, a space elevator connects the Pharos with a geostationnary space bastion. Most Lightkeepers vessels float around or are connected to this bastion when are stationned in the system.

In times of relative calm, half of the Chapter's strength remains in the Fortress-Monastery to prepare for the next battles and to allow for a rotation of teams on the front. In difficult times, three quarters of the Chapter can be present on the front simultaneously, with minimal rotation. On dire occasions, almost the entire Chapter heads to battle at once, leaving only a few veterans to guard the Pharos and watch over recruits.

## Chapter Organisation

### The Golden Council

Critical matters are discussed by the **Golden Council**, also called the Council of the Masters. It counts twenty-five members: the ten Captains, the Master of the Forge, the Master of Sanctity, the Chief Apothecary, the Chief Librarian, the ten White Flames and the Chapter Master who presides the Council. The Golden Council may seek advice from the Lightkeepers dreadnoughts, or even external experts.

The Officers

The **Chapter Master** of the Lightkeepers and Planetary Governor of Lighthouse leads and manages the Chapter. He is a mighty warrior in his own right, an example for his brothers. The Chapter Master's responsibilities do not end with his Marines; he is also in charge of the Chapter's non-Marine personnel, known as the Grey Flames, and the many organisations surrounding his Chapter, like the Planetary Defence Force and Navy fleets of his homeworld.

Under the Chapter Master are the **Captains**, each managing a Company. When their men are spread across the stars, the Captains generally lead them from the Pharos to have a better view of the whole picture. But each time an important threat requieres a consequent part or the full might of a Company, then a Captain accompany his men on the ground, leading from the front if necessary.

The most senior of the Captains is the **First Captain**, who leads the 1st Company. He commands the veterans of the Chapter, and serves as the immediate second-in-command to the Chapter Master. When the Chapter Master is off-world, the First Captain acts as the regent of Lighthouse. If the Chapter Master is unavailable, the First Captain temporarily leads the Lightkeepers until a new Chapter Master is elected. Because the First Captain is the one directly responsible for leading terminator squads of the 1st Company, he is most often seen wearing a terminator armour himself.

Since the Chapter's reform in 999.M41, each Company counts two Lieutenants. They assist their Captain in his tasks and manage the Company in his absence. They also help coordinating strategies on the battlefield and act as leaders should the Company be separated. This last case often happens for the Lightkeepers, who like to distribute their forces in two to four autonomous groups in order to be flexible in war.

The White Flames

Unlike most Chapters, the Lightkeepers count high-ranking Serfs with decision-making power and roles traditionaly attributed to Astartes Captains. It has to be kept in mind that the Lightkeepers consider their Serfs as equals, making them full members of the Chapter. This policy frees the Captains from time-consuming duties so they can better focus on war. As an added bonus, when a Captain is killed or missing in action, only his military role has to be replaced, not his none-combattant one.

The senior Serfs who supervise important aspects of the Chapter are called the **White Flames**. They rise from the Grey Flames, to whom they are distinguished by the light colour of their clothes. There are ten of them:

* The **Great Intendant** is the leader of the White and Grey Flames. They coordinate all the none-combattant activities of the Chapter, in direct relation with the Chapter Master. This person ensures the Chapters always function at full capacity. Moreover, should both the Chapter Master and the First Captain be off-world or be unavailable at the same time, the Great Intendant takes temporarily the head of the Pharos until they return.

* The **Master of the Watch** handles the logistics of defence for the Chapter's Fortress-Monastery. They can even coordinate military actions to defend the Pharos if no Astartes Officer is available.

* The **Master of the Arsenal** oversees the Chapter's stock of weapons, ammunition, vehicles of war and their quality. To that end, they work closely alongside the Chapter's Techmarines.

* The **Master of the Fleet** takes care of the Chapter's Fleet and the attribution of vessels among the Chapter's forces. They work with the captains of each vessel.

* The **Master of the Marches** oversees the Chapter's deployments and fighting strength. They also carry the activity normally attributed to a Master of the Recruits: the recruiting, indoctrination, and training of the Chapter's Neophytes and Scouts. They do not, however, control the deployment of Astartes Scouts, this role being attibuted to the Captains. When the Lightkeepers are rebuilding for some reason, they have the final say when the Chapter is ready to deploy.

* The **Master of the Rites** oversees or directly performing the rites, rituals and other formal occasions inherent to the Chapter. To that end, they work closely with the Chapter's Chaplains.

* The **Master of the Storage** (elsewhere known as Chief Victualler) maintains the logistics within the Chapter and with outside forces: that there are enough rough materials for the Chapter's production of wargear, and that the equipment that the Chapter cannot make for itself are correctly supplied. They also make sure that the various ships and bases of the Chapter have ample supplies.

* The **Master of Relics** tends to the various relics that the Chapter owns. To that end, they work closely with the Master of the Forge. They also curate the secret Dark Vault facilities, where the Lightkeepers' most troubling and dangerous findings are held.

* The **Master of Whispers** (elsewhere known as Master of Reconnaissance) gathers and analyses every element of intelligence collected by the Chapter's Scouts, many Grey Flames specialised in spying activities, and a myriad of contacts in the whole Galaxy. Since the Chapter's refom in 999.M41, the new stealth specialists of the 10th Company contribute to the Chapter's intelligence capacities. They can also suggest to the Chapter Master various operations of sabotage, espionage and infiltration, then coordinates these missions in close relation with the Captains.

* The **Master of Diplomacy** has a unique role not found in other Chapters. Their mission is to collect knowledge about every aspects of other factions, mostly imperial but also outsiders. They then advise the Lightkeepers about their potential allies or foes: how do they think, what could enrage them, how to best make a deal, etc.

A keen eye may notice that the Lightkeepers do not have a Lord Executioner, unlike most Chapters. The closest approximation would be the Chapter Champion's role.

Each Master's duties require an immense amount of time and effort; it is not uncommon for them to spend entire days on the incoming data.

Armoury

Under the command of the **Master of the Forge**, the Armoury of the Lightkeepers is heavily mechanised and automated thanks to numerous cogitators. This helps to optimise production speed and minimise injuries.

The Chapter forms more Techmarines than most Chapters. There are 40 of them, around 33% above the average. They are well-viewed by brothers, more so than in most Chapters. This is explained by the passion for technology that all the Lightkeepers share.

Together, the Techmarines supervise the production and maintenance of weapons, armours, dreadnoughts, vehicles, ammunition and any other wargear. Under their vigilant gaze, the suffocating forges of the Armoury burn in permanent activity.

A part of the Armoury is dedicated to the dreadnoughts' arms and weapons. Before each mission, they can select their loadout in function on the targets they expect to encounter. The Chapter owns enough copies of these weapons that all its dreadnoughts can freely choose what it equips.

Reclusiam

In the Lightkeepers' Chapter, the **Master of Sanctity** also acts as the **Reclusiarch**, who tends the Chapter's Reclusiam and form new Chaplains.

Under his orders, there are 10 Chaplains, one assigned to each Company at all time. Since the introduction of Primaris, the Lightkeepers added Judiciars to their ranks. These accompany the Companies which count primaris Astartes.

Together, they guide their brothers during rituals and ceremonies. They also study the history and traditions of many factions, imperial or not. The latter may seem heretical for outsiders, as most knowledge about xenos societies are forbidden. But the Lightkeepers assure that this lore only serves their duty by helping them to better purge such foes.

Apothecarion

The **Chief Apothecary** commands the Apothecarion, as well as the Apothecaries, Grey Flames and servitors working there.

All Lightkeepers Apothecaries have the necessary knowledge to make new Astartes, both First-Born and Primaris.

Librarius

Under the guidance of the **Chief Librarian**, the Librarius of the Chapter is continuously filled with soft noises of paper, quills and keyboards.

The Lightkeepers count about 40 Librarians, which is above the average for a Chapter. The populations from which they draw their recruits have themselves a normal sensibility for the Warp, but they are so numerous that the number of Psykers ends up higher.

Every Lightkeepers Librarians wear a psychic hood, even those in lower ranks, which is unusual because of the scarceness of materials requiered to produce these devices. The Chapter made more efforts than others, throughout all its long history, to retrieve psychic hoods -among many precious pieces of technology- from its fallen members. It even went so far as discretly reclaiming those of dead Astrates from other Chapters. Lastly, the special bonds between the Lightkeepers and some branches of the Adeptus Mechanicus help to provide more special wargear, such as psychic hoods.

The Lexicani's psychic hoods are set to allow for general psychic protection, counterspells against other psykers, but not for the usual power multiplication psychic hoods provide. Because Lexicani are still in training, it would be dangerous for themselves and everyone around to do otherwise.

The Librarians are well-viewed by other Lightkeepers, more so than in most Chapters. This is explained by the obsession about knowledge that all the Lightkeepers share.

The Ligkeepers Librarians are able to channel Warp powers specific to the Chapter :

* ***Clarity of Mind*** - Changes the target's mindset to an serene, focused state. The target temporarily obtains a better capacity of discernment, aiming, and reflexion. Useful in and out of combat situations.

* ***Inner Blaze*** - Induces or releases an inferno of fury and courage in the target.

* ***Emperor's Light*** - The Librarian emits a strong, golden light that harms nearby daemons, Warp-corrupted people and enemy psykers. Can outright and instantly kill weak entities. The light can be seen by human eye from kilometers away, and even farther in the Warp.

* ***Flame of the Pharos*** - The Librarian projects a cone of golden flames with his stretched hand, calcinating enemies before him. Interestingly, these flames do not burn those loyal to the Emperor. Thus the Chapter sometime use this spell to prove someone's allegiance.

Rules of the Golden Council

The Golden Council takes the strategical decisions about military, civilian and political interventions both the Chapter and Lighthouse. It coordonates the logistics needed on and out of the planet to realise such operations. It also sets the pace of the Chapter's life, organising ceremonies and choosing who can be proposed a promotion.

Important decisions necessitate a quorum of at least the directly concerned members, and at least two third of favorable votes.

The Chapter Master still retains full authority upon the Lightkeepers. In urgent situations where the quorum and/or vote requirements cannot be met quickly enough, the Chapter Master can take any decision alone and inform the other members of the Council.

When a field promotion is granted, the Council later has to confirm it or refuse it. Rejections of field promotions are extremely rare and have to be based upon a solid argumentation.

The Golden Council elects the Chapter Master, or any new member of the Council, by unanimous vote. If the first vote does not allow for an election, the number of favorable voices for the second vote can be lowered to three-quarters.

The Golden Council can retrograde any membre of the Chapter, even though this happens extremely rarely. This requiers an approbation by 3/4 for a non-officer, or unanimous votes for an officer or member of the Council -the concerned perso cannot vote.

+++

SENSIBLE DATA

CLEARANCE LEVEL REQUIRED: 2

PLEASE INPUT SECURITY CLEARANCE: \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*

+++ ACCESS GRANTED +++

In more than seven millenia, only one Chapter Master got revoked. This happened in the middle of the 37th millenium, because his views evolved too much remote from the Chapter mission to bring light to others. Should this happen again, the outgoing Chapter Master returns to his previous position, and the First Captain has to act as an interim until a new Chapter Master is elected.

+++++

### Specialist Units & Formations

Honour Guard

The Honour Guard is is an elite cadre of veteran Astartes, following the Chapter Master almost everywhere. With the Golden Council, these valourous individuals of innumberable deeds are the Chapter Master's closest advisors. The Lightkeepers Honour Guard is constituted by the Chapter Champion, the Chapter Ancient, and two Honour Guardmen. All can be considered veterans among veterans, each hand-picked by the Chapter Master. They generally come from the 1st Company, although it is not unheard that members of Company Command Squads gained access to this position. Over the course of the Lightkeepers' long history, in some rare occasions a Captain left his leading position to join the Honour Guard, an act of pure dedication to the Capter above personal pride. The members of the Honour Guard play an important role during the Chapter's ceremonies and rituals.

The **Chapter Champion'**s main activity is to protect the Chapter Master at all time, at war and at peace. In battle, he engages enemy champions and warlords, and serves as bodyguard againts lesser but more numerous foes. Everywhere else, the Chapter Champion accompanies the Chapter Master wherever he goes, scanning the environment, assessing potential threats and dealing with would-be assassins swiftly. This way the Chapter Master can concentrate on his tasks: the overall strategy of a battle, the Chapter's management or the negociation at hand. The Chapter Champion is the Chapter's best melee fighter, even better than the Chapter Master or the Captains, who do not have as much time to train themselves in this domain. Outside of battlefields, the Lightkeepers Chapter Champion generally acts with the utmost discretion, commanding fellow Astartes or eliminating threats by himself in silence. He also has to be an exceptionally erudite and wise person, true to the Lightkeepers' values, as his second mission is to advise the Chapter Master and assist him in his activities. Most Chapter Champions develop a close bond with their master, after following him like his shadow for decades or even centuries, and become close confidantes. The Lightkeepers Chapter Champion wields two master-crafted power swords, one of which being *Escalibor*, the best power sword the Chapter ever owned, the other being a weapon he already had before his promotion or picked up after. The Company Champions have a similar role at the level of their Company.

The **Chapter Ancient** is the Chapter's standard bearer. For the Lightkeepers, this means incarnating their motto "In Tenebris Lux". He has to be a beacon of light, even in the direst situations, to keep his brothers' and their allies' moral high. In absence of the Chapter Master, the Lightkeepers Chapter Ancient leads the Honour Guard. To that end, the Chapter Ancient is selected based on his irresistible charisma, his inalterable moral, his wisdom, his tactical sense and his absolute faith in the Chapter Master and the Emperor. Some Lightkeepers Chapter Ancients where previously Chaplains, since they share many of the required qualities. The Company Ancients have a similar role at the level of their Company.

It has to be noted that the all standards the Lightkeepers carry out of the Pharos are copies. The originials never leave the Fortress-Monastery, because they are too precious to loose. The replicas are so precisly crafted that they become indistinguishable from the true standards. However, the Lightkeepers place the same respect and faith upon the copies and realise outstanding feats besides their standard bearers.

Moon Blades

At the end of 999.M41, Tyre Ctesias suggested to Sidon Herodotus the formation of a new elite group among the 1st Company. According to him, the Lightkeepers had kept to themselves for too long in the confines of Ereb-Assou, with merely a few excursions every year. Now, they were needed as well in faraway holdouts of the Imperium. If the Chapter was still supposed to incarnate hope for Mankind, it had to prove it by bringing this light to others, who deerly needed this in this darkest of hours. Thus, a small group should be gathered among the best Lightkeepers. These peerless warriors would take the fight to the enemy where noone else could, while rekindling the flame of the dying Imperium around them. Where the Astartes constitute the spearhead of the Imperium, this new formation would become the infinitely sharp tip of this spear, and its members would pierce a massive hole in the heart of the enemy. To do so, this new formation should strike the perfect balance between mobility and might, but also endurance, for support would not always be available.

Sidon agreed with Tyre's view, but at that time the Lightkeepers were already losing grip on everything they held. They simply could not afford to send away they best fighters, for this could mean their end. Nonetheless, the Chapter Master promised to his trusty second-in-arm that, should they survive the Ending Times, this suggestion would be seriously studied.

Almost to their surprise, the Lightkeepers did survive 999.M41. At the end of this disastrous year, they still held firm some valuable worlds, Lighthouse chief among them, and had already began reconquering what they had lost. Then came the Primaris marines, led by a Custodes. The Chapter took the opportunity to evolve, welcoming their new brothers with open arms, and reformed its ranks with them.

This was the perfect occasion to test Tyre's idea. While the Chapter was rebuilding, the Golden Council formaly charged the First Captain to evaluate each Lightkeeper's merits and skills, then select the best warriors for his project. Fifteen met the criteria. Some were First-Born, others were Primaris, but all were inspiring fighters with words as sharp as their sword.

But immediately after the selection, Tyre Ctesias had to face a dilemma. Sidon Herodotus, backed by the Golden Council, stated that Tyre could not conduct his new men from the front while also commanding the whole 1st Company at the same time. Each of these tasks requiered to be executed at full time to acheive anything meaningful. Tyre realised that he had let his project engulf him. For the last weeks, all his thougths were directed toward his new goal, eclipsing his duty as Captain. He had neglected his men in a period of hardship. He repented to the Company's members for his blindness, for his selfishness, for his lack of care.

> "Brother, said Sidon that day. You present yourself as selfish, but all you had at heart was the Lightkeepers' interest. You only searched a way to better serve Mankind. Your men know that.
> - I cannot look at them straight Sidon, softly replied Tyre with tension in his voice. Not for now. I fail in my sacred duty. I need some time before I can bear the deception in their eyes.
> - Do not be so hard on yourself. It has only been three weeks, you still answered emergencies, and we talk about the finest warriors of the Chapter. Look at them. Look at your men, your brothers. You shall understand."
>
>

Tyre obeyed. The veterans before him were smiling. Every single one of them. Some with compassion, other with irony, but none with disdain nor mockery. In their eyes, the Captain saw everthing he had to know without a single word. They still had total faith in him. A veteran finally spoke with a spark of tease: "Welcome back Captain. With the freedom you've given us lately, the reconquest of the sector is in full swing. Thank you for your trust". Tyre took the pike with grace.

However, a problem remained. Tyre Ctesias still had to devide his attention between his new unit and the 1st Company. The solution was as obvious as it was heartbreaking: he had to leave one behind. Normally, he would have abandoned his personal project to someone else without hesitation, because the Company and the Chapter were above all else. It would not have been his first sacrifice for the community. But for some reason, this time was painfully different. During a night of intense anguish, Tyre's Equerry found the right words to make him see the right path: "Master, the Golden Flame has to burn bright to protect Lighthouse and guide us in the dark. In the same manner, each Lightkeeper must bear this fire in himself to protect Humanity and incarnate hope. The past two-hundred years have taken a toll on you, making your fire slowly but surely diminish. Only now does your flame rise again, fueled by your vision. You should embrace it, not extinguish it". Then it was settled. Tyre would leave his place as First Captain to accomplish his new duty. But who could be best suited to replace him?

The answer came while discussing with some terminator veterans. When they explained to Tyre what happened in the past weeks while he was taken elsewhere, a name was repeated at several occasions: Nycomedia Suetonius, a First-Born Lieutenant. This did not surprised the Captain, as Nycomedia had often provided guidance like an older sibling to his battle-brothers, even before Tyre started his new project. Thanks to a flawless track-record of leadership during the past century, the Captain had recently promoted him from the rank of Sergeant during the reform of the Chapter. Nycomedia is a quiet, calm and particularly studious marine. His argumentations never let place to doubt when explaining his plans, and his orders are always limpid. This was the man.

Tyre Ctesias intended to leave his position to lead the new elit unit and to make Nycomedia First Captain in his place. He tested this idea with others members of the 1st Company, especially the Commanding Squad. They replied that, once this plan was spoken out, it became an obvious choice. Then Tyre talked with the rest of the Golden Council, which agreed with his proposition.

Thus were formed the **Moon Blades**, a special group among the elite 1st Company tasked to nourish the spirit of the Imperium from the frontline. Their shield protected the imperial values, their sword vanquished all evils, and their banner rallied fragmented regiments on the battlefield.

In time, the Moon Blades evolved to perfect themselves. They slowly uniformised their style to fight as one. Following their leader's path, the First-Born among them also crossed the Rubicon Primaris. Some died doing so, but those who survived this excruciating process were reborn stronger than ever. After a time mourning these tragic loses, the Moon Blades welcomed a wave of new members from the rest of the 1st Company.

Finally, the Moon Blades became Bladeguard Veterans. They adopted some new wargear merging archeotechs with more recent iterations. Now, they are easily recognisable with their special armours, weapons and shields.

Battle group

Each Lightkeepers Company must be diverse enough to be self-sufficient, while also being able to be divided into two or four nearly identical, autonomous parts, called battle groups.

Before the introduction of Lieutenants in 999.M41, the four battle groups of each Company were respectively led by the Captain, Techmarine, Chaplain and Librarian. Now, Lieutenants can replace these leaders to let them concentrate on other matters.

Flaming Spear

A Flaming Spear is a association of two squads of Lightkeepers, one wielding flamers and the other melta weapons.

This formation is used to remove key heavy targets. The flamers burn away any infrantry accompanying the target, so the melta can destroy it with more ease. Alternatively, when the target is a transport vehicle or a fortification, the meltas are fired first, then the flamers finish off any survivors who may manage to extract themselves from the melting wrecks.

The 3rd Company of the Chapter makes great use of Flaming Spears, launching them with Drop Pods directly into the heart of enemy forces, with two complementary five-men squads per pod.

Plasma Flare

A Plasma Flare, as its name suggests, consists of two or more squads wielding plasma weapons. Thoses squads are led by a Officer or a Dreadnought, who also bring the same kind of arsenal.

This emphasis on plasma weaponry finds its usefulness in its versatility. A Plasma Flare can decimate infantry as well as armour.

This kind of formation proved especially effective during engagments against Necrons, who are so tough that they can survive lighter shots.

Thanks to the inclusion of Primaris in the Chapter, the Plasma Flare got several new variants. Before that, it was always based on Devastators squads. The Hellblasters of the 4th Company often organise in such formations. One notable variant of the Plasma Flare is the Flying Plasma Flare, counting two Inceptors squads equiped with Plasma Exterminators and led by a Captain with Jump Pack.

### Companies' Identity

In contrast with the *Codex Astartes*, the newer Lightkeepers are spread among every Companies except the 1st one, which is only constituted by veterans. By doing so, the Chapter ensures that its battle Companies, numbered 2 through 5, and its reserve Companies, numbered 6 through 10, are well balanced in experience.

The battle Companies are still made to be generalist ones, as the Codex recommands, while each reserve Company masters a specific aspect of warfare. Contrary to battle Companies, reserve Companies rarely operate on their own. Their squads are most often dispatched alongside battle Companies' forces to complement them. In some occasions however, when the situation requires not versatility but specialty, a reserve Company gathers all or most of its squads to fight alone.

Dreadnought chassis are available to each Lightkeeper Company. This way, heroes who fall in combat can stay in their respective Company and keep the same specialisation they had in their previous life. This also means they can still participate in the ceremonies and rituals of their Company and advise their Captain.

* **1st Company** - Composed only of veterans, the 1st Company gathers the greatest heroes of the Chapter. Its members are called Veteran Marines, with Veteran Sergeants leading the squads. Outside of the Chapter command, the veterans alone can wear terminator armours. This Company also counts Venerable Dreadnoughts, one of them being a Chaplain entombed in a Castraferrum Dreadnought. Since the Chapter's reform, the Company includes Veteran Lieutenants, who are senior Lieutenants, between the First Captain and the Veteran Sergeants. It also counts Bladeguards, Primaris Lightkeepers who proved themselves worthy after realising impossible deeds or for their perfect track-record.

* **2nd Company** - This Company is the most versatile, saved for the elite 1st one, and constitues the backbone of the Chapter. Each squad can equip itself to engage infantry, vehicles, fortifications, or any combination of these targets. They can individually adapt to any situation and change tactics in a heart beat, which makes them unpredictable for their foes. Moreover, when needed the 2nd Company can deploy many heavy vehicles to bolster its already dizzying firepower.

* **3rd Company** - The Lightkeepers' 3rd Company is specialised in space-to-land assault, making heavy use of jump packs and drop pods. They prefer to come from above and disrupt enemy formations. Because of that, its members are called the ***Meteors***. They often descend among debris falling from ongoing space battles, hiding between the countless descending pieces of metal, waiting for the very last moment to redirect their trajectory toward their target. Upon impact, they hit the enemy fast and hard in its weak points, breaking its command chain and moral in seconds. The *Meteors* may be the Lightkeepers who field the most Flaming Spear formations, with two squads in a drop pod, one of them equiped with flamers and the other with melta weapons. Because of their specialties, the *Meteors* also excel in boarding actions between spaceships. While jump pack-equiped teams disable equipments on the hull and pierce windows to suck passengers into the void, boarding vessels deliver squads who gut the foe from the inside.

* **4th Company** - The Lightkeepers' 4th Company is specialised in mechanised infantry. Its members, called the **Flying Embers**, embark on Razorbacks to combine the flexibility of the infantry and the raw power of the vehicules. The classical Assault Marines are replaced with Bike Marine Squads and Attack Bikes, so they can better accompany the transports. After its near annihilation in the late 41th millennium and the reform of the Lightkeepers Companies, the few survivors who realised the most deeds were granted a position in the Company's Command Squad. Primaris Marines in Tacticus Armor joined the Company, bringing with them Impulsors and Repulsors, as well as Outriders and ATV invaders. The new 4th Company is renowned for its members' legendary marksmanship and cool blood, which led to many crushing victories against xenos threats.

* **5th Company** - In the Lightkeepers tradition, the 5th Company has always been the heaviest battle Company. Since the Chapter's founding, it shone the most during siege breaking or heavy assault operations. It used to replace the classical Devastators squads with Devastator Centurions to maximise its firepower. The late 41th millennium proved too demanding however, and this Company almost got crushed. During the Chapter's reform in 999.M41, the last handful of survivors were transfered to the 9th Company. Only the Company Champion and the Company Veterans, who were still active and part of the Command Squad, remained to keep the Company traditions alive. Nowaday the Company is even heavier, as it only fields Primaris Marines in Gravis armour: Heavy Intercessors, Inceptors, Eradicators and Aggressors. Such a display of strength and endurance creates the impression of an unstoppable steamroller.

* **6th Company** - The first two reserve Companies are constitued of battleline Astartes, who can either be deployed on foot or pilote vehicles to transport and support other squads. The 6th Company follows the old structure by counting mainly Tactical Squads. Since the Chapter's reform, it also fields some Heavy Intercessors, who compensate the lack of heavier weaponry the Company had before. It can now better operate independantly from the remainder of the Chapter, even if its main role still is to support other Companies.

* **7th Company** - This Company used to follow the same pattern as the 6th one. The precedent Captain even was twin brother with the current 6th Company Captain. In the late 41th millennium, this Company got almost utterly destroyed, save for two Tactical marines and their sergeant. These survivors became the new Company Champion and Company Veterans and are since part of the Command Squad. Since the Primaris' introduction, this Company is now structured around the three type of Intercessors: regular, assault and heavy. Like in the previous millenia, the 7th Company's members can be deployed on foot or pilote vehicles to assist other squads.

* **8th Company** - For this Company, mobility and speed are key. These Marines act so quickly that they are nicknamed **Lightning Bolts** by the Chapter. Each battle-brother has means to transport himself, either on a bike or with a jump pack. This way, the Company attacks both on land and from above at the same time. Because of that, the Lightkeepers 8th Company owns the least tanks and transports in the Chapter. Their vehicules are mostly aerial transports, gunships and interceptors, in order to keep up with the speedy infantry. This Company's members fight by launching lightning-fast strikes, which can immediately evolve in hit-and-run operations if the alpha strick did not break the enemy formation. They can also serve as reconnaissance for other Companies. The addition of Primaris Marines did not change much the *motus operandi* of this Company.

* **9th Company** - The Chapter's heaviest Company, deployed when a strategic position has to be fortified or besieged, depending of which side of the walls the Lightkeepers are placed. Because the Lightkeepers have access to great quantity of heavy wargear, this Company is composed of a bit more Centurions (Assault and Devastator) than Devastators Marines, which is impressive even by Astartes standards. Since the reform of the Chapter, the Company also counts Eradicators, giving it new ravaging tools.

* **10th Company** - Unlike most Chapters, the Lighkeepers Scouts are full-fledged battle-brothers specialised in infiltration, not mere Neophytes. Consequently, the Chapter's 10th Company has always been considered as a reserve Company and not just a recruiting one. As this Company is designed with stealth in mind and no notion of honour, it never counted a Company Champion. In his place, the Company fields a supplementary Librarian, who massively helps to transmit secret communications. Since the reform of the Chapter, this Company is composed of Primaris Marines in Phobos armour, and the Scouts are spread among every Companies but the 1st one. Through sightly abusing the wording of the *Codex Astartes*, the Lightkeepers do not count the Scouts under the limit of battle-brothers per Companies and in the Chapter. This allows them to sometime legally get above one hundred men per company and one thousand men in the Chapter.

### Order of Battle (M32-M41)

It has to be noted that the Lightkeepers' order of battle is not set in stone. Battle-brothers can change their equipment to fill a different role from their standard one. For example, an Assault Marine can become a Bike Marine if necessary. The exact numbers of each type of squad can also vary depending of the Chapter's situation, its current and next expected campaigns, and the proficiency of its last recruits.

*NB: The Lightkeepers always used squads of minimum size, even before the revision of the Codex Astartes made by Roboute Guilliman on his return to the Imperium. Thus the number of squads per Company is twice higher than in most Chapters, but the limit of marines per Company is respected.*

**Sidon Herodotus,**
***The Phoenix,***
**Chapter Master of the Lightkeepers**
**Honour Guard: Chapter Champion, Chapter Ancient, 2 Honour Guards**
**Grey Flames, Servitors, Navigators, Astropaths**
**3 Relic Dreadnoughts**
**Master of the Forge**
**Techmarines**
**Servitors**
**Master of Sanctity**
**Chief Apothecary**
**Chief Librarian**

### Order of Battle (Era Indomitus)

With the integration of the Primaris Space Marines and the addition of a wide array of new wargear, the Chapter reorganized itself to best use them. Since then, the Companies are not structured around types of squads anymore, but around battlefield roles: battleline, fast assault and fire support. In each of theses roles, Marines equip themselves for the task at end, disregarding the notion of squad type. For example, an Infernus Marine, a Hellblaster and a Tactical Marine can be part of a same squad, if it is deemed optimal for a given mission. The Companies also freely mix Firstborn and Primaris Marines, the only remaining difference being the armour types. This flexibility would be unthinkable for many Chapters.

Finally, the 10th Company, specialized in infiltration through the deployment of Scouts, became redondant when the Vanguard Primaris Space Marines were introduced. Thus, the Chapter decided that this Company would field Astartes wearing the Mark X Phobos Armour. The Scouts were spred out between every Companies (save for the 1st one), including the 10th one, and are since then managed directly by the Chapter command.

**Sidon Herodotus,**
***The Phoenix,***
**Chapter Master of the Lightkeepers**
**Honour Guard: Chapter Champion, Chapter Ancient, 2 Honour Guards**
**Sylver Blades**
**Scouts, Bike Scouts**
**Grey Flames, Servitors, Navigators, Astropaths**
**3 Relic Dreadnoughts**
**Master of the Forge**
**Techmarines**
**Servitors**
**Master of Sanctity**
**Chief Apothecary**
**Chief Librarian**

## Combat Doctrine

"*Know your enemy, so you can destroy it efficiently.*"
— Karia Herodotus, first Chapter Master of the Lightkeepers
For it only counts about a thousand Marines, the Chapter only fights in conflicts where its presence can make a difference to the Imperium. Some battles may appear to be lost causes to outside observers, but they are not to the Lightkeepers, who manage to see the long-term positive repercussions of their actions.

Unlike many Ultramarines successors, the Lightkeepers maintain a critical mind towards the *Codex Astartes*. They consider it an excellent military reference, but not an absolute law to be followed to the letter.

As they prepare to engage their opponents, these space marines always carefully identify all of their assets and exploit them to the fullest. These often include uses that are not identified within the constraints of the *Codex Astartes*. Even when operating well within the strictures of that tome, these battle-brothers may choose to take measures that others might consider dishonourable.

Throughout the Chapter, blind obedience is strongly discouraged. All of these space marines are expected to act upon their own initiative at the appropriate times. However, such actions must fit within the context of the larger battle scheme. This mentality is sustainable for this Chapter thanks to the knowledge accessed by the Lightkeepers though their progenoid glands. Each Marine recalls vast amounts of experience accumulated during millenia by his predecessors.

For members of the Lightkeepers Chapter, the only important standard is success. Honour and glory are noble notions, but a clear victory is worth far more than any amount of either.

Strategy

Intelligence, planning, and adaptation are the hallmarks of the Lightkeepers. These Astartes are very similar to Blood Ravens, who plan their actions in an exhaustive way. They believe that by studying an enemy, its movements can be predicted before launching any attacks, rather than charging in like uncontrolled berserkers. This has caused friction with other, more headstrong Chapters and imperial factions. In preparation for combat, members of the Chapter invariably begin with intense study of their opponents and their tactics. All forms of reconnaissance and any relevant historical or psychological resources are fully utilised in the course of this research. However, the Lightkeepers go into less detail and leave more room for improvisation than the Blood Ravens, whose analysis process may take solar days or even weeks.

The Lightkeepers make extensive use of camouflage, secrecy, espionage, and counter-intelligence. Their taste for stealth and lightning attacks is also reminiscent of the Raven Guard and its successor Chapters, especially the Raptors. The Lightkeepers enthusiastically and consistently applies these techniques throughout their battles. Deceiving their opponents as to the timing, nature, and objectives of an attack can often grant the space marines a significant tactical advantage, and even sometimes a feeling of joy. During missions requiering a superior level of stealth, each battle-brother disables range communications, exchanging informations and orders only through gestures.

In the end, the Lightkeepers' greatest strength lie in their mastering of tactics, like their parent Chapter the Ultramarines. The Lightkeepers are considered as generalists, not shining as much in any style like specialised Chapters, while still being good at everything. However these subtleties are not perceptible for mere mortals.

Since the Chapter's founding, its squads were designed with flexibility in mind. To this end, Lightkeepers squads are formed of five Astartes, or three for some specialists with rare equipment: Centurions, Aggressors, Inceptors, Suppressors, Eradicators, Eliminators... This organisation means twice more Sergeants compared to CHapters fielding 10-men squads, but this proved not to be a problem as the Lightkeepers inherite the knowledge of their predecessors, so more of them are capable of leadership.

The Chapter is not afraid to use tactics and field formations not prescribed by the *Codex Astartes*. In that manner, marines from various types of squad can be mixed together whenever this can give an advantage for a specific mission. For example, should a situation requier it, a special squad can be formed with a Tactical Marine, an Intercessor, an Assault Marine, an Eliminator and a Devastator at the same time. In the same fashion, squads from different Companies (even battle Companies) can be mixed to synergise well against particular foes. It even goes further than the Deathwatch Kill-Teams, by miwing First-Born and Primaris in one squad.

Millennia of refining their techniques has enhanced the Lightkeepers' abilities to the point that they are often able to decimate enemy forces through precision surgical strikes, minimising the enemy forces present in future conflicts.

Whenever possible, prior to a planetary mission, the Chapter ensures that it has the advantage in space. Marines are not sent to the surface if there is a risk of enemy orbital bombardment, unless the situation leaves no other option.

Once landed, depending on the context, Lightkeepers develop their tactics in two ways: 1) Lightning-quick and precise strikes, often under the guise of stealth, to neutralize key targets or recover valuable artifacts or knowledge. 2) When lightning tactics are impossible or need support, the Chapter dispatches a massive amounts of armoured vehicles and heavy weapons. This twofold strategy is one illustration of the Chapter culture, which promotes both actions in the darkness (lightning strikes) and in plain light (heavy assaults).

The Lightkeepers designed their tactics around many battlefield roles and parameters. Weapons determines both the enemies one can engage and those one have to avoid. For example, an range-oriented unit would be ill-equiped to face melee opponents. In the same fashion, only strong weapons can damage armoured or massive targets, but would be wasted or ineffective against infantry. While these considerations may seem obvious, and rightfully so, they still contribute to the bedrock of warefare. Thus, the Lightkeepers attribute theirs forces along five distances: long, medium and short range, melee and deepstrike (or infiltration). Each Company must be able to handle all these ranges, while also having both melee and range options against armour. For example, the five range organisation can be structured as follows: Devastators with missile launchers at long range, Tactical Marines at medium range, Devastators with flamers at short range, Assault Marines with jump packs both in first rank and deepstriking in the heart of enemy formations. With that in mind, each squad chooses its equipment in function of the type of foes and engagement range expected during the mission.

It can be noted that, while the Lightkeepers' melee specialists are as capable as most Astartes, the Chapter as a whole is not fond of hand-to-hand combat, which is considered unnecessarily dangerous. Most of its squads count at least one Astartes with good melee options, but only about a fifth of the Chapter forces are really dedicated to this art.

The Astartes a forbidden to control a secundary army, but still need many hands to works the logistics of war. To this end, the Lightkeepers make heavy use of Servitors to carry supplies on the front. These thousands of men and women were criminals on Lighthouse or vanquished enemies from previous campaigns, reborn in a twisted form to punish them while putting their strength to good use. They are expendable, even less valuable than the cargo they transport. They do not know fear and are unable to disobey, which makes them perfect for advancing under enemy fire. Battle Servitors are armed with light weaponry to defend their cargo, generally some kind of lasgun because such weapons are easy to maintain and do note consume expensive ammunition.

Wargear

Each member of the Chapter must be able to maintain his own equipment, like Salamanders or Iron Hands. This frees their Techmarines more time to maintain more elaborate wargear.

Lightkeepers squads are almost always seen with at minimum one ranged weapon, and one weapon that can be used in close combat (a pistol can be viable for both situation). Some rare exceptions are the type of units that cannot use any ranged or any melee weapons, and some officiers who choose to specialize in melee combat.

The Lightkeepers make heavy use of combi-weapons, with the major part of senior First-Born Marines wielding one. This particularity is designed to provide more flexibility to the units. In the same fashion, nearly every squads able to field heavy or special weapons do so all the time.

Because the Lightkeepers maintained the knowledge necessary to repair Tactical Dreadought armour, the Lightkeepers count as many Terminators as big Chapters from the 1st and 2nd Foundings. 70 Terminator armours, ten of them being Cataphracii and ten others being Tartaros, are maintained by the Techmarines of the Chapter and made available to the Veterans of the 1st Company. This do not take account of the terminator armours weared by some members of the Chapter command. This is as many as in older Chapters and well above average. The explication lies in the facts that the Lightkeepers are themsleves an old Chapter and have a better ability to maintain these relic armours than many Chapters. The veteran Lightkeepers do not use these armours in every conflict, but rather only when their characteristics lend themselves to the situation, particularly during combat in confined environments. This attitude also contribute to the preservation of these rare pieces of ancient technology.

When the Primaris Space Marines were introduced, the Chapter conducted numerous tests to evaluate the performance of their equipment and to imagine the best ways to integrate it into their combat methods. The results of these tests were generally very positive. Some equipment was adapted slightly by the Chapter's Techmarines, taking care not to desecrate it and upset the Machine Spirits. For example, the Lightkeepers' Invictor Tactical Warsuits were given an extra layer of armour around the cockpit, as the original protections around the pilot were deemed insufficient due to the uncovered spaces between them.

Cooperation

The Lightkeepers see cooperation as a strength. They are willing to cooperate with many factions of the Imperium, even those they personally hate, and adapt their tactics depending of their allies. They try, as much as possible, to fill in others forces' shortcomings.

As super soldiers, the space marines form the cutting edge of the blade constituted by imperial forces. Because they are too few, they help breaking locked situations, then have to let their more numeruous allies hold the conquered terrain.

## Chapter Gene-Seed

The Lightkeepers are naturally free-thinkers, diplomats, tacticians, negotiators and scholars.

The gene-seed of the Chapter was obtained through the alteration of an Ultramarine progenoid gland. By some unexplained phenomenon, the progenoid glands of the Lighkeepers confer them (and only them) some of the knowledge of the previous carrier when transplanted, endowing the new Chapter members with vast swath of theoretical lore. The Marines then seek, during their missions and in their spare time, to gather as much information as possible to be used during their lifetime and then pass on some of it to their successors.

Since Lightkeepers pass on a part of their memories and their predecessors' through their progenitor glands, freshly recruited battle-brothers can learn the Chapter's greatest secrets. For this reason, Lightkeepers are accustomed to readily sharing their knowledge with one another. However, in order to prevent critical information from leaving the Chapter, its dissemination is tightly controlled, each member being used to employ secrecy. In addition, an autosuggestion technique has been developed so that a Marine can erase his memory by himself. Doing so, he looses all but his training and the most basic knowledge. This option is only used as a last resort, for example in the event of capture. Erased memories cannot be retrieved nor passed on to future generations of Lightkeepers, so this action is considered with the utmost gravity.

If this transmission of science is a blessing, the other side of the coin ends up inexorably and quickly affecting the Marines. Blurred memories from multiple generations of predecessors regularly come back to the Marines. They can recognise places, objects and people without having met them in person, which causes troubling situations. The horrors experienced by their ancestors haunt their nightmares. Over time, many Marines become insensitive to suffering, whether their own or that of others. They begin to see humans only as resources to be used to their fullest potential. But despite all this, the torch of Hope carried from generation to generation continues to light up their days: humanity, however miserable, will continue to fight for its survival and impose its dominance on the Galaxy. Such is the conviction passed on with the memories of the elders.

The Lightkeepers are sadden by the fact that they possess no direct memory from the days the Emperor walked among the living. During their founding, because their gene-seed was new, every Lightkeeper was created from fresh aspirants. Thus the Chapter did not counted any veteran from the Horus Heresy or before.

Other than this unique aspect of memory transmission, the Lightkeepers present no mutation. As most Ultramarines successor Chapters, the gene-seed of the Lightkeepers is very stable.

Since their heavy losses to daemons invasions during the Reign of Blood, the Chapter uses some human volonteers to secretly increase the production of its gene-seed, following the same process of multiplication operated during a Founding. The subjects are first sedated and lobotomised (most of them will later be converted into servitors). Then zygotes of the necessary gene-seed organs are grown from the gene-seed store on Lighthouse and implanted into the subjects. Finally, the zygotes develop into progenoid glands and are surgically removed.

## Chapter Culture

In Tenebris Lux

The Lightkeepers' motto is "In Tenebris Lux", the High-Gothic for “light in the darkness”. The Lightkeepers set themselves the mission of maintaining hope for the imperial population, even more during the darkest times. They also aim to protect what remains of science in the Imperium.

They are a warriors eager to learn. They believe that by understanding their world and their foes, they will be better able to defend humanity against its enemies. This also applies to any form and field of knowledge, be it technological, historical, political, etc. They aim to save and preserve records of human culture, because they believe that without culture humans are but mere animals.

Light & Shadow

The Lightkeepers believe that glory and honour are not goals *per se*, but rather means to reach objectives. By presenting a glorious image, the Chapter keeps high the moral of allies and civilians around them. A good reputation also massively eases its relations with other imperial factions.

But for each light that shines there must be a shadow. The Lightkeepers are not affraid to act dishonourably when this can help them in their endeavours. For example they often employ guerilla tactics and covert operations, which is not often well-percieved by imperial factions. They can also resort to blackmail or even assassinate imperial characters and groups, or any such dirty business, if the overall outcome has a chance to be positive for the Imperium.

The Lightbringer

One of the most ancient tradition of Lighthouse is the tale of the Lightbringer. It is believed that, in immemoriable times, a superior being constructed the Pharos and ignited its golden light. This light blessed the world with hope, strength, wisdom, and protected the people from any attack. This led to a golden age for Lighthouse. Unfortunately, in a mysterious and tragic event, someone or something managed to damage the light, diminishing its power, which allowed war and misery to come on Lighthouse.

There are millions of documents and other traces on Lighthouse, some even dating back from the Age of Strife, that relate this story. The building clearly originates from the Age of Technology, makes use of archeotechs, and has an psychological effect on beings in its reach. It is unknown however if the tale is but a mean to explain these incredible elements, or if it is based on a true story.

Since Lighthouse joined the Imperium during the Great Crusade, most of the population believes that the Emperor did build the Pharos at some point during the Age of Technology, or at least affected its construction. They think He is the Lightbringer of the legend. Some people use the terms "Emperor of Humanity" and "Lightbringer" like synonyms.

The Emperor Himself, however, never openly mentionned Lighthouse or the Pharos, nor He went in the stellar system.

The peculiar light of the Pharos can be seen in the Warp within the limits of the stellar system, so some scholars hypothesise that the structure may be a prototype for the Astronomicon, although at a much smaller scale. Others refute this, saying it is but mere conjecture and stating that the very nature of both lights are felt too differently by psykers, particularly navigators who cannot precisely locate the light of the Pharos.

When they settled in the planet, the Lightkeepers adopted Lighthouse inhabitants' traditions about the Lighbringer. Members of the Chapter found Burning Truth, hidden in a secret compartment in the room of the light. The blade of the ancient relic presented a mysterious text in a long-forgotten language. At one point, a Chief Librarian managed to translate it. The text was in fact instructions about the working of the Pharos and its light. Thanks to this priceless knowledge, the Lightkeepers were able to bring the light back to its full glory.

## Chapter Beliefs

On Technology and the Warp

The Lightkeepers think that knowledge is a strength, that technology must advance, and that Humanity can only dominate the Galaxy by first understanding it. This attitude brings them very close to the more progressive branches of the Cult Mechanicus and the Inquisition, but also distances them from the opposite sides of these institutions. It also puts the Marines at odds with many other factions within the Imperium, who view technology and knowledge with superstition and disbelief.

It is this focus that has driven their ongoing quest to discover more information of all kinds. This quest has unquestionably subjected the Lightkeepers to an increased exposure to heretical knowledge. Some outsiders question the wisdom of their pursuits, when they could safely embrace the security of ignorance.

Through the millennia, the Chapter has uncovered many examples of archeotech, which they have almost always provided to the followers of the Omnissiah without question. At times, the Machine Cult has repaid them for their generosity with gifts of additional wargear, which is well suited to advancing their cause. There is no formal relationship, as such could be viewed as an insult to more needy Chapters. However, this appears to represent an understanding based upon enlightened self-interest.

The acquisition of human relics (either imperial or from the Age of Technology) or xenos artifacts is one of the missions that the Lightkeepers have set to themselves. The objective is, by studying the functioning of these objects, to offer more tools and weapons to the Imperium. However, between the pressure exerted by the Mechanicus on relics on the one hand, and the (justified) xenophobia of the Imperium on the other hand, the Chapter is not able to study its treasures as thoroughly as it would like. Its members are therefore content, while waiting for a more favorable context, to keep their precious booty out of sight and out of mind. Only certain relics of human or indeterminable origin are used, as they do not attract too much attention.

The Chapter studies the Warp, but only with the utmost care, as it cannot be controlled because of its corrupting nature. To and outsider, the Lightkeepers may acts like the Blood Ravens in this matter. But there is a key, if subtle, difference: they study the Warp only to obtain tools and strategies to fight Chaos or to prevent its harmful effects, not to gain any form of power. In any case, items with the taint of the Warp must immediately be destroyed, rendered inaccessible, or banished to the Immaterium, as their corrupting strength is too strong for any human to handle.

On Faith and Religions

"*Tell us all again what you think we should be; what the answers are; what it is we can't see. Tell us all again how to do what you say; how to fall in line; how there's no other way. Show us all again that our hands are unclean; that we're unprepared; that you have what we need. Show us all again; because we cannot be saved; because the end is near; now there's no other way. But oh! we all know, and oh! you will know. You're guilty all the same. Too sick to be ashamed. You want to point your finger. But there's no one else to blame.*"
— A Lightkeeper Captain armed with the Executioner relic bolt pistol, upon "deposing" a cardinal gone rogue
To the Lightkeepers' eyes, the Emperor of Mankind is Humanity's guide and leader, not a god.

The Chapter believes that religion is a hindrance for Humanity, at least in its current form as the Imperial Cult. Its only merit is to unite humans around the Emperor and give him strength through prayers. But the same result could have been achieved through a strong cult of the Emperor’s person, without going through an obscurantist religion.

This disdain is more directed toward the institution of the Imperial Cult, as an institution, than toward honest believers' with a genuine faith. The Lightkeepers' attitude towards the Church regularly earns them the wrath of many influential personalities or institutions, the Ecclesiarchy in first place of course.

On Humanity's Enemies

For Humanity to flourish, all dangerous xenos must be eradicated, but their technology must be studied. This unfortunately represents all known civilized xenos species so far. The Lightkeepers are sometime sadden by this cruel reality as, if alliances had been possible, they could have benefited to Humanity. But xenos still prove day after day their treacherous and insidious manners, so the Imperium cannot give them anything other than obliteration. Temporary alliances are however allowed when necessary, for example when not doing so would only lead to mutual destruction, or to tackle a bigger enemy.

As some elder members of the Chapter often say, it is better to exploit your enemies (for example to obtain intelligence), rather than destroy them. This is obviously difficult and rare, due to the nature of the Imperium's enemies. But when the Lightkeepers can use some treators or xenos to seed deceit and mistrust between the ranks of the enemy, they do not hesitate.

Traitors in their eye lose their human status. So they must be treated like anything else that is not human: with lead and fire.

On Mankind and the Imperium

Every individual human counts in the eyes of the Lightkeepers, so as many lives as possible must be saved thanks to their actions. This rule is interpreted in two ways by Chapter members. Half of the Marines believes that each human has value as a person, with a history and emotions that enriches the Imperium. The second half views individuals only as a resource and a collection of knowledge to be used by the Imperium. Since both points of view lead to protecting human lives, clashes are rare on this subject among the Lightkeepers.

On the Emperor

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Many of the marines from this Chapter, after many long decades of service, feel that the Emperor has occasionally made errors of judgment in untenable situations. Often this appears through uncertainty about the way the Emperor dealt with certain crucial matters, such as His Primarchs whom He treated not as His sons but more as weapons, His reluctance to inform the space marines of the dangers of Chaos before the Horus Heresy, or His ever more urgent drive to push onward the Great Crusade while spreading too thin the imperial forces. When this period of doubt arises for a Lightkeeper, the Chaplain and the senior members of the Company will call him in for a long, private talk. They reveal some of the Chapter's most secret knowledge and beliefs.

They explain that the Emperor and Malcador the Sigilite had evidently devised a plan to lead Humanity in the reconquest of the galaxy. In this plan, the Primarchs and space marines were conceived, in the same way as the thunder warriors before them, as tools serving a function. Should that function be accomplished, the tools would be disposed off, so they could not interfer in the next steps of the plan. So the Astartes would have been phased out at one point in this masterplan.

On another hand, a revolt of the space marines, or at least a part of them, probably was anticipated by such infinitely wise minds as those of the Emperor and Malcador the Sigilite. They surely knew from the start of the Great Crusade, if not before, that even their transhuman super soldiers had their limit. Maybe the revolt could have been part of this plan all along, as a way to get rid of the Astartes once they had finished their task.

However, this great plan seems to have fell apart during the Horus Heresy, as the Imperium only degraded as time went by since the Great Crusade. Maybe the involvement of the Dark Gods, Humanity's greatest enemies, had been underestimated before and during the Horus Heresy.

The space marines should not have existed beyond the Great Crusade, but they must still continue to protect Humanity, for this is their most sacred duty. The Emperor and Malcador the Sigilite have proven that the path they envisioned is the best one for Humanity, because during the Great Crusade the Imperium was suprem. Even now, the Emperor continues to protect and guide Humanity through the Warp, supported by the prayers and daily sacrifice of Psykers. So the doubting Marine owes them absolute trust.

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## Chapter Traditions

A Love For Knowledge and Technology

Collecting ancient artifacts or xenos is one of the Chapter's favorite activities. Whether it is material goods or collections of knowledge, the Lightkeepers do their best to obtain them. Sometimes they steal from other factions in the Imperium when they deem themselves better owners.

As their quest for knowledge echoes many tenets of the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Chapter maintains close ties with the Priesthood of Mars. Often times the Lightkeepers will join forces with Mechanicus Explorator fleets in their search for archeotech and lost knowledge in the unknown quarters of the galaxy.

The Lightkeepers also regularly works with Inquisitors to get their hands of rare artefacts. This notably helps them get access to xenos technology.

Languages

Every Lightkeepers, being scholars, talk several human languages besides the High and Low Gothic. Outside of the obvious advantage this confers in communication, being able to converse with a person directly in their native language helps creating a feeble link between with mortal humains.

Each battle-brother also have to master at least one xenos language and all its dialects. This way, each squad can read and talk several xenos languages. The goal here is mostly twofold: being able to understand enemy communications and to destabilize them with provokations and false intel.

On top of that, Lightkeepers Librarians master languages used by Warp entities.

Lightkeepers Naming

The name of each Lightkeeper is composed of two parts. His firstname is drawn from a city or region which marked the ancien history of Old Terra. His surname is herited from a prestigious historian of Old Terra.

The surnames used by the Chapter also serve to follow the inheritance of progenoid glands by new battle-brothers. As these organs confer a part of the memory from its previous bearer and thos before him, the recieving neophyte will receive a vast amount of knowledge from his lineage. This feature is unique to the Lightkeepers. To follow who may inherite some critical information, the neophyte receive the same surname as their predecessor at the same time as his progenoid gland.

Some Lightkeepers also get a nickname when they realise an epic deed. For exemple, the current Chapter Master is called the "Phoenix" for having been presumed dead several times in catastrophic circumstances, before emerging from smoking rubbles.

Since about one hundred years after the Chapter founding, its members grew a habit to give to the dreadnoughts the title of "Emeritus". Those from the 1st Company are instead called "Venerable", to mark an even higher respect. For example, the oldest dreadnought among the Lightkeepers is called "Venerable Korinthos Xenophon".

Daily Routine

Out of active combat, the Lightkeepers maintain a routine of constant exercise, discipline and study. The following shows the battle-brothers' standard day. Training sessions are about one time out of ten realised without power armour, to prepare them for any possibilities. It has to be noted that officers often change the order below, to keep the battle-brothers ready for anything at anytime. Moreover the table hereunder does not cover exceptional days like commemorations and other ceremonies. It also does not include the schedule for officers, Techmarines, Chaplains, Apothecaries and Librarians.

Celebrations

Throughout their long history, the Lightkeepers developed a calendar of important dates to celebrate. They organise banquets and challenges, either in the Pharos for those who are on Lighthouse at the right dates, or anywhere else when they are away.

* **The Ascension of the Emperor to the Golden Throne** - All brothers present in the fortress on this date will gather in the main chapel to be led in prayer by the Chapter Master. This day is often followed by a day of tournaments or competitions of strength and skill. It also serves to detect future Techmarines or Apothecaries by allowing brothers who have demonstrated special talents to practice in the forge or apothecarium under the watchful eye of their elders. This time is also used for the adoubtion of the Neophytes, the elevation of Neophytes to the rank of initiates, the elevation of initiates to full battle brother status, and the elevation of battle brothers to veteran status or directly into a particular company.

* **Primarchs' Birthday** - Unlike most of the Ultramarines' successors, the Lightkeepers do not celebrate the birth of Roboute Guilliman specifically, but that of all Primarchs together. For obvious reasons, traitor Primarchs and their Legions are not mentionned during this ceremony.

* **New Blood Day** - Once a year, a great banquet is organised to celebrate the integration of new Lightkeepers. All battle-brothers who joined the Chapter since the previous New Blood Day, one at a time, demonstrate one of their skills: aiming in challenging conditions, dueling against a renowned member of the Chapter, storytelling, showing a marvellous piece they crafted, pushing the limit of their physical strength, etc. All the while, the assistance drinks a special red wine of the finest kind, produced only for the Chapter on Lighthouse II. This symbolises the addition of fresh blood in the Chapter. Thanks to the Astartes' various transhuman organs, the wine is not enough to really impact their combat readyness, in case the festivities should be interrupted by an invasion.

* **Coming of the Lightbringer** - This festivity is inherited from the people of Lighthouse. The population prepare for some weeks while maintaining its regular activities. During the designated day, all the population drop their job to drink, eat and party. Elders relate the famous tale of the Lightbringer coming on the planet to build the Pharos and its wonderous golden light. Processions mimic the events of the story. This is also the day where churches see the most attendance, as the Lightbringer is considered to be the Emperor under hidden identity. The Lightkeepers mix with the crowd, animate several local events, and celebrate almost as if they were mortal humans themselves.

## Chapter Recruitment and Rank Progression

Aspirants and Neophytes

Lighthouse, being the homeworld of the Chapter and counting an innumberable population, is the Lightkeepers' prime recruitment planet. People on its surface maintain since the Age of Strife a strong military culture, having to defend themselves for many millenia. Children, from the youngest age, are all trained to combat and survival. They are taught to make use of almost any useful tool or weapons and even to improvise makeshift equipment. Their resolution is tested again and again. They learn to coordonate with comrades and to obey instructions following a chain of command. As a consequence, the whole population of Lighthouse can be considered a potential soldier and could assume a Planetary Defence Force. To go beyond that, hundreds of thousands of teenagers join military academies scattered all around the planet, to seen their physical, mental and moral limits pushed further each passing day. They are presented more powerful weapons and tools, they learn to pilot vehicles and to organize elaborate operations. Thanks to all that preparation, imperial guards from Lighthouse are considered of high quality by the standards of the Astra Militarum. Consenquently, the youth of the planet also offers many good candidates for the Lightkeepers.

Under the ecumenopolis of Lighthouse, where the sun did not shine for an eternity, billions fight every day to merely survive. Driven to extremes of violence by the pressures of underworld living, these merciless killers are usually ignored by the authorities. They make ideal space marine recruits, and whole gangs of city-scum are sometimes hunted down and made to undergo the Trials.

The Chapter also recruit from other planets. Most of them are located in the Ereb-Assou sector. Some, outside the Lightkeepers' usual boundaries, are planets they liberated years, centuries or millenia ago. They sometime recruit immediately on a world they just saved, when the conditions allow it.

Aspirants must undergo **Trials** to prove their valour. The exact types depend of the planet they originate from, each following the local traditions. On Lighthouse, the privilegied methods are Blood Duels, Survival of the Fittest, and Challenge Trials. Another rule is that anyone can (respectfully) provoke a Lightkeeper in a ritual duel, or achieve a deed at the very limit of human realm.

Blood Duels are organised on the surface of the planet. They are fought in rounds, with aspirants facing eachother until only a small number remain. Aspirants duel until a fighter completely overcomes the other or to the very point of death, depending on what happens first. The Chapter Apothecaries are capable of rebuilding a crippled body should the aspirant be deemed worthy of acceptance, so Blood Duels are often brutal, no-holds-barred affairs.

The Survival of the Fittest Trials unfold mostly in the underworld of Lighthouse, where lawless people fight gruesomely to grasp vital resources. The Chapter simply watch these wars from afar, witness the deeds of the greatest heroes and select the young victors as aspirants. Gangs of savage psychopaths battle one another ceaselessly for power and influence and the greatest of these gang leaders sometimes attract the attentions of the servants of the Chapter.

If they wanted to, the Lightkeepers would have quelled these gang wars long ago, however this act would have cut them from a great source of (not entirely consenting) aspirants. But the idea of abandoning billions to their grim fate could not satisfy the members of the Chapter, whose mission is to protect Humanity and bring hope to the people. So the Astartes built numerous obstacle courses within the underworld. These challenges are nearly impossible to overcome, safe for a handful of exceptional beings, and surviving is an ordeal on its own. The obstacle courses quickly proved to be resounding successes for the Chapter, attracting many good-quality aspirants. So the Lightkeepers designed even more of these challenges, over and under the surface of the planet.

After the first Trial, whatever its type, a second test is imposed on the aspirants through a Knowledge of Self Trial. As a matter of fact, the Lightkeepers think that the aspirant's spiritual and mental capabilities are every bit as important as his physical characteristics. Aspirants are administered a powerful psychoactive concoction, of which recipe is kept secret by the Chapter. Under the influence of this drug, the aspirant must face the very worst his own psyche can produce, terrors even worse than a Psyker could implant. The aspirants have to show the strength of their psyche by overcoming those visions, often time by killing the worst part of themselves. While they do so, Librarians of the Chapter scan the aspirants' mind in search of any taint of Chaos, and immediately kill those affected. Some die under the sheer stress and trauma placed on their hearts during the process and those that survive will be utterly changed -physically as well as mentally.

Once the aspirants finish their two Trials, the Chapter accepts them as neophytes. The implantation of Astartes organs and an excruciating training begins for them.

In order to complete their initial training, neophytes must of course acquire every skill needed by the Chapter, but also produce a **Work**. This last part is unique to the Lightkeepers' recruitment process. This Work has to expend or update the overall knowledge of the Chapter on a any useful field. This can be for example a study on a xenos species' behavior, the crafting of a piece of engineering, a synthesis of another imperial faction's traditions, etc.

Once they finish their initial training and their Work, aspirants directly become full-fledged battle-brothers. Only those who demonstrate an affinity for stealthy activities become Scouts, who are complete Astartes in the Lightkeepers' eyes. This is contrary to the use of most Chapters, so outsiders are sometimes unsettled when they encounter Lightkeepers Scouts, who are even more mature and skilled that the regular Scouts.

Those unfortunate aspirants who fail during the Trials or neophytes who prove incompatible with the transformation process or the initial training, but still manage to survive, are offered a place among the Grey Flames. The less lucky grow so damaged that the Chapter can only use them by turning them into Servitors.

During the ceremony confirming a neophyte's ascension to battle-brother status, the new marine receives a flaming torch, symbolising the knowledge and duty passed on to him by his predecessors.

Specialists' Initiation

When a Lighkeeper battle-brother demonstrate particular skills or competences relevant with the Armoury, Reclusiam, Apothecarion or Librarius needs, he is proposed a place in one of these vital parts of the Chapter. If he accepts, he receives a special training to meet the expectations of the Lighkeepers Techmarines, Chaplains, Apothecaries or Librarians. In the same manner as the initial training of neophytes, these specialist aspirants must produce a **second Work** to push the Chapter onward. These Works are respectively called Iosis, Melanosis, Leucosis or Kyaneosis, to follow the red, black, white and blue colours classically attributed to these specialisations.

For Techmarine aspirants, this Work can encompass the masterful crafting of a weapon, armour, vehicle, prosthetic, etc. It can also consist in a mathematical or engineering thesis, or a study on xenos technology or archeotech.

Chaplain aspirants have to achieve a historical study, the biography of an Imperial hero, or the analysis of a military campain, be it from the history of the Chapter or any imperial faction. Alternatively, they can study psychology applied to the mind of Astartes, or a synthesis of another Chapter's beliefs and working. The goal is to better motivate their comrades once they themselves become Chaplains.

Apothecary aspirants must finish a study in a biological, pharmaceutical or chemical fiels. They can also successfully accomplish a particularly difficult surgery on one of their brothers, or make a thoroughtly update on the Chapter's gene-seed.

Finally, Librarian aspirants have to gather new information about the Warp, daemons, psykers, magic rituals or spells. To this end, the can study humans or xenos.

Rank Progression

The Lightkeepers believe that combat expertise and leadership are two different skill sets, each as respectable as the other. As such, an excellent fighter must first show that he is also a good leader before moving up the hierarchy.

Following this logic, a battle-brother who demonstrates exceptional combat skills, either over time or during critical events, may be offered membership in the 1st Company. If he accepts, he joins the other veterans who specialize in the same field as him.

Veterans can later join the Command Squad of a Company, as Company Veterans. Most of those doing so return in their original company.

In the same fashion, a battle-brother who demonstrates the ability to lead men effectively may be offered the rank of sergeant. If he accepts, he is assigned a squad of the same specialty as himself.

Before a Lightkeeper can assume an officer's responsibilities, he is thoroughly trained in all aspects of battlefield awareness and observation. Tactical cognisance and strategic prioritisation play crucial roles at every level of command. These battle-brothers are expected to identify any changes that occur through the course of a battle -including unexpected enemy response- at the earliest stages and act upon them accordingly. In extremly rare cases, a Neophyte who shows natural leadership skills during his initial training can begin directly his marine life as a Sergeant, and will afterward be watched with great interest by his superiors.

A veteran adding troop management to his combat expertise may be offered the rank of veteran sergeant. The same is true for a sergeant who performs exceptional feats. If he accepts, he is assigned to a squad of the same specialty as he is in the 1st Company. Because veterans naturally have more autonomy than other battle-brothers thanks to their experience, they themselves need little supervision from their veteran sergeant.

New lieutenants are chosen among sergeants by the captains. Very rarely, a battle-brother or veteran can become a lieutenant directly, but this requires pushing the limits of the impossible, or the Company being devastated and in dire need of officers.

New captains are chosen by the Golden Council from among lieutenants and sergeants. Techmarines, Chaplains, Apothecaries or Librarians can also be chosen, but these cases are extremely rare as the position of Captains requieres diffrent skills from their current affectation.

When the Master of the Chapter dies or become unavailable for too long, its successor is elected from the captains by the Golden Council.

## Deathwatch Service

Since the Chapter's inception, more than two hundred battle-brothers have been seconded to the Deathwatch, showing the Lightkeepers' willingness to support this organisation. Their close link with the Inquisition also pushed the Lightkeepers in that direction. Even some high-ranking Lightkeepers elected to join the Deathwatch, knowing they would have to begin at the bottom ranks again by doing so.

Each time members of the Chapter joined the Deathwatch, their meticulous records on subjects related to xenos races proved a massive boon to the alien-hunting elite.

Applications for service in the Deathwatch can be filed at any given time. Moreover, when the Chapter reaches full capacity, the Golden Council incitates battle-brothers with the most experience in fighting xenos to file an application. This way, the Lightkeepers can increase the renown of their Chapter, while also learning from the best xenos hunters in the Imperium.

As the Lightkeepers are very adaptative, they fit well within the kill-teams of the Deathwatch. Where they lack a true specialisation in their combat style, they form a great glue to bond Astartes form very different Chapters in a same kill-team, on the military plan aswell as the psychological one. As a matter of fact, the Lightkeepers can cover for any gap between the specialisations of the members of a kill-team. They are also effective to ease relations between space marines from opposed Chapters.

## The Grey Flames

The Grey Flames are the Lightkeepers' Chapter Serfs. They are recruited from the same worlds as the Astartes themselves, mainly Lighthouse. A portion of them were aspirants who did not qualified to become Astartes, or neophytes who proved incompatible with the gene-seed implantation process. Others are civilians and soldiers rescued by the Chapter, who then chose to serve their saviors for the rest of their life. Finally, some Grey Flames were people who just wanted to dedicate themselves to the Lightkeepers.

Each would-be Grey Flames must first pass a mental and biological scan, to ensure the absence of mutation of Chaos taint. Depending on the degree of their affliction, mutants are either redirected to the factories of Lighthouse, or given a meal and then be executed. Those tainted by Chaos however are put down immediately and without warning.

The Serfs working for the Lightkeepers are well-educated, well-trained. and well-equiped. All of them are able to defend themselves and the fortress or vessel they occupy. In that perspective, they are comparable to high-quality Imperial Guard regiments. The neophytes who attempted the ascension but did not managed to complete the process are still as strong as full Astartes, so they constitute a particularly potent threat to wanna-be invaders.

The Grey Flames are coordinates by the White Flames, who themselves are lead by the Great Intendant. Those are part of the Golden Council and help stirring the Chapter in the good direction.

In the Chapter fleet, each vessel is led by a high-ranking Grey Flame called Commander. Each Commander is placed under the orders of the Lightkeeper Captain -or his subalterns if he is not available- supervising the deployment.

Each Lightkeeper is personaly followed by an Equerry, a Grey Flame dedicated to assist him. They tend to their master's every need and often become one of their close confidants. Each Equerry leads a team of other Serfs. They also act as a feeble bond between the Astartes an mortal humans.

Some Equerries ask to follow their master to war. If and when their are allowed to, it is on the condition they stay behind the fighting lines, to remain secure while they provide support or work in the logistics, mechanics, battle hospitals, etc.

When an Equerry dies or grows too old to fulfill their mission, they are replaced by another Grey Flame who knows their master very well. Most of the time, the new Equerry was already part of the team lead by their predecessor, unless the Lightkeeper specifically decides otherwise.

Grey Flames rarely procreate, as they are simply too busy with their back-breacking or mind-consuming tasks, but that can happen. When it does, their children do not have to become Serfs themselves -unlike in some other Chapters. These children are raised and trained by all the Grey Flames around, including their parents. The boys have to opportunity to follow the path of the Trials, to become Lightkeepers themselves. Those that choose not to pass the Trials or failed them have to decide, upon their eighteenth birthday, wheither or not they shall follow the life led by their parents. The great majority choose to do so.

As a side note, the presence of a few children between the walls of the Pharos -or other secure locations where the Lightkeepers may reside- brings joy to the Astartes and life in the otherwise stern fortresses. Like the Equerries, the tiny humans help the demi-gods to keep a bond with the remainder of Humanity.

Some Lightkeepers sometimes have affairs with one or more Grey Flames. Because Astartes have no drive of that kind, such situations always originate at the demand of the Serf(s) in question. Moreover, Astartes are not conditioned to feel love the same way mortals may experience it, so these relations are never expected to become romantic. Moreover, Space Marines are steril, so such relations can never generate a child.

Outside of Grey Flames, the Chapter also counts some astropathes and navigators from prestigious houses.

## Notable Members

* **Sidon Herodotus** (Active) - Current Chapter Master of the Lightkeepers and planetary governor of Lighthouse. He is called "the **Phoenix**" for having been presumed dead several times in catastrophic circumstances, before emerging from smoking rubbles. His exploits have propelled him to the top of the Chapter. Sidon claims that the Emperor himself has brought him back each time to continue to serve him. This speech supports the Chapter in the face of the Ecclesiarchy. The Phoenix never knows if he has come from the dead for the last time. He says that one day the Emperor may decide that a new Master is needed to lead the Chapter. After joining the 1st Company, he progressively climbed ranks to become First Captain. He got elected as Chapter Master in 737.M41, shortly before the Time of Ending. This makes him currently about five hundred years old. He used to wear the ***Phoenician Armour***, an Artificer terminator armour. When the Chapter finally integrated its first Primaris Marines, Sidon volunteered to undergo the ascension procedure to become a Primaris as well. This was done to help him better understand his new brothers. The Phoenix is now wearing an ornate Artificer Mk X Gravis armour, called ***Ashen Rebirth***. He later upgraded the first iteration if this armour himself, to personnalise it more to his liking. He wields ***Burning Truth*** in combat and during ceremonial events. He wears a red cape with the Chapter symbol in the center. His all-gold helmet is decorated with a delicately carved and painted black laurel wreath, the colour of the laurels being a reminder of all the sacrifices required for victory.

* **Karia Herodotus** (Dead) - First Chapter Master of the Lightkeepers and first Astartes to be planetary governor of Lighthouse. He wore an Artificer armour with golden shoulder-pads, a red cape with a large badge of the Chapter in the center, and an all-gold helmet decorated with a black laurel wreath. The colour of the laurels was a reminder of all the sacrifices required for victory. He also wielded the Burning truth, a flaming master-crafter power-sword, whose hilt evokes a torch and the handle a lighthouse. Every Chapter Masters of the Lightkeepers since continued to bear the same symbols. After him, the Herodotus lineage has preserved the memories of several illustrious members of the Chapter, including some of the next Chapter Masters.

* **Tyre Ctesias** (Active) - Former First Captain leading the 1st Company, now at the head of the Moon Blades. He is Sidon Herodotus' right hand man and closest friend. His loyalty led him to follow Sidon in the dangerous ascension operation to become a Primaris himself. He is also his closest advisor for centuries. Tyre was considered the most enduring Captain of the Chapter, and one of the most formidable in hand-to-hand combat. He is now about four hundred years old.

* **Palatium Sallustius** (Active) - Current Captain of the Lightkeepers' 3rd Company.

* **Karthago Plinius** (dead) - Previous Captain of the Lightkeepers' 4th Company. He was famous for his relaxed attitude, even under heavy fire.

* **Halicarnassus Dionysius** (Active) - Previous Captain of the 5th Company of the Lightkeepers. He notably wields a power fist with a mounted-on master-crafted bolt pistol. After the near total destruction of his Company in the late 41th millennium, Halicarnassus viewed himself as incompetent for any leading position and asked the Golden Council to be retrograded, which he was granted. He became a lone Veteran of the 1st Company. Sidon Herodotus then promptly sent him on a special mission with no chance of return, as a way for Halicarnassus to redeem himself. The fallen Captain had to combat an especially brutal Ork invasion far away, with no help from the Chapter. But, against all odds, the Lightkeeper came back successful and alive. Fighting alonside an Imperial Guard regiment, Halicarnassus managed to organize and give hope to the soldiers so well that they repelled the enemy assault. Sidon sent the veteran on two more suicide missions, respectively against T'au and Aelari threats, but each time he prevailed and survived by rallying imperial forces around him. The third time, Halicarnassus understood that he had in fact never let down the 5th Company, because he still had wonderful leadership abilities. The Company just had to face too much threats at a time, and got crushed under the weight of enemies. After this epiphany, Sidon convened the veteran. The Chapter Master explained that he never doubted his former Captain, and that he had given him near-impossible tasks for him to realize he still had his incredible fire in him. Together, they agreed that the best course of action from there was for veteran to join the Deathwatch, a neutral place where Halicarnassus could forget his past and shame to focus on the future. The Lightkeeper climbed the ranks of his new Chapter, from kill-team member through Watch Captain. He is determined to remain there and pursue the war on xenos until his last breath, to atone for his previous lack of faith.

* **Byzantion Komnene** (Active) - Current Captain of the 6th Company of the Lightkeepers. Twin brother of Berytus Procopius (despite their different surname). He is solemn, sometime grim. His auspices are serious. Byzanthion his currently a little over two hundred years old. His most well-known deed is the banishment of a seemingly invincible daemon in 999.M41, summoned during a rebellion led by Chaos cultists on the planet Masym. With the help of Berytus, Byzanthion managed to wound the beast with the Spear of Rusting Blood, a warp-infused weapon, which removed the daemon's protection an allowed for his elimination. This campaign however took a heavy toll on his company.

* **Assyria Berossus** (Active) - Current Captain of the 7th Company of the Lightkeepers. Primaris Marine.

* **Berytus Procopius** (Dead) - Previous Captain of the 7th Company of the Lightkeepers. Twin brother of Byzantion Komnene (despite their different surname). He was always striving to add some pleasing elements in the rations dispensed to the Chapter members, like candies or food shaped in funny ways. He had the habit to say that this was good for the morale of his brothers. Berytus often asked to Byzanthion to smile more. His most well-known deed is the banishment of a seemingly invincible daemon in 999.M41, summoned during a rebellion led by Chaos cultists on the planet Masym. Berytus helped Byzanthion to wound the beast with the Spear of Rusting Blood, a warp-infused weapon, which removed the daemon's protection an allowed for his elimination. This campaign however saw a full quarter of his company being butchered in a few hours.

* **Trinakria Diodorus** (Active) - Current Master of the Forge, and first Primaris marine to have accessed to the Golden Council outside the new Primaris Captains. He inherited the progenoid gland and near infinite memory of Syracusa Diodorus, a previous Master of the Forge. When Trinakria ascended as an Astartes under Belisarius Cawl's care, he manifested an instinctive understanding of most technologies he was presented. He was able to integrally dismount then rebuild any piece of machinery, even when he had never encountered them yet. Cawl himself took interest in this peculiar space marine. The venerable Magos personnaly teached Trinakria some of his lore about biology, to complement the Astartes' ingeneering genuis. Trinakria then became the natural leader of the few Primaris Techmarines prepared for the Lightkeepers, before he was put in a stasis pod for the millenia to come. When Trinakria effectively joined the Lightkeepers at the beginning of the Indomitus Era, along the other Primaris, he proved instrumental in the rebuilding of the Chapter. Trinakria notably organised the whole logictic around the new wargear provided for his fellow Primaris, while also coordinating the repairs of the existing material. When Sidon Herodotus wished to cross the Rubicon Primaris, Trinakria took part in the design of Ashen Rebirth, the Chapter Master's new Gravis armour.

* **Syracusa Diodorus** (Dead) - The Lightkeeper who knew the longest life, with a full millenia of active duty. Though Syracusa was the most skilled Techmarine of the Chapter in his time, and one of the best ever, he was not at ease when leading men. Thus, he never wished to become Master of the Forge, as this function necessitates leadership to guide the other Techmarines of the Chapter. He was for the most part of this service the Techmarine of the elite 1st Company. This position perfectly suited him, as the members of this Company are veterans who can act independently. Syracusa used his deep knowledge in augmentics to replace his organs each time they were damaged. The last centuries of his life, he was almost entirely mechanical: a brain, a spine and a few biologial organs surrounded by machines, all permanently imbedded in his artificer armour.

* **Hadriaticus Strabo** (Active) - Current Chief Librarian. He is called "the Ebony Dragon", for he is one of most potent psykers the Lightkeepers ever counted, and certainly possesses the mightiest witchfire. Hadriaticus often produces so much flame with his spells that his terminator armour ends up completely black, covered by ashes. Thanks to his eight hundred years of activity, his wisdom has no limit.

* **Venerable Korinthos Xenophon** (Active) - Lightkeeper relic Contemptor Dreadnought and oldest member of the Chapter. He saw the Lightkeepers' very founding and was one of the first Chapter heroes. During the liberation of a planet in the Ereb-Assou sector, which tried to rise with many others against the Imperium after Drakan Vangorich's death, Korinthos fell in combat and got entombed in a Contemptor Dreadnought. He is still currently alive, which makes him the oldest Lightkeeper by far, with more than seven thousand years of active duty. His unparalleled experience is greatly appreciated by every officers in the Chapter.

* **Venerable Turones Gregory** (Active) - As a Chaplain of the 9th Company, specialised in artillery, Turones was used to employ long ranged weaponry. Through his wise choice of words, he guided the aim of his brothers, or inspired the close-quarter Devastators wielding flamers and heavy meltas. For his remarkable service, he was interred in a Dreadnought to remain at his brothers' side. He inherited the right Dreanought arm from his predecessor, Venerable Franconofurd Einhard. Turones considers this weapon as sacred and only uses it when he plans to accompanies his brothers in melee. While Turones is an honourary member of the 1st Company, he is often seen leading detachments of the 9th Company, to which he is still deeply attached.

* **Venerable Franconofurd Einhard** (Dead) - A legendary Chaplain, remembered for his strength of will under any circumstances. His fiery temperament allowed him the honour to be intumbed in a Dreadnought. He even got his Crozius Arcanum melted and reforged into the right arm of his new mechanical body.

## Chapter Fleet

Current Fleet Composition

* 1 Oberon-class Battleship (Chapter command)

* 3 Battle Barges, 1 being repaired

* 12 Strike Cruisers (1st to 9th Companies), 3 being repaired

* 1 Vanguard Light Cruiser (10th Company)

* Escort vessels

Notable Vessels

* ***Blazing Lotus* (Oberon-class Battleship)** - A rare class of battleship that was designed to perform a variety of roles. This vessel is able to deliver a mixed assault of attack craft, torpedoes, and lance weapons battery fire that more specialized battleships cannot. This diverse armament gives the *Blazing Lotus* the ability to deal with any threat, and therefore not need the usual squadron of escorts to protect it. This self-sufficiency is further enhanced by advanced augur sensor systems that give the battleship the ability to detect enemies before they are aware of its presence. This vessel had been lost to the Warp in the Gawain sub-sector in 401.M34 during the Howling crisis. When it reemerged in realspace at the end of the millennium, near the Lighthouse system, the Lightkeepers sent veterans in terminator armour to investigate. They found a derelict battleship depleted of any life, with many proofs of struggle all around the interior of the vessel, but with most of its systems intact. After a month-long verification, the Librarians of the Chapter declared the battleship devoided of Chaos taint. The Lightkeepers claimed *Blazing Lotus* as a gift from the Emperor Himself, and kept the vessel for their Chapter Command, who before that shared a battle barge with the 1st Company. *Blazing Lotus* has since seen thousands of engagements, mostly in the Ereb-Assou sector.

* ***Sky Castle* (Battle Barge)** - Took part in the Suppression of the Macharian Heresy.

* ***Last Hope* (Battle Barge)**

* ***Falcon of the Sun* (Strike Cruiser**

* ***Blood-Red Dawn* (Strike Cruiser)**

* ***Spectral Threat* (Vanguard Light Cruiser)**

* ***Boaty McBoatFace* (Frigate)** - A lost vessel dating from the Age of Technology, acquirred and refitted by the Tech-priests of Crucible. They gave it to the Lightkeepers upon their founding. The mysterious name of the frigate can be read on it sides in story-sized characters, untouched since the discovery of the vessel. Many historians and Tech-priests looked at this case through the millennia, but the signification of this name is still debated today.

## Chapter Relics & Trophies

Hereafter are listed the Chapter's most prominent relics and secret possessions. For a more exhaustive list, read the Lightkeepers' Vault article.

Weapons

* ***Burning Truth*** - The most precious relic of the Chapter. A flaming master-crafted power-sword, whose hilt evokes a torch. On one face of its blade can be read "VERITAS", which means "truth" in High-Gothic. The other face presents a text of several paragraphs in a long-forgotten language. The other This terrific weapon can only be wielded by the Chapter Master of the Lightkeepers. It inspires hope in the heart of the rightous, and brings a scorching death to the foes of Humanity.

* ***Bloodied Fist*** - A once white power fist so covered by blood it now appears completely red. It gained its legendary status when Sergeant of the Lightkeepers used it during an insurrection in the Ereb-Assou sector. The Sergeant and his squad one day got caught in a trap and found themselves encircled by thousands of traitors, with no option to leave the place nor be reinforced. The Astartes fought valiantly for days, relying on their melee weapons when their ammo ran out. But the weight of enemies submerged them, and they fell one by one. When help finally came, everything was over. The rescue team found the bodies of their brothers one after the other, each surrounded by hundreds of dead traitors. They discovered the Sergeant last, at the top of a pile of carcasses and covered by fallen enemies. Only his power fist emerged from the macabre pile, still pointed to the sky as a sign of defiance. The Techmarines of the Chapter decided not to clean the blood covering the whole weapon, as a reminder of this tragic event.

* ***Executioner*** - A one-of-a-kind bolt pistol of large calibre. When wielding it, an Astartes can feel himself becoming judge, jury and executioner. This pistol has taken the lives of many important characters blinded by their hubris.

* ***Honor of Crucible*** - An exceptionnal Omnissian power axe, crafter by the techno-priests of the forge world Crucible. They later offered this precious relic to the Lightkeepers, as a thank for saving the planet.

* ***Rising Fury*** - A unique Bolt Pistol said to have been fabricated by the Blood Raven's master artificer Isaak Jordanos who engraved prayers of rage and zeal along its barrel. This relic has been recently stealed by a Lightkeepers squad from the very armourium of the Blood Ravens, during an infiltration training. Before leaving, the perpetrators replaced the real relic by a faux with an small inscription claiming the robbery. To this day, the owners do not have noticed the trickery. Until the Blood Ravens claim back the pistol, the Lightkeepers secure it in their own armourium with the explicite interdiction to use it. The thiefs also placed a counting device beside the relic, incrementing by one each passing day.

* ***Spear of Rusting Blood*** - A warp-infused spear. It appears as a square rod of rusted iron, twisted many times along its long axis, with a viciously sharp point at one end. Even in the hands of a space marine, far more massive than a mortal human, the Spear looks big. It is way heavier than a regular iron rod. It instantly absorbs all the blood of anyone it wounds, which activates its full power. When it is fed, it looks like dark iron covered in blood. Not a single red drop falls from it, as if the Spear wants to keep for itself all the life it just took. This weapon have been instrumentale in three consecutive banishments of Ghalan'Kzar, a bloodthirster impervious to any other form of damage.

* ***Suns of Gawain*** - Three devices that can replace the normal handle of a power or force weapon. They contain an auxiliary energy field projector and a battery, making each strike even more devastating. The pommel at the extremity of each handle is shaped like a sun, in honour of the three main solar systems of the Gawain sub-sector, Lighthouse, Crucible and Gallica. These relics where masterfully crafted at the end of the Age of Strife, when the three faction wanted to celebrate their alliance.

Armours and Clothes

* ***Ashen Rebirth*** - Sidon Herodotus' tacticus mark X gravis armour, since his ascension as a primaris marine.

* ***Phoenician Armour*** - Sidon Herodotus' tactical dreadnought (terminator) armour, before his ascension as a primaris marine.

* ***Bastion Armour*** - Tyre Ctesias' current armour, since his ascension as a primaris marine.

* **10 Cataphracii and 10 Tartaros terminator armours**

Dreadnoughts

"*We used to be more numerous. Those you call "relics". During its youth, our Chapter counted twice its current number of old dreadnought patterns. But eternal war progressivly took its toll on us. Now, my brothers lie on alien planets, their bodies unclaimed and out of reach. [long silence] I miss them dearly.*"
— Korinthos Xenophon, Lightkeeper relic Contemptor Dreadnought and oldest member of the Lightkeepers
The Lightkeepers always counted old patterns of Dreadnoughts, which became considered as relics through the millenia: Contemptor, Deredeo and Leviathan patterns. They are honorary members of the 1st Company, but only the Golden Council or the Chapter Master can authorize to wake up these venerable heroes from their slumber.

The Chapter used to have more of these ancient dreadnought chassis, but many were lost in dire circumstances. As the Lightkeepers could not repair their utterly destroyed carcasses or sometimes even retrieve them, their number slowly dwindled. The fallen's weapons are now part of the survivrors' armoury.

The Chapter managed to replace its losses with Castraferrum chassis. But while Castraferrum Dreadnought are formidable in their own right, they lack the unstoppable might of Contemptor or Deredeo ones, not to mention Leviathan Dreadnoughts who can almost compete with Imperial Knights.

The Chapter's most important Dreadnought is Korinthos Xenophon, the oldest Lightkeeper. His broken remains are contained in a Contemptor chassi with interchangeable arms, allowing him to wield any weapons compatible with Contemptors.

Other Relic Types

* ***Horn of Gallica*** - Also called *Fog-Breaker*. An ancient, intricately ornated horn crafted on the planet Gallica for the imperial knights of House Liger. This treasured relic from the Age of Strife was given by the knights to the Lightkeepers at the end of M34, when the Chapter saved the biosphere of the House's new planet, Lighthouse II, after a terrible Ork WAAAGH! led to its devastation. The horn is equiped with a blowing system releasing compressed air from capsules, in order to be usable by the Astartes even when they wear their helmet.

* ***Last Light*** - The Lightkeepers' Chapter banner. It represent the Pharos topped by a giant torch (the same as in the Chapter's badge).

* ***Wisdom of the Lightbringer*** - A ancient tome of knowledge, so old it even predates the Chapter. It notably contains descriptions of spells usable by Lightkeeper librarians. They sometime carry copies of the relic with them in battle.

### The Dark Vault

+++

CONFIDENTIAL DATA

CLEARANCE LEVEL REQUIRED: 3

PLEASE INPUT SECURITY CLEARANCE: \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*

+++ ACCESS GRANTED +++

The Lightkeepers' most secret and dangerous acquisitions are stocked in the Dark Vault. It constistes of a main complex deep under the Pharos and annexes out of Lighthouse. These annexes house abominations that would present too much of a risk for Lighthouse should their containment be breached.

The unnumberable chambers of the Dark Vault contain mass-destruction weapons, world-ending pathogenes, artifacts defying the laws of physics, incomprehensible relics from the Dark Age, abominable intelligence, colossal monsters, forbidden xenos technologies...

If the Inquisition or the Adeptus Mechanicus were aware of the full extent of the Dark Vault, they would surely require to get control over its content, to have it for themselves or to destroy it. This could even lead to prosecutions agains the Lightkeepers for heresy.

+++++

## Chapter Appearance

Chapter Badge

The Lightkeepers Chapter badge takes the form of a stylised torch made in black metal, bearing a golden flame, with a white outline around the torch and the flame. The golden flame is obviously a reference to the Emperor, who brang light to Humanity. The colour of the torch represent the death and sacrifices needed to protect this light. The badge as a whole symbolizes Hope and Truth given to humans, but also fire and wrath against the enemies of Mankind.

Chapter Colours

* **Main pattern** - Black armour, white belt and back-pack joints, golden Imperialis or Aquila, red eyes.

* **Chaplains** - Helmet evoking a white skull, black belt and back-pack joints, white Imperialis or Aquila, right shoulder pad with a painted or carved white skull.

* **Librarians** - Psychic hood, right shoulder pad with white open book on blue background.

* **Techmarines** - Red armour, right shoulder pad with Machina Opus, black left shoulder pad and arm. black eyes.

* **Apothecaries** - White helmet with red vertical stripe from the top, white gauntlets and wrists, right shoulder pad with red Prime Helix on a white background.

* **Reivers** - Low part of the helmet evoking the jaws of a white skull.

* **Sergeant** - Red helmet and wrists, skull on the forehead.

* **Lieutenant** - Golden strip on the helmet and wrists, white skull painted on the right shoulder pad, skull on the forehead.

* **Captain** - Golden strip on the helmet, faceplate, wrists, and skull on the right shoulder pad, skull on the forehead, red cloak.

* **Veteran** - White helmet, shoulder pad trims, wrists and veteran icon on the right shoulder pad.

* **Veteran Sergeant** - Same as Sergeant with white strip on the helmet, shoulder pad trims, wrists and veteran icon on the right shoulder pad.

* **Veteran Lieutenant**- Same as Lieutenant with white helmet and shoulder pad trims.

* **First Captain** - Same as Captain with white helmet and shoulder pad trims.

* **Chapter Master** - Golden helmet, shoulder pad inserts and wrists, black laurel crown and skull on the right shoulder pad, skull on the forehead, red cloak.

Elements from the main pattern that are not mentioned in the description of specialists' or ranks' appearance are unchanged.

The Librarians and Apothecaries keep the usual colours of the Chapter, instead of the blue and white required by the *Codex Astartes*, in order not to be too easily identified by enemies and to keep a minimum of discretion. The Techmarines do not follow this logic, as they never intervene in situations where stealth comes into play, as they drive or accompany vehicles, and so as not to offend members of the Cult Mecanicus.

10th Company

As its operation imply discretion, the 10th Company of the Lightkeepers bears almost not other colours other that black, with all markings made in relief on the armour. The Astartes of this Company also make heavy use of camoflage, painting themselves, their armour and their equipment as needed for the specifics of each mission. One notable exception are the Reivers, who paint the lower part of their helmet in white to evoke the jaws of a skull.

## Relations

### Close Allies

House Liger

The imperial knights of House Liger inhabit, protect and manage Lighthouse II, an agriworld in the same system as Lighthouse. They were close allies with the Lightkeepers since the first decades following the Chapter founding. After the Scouring of Lighthouse II, in 760.M34, and the later reseeding of life on the planet thanks to the Lightkeepers, House Liger became even more loyal to the Chapter than the Adeptus Mecanicus, which says much. They pledged to fight along the Astartes that saved their world as often as they could, with all their fury unleashed. Some knights even go so far as to become freeblades just to make direct oaths of allegance to the Chapter, following the space marines everywhere. For their part, the Lightkeepers view House Liger as their most formidable and reliable allies. Many bonds of friendship are formed between individuals of these two factions.

Blood Ravens

Both the Lightkeepers and Blood Ravens intensively train themselves in the art of infiltration, with the excplicite goals to gather intel on their enemies or recover critical items. To this end, the two Chapters agreed on an unorthodoxe way to master stealth technics. They settled a competition between them, were the objective is to acquire a relic or any important object of the other Chapter, without being noticed. This is a great way for Astartes to better learn how to enter the most defended places, while also avoiding detection by the best overwatch equipment.

The thiefs can simply steal the target and restitute it immediately or later. When they want to be crafty, they can extract the target, make a pic-capture of themselves with their taking and the date of the operation, before putting the target back in place with the picture. This style of operation is even more difficult to succesfully realize, as the thiefs have to infiltrate the other Chapter a second time. But nothing is better than adding some friendly mockery to the victory.

As some relics are too precious to be callously stolen, the thiefs have the obligation to restitute these artifacts within hours after the robbery.

Tome Keepers

Each time a squad of Lightkeepers goes to Istrouma, homeworld of the Tome Keepers, the Astartes take with them a small legion of Grey Flames. While the Space Marines train and exchange strategies with their hosts, the serfs have the sacred mission to copy as much books produced by the Tome Keepers and notable inhabitants of Istrouma. Each tome is treated with the utmost care, like a holy relic, so only the best clercs are selected for this kind of mission.

Of course, some piece of information are too confidential to be accessed by strangers. Thus, the Lightkeepers and their clercs refer to a Tome Keeper or a high-ranking Serf of this Chapter to know want book they are allowed to open or not.

The copies are then brought back to Lighthouse when the Lightkeepers squad and the Grey Flames leave Istrouma, and stocked in the Librarius of the Pharos. The lore they contain often proved crucial for the Lightkeepers' operations, giving intel on particular enemies or providing new tactics.

In turn for this inexhaustible well of knowledge, the Lightkeepers offer copies from their own libraries, and sometime pieces of exceptionnal craftsmanship made by their Techmarines.

Through millennia of shared lore, both Chapters developed strong bonds of friendship.

Order of the Ceramite Symphony

(to be added)

### Other Imperial Factions

* **Adepta Sororitas** - The Chapter has a complex relationship with the battle-sisters. The Marines do not submit to the Imperial Creed, so the more virulent Orders consider them as near or complete heretics. Nevertheless, their status makes them tolerated by the majority of the Orders. On another hand, their status as children of the Emperor even gives them a semi-divine aura in the eyes of the more open Orders. Overall, the Sororitas and the Lightkeepers treat themselves with mutual respect. Even though the battle-sisters help maintain the importance of the Imperial Creed, when the Emperor wanted to erase religions, their actions are overall positive for the Imperium. They fight traitors, xenos and Chaos. They heal the wounded, translate indecipherable texts and strengthen the cohesion of the Imperium. So the Lightkeepers view the Sororitas in a good way. In addition, the Orders are strongly linked to the Inquisition. The Chapter's good relations with the Inquisition therefore facilitate exchanges with the Sororitas.
* **Adeptus Mechanicus and Inquisition** - The Lightkeeper think that knowledge is a strength, technology must advance, and Humanity can only dominate the Galaxy by first understanding it. This attitude brings them very close to the progressive branches of the Cult of Mechanicus and the Inquisition, but also distances them from the opposite sides of these institutions. It also puts the Marines at odds with many other factions within the Imperium, who view technology and knowledge with superstition and disbelief.

### Enemies

Aeldari

The Aeldari caused the birth of Slaanesh and the subsequent warp storms, plunging Humanity into the Age of Strife. This reason alone justifies the extermination of the Eldari. To this must be added the invasions and the threat they still pose to the Imperium. Their civilization must be destroyed, but their technology studied. In rare circumstances, some members of this people can become allies of circumstance.

Tau

Their civilization must be destroyed, but their technology studied.

Necrons

Their civilization must be destroyed, but their technology studied.

Chaos Space Marines

The Lightkeepers have a special hatred towards the Word Bearers.

## Notable Quotes

By the Lightkeepers

(to be added)

About the Lightkeepers

(to be added)

## Gallery

Lightkeepers First Captain of the elite 1st Company.Lightkeepers Captain of the 4th Company.Lightkeepers Veteran Lieutenant of the 2nd Company.Lightkeepers Lieutenant of the 2nd Company.Lightkeepers Veteran Marine of the elite 1st Company arrayed in relic Indomitus pattern Terminator Armour.Lightkeepers Veteran Marine of the elite 1st Company, 6th Veteran Squad.Lightkeepers Veteran Sergeant of the 2nd Company, 2nd Battleline Squad.Lightkeepers Sergeant of the 6th Company, 2nd Battleline Squad (original Order of Battle).Lightkeepers Battle-Brother of the 3rd Company, 6th Battleline Squad.Lightkeepers Primaris Intercessor of the 7th Company, 6th Battleline Squad.

[Source]

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

[Source]

## Credits

* Thanks to Algrim Whitefang for making the Lightkeepers look so good! Previous visuals were made by the author with the Bolter and Chainsword painting tool, which is a good basis but cannot be compared to the master's art.

* Thanks to Perozes Sassanius for making the model of *Burning Truth* "in all her radiant glory" and for Sidon Herodotus' look.

## Trivia

The following (hopefully fun / interesting) facts are listed by order of addition to the Lightkeepers project.

* The first idea of what would become Lighthouse was inspired by Walter M. Miller Jr.'s novel A Canticle for Leibowitz, where in a post-apocalyptic Earth some monks preserve the surviving remnants of man's scientific knowledge until the world is again ready for it. Later, this idea expended from the population of Lighthouse to a new homebrew space marine Chapter, which became the Lightkeepers.

* The Lightkeepers are in good part inspired by the Raptors (reasonable Marines), Tome Keepers (writing books) and Blood Ravens (chasing knowledge).

* Before the creation of this page, in a first draft of Lighthouse, the planet was a forge world with Imperial Knights and copist monks. But as in the WH40K lore forge worlds cannot become a space marine Chapter homeworld, the author decided to instead create three planets: one hive world with the copists, one knight world and one forge world.

* The real Herodotus is considered to be the first true historian, so the name of the Lightkeepers Chapter Masters had to reflect that. Sidon was one of the major cities of the Phoenicians, an ancient people whom name inspired the word "phoenix". This name was chosen to fit with the Sidon Herodotus's nickname, the Phoenix. Tyre was also a Phenician city, near Sidon. Also, both the real Herodotus and Ctesias lived in the Caria region, in present Turkey. These elements were designed to reflect the close bond between Sidon Herodotus and Tyre Ctesias. As the region Caria is written in ancient Greek "Karia", the name of the first Chapter Master was easy to find.

* The name for the Ereb-Assou sector originates from one hypothesis about the etymology of the words Europe and Asia. So "Ereb-Assou" would mean, in Phenician, "Europe-Asia". As the first names for characters were drawn from Greece and Anatolia (at the limit between both continents). This matches with the name of places and historians chosen for the characters.

* The name for the Gawain sub-sector is inherited from the eponymous arthurian knight. Sir Gawain was the solar knight, whose strength rose with the sun. This name echoes with the Chapter's theme about light.

* "Escalibor" is an old French name for Excalibur, that weapon having been wielded by Sir Gawain in some arthurian stories.

* "The Suns of Gawain" are a reference to the link between Sir Gawain and the sun in his stories.

* "Mordant" means "bitting" in French.

* The Works Lightkeepers must do to achieve their formation as Techmarine, Chaplain, Apothecary or Librarian is a reference to alchemy concepts, especially the Great Work. The usual xanthosis (yellow) of the Great Work is replaced here by the kianosis (blue) to conform with the colour attributed to Librarians.

* "*Blazing Lotus*" is a reference to the biggest spaceship in the anime Gurren Lagann, named "Dai-Gurren", which roughly translates in "great crimsome lotus".

* "Glorious" is a reference to the band Gloryhammer.

* "Galbasverd" is a made-up name meaning "big sword" in the Ancient Language from of Christopher Paolini's novel cycle The Inheritance.

* "Spectral Threat" is a node to Star Wars, The Phantom Menace.

* The quote inserted in the Belief paragraphe about Faith is a slightly modified extract from the song Guilty All The Same, by Linkin Park.

* The Bass Axe is a reference to Adventure Time.

* The Club of Chastity is a reference to the "Go to the horny jail" meme.

* Boaty McBoatFace is (quite obviously) a reference to the eponym meme. The author adopted it after a conversation on the Homebrew Discord (please join it!).

* "Sialidase" is a name given to a molecule produced by some influenza virus.

* Both "Arsene" and "Zarni" are stem from the same root as "arsenic"