Judges

Judges armorial with Legion iconography.

Judges Heretic Legionary.

The **Judges** are a formerly Loyalist First Founding Space Marine Legion of Heretic Astartes who are wholly dedicated to the service of Nurgle. Once a Legion dedicated to bringing the law of the Imperium to the Galaxy; the Judges are so steeped in the Chaos God's vile blessings that their bodies have become hives of filth and decay, their ﬂesh eternally rotting away even as it is renewed by the ceaseless process of death and rebirth. However, where Nurgle and most of his servants represent the cycle of life and death; the Judges wholly embody death and see life as the worst crime of all. A crime that has only one sentence, death.

When the XV Legion was first raised on Terra; they were named the Convicts due to their recruitment coming from the penal camps and prison cells containing the dregs of humanity. Thieves, murderers and rapists were taken from their dark cells and unleashed upon those who resisted the Emperor; inflicting such brutality that even the number associated with them gained a dark reputation. The Convicts' rampage finally came to an end upon the Legion's reunion with Agnarak who bent them to his will through force. Thus the Convicts became the Judges; bringers of the Imperium's law. However several detractors claimed that the Judges' never lost their savagery and merely refined it into cold brutality. These voices went unheard, however, for Agnarak had been tasked by the Emperor to bring law and order and so it would be done.

Alas, it was Agnarak's drive for order that would cause the fall of the Judges; as the Emperor's declaration of Godhood broke the Imperium and the Primarchs into civil war. Pushed to the brink by the disorder, Agnarak was easy prey for Quetzlculhuacan's machinations and swayed into the service of Chaos. Eventually, Agnarak's sanity broke and gave himself to Nurgle, dragging his own Legion down with him. The Judges emerged as Plague Marines, virulent hosts of countless afflictions and sicknesses, seeking to erase the Galaxy of life. This would not change after the civil war ended with the Emperor's condemnation to the Golden Throne. Agnarak still commands the Judges in their entirety and leads them on countless campaigns to rid the Galaxy of life and finally bring the order he so desperately craves.

## Legion History

The Emperor of Mankind sought to unite all of humanity under one banner following the Long Night of the Age of Strife, and end inter-human conflict. Once united, the Emperor intended to begin the next stage of His great plan to ensure human domination of the Milky Way Galaxy, which He judged to be necessary if humanity was to survive the never-ceasing threats to its existence embodied by Chaos, myriad xenos races and its own fragile human nature.

In time, when the Emperor's eye first began to fall beyond Terra, He began to raise new armies to fight His Great Crusade. He drew these new troops in part from the forces that had already unified Terra during the Unification Wars of the late 30th Millennium.

To carry out the Great Crusade and reunite all the scattered colony worlds of Mankind beneath the single banner of the Imperium of Man, the Emperor created the genetically-enhanced transhuman warriors of the Space Marine Legions. These forces would serve as the speartip of His Great Crusade that began in ca. 800.M30, bringing the light of the Imperial Truth and enforcing Imperial Compliance with the new regime on every human world encountered.

### Dregs of Humanity

Why the Emperor chose for the XV Legion to be raised from the penal camps and prisons of Terra is heavily debated, perhaps He knew what heights they would achieve when their Primarch was returned to them or perhaps He simply needed a Legion of murderers to do the things few others would stomach. Thus the XV's moniker was extremely fitting; for the Convicts were made up of thieves, rapists and killers granted superhuman biology and wargear.

The Convicts' infamy first began when they rampaged across Merica and Hy Brasil, throwing themselves into the fray as they vented a rage born from generations of being confined to hellish penal camps. Such was their brutality that the Emperor would not have them present at the final battle of Mount Ararat and instead assigned them to the Pacification of Luna alongside the II, VI, VII, XII, XIII and XVII Legions. While most of the other Legions chafed at being away from the final battle for Terra, the Convicts did not care as long as there was something to vent their rage against. This did not sit well for their fellow Legionaries, save those of the VI and XVII who also had reputations for brutality, and almost culminated in an incident when the Convicts, VI and XVII were about to fall upon the surrendered civilians of Luna after the battle's end before being stopped by the other Legions. While the Convicts were never censured for their actions, their reputation as psychotic killers only grew.

After Luna, the Convicts saw more action in pacifying the rest of the Sol System; notably being responsible for conquering the moon of Titan in a rather bloody fashion. For all their victories however, their reputation continued to grow and gained them little friends. To those who look back at this time, it could be perhaps considered humourous that, given their status, the Convicts were the first to find a Primarch.

### War with the Rah'ol

#### Finding the First

After the Blackstone Order's first encounter with the Rah'ol Empire, the Convicts were immediately redirected to the borders of the hostile Xenos. At first the expedition fared poorly; for they were accompanied by an overzealous Mechanicum force who got themselves wiped out, resulting in the Convicts going in unsupported. Of course, this did not bother the unstable Legion as their Master, the infamous Korv Nurous, pressed forward in their eagerness to bloody their blades in battle against this new enemy. Their first target was a world named Bargrund; a human colony oppressed by the Rah'ol and therefore the perfect target for the bloodthirsty Convicts. But they would be disappointed.

When the Convicts broke warp over Bargrund, they found no xenos and instead discovered a burgeoning Human civilization. Reigning in the Legions' bloodlust, Korv led an expeditionary force down onto the world where he met an unexpected sight. What the Convicts found waiting for them was a giant man radiating an aura that brought Korv to his knees within moments of meeting him. To the Convicts there was no need for confirmation that they stood before a Primarch, a child of the Emperor of Man. The Primarch named himself Kasimiron Argeryn, ruler of Bargrund, and made them welcome. Within days of the Convicts sending word of their discovery, the Emperor of Man came to Bargrund to unite with His son. For their part in this reunion, the Emperor granted the Convicts the right to bear an Imperalis in spite of their reputation. After all, the Emperor cared not for the Convicts' infamy for they were but necessary evil in His dream. Thus he ignored any detractors when He made his declaration.

#### The Red Skulls

To the Convicts, this honour placed them above their kindred for a long time until the next Primarch was found. They made no effort to flaunt this however, as they simply threw themselves into the war with an eagerness to spill xeno blood. They first made their existence known to the Rah'ol in the Battle of Urgelon where they engaged a Rah'ol fleet and forced them back after hours of brutal boarding combat albeit at heavy cost. Until now, the Rah'ol had encountered more organised Legions with refined methods but the Convicts were a whole new thing. These maniacs stormed into the fray like rapid dogs, swarming the bigger Rah'ol soldiers and tearing them apart with reckless abandon that swept aside the xenos even if the cost was great. The sheer lunacy of these methods threw the Rah'ol off guard and the results of the violent encounters led to them being named the Red Skulls by the xenos, due to the red skull that was the Convicts' icon. The Convicts continued their rampage without a leash, but it would not be long until they got one.

### Agnarak and the Mirror Face

The child's first memories were that of being in a hole; lifted out of his gestation pod by grimy hands belonging to the scum that called the world of Ankur Primaris home. Ankur Primaris was an ancient penal colony of the Ancient Terrans that fell apart in the Age of Strife, degenerating from a well oiled machine that kept convicts in line to a ruin reduced to anarchy where the strong thrived and the weak died. The child landed amongst the weak who hid in the dark; his crash landing clearing the clouds long enough for the sun to shine in. But this was not why he was given the name Agnarak, that name came from the sound his pod made when the people opened it.

He hated that name from the beginning.

Agnarak would grow quickly, learning everything his adoptive father, Jasov, could teach him within a matter of months. Although Jasov was, by Ankuran standards, a good father he was a harsh teacher; throwing Agnarak into the cold ocean for an entire day, pitting him against savage beasts that plagued the world and drumming the brutal realities of life into his head. On Ankur Primaris, if you were not strong then you were dead. However, Jasov would become a fatal example of this as cancer would take him; leaving the title of leader to Agnarak in his final moments. However, Agnarak had learned his father's lessons well as he defended his adoptive clan from rivals; the Primarch having reached his full size as a giant no one else on the world could match. Soon Agnarak led his clan out from their dark hole and into the light. Yet, this would no longer be a matter of survival, for Jasov imparted one last lesson to his son before dying: Ankur Primaris was a world in Chaos, but Agnarak would bring it order.

Agnarak reshaped his clan into an army, conquering rival clans and either assimilating them into his own or wiping them out completely. However Agnarak's legend did not begin until he took over a citadel that once belonged to the warden of the world and found an ancient relic: a helmet with a faceplate built from a mirror. Naturally, Agnarak took the helmet for himself; and the legend of the giant with a mirrored face began to grip the planet. Armed with a giant sword, his legend and an army at his back; Agnarak swiftly conquered Ankur Primaris. For the first time in centuries law and order was introduced to the world as Agnarak imposed his will through newly implemented systems or by force.

## Legion Organisation

#### Pre-Schism

Before they were reunited with their Primarch, the Convicts were a far cry from the standard raiment of arms and organisational patterns laid out for the early Space Marine Legions by the Imperial Officio Militaris. At its most fundamental level the Convicts Legion were little more than a disorganised horde; arranged into Companies and Battle Forces as their commanders saw fit.

This dogma was the cornerstone of the XVth Legion's way of war, and was built upon the foundations of independence and surety with which the Convicts had always fought. The Convicts are noted in the Imperial records of this period as being little more than bloodthirsty berserkers as evidenced by the particular use of melee weapons within the Legion.

The Convicts Legion relied upon its infantry to provide its strategic strength, with the bulk of tactical fire support coming from heavily armed support squads, and later with considerable numbers of Terminators and Dreadnoughts providing reinforcement and an assault spearhead where needed. Perhaps this was why the Convicts were kept around despite so many voices calling for their disbandment; because of how effective the psychotic legion was.

Once Agnarak became the master of the XVth Legion the Judges changed dramatically, including its arts of warfare. Agnarak was at his heart an infantryman, and in his Judges he saw the chance to perfect the principle of the utilitarian warrior on foot who could go anywhere, fight on any ground and destroy any enemy through resilience, resolve and implacable aggression.

Using the Convict's ramshackle organisation, the Judges' squad formations were largely not static as in most Space Marine Legions of the time, but were formed, reformed and ordered as needed and as the given tactical situation required. To this end, a Judges Legionary was trained to be equally adept at any infantry role he might be called upon to perform on the battlefield rather than fighting at all times in a particular specialised role. In this way, a Judges Astartes would act as a Tactical Marine in one battle, a heavy weapons fire support specialist in another and so on, with highly specialised occupations such as the Wardens and Apothecaries remaining wholly dedicated to a single tactical role.

Yet Agnarak did not ignore the value of vehicles, for he used them well. Rhinos carried squads of Condemned or Tacticals into battle while Whirlwinds and Battle Tanks supported their charge. Agnarak was known to particularly favour the likes of the Rhino Advancer variants and Land Raiders equipped for dealing with hordes of infantry. These preferences were well suited for the aftermath of a compliance action where Rhino supported squads of Judges would clear streets of rioters and resistance, with or without use of lethal weapons.

Like a few other Legions the Judges split their numbers across the Galaxy, garrisoning their forces on newly compliant world or strategically vital locations, therefore it was difficult to place a proper number of Legionaries maintained by the Legion with most estimates placing it around 100,000 to 110,000 Legionaries by the end of the Great Crusade with that at 20,000 of that being scattered around the Galaxy and additional 5,000 garrisoned on the Legion's home world of Ankur Primaris and its moon Volag Nok.

### Legion Command Hierarchy

Prior to Agnarak's arrival, the Convicts' command hierarchy was comparable to "might makes right" with the biggest example being the allegation that Korv Nurous, the Legion Master prior to the Primarch's return, was responsible for the death of his predecessor to take over. Perhaps it was not an unwarranted method, for the Convicts were savages therefore a strong officer who has no qualms with force to instill order into his underlings was for the best.

When he was given command of the XVth Agnarak was the complete master of his Legion. Every warrior under his command knew that above all else they served their Primarch, and beyond him the Emperor. All others, be they Primarchs or Imperial lords of high renown, were nothing besides the clear line of authority which descended from the Master of Mankind. Complete and total obedience was demanded by Agnarak and given by each Judge from the lowest warrior to the most exalted captain. Beneath Agnarak were the captains of the Companies and Battalions. Agnarak maintained a inner circle of advisors and senior officers that often saw members coming and going depending on the tolls of war or the disposition of the Jailor, with the only fixed positions being his two closest advisors. Beneath the senior officers were the line captains and lieutenants who led the Legion's battalions and companies.

Each Company of the Legion contained ten Battalions each in turn of 1,000 *Legiones Astartes* commanded by a captain, who was responsible for the tactical deployment, efficiency and training of his warriors. Few other ranks or divisions of formal organisation existed in the XVth Legion, except in very specialised, often technical roles. Each member of the Legion knew his place and the seniority and tasks of those around them without recourse to excessive heraldry and symbol. While they ultimately all answered to Agnarak, each Company was allowed a modicum of independence to get their task done. All Judges conformed to Agnarak's decree without rancour or dissent, and rivalries and internal strife were observed by outsiders to be few, particularly in comparison to more notably fractious Legions.

When an officer died in battle, his successor stepped into his place swiftly and decisively without need for orders or discussion, and so the Legion's chain-of-command was seamless even in the face of the heaviest losses, contributing to the Judges' reputation for endurance in war. However it is no secret that officer's of the XV live in constant danger of displeasing their Primarch, for the Jailor has a low tolerance for failure.

### Specialist Ranks

* **Headsmen** - The Headsmen are the Honour Guards of Agnarak the Jailor. Chosen for their martial skill and dedication to order and justice, the Headsmen are armoured in terminator armour and armed with a large "Executioner" Axe that is capable of slicing through even the toughest of foes. Furthermore they are identified by their distinctive helmets and red clothing to signify their position. Agnarak was once reluctant to the idea of Honour Guards but eventually relented after they proved their worth to him. Now he always had seven around him; three on each side and one behind him. Another use he found for them was to enforce his will across the Legion: it was common for battle forces to have a single or squad of Headsmen accompanying the commanders to watch and ensure Agnarak's will is known. Commanders who do well can expect a good report to Agnarak and thus a commendation from him. Those who fail, however, either find themselves demoted, dragged to Volag Nor, or beheaded immediately. The Headsmen continued doing their duty as the Schism exploded across the Galaxy and continue to do so after the Judges' fall to Nurgle.
* **Condemned** - The Condemned are the Judges' Destroyer Corps, drawn from Legionaries who have committed some form of failure or proved unable to control their innate bloodlust. For their failures, they are dragged to the moon of Volag Nor where they eke out a cold and hard existence in the icy rock when they are not needed. However, the XV are not wasteful and find a use for these Condemned and drag them out from their prisons and into squads of suicide squads who do missions that are lethal even to marines. Entirely equipped with chem-weapons and other weapons considered dishonorable even for the pragmatic Legion. The Condemned are used as vanguard forces or area clearers, however they also are used for putting down rioting crowds attempting to resist Compliance. For these occassions the Condemned are equipped with tear gas or nerve toxins to disperse said crowds while in battle more lethal gases such as rad-bombs or phosphex are deployed. As such, where ever the Condemned walk life withers and dies as their corrosive poison destroys lungs and melts flesh of entire garrisons. However this comes with severe mental and physical degradations for the Condemned whose superhuman biology barely keep the ravages of radiation and toxins in check. Furthermore their armour is often corroded and their minds addled over time. However, these far gone individuals do not care; for they have been sentenced this fate and will see it done.
* **Wardens** - Though the Judges' task is to be the bringers of law and peace to worlds, compliant or no, they are still convicts, murderers, thieves and rapists alike, who have been granted superhuman might. This may prove problematic should a Legionary lose control and decide to act on his violent nature; necessitating the existence of the Wardens. A squad of 30 Wardens is assigned to every Battalion to keep the Legionaries in line and ensure order is kept. Wardens are typically armed with shock mauls to bludgeon enemies and subdue rogue Legionaries.

## Notable Members

* **Agnarak the Jailor** -
* **Korv Nurous** -
* **Lockar** -
* **Marcus** -
* **Malaghun** -
* **Hakan** -
* **"Useless"** -