Silver Basilisks

> "*Before Artellion, before we were inducted into the Crown of Avalon by birthright, we were a legion of outcasts. Afflicted by a genetic blight, we were shunned, feared, even hated, by those we sought to help. We covered ourselves to hide our shame, and became faceless, nameless, and it was in that manner that the people named us: Faceless Heralds. But our father lifted us up, told us t hat our flaws were our own reminders of our humanity, and that they kept us honest. It is true, no member of the 15th Legion thinks himself immortal, and although we may eclipse our more normal brethren in age, our lives are most assuredly finite. It is our flaws that have grounded us, and they are our strength. Artellion named us Silver Basilisks, in honor of the apex predators that once roamed his homeland, and as a reminder to us as Adeptus Astartes of what we should strive to be. A Basilisk does not hide, or stalk, or shadow himself from others. He is the master of his dominion, and his dominion is as vast and bountiful as he can make it. Who amongst the Primarchs had carved out as vast a realm before being met by the Emperor? Who among them had already made the vision of the Emperor his own before even meeting his sire? And who else would turn a weakness into a strength, and a flaw into something beauteous? We owe Artellion Emerabron everything, and we serve him until our hearts beat no more."*"
> ― Beirniad Deiniol Saer, speaking to a group of potential recruits.
>
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## Silver Basilisks

Legion iconography of The Silver Basilisks during the Great Crusade and Early Apostasy Era.

Silver Ceramite, Royal Blue Trim

### **Allegiance**

Traitor
(*Traitoris Maximus*)

### **Primarch**

Artellion Emerabron - "Pale Eyes", "The Argent Serpent", "Peacegiver"

### **Noteworthy Domains**

"The Tower" (Librarian training world, research center, pilgrimage site), Gobannus (Allied Forgeworld), Rhiavvon (Knight World)

### **Warcry**

"For those who live!"
"The Basilisk Rises!"

### **Legion Colours**

Silver Ceramite with Royal Blue Trim

The **Silver Basilisks** are the XVth Legiones Astartes, engineered by the Emperor's own hand in the final days of the Unification Wars of Terra, forged for the Great Crusade to bring His light to the long-lost human colony worlds scattered across the start. Renowned for their blitz tactics, benevolent nature and surgical precision in battle, the Silver Basilisks were among the most powerful and famed Space Marine Legions of the Great Crusade.

Though the legion did fight on Terra with the, now extinct, Thunder Warriors, they were never truly accepted by the Imperium of Man due to a rather dramatic flaw in their gene seed. They became known as reclusive warriors, never removing their helms in public, and having no distinguishing marks on their armor; arriving to solve a crisis, and then immediately leaving to the sanctuary of their own territories. It was in this way that the legion was given their first name: the Faceless Heralds.

When they were united with their Primarch, the noble Artellion Emerabron, the legion underwent a dramatic change in appearance and culture. Artellion was already an accomplished ruler in his own right, having ruled the 100 worlds of the Crown of Avalon for well over a century before being found by the Emperor, and he decreed that his sons would follow in their Sire's footsteps. In the first few months after being united with his sons, Artellion transformed the XVth legion from the reclusive hermits they had become in the Faceless Heralds, into the beacons of nobility they became famous for as Silver Basilisks. By mandate and example of their Primarch, the legion became exemplary leaders of mankind, often taking a hand not only in military projects, but civil projects as well. The more famous members of the legion often bringing prosperity to numerous worlds, as they lifted the torch of Humanity for all the galaxy to see. Soon, the Faceless Heralds became a part of history, the shadow to the Silver Basilisks light.

Throughout the Great Crusade, the Silver Basilisks were called upon numerous times to bring already prospering worlds into the Imperium fold. Artellion's developed diplomacy skills often resolved the compliance in a peaceful manner, however when peace failed the legion's response was swift and overwhelming. Using a mixture of sheer speed and psychic tactics, the Silver Basilisks would quickly pacify a planet's populace, while a strike to take out the planet's leadership was carried out by elite companies of warriors. With a lack of opposing leadership, pro-Imperium viewpoints were usually quickly accepted by the citizenry, as the prosperity is brought to their planets quickly quashed all thoughts of rebellion.

In addition to their compliance duties, the Silver Basilisks were often called upon to combat the more severe threats to the Imperium of Man. Their large fleet of ships allowing them to contain and control the theaters of combat, while their shock-and-awe tactics on the ground attempted to push their opponents on the back foot, and keep them there. While most of their conflicts consisted of defending against the savage Orks and their greenskin hordes, the legion also had more than its fair share of conflicts with the deceitful Dark Eldar, whose raids against outlier systems would often be in Silver Basilisk territory. However, as his time within the Imperium grew, cracks began to form between Artellion and the Imperium of Man.

Merely five years after his acceptance into the Imperium of Man, the [REDACTED] and their Primarch, [RESCINDED], were purged due to a corruption in the Gene Seed. Though a relative newcomer to the Imperium, Artellion had quickly grown close to [RESCINDED], and his tragic death wounded Artellion deeply. Then a few decades later, after negotiations had completely broken down, yet another legion and brother were purged from Imperial memory. These events, combined with the Edict of Nikaea, Mechanicum strong-arm tactics in his own territory, as well as several other slights, pushed Artellion's relationship to the Imperium and the Emperor to the breaking point. When approached by the Warmaster Antarus and brother Surmah, Primarch of the Hounds of Surmah, Artellion and a vast majority of the Silver Basilisks sided with the other Traitor Primarchs, not for more power from the Gods of the Warp, but for the freedom of their people and realm.

After the first Solar War, and the taking of Terra, the Silver Basilisks quickly grew disillusioned with those they had allied themselves with as their corruption grew. Retreating to their own realm, the Crown of Avalon, the Silver Basilisks ruled their territory for a short time as an autonomous state, before being pushed out by the surging Loyalist forces into uncharted territory where they would all but disappear from Imperium memory...

## Legion History

### The Great Crusade

#### The Faceless Heralds

In the wake of the Emperor's conquest of Old Albia, the first recruits of what would eventually become the XVth Legion of the fledgling Legiones Astartes were taken to the genelabs beneath the Himalayan Mountains, the genewrights of the Emperor forging them anew, making them more than men, a refinement on the Thunder Warriors of his army. Of these, the first survivor was a boy named Ishmael Harnael, and it was this distinction as the first of the XVth that saw him named Lord Commander of the newly formed Legion.

For the first few years of the legions existence, the warriors did little else besides train, their numbers small and plagued with a number of issues with their gene-seed implantation. As a result, while they did see some combat on the surface of Terra, they did not distinguish themselves from any other legion. It is perhaps this reason, combined with their physical geneflaws that saw the Legion as one of the least trusted of the Emperor's forces, and were sent on various missions far from the Imperium's core.

#### Artellion Emerabron

> "*My name is Artellion Emerabron. You are now my Silver Basilisks, and you will* never *hide again.*"
> ― Artellion Emerabron upon being united with his gene-sons.
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Dropped on a world with a feudal system of government that prized martial prowess, Artellion Emerabron quickly rose to prominence in his youth. Found by a wealthy smith’s wife, who took him in as a foster son, Artellion learned the delicate art of creation, and found it to his liking. Within his first decade he brought his family glory in the local tournaments of ability, a predecessor to his own *Twrn Mawr* tournaments, and soon became a noble of his local lord’s court. His craftsmanship and strength of arms was of course unmatched, and within his first three decades of life, he had eclipsed his somewhat simple life as a local lord in a small city on Ysberd Brenin and built the Crown of Avalon, an empire of 100 perfect worlds burning bright as a testament to Artellion's leadership and the success his leadership could bring. Each world was ruled by a Heraldic Family, one of the 100 families who swore allegiance to Artellion's vision, and whose sons swelled the ranks of the Silver Basilisks.
Primarch Artellion himself is a wise man, soft spoken, whose silver eyes and long silver hair are only outshone by the silver prismatic scales that grow along his cheekbones, and were the basis of his Legion’s namesake. His council, though often unasked for and seldom heeded by his brothers, is often a careful distillation of observations and facts around him. Never one to jump into a conflict when unnecessary he is an exemplary leader, bold in battle, whose gentle hands helped grow Avalon into the thriving utopia it came to be known as. Although these are the things he is most known for throughout the Imperium, Artellion takes the most joy in creating things. To offset all the destruction he brings during The Great Crusade, Artellion can often be found refining his own armor, *Croen Byw*, a shimmering silver plate made of materials native to his homeworld, has been his personal project since the age of eight, and acts as more of a second skin rather than an actual suit; or refining the design of his twinsword, *Caladfwlch* and *Cwmsolet*.

While he does enforce the Imperial Truth, Artellion went beyond the Emperor’s initial vision, using his gifts to help the everyday lives of the mortals around him. He is an exemplar to his people, and the high standard he holds himself to, he also measure other rulers against; and the Emperor of Mankind is no exception. Never once acknowledging the Emperor as a father figure rather than a gene donor, Artellion sees the darker parts of the Imperium as wasteful and callous at times. Massive conscriptions of men and women for the Imperial Army and Navy warmachine, who are then thrown into hopeless situations time and again. The worst by far are servitors, and Artellion could think of no worse fate for any human. Outside of those deemed necessary by the Techmarines, Artellion allows no other such abominations within his sphere of influence.

 Artellion’s intensity is offset by his gentle nature outside of combat and diplomacy. He is a creator first, leader second, conqueror third, and son last. He follows the Imperium because he believes that, eventually, it will elevate humanity to sights yet unseen. But the Argent Basilisk always sets a higher standard for himself, and is determined to protect his people at all costs.

#### The Coming of the Emperor

From the flash of light strode beings Artellion had never expected to see. Giants armoured in exquisitely wrought golden armor, carrying long spears tipped with wide barrels for projectile weaponry. Behind them came smaller warriors, still much taller than the average Avalonian but dwarfed by the giants around them. Their ebony colored plate reflecting no light, and their hoods already obscuring the already impassive masks, with their heads bowed. Artellion brow furrowed slightly at their subservient appearance, as they looked as if they wanted the attention to be anywhere but upon them.

Finally, the last figure stepped through, and Artellion's face transformed into a wide beaming smile. The being that stepped forward was unquestionably a being of incredible strength, radiating a golden light that forced all to turn or bow away from him, all but Artellion. Suddenly, the mysteries of his very being started to fall away, as before him stood a being who could only have made one such as himself.

According to accounts made later, Artellion knelt before the Emperor of Mankind before any words were spoken, and his people followed suit soon after. The Emperor spoke in a quiet voice that carried over the silent crowd of the Imperium, Artellion's place in the Great Crusade, and how at long last he had found all of his creations: The Primarchs. Artellion rose when introduced to his warriors for his new army and sons in the Great Crusade, and Artellion immediately went to them. He was approached by the lead ebony-plated warrior who informed him that his sons were in danger upon another world, and he hoped that Artellion would aid them in their rescue. Artellion immediately requested to join with his forces to save his sons, and the Emperor agreed, saying that there would be time to talk later.

His newfound sons visibly overjoyed at their sire's arrival, Artellion turned to his people, promising them a new prosperous age, and entered a ship to rescue his sons. Upon his arrival on the world, he quickly saw that the only a handful of his sons remained upon the surface, and immediately set out for the surface. Clad in his new armor, made on his way to the planet, Artellion descended into its atmosphere, only to see the small canyon erupt in activity as the foul Orkish horde attempted to kill his beleaguered sons before his arrival. His other sons aboard the ship sat in stunned silence as they watched one of their own wreak psychic havoc upon their foes through the planet itself. After landing, Artellion inspected his sons, noting that despite not having a helm one of them had his face wrapped in bandages. After discovering that his sons kept their faces covered despite having no injuries, he ordered their helms off and immediately noted the scars on their faces from where their scales grew; and his heart broke. What in their experience had demanded of them such mutilation? Dubbing them his first Silver Basilisks, after the brazen apex predator of his homeworld, Artellion swore to bring pride to his newfound sons.

Returning to the Emperor's ship after his task was completed, Artellion spent time with his creator. He never called the Emperor "father", that title reserved for those who had raised him upon his homeworld, Artellion always ever referred to him by his title out of respect. After a very brief period alongside the Emperor, consuming knowledge of the Great Crusade, its history, the machines of war and their operation, the Emperor handed authority of the XVth Legion to him as he had promised, and the transition was welcomed by its members. Word of his actions upon his initial contact with his sons had already endeared Artellion to them, and for the first time since their creation the legionaries began to hope that they could be something more than what they were. Bringing in proud Avalonians from his home systems, Artellion used their fervor to boost morale through his Legion, infusing the Legion with Avalonian culture and customs, and styling the Legion aesthetic into bright, shining knights for all of humanity to see.

Addressing the warriors in their now silver colored plate, Artellion espoused his vision for the Legion, as well as his expectations of them. Sweeping away much of their former shame and rejection in vast sweeping reforms, Artellion transformed the XVth Legion into paragons of what the Imperium *could* be, something to aspire to become. On that day the Faceless Heralds were no more, and forever lived in the Silver Basilisks' shadow. Clad in their silver plate, and bearing the emblem of Ysberd Brenin's apex predator, the XVth would never live in the shadows again.

## Strengths

Silver Basilisks have access to their enhanced hearing and perfect sense of pitch. The hymns of Avalon are famous across the Imperium, and the songs of the Silver Basilisks were used as a unique battle chant to coordinate strategy and relay orders. The result is that their communications are nearly uninterpretable outside of their legion, the signals being interpreted as background noise more often than not. These ultrasonic communications have allowed the Silver Basilisks to be some of the most feared assault troopers seen in the Imperium. Using the high mobility of Jump Packs to quickly outflank and outmaneuver their opponents, the 15th Legion strikes hard and fast, seeking to use their momentum to overrun their opponents.

## Gene Flaw

Due to a mutation in their Ossmodula, all Silver Basilisks form scales along their forearms, cheekbones, and shoulder blades. These scales form in response to extreme forms of damage, and seems to have different colored highlights based on the type of damage received (with the exception of Librarians, whose interactions with the Warp give their scales a consistent purple-blue highlight, earning them the nickname of “Bluescales”). For instance Captain Agravain is called “The Green Basilisk” due to his scales having green highlights after his encounter with a particularly potent acidic compound.
However, while the scales themselves offer no real protective value, they continue to spread and grow on the Astartes, eventually restricting movement and even inflicting pain. To combat this growth, the Silver Basilisks undergo a rite called the Cofio, or Remembering. Each Astartes will choose a partner to flay the scales from their bodies, after which the Astarte will weave the scales together to form a sort of tapestry, detailing their victories and defeats, which they repeat before going into each battle. The darker aspect of this flaw is revealed when it was discovered early on that the Silver Basilisks form these scales by drawing nutrients from their bones, eventually becoming unable to function normally as a Space Marine, and become Dreadnoughts. The Silver Basilisks field one of the largest forces of Dreadnoughts throughout the Imperium, their scale tabards draped across their battle tombs, as they continue to serve the Imperium of Man even after their bodies have betrayed them.

## Tactics

The Silver Basilisks excel in the fluid moments of frontline combat and assault tactics. With their unique battle hymns to coordinate, and their quick battlefield mobility, Silver Basilisks hit their opponents hard, seeking to use momentum to overwhelm their opponents. Interestingly enough, Silver Basilisks often seem to keep collateral damage to a minimum, with their attacks mainly focusing on enemy leadership with enough precision that enemy forces fall, while leaving much of its populace intact.

## Personality

Silver Basilisks took the Emperor’s command of providing and protecting humanity, and made it the bedrock upon which their Legion was built. After bringing his homeworld of Avalon under one banner, Artellian brought that same banner to a hundred other worlds, and either through diplomacy with its leaders or the slaughtering of its warlords, brought about a peace that had not been seen before the Primarchs ascension. Founding a code of conduct that was strictly enforced, Artellion turned the Silver Basilisks into living symbols of what humanity could be someday. While the Astartes of the Silver Basilisks never wavered in their commitment to their combat arts, many members took to designing great civic and industrial works for the general populace. They protected, provided, and looked after the people of their worlds as treasures to be taken care of above all others.
Every 10 years, a great tournament is held within the Astarte ranks, called the Twrn Mawr, where different Astarte captains vie for a seat at Artellion’s council, called the Borgron. In more than five hundred centuries the Borgron has only changed twice. Their members are listed here:

-Captain Dulanic, the Lance, the Peerless: 1st Company, Commander of the Gwarchae, and leader of the Borgon
-Captain Agravain, the Strong, the Green Basilisk: 1st Marchog Terminator Company
-Captain Ascelin: 2nd Company
-Captain Lamor, Basilisk’s Wrath: 3rd Company
-Captain Bedwyr, Fair Hands: 4th Company, Tactician
-Captain Corbenic, the Blue Basilisk: Chief Librarian
-Captain Bohort, the Younger: Chief Apothecary

## Homeworld

Ysbryd Brenin is the pristine jewel in the crown of the realm of Artellion, leader of a hundred worlds. Through his leadership, the people and industries thrived, with his worlds being some of the most content in all the Imperium. Through his direct guidance Ysbryd Brenin was turned into a veritable paradise. Ysbryd Brenin was a feral and savage world before Artellion turned it into his personal project, with large beasts necessitating great hunts among the noble aristocracy. After seizing control of the planet from its existing rulers Artellion went to work on pacifying it, utilizing its vast natural resources, and uplifting its infrastructure. Food yields became consistent, and the mountain ranges were rich in resources waiting to fuel his burgeoning empire. The planet itself is somewhat shrouded my high atmospheric clouds and while there may never have been a clear blue sky on Avalon, there was never a day below freezing or above a balmy summer day either.
After Artellion’s efforts however, Ysbryd Brenin looked more like something from the songs of old as he sculpted beauty into the world around him, to combat the savagery he saw in the Great Crusade. Taking inspiration from the many worlds and cultures he had pacified, Artellion's world became a work of art, as he incorporated architecture and design from across the galaxy into his homeworld. Tall glass spires reaching kilometers in height that would sing in the winds, vast canal networks that ensured the land was always green and fertile, and large swathes of untouched land for others in the Imperium to see the rougher beauty of Artellion's homeworld. In the end, Ysbryd Brenin was Artellion’s finest creation, and its people the most precious to him.

## Equipment

Silver Basilisks are master craftsmen. From the beginning stages of the Astarte program, inductees are schooled in the arts of forging, crafting, and maintaining their own equipment. As such, Silver Basilisk arms and armor are some of the best in the known space, with many Astartes naming each individual piece of armament as they assemble it before battle. Astartes of the Silver Basilisks 1st Company, the Gwarchae, model their weapons after their Primarch’s signature weapons, using quickly adaptable weapons to control the flow of combat while blitzing positions in their Jump Packs. When not in melee combat however, most Silver Basilisks opt for a combination of Storm Bolters and Melta Guns. Silver Basilisks thrive in medium-to-close range combat, and their equipment reflects that

.===*Sarffen*-pattern Dreadnought:===
Desperate to allow his Dreadnought-ridden sons to charge into battle with the rest of their brothers, Artellion threw himself into building a Dreadnought that could keep up (or not be too far behind) the Jump Pack Astartes that the 15th so often fields in combat. Alone, he was stymied, his expertise in the mechanics of Dreadnoughts not sufficient enough to find a solution. He pleaded with the Star Guardians Primarch to help him with his problem, and together they created a Dreadnought equipped with it’s own Jump Pack. Much lighter than a traditional Dreadnought, the Sarffen-pattern seeks to close quickly with its foes before engaging them in close combat. Unable to truly fly in Terran gravity (or higher), in low-gravity environments, the entombed sons of Artellion can fly once more.

## View of the Imperium

### **Citizens**

Silver Basilisks are dedicated to the well-being of mankind. The systems under the control of the Silver Basilisks thrive, and new ones acquired through warfare usually begin to take on attributes of other Silver Basilisk worlds. Citizens often have ample access to supplies and material, usually due to the civic projects that many Astartes undertake in their spare time, and they are allowed rather liberal amounts of rights for an Imperial territory.

### **The Mechanicum**

Perhaps among all the Legions, there is not so strange a dichotomy as the one the Silver Basilisks have with the Mechanicum. While Silver Basilisk leadership begrudgingly admits to the usefulness and majesty of the Mechanicum’s creations of Dreadnoughts and Titans; and will also agree that without its support, the fleets would have fallen into disrepair long ago. However, the Mechanicum’s reliance on robotics at the expense of flesh, and servitors, worries Artellion and his Legion as a whole, but fortunately a solution was found.That solution was the implementation of the Ceidwas and Flaenor auxillia units within their Legion, these battle hardened and resourceful women have served as the main bridge between the 15th Legion and the Mechanicum. Through them the relationship between the two bodies has become respectful, with both serving the Imperium and the Emperor in their own way for the betterment of mankind.

### **The Imperial Army**

While they appear aloof to some, many Silver Basilisks form attachments with their mortal kin. Many Silver Basilisks still care deeply for humanity, and seek to keep themselves tied to it. Although this, more often than not, leads to many Astartes feeling sorrow at the mortal comrades-in-arms losses, they feel pride at those serving the Legions interests. And respect for those who do not.

### **Psykers**

Psykers are heavily regimented within the 15th, with their Chief Librarian Corbenic strictly enforcing and iterating their curriculum. Each Librarian receives a basic amount of training with their supernatural abilities before getting placed within a specialty academy. Each academy has multiple levels of seniority, with disciples mastering various forms of control using rituals and meditation, before advancing to a higher station. Psykers amongst the Silver Basilisks are somewhat rare, and instrumental in the legion’s goals of enforcing compliance amongst a population peaceably. As such, their Librarians are highly trained, being some of the only members amongst the Silver Basilisks to have their equipment made for them, rather than making their own gear; they simply do not have the time.

## Unique Units

Beirniads

Ceidwas

Flaenors