First Scions

An armorial belonging to a battle line brother of the Scions.

A Primaris Intercessor of the Scions.

"*We are the sons of a world long gone. We are the Scions of a lord who has long been dead. But we fight, and so long as we draw our blades, his will shall live on.*"
— Interemptor Sergeant Galadriel of the 3rd Order
The **First Scions** are a new, *Codex*-divergent Successor Chapter from the vaunted line of the Dark Angels. They are noted to have made major tactical and organizational deviation from the *Codex Astartes*, falling back to the tenets of the Lion after a disastrous campaign during the Indomitus Crusade. The chapter places great emphasis on honor and the legacy of their Primarch.

## Chapter History

### The Indomitus Crusade

The origins of the Scions can be traced to fleet Tertius of the Indomitus Crusade. Some of the Dark Angels within the fleet were often chosen to work with marines of the Space Wolves line to ease the tension between two gene-lines, the experiment was a success, as the Dark Angel and the Space Wolves Astartes showed no qualms about cooperation. Though a strange trait that was observed in the Dark Angels was their borderline fanatical devotion to the *Codex* that sometimes resulted in inflexibility within the campaign. Eventually, the Greyshields formations were broken into chapters, among them were the First Scions who were primarily made up of veterans of the Greyshield formations. These veterans were mostly the same as those who were noted for their close adherence to The Codex Astartes. They were given color and heraldry and dubbed "Calibanite Hunters". The warriors wore great renown reclaiming territory from the forces of the despoiler. The Hunters were known for the pride common to the line of the Lion and holding the *Codex* in high regard.

#### Hydra's Coil

In their first deployment as a Chapter, the First Scions clashed against a cell of the Alpha Legion. The Hunters were isolated from Fleet Tertius when the sorcerers of the cells caused the warpstorm. The Chapter was brought to its knees following the isolated campaigns due to their close adherence to codex organization and the tactics within the *Codex* being very meticulously studied by the Alpha Legion cell. Hope came to the chapter when Chapter Master's assassination by an Alpha Legion was intercepted by roughly ten black-clad Principia marines. These Firstborn Marines proceeded to thwart the Alpha Legion's assassination attempt. Their leader -the man who would later be known as the Saint of the Forgiven- would take temporary command and reorganize the Chapter in an esoteric and archaic way reminiscent of the First Legion of old, where the tenets of Hexagrammaton and secret orders were rife within its ranks. This quick organizational and tactical re-organization surprised the Alpha Legion, in turn thwarting their infiltration attempts.

The campaign would drag on further, turning into bloody close quarters combat in the Warband's very flagship with the Hunters eventually triumphing against the hated foe. Although the saint and his men died in a heroic effort that saw the chaos lord of the Cell slain. Shamshel and his officers managed to recover the saint's body and wargear and then bury him with full honors. The weapons and Wargear of this small squad of heroes were taken as Chapter relics and placed in the Chapter's reliquary. The Saint's eviscerator was then taken up by Shamshel to honor this redeemed brother and the chapter made its utmost effort to reorganize itself in the same way the saint had done so with it. The liberated Alpha Legion battle barge *Hydra's Coil* was purified and renamed to *Tenebris Spear*, which serves as the Chapter's headquarters to this day.

### Aftermath

Stranded across the Great Rift with no way to contact Fleet Tertius, the Chapter found itself in a sector with many problems. The Hunters -now renamed and repainted as the First Scions- would set about reconquering and stabilizing the Kadmus Sector. The clash with the Alpha Legion would give the Chapter a quest to recover ancient tenets, rites and doctrines of the First Legion and to try and replicate it in the most detailed way possible on a chapter level. The campaign seemed to have had adverse effects on the pride and honor of the chapter as they seem to have been much humbled compared to their forebears. The battles across the Kadmus Sector would give the Scions the much needed honing and experience they needed. The warriors of the chapter would take nearly a decade to set things right within the sector. Given the taint of Alpha Legion operators that ran deep and the Chapter being incredibly reluctant to interfere with civic matters, they were forced to conduct a purge of the bureaucracy and replace many officials with new, loyal and competent subjects of the Emperor to prevent heresy in the future.

### The Lion's Choler

Eventually having reconquered and stabilized the sector, the Scions would move on, hearing a psychic call from their founding Unforgiven Brethren to muster for the Rock. The Scions would travel in short jumps in their perilous journey but every time they broke into realspace, they would find themselves in many an imperial sectors beset by foes from within and without, soon finding themselves bogged down in every sector they made realspace as they made it their obligation to set things right in their path. This war of borderline attrition resulted in their wargear and logistics suffering as they couldn't re-establish contact with the wider Imperium. This would result in the Scions resorting to repairing parts of their wargear from plundered traitor assets and taking small tithes from the worlds they liberated in the form of recruits and raw material.

The journey, later known to the Scions as 'The Choler' would take nearly two decades and result in many systems returning to the Imperial fold. The Scions would ensure these clusters of systems to form a small sector and hold out without the interference of greater Imperial reinforcement for the time being. They would achieve this by assisting in raising new regiments by imparting knowledge and mass-drilling Imperial Guard regiments during the Campaign. This new "sector" would then go on to be named the Leonius sector in the honor of their Primarch, Lion El'Jonson.

### Scions of Caliban

By the time the Scions arrived at the Rock, Supreme Grand Master Azrael had just begun informing all of the new Unforgiven successors of the Fallen and the fate of Caliban, so the Scions were among the first batch to be informed. They didn't feel guilt or obligation felt by most of the Unforgiven, but they understood that should the secret of the Fallen get out, the Imperium would cast the First out and in doing so, lose a large portion of its strength. So they agreed to forming an Inner Circle, absorbing more of the First Legion lore. What puzzled -and roused admiration to a degree- in the rest of the Unforgiven was that the Scions had already adapted the heraldry of the Dark Angels and organized themselves in the archaic ways of their brethren (if not in a more convoluted manner).

Though this led to close scrutiny for a brief period of time, it was ultimately dismissed as another sons of the Lion understanding the strength and culture of the First. A detail that stood out to the Scions was that their fleet showed the date 044.M42, when in reality the rest of the Unforgiven's chronometers showed the date as 014.M42. The First Scions would then strike out, fighting across the width and breadth of the Imperium for the sake of Mankind's survival. The first, among the last, were anointed by their forebears. The Scions would then seek to relink with the Indomitus Crusade and the Imperial push. This is the last Imperial record from the Chapter as of writing this.

## Notable Campaigns

* **The Indomitus Crusade (ongoing)**
* **The Revelation/Hydra's Blow (12.M42)** - The chapter was humiliated by the Alpha Legion during their first campaign. Chapter rescued by elements of displaced First Legionnaires (likely Fallen Angels) who sacrificed themselves to ensure the Scions could destroy the Alpha Legion cell. Chapter command and tactical organization began greatly deviating from the Codex despite keeping the hard limits.
* **The Choler (likely 14 to 44.M42, time anomaly occurrence)** - A campaign of reclamation against the foes of the Imperium in Imperium Nihilus, helping to establish a network of systems that formed a formidable fortress against the forces of chaos until greater reinforcements in the form of either Indomitus Crusade or Commander Dante's forces could make it to the newly formed Leonius sector.
* **The recall (15.M42. ongoing)** - The Scions' attempt at re-establishing contact with the Indomitus Crusade.

### Fortress-Monastery

#### Tenebris Spear

Formerly known as "Hydra's Coil", Tenebris spear is an ancient Victory Class battleship that has been retrofitted with cloaking devices and augur suppression fields that can mask fleet presence in a 5k km radius. The vessel serves as the personal ship of the grandmaster and houses the apothecarion and the dungeon for capturing the Fallen. The reliquary of the chapter and the Librarium are also located in the Tenebris Spear.

#### Lion's Blood

A battle barge which holds half of the reclusium and serves as the barge of the 10th order. The barge was utilized as the previous flagship and fortress monastery of the Chapter.

#### Fire of Caliban

This barge serves as the main extermination tool of the chapter. Filled to the brim with exterminatus weaponry, Fire of Caliban serves as the 3rd Order's headquarters. The order uses the barge to perform world ending acts when reconquest or liberation of a world is all but impossible and the world is doomed.

## Chapter Organisation

Outwardly, the chapter is divided into ten "Orders", which are a hundred men strong, equivalent to a company. Which is in turn led by a master. Each order in turn, is divided into two hosts that contain fifty battle brothers. Every host is led by a Lieutenant. Each squad may contain five to ten brothers, which is led by a sergeant. This system, however, is only the surface organization of the Chapter. Beneath the codex Organization lay the Hexagrammaton, at least as best it could be replicated within a mere thousand strong formation as opposed to Legions of old. Unlike the other successors of the Dark Angels, The Scions do not have Ravenwing and Deathwing as seperate companies. Instead, each Order may have a detachment from all wings in their organization, Albeit some companies may have saturated numbers of marines from a specific wing. Promotion to a position of command within a wing or veterancy (IE; Sergeant, Lieutenant, etc) prompts the marine to be inducted into the inner circle of the Chapter, though it's a far less significant achievement within the Scions to be inducted, due to the fact that they do not feel burdened by the secret bestowed upon them by their founding brethren.

### The Deathwing

The Deathwing serve as the line breakers and the honor guard formations within the Scions. Many of the Deathwing brethren are equipped with artificer Gravis armor and often work in tandem with the Ironwing. Many within the 1st order are warriors of the Deathwing, though there are members from all companies present and not all the first Order veterans are promoted to the wing. Most members of the Deathwing wear reinforced Gravis armor (save for Bladeguard Veterans). A saturated number of aggressors are present within Deathwing's ranks.

### The Ravenwing

The Ravenwing is a highly specialized formation where speed is more important than heavy firepower. To this end, all of the marines in the company ride into battle on Bikes or Storm Speeders on land, including specialized vehicles such as the Storm Speeder Vengeance (A variant of the Storm Speeder armed with plasma batteries as well as conventional weaponry based on its Land Speeder equivalent) In the air, the Ravenwing employs Overlords and Ebon Spear Jetfighters (likely overlord fighters with lighter armor, modified engines for better speed and stasis grenade launchers). The Ravenwing's role within the chapter is that of mobile hunters, be it for relics, lore or The Fallen. The 5th company has a saturated number of Ravenwing members. Though no official Order exists for any of the wings. Most warriors of the Ravenwing are Outriders, Vehicle Pilots and Inceptors and other jump pack equipped units.

### The Dreadwing

The most destructive of the wings, the Dreadwing brothers are equipped with the most volatile and powerful arsenal of the chapter. The warriors of this wing march to war armed with rigged plasma incinerators and melta rifles that boost their potency at the expense of safety. Many members of the dreadwing are bionically enhanced to allow for operating such weapons without the marines succumbing to its perils. Most members of the Dreadwing are veteran Hellblasters and Eradicators as well as Aggressors. Dreadwing also holds the most amount of Dreadnoughts within its ranks. The third Order Holds the most members of the Dreadwing.

### The Firewing

The Firewing is dedicated to the subtleties of war. It is the hidden blade of the Chapter and utilized spies and assassins. Within its ranks were a mix of Vanguards and Scouts, all bound by their shared expertise in the art of subterfuge. The Firewing seeks the destruction of the enemy through the elimination of their command structure and when given free rein upon the field of battle they waged a war of wills, seeking to break their resolve rather than mounting an all-out assault. Most Sergeants of the 10th Order are members of the Firewing and train the scouts of the Chapter. The main function of the Firewing is to hunt for the lost lore of the I Legion and help with preserving knowledge. Due to this, the Firewing also possesses a larger contingent of Librarius within its ranks among Vanguard veterans.

### The Stormwing

One of the larger wings, members of the Stormwing specialize in void operations and shock assault. Most members of Stormwing are veteran Inceptors and assault intercessors. Heavy ordnance seems to also be a favorite of its battle brothers. Stormwing is almost equally distributed within different Orders.

### The Ironwing

The Ironwing encompasses the most senior techmarines, Chapter armory and heavy armored vehicles of the Chapter as well as various astartes elements. The brothers Ironwing are masters of armored and siege warfare, having proved themselves during The Choler when the Chapter repelled an Iron Warriors warband using the battleplans and technology formulated by the Ironwing.

### Officer Ranks

* **Grandmaster** - Chapter Master equivalent
* **Master** - equates to a senior officer, be it company captain, leader of a wing or even non-battle line formation like the Apothecarion.
* **Lieutenants** - Host leaders.
* **Master of Pentacles** - Chief Librarian equivalent.
* **Master of The Forest** - High Chaplain equivalent.

### Specialist Ranks

* **Masters of Hexagrammaton** - Leaders of the six Wings
* **Mystic (or Pentacle)** - Librarian equivalent (Lexicanium)
* **Enchanter** - Librarian Equivalent (Codicier)
* **Warlock** - Librarian Equivalent (Epistolary)
* **Absolvitor** - Interrogator-Chaplain (or Librarian working in tandem with Chaplaincy for the purpose of interrogation)
* **Tech-Wrought** - Senior Techmarine (allowed to wear chapter colors)
* **Various Primaris Formations**

### Specialist Units and Formations

* **Deathwing Knights** - The Knights are a truly imposing sight, for in them lives some semblance of the Lion himself. They embody silent strength and a veiled, yet still palpable nobility. Armed with mastercrafted power maces and clad inthe hallowed Hekaton pattern Gravis armor, the Deathwing Knights represent the elite -- only the Masters and Grand Master of the Chapter rank higher.
* **Hunter** - The Ravenwing Hunters are the Ravenwing's greatest warriors, elite fighters who style themselves after the monster-hunting knights of old Caliban. They speed towards the foe, swinging their bloodied blades with such force that the weapon can puncture even the thickest armor. They ride upon artificer Raider pattern bikes, armed with mounted plasma exterminators. The Hunters are not to be trifled with.
* **Interemptors** - Vaunted veterans of the Dreadwing. Even among the ranks of the Dreadwing the Interemptors are known as a grim breed dedicated to the singular purpose of utterly annihilating the enemy. When they attack, they leave behind no trace of their foe and take no trophies or tell no tales of their victories. They are considered the Lion's ultimate sanction. Interemptors are often equipped with the most devastating -and volatile- of the Chapter weapons.
* **The Enigmatii** - Composed mainly of the most senior of veterans, the mysterious Enigmatii are the deadliest masters of subterfuge the chapter can offer. Each warrior is a veteran of hundreds of shadowed campaigns, their aim and mastery of the art of guerilla warfare unrivaled by any within the Chapter.

## Combat Doctrine

The Scions show great tactical flexibility when faced with different enemies. While they hold the codex' tactical advice at high esteem, many of the Chapter's victories are the result of tactical genius present within the very fabric of every son of The Lion. It is common practice for the chapter to deploy at least one detachment of every wing to a warzone alongside the dispatched strike force. Tactical flexibility, rapid deployment, and combined arms are key components of their strategies. The Chapter is known to fly above the galactic disk and then plunge from on high into a warzone, just like how Charcharodons use this tactic by going below the galactic disk.

The Tech-Wroughts are highly prized and valued individuals that maintain the Chapter's logistics and armory. The Scions are known to loot their enemies provided that the wargear that they plan on looting is free of taint. The Chapter's brothers are encouraged to maintain their armaments themselves so the Tech-Wroughts can dedicate more of their time to manufacturing and maintenance of more prized wargear. However this compromise does not make up for the fact that the chapter was logistically damaged by Alpha Legion, therefore it's not uncommon for the Chapter to modify its wargear with whatever spare parts they can get their hands on, be it sourced from Primaris or Firstborn.

## Chapter Culture and Beliefs

First Scions do not seem to feel shame for the actions of their ancestors upon Caliban, partially due to their first brush with the Fallen, which only the Chapter's own inner circle realized after learning the truth about the Fallen, and partially due to seeing their forebears redeemed by fighting against their traitorous kin. However the chapter does seem to have a drive for hunting down the fallen (though they seem to not abandon warzones for the mere rumor of their presence, they divert these matters and rumors to their primogenitors unless they have concrete evidence for fallen presence, as they believe The Lion's way was that of pragmatism and reason.), this is especially if the said traitors touched by Chaos, which they outright execute. Otherwise they loot their wargear and try to question them about the legion of old in their quest for lore long lost, the fate of these non-corrupt fallen remains up in the air.

The Scions are surprisingly humble and tolerant for a successor of the Dark Angels, going as far as to co-operate with abhumans and other undesirables if pressed. This stems from the fact that during their time in the Imperium Nihilus, they learned that every tool and person can be a loyal subject of the Emperor and fight with the tenacity that would make even the Lion smile. Therefore, they do not harbor resentment towards others merely for their existence, at least by Imperial standards.

### Feast of Malediction

The Feast of Malediction event takes place in the Reclusium of the First Scions’ battle barge Lion's Blood. The feast celebrates the rediscovery of the Lion by The Imperium during the Great Crusade almost ten thousand years ago. The Dark Angels are honored as the first Marine Chapter. The Cup of Retribution used in the ritual is said to be the actual vessel from which the Lion drank at the original feast of his rediscovery. At the culmination of the feast, the Grandmaster takes a combat knife and cuts his thumb so that a drop of blood falls into the cup. The cup is then passed around the all the assembled fighting brethren who each add a little of their own blood. Once every warrior has contributed, the contents of the cup are mixed with wine in a number of large open barrels. The cup is then passed from warrior to warrior, each filling it and drinking from the wine in turn. This ritual is sacred to the Scions and it is considered a bad omen is a long campaign or sudden battle delays the feast.

## Chapter Gene-Seed

As the I Legion of the Space Marine Legions, the Dark Angels' gene-seed is one of the purest and least degraded of all. Remarkably, the Dark Angels' Apothecaries have observed that the gene-seed carried by the Primaris Space Marines is universally of the highest quality they have ever seen, and so the Chapter's stock is qualitatively and quantitatively in excellent health. But a strange trait observed within many brothers of the Chapter after the Choler was their occulobe turning Green. This trait is also observed within neophytes who have been implanted with the organ, which greatly worries the inner circle, but there's not much action to be taken against it, as even they seem to suffer from this supposed aberration, even if it makes them physically resemble their primarch more. This aberration is known as "Lion's Gaze" to the officers.

## Chapter Recruitment

The Chapter is fleet-based and lacks recruiting worlds, therefore it recruits its aspirants from pure mortals it liberates rather than any set world. Traits such as tenacity and tactical affinity are prized, as well as high mental fortitude and level headedness. The chapter prefers to recruit from forested worlds like Old Caliban in an attempt to make sure the Chapter's core becomes similar to that of the old Legion. Failed Aspirants are servitorized as the chapter often finds itself with a lack of serfs and mortal crew to fully man their fleet.

## Deathwatch Service

While rare, The Scions indeed second battle brothers to the long watch. Given that they are a younger chapter, those who are seconded content themselves by starting off as simple line ranks within the Deathwatch, but are very eager to prove themselves to their senior brothers after taking the Apocryphon Oath. Marines who return to the chapter are immediately put into one of the wings, depending on their specialty in Deathwatch and instructed to train their fellow battle brothers tactically as best as they can, providing their fellow Scions with much needed experience.

## Notable Members

* **Grandmaster Shamshel** - Shamshel was among the first Primaris intakes made by Belisarius Cawl using The Geneseed of the Primarch Lion El'Jonson. He was put in stasis until the resurrection of Primarch Roboute Guilliman and the subsequent launching of the Indomitus Crusade. He served in fleet Tertius of the Crusade until the grayshield formations were dissolved as a Captain, showing tactical brilliance and tenacity usually associated with the sons of the Lion. He was assigned to become the Chapter Master of the Calibanite Hunters once the grayshield formations were dissolved into chapters. In addition to Lion's Gaze, Shamshel sports a tattoo of large wings on his back.
* **Chief Librarian** - Master of Pentacles Melchiel
* **Reclusiam** - Master of Absolvers Perliel
* **Armory** - Lord Tech-Wrought of the Ironwing Ghaghiel
* **Apothecarion** - Master of the Stormwing Mordwen (also serves as First Master)

## Chapter Fleet

* ***Tenebris Spear* (Victory Class Battleship)** - De facto fortress monastery
* ***Lion's Blood* (Battle Barge)** - Reclusiam
* ***Fire of Caliban* (Battle Barge)** - Used for Exterminatus operations.
* ***Eye of the Forest* (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Order's Pride* (Cruiser)**
* ***Tenacity* (Cruiser)**
* ***Bloodied Blade* (Cruiser)**
* ***Vengeance Eternal* (Cruiser)**
* ***Firebringer* (Frigate)**
* ***Baleful Specter*(Frigate)**

## Chapter Relics

* ***Calibanite Pelt*** - an ancient pelt belonging to a beast of Caliban, taken from a Fallen.
* ***Key of Wrath*** - a relic great blade reclaimed from a fallen Champion, now used by the master of the second Order.
* ***Hekaton pattern Gravis armor*** - a heavier and larger variant of gravis, this sub-pattern is utilized for space hulk purgations and operations requiring more protection than what Gravis armor can offer. It is a relic of the Deathwing, and the chapter possesses at least two squads of these and seems to be able to produce this pattern at a very limited capability.
* ***Redemption pattern plasma incinerators, exterminators and melta weapons*** - relics of the Dreadwing. Wielded by Interemptor squads.

## Chapter Appearance

### Chapter Colours

The First Scions primarily wear Black coloured power armor with bone white torso and green lenses, with silver pauldron trims and decorations. The brothers of the Chapter are known to wear white or red loincloths on their armor. The Scions make use of symbols from the Unforgiven for squad specialty designation. They favor white symbols, which indicate a battle-brother's assigned squad specialty (Close Support, Fire Support, Battleline, Veteran or Command) on a Jet background. The squad designation is placed on the tactical marking in the form of a gothic numeral. The Chapter's company marking is placed on the right poleyn which is a maroon gothic numeral placed on white circle on a field of checkers. Other esoteric markings may also be applied, whether they have functional use is unknown.

### Chapter Badge

The Chapter badge is a stylised white coloured lion's head framed in a pair of crimson colored wings displayed (spread outwards) and wing tips are abaissé (lowered).

### By the First Scions

"*All battles battles are won only through tenacity and proper tactical planning. The duty of an adept of the stars is not something to be left to concepts such as luck or an innate nobility.*"
—Master Tabris of the 1st order
"*Pride is the downfall of many, brother. I'm sure our line understands that best.*"
—Attributed to an intercessor sergeant of the 5th order, addressing a Disciple of Caliban during a tense discussion
### About the First Scions

[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]