Artellion Emerabron

> "*I have been truly blessed in my life so far. Upon my homeworld, though feral and untamed, I was adopted by my mother and father who taught me what it meant to be human, to be a part of a greater whole. I learned that the abilities given to me by my biology would influence the choices of those around me, and that just by existing, I was going to change the lives of others. It is a heavy burden, but the universe believes in balance, and through that balance I gained a new family of brothers who understood the weight of our birth better than any other being could. My brothers and I can make humanity prosper, we will make humanity safe, but much like my homeworld the galaxy is a wild and savage place; one that must be tamed before it can be cultivated. For humanity to flourish, it must be unified in purpose, its leaders clear in its direction, and our direction is clear: We are mankind, and we are rising.*"
> ― Primarch to First Captain Dulanic
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Artellion Emerabron, ruler of the Crown of Avalon, known as “The Argent Basilisk”, and “Pale Eyes”, was the Primarch of the XVth Legion of Space Marines, the Silver Basilisks, and a master of artifice to rival any from the forges of Mars, creating armaments and equipment used across the Imperium by both his brothers and the Astartes Legions at large.

In appearance, Artellion is the picture of a quintessential knight; with his noble features, gleaming armor, and silver locks, he looks like something straight from one of Terra’s early fables. His attitude, in general, matches his appearance: generally quiet and pensieve, Artellion rarely speaks without thinking who he’s talking to. He often offers insight or council to his brothers (occasionally without being asked) which is distilled through a mind that has a vast amount of insight into the motivations and psyche of humanity.  Even before joining his the Emperor’s crusade, Artellion had already taken to the stars to find more of humanity and bring them under his banner; by diplomacy or by force. Artellion’s string of successes were not always entirely peaceful; when diplomacy failed Artellion had no qualms in picking up the sword. However, Artellion never inflicted collateral damage, often using his own superior abilities to draw out and hunt down the leaders of his enemies. When a government capitulated there was no fanfare, no parades through the streets, the Argent Basilisk and his soldiers got to work. And where Artellion’s banner was raised, his followers ensured that prosperity followed; to Artellion compliance is not enough, he has a compulsive need to make life for humanity as a whole better.  This mentality extends, for better or worse, to his brothers.

If the Primarch’s were all created for some higher purpose, some aspect of the Emperor split into each of them like white light through a prism's rays, as many Imperial scholars of the Imperial Court suggested, then from such a point of view, Artellion Emerabron was the Emperor’s empathy for mankind, for wherever the banner of the Silver Basilisks is raised, prosperity follows. The worlds under the control of the Silver Basilisks are made into some of the most well known in the Imperium, if not for their beauty, then for their safety. The citizens of those worlds enjoy the highest quality of life across the Imperium, as many of the Silver Basilisks follow in their father's footsteps of elevating humanity to a higher standard of life through various civil projects; their worlds crisscrossed with vast infrastructure projects, and city spires that reach kilometers in height.

Found last, Artellion spent a full year getting to know his sons, and form them into the Silver Basilisks. The Faceless Heralds were nearly broken in spirit when their father joined them, their gene-flaw ostracizing them from the rest of the Imperium. Under his guidance, the XVth Legion was reborn, proudly showing their physical flaws as a banner of hope, rather than a curse. While he could not change their physical forms, Artellion changed the soul of XVth, transforming them from outcasts into paragons.

The relationship between Artellion and the Emperor, and the Imperium at large, is a strange one. Never once has Artellion referred to the Emperor as his father, beyond acknowledging the Emperor as his sire, their relationship remaining as a vassal to his liege lord. This relationship is reflected in Avalon's resilience to Imperial culture, as many Avalonians hold fast to their traditions and culture, with many aspects of it bleeding into the XVth Legion and its auxillia.

In the following years Artellion and his sons would bring the banner of the Imperium to countless worlds, his experience in ruling and interstellar empire serving him well in the Great Crusade. The technology of the Imperium now fueling his war machine, Artellion's vision of a brighter day for humanity followed in his wake, and the standard of the Silver Basilisks burning bright in the galaxy.

It was not to last however, as elements of the Imperium up to the Emperor himself, began to seed doubts in Artellion's mind as to the future of his people. Shortly after the events upon planet TS-6319 with the entity known only as Samus, where one of his sons was seemingly possessed by an unknown lifeform, the Edict of Nikaea was ordained by the Emperor. It was here that Artellion began to question his ruler's methods, as all knowledge was to be sought under the Imperial Truth, and yet here the Emperor decreed censorship, not only of research into the Warp; but anything involving the Warp. Artellion was incensed, accusing the Emperor that he already knew what really occurred on TS-6319, and that he was hiding information from his brothers. In response to Artellion's outburst, the Emperor sent regular contingents of the Adeptus Custodes to his world of Y-1923/18, known to the Silver Basilisks as "The Tower", the main training base and research facility of the Librarians, in order to ensure the XVth was adhering to the Edict. This lack of trust drives a wedge between the Silver Basilisk Primarch and the Emperor of Mankind, one that will only grow with time.

The purging of the [REDACTED] and [REDACTED], the Edict of Nikaea, growing strong-arm tactics from Mars, and an increasing lack of autonomy within his own realm, and the existence of entities within the Warp, completely shattered Artellion's faith in the Imperium; and he began to take steps to retake his autonomy. He began to construct a larger armada in secret, using his empire's resources to create the first *Abyss*-class warships, as well as larger recruitment drives to increase his standing forces. When he was at last approached by Warmaster Antarus, despite his reservations of the Ruinous Powers and their motives, Artellion joined with the Traitor forces, hoping to free his people from their Imperial yoke.

The Apostasy, from a military standpoint, was an incredible victory for the Traitors; it was in victory however, that Artellion found defeat. His ignorance of Chaos blinded him to its dangers, and too late did he realize what he had helped usher into the galaxy. Many who saw him would remark that the once vibrant Argent Basilisk had dimmed, his once radiant light barely a flicker. After a brief meeting with his brother Bartosz, Artellion withdrew from the conflict entirely, retreating to his own realm where he returned to ruling his empire...

## History

### The Great Crusade

> "*My name is Artellion Emerabron. You are now my Silver Basilisks, and you will never hide again.*"
> ― Artellion's first words to his sons
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[Under Construction]

## Sources

1. - Art by Shane Cook - Deviant Art - https://www.deviantart.com/slaine69