Cerulean Hounds

Cerulean Hounds' heraldry

Cerulean Hounds Primaris Infiltrator of the 3rd Company, 3rd Battleline Squad.

### **Specialty**

Close Combat, Covert missions behind enemy lines, Rush down tactics, Xenos Excoriation Campaigns, Exploration of the unknown

### **Colours**

Turquoise, Silver, Copper, Red

The **Cerulean Hounds** are a loyalist Space Marine Chapter, created during the 26th Founding. They were created to be hunters of big xenos and other dangerous beasts while exploring and discovering the unknown fringes of the galaxy. The Cerulean Hounds are often going “off the map” into deep space, looking for great foes and secrets in the unexplored regions. The chapter now calls the Feral World of Savis its home. Even if the Cerulean Hounds are settled on a world, they still possess a mighty fleet and thus combat threats all over the Imperium of Man and outside of the known galaxy. To go beyond and get combat the unknown threats of the far fringes of the galaxy is their purpose. The marines of the Cerulean Hounds chapter are experts in fighting all types of xenos but especially; Drukhari, Tyranids and Orks, in brutal close combat. Due to their near extinction during the Devastation of Baal, the chapter is home to many Primaris Space Marines.

## Chapter History

The Cerulean Hounds are a relatively young chapter compared to most space marine chapters but their history is vast. They were created in the 26th founding with the name of the Angelic Hounds and brought into the universe as Sons of Sanguinius. But their origin was always a point of mystery. With being registered as a Blood Angel successor, it was a very remarkable occurrence when the flaws, also known as the Red Thirst and the Black Rage, were not manifesting in marines of the Angelic Hounds. This provoked the Inquisition and the Blood Angels to look into the true origin of the chapter. The Inquisition was turned down maybe times by the Angelic Hounds, they refused to be investigated by them. The Blood Angels however, saw this as a potential cure for the flaws. It sadly didn’t turn out to be like that. The Angelic Hounds reluctantly let the Angels investigate their gene-seed. It was, as feared, not a match with the gene-seed of Sanguinius. Due to mutation and lack of resources, its true nature was hard to discover.

The Angelic Hounds believed their gene-seed to be true and loyal. The Blood Angels disagreed. The two chapters almost came to blows but ultimately, the first King-Chieftain Simargl chose to set back from the conflict and start a Great Hunt. A penitence crusade into the webway, to hunt down Drukhari Raiders who were a threat to the chapter’s homeworld. Almost the whole chapter partook in this crusade and it came to be known as The Scorching of Simargl. After this crusade, the chapter properly distanced themselves from the Blood Angels, while for themselves holding them in a high and noble standard. They wore the name Angelic Hounds proudly and tried to amens ties with the Blood Angels and other noble Imperial factions by purging the many enemies in the greatest conflicts the Imperium had ever known.

The Chapter was present for the Sabbat Worlds Crusade, the Badab War, the second and third war of Armageddon and the Devastation of Baal. Even though they distanced themselves from the Blood Angels and the Angelic Hound weren’t called, they still came to Baal. The chapter is home to a few very powerful psykers, who felt a disturbance and/or foresaw the event. Their loyalty to the Blood Angels was still strong enough for them to peruse this challenge and they supported Baal with a chapter’s worth of marines. Their main role in the battle was as a strike force. The Angelic Hounds crashed head first into invading Tyranid forces in orbit. Their fighting was mainly in space, their ships and even reached into the warp. The Angelic Hounds lost a lot. Almost their whole chapter was wiped out when Lord Commander Roboute Guilliman entered the fray with the Primaris reinforcements. In the aftermath of the devastation, the Angelic Hounds took a formal step back from the Blood Angels. They ended their legacy with the Angels and vowed to move forward. To forge their own future. As a sign of this vow, the chapter renamed themselves the Cerulean Hounds and repainted their armor colors form the old silver into a turquoise. This color was the color of the blood of their enemies, the Tyranids they fought.

Next to serving in these major conflicts, the Hounds would send expedition fleet after expedition fleet into unknown space. Mostly the Western fringe of the known galaxy. These fleets were gone for long times, often not returning or returning with only a couple of marines. They are rumored to have learned a lot during these expeditions. Some radical voices even suggest that the chapter is home to many secrets and even some unknown lost artifacts. The Hounds are very protective of this information. This has resulted into many conflicts with the Inquistion, mostly the Ordo Xenos. They never came to blows because the Inquisition knows that if they declare the chapter tratoris, they will never know the potential secrets. The chapter in turn is working close with some trusted Inquisitors and even lend out a marine or two to serve with an Inquisitor in their retinue. This tense relationship has reached an almost breaking point many times, but for the time being, it’s stable. It is speculated that this relationship with the Ordo Xenos and the long expeditions the marines take to unknown space is the reason the chapter’s true number of marines is unknown. To keep up steady expedition forces, while still being able to serve the Imperium and protect their homeworld, the chapter should logically exceed the mandated number of 1000 marines max. Investigation attempts by other Ordo’s of the Inquisition, the High Lords of Terra and even other Space Marine chapters have been denied and stopped by the Ordo Xenos.

### Notable Events and Campaigns

**738.M41: The 26th Founding.** The 26th founding of Space Marine chapters was a request from the High Lords of Terra. The Angelic Hounds, as they were known back then, were no different. Suspiciously, these marines lacked the Red Thirst and Black Rage, which was first seen as a positive by the Angels but later created doubt about the real origins of the Hounds and resulted in the chapter not being seen as a worthy successor by the Blood Angels.

**742.M41: The Scorching of Simargl.** The potential that the chapter carried blood of a traitor was present. The gene-seed of the Angelic Hounds was tested by themselves and the Blood Angels. But aside from the result that it wans't Sanguinius', the true origin stayed a mystery due to the mutation and evolution of the gene-seed. To prove themselves as real sons of Sanguinius, even if it was in spirit only, after being denied by the Blood Angels for lacking their traits, the Angelic Hounds started a three Terran-yearlong Great Hunt to purge the Drukhari of the Kabal of the Celestial Serpent who were raiding Savis, the homeworld of the chapter. The Angelic Hounds followed the Kabal into the webway and chased them down, fighting grueling battle along the way. This event escalated in a battle known now as the Scorching of Simargl where the legendary chapter master fought the daemon known as the Avatar of Khaine in a dual and came out the victor.

**755.M41- 791.M41: The Sabbat Worlds Crusade.** The Sabbat Worlds Crusade was an Imperial Crusade fought over the course of more than 45 standard years beginning in 755.M41, to retake the Sabbat Worlds Sector located at the rimward edge of the Segmentum Pacificus from the heretical Forces of Chaos. This Crusade was one of the largest and most significant Imperial military operations undertaken in recent history and ultimately ended in the reconquest of the sector by the armed forces of the Imperium of Man. The Angelic Hounds are based on Savis, a feral world on the edge of the Sabbat Worlds sector. They were one of the first chapters to join into this grueling fighting. One of the first strikes of the enemy was actually aimed at Savis. But the brave marines of the chapter defeated their home with fierce might. Some warriors even fought alongside the legendary Saint Sabbat herself.

**901.M41-913.M41: The Badab War.** The Badab War, fought between 901.M41 and 913.M41, was one of the most insidious and dangerous internecine conflicts to wrack the Imperium of Man in recent history, made all the more lamentable because the unthinkable had occurred. As a result of a conflicting nexus of honour, treachery, politics and greed, several Space Marine Chapters turned Renegade against the Imperium and bloodshed and outright civil war ensued -- a war which turned entire armies of the Imperium's most powerful warriors against each other and in doing so swept millions to their deaths in its turbulence. The Angelic Hounds sent their second great clan, supported by the eighth and ninth, to the Badab war by 903.M41. The second clan was led by Lord-Chieftain Oberyn Rylo. They undertook fierce campaigns against the Lamenters, to them brothers which betrayed the Emperor. The fierce tenacity and power behind the strikes of Oberyn Rylo resulted in him being called The Stareater by allies and enemies alike. Many marines were lost during the civil war. And to this day, the Angelic Hounds can’t stand the Lamenters. Still seeing them as traitors, even during and after their Repentance Crusade.

**941-942.M41: The Second War for Armageddon.** The Second War for Armageddon is the second of three massive conflicts between the Imperium of Man and the Ork Warboss Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka that took place between 941.M41 through 943.M41. The war was fought on the Hive World of Armageddon in the Segmentum Solar, where Ghazghkull Thraka launched an Ork WAAAGH! consisting of five separate Ork tribes in an attempt to seize the planet for themselves. The Angelic Hounds supported the loyalist troops with orbital bombardments and small but daring strikes behind enemy lines.

**998.M41: Third War for Armageddon.** The Third War for Armageddon that began in 998.M41 was a massive conflict between the Imperium of Man and the largest Ork WAAAGH! ever raised, led by the Greenskin Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka. The war was fought on the Hive World of Armageddon where Ghazghkull Thraka had launched his first attempt to seize the planet exactly 57 Terran-years before. By request of Lord-Chieftain Oberyn Rylo, the Angelic Hounds brought three great clans, the second, fourth and eight, to the war. Leading many crucial charges against the Orks, Oberyn was seen as a war hero by many. His brutal way of combat and war caught the Orks by surprise. Even if the whole fourth clan was wiped and the loses were many, Oberyn kept on facing the Ork menace head on. The Lord-Chieftain briefly encountered the Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka, in which he escaped with his life but lost his left arm.

**992.999.M41: The Great Awakening.** A ripple of psychic activity passes through the stars, awakening the supernatural abilities of countless latent human psykers. Savis was one of the worlds hit by this event and many of the inhabitants were granted psychic powers, which in turn enforced the Shamanistic Brotherhood of the Angelic Hounds.

**999.M41: The Blood Angels' Darkest Hour.** The Blood Angels were tested as they had not been since the days of the Horus Heresy. As the launch of the 13th Black Crusade consumed the resources of the Imperium, a tendril of Hive Fleet Leviathan was determined to be on a direct course for Baal. To make matters worse, the dread Bloodthirster Ka'Bandha, the Bane of Sanguinius, returned from the Warp leading an army of daemons. Faced with a possible war of extermination for the Chapter on two fronts, Lord Commander Dante made swift preparations, and united many Imperial and even non-human worlds under the command of the Blood Angels simply for the sake of survival against Tyranid and Daemon alike.

The Angelic Hounds answered the call that never was send to them. The Blood Angels didn't see them as one of their successors anymore at this point. But the psykic might of the Hounds felt something wrong with Baal and without a second thought, the Angelic Hounds raced to the Blood Angel's aid.

During the Devastation of Baal, the Angelic Hounds took a chapters worth of marines and directly attacked the Hive-fleet in space, preventing many reinforcements from entering Baal's atmosphere. The Chapter even took to the warp, combatting the lurking Tyranids. During these fierce battles, Arch-Shaman Simon Tyana got mortally wounded in combat with a Hive Tyrant. Oberyn Rylo defended his commander with all his might. He slew the Hive Tyrant in combat, breaking his horn in the process. After seeing his Chapter being slaughtered around them, he unleashed a mighty roar. A roar that shook the heavens. This action, combined with the death of the Tyrant, caused the tyranid swarm to flee. Leaving behind a broken chapter. Covered in the turquoise blood of the Tyranids, their old silver armour barely visible underneath.

**ca. 999.M41- ca. 111.M42: The Indomitus Crusade.** In the aftermath of the Devastation of Baal, Simon Tyana was entombed in a dreadnought. The returned Primarch Guilliman granted the Angelic Hounds, who were merely a hand full of marines, the famed Primaris reinforcements. Oberyn Rylo together with more surviving brothers crossed the Rubicon Primaris. Oberyn was named King-Chieftain and he started to rebuild his Chapter with the new Primaris technology.

With the new blood in his chapter, Oberyn Rylo took a massive decision. He, together with his whole chapter officially stepped back from the Blood Angels and proclaimed themselves no more successors of them. The Angels already saw them as such but, in the words of Rylo, the chapter has been living a lie trying to pursue something false. It was time for their own legeacy. In honour of this event, the chapter renamed themselves the Cerulean Hounds and repainted their armor colours to turquoise, to remind them of the blood of their Tyranid enemies.

## Chapter Homeworld

The feral ocean world of Savis is the planet the Cerulean Hounds call home since their creation. Savis is located at the edge of the Sabbat World sector at the rimward edge of the Segmentum Pacificus. The world consist mostly of giant oceans with only a few archipelago’s. Many terrible beasts make their home in these oceans. The islands and many big ships which roam the seas are populated by human tribes. The Cerulean Hounds are mostly distant from these tribes. They unified the tribes when they first landed on Savis, molding their tribal believes together with the Imperial truth.

### Fortress-Monastery

Epirus is the fortress-monastery of the Chapter. It is an enormous man made underwater station, hidden from the warring humans above the surface. It houses many gladiatorial arena’s and training facilities as well as indoor landscapes made to resemble the jungles or wetlands from above. The Cerulean Hounds have a few submarine vehicles to traverse the ocean with relative ease.

## Recruitment

The Hounds take on recruits from their home-world of Savis, but also from other parts of the Sabbat Worlds. They train the neophytes harshly but honourable. Even before enhancements, the most promising neophytes can spar with a marine. This can result in the death of the neophyte but more often than not, the marine will tone down his brutality. The Shamanistic Brotherhood is in charge of training the new marines. Some neophytes who excel in one particular part of combat could catch the eye of the Shamanistic Brotherhood and be trained to become a new shaman instead of a standard battle-brother.

### Trials of the Ancestors

Apart from the standard training, neophytes from the Cerulean Hounds Chapter must succeed and survive four different trials before they can become Space Marines. These trails are called the Trials of the Ancestors. Every trial is made and guided by one of the Shaman groups from the Shamanistic Brotherhood.

The Trial of Spirits is the first trial neophytes have to complete. Here the neophytes are given hallucinogenic herbs. Some neophytes even die from the herbs themselves. When they are all drugged up, they are dropped on a deserted island in the middle of the vast ocean of Savis. Here they must meditate for 72 hours straight. The herbs have a special property with which they keep the body alive without needing food or water for the time being. But they will also give the neophyte horrific sights and visions, not unlike opening one’s mind to the Warp. There is a high chance of insanity following this trail but the neophytes who successfully defeat their own personal visions and daemons will become mentally stronger.

The second of the trials is the Trail of War. Here the neophytes have to remember and recite a sacred chant they get to read once before the trial. War-Speakers who observe the trial beat down the neophytes with sticks while they are kneeling and chanting. This must not break their concentration even once or the trial is failed.

The Trial of Beasts is the next trial to conquer. Neophytes are challenged in groups of five to fight different tasks in the arena. They have the chance to arm themselves with combat knifes or spears but nothing else. First the group of neophytes have to slay a beast in the arena. Teamwork is highly valued and neophytes get watched closely by the Beast-Speakers. After they manage to take down the beast, a fully fleshed Beast-Speaker enters the arena. He is armed with only his Omnissian Axe and clad in ritual black robes from the waist down. If the group of neophytes manages to wound the Beast-Speaker they will succeed in the trial. But the Beast-Speaker does not hold back on his skill and ferocity. Many neophytes will die during the trail and only with exceptional skill and teamwork is this fight winnable.

The last of the trials is the Trial of Ghosts. The neophytes are called to the chambers of the Ghost-Speakers and here the neophytes get examined. If the Ghost-Speakers deem them physically and mentally well they have will enter a closed off room. This room will slowly fill with water until there is no more air to breath. The neophytes will be kept into the room for twelve minutes. The meaning is that the neophytes will drown and get closely brought to death before getting revived later by the Ghost-Speakers. When and if the neophyte wakes up, they are ready to become an Adeptus Astartes.

## Chapter Organization

The Cerulean Hounds chapter's organization is rooted in the design of the Codex Astartes but deviates to model itself more after the tribes of Savis. The chapter itself is comprised of a few different bodies which in turn all fulfill the many needed roles for a chapter.

The chapter is led by three ruling bodies. The Chieftain brotherhood, the Shamanistic brotherhood and the Volkv brotherhood.

The Chieftain brotherhood consists of all the Chieftains and Lord-Chieftains from each clan who form a council with the King-Chieftain at the head of it. Here they discuss as brothers and equals and thus lead the chapter. By dire meetings even some ancient Dreadnoughts get awoken to advise the Chieftains. The Chieftain brotherhood has direct control over the battle clans and their course of action.

The Shamanistic brotherhood houses all the different shamans for the chapter. These Shamans replace the usual Librarians, Chaplains, Techmarines and Apothecaries of Codex-compliant Chapters. These are called Spirit-Speakers, War-Speakers, Beast-Speakers and Death-Speakers respectively. The chapter has a high number of Psykers thanks to the Great Awakening. That’s why the Spirit-Speaker group is the most populated group of the Shamanistic brotherhood. The whole brotherhood is led by one Arch-Shaman. These are more often than not ancient Spirit-Speakers who have seen a lot of battle and take up a very respected adviser role in the whole chapter, even seen with more honor and respect than the King-Chieftain. Some might say that the Arch-Shaman is the true head of the Angelic Hounds chapter.

The bulk of the chapter is the ten Great Clans. These almost mirror the standard companies from the Codex with a few minor additions. The second until fifth Great Clan, known as battle clans, are built to be fully functional mini chapters and the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth are all comparable to the Codex-compliant reserve companies. A battle clan is led by their Lord-Chieftain with two Chieftains at his side. He is also joined by a shaman of every group to bolster his commanding council, who devoted themselves completely to the Great Clan and bear their heraldry. Every reserve clan is headed up by a Shaman who proved themselves in battle and they often join missions with battle clans which are supported by units from their clan.

The first Great Clan is traditionally home to the chapter veterans. Most of the warriors are clad in Terminator armour and hail back from the time before the Devastation of Baal. This Clan is called a Veteran clan and would often lend a few squads to other battle clans. Although they would listen to commands from the leading shaman or chieftain, they will have their own agenda’s to fulfill in addition to serving the battle clan in question. If the need is dire, a Chieftain from the First Great Clan can join the operation and can take control. Even a simple Chieftain from the First Great Clan can overrule and outrank a Lord-Chieftain and Shaman apart from the ones of their own Clan.

Every Lord-Chieftain assigns their own personal command squad. These members are called Bogatyrs. One of these Bogatyr brotherhoods is the Storm Bringers, the Brotherhood of the third great clan chosen and led by Lord-Chieftain Virgil Perun. Remarkable of these Bogatyrs is that they wear the heavy duty Centurion armour to battle.

The Deathwalkers are a rare unit only found in the Angelic Hounds Chapter. These marines are members of the first Great Clan and function as the Lord-Chieftain’s personal bodyguard and Bogatyr veterans. They are armoured in silver Relic Tartaros Pattern Tactical Dreadnought Armour but have their helmets replaced by red facemasks in the form of skulls. With their mighty power and fury they crush their enemies with specialist maces and flails while they are protected from blows by their stormshields. Deathwalkers sometimes take up the leading roles for other Terminator squads and lead them to battle.

Oberyn Rylo has, as King-Chieftain, also assigned his own Bogatyrs. But his are not a brotherhood, rather a sisterhood. The ladies of tooth and claw are elite female warriors armed in silver power armour with powerblades and jumppacks. They are the bodyguard and honour guard of the chapter. Escorting the King-Chieftain into battle, or being sent out with other chieftains or shamans to support their efforts. These marines are not enhanced by the gene-seed. Their body would not support that. But a previous King-Chieftain exclaimed that, even though the most powerful female warriors from Savis couldn’t support the gene-seed, it didn’t make them any less viable for the chapter. Just like with the males, the female marines are trained via the trails of the ancestors and raised to become fully fleshed marines. Possessing the same skills and knowledge. The pool chosen is only a lot smaller. The inquisition keeps a close eye on this traditional unit and to prevent a struggle with them, the chapter keeps their number of female marines limited to the ranks of the ladies of tooth and claw. The only exception is Lord-Chieftain Samo, who rose up to become a fully-fleshed Lord-Chieftain and lead her own Great-Clan.

Each squad of ten marines possesses a chief as sergeant but also has a personal squad-veteran to lead half of the marines while working in combat squads during the many small strikes the chapter is famous for.

All the Battle clans apart from the first have a large number of vanguard marines clad in the Mark X Phobos armour. In addition of having a dedicated vanguard and scout clan in the tenth, the Angelic Hounds spread the vanguard marines over every clan and they are a core in the army’s way of battle. The Assault, Assault Intercessor and Incursor marines who are designated to be close support according to the Codex Astartes fill the battleline role in the clans of the Angelic Hounds.

### Unique Ranks

#### Officer Ranks

* **King-Chieftain** - Chapter Master equivalent.
* **Lord-Chieftain** - Captain equivalent.
* **Chieftain** - Lieutenant equivalent.
* **Chief** - Sergeant equivalent.
* **Shaman** - Members of the Shamanistic Brotherhood. Specialist marines.
* **Arch-Shaman** - Leader of the Shamanistic Brotherhood.

##### Shamans

* **Spirit-Speaker** - Librarian equivalent.
* **War-Speaker** - Chaplain equivalent.
* **Beast-Speaker** - Techmarine equivalent.
* **Death-Speaker** - Apothecary or Sanguinary Priest equivalent.

#### Specialist units

* **Bogatyr Veterans** - Honour Guard equivalent. Part of the Lord-Chieftains command squad.
* **Deathwalkers** - Bogatyr Veterans of the 1st Great Clan. Clad in silver Tartaros Pattern Terminator armour with a skull faced helmet. Armed with a shield and mace.
* **Ladies of Tooth and Claw** - A sisterhood of all female marines. Not enhanced by the gene-seed but as skilled as the male marines of the chapter. Bogatyr Veterans of the King-Chieftain. All clad in ancient silver power armour and jumppacks and armed with powerblades.

### Order of Battle

#### The Great Clans

* **1st Great Clan, "The Battle-Born**", led by Lord-Chieftain Alexander. Veteran Clan.
* **2nd Great Clan, "The Sky Wardens**", led by Lord-Chieftain Michael. Battle Clan.
* **3rd Great Clan, "The Spear of Savis**", led by Lord-Chieftain Virgil Perun. Battle Clan.
* **4th Great Clan, "The Dog's Jaws**", led by Lord-Chieftain Samo. Battle Clan.
* **5th Great Clan, "The Blooded**", led by Lord-Chieftain Berig. Battle Clan.
* **6th Great Clan, "The Eternal**", led by Death-Speaker Nicholas. Battleline Support Clan.
* **7th Great Clan, "The Bone-Breakers**", led by War-Speaker Bodin the Breaker. Battleline Support Clan.
* **8th Great Clan, "The Hounds of Sanguinius**", led by Spirit-Speaker Aktis. Close Support Reserve Clan.
* **9th Great Clan, "The Angel's Fire**", led by Beast-Speaker Hakan. Fire Support Reserve Clan.
* **10th Great Clan, "The Unspoken**", led by Spirit-Speaker Valdemar. Vanguard Clan.

## Combat Doctrine

Marines of the Angelic Hounds Chapter lack the Red Thirst or Black Rage entirely, but they still possess a bloodthirsty tenacity inside of them, resulting in them favoring melee combat above all else. They strike fast and hard, backed up by volumes of firepower. Preferring rush down and brutal tactics, the Angelic Hounds leave a trail of gore in their wake. Their warriors train in a savage style of combat, not caring for style or grace but the simple efficiency of killing with the might of demigods.

The Angelic Hounds excel in terrifying strikes behind enemy lines or a crushing might against those lines, often practiced at the same time. The chapter doesn’t possess any vehicles with wheels or tracks since they would be no use on their world of Savis. With the introduction of grav-tanks to the space marine armoury, the Angelic Hounds now deploy tanks with their battle clans, but they prefer combat walkers like dreadnoughts or the invictor tactical warsuit.

Like their parent chapter, the Angelic Hounds possess a large number of Jump packs and marines who specialise in using those to their fullest potential. The Second Great Clan consist only out of marines with Jump Packs.

The mighty Thunder Hammer and the Astartes Chainsword are the two most favorable weapons used by the Angelic Hounds. The wielders of those weapons are masters in the craft of destruction and can fight their ways through hordes of enemies.

## Gene-Seed

The mysterious gene-seed of the Angelic Hounds is not a stable one. As mentions before, they lack the Red Thirst of the Black Rage but they suffer from their own mutations. Most are minor but some can be devastating. All marines possess pupil-less irises which are bright red in colour. These eyes allow them to have a minor form of night vision and enhanced sight. They also have strengthened vocal cords. They can talk very loudly but it also grants them with the power which they call Heaven’s Roar. This is a powerful scream which can destroy ear drums of average humans with ease. But it is also known to strike fear into the hearts of the enemy. This power has a major drawback. This enhanced vocal cord has a high chance of bursting when first manifesting into a freshly made marine. They can also burst after using a Roar. This has resulted into the chapter having many mute marines. But as is tradition within the chapter, they do not replace their cords with mechanical ones. Rather they prefer to stay mute. The Hounds have developed their own sign language to have a way of communication between the mute marines and the others, and to use when on stealth missions.

The Angelic Hounds have a great sense for brotherhood. This is because of their culture but this sympathetic feeling for other brothers gets increased when a marine takes on the gene-seed. The chapter calls this event ancestral growth but it's actually just a mutation in the gene-seed. This also results in great fits of rage. Uncontroled rage. The marines of the Angelic Hounds love each other. And to see one go down in battle is like losing a limp for them. It hurst and drives them insane. Crazed. Some marines can control it but most will just fly into melee range and start brutally dismembering their opponents. The savagery is what they are famed and feared for. It's not uncommon for a covert mission to turn around and turn into a bloodbath when one battle-brother gets shot down. Most marines train themselves into hiding wounds and pain, just to truck on. This is because they want to prevent the rage from happening in their brothers. It's speculated that this rage is related to the black rage. But because it is temporary, controlable and not accompanied by the death visions of Sanguinius, it is not the same.

## Rituals

The Angelic Hounds share many rituals together. These are most often close to rituals practiced by the tribes of Savis.

In the middle of Epirus, the Chapter houses a giant grail filled with blood. This is the blood of all the marines in the chapter. Every time a new recruit gets formally added into the chapter, they grant a bit of blood to the grail to symbolize the unity within the chapter. Scarification is also a common practice within the Angelic Hounds’ ranks. They do not revel in the pain, but it does help them focus on their goals. So long as the Imperium is in pain, they shall be in pain.

Right before battle, the marines of the Chapter will join into ritual chanting. This will be accompanied by rhythmic stomping of feet and banging of fists against their armour. This often boosts morale for the warriors but in some circumstances where the enemy witnesses this, it can function as an intimidation tactic. This ritual is of course not in practice while the marines are working in the shadows.

Marines of the Chapter mostly repair their own armour and weapons. They are trained to be fully functioning units of destruction who can campaign solo for years. That’s why many weapons and armour can look vastly different from one another while functioning the same. Red warpaint and painting parts of the armour silver are also common and are different ways to honour the past of the chapter. Blood Angel heraldry is also not uncommon on the armour of the Angelic Hounds to show respect for their fathering chapter.

The Chapter does hold the Emperor in high regard and praise to him as a god, for which he is or shall become one. They contribute many of their psykers who failed to join the Shamanistic Brotherhood to the Throne World to be sacrificed to the Emperor himself.

Hunting and killing the great beasts of Savis is a tradition many Marines of the Chapter practice and hunting or war trophies are held in a high standard. They are experts in hunting down many sea-dwelling creatures by boat or sometimes even in the water only armed with a knife and spear.

The two equinoxes of Savis are highly celebrated holy days for the Chapter. At those times the Chapter, if they are not at war, will hold the Sumarr or Vetr Moot. At these times, the Astartes will first join in ritual chanting and this evolves into singing. While singing the Dreadnoughts of the Chapter get awoken from their slumber and tell stories of the Chapter’s past. After the Dreadnoughts spoke, the Astartes partake in smoking of local herbs and tobacco. These are provided by the Shamans and are very strong. These herbs can kill a normal human but for Astartes, this opens their mind and makes them feel loose like many drugs can do to humans. When the Angelic Hounds are properly high, the feasting starts. Many Astartes show off their recent trophies and tell each other great stories. There is no rank during these hours, the marines will feast as brothers and equals. The Moots usually end with brawling and fighting over the last scraps of food. This is of course mostly in good fun but sometimes squabbles will be taken to the arena where the chance is offered to fight it out on equal ground. The hot-headed Vergil Perun is famous for always ending up with a fellow marine in the arena. He even fought the King-Chieftain Oberyn Rylo after a Sumarr Moot and ended in a narrow standstill.

## Deathwatch Service

Thanks to their expertise in combatting many Xenos threats, the Angelic Hounds have a long standing and strong relationship with the Deathwatch Chapter. The Veterans chosen to serve the Deathwatch are regarded as heroes amongst the Chapter and upon return, keep their Deathwatch pauldron and silver arm as a sign of service.

## Notable Angelic Hounds

* **Simargl, the First** - The first chapter master of the Angelic Hounds.
* **King-Chieftain Oberyn Rylo, the Juggernaut** - Clad in Gravis or Jump Phobos armour and wielding Fearstruck. A mighty chainsword forged by Oberyn himself in a volcano on Savis.
* **Arch-Shaman Simon Tyana, the Wise** - A mighty Dreadnought who leads the Chapter together with Oberyn Rylo.
* **Lord-Chieftain Alexander, the Harbinger of Dread** - Veteran leader of the first Great Clan. He joined the chapter right after the Devastation of Baal. As a mysterious figure clad in black robes, he traveled with Roboute Guilliman and was introduced as the first primaris marine for the chapter. He is the only Winged Dog not to have the trademark of the Red Irises or other gene-seed mutations.
* **Chieftain Luden** - Chieftain of the 1st Great Clan and hero of the Sindel-Noox crusade.
* **Lord-Chieftain Vergil Perun, the Lord of the Red Skies** - Armoured in relic armour with a winged jumppack, wielding his mighty hammer Thunderbrand. Or wearing his phobos armour, he leads the 3rd Great Clan from the front.
* **War-Speaker Gothi Veles, the King of Monsters** - Veles is the Hero Shaman who led the Angelic Hounds during the Sindel-Noox crusade.
* **Spirit-Speaker Aktis** - Leader of the 8th Great Clan and a mighty Shaman. One of the oldest living marines in the chapter but he still is one of the strongest combatants and skilled strategists they have.
* **Spirit-Speaker Chernobog of Zorya, the Dark Beast** - A Shaman preferring Phobos armour. He favours fear tactics and often leads his small strike force Foehammer into covert and secret missions.
* **Bogatyr Veteran Belisarius** - A marine with no name before but proudly took up the name of, in his eyes, the savior of the chapter. He is the Chief of the Storm Bringers, wearing the heavy duty Centurion armour.
* **Reiver Veteran Reynar, the One-Eyed** - Member of the 8th squad of the 3rd Great Clan, Reynar is a member of Foehammer. His specialties are brutal close quarters combat and ruthless strikes from behind enemy lines. He is often part of small strike forces on covert missions.

## Chapter Fleet

The Angelic Hounds Chapter are in charge of an effective fleet. Preferring the faster Light Cruisers, the Hounds can combat threats all over the Imperium.

* ***Sol* (Battle Barge)**
* ***Luna* (Battle Barge)**
* ***Howl* (Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Night* (Vanguard Class Light Cruiser)**
* ***Shadow* (Vanguard Class Light Cruiser)**
* ***Sky* (Vanguard Class Light Cruiser)**

## Chapter Appearance

### Chapter Colours

The marines of the Angelic Hounds are clad in power armor painted in a turquoise color. This color was the blood of the Tyranids they fought during the devastation of Baal. After this battle, their normally silver armor was covered by this turquoise blood and in honour of the fallen brothers and remind the marines of their ultimate enemy in the galaxy, they painted their armor fully turquoise. The original silver colour still is present on their armor. Some spots on the left side of the marine’s armour, like the kneepad or the glove, are sometimes painted this silver. The more silver a marine bears, the more honour he earned in battle. Red is also a highly special color for the chapter. Symbolizing the Blood Angels and Sanguinius. Their warpaint thet decorate the armor with is red. The right kneepad is also red. Most often with a silver stripe. This denotes the great clan the marine is a part of. For example the second great clan has a horizontal silver stripe and the third a vertical. The veterans of the first great clan don’t have a silver stripe and sport a purely red kneepad. A distinction is also made between battle-brothers of the battle and reserve clans. The battle clan brothers have a silver pauldron with a silver trim and the reserve marines have a dark blue pauldron with a silver trim.

Each battle role and rank in the Angelic Hound chapter is a different coloration in helmets. Standard marines all have a turquoise helmet. But the face plating differs in color depending on the battlefield role assign to the marine. Battleline marines have silver, Fire support white and close support an off-white bone color. Every rank also has a special color for the rest of the helmet. Chiefs have a copper helm with their role still represented in the face plate. Veterans have a fully silver helmet, with Veteran Chiefs inverting the colorization of the standard chief, so a silver helmet with a copper face plate. The Bogatyr brothers on the other hand, sport a special red helmet to set them apart. All leading marines, like chieftains, lord-chieftains or shamans in charge of their own clan, all sport the full copper helmet. The trim of the pauldron is also copper for veterans and leading marines, instead of the normal silver.

Shamans have different coloured armor mostly. The War-Speakers have black armour, just like chaplains in other chapters. The Death-Speakers have a more bone-white armor instead of the traditional white. Spirit-Speakers color their armor turquoise, just like the standard Angelic Hound. They only have their psychic hood in the libraries blue color. And lastly the most drastic is the Beast-Speakers. Instead of the red armor of the tech-marines, the Beast-Speakers are clad in bright shiny green. This is because Beast-Speakers are not trained on Mars but rather on Savis herself, in the jungles above the dark depths of the water.

### Chapter Badge

The chapter’s badge represents the hound aspect of the chapter’s name. They are loyal yet savage. The badge is toothy bright red jaws drawn in a simple tribal style, familiar to the other tribes of Savis. Every marine paints their own Chapter Badge on their pauldron.

## Relations

The Chapter has good relationships with many chapters of the Adeptus Astartes because of their shared history in wars. The Hounds have a general dislike of the Inquisition and Mechanicus, preferring to avoid them rather than deal with them. Belisarius Cawl is the exception. He is seen as the savior of the chapter next to Guilliman, for whom they also have great respect. This outlook divides the chapter a little since this viewpoint is not shared by the Awoken generation of Primaris.

The Hounds see the humans as the lifeblood of the Imperium but the regiments of the Astra Millitarum are seen as more of an annoyance in battle rather than an asset. Most Guard units flee in fear once they see the work of the Hounds, and they rather keep it that way. That’s why the chapter has no human militia supporting their strikes.

The chapter is undyingly loyal to the Emperor and the ones who act out his will. Currently that is the Primarch Roboute Guilliman but also the high lords of Terra. The Hounds sometimes receive orders directly from the Lords and they have never failed to complete them.

## Notable Quotes

### By the Angelic Hounds

"*Many might think that the Lord-Chieftain is a jovial moron with his head up his arse, who recklessly charges into battle. And if that is the case, they are absolutely right.*"
— War-Speaker Gothi Veles of the third Great Clan, talking about his superior and best friend Vergil Perun
"*They may destroy our armour but they will never destroy our will. We are the hammer that will splinter the anvil of heresy. And we will break their banners, drain their hope and destroy their husks. For Savis. For Sanguinius. For the Emperor!*"
— Lord-Chieftain Oberyn Rylo of the second Great Clan during the Badab War
"*We are no conquerors. No fortifiers. No rulers. We are Hounds. Hounds who strike upon wings of fire. Hounds who bite down on the sworn enemies. Hounds who will beat you down.*"
— Veteran Reynar the One-Eyed
### About the Angelic Hounds

"*They are as proud as they are vicious. They embody their moniker in battle.*"
— Steel Sentinels 2nd Company Lieutenant Decius Vel, regarding the Angelic Hounds

[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]

## Gallery

Angelic Hounds Battleline Chief (Sergeant) assigned to the role of an Intercessor.