Blood Wraiths

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## Blood Wraiths

Blood Wraiths armorial with Chapter iconography.

Blood Wraiths Chapter colour scheme.

## Space Marine Chapter

### **Allegiance**

Imperium of Man
(*Fedelitas Totalis*)

### **Successor of**

Blood Angeles
(Sanguinius lineage; Officially)
Chimeric (Rumoured; Unconfirmed)

### **Homeworld**

Carpathia
Notable Domains: Carpathia's Moons; Faust, Sobolan, Solomonar, Corcoaia, Moroi, Nemorti, Uniila, Varcolac

### Successor Chapter(s)

None.

The **Blood Wraiths** are a Loyalist non-*Codex* compliant Success Chapter that hails from the lineage of proud and heroic Blood Angels. Created during the 3rd Founding at the dawn of the 32nd Millennium, like many Chapters created from the lineage of Sanguinius, the Blood Wraiths proved to be highly susceptible to their progenitor's 'Twin-Flaws' of the Black Rage and the Red Thirst. Desperate to find the means to save his Chaper from inevitable extinction, Chapter Master Lazarus Kaine made a fateful decision in the early 34th Millennium when fate intervened and he was presented with the means by which to save his sorely depleted Chapter. However, this decision would have far-reaching consequences for the Chapter.

## Chapter History

The Blood Wraiths hail from early M32 when the sting of the Horus Heresy was still a fresh wound across the Imperium of Man. The chapter was nearly undone by its own gene-seed relatively early in its existence. Brothers within the chapter were rapidly declining into the Black Rage and the Red Thirst. Chapter records show that the origin of the chapter's gene-seed tithe was likely taken from the Blood Drinkers and or Flesh Tearers stocks maintained in the mechanicums vaults. Some records point to a connection with the ill-fated \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*RECORDS DELETED\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*. Regardless of whom their donator was, the gene-stock the Blood Wraiths received was barely stable and the chapters sanguinary priests constantly struggled to maintain it.

By early M34 the chapter was barely able to maintain a force of 400 brothers. Each new generation of brothers was descending into the Black Rage more rapidly. The chapter had already begun several blood rites and rituals to stave off the thirst and the rage, but these rituals were having continuously diminishing results. Chapter Master Lazarus Kain, not willing to accept the death and decline of his chapter charged the Chief Sanguinary Priest Amen Barbal to find a solution at any cost. Brothers within the chapter started recounting to the chaplains that they were receiving dark visions in their stasis time of conversations with a shadowy figure covered in blood and sitting on a pile of skulls, promising them power and freedom from their fate. Kaine realized the dark forces of chaos we're now constantly offering dark gifts to his brothers in exchange for their service. Kaine was confident in the character and resolve of his brothers but even he knew it was only a matter of time before either the decline of their gene-seed or the temptations of chaos would doom his chapter.

The dark future of the chapter was sealed in late M34 with the Battle of the Calixis Gate. A large Night Lords Warband battlefleet enroute to pillage several imperial industrial worlds was intercepted by the Blood Wraiths. A brutal void battle incurred with the Blood Wraiths launching numerous nearly reckless boarding actions on the Night Lords vessels. In the battle two of the Night Lords ships, one battle barge and one strike cruiser, were seized. Once every life form had been purged from the ships, the Blood Wraiths began inspecting the vessels. The chaplains found few if any taints of the warp or chaos amongst the ships or equipment found. Then Kaine received a shocking transmission. A Night Lords gene-seed vault had been discovered by one of the Sanguinary Priests. Kaine ordered the area secure and took Chief Sanguinary priest Barbal with him to inspect the vaults. The two arrived and ordered all others to leave the vault.

Conversation between Kaine and Barbal:

Kaine: What is your assessment Barbal, and do not bore me with your long-winded medical mumbo jumbo…….. I need to know, is this gene-seed pure and stable?

Barbal: Your patience as always is your greatest virtue Kaine. I cannot give you all the answers you seek right now without taking it back to the apothecarial and doing detailed examinations…….

Kaine: Dammit you infuriate me, Get to the point Barbal….

Barbal: My cursory evaluations are that it is stable and presents no warp taint to it.

Kaine: Good, have your priests secure it and take it back to your apothecarial for study. This could be our chapter's salvation.

Barbal: you know what you are considering………what WE are considering is heresy and should it ever be discovered we will likely be hunted and purged. The Brotherhood of the Blood would never accept this.

Kaine: We are dying Barbal, I will not sit by and watch this brotherhood decline into beastial rage or be turned by the will of one of the false gods. We are doomed if we do nothing are we not….

Barbal: Eventually, yes….

Kaine: I do not see any of the so-called “Brotherhood of the Blood” doing anything to help us, despite our pleas all the way to Baal itself. We will do whatever we must do short of accepting the blessings of the warp, do you understand me.

Barbal: Yes lord.

Kaine: then gather only your most trusted priests and do whatever must be done. And I will do what must be done to ensure the imperium never discovers what we do to survive and fight in the emperor’s name. Curse our father for these palsies and psychosis.

Barbal: My Lord?

Kaine: Do you not see it Barbal, are you that blinded by faith in our father and his martyred sacrifice that you do not realize we are no Angels in his image. Our father the Angel was just as dark inside as any of the traitors. While his only principal difference was his willingness to strive to be more than that darkness. The traitors simply chose to succumb to it. But make no mistake, we are not the avatars of his angelic beauty of divinity, we are the avatars of his darkness and for that, I curse our father and no other reason. So, while we will never be angels, we will embody the darkness in his blood, his soul, and his will and we will continue to use it to spit in the faces of the false gods. Now go do your duty priest and trouble me no more with your concerns.

### A Revelation of Faith

#### The Phoenix Fire Incident (029.M35)

On the planet of Lilith Prime, the Blood Wraiths respond to a planetary Governor’s call for aid against an unknown enemy force of great power. When the Blood Wraiths responded they found themselves engaging in battle against an Emperors Children Warband. As the Blood Wraiths pushed the Emperors Children back, intelligence was provided to Kaine that confirming that Fabius Bile was on the planet. Kaine took his Honor Guard and sought out the notorious Bile, following the intelligence and leads found along the way, Kaine tracked Bile to what appeared to be an archaic bunker in the high eastern deserts of the planet. Kaine and his Honor Guard entered the bunker and were almost immediately assailed by monstrous mutated creatures. After seemingly hours of fighting their way to the center of the complex only Kaine and a single member of his Honor Guard remained. As they entered the main room they noticed clear vats the size of towers filled with an unrecognizable fluid and inside these vats, attached to hundreds of tubes and cables were all forms of creatures, mutants, and beings. There were large power cables running from each vat towards a central control panel located on the southern side of the room. Standing next to the panel was a tall, wiry, old, and slightly misshapen Marine with sickly features and stringy long white hair. He turned casually and expectant towards Kaine.

Fabius: I see you received my invitation and have finally made it……. Kaine, is it not?

Kaine: So, you know of me, and were expecting me Heretic?

Fabius: Do you think in the last 4 millennia I have not learned how to cover my tracks….” Chapter Master” …. said in a slightly sarcastic tone.

Kaine: I am here to claim your head for the imperium and for the Emperor.

Fabius: Our genetic grandfather cares not for yours or any other beings’ actions, I still do not understand why so many follow this dogmatic propaganda that he cares.

Kaine: He is the God-Emperor and we have not forgotten nor foresworn our oaths unlike you Bile.

Fabius: You know nothing of God's boy, and if you did, you would know the Emperor and the other Entities in the warp, truly care little for mankind aside from using them as pawns and playthings…. including your beloved Emperor of Mankind.

Kaine: Be that as I may, my Father fell fighting the traitor Horus that you and your lot so anxiously joined, so killing you will be no small reprisal for his fate.

Fabius: Your “Father” is only as dead as the emperor wills him to be boy….

Kaine: LIAR, HERETIC SCUM, HOW DARE YOU SPEAK OF SANGUINIUS SO LIGHTLY….

Fabius: Calm down, Boy…. we would want your fatal flaw to show through, now would we.

Kaine: How Dare….

Fabius: Silence you petulant child, your ignorance is painful. I allowed you to find me and left the breadcrumbs for you to see. Look around you, in each one of these Vats is an experiment, one that gets closer and closer to the perfection the Emperor has hidden from us, the perfection he only gave to our Gene sires. I have made perfect clones of several Primarchs’ , child, and a little secret for you, they ARE beings of the warp. Each time a clone was hatched, a blank genetic slab, the Primarchs’ soul found its way back to it and he remembered everything till his last memory. So, as I said, your “Father” is only as dead as the Emperor wills him to be. They are creatures of permanence that only he or one of the Chaos Gods could wipe from existence. You have been searching long and hard for a cure for your flaws, haven’t you? You have even played around with your own gene-seed, I can see it in your faces.

(at that moment bile pushed a button and a hidden weapons turret fires two rounds that hit Kaine and his last remaining Honor Guard, immediately incapacitating them. Bile walks over to the two marines now laying on the ground. Standing over the two marines bile levels his bolter towards the Honor Guards head and killed him)

Fabius: The rest of what I have to say is for your ears only. You have already played with immortality…. I can smell it, something is off about you. You are Lazarus Kaine, but you aren’t at the same time…. interesting. So, I will say this. I know the secrets of your Blood Angels bloodline, I know the rage you feel and your never-ending thirst for blood and I know the flaws of your bastard gene-father you so carelessly used thinking including his seed into your bloodline would end your curse…. creative, for a “Loyal servant of the Emperor” but naïve and reckless at best. I will leave you this date card. In it is all the truth you will ever need. But remember this boy, your flaws only exist because your “Father” fell. Should he be reborn….do you think your flaws would continue? Interesting theory…. hmm. Your incapacitation should end in about 5 minutes. In 10 minutes, I will detonate this facility and several connected facilities around the planet. So, when you are released, you can choose to follow me….and most certainly die. Or…. you can make your way out before the facility blows. I'll be watching you with interest boy.

(Kaine awoke, grabbed the data card, and made his way out of the facility. He later reviewed the card in private and many things changed for Kaine and his chapter that day.)

### Death Whispers the Second Act of Heresy

#### The Battle of the Ghaulish Gap (038.M35)

During a chaos cultist uprising in the city of Ghaul on Carpathia, The Blood Wraiths were forced into action to eradicate this upstart cult on their homeworld. During the short battle, one of their brothers succumb to the rage and began rampaging through the city attacking and killing many innocents until he came across a single young boy. The brother was relentlessly pursued by his battled brothers. As the damned son approached the young boy with murderous intent, he was suddenly freed from the rage. When his battle-brothers found him, he was kneeling in front of the boy with the boy’s hand upon his head. The battle-brothers seized him and reported their findings to Lazerous Kaine. Kaine ordered the boy taken to be examined. It was discovered quickly by the Librarians that the boy was a Blank and his abilities were tested on several other brothers in the House of the Ravenous with similar, while also temporary results. The Librarians could also not sense the afflicted brother while in proximity to the young blank. Kaine ordered the boy to be put through the gene-seed process and be trained in the ways of the chaplaincy. While this was not met with confidence by his brothers, it was done. The boy managed to survive and was trained. He was known as the Death Whisper and rarely left the quiet sanctity of the chapters stasis crypts. With this success, Kaine ordered that the Chaplains responsible for the chapter's ritual harvest for recruits go out of their way to find others like the first death whisper.

The genetic lineage of the people of the planet of Carpathia produces an unusual number of human blanks. While most of these blanks are taken by the inquisitorial Black Ships, The Blood Wraiths have managed overtime to figure out a way to hide some of the young male blanks. A more simplistic approach to this concept would be the chapter never holds onto more than one Blank per assessment. During the Harvests, they Identify and hide some of these recruits deep in the crypts of the fortress-monastery. This dark secret, without a doubt, would be considered an act of heresy by the inquisition. Kaine knows this truth and he and his chapter are committed to hiding both of their dark secrets at all costs. This Dark secret came at a cost. In 348 M. 36, a senior Inquisitorial member of the Ordo Opscurus figured out in part what the Blood Wraiths were doing. He summoned that incarnation of Lazarus Kaine to come before him.

Kaine knew that the Ordo Opscurus were all secretly Incarnationist, a belief he was starting to see merits in himself, especially after his encounter with Fabius Bile. Kaine now believes that the chapter can only gain freedom from the Flaw through some sort of reincarnation of Sanguinius. With the knowledge he gained from Bile, he believes only the risen Emperor could perform. So in this end state, his motives align with the Ordo.

Little is known what was said between the Inquisitor and the Carrion Lord but it is certain some dark bargain must have been struck because the chapter was not only allowed to survive and not be censured, they were allowed to continue with their efforts.

The Death Whispers are small in number, never more than 5 have been had in the chapter at one time and many live extremely long lives. It is believed by the Librarius, Chaplains, and Sanguinary Priests that their very nature as a Blanks, staves off the Black Rage and Red Thirst.

Because of how rare these brothers are, it is only in the darkest of the chapters hours that a Death Whisperer may be committed to combat, they almost exclusively live within the house of the ravenous souls. They use their apocryphal abilities to sedate or even state the rage and lust of their brothers and help to calm their nightmares to a point. A secondary benefit is that for some reason the Death Whispers can break the psychic connection Astorath the Grimm has with seeking these brothers that have succumbed. While they are rarely committed to the battlefield when they are it is typically catastrophic for the enemies of the Blood Wraiths.

Over time the two concocted a plan. The rest of the chapter was informed that the findings in the vault would be secured and handed over to the tech-priests of mars. In truth, Barbal and his coven began slowly experimenting on the gene-seed. Over time they began infusing it with that of their own and placing this chimeric concoction in all the new initiates. A small separate stock of gene-seed was created for the sole purpose of fulfilling the required tithes to mars. this practice has been maintained to the current era. Thus, protecting the true nature of the chapter.

## Chapter Home World

### Carpathia

Carpathia is a Feudal world located deep in the isolated regions of the Scarus Sector of the Halo Stars. The Carpathian system has nine planets with Carpathia being the fifth planet. Carpathia is 70% landmass and only 30% water with most civilizations establishing themselves either near the coast or high in the mountains where there were numerous freshwater tables. The world has rather an unremarkable habitat. The winters are longer and harsher than many other imperial worlds especially in the mountainous regions but the people of Carpathia have adapted well to this cold dark world. The Carpathians receive a short reprieve with a 5-month long spring-like season. It is during this time when much of the planet's agricultural harvests occur. The planet has a 24-month calendar cycle and is in twilight or darkness of 18 of those months. Carpathia has nine moons, 5 of which are inhabited and each of the Houses of the Blood Wraiths maintains a small bastion on each moon and orbital defense capabilities. While none of the moons had indigenous populations the Blood Wraiths Houses that occupy the habitable moons have brought serfs to these moons to harvest the moons for their resources. These people over the last 5000 years have built civilizations that mirror those on Carpathia.

### Moons

* **Faust (Habitable)** - Home of the House of the Crimson Skull

* **Sobolan (Standard Rock Moon)** - Home of the House of the Sanguine Scythes

* **Solomonar (Standard Rock Moon)** - Home of the House of the Dead

* **Corcoaia (Habitable)** - Home of the House of the Red Spades

* **Balaur (Habitable)** - Home of the House of the Scarlet Clovers

* **Moroi (Volcanic)** - Home of the House of the Bloodied Saints

* **Nemorti (Habitable)** - Home of the House Sacred Chalice

* **Uniila (Ice Moon)** - Home of the House of the Ravenous Souls

* **Varcolac (Habitable)** - Home of the House of the Nine

## Notable Actions

* **War of the Beast (544-546.M32)**: During the War of the Beast the Blood Wraiths home sector was besieged by previously unmatched numbers of Orc Warbands. The Blood Wraiths launched brutal and devastating attacks on the Orcs. Their astropaths received the calls for aid from Terra. The entirety of the Chapter attempted to reach Terra but only found themselves in a long, slow methodic campaign to get there. While the Blood Wraiths never made it to Terra, they did inflict heavy casualties to the Orcs along the way. Once the Orc leaders were defeated the orc masses began to fight amongst themselves and break apart. With this, the Blood Wraiths were able to return to their own system and begin to rebuild and recoup their own losses.

* **The Battle of the Ghaulish Gap (038.M35)** - (See the previous excerpt on The Death Whisperers).

* **Chapter Schism (323-397.M35)** - The fracturing of the Nine Houses. Once the truth of the chimeric gene-seed was found out by the leaders of the chapter, there was an internal power struggle and even at times civil war within the chapter over the issue. Several Houses felt betrayed by Kaine's' and Barbal's actions. Seeing it as the heresy it was, the chapter nearly collapsed from all of the internal struggles and fighting. Most records from this time have been sealed or destroyed, but somehow Kaine was able to regain the favor and loyalty (begrudgingly) of the fractured Houses. The events that occurred during this time were what caused the almost complete split from codex organizational structure to the organization the chapter now employs.

* **Age of Apostasy (ca. M36)**: During the Age of Apostasy the Blood Wraiths took no side on the internal struggles within the Imperium. While they do revere the Emperor as a living God, they do not worship him in accordance to, nor agree with the tenants of the ecclesiarchy. They view the internal political and religious struggles as beneath them. They serve the Emperors will and do not need some priest of zealot to provide sermon or guidance on how to carry out his will.

* **The Blood Hunt (941.M37-238.M38)** - During this time the chapter focused all of its efforts into hunting down and destroying "The Risen", a Night Lords Warband that had raided one of their vessels and stole some of their gene-seed. While the irony was not lost to Kaine, he could not let the truth of his past be known. The Blood Wraiths scoured and hunted every Night Lords vessel, raiding party, and Warband they could track until they were finally able to recover the stolen gene-seed. The Blood Wraiths kept no detailed records during this time. Kaine hunted down each and every member of the Night Lords Warband, deleting their existence from history.

* **Battle of the Swarm (898.M41)**- (the Blood Wraiths first encounter with the Tyranids) In the far reaches of fringe space the Blood Wraiths were waging a campaign against and alien race only designated as “The Geist”. While battling the Geist on an unregistered feral world, both armies were attacked by large swarming arthropods. These beasts were able to rip through the Marines power armor and caused unexpectedly high number of casualties. The Blood Wraiths were able to rally and fend them off. They immediately took advantage of the arthropod's attacks on the Geist and struck a fierce and final blow. Their encounter and all data were sent to the fleet. Reports from the Blood Wraith fleet overhead yielded a positive connection to the Xenos species named the Tyranids who were first recorded in the Eastern fringes on 745.M41. the number of Xenos life signs was increasing rapidly and realizing that they had only encountered scouting forces, the marines returned to the fleet. In orbit above the world, Lord Dorian of the House of the Dead, ordered an extermanatus of the world.

* **Current Time (ca. M41)**: With the Opening of the Cicatrix Maledictum, the Blood Wraiths found themselves even more isolated than they typically were prior. The system became besieged by all manner of warp spawn and Dark Eldar raiders attempting to take advantage of the chaos. The need to secure their own assets and borders, combined with their already existing rivalry with their progenitor chapter the Blood Angels, prevented them from answering the call to defend Baal. It is however unlikely that they would have responded anyway.

## Chapter Organization

The Blood Wraiths are not *Codex*-compliant. They Have 9 Sanguine Lords that rule over 9 houses. Each house is a company plus in size and has its own flotilla. The houses hold regular joint Harvests of new initiates, any male of appropriate age is taken. the House with the fewest numbers selects first (except the House of the Ravenous) and so on until all have replenished their ranks. Failed initiates are sacrificed in blood rituals for the chapter and their names are added to the tomb of sacrifice. A successful initiate becomes a Brother who stays in one house their entire life.

### Officer Ranks

* **Carrion Lord** - Chapter Master equivalent.
* **Sanguine Lord** - Captain equivalent.
* **Lieutenant** - Barons

### Senior Specialist Ranks

* **High Sanguinary Priest** - Reclusiarch equivalent.
* **Chief Librarian**
* **Master of the Forge**

### Specialist Ranks

* **Sanguinary Priest**
* **Death Whisperers**
* **Librarian**
* **Techmarine**
* **Chapter/Company Champion**
* **Ancient**

### Line Ranks

* **Veteran Sergeant**
* **Sergeant**
* **Battle-Brother**
* **Scout Marine**
* **Neophyte**

### Specialist Units & Formations

#### The Dhampirs

The Dhampirs are the Blood Wraiths version of the Sanguinary Guard. They serve as an honor guard for the Carrion Lord and also serve as his enforcers when there are internal disputes between the houses. The Dhampirs are all champions in their own rights and normally some of the fiercest and most cunning warriors of the Chapter. Each member forgoes their previous existence and pledges their life to the service of the Carrion Lord. Dhampirs stay in service until their death and are no longer considered for any other position in the Chapter. While a single Dhampir may be charged with leading a battle force they do not hold any permanent command positions. They are by position and virtue, the voice and will of the Carrion Lord. In these roles, they can outrank the Lord of a House, but only when acting on the Carrion Lords will, not their own.

#### Sirens of Sanguinius

Unlike other chapters the brotherhood of the blood, the Blood Wraiths maintain a small chamber militant made exclusively of women that were taken from the orphanages of Carpathia and trained in the arts, principally music but also given training in numerous martial studies.

These women from form the serfs, servants, caregivers, and defenders of the fortress monastery. One of their duties is for them to serenade the sleeping brothers of all the houses while they slumber in their stasis crypts. The Sirens are also responsible for waking brothers from their slumbers, performing certain blood rites, and arming the brothers for their duties. They are unquestionably loyal to the houses they are signed and serve until their last breath. A part of Sirens' death their blood is drained and added to the life fluids of the chapter and their bodies are entombed in the chapter's crypts to slumber permanently alongside the brothers they served in life. Because their service is so cherished, their names added to the chapters Tome of the lost alongside the names of the brothers that fell in service to the emperor. The Tome of the lost is one of the two holiest relics to the chapter.

### Notable Houses

* **House of the Crimson Skull**

* **House of the Sanguine Scythes**

* **House of the Dead**

* **House of the Red Spades**

* **House of the Scarlet Clovers**

* **House of the Bloodied Saints**

* **House Sacred Chalice**

* **House of the Ravenous Souls** - Maintains the Chapter's Death Whisperers.

* **House of Nine** - The House of Nine (thought to originally be the first company during the early *Codex*-compliant days of the Chapter) Now they are the guardians of the Chapter's oldest relics.

The unofficial 10th House is the Honour Guard and the tithe of 10 marines from each house to serve in the Carrion Lord's personal strike force.

The council of the Nine Lords of the Houses meet and choose brothers from their ranks (he does not have to be a Lord of a house) to serve as the Dhampir Gaurd for the Carrion Lord, and the Carrion Lord or one of his Dhampirs under a specific charge alone can override a Lord of a House. If the Lord of a house is chosen by another Lord to serve in the Dhampirs, he must relinquish his House to another. The chapter also holds the number 9 sacred; this is likely a link back to the days of the legions.

The Carrion Lord and his Dhampirs are the keepers of a great secret of the chapter. The chimeric nature of their gene-seed. While the lords of all houses and tribunal of nine lords were the original selectors of the first replacement Carrion Lord to the original Kaine, Kaine thought it wise that the knowledge of his origins and dark secret die out with the nine lords over time. Now the nine lords select the Dhampirs, when one dies in battle another is chosen to replace him. The chosen brother gives up his previous identity and serves in the Dhampirs for life. Kaine will name his successor from the Dhampirs so being in his elite guard is both an honor and a curse. Should Kaine fall in battle, his successor and the Dhampirs know what acts and rites to carry out to replace him. The lords of the houses are part of a tribunal each master of their own fates but owe a blood oath to the Carrion Lord. This ties into other questions, what has fractured the house. It is believed the tribunal once was completely United but over time the isolation between the houses, their autonomy, and grudges held over petty slights that occurred in battle, or favoritism played by the carrion Lord over time, have divided them and their agendas.

It is believed that in their origins the nine lords would use some form of democratic selection to choose the Carrion Lord. But the second incarnation of Kaine that was originally Moreth, changed the order of succession. Now each house can nominate a brother to the Dhampirs and it does not have to be a help a brother from their own house. If the lord of the house is nominated he also must join the brothers fighting the ritual battle royal to replace the fallen Dhampir. The combat is not supposed to be to death, but it happens sometimes. The winner becomes the fallen Dhampir and is brought into the Carrion Lords' inner circle. It is here he learns many of the truths of the Chapter, but not all of the details. This can also be used as a complex power move between the houses, a rival Lord can recommend his foe in hopes he will win the melee and be forced to leave his position as a house lord.

## Combat Doctrine

The Blood Wraiths practice rapid assaults', while they are inventibly followed with more traditional support forces, marines form this chapter have been know to recklessly charge enemy fortifications without fire support.

## Chapter Beliefs

The Blood Wraiths do view the Emperor as a God, but do not venerate him in the same manner as the Ecclesiarchy. Instead, their beliefs are more in line with the Ordo Opscurus, believing that not just the Emperor but his sons, to Include Sanguinius have their true manifestations being held in the Warp. Like the Ordo Opscurus whom they have made a secret pact with, they seek knowledge for the resurrection of the physical God-Emperor. Hoping that upon his return he will resurrect Sanguinius and end the flaw of his gene-seed in the process. This is how the Chapter will finally escape their curses.

### Honor Duels and Marks of Shame

The Blood Wraiths are fiercely competitive amongst the 9 Houses, constantly vying for opportunities to prove their martial prowess and results against the other Houses. Honor duels between houses are common and normally to first blood, but the chapter does allow for battles to the death if the perceived slight to one’s honor is deemed high enough to merit it and only if both parties accept the challenge rules. If the challenged does not, then the challengers' honor is automatically met. However, the challenged can also call for this duel to the death, when a challenger’s accusations are so demeaning that simple first blood is not enough to sate the insult they have been given. In this case, if the challenger refuses, his claim is negated and the challenged regains his honor. When two or more Houses are committed to a campaign without the Carrion Lord leading them or a directly appointed leader by the Carrion Lord, honor duels are held to determine which House will be in command.

There are several ways for a brother to gain a mark of shame. Failure on the battlefield, partaking in unscheduled or unsanctioned blood rites, or losing an honor duel to a member of a different house. These markings typically are the recounts of the infraction inscribed on the Marines right shoulder pad and remain there until he redeems himself. He is ostracized from his house and is committed to every campaign he can. While marked he is given only a bolt pistol and a power sword. The Marked brother must then search out and fight the most difficult foes he can find on the battlefield. Redemption is found only when he has killed enough enemies to regain his honor or dies trying. The marked are shunned by their Houses in the ceremony of 1000 cuts. The marine sheds all armor until he is only wearing a loincloth. The members of his chapter line up in two columns and draw their daggers. The brother walks the path between the two columns where each brother makes a cut into the Marines flesh. He is given back his armor now bearing the mark of shame and resides in the chapter chaplaincy area. There he will be constantly tasked to enter numerous battlefields to seek his atonement.

### Blood Rituals

Early in the chapter's incarnations the Blood Wraiths established numerous unsanctioned blood rituals, sacrifices and the practice cannibalism rituals of their fallen brothers stave off the Black Rage. The Blood Tithe, every 10th year the population of Carpathia submits their terminally sick and elderly to the Blood Wraiths. The Chapter anesthetizes the tributes and drains their blood into the lifeblood of the chapter. The brothers then sleep for days in the blood-filled caskets to feed and rejuvenate. Failed Initiates are subjected to the same fate. The names of all sacrificed are added to a volume of the Tomb of Sacrifice, to honor them, it is one of the two sacred relics to the chapter. While dark and barbaric, these Blood Tithes have helped to stem the tide of disease and plague on Carpathia.

The brothers also spend a significant amount of time and stasis chambers where they are serenaded around the clock by their chapter serfs, an organization called the Sirens of Sanguinius.

## Gene-Seed

### New Traits and Faults

Both Gene-sires, Sanguinius, and Kurze, had the gift of foresight. While no brother has developed a sense of foresight like either of the Primarchs they have developed an uncanny kind of sixth sense gaining the ability to foreshadow their enemies’ actions in combat and allowing them to react quicker by predicting their enemy's actions. So, while the Blood Wraiths do receive a sense that heightens their reflexes, even more, this sixth sense comes at a price. The merging of the two gene-seeds heightened all their extrasensory abilities. Because of this, the curse of Kurze haunts them. Every brother is tormented by nightmares of their eventual brutal deaths. The nightmares become more graphic and intense to the point of near madness as the foreseen time of the Marines's death closes in. It is said that no brother of the Blood Wraiths Dies a simple death in combat. Most are tragically brutal.

While the infusion and creation of their chimeric gene-seed did significantly slow the rise of the Black Rage and Red Thirst it does have a very unfortunate cost. When a brother does begin his descent into the Black Rage and the Red Thirst it is rapid sometimes near-instantaneous and merciless. Unlike other brothers of the brotherhood of the blood where their descent can take years, the Blood Wraiths are cursed to know that if they are doomed to turn, there is no respite, no time for last glories, no goodbyes to brothers, the darkness will consume them virtually instantaneously. Because of this fact, the brothers are not always able to be subdued and placed in the House of the Ravenous Souls. Many a brother has had to be put down while simply walking the halls of the fortress-monastery or battle barges. This curse also makes them almost completely resilient to the methods used by chaplains of other chapters to control their Death Company brothers. The House of the Ravenous Souls will take on missions not quite different from what would be expected of a Death Company in any other Chapter of the Blood. How they differ is that If their brothers do not fall in battle they are collected up and placed in stasis until needed again. The Chapter does not cull them. The Blood Wraiths hold onto a belief that the ravenous ones can eventually state their blood lust and there is a chance a brother may return to his sanity. This has never happened in the chapter's history but there have been those that have gained moments or periods of sanity.

By just looking at them, all the brothers of this chapter have developed solid black eyes and a corpse-like complexion. They are far from the near-perfect Angelic appearance of the Blood Angels and look more likely a sickly cross between Blood Angels and Night Lords. Their fangs grow to near canine length and their nails grow rapidly, thick, and long, turning into claws if not constantly trimmed. The marines always give off an appearance of being hungry, looking like a starving predator staring at a potential kill. As their blood boils before a conflict the marines of the Blood Wraiths begin to pace wildly often opening and closing their fists in an aggressive manner like a beast extending and retracting its claws before it pounces. When they do not drop directly into a fight but instead have time to move in on their target, they will remove their helmets for a moment taking the time to smell and taste the air. They absorb the scents of their potential prey, licking their lips and showing their fangs like a rabid dog. Once this is done they replace their helmets and begin their hunt. When an objective has been taken and lacking follow-on orders, many marines have or a tendency to stalk other potential enemies like wounded prey to pass the time. It is a rare occasion when a Blood Wraith is calm or stationary in a battlespace they are responsible for. The Lords of the Chapter encourage this behavior, it helps to sate the marines blood lust while also having the benefit of taking out enemy stragglers or tertiary objectives that were not in the original battle plan. The Blood Wraiths tend to employ incredibly open and flexible strategies to accommodate the predatory nature of their marines.

They have incorporated the secret and bloody rituals of the Chapter into their doctrines of battle, marines will often tear apart their enemies on the field of battle or indulge in bloody feasts to break the enemy’s morale and set panic in their ranks. In the wake of victory, the elegant forms of the Chapter's brothers haunt the field of battle, seeking out the finest among the fallen and feasting upon their flesh and blood. This to steal their enemy's power from them, absorbing their knowledge and skill and making it their own.

The Blood Wraiths now bare the genetic curse of both primogenitor chapters and while they await the day they will inevitably give into the flaw or await the battle where they will face their foreseen death, some marines in the middle of battle, receive sudden flashes of Sanguinius or the Curze’s death. The flashes are not common but when they do occur it can cause a moment of hesitation that may be lethal to them. On occasion a marine will fall into a “holy trance” in which they produced stigmata, copying the bane wounds of their progenitors. The marine emits an eerie dark aura. The marine will enter a combat trance and begin wading through his enemies, seemingly impervious to harm. When the trance ends the marine will collapse and the attacks that should have wounded him while in the trance will manifest wounds that are often fatal.

An unforeseen side effect of the chimeric nature of the Chapters gene-seed is a higher-than-average failure rate of potential aspirants. The chimeric nature of the Chapters gene-seed may have slowed the degeneration, and possibly stabilized it, something in its chimeric nature causes the Blood Wraiths to suffer from a higher-than-average failure rate of potential aspirants. Many recruits emerge from their transition mad or miss formed and must be put down immediately. Their gene-seed is harvested, and the process begins again. The sheer number of recruits the chapter goes through causes them to take a Blood Tithe of at least 100 males of suitable age from any world they commit to action to, they do not ask or demand, they simply take. This number can increase depending on the number of casualties inflicted on the Chapter in the conflict. This is also done to not overburden the population of their homeworld where they also conduct regular harvests for new initiates. Unlike many other Chapters, the Blood Wraiths have no ritual combat trials initiates must pass. Surviving the transformation proves enough to the Blood Wraiths.

## Notable Members

### Chapter Master Lazarus Kaine, the Immortal Son

#### The Story of the Immortal Son

It is believed that before the Long Night, Carpathia was once a fertile and active fringe outpost for the first empire of man in the stars. Ancient relics and signs of this long-forgotten past are littered across the landscape. Early in the Chapter’s existence circa 491 M. 32 the techmarines of the chapter discovered a weak but active energy signal deep in the Cantimir Mountains. Lazarus Kaine ordered an expedition be sent. Upon arriving the techmarines found rock debris covering the face of two large doors that appeared to be an entrance to some type of underground bunker. It took them weeks to finally excavate the site and manage to open the bunker. There was a single corridor lined with conduits that seemed to spiral downwards for several kilometers. When they reached the bottom, they found a singular large hall with thousands of cables leading to a large throne-like chair sitting in the middle of the room.

The techmarines noticed, from their studies and Mars, that the design of the throne was eerily similar in size and scale to the Golden Throne used by the Emperor Himself. Immediately the techmarines notified Chapter Master Lazarus Kaine of their findings. Without Kaine arrived at the scene and began to discuss with the techmarines what this newfound Archeo-tech could possibly be. They explain to Kaine what they saw and gave the only comparisons to a far more advanced version of the tutelary engines used to aid in implanting knowledge into marines as they develop. Kaine immediately ordered them to begin their investigation into the technology and ordered that no communications or discussions on this discovery be held outside of the techmarines conducting the investigation and his own personal advisors. After many long months they were able to access some of the historical data records within the machines operating systems. They noted that it was a cognitive enhancement device used for some form of ancient rite that allowed a person to transfer or share their knowledge and or access the accumulated knowledge within the countless data streams.

\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*Lazarus Kaine was incredibly young for chapter master. When he was selected, many of his peers thought that he was not ready. He was sometimes arrogant brash, quick-tempered, and even quicker to strike. He would often "use a hammer when a scalpel was all that was needed." But Kaine had a tactical and strategic knowledge unparalleled by his peers and many senior brothers believed his nature to act quickly was more to challenge his own ability to respond to his quick decision’s repercussions rather than any true malice or arrogance. Kaine's capability in martial prowess matched his martial knowledge. When he took over the chapter, he led the Blood Wraiths in much that same way, often diving headlong into a battle and making his decisions on the ground once the enemy was engaged, thus push his and his brothers' limits and forcing them to grow and adapt. Initially Kaine also highly encouraged his brother’s ferocity. \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*

After months of research were completed, the techmarines believe that they could bring the system back online. Kaine insisted that he be the test subject. He would not allow any of his other brothers to do anything he himself would not, nor if there would be some dark secret held within this machine, would he allow any other marine to potentially be exposed to whatever it may be. Kaine took the throne and the techmarines made all the necessary attachments to Kaine's body. The techmarines went through their prayers and rituals. Power was initiated and an eerie blue beam of light came from a port that opened above the throne. Kaine appeared to be in some pain but ordered the Tech-Marines not to abort the process. No matter how excruciating the pain was, he never screamed but the anguish was clear on his face. After ten minutes the machine cycled off on its own and the apparatuses affixed to him released. Kaine stood, walked a few steps, and then collapsed to the floor.

He remained unconscious for nearly seventy-six hours. A virtual lifetime to a marine when it comes to slumber. When Kane awoke the techmarines, Chief Librarian and Chaplain had many questions for him. Most of these inquiries he refused to or avoided the answer to. But he allowed the librarians and the chaplains to examine him. Once he cleared their examinations. Kaine gave several edicts.

First: Nobody but the senior techmarines, Chief Sanguinary Priest, the Chief Librarian, the Chief Chaplain, and himself were to know of the chamber and its contents existence.

Second: He ordered the Chapter’s fortress-monastery would be built atop of this bunker, and this new monastery would become the hub of the Chapter’s operations.

Third: He decreed that every year he would retreat to this chamber for a day and that if he should fall in battle his replacement must sit upon the throne and do the same as he did. The throne contained knowledge that anyone who was going to lead the chapter must-have.

Fourth: He decreed a new line of succession that all future Carrion Lords will be selected from his Dhampirs and by his Dhampirs if he does not leave a clear successor named.

What Kaine did not tell them is the machine not only stores knowledge but copies the consciousness of the user. The machine shared information and forgotten knowledge with Kaine but it also explained to him it once belonged to an ancient warlord from the time before the Long Night. His consciousness eroded over the millennia, but his knowledge did not. Therefore, it must be updated regularly. the machine had now copied Kaine's consciousness to use as its new imprint. Kaine had many new voices in his head and is probably only the superhuman conditioning of space marines and the eroded consciousness record of the original user that allowed him to gain back control of his own mind.

Kaine knew, however, that even though he had regained control, he was not the same man. Kaine became more measured. He was more resilient, stoic, and resolved. But his rage and anger were also more intense. Kaine saw this as potential immortality. He had always believed that it was only he that was going to ever be able to lead this chapter properly. A dark arrogance and he knew it, but an arrogance that while it could lead a lesser man to the temptations of the false gods, he was aware of it, tempered it, and believed it was a necessary arrogance. So it came to pass that every year, he would return to the throne room for a day. This continued until 234 M.33 when the first incarnation of Lazarus Kaine fell in battle.

### Masaccio Moreth (2nd Incarnation of Lazarus Kaine)

Kaine's first replacement was selected by the Council of Nine. Masaccio Moreth from the House of the Dead was the first successor to Kaine selected and as the new Chapter Master, he entered the throne and went through the process. Masaccio Moreth entered the chamber, but Lazarus Kaine returned. When he emerged from the room after sitting on the throne. Moreth in appearance only now turned his favored combi-bolter and power fist into the armamentarium. He ordered Kaine's weapons be brought to him. Kane was known for wielding. A great power claw from the era before the crusades and a glowing red power rapier known as the Vampire’s Bite (a gift from the Blood Angels Chapter Master upon Kaine's selection to lead the Blood Wraiths.)

Moreth carried himself no differently than Kaine predecessor. For all Kaine's memories, knowledge and mannerisms seemed to be there. While Moreth’s memories were as well, the things that made him Moreth seemed to no longer exist. He called marines that were close to Kaine by the names that he had called them. He spoke to them of conversations and memories that only the two would have shared. There was a great unease developing among some of the senior brothers within the chapter because of this. the council of the nine and the Chapter Advisors approached Moreth and asked him about his experiences. He replied to him that he was Moreth, but now he was also Kaine, that the knowledge and memories gained were critical to the chapter and its continued survival. He apologized for his over-familiarity with brothers he had not been familiar with before but Kaine's memories were so clear that he could see them as if they were he himself that had lived them. He understood the feelings of these brothers and with the council of the nine and the Chapter Advisors, he ordered the creation of a magnificent piece of artificer armor. That every chapter master of the Blood Wraiths would wear from then on. The helmet would carry the mask of the original Lazarus Kaine and the wielder would only ever remove the mask in the company of his closest advisors or in isolation. This way anybody that would investigate the face of the mask could see the face of Kaine and not the face of the wielder, removing all future issues tied to this transformation. He consoled the fears of his brothers because his knowledge now included some truths and insights into the Imperium and the Emperor of Man, and he claimed this gave him a strong connection to the soul of their father Sanguinius. While none of that was true because the throne came from a time before the primarchs and the emperor, it did serve to sate the unease of the senior brothers and garner their complete acceptance of this new rite of passage.

And thus, was born Lazarus Kaine the Immortal Son.

## Chapter Appearance

### Chapter Colours

Blood red torso and helmet with a black stripe. Black arms legs and backpacks.

### Unit Markings

The Blood Wraiths are non-*Codex* compliant even in their markings. Brothers do not wear unit or squad markings. They bear the mark of their house where the unit marking would typically go on the right shoulder pad.

#### Helmet Markings

Rank is delignated by helmet color:

* Red with black stripe: Battle-Brother

* Black with red stripe: Sergeant.

* Black with red stripe and a silver skull: Veteran Marine

* Black With red stripe and a gold skull: Lieutenant

* Captains typical wear artificer armor and bear a command sigil.

The exception to the non-*Codex* markings. Each House sends 12 Marines, 10 marines, and 2 specialists to serve in the Carrion Lords' personal strike force. It is a great honor to be selected. While serving the Carrion Lord they remove all House symbols and are put into mixed squads. These marines will wear the traditional *Codex* markings for unit type and squad they are in.

### Chapter Badge

The Blood Wraiths Chapter badge is a stylised silver coloured circle that forms a gaping maw with fangs with a black field inside the mouth and a single blood drop in the center of its mouth, centered upon a field of black.

## Relations

### Strained

* **Chapters of the Blood**: The Blood Wraiths have always been distant from the others of the blood for many reasons to include the gene-seed heresy they committed. Avoiding most contact. In late M.40 before the fracturing of the imperium of the Cicatrix Maledictum, Kaine sought out Dante over an incident involving Astorath the Grim.

Excerpt from the conversation:

Dante: Why do you deny Astorath the right to give Sanguinius peace to your afflicted brothers Lazarus?

Kaine: Are we that familiar, Dante, that you call me by a name my own brothers rarely use? Or do you presume your place as Chapter Master of the Blood Angels gives you rights and privileges over me?

Dante: That is not what was said nor intended and your hostility is unwarranted and unneeded.

Kaine: Yet Astorath sought to slay one of MY brothers! A soul in my charge and my keeping. Is this not a type of arrogance and exertion of a presumed power if not by you then by extension, him?

Dante: He was serving the will of Sanguinius and doing his duty.

Kaine: So now you all proclaim to know the will of our fallen father? No, I do not accept your narrative, or Astorath's. Keep your dog on his leash when it comes to my chapter, we will handle our brothers that are afflicted in accordance with OUR traditions and OUR ways, not yours. If I see his ship anywhere near my system or a battlespace we control, the next time I will not simply seek an audience with you to discuss his presence, the next time we will handle it in OUR ways.

Dante: You would threaten open conflict and fracture the brotherhood?

Kaine: I have always and will always do what is best for MY chapter Dante, not some idealistic belief in some failed bond between the other sons of Sanguinius.

This fracture led to the Blood Wraiths' refusal to respond to the Blood Angels' calls to defend Baal when they were assailed by Hive Fleet Leviathan. The Blood Wraiths do not see Baal as their spiritual home, nor do they hold the same reverence for their genetic father. While the Blood Wraiths gene-seed is officially chimeric in the M42 timeline they do still consider themselves Sons of Sanguinius and do not even acknowledge the other half of their chimeric seed.

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 White Scars Successors
 Space Wolves Successors
 Imperial Fists Successors
 Blood Angels Successors
 Iron Hands Successors
 Ultramarines Successors
 Salamanders Successors
 Raven Guard Successors
 Unknown Lineage

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