Iron Drakes

Iron Drakes armorial with Chapter iconography.

* Primaris
* Fireborne

"*The enemies may surround us, they may outnumber us and they may be blessed by their false gods, but there are still innocent people in this place. So follow me brothers and we will let the heretics burn!*"
—Elder Drake Helix
The **Iron Drakes** are a Loyalist Successor Chapter, which is known for their selflessness and for their absolute fearlessness in battle. They were allegedly derived from the heroic and brave lineage of the ancient Salamanders Chapter. They have a strong connection with humans and protect those that can't defend themselves. The Iron Drakes excel at the use of fire-based weaponry and close combat. In battle, they feel no fear and never run from the enemy until every innocent person is safe. The Chapter has a good connection with their Progenitors and proudly calls themselves "Sons of Vulkan".

Though the Iron Drakes' devotion and love for the Imperium's citizens exceeds even that of the Salamanders, they suffer from a curse-like condition. When suffering from this condition an Iron Drake poses a threat to everyone, except to other Astartes from his Chapter. So it sometimes happens that the civilians under the protection of the Iron Drakes fall victim to their own protectors. No cure has been found yet and so the Iron Drakes had to create their own ritualistic and sometimes questionable ways of combating this condition.

The Iron Drakes were originally supposed to be a bigger, faster and all round better version of the Salamanders. While their geneseed does make them physically larger than most other Astartes, the attempt to give them pain suppressing hormones backfired horribly. While the Iron Drakes can enter a stage of being in which they cannot feel any pain, it comes at the cost of their sanity. Fuelled by an uncontrollable bloodlust, they attack anything in sight and can only be stopped by death, as neither pain nor reason can restrain them.

## History

"*Whilst our brothers go out and seek war, we stay and protect those that cannot defend themselves. Our duty is the most important. Without us, the Imperium of Man would not see the light of another day.*"
—1st Drake Lord Nox to newly introduced Iron Drakes
### Founding

The actual founding of the Iron Drakes Chapter is shrouded in mystery, as neither date nor what actually happened is known. All that is known is that they were an attempt to create another compassionate and self-sacrificing Chapter, similar to the Salamanders. When looking at this aspect the Imperium certainly was successful with with the Iron Drakes. The Chapter was put under the command of a handful of respected and heroic Salamanders. Among these Salamanders were the two Astartes that would lead the Iron Drakes for its entire known existence, Bahamat and Helix.

### Unbreakable Will, Questionable Tactics

    It did not take the Iron Drakes long to join their fellow brothers in the fight against the Imperium's foes. Through their ferocity and unbreakable will they quickly earned the respect of many other chapters and showed their enemies that the people of the Imperium were no longer easy targets. However, because of their selflessness and willingness to die for mere humans, the Iron Drakes often disregarded given orders and cared little for tactics and strategic plans during the heat of battle. While the Iron Drakes surely had the potential to grow to become one of the strongest and most respected chapters of the Imperium, their own ideals and ideologies often led to defeat.

When working with other chapters, the Iron Drakes would often agree to the tactics and orders of their cousins, but in battle that mentality disappeared. When they would see civilians in need, the Drakes disregarded the discussed tactics and orders, in order to rush the civilians need. This often led to a rescue of the people, but also to a lost battle, as the Iron Drakes would leave their posts and become a missing link in a normally well-functioning chain. Because of this many chapters got into disagreements with the Drakes and lost their respect for the chapter. The Iron Drakes however remained ignorant and choose to not change their ideals and keep civilian safety a priority, no matter the circumstance.

### Alkamar

In the beginning the Iron Drakes had been a fleet-based Chapter. They travelled the galaxy helping were they could. They would not stay very long in one place, rather going were the fighting was the thickest. Their ultimate goal was still to protect the Imperium's citizens, but they acted almost like a crusading Chapter, similar to the Black Templars. The Iron Drakes however did not like this nomadic lifestyle and while 'crusading' through the galaxy secretly searched for a planet that could become their homeworld.

Alkamar had never sent out a call for help and that the Iron Drakes went there was pure coincidence. It was the 6th Chamber, known as the Sons of fire, that made landfall there. Several of their ships had been damaged and to repair them they made a stop in Alkamar's orbit. They had never planned on going down to the planet's surface, but the Chamber's Drake Lord himself saw something that intrigued him. At its north pole Alkamar seemed broken. Even from orbit one could see mountain ranges of volcanoes and rivers and seas of lava. It looked like an entrance to hell itself. So the Drake Lord traveled to the planet's surface, exploring the so-called land of fire, but what he found there surprised him even more.

He found a city, seemingly stuck in the middle-ages, at the foot of a massive volcano. Baffled at how such a nontechnical city could survive here, the Drake Lord decided to pay the inhabitants a visit. He expected to find at least some hostility, but he found none. Instead he was greeted by celebrations and cheers. Seemingly all of the city's inhabitants had gathered around him in awe and joy. He immediately was presented with gifts. Beautiful weapons and sculptures, whose master-craftsmanship could rival that of the Iron Drakes themselves. The Drake Lord was stunned and confused, but that did not halter the celebrations, as he was ushered to the city's palace. There he met the High King of the city and he explained everything to the Astartes.

There was a prophecy on Alkamar. Over ten thousand years ago similar men to the Drake Lord had visited Alkamar. They had similar dark skin, wore the same armour and wielded just as well-crafted weapons. They too had the symbol of a dragon on their shoulder. These men, no angels, had conquered Alkamar and led its people out of the dark tribal ages and into the golden age of smithing and forging. But these Angels eventually left Alkamar again, leaving only their teachings behind. And a prophecy, that one day they would return and rule over Alkamar once again. The High King told the Drake Lord that he may look like these ancient Angels, but he still had to prove that he was one. Those Angels had built forges deep withing the largest volcano of Alkamar. Only they could use them and for over ten thousand years no one could follow their footsteps. To prove that he was indeed such an Angel, the Drake Lord had to step into the forges and make a weapon, which only the Angels of old could do. Only the would Alkamar bend the knee.

Sensing that they may have finally found a home world, the entire Chapter's fleet gathered around Alkamar. In the end it was Bahamat who went into the volcano and entered the forge. For two weeks he stayed in the forges, crafting a blade that would erase an doubt about the Iron Drakes being such Angels. For two weeks the entire city and the High King waited patiently. Finally Bahamat appeared, wielding a blade that burned with a hot flame. As he walked through the city its inhabitants fell to their knees and so did the High King, offering his crown to Bahamat. The Angels had returned to Alkamar and the Iron Drakes had finally found their home. Over the next hundred years Alkamar was introduced to imperial technology, allowing its inhabitants to leave their middle-ages like lifestyle behind and be more on par with other imperial worlds. Alkamar's people however did reject several aspects of imperial technology such as its weapons and armour, preferring to use their own instead.

### Reborn in Fire

After many gruelling battles, the Iron Drakes' numbers started to dwindle. Yet the chapter remained ignorant of its flaws and kept fighting in wars where they were clearly outmatched. More and more Drakes died in battle, sacrificing themselves, but the chapter could not replenish their ranks quickly enough. It came to the point where the chapter had lost over two-thirds of the Marines. Finally, they were forced to retreat to their homeworld were they stayed for over a century. In the eyes of many other chapters, the Iron Drakes were fierce warriors, yet stupid tacticians. They did not think in battle, they only threw their lives away for mere humans.
But in their own eyes, the Iron Drakes failed, because even after all their fighting and sacrifice innocent humans were still dying out there. The chapter started to grow again, but the re-igniting spark was missing. The burning fire within the Iron Drakes hearts was missing. It was then that the 3rd Drake Lord Ish'ran disappeared into the depth of Hephaestus, taking 50 other marines with him. They went into the Narakera Forges, which had been labeled too hot for usage. It was even forbidden for marines to use them. For over two months the Drake Lord and his men did not leave the forges. Many believed that they had died from the heat.

At the beginning of the third month, the gates to the Narakera Forges finally opened again. Drake Lord Ish'ran stepped out, followed by his now reforged, reborn marines. Master crafted weapons and armour, decorated by patches of chainmail all over their armour and helmets. These marines quickly became known as the first of the Fireborne. This reignited the blazing spirit of the Iron Drakes, as they eagerly rushed back into the ongoing wars, still selfless, but now far more coordinated and calculated.

### Fall of the Elder Drake

When reports of a surviving Behemoth Splinter Fleet called ‘Inferno’ reached the Iron Drakes, they did not hesitate to rush to the aid of the endangered planets’ inhabitants. The three planets simply known as the Dragon’s Lair were believed to be the Splinter Fleets’ next target. Six Companies were sent to protect the planets, with two more, the 4th and the 7th, joining them later on. Though the Iron Drakes travelled to the planets as quickly as possible, they did not reach their destination early enough. Once there, the Librarians noticed a strong disturbance within the Immaterium and guessed that the Splinter Fleet, which now had grown to the size of a small Hive Fleet, was soon to be arriving.

The Iron Drakes evacuated as many people as they could, with only an estimated 20% of the planets’ population remaining. Most other Chapters would probably have seen that as an acceptable sacrifice, but the Iron Drakes refused to leave those people behind. With the goal of saving those innocent people and maybe eradicating the small Hive Fleet they stood their ground awaiting the ever closer coming Tyranids. The Chapter fortified the remaining cities, with each planet being protected by two Companies. As the first waves of Tyranid made landfall, they were met with flames and swords, as uncountable xenos were cut down or turned to ash before the Iron Drakes' unbreakable lines.

But as unspeakable as their wills may have been, after days of battle even the Iron Drakes started to break. Each Astartes lost was a heavy blow and the endless swarm of Tyranids started to push the Marines back. Slowly one city after another fell, with all three planets’ only having one or two cities remaining in which the surviving Iron Drakes gathered to keep on fighting. While death seemed inevitable, leaving the remaining survivors of the cities alone to die was still not an option. The Iron Drakes would die before fleeing.

It was on one of these planets that the now legendary Akadesh Vel'roan led a small group of elite Chimeras on a seemingly hopeless rescue mission, as they tried to protect a small city that had not been completely evacuated yet. Facing the horrors of the endless xenos horde, the Chimeras faced their enemies with flames and fire. In the end only Akadesh remained and he also was ready to welcome death with a glorious grin, but death never came. Out of the burning skies the 4th and 7th Companies finally arrived, accompanied by a large Night Guard fleet.

The newly arrived Companies surprised the Tyranids, as they had not expected reinforcement to come. The surviving Iron Drakes rallied together in one last attempt to break the Tyranids. Fueled with new hope and energy the Astartes threw aside their flamers and threw themselves at the xenos with swords and hammers. The Elder Drake Bahamat led the charge on one of the three planets, engaging the Fleets Hive Tyrant in combat. The two legend worthy warriors battled for almost an entire day, before the Hive Tyrant finally cut down the Elder Drake, killing the mighty Astartes.

But before hope was finally completely lost for the Iron Drakes, two enraged Valedictors engaged the wounded Hive Tyrant in combat themselves. Their martial skills along with their psykic might managed to fell the mighty beast. Having lost their leader the hordes of Tyranids lost all sense of cohesion, transforming into nothing but rabid beasts. After another set of straining battles the Iron Drakes, with the help of the Night Guard, managed to push back the Hive Fleet. As the Tyranids retreated into the dark void, the Iron Drakes’ celebrations were cut short, as the body of their now dead Chapter Master was retrieved.

The Dragon’s Lair had been saved, although at the cost of more than half the Chapter. The 1st, 3rd and 8th Companies had almost completely been wiped out; the 2nd, 5th and 6th Companies had all lost half of their numbers. The Elder Drake’s body was brought back to Alkamar, his bones and armour displayed deep within the Chapters Monastery. After this battle Helix took over the mantle of Elder Drake, ready to carve out his own legendary story within the galaxy.

## Chapter Homeworld

Located in the Segmentum Pacificus, Alkamar acts as the homeworld of the Iron Drakes. The planet has similar living conditions to terra, yet has some major differences that changed the organisms living there drastically. The planet is almost twice as large and has a thicker, smaller atmosphere that is richer in oxygen and circulates around a red giant. In addition to that three moons orbit the planet. All these factors play a part in how the creatures and people inhabit the planet.

### Atmosphere

As with any other planet, the atmosphere shapes life on it drastically. Alkamar’s atmosphere is both thicker and smaller, comparatively to terra’s. Because of this smaller atmosphere one can witness a phenomenon all around the planet that normally only occurs at the poles. Commonly called by the locals ‘dance of the spirits’ or ‘river of the spirits’ the aurora borealis that can be seen from Alkamar, can happen anywhere on the planet. This is both because Alkamar’s sun is much larger than earth’s, having much larger storms and sending out far more and stronger solar winds. Because of this increase in particles, the auroras that take place above Alkamar are far larger, more breathtaking and imposing than earth’s. The reason why these auroras can be seen from everywhere and not only at the poles is because Alkamar’s atmosphere relative to its size is far smaller than earth’s. The atmospheric dip around the poles is far smaller and weaker, and so the solar winds are not steered towards these poles. Rather they hit the atmosphere without being steered from their path too far and because of the small atmosphere these dancing lights can be observed from everywhere.

Alkamar’s atmosphere also differs from earth’s in its composition. The atmosphere here is richer in oxygen, which makes up around 59%. Carbon Dioxide is the second most common chemical compound in the atmosphere, with around 23%. The other 18% are mostly made out of inert gases and other chemical substances.

One major reason for this high quantity of oxygen is the unusually high level of photosynthesis that takes place on Alkamar. This happens, not because the planet has massive rainforest or other land-flora, but because of the massive and unimaginable high amount of algae found in the oceans. Entire continent sized parts of the ocean sometimes turn to a lush green, because the currents carried so much algae to one spot. More than a fifth of the oceans’ entire weight is believed to be algae. This incredible high amount of algae undergoes constant photosynthesis and with a larger and stronger sun acting as a catalyst to the reaction, far more oxygen is produced than normal. This high amount of algae is thanks to a rare mineral found on Alkamar, called Paradium. Though not known why yet, Paradigm seems to act as a catalyst for algae growth and a high amount of Paradium has been found in Alkamar’s ocean, probably resulting in the high amount of algae.

### Three Moons

The large oceans covering major parts of Alkamar are a dangerous place for any living thing, due to its unpredictable and extremely strong tides. Relative to the planet’s size the moons are not much larger than earth’s moon, however they all orbit Alkamar much closer, making their effect on the planet much stronger. The tides on Alkamar are much stronger and more sudden than on earth. The moons orbit the planet much faster resulting in the sudden and stronger tides. Unlike on earth these tides can not be predicted due to the fact that the three moons orbit the planet on different trajectories and at different speeds. When two moons cross each other the following tide will be even stronger, more devastating and often results in massive and deadly storms. The waves from these storms can flood entire islands and entire tribes of native people have been whipped out by one single storm in the past. In several mythologies around the planet the world will end once all three moons cross each other at the same time and the following storm will end all life on Alkamar.

### Geography

Most of the planet’s surface is covered by ocean. The massive body of water is divided into three major oceans, with the largest and strongest currents acting as borders. The largest ocean is the Bextara Ocean. Both the largest by surface and quantity of water, the Bextara Ocean houses no landmass over the water’s surface. No island currently exists here. It is also here where the most algae is accumulated, resulting in an unimaginably complex and rich ecosystem. The amount of life found in this ocean is almost unprecedented. Because of the high amount of oxygen here, life flourishes. Bakterie, shrimps and plankton lay the groundworks for the ecosystem, followed by massive swarms of fish-like creatures. Even though it is an open ocean, it resembles more a coral reef. Because of this abundance of life, oceanic megafauna have evolved to thrive here. Massive whale-sized animals call this ocean home, feeding on the endless swarms of smaller creatures. The other two oceans are the Poctera and the Olranda Ocean. Similar in orbital appearance, these are the two oceans bordering the planet’s only continent. Still rich in life, these oceans house a vast number of tropical islands. Covered in rainforests and seemingly idyllic beaches these islands are not the largest in size, the largest being the size of the large city, but they are endless in numbers.

The only continent of the planet is known as Barakash. Located north of the equator almost the entirety of the continent is covered by a dry savanna which at some spots merges into a desert. Wast rocky landscapes littered with canyons of small and large size cover the land here. While water is not non existent it is quite rare, except for at the southern tip of Barakash. There a wet and humid swamp like rainforest create a living space for a vast variety of fauna.

Known as the land of fire, Evraesh is a geographic anomaly created through relatively tiny and fast moving tectonic plates. Unprecedentedly high volcanic activity, along with rivers and lakes of pure lava make for a landscape that should be uninhabitable. However, because of highly nutritious minerals even this hellish landscape is home to a surprisingly high amount of life, even having a city at the foot of one of its volcanoes.

Thousands of years before the arrival of the Iron Drakes Alkamar suffered a global catastrophe when over a dozen massive meteors hit the planet in a very short time span. Over half of these meteors hit the surface in a very localised area close to the north pole of Alkamar, resulting in them destroying the tectonic plate of the area. This plate was split into dozens of smaller plates, which to this day move incredibly fast around each other. As a result of the rapid tectonic movement uncountable volcanoes were created, all being highly active and dangerous.

Beside the volcanoes, rivers and entire lakes of lava emerged from the ground. With barely any natural water sources around, visitors often have the feeling that indeed Evraesh is indeed the gate to hell where lava takes the place of water. A ring of frozen lava has formed around Evraesh, where the molten rock had hit the cold water of the northern ocean.

Still this landscape houses many different life forms that have managed to extract the many nutrients in the lava and rocks themselves of Evraesh. Over a dozen minerals found within Evraesh have shown highly nutritious properties. As a result many life forms here have found a way of extracting them from the solid rock or the molten lava. The streams of lava have been proven to be a surprising source of life for those that know how to use it.

### Culture

As it is with most planets, Alkamar's inhabitants cannot be classified under one big culture. Instead there are different kind of peoples all over the planet. Nomadic tribes of fishermen travel the seas in small to large fleets of ships. These people, with light brown skin are known as the Sidoak. While there are different fleets of ships, these fleets act more as cities, as they are still regarded as one people. They are peaceful, with only one registered battle in recorded Alkamarian history. Many who see them describe them as stuck in the middle-ages, using wooden boats and simple nets to survive, refusing the Imperium's technology as a whole. Since they are peaceful the Imperium has let them live their lives without interfering.

A second culture found on Alkamar, called Qopu, is far more secluded and mysterious. The Qopu are a warrior tribe that inhabit the tropical islands of the Poctera Ocean. Stuck even further back in time, probably between the stone and bronze age, these warriors avoid contact with other civilisations and the Imperium all together. Any contact with them ends in bloodshed. As a result they are left alone, to wander the countless islands of Alkamar.

If one speaks of Alkamar's people one speaks of the Sahitu people. These are the people that inhabit Evraesh and the north of Barakash. These are the people that have the closest, almost brotherhood-like, bond with the Iron Drakes. During the Great Crusade the Salamanders made contact with these people, teaching them the art of smithing. Ten thousand years later, still remembering the tales of the great Forgemasters that dragged them out of the dark ages, they revere the Iron Drakes as the descendants of these Forgemasters and thus as their Lords and Rulers. The Sahitu follow the Promethean Cult similarly to the Iron Drakes, valuing self-sacrifice and helping the weak above all. Besides being a smithing culture, the Sahitu are also a warrior culture. Men and sometimes women as well are trained from a young age to not only create but also use weapons. Barely any other normal humans understand melee weapons as well as they do and even fewer have mastered the way of combat like they. While no longer stuck in the middle-ages, as they accepted the Imperium's technology with bowed heads, their weapons and armour remain untouched by the Imperium. In battle a man should win by his skill and gear and if his gear was not made by himself, he should not wear it. So armour and weapons are still forged in the old ways of the first Forgemasters, while their cities and other equipment are of the highest standard the Imperium can offer. Of the many languages spoken on Alkamar, the Iron Drakes leanred their's, Foktali.

### Fortress-Monastery

The fortress-monastery known as 'Hephaestus' is located within a volcanic island, which has the same name as the monastery. The volcano is highly active and has a prominence of over 10.000 meters. The entrance of 'Hephaestus' is at a height of 8.000 meters. It is made of pure obsidian. The rest of the monastery is within the mountain itself.

### Forges of Hell

Deep within the volcano of Hephaestus, far below the Fortress Monastery, lie the Narakera Forges or translated, Forges of Hell. These beautifully decorated forges lie so deep within the volcano that most humans would die immediately and even Astartes would feel their consciousness slipping away. The walls of these forges are decorated with depictions of great battles held by the Salamanders and Iron Drakes, engraved into the stone of the mountain.

It is down here that one of the most gruelling and brutal rituals of the Iron Drakes takes place, the Trial of the everlasting flame, where Marines can ascend to the rank of Chimera, also known as Fireborn.

## Chapter Organisation

### Officer Ranks

* ***Elder Drake*** - Chapter Master
* ***Drake Lords*** - Captains
* ***Hydras*** - Lieutenant

### Specialist Ranks

* ***High Basilisk*** - Chief Librarian
* ***Basilisk*** - Librarian
* **Apothecary** - Apothecaries are held in high regards among the Iron Drakes. Healing and helping the wounded is seen as one of the purest and best deeds an Iron Drake can carry out. While the Apothecaries of the Iron Drakes fulfil their duties in combat like any other Apothecary, their duty extends further than just during combat. Iron Drakes are often stationed on a planet for such a long time that they often become part of the planet's society. During this time the Apothecaries often tend to the weak and wounded inhabitants of the planet and even tend to open medical schools. In these schools the Apothecaries teach hundreds of imperial civilians how to heal the wounded. Schools like these are often active even centuries after the Apothecaries themselves leave, as their teachings are taught to the next generations. Due to their habits of tending to the weak of a population they grow the strongest bonds with the inhabitants of a planet. They are often praised and loved the most by the people for their help and kindheartedness and are sometimes even worshipped as the true angels of the Emperor.
* **Techmarines**

### Line Ranks

* ***Lords of the Flame*** - Sergeant
* ***Fire-Drakes*** - Agressors
* ***Great Drakes*** - Terminators
* ***Brother of the Flame*** - Battle-Brothers
* ***Scout Marines***

### Specialist Formations

* ***Fireborne*** - Also known as Chimeras, these skilled combatants are the elite within the Iron Drakes. When a Brother of the Flame shows remarkable martial prowess and extraordinary ferocity in combat, they are given a chance to ascend to the rank of Fireborne. They must undergo the Trial of the everlasting flame, where they have to resist the deadly heat of the Narakera Forges while forging the weapons they themselves will use in combat. In combat they form the first line of defence, giving their brothers time to save any remaining civilians. They often use flamer-based weapons, but once their enemy passes the fire, the Fireborne will face them with incredible ferocity in melee combat. They are recognisable by the many patches of chainmail and dragon-like skin on their armour, which they also use as "masks".

* ***Blades of Flame -*** There is no greater honour for an Iron Drake than to fight alongside the legendary Elder Drake Helix. That honour belongs to a select few Marines, the ten most elite Bladeguard Veterans of the Chapter. These fighters are handpicked by the Elder Drake himself and accompany him everywhere he goes. However, these Astartes do not act as bodyguards for the Elder Drake, instead, they travel with him to truly turn the tides of the battles in which the Elder Drake fights. Mighty as he may be, Elder Drake Helix is only one man, but with ten more on his side, his impact on the battle grows.

* ***Valedictors -*** Considered the most powerful warriors to stem from the Iron Drakes, the Valedictors are the perfect combination of Chimeras and Basilisks. When a neophyte showcases psychic prowess but exceeds all of his peers by lightyears in physical combat, they are chosen to become Valedictors. Trained by the Chapter’s Chimeras in both combat and the mastery of the forge, and trained by the Basilisks in the way of the Immateruem, they blend their powers together to become some of the deadliest marines alive. They are far superior in combat than most other Astartes psykers, often matching the close combat elite of other Chapters, but are still in possession of those psychic powers. Once a Valedictor has finished his training he not only is one of the Chapter's most skilled fighters, but also one of the most powerful psykers.

* ***Aegis Guard -*** Often referred to as the True Dragons among the Iron Drakes, these airborne Astartes are some of the most fearless and reckless warriors the Chapter had to offer. Using their jumpbacks the Aegis Guard crash into the enemy's ranks from the skies to create disorder and confusion. They try to cause as much damage in a short time span as possible, before taking to the skies again. Using this hit and run tactic they can minimise casualties among their own ranks, whilst killing a large number if enemies with each attack. As it is often the case with Iron Drakes, the Aegis Guard specialise in close combat. While they are technically permitted to wield any weapon they want, it is the norm for them to fight with a power-spear of their own making. To avoid incoming ranged attacks while dropping down from the skies, the Aegis Guard also wields beautiful, mastercrafted shields, which to this day gave never been reported to gave broken.

### Chapter Titles

* ***Master of Fire -*** This title belongs to second in command of the Chapter, generally reserved for the 1st Captain. When the Elder Drake is absent the Master of Fire is the highest voice of authority and will also act as the regent of Alkamar. Generally speaking the Master of Fire occupies the role of Master of the Keep.
* ***Master of Beasts -*** The Master of Beasts is tasked with studying and subsequently taking down any *monsters* or *beasts* the enemy might possess. Possessing the knowledge of how to take down Greater demons, Carnifxes, Squiggoths etc. are all duties of the Master of Beasts.
* ***Master of Smiths -*** Generally reserved for the greatest smith of the Chapter, the Master of Smiths is tasked with overseeing the Chapter's forges and weapon creation. He is responsible for the creation of more weapons and maintenance of the forges. Alongside those duties he oversees the Chapter's most sacred and important relics.
* ***Master of Blades -*** While the Master of Smiths is responsible for the creation of new weapons, the already created weaponry is the responsibility of the Master of Blades. The entirety of the Chapter's armoury is controlled and overseen by this Marine.
* ***Master of the Skies -*** The Master of the Skies has command over the entirety of the Chapter's airborne Marines.
* ***Master of Oaths -*** The Master of Oaths his tasked with overseeing and maintaining relationships with other Chapters. Any oaths, promises and debts are checked and controlled by this Marine. His duty is to communicate with other Astartes, making allies and knowing who not to trust.

## Combat Doctrine

The ultimate goal for the Iron Drakes in battle is to keep the civilians under their protection out of harms way. Their first and in some cases only priority are those they are tasked to protect. No other Chapter exceeds the Iron Drakes in selflessness, with only other Sons of Vulkan maybe matching them. The Iron Drakes fight to safeguard and protect, not to conquer and or gain glory.

The Iron Drakes excel at close combat and fire-based combat. They do use bolters, but that is only to prevent putting civilians in danger. They normally try to burn their enemies with flamers or melt them with Hellblasters. But trying to fight through the flames is a big mistake. On the other side Power- and Chain-swords await the enemies. Deadly in close quarters, Iron Drakes excel in one-on-one combat. Even without any weapons, the Drakes are formidable foes, as they are bigger and physically stronger than even most other Astartes.

Similarly to their parent chapter the Iron Drakes are master at fire-based warfare. They understand and can use fire like a weapon like almost no other, being able to drown their foes in waves of deadly flames. As they posses flamer weapons of the highest quality the power of their weapons are deadly on their own, but wielded by the masterful hands of the Iron Drakes, these flames become death itself.

While the Iron Drakes do in fact rely heavily on their flamer-based tactics, these deadly flames can come at a disadvantage when defending the Imperium's citizens. While the Iron Drakes' battles are often fought away from those they protect, it can happen that the fighting takes place in immediate proximity to normal humans. As flamer weapons could backfire at the Iron Drakes, in these cases they use normal bolters rifles. This way they can minimize collateral damage while still being effective at range.

On top of that the Iron Drakes pride themselves in their prowess in close combat. Having been trained in the arts of combat since a young age, Iron Drakes are masters of the blade before even being recruited by the Chapter. Their skills and expertise in combat, combined with their incredible physical strength, that surpasses even that of most other Astartes, makes them some of the most respected close combat fighters among the Space Marines.

Another reason for their success in melee battle, is their superior understanding of weapons. Having crafted their own weapons and being smiths of the highest level, they understand the properties and characteristics of weapons more than others. The more one knows about something the more one can increase its efficiency. The Iron Drakes simply understand better how their weapon works and have the skill to implement it.

However, calling them a perfect or superior Chapter is far from the truth. While the fighting skills of a single Iron Drake might be above that of a standard Marine, their tactical awareness is below that of most other Chapters. The Iron Drakes are an emotional and impulsive Chapter, very often disregarding tactics, better judgement or even direct orders. Their very own Chapter Master embodies this very aspect of the Chapter perfectly, as he is a deadly and respected warrior, but a terrible and looked down upon tactician. While the Iron Drakes are not dumb per se, in battle their emotions have the upper-hand over their logical mind. Even out of battle, the Iron Drakes, with a couple exceptions such as the 1st Drake Lord, care little for tactics and train very little in that regard.

## Chapter Equipment

### Armour

Being sons of Vulkan the Iron Drakes pride themselves in their mastery of the forge. To become an Iron Drake one must first craft one's own armour. Of course this is not the armour the Marine will then wear in combat. For that they spend months after their transformation in the forges of Alkamar, crafting their own masterful armour. Guided by the techmarines of the Chapter, who give the final touches of technology to the armour, the Astartes will forge with upmost care that which will keep him alive in combat. Because of this their armour and equipment are regarded as some of the best among the Imperium, believed to be just as masterfully crafted as the ones of the Salamanders.

Decorations are not uncommon, but even among the Chambers how the Iron Drakes decorate their armour is quite diverse. The 5th Chamber for example specialises in hunting down the largest and most dangerous monsters in battle, which is why they often decorate their armour with trophies such as skulls. The 9th Chamber on the other hand is known for their artistry and love for beauty. Their armour is known to be the most beautiful and awe-inspiring of the entire Chapter. The best and most masterfully crafted armour, outside of the Drake Lords, belong to the Chimeras and Valedictors. Regarded as the best smiths of the Chapter, their armour is the pinnacle of efficiency and beauty. While the Chimera tend to have a more intimidating and monstrous tone to their armament, the Valedictors are famed for their artistic and angelic armour. Their love for the arts has driven them to create not only the most powerful and unbreakable armour, but also the visually most impressive ones.

### Weapons

The Iron Drakes are known and feared for several things, but in particular for their prowess in close combat. They can match even the most feared Chapters in close quarters and love a real challenge. But skills and power are not the only important factors in a fight. The weapon is just as important as the wielder and the Iron Drakes pride themselves in the quality of their weapons. Just as they do with their armour, an Iron Drake will spend months crafting the perfect weapon for war. Be it an axe, a sword or a hammer, these weapons are of the highest quality, crafted to perfection by its bearer. Not only are these weapons some of the deadliest a Marine can wield, they also have the same touch of artistry as the armour does. Beautiful decorations are often carved into the weapon, almost resembling paintings. Lost weapons of Iron Drakes are often sold on the black market for an unimaginable high price, not for their deadliness or efficiency, but for their beauty, as they make a beautiful piece for any personal collection or museum.

Because of their specialisation in melee combat, ranged warfare has taken a bit of a back seat for the Iron Drakes. They do not completely resent it like other Chapters and do sometimes find great use in it, but it is not what they specialise in. Bolters are rarely used, Hellblasters are fare more common among the ranks of Iron Drakes. The most common ranged weapon, though it is far more commonly used in close quarters as well, is the flamer. Most Iron Drakes carry their own flamer into combat with them. Be it a hand-flamer or a heavy flamer, most Iron Drakes have something with them, with which they can burn their enemies to ash.

    The Drake's Fang mandatory piece of equipment for the Iron Drakes, without which they are not allowed to engage in combat, is a large knife, once again forged by the Marine themselves. The blade is simple. It is not a power-weapon or mechanically enhanced, just a normal knife. It is however regarded as one of the sharpest weapons without enhancement one could possibly create. These blades often have decorations of dragons in them. They are used by the Marine when they feel themselves fall to the Drake's Fury and the Marine has to kill himself to save civilians from himself.

## Chapter Gene-Seed

The gene-seed of the Iron Drakes replicates one of their forefathers in many ways. The dark skin, though the Iron Drakes' skin tone tends to be a tad bit lighter, and the red, glowing eyes. A slight mutation increases the growth hormone in their body so that they become slightly taller and bigger than their forefathers, placing them among the physically biggest Astartes in existence. However, the Iron Drakes do suffer from several drawbacks, more so than the Salamanders. For one they suffer from the same Curse, given to them by their Primarch. The *Unyielding* is almost the same with the Iron Drakes as with their forefathers. In addition, the Iron Drakes suffer from a condition which makes them loose all control and become bloodthirsty and primal, similar to the Blood Angels and their Black Rage. Because of this, the Inquisition believed their gene-seed to be chimeric. However, it was later discovered that unlike the Black Rage, which is a psychic imprint, the Drakes Fury is a hormonal effect.

### The Drake's Fury

"*You think you know fear? I say you've seen Angels of Death rip apart their foes. But have you ever seen the Drakes Fury? That will put fear in your heart.*"
— Unknown
This happens very rarely and only in close combat. When consumed by too much rage and anger, an Iron Drake may succumb to The Drakes Fury. The Iron Drake goes into a kind of frenzy in which he kills everything close to him. While in this frenzy, he feels no fear, no remorse no pain and does not think at all. This ends often in the death of the Iron Drake because he attacked something far too dangerous. The only thing he won't attack is other Iron Drakes. But the civilians under his protection aren't so lucky. That is why Iron Drakes never act alone. To prevent casualties of innocent people.

In the unlikely event of a Marine surviving the Drake's Fury, he recovers after several days. The rage and bloodlust eventually disappear. It takes a heavy toll on the Marine's mind and body. After a few weeks, the Marine is allowed back in the field. These Marines are known as "*Shaheed"* or Reborn.

As an Iron Drake is consumed by this rage, his blood heats up to a degree that would be lethal for even most other Astartes, almost boiling in the Marines body. An effect of this is that other organs heat up as well, such as the Marines's airway. As a consequence, their breath becomes unnaturally hot. Visually this can be seen in a small cloud of hot air, every time the Marine breathes out. The few civilians that have seen the Drakes Fury and survived it, describe it as if the Iron Drake turned into an actual dragon.

The Drakes Fury is put into motion by a hormone, that exclusively the Iron Drakes possess. This hormone is called *Komismos Draconin.* It is poured into the bloodstream of the Marine, as soon as he smells or tastes his own blood. If the hormone reaches the brain and is not combated, the effects of the Drakes Fury take place. As a countermeasure, the Iron Drake's gene-seed comes with a second kind of hormone, called *Tis Thalamon.* This hormone combats the *Komismos Draconin* and the following chemical reaction prevents the Drakes Fury from taking place. However, if the *Komismos Draconin* comes into contact with adrenaline, the chemical reaction creates a new substance, known as *Ira Draconis.* If the quantity is high enough, this substance is indeed potent enough to overpower the *Tis Thalamon.* This happens extremely rarely, but when it does, the Drakes Fury takes over.

## Chapter Culture

"*In the darkest hour, when there seems to be no hope, we still remain and fight. We feel no fear of looking the enemy in the eye. No matter how many there are of them. We do not run and we do not cower. We stand and fight!*"
—Elder Drake Bahamat giving a speech
Civilian safety is the Iron Drakes' priority. Just like their Salamander forefathers, just to another extreme. This ideology of selflessness can lead to suicidal tendencies, where some Iron Drakes throw themselves at the enemy, even if they're just one single Marine facing a Greater Demon. They will not back down, even in cases where other Chapters might retreat. Their love for the imperial citizens sometimes leads to difficulties with other Chapters. If another Chapter plans to use civilians as tools for a greater plan, it will often lead to disagreements with the Iron Drakes, as they are willing to kill other loyal Astartes, as a means to protect civilians. That means, if another Chapter threatens to bring civilians in danger and is not backing off, the Iron Drakes will not hesitate to burn them to the ground.

Compared to many other Chapters, the Iron Drakes try to avoid battle at any cost. It is here where they differ the most from the Salamanders. The Iron Drakes try to find agreements with Xenos and other enemies, rather than attack them. This often happens with the T'au. The Chapter will often send one of its eldest members to negotiate with the opposing side. The Iron Drakes do this, while other Chapters would attack the enemy without a second doubt because the Iron Drakes' goal isn't to purge the enemy, it's to protect the civilians. If battle can be avoided and unnecessary deaths can be prevented, that is perfect for the Iron Drakes. But that also means that the enemies of the Imperium get away without being purged. This has led to many difficulties with the Inquisition, who believe the Iron Drakes are not fulfilling their task.

But the political tendencies of this Chapter don't only go to show with the Imperium's enemies, but also within the Imperium itself. Detachments of the Iron Drakes are often stationed on planets for a long time. This means the Marines get involved in a lot of debates that occur on the planets, mostly political debates. Because every Iron Drakes is trained in politics, the Marines often hold speeches and get involved in the politics of the planet. Very often the citizens of the planet tend to follow the Marines, as they are not only Astartes, they also are masters not only with weapons but also with words. It is this ability which makes the citizens trust the Drakes so much and why these Marines manage to keep the civilians somewhat calm, in a situation of distress.

From the moment a Neophyte becomes an Adeptus Astartes, they are trained in politics, calming down panicked civilians and evacuating a large number of people. These are all skill sets which are needed to keep the citizens of a planet safe at all times.

Another thing every Iron Drakes has to train for is meditation. Whilst other Chapters, such as the Blood Angels, might enter a bloodlust, which makes them far more savage and brutal, the Iron Drakes want to achieve the opposite. They want their Marines to stay calm and coolheaded, as the Iron Drakes have to protect civilians and evacuate entire cities in times of need. Having a savage berserker would not help, with keeping the refugees calm. The Iron Drakes, even the most experienced ones, do daily meditation, to be able to control their heartbeat and stay calm, in stressful situations. This allows every Marine to make rational decisions and calm down civilians.

### The struggle against the Drakes Fury

"*The fury that boils deep within us is a curse. It eats our mind and tenfolds our bloodlust. It turns even the most unbreakable wills into pure savagery.*"
—3rd Drake Lord Ish'ran describing the Drakes Fury
Another major reason why the Iron Drakes train meditation is to somewhat fight against the Drakes Fury. This gene-seed flaw is the worst thing that could happen to an Iron Drake on the battlefield, as the Marine could attack the people he is defending. Intense meditation training allows some Marines to fight against the Drakes Fury and stay in control. They manage this by controlling their heartbeat and not letting themselves be overwhelmed by their bloodlust. But this happens only rarely.

If an Iron Drake feels he is losing control and isn't in the company of a battle-brother, he has to kill himself. The Chapter trains their Marines in such extremes, that a Marine of this Chapter would rather kill himself than attack a refugee. Every Iron Drake carries a special knife, known as the *Drakes Fang,* which is used for this exact purpose. If a Marine knows he will be overwhelmed by bloodlust, he draws his knife and kills himself, in an honourable way. Within the Chapter it is considered even more honourable to kill oneself, than standing one's ground and fighting against overwhelming forces.

Even though drugs are forbidden amongst the Iron Drakes, there is one exception. The drug known as Blue Stardust is the only way known to stop the Drake's Fury on a chemical level. It comes from a mountainous death planet called Incras Maximus. Its only inhabitants are miners, that extract rare minerals from the unimaginably large mountains. Among the rarest minerals is a blue gem of name the Mountain's Heart. When it is crushed into a fine sand-like substance it becomes Blue Stardust, one of the most dangerous drugs in the galaxy. If a Marine were to take Blue Stardust without any precautions they would suffer dozens of horrifying hallucinations, which distract them from the immense pain they feel, as their brain melts away, killing them in the process.

However, Blue Stardust shows a peculiar chemical reaction when in contact with the hormone *Tis Thalamon.* The new substance is extremely potent and potentially harmful to the brain as well. But Iron Drakes still inject themselves with this drug, when they feel the Drakes Fury taking over. Because this new substance created in the Marines's bloodstream is the perfect counter for the substance known as *Ira Draconis.* If these two substances come into contact with each other, the following reaction turns them into a harmless, protein-like substance and thus the Drake's Fury is prevented. Blue Stardust, however, is only available to a select few Iron Drakes, as it is that rare and potent. Blue Stardust is injected into the Marines bloodstream manually, through small tubes that enter the body through the nose. If the Iron Drake feels himself losing control, he injects himself with the drug.

### Promethean Cult

The Iron Drakes follow the teachings of the Promethean Cult, as their founders were born and raised on Nocturne. They embody the cult's ideals of sacrifice and self-reliance like almost no other. Likewise, spiritual meditation and finding one self are also big parts of the Chapter's culture. Their belief in the cult deviates from the classical version however when it comes to revering the Emperor as a god. Just as the Iron Drakes follow the Promethean Cult, they also follow the Imperial Truth. For them the Emperor is the ruler of mankind, a man, whose ideals are even sometimes questioned and discussed by the Iron Drakes. He is no god, but a leader for them.

### Duels of the Dancing Blades

The Duels of the Dancing Blades are a martial tradition between the Iron Drakes and Sable Lions Chapters, going back to the very first time the two Chapters met. The exact reason for these duels is unknown, however it is commonly believed that the Sable Lions and the Iron Drakes fought side by side in a joint battle. The battle was won, however ideologies clashed. While the Iron Drakes did not mind the brutality of the Sable Lions, they heavily disagreed on their view of imperial citizens and the Lions’ ignorance of politics and negotiations. The Sable Lions on their end claimed that the Iron Drakes were soft-hearted because of their heavy usage of such negotiations and general avoidance of combat. With a certain arrogance and stubbornness on both sides the discussions were close to escalating.

To avoid outright carnage between the Chapters, the leader of the Iron Drakes decided to call out the best fighter of the Sable Lions. He challenged him to a duel between two champions. The Sable Lions’ champion was quickly chosen and the two fighters engaged in combat. To this day both Chapters claim that their champion had won the duel, but no official reports exist about the outcome of the duel. What is known, is that it was a duel of the highest level, with both champion showing unbelievable skill and ferocity. Though not official, it is believed that the duel went to the death, as no one beliefs either of the two combatants would yield.

Since that day every time the Iron Drakes and the Sable Lions meet two champions are chosen to fight until one surrenders or dies. Because of the unhealthy pride in both Chapters and their refusal to admit defeat and surrender the outcome of the duels are often death. The winner of the duel can then claim the weapon of the loser as a trophy or token. All stories that exist about the Duels of the Dancing Blades tell of battles that would make the fighter’s primogenitors proud. Tales of glorious victories and legendary killing blows are common discussions within the dining halls of the two Chapters. Over the centuries this rivalry has only grown stronger, resulting in a clear incapability of the two Chapters working together. Even when duels are not possible taunts and even insults are not uncommon when these Marines interact.

## Basilisks

"*The most dangerous weapon in this world, is not an immortal body or a bomb that can destroy an entire planet. It is our mind. A mind that cannot break. A mind that cannot be persuaded by even the most charming dreams. A mind that destroys the opponents from within. Be it by persuading them into submission or by melting their brains.*"
—Common Basilisk saying
The equivalent to Librarians, Basilisks are highly respected within the Iron Drakes, more so than in most other Chapters. Having a truly unbreakable will is what all Iron Drakes try to achieve and no one has trained their will as extremely as the Basilisks. Basilisks rarely see combat, as they are stationed far behind the front lines. Their main objective is to keep the civilians under control. Because of their psychic prowess, their word usually persuades the masses of people better than those of normal Marines. Furthermore, they make for a deadly last line of defence. If negotiations with opposing forces are possible, the Iron Drakes send their Basilisks, as they are the most trained in politics and are far greater orators than most of their brothers.

Among the ranks of Basilisks, the drug known as Blue Stardust finds another usage. But these Marines do not use the drug on the battlefield, instead, they inject themselves with the potentially deadly drug in meditation chambers. During battle, the Iron Drakes take the pure form of Blue Stardust. For the Basilisks this would be deadly, as they are lacking the hormones to combat the drug during meditation. Instead, they use a watered-down version of Blue Stardust, which is actually far more common than its pure form. Once injected with the drug, the Basilisks undergo a series of hallucinations, though none of them are deadly. The goal of the Basilisks now is to will themselves out of the effects of the drug. This is used to train the mind of a Basilisk against the corrupting touches of chaos, to fight against the visions given by the warp. Excessive consumption of Blue Stardust leaves physical traces on the Marines's body. Appearing out of their normally completely red eyes, are small blue pupils.

* ***Hellish Aura -*** Probably the deadliest and most feared ability of the Basilisks, the Hellish Aura is an ability that quite simply allows the Basilisks to increase the temperature around them. They can raise the temperature in their vicinity to a deadly level, at which even Astartes risk to die from the heat. Metal melting, skin burning of flesh and blood literally boiling in veins are all effects of the increased heat. The Basilisk himself is not affected by this heat.

* ***Petrifying Gaze*** - One of the powers that give the Basilisks their name, is their famed gaze, which can freeze the muscles of another person or Marine. There is no eye contact required, only that Basilisks can see his victim. This power allows the Basilisks to render their opponent completely motionless. In this state, the victim often resembles a statue, as the person is frozen mid-motion. The Basilisks can amplify this ability, sending out a psychic wave that can freeze multiple victims at once. However, when sending out such a wave, the Basilisks cannot control who exactly they freeze. Everyone hit by this wave is stopped, foe and friend alike.

* **Perfected heat-vision** - Like any other heat-vision, one of the Basilisks can detect body heat. However, the vision that the Basilisks possess is considered perfect. They can see body heat even through barriers such as thick armour and even through walls. This vision is so precise it can even distinguish the individual organs within other creature's body, which gives them an insight into the anatomical structure and into the health of their opponents. While all Iron Drakes, similarly to their parent Chapter, posses some sort of heat-vision, it is no where near as evolved and strong as that of the Basilisks.

## Chapter Recruitment

Like most other Chapters the Iron Drakes recruit almost exclusively from their homeworld Alkamar. All of the Chapter's recruits come from the north, from the Sahitu people where blacksmithing and fighting is taught at a very young age. Because of this most recruits already know the art of forging weapons and armour before they are ever even considered for recruitment. In addition to that the Iron Drakes as a Chapter have much closer and stronger bonds with the Sahitu people of Alkamar than with the rest of the planet's population. For Sahitu parents it is a great honour to have their son chosen as a recruit for the Iron Drakes, as having one's son become a true descendant of the Forgemasters of old will bring fame and respect to the family's name.

### The Forging

One of the most important aspects of the Iron Drakes is not only to be brave beyond sanity or selfless to suicide but also to respect the traditions of the forefathers. Every Iron Drake has forged their own armour and weapon of choice. Before the actual trails begin, a recruit must descend down into the highest forges of Hephaestus. There, in suffocating heat, they must forge their own armour and weapon. They are given a time span of a week before they are collected out of the forges. For a week the boys must resist temperatures that are too uncomfortable to sleep, handling metal too hot to be touched by naked skin. Not only does this test the boy's mental strength, to resist the heat, but also tests the boy's natural ability to create armour and weapon out of pieces of metal.

### The Long Night

After having forged their own armour and weapons, the boys are brought to the outskirts of the jungles of Alkamar. These jungles are extremely deadly, with poisonous predatory plants and ferocious apex predators lurking behind every tree. The boys are deployed in groups of twelve. Their task is simple, they have to survive for the night. They have to avoid or fight against the perils of the forest, be it against flesh-eating hippopotamus or bloodsucking trees. However, they do not have to fight alone. In fact, they are supposed to fight in groups, to risk their lives for their comrades if need be. Selflessness is rewarded more than just surviving. Not only does this test their teamwork and willingness to sacrifice themselves for others, but also their bravery, to stand with their brothers, instead of running away.

### The Brawl

Without knowing it, two groups of recruits are put into a fighting pit against each other. The only thing they are told is that the one that beats the most opponents unconscious wins. Then the gates are opened and the young men rush each other. The battle is closely studied by the Marines, not only to see which of the recruits is the best fighter but also who is the most selfless. If a recruit, rather than fight for his own glory, decides to protect a weaker and more beaten comrade, he will be more interesting for the Chapter than the actual winner.

## Notable Iron Drakes

* **Bahamat, First Elder Drake** - Bahamat was the first Elder Drake of the Iron Drakes. Unlike Helix he was known for his martial prowess and tactical mind, something quite rare among the Iron Drakes. A mentor the Helix, Bahamat, like his pupil, was originally a Nocturne born Salamander, who as eventually entrusted with the leading the Iron Drakes. Besides being a deadly fighter and a great general, he was known for his impressive skills as a politician. Though not incredibly kind-hearted and down to earth as Helix was, Bahamat had a way with words that allowed him to sway and calm down a planets populous, making them easier to evacuate and protect. His wisdom and skills with words made him a unique, but very respected leader for the Chapter. It was he who crafted the legendary blade known as the Sword of the Elder Drake, which made the citizens bow down before him and declare him High King of Alkamar.

* **Helix, the Elder Drake**- Helix is the current Chapter Master of the Iron Drakes and a living Avatar of the Chapter’s ideals. Wise, kind and compassionate, while also being merciless, stalwart and deadly. He is the oldest living member of the Chapter, having accumulated centuries worth of experience and wisdom. To the Imperium’s citizens Helix is known as a uniquely kind Astartes, caring for the needs of the weaker populus and showing kindness to those around him. The Elder Drake not only spends a high amount of time with the populus of his homeworld Alkamar, but also with that of each planet he visits. He does this to better understand and subsequently cooperate with and protect those citizens. While a mighty warrior, it is common knowledge that Helix would not hesitate to give his life for a mere beggar, something many other Astartes believe to be a weakness, something that could be exploited. However in combat it is as if Helix was a completely different person. The Elder Drake is the Chapter’s best duelist by a land-mile, having honed his skills for centuries, accompanied by the simple fact that Helix knows and understands his weapon and how to use it better than almost anyone. Even though he is the largest and outright strongest of his Chapter, he relies more on his skills and battle iq to win fights. While his fighting prowess is universally respected, his greatest downfall is his lack of tactical awareness. Though Helix is a wise and intelligent person, those attributes have failed to translate into battle tactics. Either he is incapable or simply does not care for it, but he generally leaves battle preparations for his brothers. Even when he has direct orders or a given battle plan, Helix is known for abandoning them, much rather working on emotions and impulsive reactions. If innocent people are in danger, they immediately become the priority and all tactics or even better judgement, get thrown out of the window. In battle Helix wields the ever burning power-sword known as the Sword of the Great Drake, alongside other deadly relics, but the most interesting thing is his vulture-sized dragon-like animal companion, with the unique ability to shield itself and others from psycik attacks.

* **Ignus, 'the Drake of Blood'** - Ignus is the current Chapter Champion of the Iron Drakes. His martial skill is second only to Helix himself, within the Chapter. Known as the most savage and brutal Iron Drake to have ever lived, he has fallen to the *Drakes Fury* multiple times, something with an estimated survival rate of 1/1000, and has lived to tell the tale every time. However, because of this his mind underwent multiple traumas, which made him more aggressive and nervous, but not dumber in any way. This is why he is no longer tasked with helping civilians and now fights at the front lines of the defences. Though his has no lost his love and compassion for the Imperium's citizens, he can no longer directly interact with them, as his now brash and somewhat aggressive nature could hinder the Iron Drakes with controlling the populous. He is armed with an Executioner Sword and a Chain Sword, both masterfully crafted by himself. The exact history of the Chapter Champion is unknown, as it is a secret kept by the Iron Drakes. It is known that Ignus came from the 3rd Company, known as Hellfire and he participated in battle, of which the details are unknown. All that is known is that once reinforcements where sent to those Iron Drakes in battle, nothing but corpses where found. No living Iron Drakes where found, other that Ignus, his body atop a pile of dead traitorous Astartes, unconscious, still on his feet and still wielding his sword. Since then Ignus has fallen under the effects of the gene curse dozens of times, yet never dying from it, as all others do.

* **First Drake Lord Nox** - Coming from a Chapter which is known for impulsive and passion-guided actions and often abandoning any reasonable tactics, 1st Drake Lord Nox stands out as a steadfast and cool-headed tactician. He has fought in all of the most important fights in the Chapters history. He is the second oldest living Iron Drake to be born on Alkamar, making him the third oldest living Iron Drake alive. He quickly became close friends with Helix. Although more of a tactician, one shouldn't underestimate him in combat. He is a master of warfare with melta-weapons. His own weapons are a melta-rifle and a hand flamer. Both weapons were smithed by Nox himself.

* **Third Drake Lord Ish'ran**- Ish'ran is known as the master smith of the Iron Drakes. He has a very calm personality and never gets inpatient or angry, but once in battle, he is one of the deadliest fighters of the Chapter. His forge is located in the depth of 'Hephaestus'. His calm demeanor often manages to calm down big crowds of citizens. As a master smith, his weapons are of the highest quality. His master-crafted power sword and warhammer are a deadly combination in battle.

* **Fourth Drake Lord Cyan** - Young, but fierce, Cyan is a formidable fighter and has already gained a lot of respect. He has fallen under *The Drakes Fury* multiple times and has lost his left arm, right leg and part of his face in the process. He is the current Captain of the 4th Chamber. He is a hot-headed fighter and isn't the best tactician. He uses a master-crafted axe in combat.

* **Fifth Drake Lord Kaz'dum** - Kaz'dum is one of the physically largest and strongest Iron Drakes. Just like his company, Kaz'dum is known for his skills in hunting monsters. Whenever he is on the battlefield, he and his most trusted warriors attack the strongest and biggest threats. In battle, his weapons consist of a warhammer and shield.

* **High Basilisk Ikanus** - Being the oldest and longest-serving Astartes of the Iron Drakes, after Helix himself, Ikanus is not only the highest ranking Basilisk of the Chapter, but his orders have the same weight as those of the First Drake Lord Nox. Even though his body is not as quick as those of the younger Marines, his psychic powers are unmatched within the Chapter. Not only is his mind the most powerful, but also the wisest. Through his decades of experience, his word is always heard and his opinion respected. The Elder Drake Helix often asks Ikanus for his advice, before deciding upon an important topic. His skill in handling and calming down large crowds of people and is famed within the Iron Drakes Chapter. Not only that but it is said that he can even handle the hot-headed temperament of the Drake of Blood, Ignus. In battle, Ignus may fight on the front lines, while Ikanus acts as a last line of defence, but between battles, Ignus is often seen accompanying the older Marine. Ignus himself has said that there is a calming aura around the High Basilisk, something that gives him a strange sense of comfort.

* ***High Apothecary Nal'taros Oren -*** The most legendary and respected Apothecary within the Chapter is without a doubt Nal'taros. His love for the innocent citizens of the Imperium is second to none. It is said that one every planet he visits he makes it his highest priority to improve the health care systems, hospitals and all-round well being of the planet's populous. He builds new hospitals and teaches the locals everything they need to know about medicine. That however is rather standard for an Apothecary of the Iron Drakes. It is his characters in battle that makes him so legendary. In battle he is more akin to a Chapter Champion than to an Apothecary. In fact many of his brothers believe that he should become Chapter Champion after Ignus. His fighting skills are among the best of the Chapter, but it is his cold and emotionless approach to battle that makes him so legendary. He has no warcry, he feels no excitement in battle and he seeks no honour or glory while fighting, He emotionlessly kills his foes, out of duty and hatred. He utters no word to his enemies, no taunts, no insults. Death is all they deserve and all they'll get. In battle he wields his master-crafted hammer which forged in the form of a golden eagle.

* ***Akadesh Vel'roan, Keeper of the Obsidian Bridge -*** Regarded as the greatest of all Chimeras to ever live, Akadesh has fought many battles other Astartes should have fallen in. Being abnormally large even for a Space Marine, among his brothers he is second in size only to Helix himself. Akadesh's preferences in battle contradict each-other in some way, as while he loves melee combat and rejoices in a good brawl, he would much rather wield flamer weapons than actual close combat weapons. Akadesh first drew the attention of his superiors when he forges two flamers to his fists while still being a simple Brother of the Flame. In battle his tactics seemed a bit suicidal, but somehow it was always he who survived and his squad members who died. After losing yet another batch of brothers and having gathered enough battle scars throughout his battles, Akadesh was finally given the possibility of ascending to the rank of Chimera. As he was brought down the Narakera Forges he refused the chamber assigned to him, uttering the now famous words. *"If I am to die in these hellish forges, let it at least be the hottest one of them all!"* And so Akadesh stepped into the hottest and deadliest forge of them all, ready to begin his rebirth. Unlike most of his Chimera brothers, Akadesh chose terminator armour as his armour of choice and opted not to forge a separate weapon. Instead he fused weapon and armour into one, forging to master-crafted flamers into his beautiful power fists. After enduring the deepest parts of hell, Akadesh emerged from the forges anew. Now towering over all other Chimeras, Akadesh could not by missed by any eye, by it friend or foe. Already a respected warrior, Akadesh secured his immortality in the hearts of his brothers through an act so heroic, it will never be forgotten. As Hive Fleet Inferno invaded the Dragon's Lair and made landfall, they met the flames of the Iron Drakes. While most of the planet's inhabitants had been evacuated, one city remained full of its populous. The city was atop a large mountain, only accessible over a bridge made out of pure obsidian. As the Tyrant horde gathered, ready to storm the city, Akadesh led a small force of Iron Drakes against the endless foe. Only twenty men stood with him against a neverending tide of beasts. The Drakes met the monsters on the bridge, melting hundreds of Tyranids each minute. The air became almost unbreathable, as flames covered the bridge and smoke took over the skies. Wave after wave the Tyranids attacked the defenders and slowly man after man fell. With each passing wave of attackers, Akadesh lost one of his brothers, until finally only he remained. Any lesser Astartes would have crumbled, exhausted and unable to walk no more. Akadesh was no lesser Astartes however. He stood defiant, his flame seemingly ever-burning. He alone held the bridge against the foes and when finally his flamers could burn no more, Akadesh met his enemy in close combat. For hours he fought the Tyranids in melee combat, for what seemed an eternity he wrestled with beasts. But alas he was not invincible. Finally he fell to his knees, his arms gave could fight no longer and his bones were weak. This was not to be his death though, as right before the next wave of Tyranids reached him, so did his brothers. The entire 4th and 7th Chambers came to his rescue, banishing the Tyranid horde back to orbit. Though Akadesh lost many of his closest brothers that day, and as such a piece of himself, that day he also earned the respect and love not just from every single one of his brothers, but also from every single soul from the city he saved.

* ***Kar'dak Kobos -*** In the early years of the Iron Drakes' existence the Drake's Fury had only happened a few select times and was kept a secret by those who knew. It was thought to be an abnormality, something that happened only those few times and would never happen again. Because of this and of the fact that the reason for the rage was unknown, the Chapter made no real measures against it and it was so rare that it was unrealistic for an Iron Drake to fear falling to the curse. Only one Astartes, Kar'dak Kobos was not convinced. He had witnessed both the second and fifth Marine to fall to the curse and had seen first hand how his brothers ripped apart helpless and innocent civilians. He believed that if his brothers could fall, so could he. And so he forged a weapon, a large knife. he dubbed it the Drake's Fang. It was a beautiful blade, that had a wingless dragon carved into it. Its purpose was less beautiful however. For many battles Kar'dak did not draw or use this blade, but in the end his worst nightmares came true. During a rescue mission he was left alone with ten civilians, tasked with protecting them with his life. He did so, fending off dozens of chaos cultists. He managed to defeat them all, but deep within himself he knew something was terribly wrong. Everything became hot and his vision went blurry. As his muscles tensed, he could feel himself becoming more aggressive and filled with rage. The desire to fight and kill grew and the only ones around were the civilians. Moments before he lost all control he managed to draw his blade and used it for its purpose. After smiling one last time, admiring his own craftsmanship, he slit his own throat with the blade, killing himself. The civilians survived and told the story to other Iron Drakes. Kar'dak went down as one of the Chapter's greatest heroes and is remembered as a legend to this day. He was not an undefeatable warrior or inspiring leader, he was a simple Brother of the Flame. He was however what every Iron Drake strives to be, truly selfless and good-hearted and his actions shaped the Chapter immensely, to the point where it is mandatory for every Iron Drake to wield a Drake's Fang of their own.

## Chapter Fleet

Since the Iron Drakes are a Defence-Chapter they don't travel around a lot. They're mostly stationed on planets and stay there. But they're sometimes asked to help planets in need so they have a small Fleet.

* ***Drogon Fleet* (Vanquisher Class - Battleship)**
* ***The Drake's Flight* (Long Serpent Class - Battle Cruiser)**
* ***Hell's Drake* (Overlord Class - Battle Cruiser)**
* ***Grand Protector* (Armageddon Class - Battle Cruiser)**
* ***The Golden Drake* (Tempest Frigate)**

## Chapter Relics

* ***Sword of the Great Drake*** - This power sword is an ancient and powerful weapon, which may only be used by the Elder Drake. The swords main characteristic is that it is perpetually on fire. Eternally burning, the sword if a symbol of power and might when the Elder Drake goes into battle. The weapon had been crafted by Elder Drake Bahamat and is now used by Helix. He who wields this sword shall be named and honoured as the High King of Alkamar.

* ***Shield of the Innocent*** - Though now he wields a sword crafted by his mentor, Helix himself is a master craftsman, second only to Drake Lord Ish'ran within the Chapter. So it is no surprise that the Elder Drake has crafted tools of war worthy of anyone's respect. His most famous creation is the Shield of the Innocent, a massive shield, with the gigantic skull of a dragon-like creature forged into it. The shield is said to be nearly unbreakable and is capable of nullifying any sort of heat around it. Helix himself does not wield this shield and it currently resides within Hephaestus. Helix has proclaimed that any Iron Drake that feels worthy enough can take the shields as theirs, so long as they use it to shield the weak. To this moment no Iron Drake has done so.

* ***Hand of Vulkan -*** Created by Helix himself, this power fist is one of the Elder Drake's most famed creations. Being much smaller than a regular power fist, less than half the size of one when put side by side, it still possesses the same if not more raw power. The gauntlet is even small enough to be mistaken for a normal part of the gravis armour Helix normally wears.

## Chapter Appearance

### Chapter Colours

The Iron Drakes' armour normally is coloured green and black. The green symbolises that they're still Sons of Vulkan and the black is supposed to symbolise ash. Together the colours symbolise a Drake born anew in the ashes of the original.

### Chapter Badge

The badge of the Iron Drakes is metal dragon-head. The head is very similar to the Salamanders' badge but this one is clearly made out of iron. This symbolises the Iron within the Dragon.

## Relations

### Allies

 Void Selkies |      | The Iron Drakes and the Void Selkies met fairly early in the Void Selkies History. They fought together during the early stages of the Indomitus Crusade, slowly creating a friendly rivalry as to who performed better during the crusade. With occasional honour duels, meetings between the two Chapters are often a celebration, as they tell tales and stories of great victories and legendary duels.

## Notable Quotes

### By the Iron Drakes

"*Angel of Death? I prefer Angel of Salvation*"
— Elder Drake Helix to a Inquisitor
"*They will burn! I'll make sure of that!*"
— 1st Drake Lord Nox to Elder Drake Helix
### About the Iron Drakes

***Feel free to add your own***

"*Defenders of the Imperium? Ha! Let us see what they have in stock, ey boys?*"
— Unnamed Chaos Warlords last words
"*You think they are weak because they stay behind and don't hunt the Traitors. Foolish, that is what you are! You have still a lot to witness and one of them is seeing an Iron Drake fight!*"
—Moonlight Stalker Wolf King to a newly introduced Space Marine
"*You call them the protectors of mankind. But have you ever seen them fight? It was a slaughter! The Heretics were torn apart and burned to the ground. That would have made the bravest man cower in fear.*"
— Unknown
"*At first I thought these Green Salamanders were yet another Loyalist chapter with no courage, but after witnessing those beautiful melee battles, I must say, I almost thought they were better than me in close combat, and then I remembered that I am a Dreadnought, and that nobody can best me IN THIS ENTIRE UNIVERSE!*"
— Dreadnought Greto, talking with Current Chapter Master of the Scarlet Constrictors, Petreus Garrivel, about the time he fought alongside the Iron Drakes.
"*You know, I heard a rumor that the Iron Drake's gene-seed was corrupted, that must be why they fight with such ferocity.*"
—Random Passerby
" *It is easy, when you count yourself among the Emperor's Angels, to see yourself above the humanity from which we have emerged. Look at our strength, our power! Surely we are an evolution beyond, a progression forward for mankind, and with it are entitled to a sense of distance and arrogance, a belief that we are better and so can spare no thought for those that are lesser. This is a lie. We cannot be who we are without offering those beneath our mercy, and there is no greater deed, than for an Astartes to lay down their lives for humanity. I have met no marines that embody this more than the Iron Drakes. Absolute. Resolte. Our future rests in the hands of marines such as these, and I aspire to that pure nobility.* "
—Chapter Master Erias Zerakot, Optimus Legion

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## Gallery

### Chapter Heroes Artwork

Chapter Champion Ignus, the Drake of BloodHigh Apothecary Nal'taros OrenAkadesh Vel'roan, Keeper of the Obsidian Bridge
### Chapter Elite Artwork

A Iron Drakes Fireborne of the 7th Chamber ('Diamond Knights') wielding a Pyroblaster.A respected and feared Fireborne of the 2nd Chamber ('Masters of Fire').Iron Drakes FirebornIron Drakes FirebornIron Drakes ApothecaryAn Iron Drakes Primaris 'Blade of the Flame' (Bladeguard Veteran).Iron Drakes Valedictor, considered to be the most powerful warriors of the ChapterIron Drakes Aegis GuardIron Drakes relic Leviathan Dreadnaught of the 9th Chamber ('Lords of Hell').
### Chapter Rank and File Artwork

Iron Drakes Primaris of the 2nd Chamber ('Masters of Fire').Irondrakes Firstborn of the 6th Chamber ('Sons of Fire') wielding a chainsword.Irondrakes Firstborn of the 4th Chamber ('Drakes of Doom') wielding a Heavy Flamer.Irondrakes Primaris Breacher of the 9th Chamber ('Lords of Hell').Iron Drakes Assault Marine of the 7th Chamber ('Diamond Knights').