Sanguinary Guard - History: The lineage of the Sanguinary Guard can be traced back to the bygone era of the Great Crusade when they acted as the elite bodyguard of Primarch Sanguinius, fighting alongside the Great Angel through the most terrible of battles on such worlds as Dalos, Blindhope, Signus Prime and countless others.Considered an Order of what the primarch designated the elite First Sphere of the IX Legion, the Sanguinary Guard were also called the Ikisat, the "Burning Ones," because of the sheer fire of their devotion to their primarch.Like every member of the First Sphere, the Astartes of the Sanguinary Guard surrendered their ranks and original names, taking only the title of "Seraph" so that they could help eliminate the self and do their primarch's work without guilt or regret, focussed only on their duty of protecting Sanguinius' person. On rare occasions, they were also assigned as guards for other commanders as a sign of the Great Angel's favour.They served with the primarch until he perished in the assault on the Warmaster Horus' battle barge Vengeful Spirit during the final hours of the Siege of Terra. Only a lone member of the Sanguinary Guard survived that final confrontation.Sanguinius' prescient vision of his own fate led him to insist that his Herald Azkaellon remain on Terra so that should he fall, the Sanguinary Guard would not be entirely extinguished. Once reconstituted by Azkaellon, the Guard would go on to serve as a beacon of hope for the Blood Angels and the wider Imperium in the dark days ahead.Though he had yearned to fight at his primarch's side one final time, with a heavy heart Azkaellon had acceded to Sanguinius' wishes. For he knew that he could not jeopardise the sacred duty entrusted to him. Following his primarch's final orders, the Sanguinary Guard managed to survive when the Blood Angels' primarch did not, for Azkaellon made certain that their legacy was maintained, not just in the Blood Angels, but in every Successor Chapter that arose from the dissolution of the IX Legion during the Second Founding.The deeds of each member of the Sanguinary Guard are recorded with reverent diligence. At high feast days, those rare occasions when the entire Chapter is gathered together, the Sanguinary Guard's deeds are recounted, delivered with gusto and pride by battle-steeped Veterans to attentive Scout Marines and aspirants.They speak of Blind Erephon, who claimed he fought better without his eyes than he ever did with them, and who sealed the seven Daemon-gates of Derios IV. Of Andrastor, who stood alone against the Tyranid swarm on Cripple Ridge.Of Saronath, whose coming was so terrible it set WAAAGH! Rokchewa to flight, and of Sepharan, who entered the gates of hell itself to battle for his Chapter's soul. Of these warriors they tell, and of countless others, past and present. To join the ranks of the Sanguinary Guard is therefore no mere battlefield assignment, nor even an honour. It is to enter a brotherhood of mortals-become-gods, to continue a legend already ten thousand standard years old.After the formation of the Great Rift in 999.M41, the Sanguinary Guard again faced annihilation when the Tyranids of Hive Fleet Leviathan attacked their homeworld of Baal. In the ensuing campaign known as the Devastation of Baal, only a single member of the Sanguinary Guard, Caraeus, survived the Great Devourer's massive assault. Following the Blood Angels' victory with the aid of the forces of the Indomitus Crusade, the Sanguinary Guard's ranks were soon fully reinforced thanks to the arrival on Baal of Primaris Space Marines of Blood Angels heritage with the Indomitus Crusade fleet.