vizn3r/warhammer40k-lore huggingface dataset:
Carcharodons - Carcharodons: The Carcharodons, also known as the Carcharodons Astra in High Gothic and sometimes as the "Space Sharks" in Low Gothic, is a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter of an unknown Founding, though it has been alleged to be either an ancient Chapter born as early as the Second Founding, or a relatively new Chapter raised during the 23rd Founding.The Carcharodons is an alleged Successor Chapter of the Raven Guard, though this remains unconfirmed. They participated in the latter stages of the Badab War, returning from the outer void to punish those they saw as Traitors to the Imperium of Man and the Emperor.The Carcharodons have always been a fleet-based Chapter, following the far rarer Nomad-Predation pattern rather than the more common Crusading pattern adopted by countless other mobile Space Marine Chapters.In recompense for their role in the Badab War and with the tacit agreement of the Fire Hawks -- the new masters of the Mantis Warriors Chapter's territory in the Endymion Cluster -- the Carcharodons received permission to "harvest" new recruits from this promising group of Feral and Feudal Worlds of the Maelstrom Zone.Ransacking the Mantis Warriors' hidden armouries and bases, the Carcharodons then departed from the Ultima Segmentum, embarking again on their solitary crusade.However, since the creation of the Great Rift and the start of the Era Indomitus, the Carcharodons have been granted the Mantis Warriors' former homeworld of Ootheca to do with as they please.The Carcharodons may actually be the same Chapter as the Space Sharks; the term Carcharodons might simply be a fragment of their name translated into High Gothic as "Carcharodons Astra" for that same unit of Astartes.The Founding of this Space Marine Chapter remains shrouded in the mists of long-lost antiquity, thousands of standard years in the past, though it has been stated in Imperial and Chapter records that the Carcharodons have been serving the "Void Father" (the Emperor) for ten standard millennia.This alone would not be enough to warrant special consideration, but the Carcharodons' mystery has not lessened in recent centuries. Rather it has grown with each bloody deed and unexpected strike the Carcharodons perform.Now, the very name of this Chapter is synonymous with the cold, dark depths of the void and the hungry predators that lurk within.
Carcharodons - Chapter History: The Carcharodons is a mysterious and enigmatic Chapter of Astartes, having forged for itself a dark and bloody legend in the minds of those that survived the conflict known as the Badab War.Returning from the black void of space beyond the farthest reaches of the galaxy as strangers to both friend and foe alike, the Carcharodons sided with the Loyalists against those that would challenge the Imperium of the divine Emperor.The exact origins of this infamous Chapter are hard to pinpoint in Imperial archives as the Carcharodons have left no records of their activities in recent history. They feature nowhere within the open Imperial records, and likewise the Chapter has no officially-recorded battle honours.Furthermore, this Chapter is often misidentified with other lesser-known Chapters operating with similar nomenclatures and symbology (i.e. "Void Reapers", "Blood Sharks", etc.).However, sealed and secured records within the Inquisition may shed some light as to the true origins of this Chapter. The oldest of these ancient treatises on the wars of the Imperium of Man may be found within the pages of the Mythos Angelica Mortis written by the savant-scribes of the Secretariat Militum of Terra late in the 35th Millennium.References are made in this oft-vague and incomplete work to a Space Marine Chapter identified as the Carcharodon Astra. They were despatched into the "...outer darkness...upon an endless voyage... to ravage the foes of Mankind..." and to "...set about the Traitor, the alien, and the Renegade without mercy, and harrow them in their places of strength."This text stems from a far older work, now lost, dating back to the unknown era that surrounds the Astropath Wars of the late 32nd and the early 33rd Millennia. This is a time now shrouded in myth and allegory, and its true nature has been purged from Imperial history so thoroughly that less is known of it than of the Horus Heresy or the Great Crusade.Other records give this Chapter variations in name or title, such as the Space Sharks, but all the accounts are consistent on certain similarities of iconography and operation, and in their description of the Carcharodons' bestial but calculated savagery in combat.To this Chapter was afforded the sacred and unending duty to travel the interstellar night beyond the Imperium's borders to locate and destroy the enemies of Mankind before they could penetrate Imperial space.The only other tantalising clues to the Chapter's origins can be offered up by those few Imperial servants who have had the dubious honour of encountering the enigmatic Carcharodons in the flesh. For the most part, these individuals have been those despatched to explore the outermost bounds of the galaxy: Explorators, Rogue Traders and the like.However, beyond these rare encounters recorded in various fragmentary Imperial data-vaults, the only information forthcoming on the Carcharodons are the stories of their often bloody deeds across the galaxy.
Carcharodons - Specialist Ranks: The Carcharodons' order of battle contains several officer positions not present in other Space Marine Chapters, though they largely resemble the standard Codex ranks:Shade Lord (Chapter Master) - The title of "Shade Lord" is now used instead of Chapter Master by the commander of the Carcharodons. This title was only known to have been previously used by the exiled Raven Guard commander and former Legion Master Arkhas Fal during the Great Crusade. That it is now used by the Chapter Master of the Carcharodons indicates that Arkhas Fal may have gone on to be the founder of that Chapter.Company Master (Captain) - Carcharodons captains are called "company masters" instead.Reaper Prime - A Reaper Prime is an additional title given to a company master. Beyond the captaincy of their own company, it is their job to ensure the Chapter is constantly supplied with fresh aspirants, normally achieved during the "Red Tithes," when the Chapter's Edicts of Exile permitted it to descend on an Imperial world to harvest the population for Chapter serfs and potential aspirants.Harvester Prime - A Harvester Prime is an additional title that is also given to a company master. It is their duty to seek out archeotech and lost technology on the isolated worlds that lie in the outer dark. This acquisition of technology is achieved during a so-called "Grey Tithe," and traded to the Tech-priests of Mars for Astartes arms and equipment, per the Chapter's ancient pact with the Adeptus Mechanicus.Strike Leader (Sergeant)Void Brother (Battle-Brother)
Carcharodons - Specialist Formations: Red Brethren (Terminator Veteran Marines) - These Terminator Armoured elite are the Veteran warriors of the Chapter. All Red Brethren habitually remain armed and armoured at all times. The Terminator battle-plate they wear is heavily inscribed with red exile markings and often hung with the yellowing predator incisors that are collected by some Carcharodons. In most Chapters, members of the Veteran 1st Company were often seconded to Battle Companies to supplement their fighting power. In the Carcharodons Astra they serve an additional purpose. Utterly loyal to the incumbent Shade Master, they are deployed on the most vital missions -- usually tithings -- to ensure that the overriding objectives are met and the Chapter's needs satisfied. The Carcharodons' mode of warfare means that individual companies can spend Terran years separated from the main Nomad Predation fleet. In such circumstances the Red Brethren are responsible for seeing the orders of their Chapter Master carried out. The Red Brethren also, however, fall under the command of the Company Master they are assigned to, and are bound to follow his orders, provided they do not directly contradict the mission assigned by the Chapter.Devourers (Assault Marines)
Carcharodons - Red Tithes: It is the duty of a Carcharodons' Reaper Prime, beyond the duties of the captaincy of their company, to ensure that the Chapter is constantly supplied with fresh aspirants. This was normally achieved during the so-called "Red Tithes," when the Chapter's Edicts of Exile permitted it to descend on an Imperial world and harvest the population.The vast majority of those taken would go on to become slaves and serf labourers in the Chapter's great fleet, providing the means by which the Carcharodons Astra could continue to function in exile.Those of the right age and temperament, however, would undertake the trials. Few would survive to become 10th Company Initiates.The degree of attrition during the induction process was higher even than that of most Space Marine Chapters, but it was the unavoidable legacy of the Carcharodons' unique nature.
Carcharodons - Ancient Pact: The Tithes, however, are not the only means of recruitment. During times of desperation the Chapter had recourse to another brotherhood, one that, like the Carcharodons, had chosen the path of exile -- the Ashen Claws.During the darkness of the Horus Heresy not all of the Legiones Astartes had cast in their lot with either the Emperor or the Traitor Horus. The Ashen Claws, formerly the Raven Guard Legion's 18th Chapter, had despaired at the chaos engulfing the galaxy, and their own primarch's disgust at their past slaver practices.They had turned against both the Imperium and the forces of Chaos, unleashing devastation on the Night Lords and their home sector of Nostramo. Afterwards they had slipped away, disappearing from both Imperial space and those records that survived the Heresy's carnage. Few now living know they still exist, let alone where they made their home. The Carcharodons Astra are among those few.However, when dealing with these outcasts, the Carcharodons have to step lightly, for negotiations with such Renegades are tricky at best, and at worst, often result in bloodshed. The Carcharodons only deal with their Renegade brethren in the most dire of circumstances, especially when their own numbers have grown too thin to be replenished by the Red Tithes.This is a direct result of sustaining too many casualties at a rate that cannot be replaced, due to the Carcharodons' never-ending War in the Deeps. And they cannot increase their rate of recruitment without compromising the induction process or dedicating extra companies to the Tithes.War matériel is the currency the Carcharodons have to pay for their harvest of flesh. But dealing with their erstwhile brethren is a dubious undertaking, for Atargatis is a dangerous place.The Ashen Claws do not treat the Carcharodons with the respect they deserve. The Ashen Claws' Master will often try to provoke the senior officer of the Carcharodons' sent to deal with them -- taunting, setting the Carcharodons' representatives against each other, seeking to cause them to act rashly, so that their hand in the negotiations will be weakened.
Carcharodons - Grey Tithes: It is the duty of a Carcharodons' Harvester Prime, beyond the duties of the captaincy of their company, to ensure that the Chapter is constantly supplied with arms and equipment. They are also responsible for seeking out ancient archeotech on long-lost worlds that lie within the vast void of the Outer Dark. This acquisition of technology is known as a "Grey Tithe."Through ancient pacts with the Tech-priests of Mars, the Carcharodons trade this lost technology for weapons, power armour, equipment and even vehicles.In times of desperation, the Carcharodons do not always adhere to the tenets of their ancient pact with the Priests of Mars, and will often utilise the Grey Tithes as a means of leverage when negotiating with their Renegade brethren from the Ashen Claws for the acquisition of fresh Initiates.
Carcharodons - Chapter Equipment: During the Badab War, the Carcharodons Chapter demonstrated a number of highly distinctive traits and trappings that set them apart from their brethren fighting on both sides of that conflict. Their equipment was observed to be of ancient provenance.Much of their arms, vehicles, wargear and other technology were of designs and patterns that covered the span of the Imperium's breadth and history. Examples include such ancient weapons as the Phobos R/017 Bolter and the widespread use of Mark V Heresy Pattern Power Armour by the Chapter's battle-brothers.The Chapter also seemed to possess an unusual contingent of Terminator Armour suits, of which many appeared to be heavily modified or augmented in unorthodox ways to keep them combat-worthy.
Carcharodons - Carcharodons Librarians: Like many of their fellow Chapters, the Carcharodons have been observed making use of Librarians within their ranks, with little deviation from their roles in other Chapters. Most Chapters train and test chosen psykers following the ancient ways laid out in the Codex Astartes.Librarians of the Carcharodons are trained in this way, and, with few minor traditional variances, have been taught to live by the word of the Codex.Carcharodons Librarians have a number of unique psychic abilities only used by the psykers of their Chapter, including the following.From the Depths - The Carcharodons Librarian clouds the minds of his adversaries with a choking mental darkness, amplifying their fear and surprise so that it paralyses them. Their minds writhe with images of watery depths of numbing cold and writhing pelagic shapes, leaving them vulnerable to assault.Rending Maw - The Librarian calls forth the avatar of a great oceanic predator whose maw erupts from the very ground beneath the enemy. The very stones and earth reform into the shape of jaws and teeth that snap shut, consuming all within in a shower of gore.
Carcharodons - Chapter Beliefs: Despite their long isolation from the Imperium, the Chapter and its battle-brothers seem deeply, almost incredibly, loyal. Most of the Carcharodons encountered have shown reverence towards the Imperial Creed and places of Imperial worship. Many also make a habit of carrying devotional items such as prayer scrolls on their wargear.To the Carcharodons Astra the Emperor was Rangu, the Void Father, sire of the "Forgotten One," their unknown primarch. Like the Carcharodons, His vigilance was eternal, a beacon in the night, the bane of the encroaching shadows.Their Chapter had left humanity for the emptiness of the Outer Dark when He had still walked among mortals, and they would not return until He did so once again. Only with the coming of the Forgotten One could the Edicts of Exile be overturned, and the Chapter's eternal crusade in the darkness be brought to an end.The Carcharodons Astra are a faithful brotherhood, even by the standards of the Adeptus Astartes. Their creed is an old one, older than the superstitions and misbeliefs of the current Imperial Cult. Theirs is not some blind faith based on hollow praise and lavish donations. Their memories of the Emperor are of a living, breathing titan, and Terra is far more to them than some distant hub of galaxy-spanning bureaucracy.Their connection to it is ancient and primal. It has sustained their loyalty and their determination for ten thousand standard years, amidst the loneliness of the Outer Dark. When they had first been banished, none had expected them to survive, let alone remain united as a Chapter. But survive they did, their disparate heritage bound by their faith in Him on Old Earth. Nothing could shake that.Many Carcharodons battle-brothers carry abstract scrimshaw talismans, or decorate their armour with intricate and abstract line-work. These talismans, etchings, and traceries often depict highly stylised images of fanged maws, death's heads, oceanic predators, and the like. This primitivism likely evolved as part of the Chapter's unique and impenetrable culture over millennia of isolation.The Carcharodons also hold great respect for the Chapter's wargear, for it is forbidden for a lower-ranked void brother or Chapter serf to lay even a finger upon the wargear of a higher-ranked Astartes. This taboo is referred to by the Chapter's battle-brothers as tapu.However, all this stands in contrast to the savagery they show to their foes. "Merciless" is perhaps the best descriptor for the Carcharodons in combat, but even that does not describe the depths of blood-soaked slaughter to which they are willing to descend.They fight with a wild abandon that could make even the most impetuous Space Wolves Blood Claw take pause, and do not ask for or grant mercy to their opponents beyond a quick (though seldom clean) death.In a way, they seem to see the universe very much in terms of black and white, enemy and ally. Anyone who stands against the Imperium, for whatever reason, can only expect a brutal demise at the hands of the Carcharodons.
Carcharodons - Chapter Gene-Seed: Nobody knows what primarch's gene-seed led to the creation of the Carcharodons. Opportunities to study the organs involved have been exceedingly rare, and the Carcharodons themselves are singularly unhelpful in this regard. The only clues to their origin that the Deathwatch have are from a gene-seed extraction performed on a slain battle-brother, recovered from a massacre site.The body was purportedly from the Carcharodons. The Apothecary who performed the extraction later noted that the gene-seed seemed untainted, if subject to some long-term degradation. More interestingly, the gene-seed bore several genetic markers reminiscent of the Raven Guard bloodline. These markers are uncommon, and a link to the Raven Guard would explain several other details about the Carcharodons as well.The appearance of all Carcharodons shares some singular details. They all have greyish, pale skin with an almost deathlike pallor. Some of the most venerable and ancient Carcharodons have liquid black eyes, without iris or sclera. Beyond this, however, there are no common phenotypes amongst encountered Carcharodons.This suggests that the Carcharodons do recruit from a wide variety of sources, and that their skin colour and eye mutation is a result of their gene-seed's alterations of their phenotype. These traits are similar to some of the physical traits of the Raven Guard. However, even if the Chapter does count Corvus Corax as its progenitor, many standard millennia of genetic drift will have likely created distinct differences.When traveling in the void, most Carcharodons Void Brothers sleep in individual cryo-tanks. It is how the Chapter's battle-brothers spend a great deal of time in voidspace. Existing in the lifeless dark beyond the stars is no easy thing. The Carcharodons Astra have been roaming it for ten standard millennia, cut off from all contact with the wider Imperium.The normal avenues for recuperation and replenishment utilised by other Space Marine Chapters are rarely open to them. The suspended hibernation afforded by the cryo-tanks provides the Chapter with a method of rest between combat operations and training cycles, and helps preserve its strength.Typically, it is the younger brethren and Initiates who utilise the tanks the most, overcoming deep void sickness through the meditational activities of their newly implanted Sus-an Membrane.Older Carcharodons usually find it increasingly difficult to rest, even through the longer voyages. It is said that the eldest of their kind haven't used the tanks for Terran centuries.
Carcharodons - Primarch's Curse: Chill of the Void: The Carcharodons are an insular and taciturn bunch, and this only becomes more pronounced when they are amongst other Space Marines. They also possess a well-deserved reputation for merciless slaughter. If a Carcharodon were to lose his grip on sanity, these traits would likely amplify with unpleasant results. When the Chapter's genetic curse manifests itself in an affected battle-brother, it comes on in three stages:Stage 1 - Coldly Formal: The battle-brother withdraws even more from the company of his colleagues, taking refuge in a chill and formal demeanour. In addition, the Battle-Brother tends to speak almost entirely in High Gothic when addressing a non-Carcharodon, although they can -- grudgingly -- speak in Low Gothic if need be.Stage 2 - Merciless: The battle-brother does not tolerate any enemy, whether xenos, Heretic, or even fellow humans who may have been misled into rebellion against the Imperium's rightful rule. The Battle-Brother grimly executes any opponent he encounters, even if they have surrendered, possess valuable intelligence, or are not front-line combatants.Stage 3 - Silent as the Depths: The battle-brother withdraws almost entirely from interacting with others. He will not lead squads and will almost always carry out missions on his own.
Carcharodons - Deathwatch Service: Though it has happened only rarely, lone Space Marines in dark grey livery and speaking ancient variants of High Gothic have, on occasions, arrived at the fortresses of the Deathwatch in the Jericho Reach (and perhaps elsewhere) in order to "fulfil the obligations of their sworn oath."When pressed, some of these Space Marines have said they hailed from a Chapter known as the Carcharodons.However, beyond these rare encounters recorded in the dusty data-vaults of Watch Fortress Erioch, the only information forthcoming on the Carcharodons are the stories of their fell deeds throughout the Imperium.
Carcharodons - Non-Astartes Personnel: Shipmaster Teko - Captain of the White Maw, flagship of the Carcharodon's 3rd Company.
Carcharodons - Chapter Relics: Hunger and Slake - Shade Lord Tyberos' modified Terminator Armour is equipped with a pair of unique Lightning Claws with which he has developed a murderous degree of skill. Named Hunger and Slake, each of these heavy gauntlet-like devices of uncertain origin combine barbed power blades and an inner maw fitted with underbite mechanised chainblades that make use of adamantium teeth. These gauntlet's pattern and manufacture are unknown to the Tech-priests of Mars. How Tyberos acquired these archeotech weapons is a matter of conjecture. However, it is whispered within the Chapter that this pair of ancient Lightning Claws once belonged to the Raven Guard Legion's 18th Chapter -- the very same Terran formation that was exiled to the Outer Dark by Primarch Corax himself after he assumed command of the XIXth Legion. This expeditionary fleet was tasked to bring the light of the Emperor to the Ghoul Stars, and later became a Renegade Blackshield force known as the Ashen Claws. Unknown to the wider Imperium, this group of Renegades managed to survive into the modern era, and still had dealings with the Carcharodons to trade for technology or new recruits. Sometime in the past, during one of their bartering negotiations, Tyberos was provoked into a duel with the Ashen Claws Chapter Master, Nehat Nev. Following the brutal and presumably bloody fight, the "Red Wake" emerged triumphant, and claimed Hunger and Slake as his prize. Since then, the Renegade lord still seethes at their loss, and continues to provoke the Carcharodons' ire whenever the Chapter is forced to deal with these Renegades.Reaper - This enormous, two-handed chainaxe is traditionally carried by the company master of the Carcharodons' 3rd Company. Previously wielded by the slain Company Master Akia, it is now wielded by Akia's successor, Bail Sharr. This weapon was bloodied in countless engagements and was first used by Captain Sharr during the Red Tithe of Zartak, where he wielded it to great effect against the Night Lords of Amon Cull.Scrimshaw Talismans - These bone talismans are covered with intricately detailed line-work carvings, to the point where the original shape of the bone is lost and the entire surface is a maze of ink-work. These talismans come in a variety of shapes, though they often are worked into stylised death's heads, sea-going predators similar to the Carcharodons' Chapter heraldry, teeth, gaping maws, and other disturbing iconography. It is likely these are worked into the Chapter's primitivist traditions. At least some of the battle-brothers are known to carve their own to celebrate accomplishments, frighten foes, and ward off the malefic.
Carcharodons - Chapter Colours: The Carcharodons' Chapter colours are primarily grey.In many instances the more conventional emblems of the Imperium are found alongside idiosyncratic markings, often abstract or depictive images and tokens concerning fanged maws, death's heads, oceanic predators and bloody wounds.
Carcharodons - Chapter Badge: The Carcharodons' Chapter badge is a great white shark motif, jaw curling towards tail fin to form a razor-toothed crescent set upon a void of black.
Carcharodons - Carcharodon Origins: Though not officially confirmed, it is implied throughout various sources that the Carcharodons are likely a Successor Chapter of the First Founding Raven Guard Legion. Their origins might harken back to the bygone era of the Great Crusade. At the time, the so-called "Shade Lord" Arkhas Fal was the Terran-born Legion Master of the XIXth Legion before they were united with their long-lost Primarch Corvus Corax on the world of Deliverance.Once given command of his Legion, Corax began to impose the style of war he had perfected upon Lycaeus over that which had defined the XIXth Legion of old, particularly by purging the more cold-blooded ways of the Terran Xeric tribes which had once defined the Legion culture after its Founding on the Throneworld.The Legion had so often served as oppression, repression and occupation forces that Corax saw in some of the Terran members of his Legion something akin to the slavers of Lycaeus. Several of the Legion's highest-ranking officers were displaced or reassigned to non-command roles, including the "Shade Lord," Arkhas Fal, who had commanded the XIXth Legion for three solar decades before the coming of the Raven Lord.Under the primarch's guidance, distilled into a series of battle-mantras, the Raven Guard developed their skills to preternatural levels. A small number of mostly Terrans of the Legion of old had been assigned to many of these posts beyond the fringes of the Imperium, some in independent nomad fleets, others attached to various Rogue Traders Militum or other so-called "lone wolves."One of these fleets was in fact led by the Legion's former commanding officer -- Arkhas Fal -- on the direct order of the primarch when Corax took over the Raven Guard. What became of the Shade Lord, his fleet and the other elements may never be known, and the fact that Corax appeared to have made no effort to recall them suggests they were considered a body apart from the bulk of the XIXth Legion.In game terms, this story appears to be a veiled attempt by Forge World to more or less reveal that the Carcharodons are, in fact, Raven Guard in origin, through both their appearance and the brutality that the original, ancient Terran-born Astartes of that Legion displayed.
Carcharodons - Canon Conflict: Prior to the publication of Imperial Armour Volume Ten - The Badab War - Part Two, the Space Sharks, who are probably the older name for the Carcharodons, were said to have been given the homeworld of the rebellious Mantis Warriors following the conclusion of the Badab War. They thus became the new masters of the Endymion Cluster and ended their existence as a fleet-based Crusading Chapter. The Space Sharks were noted to have extensively used Drop Pod assaults against the hive cities of Badab Primaris, and had nursed a longstanding distrust of the Mantis Warriors and Lamenters Chapters. This is no longer canon, at least if the Carcharodons and Space Sharks Chapters are one and the same.In the novel Carcharodons: Outer Dark Wandering Ancestor Itako is listed as a Contemptor Dreadnought. However the description provided is actually that of a Leviathan Dreadnought.
Carcharodons - Sources: Adeptus Astartes: Successor Chapters (Limited Release Booklet), pg. 22Codex: Space Marines (9th Edition), pg. 73Deathwatch: Honour the Chapter (RPG), pp. 89-96Imperial Armour Volume Two Second Edition - War Machines of the Adeptus Astartes, pg. 17Imperial Armour Volume Ten - The Badab War - Part Two, pp. 13–14, 19, 60-61, 69, 86, 114-123, 127, 178Imperial Armour Volume Thirteen - War Machines of the Lost & the Damned, pg. 21The Horus Heresy - Book Three: Extermination (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 134, 138, 140The Horus Heresy - Book Four: Conquest (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 180White Dwarf 101 (UK), "Index Astartes", pg. 71White Dwarf 451 (February 2020), "Indomitus Crusade Heroes," pg. 60Legends of the Space Marines (Anthology), "The Trial of the Mantis Warriors" (Short Story) by C.S. GotoAngels of Death: The Judges, In Their Hunger (Short Story) by David AnnandaleCarcharodons: Red Tithe (Novel) by Robbie Macniven, Chs. 1, 6, 17Death Warrant (Short Story) by Robbie MacnivenCarcharodons: The Reaping Time (Short Story) by Robbie MacnivenCarcharodons: Outer Dark (Novel) by Robbie Macniven, Chs. 1, 3, 6, 9, 13Xenos Hunters, "The Infinite Tableau" (Short Story) by Anthony Reynolds
Cardinal-class Heavy Cruiser - Cardinal-class Heavy Cruiser: The Cardinal-class Heavy Cruiser was the original template used for the ill-fated Acheron-class Heavy Cruiser design. The failure of the Acheron was ultimately attributed to the use of xenos technology in the weapons systems derived for the class from the techno-artefacts recovered by the Adeptus Mechanicus from the haunted Portis Cthulhus in Sector 51.As a result, doubt clung like a stinking shroud to the Cardinal-class and now only a handful of Imperial Navy fleets use this aging vessel type. Only two ships were in service to Battlefleet Bakka in the Segmentum Tempestus when the Tyranid Hive Fleet Behemoth invaded. Several of these vessels have been lost to the Warp, only to reemerge solar decades or even centuries later in the service of the Ruinous Powers of Chaos.
Cardinal-class Heavy Cruiser - Notable Cardinal-class Heavy Cruisers: Sebastian Thor - One of two Cardinal-class vessels that served in Battlefleet Bakka during the defence of the Bakka Sector during the invasions of Hive Fleet Behemoth. This vessel left with the Bakka Battlefleet and its sister-ship, the Silent Fire to take part in the Maccragan War (the climactic Battle of Macragge), but the Silent Fire never arrived and was presumed lost to the Warp. The Sebastian Thor was one of the handful of survivors from the battle.Silent Fire - One of two Cardinal-class vessels that served in Battlefleet Bakka during the defence of the Bakka Sector during the invasions of Hive Fleet Behemoth. This vessel left with the Bakkan Battlefleet to take part in the Maccragan War, but never arrived and was presumed lost to the Warp.
Cardinal - Cardinal: A cardinal is one of the highest-ranking priests and prelates within the Adeptus Ministorum, the state church of the Imperium of Man, who serves directly under the ecclesiarch himself. The cardinals, who number in the thousands, are members of the Frateris clergy and form a group known as the Holy Synod, which elects the ecclesiarch, the head of the entire Ministorum, from their own number.Most cardinals bear responsibility for the spiritual guidance of a region of Imperial space known as a "diocese," whose size can vary from a single hive city to encompass an entire star system or sub-sector of the galaxy. Although each cardinal governs the spiritual (and often temporal) affairs of their own diocese, some cardinals, such as those designated "arch-cardinals," in reality rank higher than others due to the strategic importance or size of the diocese they rule, and they are often designated as the leader of the church within an entire sector of Imperial space, officially recognised as the head of its Sector Synod which is made up of all the cardinals within the sector.This divergence in power is reflected in the fact that cardinals can actually belong to one of three separate orders, as described below. Some of the most important cardinals can also earn one of the three rotating seats on the Imperium's ruling Senatorum Imperialis from time to time.
Cardinal - Cardinals Palatine: The five Cardinals Palatine are the highest-ranking cardinals in the Adeptus Ministorum. They do not govern dioceses, instead serving as assistants to the ecclesiarch in the Ecclesiarchal Palace on Terra. It is not uncommon for an ecclesiarch to unofficially designate one of his Cardinals Palatine as his successor at the next conclave of the Holy Synod.
Cardinal - Cardinals Terran: The Cardinals Terran are those cardinals who govern dioceses on Terra. As Terra is the most sacred and politically important world in the Imperium, a diocese on Terra makes its cardinal among the most politically important and powerful individuals in the Adeptus Ministorum. Many an ecclesiarch has been raised from amongst the Cardinals Terran.
Cardinal - Cardinals Astral: The Cardinals Astral maintain dioceses on other Imperial worlds besides Terra. Those in the Ophelia VII region are known as the "Astral Ministra" or "Synod Ministra," while those in other regions are known simply as "Cardinals Astral" or "Cardinals-astra."
Cardinal World - Cardinal World: A Cardinal World is an Imperial planet ruled directly by the Ecclesiarchy that is completely dedicated to the worship of the God-Emperor according to the tenets of the Imperial Cult, with Imperial sanctuaries, cathedrals and temples potentially covering entire continents.Aside from already also being classified as a Shrine World that is a particularly important centre of the Ecclesiarchy's power and a destination for the countless pilgrims of the Imperial Cult, Cardinal Worlds also serve as a base of operations for many orders of the Adepta Sororitas.One example of an important Cardinal World is Ophelia VII, whose spiritual significance to the Imperial Cult is second only to that of Terra itself.The Planetary Governor of a Cardinal World is always a cardinal of the Adeptus Ministorum, who often leads the Ecclesiarchy's hierarchy in an entire sector of Imperial space.
Cardinal World - Notable Cardinal Worlds: Planet NameSegmentumSectorSub-SectorSystemPopulationAvignorSegmentum ObscurusUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownBekrinSegmentum UltimaJericho ReachUnknownUnknownUnknownBenedictionSegmentum UltimaUnknownVeritus Sub-sectorTalledus System100 billionChirosSegmentum PacificusUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownDimmamarSegmentum ObscurusUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownDorvastorUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownEspandorSegmentum UltimaUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownFleur-de-FidesSegmentum SolarUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownGallilenus IIIUnknownUnknownUnknownGallilenus SystemUnknownGathalamorSegmentum SolarUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownHeletineUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownIgnatius CardinalUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownLethan TertiusUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownNedicta SecundusUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownOkassisSegmentum UltimaUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownOphelia VIISegmentum TempestusUnknownUnknownOphelia SystemUnknownOrthoda RexUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownPhaistos OsirisSegmentum UltimaOsiris SectorUnknownOsiris SystemUnknownSalem ProctorUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownSavavenSegmentum ObscurusGothic SectorQuinrox Sound Sub-sectorUnknown14 billionScound's FallSegmentum SolarUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownSt. GuiseUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknown
Cardinals Crimson - Cardinals Crimson: The Cardinals Crimson are an ancient and warlike order of the Adeptus Ministorum, the state church of the Imperium of Man. A mysterious and highly secretive religious order of warrior-priests who view themselves as analogues of the many ancient faith-based knightly orders of Mankind's past, they are known for their unflagging devotion to the God-Emperor and a high degree of fanaticism in seeking to carry out His will. Because of this combination of zeal and combat skill, members of the Cardinals Crimson often serve as bodyguards and honour guards for high-ranking priests of the Ecclesiarchy who use such forces to assist them in the execution of their duties (and Heretics).Known as Battle Conclaves, these groups are necessarily small; anything larger would breach the prohibition of "men under arms" as laid down in the Decree Passive that prohibited the Ecclesiarchy from raising its own military forces in the wake of the abuses carried out during the Age of Apostasy in the 36th Millennium by the Renegade High Lord of Terra and Ecclesiarch Goge Vandire. Even so, the Inquisition's Ordo Hereticus covertly monitors the activities of the Ecclesiarchy's Battle Conclaves to safeguard the spirit of the Decree Passive, if not its letter. Many members of the Cardinals Crimson who join the Battle Conclaves choose to become Crusaders, potent close combat specialists who often serve the Ministorum and the lords of the Inquisition.
Carmine Blades - Carmine Blades: Carmine BladesSpace MarineChapterBlood AngelsFoundingFeral WorldHaldrothSwords of HaldrothIndeed, the Carmine Blades is a Chapter that passed, perhaps accidentally, as descendants of the Ultramarines Legion for a considerable time, until a chance meeting with High Chaplain Astorath the Grim in the late 41st Millennium revealed the truth behind its origins.The Carmine Blades had at last an answer for the strange symptoms that they had worked so hard to conceal from those around them -- they now had a name for the Red Thirst and Black Rage that they had hitherto been unable to explain.Created as they were from the Blood Angels' gene-seed, these genetic flaws inherited from Sanguinius greatly afflicted the Carmine Blades like many of the Blood Angels' contemporary Successor Chapters founded in later centuries.Their newly formed order of Sanguinary Priests still struggles to curb the worst excesses of the Chapter's inherited warrior culture. Despite their barbaric practises, the Carmine Blades have proved resilient and resourceful.
Carmine Blades - Chapter History: The Carmine Blades were not recognised as Successors of the Blood Angels until the late 41st Millennium. Indeed, the Chapter was originally named the Swords of Haldroth after its feral recruiting world. The Astartes of this Chapter had long suffered from what they called the "blood-curse," but had hidden their flaw from prying eyes for fear of Inquisitorial sanction.Officially they were recorded as Successors of the Ultramarines. It is unclear whether this came about as a result of an error within the Administratum, or an intentional ruse put in place by the Chapter's leaders in ages past.Whatever the truth, the Chapter's real genetic heritage was revealed during a chance meeting with High Chaplain Astorath of the Blood Angels, as he was drawn instinctively to where the "cursed brothers" were interred. On that day the fate of the Chapter was irrevocably changed, its true identity revealed to all. Renamed the Carmine Blades, these Successors have accepted the Blood Angels' traditions only grudgingly.Their newly formed order of Sanguinary Priests still struggles to curb the worst excesses of the Chapter's inherited warrior culture. Ritual scarification and the flaying of captured foes are still widespread problems. Still, the Carmine Blades have proved resilient and resourceful Successors of Sanguinius.
Carmine Blades - Notable Campaigns: Devastation of Baal (ca. 999.M41) - During the Devastation of Baal the Carmine Blades were among the Successor Chapters that answered Lord Commander Dante's call for aid, sending 8 companies to reinforce the Blood Angels. During the defence of Baal from Hive Fleet Leviathan they were tasked with protecting the Astropathic Choir on the moon of Baal Secundus. The Carmine Blades suffered heavy losses during the siege by the Great Devourer, losing their Chapter Master Kaan, and numerous company officers. By the end of the campaign only 157 Astartes of the original 800 committed to Baal remained alive.The Golden Host (Unknown Date.M42) - Elements of the Blood Angels and the Carmine Blades joined the crusade to reclaim the Dhormet System from the grip of the Black Legion. While the Carmine Blades' Reiver Squads excelled in the vicious shadow war on Heddoth, and the charge of the Death Company and Tallarn 44th Armoured carried victory on Zhongal, a Black Legion counterattack on the Feudal World of Tydor threatened to see the Blood Angels overwhelmed. As Dante and Astorath fought back-to-back amidst the Sanguinary Guard, a golden figure plunged from the heavens to join the fight -- the Sanguinor had come. Led by this trio of angelic heroes, the Blood Angels hurled back their attackers, driving the last of the Heretic Astartes over the cliffs of Felhaven into the darkness below.
Carmine Blades - Notable Carmine Blades: Chapter Master Firstblood Hajjin - Previously Hajjin was the fifth sergeant of the 2nd Company. Now he is the current Chapter Master of the Carmine Blades, having been chosen to succeed his predecessor Kaan after the latter's death during the Devastation of Baal.Firstblood Kaan - Kaan was the Chapter Master of the Carmine Blades prior to the Devastation of Baal and was Hajjin's immediate predecessor. Owing to the recent reunion with their parent Chapter there were many within the Carmine Blades that did not want to send aid to Baal when Dante's call for aid came. Kaan therefore called for a vote on the matter, which resulted in Kaan leading a full eight hundred of his Astartes to Baal to lend their strength to their parent Chapter. Chapter Master Kaan was among the Carmine Blades who perished during the defence of Baal Secundus.Donatael - Battle-Brother of the 3rd Tactical Squad of the 2nd Company.
Carmine Blades - Chapter Colours: The Carmine Blades' power armour is painted carnelian red with a bone white helmet and white trim on the autoreactive shoulder guards.The Carmine Blades' company markings differ from those outlined by the Codex Astartes in utilising symbols on the right shoulder plate instead of different colored trim and numbers.Only in special cases does the Chapter badge not appear on the left shoulder plate. The following is a list of how each company represents itself.1st Company (Veteran): A white skull over red background on the right shoulder plate. On Terminator Armour, the left shoulder plate shows the First Company's specific heraldry, the right shoulder guard displays the Chapter badge in black (yellow for Sergeants).2nd Company (Battle): A single yellow blood drop.3rd Company (Battle): A single white blood drop.4th Company (Battle): A single green blood drop.5th Company (Battle): A single black blood drop.6th Company (Reserve Battleline): Twin yellow blood drops, side by side.7th Company (Reserve Battleline): Twin white blood drops, side by side.8th Company (Reserve Close Support): Twin green blood drops, side by side.9th Company (Reserve Fire Support): Twin black blood drops, side by side.10th Company (Scout Marines): The Blood Angels' Scout Company wears a black skull on the right shoulder plate, and the Chapter badge on the left.Unlike other Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, the Carmine Blades' squad markings comprise a single symbol worn on the right knee plate of their power armour:1st Squad: A white skull on a black background.2nd Squad: A white skull on a blue background.3rd Squad: A red blood drop on a yellow background.4th Squad: A red blood drop on a black background.5th Squad: A white X on a black background.6th Squad: A white X on a blue background.7th Squad: A yellow lightning bolt on a black background.8th Squad: A black lightning bolt on a yellow background.9th Squad: A yellow angelic wing on a black background.10th Squad: A black angelic wing on a yellow background.
Carmine Blades - Chapter Badge: The Carmine Blades' Chapter badge is a large white skull, the top removed, which resembles a Blood Chalice. Three large drops of blood are centred above the skull.Presented to the Blood Angels long ago by its primarch, the first Blood Chalices were said to have contained the very essence of Sanguinius himself.Lost through war and catastrophe over the centuries, only a handful of Blood Chalices now remain and they are only entrusted to the most faithful and deserving members of the Chapter.The use of such a potent symbol is appropriate, and more than likely represents that the Carmine Blades also contain the very essence of their fallen primarch.
Carmyn - Carmyn: Carmyn is a planet found within the Jericho Reach. Indeed, it was classed by the astro-cartographers of the Administratum as a Pleasure World, a classification that can have many different meanings.In the case of Carmyn, the world has gained this designation because it is utilised by the high command of the Achilus Crusade as a retreat from the horrors of war and the stresses of high-level command.It is only the most privileged of Lord Militant Solomon Tetrarchus' staff that are even aware of the world's existence, and aside from the entire corps of serviles assigned to wait on the officers' every need, no common soldier knows of the place's existence.The surface of Carmyn is as close to paradise as can be found on any world in the Jericho Reach, with unspoiled forests, pristine oceans teeming with life and glorious mountain ranges soaring kilometres into the azure skies.The Imperial presence is limited to a number of small retreat settlements, each consisting of perfectly landscaped arbours. The thousands of staff who wait upon the generals and marshals who use these facilities are quartered in vast underground barracks, so that their presence does not ruin the perfect vistas.Unbeknown to the Imperium however, a Slaaneshi Chaos Cult has taken hold in the lowest reaches of the menials' quarters, and is slowly working its way through the ranks.At some point, its vile doctrines will threaten the very highest levels of the crusade's command echelons. Should this happen, the Imperium's entire enterprise in the Jericho Reach could well be brought to its knees in a single stroke.
Carnac Commodus - Carnac Commodus: Carnac Commodus was a Veteran Astartes of the Renegade Astral Claws Chapter with the rank of arch-centurion who served as the commander of the strike cruiser Hyrcania during the Badab War. Following the destruction of his home base on the Feral World of Shaprias by a Loyalist strike force, he craved vengeance and a chance to make up for his failings in the eyes of his lord.Seeking assistance from his Secessionist allies, he found an unexpected ally in the Phaeton's Wrath, the flagship battle barge of the Executioners Chapter, and her accompanying Gladius-class Frigate escorts. The combined battlegroup attacked the Loyalist vessels, disabling the Salamanders Battle Barge Pyre of Glory after a surprise attack at the Warp-transfer point near Calah. They forced the mighty Space Marine starship's surrender.The Astral Claws set about attempting to massacre their prisoners and harvest their gene-seed, but the Executioners would not countenance this vile action. They renounced their alliance with Lufgt Huron, the Tyrant of Badab, saying that the blood oath binding them had been violated. The Executioners freed the Salamanders captives and turned on the Astral Claws, taking more than 200 heads from their former allies in a single hour of furious conflict known as "The Red Hour." From this point onward, the Executioners Chapter became a rogue element in the conflict. High Mortiurge (Reclusiarch) Thulsa Kane came alone before the Salamanders' commander, Captain Pellas Mir'san, and presented a single gory object which he rolled at Mir'san's feet -- the head of Arch-Centurion Commodus.
Carnac Commodus - Wargear: Void-Hardened Power ArmourBlood BiterBolt PistolIron HaloFrag GrenadesKrak Grenades
Carnage-class Cruiser - Carnage-class Cruiser: The Carnage-class Cruiser was designed as a fleet support vessel that utilises its long range Phased Plasma weapons batteries to stand off and provide supporting fire for other warships. The Carnage was an ill-fated design of warship from the start, marred by the many technical difficulties encountered trying to power such long-range weaponry and the cause of much division within the Imperial Navy's Battlefleet Obscurus. It was further marred when the very first Carnage-class Cruiser, the Relentless, turned to Chaos during the Skalathrax Landing (a different world than the Daemon World Skalathrax), turning its guns on the six Imperial Guard transports it was supposed to be covering as they made a landing in hostile territory, thereby earning the new name Initiate of Skalathrax. Since that time, many more Carnage-class Cruisers have turned Traitor as well.