Blood Ravens - Chapter Organisation: The Blood Ravens identify themselves as a Chapter that stays closely within the criteria demanded by the Codex Astartes. By the standards of someone who has little interaction with other Space Marines, this is a reasonably accurate description. However, compared to many of the more conservative Chapters -- particularly the Successor Chapters of the Ultramarines and Imperial Fists Legions -- the Blood Ravens exhibit a significant level of variation from the standard procedures as dictated by the Codex.While the Blood Ravens follow the Codex Astartes in spirit, if not letter, their passion for knowledge was instilled into the Chapter through the Great Father Azariah Vidya's example. As a result, the Blood Ravens maintain one of the most extensive, well-organised, and detailed archives ever seen in a Space Marine Chapter, rivalling even the ancient records of many of the First Founding Chapters.Librarians carefully studying the Chapter's records in an attempt to find hints as to the Chapter's deeper origins have found anomalous data, and even strange gaps, on occasion. Those brave or foolhardy enough to do so whisper that perhaps Azariah Vidya himself may have had a hand in removing the relevant records, though none have the evidence to demonstrate such an allegation.The Blood Ravens' basic company organisation is consistent with the directives of the Codex. The Blood Ravens maintain ten standard companies. Each of these companies maintains the status, combat specialisations, and training protocols as dictated per the Codex. This is in spite of the fact that the Chapter is fleet-based, so companies may be forced to separate due to extended assignments aboard vessels directed to separate portions of the Imperium.The most sweeping change within the Blood Ravens' company leadership is that all company commanders take a member of the Librarius on as a trusted advisor, who aids in preparation for all battles. In some instances, these Librarians even go on to assume the title of company commander in the event of battlefield losses.The Blood Ravens Chapter is known for having a much higher number of Librarians than most Chapters. It is not uncommon for multiple Librarians to be attached to companies, Librarians to be in charge of outposts and starships and even companies when necessary, such as Librarian-Captain Lucius, the former captain of the 5th Company.The Veteran 1st Company of the Blood Ravens includes several squads made up entirely of Librarians, which are dispatched on only the most important missions, though what these may be is unknown. The Chapter Master of the Blood Ravens also traditionally holds the dual role and offices of Chapter Master and Chief Librarian, a tradition dating back to when the Great Father Azariah Vidya was the first to do so. Whatever the reason for such a large number of Librarians in the ranks of the Blood Ravens, they are an integral part of the Chapter.For instance, the 9th Company had no less than four Librarians attached to it, though with the recent deaths of Brothers Bherald and Rhamah that number dropped to two. Other Librarians of note in the Chapter are Isador Akios, the former Librarian of the 3rd Company before he turned Traitor and was slain by Gabriel Angelos, Father Jonas, who was previously stationed on the Chapter's recruiting world of Rahe's Paradise and the two other 9th Company Librarians, Zhaphel and Korinth.After the Third Aurelian Crusade and the death of the corrupted Azariah Kyras, Captain Gabriel Angelos ascended to become the new and present Chapter Master of the Blood Ravens following a bloody purge of the Chaos-corrupted Blood Ravens who remained. Under Angelos' leadership, many of the Chapter's unusual practices continue to be re-examined.Since the ascension of Gabriel Angelos, the Blood Ravens have become intensely focused on the identification and elimination of the Traitor Legions and those allied with the entities of the Warp. In several instances, Imperial pleas for assistance with other threats have gone unanswered so that the Blood Ravens could continue to pursue their own agenda against Chaos. It is too early to tell if this is a long-term change in the Chapter's outlook or simply a shorter-term strategy necessitated by extraordinary circumstances.As a fleet-based Chapter, the Blood Ravens recruit from many different worlds, and recruitment, training and implantation of gene-seed organs in aspirants can be done by nearly every capital ship in the Blood Ravens fleet. The reserve of the Chapter's gene-seed is spread throughout all of its primary starships, stored in the Implantation Chambers aboard each vessel. These chambers are the most protected on any Blood Ravens starship and will be defended by the Blood Ravens with their lives if need be, for these chambers contain the essence of the Chapter's future.The Chapter is based out of the battle barge Omnis Arcanum that serves as the mobile fortress-monastery of the Chapter. It is from the Omnis Arcanum that the Blood Ravens Chapter Master directs the efforts of the Chapter's companies and where the great Librarium Sanctorium of the Chapter stores all the knowledge gathered by the Chapter in the pursuit of its duties. Like many of the Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, the Blood Ravens maintain an honour guard for the Chapter Master. The honour guard under Azariah Kyras was led by Captain Apollo Diomedes, the physical embodiment of the Chapter Master's will, who would go on to become a Chaplain following the death of the Traitor Chapter Master.The Blood Ravens have suffered heavy losses in recent times during the Tartarus Campaign, the Dark Crusade, the Kaurava Campaign, the first two Aurelian Crusades and the Inquisition's recent purge of the Aurelian Sub-sector, all of which has led to the loss of a number of the Chapter's recruiting worlds. It will take some time to rebuild the Chapter's numbers from such losses and with every recruiting world that has been ravaged, the Blood Ravens' future prospects have become that much darker. However, the recent introduction of Primaris Space Marine reinforcements from the Ultima Founding has gone a long way in making good the Chapter's losses as they prepare to begin the creation of their own Primaris battle-brothers.