Blood Gorgons - Chapter Ritual Practices: Blood Bonding - When Gammadin had first begun to experiment with daemonology and the rituals that would form later Blood Gorgons' customs, the Khorsaad used a dark ritual to strengthen the bonds between the Battle-Brothers of his Chapter. Utilising the superhuman constitution of an Astartes, the Chapter's Chirurgeons (Apothecaries) had transfused blood and excised tissue from each pair of potential Bond-Brothers into one another. Using Gammadin’s knowledge of arcane lore, rituals from a forgotten heretical text were followed, creating an almost supernatural connection between those who survived the procedure. A pair of Bond-Brothers who have undergone the surgery and the accompanying ritual become so attuned in battle that it has been known that they gain the ability to react intuitively, making tactical decisions to aid each other without communication. When Gammadin's own Bond-Brother angered the Chaos Gods and his form was corrupted into that of a Chaos Spawn, Gammadin slew him, an act that apparently caused him considerable physical pain. Feeling the old wounds of one's Bond-Brother is also a common experience between the pairs.The Sacrifices of War - Before going into battle, the Blood Gorgons perform solemn rituals which Gammadin named "The Sacrifices of War." Usually these rituals required each pair of Blood Gorgons Bond-Brothers to reswear their oaths of brotherhood. Then each pair cut a small portion of their flesh off or sliced open a part of their body. The tiny sample of blood and flesh are then collected into a brass bowl and the bloody tissue is diluted with an alcohol solution. The blood is traditionally mixed with fermented mead, though honey is sometimes used by the Chapter, though it is simply more efficient to manufacture an alcoholic solvent. The Sacrifice of Armament then follows. The Bond-Brothers are stripped naked and lower their bodies into a simmering cauldron. The water is hot enough to par‐boil the outermost layers of skin. Once immersed, the inflamed skin is then vigorously rubbed with coarse‐grained salts. Lastly, a thick white salve of woad – a mixture of animal fat, minerals and bio‐chemicals – is applied to toughen the skin, numbing it. After this epidermal treatment, the Chaos Space Marines' suits of Power Armour are fitted into place, segment by segment. The plugs, stem cords and synapse wires are connected from the armour to each Blood Gorgon's Black Carapace implant. The attendant slaves and Bond-Brothers then begin to chant a simple, rhythmic cadence in order to placate the armour’s Machine Spirit as it is coaxed from its sleep. Finally comes the Sacrifice of Smoke. This ritual is usually found to be the most pragmatic of the Chapter's pre-deployment ceremonies, despite its superstitious nature. It is common when in Warp transit for certain objects to go missing. To the minds of many warriors, this phenomenon was unexplainable and vaguely disturbing – small items left unlocked or unbolted would disappear. Sometimes these could be vital pieces of wargear, or even the firing pin of a Bolter. In order to prevent such Warp poltergeist activity, most Loyalist Chapters prayed to the Emperor and erected gargoyles within and without their starships. The Blood Gorgons observed this superstition in their own way by discharging firecrackers and parading in their war helms before battle. It was the Blood Gorgons’ belief that war helms needed to be terrifying enough to scare even their allied daemons of Chaos, or ill fortune would be invited. The Bond-Brothers often danced in a strange, spasmodic dance before battle, executing clumsy movements in their Power Armour, as their slave retinues beat drums and cymbals while singing. With the final sacrifices complete, the fully armoured Bond-Brothers stood ready to wage battle. After the Sacrifices of War are complete, the Bond-Brothers who are about to deploy into combat gather within the Space Hulk's Hall of Solemn Supper. This narrow, antiquated chamber lies deep within the Space Hulk’s furnished core, with great wooden-beamed ceilings dating from a time when the ship was still abandoned. Here the Blood Gorgons came to feast before deployment and, as is customary, receive their pre‐mission assembly with their company commander. Although this meal marks the last stage of squad‐level planning and tactics, it is also a sombre time to gather and feast amongst the brothers.