Azrael - Supreme Grand Master: The supreme grand master of the Dark Angels secretly chooses his successor from the Inner Circle of the Chapter. When the old incumbent dies, his choice is ceremonially presented with the panoply associated with the rank of supreme grand master.He is presented with the Chapter's two most venerated relics as symbols of his office -- the Lion Helm (a potent artefact that was previously worn by the Dark Angels' Primarch Lion El'Jonson) and the Sword of Secrets, the foremost of the fabled Heavenfall Blades, which were created from a meteorite that struck The Rock, the Dark Angels' mobile fortress-monastery, after the Horus Heresy.This venerable weapon was so finely crafted that its razor-sharp edge has not chipped or lost its keenness since it was forged long millennia ago. Azrael also took up the Lion's Wrath, a Combi-plasma said to have been constructed by the Techno-magus Prestor the Unchallenged in the days following the fall of Caliban. Finally, he donned The Protector, a finely crafted suit of Artificer Armour inlaid with the symbols of his new rank.Most sacred of all, the Chapter Banners are given into the new supreme grand master's care, to be borne in battle by a battle-brother personally selected by him. All of these artefacts are potent icons for the Dark Angels, each having been passed down through the ages from one incumbent to the next, a weighty reminder to the supreme grand master and to all under his command of the heritage and duty of the Dark Angels Chapter.Not only leading the Chapter in battle, commanding one of the mightiest fighting forces in the Imperium, Commander Azrael must also orchestrate the hunts for the Fallen Angels and guard the Chapter's most precious secrets. It is said that as the holder of this august rank, Azrael is party to the most terrible of truths, known only to him and to those who have preceded him as supreme grand master.Granted the honorific title of "Keeper of the Truth," Azrael is the sole guardian of the Chapter charged with keeping the terrible secrets locked away within the dark chambers kilometres beneath The Rock where only the mysterious Watchers in the Dark dare to tread.Following in the footsteps of every prospective supreme grand master before him, on the day of his appointment, Azrael was accompanied by high-ranking members of the Inner Circle into ever deeper levels of The Rock, the Keeper of the Keys unlocking each adamantium door until the domed Chamber of Passageways was reached.From out of the shadows came the mysterious Watchers in the Dark, and presented Azrael with the Lion Helm and the Sword of Secrets. With these legendary icons of the Chapter, Azrael was led down long hallways until, at last, he came to the Arch of Truth.Alone, the supreme grand master entered, and faced an unspoken test to determine his resolve and suitability for the role. Many fall at this final hurdle, failing to secure the approval of the Watchers in the Dark, but Azrael -- as he has done so many times in his life -- endured and emerged triumphant, and was presented as supreme grand master to the gathered Dark Angels brethren above.Amidst many vows and hymnals, the honorific title of Keeper of the Truth was bestowed, and the new supreme grand master donned the Lion Helm and lifted high the Sword of Secrets as he received the silent salute of his entire Chapter.Azrael also now sits at the head of the Chapter's Inner Circle, master over even the Grand Masters of the Dark Angels' Unforgiven Successor Chapters by ancient tradition stretching back to the time of the Second Founding.As supreme grand master, Azrael alone was privy to the greatest secret of all -- for at the very heart of The Rock lay a cell, shielded by metre upon metre of adamantium armour and inscribed with the most potent runes of warding.Within this cell, kept alive for ten millennia inside a stasis field, languished the broken man who was once Luther.During rare moments of lucidity, the link twixt Luther and the Warp was strong, enabling the Dark Angels to use him as an oracle of sorts. Each supreme grand master in his turn tried to extract from the Arch-heretic a confession of his sins committed against the Lion, to make him repent, but even Azrael was not able to penetrate Luther's madness.Luther just continued to rant and rave, claiming that he had no need of repentance or confession, for one day Lion El'Jonson would return and absolve him of his sins. He claimed that this day was close at hand, and the Lion was already near.