Alexis Polux - Second Founding: After the Horus Heresy played out to its inevitable tragic conclusion as the Siege of Terra, Roboute Guilliman, primarch of the Ultramarines Legion, penned the Codex Astartes. With its creation, the primarch demanded that his brothers accept his example by dividing their own Legions into 1,000-member Space Marine Chapters. Initially, Rogal Dorn opposed such a notion. He felt strongly that it was even more crucial for his Space Marines to remain consolidated so that they could continue to work closely together and protect the Imperium from the remnants of the Traitor Legions.The issue became an increasingly critical point of conflict between the two primarchs, as their arguments grew in intensity. Ultimately, Dorn decided that it was more important to concede to Guilliman's demands and divide his Legion than to run the risk of another Imperial civil war. After he accepted the decision, Dorn divided his Legion into multiple Successor Chapters.Two of the Chapters formed from the Imperial Fists Legion were the Black Templars and the Crimson Fists. The Crimson Fists Chapter's members were selected by Dorn from those Astartes who had been most recently initiated into the VII Legion, with the exception of its officers, who were all Veterans. While these battle-brothers were thoroughly trained and loyal warriors, they were among the VII Legion's most level-headed initiates. Because of this, the new Chapter Master would be able to more effectively implement the teachings and new traditions of the Codex Astartes.Alexis Polux was selected by Dorn to be the newly-founded Crimson Fists Chapter's first Chapter Master. Remembered as the "Great Father" by his brethren, Polux would go on to lead the Crimson Fists for the first 800 standard years of their existence. During this time, he did much to shape their interpretation of the Codex Astartes and their combat doctrines.Chapter Master Polux reorganised his battle-brothers in a format that followed closely with the structure prescribed by the Codex Astartes. However, he continued to follow many of the tactics and traditions that he had learned at the side of his primarch as a member of the Imperial Fists. For this reason, the Crimson Fists remained expert at defensive actions, just like their progenitors. The Chapter continued the tradition of permitting a single warrior to assume the heraldry and status of the Emperor's Champion prior to entering a major conflict, but this practice was only invoked upon rare occasions. Similarly, the Crimson Fists are one of the twelve Successor Chapters of the VII Legion that participate in the Feast of Blades, alongside the Imperial Fists.Through the centuries, as the Chapter continued to develop and build its own traditions, the Crimson Fists began to maintain a series of sacred solar days within each standard year. These were devoted to honouring and commemorating, but not worshiping, the Emperor, their primarch, and the Great Father Polux. The Chapter has come to embrace the Codex Astartes, including much of its core philosophy as regards preparation for battles. Their use of oral history as a reminder of their ancestors' actions, their ability to adapt to battle against hundreds of different species of xenos, and their aptitude for all phases of warfare all leave the Crimson Fists as a Chapter that is capable of defeating a broad range of opponents -- a lesson that they had to learn through the course of their extended crusades, many of them under the command of Alexis Polux.