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Cobalt Scions

2026-07-31T21:57:15Z

Charlie:

[[File:Cobalt_Scions.png|600px|center]]
The Cobalt Scions are an all-Primaris chapter created from Ultramarines gene stock. After enduring decades of attrition in the Indomitus Crusade, Guilliman has assigned them to watch over a region of the Segmentum Pacificus from their new home system of [[Thonis]]. They have what some Astartes Chapters would see as a repugnant enthusiasm for politics and an unhealthy regard for the prognostications of their librarians. Their true strength as a Chapter comes from their focus on logistics, enabling them to support allied forces and sustain supply lines with uncommon reliability. Some fear they are more loyal to Guilliman himself than the wider Imperium, and eager to carve out an empire akin to Ultramar.

=Heraldry=
The Scions' heraldry is very close to their gene-sires, with the bulk of the armour painted the same blue as the Ultramarines. The two differences are their white pauldrons, and their company markings displayed on the left kneepad rather than on the shoulder trim. Since the Cobalt Scions' guiding principle is flexibility, none of the squads display the traditional tactical/assault/devastator symbols, but merely numerals denoting their squad number within their company.

The primary exception to the chapter's bright blue heraldry can be seen on their camouflaged Phobos-pattern armour, which is repainted to suit the local terrain.

==Chapter Icon==
The blue fist used in the Scions' heraldry symbolises the Gauntlets of Ultramar, as the chapter is particularly keen on celebrating and aspiring to the deeds of their forebears.
[[File:Cobalt_Scions_icon.png|300px|center]]

==Chapter Mottos==
The Cobalt Scions are known to have several mottos or common phrases, depending on the context. Some have been heard repeating the Ultramarian phrase “Courage and Honour," but the most common two phrases more specific to the Chapter are:

''“For Guilliman! For Glory!"''

''“Dignus Praesidio." (Protect the Worthy)''

Both mottos have been seen as concerning by outside observers, who feel that the first motto speaks to the wrong priorities, and that the second raises questions about just who the Cobalt Scions consider to be “worthy." The ambiguity of ''Dignus Praesidio'' often allows the listener to hear what they want to hear, and has been used both as a rallying cry and an insult, depending on the context. Some suggest the words are also a way for the Scions to speak in coded language to each other when they consider certain individuals to be not worth aiding, particularly if outwardly saying so would be politically unwise.

=Chapter organisation=
The Cobalt Scions are only partially Codex compliant. They argue that they follow its rules in spirit, just not in detail, and have reworked elements to suit Cawl's new equipment.

==A recruit's journey==
When recruited, a novitiate is assigned to the 10th Company to begin their training. The training is martial, moral and intellectual; novitiates are expected to familiarise themselves with texts ranging from Guilliman's works on governance, to Bartolomaius' ''Logistica Mathematica''. Novitiates soon learn they must show administrative aptitude if they hope to advance through the ranks.

Once considered battlefield ready, they graduate to the rank of initiate, and are issued carapace armour. In the first few years after the chapter's arrival in Thonis they were only used as a reserve that was only called upon when the need was desperate, since the chapter considered it inefficient to throw its less durable trainees into serious firefights. Consequently, initiates were generally given garrison duties and other auxiliary tasks. The strictness with which this approach was applied waned as the chapter's numbers recovered. Some have even joked that between the stability of the XIII geneseed and a newfound willingness to make use of initiates on the battlefield, the chapter may one day have more auxilia than Astartes.

Once an initiate has been given their final implants they are assigned to one of the reserve companies. Here, surrounded by more experienced marines, they will learn to master one specific role (such as Intercessor, Aggressor, Infiltrator, and so on). Over time they will be rotated through different reserve companies, until eventually they have mastered all the forms of war practised by the Astartes. At this point, most will be given the honour of joining one of the battle companies. Those that show a particular gift for infiltration will be assigned to the 10th Company's Vanguard, and will spend the bulk of their career in Phobos plate.

Any marine who proves their valour and skill may one day hope to be elevated to the veteran ranks of the First Company, whose venerable warriors are generally divided among the various active battlegroups so that they are better able to share their knowledge.

===The Twofold Path===
Once a brother has been elevated into the battle companies, there are several routes to further advancement and greater personal glory. If they show spectacular aptitude for the martial virtues, they may pursue such honoured roles as membership of the Bladeguard, a position as a company ancient, or service in the First Company. Alternatively, if their martial talents are merely acceptable but their political nous is exemplary, they may pursue an Honorary Praetorship such that they can function as an ambassador and intermediary between the chapter and other Imperial institutions, as well as administrators of the chapter's domains. Only masters of the twofold path - both martial and political - can truly hope to be given a true Praetorship, or a position in the Reclusiam.

Those who do well in their Praetorships can expect, if they live long enough, to progress to a Consulship and command of their own company. Those who are too hobbled by injuries and whose bodies reject grafts and bionics tend to retain their Praetorships and serve in a purely political fashion, or as a strategic advisor and attaché to other Imperial forces the Scions are working with. In this way, the number of Praetors far exceeds the 20 lieutenants one would expect to see in a strict observance of the Codex Astartes.

==Chapter Structure==
[[File:drusus.png|250px|right|link=[[Tiberius Drusus]]|Chapter Master Tiberius Drusus]]
===Chapter Command===
The following individuals are known members of the Cobalt Scions' leadership.
* Dictator [[Tiberius Drusus]], Chapter Master
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian
* Consul Quintus Tarentian, Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions First Company|First Company]]
* Consul Gaius Fabian, Captain of the Second Company
* Consul [[Martellus Lucullus]], Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]]

===Chapter Companies===
* [[Cobalt Scions First Company|1st Company]]: the veterans. Squads from this company are often attached to other forces to share their experience and aid with further training for their brothers.
* 2nd-5th Companies: the battle companies. All members are expected to know how to operate in any battlefield role, including vehicle crew, and in any armour pattern. The company captain decides on the mixture of 5 and 10 man squads. Squads may be temporarily divided between (for example) forming a three man fire team and a two man vehicle crew.
* 6th -9th Companies: the reserve companies. Members are only adept at certain battlefield roles, with each squad always performing a consistent role. When their sergeant judges that a marine has mastered their current role, they are rotated out to another squad to begin learning a new one.
* 10th Company: The Vanguard. These are the Chapter's clandestine experts, and forego the traditional blue armour in favour of camouflage. Technically, this company also contains the Initiate Auxilia, meaning that this is the only company with over a hundred members. That the Auxilia are attached to this company is largely to give lip service to the Codex; in reality they are essentially two unrelated organisations.

====The Initiate Auxilia====
When the Cobalt Scions arrived in Thonis, the chapter was badly depleted. As such, their equivalent of the Scout Company did not perform the traditional infiltration duties seen in other chapters. As their name suggests, when deployed they were used for auxiliary duties such as guard duty, where they would get some combat experience, but generally with the added benefit of heavy cover. Only in extremis were they committed to the front line, as the needless loss of an initiate was considered wasteful, particularly with the chapter so under-strength. The bulk of an initiate's time was therefore spent in training.

With the chapter now back to full strength, however, there is an increasing willingness to use the auxilia when tactically expedient. This is the source of some friction within chapter command, who do not all share the view that it is wise to risk wasting promising trainees, or that it is acceptable to take advantage of the Codex Astartes' lack of hard limit on the number of scouts a chapter is permitted to have in active service at any one time.

===Honorary Praetors===
An Honorary Praetorship is not a military rank but a political one, and could even be held by a battle brother. Honorary Praetors form a cadre of the chapter's most able negotiators and orators, dedicated to inspiring traditional virtues and compliance among other Imperial institutions. There are naturally those who argue this constitutes the chapter at its most meddlesome, and certain institutions do not look kindly on some post-human warrior interfering in their business. The Cobalt Scions take this as an additional challenge, and seek to prove their utility, although the petty ambitions of lesser men regularly contrive to make it appear that the Scions are pursuing power for power's sake in clear contravention of the Emperor's original intent for the Astartes.

[[File:priahad.png|250px|right]]
===The Azarian Guard===
This brotherhood of warriors is the Cobalt Scions' equivalent of the Chapter's Honour Guard. They can also be referred to as the Chapter Master's Bladeguard, and exist outside the company structure. They do not have squads, and bear heraldry of the individual rather than the unit. To join them is to foresake the right to seek a command position within the chapter, and to become truly dedicated to pursuing martial prowess. Answerable only to the Chapter Master and the Reclusiam's Master of Sanctity, they serve to protect the virtue of humility within a chapter that might otherwise encourage personal ambition to a dangerous extent. They explicitly have permission to criticise and mock officers, and cannot be censured by any but the Chapter Master or Master of Sanctity for doing so. If they decide to follow an officer to war, however, they must follow the officer's commands precisely during engagements. If a Consul or Praetor wants the aid of the Azarian Guard on a mission, he cannot requisition them; instead, he must petition them. Likewise, Azarian Guards are permitted to turn up unannounced and accompany a strike force if they deem the mission interesting.

====Origins of the Azarian Guard====
Lieutenant Azarias was one of the few Azure Drakes officers to survive the [[The Nova Tarentis Massacre|Nova Tarentis Massacre]]. Following the incorporation of the surviving Drakes into the Cobalt Scions, Azarias took an oath to protect his new chapter master with his life. Coming from a very different chapter culture, he refused to conduct himself in the refined style of the Scions, often mocking others and then challenging them when they failed to mock him back. Amused by this upstart and keen to temper the egos of his senior staff, Chapter Master Drusus instructed Azarias to create his own semi-autonomous brotherhood of up to thirty warriors. Azarias himself was slain protecting Drusus two years later during the reclamation of Raxis Minor, but the Azarian Guard, then numbering seven brothers, remained. Their numbers have since grown, and a number of onetime Azure Drakes use this brotherhood as a way to keep some of their chapter cult alive.

====Known Azarian Guards====
'''Brother Priahad'''

Brother Priahad's helm bears a gold skull, indicating that he is serving as the temporary leader of his fellow Bladeguard. In this way, Cobalt Scions officers know who to direct their commands to. The skull itself is not a permanent fixture but a badge that can be easily removed and passed to another bladeguard between engagements.

His left pauldron bears the chapter icon. It is presented in gold so as to evoke a shield, representing the bladeguard's commitment to safeguarding the Chapter Master. His right pauldron bears his individual heraldry, evoking a deed or quest he has undertaken that his fellow veterans regard as worthy. It shows the four stars of Thonicia, in reference to the vow Priahad enacted to visit every inhabited world in the sprawling home system and provide unexpected aid to those in need.

The tilting plate on his chest bears the ghostly image of a wyrm, and the chapter colour of the Azure Drakes, indicating that he is one of the original members of the now-defunct chapter. The wyrm is presented in a ghostly manner to reference the lingering spirits of his dead brothers.

'''Brother Katumaros'''

The golden skull on Katumaros' tilting plate indicates that he was once an officer. Counter-intuitively, he wears this as a mark of shame; as the fleet master who couldn't bring reinforcements to rescue his brothers in time, he is wracked by guilt and joined the Azarian Guard to ensure he could never rise to a position of command again. Despite a storied career prior to the Nova Tarentis Massacre, he considers his old achievements dead, and as such, his right pauldron remained devoid of heraldry until saving Techmagos Osmal Qvoll from an assassination attempt by [[the Thirteenth Talon]]. After that, his pauldron was adorned with a split motif, with a shielf on one side, and the Cog Mechanicus on the other.

'''Brother Galadoc'''

A mere brother in the Azure Drakes' 8th reserve company when his Chapter was destroyed, Galadoc has only recently joined the Azarian Guard. Like Priahad, his tilting plate features a ghostly image, this time of a dragon's head, commemorating his deceased captain, who he revered. His right pauldron bears the symbol of the Inquisition silhouetted by a shield, commemorating the vow he took to rescue [[Inquisitor Michael]] and his ship the''Accipiter'' after it was boarded by orks during the invasion of Aetonia in [[Eressus]]. After he defeated the heavily armoured ork leading the boarding party, he saved not only Michael himself, but the Chapter's Judiciar, who had been laid low in the fighting.

On his arm, he also bears a rosary once carried by one of the Drakes' chaplains. Galadoc's keen observance of the rites and rituals of his old chapter cult was one of the factors in his acceptance into the Azarian Guard, even though in theory martial prowess should be the only factor.

[[File:tolemias.png|250px|right|link=[[Tolemias]]]]

===The Librarius===
The Cobalt Scions place great stock in the prognostications of psykers, both their own and in the wider Imperium, and will often consult with astropaths, navigators and their own librarians to establish what if anything may be predicted about impending engagements and enemies. In battle, Cobalt Scions Librarians act as dictated by the Codex, employing whichever warp powers their minds are best suited to.

'''Known Librarians'''
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian.
* [[Tolemias]], Codicier.

'''The Thonician Oracles'''

Among the Chapter's most closely guarded secrets are the Oracles, a matriarchal order of seers that have quietly persisted in Thonicia since pre-Imperial times. At various times the Ordo Hereticus have attempted to purge them, but have never managed to wipe them out entirely. The Oracles became known to the Cobalt Scions some time after they arrived in the system, though whether they were discovered or even sought out the Scions is unknown. How the ancient traditions of the Oracles enable them to resist warp corruption is also unknown, as is the extent to which the Cobalt Scions place their faith in them.

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===The Phratry Munitorus===
If the Cobalt Scions' techmarines can make one honest boast, it is the speed and efficiency with which they can erect fortifications and other structures. The Phratry Munitorus (rough Low Gothic translation: the kinship/tribe of builders/engineers) serves the same purpose as a normal Chapter Armourium, but with the added responsibility of assisting with the integration of defences with civic infrastructure. To this end, the techmarines are not just supported by serfs and servitors, but also by human techpriests and architects. Chief among such human followers is Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the chapter's head architect. She is given near-equal standing to the Master of the Forge, and oversees a substantial and growing staff working on the construction of the chapter's fortress monastery and the more general defence enhancements of Thonicia.

When the chapter goes to war, it brings a substantial support staff of humans and servitors tasked with the rapid construction of defences, bridges, field hospitals, and whatever else might swing the Imperium's chances in any given theatre. A supply of prefabricated structures is also brought along for time-critical projects. Encampments are often built along standardised lines, ensuring that personnel familiar with one Scions base are familiar with them all. It has been pointed out by other chapters that this is a strategic vulnerability, but the Scions prefer the speed that comes with familiarity, and are convinced they will be able to adapt on a tactical level to counter this strategic weakness.

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[[File:Aristander.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Sedayus Aristander====
In addition to his regular duties tending to the Cobalt Scions' wargear and vehicles, Brother-Techmarine Sedayus Aristander is an obsessive sculptor, creating busts and statues for the Chapter's various reliquaries and memorials of fallen comrades. In theory, such devotional artworks are the domain of the human artisans of the Phratry Munitorus. While his fellow techmarines' non-military endeavours would generally be limited to designing architecture that serves to inspire as well as defend, Aristander argues that art serves as a major political tool. His defence is halfhearted, however; in truth he sculpts because he enjoys it. As he sees it, the sculptor's challenge is not merely to perfectly replicate their subject's features, but to capture their character. If that happens to serve the political goal of showing the Thonician populace what has been sacrificed for their safety, then that is merely a useful bonus.

He worked at his craft throughout the Chapter's time in the Indomitus Crusade, and yet more since the Scions' arrival in Thonis. Many consider him an excellent craftsman, but he remains unsatisfied, knowing that decades of practice are required to achieve true mastery. His obsession makes him a withdrawn figure who never takes a joke well. Nonetheless, he enjoys a measure of popularity, for all who walk in the Chapter's mausoleum are grateful to look upon the faces of their fallen brothers.

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[[File:hadrios_kelsus.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Hadrios Kelsus====
While Kelsus is perfectly willing to perform his vehicle maintenance duties between engagements, he rarely does so in combat. This is because Hadrios Kelsus is, and always has been, obsessed with the use of large guns. He generally finds an excuse to bring a servo turret on all deployments, and at the first sign of the enemy, gleefully mounts up to provide his brothers with fire support. It has been suggested that he should consider how to advance through the techmarines' ranks, for instance by creating political ties to local Mechanicus personnel. He is, however, far more interested in tinkering with guns in the Chapter's armoury.

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====The Chapter Armoury====
Members of the battle companies all have basic training in crewing the vehicles employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 9th Company, although the bulk of the crewing is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

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[[File:boriels_wrath.png|250px|left]]
=====Repulsor Executioner ''Boriel's Wrath''=====
This tank is named after a Dark Angel biker who aided a group of Scions pinned down by a force of Emperor's Children Heretic Astartes. Driving to good vantage points and providing pinpoint positional data, then moving on before the traitors could corner him, Boriel's actions allowed the Scions to fight clear of the trap. Tragically, they never met him in person; he was finally cornered by a squad of noise marines who, enraged by his efforts, beat him to death with their sonic blasters.

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===The Fleet===
When founded, the Scions had only six strike cruisers and a single battle barge: the ''Reason Inviolate''. Following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, the Azure Drakes' fleet -- far less damaged than the chapter it served -- was folded into the Scions' fleet. Consequently they went from having barely enough capital ships to deploy the chapter to having, arguably, an excess that they should have donated to other Indomitus Founding chapters. The Scions claim to make good use of their fleet assets given that it has enabled them to expand the capabilities of the Phratry Munitorus, with every Scions capital ship being well supplied with the engineers and materiel to respond to the humanitarian requirements of a warzone, as well as prefab fortifications, bridges, and other infrastructural elements. The Scions brush off criticisms that this exceeds the remit of the Adeptus Astartes by reciting the old adage that wars are won with logistics, and that a population protected is a rebellion prevented.

In addition to having holds full of infrastructural material, Cobalt Scions capital ships all have small manufactories capable of producing and repairing Astartes wargear and vehicles, albeit far more slowly than the Chapter Forge on Thonis. This is a hangover from when the chapter was fleet based during the Indomitus Crusade. It is a functionality they have deliberately maintained afterwards so as to reduce their dependence on supply lines.

The chapter has also attracted further criticism for employing several squadrons of the controversial Nova class frigate, which some say Astartes have no need of unless they're expecting to instigate naval battles without the assistance of the Imperial Navy.

Like many (if not most) Astartes fleets, the ships are crewed and captained by humans, although even an Astartes Sergeant is considered to outrank a ship captain as regards the chain of command. What with the fleet regularly returning to Thonis, the crew are given the option of having their families aboard their ship or in terrestrial housing. The family of slain personnel are given a stipend by the chapter, money which originally is taken from the financial tithe the Scions collect from their home system. While living conditions aboard the chapter's vessels are superior to the average ship of the Imperial Navy, expectations are high. Any personnel found wanting are rarely given second chances, and if lucky will get away simply with being discharged without a pension. Of course, incompetent crew can still offer dependable service when sent to the tech-priests for ''conversion,'' serving as a grim reminder to their former crewmates of the price of laxity. Those who have actively transgressed face even worse fates, up to and including a one-way trip to the great arena at Heracleion.

====Current Fleet Assets====
=====Battle Barges=====
*''Reason Inviolate'', the flagship. Constructed to default specifications during the Primaris project, prior to the chapter having a name or an identity. The Scions have since made it their own, modifying a number of its orbital launch bays for the deployment of Phratry Munitorus assets. The vessel served throughout the Scions' participation in the Indomitus Crusade, but the scars it gained during those battles have long since been removed.
*''Tarasc'', †‡ the one-time flagship of the Azure Drakes. There is a hall, deep in the ship's core, that serves as a hall of remembrance. There is a plaque on the wall for every Azure Drakes warrior who died in the Nova Tarentis Massacre, commemorating their noblest deeds. Above the hall's threshold is engraved the legend: ''In memory of those I could not save.''

=====Strike Cruisers=====
*''Axios''. Deployments include the [[Raid on Lachesis]].
*''Azhdaha'' †‡
*''Deliverance'' ‡
*''Dutiful''
*''Erenkyl'' †‡
*''Illuyaka'' †
*''Iustus Exactor'' ‡
*''Preceptor''. Deployments include [[the Andaras Affair]].
*''Mater Accipitrum'' ‡
*''Redemption''. ‡ Captured as a prize from renegade Astartes in the battle of Zarinth V during the Indomitus Crusade.
*''Selezen'' †‡
*''Vritra'' †

†: Originally from the Azure Drakes' fleet.

‡: Currently away from the Eridani Sector on Crusade.

=====Escorts=====

The precise disposition of the Scions' flotilla of frigates and destroyers is unknown, but the number of escorts in their fleet is growing significantly now that the Keraphon Shipyards of Delta Thonicia have been upgraded. A number of these ships are purely for the defence of the sprawling Thonicia system, and the Chapter does not have enough Navigators to guide them through the warp even if they wanted to leave.

=====The ''Mater Castellorum''=====

Archmagos Felicita Morleio is the de facto head of the Phratry Munitorus, despite not being an Astartes. The ''Mater Castellorum'' is her fabrication ark, a capital-class auxiliary vessel originally used to transport the materiel needed to lay the groundwork for the Scions' Fortress-Monastery. Even before the ark finished deploying its contents planetside, Morleio was thinking about how such a vessel might be used afterwards. Once the vessel had finished deploying its original payload, she dispatched it to [[Thonis#Delta_Thonicia_VIII_Gamma:_Keraphon | Keraphon]] to undergo an extensive refit.

The vessel retained its fleet of bulk lifters, and sacrificed some of its kilometers of storage to house manufactories. While all Scions vessels are designed to enable a certain amount of infrastructural aid to Imperial colonies, the newly-refitted ''Mater Castellorum'' carries tens of thousands of workers, artisans and techpriests along with the materiel they need to enact widespread repairs and construction projects. Consul Tarentian once joked that if battles are won with marines and wars won with logistics, the ''Mater Castellorum'' is a weapon of mass construction.

=====The Thonician defence fleet=====

Upon arriving at Thonis, the Scions quickly enlarged their system defence fleet (i.e. naval vessels lacking a warp drive) by initiating a series of boarding actions on the system's pirates rather than destroying them. These mismatched vessels would serve in the short term, but Thonicia is a vast area compared to most star systems, and a more regimented fleet of substantial size would be required so that the Scions chapter fleet would be free to go where it was needed.

This need culminated in the design and production of the Warden class heavy frigate. Similar in design to other Astartes escorts, but with a larger hold suitable for the redeployment of key resources or personnel within the system as needed, these heavy frigates are quicker to produce than cruisers, and more flexible in their applications, having been designed as just about capable of planetary landings on any world of 1.3G or less. While it would be possible to fit them with warp drives, this would greatly increase production time and cost. For now, the priority is to stamp out as many as possible to ensure the safety of the home system.

[[File:stormtalon.png|250px|right]]
=====Gunships, interceptors and other ordnance=====
Operating a fleet of gunships out of a ship in orbit means craft have less time to spend on station, and use far more fuel. Being logistically minded, the Cobalt Scions are always keen to ensure their FOBs can be deployed at great speed, and within hours will have the fuel and ammunition at hand to resupply gunships operating in support of ground units. Members of the battle companies all have basic training in piloting aircraft employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 8th Company, although the bulk of the piloting is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

=History=
==Founding==
Guilliman's major concern about Cawl's artificially indoctrinated primaris marines was their lack of real combat experience, so he decided to form the Scions' senior leadership from veterans of the Ultramarines' 1st Company. A call for volunteers went out.

Encouraged by Calgar's survival of the Rubicon Primaris, Aelius Justarian and his squad stepped up. Their idea was that each of them would be a company captain, forming a group of officers who already knew and respected each other. Guilliman, Calgar and Captain Agemman accepted their proposal, and the ten brothers eagerly submitted themselves to the process, nodding confidently as the risks of the process were explained to them.

In their optimism they hoped they might all survive; the process was becoming less risky with time, but in reality, six brothers died. Sergeant Justarian was among them.

The four survivors had known it was possible some of their brothers might not survive the process. They had lost brothers in the past. Astartes are indoctrinated to process the grief when a brother falls in combat. If anything, it strengthens their resolve. But the survivors learned that losing a brother in combat and losing an uninjured brother to the operating table are two very different things. This new form of grief ate away at them.

The chaplains tried tending to the brothers' spiritual wounds, but old Cassius refused to let them languish in mourning. Success, he told them, is meaningless without adversity. Still despondent at the loss but obedient nonetheless, the four brothers prepared for their voyage across the galaxy to rendezvous with their new chapter in the Sol system. They sought guidance from Calgar, Agemman, and other senior Ultramarines while their new armour was forged. They spoke to political leaders and logisticians, shipmasters and tech-magi, trying to learn what they could, still lamenting the loss of wise Justarian and the others.

When their new Mk.X armour was ready, they entered the Fortress of Hera and donned the unpainted suits for the first time. After so many decades as Ultramarines, it was a strange thing for them to see each other wearing unpainted armour. As they stood there exchanging uncertain glances, they were approached by Sinon, Captain of the Ninth and Master of Relics, who presented them with four master-crafted power swords in honour of their service with the Ultramarines. It was a welcome and tangible connection to their past.

On the journey to Sol, they occupied themselves by debating how they might go about organising their new chapter. Quintus Tarentian and Gaius Fabian favoured adhering strictly to the updated Codex Astartes, while Tiberius Drusus and Martellus Lucullus argued that it didn't map well onto purely primaris chapters.

Unable to agree on how far to stray from the wisdom of the Codex, they turned their attention to what they thought would be the less contentious question of naming the chapter. They soon learned that much rests in a name, and many names are unfit for purpose. Nothing sounded right. At one point, Tarentian confessed that after days of considering monikers for the new chapter, even the honoured name of the Ultramarines sounded foolish. “It is a pun!" he exclaimed, agast. “Or perhaps a declaration that we think ourselves above other chapters." The other three looked at him, appalled by this heresy.

“On the contrary, brother," Drusus replied, “I believe Ultramar to be a word from Ancient Terra describing an empire that stretches across an ocean. In this instance, the void is the ocean, the Five Hundred Worlds the empire. The suffix ''-ines'' must simply indicate that we are men of that great empire. Surely, therefore, the word Ultramar preceded the word Ultramarines? You're putting the artillery train before the tractor."

“Let us pretend I said nothing," Tarentian said, clearly troubled.

It was Lucullus who spoke next. “If we should decide to break with some edicts of the Codex, it would seem all the more important to remember our point of origin. A new chapter has no history, but the Thirteenth Legion and all its successors have ten millennia of it. What if our heraldry echoes that? Our chapter symbol could be a cobalt fist, as if to show one of the Gauntlets of Ultramar."

“That is not a name, Martellus, that is a badge," Fabian said. The others laughed.

Never one to enjoy a joke at his expense, Lucullus doubled down. “It's the idea I'm driving at. Make a point of upholding our identity as scions of Ultramar."

“The Scions of Ultramar is quite the mouthful," Tarentian said.

“The Cobalt Scions," Drusus said. The four of them were silent for a moment. Tarentian, for whom everything now sounded wrong, opened his mouth to speak. Fabian cut him off. “I like it," Fabian said.

“As do I," Lucullus added.

Tarentian frowned, then shrugged. “I am pleased this task is done."

After much debate the four brothers also agreed on their roles. Someone with a willingness to embrace the unfamiliar would be needed to form a new chapter, and so Tiberius Drusus would serve as chapter master. It helped that he was the most learned among them. To keep Drusus grounded, the traditionally-minded Tarentian would assume command of the 1st company, and Fabian would take the 2nd. Martellus Lucullus, Drusus' fellow advocate for new ways, would helm the 3rd.

To find the other seven captains, they would have to screen Cawl's unnaturally trained creations to see if any among them had the wit for independent thought.

When the four brothers eventually reached the Sol system they found a fleet of unnamed ships waiting for them in Mars' crowded dockyards. Inside, a chapter of new marines slept in stasis. Neither ships nor men bore heraldry. Drusus and his brothers had understood the scale of the task ahead in theory, but found the reality somewhat daunting. They were veterans of combat, not leadership. Who were they to step into the shoes of their betters and start from the very beginning?

The four brothers toured the fleet and its crews. They went to see the stasis chambers, and the marines inside. An army of techpriests, artisans and servitors awaited Drusus' signal to begin.

Drusus wanted the chapter to wake up to some sense of heritage, so the artisans were set to work first, applying heraldry to empty racks of armour. Ships were named. The four brothers met with the fleet's human officers, many of whom were decorated volunteers from the Imperial Navy.

When all was prepared, Drusus gave authorisation to wake the chapter.

They soon learned that the indoctrinated marines had names from their previous lives, but all were uncertain how many of their memories were real, and how many implanted. They all thought they remembered lives in Ultramar, and so the four brothers found some common ground with them. Even so, the marines knew little of the modern Imperium. Some spoke of the secular Imperial Truth promulgated in the days of the Great Crusade. The four brothers realised that bringing these men into the 42nd Millennium would involve significant culture shock. Worse yet, they had been indoctrinated to fulfill a single role, rather than having the flexibility of a marine who had worked their way through the ranks.

In the short term, Drusus and the others would simply have to accept Cawl's inflexible progeny and work with them as best they could. The Cobalt Scions fleet began its maiden voyage out of Sol and towards the nearest prong of the Indomitus Crusade.

==The Cobalt Scions in the Indomitus Crusade==
Over the next few decades, the Scions slowly morphed in the direction the four brothers intended. While in transit between warzones, squads were trained in other methods of warfare. Hellblaster units learned to use bolt rifles, Intercessors learned how to move in gravis armour, and so on. Like many of the all-primaris chapters, they took higher casualties early on in the Crusade, and despite occasional reinforcements from Mars, eventually found themselves able to field only 780 combat-ready marines, and it was at this depleted level that they met with their greatest disaster.

===The Nova Tarentis Massacre===
A prosperous world of significant agricultural and mineral output, Nova Tarentis was crucial to trade within its area of the Segmentum Pacificus, and an obvious target for the archenemy. Traitor Guard and Dark Mechanicum forces attacked in strength, and pleas for aid were made. Keen to prevent a cascade of infrastructural failure, the full Azure Drakes chapter was deployed with four companies of Cobalt Scions in support. The Drakes' chapter master, Sorkhos Danithor, committed to a full orbital assault, giving the enemy on the ground little time to react.

Once the bulk of the Drakes and Scions units had launched from their vessels, however, drive cores began to kindle all around Nova Tarentis' planetary rings. A substantial force of Black Legionnaires, thousands strong, had lain the perfect trap. Extracting the deployed troops would take hours, so Danithor - now trapped on the surface with the rest of his chapter - ordered the fleet to break orbit and seek reinforcements, rather than engaging in an unwinnable fight. Nonetheless, a small number of the fleet's capital ships were caught and destroyed as they raced for the system's Mandeville Point.

With their fleet gone, the loyal Astartes fought on as the traitors made planetfall. The fighting was brutal, but ultimately the Drakes and Scions were in an impossible position, hunted by a superior foe and lacking crucial supplies thanks to the loss of their orbital support.

Danithor orchestrated several breakout attempts, reasoning that asymmetric guerrilla warfare might allow more of his forces to survive until reinforcements arrived, but the Black Legion's noose proved too tight. Slowly, the Astartes army lost ground. When the Azure Drakes fleet returned with reinforcements, it was too late to meaningfully save the chapter. Fewer than a hundred Drakes were still alive.

As soon as the heretics' scout vessels spotted the incoming Imperial fleet in the system's outer reaches, the Black Legion began evacuating, their mission a total success. They had slain over a thousand loyalist marines, and had taken favourable casualties.

The final blow was, perhaps, the bitterest. During the enemy's final assault, Danithor noted enemy bombardments on the Imperial formations either side of his position, but none on his own. When enemy veterans in terminator plate teleported down behind him, preventing retreat, he realised all to late that they intended to take him alive. In his last recorded communication, he passed command to the most senior Imperial commander left - a Cobalt Scions reserve sergeant - before taking his own life. Frustrated, the Black Legion veterans butchered his retinue, but left empty handed. It mattered not; the Azure Drakes were gone in all but name. The few survivors were folded into the Cobalt Scions, along with their remaining fleet assets. Some were unhappy to muddy the chapter's culture with the more bellicose Drakes, but none would have seen the survivors cast adrift. The legacy of the Drakes would live on as one of a number of fraternities that a Cobalt Scion might choose to join upon inculcation into the Chapter.

While the Crusade continued to spread out through the galaxy, it was decided that the Scions needed to recover from their losses. Between the attrition of Crusading, and the hundreds of losses incurred on Nova Tarentis, the chapter was now reduced to around a third of its original fighting strength. The time had come for the Scions to go and recuperate on [[Thonis]], the world designated as their new home by Guilliman.

[[File:Cobalt_scions_heavy_intercessor.png|600px|center]]

===The Reclamation of Raxis Minor===
On their way to Thonis, the Scions received a distress call from the agri-world of Raxis Minor. While in theory the Scions were supposed to make all haste to their new homeworld, Drusus refused to ignore such pleas and directed the chapter fleet to alter course. Upon arrival the Scions found the defenders had been overwhelmed by Heretic Astartes of the Iron Warriors Legion. Reconnaissance revealed that the enemy numbered at or below company strength, with substantial mortal auxiliary forces. But even with the chapter at half strength and still suffering low morale following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, Drusus judged that his chapter would be more than strong enough to rally the tattered remains of the planet's defence forces. He split the fleet into three formations and approached the planet from different directions, forcing the Iron Warriors' smaller fleet to try and fight their way clear of the tightening blockade. Badly outnumbered, the Iron Warriors ships were cornered and destroyed, trapping the remaining Iron Warriors on the surface. The Cobalt Scions, hungry for revenge against the forces of Chaos, fell upon the planet with eagerness. There was no glory to be taken in vanquishing a foe so badly outnumbered, but there was some satisfaction to be had in restoring Imperial rule to a world in need of help.

When the Iron Warriors made their final stand, an undecipherable astropathic communication was sent from their command bunker. Fearing reprisal, Drusus committed his resources to reestablishing Imperial rule and improving Raxis Minor's defensive infrastructure. Foremost among this was the creation of several defensive hubs built at the centre of the main population centres with shielding and defensive batteries to defend against orbital assault. The Scions deployed hundreds of servitor-crewed machines to expedite construction, and after only four months' work, Raxis Minor's defences had become substantially easier to hold. Leaving the locals to complete the work, the fleet continued on its journey to their new home.

==A new homeworld==
When it was designated as the Scions' homeworld, [[Thonis]] was far from any active warzones. Situated in the [[Eridani Sector]] of the [[Segmentum Pacificus]], it was Guilliman's intent that the Scions would further strengthen a relatively stable part of the Imperium. Some whispered that it was further evidence of Guilliman ensuring the Ultramarines' ascendancy, particularly given the cultural ties the First Four had sought to maintain.

Either way, none could gainsay the Lord Commander of the Imperium, and so the Scions' fleet made for Thonis. Drusus and the others knew relatively little about Thonis beside some centuries-old information about its major exports and government, but it seemed reasonable to assume the locals would be grateful for the protection of an Astartes Chapter. With four stars and a great many settled worlds, the Thonis system almost seemed like a sub-sector in itself.

[[File:Thonis_system_map.png|600px|center]]

The Scions fleet returned to Mars first. While ship repairs got underway, Chapter Master Drusus met with Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the fabricator-general Cawl had assigned to the chapter. She had been tasked with designing and overseeing the construction of the Scions' fortress monastery, and then remaining with the chapter for the rest of her life, tending to the fortress' manufactorums and forges. She seemed at peace with the notion that she would get to create this one great structure and then be relegated to its maintenance. Drusus, however, was far less willing than Cawl to waste human resources. He suggested that if she showed aptitude for architectural design and understood siegecraft sufficiently, there was every chance she could embark upon an indefinite number of projects across Thonis and the wider Eridani sector as the Scions established themselves.

In that moment, he won Morleio's undivided loyalty.

Everything that would be needed for the fortress monastery, save the stone and rockrete itself, had already been loaded onto Morleio's kilometers-long fabrication ark. The fleet, now repaired, broke orbit and made for the Eridani Sector.

==Arrival in Thonis==
The Imperial governor on Thonis had been told decades ago that a chapter called the Cobalt Scions were coming to live on the planet. That was it. No details, no instructions to make particular preparations. Simply that they were coming.

When a fleet of Astartes ships arrived claiming to be the Cobalt Scions, no one had any reason to doubt them.

The fleet moved straight through the Eridani sector and on to the Hasmides system in the neighbouring Achernar sector. There had been some civil unrest; bombings and the like. It was assumed the Scions intended to terrify the populace into compliance.

In reality, the individuals aboard the Astartes fleet had created the uprising. They were not the Cobalt Scions at all. They were the Word Bearers, six hundred of them, acting on the orders of Khairon. If Guilliman's sons were coming, the Word Bearers were keen to preemptively tarnish their good name and make it clear the Scions' very arrival would only bring suffering.

Hasmides offered little challenge to them.

A thousand light years away, the Scions' fleet approached in blissful ignorance.

With Hasmides' government and infrastructure in tatters, the Word Bearers returned to their ships to prepare their next blow. The Scions might not have been there to prevent the atrocity, but the wider Imperium did not leave it unpunished. As the Word Bearers fleet made all speed for the Hasmides system's Mandeville point so as to escape into the warp, they were intercepted by the full might of Battlefleet Achernar.

The ensuing [[Battle of Hasmides]] cost both fleets dearly, but ultimately the Word Bearers' fleet was so badly damaged that, while most of their Astartes survived, their ability to prosecute a full naval engagement was, for a time at least, nullified.

Ironically the Navy's victory at Hasmides was politically bad for the Cobalt Scions. Not only had their impending arrival attracted dangerous foes to a peaceful place, it wasn't even the Scions who saw them off. Furthermore Thonis' incumbent planetary governor, Lord Aderbal, was well regarded by his subjects. There was little appetite for change.

When the true Cobalt Scions fleet approached Thonis, they were bombarded with security questions, and requests that they remain at a distance until their identity could be verified. It was hardly the welcome the Scions had hoped for. Eventually, Thonis' modest orbital platforms cancelled their firing solutions and stood down. A lone Overlord-class gunship bore the first delegation of Cobalt Scions down to the verdant surface of their new homeworld.

Chapter Master Drusus expected Aderbal to unquestionably accept the Scions' clear right to rule the system. Drusus informed him that there would be a brief transition phase followed by significant reforms in which Aderbal's official title would change from Planetary Governor to Locutor of the Senate: a position Drusus assured him would be very important in the new regime.
[[File:Heracleion.png|400px|right]]
Given the choice between no power and some power, Aderbal was forced to accept Drusus' offer.

In his address during the ceremony in which the Sceptre of Heracleion, symbol of the capital, was to pass from Governor Aderbal to Dictator Drusus, the governor's wording carefully managed to remain obedient while subtly emphasising Drusus' status as a newcomer to an old world with a well-established culture.

The address set the tone for the months to come. The Scions were too terrifying for anyone to risk obvious dissent, but any request made to the government by an Astartes would mysteriously require more paperwork and bureaucracy than the same request made by a native official. If asked for an explanation, people would claim they were taking extra care that they did a good job, or would say they had heard Guilliman's sons encouraged detailed paperwork. The Scions came to be seen as a source of problems by the general populace. With no experience of nuanced public relations, Drusus and his captains were at a loss as to how to win their people over. They went on speaking tours, endeavouring to rouse the public with stilted recollections of their great victories in the Indomitus Crusade, but received only polite applause. They made suggestions to improve the efficiency of institutions, but were told said suggestions would reduce productivity even when it seemed clear this was not the case.

During those first few months, some of the Scions grew restive. They felt the battles they had fought deserved the respect of any Imperial citizen, and talk grew of taking a harsher line with the recalcitrant public. Tarentian in particular advocated for a more direct approach.

Lucullus disagreed. He argued that the harder they pushed, the harder the people would resist. Some would fall into line, of course, but there would also be dissent and perhaps even the fomenting of heresy.

Drusus, politically inexperienced, was indecisive as to whose approach he would implement, and changed his mind regularly. This in turn created a rift between him and Captain Fabian, who proclaimed that he didn't care which side Drusus took, only that he committed to a course of action. Fabian went to far as to suggest that if Drusus couldn't make such decisions, Fabian was happy to take his place. Fabian's insubordination outraged Tarentian, Lucullus, and the other captains. The argument served a purpose, at least. Drusus was at last moved to choose. He took Lucullus' cautious approach.

[[File:Thonis.png|400px|right]]

==The construction of the Fortress of Syrnum==
While the Scions struggled with the political landscape, Archmagos Morleio worked on her designs for the fortress-monastery. It was to be built in the hills above Heracleion, and would require surprisingly few homes to be demolished. Strangely, the news that five hundred families were to be given the honour of having their homes bulldozed for the fortress monastery wasn't met with the sort of gratitude the Scions expected. Citizens of Ultramar, the Scions reflected bitterly, would have been proud to give their land for such a purpose.

Morleio estimated the project would take three years before it would be usable, and more than that before it would reach its full potential. Work began to prepare the Syrnum hills as Morleio and Drusus spent many long days drawing up plans.

==Expanding the docks==
Work also began on enlarging Thonis' modest orbitals. In time, they would need to serve a full fleet of warships in addition to providing efficient trade berths. Where the Scions had failed to gain any political capital thus far, the trade-focussed Thonicians were keen on the idea of increased docking facilities and reduced piracy. Sensing an opportunity, Drusus made a series of speeches promising that within fifty years, Thonis would enjoy the protection and commerce of vast orbital facilities. Finally, the Scions had said something popular.

Naturally this meant the native politicians, still angry at their reduced autonomy, argued for increased influence in the design of the orbitals to ensure the opportunities for trade were maximised.

==Political reforms==
The nobles' request for greater influence was an overt challenge to Drusus' competence in terms of trade, and public perception was very much that a space marine couldn't possibly have the same expertise as the great trading houses of Thonis.

In a move that shocked the Thonician nobility, Drusus responded to their challenge with his first sign of political deftness.

Drusus declared that if the native politicians wanted a say in the Scions' construction projects, then apparently they had accepted the chapter was here to stay. It followed, therefore, they were ready for the political reforms Drusus had promised.

A senate was formed from the heads of the fifty most influential noble families. The senate's role would be to advise the Scions as to how they should proceed in matters of commerce and governance. One senator would be first among equals, and would present the senate's suggestions to the Dictator. This individual would be known as the Locutor, a position that would initially be taken by Lord Aderbal. Upon his death or dismissal, another senator would be elected by their peers to take his position.

The reforms went further still. Ten commoners would be chosen to represent the labourers. These ten Tribunes were to keep the Dictator and Senate informed of how their legislation was being received by the commoners. More importantly, if all ten Tribunes agreed, they had the power to veto new legislation. The veto could only be overruled by the dictator, or in the absence of the Dictator, by one of the chapter's lieutenants, all of whom held the honorific of Praetor.

Being a Praetor incorporated two main duties beyond an Astartes Lieutenant's combat role. One was to act as a diplomat or ambassador for their captain when on campaign, and the other, as intimated above, was to arbitrate on disagreements between the Senate and the Tribunate when at home. In this way, lieutenants gained extensive political experience in preparation for becoming a captain.

Captains, in turn, held the honorific of Consul. Being a Consul meant having the Dictator's blessing to instigate reforms of a planet's government if it was militarily advantageous to do so, up to and including its annexation. The wording of this rule was vague enough that neighbouring planetary governors began to issue complaints to the Adeptus Terra. Guilliman's sons were laying the illegal foundations of their own empire, the governors said. Months later, Guilliman provided a curt response: “Then do not give my sons cause to annex your planet."

This further stoked speculation that the Lord Commander took issue with the modern Imperium, but as yet no one was willing to risk secession.

While the heavy-handed reforms were obviously taking power from the ruling class and handing it to the Cobalt Scions, the nobles also realised that they were now competing with each other for places in the Senate. This broke their unity and revealed their selfishness for all to see, and the mere existence of the Tribunate empowered the bulk of the population far more than the previous regime, even if this was representation in name only.

Tiberius Drusus finally had the political situation working to his advantage.

==Initial Engagements==
The Scions soon learned of the Hasmides atrocity, but were reliant on the Inquisition for further intelligence as to where the Word Bearers might strike next.

In the interim, they had two priorities: rebuilding the chapter, and dealing with any lesser threats in their immediate area. Neighbouring systems, particularly those bordering the Scyrian Expanse, were suffering from frequent greenskin raids. The Scions set about crushing these lesser orkish warbands with relative ease, and cleared out several remote human pirate strongholds, all of which was well received by the Eridani Sector's border colonies, but was of little relevance to the people of Thonis.

As for rebuilding the chapter, the Scions embarked on a major recruitment drive in Thonis. They asked for volunteers only, but the financial support they offered volunteers' families meant that a noticeable percentage of the adolescent aspirants clearly had no desire to be there.

Despite these issues, the Scions soon had a good number of scouts in training, and with at least half the chapter stationed at Thonis at any given moment there were always plenty of instructors available. A major difficulty, of course, was that most of the instructors had never been scouts themselves. Many of the initial recruits were pushed too hard, or were simply not trained effectively, and it took some time before the first generation of aspirants - those that survived - started to make good progress.

===The Andaras Affair===
The [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] are sent to end an ork raid on [[Andaras]]. Their intervention reveals the presence of both aeldari and a genestealer cult infestation, prompting a brief but explosive campaign that ultimately results in the xenos escaping, but the colony being made safe.

Further reading: [[The Andaras Affair]], and Consul Lucullus' [[notes on the Andaran Operation]].

===The Season of Fire===
The Cobalt Scions are pulled from one side of the [[Iolan Reaches]] to the other as xenos raids increase in both variety and intensity. The Scions are broadly successful in engaging a number of these threats, but ultimately the [[Starborn Souls]] prove almost impossible to stamp out, despite successful purges on multiple worlds.

Further reading: the [[Season of Fire]].

===The Raid on Lachesis===
[[Tolemias]] of the Librarius foretells of a Word Bearers raid on [[Lachesis]]. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] leads a force drawn largely from the Third Company and arrives before the Word Bearers. Despite sustaining several injuries, Drusus and Tolemias succeed in thwarting the Word Bearers' scheme to turn the planet's smallest moon into a stable warp gate, but at the cost of all three of the planet's Psykana holding towers.

The raid exposes the presence of not just Word Bearers, but a Night Lords warband of [[the Thirteenth Talon]] and another warband of the Red Corsairs. Following the Word Bearers' retreat, Drusus tracks the Night Lords back to their base of operations and attempts, with the help of [[Taliesin]] of Iybraesil, to destroy it. The base is a death trap, and the attack is a costly failure. The episode casts a pall over the broader success of the Lachesian situation, and the Night Lords escape the Chapter's clutches.

Further reading: the [[Raid on Lachesis]].

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:cobalt_scions_techmarine.png|600px|center]]

==Recuperation==
Aside from continued efforts to catch [[the Thirteenth Talon]] of the Night Lords, the Chapter as a whole enjoys a period of only minor engagements. The Fortress of Syrnum is now both defensible and adequately functional, but Morleio is far from finished with it. She begins the first of many planned expansions by expanding further underground, increasing the Chapter Forge's capacity without compromising the city above.

During this period, Thonician scouts begin passing into the reserve companies, rapidly recovering the Chapter's numbers.

===Trade with Iphara===
As construction of the Chapter Forge nears completion, the final stage is to create the large and costly means to produce tactical dreadnought armour. To this end, a small team of Praetors are convened to travel to [[Iphara]] and compete with other Imperial organisations for a modest share of the adamantium being mined in the newly compliant world. With demand for the metal being so high, negotiations are tough, particularly given the questionable need for terminator plate given the ready availability of gravis-pattern armour. The Praetors ultimately only secure a modest shipment, but it is enough to begin forging a tiny number of suits.

==The Ephramundi Daemonic Incursion==
A distress call is issued by the planet [[Ephramundi]] after [[A Minor Heresy]] causes a scattered but planetwide daemonic incursion. With small rifts popping up in seemingly random locations, and the agri-world being a key source of food to other worlds in the [[Kapran sub]], Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus|Drusus]] orders the largest mass deployment in the Chapter's history, with eight full companies dispatched to contain the problem without having to sacrifice Imperial Guard assets that may later be needed for more conventional wars.

Two companies are left to guard Thonicia, and the rest of the fleet get underway with all haste. The plan is to hold out until Grey Knights can arrive to seal the largest breaches. Using drop pods and other rapid response assets, the operation contains most of the daemonic breaches, preventing the sort of governmental collapse common in such incursions. This success has a cost; marines thrown into rapid response operations against an unpredictable foe comes with predictable losses in both men and materiel. By the time the Grey Knights arrive, the Scions have lost 162 marines, their greatest loss since the massacre on Nova Tarentis. The Scions still consider it a success given the value of the planet, and the vast wastage in conventional forces that would have been required to achieve the same result.

Unfortunately, these losses mean they are temporarily less than well prepared for any unexpected invasions elsewhere in the region.

==The Tyranid Invasion of Melia's Reach==
Even as the Scions await the arrival of the Grey Knights on Ephramundi, word is sent to [[Martellus Lucullus]] of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]] that a Tyranid invasion is underway on [[Melia's Reach]]. Lucullus' company has taken 40% casualties, but he petitions Drusus to be sent as a vanguard to try and slow the Tyranids' advance long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Reluctantly convinced that the warning can be trusted - it is sent by the aeldari Farseer [[Host Taliesin of Iybraesil|Taliesin]] - Drusus permits Lucullus to depart aboard the ''Preceptor''.

The Third Company task force arrive to find the local Planetary Defence Force (PDF) in a shambles, and the Governor entirely unfamiliar with the nature of the xenos. In the week that follows, the Space Defence Force are revealed to have been corrupted by Genestealers, and - despite the aid of Taliesin's own troops - the Tyranids continue their advance. Lucullus' efforts to reorganise and reinforce the PDF are eventually successful in helping the locals hold the line on their own, but an assassination attempt by a Lictor renders him unable to witness this success firsthand.

With Lucullus in a coma, Lieutenant Antigonus Nerva assumes command of the strike force, and accompanies Taliesin into Tyranid territory in a desperate joint operation to destroy the hive's primary hatcheries by triggering a volcanic event.

The operation is a success.

Sadly, strategic victory has come too late, and the Tyranids are now numerous and widely established. Unable to reinforce using the rest of the chapter, the Scions instead commit to a massed deployment of the Initiate Auxilia, with scouting teams spreading out into Tyranid-contaminated zones and calling out targets for orbital and aerial strikes. As a result, the value of maintaining an oversized auxilia is further cemented in the minds of the chapter's leadership, despite this being the first time a large force of initiates has proven useful.

==The Lachesian War==
The Word Bearers return to the [[Lachesis]] system in force. The Cobalt Scions have been preparing for this eventuality and are supported by numerous allies, but the size and strength of the traitors' fleet is substantial. The Imperium's only advantage initially is that, due to the failure of the raid, the Word Bearers' vessels arrive piecemeal. Initial engagements go well for the Imperium, but Alpha Legion-induced naval mutinies and resurgent assaults by both the Night Lords and the Word Bearers keep the war rattling on for several years. Eventually, reinforced by the Blood Angels and Raven Guard Chapters, the Imperium emerges victorious, and the traitors are forced to withdraw. Present from the first shot to the final parting ship to ship actions, it is the Cobalt Scions' lengthiest conflict, but also one of their proudest accomplishments. They had met a large traitor force in battle and were not found wanting; it did much to bolster the young Chapter's confidence, and dispel some of the lingering shame of Nova Tarentis.

==The Salvation of Massyleon==
During the Lachesian War, an ork fleet invaded the [[Massyleon]] system. Drusus dispatched the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] alongside Chief Librarian [[Diokles Adrastos]] to counter the invasion alongside the [[Raven Guard 5th Company]]. The strike force encounters an ork fleet led by a space hulk known as the ''Crawling Ruin''. While the bulk of the strike force rush to the defence of Hive Massinissos to prevent the orks getting a serious foothold beyond the hive's walls, Diokles boards the ''Crawling Ruin'' with ten Terminator-armoured veterans drawn from both the Scions and the Ravens. They find a corrupted abominable intelligence lurking within the hulk. Unable to destroy the AI due to its sheer size, Diokles is forced to entreat with the entity, and is ultimately successful in convincing it to turn on its ork allies before departing the system, decisively turning the fate of the war in an instant. When asked about what was said between Diokles and the AI, he refuses to be drawn. Their mission successful and the planet reinforced by regiments of Imperial Guard, the strike force return to Lachesis, where their return finally tips the balance and is directly responsible for the end of the Lachesian War.

==Xenos Invasions in Eressus==
The [[Eressus]] system is invaded by a Tyranid splinter fleet that assaults Eressus Tertia, and the Cobalt Scions dispatch a company to engage them alongside other Imperial forces, including the Blood Angels and Imperial Guard. Whilst this invasion is underway, another xenos invasion occurs in the same system on the planet of Aetolia: orks under the rulership of Boss Bonerippa of the Evil Sunz clan attack in significant numbers. Leaving Captain Lucullus with half his battle company to face the Tyranids with the Blood Angels, Chapter Master Drusus and the other Cobalt Scions form an Imperial response alongside the [[31st Nightfall Ranger Regiment]], several regiments of Krieg Death Korps, and [[Battlegroup 86]]. Even so, the ork numbers prove so substantial that military victory seems unlikely. The balance is tipped when [[Inquisitor Michael]]'s ship ''Accipiter'' leads a kroot warsphere into the system, delivering substantial numbers of kroot mercenaries, and ordering the Imperial forces not to engage them. Recognising the importance of these xenos on a strategic level, the Scions are quick to respond when Michael's ship is opportunistically boarded by the orks, and save the ''Accipiter'' from destruction, and by extension, enabling the kroot to remain in-system thanks to the Inquisitor's presence. Brother Galadoc of the Azarian Guard swears an oath to protect the Inquisitor with his life, and ends up defeating one of the ork warlords in personal combat alongside the Chapter's Judiciar.

The initial battles leave Aetolia's orbital defences in tatters, leaving the Imperium on the defensive. The Astartes and Imperial Guard forces operate as a mobile reserve, with the local Aetolian regiments responsible for the bulk of the fighting. Wherever breaches in the lines appear, the reserve forces are moved to aggressively counter-attack, turning the orks' victories into demoralising defeats.

Towards the end of the conflict, the enemy warlord Bonerippa is hunted down and assassinated by a joint force of Nightfaller Rangers and kroot, and this proves to be the final blow. Some of the Scions feel that the honour of victory is undermined by the presence of the kroot, but Drusus is pleased at the pragmatic benefits of cooperating with the Ordo Xenos, and commends the Inquisitor for his initiative.

==The Cobalt Scions join the Fourth Tyrannic War==
With the war concluded on [[Lachesis]] and the Chapter's losses replaced by members of the Novitiate Auxilia joining the reserve companies, the time has come for the Chapter to go back out into the galaxy and contribute to the Imperium's wider wars. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] appoints Consul Gaius Fabian of the Second Company to lead a strike force out into the wider Segmentum to contribute to the Fourth Tyrannic War. It is the first time the Chapter sends the bulk of its forces away since arriving in Thonicia seven years prior. Drusus laments being unable to go with the strike force, but the Chapter's home system is so large and multi-faceted that there is still much to do that requires his attention.

===Strike Force Tarasc's order of battle===
====Fleet assets====
* Battle barge ''Tarasc''
* 6 strike cruisers: ''Azhdaha'', ''Deliverance'', ''Erenkyl'', ''Iustus Exactor'', ''Mater Accipitrum'', ''Redemption''
* 12 frigates
* 6 destroyers

====Astartes====
* 50 Veterans of the First Company
* 2nd Battle Company
* 4th Battle Company
* 5th Battle Company
* 150 marines from the reserve companies
* 50 marines of the Chapter's Vanguard
* 100 Novitiate Auxilia

The strike force fleet gathers above Thonis, and to celebrate its departure, a parade is held in the streets of Heracleion. The public, perhaps frightened of failing to show due deference, turn out in force to bid them farewell. The tone of the crowd is one of dutiful attendance rather than rapturous approval; Drusus realises that he still has much to do in inculcating Ultramarian values in his populace.

[[Category:Adeptus Astartes]] [[Category:Cobalt Scions]] [[Category: Crusade Forces]] [[Category: Cobalt Scions Missions]]

Cobalt Scions

2026-07-31T21:41:45Z

Charlie: /* Current Fleet Assets */

[[File:Cobalt_Scions.png|600px|center]]
The Cobalt Scions are an all-primaris chapter created from Ultramarines gene stock. Initially they participated in the Indomitus Crusade. After decades of crusading, Guilliman has assigned them to watch over a region of the Segmentum Pacificus from their new home system of [[Thonis]].

=Heraldry=
The Scions' heraldry is very close to their gene-sires, with the bulk of the armour painted the same blue as the Ultramarines. The two differences are their white pauldrons, and their company markings displayed on the left kneepad rather than on the shoulder trim. Since the Cobalt Scions' guiding principle is flexibility, none of the squads display the traditional tactical/assault/devastator symbols, but merely numerals denoting their squad number within their company.

The primary exception to the chapter's bright blue heraldry can be seen on their camouflaged Phobos-pattern armour, which is repainted to suit the local terrain.

==Chapter Icon==
The blue fist used in the Scions' heraldry symbolises the Gauntlets of Ultramar, as the chapter is particularly keen on celebrating and aspiring to the deeds of their forebears.
[[File:Cobalt_Scions_icon.png|300px|center]]

==Chapter Mottos==
The Cobalt Scions are known to have several mottos or common phrases, depending on the context. Some have been heard repeating the Ultramarian phrase “Courage and Honour," but the most common two phrases more specific to the Chapter are:

''“For Guilliman! For Glory!"''

''“Dignus Praesidio." (Protect the Worthy)''

Both mottos have been seen as concerning by outside observers, who feel that the first motto speaks to the wrong priorities, and that the second raises questions about just who the Cobalt Scions consider to be “worthy." The ambiguity of ''Dignus Praesidio'' often allows the listener to hear what they want to hear, and has been used both as a rallying cry and an insult, depending on the context. Some suggest the words are also a way for the Scions to speak in coded language to each other when they consider certain individuals to be not worth aiding, particularly if outwardly saying so would be politically unwise.

=Chapter organisation=
The Cobalt Scions are only partially Codex compliant. They argue that they follow its rules in spirit, just not in detail, and have reworked elements to suit Cawl's new equipment.

==A recruit's journey==
When recruited, a novitiate is assigned to the 10th Company to begin their training. The training is martial, moral and intellectual; novitiates are expected to familiarise themselves with texts ranging from Guilliman's works on governance, to Bartolomaius' ''Logistica Mathematica''. Novitiates soon learn they must show administrative aptitude if they hope to advance through the ranks.

Once considered battlefield ready, they graduate to the rank of initiate, and are issued carapace armour. In the first few years after the chapter's arrival in Thonis they were only used as a reserve that was only called upon when the need was desperate, since the chapter considered it inefficient to throw its less durable trainees into serious firefights. Consequently, initiates were generally given garrison duties and other auxiliary tasks. The strictness with which this approach was applied waned as the chapter's numbers recovered. Some have even joked that between the stability of the XIII geneseed and a newfound willingness to make use of initiates on the battlefield, the chapter may one day have more auxilia than Astartes.

Once an initiate has been given their final implants they are assigned to one of the reserve companies. Here, surrounded by more experienced marines, they will learn to master one specific role (such as Intercessor, Aggressor, Infiltrator, and so on). Over time they will be rotated through different reserve companies, until eventually they have mastered all the forms of war practised by the Astartes. At this point, most will be given the honour of joining one of the battle companies. Those that show a particular gift for infiltration will be assigned to the 10th Company's Vanguard, and will spend the bulk of their career in Phobos plate.

Any marine who proves their valour and skill may one day hope to be elevated to the veteran ranks of the First Company, whose venerable warriors are generally divided among the various active battlegroups so that they are better able to share their knowledge.

===The Twofold Path===
Once a brother has been elevated into the battle companies, there are several routes to further advancement and greater personal glory. If they show spectacular aptitude for the martial virtues, they may pursue such honoured roles as membership of the Bladeguard, a position as a company ancient, or service in the First Company. Alternatively, if their martial talents are merely acceptable but their political nous is exemplary, they may pursue an Honorary Praetorship such that they can function as an ambassador and intermediary between the chapter and other Imperial institutions, as well as administrators of the chapter's domains. Only masters of the twofold path - both martial and political - can truly hope to be given a true Praetorship, or a position in the Reclusiam.

Those who do well in their Praetorships can expect, if they live long enough, to progress to a Consulship and command of their own company. Those who are too hobbled by injuries and whose bodies reject grafts and bionics tend to retain their Praetorships and serve in a purely political fashion, or as a strategic advisor and attaché to other Imperial forces the Scions are working with. In this way, the number of Praetors far exceeds the 20 lieutenants one would expect to see in a strict observance of the Codex Astartes.

==Chapter Structure==
[[File:drusus.png|250px|right|link=[[Tiberius Drusus]]|Chapter Master Tiberius Drusus]]
===Chapter Command===
The following individuals are known members of the Cobalt Scions' leadership.
* Dictator [[Tiberius Drusus]], Chapter Master
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian
* Consul Quintus Tarentian, Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions First Company|First Company]]
* Consul Gaius Fabian, Captain of the Second Company
* Consul [[Martellus Lucullus]], Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]]

===Chapter Companies===
* [[Cobalt Scions First Company|1st Company]]: the veterans. Squads from this company are often attached to other forces to share their experience and aid with further training for their brothers.
* 2nd-5th Companies: the battle companies. All members are expected to know how to operate in any battlefield role, including vehicle crew, and in any armour pattern. The company captain decides on the mixture of 5 and 10 man squads. Squads may be temporarily divided between (for example) forming a three man fire team and a two man vehicle crew.
* 6th -9th Companies: the reserve companies. Members are only adept at certain battlefield roles, with each squad always performing a consistent role. When their sergeant judges that a marine has mastered their current role, they are rotated out to another squad to begin learning a new one.
* 10th Company: The Vanguard. These are the Chapter's clandestine experts, and forego the traditional blue armour in favour of camouflage. Technically, this company also contains the Initiate Auxilia, meaning that this is the only company with over a hundred members. That the Auxilia are attached to this company is largely to give lip service to the Codex; in reality they are essentially two unrelated organisations.

====The Initiate Auxilia====
When the Cobalt Scions arrived in Thonis, the chapter was badly depleted. As such, their equivalent of the Scout Company did not perform the traditional infiltration duties seen in other chapters. As their name suggests, when deployed they were used for auxiliary duties such as guard duty, where they would get some combat experience, but generally with the added benefit of heavy cover. Only in extremis were they committed to the front line, as the needless loss of an initiate was considered wasteful, particularly with the chapter so under-strength. The bulk of an initiate's time was therefore spent in training.

With the chapter now back to full strength, however, there is an increasing willingness to use the auxilia when tactically expedient. This is the source of some friction within chapter command, who do not all share the view that it is wise to risk wasting promising trainees, or that it is acceptable to take advantage of the Codex Astartes' lack of hard limit on the number of scouts a chapter is permitted to have in active service at any one time.

===Honorary Praetors===
An Honorary Praetorship is not a military rank but a political one, and could even be held by a battle brother. Honorary Praetors form a cadre of the chapter's most able negotiators and orators, dedicated to inspiring traditional virtues and compliance among other Imperial institutions. There are naturally those who argue this constitutes the chapter at its most meddlesome, and certain institutions do not look kindly on some post-human warrior interfering in their business. The Cobalt Scions take this as an additional challenge, and seek to prove their utility, although the petty ambitions of lesser men regularly contrive to make it appear that the Scions are pursuing power for power's sake in clear contravention of the Emperor's original intent for the Astartes.

[[File:priahad.png|250px|right]]
===The Azarian Guard===
This brotherhood of warriors is the Cobalt Scions' equivalent of the Chapter's Honour Guard. They can also be referred to as the Chapter Master's Bladeguard, and exist outside the company structure. They do not have squads, and bear heraldry of the individual rather than the unit. To join them is to foresake the right to seek a command position within the chapter, and to become truly dedicated to pursuing martial prowess. Answerable only to the Chapter Master and the Reclusiam's Master of Sanctity, they serve to protect the virtue of humility within a chapter that might otherwise encourage personal ambition to a dangerous extent. They explicitly have permission to criticise and mock officers, and cannot be censured by any but the Chapter Master or Master of Sanctity for doing so. If they decide to follow an officer to war, however, they must follow the officer's commands precisely during engagements. If a Consul or Praetor wants the aid of the Azarian Guard on a mission, he cannot requisition them; instead, he must petition them. Likewise, Azarian Guards are permitted to turn up unannounced and accompany a strike force if they deem the mission interesting.

====Origins of the Azarian Guard====
Lieutenant Azarias was one of the few Azure Drakes officers to survive the [[The Nova Tarentis Massacre|Nova Tarentis Massacre]]. Following the incorporation of the surviving Drakes into the Cobalt Scions, Azarias took an oath to protect his new chapter master with his life. Coming from a very different chapter culture, he refused to conduct himself in the refined style of the Scions, often mocking others and then challenging them when they failed to mock him back. Amused by this upstart and keen to temper the egos of his senior staff, Chapter Master Drusus instructed Azarias to create his own semi-autonomous brotherhood of up to thirty warriors. Azarias himself was slain protecting Drusus two years later during the reclamation of Raxis Minor, but the Azarian Guard, then numbering seven brothers, remained. Their numbers have since grown, and a number of onetime Azure Drakes use this brotherhood as a way to keep some of their chapter cult alive.

====Known Azarian Guards====
'''Brother Priahad'''

Brother Priahad's helm bears a gold skull, indicating that he is serving as the temporary leader of his fellow Bladeguard. In this way, Cobalt Scions officers know who to direct their commands to. The skull itself is not a permanent fixture but a badge that can be easily removed and passed to another bladeguard between engagements.

His left pauldron bears the chapter icon. It is presented in gold so as to evoke a shield, representing the bladeguard's commitment to safeguarding the Chapter Master. His right pauldron bears his individual heraldry, evoking a deed or quest he has undertaken that his fellow veterans regard as worthy. It shows the four stars of Thonicia, in reference to the vow Priahad enacted to visit every inhabited world in the sprawling home system and provide unexpected aid to those in need.

The tilting plate on his chest bears the ghostly image of a wyrm, and the chapter colour of the Azure Drakes, indicating that he is one of the original members of the now-defunct chapter. The wyrm is presented in a ghostly manner to reference the lingering spirits of his dead brothers.

'''Brother Katumaros'''

The golden skull on Katumaros' tilting plate indicates that he was once an officer. Counter-intuitively, he wears this as a mark of shame; as the fleet master who couldn't bring reinforcements to rescue his brothers in time, he is wracked by guilt and joined the Azarian Guard to ensure he could never rise to a position of command again. Despite a storied career prior to the Nova Tarentis Massacre, he considers his old achievements dead, and as such, his right pauldron remained devoid of heraldry until saving Techmagos Osmal Qvoll from an assassination attempt by [[the Thirteenth Talon]]. After that, his pauldron was adorned with a split motif, with a shielf on one side, and the Cog Mechanicus on the other.

'''Brother Galadoc'''

A mere brother in the Azure Drakes' 8th reserve company when his Chapter was destroyed, Galadoc has only recently joined the Azarian Guard. Like Priahad, his tilting plate features a ghostly image, this time of a dragon's head, commemorating his deceased captain, who he revered. His right pauldron bears the symbol of the Inquisition silhouetted by a shield, commemorating the vow he took to rescue [[Inquisitor Michael]] and his ship the''Accipiter'' after it was boarded by orks during the invasion of Aetonia in [[Eressus]]. After he defeated the heavily armoured ork leading the boarding party, he saved not only Michael himself, but the Chapter's Judiciar, who had been laid low in the fighting.

On his arm, he also bears a rosary once carried by one of the Drakes' chaplains. Galadoc's keen observance of the rites and rituals of his old chapter cult was one of the factors in his acceptance into the Azarian Guard, even though in theory martial prowess should be the only factor.

[[File:tolemias.png|250px|right|link=[[Tolemias]]]]

===The Librarius===
The Cobalt Scions place great stock in the prognostications of psykers, both their own and in the wider Imperium, and will often consult with astropaths, navigators and their own librarians to establish what if anything may be predicted about impending engagements and enemies. In battle, Cobalt Scions Librarians act as dictated by the Codex, employing whichever warp powers their minds are best suited to.

'''Known Librarians'''
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian.
* [[Tolemias]], Codicier.

'''The Thonician Oracles'''

Among the Chapter's most closely guarded secrets are the Oracles, a matriarchal order of seers that have quietly persisted in Thonicia since pre-Imperial times. At various times the Ordo Hereticus have attempted to purge them, but have never managed to wipe them out entirely. The Oracles became known to the Cobalt Scions some time after they arrived in the system, though whether they were discovered or even sought out the Scions is unknown. How the ancient traditions of the Oracles enable them to resist warp corruption is also unknown, as is the extent to which the Cobalt Scions place their faith in them.

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===The Phratry Munitorus===
If the Cobalt Scions' techmarines can make one honest boast, it is the speed and efficiency with which they can erect fortifications and other structures. The Phratry Munitorus (rough Low Gothic translation: the kinship/tribe of builders/engineers) serves the same purpose as a normal Chapter Armourium, but with the added responsibility of assisting with the integration of defences with civic infrastructure. To this end, the techmarines are not just supported by serfs and servitors, but also by human techpriests and architects. Chief among such human followers is Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the chapter's head architect. She is given near-equal standing to the Master of the Forge, and oversees a substantial and growing staff working on the construction of the chapter's fortress monastery and the more general defence enhancements of Thonicia.

When the chapter goes to war, it brings a substantial support staff of humans and servitors tasked with the rapid construction of defences, bridges, field hospitals, and whatever else might swing the Imperium's chances in any given theatre. A supply of prefabricated structures is also brought along for time-critical projects. Encampments are often built along standardised lines, ensuring that personnel familiar with one Scions base are familiar with them all. It has been pointed out by other chapters that this is a strategic vulnerability, but the Scions prefer the speed that comes with familiarity, and are convinced they will be able to adapt on a tactical level to counter this strategic weakness.

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[[File:Aristander.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Sedayus Aristander====
In addition to his regular duties tending to the Cobalt Scions' wargear and vehicles, Brother-Techmarine Sedayus Aristander is an obsessive sculptor, creating busts and statues for the Chapter's various reliquaries and memorials of fallen comrades. In theory, such devotional artworks are the domain of the human artisans of the Phratry Munitorus. While his fellow techmarines' non-military endeavours would generally be limited to designing architecture that serves to inspire as well as defend, Aristander argues that art serves as a major political tool. His defence is halfhearted, however; in truth he sculpts because he enjoys it. As he sees it, the sculptor's challenge is not merely to perfectly replicate their subject's features, but to capture their character. If that happens to serve the political goal of showing the Thonician populace what has been sacrificed for their safety, then that is merely a useful bonus.

He worked at his craft throughout the Chapter's time in the Indomitus Crusade, and yet more since the Scions' arrival in Thonis. Many consider him an excellent craftsman, but he remains unsatisfied, knowing that decades of practice are required to achieve true mastery. His obsession makes him a withdrawn figure who never takes a joke well. Nonetheless, he enjoys a measure of popularity, for all who walk in the Chapter's mausoleum are grateful to look upon the faces of their fallen brothers.

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[[File:hadrios_kelsus.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Hadrios Kelsus====
While Kelsus is perfectly willing to perform his vehicle maintenance duties between engagements, he rarely does so in combat. This is because Hadrios Kelsus is, and always has been, obsessed with the use of large guns. He generally finds an excuse to bring a servo turret on all deployments, and at the first sign of the enemy, gleefully mounts up to provide his brothers with fire support. It has been suggested that he should consider how to advance through the techmarines' ranks, for instance by creating political ties to local Mechanicus personnel. He is, however, far more interested in tinkering with guns in the Chapter's armoury.

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====The Chapter Armoury====
Members of the battle companies all have basic training in crewing the vehicles employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 9th Company, although the bulk of the crewing is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

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[[File:boriels_wrath.png|250px|left]]
=====Repulsor Executioner ''Boriel's Wrath''=====
This tank is named after a Dark Angel biker who aided a group of Scions pinned down by a force of Emperor's Children Heretic Astartes. Driving to good vantage points and providing pinpoint positional data, then moving on before the traitors could corner him, Boriel's actions allowed the Scions to fight clear of the trap. Tragically, they never met him in person; he was finally cornered by a squad of noise marines who, enraged by his efforts, beat him to death with their sonic blasters.

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===The Fleet===
When founded, the Scions had only six strike cruisers and a single battle barge: the ''Reason Inviolate''. Following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, the Azure Drakes' fleet -- far less damaged than the chapter it served -- was folded into the Scions' fleet. Consequently they went from having barely enough capital ships to deploy the chapter to having, arguably, an excess that they should have donated to other Indomitus Founding chapters. The Scions claim to make good use of their fleet assets given that it has enabled them to expand the capabilities of the Phratry Munitorus, with every Scions capital ship being well supplied with the engineers and materiel to respond to the humanitarian requirements of a warzone, as well as prefab fortifications, bridges, and other infrastructural elements. The Scions brush off criticisms that this exceeds the remit of the Adeptus Astartes by reciting the old adage that wars are won with logistics, and that a population protected is a rebellion prevented.

In addition to having holds full of infrastructural material, Cobalt Scions capital ships all have small manufactories capable of producing and repairing Astartes wargear and vehicles, albeit far more slowly than the Chapter Forge on Thonis. This is a hangover from when the chapter was fleet based during the Indomitus Crusade. It is a functionality they have deliberately maintained afterwards so as to reduce their dependence on supply lines.

The chapter has also attracted further criticism for employing several squadrons of the controversial Nova class frigate, which some say Astartes have no need of unless they're expecting to instigate naval battles without the assistance of the Imperial Navy.

Like many (if not most) Astartes fleets, the ships are crewed and captained by humans, although even an Astartes Sergeant is considered to outrank a ship captain as regards the chain of command. What with the fleet regularly returning to Thonis, the crew are given the option of having their families aboard their ship or in terrestrial housing. The family of slain personnel are given a stipend by the chapter, money which originally is taken from the financial tithe the Scions collect from their home system. While living conditions aboard the chapter's vessels are superior to the average ship of the Imperial Navy, expectations are high. Any personnel found wanting are rarely given second chances, and if lucky will get away simply with being discharged without a pension. Of course, incompetent crew can still offer dependable service when sent to the tech-priests for ''conversion,'' serving as a grim reminder to their former crewmates of the price of laxity. Those who have actively transgressed face even worse fates, up to and including a one-way trip to the great arena at Heracleion.

====Current Fleet Assets====
=====Battle Barges=====
*''Reason Inviolate'', the flagship. Constructed to default specifications during the Primaris project, prior to the chapter having a name or an identity. The Scions have since made it their own, modifying a number of its orbital launch bays for the deployment of Phratry Munitorus assets. The vessel served throughout the Scions' participation in the Indomitus Crusade, but the scars it gained during those battles have long since been removed.
*''Tarasc'', †‡ the one-time flagship of the Azure Drakes. There is a hall, deep in the ship's core, that serves as a hall of remembrance. There is a plaque on the wall for every Azure Drakes warrior who died in the Nova Tarentis Massacre, commemorating their noblest deeds. Above the hall's threshold is engraved the legend: ''In memory of those I could not save.''

=====Strike Cruisers=====
*''Axios''. Deployments include the [[Raid on Lachesis]].
*''Azhdaha'' †‡
*''Deliverance'' ‡
*''Dutiful''
*''Erenkyl'' †‡
*''Illuyaka'' †
*''Iustus Exactor'' ‡
*''Preceptor''. Deployments include [[the Andaras Affair]].
*''Mater Accipitrum'' ‡
*''Redemption''. ‡ Captured as a prize from renegade Astartes in the battle of Zarinth V during the Indomitus Crusade.
*''Selezen'' †‡
*''Vritra'' †

†: Originally from the Azure Drakes' fleet.

‡: Currently away from the Eridani Sector on Crusade.

=====Escorts=====

The precise disposition of the Scions' flotilla of frigates and destroyers is unknown, but the number of escorts in their fleet is growing significantly now that the Keraphon Shipyards of Delta Thonicia have been upgraded. A number of these ships are purely for the defence of the sprawling Thonicia system, and the Chapter does not have enough Navigators to guide them through the warp even if they wanted to leave.

=====The ''Mater Castellorum''=====

Archmagos Felicita Morleio is the de facto head of the Phratry Munitorus, despite not being an Astartes. The ''Mater Castellorum'' is her fabrication ark, a capital-class auxiliary vessel originally used to transport the materiel needed to lay the groundwork for the Scions' Fortress-Monastery. Even before the ark finished deploying its contents planetside, Morleio was thinking about how such a vessel might be used afterwards. Once the vessel had finished deploying its original payload, she dispatched it to [[Thonis#Delta_Thonicia_VIII_Gamma:_Keraphon | Keraphon]] to undergo an extensive refit.

The vessel retained its fleet of bulk lifters, and sacrificed some of its kilometers of storage to house manufactories. While all Scions vessels are designed to enable a certain amount of infrastructural aid to Imperial colonies, the newly-refitted ''Mater Castellorum'' carries tens of thousands of workers, artisans and techpriests along with the materiel they need to enact widespread repairs and construction projects. Consul Tarentian once joked that if battles are won with marines and wars won with logistics, the ''Mater Castellorum'' is a weapon of mass construction.

=====The Thonician defence fleet=====

Upon arriving at Thonis, the Scions quickly enlarged their system defence fleet (i.e. naval vessels lacking a warp drive) by initiating a series of boarding actions on the system's pirates rather than destroying them. These mismatched vessels would serve in the short term, but Thonicia is a vast area compared to most star systems, and a more regimented fleet of substantial size would be required so that the Scions chapter fleet would be free to go where it was needed.

This need culminated in the design and production of the Warden class heavy frigate. Similar in design to other Astartes escorts, but with a larger hold suitable for the redeployment of key resources or personnel within the system as needed, these heavy frigates are quicker to produce than cruisers, and more flexible in their applications, having been designed as just about capable of planetary landings on any world of 1.3G or less. While it would be possible to fit them with warp drives, this would greatly increase production time and cost. For now, the priority is to stamp out as many as possible to ensure the safety of the home system.

[[File:stormtalon.png|250px|right]]
=====Gunships, interceptors and other ordnance=====
Operating a fleet of gunships out of a ship in orbit means craft have less time to spend on station, and use far more fuel. Being logistically minded, the Cobalt Scions are always keen to ensure their FOBs can be deployed at great speed, and within hours will have the fuel and ammunition at hand to resupply gunships operating in support of ground units. Members of the battle companies all have basic training in piloting aircraft employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 8th Company, although the bulk of the piloting is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

=History=
==Founding==
Guilliman's major concern about Cawl's artificially indoctrinated primaris marines was their lack of real combat experience, so he decided to form the Scions' senior leadership from veterans of the Ultramarines' 1st Company. A call for volunteers went out.

Encouraged by Calgar's survival of the Rubicon Primaris, Aelius Justarian and his squad stepped up. Their idea was that each of them would be a company captain, forming a group of officers who already knew and respected each other. Guilliman, Calgar and Captain Agemman accepted their proposal, and the ten brothers eagerly submitted themselves to the process, nodding confidently as the risks of the process were explained to them.

In their optimism they hoped they might all survive; the process was becoming less risky with time, but in reality, six brothers died. Sergeant Justarian was among them.

The four survivors had known it was possible some of their brothers might not survive the process. They had lost brothers in the past. Astartes are indoctrinated to process the grief when a brother falls in combat. If anything, it strengthens their resolve. But the survivors learned that losing a brother in combat and losing an uninjured brother to the operating table are two very different things. This new form of grief ate away at them.

The chaplains tried tending to the brothers' spiritual wounds, but old Cassius refused to let them languish in mourning. Success, he told them, is meaningless without adversity. Still despondent at the loss but obedient nonetheless, the four brothers prepared for their voyage across the galaxy to rendezvous with their new chapter in the Sol system. They sought guidance from Calgar, Agemman, and other senior Ultramarines while their new armour was forged. They spoke to political leaders and logisticians, shipmasters and tech-magi, trying to learn what they could, still lamenting the loss of wise Justarian and the others.

When their new Mk.X armour was ready, they entered the Fortress of Hera and donned the unpainted suits for the first time. After so many decades as Ultramarines, it was a strange thing for them to see each other wearing unpainted armour. As they stood there exchanging uncertain glances, they were approached by Sinon, Captain of the Ninth and Master of Relics, who presented them with four master-crafted power swords in honour of their service with the Ultramarines. It was a welcome and tangible connection to their past.

On the journey to Sol, they occupied themselves by debating how they might go about organising their new chapter. Quintus Tarentian and Gaius Fabian favoured adhering strictly to the updated Codex Astartes, while Tiberius Drusus and Martellus Lucullus argued that it didn't map well onto purely primaris chapters.

Unable to agree on how far to stray from the wisdom of the Codex, they turned their attention to what they thought would be the less contentious question of naming the chapter. They soon learned that much rests in a name, and many names are unfit for purpose. Nothing sounded right. At one point, Tarentian confessed that after days of considering monikers for the new chapter, even the honoured name of the Ultramarines sounded foolish. “It is a pun!" he exclaimed, agast. “Or perhaps a declaration that we think ourselves above other chapters." The other three looked at him, appalled by this heresy.

“On the contrary, brother," Drusus replied, “I believe Ultramar to be a word from Ancient Terra describing an empire that stretches across an ocean. In this instance, the void is the ocean, the Five Hundred Worlds the empire. The suffix ''-ines'' must simply indicate that we are men of that great empire. Surely, therefore, the word Ultramar preceded the word Ultramarines? You're putting the artillery train before the tractor."

“Let us pretend I said nothing," Tarentian said, clearly troubled.

It was Lucullus who spoke next. “If we should decide to break with some edicts of the Codex, it would seem all the more important to remember our point of origin. A new chapter has no history, but the Thirteenth Legion and all its successors have ten millennia of it. What if our heraldry echoes that? Our chapter symbol could be a cobalt fist, as if to show one of the Gauntlets of Ultramar."

“That is not a name, Martellus, that is a badge," Fabian said. The others laughed.

Never one to enjoy a joke at his expense, Lucullus doubled down. “It's the idea I'm driving at. Make a point of upholding our identity as scions of Ultramar."

“The Scions of Ultramar is quite the mouthful," Tarentian said.

“The Cobalt Scions," Drusus said. The four of them were silent for a moment. Tarentian, for whom everything now sounded wrong, opened his mouth to speak. Fabian cut him off. “I like it," Fabian said.

“As do I," Lucullus added.

Tarentian frowned, then shrugged. “I am pleased this task is done."

After much debate the four brothers also agreed on their roles. Someone with a willingness to embrace the unfamiliar would be needed to form a new chapter, and so Tiberius Drusus would serve as chapter master. It helped that he was the most learned among them. To keep Drusus grounded, the traditionally-minded Tarentian would assume command of the 1st company, and Fabian would take the 2nd. Martellus Lucullus, Drusus' fellow advocate for new ways, would helm the 3rd.

To find the other seven captains, they would have to screen Cawl's unnaturally trained creations to see if any among them had the wit for independent thought.

When the four brothers eventually reached the Sol system they found a fleet of unnamed ships waiting for them in Mars' crowded dockyards. Inside, a chapter of new marines slept in stasis. Neither ships nor men bore heraldry. Drusus and his brothers had understood the scale of the task ahead in theory, but found the reality somewhat daunting. They were veterans of combat, not leadership. Who were they to step into the shoes of their betters and start from the very beginning?

The four brothers toured the fleet and its crews. They went to see the stasis chambers, and the marines inside. An army of techpriests, artisans and servitors awaited Drusus' signal to begin.

Drusus wanted the chapter to wake up to some sense of heritage, so the artisans were set to work first, applying heraldry to empty racks of armour. Ships were named. The four brothers met with the fleet's human officers, many of whom were decorated volunteers from the Imperial Navy.

When all was prepared, Drusus gave authorisation to wake the chapter.

They soon learned that the indoctrinated marines had names from their previous lives, but all were uncertain how many of their memories were real, and how many implanted. They all thought they remembered lives in Ultramar, and so the four brothers found some common ground with them. Even so, the marines knew little of the modern Imperium. Some spoke of the secular Imperial Truth promulgated in the days of the Great Crusade. The four brothers realised that bringing these men into the 42nd Millennium would involve significant culture shock. Worse yet, they had been indoctrinated to fulfill a single role, rather than having the flexibility of a marine who had worked their way through the ranks.

In the short term, Drusus and the others would simply have to accept Cawl's inflexible progeny and work with them as best they could. The Cobalt Scions fleet began its maiden voyage out of Sol and towards the nearest prong of the Indomitus Crusade.

==The Cobalt Scions in the Indomitus Crusade==
Over the next few decades, the Scions slowly morphed in the direction the four brothers intended. While in transit between warzones, squads were trained in other methods of warfare. Hellblaster units learned to use bolt rifles, Intercessors learned how to move in gravis armour, and so on. Like many of the all-primaris chapters, they took higher casualties early on in the Crusade, and despite occasional reinforcements from Mars, eventually found themselves able to field only 780 combat-ready marines, and it was at this depleted level that they met with their greatest disaster.

===The Nova Tarentis Massacre===
A prosperous world of significant agricultural and mineral output, Nova Tarentis was crucial to trade within its area of the Segmentum Pacificus, and an obvious target for the archenemy. Traitor Guard and Dark Mechanicum forces attacked in strength, and pleas for aid were made. Keen to prevent a cascade of infrastructural failure, the full Azure Drakes chapter was deployed with four companies of Cobalt Scions in support. The Drakes' chapter master, Sorkhos Danithor, committed to a full orbital assault, giving the enemy on the ground little time to react.

Once the bulk of the Drakes and Scions units had launched from their vessels, however, drive cores began to kindle all around Nova Tarentis' planetary rings. A substantial force of Black Legionnaires, thousands strong, had lain the perfect trap. Extracting the deployed troops would take hours, so Danithor - now trapped on the surface with the rest of his chapter - ordered the fleet to break orbit and seek reinforcements, rather than engaging in an unwinnable fight. Nonetheless, a small number of the fleet's capital ships were caught and destroyed as they raced for the system's Mandeville Point.

With their fleet gone, the loyal Astartes fought on as the traitors made planetfall. The fighting was brutal, but ultimately the Drakes and Scions were in an impossible position, hunted by a superior foe and lacking crucial supplies thanks to the loss of their orbital support.

Danithor orchestrated several breakout attempts, reasoning that asymmetric guerrilla warfare might allow more of his forces to survive until reinforcements arrived, but the Black Legion's noose proved too tight. Slowly, the Astartes army lost ground. When the Azure Drakes fleet returned with reinforcements, it was too late to meaningfully save the chapter. Fewer than a hundred Drakes were still alive.

As soon as the heretics' scout vessels spotted the incoming Imperial fleet in the system's outer reaches, the Black Legion began evacuating, their mission a total success. They had slain over a thousand loyalist marines, and had taken favourable casualties.

The final blow was, perhaps, the bitterest. During the enemy's final assault, Danithor noted enemy bombardments on the Imperial formations either side of his position, but none on his own. When enemy veterans in terminator plate teleported down behind him, preventing retreat, he realised all to late that they intended to take him alive. In his last recorded communication, he passed command to the most senior Imperial commander left - a Cobalt Scions reserve sergeant - before taking his own life. Frustrated, the Black Legion veterans butchered his retinue, but left empty handed. It mattered not; the Azure Drakes were gone in all but name. The few survivors were folded into the Cobalt Scions, along with their remaining fleet assets. Some were unhappy to muddy the chapter's culture with the more bellicose Drakes, but none would have seen the survivors cast adrift. The legacy of the Drakes would live on as one of a number of fraternities that a Cobalt Scion might choose to join upon inculcation into the Chapter.

While the Crusade continued to spread out through the galaxy, it was decided that the Scions needed to recover from their losses. Between the attrition of Crusading, and the hundreds of losses incurred on Nova Tarentis, the chapter was now reduced to around a third of its original fighting strength. The time had come for the Scions to go and recuperate on [[Thonis]], the world designated as their new home by Guilliman.

[[File:Cobalt_scions_heavy_intercessor.png|600px|center]]

===The Reclamation of Raxis Minor===
On their way to Thonis, the Scions received a distress call from the agri-world of Raxis Minor. While in theory the Scions were supposed to make all haste to their new homeworld, Drusus refused to ignore such pleas and directed the chapter fleet to alter course. Upon arrival the Scions found the defenders had been overwhelmed by Heretic Astartes of the Iron Warriors Legion. Reconnaissance revealed that the enemy numbered at or below company strength, with substantial mortal auxiliary forces. But even with the chapter at half strength and still suffering low morale following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, Drusus judged that his chapter would be more than strong enough to rally the tattered remains of the planet's defence forces. He split the fleet into three formations and approached the planet from different directions, forcing the Iron Warriors' smaller fleet to try and fight their way clear of the tightening blockade. Badly outnumbered, the Iron Warriors ships were cornered and destroyed, trapping the remaining Iron Warriors on the surface. The Cobalt Scions, hungry for revenge against the forces of Chaos, fell upon the planet with eagerness. There was no glory to be taken in vanquishing a foe so badly outnumbered, but there was some satisfaction to be had in restoring Imperial rule to a world in need of help.

When the Iron Warriors made their final stand, an undecipherable astropathic communication was sent from their command bunker. Fearing reprisal, Drusus committed his resources to reestablishing Imperial rule and improving Raxis Minor's defensive infrastructure. Foremost among this was the creation of several defensive hubs built at the centre of the main population centres with shielding and defensive batteries to defend against orbital assault. The Scions deployed hundreds of servitor-crewed machines to expedite construction, and after only four months' work, Raxis Minor's defences had become substantially easier to hold. Leaving the locals to complete the work, the fleet continued on its journey to their new home.

==A new homeworld==
When it was designated as the Scions' homeworld, [[Thonis]] was far from any active warzones. Situated in the [[Eridani Sector]] of the [[Segmentum Pacificus]], it was Guilliman's intent that the Scions would further strengthen a relatively stable part of the Imperium. Some whispered that it was further evidence of Guilliman ensuring the Ultramarines' ascendancy, particularly given the cultural ties the First Four had sought to maintain.

Either way, none could gainsay the Lord Commander of the Imperium, and so the Scions' fleet made for Thonis. Drusus and the others knew relatively little about Thonis beside some centuries-old information about its major exports and government, but it seemed reasonable to assume the locals would be grateful for the protection of an Astartes Chapter. With four stars and a great many settled worlds, the Thonis system almost seemed like a sub-sector in itself.

[[File:Thonis_system_map.png|600px|center]]

The Scions fleet returned to Mars first. While ship repairs got underway, Chapter Master Drusus met with Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the fabricator-general Cawl had assigned to the chapter. She had been tasked with designing and overseeing the construction of the Scions' fortress monastery, and then remaining with the chapter for the rest of her life, tending to the fortress' manufactorums and forges. She seemed at peace with the notion that she would get to create this one great structure and then be relegated to its maintenance. Drusus, however, was far less willing than Cawl to waste human resources. He suggested that if she showed aptitude for architectural design and understood siegecraft sufficiently, there was every chance she could embark upon an indefinite number of projects across Thonis and the wider Eridani sector as the Scions established themselves.

In that moment, he won Morleio's undivided loyalty.

Everything that would be needed for the fortress monastery, save the stone and rockrete itself, had already been loaded onto Morleio's kilometers-long fabrication ark. The fleet, now repaired, broke orbit and made for the Eridani Sector.

==Arrival in Thonis==
The Imperial governor on Thonis had been told decades ago that a chapter called the Cobalt Scions were coming to live on the planet. That was it. No details, no instructions to make particular preparations. Simply that they were coming.

When a fleet of Astartes ships arrived claiming to be the Cobalt Scions, no one had any reason to doubt them.

The fleet moved straight through the Eridani sector and on to the Hasmides system in the neighbouring Achernar sector. There had been some civil unrest; bombings and the like. It was assumed the Scions intended to terrify the populace into compliance.

In reality, the individuals aboard the Astartes fleet had created the uprising. They were not the Cobalt Scions at all. They were the Word Bearers, six hundred of them, acting on the orders of Khairon. If Guilliman's sons were coming, the Word Bearers were keen to preemptively tarnish their good name and make it clear the Scions' very arrival would only bring suffering.

Hasmides offered little challenge to them.

A thousand light years away, the Scions' fleet approached in blissful ignorance.

With Hasmides' government and infrastructure in tatters, the Word Bearers returned to their ships to prepare their next blow. The Scions might not have been there to prevent the atrocity, but the wider Imperium did not leave it unpunished. As the Word Bearers fleet made all speed for the Hasmides system's Mandeville point so as to escape into the warp, they were intercepted by the full might of Battlefleet Achernar.

The ensuing [[Battle of Hasmides]] cost both fleets dearly, but ultimately the Word Bearers' fleet was so badly damaged that, while most of their Astartes survived, their ability to prosecute a full naval engagement was, for a time at least, nullified.

Ironically the Navy's victory at Hasmides was politically bad for the Cobalt Scions. Not only had their impending arrival attracted dangerous foes to a peaceful place, it wasn't even the Scions who saw them off. Furthermore Thonis' incumbent planetary governor, Lord Aderbal, was well regarded by his subjects. There was little appetite for change.

When the true Cobalt Scions fleet approached Thonis, they were bombarded with security questions, and requests that they remain at a distance until their identity could be verified. It was hardly the welcome the Scions had hoped for. Eventually, Thonis' modest orbital platforms cancelled their firing solutions and stood down. A lone Overlord-class gunship bore the first delegation of Cobalt Scions down to the verdant surface of their new homeworld.

Chapter Master Drusus expected Aderbal to unquestionably accept the Scions' clear right to rule the system. Drusus informed him that there would be a brief transition phase followed by significant reforms in which Aderbal's official title would change from Planetary Governor to Locutor of the Senate: a position Drusus assured him would be very important in the new regime.
[[File:Heracleion.png|400px|right]]
Given the choice between no power and some power, Aderbal was forced to accept Drusus' offer.

In his address during the ceremony in which the Sceptre of Heracleion, symbol of the capital, was to pass from Governor Aderbal to Dictator Drusus, the governor's wording carefully managed to remain obedient while subtly emphasising Drusus' status as a newcomer to an old world with a well-established culture.

The address set the tone for the months to come. The Scions were too terrifying for anyone to risk obvious dissent, but any request made to the government by an Astartes would mysteriously require more paperwork and bureaucracy than the same request made by a native official. If asked for an explanation, people would claim they were taking extra care that they did a good job, or would say they had heard Guilliman's sons encouraged detailed paperwork. The Scions came to be seen as a source of problems by the general populace. With no experience of nuanced public relations, Drusus and his captains were at a loss as to how to win their people over. They went on speaking tours, endeavouring to rouse the public with stilted recollections of their great victories in the Indomitus Crusade, but received only polite applause. They made suggestions to improve the efficiency of institutions, but were told said suggestions would reduce productivity even when it seemed clear this was not the case.

During those first few months, some of the Scions grew restive. They felt the battles they had fought deserved the respect of any Imperial citizen, and talk grew of taking a harsher line with the recalcitrant public. Tarentian in particular advocated for a more direct approach.

Lucullus disagreed. He argued that the harder they pushed, the harder the people would resist. Some would fall into line, of course, but there would also be dissent and perhaps even the fomenting of heresy.

Drusus, politically inexperienced, was indecisive as to whose approach he would implement, and changed his mind regularly. This in turn created a rift between him and Captain Fabian, who proclaimed that he didn't care which side Drusus took, only that he committed to a course of action. Fabian went to far as to suggest that if Drusus couldn't make such decisions, Fabian was happy to take his place. Fabian's insubordination outraged Tarentian, Lucullus, and the other captains. The argument served a purpose, at least. Drusus was at last moved to choose. He took Lucullus' cautious approach.

[[File:Thonis.png|400px|right]]

==The construction of the Fortress of Syrnum==
While the Scions struggled with the political landscape, Archmagos Morleio worked on her designs for the fortress-monastery. It was to be built in the hills above Heracleion, and would require surprisingly few homes to be demolished. Strangely, the news that five hundred families were to be given the honour of having their homes bulldozed for the fortress monastery wasn't met with the sort of gratitude the Scions expected. Citizens of Ultramar, the Scions reflected bitterly, would have been proud to give their land for such a purpose.

Morleio estimated the project would take three years before it would be usable, and more than that before it would reach its full potential. Work began to prepare the Syrnum hills as Morleio and Drusus spent many long days drawing up plans.

==Expanding the docks==
Work also began on enlarging Thonis' modest orbitals. In time, they would need to serve a full fleet of warships in addition to providing efficient trade berths. Where the Scions had failed to gain any political capital thus far, the trade-focussed Thonicians were keen on the idea of increased docking facilities and reduced piracy. Sensing an opportunity, Drusus made a series of speeches promising that within fifty years, Thonis would enjoy the protection and commerce of vast orbital facilities. Finally, the Scions had said something popular.

Naturally this meant the native politicians, still angry at their reduced autonomy, argued for increased influence in the design of the orbitals to ensure the opportunities for trade were maximised.

==Political reforms==
The nobles' request for greater influence was an overt challenge to Drusus' competence in terms of trade, and public perception was very much that a space marine couldn't possibly have the same expertise as the great trading houses of Thonis.

In a move that shocked the Thonician nobility, Drusus responded to their challenge with his first sign of political deftness.

Drusus declared that if the native politicians wanted a say in the Scions' construction projects, then apparently they had accepted the chapter was here to stay. It followed, therefore, they were ready for the political reforms Drusus had promised.

A senate was formed from the heads of the fifty most influential noble families. The senate's role would be to advise the Scions as to how they should proceed in matters of commerce and governance. One senator would be first among equals, and would present the senate's suggestions to the Dictator. This individual would be known as the Locutor, a position that would initially be taken by Lord Aderbal. Upon his death or dismissal, another senator would be elected by their peers to take his position.

The reforms went further still. Ten commoners would be chosen to represent the labourers. These ten Tribunes were to keep the Dictator and Senate informed of how their legislation was being received by the commoners. More importantly, if all ten Tribunes agreed, they had the power to veto new legislation. The veto could only be overruled by the dictator, or in the absence of the Dictator, by one of the chapter's lieutenants, all of whom held the honorific of Praetor.

Being a Praetor incorporated two main duties beyond an Astartes Lieutenant's combat role. One was to act as a diplomat or ambassador for their captain when on campaign, and the other, as intimated above, was to arbitrate on disagreements between the Senate and the Tribunate when at home. In this way, lieutenants gained extensive political experience in preparation for becoming a captain.

Captains, in turn, held the honorific of Consul. Being a Consul meant having the Dictator's blessing to instigate reforms of a planet's government if it was militarily advantageous to do so, up to and including its annexation. The wording of this rule was vague enough that neighbouring planetary governors began to issue complaints to the Adeptus Terra. Guilliman's sons were laying the illegal foundations of their own empire, the governors said. Months later, Guilliman provided a curt response: “Then do not give my sons cause to annex your planet."

This further stoked speculation that the Lord Commander took issue with the modern Imperium, but as yet no one was willing to risk secession.

While the heavy-handed reforms were obviously taking power from the ruling class and handing it to the Cobalt Scions, the nobles also realised that they were now competing with each other for places in the Senate. This broke their unity and revealed their selfishness for all to see, and the mere existence of the Tribunate empowered the bulk of the population far more than the previous regime, even if this was representation in name only.

Tiberius Drusus finally had the political situation working to his advantage.

==Initial Engagements==
The Scions soon learned of the Hasmides atrocity, but were reliant on the Inquisition for further intelligence as to where the Word Bearers might strike next.

In the interim, they had two priorities: rebuilding the chapter, and dealing with any lesser threats in their immediate area. Neighbouring systems, particularly those bordering the Scyrian Expanse, were suffering from frequent greenskin raids. The Scions set about crushing these lesser orkish warbands with relative ease, and cleared out several remote human pirate strongholds, all of which was well received by the Eridani Sector's border colonies, but was of little relevance to the people of Thonis.

As for rebuilding the chapter, the Scions embarked on a major recruitment drive in Thonis. They asked for volunteers only, but the financial support they offered volunteers' families meant that a noticeable percentage of the adolescent aspirants clearly had no desire to be there.

Despite these issues, the Scions soon had a good number of scouts in training, and with at least half the chapter stationed at Thonis at any given moment there were always plenty of instructors available. A major difficulty, of course, was that most of the instructors had never been scouts themselves. Many of the initial recruits were pushed too hard, or were simply not trained effectively, and it took some time before the first generation of aspirants - those that survived - started to make good progress.

===The Andaras Affair===
The [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] are sent to end an ork raid on [[Andaras]]. Their intervention reveals the presence of both aeldari and a genestealer cult infestation, prompting a brief but explosive campaign that ultimately results in the xenos escaping, but the colony being made safe.

Further reading: [[The Andaras Affair]], and Consul Lucullus' [[notes on the Andaran Operation]].

===The Season of Fire===
The Cobalt Scions are pulled from one side of the [[Iolan Reaches]] to the other as xenos raids increase in both variety and intensity. The Scions are broadly successful in engaging a number of these threats, but ultimately the [[Starborn Souls]] prove almost impossible to stamp out, despite successful purges on multiple worlds.

Further reading: the [[Season of Fire]].

===The Raid on Lachesis===
[[Tolemias]] of the Librarius foretells of a Word Bearers raid on [[Lachesis]]. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] leads a force drawn largely from the Third Company and arrives before the Word Bearers. Despite sustaining several injuries, Drusus and Tolemias succeed in thwarting the Word Bearers' scheme to turn the planet's smallest moon into a stable warp gate, but at the cost of all three of the planet's Psykana holding towers.

The raid exposes the presence of not just Word Bearers, but a Night Lords warband of [[the Thirteenth Talon]] and another warband of the Red Corsairs. Following the Word Bearers' retreat, Drusus tracks the Night Lords back to their base of operations and attempts, with the help of [[Taliesin]] of Iybraesil, to destroy it. The base is a death trap, and the attack is a costly failure. The episode casts a pall over the broader success of the Lachesian situation, and the Night Lords escape the Chapter's clutches.

Further reading: the [[Raid on Lachesis]].

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:cobalt_scions_techmarine.png|600px|center]]

==Recuperation==
Aside from continued efforts to catch [[the Thirteenth Talon]] of the Night Lords, the Chapter as a whole enjoys a period of only minor engagements. The Fortress of Syrnum is now both defensible and adequately functional, but Morleio is far from finished with it. She begins the first of many planned expansions by expanding further underground, increasing the Chapter Forge's capacity without compromising the city above.

During this period, Thonician scouts begin passing into the reserve companies, rapidly recovering the Chapter's numbers.

===Trade with Iphara===
As construction of the Chapter Forge nears completion, the final stage is to create the large and costly means to produce tactical dreadnought armour. To this end, a small team of Praetors are convened to travel to [[Iphara]] and compete with other Imperial organisations for a modest share of the adamantium being mined in the newly compliant world. With demand for the metal being so high, negotiations are tough, particularly given the questionable need for terminator plate given the ready availability of gravis-pattern armour. The Praetors ultimately only secure a modest shipment, but it is enough to begin forging a tiny number of suits.

==The Ephramundi Daemonic Incursion==
A distress call is issued by the planet [[Ephramundi]] after [[A Minor Heresy]] causes a scattered but planetwide daemonic incursion. With small rifts popping up in seemingly random locations, and the agri-world being a key source of food to other worlds in the [[Kapran sub]], Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus|Drusus]] orders the largest mass deployment in the Chapter's history, with eight full companies dispatched to contain the problem without having to sacrifice Imperial Guard assets that may later be needed for more conventional wars.

Two companies are left to guard Thonicia, and the rest of the fleet get underway with all haste. The plan is to hold out until Grey Knights can arrive to seal the largest breaches. Using drop pods and other rapid response assets, the operation contains most of the daemonic breaches, preventing the sort of governmental collapse common in such incursions. This success has a cost; marines thrown into rapid response operations against an unpredictable foe comes with predictable losses in both men and materiel. By the time the Grey Knights arrive, the Scions have lost 162 marines, their greatest loss since the massacre on Nova Tarentis. The Scions still consider it a success given the value of the planet, and the vast wastage in conventional forces that would have been required to achieve the same result.

Unfortunately, these losses mean they are temporarily less than well prepared for any unexpected invasions elsewhere in the region.

==The Tyranid Invasion of Melia's Reach==
Even as the Scions await the arrival of the Grey Knights on Ephramundi, word is sent to [[Martellus Lucullus]] of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]] that a Tyranid invasion is underway on [[Melia's Reach]]. Lucullus' company has taken 40% casualties, but he petitions Drusus to be sent as a vanguard to try and slow the Tyranids' advance long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Reluctantly convinced that the warning can be trusted - it is sent by the aeldari Farseer [[Host Taliesin of Iybraesil|Taliesin]] - Drusus permits Lucullus to depart aboard the ''Preceptor''.

The Third Company task force arrive to find the local Planetary Defence Force (PDF) in a shambles, and the Governor entirely unfamiliar with the nature of the xenos. In the week that follows, the Space Defence Force are revealed to have been corrupted by Genestealers, and - despite the aid of Taliesin's own troops - the Tyranids continue their advance. Lucullus' efforts to reorganise and reinforce the PDF are eventually successful in helping the locals hold the line on their own, but an assassination attempt by a Lictor renders him unable to witness this success firsthand.

With Lucullus in a coma, Lieutenant Antigonus Nerva assumes command of the strike force, and accompanies Taliesin into Tyranid territory in a desperate joint operation to destroy the hive's primary hatcheries by triggering a volcanic event.

The operation is a success.

Sadly, strategic victory has come too late, and the Tyranids are now numerous and widely established. Unable to reinforce using the rest of the chapter, the Scions instead commit to a massed deployment of the Initiate Auxilia, with scouting teams spreading out into Tyranid-contaminated zones and calling out targets for orbital and aerial strikes. As a result, the value of maintaining an oversized auxilia is further cemented in the minds of the chapter's leadership, despite this being the first time a large force of initiates has proven useful.

==The Lachesian War==
The Word Bearers return to the [[Lachesis]] system in force. The Cobalt Scions have been preparing for this eventuality and are supported by numerous allies, but the size and strength of the traitors' fleet is substantial. The Imperium's only advantage initially is that, due to the failure of the raid, the Word Bearers' vessels arrive piecemeal. Initial engagements go well for the Imperium, but Alpha Legion-induced naval mutinies and resurgent assaults by both the Night Lords and the Word Bearers keep the war rattling on for several years. Eventually, reinforced by the Blood Angels and Raven Guard Chapters, the Imperium emerges victorious, and the traitors are forced to withdraw. Present from the first shot to the final parting ship to ship actions, it is the Cobalt Scions' lengthiest conflict, but also one of their proudest accomplishments. They had met a large traitor force in battle and were not found wanting; it did much to bolster the young Chapter's confidence, and dispel some of the lingering shame of Nova Tarentis.

==The Salvation of Massyleon==
During the Lachesian War, an ork fleet invaded the [[Massyleon]] system. Drusus dispatched the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] alongside Chief Librarian [[Diokles Adrastos]] to counter the invasion alongside the [[Raven Guard 5th Company]]. The strike force encounters an ork fleet led by a space hulk known as the ''Crawling Ruin''. While the bulk of the strike force rush to the defence of Hive Massinissos to prevent the orks getting a serious foothold beyond the hive's walls, Diokles boards the ''Crawling Ruin'' with ten Terminator-armoured veterans drawn from both the Scions and the Ravens. They find a corrupted abominable intelligence lurking within the hulk. Unable to destroy the AI due to its sheer size, Diokles is forced to entreat with the entity, and is ultimately successful in convincing it to turn on its ork allies before departing the system, decisively turning the fate of the war in an instant. When asked about what was said between Diokles and the AI, he refuses to be drawn. Their mission successful and the planet reinforced by regiments of Imperial Guard, the strike force return to Lachesis, where their return finally tips the balance and is directly responsible for the end of the Lachesian War.

==Xenos Invasions in Eressus==
The [[Eressus]] system is invaded by a Tyranid splinter fleet that assaults Eressus Tertia, and the Cobalt Scions dispatch a company to engage them alongside other Imperial forces, including the Blood Angels and Imperial Guard. Whilst this invasion is underway, another xenos invasion occurs in the same system on the planet of Aetolia: orks under the rulership of Boss Bonerippa of the Evil Sunz clan attack in significant numbers. Leaving Captain Lucullus with half his battle company to face the Tyranids with the Blood Angels, Chapter Master Drusus and the other Cobalt Scions form an Imperial response alongside the [[31st Nightfall Ranger Regiment]], several regiments of Krieg Death Korps, and [[Battlegroup 86]]. Even so, the ork numbers prove so substantial that military victory seems unlikely. The balance is tipped when [[Inquisitor Michael]]'s ship ''Accipiter'' leads a kroot warsphere into the system, delivering substantial numbers of kroot mercenaries, and ordering the Imperial forces not to engage them. Recognising the importance of these xenos on a strategic level, the Scions are quick to respond when Michael's ship is opportunistically boarded by the orks, and save the ''Accipiter'' from destruction, and by extension, enabling the kroot to remain in-system thanks to the Inquisitor's presence. Brother Galadoc of the Azarian Guard swears an oath to protect the Inquisitor with his life, and ends up defeating one of the ork warlords in personal combat alongside the Chapter's Judiciar.

The initial battles leave Aetolia's orbital defences in tatters, leaving the Imperium on the defensive. The Astartes and Imperial Guard forces operate as a mobile reserve, with the local Aetolian regiments responsible for the bulk of the fighting. Wherever breaches in the lines appear, the reserve forces are moved to aggressively counter-attack, turning the orks' victories into demoralising defeats.

Towards the end of the conflict, the enemy warlord Bonerippa is hunted down and assassinated by a joint force of Nightfaller Rangers and kroot, and this proves to be the final blow. Some of the Scions feel that the honour of victory is undermined by the presence of the kroot, but Drusus is pleased at the pragmatic benefits of cooperating with the Ordo Xenos, and commends the Inquisitor for his initiative.

==The Cobalt Scions join the Fourth Tyrannic War==
With the war concluded on [[Lachesis]] and the Chapter's losses replaced by members of the Novitiate Auxilia joining the reserve companies, the time has come for the Chapter to go back out into the galaxy and contribute to the Imperium's wider wars. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] appoints Consul Gaius Fabian of the Second Company to lead a strike force out into the wider Segmentum to contribute to the Fourth Tyrannic War. It is the first time the Chapter sends the bulk of its forces away since arriving in Thonicia seven years prior. Drusus laments being unable to go with the strike force, but the Chapter's home system is so large and multi-faceted that there is still much to do that requires his attention.

===Strike Force Tarasc's order of battle===
====Fleet assets====
* Battle barge ''Tarasc''
* 6 strike cruisers: ''Azhdaha'', ''Deliverance'', ''Erenkyl'', ''Iustus Exactor'', ''Mater Accipitrum'', ''Redemption''
* 12 frigates
* 6 destroyers

====Astartes====
* 50 Veterans of the First Company
* 2nd Battle Company
* 4th Battle Company
* 5th Battle Company
* 150 marines from the reserve companies
* 50 marines of the Chapter's Vanguard
* 100 Novitiate Auxilia

The strike force fleet gathers above Thonis, and to celebrate its departure, a parade is held in the streets of Heracleion. The public, perhaps frightened of failing to show due deference, turn out in force to bid them farewell. The tone of the crowd is one of dutiful attendance rather than rapturous approval; Drusus realises that he still has much to do in inculcating Ultramarian values in his populace.

[[Category:Adeptus Astartes]] [[Category:Cobalt Scions]] [[Category: Crusade Forces]] [[Category: Cobalt Scions Missions]]

Cobalt Scions

2026-07-31T21:11:38Z

Charlie: /* Current Fleet Assets */

[[File:Cobalt_Scions.png|600px|center]]
The Cobalt Scions are an all-primaris chapter created from Ultramarines gene stock. Initially they participated in the Indomitus Crusade. After decades of crusading, Guilliman has assigned them to watch over a region of the Segmentum Pacificus from their new home system of [[Thonis]].

=Heraldry=
The Scions' heraldry is very close to their gene-sires, with the bulk of the armour painted the same blue as the Ultramarines. The two differences are their white pauldrons, and their company markings displayed on the left kneepad rather than on the shoulder trim. Since the Cobalt Scions' guiding principle is flexibility, none of the squads display the traditional tactical/assault/devastator symbols, but merely numerals denoting their squad number within their company.

The primary exception to the chapter's bright blue heraldry can be seen on their camouflaged Phobos-pattern armour, which is repainted to suit the local terrain.

==Chapter Icon==
The blue fist used in the Scions' heraldry symbolises the Gauntlets of Ultramar, as the chapter is particularly keen on celebrating and aspiring to the deeds of their forebears.
[[File:Cobalt_Scions_icon.png|300px|center]]

==Chapter Mottos==
The Cobalt Scions are known to have several mottos or common phrases, depending on the context. Some have been heard repeating the Ultramarian phrase “Courage and Honour," but the most common two phrases more specific to the Chapter are:

''“For Guilliman! For Glory!"''

''“Dignus Praesidio." (Protect the Worthy)''

Both mottos have been seen as concerning by outside observers, who feel that the first motto speaks to the wrong priorities, and that the second raises questions about just who the Cobalt Scions consider to be “worthy." The ambiguity of ''Dignus Praesidio'' often allows the listener to hear what they want to hear, and has been used both as a rallying cry and an insult, depending on the context. Some suggest the words are also a way for the Scions to speak in coded language to each other when they consider certain individuals to be not worth aiding, particularly if outwardly saying so would be politically unwise.

=Chapter organisation=
The Cobalt Scions are only partially Codex compliant. They argue that they follow its rules in spirit, just not in detail, and have reworked elements to suit Cawl's new equipment.

==A recruit's journey==
When recruited, a novitiate is assigned to the 10th Company to begin their training. The training is martial, moral and intellectual; novitiates are expected to familiarise themselves with texts ranging from Guilliman's works on governance, to Bartolomaius' ''Logistica Mathematica''. Novitiates soon learn they must show administrative aptitude if they hope to advance through the ranks.

Once considered battlefield ready, they graduate to the rank of initiate, and are issued carapace armour. In the first few years after the chapter's arrival in Thonis they were only used as a reserve that was only called upon when the need was desperate, since the chapter considered it inefficient to throw its less durable trainees into serious firefights. Consequently, initiates were generally given garrison duties and other auxiliary tasks. The strictness with which this approach was applied waned as the chapter's numbers recovered. Some have even joked that between the stability of the XIII geneseed and a newfound willingness to make use of initiates on the battlefield, the chapter may one day have more auxilia than Astartes.

Once an initiate has been given their final implants they are assigned to one of the reserve companies. Here, surrounded by more experienced marines, they will learn to master one specific role (such as Intercessor, Aggressor, Infiltrator, and so on). Over time they will be rotated through different reserve companies, until eventually they have mastered all the forms of war practised by the Astartes. At this point, most will be given the honour of joining one of the battle companies. Those that show a particular gift for infiltration will be assigned to the 10th Company's Vanguard, and will spend the bulk of their career in Phobos plate.

Any marine who proves their valour and skill may one day hope to be elevated to the veteran ranks of the First Company, whose venerable warriors are generally divided among the various active battlegroups so that they are better able to share their knowledge.

===The Twofold Path===
Once a brother has been elevated into the battle companies, there are several routes to further advancement and greater personal glory. If they show spectacular aptitude for the martial virtues, they may pursue such honoured roles as membership of the Bladeguard, a position as a company ancient, or service in the First Company. Alternatively, if their martial talents are merely acceptable but their political nous is exemplary, they may pursue an Honorary Praetorship such that they can function as an ambassador and intermediary between the chapter and other Imperial institutions, as well as administrators of the chapter's domains. Only masters of the twofold path - both martial and political - can truly hope to be given a true Praetorship, or a position in the Reclusiam.

Those who do well in their Praetorships can expect, if they live long enough, to progress to a Consulship and command of their own company. Those who are too hobbled by injuries and whose bodies reject grafts and bionics tend to retain their Praetorships and serve in a purely political fashion, or as a strategic advisor and attaché to other Imperial forces the Scions are working with. In this way, the number of Praetors far exceeds the 20 lieutenants one would expect to see in a strict observance of the Codex Astartes.

==Chapter Structure==
[[File:drusus.png|250px|right|link=[[Tiberius Drusus]]|Chapter Master Tiberius Drusus]]
===Chapter Command===
The following individuals are known members of the Cobalt Scions' leadership.
* Dictator [[Tiberius Drusus]], Chapter Master
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian
* Consul Quintus Tarentian, Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions First Company|First Company]]
* Consul Gaius Fabian, Captain of the Second Company
* Consul [[Martellus Lucullus]], Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]]

===Chapter Companies===
* [[Cobalt Scions First Company|1st Company]]: the veterans. Squads from this company are often attached to other forces to share their experience and aid with further training for their brothers.
* 2nd-5th Companies: the battle companies. All members are expected to know how to operate in any battlefield role, including vehicle crew, and in any armour pattern. The company captain decides on the mixture of 5 and 10 man squads. Squads may be temporarily divided between (for example) forming a three man fire team and a two man vehicle crew.
* 6th -9th Companies: the reserve companies. Members are only adept at certain battlefield roles, with each squad always performing a consistent role. When their sergeant judges that a marine has mastered their current role, they are rotated out to another squad to begin learning a new one.
* 10th Company: The Vanguard. These are the Chapter's clandestine experts, and forego the traditional blue armour in favour of camouflage. Technically, this company also contains the Initiate Auxilia, meaning that this is the only company with over a hundred members. That the Auxilia are attached to this company is largely to give lip service to the Codex; in reality they are essentially two unrelated organisations.

====The Initiate Auxilia====
When the Cobalt Scions arrived in Thonis, the chapter was badly depleted. As such, their equivalent of the Scout Company did not perform the traditional infiltration duties seen in other chapters. As their name suggests, when deployed they were used for auxiliary duties such as guard duty, where they would get some combat experience, but generally with the added benefit of heavy cover. Only in extremis were they committed to the front line, as the needless loss of an initiate was considered wasteful, particularly with the chapter so under-strength. The bulk of an initiate's time was therefore spent in training.

With the chapter now back to full strength, however, there is an increasing willingness to use the auxilia when tactically expedient. This is the source of some friction within chapter command, who do not all share the view that it is wise to risk wasting promising trainees, or that it is acceptable to take advantage of the Codex Astartes' lack of hard limit on the number of scouts a chapter is permitted to have in active service at any one time.

===Honorary Praetors===
An Honorary Praetorship is not a military rank but a political one, and could even be held by a battle brother. Honorary Praetors form a cadre of the chapter's most able negotiators and orators, dedicated to inspiring traditional virtues and compliance among other Imperial institutions. There are naturally those who argue this constitutes the chapter at its most meddlesome, and certain institutions do not look kindly on some post-human warrior interfering in their business. The Cobalt Scions take this as an additional challenge, and seek to prove their utility, although the petty ambitions of lesser men regularly contrive to make it appear that the Scions are pursuing power for power's sake in clear contravention of the Emperor's original intent for the Astartes.

[[File:priahad.png|250px|right]]
===The Azarian Guard===
This brotherhood of warriors is the Cobalt Scions' equivalent of the Chapter's Honour Guard. They can also be referred to as the Chapter Master's Bladeguard, and exist outside the company structure. They do not have squads, and bear heraldry of the individual rather than the unit. To join them is to foresake the right to seek a command position within the chapter, and to become truly dedicated to pursuing martial prowess. Answerable only to the Chapter Master and the Reclusiam's Master of Sanctity, they serve to protect the virtue of humility within a chapter that might otherwise encourage personal ambition to a dangerous extent. They explicitly have permission to criticise and mock officers, and cannot be censured by any but the Chapter Master or Master of Sanctity for doing so. If they decide to follow an officer to war, however, they must follow the officer's commands precisely during engagements. If a Consul or Praetor wants the aid of the Azarian Guard on a mission, he cannot requisition them; instead, he must petition them. Likewise, Azarian Guards are permitted to turn up unannounced and accompany a strike force if they deem the mission interesting.

====Origins of the Azarian Guard====
Lieutenant Azarias was one of the few Azure Drakes officers to survive the [[The Nova Tarentis Massacre|Nova Tarentis Massacre]]. Following the incorporation of the surviving Drakes into the Cobalt Scions, Azarias took an oath to protect his new chapter master with his life. Coming from a very different chapter culture, he refused to conduct himself in the refined style of the Scions, often mocking others and then challenging them when they failed to mock him back. Amused by this upstart and keen to temper the egos of his senior staff, Chapter Master Drusus instructed Azarias to create his own semi-autonomous brotherhood of up to thirty warriors. Azarias himself was slain protecting Drusus two years later during the reclamation of Raxis Minor, but the Azarian Guard, then numbering seven brothers, remained. Their numbers have since grown, and a number of onetime Azure Drakes use this brotherhood as a way to keep some of their chapter cult alive.

====Known Azarian Guards====
'''Brother Priahad'''

Brother Priahad's helm bears a gold skull, indicating that he is serving as the temporary leader of his fellow Bladeguard. In this way, Cobalt Scions officers know who to direct their commands to. The skull itself is not a permanent fixture but a badge that can be easily removed and passed to another bladeguard between engagements.

His left pauldron bears the chapter icon. It is presented in gold so as to evoke a shield, representing the bladeguard's commitment to safeguarding the Chapter Master. His right pauldron bears his individual heraldry, evoking a deed or quest he has undertaken that his fellow veterans regard as worthy. It shows the four stars of Thonicia, in reference to the vow Priahad enacted to visit every inhabited world in the sprawling home system and provide unexpected aid to those in need.

The tilting plate on his chest bears the ghostly image of a wyrm, and the chapter colour of the Azure Drakes, indicating that he is one of the original members of the now-defunct chapter. The wyrm is presented in a ghostly manner to reference the lingering spirits of his dead brothers.

'''Brother Katumaros'''

The golden skull on Katumaros' tilting plate indicates that he was once an officer. Counter-intuitively, he wears this as a mark of shame; as the fleet master who couldn't bring reinforcements to rescue his brothers in time, he is wracked by guilt and joined the Azarian Guard to ensure he could never rise to a position of command again. Despite a storied career prior to the Nova Tarentis Massacre, he considers his old achievements dead, and as such, his right pauldron remained devoid of heraldry until saving Techmagos Osmal Qvoll from an assassination attempt by [[the Thirteenth Talon]]. After that, his pauldron was adorned with a split motif, with a shielf on one side, and the Cog Mechanicus on the other.

'''Brother Galadoc'''

A mere brother in the Azure Drakes' 8th reserve company when his Chapter was destroyed, Galadoc has only recently joined the Azarian Guard. Like Priahad, his tilting plate features a ghostly image, this time of a dragon's head, commemorating his deceased captain, who he revered. His right pauldron bears the symbol of the Inquisition silhouetted by a shield, commemorating the vow he took to rescue [[Inquisitor Michael]] and his ship the''Accipiter'' after it was boarded by orks during the invasion of Aetonia in [[Eressus]]. After he defeated the heavily armoured ork leading the boarding party, he saved not only Michael himself, but the Chapter's Judiciar, who had been laid low in the fighting.

On his arm, he also bears a rosary once carried by one of the Drakes' chaplains. Galadoc's keen observance of the rites and rituals of his old chapter cult was one of the factors in his acceptance into the Azarian Guard, even though in theory martial prowess should be the only factor.

[[File:tolemias.png|250px|right|link=[[Tolemias]]]]

===The Librarius===
The Cobalt Scions place great stock in the prognostications of psykers, both their own and in the wider Imperium, and will often consult with astropaths, navigators and their own librarians to establish what if anything may be predicted about impending engagements and enemies. In battle, Cobalt Scions Librarians act as dictated by the Codex, employing whichever warp powers their minds are best suited to.

'''Known Librarians'''
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian.
* [[Tolemias]], Codicier.

'''The Thonician Oracles'''

Among the Chapter's most closely guarded secrets are the Oracles, a matriarchal order of seers that have quietly persisted in Thonicia since pre-Imperial times. At various times the Ordo Hereticus have attempted to purge them, but have never managed to wipe them out entirely. The Oracles became known to the Cobalt Scions some time after they arrived in the system, though whether they were discovered or even sought out the Scions is unknown. How the ancient traditions of the Oracles enable them to resist warp corruption is also unknown, as is the extent to which the Cobalt Scions place their faith in them.

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===The Phratry Munitorus===
If the Cobalt Scions' techmarines can make one honest boast, it is the speed and efficiency with which they can erect fortifications and other structures. The Phratry Munitorus (rough Low Gothic translation: the kinship/tribe of builders/engineers) serves the same purpose as a normal Chapter Armourium, but with the added responsibility of assisting with the integration of defences with civic infrastructure. To this end, the techmarines are not just supported by serfs and servitors, but also by human techpriests and architects. Chief among such human followers is Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the chapter's head architect. She is given near-equal standing to the Master of the Forge, and oversees a substantial and growing staff working on the construction of the chapter's fortress monastery and the more general defence enhancements of Thonicia.

When the chapter goes to war, it brings a substantial support staff of humans and servitors tasked with the rapid construction of defences, bridges, field hospitals, and whatever else might swing the Imperium's chances in any given theatre. A supply of prefabricated structures is also brought along for time-critical projects. Encampments are often built along standardised lines, ensuring that personnel familiar with one Scions base are familiar with them all. It has been pointed out by other chapters that this is a strategic vulnerability, but the Scions prefer the speed that comes with familiarity, and are convinced they will be able to adapt on a tactical level to counter this strategic weakness.

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[[File:Aristander.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Sedayus Aristander====
In addition to his regular duties tending to the Cobalt Scions' wargear and vehicles, Brother-Techmarine Sedayus Aristander is an obsessive sculptor, creating busts and statues for the Chapter's various reliquaries and memorials of fallen comrades. In theory, such devotional artworks are the domain of the human artisans of the Phratry Munitorus. While his fellow techmarines' non-military endeavours would generally be limited to designing architecture that serves to inspire as well as defend, Aristander argues that art serves as a major political tool. His defence is halfhearted, however; in truth he sculpts because he enjoys it. As he sees it, the sculptor's challenge is not merely to perfectly replicate their subject's features, but to capture their character. If that happens to serve the political goal of showing the Thonician populace what has been sacrificed for their safety, then that is merely a useful bonus.

He worked at his craft throughout the Chapter's time in the Indomitus Crusade, and yet more since the Scions' arrival in Thonis. Many consider him an excellent craftsman, but he remains unsatisfied, knowing that decades of practice are required to achieve true mastery. His obsession makes him a withdrawn figure who never takes a joke well. Nonetheless, he enjoys a measure of popularity, for all who walk in the Chapter's mausoleum are grateful to look upon the faces of their fallen brothers.

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[[File:hadrios_kelsus.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Hadrios Kelsus====
While Kelsus is perfectly willing to perform his vehicle maintenance duties between engagements, he rarely does so in combat. This is because Hadrios Kelsus is, and always has been, obsessed with the use of large guns. He generally finds an excuse to bring a servo turret on all deployments, and at the first sign of the enemy, gleefully mounts up to provide his brothers with fire support. It has been suggested that he should consider how to advance through the techmarines' ranks, for instance by creating political ties to local Mechanicus personnel. He is, however, far more interested in tinkering with guns in the Chapter's armoury.

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====The Chapter Armoury====
Members of the battle companies all have basic training in crewing the vehicles employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 9th Company, although the bulk of the crewing is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

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[[File:boriels_wrath.png|250px|left]]
=====Repulsor Executioner ''Boriel's Wrath''=====
This tank is named after a Dark Angel biker who aided a group of Scions pinned down by a force of Emperor's Children Heretic Astartes. Driving to good vantage points and providing pinpoint positional data, then moving on before the traitors could corner him, Boriel's actions allowed the Scions to fight clear of the trap. Tragically, they never met him in person; he was finally cornered by a squad of noise marines who, enraged by his efforts, beat him to death with their sonic blasters.

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===The Fleet===
When founded, the Scions had only six strike cruisers and a single battle barge: the ''Reason Inviolate''. Following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, the Azure Drakes' fleet -- far less damaged than the chapter it served -- was folded into the Scions' fleet. Consequently they went from having barely enough capital ships to deploy the chapter to having, arguably, an excess that they should have donated to other Indomitus Founding chapters. The Scions claim to make good use of their fleet assets given that it has enabled them to expand the capabilities of the Phratry Munitorus, with every Scions capital ship being well supplied with the engineers and materiel to respond to the humanitarian requirements of a warzone, as well as prefab fortifications, bridges, and other infrastructural elements. The Scions brush off criticisms that this exceeds the remit of the Adeptus Astartes by reciting the old adage that wars are won with logistics, and that a population protected is a rebellion prevented.

In addition to having holds full of infrastructural material, Cobalt Scions capital ships all have small manufactories capable of producing and repairing Astartes wargear and vehicles, albeit far more slowly than the Chapter Forge on Thonis. This is a hangover from when the chapter was fleet based during the Indomitus Crusade. It is a functionality they have deliberately maintained afterwards so as to reduce their dependence on supply lines.

The chapter has also attracted further criticism for employing several squadrons of the controversial Nova class frigate, which some say Astartes have no need of unless they're expecting to instigate naval battles without the assistance of the Imperial Navy.

Like many (if not most) Astartes fleets, the ships are crewed and captained by humans, although even an Astartes Sergeant is considered to outrank a ship captain as regards the chain of command. What with the fleet regularly returning to Thonis, the crew are given the option of having their families aboard their ship or in terrestrial housing. The family of slain personnel are given a stipend by the chapter, money which originally is taken from the financial tithe the Scions collect from their home system. While living conditions aboard the chapter's vessels are superior to the average ship of the Imperial Navy, expectations are high. Any personnel found wanting are rarely given second chances, and if lucky will get away simply with being discharged without a pension. Of course, incompetent crew can still offer dependable service when sent to the tech-priests for ''conversion,'' serving as a grim reminder to their former crewmates of the price of laxity. Those who have actively transgressed face even worse fates, up to and including a one-way trip to the great arena at Heracleion.

====Current Fleet Assets====
=====Battle Barges=====
*''Reason Inviolate'', the flagship. Constructed to default specifications during the Primaris project, prior to the chapter having a name or an identity. The Scions have since made it their own, modifying a number of its orbital launch bays for the deployment of Phratry Munitorus assets. The vessel served throughout the Scions' participation in the Indomitus Crusade, but the scars it gained during those battles have long since been removed.
*''Tarasc'', †‡ the one-time flagship of the Azure Drakes. There is a hall, deep in the ship's core, that serves as a hall of remembrance. There is a plaque on the wall for every Azure Drakes warrior who died in the Nova Tarentis Massacre, commemorating their noblest deeds. Above the hall's threshold is engraved the legend: ''In memory of those I could not save.''

=====Strike Cruisers=====
*''Axios''. Deployments include the [[Raid on Lachesis]].
*''Azhdaha'' †‡
*''Deliverance'' ‡
*''Dutiful''
*''Erenkyl'' †‡
*''Illuyaka'' †
*''Iustus Exactor'' ‡
*''Preceptor''. Deployments include [[the Andaras Affair]].
*''Mater Accipitrum'' ‡
*''Redemption''. ‡ Captured as a prize from renegade Astartes in the battle of Zarinth V during the Indomitus Crusade.
*''Vritra'' †

†: Originally from the Azure Drakes' fleet.

‡: Currently away from the Eridani Sector on Crusade.

=====Escorts=====

The precise disposition of the Scions' flotilla of frigates and destroyers is unknown, but the number of escorts in their fleet is growing significantly now that the Keraphon Shipyards of Delta Thonicia have been upgraded. A number of these ships are purely for the defence of the sprawling Thonicia system, and the Chapter does not have enough Navigators to guide them through the warp even if they wanted to leave.

=====The ''Mater Castellorum''=====

Archmagos Felicita Morleio is the de facto head of the Phratry Munitorus, despite not being an Astartes. The ''Mater Castellorum'' is her fabrication ark, a capital-class auxiliary vessel originally used to transport the materiel needed to lay the groundwork for the Scions' Fortress-Monastery. Even before the ark finished deploying its contents planetside, Morleio was thinking about how such a vessel might be used afterwards. Once the vessel had finished deploying its original payload, she dispatched it to [[Thonis#Delta_Thonicia_VIII_Gamma:_Keraphon | Keraphon]] to undergo an extensive refit.

The vessel retained its fleet of bulk lifters, and sacrificed some of its kilometers of storage to house manufactories. While all Scions vessels are designed to enable a certain amount of infrastructural aid to Imperial colonies, the newly-refitted ''Mater Castellorum'' carries tens of thousands of workers, artisans and techpriests along with the materiel they need to enact widespread repairs and construction projects. Consul Tarentian once joked that if battles are won with marines and wars won with logistics, the ''Mater Castellorum'' is a weapon of mass construction.

=====The Thonician defence fleet=====

Upon arriving at Thonis, the Scions quickly enlarged their system defence fleet (i.e. naval vessels lacking a warp drive) by initiating a series of boarding actions on the system's pirates rather than destroying them. These mismatched vessels would serve in the short term, but Thonicia is a vast area compared to most star systems, and a more regimented fleet of substantial size would be required so that the Scions chapter fleet would be free to go where it was needed.

This need culminated in the design and production of the Warden class heavy frigate. Similar in design to other Astartes escorts, but with a larger hold suitable for the redeployment of key resources or personnel within the system as needed, these heavy frigates are quicker to produce than cruisers, and more flexible in their applications, having been designed as just about capable of planetary landings on any world of 1.3G or less. While it would be possible to fit them with warp drives, this would greatly increase production time and cost. For now, the priority is to stamp out as many as possible to ensure the safety of the home system.

[[File:stormtalon.png|250px|right]]
=====Gunships, interceptors and other ordnance=====
Operating a fleet of gunships out of a ship in orbit means craft have less time to spend on station, and use far more fuel. Being logistically minded, the Cobalt Scions are always keen to ensure their FOBs can be deployed at great speed, and within hours will have the fuel and ammunition at hand to resupply gunships operating in support of ground units. Members of the battle companies all have basic training in piloting aircraft employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 8th Company, although the bulk of the piloting is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

=History=
==Founding==
Guilliman's major concern about Cawl's artificially indoctrinated primaris marines was their lack of real combat experience, so he decided to form the Scions' senior leadership from veterans of the Ultramarines' 1st Company. A call for volunteers went out.

Encouraged by Calgar's survival of the Rubicon Primaris, Aelius Justarian and his squad stepped up. Their idea was that each of them would be a company captain, forming a group of officers who already knew and respected each other. Guilliman, Calgar and Captain Agemman accepted their proposal, and the ten brothers eagerly submitted themselves to the process, nodding confidently as the risks of the process were explained to them.

In their optimism they hoped they might all survive; the process was becoming less risky with time, but in reality, six brothers died. Sergeant Justarian was among them.

The four survivors had known it was possible some of their brothers might not survive the process. They had lost brothers in the past. Astartes are indoctrinated to process the grief when a brother falls in combat. If anything, it strengthens their resolve. But the survivors learned that losing a brother in combat and losing an uninjured brother to the operating table are two very different things. This new form of grief ate away at them.

The chaplains tried tending to the brothers' spiritual wounds, but old Cassius refused to let them languish in mourning. Success, he told them, is meaningless without adversity. Still despondent at the loss but obedient nonetheless, the four brothers prepared for their voyage across the galaxy to rendezvous with their new chapter in the Sol system. They sought guidance from Calgar, Agemman, and other senior Ultramarines while their new armour was forged. They spoke to political leaders and logisticians, shipmasters and tech-magi, trying to learn what they could, still lamenting the loss of wise Justarian and the others.

When their new Mk.X armour was ready, they entered the Fortress of Hera and donned the unpainted suits for the first time. After so many decades as Ultramarines, it was a strange thing for them to see each other wearing unpainted armour. As they stood there exchanging uncertain glances, they were approached by Sinon, Captain of the Ninth and Master of Relics, who presented them with four master-crafted power swords in honour of their service with the Ultramarines. It was a welcome and tangible connection to their past.

On the journey to Sol, they occupied themselves by debating how they might go about organising their new chapter. Quintus Tarentian and Gaius Fabian favoured adhering strictly to the updated Codex Astartes, while Tiberius Drusus and Martellus Lucullus argued that it didn't map well onto purely primaris chapters.

Unable to agree on how far to stray from the wisdom of the Codex, they turned their attention to what they thought would be the less contentious question of naming the chapter. They soon learned that much rests in a name, and many names are unfit for purpose. Nothing sounded right. At one point, Tarentian confessed that after days of considering monikers for the new chapter, even the honoured name of the Ultramarines sounded foolish. “It is a pun!" he exclaimed, agast. “Or perhaps a declaration that we think ourselves above other chapters." The other three looked at him, appalled by this heresy.

“On the contrary, brother," Drusus replied, “I believe Ultramar to be a word from Ancient Terra describing an empire that stretches across an ocean. In this instance, the void is the ocean, the Five Hundred Worlds the empire. The suffix ''-ines'' must simply indicate that we are men of that great empire. Surely, therefore, the word Ultramar preceded the word Ultramarines? You're putting the artillery train before the tractor."

“Let us pretend I said nothing," Tarentian said, clearly troubled.

It was Lucullus who spoke next. “If we should decide to break with some edicts of the Codex, it would seem all the more important to remember our point of origin. A new chapter has no history, but the Thirteenth Legion and all its successors have ten millennia of it. What if our heraldry echoes that? Our chapter symbol could be a cobalt fist, as if to show one of the Gauntlets of Ultramar."

“That is not a name, Martellus, that is a badge," Fabian said. The others laughed.

Never one to enjoy a joke at his expense, Lucullus doubled down. “It's the idea I'm driving at. Make a point of upholding our identity as scions of Ultramar."

“The Scions of Ultramar is quite the mouthful," Tarentian said.

“The Cobalt Scions," Drusus said. The four of them were silent for a moment. Tarentian, for whom everything now sounded wrong, opened his mouth to speak. Fabian cut him off. “I like it," Fabian said.

“As do I," Lucullus added.

Tarentian frowned, then shrugged. “I am pleased this task is done."

After much debate the four brothers also agreed on their roles. Someone with a willingness to embrace the unfamiliar would be needed to form a new chapter, and so Tiberius Drusus would serve as chapter master. It helped that he was the most learned among them. To keep Drusus grounded, the traditionally-minded Tarentian would assume command of the 1st company, and Fabian would take the 2nd. Martellus Lucullus, Drusus' fellow advocate for new ways, would helm the 3rd.

To find the other seven captains, they would have to screen Cawl's unnaturally trained creations to see if any among them had the wit for independent thought.

When the four brothers eventually reached the Sol system they found a fleet of unnamed ships waiting for them in Mars' crowded dockyards. Inside, a chapter of new marines slept in stasis. Neither ships nor men bore heraldry. Drusus and his brothers had understood the scale of the task ahead in theory, but found the reality somewhat daunting. They were veterans of combat, not leadership. Who were they to step into the shoes of their betters and start from the very beginning?

The four brothers toured the fleet and its crews. They went to see the stasis chambers, and the marines inside. An army of techpriests, artisans and servitors awaited Drusus' signal to begin.

Drusus wanted the chapter to wake up to some sense of heritage, so the artisans were set to work first, applying heraldry to empty racks of armour. Ships were named. The four brothers met with the fleet's human officers, many of whom were decorated volunteers from the Imperial Navy.

When all was prepared, Drusus gave authorisation to wake the chapter.

They soon learned that the indoctrinated marines had names from their previous lives, but all were uncertain how many of their memories were real, and how many implanted. They all thought they remembered lives in Ultramar, and so the four brothers found some common ground with them. Even so, the marines knew little of the modern Imperium. Some spoke of the secular Imperial Truth promulgated in the days of the Great Crusade. The four brothers realised that bringing these men into the 42nd Millennium would involve significant culture shock. Worse yet, they had been indoctrinated to fulfill a single role, rather than having the flexibility of a marine who had worked their way through the ranks.

In the short term, Drusus and the others would simply have to accept Cawl's inflexible progeny and work with them as best they could. The Cobalt Scions fleet began its maiden voyage out of Sol and towards the nearest prong of the Indomitus Crusade.

==The Cobalt Scions in the Indomitus Crusade==
Over the next few decades, the Scions slowly morphed in the direction the four brothers intended. While in transit between warzones, squads were trained in other methods of warfare. Hellblaster units learned to use bolt rifles, Intercessors learned how to move in gravis armour, and so on. Like many of the all-primaris chapters, they took higher casualties early on in the Crusade, and despite occasional reinforcements from Mars, eventually found themselves able to field only 780 combat-ready marines, and it was at this depleted level that they met with their greatest disaster.

===The Nova Tarentis Massacre===
A prosperous world of significant agricultural and mineral output, Nova Tarentis was crucial to trade within its area of the Segmentum Pacificus, and an obvious target for the archenemy. Traitor Guard and Dark Mechanicum forces attacked in strength, and pleas for aid were made. Keen to prevent a cascade of infrastructural failure, the full Azure Drakes chapter was deployed with four companies of Cobalt Scions in support. The Drakes' chapter master, Sorkhos Danithor, committed to a full orbital assault, giving the enemy on the ground little time to react.

Once the bulk of the Drakes and Scions units had launched from their vessels, however, drive cores began to kindle all around Nova Tarentis' planetary rings. A substantial force of Black Legionnaires, thousands strong, had lain the perfect trap. Extracting the deployed troops would take hours, so Danithor - now trapped on the surface with the rest of his chapter - ordered the fleet to break orbit and seek reinforcements, rather than engaging in an unwinnable fight. Nonetheless, a small number of the fleet's capital ships were caught and destroyed as they raced for the system's Mandeville Point.

With their fleet gone, the loyal Astartes fought on as the traitors made planetfall. The fighting was brutal, but ultimately the Drakes and Scions were in an impossible position, hunted by a superior foe and lacking crucial supplies thanks to the loss of their orbital support.

Danithor orchestrated several breakout attempts, reasoning that asymmetric guerrilla warfare might allow more of his forces to survive until reinforcements arrived, but the Black Legion's noose proved too tight. Slowly, the Astartes army lost ground. When the Azure Drakes fleet returned with reinforcements, it was too late to meaningfully save the chapter. Fewer than a hundred Drakes were still alive.

As soon as the heretics' scout vessels spotted the incoming Imperial fleet in the system's outer reaches, the Black Legion began evacuating, their mission a total success. They had slain over a thousand loyalist marines, and had taken favourable casualties.

The final blow was, perhaps, the bitterest. During the enemy's final assault, Danithor noted enemy bombardments on the Imperial formations either side of his position, but none on his own. When enemy veterans in terminator plate teleported down behind him, preventing retreat, he realised all to late that they intended to take him alive. In his last recorded communication, he passed command to the most senior Imperial commander left - a Cobalt Scions reserve sergeant - before taking his own life. Frustrated, the Black Legion veterans butchered his retinue, but left empty handed. It mattered not; the Azure Drakes were gone in all but name. The few survivors were folded into the Cobalt Scions, along with their remaining fleet assets. Some were unhappy to muddy the chapter's culture with the more bellicose Drakes, but none would have seen the survivors cast adrift. The legacy of the Drakes would live on as one of a number of fraternities that a Cobalt Scion might choose to join upon inculcation into the Chapter.

While the Crusade continued to spread out through the galaxy, it was decided that the Scions needed to recover from their losses. Between the attrition of Crusading, and the hundreds of losses incurred on Nova Tarentis, the chapter was now reduced to around a third of its original fighting strength. The time had come for the Scions to go and recuperate on [[Thonis]], the world designated as their new home by Guilliman.

[[File:Cobalt_scions_heavy_intercessor.png|600px|center]]

===The Reclamation of Raxis Minor===
On their way to Thonis, the Scions received a distress call from the agri-world of Raxis Minor. While in theory the Scions were supposed to make all haste to their new homeworld, Drusus refused to ignore such pleas and directed the chapter fleet to alter course. Upon arrival the Scions found the defenders had been overwhelmed by Heretic Astartes of the Iron Warriors Legion. Reconnaissance revealed that the enemy numbered at or below company strength, with substantial mortal auxiliary forces. But even with the chapter at half strength and still suffering low morale following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, Drusus judged that his chapter would be more than strong enough to rally the tattered remains of the planet's defence forces. He split the fleet into three formations and approached the planet from different directions, forcing the Iron Warriors' smaller fleet to try and fight their way clear of the tightening blockade. Badly outnumbered, the Iron Warriors ships were cornered and destroyed, trapping the remaining Iron Warriors on the surface. The Cobalt Scions, hungry for revenge against the forces of Chaos, fell upon the planet with eagerness. There was no glory to be taken in vanquishing a foe so badly outnumbered, but there was some satisfaction to be had in restoring Imperial rule to a world in need of help.

When the Iron Warriors made their final stand, an undecipherable astropathic communication was sent from their command bunker. Fearing reprisal, Drusus committed his resources to reestablishing Imperial rule and improving Raxis Minor's defensive infrastructure. Foremost among this was the creation of several defensive hubs built at the centre of the main population centres with shielding and defensive batteries to defend against orbital assault. The Scions deployed hundreds of servitor-crewed machines to expedite construction, and after only four months' work, Raxis Minor's defences had become substantially easier to hold. Leaving the locals to complete the work, the fleet continued on its journey to their new home.

==A new homeworld==
When it was designated as the Scions' homeworld, [[Thonis]] was far from any active warzones. Situated in the [[Eridani Sector]] of the [[Segmentum Pacificus]], it was Guilliman's intent that the Scions would further strengthen a relatively stable part of the Imperium. Some whispered that it was further evidence of Guilliman ensuring the Ultramarines' ascendancy, particularly given the cultural ties the First Four had sought to maintain.

Either way, none could gainsay the Lord Commander of the Imperium, and so the Scions' fleet made for Thonis. Drusus and the others knew relatively little about Thonis beside some centuries-old information about its major exports and government, but it seemed reasonable to assume the locals would be grateful for the protection of an Astartes Chapter. With four stars and a great many settled worlds, the Thonis system almost seemed like a sub-sector in itself.

[[File:Thonis_system_map.png|600px|center]]

The Scions fleet returned to Mars first. While ship repairs got underway, Chapter Master Drusus met with Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the fabricator-general Cawl had assigned to the chapter. She had been tasked with designing and overseeing the construction of the Scions' fortress monastery, and then remaining with the chapter for the rest of her life, tending to the fortress' manufactorums and forges. She seemed at peace with the notion that she would get to create this one great structure and then be relegated to its maintenance. Drusus, however, was far less willing than Cawl to waste human resources. He suggested that if she showed aptitude for architectural design and understood siegecraft sufficiently, there was every chance she could embark upon an indefinite number of projects across Thonis and the wider Eridani sector as the Scions established themselves.

In that moment, he won Morleio's undivided loyalty.

Everything that would be needed for the fortress monastery, save the stone and rockrete itself, had already been loaded onto Morleio's kilometers-long fabrication ark. The fleet, now repaired, broke orbit and made for the Eridani Sector.

==Arrival in Thonis==
The Imperial governor on Thonis had been told decades ago that a chapter called the Cobalt Scions were coming to live on the planet. That was it. No details, no instructions to make particular preparations. Simply that they were coming.

When a fleet of Astartes ships arrived claiming to be the Cobalt Scions, no one had any reason to doubt them.

The fleet moved straight through the Eridani sector and on to the Hasmides system in the neighbouring Achernar sector. There had been some civil unrest; bombings and the like. It was assumed the Scions intended to terrify the populace into compliance.

In reality, the individuals aboard the Astartes fleet had created the uprising. They were not the Cobalt Scions at all. They were the Word Bearers, six hundred of them, acting on the orders of Khairon. If Guilliman's sons were coming, the Word Bearers were keen to preemptively tarnish their good name and make it clear the Scions' very arrival would only bring suffering.

Hasmides offered little challenge to them.

A thousand light years away, the Scions' fleet approached in blissful ignorance.

With Hasmides' government and infrastructure in tatters, the Word Bearers returned to their ships to prepare their next blow. The Scions might not have been there to prevent the atrocity, but the wider Imperium did not leave it unpunished. As the Word Bearers fleet made all speed for the Hasmides system's Mandeville point so as to escape into the warp, they were intercepted by the full might of Battlefleet Achernar.

The ensuing [[Battle of Hasmides]] cost both fleets dearly, but ultimately the Word Bearers' fleet was so badly damaged that, while most of their Astartes survived, their ability to prosecute a full naval engagement was, for a time at least, nullified.

Ironically the Navy's victory at Hasmides was politically bad for the Cobalt Scions. Not only had their impending arrival attracted dangerous foes to a peaceful place, it wasn't even the Scions who saw them off. Furthermore Thonis' incumbent planetary governor, Lord Aderbal, was well regarded by his subjects. There was little appetite for change.

When the true Cobalt Scions fleet approached Thonis, they were bombarded with security questions, and requests that they remain at a distance until their identity could be verified. It was hardly the welcome the Scions had hoped for. Eventually, Thonis' modest orbital platforms cancelled their firing solutions and stood down. A lone Overlord-class gunship bore the first delegation of Cobalt Scions down to the verdant surface of their new homeworld.

Chapter Master Drusus expected Aderbal to unquestionably accept the Scions' clear right to rule the system. Drusus informed him that there would be a brief transition phase followed by significant reforms in which Aderbal's official title would change from Planetary Governor to Locutor of the Senate: a position Drusus assured him would be very important in the new regime.
[[File:Heracleion.png|400px|right]]
Given the choice between no power and some power, Aderbal was forced to accept Drusus' offer.

In his address during the ceremony in which the Sceptre of Heracleion, symbol of the capital, was to pass from Governor Aderbal to Dictator Drusus, the governor's wording carefully managed to remain obedient while subtly emphasising Drusus' status as a newcomer to an old world with a well-established culture.

The address set the tone for the months to come. The Scions were too terrifying for anyone to risk obvious dissent, but any request made to the government by an Astartes would mysteriously require more paperwork and bureaucracy than the same request made by a native official. If asked for an explanation, people would claim they were taking extra care that they did a good job, or would say they had heard Guilliman's sons encouraged detailed paperwork. The Scions came to be seen as a source of problems by the general populace. With no experience of nuanced public relations, Drusus and his captains were at a loss as to how to win their people over. They went on speaking tours, endeavouring to rouse the public with stilted recollections of their great victories in the Indomitus Crusade, but received only polite applause. They made suggestions to improve the efficiency of institutions, but were told said suggestions would reduce productivity even when it seemed clear this was not the case.

During those first few months, some of the Scions grew restive. They felt the battles they had fought deserved the respect of any Imperial citizen, and talk grew of taking a harsher line with the recalcitrant public. Tarentian in particular advocated for a more direct approach.

Lucullus disagreed. He argued that the harder they pushed, the harder the people would resist. Some would fall into line, of course, but there would also be dissent and perhaps even the fomenting of heresy.

Drusus, politically inexperienced, was indecisive as to whose approach he would implement, and changed his mind regularly. This in turn created a rift between him and Captain Fabian, who proclaimed that he didn't care which side Drusus took, only that he committed to a course of action. Fabian went to far as to suggest that if Drusus couldn't make such decisions, Fabian was happy to take his place. Fabian's insubordination outraged Tarentian, Lucullus, and the other captains. The argument served a purpose, at least. Drusus was at last moved to choose. He took Lucullus' cautious approach.

[[File:Thonis.png|400px|right]]

==The construction of the Fortress of Syrnum==
While the Scions struggled with the political landscape, Archmagos Morleio worked on her designs for the fortress-monastery. It was to be built in the hills above Heracleion, and would require surprisingly few homes to be demolished. Strangely, the news that five hundred families were to be given the honour of having their homes bulldozed for the fortress monastery wasn't met with the sort of gratitude the Scions expected. Citizens of Ultramar, the Scions reflected bitterly, would have been proud to give their land for such a purpose.

Morleio estimated the project would take three years before it would be usable, and more than that before it would reach its full potential. Work began to prepare the Syrnum hills as Morleio and Drusus spent many long days drawing up plans.

==Expanding the docks==
Work also began on enlarging Thonis' modest orbitals. In time, they would need to serve a full fleet of warships in addition to providing efficient trade berths. Where the Scions had failed to gain any political capital thus far, the trade-focussed Thonicians were keen on the idea of increased docking facilities and reduced piracy. Sensing an opportunity, Drusus made a series of speeches promising that within fifty years, Thonis would enjoy the protection and commerce of vast orbital facilities. Finally, the Scions had said something popular.

Naturally this meant the native politicians, still angry at their reduced autonomy, argued for increased influence in the design of the orbitals to ensure the opportunities for trade were maximised.

==Political reforms==
The nobles' request for greater influence was an overt challenge to Drusus' competence in terms of trade, and public perception was very much that a space marine couldn't possibly have the same expertise as the great trading houses of Thonis.

In a move that shocked the Thonician nobility, Drusus responded to their challenge with his first sign of political deftness.

Drusus declared that if the native politicians wanted a say in the Scions' construction projects, then apparently they had accepted the chapter was here to stay. It followed, therefore, they were ready for the political reforms Drusus had promised.

A senate was formed from the heads of the fifty most influential noble families. The senate's role would be to advise the Scions as to how they should proceed in matters of commerce and governance. One senator would be first among equals, and would present the senate's suggestions to the Dictator. This individual would be known as the Locutor, a position that would initially be taken by Lord Aderbal. Upon his death or dismissal, another senator would be elected by their peers to take his position.

The reforms went further still. Ten commoners would be chosen to represent the labourers. These ten Tribunes were to keep the Dictator and Senate informed of how their legislation was being received by the commoners. More importantly, if all ten Tribunes agreed, they had the power to veto new legislation. The veto could only be overruled by the dictator, or in the absence of the Dictator, by one of the chapter's lieutenants, all of whom held the honorific of Praetor.

Being a Praetor incorporated two main duties beyond an Astartes Lieutenant's combat role. One was to act as a diplomat or ambassador for their captain when on campaign, and the other, as intimated above, was to arbitrate on disagreements between the Senate and the Tribunate when at home. In this way, lieutenants gained extensive political experience in preparation for becoming a captain.

Captains, in turn, held the honorific of Consul. Being a Consul meant having the Dictator's blessing to instigate reforms of a planet's government if it was militarily advantageous to do so, up to and including its annexation. The wording of this rule was vague enough that neighbouring planetary governors began to issue complaints to the Adeptus Terra. Guilliman's sons were laying the illegal foundations of their own empire, the governors said. Months later, Guilliman provided a curt response: “Then do not give my sons cause to annex your planet."

This further stoked speculation that the Lord Commander took issue with the modern Imperium, but as yet no one was willing to risk secession.

While the heavy-handed reforms were obviously taking power from the ruling class and handing it to the Cobalt Scions, the nobles also realised that they were now competing with each other for places in the Senate. This broke their unity and revealed their selfishness for all to see, and the mere existence of the Tribunate empowered the bulk of the population far more than the previous regime, even if this was representation in name only.

Tiberius Drusus finally had the political situation working to his advantage.

==Initial Engagements==
The Scions soon learned of the Hasmides atrocity, but were reliant on the Inquisition for further intelligence as to where the Word Bearers might strike next.

In the interim, they had two priorities: rebuilding the chapter, and dealing with any lesser threats in their immediate area. Neighbouring systems, particularly those bordering the Scyrian Expanse, were suffering from frequent greenskin raids. The Scions set about crushing these lesser orkish warbands with relative ease, and cleared out several remote human pirate strongholds, all of which was well received by the Eridani Sector's border colonies, but was of little relevance to the people of Thonis.

As for rebuilding the chapter, the Scions embarked on a major recruitment drive in Thonis. They asked for volunteers only, but the financial support they offered volunteers' families meant that a noticeable percentage of the adolescent aspirants clearly had no desire to be there.

Despite these issues, the Scions soon had a good number of scouts in training, and with at least half the chapter stationed at Thonis at any given moment there were always plenty of instructors available. A major difficulty, of course, was that most of the instructors had never been scouts themselves. Many of the initial recruits were pushed too hard, or were simply not trained effectively, and it took some time before the first generation of aspirants - those that survived - started to make good progress.

===The Andaras Affair===
The [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] are sent to end an ork raid on [[Andaras]]. Their intervention reveals the presence of both aeldari and a genestealer cult infestation, prompting a brief but explosive campaign that ultimately results in the xenos escaping, but the colony being made safe.

Further reading: [[The Andaras Affair]], and Consul Lucullus' [[notes on the Andaran Operation]].

===The Season of Fire===
The Cobalt Scions are pulled from one side of the [[Iolan Reaches]] to the other as xenos raids increase in both variety and intensity. The Scions are broadly successful in engaging a number of these threats, but ultimately the [[Starborn Souls]] prove almost impossible to stamp out, despite successful purges on multiple worlds.

Further reading: the [[Season of Fire]].

===The Raid on Lachesis===
[[Tolemias]] of the Librarius foretells of a Word Bearers raid on [[Lachesis]]. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] leads a force drawn largely from the Third Company and arrives before the Word Bearers. Despite sustaining several injuries, Drusus and Tolemias succeed in thwarting the Word Bearers' scheme to turn the planet's smallest moon into a stable warp gate, but at the cost of all three of the planet's Psykana holding towers.

The raid exposes the presence of not just Word Bearers, but a Night Lords warband of [[the Thirteenth Talon]] and another warband of the Red Corsairs. Following the Word Bearers' retreat, Drusus tracks the Night Lords back to their base of operations and attempts, with the help of [[Taliesin]] of Iybraesil, to destroy it. The base is a death trap, and the attack is a costly failure. The episode casts a pall over the broader success of the Lachesian situation, and the Night Lords escape the Chapter's clutches.

Further reading: the [[Raid on Lachesis]].

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:cobalt_scions_techmarine.png|600px|center]]

==Recuperation==
Aside from continued efforts to catch [[the Thirteenth Talon]] of the Night Lords, the Chapter as a whole enjoys a period of only minor engagements. The Fortress of Syrnum is now both defensible and adequately functional, but Morleio is far from finished with it. She begins the first of many planned expansions by expanding further underground, increasing the Chapter Forge's capacity without compromising the city above.

During this period, Thonician scouts begin passing into the reserve companies, rapidly recovering the Chapter's numbers.

===Trade with Iphara===
As construction of the Chapter Forge nears completion, the final stage is to create the large and costly means to produce tactical dreadnought armour. To this end, a small team of Praetors are convened to travel to [[Iphara]] and compete with other Imperial organisations for a modest share of the adamantium being mined in the newly compliant world. With demand for the metal being so high, negotiations are tough, particularly given the questionable need for terminator plate given the ready availability of gravis-pattern armour. The Praetors ultimately only secure a modest shipment, but it is enough to begin forging a tiny number of suits.

==The Ephramundi Daemonic Incursion==
A distress call is issued by the planet [[Ephramundi]] after [[A Minor Heresy]] causes a scattered but planetwide daemonic incursion. With small rifts popping up in seemingly random locations, and the agri-world being a key source of food to other worlds in the [[Kapran sub]], Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus|Drusus]] orders the largest mass deployment in the Chapter's history, with eight full companies dispatched to contain the problem without having to sacrifice Imperial Guard assets that may later be needed for more conventional wars.

Two companies are left to guard Thonicia, and the rest of the fleet get underway with all haste. The plan is to hold out until Grey Knights can arrive to seal the largest breaches. Using drop pods and other rapid response assets, the operation contains most of the daemonic breaches, preventing the sort of governmental collapse common in such incursions. This success has a cost; marines thrown into rapid response operations against an unpredictable foe comes with predictable losses in both men and materiel. By the time the Grey Knights arrive, the Scions have lost 162 marines, their greatest loss since the massacre on Nova Tarentis. The Scions still consider it a success given the value of the planet, and the vast wastage in conventional forces that would have been required to achieve the same result.

Unfortunately, these losses mean they are temporarily less than well prepared for any unexpected invasions elsewhere in the region.

==The Tyranid Invasion of Melia's Reach==
Even as the Scions await the arrival of the Grey Knights on Ephramundi, word is sent to [[Martellus Lucullus]] of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]] that a Tyranid invasion is underway on [[Melia's Reach]]. Lucullus' company has taken 40% casualties, but he petitions Drusus to be sent as a vanguard to try and slow the Tyranids' advance long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Reluctantly convinced that the warning can be trusted - it is sent by the aeldari Farseer [[Host Taliesin of Iybraesil|Taliesin]] - Drusus permits Lucullus to depart aboard the ''Preceptor''.

The Third Company task force arrive to find the local Planetary Defence Force (PDF) in a shambles, and the Governor entirely unfamiliar with the nature of the xenos. In the week that follows, the Space Defence Force are revealed to have been corrupted by Genestealers, and - despite the aid of Taliesin's own troops - the Tyranids continue their advance. Lucullus' efforts to reorganise and reinforce the PDF are eventually successful in helping the locals hold the line on their own, but an assassination attempt by a Lictor renders him unable to witness this success firsthand.

With Lucullus in a coma, Lieutenant Antigonus Nerva assumes command of the strike force, and accompanies Taliesin into Tyranid territory in a desperate joint operation to destroy the hive's primary hatcheries by triggering a volcanic event.

The operation is a success.

Sadly, strategic victory has come too late, and the Tyranids are now numerous and widely established. Unable to reinforce using the rest of the chapter, the Scions instead commit to a massed deployment of the Initiate Auxilia, with scouting teams spreading out into Tyranid-contaminated zones and calling out targets for orbital and aerial strikes. As a result, the value of maintaining an oversized auxilia is further cemented in the minds of the chapter's leadership, despite this being the first time a large force of initiates has proven useful.

==The Lachesian War==
The Word Bearers return to the [[Lachesis]] system in force. The Cobalt Scions have been preparing for this eventuality and are supported by numerous allies, but the size and strength of the traitors' fleet is substantial. The Imperium's only advantage initially is that, due to the failure of the raid, the Word Bearers' vessels arrive piecemeal. Initial engagements go well for the Imperium, but Alpha Legion-induced naval mutinies and resurgent assaults by both the Night Lords and the Word Bearers keep the war rattling on for several years. Eventually, reinforced by the Blood Angels and Raven Guard Chapters, the Imperium emerges victorious, and the traitors are forced to withdraw. Present from the first shot to the final parting ship to ship actions, it is the Cobalt Scions' lengthiest conflict, but also one of their proudest accomplishments. They had met a large traitor force in battle and were not found wanting; it did much to bolster the young Chapter's confidence, and dispel some of the lingering shame of Nova Tarentis.

==The Salvation of Massyleon==
During the Lachesian War, an ork fleet invaded the [[Massyleon]] system. Drusus dispatched the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] alongside Chief Librarian [[Diokles Adrastos]] to counter the invasion alongside the [[Raven Guard 5th Company]]. The strike force encounters an ork fleet led by a space hulk known as the ''Crawling Ruin''. While the bulk of the strike force rush to the defence of Hive Massinissos to prevent the orks getting a serious foothold beyond the hive's walls, Diokles boards the ''Crawling Ruin'' with ten Terminator-armoured veterans drawn from both the Scions and the Ravens. They find a corrupted abominable intelligence lurking within the hulk. Unable to destroy the AI due to its sheer size, Diokles is forced to entreat with the entity, and is ultimately successful in convincing it to turn on its ork allies before departing the system, decisively turning the fate of the war in an instant. When asked about what was said between Diokles and the AI, he refuses to be drawn. Their mission successful and the planet reinforced by regiments of Imperial Guard, the strike force return to Lachesis, where their return finally tips the balance and is directly responsible for the end of the Lachesian War.

==Xenos Invasions in Eressus==
The [[Eressus]] system is invaded by a Tyranid splinter fleet that assaults Eressus Tertia, and the Cobalt Scions dispatch a company to engage them alongside other Imperial forces, including the Blood Angels and Imperial Guard. Whilst this invasion is underway, another xenos invasion occurs in the same system on the planet of Aetolia: orks under the rulership of Boss Bonerippa of the Evil Sunz clan attack in significant numbers. Leaving Captain Lucullus with half his battle company to face the Tyranids with the Blood Angels, Chapter Master Drusus and the other Cobalt Scions form an Imperial response alongside the [[31st Nightfall Ranger Regiment]], several regiments of Krieg Death Korps, and [[Battlegroup 86]]. Even so, the ork numbers prove so substantial that military victory seems unlikely. The balance is tipped when [[Inquisitor Michael]]'s ship ''Accipiter'' leads a kroot warsphere into the system, delivering substantial numbers of kroot mercenaries, and ordering the Imperial forces not to engage them. Recognising the importance of these xenos on a strategic level, the Scions are quick to respond when Michael's ship is opportunistically boarded by the orks, and save the ''Accipiter'' from destruction, and by extension, enabling the kroot to remain in-system thanks to the Inquisitor's presence. Brother Galadoc of the Azarian Guard swears an oath to protect the Inquisitor with his life, and ends up defeating one of the ork warlords in personal combat alongside the Chapter's Judiciar.

The initial battles leave Aetolia's orbital defences in tatters, leaving the Imperium on the defensive. The Astartes and Imperial Guard forces operate as a mobile reserve, with the local Aetolian regiments responsible for the bulk of the fighting. Wherever breaches in the lines appear, the reserve forces are moved to aggressively counter-attack, turning the orks' victories into demoralising defeats.

Towards the end of the conflict, the enemy warlord Bonerippa is hunted down and assassinated by a joint force of Nightfaller Rangers and kroot, and this proves to be the final blow. Some of the Scions feel that the honour of victory is undermined by the presence of the kroot, but Drusus is pleased at the pragmatic benefits of cooperating with the Ordo Xenos, and commends the Inquisitor for his initiative.

==The Cobalt Scions join the Fourth Tyrannic War==
With the war concluded on [[Lachesis]] and the Chapter's losses replaced by members of the Novitiate Auxilia joining the reserve companies, the time has come for the Chapter to go back out into the galaxy and contribute to the Imperium's wider wars. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] appoints Consul Gaius Fabian of the Second Company to lead a strike force out into the wider Segmentum to contribute to the Fourth Tyrannic War. It is the first time the Chapter sends the bulk of its forces away since arriving in Thonicia seven years prior. Drusus laments being unable to go with the strike force, but the Chapter's home system is so large and multi-faceted that there is still much to do that requires his attention.

===Strike Force Tarasc's order of battle===
====Fleet assets====
* Battle barge ''Tarasc''
* 6 strike cruisers: ''Azhdaha'', ''Deliverance'', ''Erenkyl'', ''Iustus Exactor'', ''Mater Accipitrum'', ''Redemption''
* 12 frigates
* 6 destroyers

====Astartes====
* 50 Veterans of the First Company
* 2nd Battle Company
* 4th Battle Company
* 5th Battle Company
* 150 marines from the reserve companies
* 50 marines of the Chapter's Vanguard
* 100 Novitiate Auxilia

The strike force fleet gathers above Thonis, and to celebrate its departure, a parade is held in the streets of Heracleion. The public, perhaps frightened of failing to show due deference, turn out in force to bid them farewell. The tone of the crowd is one of dutiful attendance rather than rapturous approval; Drusus realises that he still has much to do in inculcating Ultramarian values in his populace.

[[Category:Adeptus Astartes]] [[Category:Cobalt Scions]] [[Category: Crusade Forces]] [[Category: Cobalt Scions Missions]]

Cobalt Scions

2026-07-30T09:31:26Z

Charlie:

[[File:Cobalt_Scions.png|600px|center]]
The Cobalt Scions are an all-primaris chapter created from Ultramarines gene stock. Initially they participated in the Indomitus Crusade. After decades of crusading, Guilliman has assigned them to watch over a region of the Segmentum Pacificus from their new home system of [[Thonis]].

=Heraldry=
The Scions' heraldry is very close to their gene-sires, with the bulk of the armour painted the same blue as the Ultramarines. The two differences are their white pauldrons, and their company markings displayed on the left kneepad rather than on the shoulder trim. Since the Cobalt Scions' guiding principle is flexibility, none of the squads display the traditional tactical/assault/devastator symbols, but merely numerals denoting their squad number within their company.

The primary exception to the chapter's bright blue heraldry can be seen on their camouflaged Phobos-pattern armour, which is repainted to suit the local terrain.

==Chapter Icon==
The blue fist used in the Scions' heraldry symbolises the Gauntlets of Ultramar, as the chapter is particularly keen on celebrating and aspiring to the deeds of their forebears.
[[File:Cobalt_Scions_icon.png|300px|center]]

==Chapter Mottos==
The Cobalt Scions are known to have several mottos or common phrases, depending on the context. Some have been heard repeating the Ultramarian phrase “Courage and Honour," but the most common two phrases more specific to the Chapter are:

''“For Guilliman! For Glory!"''

''“Dignus Praesidio." (Protect the Worthy)''

Both mottos have been seen as concerning by outside observers, who feel that the first motto speaks to the wrong priorities, and that the second raises questions about just who the Cobalt Scions consider to be “worthy." The ambiguity of ''Dignus Praesidio'' often allows the listener to hear what they want to hear, and has been used both as a rallying cry and an insult, depending on the context. Some suggest the words are also a way for the Scions to speak in coded language to each other when they consider certain individuals to be not worth aiding, particularly if outwardly saying so would be politically unwise.

=Chapter organisation=
The Cobalt Scions are only partially Codex compliant. They argue that they follow its rules in spirit, just not in detail, and have reworked elements to suit Cawl's new equipment.

==A recruit's journey==
When recruited, a novitiate is assigned to the 10th Company to begin their training. The training is martial, moral and intellectual; novitiates are expected to familiarise themselves with texts ranging from Guilliman's works on governance, to Bartolomaius' ''Logistica Mathematica''. Novitiates soon learn they must show administrative aptitude if they hope to advance through the ranks.

Once considered battlefield ready, they graduate to the rank of initiate, and are issued carapace armour. In the first few years after the chapter's arrival in Thonis they were only used as a reserve that was only called upon when the need was desperate, since the chapter considered it inefficient to throw its less durable trainees into serious firefights. Consequently, initiates were generally given garrison duties and other auxiliary tasks. The strictness with which this approach was applied waned as the chapter's numbers recovered. Some have even joked that between the stability of the XIII geneseed and a newfound willingness to make use of initiates on the battlefield, the chapter may one day have more auxilia than Astartes.

Once an initiate has been given their final implants they are assigned to one of the reserve companies. Here, surrounded by more experienced marines, they will learn to master one specific role (such as Intercessor, Aggressor, Infiltrator, and so on). Over time they will be rotated through different reserve companies, until eventually they have mastered all the forms of war practised by the Astartes. At this point, most will be given the honour of joining one of the battle companies. Those that show a particular gift for infiltration will be assigned to the 10th Company's Vanguard, and will spend the bulk of their career in Phobos plate.

Any marine who proves their valour and skill may one day hope to be elevated to the veteran ranks of the First Company, whose venerable warriors are generally divided among the various active battlegroups so that they are better able to share their knowledge.

===The Twofold Path===
Once a brother has been elevated into the battle companies, there are several routes to further advancement and greater personal glory. If they show spectacular aptitude for the martial virtues, they may pursue such honoured roles as membership of the Bladeguard, a position as a company ancient, or service in the First Company. Alternatively, if their martial talents are merely acceptable but their political nous is exemplary, they may pursue an Honorary Praetorship such that they can function as an ambassador and intermediary between the chapter and other Imperial institutions, as well as administrators of the chapter's domains. Only masters of the twofold path - both martial and political - can truly hope to be given a true Praetorship, or a position in the Reclusiam.

Those who do well in their Praetorships can expect, if they live long enough, to progress to a Consulship and command of their own company. Those who are too hobbled by injuries and whose bodies reject grafts and bionics tend to retain their Praetorships and serve in a purely political fashion, or as a strategic advisor and attaché to other Imperial forces the Scions are working with. In this way, the number of Praetors far exceeds the 20 lieutenants one would expect to see in a strict observance of the Codex Astartes.

==Chapter Structure==
[[File:drusus.png|250px|right|link=[[Tiberius Drusus]]|Chapter Master Tiberius Drusus]]
===Chapter Command===
The following individuals are known members of the Cobalt Scions' leadership.
* Dictator [[Tiberius Drusus]], Chapter Master
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian
* Consul Quintus Tarentian, Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions First Company|First Company]]
* Consul Gaius Fabian, Captain of the Second Company
* Consul [[Martellus Lucullus]], Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]]

===Chapter Companies===
* [[Cobalt Scions First Company|1st Company]]: the veterans. Squads from this company are often attached to other forces to share their experience and aid with further training for their brothers.
* 2nd-5th Companies: the battle companies. All members are expected to know how to operate in any battlefield role, including vehicle crew, and in any armour pattern. The company captain decides on the mixture of 5 and 10 man squads. Squads may be temporarily divided between (for example) forming a three man fire team and a two man vehicle crew.
* 6th -9th Companies: the reserve companies. Members are only adept at certain battlefield roles, with each squad always performing a consistent role. When their sergeant judges that a marine has mastered their current role, they are rotated out to another squad to begin learning a new one.
* 10th Company: The Vanguard. These are the Chapter's clandestine experts, and forego the traditional blue armour in favour of camouflage. Technically, this company also contains the Initiate Auxilia, meaning that this is the only company with over a hundred members. That the Auxilia are attached to this company is largely to give lip service to the Codex; in reality they are essentially two unrelated organisations.

====The Initiate Auxilia====
When the Cobalt Scions arrived in Thonis, the chapter was badly depleted. As such, their equivalent of the Scout Company did not perform the traditional infiltration duties seen in other chapters. As their name suggests, when deployed they were used for auxiliary duties such as guard duty, where they would get some combat experience, but generally with the added benefit of heavy cover. Only in extremis were they committed to the front line, as the needless loss of an initiate was considered wasteful, particularly with the chapter so under-strength. The bulk of an initiate's time was therefore spent in training.

With the chapter now back to full strength, however, there is an increasing willingness to use the auxilia when tactically expedient. This is the source of some friction within chapter command, who do not all share the view that it is wise to risk wasting promising trainees, or that it is acceptable to take advantage of the Codex Astartes' lack of hard limit on the number of scouts a chapter is permitted to have in active service at any one time.

===Honorary Praetors===
An Honorary Praetorship is not a military rank but a political one, and could even be held by a battle brother. Honorary Praetors form a cadre of the chapter's most able negotiators and orators, dedicated to inspiring traditional virtues and compliance among other Imperial institutions. There are naturally those who argue this constitutes the chapter at its most meddlesome, and certain institutions do not look kindly on some post-human warrior interfering in their business. The Cobalt Scions take this as an additional challenge, and seek to prove their utility, although the petty ambitions of lesser men regularly contrive to make it appear that the Scions are pursuing power for power's sake in clear contravention of the Emperor's original intent for the Astartes.

[[File:priahad.png|250px|right]]
===The Azarian Guard===
This brotherhood of warriors is the Cobalt Scions' equivalent of the Chapter's Honour Guard. They can also be referred to as the Chapter Master's Bladeguard, and exist outside the company structure. They do not have squads, and bear heraldry of the individual rather than the unit. To join them is to foresake the right to seek a command position within the chapter, and to become truly dedicated to pursuing martial prowess. Answerable only to the Chapter Master and the Reclusiam's Master of Sanctity, they serve to protect the virtue of humility within a chapter that might otherwise encourage personal ambition to a dangerous extent. They explicitly have permission to criticise and mock officers, and cannot be censured by any but the Chapter Master or Master of Sanctity for doing so. If they decide to follow an officer to war, however, they must follow the officer's commands precisely during engagements. If a Consul or Praetor wants the aid of the Azarian Guard on a mission, he cannot requisition them; instead, he must petition them. Likewise, Azarian Guards are permitted to turn up unannounced and accompany a strike force if they deem the mission interesting.

====Origins of the Azarian Guard====
Lieutenant Azarias was one of the few Azure Drakes officers to survive the [[The Nova Tarentis Massacre|Nova Tarentis Massacre]]. Following the incorporation of the surviving Drakes into the Cobalt Scions, Azarias took an oath to protect his new chapter master with his life. Coming from a very different chapter culture, he refused to conduct himself in the refined style of the Scions, often mocking others and then challenging them when they failed to mock him back. Amused by this upstart and keen to temper the egos of his senior staff, Chapter Master Drusus instructed Azarias to create his own semi-autonomous brotherhood of up to thirty warriors. Azarias himself was slain protecting Drusus two years later during the reclamation of Raxis Minor, but the Azarian Guard, then numbering seven brothers, remained. Their numbers have since grown, and a number of onetime Azure Drakes use this brotherhood as a way to keep some of their chapter cult alive.

====Known Azarian Guards====
'''Brother Priahad'''

Brother Priahad's helm bears a gold skull, indicating that he is serving as the temporary leader of his fellow Bladeguard. In this way, Cobalt Scions officers know who to direct their commands to. The skull itself is not a permanent fixture but a badge that can be easily removed and passed to another bladeguard between engagements.

His left pauldron bears the chapter icon. It is presented in gold so as to evoke a shield, representing the bladeguard's commitment to safeguarding the Chapter Master. His right pauldron bears his individual heraldry, evoking a deed or quest he has undertaken that his fellow veterans regard as worthy. It shows the four stars of Thonicia, in reference to the vow Priahad enacted to visit every inhabited world in the sprawling home system and provide unexpected aid to those in need.

The tilting plate on his chest bears the ghostly image of a wyrm, and the chapter colour of the Azure Drakes, indicating that he is one of the original members of the now-defunct chapter. The wyrm is presented in a ghostly manner to reference the lingering spirits of his dead brothers.

'''Brother Katumaros'''

The golden skull on Katumaros' tilting plate indicates that he was once an officer. Counter-intuitively, he wears this as a mark of shame; as the fleet master who couldn't bring reinforcements to rescue his brothers in time, he is wracked by guilt and joined the Azarian Guard to ensure he could never rise to a position of command again. Despite a storied career prior to the Nova Tarentis Massacre, he considers his old achievements dead, and as such, his right pauldron remained devoid of heraldry until saving Techmagos Osmal Qvoll from an assassination attempt by [[the Thirteenth Talon]]. After that, his pauldron was adorned with a split motif, with a shielf on one side, and the Cog Mechanicus on the other.

'''Brother Galadoc'''

A mere brother in the Azure Drakes' 8th reserve company when his Chapter was destroyed, Galadoc has only recently joined the Azarian Guard. Like Priahad, his tilting plate features a ghostly image, this time of a dragon's head, commemorating his deceased captain, who he revered. His right pauldron bears the symbol of the Inquisition silhouetted by a shield, commemorating the vow he took to rescue [[Inquisitor Michael]] and his ship the''Accipiter'' after it was boarded by orks during the invasion of Aetonia in [[Eressus]]. After he defeated the heavily armoured ork leading the boarding party, he saved not only Michael himself, but the Chapter's Judiciar, who had been laid low in the fighting.

On his arm, he also bears a rosary once carried by one of the Drakes' chaplains. Galadoc's keen observance of the rites and rituals of his old chapter cult was one of the factors in his acceptance into the Azarian Guard, even though in theory martial prowess should be the only factor.

[[File:tolemias.png|250px|right|link=[[Tolemias]]]]

===The Librarius===
The Cobalt Scions place great stock in the prognostications of psykers, both their own and in the wider Imperium, and will often consult with astropaths, navigators and their own librarians to establish what if anything may be predicted about impending engagements and enemies. In battle, Cobalt Scions Librarians act as dictated by the Codex, employing whichever warp powers their minds are best suited to.

'''Known Librarians'''
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian.
* [[Tolemias]], Codicier.

'''The Thonician Oracles'''

Among the Chapter's most closely guarded secrets are the Oracles, a matriarchal order of seers that have quietly persisted in Thonicia since pre-Imperial times. At various times the Ordo Hereticus have attempted to purge them, but have never managed to wipe them out entirely. The Oracles became known to the Cobalt Scions some time after they arrived in the system, though whether they were discovered or even sought out the Scions is unknown. How the ancient traditions of the Oracles enable them to resist warp corruption is also unknown, as is the extent to which the Cobalt Scions place their faith in them.

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===The Phratry Munitorus===
If the Cobalt Scions' techmarines can make one honest boast, it is the speed and efficiency with which they can erect fortifications and other structures. The Phratry Munitorus (rough Low Gothic translation: the kinship/tribe of builders/engineers) serves the same purpose as a normal Chapter Armourium, but with the added responsibility of assisting with the integration of defences with civic infrastructure. To this end, the techmarines are not just supported by serfs and servitors, but also by human techpriests and architects. Chief among such human followers is Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the chapter's head architect. She is given near-equal standing to the Master of the Forge, and oversees a substantial and growing staff working on the construction of the chapter's fortress monastery and the more general defence enhancements of Thonicia.

When the chapter goes to war, it brings a substantial support staff of humans and servitors tasked with the rapid construction of defences, bridges, field hospitals, and whatever else might swing the Imperium's chances in any given theatre. A supply of prefabricated structures is also brought along for time-critical projects. Encampments are often built along standardised lines, ensuring that personnel familiar with one Scions base are familiar with them all. It has been pointed out by other chapters that this is a strategic vulnerability, but the Scions prefer the speed that comes with familiarity, and are convinced they will be able to adapt on a tactical level to counter this strategic weakness.

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[[File:Aristander.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Sedayus Aristander====
In addition to his regular duties tending to the Cobalt Scions' wargear and vehicles, Brother-Techmarine Sedayus Aristander is an obsessive sculptor, creating busts and statues for the Chapter's various reliquaries and memorials of fallen comrades. In theory, such devotional artworks are the domain of the human artisans of the Phratry Munitorus. While his fellow techmarines' non-military endeavours would generally be limited to designing architecture that serves to inspire as well as defend, Aristander argues that art serves as a major political tool. His defence is halfhearted, however; in truth he sculpts because he enjoys it. As he sees it, the sculptor's challenge is not merely to perfectly replicate their subject's features, but to capture their character. If that happens to serve the political goal of showing the Thonician populace what has been sacrificed for their safety, then that is merely a useful bonus.

He worked at his craft throughout the Chapter's time in the Indomitus Crusade, and yet more since the Scions' arrival in Thonis. Many consider him an excellent craftsman, but he remains unsatisfied, knowing that decades of practice are required to achieve true mastery. His obsession makes him a withdrawn figure who never takes a joke well. Nonetheless, he enjoys a measure of popularity, for all who walk in the Chapter's mausoleum are grateful to look upon the faces of their fallen brothers.

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[[File:hadrios_kelsus.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Hadrios Kelsus====
While Kelsus is perfectly willing to perform his vehicle maintenance duties between engagements, he rarely does so in combat. This is because Hadrios Kelsus is, and always has been, obsessed with the use of large guns. He generally finds an excuse to bring a servo turret on all deployments, and at the first sign of the enemy, gleefully mounts up to provide his brothers with fire support. It has been suggested that he should consider how to advance through the techmarines' ranks, for instance by creating political ties to local Mechanicus personnel. He is, however, far more interested in tinkering with guns in the Chapter's armoury.

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====The Chapter Armoury====
Members of the battle companies all have basic training in crewing the vehicles employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 9th Company, although the bulk of the crewing is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

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[[File:boriels_wrath.png|250px|left]]
=====Repulsor Executioner ''Boriel's Wrath''=====
This tank is named after a Dark Angel biker who aided a group of Scions pinned down by a force of Emperor's Children Heretic Astartes. Driving to good vantage points and providing pinpoint positional data, then moving on before the traitors could corner him, Boriel's actions allowed the Scions to fight clear of the trap. Tragically, they never met him in person; he was finally cornered by a squad of noise marines who, enraged by his efforts, beat him to death with their sonic blasters.

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===The Fleet===
When founded, the Scions had only six strike cruisers and a single battle barge: the ''Reason Inviolate''. Following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, the Azure Drakes' fleet -- far less damaged than the chapter it served -- was folded into the Scions' fleet. Consequently they went from having barely enough capital ships to deploy the chapter to having, arguably, an excess that they should have donated to other Indomitus Founding chapters. The Scions claim to make good use of their fleet assets given that it has enabled them to expand the capabilities of the Phratry Munitorus, with every Scions capital ship being well supplied with the engineers and materiel to respond to the humanitarian requirements of a warzone, as well as prefab fortifications, bridges, and other infrastructural elements. The Scions brush off criticisms that this exceeds the remit of the Adeptus Astartes by reciting the old adage that wars are won with logistics, and that a population protected is a rebellion prevented.

In addition to having holds full of infrastructural material, Cobalt Scions capital ships all have small manufactories capable of producing and repairing Astartes wargear and vehicles, albeit far more slowly than the Chapter Forge on Thonis. This is a hangover from when the chapter was fleet based during the Indomitus Crusade. It is a functionality they have deliberately maintained afterwards so as to reduce their dependence on supply lines.

The chapter has also attracted further criticism for employing several squadrons of the controversial Nova class frigate, which some say Astartes have no need of unless they're expecting to instigate naval battles without the assistance of the Imperial Navy.

Like many (if not most) Astartes fleets, the ships are crewed and captained by humans, although even an Astartes Sergeant is considered to outrank a ship captain as regards the chain of command. What with the fleet regularly returning to Thonis, the crew are given the option of having their families aboard their ship or in terrestrial housing. The family of slain personnel are given a stipend by the chapter, money which originally is taken from the financial tithe the Scions collect from their home system. While living conditions aboard the chapter's vessels are superior to the average ship of the Imperial Navy, expectations are high. Any personnel found wanting are rarely given second chances, and if lucky will get away simply with being discharged without a pension. Of course, incompetent crew can still offer dependable service when sent to the tech-priests for ''conversion,'' serving as a grim reminder to their former crewmates of the price of laxity. Those who have actively transgressed face even worse fates, up to and including a one-way trip to the great arena at Heracleion.

====Current Fleet Assets====
=====Battle Barges=====
*''Reason Inviolate'', the flagship. Constructed to default specifications during the Primaris project, prior to the chapter having a name or an identity. The Scions have since made it their own, modifying a number of its orbital launch bays for the deployment of Phratry Munitorus assets. The vessel served throughout the Scions' participation in the Indomitus Crusade, but the scars it gained during those battles have long since been removed.
*''Tarasc'', †‡ the one-time flagship of the Azure Drakes. There is a hall, deep in the ship's core, that serves as a hall of remembrance. There is a plaque on the wall for every Azure Drakes warrior who died in the Nova Tarentis Massacre, commemorating their noblest deeds. Above the hall's threshold is engraved the legend: ''In memory of those I could not save.''

=====Strike Cruisers=====
*''Axios''. Deployments include the [[Raid on Lachesis]].
*''Azhdaha'' †‡
*''Deliverance'' ‡
*''Dutiful''
*''Erenkyl'' †‡
*''Illuyaka'' †
*''Iustus Exactor'' ‡
*''Preceptor''. Deployments include [[the Andaras Affair]].
*''Mater Accipitrum'' ‡
*''Redemption''. ‡ Captured as a prize from renegade Astartes in the battle of Zarinth V during the Indomitus Crusade.
*''Vritra''

†: Originally from the Azure Drakes' fleet.

‡: Currently away from the Eridani Sector on Crusade.

=====Escorts=====

The precise disposition of the Scions' flotilla of frigates and destroyers is unknown, but the number of escorts in their fleet is growing significantly now that the Keraphon Shipyards of Delta Thonicia have been upgraded. A number of these ships are purely for the defence of the sprawling Thonicia system, and the Chapter does not have enough Navigators to guide them through the warp even if they wanted to leave.

=====The ''Mater Castellorum''=====

Archmagos Felicita Morleio is the de facto head of the Phratry Munitorus, despite not being an Astartes. The ''Mater Castellorum'' is her fabrication ark, a capital-class auxiliary vessel originally used to transport the materiel needed to lay the groundwork for the Scions' Fortress-Monastery. Even before the ark finished deploying its contents planetside, Morleio was thinking about how such a vessel might be used afterwards. Once the vessel had finished deploying its original payload, she dispatched it to [[Thonis#Delta_Thonicia_VIII_Gamma:_Keraphon | Keraphon]] to undergo an extensive refit.

The vessel retained its fleet of bulk lifters, and sacrificed some of its kilometers of storage to house manufactories. While all Scions vessels are designed to enable a certain amount of infrastructural aid to Imperial colonies, the newly-refitted ''Mater Castellorum'' carries tens of thousands of workers, artisans and techpriests along with the materiel they need to enact widespread repairs and construction projects. Consul Tarentian once joked that if battles are won with marines and wars won with logistics, the ''Mater Castellorum'' is a weapon of mass construction.

=====The Thonician defence fleet=====

Upon arriving at Thonis, the Scions quickly enlarged their system defence fleet (i.e. naval vessels lacking a warp drive) by initiating a series of boarding actions on the system's pirates rather than destroying them. These mismatched vessels would serve in the short term, but Thonicia is a vast area compared to most star systems, and a more regimented fleet of substantial size would be required so that the Scions chapter fleet would be free to go where it was needed.

This need culminated in the design and production of the Warden class heavy frigate. Similar in design to other Astartes escorts, but with a larger hold suitable for the redeployment of key resources or personnel within the system as needed, these heavy frigates are quicker to produce than cruisers, and more flexible in their applications, having been designed as just about capable of planetary landings on any world of 1.3G or less. While it would be possible to fit them with warp drives, this would greatly increase production time and cost. For now, the priority is to stamp out as many as possible to ensure the safety of the home system.

[[File:stormtalon.png|250px|right]]
=====Gunships, interceptors and other ordnance=====
Operating a fleet of gunships out of a ship in orbit means craft have less time to spend on station, and use far more fuel. Being logistically minded, the Cobalt Scions are always keen to ensure their FOBs can be deployed at great speed, and within hours will have the fuel and ammunition at hand to resupply gunships operating in support of ground units. Members of the battle companies all have basic training in piloting aircraft employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 8th Company, although the bulk of the piloting is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

=History=
==Founding==
Guilliman's major concern about Cawl's artificially indoctrinated primaris marines was their lack of real combat experience, so he decided to form the Scions' senior leadership from veterans of the Ultramarines' 1st Company. A call for volunteers went out.

Encouraged by Calgar's survival of the Rubicon Primaris, Aelius Justarian and his squad stepped up. Their idea was that each of them would be a company captain, forming a group of officers who already knew and respected each other. Guilliman, Calgar and Captain Agemman accepted their proposal, and the ten brothers eagerly submitted themselves to the process, nodding confidently as the risks of the process were explained to them.

In their optimism they hoped they might all survive; the process was becoming less risky with time, but in reality, six brothers died. Sergeant Justarian was among them.

The four survivors had known it was possible some of their brothers might not survive the process. They had lost brothers in the past. Astartes are indoctrinated to process the grief when a brother falls in combat. If anything, it strengthens their resolve. But the survivors learned that losing a brother in combat and losing an uninjured brother to the operating table are two very different things. This new form of grief ate away at them.

The chaplains tried tending to the brothers' spiritual wounds, but old Cassius refused to let them languish in mourning. Success, he told them, is meaningless without adversity. Still despondent at the loss but obedient nonetheless, the four brothers prepared for their voyage across the galaxy to rendezvous with their new chapter in the Sol system. They sought guidance from Calgar, Agemman, and other senior Ultramarines while their new armour was forged. They spoke to political leaders and logisticians, shipmasters and tech-magi, trying to learn what they could, still lamenting the loss of wise Justarian and the others.

When their new Mk.X armour was ready, they entered the Fortress of Hera and donned the unpainted suits for the first time. After so many decades as Ultramarines, it was a strange thing for them to see each other wearing unpainted armour. As they stood there exchanging uncertain glances, they were approached by Sinon, Captain of the Ninth and Master of Relics, who presented them with four master-crafted power swords in honour of their service with the Ultramarines. It was a welcome and tangible connection to their past.

On the journey to Sol, they occupied themselves by debating how they might go about organising their new chapter. Quintus Tarentian and Gaius Fabian favoured adhering strictly to the updated Codex Astartes, while Tiberius Drusus and Martellus Lucullus argued that it didn't map well onto purely primaris chapters.

Unable to agree on how far to stray from the wisdom of the Codex, they turned their attention to what they thought would be the less contentious question of naming the chapter. They soon learned that much rests in a name, and many names are unfit for purpose. Nothing sounded right. At one point, Tarentian confessed that after days of considering monikers for the new chapter, even the honoured name of the Ultramarines sounded foolish. “It is a pun!" he exclaimed, agast. “Or perhaps a declaration that we think ourselves above other chapters." The other three looked at him, appalled by this heresy.

“On the contrary, brother," Drusus replied, “I believe Ultramar to be a word from Ancient Terra describing an empire that stretches across an ocean. In this instance, the void is the ocean, the Five Hundred Worlds the empire. The suffix ''-ines'' must simply indicate that we are men of that great empire. Surely, therefore, the word Ultramar preceded the word Ultramarines? You're putting the artillery train before the tractor."

“Let us pretend I said nothing," Tarentian said, clearly troubled.

It was Lucullus who spoke next. “If we should decide to break with some edicts of the Codex, it would seem all the more important to remember our point of origin. A new chapter has no history, but the Thirteenth Legion and all its successors have ten millennia of it. What if our heraldry echoes that? Our chapter symbol could be a cobalt fist, as if to show one of the Gauntlets of Ultramar."

“That is not a name, Martellus, that is a badge," Fabian said. The others laughed.

Never one to enjoy a joke at his expense, Lucullus doubled down. “It's the idea I'm driving at. Make a point of upholding our identity as scions of Ultramar."

“The Scions of Ultramar is quite the mouthful," Tarentian said.

“The Cobalt Scions," Drusus said. The four of them were silent for a moment. Tarentian, for whom everything now sounded wrong, opened his mouth to speak. Fabian cut him off. “I like it," Fabian said.

“As do I," Lucullus added.

Tarentian frowned, then shrugged. “I am pleased this task is done."

After much debate the four brothers also agreed on their roles. Someone with a willingness to embrace the unfamiliar would be needed to form a new chapter, and so Tiberius Drusus would serve as chapter master. It helped that he was the most learned among them. To keep Drusus grounded, the traditionally-minded Tarentian would assume command of the 1st company, and Fabian would take the 2nd. Martellus Lucullus, Drusus' fellow advocate for new ways, would helm the 3rd.

To find the other seven captains, they would have to screen Cawl's unnaturally trained creations to see if any among them had the wit for independent thought.

When the four brothers eventually reached the Sol system they found a fleet of unnamed ships waiting for them in Mars' crowded dockyards. Inside, a chapter of new marines slept in stasis. Neither ships nor men bore heraldry. Drusus and his brothers had understood the scale of the task ahead in theory, but found the reality somewhat daunting. They were veterans of combat, not leadership. Who were they to step into the shoes of their betters and start from the very beginning?

The four brothers toured the fleet and its crews. They went to see the stasis chambers, and the marines inside. An army of techpriests, artisans and servitors awaited Drusus' signal to begin.

Drusus wanted the chapter to wake up to some sense of heritage, so the artisans were set to work first, applying heraldry to empty racks of armour. Ships were named. The four brothers met with the fleet's human officers, many of whom were decorated volunteers from the Imperial Navy.

When all was prepared, Drusus gave authorisation to wake the chapter.

They soon learned that the indoctrinated marines had names from their previous lives, but all were uncertain how many of their memories were real, and how many implanted. They all thought they remembered lives in Ultramar, and so the four brothers found some common ground with them. Even so, the marines knew little of the modern Imperium. Some spoke of the secular Imperial Truth promulgated in the days of the Great Crusade. The four brothers realised that bringing these men into the 42nd Millennium would involve significant culture shock. Worse yet, they had been indoctrinated to fulfill a single role, rather than having the flexibility of a marine who had worked their way through the ranks.

In the short term, Drusus and the others would simply have to accept Cawl's inflexible progeny and work with them as best they could. The Cobalt Scions fleet began its maiden voyage out of Sol and towards the nearest prong of the Indomitus Crusade.

==The Cobalt Scions in the Indomitus Crusade==
Over the next few decades, the Scions slowly morphed in the direction the four brothers intended. While in transit between warzones, squads were trained in other methods of warfare. Hellblaster units learned to use bolt rifles, Intercessors learned how to move in gravis armour, and so on. Like many of the all-primaris chapters, they took higher casualties early on in the Crusade, and despite occasional reinforcements from Mars, eventually found themselves able to field only 780 combat-ready marines, and it was at this depleted level that they met with their greatest disaster.

===The Nova Tarentis Massacre===
A prosperous world of significant agricultural and mineral output, Nova Tarentis was crucial to trade within its area of the Segmentum Pacificus, and an obvious target for the archenemy. Traitor Guard and Dark Mechanicum forces attacked in strength, and pleas for aid were made. Keen to prevent a cascade of infrastructural failure, the full Azure Drakes chapter was deployed with four companies of Cobalt Scions in support. The Drakes' chapter master, Sorkhos Danithor, committed to a full orbital assault, giving the enemy on the ground little time to react.

Once the bulk of the Drakes and Scions units had launched from their vessels, however, drive cores began to kindle all around Nova Tarentis' planetary rings. A substantial force of Black Legionnaires, thousands strong, had lain the perfect trap. Extracting the deployed troops would take hours, so Danithor - now trapped on the surface with the rest of his chapter - ordered the fleet to break orbit and seek reinforcements, rather than engaging in an unwinnable fight. Nonetheless, a small number of the fleet's capital ships were caught and destroyed as they raced for the system's Mandeville Point.

With their fleet gone, the loyal Astartes fought on as the traitors made planetfall. The fighting was brutal, but ultimately the Drakes and Scions were in an impossible position, hunted by a superior foe and lacking crucial supplies thanks to the loss of their orbital support.

Danithor orchestrated several breakout attempts, reasoning that asymmetric guerrilla warfare might allow more of his forces to survive until reinforcements arrived, but the Black Legion's noose proved too tight. Slowly, the Astartes army lost ground. When the Azure Drakes fleet returned with reinforcements, it was too late to meaningfully save the chapter. Fewer than a hundred Drakes were still alive.

As soon as the heretics' scout vessels spotted the incoming Imperial fleet in the system's outer reaches, the Black Legion began evacuating, their mission a total success. They had slain over a thousand loyalist marines, and had taken favourable casualties.

The final blow was, perhaps, the bitterest. During the enemy's final assault, Danithor noted enemy bombardments on the Imperial formations either side of his position, but none on his own. When enemy veterans in terminator plate teleported down behind him, preventing retreat, he realised all to late that they intended to take him alive. In his last recorded communication, he passed command to the most senior Imperial commander left - a Cobalt Scions reserve sergeant - before taking his own life. Frustrated, the Black Legion veterans butchered his retinue, but left empty handed. It mattered not; the Azure Drakes were gone in all but name. The few survivors were folded into the Cobalt Scions, along with their remaining fleet assets. Some were unhappy to muddy the chapter's culture with the more bellicose Drakes, but none would have seen the survivors cast adrift. The legacy of the Drakes would live on as one of a number of fraternities that a Cobalt Scion might choose to join upon inculcation into the Chapter.

While the Crusade continued to spread out through the galaxy, it was decided that the Scions needed to recover from their losses. Between the attrition of Crusading, and the hundreds of losses incurred on Nova Tarentis, the chapter was now reduced to around a third of its original fighting strength. The time had come for the Scions to go and recuperate on [[Thonis]], the world designated as their new home by Guilliman.

[[File:Cobalt_scions_heavy_intercessor.png|600px|center]]

===The Reclamation of Raxis Minor===
On their way to Thonis, the Scions received a distress call from the agri-world of Raxis Minor. While in theory the Scions were supposed to make all haste to their new homeworld, Drusus refused to ignore such pleas and directed the chapter fleet to alter course. Upon arrival the Scions found the defenders had been overwhelmed by Heretic Astartes of the Iron Warriors Legion. Reconnaissance revealed that the enemy numbered at or below company strength, with substantial mortal auxiliary forces. But even with the chapter at half strength and still suffering low morale following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, Drusus judged that his chapter would be more than strong enough to rally the tattered remains of the planet's defence forces. He split the fleet into three formations and approached the planet from different directions, forcing the Iron Warriors' smaller fleet to try and fight their way clear of the tightening blockade. Badly outnumbered, the Iron Warriors ships were cornered and destroyed, trapping the remaining Iron Warriors on the surface. The Cobalt Scions, hungry for revenge against the forces of Chaos, fell upon the planet with eagerness. There was no glory to be taken in vanquishing a foe so badly outnumbered, but there was some satisfaction to be had in restoring Imperial rule to a world in need of help.

When the Iron Warriors made their final stand, an undecipherable astropathic communication was sent from their command bunker. Fearing reprisal, Drusus committed his resources to reestablishing Imperial rule and improving Raxis Minor's defensive infrastructure. Foremost among this was the creation of several defensive hubs built at the centre of the main population centres with shielding and defensive batteries to defend against orbital assault. The Scions deployed hundreds of servitor-crewed machines to expedite construction, and after only four months' work, Raxis Minor's defences had become substantially easier to hold. Leaving the locals to complete the work, the fleet continued on its journey to their new home.

==A new homeworld==
When it was designated as the Scions' homeworld, [[Thonis]] was far from any active warzones. Situated in the [[Eridani Sector]] of the [[Segmentum Pacificus]], it was Guilliman's intent that the Scions would further strengthen a relatively stable part of the Imperium. Some whispered that it was further evidence of Guilliman ensuring the Ultramarines' ascendancy, particularly given the cultural ties the First Four had sought to maintain.

Either way, none could gainsay the Lord Commander of the Imperium, and so the Scions' fleet made for Thonis. Drusus and the others knew relatively little about Thonis beside some centuries-old information about its major exports and government, but it seemed reasonable to assume the locals would be grateful for the protection of an Astartes Chapter. With four stars and a great many settled worlds, the Thonis system almost seemed like a sub-sector in itself.

[[File:Thonis_system_map.png|600px|center]]

The Scions fleet returned to Mars first. While ship repairs got underway, Chapter Master Drusus met with Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the fabricator-general Cawl had assigned to the chapter. She had been tasked with designing and overseeing the construction of the Scions' fortress monastery, and then remaining with the chapter for the rest of her life, tending to the fortress' manufactorums and forges. She seemed at peace with the notion that she would get to create this one great structure and then be relegated to its maintenance. Drusus, however, was far less willing than Cawl to waste human resources. He suggested that if she showed aptitude for architectural design and understood siegecraft sufficiently, there was every chance she could embark upon an indefinite number of projects across Thonis and the wider Eridani sector as the Scions established themselves.

In that moment, he won Morleio's undivided loyalty.

Everything that would be needed for the fortress monastery, save the stone and rockrete itself, had already been loaded onto Morleio's kilometers-long fabrication ark. The fleet, now repaired, broke orbit and made for the Eridani Sector.

==Arrival in Thonis==
The Imperial governor on Thonis had been told decades ago that a chapter called the Cobalt Scions were coming to live on the planet. That was it. No details, no instructions to make particular preparations. Simply that they were coming.

When a fleet of Astartes ships arrived claiming to be the Cobalt Scions, no one had any reason to doubt them.

The fleet moved straight through the Eridani sector and on to the Hasmides system in the neighbouring Achernar sector. There had been some civil unrest; bombings and the like. It was assumed the Scions intended to terrify the populace into compliance.

In reality, the individuals aboard the Astartes fleet had created the uprising. They were not the Cobalt Scions at all. They were the Word Bearers, six hundred of them, acting on the orders of Khairon. If Guilliman's sons were coming, the Word Bearers were keen to preemptively tarnish their good name and make it clear the Scions' very arrival would only bring suffering.

Hasmides offered little challenge to them.

A thousand light years away, the Scions' fleet approached in blissful ignorance.

With Hasmides' government and infrastructure in tatters, the Word Bearers returned to their ships to prepare their next blow. The Scions might not have been there to prevent the atrocity, but the wider Imperium did not leave it unpunished. As the Word Bearers fleet made all speed for the Hasmides system's Mandeville point so as to escape into the warp, they were intercepted by the full might of Battlefleet Achernar.

The ensuing [[Battle of Hasmides]] cost both fleets dearly, but ultimately the Word Bearers' fleet was so badly damaged that, while most of their Astartes survived, their ability to prosecute a full naval engagement was, for a time at least, nullified.

Ironically the Navy's victory at Hasmides was politically bad for the Cobalt Scions. Not only had their impending arrival attracted dangerous foes to a peaceful place, it wasn't even the Scions who saw them off. Furthermore Thonis' incumbent planetary governor, Lord Aderbal, was well regarded by his subjects. There was little appetite for change.

When the true Cobalt Scions fleet approached Thonis, they were bombarded with security questions, and requests that they remain at a distance until their identity could be verified. It was hardly the welcome the Scions had hoped for. Eventually, Thonis' modest orbital platforms cancelled their firing solutions and stood down. A lone Overlord-class gunship bore the first delegation of Cobalt Scions down to the verdant surface of their new homeworld.

Chapter Master Drusus expected Aderbal to unquestionably accept the Scions' clear right to rule the system. Drusus informed him that there would be a brief transition phase followed by significant reforms in which Aderbal's official title would change from Planetary Governor to Locutor of the Senate: a position Drusus assured him would be very important in the new regime.
[[File:Heracleion.png|400px|right]]
Given the choice between no power and some power, Aderbal was forced to accept Drusus' offer.

In his address during the ceremony in which the Sceptre of Heracleion, symbol of the capital, was to pass from Governor Aderbal to Dictator Drusus, the governor's wording carefully managed to remain obedient while subtly emphasising Drusus' status as a newcomer to an old world with a well-established culture.

The address set the tone for the months to come. The Scions were too terrifying for anyone to risk obvious dissent, but any request made to the government by an Astartes would mysteriously require more paperwork and bureaucracy than the same request made by a native official. If asked for an explanation, people would claim they were taking extra care that they did a good job, or would say they had heard Guilliman's sons encouraged detailed paperwork. The Scions came to be seen as a source of problems by the general populace. With no experience of nuanced public relations, Drusus and his captains were at a loss as to how to win their people over. They went on speaking tours, endeavouring to rouse the public with stilted recollections of their great victories in the Indomitus Crusade, but received only polite applause. They made suggestions to improve the efficiency of institutions, but were told said suggestions would reduce productivity even when it seemed clear this was not the case.

During those first few months, some of the Scions grew restive. They felt the battles they had fought deserved the respect of any Imperial citizen, and talk grew of taking a harsher line with the recalcitrant public. Tarentian in particular advocated for a more direct approach.

Lucullus disagreed. He argued that the harder they pushed, the harder the people would resist. Some would fall into line, of course, but there would also be dissent and perhaps even the fomenting of heresy.

Drusus, politically inexperienced, was indecisive as to whose approach he would implement, and changed his mind regularly. This in turn created a rift between him and Captain Fabian, who proclaimed that he didn't care which side Drusus took, only that he committed to a course of action. Fabian went to far as to suggest that if Drusus couldn't make such decisions, Fabian was happy to take his place. Fabian's insubordination outraged Tarentian, Lucullus, and the other captains. The argument served a purpose, at least. Drusus was at last moved to choose. He took Lucullus' cautious approach.

[[File:Thonis.png|400px|right]]

==The construction of the Fortress of Syrnum==
While the Scions struggled with the political landscape, Archmagos Morleio worked on her designs for the fortress-monastery. It was to be built in the hills above Heracleion, and would require surprisingly few homes to be demolished. Strangely, the news that five hundred families were to be given the honour of having their homes bulldozed for the fortress monastery wasn't met with the sort of gratitude the Scions expected. Citizens of Ultramar, the Scions reflected bitterly, would have been proud to give their land for such a purpose.

Morleio estimated the project would take three years before it would be usable, and more than that before it would reach its full potential. Work began to prepare the Syrnum hills as Morleio and Drusus spent many long days drawing up plans.

==Expanding the docks==
Work also began on enlarging Thonis' modest orbitals. In time, they would need to serve a full fleet of warships in addition to providing efficient trade berths. Where the Scions had failed to gain any political capital thus far, the trade-focussed Thonicians were keen on the idea of increased docking facilities and reduced piracy. Sensing an opportunity, Drusus made a series of speeches promising that within fifty years, Thonis would enjoy the protection and commerce of vast orbital facilities. Finally, the Scions had said something popular.

Naturally this meant the native politicians, still angry at their reduced autonomy, argued for increased influence in the design of the orbitals to ensure the opportunities for trade were maximised.

==Political reforms==
The nobles' request for greater influence was an overt challenge to Drusus' competence in terms of trade, and public perception was very much that a space marine couldn't possibly have the same expertise as the great trading houses of Thonis.

In a move that shocked the Thonician nobility, Drusus responded to their challenge with his first sign of political deftness.

Drusus declared that if the native politicians wanted a say in the Scions' construction projects, then apparently they had accepted the chapter was here to stay. It followed, therefore, they were ready for the political reforms Drusus had promised.

A senate was formed from the heads of the fifty most influential noble families. The senate's role would be to advise the Scions as to how they should proceed in matters of commerce and governance. One senator would be first among equals, and would present the senate's suggestions to the Dictator. This individual would be known as the Locutor, a position that would initially be taken by Lord Aderbal. Upon his death or dismissal, another senator would be elected by their peers to take his position.

The reforms went further still. Ten commoners would be chosen to represent the labourers. These ten Tribunes were to keep the Dictator and Senate informed of how their legislation was being received by the commoners. More importantly, if all ten Tribunes agreed, they had the power to veto new legislation. The veto could only be overruled by the dictator, or in the absence of the Dictator, by one of the chapter's lieutenants, all of whom held the honorific of Praetor.

Being a Praetor incorporated two main duties beyond an Astartes Lieutenant's combat role. One was to act as a diplomat or ambassador for their captain when on campaign, and the other, as intimated above, was to arbitrate on disagreements between the Senate and the Tribunate when at home. In this way, lieutenants gained extensive political experience in preparation for becoming a captain.

Captains, in turn, held the honorific of Consul. Being a Consul meant having the Dictator's blessing to instigate reforms of a planet's government if it was militarily advantageous to do so, up to and including its annexation. The wording of this rule was vague enough that neighbouring planetary governors began to issue complaints to the Adeptus Terra. Guilliman's sons were laying the illegal foundations of their own empire, the governors said. Months later, Guilliman provided a curt response: “Then do not give my sons cause to annex your planet."

This further stoked speculation that the Lord Commander took issue with the modern Imperium, but as yet no one was willing to risk secession.

While the heavy-handed reforms were obviously taking power from the ruling class and handing it to the Cobalt Scions, the nobles also realised that they were now competing with each other for places in the Senate. This broke their unity and revealed their selfishness for all to see, and the mere existence of the Tribunate empowered the bulk of the population far more than the previous regime, even if this was representation in name only.

Tiberius Drusus finally had the political situation working to his advantage.

==Initial Engagements==
The Scions soon learned of the Hasmides atrocity, but were reliant on the Inquisition for further intelligence as to where the Word Bearers might strike next.

In the interim, they had two priorities: rebuilding the chapter, and dealing with any lesser threats in their immediate area. Neighbouring systems, particularly those bordering the Scyrian Expanse, were suffering from frequent greenskin raids. The Scions set about crushing these lesser orkish warbands with relative ease, and cleared out several remote human pirate strongholds, all of which was well received by the Eridani Sector's border colonies, but was of little relevance to the people of Thonis.

As for rebuilding the chapter, the Scions embarked on a major recruitment drive in Thonis. They asked for volunteers only, but the financial support they offered volunteers' families meant that a noticeable percentage of the adolescent aspirants clearly had no desire to be there.

Despite these issues, the Scions soon had a good number of scouts in training, and with at least half the chapter stationed at Thonis at any given moment there were always plenty of instructors available. A major difficulty, of course, was that most of the instructors had never been scouts themselves. Many of the initial recruits were pushed too hard, or were simply not trained effectively, and it took some time before the first generation of aspirants - those that survived - started to make good progress.

===The Andaras Affair===
The [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] are sent to end an ork raid on [[Andaras]]. Their intervention reveals the presence of both aeldari and a genestealer cult infestation, prompting a brief but explosive campaign that ultimately results in the xenos escaping, but the colony being made safe.

Further reading: [[The Andaras Affair]], and Consul Lucullus' [[notes on the Andaran Operation]].

===The Season of Fire===
The Cobalt Scions are pulled from one side of the [[Iolan Reaches]] to the other as xenos raids increase in both variety and intensity. The Scions are broadly successful in engaging a number of these threats, but ultimately the [[Starborn Souls]] prove almost impossible to stamp out, despite successful purges on multiple worlds.

Further reading: the [[Season of Fire]].

===The Raid on Lachesis===
[[Tolemias]] of the Librarius foretells of a Word Bearers raid on [[Lachesis]]. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] leads a force drawn largely from the Third Company and arrives before the Word Bearers. Despite sustaining several injuries, Drusus and Tolemias succeed in thwarting the Word Bearers' scheme to turn the planet's smallest moon into a stable warp gate, but at the cost of all three of the planet's Psykana holding towers.

The raid exposes the presence of not just Word Bearers, but a Night Lords warband of [[the Thirteenth Talon]] and another warband of the Red Corsairs. Following the Word Bearers' retreat, Drusus tracks the Night Lords back to their base of operations and attempts, with the help of [[Taliesin]] of Iybraesil, to destroy it. The base is a death trap, and the attack is a costly failure. The episode casts a pall over the broader success of the Lachesian situation, and the Night Lords escape the Chapter's clutches.

Further reading: the [[Raid on Lachesis]].

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:cobalt_scions_techmarine.png|600px|center]]

==Recuperation==
Aside from continued efforts to catch [[the Thirteenth Talon]] of the Night Lords, the Chapter as a whole enjoys a period of only minor engagements. The Fortress of Syrnum is now both defensible and adequately functional, but Morleio is far from finished with it. She begins the first of many planned expansions by expanding further underground, increasing the Chapter Forge's capacity without compromising the city above.

During this period, Thonician scouts begin passing into the reserve companies, rapidly recovering the Chapter's numbers.

===Trade with Iphara===
As construction of the Chapter Forge nears completion, the final stage is to create the large and costly means to produce tactical dreadnought armour. To this end, a small team of Praetors are convened to travel to [[Iphara]] and compete with other Imperial organisations for a modest share of the adamantium being mined in the newly compliant world. With demand for the metal being so high, negotiations are tough, particularly given the questionable need for terminator plate given the ready availability of gravis-pattern armour. The Praetors ultimately only secure a modest shipment, but it is enough to begin forging a tiny number of suits.

==The Ephramundi Daemonic Incursion==
A distress call is issued by the planet [[Ephramundi]] after [[A Minor Heresy]] causes a scattered but planetwide daemonic incursion. With small rifts popping up in seemingly random locations, and the agri-world being a key source of food to other worlds in the [[Kapran sub]], Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus|Drusus]] orders the largest mass deployment in the Chapter's history, with eight full companies dispatched to contain the problem without having to sacrifice Imperial Guard assets that may later be needed for more conventional wars.

Two companies are left to guard Thonicia, and the rest of the fleet get underway with all haste. The plan is to hold out until Grey Knights can arrive to seal the largest breaches. Using drop pods and other rapid response assets, the operation contains most of the daemonic breaches, preventing the sort of governmental collapse common in such incursions. This success has a cost; marines thrown into rapid response operations against an unpredictable foe comes with predictable losses in both men and materiel. By the time the Grey Knights arrive, the Scions have lost 162 marines, their greatest loss since the massacre on Nova Tarentis. The Scions still consider it a success given the value of the planet, and the vast wastage in conventional forces that would have been required to achieve the same result.

Unfortunately, these losses mean they are temporarily less than well prepared for any unexpected invasions elsewhere in the region.

==The Tyranid Invasion of Melia's Reach==
Even as the Scions await the arrival of the Grey Knights on Ephramundi, word is sent to [[Martellus Lucullus]] of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]] that a Tyranid invasion is underway on [[Melia's Reach]]. Lucullus' company has taken 40% casualties, but he petitions Drusus to be sent as a vanguard to try and slow the Tyranids' advance long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Reluctantly convinced that the warning can be trusted - it is sent by the aeldari Farseer [[Host Taliesin of Iybraesil|Taliesin]] - Drusus permits Lucullus to depart aboard the ''Preceptor''.

The Third Company task force arrive to find the local Planetary Defence Force (PDF) in a shambles, and the Governor entirely unfamiliar with the nature of the xenos. In the week that follows, the Space Defence Force are revealed to have been corrupted by Genestealers, and - despite the aid of Taliesin's own troops - the Tyranids continue their advance. Lucullus' efforts to reorganise and reinforce the PDF are eventually successful in helping the locals hold the line on their own, but an assassination attempt by a Lictor renders him unable to witness this success firsthand.

With Lucullus in a coma, Lieutenant Antigonus Nerva assumes command of the strike force, and accompanies Taliesin into Tyranid territory in a desperate joint operation to destroy the hive's primary hatcheries by triggering a volcanic event.

The operation is a success.

Sadly, strategic victory has come too late, and the Tyranids are now numerous and widely established. Unable to reinforce using the rest of the chapter, the Scions instead commit to a massed deployment of the Initiate Auxilia, with scouting teams spreading out into Tyranid-contaminated zones and calling out targets for orbital and aerial strikes. As a result, the value of maintaining an oversized auxilia is further cemented in the minds of the chapter's leadership, despite this being the first time a large force of initiates has proven useful.

==The Lachesian War==
The Word Bearers return to the [[Lachesis]] system in force. The Cobalt Scions have been preparing for this eventuality and are supported by numerous allies, but the size and strength of the traitors' fleet is substantial. The Imperium's only advantage initially is that, due to the failure of the raid, the Word Bearers' vessels arrive piecemeal. Initial engagements go well for the Imperium, but Alpha Legion-induced naval mutinies and resurgent assaults by both the Night Lords and the Word Bearers keep the war rattling on for several years. Eventually, reinforced by the Blood Angels and Raven Guard Chapters, the Imperium emerges victorious, and the traitors are forced to withdraw. Present from the first shot to the final parting ship to ship actions, it is the Cobalt Scions' lengthiest conflict, but also one of their proudest accomplishments. They had met a large traitor force in battle and were not found wanting; it did much to bolster the young Chapter's confidence, and dispel some of the lingering shame of Nova Tarentis.

==The Salvation of Massyleon==
During the Lachesian War, an ork fleet invaded the [[Massyleon]] system. Drusus dispatched the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] alongside Chief Librarian [[Diokles Adrastos]] to counter the invasion alongside the [[Raven Guard 5th Company]]. The strike force encounters an ork fleet led by a space hulk known as the ''Crawling Ruin''. While the bulk of the strike force rush to the defence of Hive Massinissos to prevent the orks getting a serious foothold beyond the hive's walls, Diokles boards the ''Crawling Ruin'' with ten Terminator-armoured veterans drawn from both the Scions and the Ravens. They find a corrupted abominable intelligence lurking within the hulk. Unable to destroy the AI due to its sheer size, Diokles is forced to entreat with the entity, and is ultimately successful in convincing it to turn on its ork allies before departing the system, decisively turning the fate of the war in an instant. When asked about what was said between Diokles and the AI, he refuses to be drawn. Their mission successful and the planet reinforced by regiments of Imperial Guard, the strike force return to Lachesis, where their return finally tips the balance and is directly responsible for the end of the Lachesian War.

==Xenos Invasions in Eressus==
The [[Eressus]] system is invaded by a Tyranid splinter fleet that assaults Eressus Tertia, and the Cobalt Scions dispatch a company to engage them alongside other Imperial forces, including the Blood Angels and Imperial Guard. Whilst this invasion is underway, another xenos invasion occurs in the same system on the planet of Aetolia: orks under the rulership of Boss Bonerippa of the Evil Sunz clan attack in significant numbers. Leaving Captain Lucullus with half his battle company to face the Tyranids with the Blood Angels, Chapter Master Drusus and the other Cobalt Scions form an Imperial response alongside the [[31st Nightfall Ranger Regiment]], several regiments of Krieg Death Korps, and [[Battlegroup 86]]. Even so, the ork numbers prove so substantial that military victory seems unlikely. The balance is tipped when [[Inquisitor Michael]]'s ship ''Accipiter'' leads a kroot warsphere into the system, delivering substantial numbers of kroot mercenaries, and ordering the Imperial forces not to engage them. Recognising the importance of these xenos on a strategic level, the Scions are quick to respond when Michael's ship is opportunistically boarded by the orks, and save the ''Accipiter'' from destruction, and by extension, enabling the kroot to remain in-system thanks to the Inquisitor's presence. Brother Galadoc of the Azarian Guard swears an oath to protect the Inquisitor with his life, and ends up defeating one of the ork warlords in personal combat alongside the Chapter's Judiciar.

The initial battles leave Aetolia's orbital defences in tatters, leaving the Imperium on the defensive. The Astartes and Imperial Guard forces operate as a mobile reserve, with the local Aetolian regiments responsible for the bulk of the fighting. Wherever breaches in the lines appear, the reserve forces are moved to aggressively counter-attack, turning the orks' victories into demoralising defeats.

Towards the end of the conflict, the enemy warlord Bonerippa is hunted down and assassinated by a joint force of Nightfaller Rangers and kroot, and this proves to be the final blow. Some of the Scions feel that the honour of victory is undermined by the presence of the kroot, but Drusus is pleased at the pragmatic benefits of cooperating with the Ordo Xenos, and commends the Inquisitor for his initiative.

==The Cobalt Scions join the Fourth Tyrannic War==
With the war concluded on [[Lachesis]] and the Chapter's losses replaced by members of the Novitiate Auxilia joining the reserve companies, the time has come for the Chapter to go back out into the galaxy and contribute to the Imperium's wider wars. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] appoints Consul Gaius Fabian of the Second Company to lead a strike force out into the wider Segmentum to contribute to the Fourth Tyrannic War. It is the first time the Chapter sends the bulk of its forces away since arriving in Thonicia seven years prior. Drusus laments being unable to go with the strike force, but the Chapter's home system is so large and multi-faceted that there is still much to do that requires his attention.

===Strike Force Tarasc's order of battle===
====Fleet assets====
* Battle barge ''Tarasc''
* 6 strike cruisers: ''Azhdaha'', ''Deliverance'', ''Erenkyl'', ''Iustus Exactor'', ''Mater Accipitrum'', ''Redemption''
* 12 frigates
* 6 destroyers

====Astartes====
* 50 Veterans of the First Company
* 2nd Battle Company
* 4th Battle Company
* 5th Battle Company
* 150 marines from the reserve companies
* 50 marines of the Chapter's Vanguard
* 100 Novitiate Auxilia

The strike force fleet gathers above Thonis, and to celebrate its departure, a parade is held in the streets of Heracleion. The public, perhaps frightened of failing to show due deference, turn out in force to bid them farewell. The tone of the crowd is one of dutiful attendance rather than rapturous approval; Drusus realises that he still has much to do in inculcating Ultramarian values in his populace.

[[Category:Adeptus Astartes]] [[Category:Cobalt Scions]] [[Category: Crusade Forces]] [[Category: Cobalt Scions Missions]]

Cobalt Scions

2026-06-25T07:01:18Z

Charlie: /* Current Fleet Assets */

[[File:Cobalt_Scions.png|600px|center]]
The Cobalt Scions are an all-primaris chapter created from Ultramarines gene stock. Initially they participated in the Indomitus Crusade. After decades of crusading, Guilliman has assigned them to watch over a region of the Segmentum Pacificus from their new home system of [[Thonis]].

=Heraldry=
The Scions' heraldry is very close to their gene-sires, with the bulk of the armour painted the same blue as the Ultramarines. The two differences are their white pauldrons, and their company markings displayed on the left kneepad rather than on the shoulder trim. Since the Cobalt Scions' guiding principle is flexibility, none of the squads display the traditional tactical/assault/devastator symbols, but merely numerals denoting their squad number within their company.

The primary exception to the chapter's bright blue heraldry can be seen on their camouflaged Phobos-pattern armour, which is repainted to suit the local terrain.

==Chapter Icon==
The blue fist used in the Scions' heraldry symbolises the Gauntlets of Ultramar, as the chapter is particularly keen on celebrating and aspiring to the deeds of their forebears.
[[File:Cobalt_Scions_icon.png|300px|center]]

=Chapter organisation=
The Cobalt Scions are only partially Codex compliant. They argue that they follow its rules in spirit, just not in detail, and have reworked elements to suit Cawl's new equipment.

==A recruit's journey==
When recruited, a novitiate is assigned to the 10th Company to begin their training. The training is martial, moral and intellectual; novitiates are expected to familiarise themselves with texts ranging from Guilliman's works on governance, to Bartolomaius' ''Logistica Mathematica''. Novitiates soon learn they must show administrative aptitude if they hope to advance through the ranks.

Once considered battlefield ready, they graduate to the rank of initiate, and are issued carapace armour. In the first few years after the chapter's arrival in Thonis they were only used as a reserve that was only called upon when the need was desperate, since the chapter considered it inefficient to throw its less durable trainees into serious firefights. Consequently, initiates were generally given garrison duties and other auxiliary tasks. The strictness with which this approach was applied waned as the chapter's numbers recovered. Some have even joked that between the stability of the XIII geneseed and a newfound willingness to make use of initiates on the battlefield, the chapter may one day have more auxilia than Astartes.

Once an initiate has been given their final implants they are assigned to one of the reserve companies. Here, surrounded by more experienced marines, they will learn to master one specific role (such as Intercessor, Aggressor, Infiltrator, and so on). Over time they will be rotated through different reserve companies, until eventually they have mastered all the forms of war practised by the Astartes. At this point, most will be given the honour of joining one of the battle companies. Those that show a particular gift for infiltration will be assigned to the 10th Company's Vanguard, and will spend the bulk of their career in Phobos plate.

Any marine who proves their valour and skill may one day hope to be elevated to the veteran ranks of the First Company, whose venerable warriors are generally divided among the various active battlegroups so that they are better able to share their knowledge.

===The Twofold Path===
Once a brother has been elevated into the battle companies, there are several routes to further advancement and greater personal glory. If they show spectacular aptitude for the martial virtues, they may pursue such honoured roles as membership of the Bladeguard, a position as a company ancient, or service in the First Company. Alternatively, if their martial talents are merely acceptable but their political nous is exemplary, they may pursue an Honorary Praetorship such that they can function as an ambassador and intermediary between the chapter and other Imperial institutions, as well as administrators of the chapter's domains. Only masters of the twofold path - both martial and political - can truly hope to be given a true Praetorship, or a position in the Reclusiam.

Those who do well in their Praetorships can expect, if they live long enough, to progress to a Consulship and command of their own company. Those who are too hobbled by injuries and whose bodies reject grafts and bionics tend to retain their Praetorships and serve in a purely political fashion, or as a strategic advisor and attaché to other Imperial forces the Scions are working with. In this way, the number of Praetors far exceeds the 20 lieutenants one would expect to see in a strict observance of the Codex Astartes.

==Chapter Structure==
[[File:drusus.png|250px|right|link=[[Tiberius Drusus]]|Chapter Master Tiberius Drusus]]
===Chapter Command===
The following individuals are known members of the Cobalt Scions' leadership.
* Dictator [[Tiberius Drusus]], Chapter Master
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian
* Consul Quintus Tarentian, Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions First Company|First Company]]
* Consul Gaius Fabian, Captain of the Second Company
* Consul [[Martellus Lucullus]], Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]]

===Chapter Companies===
* [[Cobalt Scions First Company|1st Company]]: the veterans. Squads from this company are often attached to other forces to share their experience and aid with further training for their brothers.
* 2nd-5th Companies: the battle companies. All members are expected to know how to operate in any battlefield role, including vehicle crew, and in any armour pattern. The company captain decides on the mixture of 5 and 10 man squads. Squads may be temporarily divided between (for example) forming a three man fire team and a two man vehicle crew.
* 6th -9th Companies: the reserve companies. Members are only adept at certain battlefield roles, with each squad always performing a consistent role. When their sergeant judges that a marine has mastered their current role, they are rotated out to another squad to begin learning a new one.
* 10th Company: The Vanguard. These are the Chapter's clandestine experts, and forego the traditional blue armour in favour of camouflage. Technically, this company also contains the Initiate Auxilia, meaning that this is the only company with over a hundred members. That the Auxilia are attached to this company is largely to give lip service to the Codex; in reality they are essentially two unrelated organisations.

====The Initiate Auxilia====
When the Cobalt Scions arrived in Thonis, the chapter was badly depleted. As such, their equivalent of the Scout Company did not perform the traditional infiltration duties seen in other chapters. As their name suggests, when deployed they were used for auxiliary duties such as guard duty, where they would get some combat experience, but generally with the added benefit of heavy cover. Only in extremis were they committed to the front line, as the needless loss of an initiate was considered wasteful, particularly with the chapter so under-strength. The bulk of an initiate's time was therefore spent in training.

With the chapter now back to full strength, however, there is an increasing willingness to use the auxilia when tactically expedient. This is the source of some friction within chapter command, who do not all share the view that it is wise to risk wasting promising trainees, or that it is acceptable to take advantage of the Codex Astartes' lack of hard limit on the number of scouts a chapter is permitted to have in active service at any one time.

===Honorary Praetors===
An Honorary Praetorship is not a military rank but a political one, and could even be held by a battle brother. Honorary Praetors form a cadre of the chapter's most able negotiators and orators, dedicated to inspiring traditional virtues and compliance among other Imperial institutions. There are naturally those who argue this constitutes the chapter at its most meddlesome, and certain institutions do not look kindly on some post-human warrior interfering in their business. The Cobalt Scions take this as an additional challenge, and seek to prove their utility, although the petty ambitions of lesser men regularly contrive to make it appear that the Scions are pursuing power for power's sake in clear contravention of the Emperor's original intent for the Astartes.

[[File:priahad.png|250px|right]]
===The Azarian Guard===
This brotherhood of warriors is the Cobalt Scions' equivalent of the Chapter's Honour Guard. They can also be referred to as the Chapter Master's Bladeguard, and exist outside the company structure. They do not have squads, and bear heraldry of the individual rather than the unit. To join them is to foresake the right to seek a command position within the chapter, and to become truly dedicated to pursuing martial prowess. Answerable only to the Chapter Master and the Reclusiam's Master of Sanctity, they serve to protect the virtue of humility within a chapter that might otherwise encourage personal ambition to a dangerous extent. They explicitly have permission to criticise and mock officers, and cannot be censured by any but the Chapter Master or Master of Sanctity for doing so. If they decide to follow an officer to war, however, they must follow the officer's commands precisely during engagements. If a Consul or Praetor wants the aid of the Azarian Guard on a mission, he cannot requisition them; instead, he must petition them. Likewise, Azarian Guards are permitted to turn up unannounced and accompany a strike force if they deem the mission interesting.

====Origins of the Azarian Guard====
Lieutenant Azarias was one of the few Azure Drakes officers to survive the [[The Nova Tarentis Massacre|Nova Tarentis Massacre]]. Following the incorporation of the surviving Drakes into the Cobalt Scions, Azarias took an oath to protect his new chapter master with his life. Coming from a very different chapter culture, he refused to conduct himself in the refined style of the Scions, often mocking others and then challenging them when they failed to mock him back. Amused by this upstart and keen to temper the egos of his senior staff, Chapter Master Drusus instructed Azarias to create his own semi-autonomous brotherhood of up to thirty warriors. Azarias himself was slain protecting Drusus two years later during the reclamation of Raxis Minor, but the Azarian Guard, then numbering seven brothers, remained. Their numbers have since grown, and a number of onetime Azure Drakes use this brotherhood as a way to keep some of their chapter cult alive.

====Known Azarian Guards====
'''Brother Priahad'''

Brother Priahad's helm bears a gold skull, indicating that he is serving as the temporary leader of his fellow Bladeguard. In this way, Cobalt Scions officers know who to direct their commands to. The skull itself is not a permanent fixture but a badge that can be easily removed and passed to another bladeguard between engagements.

His left pauldron bears the chapter icon. It is presented in gold so as to evoke a shield, representing the bladeguard's commitment to safeguarding the Chapter Master. His right pauldron bears his individual heraldry, evoking a deed or quest he has undertaken that his fellow veterans regard as worthy. It shows the four stars of Thonicia, in reference to the vow Priahad enacted to visit every inhabited world in the sprawling home system and provide unexpected aid to those in need.

The tilting plate on his chest bears the ghostly image of a wyrm, and the chapter colour of the Azure Drakes, indicating that he is one of the original members of the now-defunct chapter. The wyrm is presented in a ghostly manner to reference the lingering spirits of his dead brothers.

'''Brother Katumaros'''

The golden skull on Katumaros' tilting plate indicates that he was once an officer. Counter-intuitively, he wears this as a mark of shame; as the fleet master who couldn't bring reinforcements to rescue his brothers in time, he is wracked by guilt and joined the Azarian Guard to ensure he could never rise to a position of command again. Despite a storied career prior to the Nova Tarentis Massacre, he considers his old achievements dead, and as such, his right pauldron remained devoid of heraldry until saving Techmagos Osmal Qvoll from an assassination attempt by [[the Thirteenth Talon]]. After that, his pauldron was adorned with a split motif, with a shielf on one side, and the Cog Mechanicus on the other.

'''Brother Galadoc'''

A mere brother in the Azure Drakes' 8th reserve company when his Chapter was destroyed, Galadoc has only recently joined the Azarian Guard. Like Priahad, his tilting plate features a ghostly image, this time of a dragon's head, commemorating his deceased captain, who he revered. His right pauldron bears the symbol of the Inquisition silhouetted by a shield, commemorating the vow he took to rescue [[Inquisitor Michael]] and his ship the''Accipiter'' after it was boarded by orks during the invasion of Aetonia in [[Eressus]]. After he defeated the heavily armoured ork leading the boarding party, he saved not only Michael himself, but the Chapter's Judiciar, who had been laid low in the fighting.

On his arm, he also bears a rosary once carried by one of the Drakes' chaplains. Galadoc's keen observance of the rites and rituals of his old chapter cult was one of the factors in his acceptance into the Azarian Guard, even though in theory martial prowess should be the only factor.

[[File:tolemias.png|250px|right|link=[[Tolemias]]]]

===The Librarius===
The Cobalt Scions place great stock in the prognostications of psykers, both their own and in the wider Imperium, and will often consult with astropaths, navigators and their own librarians to establish what if anything may be predicted about impending engagements and enemies. In battle, Cobalt Scions Librarians act as dictated by the Codex, employing whichever warp powers their minds are best suited to.

'''Known Librarians'''
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian.
* [[Tolemias]], Codicier.

'''The Thonician Oracles'''

Among the Chapter's most closely guarded secrets are the Oracles, a matriarchal order of seers that have quietly persisted in Thonicia since pre-Imperial times. At various times the Ordo Hereticus have attempted to purge them, but have never managed to wipe them out entirely. The Oracles became known to the Cobalt Scions some time after they arrived in the system, though whether they were discovered or even sought out the Scions is unknown. How the ancient traditions of the Oracles enable them to resist warp corruption is also unknown, as is the extent to which the Cobalt Scions place their faith in them.

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===The Phratry Munitorus===
If the Cobalt Scions' techmarines can make one honest boast, it is the speed and efficiency with which they can erect fortifications and other structures. The Phratry Munitorus (rough Low Gothic translation: the kinship/tribe of builders/engineers) serves the same purpose as a normal Chapter Armourium, but with the added responsibility of assisting with the integration of defences with civic infrastructure. To this end, the techmarines are not just supported by serfs and servitors, but also by human techpriests and architects. Chief among such human followers is Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the chapter's head architect. She is given near-equal standing to the Master of the Forge, and oversees a substantial and growing staff working on the construction of the chapter's fortress monastery and the more general defence enhancements of Thonicia.

When the chapter goes to war, it brings a substantial support staff of humans and servitors tasked with the rapid construction of defences, bridges, field hospitals, and whatever else might swing the Imperium's chances in any given theatre. A supply of prefabricated structures is also brought along for time-critical projects. Encampments are often built along standardised lines, ensuring that personnel familiar with one Scions base are familiar with them all. It has been pointed out by other chapters that this is a strategic vulnerability, but the Scions prefer the speed that comes with familiarity, and are convinced they will be able to adapt on a tactical level to counter this strategic weakness.

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[[File:Aristander.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Sedayus Aristander====
In addition to his regular duties tending to the Cobalt Scions' wargear and vehicles, Brother-Techmarine Sedayus Aristander is an obsessive sculptor, creating busts and statues for the Chapter's various reliquaries and memorials of fallen comrades. In theory, such devotional artworks are the domain of the human artisans of the Phratry Munitorus. While his fellow techmarines' non-military endeavours would generally be limited to designing architecture that serves to inspire as well as defend, Aristander argues that art serves as a major political tool. His defence is halfhearted, however; in truth he sculpts because he enjoys it. As he sees it, the sculptor's challenge is not merely to perfectly replicate their subject's features, but to capture their character. If that happens to serve the political goal of showing the Thonician populace what has been sacrificed for their safety, then that is merely a useful bonus.

He worked at his craft throughout the Chapter's time in the Indomitus Crusade, and yet more since the Scions' arrival in Thonis. Many consider him an excellent craftsman, but he remains unsatisfied, knowing that decades of practice are required to achieve true mastery. His obsession makes him a withdrawn figure who never takes a joke well. Nonetheless, he enjoys a measure of popularity, for all who walk in the Chapter's mausoleum are grateful to look upon the faces of their fallen brothers.

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[[File:hadrios_kelsus.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Hadrios Kelsus====
While Kelsus is perfectly willing to perform his vehicle maintenance duties between engagements, he rarely does so in combat. This is because Hadrios Kelsus is, and always has been, obsessed with the use of large guns. He generally finds an excuse to bring a servo turret on all deployments, and at the first sign of the enemy, gleefully mounts up to provide his brothers with fire support. It has been suggested that he should consider how to advance through the techmarines' ranks, for instance by creating political ties to local Mechanicus personnel. He is, however, far more interested in tinkering with guns in the Chapter's armoury.

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====The Chapter Armoury====
Members of the battle companies all have basic training in crewing the vehicles employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 9th Company, although the bulk of the crewing is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

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[[File:boriels_wrath.png|250px|left]]
=====Repulsor Executioner ''Boriel's Wrath''=====
This tank is named after a Dark Angel biker who aided a group of Scions pinned down by a force of Emperor's Children Heretic Astartes. Driving to good vantage points and providing pinpoint positional data, then moving on before the traitors could corner him, Boriel's actions allowed the Scions to fight clear of the trap. Tragically, they never met him in person; he was finally cornered by a squad of noise marines who, enraged by his efforts, beat him to death with their sonic blasters.

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===The Fleet===
When founded, the Scions had only six strike cruisers and a single battle barge: the ''Reason Inviolate''. Following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, the Azure Drakes' fleet -- far less damaged than the chapter it served -- was folded into the Scions' fleet. Consequently they went from having barely enough capital ships to deploy the chapter to having, arguably, an excess that they should have donated to other Indomitus Founding chapters. The Scions claim to make good use of their fleet assets given that it has enabled them to expand the capabilities of the Phratry Munitorus, with every Scions capital ship being well supplied with the engineers and materiel to respond to the humanitarian requirements of a warzone, as well as prefab fortifications, bridges, and other infrastructural elements. The Scions brush off criticisms that this exceeds the remit of the Adeptus Astartes by reciting the old adage that wars are won with logistics, and that a population protected is a rebellion prevented.

In addition to having holds full of infrastructural material, Cobalt Scions capital ships all have small manufactories capable of producing and repairing Astartes wargear and vehicles, albeit far more slowly than the Chapter Forge on Thonis. This is a hangover from when the chapter was fleet based during the Indomitus Crusade. It is a functionality they have deliberately maintained afterwards so as to reduce their dependence on supply lines.

The chapter has also attracted further criticism for employing several squadrons of the controversial Nova class frigate, which some say Astartes have no need of unless they're expecting to instigate naval battles without the assistance of the Imperial Navy.

Like many (if not most) Astartes fleets, the ships are crewed and captained by humans, although even an Astartes Sergeant is considered to outrank a ship captain as regards the chain of command. What with the fleet regularly returning to Thonis, the crew are given the option of having their families aboard their ship or in terrestrial housing. The family of slain personnel are given a stipend by the chapter, money which originally is taken from the financial tithe the Scions collect from their home system. While living conditions aboard the chapter's vessels are superior to the average ship of the Imperial Navy, expectations are high. Any personnel found wanting are rarely given second chances, and if lucky will get away simply with being discharged without a pension. Of course, incompetent crew can still offer dependable service when sent to the tech-priests for ''conversion,'' serving as a grim reminder to their former crewmates of the price of laxity. Those who have actively transgressed face even worse fates, up to and including a one-way trip to the great arena at Heracleion.

====Current Fleet Assets====
=====Battle Barges=====
*''Reason Inviolate'', the flagship. Constructed to default specifications during the Primaris project, prior to the chapter having a name or an identity. The Scions have since made it their own, modifying a number of its orbital launch bays for the deployment of Phratry Munitorus assets. The vessel served throughout the Scions' participation in the Indomitus Crusade, but the scars it gained during those battles have long since been removed.
*''Tarasc'', †‡ the one-time flagship of the Azure Drakes. There is a hall, deep in the ship's core, that serves as a hall of remembrance. There is a plaque on the wall for every Azure Drakes warrior who died in the Nova Tarentis Massacre, commemorating their noblest deeds. Above the hall's threshold is engraved the legend: ''In memory of those I could not save.''

=====Strike Cruisers=====
*''Alium'' ‡
*''Axios''. Deployments include the [[Raid on Lachesis]].
*''Azhdaha'' †‡
*''Deliverance'' ‡
*''Dutiful''
*''Erenkyl'' †‡
*''Illuyaka'' †
*''Preceptor''. Deployments include [[the Andaras Affair]].
*''Mater Accipitrum'' ‡
*''Redemption''. ‡ Captured as a prize from renegade Astartes in the battle of Zarinth V during the Indomitus Crusade.
*''Vritra''

†: Originally from the Azure Drakes' fleet.

‡: Currently away from the Eridani Sector on Crusade.

=====Escorts=====

The precise disposition of the Scions' flotilla of frigates and destroyers is unknown, but the number of escorts in their fleet is growing significantly now that the Keraphon Shipyards of Delta Thonicia have been upgraded. A number of these ships are purely for the defence of the sprawling Thonicia system, and the Chapter does not have enough Navigators to guide them through the warp even if they wanted to leave.

=====The ''Mater Castellorum''=====

Archmagos Felicita Morleio is the de facto head of the Phratry Munitorus, despite not being an Astartes. The ''Mater Castellorum'' is her fabrication ark, a capital-class auxiliary vessel originally used to transport the materiel needed to lay the groundwork for the Scions' Fortress-Monastery. Even before the ark finished deploying its contents planetside, Morleio was thinking about how such a vessel might be used afterwards. Once the vessel had finished deploying its original payload, she dispatched it to [[Thonis#Delta_Thonicia_VIII_Gamma:_Keraphon | Keraphon]] to undergo an extensive refit.

The vessel retained its fleet of bulk lifters, and sacrificed some of its kilometers of storage to house manufactories. While all Scions vessels are designed to enable a certain amount of infrastructural aid to Imperial colonies, the newly-refitted ''Mater Castellorum'' carries tens of thousands of workers, artisans and techpriests along with the materiel they need to enact widespread repairs and construction projects. Consul Tarentian once joked that if battles are won with marines and wars won with logistics, the ''Mater Castellorum'' is a weapon of mass construction.

=====The Thonician defence fleet=====

Upon arriving at Thonis, the Scions quickly enlarged their system defence fleet (i.e. naval vessels lacking a warp drive) by initiating a series of boarding actions on the system's pirates rather than destroying them. These mismatched vessels would serve in the short term, but Thonicia is a vast area compared to most star systems, and a more regimented fleet of substantial size would be required so that the Scions chapter fleet would be free to go where it was needed.

This need culminated in the design and production of the Warden class heavy frigate. Similar in design to other Astartes escorts, but with a larger hold suitable for the redeployment of key resources or personnel within the system as needed, these heavy frigates are quicker to produce than cruisers, and more flexible in their applications, having been designed as just about capable of planetary landings on any world of 1.3G or less. While it would be possible to fit them with warp drives, this would greatly increase production time and cost. For now, the priority is to stamp out as many as possible to ensure the safety of the home system.

[[File:stormtalon.png|250px|right]]
=====Gunships, interceptors and other ordnance=====
Operating a fleet of gunships out of a ship in orbit means craft have less time to spend on station, and use far more fuel. Being logistically minded, the Cobalt Scions are always keen to ensure their FOBs can be deployed at great speed, and within hours will have the fuel and ammunition at hand to resupply gunships operating in support of ground units. Members of the battle companies all have basic training in piloting aircraft employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 8th Company, although the bulk of the piloting is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

=History=
==Founding==
Guilliman's major concern about Cawl's artificially indoctrinated primaris marines was their lack of real combat experience, so he decided to form the Scions' senior leadership from veterans of the Ultramarines' 1st Company. A call for volunteers went out.

Encouraged by Calgar's survival of the Rubicon Primaris, Aelius Justarian and his squad stepped up. Their idea was that each of them would be a company captain, forming a group of officers who already knew and respected each other. Guilliman, Calgar and Captain Agemman accepted their proposal, and the ten brothers eagerly submitted themselves to the process, nodding confidently as the risks of the process were explained to them.

In their optimism they hoped they might all survive; the process was becoming less risky with time, but in reality, six brothers died. Sergeant Justarian was among them.

The four survivors had known it was possible some of their brothers might not survive the process. They had lost brothers in the past. Astartes are indoctrinated to process the grief when a brother falls in combat. If anything, it strengthens their resolve. But the survivors learned that losing a brother in combat and losing an uninjured brother to the operating table are two very different things. This new form of grief ate away at them.

The chaplains tried tending to the brothers' spiritual wounds, but old Cassius refused to let them languish in mourning. Success, he told them, is meaningless without adversity. Still despondent at the loss but obedient nonetheless, the four brothers prepared for their voyage across the galaxy to rendezvous with their new chapter in the Sol system. They sought guidance from Calgar, Agemman, and other senior Ultramarines while their new armour was forged. They spoke to political leaders and logisticians, shipmasters and tech-magi, trying to learn what they could, still lamenting the loss of wise Justarian and the others.

When their new Mk.X armour was ready, they entered the Fortress of Hera and donned the unpainted suits for the first time. After so many decades as Ultramarines, it was a strange thing for them to see each other wearing unpainted armour. As they stood there exchanging uncertain glances, they were approached by Sinon, Captain of the Ninth and Master of Relics, who presented them with four master-crafted power swords in honour of their service with the Ultramarines. It was a welcome and tangible connection to their past.

On the journey to Sol, they occupied themselves by debating how they might go about organising their new chapter. Quintus Tarentian and Gaius Fabian favoured adhering strictly to the updated Codex Astartes, while Tiberius Drusus and Martellus Lucullus argued that it didn't map well onto purely primaris chapters.

Unable to agree on how far to stray from the wisdom of the Codex, they turned their attention to what they thought would be the less contentious question of naming the chapter. They soon learned that much rests in a name, and many names are unfit for purpose. Nothing sounded right. At one point, Tarentian confessed that after days of considering monikers for the new chapter, even the honoured name of the Ultramarines sounded foolish. “It is a pun!" he exclaimed, agast. “Or perhaps a declaration that we think ourselves above other chapters." The other three looked at him, appalled by this heresy.

“On the contrary, brother," Drusus replied, “I believe Ultramar to be a word from Ancient Terra describing an empire that stretches across an ocean. In this instance, the void is the ocean, the Five Hundred Worlds the empire. The suffix ''-ines'' must simply indicate that we are men of that great empire. Surely, therefore, the word Ultramar preceded the word Ultramarines? You're putting the artillery train before the tractor."

“Let us pretend I said nothing," Tarentian said, clearly troubled.

It was Lucullus who spoke next. “If we should decide to break with some edicts of the Codex, it would seem all the more important to remember our point of origin. A new chapter has no history, but the Thirteenth Legion and all its successors have ten millennia of it. What if our heraldry echoes that? Our chapter symbol could be a cobalt fist, as if to show one of the Gauntlets of Ultramar."

“That is not a name, Martellus, that is a badge," Fabian said. The others laughed.

Never one to enjoy a joke at his expense, Lucullus doubled down. “It's the idea I'm driving at. Make a point of upholding our identity as scions of Ultramar."

“The Scions of Ultramar is quite the mouthful," Tarentian said.

“The Cobalt Scions," Drusus said. The four of them were silent for a moment. Tarentian, for whom everything now sounded wrong, opened his mouth to speak. Fabian cut him off. “I like it," Fabian said.

“As do I," Lucullus added.

Tarentian frowned, then shrugged. “I am pleased this task is done."

After much debate the four brothers also agreed on their roles. Someone with a willingness to embrace the unfamiliar would be needed to form a new chapter, and so Tiberius Drusus would serve as chapter master. It helped that he was the most learned among them. To keep Drusus grounded, the traditionally-minded Tarentian would assume command of the 1st company, and Fabian would take the 2nd. Martellus Lucullus, Drusus' fellow advocate for new ways, would helm the 3rd.

To find the other seven captains, they would have to screen Cawl's unnaturally trained creations to see if any among them had the wit for independent thought.

When the four brothers eventually reached the Sol system they found a fleet of unnamed ships waiting for them in Mars' crowded dockyards. Inside, a chapter of new marines slept in stasis. Neither ships nor men bore heraldry. Drusus and his brothers had understood the scale of the task ahead in theory, but found the reality somewhat daunting. They were veterans of combat, not leadership. Who were they to step into the shoes of their betters and start from the very beginning?

The four brothers toured the fleet and its crews. They went to see the stasis chambers, and the marines inside. An army of techpriests, artisans and servitors awaited Drusus' signal to begin.

Drusus wanted the chapter to wake up to some sense of heritage, so the artisans were set to work first, applying heraldry to empty racks of armour. Ships were named. The four brothers met with the fleet's human officers, many of whom were decorated volunteers from the Imperial Navy.

When all was prepared, Drusus gave authorisation to wake the chapter.

They soon learned that the indoctrinated marines had names from their previous lives, but all were uncertain how many of their memories were real, and how many implanted. They all thought they remembered lives in Ultramar, and so the four brothers found some common ground with them. Even so, the marines knew little of the modern Imperium. Some spoke of the secular Imperial Truth promulgated in the days of the Great Crusade. The four brothers realised that bringing these men into the 42nd Millennium would involve significant culture shock. Worse yet, they had been indoctrinated to fulfill a single role, rather than having the flexibility of a marine who had worked their way through the ranks.

In the short term, Drusus and the others would simply have to accept Cawl's inflexible progeny and work with them as best they could. The Cobalt Scions fleet began its maiden voyage out of Sol and towards the nearest prong of the Indomitus Crusade.

==The Cobalt Scions in the Indomitus Crusade==
Over the next few decades, the Scions slowly morphed in the direction the four brothers intended. While in transit between warzones, squads were trained in other methods of warfare. Hellblaster units learned to use bolt rifles, Intercessors learned how to move in gravis armour, and so on. Like many of the all-primaris chapters, they took higher casualties early on in the Crusade, and despite occasional reinforcements from Mars, eventually found themselves able to field only 780 combat-ready marines, and it was at this depleted level that they met with their greatest disaster.

===The Nova Tarentis Massacre===
A prosperous world of significant agricultural and mineral output, Nova Tarentis was crucial to trade within its area of the Segmentum Pacificus, and an obvious target for the archenemy. Traitor Guard and Dark Mechanicum forces attacked in strength, and pleas for aid were made. Keen to prevent a cascade of infrastructural failure, the full Azure Drakes chapter was deployed with four companies of Cobalt Scions in support. The Drakes' chapter master, Sorkhos Danithor, committed to a full orbital assault, giving the enemy on the ground little time to react.

Once the bulk of the Drakes and Scions units had launched from their vessels, however, drive cores began to kindle all around Nova Tarentis' planetary rings. A substantial force of Black Legionnaires, thousands strong, had lain the perfect trap. Extracting the deployed troops would take hours, so Danithor - now trapped on the surface with the rest of his chapter - ordered the fleet to break orbit and seek reinforcements, rather than engaging in an unwinnable fight. Nonetheless, a small number of the fleet's capital ships were caught and destroyed as they raced for the system's Mandeville Point.

With their fleet gone, the loyal Astartes fought on as the traitors made planetfall. The fighting was brutal, but ultimately the Drakes and Scions were in an impossible position, hunted by a superior foe and lacking crucial supplies thanks to the loss of their orbital support.

Danithor orchestrated several breakout attempts, reasoning that asymmetric guerrilla warfare might allow more of his forces to survive until reinforcements arrived, but the Black Legion's noose proved too tight. Slowly, the Astartes army lost ground. When the Azure Drakes fleet returned with reinforcements, it was too late to meaningfully save the chapter. Fewer than a hundred Drakes were still alive.

As soon as the heretics' scout vessels spotted the incoming Imperial fleet in the system's outer reaches, the Black Legion began evacuating, their mission a total success. They had slain over a thousand loyalist marines, and had taken favourable casualties.

The final blow was, perhaps, the bitterest. During the enemy's final assault, Danithor noted enemy bombardments on the Imperial formations either side of his position, but none on his own. When enemy veterans in terminator plate teleported down behind him, preventing retreat, he realised all to late that they intended to take him alive. In his last recorded communication, he passed command to the most senior Imperial commander left - a Cobalt Scions reserve sergeant - before taking his own life. Frustrated, the Black Legion veterans butchered his retinue, but left empty handed. It mattered not; the Azure Drakes were gone in all but name. The few survivors were folded into the Cobalt Scions, along with their remaining fleet assets. Some were unhappy to muddy the chapter's culture with the more bellicose Drakes, but none would have seen the survivors cast adrift. The legacy of the Drakes would live on as one of a number of fraternities that a Cobalt Scion might choose to join upon inculcation into the Chapter.

While the Crusade continued to spread out through the galaxy, it was decided that the Scions needed to recover from their losses. Between the attrition of Crusading, and the hundreds of losses incurred on Nova Tarentis, the chapter was now reduced to around a third of its original fighting strength. The time had come for the Scions to go and recuperate on [[Thonis]], the world designated as their new home by Guilliman.

[[File:Cobalt_scions_heavy_intercessor.png|600px|center]]

===The Reclamation of Raxis Minor===
On their way to Thonis, the Scions received a distress call from the agri-world of Raxis Minor. While in theory the Scions were supposed to make all haste to their new homeworld, Drusus refused to ignore such pleas and directed the chapter fleet to alter course. Upon arrival the Scions found the defenders had been overwhelmed by Heretic Astartes of the Iron Warriors Legion. Reconnaissance revealed that the enemy numbered at or below company strength, with substantial mortal auxiliary forces. But even with the chapter at half strength and still suffering low morale following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, Drusus judged that his chapter would be more than strong enough to rally the tattered remains of the planet's defence forces. He split the fleet into three formations and approached the planet from different directions, forcing the Iron Warriors' smaller fleet to try and fight their way clear of the tightening blockade. Badly outnumbered, the Iron Warriors ships were cornered and destroyed, trapping the remaining Iron Warriors on the surface. The Cobalt Scions, hungry for revenge against the forces of Chaos, fell upon the planet with eagerness. There was no glory to be taken in vanquishing a foe so badly outnumbered, but there was some satisfaction to be had in restoring Imperial rule to a world in need of help.

When the Iron Warriors made their final stand, an undecipherable astropathic communication was sent from their command bunker. Fearing reprisal, Drusus committed his resources to reestablishing Imperial rule and improving Raxis Minor's defensive infrastructure. Foremost among this was the creation of several defensive hubs built at the centre of the main population centres with shielding and defensive batteries to defend against orbital assault. The Scions deployed hundreds of servitor-crewed machines to expedite construction, and after only four months' work, Raxis Minor's defences had become substantially easier to hold. Leaving the locals to complete the work, the fleet continued on its journey to their new home.

==A new homeworld==
When it was designated as the Scions' homeworld, [[Thonis]] was far from any active warzones. Situated in the [[Eridani Sector]] of the [[Segmentum Pacificus]], it was Guilliman's intent that the Scions would further strengthen a relatively stable part of the Imperium. Some whispered that it was further evidence of Guilliman ensuring the Ultramarines' ascendancy, particularly given the cultural ties the First Four had sought to maintain.

Either way, none could gainsay the Lord Commander of the Imperium, and so the Scions' fleet made for Thonis. Drusus and the others knew relatively little about Thonis beside some centuries-old information about its major exports and government, but it seemed reasonable to assume the locals would be grateful for the protection of an Astartes Chapter. With four stars and a great many settled worlds, the Thonis system almost seemed like a sub-sector in itself.

[[File:Thonis_system_map.png|600px|center]]

The Scions fleet returned to Mars first. While ship repairs got underway, Chapter Master Drusus met with Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the fabricator-general Cawl had assigned to the chapter. She had been tasked with designing and overseeing the construction of the Scions' fortress monastery, and then remaining with the chapter for the rest of her life, tending to the fortress' manufactorums and forges. She seemed at peace with the notion that she would get to create this one great structure and then be relegated to its maintenance. Drusus, however, was far less willing than Cawl to waste human resources. He suggested that if she showed aptitude for architectural design and understood siegecraft sufficiently, there was every chance she could embark upon an indefinite number of projects across Thonis and the wider Eridani sector as the Scions established themselves.

In that moment, he won Morleio's undivided loyalty.

Everything that would be needed for the fortress monastery, save the stone and rockrete itself, had already been loaded onto Morleio's kilometers-long fabrication ark. The fleet, now repaired, broke orbit and made for the Eridani Sector.

==Arrival in Thonis==
The Imperial governor on Thonis had been told decades ago that a chapter called the Cobalt Scions were coming to live on the planet. That was it. No details, no instructions to make particular preparations. Simply that they were coming.

When a fleet of Astartes ships arrived claiming to be the Cobalt Scions, no one had any reason to doubt them.

The fleet moved straight through the Eridani sector and on to the Hasmides system in the neighbouring Achernar sector. There had been some civil unrest; bombings and the like. It was assumed the Scions intended to terrify the populace into compliance.

In reality, the individuals aboard the Astartes fleet had created the uprising. They were not the Cobalt Scions at all. They were the Word Bearers, six hundred of them, acting on the orders of Khairon. If Guilliman's sons were coming, the Word Bearers were keen to preemptively tarnish their good name and make it clear the Scions' very arrival would only bring suffering.

Hasmides offered little challenge to them.

A thousand light years away, the Scions' fleet approached in blissful ignorance.

With Hasmides' government and infrastructure in tatters, the Word Bearers returned to their ships to prepare their next blow. The Scions might not have been there to prevent the atrocity, but the wider Imperium did not leave it unpunished. As the Word Bearers fleet made all speed for the Hasmides system's Mandeville point so as to escape into the warp, they were intercepted by the full might of Battlefleet Achernar.

The ensuing [[Battle of Hasmides]] cost both fleets dearly, but ultimately the Word Bearers' fleet was so badly damaged that, while most of their Astartes survived, their ability to prosecute a full naval engagement was, for a time at least, nullified.

Ironically the Navy's victory at Hasmides was politically bad for the Cobalt Scions. Not only had their impending arrival attracted dangerous foes to a peaceful place, it wasn't even the Scions who saw them off. Furthermore Thonis' incumbent planetary governor, Lord Aderbal, was well regarded by his subjects. There was little appetite for change.

When the true Cobalt Scions fleet approached Thonis, they were bombarded with security questions, and requests that they remain at a distance until their identity could be verified. It was hardly the welcome the Scions had hoped for. Eventually, Thonis' modest orbital platforms cancelled their firing solutions and stood down. A lone Overlord-class gunship bore the first delegation of Cobalt Scions down to the verdant surface of their new homeworld.

Chapter Master Drusus expected Aderbal to unquestionably accept the Scions' clear right to rule the system. Drusus informed him that there would be a brief transition phase followed by significant reforms in which Aderbal's official title would change from Planetary Governor to Locutor of the Senate: a position Drusus assured him would be very important in the new regime.
[[File:Heracleion.png|400px|right]]
Given the choice between no power and some power, Aderbal was forced to accept Drusus' offer.

In his address during the ceremony in which the Sceptre of Heracleion, symbol of the capital, was to pass from Governor Aderbal to Dictator Drusus, the governor's wording carefully managed to remain obedient while subtly emphasising Drusus' status as a newcomer to an old world with a well-established culture.

The address set the tone for the months to come. The Scions were too terrifying for anyone to risk obvious dissent, but any request made to the government by an Astartes would mysteriously require more paperwork and bureaucracy than the same request made by a native official. If asked for an explanation, people would claim they were taking extra care that they did a good job, or would say they had heard Guilliman's sons encouraged detailed paperwork. The Scions came to be seen as a source of problems by the general populace. With no experience of nuanced public relations, Drusus and his captains were at a loss as to how to win their people over. They went on speaking tours, endeavouring to rouse the public with stilted recollections of their great victories in the Indomitus Crusade, but received only polite applause. They made suggestions to improve the efficiency of institutions, but were told said suggestions would reduce productivity even when it seemed clear this was not the case.

During those first few months, some of the Scions grew restive. They felt the battles they had fought deserved the respect of any Imperial citizen, and talk grew of taking a harsher line with the recalcitrant public. Tarentian in particular advocated for a more direct approach.

Lucullus disagreed. He argued that the harder they pushed, the harder the people would resist. Some would fall into line, of course, but there would also be dissent and perhaps even the fomenting of heresy.

Drusus, politically inexperienced, was indecisive as to whose approach he would implement, and changed his mind regularly. This in turn created a rift between him and Captain Fabian, who proclaimed that he didn't care which side Drusus took, only that he committed to a course of action. Fabian went to far as to suggest that if Drusus couldn't make such decisions, Fabian was happy to take his place. Fabian's insubordination outraged Tarentian, Lucullus, and the other captains. The argument served a purpose, at least. Drusus was at last moved to choose. He took Lucullus' cautious approach.

[[File:Thonis.png|400px|right]]

==The construction of the Fortress of Syrnum==
While the Scions struggled with the political landscape, Archmagos Morleio worked on her designs for the fortress-monastery. It was to be built in the hills above Heracleion, and would require surprisingly few homes to be demolished. Strangely, the news that five hundred families were to be given the honour of having their homes bulldozed for the fortress monastery wasn't met with the sort of gratitude the Scions expected. Citizens of Ultramar, the Scions reflected bitterly, would have been proud to give their land for such a purpose.

Morleio estimated the project would take three years before it would be usable, and more than that before it would reach its full potential. Work began to prepare the Syrnum hills as Morleio and Drusus spent many long days drawing up plans.

==Expanding the docks==
Work also began on enlarging Thonis' modest orbitals. In time, they would need to serve a full fleet of warships in addition to providing efficient trade berths. Where the Scions had failed to gain any political capital thus far, the trade-focussed Thonicians were keen on the idea of increased docking facilities and reduced piracy. Sensing an opportunity, Drusus made a series of speeches promising that within fifty years, Thonis would enjoy the protection and commerce of vast orbital facilities. Finally, the Scions had said something popular.

Naturally this meant the native politicians, still angry at their reduced autonomy, argued for increased influence in the design of the orbitals to ensure the opportunities for trade were maximised.

==Political reforms==
The nobles' request for greater influence was an overt challenge to Drusus' competence in terms of trade, and public perception was very much that a space marine couldn't possibly have the same expertise as the great trading houses of Thonis.

In a move that shocked the Thonician nobility, Drusus responded to their challenge with his first sign of political deftness.

Drusus declared that if the native politicians wanted a say in the Scions' construction projects, then apparently they had accepted the chapter was here to stay. It followed, therefore, they were ready for the political reforms Drusus had promised.

A senate was formed from the heads of the fifty most influential noble families. The senate's role would be to advise the Scions as to how they should proceed in matters of commerce and governance. One senator would be first among equals, and would present the senate's suggestions to the Dictator. This individual would be known as the Locutor, a position that would initially be taken by Lord Aderbal. Upon his death or dismissal, another senator would be elected by their peers to take his position.

The reforms went further still. Ten commoners would be chosen to represent the labourers. These ten Tribunes were to keep the Dictator and Senate informed of how their legislation was being received by the commoners. More importantly, if all ten Tribunes agreed, they had the power to veto new legislation. The veto could only be overruled by the dictator, or in the absence of the Dictator, by one of the chapter's lieutenants, all of whom held the honorific of Praetor.

Being a Praetor incorporated two main duties beyond an Astartes Lieutenant's combat role. One was to act as a diplomat or ambassador for their captain when on campaign, and the other, as intimated above, was to arbitrate on disagreements between the Senate and the Tribunate when at home. In this way, lieutenants gained extensive political experience in preparation for becoming a captain.

Captains, in turn, held the honorific of Consul. Being a Consul meant having the Dictator's blessing to instigate reforms of a planet's government if it was militarily advantageous to do so, up to and including its annexation. The wording of this rule was vague enough that neighbouring planetary governors began to issue complaints to the Adeptus Terra. Guilliman's sons were laying the illegal foundations of their own empire, the governors said. Months later, Guilliman provided a curt response: “Then do not give my sons cause to annex your planet."

This further stoked speculation that the Lord Commander took issue with the modern Imperium, but as yet no one was willing to risk secession.

While the heavy-handed reforms were obviously taking power from the ruling class and handing it to the Cobalt Scions, the nobles also realised that they were now competing with each other for places in the Senate. This broke their unity and revealed their selfishness for all to see, and the mere existence of the Tribunate empowered the bulk of the population far more than the previous regime, even if this was representation in name only.

Tiberius Drusus finally had the political situation working to his advantage.

==Initial Engagements==
The Scions soon learned of the Hasmides atrocity, but were reliant on the Inquisition for further intelligence as to where the Word Bearers might strike next.

In the interim, they had two priorities: rebuilding the chapter, and dealing with any lesser threats in their immediate area. Neighbouring systems, particularly those bordering the Scyrian Expanse, were suffering from frequent greenskin raids. The Scions set about crushing these lesser orkish warbands with relative ease, and cleared out several remote human pirate strongholds, all of which was well received by the Eridani Sector's border colonies, but was of little relevance to the people of Thonis.

As for rebuilding the chapter, the Scions embarked on a major recruitment drive in Thonis. They asked for volunteers only, but the financial support they offered volunteers' families meant that a noticeable percentage of the adolescent aspirants clearly had no desire to be there.

Despite these issues, the Scions soon had a good number of scouts in training, and with at least half the chapter stationed at Thonis at any given moment there were always plenty of instructors available. A major difficulty, of course, was that most of the instructors had never been scouts themselves. Many of the initial recruits were pushed too hard, or were simply not trained effectively, and it took some time before the first generation of aspirants - those that survived - started to make good progress.

===The Andaras Affair===
The [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] are sent to end an ork raid on [[Andaras]]. Their intervention reveals the presence of both aeldari and a genestealer cult infestation, prompting a brief but explosive campaign that ultimately results in the xenos escaping, but the colony being made safe.

Further reading: [[The Andaras Affair]], and Consul Lucullus' [[notes on the Andaran Operation]].

===The Season of Fire===
The Cobalt Scions are pulled from one side of the [[Iolan Reaches]] to the other as xenos raids increase in both variety and intensity. The Scions are broadly successful in engaging a number of these threats, but ultimately the [[Starborn Souls]] prove almost impossible to stamp out, despite successful purges on multiple worlds.

Further reading: the [[Season of Fire]].

===The Raid on Lachesis===
[[Tolemias]] of the Librarius foretells of a Word Bearers raid on [[Lachesis]]. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] leads a force drawn largely from the Third Company and arrives before the Word Bearers. Despite sustaining several injuries, Drusus and Tolemias succeed in thwarting the Word Bearers' scheme to turn the planet's smallest moon into a stable warp gate, but at the cost of all three of the planet's Psykana holding towers.

The raid exposes the presence of not just Word Bearers, but a Night Lords warband of [[the Thirteenth Talon]] and another warband of the Red Corsairs. Following the Word Bearers' retreat, Drusus tracks the Night Lords back to their base of operations and attempts, with the help of [[Taliesin]] of Iybraesil, to destroy it. The base is a death trap, and the attack is a costly failure. The episode casts a pall over the broader success of the Lachesian situation, and the Night Lords escape the Chapter's clutches.

Further reading: the [[Raid on Lachesis]].

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:cobalt_scions_techmarine.png|600px|center]]

==Recuperation==
Aside from continued efforts to catch [[the Thirteenth Talon]] of the Night Lords, the Chapter as a whole enjoys a period of only minor engagements. The Fortress of Syrnum is now both defensible and adequately functional, but Morleio is far from finished with it. She begins the first of many planned expansions by expanding further underground, increasing the Chapter Forge's capacity without compromising the city above.

During this period, Thonician scouts begin passing into the reserve companies, rapidly recovering the Chapter's numbers.

===Trade with Iphara===
As construction of the Chapter Forge nears completion, the final stage is to create the large and costly means to produce tactical dreadnought armour. To this end, a small team of Praetors are convened to travel to [[Iphara]] and compete with other Imperial organisations for a modest share of the adamantium being mined in the newly compliant world. With demand for the metal being so high, negotiations are tough, particularly given the questionable need for terminator plate given the ready availability of gravis-pattern armour. The Praetors ultimately only secure a modest shipment, but it is enough to begin forging a tiny number of suits.

==The Ephramundi Daemonic Incursion==
A distress call is issued by the planet [[Ephramundi]] after [[A Minor Heresy]] causes a scattered but planetwide daemonic incursion. With small rifts popping up in seemingly random locations, and the agri-world being a key source of food to other worlds in the [[Kapran sub]], Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus|Drusus]] orders the largest mass deployment in the Chapter's history, with eight full companies dispatched to contain the problem without having to sacrifice Imperial Guard assets that may later be needed for more conventional wars.

Two companies are left to guard Thonicia, and the rest of the fleet get underway with all haste. The plan is to hold out until Grey Knights can arrive to seal the largest breaches. Using drop pods and other rapid response assets, the operation contains most of the daemonic breaches, preventing the sort of governmental collapse common in such incursions. This success has a cost; marines thrown into rapid response operations against an unpredictable foe comes with predictable losses in both men and materiel. By the time the Grey Knights arrive, the Scions have lost 162 marines, their greatest loss since the massacre on Nova Tarentis. The Scions still consider it a success given the value of the planet, and the vast wastage in conventional forces that would have been required to achieve the same result.

Unfortunately, these losses mean they are temporarily less than well prepared for any unexpected invasions elsewhere in the region.

==The Tyranid Invasion of Melia's Reach==
Even as the Scions await the arrival of the Grey Knights on Ephramundi, word is sent to [[Martellus Lucullus]] of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]] that a Tyranid invasion is underway on [[Melia's Reach]]. Lucullus' company has taken 40% casualties, but he petitions Drusus to be sent as a vanguard to try and slow the Tyranids' advance long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Reluctantly convinced that the warning can be trusted - it is sent by the aeldari Farseer [[Host Taliesin of Iybraesil|Taliesin]] - Drusus permits Lucullus to depart aboard the ''Preceptor''.

The Third Company task force arrive to find the local Planetary Defence Force (PDF) in a shambles, and the Governor entirely unfamiliar with the nature of the xenos. In the week that follows, the Space Defence Force are revealed to have been corrupted by Genestealers, and - despite the aid of Taliesin's own troops - the Tyranids continue their advance. Lucullus' efforts to reorganise and reinforce the PDF are eventually successful in helping the locals hold the line on their own, but an assassination attempt by a Lictor renders him unable to witness this success firsthand.

With Lucullus in a coma, Lieutenant Antigonus Nerva assumes command of the strike force, and accompanies Taliesin into Tyranid territory in a desperate joint operation to destroy the hive's primary hatcheries by triggering a volcanic event.

The operation is a success.

Sadly, strategic victory has come too late, and the Tyranids are now numerous and widely established. Unable to reinforce using the rest of the chapter, the Scions instead commit to a massed deployment of the Initiate Auxilia, with scouting teams spreading out into Tyranid-contaminated zones and calling out targets for orbital and aerial strikes. As a result, the value of maintaining an oversized auxilia is further cemented in the minds of the chapter's leadership, despite this being the first time a large force of initiates has proven useful.

==The Lachesian War==
The Word Bearers return to the [[Lachesis]] system in force. The Cobalt Scions have been preparing for this eventuality and are supported by numerous allies, but the size and strength of the traitors' fleet is substantial. The Imperium's only advantage initially is that, due to the failure of the raid, the Word Bearers' vessels arrive piecemeal. Initial engagements go well for the Imperium, but Alpha Legion-induced naval mutinies and resurgent assaults by both the Night Lords and the Word Bearers keep the war rattling on for several years. Eventually, reinforced by the Blood Angels and Raven Guard Chapters, the Imperium emerges victorious, and the traitors are forced to withdraw. Present from the first shot to the final parting ship to ship actions, it is the Cobalt Scions' lengthiest conflict, but also one of their proudest accomplishments. They had met a large traitor force in battle and were not found wanting; it did much to bolster the young Chapter's confidence, and dispel some of the lingering shame of Nova Tarentis.

==The Salvation of Massyleon==
During the Lachesian War, an ork fleet invaded the [[Massyleon]] system. Drusus dispatched the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] alongside Chief Librarian [[Diokles Adrastos]] to counter the invasion alongside the [[Raven Guard 5th Company]]. The strike force encounters an ork fleet led by a space hulk known as the ''Crawling Ruin''. While the bulk of the strike force rush to the defence of Hive Massinissos to prevent the orks getting a serious foothold beyond the hive's walls, Diokles boards the ''Crawling Ruin'' with ten Terminator-armoured veterans drawn from both the Scions and the Ravens. They find a corrupted abominable intelligence lurking within the hulk. Unable to destroy the AI due to its sheer size, Diokles is forced to entreat with the entity, and is ultimately successful in convincing it to turn on its ork allies before departing the system, decisively turning the fate of the war in an instant. When asked about what was said between Diokles and the AI, he refuses to be drawn. Their mission successful and the planet reinforced by regiments of Imperial Guard, the strike force return to Lachesis, where their return finally tips the balance and is directly responsible for the end of the Lachesian War.

==Xenos Invasions in Eressus==
The [[Eressus]] system is invaded by a Tyranid splinter fleet that assaults Eressus Tertia, and the Cobalt Scions dispatch a company to engage them alongside other Imperial forces, including the Blood Angels and Imperial Guard. Whilst this invasion is underway, another xenos invasion occurs in the same system on the planet of Aetolia: orks under the rulership of Boss Bonerippa of the Evil Sunz clan attack in significant numbers. Leaving Captain Lucullus with half his battle company to face the Tyranids with the Blood Angels, Chapter Master Drusus and the other Cobalt Scions form an Imperial response alongside the [[31st Nightfall Ranger Regiment]], several regiments of Krieg Death Korps, and [[Battlegroup 86]]. Even so, the ork numbers prove so substantial that military victory seems unlikely. The balance is tipped when [[Inquisitor Michael]]'s ship ''Accipiter'' leads a kroot warsphere into the system, delivering substantial numbers of kroot mercenaries, and ordering the Imperial forces not to engage them. Recognising the importance of these xenos on a strategic level, the Scions are quick to respond when Michael's ship is opportunistically boarded by the orks, and save the ''Accipiter'' from destruction, and by extension, enabling the kroot to remain in-system thanks to the Inquisitor's presence. Brother Galadoc of the Azarian Guard swears an oath to protect the Inquisitor with his life, and ends up defeating one of the ork warlords in personal combat alongside the Chapter's Judiciar.

The initial battles leave Aetolia's orbital defences in tatters, leaving the Imperium on the defensive. The Astartes and Imperial Guard forces operate as a mobile reserve, with the local Aetolian regiments responsible for the bulk of the fighting. Wherever breaches in the lines appear, the reserve forces are moved to aggressively counter-attack, turning the orks' victories into demoralising defeats.

Towards the end of the conflict, the enemy warlord Bonerippa is hunted down and assassinated by a joint force of Nightfaller Rangers and kroot, and this proves to be the final blow. Some of the Scions feel that the honour of victory is undermined by the presence of the kroot, but Drusus is pleased at the pragmatic benefits of cooperating with the Ordo Xenos, and commends the Inquisitor for his initiative.

==The Cobalt Scions join the Fourth Tyrannic War==
With the war concluded on [[Lachesis]] and the Chapter's losses replaced by members of the Novitiate Auxilia joining the reserve companies, the time has come for the Chapter to go back out into the galaxy and contribute to the Imperium's wider wars. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] appoints Consul Gaius Fabian of the Second Company to lead a strike force out into the wider Segmentum to contribute to the Fourth Tyrannic War. It is the first time the Chapter sends the bulk of its forces away since arriving in Thonicia seven years prior. Drusus laments being unable to go with the strike force, but the Chapter's home system is so large and multi-faceted that there is still much to do that requires his attention.

===Strike Force Tarasc's order of battle===
====Fleet assets====
* Battle barge ''Tarasc''
* 6 strike cruisers: ''Alium'', ''Azhdaha'', ''Deliverance'', ''Erenkyl'', ''Mater Accipitrum'', ''Redemption''
* 12 frigates
* 6 destroyers

====Astartes====
* 50 Veterans of the First Company
* 2nd Battle Company
* 4th Battle Company
* 5th Battle Company
* 150 marines from the reserve companies
* 50 marines of the Chapter's Vanguard
* 100 Novitiate Auxilia

The strike force fleet gathers above Thonis, and to celebrate its departure, a parade is held in the streets of Heracleion. The public, perhaps frightened of failing to show due deference, turn out in force to bid them farewell. The tone of the crowd is one of dutiful attendance rather than rapturous approval; Drusus realises that he still has much to do in inculcating Ultramarian values in his populace.

[[Category:Adeptus Astartes]] [[Category:Cobalt Scions]] [[Category: Crusade Forces]] [[Category: Cobalt Scions Missions]]

Cobalt Scions

2026-05-11T21:13:24Z

Charlie: /* Fleet assets */

[[File:Cobalt_Scions.png|600px|center]]
The Cobalt Scions are an all-primaris chapter created from Ultramarines gene stock. Initially they participated in the Indomitus Crusade. After decades of crusading, Guilliman has assigned them to watch over a region of the Segmentum Pacificus from their new home system of [[Thonis]].

=Heraldry=
The Scions' heraldry is very close to their gene-sires, with the bulk of the armour painted the same blue as the Ultramarines. The two differences are their white pauldrons, and their company markings displayed on the left kneepad rather than on the shoulder trim. Since the Cobalt Scions' guiding principle is flexibility, none of the squads display the traditional tactical/assault/devastator symbols, but merely numerals denoting their squad number within their company.

The primary exception to the chapter's bright blue heraldry can be seen on their camouflaged Phobos-pattern armour, which is repainted to suit the local terrain.

==Chapter Icon==
The blue fist used in the Scions' heraldry symbolises the Gauntlets of Ultramar, as the chapter is particularly keen on celebrating and aspiring to the deeds of their forebears.
[[File:Cobalt_Scions_icon.png|300px|center]]

=Chapter organisation=
The Cobalt Scions are only partially Codex compliant. They argue that they follow its rules in spirit, just not in detail, and have reworked elements to suit Cawl's new equipment.

==A recruit's journey==
When recruited, a novitiate is assigned to the 10th Company to begin their training. The training is martial, moral and intellectual; novitiates are expected to familiarise themselves with texts ranging from Guilliman's works on governance, to Bartolomaius' ''Logistica Mathematica''. Novitiates soon learn they must show administrative aptitude if they hope to advance through the ranks.

Once considered battlefield ready, they graduate to the rank of initiate, and are issued carapace armour. In the first few years after the chapter's arrival in Thonis they were only used as a reserve that was only called upon when the need was desperate, since the chapter considered it inefficient to throw its less durable trainees into serious firefights. Consequently, initiates were generally given garrison duties and other auxiliary tasks. The strictness with which this approach was applied waned as the chapter's numbers recovered. Some have even joked that between the stability of the XIII geneseed and a newfound willingness to make use of initiates on the battlefield, the chapter may one day have more auxilia than Astartes.

Once an initiate has been given their final implants they are assigned to one of the reserve companies. Here, surrounded by more experienced marines, they will learn to master one specific role (such as Intercessor, Aggressor, Infiltrator, and so on). Over time they will be rotated through different reserve companies, until eventually they have mastered all the forms of war practised by the Astartes. At this point, most will be given the honour of joining one of the battle companies. Those that show a particular gift for infiltration will be assigned to the 10th Company's Vanguard, and will spend the bulk of their career in Phobos plate.

Any marine who proves their valour and skill may one day hope to be elevated to the veteran ranks of the First Company, whose venerable warriors are generally divided among the various active battlegroups so that they are better able to share their knowledge.

===The Twofold Path===
Once a brother has been elevated into the battle companies, there are several routes to further advancement and greater personal glory. If they show spectacular aptitude for the martial virtues, they may pursue such honoured roles as membership of the Bladeguard, a position as a company ancient, or service in the First Company. Alternatively, if their martial talents are merely acceptable but their political nous is exemplary, they may pursue an Honorary Praetorship such that they can function as an ambassador and intermediary between the chapter and other Imperial institutions, as well as administrators of the chapter's domains. Only masters of the twofold path - both martial and political - can truly hope to be given a true Praetorship, or a position in the Reclusiam.

Those who do well in their Praetorships can expect, if they live long enough, to progress to a Consulship and command of their own company. Those who are too hobbled by injuries and whose bodies reject grafts and bionics tend to retain their Praetorships and serve in a purely political fashion, or as a strategic advisor and attaché to other Imperial forces the Scions are working with. In this way, the number of Praetors far exceeds the 20 lieutenants one would expect to see in a strict observance of the Codex Astartes.

==Chapter Structure==
[[File:drusus.png|250px|right|link=[[Tiberius Drusus]]|Chapter Master Tiberius Drusus]]
===Chapter Command===
The following individuals are known members of the Cobalt Scions' leadership.
* Dictator [[Tiberius Drusus]], Chapter Master
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian
* Consul Quintus Tarentian, Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions First Company|First Company]]
* Consul Gaius Fabian, Captain of the Second Company
* Consul [[Martellus Lucullus]], Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]]

===Chapter Companies===
* [[Cobalt Scions First Company|1st Company]]: the veterans. Squads from this company are often attached to other forces to share their experience and aid with further training for their brothers.
* 2nd-5th Companies: the battle companies. All members are expected to know how to operate in any battlefield role, including vehicle crew, and in any armour pattern. The company captain decides on the mixture of 5 and 10 man squads. Squads may be temporarily divided between (for example) forming a three man fire team and a two man vehicle crew.
* 6th -9th Companies: the reserve companies. Members are only adept at certain battlefield roles, with each squad always performing a consistent role. When their sergeant judges that a marine has mastered their current role, they are rotated out to another squad to begin learning a new one.
* 10th Company: The Vanguard. These are the Chapter's clandestine experts, and forego the traditional blue armour in favour of camouflage. Technically, this company also contains the Initiate Auxilia, meaning that this is the only company with over a hundred members. That the Auxilia are attached to this company is largely to give lip service to the Codex; in reality they are essentially two unrelated organisations.

====The Initiate Auxilia====
When the Cobalt Scions arrived in Thonis, the chapter was badly depleted. As such, their equivalent of the Scout Company did not perform the traditional infiltration duties seen in other chapters. As their name suggests, when deployed they were used for auxiliary duties such as guard duty, where they would get some combat experience, but generally with the added benefit of heavy cover. Only in extremis were they committed to the front line, as the needless loss of an initiate was considered wasteful, particularly with the chapter so under-strength. The bulk of an initiate's time was therefore spent in training.

With the chapter now back to full strength, however, there is an increasing willingness to use the auxilia when tactically expedient. This is the source of some friction within chapter command, who do not all share the view that it is wise to risk wasting promising trainees, or that it is acceptable to take advantage of the Codex Astartes' lack of hard limit on the number of scouts a chapter is permitted to have in active service at any one time.

===Honorary Praetors===
An Honorary Praetorship is not a military rank but a political one, and could even be held by a battle brother. Honorary Praetors form a cadre of the chapter's most able negotiators and orators, dedicated to inspiring traditional virtues and compliance among other Imperial institutions. There are naturally those who argue this constitutes the chapter at its most meddlesome, and certain institutions do not look kindly on some post-human warrior interfering in their business. The Cobalt Scions take this as an additional challenge, and seek to prove their utility, although the petty ambitions of lesser men regularly contrive to make it appear that the Scions are pursuing power for power's sake in clear contravention of the Emperor's original intent for the Astartes.

[[File:priahad.png|250px|right]]
===The Azarian Guard===
This brotherhood of warriors is the Cobalt Scions' equivalent of the Chapter's Honour Guard. They can also be referred to as the Chapter Master's Bladeguard, and exist outside the company structure. They do not have squads, and bear heraldry of the individual rather than the unit. To join them is to foresake the right to seek a command position within the chapter, and to become truly dedicated to pursuing martial prowess. Answerable only to the Chapter Master and the Reclusiam's Master of Sanctity, they serve to protect the virtue of humility within a chapter that might otherwise encourage personal ambition to a dangerous extent. They explicitly have permission to criticise and mock officers, and cannot be censured by any but the Chapter Master or Master of Sanctity for doing so. If they decide to follow an officer to war, however, they must follow the officer's commands precisely during engagements. If a Consul or Praetor wants the aid of the Azarian Guard on a mission, he cannot requisition them; instead, he must petition them. Likewise, Azarian Guards are permitted to turn up unannounced and accompany a strike force if they deem the mission interesting.

====Origins of the Azarian Guard====
Lieutenant Azarias was one of the few Azure Drakes officers to survive the [[The Nova Tarentis Massacre|Nova Tarentis Massacre]]. Following the incorporation of the surviving Drakes into the Cobalt Scions, Azarias took an oath to protect his new chapter master with his life. Coming from a very different chapter culture, he refused to conduct himself in the refined style of the Scions, often mocking others and then challenging them when they failed to mock him back. Amused by this upstart and keen to temper the egos of his senior staff, Chapter Master Drusus instructed Azarias to create his own semi-autonomous brotherhood of up to thirty warriors. Azarias himself was slain protecting Drusus two years later during the reclamation of Raxis Minor, but the Azarian Guard, then numbering seven brothers, remained. Their numbers have since grown, and a number of onetime Azure Drakes use this brotherhood as a way to keep some of their chapter cult alive.

====Known Azarian Guards====
'''Brother Priahad'''

Brother Priahad's helm bears a gold skull, indicating that he is serving as the temporary leader of his fellow Bladeguard. In this way, Cobalt Scions officers know who to direct their commands to. The skull itself is not a permanent fixture but a badge that can be easily removed and passed to another bladeguard between engagements.

His left pauldron bears the chapter icon. It is presented in gold so as to evoke a shield, representing the bladeguard's commitment to safeguarding the Chapter Master. His right pauldron bears his individual heraldry, evoking a deed or quest he has undertaken that his fellow veterans regard as worthy. It shows the four stars of Thonicia, in reference to the vow Priahad enacted to visit every inhabited world in the sprawling home system and provide unexpected aid to those in need.

The tilting plate on his chest bears the ghostly image of a wyrm, and the chapter colour of the Azure Drakes, indicating that he is one of the original members of the now-defunct chapter. The wyrm is presented in a ghostly manner to reference the lingering spirits of his dead brothers.

'''Brother Katumaros'''

The golden skull on Katumaros' tilting plate indicates that he was once an officer. Counter-intuitively, he wears this as a mark of shame; as the fleet master who couldn't bring reinforcements to rescue his brothers in time, he is wracked by guilt and joined the Azarian Guard to ensure he could never rise to a position of command again. Despite a storied career prior to the Nova Tarentis Massacre, he considers his old achievements dead, and as such, his right pauldron remained devoid of heraldry until saving Techmagos Osmal Qvoll from an assassination attempt by [[the Thirteenth Talon]]. After that, his pauldron was adorned with a split motif, with a shielf on one side, and the Cog Mechanicus on the other.

'''Brother Galadoc'''

A mere brother in the Azure Drakes' 8th reserve company when his Chapter was destroyed, Galadoc has only recently joined the Azarian Guard. Like Priahad, his tilting plate features a ghostly image, this time of a dragon's head, commemorating his deceased captain, who he revered. His right pauldron bears the symbol of the Inquisition silhouetted by a shield, commemorating the vow he took to rescue [[Inquisitor Michael]] and his ship the''Accipiter'' after it was boarded by orks during the invasion of Aetonia in [[Eressus]]. After he defeated the heavily armoured ork leading the boarding party, he saved not only Michael himself, but the Chapter's Judiciar, who had been laid low in the fighting.

On his arm, he also bears a rosary once carried by one of the Drakes' chaplains. Galadoc's keen observance of the rites and rituals of his old chapter cult was one of the factors in his acceptance into the Azarian Guard, even though in theory martial prowess should be the only factor.

[[File:tolemias.png|250px|right|link=[[Tolemias]]]]

===The Librarius===
The Cobalt Scions place great stock in the prognostications of psykers, both their own and in the wider Imperium, and will often consult with astropaths, navigators and their own librarians to establish what if anything may be predicted about impending engagements and enemies. In battle, Cobalt Scions Librarians act as dictated by the Codex, employing whichever warp powers their minds are best suited to.

'''Known Librarians'''
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian.
* [[Tolemias]], Codicier.

'''The Thonician Oracles'''

Among the Chapter's most closely guarded secrets are the Oracles, a matriarchal order of seers that have quietly persisted in Thonicia since pre-Imperial times. At various times the Ordo Hereticus have attempted to purge them, but have never managed to wipe them out entirely. The Oracles became known to the Cobalt Scions some time after they arrived in the system, though whether they were discovered or even sought out the Scions is unknown. How the ancient traditions of the Oracles enable them to resist warp corruption is also unknown, as is the extent to which the Cobalt Scions place their faith in them.

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===The Phratry Munitorus===
If the Cobalt Scions' techmarines can make one honest boast, it is the speed and efficiency with which they can erect fortifications and other structures. The Phratry Munitorus (rough Low Gothic translation: the kinship/tribe of builders/engineers) serves the same purpose as a normal Chapter Armourium, but with the added responsibility of assisting with the integration of defences with civic infrastructure. To this end, the techmarines are not just supported by serfs and servitors, but also by human techpriests and architects. Chief among such human followers is Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the chapter's head architect. She is given near-equal standing to the Master of the Forge, and oversees a substantial and growing staff working on the construction of the chapter's fortress monastery and the more general defence enhancements of Thonicia.

When the chapter goes to war, it brings a substantial support staff of humans and servitors tasked with the rapid construction of defences, bridges, field hospitals, and whatever else might swing the Imperium's chances in any given theatre. A supply of prefabricated structures is also brought along for time-critical projects. Encampments are often built along standardised lines, ensuring that personnel familiar with one Scions base are familiar with them all. It has been pointed out by other chapters that this is a strategic vulnerability, but the Scions prefer the speed that comes with familiarity, and are convinced they will be able to adapt on a tactical level to counter this strategic weakness.

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[[File:Aristander.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Sedayus Aristander====
In addition to his regular duties tending to the Cobalt Scions' wargear and vehicles, Brother-Techmarine Sedayus Aristander is an obsessive sculptor, creating busts and statues for the Chapter's various reliquaries and memorials of fallen comrades. In theory, such devotional artworks are the domain of the human artisans of the Phratry Munitorus. While his fellow techmarines' non-military endeavours would generally be limited to designing architecture that serves to inspire as well as defend, Aristander argues that art serves as a major political tool. His defence is halfhearted, however; in truth he sculpts because he enjoys it. As he sees it, the sculptor's challenge is not merely to perfectly replicate their subject's features, but to capture their character. If that happens to serve the political goal of showing the Thonician populace what has been sacrificed for their safety, then that is merely a useful bonus.

He worked at his craft throughout the Chapter's time in the Indomitus Crusade, and yet more since the Scions' arrival in Thonis. Many consider him an excellent craftsman, but he remains unsatisfied, knowing that decades of practice are required to achieve true mastery. His obsession makes him a withdrawn figure who never takes a joke well. Nonetheless, he enjoys a measure of popularity, for all who walk in the Chapter's mausoleum are grateful to look upon the faces of their fallen brothers.

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[[File:hadrios_kelsus.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Hadrios Kelsus====
While Kelsus is perfectly willing to perform his vehicle maintenance duties between engagements, he rarely does so in combat. This is because Hadrios Kelsus is, and always has been, obsessed with the use of large guns. He generally finds an excuse to bring a servo turret on all deployments, and at the first sign of the enemy, gleefully mounts up to provide his brothers with fire support. It has been suggested that he should consider how to advance through the techmarines' ranks, for instance by creating political ties to local Mechanicus personnel. He is, however, far more interested in tinkering with guns in the Chapter's armoury.

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====The Chapter Armoury====
Members of the battle companies all have basic training in crewing the vehicles employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 9th Company, although the bulk of the crewing is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

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[[File:boriels_wrath.png|250px|left]]
=====Repulsor Executioner ''Boriel's Wrath''=====
This tank is named after a Dark Angel biker who aided a group of Scions pinned down by a force of Emperor's Children Heretic Astartes. Driving to good vantage points and providing pinpoint positional data, then moving on before the traitors could corner him, Boriel's actions allowed the Scions to fight clear of the trap. Tragically, they never met him in person; he was finally cornered by a squad of noise marines who, enraged by his efforts, beat him to death with their sonic blasters.

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===The Fleet===
When founded, the Scions had only six strike cruisers and a single battle barge: the ''Reason Inviolate''. Following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, the Azure Drakes' fleet -- far less damaged than the chapter it served -- was folded into the Scions' fleet. Consequently they went from having barely enough capital ships to deploy the chapter to having, arguably, an excess that they should have donated to other Indomitus Founding chapters. The Scions claim to make good use of their fleet assets given that it has enabled them to expand the capabilities of the Phratry Munitorus, with every Scions capital ship being well supplied with the engineers and materiel to respond to the humanitarian requirements of a warzone, as well as prefab fortifications, bridges, and other infrastructural elements. The Scions brush off criticisms that this exceeds the remit of the Adeptus Astartes by reciting the old adage that wars are won with logistics, and that a population protected is a rebellion prevented.

In addition to having holds full of infrastructural material, Cobalt Scions capital ships all have small manufactories capable of producing and repairing Astartes wargear and vehicles, albeit far more slowly than the Chapter Forge on Thonis. This is a hangover from when the chapter was fleet based during the Indomitus Crusade. It is a functionality they have deliberately maintained afterwards so as to reduce their dependence on supply lines.

The chapter has also attracted further criticism for employing several squadrons of the controversial Nova class frigate, which some say Astartes have no need of unless they're expecting to instigate naval battles without the assistance of the Imperial Navy.

Like many (if not most) Astartes fleets, the ships are crewed and captained by humans, although even an Astartes Sergeant is considered to outrank a ship captain as regards the chain of command. What with the fleet regularly returning to Thonis, the crew are given the option of having their families aboard their ship or in terrestrial housing. The family of slain personnel are given a stipend by the chapter, money which originally is taken from the financial tithe the Scions collect from their home system. While living conditions aboard the chapter's vessels are superior to the average ship of the Imperial Navy, expectations are high. Any personnel found wanting are rarely given second chances, and if lucky will get away simply with being discharged without a pension. Of course, incompetent crew can still offer dependable service when sent to the tech-priests for ''conversion,'' serving as a grim reminder to their former crewmates of the price of laxity. Those who have actively transgressed face even worse fates, up to and including a one-way trip to the great arena at Heracleion.

====Current Fleet Assets====
=====Battle Barges=====
*''Reason Inviolate'', the flagship. Constructed to default specifications during the Primaris project, prior to the chapter having a name or an identity. The Scions have since made it their own, modifying a number of its orbital launch bays for the deployment of Phratry Munitorus assets. The vessel served throughout the Scions' participation in the Indomitus Crusade, but the scars it gained during those battles have long since been removed.
*''Tarasc'', (1)(2) the one-time flagship of the Azure Drakes. There is a hall, deep in the ship's core, that serves as a hall of remembrance. There is a plaque on the wall for every Azure Drakes warrior who died in the Nova Tarentis Massacre, commemorating their noblest deeds. Above the hall's threshold is engraved the legend: ''In memory of those I could not save.''

=====Strike Cruisers=====
*''Alium'' (2)
*''Axios''. Deployments include the [[Raid on Lachesis]].
*''Azhdaha'' (1)(2)
*''Deliverance'' (2)
*''Dutiful''
*''Erenkyl'' (1)(2)
*''Illuyaka'' (1)
*''Preceptor''. Deployments include [[the Andaras Affair]].
*''Mater Accipitrum'' (2)
*''Redemption''. (2) Captured as a prize from renegade Astartes in the battle of Zarinth V during the Indomitus Crusade.
*''Vritra''

(1): Originally from the Azure Drakes' fleet.

(2): Currently away from the Eridani Sector on Crusade.

=====Escorts=====

The precise disposition of the Scions' flotilla of frigates and destroyers is unknown, but the number of escorts in their fleet is growing significantly now that the Keraphon Shipyards of Delta Thonicia have been upgraded. A number of these ships are purely for the defence of the sprawling Thonicia system, and the Chapter does not have enough Navigators to guide them through the warp even if they wanted to leave.

=====The ''Mater Castellorum''=====

Archmagos Felicita Morleio is the de facto head of the Phratry Munitorus, despite not being an Astartes. The ''Mater Castellorum'' is her fabrication ark, a capital-class auxiliary vessel originally used to transport the materiel needed to lay the groundwork for the Scions' Fortress-Monastery. Even before the ark finished deploying its contents planetside, Morleio was thinking about how such a vessel might be used afterwards. Once the vessel had finished deploying its original payload, she dispatched it to [[Thonis#Delta_Thonicia_VIII_Gamma:_Keraphon | Keraphon]] to undergo an extensive refit.

The vessel retained its fleet of bulk lifters, and sacrificed some of its kilometers of storage to house manufactories. While all Scions vessels are designed to enable a certain amount of infrastructural aid to Imperial colonies, the newly-refitted ''Mater Castellorum'' carries tens of thousands of workers, artisans and techpriests along with the materiel they need to enact widespread repairs and construction projects. Consul Tarentian once joked that if battles are won with marines and wars won with logistics, the ''Mater Castellorum'' is a weapon of mass construction.

=====The Thonician defence fleet=====

Upon arriving at Thonis, the Scions quickly enlarged their system defence fleet (i.e. naval vessels lacking a warp drive) by initiating a series of boarding actions on the system's pirates rather than destroying them. These mismatched vessels would serve in the short term, but Thonicia is a vast area compared to most star systems, and a more regimented fleet of substantial size would be required so that the Scions chapter fleet would be free to go where it was needed.

This need culminated in the design and production of the Warden class heavy frigate. Similar in design to other Astartes escorts, but with a larger hold suitable for the redeployment of key resources or personnel within the system as needed, these heavy frigates are quicker to produce than cruisers, and more flexible in their applications, having been designed as just about capable of planetary landings on any world of 1.3G or less. While it would be possible to fit them with warp drives, this would greatly increase production time and cost. For now, the priority is to stamp out as many as possible to ensure the safety of the home system.

[[File:stormtalon.png|250px|right]]
=====Gunships, interceptors and other ordnance=====
Operating a fleet of gunships out of a ship in orbit means craft have less time to spend on station, and use far more fuel. Being logistically minded, the Cobalt Scions are always keen to ensure their FOBs can be deployed at great speed, and within hours will have the fuel and ammunition at hand to resupply gunships operating in support of ground units. Members of the battle companies all have basic training in piloting aircraft employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 8th Company, although the bulk of the piloting is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

=History=
==Founding==
Guilliman's major concern about Cawl's artificially indoctrinated primaris marines was their lack of real combat experience, so he decided to form the Scions' senior leadership from veterans of the Ultramarines' 1st Company. A call for volunteers went out.

Encouraged by Calgar's survival of the Rubicon Primaris, Aelius Justarian and his squad stepped up. Their idea was that each of them would be a company captain, forming a group of officers who already knew and respected each other. Guilliman, Calgar and Captain Agemman accepted their proposal, and the ten brothers eagerly submitted themselves to the process, nodding confidently as the risks of the process were explained to them.

In their optimism they hoped they might all survive; the process was becoming less risky with time, but in reality, six brothers died. Sergeant Justarian was among them.

The four survivors had known it was possible some of their brothers might not survive the process. They had lost brothers in the past. Astartes are indoctrinated to process the grief when a brother falls in combat. If anything, it strengthens their resolve. But the survivors learned that losing a brother in combat and losing an uninjured brother to the operating table are two very different things. This new form of grief ate away at them.

The chaplains tried tending to the brothers' spiritual wounds, but old Cassius refused to let them languish in mourning. Success, he told them, is meaningless without adversity. Still despondent at the loss but obedient nonetheless, the four brothers prepared for their voyage across the galaxy to rendezvous with their new chapter in the Sol system. They sought guidance from Calgar, Agemman, and other senior Ultramarines while their new armour was forged. They spoke to political leaders and logisticians, shipmasters and tech-magi, trying to learn what they could, still lamenting the loss of wise Justarian and the others.

When their new Mk.X armour was ready, they entered the Fortress of Hera and donned the unpainted suits for the first time. After so many decades as Ultramarines, it was a strange thing for them to see each other wearing unpainted armour. As they stood there exchanging uncertain glances, they were approached by Sinon, Captain of the Ninth and Master of Relics, who presented them with four master-crafted power swords in honour of their service with the Ultramarines. It was a welcome and tangible connection to their past.

On the journey to Sol, they occupied themselves by debating how they might go about organising their new chapter. Quintus Tarentian and Gaius Fabian favoured adhering strictly to the updated Codex Astartes, while Tiberius Drusus and Martellus Lucullus argued that it didn't map well onto purely primaris chapters.

Unable to agree on how far to stray from the wisdom of the Codex, they turned their attention to what they thought would be the less contentious question of naming the chapter. They soon learned that much rests in a name, and many names are unfit for purpose. Nothing sounded right. At one point, Tarentian confessed that after days of considering monikers for the new chapter, even the honoured name of the Ultramarines sounded foolish. “It is a pun!" he exclaimed, agast. “Or perhaps a declaration that we think ourselves above other chapters." The other three looked at him, appalled by this heresy.

“On the contrary, brother," Drusus replied, “I believe Ultramar to be a word from Ancient Terra describing an empire that stretches across an ocean. In this instance, the void is the ocean, the Five Hundred Worlds the empire. The suffix ''-ines'' must simply indicate that we are men of that great empire. Surely, therefore, the word Ultramar preceded the word Ultramarines? You're putting the artillery train before the tractor."

“Let us pretend I said nothing," Tarentian said, clearly troubled.

It was Lucullus who spoke next. “If we should decide to break with some edicts of the Codex, it would seem all the more important to remember our point of origin. A new chapter has no history, but the Thirteenth Legion and all its successors have ten millennia of it. What if our heraldry echoes that? Our chapter symbol could be a cobalt fist, as if to show one of the Gauntlets of Ultramar."

“That is not a name, Martellus, that is a badge," Fabian said. The others laughed.

Never one to enjoy a joke at his expense, Lucullus doubled down. “It's the idea I'm driving at. Make a point of upholding our identity as scions of Ultramar."

“The Scions of Ultramar is quite the mouthful," Tarentian said.

“The Cobalt Scions," Drusus said. The four of them were silent for a moment. Tarentian, for whom everything now sounded wrong, opened his mouth to speak. Fabian cut him off. “I like it," Fabian said.

“As do I," Lucullus added.

Tarentian frowned, then shrugged. “I am pleased this task is done."

After much debate the four brothers also agreed on their roles. Someone with a willingness to embrace the unfamiliar would be needed to form a new chapter, and so Tiberius Drusus would serve as chapter master. It helped that he was the most learned among them. To keep Drusus grounded, the traditionally-minded Tarentian would assume command of the 1st company, and Fabian would take the 2nd. Martellus Lucullus, Drusus' fellow advocate for new ways, would helm the 3rd.

To find the other seven captains, they would have to screen Cawl's unnaturally trained creations to see if any among them had the wit for independent thought.

When the four brothers eventually reached the Sol system they found a fleet of unnamed ships waiting for them in Mars' crowded dockyards. Inside, a chapter of new marines slept in stasis. Neither ships nor men bore heraldry. Drusus and his brothers had understood the scale of the task ahead in theory, but found the reality somewhat daunting. They were veterans of combat, not leadership. Who were they to step into the shoes of their betters and start from the very beginning?

The four brothers toured the fleet and its crews. They went to see the stasis chambers, and the marines inside. An army of techpriests, artisans and servitors awaited Drusus' signal to begin.

Drusus wanted the chapter to wake up to some sense of heritage, so the artisans were set to work first, applying heraldry to empty racks of armour. Ships were named. The four brothers met with the fleet's human officers, many of whom were decorated volunteers from the Imperial Navy.

When all was prepared, Drusus gave authorisation to wake the chapter.

They soon learned that the indoctrinated marines had names from their previous lives, but all were uncertain how many of their memories were real, and how many implanted. They all thought they remembered lives in Ultramar, and so the four brothers found some common ground with them. Even so, the marines knew little of the modern Imperium. Some spoke of the secular Imperial Truth promulgated in the days of the Great Crusade. The four brothers realised that bringing these men into the 42nd Millennium would involve significant culture shock. Worse yet, they had been indoctrinated to fulfill a single role, rather than having the flexibility of a marine who had worked their way through the ranks.

In the short term, Drusus and the others would simply have to accept Cawl's inflexible progeny and work with them as best they could. The Cobalt Scions fleet began its maiden voyage out of Sol and towards the nearest prong of the Indomitus Crusade.

==The Cobalt Scions in the Indomitus Crusade==
Over the next few decades, the Scions slowly morphed in the direction the four brothers intended. While in transit between warzones, squads were trained in other methods of warfare. Hellblaster units learned to use bolt rifles, Intercessors learned how to move in gravis armour, and so on. Like many of the all-primaris chapters, they took higher casualties early on in the Crusade, and despite occasional reinforcements from Mars, eventually found themselves able to field only 780 combat-ready marines, and it was at this depleted level that they met with their greatest disaster.

===The Nova Tarentis Massacre===
A prosperous world of significant agricultural and mineral output, Nova Tarentis was crucial to trade within its area of the Segmentum Pacificus, and an obvious target for the archenemy. Traitor Guard and Dark Mechanicum forces attacked in strength, and pleas for aid were made. Keen to prevent a cascade of infrastructural failure, the full Azure Drakes chapter was deployed with four companies of Cobalt Scions in support. The Drakes' chapter master, Sorkhos Danithor, committed to a full orbital assault, giving the enemy on the ground little time to react.

Once the bulk of the Drakes and Scions units had launched from their vessels, however, drive cores began to kindle all around Nova Tarentis' planetary rings. A substantial force of Black Legionnaires, thousands strong, had lain the perfect trap. Extracting the deployed troops would take hours, so Danithor - now trapped on the surface with the rest of his chapter - ordered the fleet to break orbit and seek reinforcements, rather than engaging in an unwinnable fight. Nonetheless, a small number of the fleet's capital ships were caught and destroyed as they raced for the system's Mandeville Point.

With their fleet gone, the loyal Astartes fought on as the traitors made planetfall. The fighting was brutal, but ultimately the Drakes and Scions were in an impossible position, hunted by a superior foe and lacking crucial supplies thanks to the loss of their orbital support.

Danithor orchestrated several breakout attempts, reasoning that asymmetric guerrilla warfare might allow more of his forces to survive until reinforcements arrived, but the Black Legion's noose proved too tight. Slowly, the Astartes army lost ground. When the Azure Drakes fleet returned with reinforcements, it was too late to meaningfully save the chapter. Fewer than a hundred Drakes were still alive.

As soon as the heretics' scout vessels spotted the incoming Imperial fleet in the system's outer reaches, the Black Legion began evacuating, their mission a total success. They had slain over a thousand loyalist marines, and had taken favourable casualties.

The final blow was, perhaps, the bitterest. During the enemy's final assault, Danithor noted enemy bombardments on the Imperial formations either side of his position, but none on his own. When enemy veterans in terminator plate teleported down behind him, preventing retreat, he realised all to late that they intended to take him alive. In his last recorded communication, he passed command to the most senior Imperial commander left - a Cobalt Scions reserve sergeant - before taking his own life. Frustrated, the Black Legion veterans butchered his retinue, but left empty handed. It mattered not; the Azure Drakes were gone in all but name. The few survivors were folded into the Cobalt Scions, along with their remaining fleet assets. Some were unhappy to muddy the chapter's culture with the more bellicose Drakes, but none would have seen the survivors cast adrift. The legacy of the Drakes would live on as one of a number of fraternities that a Cobalt Scion might choose to join upon inculcation into the Chapter.

While the Crusade continued to spread out through the galaxy, it was decided that the Scions needed to recover from their losses. Between the attrition of Crusading, and the hundreds of losses incurred on Nova Tarentis, the chapter was now reduced to around a third of its original fighting strength. The time had come for the Scions to go and recuperate on [[Thonis]], the world designated as their new home by Guilliman.

[[File:Cobalt_scions_heavy_intercessor.png|600px|center]]

===The Reclamation of Raxis Minor===
On their way to Thonis, the Scions received a distress call from the agri-world of Raxis Minor. While in theory the Scions were supposed to make all haste to their new homeworld, Drusus refused to ignore such pleas and directed the chapter fleet to alter course. Upon arrival the Scions found the defenders had been overwhelmed by Heretic Astartes of the Iron Warriors Legion. Reconnaissance revealed that the enemy numbered at or below company strength, with substantial mortal auxiliary forces. But even with the chapter at half strength and still suffering low morale following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, Drusus judged that his chapter would be more than strong enough to rally the tattered remains of the planet's defence forces. He split the fleet into three formations and approached the planet from different directions, forcing the Iron Warriors' smaller fleet to try and fight their way clear of the tightening blockade. Badly outnumbered, the Iron Warriors ships were cornered and destroyed, trapping the remaining Iron Warriors on the surface. The Cobalt Scions, hungry for revenge against the forces of Chaos, fell upon the planet with eagerness. There was no glory to be taken in vanquishing a foe so badly outnumbered, but there was some satisfaction to be had in restoring Imperial rule to a world in need of help.

When the Iron Warriors made their final stand, an undecipherable astropathic communication was sent from their command bunker. Fearing reprisal, Drusus committed his resources to reestablishing Imperial rule and improving Raxis Minor's defensive infrastructure. Foremost among this was the creation of several defensive hubs built at the centre of the main population centres with shielding and defensive batteries to defend against orbital assault. The Scions deployed hundreds of servitor-crewed machines to expedite construction, and after only four months' work, Raxis Minor's defences had become substantially easier to hold. Leaving the locals to complete the work, the fleet continued on its journey to their new home.

==A new homeworld==
When it was designated as the Scions' homeworld, [[Thonis]] was far from any active warzones. Situated in the [[Eridani Sector]] of the [[Segmentum Pacificus]], it was Guilliman's intent that the Scions would further strengthen a relatively stable part of the Imperium. Some whispered that it was further evidence of Guilliman ensuring the Ultramarines' ascendancy, particularly given the cultural ties the First Four had sought to maintain.

Either way, none could gainsay the Lord Commander of the Imperium, and so the Scions' fleet made for Thonis. Drusus and the others knew relatively little about Thonis beside some centuries-old information about its major exports and government, but it seemed reasonable to assume the locals would be grateful for the protection of an Astartes Chapter. With four stars and a great many settled worlds, the Thonis system almost seemed like a sub-sector in itself.

[[File:Thonis_system_map.png|600px|center]]

The Scions fleet returned to Mars first. While ship repairs got underway, Chapter Master Drusus met with Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the fabricator-general Cawl had assigned to the chapter. She had been tasked with designing and overseeing the construction of the Scions' fortress monastery, and then remaining with the chapter for the rest of her life, tending to the fortress' manufactorums and forges. She seemed at peace with the notion that she would get to create this one great structure and then be relegated to its maintenance. Drusus, however, was far less willing than Cawl to waste human resources. He suggested that if she showed aptitude for architectural design and understood siegecraft sufficiently, there was every chance she could embark upon an indefinite number of projects across Thonis and the wider Eridani sector as the Scions established themselves.

In that moment, he won Morleio's undivided loyalty.

Everything that would be needed for the fortress monastery, save the stone and rockrete itself, had already been loaded onto Morleio's kilometers-long fabrication ark. The fleet, now repaired, broke orbit and made for the Eridani Sector.

==Arrival in Thonis==
The Imperial governor on Thonis had been told decades ago that a chapter called the Cobalt Scions were coming to live on the planet. That was it. No details, no instructions to make particular preparations. Simply that they were coming.

When a fleet of Astartes ships arrived claiming to be the Cobalt Scions, no one had any reason to doubt them.

The fleet moved straight through the Eridani sector and on to the Hasmides system in the neighbouring Achernar sector. There had been some civil unrest; bombings and the like. It was assumed the Scions intended to terrify the populace into compliance.

In reality, the individuals aboard the Astartes fleet had created the uprising. They were not the Cobalt Scions at all. They were the Word Bearers, six hundred of them, acting on the orders of Khairon. If Guilliman's sons were coming, the Word Bearers were keen to preemptively tarnish their good name and make it clear the Scions' very arrival would only bring suffering.

Hasmides offered little challenge to them.

A thousand light years away, the Scions' fleet approached in blissful ignorance.

With Hasmides' government and infrastructure in tatters, the Word Bearers returned to their ships to prepare their next blow. The Scions might not have been there to prevent the atrocity, but the wider Imperium did not leave it unpunished. As the Word Bearers fleet made all speed for the Hasmides system's Mandeville point so as to escape into the warp, they were intercepted by the full might of Battlefleet Achernar.

The ensuing [[Battle of Hasmides]] cost both fleets dearly, but ultimately the Word Bearers' fleet was so badly damaged that, while most of their Astartes survived, their ability to prosecute a full naval engagement was, for a time at least, nullified.

Ironically the Navy's victory at Hasmides was politically bad for the Cobalt Scions. Not only had their impending arrival attracted dangerous foes to a peaceful place, it wasn't even the Scions who saw them off. Furthermore Thonis' incumbent planetary governor, Lord Aderbal, was well regarded by his subjects. There was little appetite for change.

When the true Cobalt Scions fleet approached Thonis, they were bombarded with security questions, and requests that they remain at a distance until their identity could be verified. It was hardly the welcome the Scions had hoped for. Eventually, Thonis' modest orbital platforms cancelled their firing solutions and stood down. A lone Overlord-class gunship bore the first delegation of Cobalt Scions down to the verdant surface of their new homeworld.

Chapter Master Drusus expected Aderbal to unquestionably accept the Scions' clear right to rule the system. Drusus informed him that there would be a brief transition phase followed by significant reforms in which Aderbal's official title would change from Planetary Governor to Locutor of the Senate: a position Drusus assured him would be very important in the new regime.
[[File:Heracleion.png|400px|right]]
Given the choice between no power and some power, Aderbal was forced to accept Drusus' offer.

In his address during the ceremony in which the Sceptre of Heracleion, symbol of the capital, was to pass from Governor Aderbal to Dictator Drusus, the governor's wording carefully managed to remain obedient while subtly emphasising Drusus' status as a newcomer to an old world with a well-established culture.

The address set the tone for the months to come. The Scions were too terrifying for anyone to risk obvious dissent, but any request made to the government by an Astartes would mysteriously require more paperwork and bureaucracy than the same request made by a native official. If asked for an explanation, people would claim they were taking extra care that they did a good job, or would say they had heard Guilliman's sons encouraged detailed paperwork. The Scions came to be seen as a source of problems by the general populace. With no experience of nuanced public relations, Drusus and his captains were at a loss as to how to win their people over. They went on speaking tours, endeavouring to rouse the public with stilted recollections of their great victories in the Indomitus Crusade, but received only polite applause. They made suggestions to improve the efficiency of institutions, but were told said suggestions would reduce productivity even when it seemed clear this was not the case.

During those first few months, some of the Scions grew restive. They felt the battles they had fought deserved the respect of any Imperial citizen, and talk grew of taking a harsher line with the recalcitrant public. Tarentian in particular advocated for a more direct approach.

Lucullus disagreed. He argued that the harder they pushed, the harder the people would resist. Some would fall into line, of course, but there would also be dissent and perhaps even the fomenting of heresy.

Drusus, politically inexperienced, was indecisive as to whose approach he would implement, and changed his mind regularly. This in turn created a rift between him and Captain Fabian, who proclaimed that he didn't care which side Drusus took, only that he committed to a course of action. Fabian went to far as to suggest that if Drusus couldn't make such decisions, Fabian was happy to take his place. Fabian's insubordination outraged Tarentian, Lucullus, and the other captains. The argument served a purpose, at least. Drusus was at last moved to choose. He took Lucullus' cautious approach.

[[File:Thonis.png|400px|right]]

==The construction of the Fortress of Syrnum==
While the Scions struggled with the political landscape, Archmagos Morleio worked on her designs for the fortress-monastery. It was to be built in the hills above Heracleion, and would require surprisingly few homes to be demolished. Strangely, the news that five hundred families were to be given the honour of having their homes bulldozed for the fortress monastery wasn't met with the sort of gratitude the Scions expected. Citizens of Ultramar, the Scions reflected bitterly, would have been proud to give their land for such a purpose.

Morleio estimated the project would take three years before it would be usable, and more than that before it would reach its full potential. Work began to prepare the Syrnum hills as Morleio and Drusus spent many long days drawing up plans.

==Expanding the docks==
Work also began on enlarging Thonis' modest orbitals. In time, they would need to serve a full fleet of warships in addition to providing efficient trade berths. Where the Scions had failed to gain any political capital thus far, the trade-focussed Thonicians were keen on the idea of increased docking facilities and reduced piracy. Sensing an opportunity, Drusus made a series of speeches promising that within fifty years, Thonis would enjoy the protection and commerce of vast orbital facilities. Finally, the Scions had said something popular.

Naturally this meant the native politicians, still angry at their reduced autonomy, argued for increased influence in the design of the orbitals to ensure the opportunities for trade were maximised.

==Political reforms==
The nobles' request for greater influence was an overt challenge to Drusus' competence in terms of trade, and public perception was very much that a space marine couldn't possibly have the same expertise as the great trading houses of Thonis.

In a move that shocked the Thonician nobility, Drusus responded to their challenge with his first sign of political deftness.

Drusus declared that if the native politicians wanted a say in the Scions' construction projects, then apparently they had accepted the chapter was here to stay. It followed, therefore, they were ready for the political reforms Drusus had promised.

A senate was formed from the heads of the fifty most influential noble families. The senate's role would be to advise the Scions as to how they should proceed in matters of commerce and governance. One senator would be first among equals, and would present the senate's suggestions to the Dictator. This individual would be known as the Locutor, a position that would initially be taken by Lord Aderbal. Upon his death or dismissal, another senator would be elected by their peers to take his position.

The reforms went further still. Ten commoners would be chosen to represent the labourers. These ten Tribunes were to keep the Dictator and Senate informed of how their legislation was being received by the commoners. More importantly, if all ten Tribunes agreed, they had the power to veto new legislation. The veto could only be overruled by the dictator, or in the absence of the Dictator, by one of the chapter's lieutenants, all of whom held the honorific of Praetor.

Being a Praetor incorporated two main duties beyond an Astartes Lieutenant's combat role. One was to act as a diplomat or ambassador for their captain when on campaign, and the other, as intimated above, was to arbitrate on disagreements between the Senate and the Tribunate when at home. In this way, lieutenants gained extensive political experience in preparation for becoming a captain.

Captains, in turn, held the honorific of Consul. Being a Consul meant having the Dictator's blessing to instigate reforms of a planet's government if it was militarily advantageous to do so, up to and including its annexation. The wording of this rule was vague enough that neighbouring planetary governors began to issue complaints to the Adeptus Terra. Guilliman's sons were laying the illegal foundations of their own empire, the governors said. Months later, Guilliman provided a curt response: “Then do not give my sons cause to annex your planet."

This further stoked speculation that the Lord Commander took issue with the modern Imperium, but as yet no one was willing to risk secession.

While the heavy-handed reforms were obviously taking power from the ruling class and handing it to the Cobalt Scions, the nobles also realised that they were now competing with each other for places in the Senate. This broke their unity and revealed their selfishness for all to see, and the mere existence of the Tribunate empowered the bulk of the population far more than the previous regime, even if this was representation in name only.

Tiberius Drusus finally had the political situation working to his advantage.

==Initial Engagements==
The Scions soon learned of the Hasmides atrocity, but were reliant on the Inquisition for further intelligence as to where the Word Bearers might strike next.

In the interim, they had two priorities: rebuilding the chapter, and dealing with any lesser threats in their immediate area. Neighbouring systems, particularly those bordering the Scyrian Expanse, were suffering from frequent greenskin raids. The Scions set about crushing these lesser orkish warbands with relative ease, and cleared out several remote human pirate strongholds, all of which was well received by the Eridani Sector's border colonies, but was of little relevance to the people of Thonis.

As for rebuilding the chapter, the Scions embarked on a major recruitment drive in Thonis. They asked for volunteers only, but the financial support they offered volunteers' families meant that a noticeable percentage of the adolescent aspirants clearly had no desire to be there.

Despite these issues, the Scions soon had a good number of scouts in training, and with at least half the chapter stationed at Thonis at any given moment there were always plenty of instructors available. A major difficulty, of course, was that most of the instructors had never been scouts themselves. Many of the initial recruits were pushed too hard, or were simply not trained effectively, and it took some time before the first generation of aspirants - those that survived - started to make good progress.

===The Andaras Affair===
The [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] are sent to end an ork raid on [[Andaras]]. Their intervention reveals the presence of both aeldari and a genestealer cult infestation, prompting a brief but explosive campaign that ultimately results in the xenos escaping, but the colony being made safe.

Further reading: [[The Andaras Affair]], and Consul Lucullus' [[notes on the Andaran Operation]].

===The Season of Fire===
The Cobalt Scions are pulled from one side of the [[Iolan Reaches]] to the other as xenos raids increase in both variety and intensity. The Scions are broadly successful in engaging a number of these threats, but ultimately the [[Starborn Souls]] prove almost impossible to stamp out, despite successful purges on multiple worlds.

Further reading: the [[Season of Fire]].

===The Raid on Lachesis===
[[Tolemias]] of the Librarius foretells of a Word Bearers raid on [[Lachesis]]. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] leads a force drawn largely from the Third Company and arrives before the Word Bearers. Despite sustaining several injuries, Drusus and Tolemias succeed in thwarting the Word Bearers' scheme to turn the planet's smallest moon into a stable warp gate, but at the cost of all three of the planet's Psykana holding towers.

The raid exposes the presence of not just Word Bearers, but a Night Lords warband of [[the Thirteenth Talon]] and another warband of the Red Corsairs. Following the Word Bearers' retreat, Drusus tracks the Night Lords back to their base of operations and attempts, with the help of [[Taliesin]] of Iybraesil, to destroy it. The base is a death trap, and the attack is a costly failure. The episode casts a pall over the broader success of the Lachesian situation, and the Night Lords escape the Chapter's clutches.

Further reading: the [[Raid on Lachesis]].

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:cobalt_scions_techmarine.png|600px|center]]

==Recuperation==
Aside from continued efforts to catch [[the Thirteenth Talon]] of the Night Lords, the Chapter as a whole enjoys a period of only minor engagements. The Fortress of Syrnum is now both defensible and adequately functional, but Morleio is far from finished with it. She begins the first of many planned expansions by expanding further underground, increasing the Chapter Forge's capacity without compromising the city above.

During this period, Thonician scouts begin passing into the reserve companies, rapidly recovering the Chapter's numbers.

===Trade with Iphara===
As construction of the Chapter Forge nears completion, the final stage is to create the large and costly means to produce tactical dreadnought armour. To this end, a small team of Praetors are convened to travel to [[Iphara]] and compete with other Imperial organisations for a modest share of the adamantium being mined in the newly compliant world. With demand for the metal being so high, negotiations are tough, particularly given the questionable need for terminator plate given the ready availability of gravis-pattern armour. The Praetors ultimately only secure a modest shipment, but it is enough to begin forging a tiny number of suits.

==The Ephramundi Daemonic Incursion==
A distress call is issued by the planet [[Ephramundi]] after [[A Minor Heresy]] causes a scattered but planetwide daemonic incursion. With small rifts popping up in seemingly random locations, and the agri-world being a key source of food to other worlds in the [[Kapran sub]], Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus|Drusus]] orders the largest mass deployment in the Chapter's history, with eight full companies dispatched to contain the problem without having to sacrifice Imperial Guard assets that may later be needed for more conventional wars.

Two companies are left to guard Thonicia, and the rest of the fleet get underway with all haste. The plan is to hold out until Grey Knights can arrive to seal the largest breaches. Using drop pods and other rapid response assets, the operation contains most of the daemonic breaches, preventing the sort of governmental collapse common in such incursions. This success has a cost; marines thrown into rapid response operations against an unpredictable foe comes with predictable losses in both men and materiel. By the time the Grey Knights arrive, the Scions have lost 162 marines, their greatest loss since the massacre on Nova Tarentis. The Scions still consider it a success given the value of the planet, and the vast wastage in conventional forces that would have been required to achieve the same result.

Unfortunately, these losses mean they are temporarily less than well prepared for any unexpected invasions elsewhere in the region.

==The Tyranid Invasion of Melia's Reach==
Even as the Scions await the arrival of the Grey Knights on Ephramundi, word is sent to [[Martellus Lucullus]] of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]] that a Tyranid invasion is underway on [[Melia's Reach]]. Lucullus' company has taken 40% casualties, but he petitions Drusus to be sent as a vanguard to try and slow the Tyranids' advance long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Reluctantly convinced that the warning can be trusted - it is sent by the aeldari Farseer [[Host Taliesin of Iybraesil|Taliesin]] - Drusus permits Lucullus to depart aboard the ''Preceptor''.

The Third Company task force arrive to find the local Planetary Defence Force (PDF) in a shambles, and the Governor entirely unfamiliar with the nature of the xenos. In the week that follows, the Space Defence Force are revealed to have been corrupted by Genestealers, and - despite the aid of Taliesin's own troops - the Tyranids continue their advance. Lucullus' efforts to reorganise and reinforce the PDF are eventually successful in helping the locals hold the line on their own, but an assassination attempt by a Lictor renders him unable to witness this success firsthand.

With Lucullus in a coma, Lieutenant Antigonus Nerva assumes command of the strike force, and accompanies Taliesin into Tyranid territory in a desperate joint operation to destroy the hive's primary hatcheries by triggering a volcanic event.

The operation is a success.

Sadly, strategic victory has come too late, and the Tyranids are now numerous and widely established. Unable to reinforce using the rest of the chapter, the Scions instead commit to a massed deployment of the Initiate Auxilia, with scouting teams spreading out into Tyranid-contaminated zones and calling out targets for orbital and aerial strikes. As a result, the value of maintaining an oversized auxilia is further cemented in the minds of the chapter's leadership, despite this being the first time a large force of initiates has proven useful.

==The Lachesian War==
The Word Bearers return to the [[Lachesis]] system in force. The Cobalt Scions have been preparing for this eventuality and are supported by numerous allies, but the size and strength of the traitors' fleet is substantial. The Imperium's only advantage initially is that, due to the failure of the raid, the Word Bearers' vessels arrive piecemeal. Initial engagements go well for the Imperium, but Alpha Legion-induced naval mutinies and resurgent assaults by both the Night Lords and the Word Bearers keep the war rattling on for several years. Eventually, reinforced by the Blood Angels and Raven Guard Chapters, the Imperium emerges victorious, and the traitors are forced to withdraw. Present from the first shot to the final parting ship to ship actions, it is the Cobalt Scions' lengthiest conflict, but also one of their proudest accomplishments. They had met a large traitor force in battle and were not found wanting; it did much to bolster the young Chapter's confidence, and dispel some of the lingering shame of Nova Tarentis.

==The Salvation of Massyleon==
During the Lachesian War, an ork fleet invaded the [[Massyleon]] system. Drusus dispatched the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] alongside Chief Librarian [[Diokles Adrastos]] to counter the invasion alongside the [[Raven Guard 5th Company]]. The strike force encounters an ork fleet led by a space hulk known as the ''Crawling Ruin''. While the bulk of the strike force rush to the defence of Hive Massinissos to prevent the orks getting a serious foothold beyond the hive's walls, Diokles boards the ''Crawling Ruin'' with ten Terminator-armoured veterans drawn from both the Scions and the Ravens. They find a corrupted abominable intelligence lurking within the hulk. Unable to destroy the AI due to its sheer size, Diokles is forced to entreat with the entity, and is ultimately successful in convincing it to turn on its ork allies before departing the system, decisively turning the fate of the war in an instant. When asked about what was said between Diokles and the AI, he refuses to be drawn. Their mission successful and the planet reinforced by regiments of Imperial Guard, the strike force return to Lachesis, where their return finally tips the balance and is directly responsible for the end of the Lachesian War.

==Xenos Invasions in Eressus==
The [[Eressus]] system is invaded by a Tyranid splinter fleet that assaults Eressus Tertia, and the Cobalt Scions dispatch a company to engage them alongside other Imperial forces, including the Blood Angels and Imperial Guard. Whilst this invasion is underway, another xenos invasion occurs in the same system on the planet of Aetolia: orks under the rulership of Boss Bonerippa of the Evil Sunz clan attack in significant numbers. Leaving Captain Lucullus with half his battle company to face the Tyranids with the Blood Angels, Chapter Master Drusus and the other Cobalt Scions form an Imperial response alongside the [[31st Nightfall Ranger Regiment]], several regiments of Krieg Death Korps, and [[Battlegroup 86]]. Even so, the ork numbers prove so substantial that military victory seems unlikely. The balance is tipped when [[Inquisitor Michael]]'s ship ''Accipiter'' leads a kroot warsphere into the system, delivering substantial numbers of kroot mercenaries, and ordering the Imperial forces not to engage them. Recognising the importance of these xenos on a strategic level, the Scions are quick to respond when Michael's ship is opportunistically boarded by the orks, and save the ''Accipiter'' from destruction, and by extension, enabling the kroot to remain in-system thanks to the Inquisitor's presence. Brother Galadoc of the Azarian Guard swears an oath to protect the Inquisitor with his life, and ends up defeating one of the ork warlords in personal combat alongside the Chapter's Judiciar.

The initial battles leave Aetolia's orbital defences in tatters, leaving the Imperium on the defensive. The Astartes and Imperial Guard forces operate as a mobile reserve, with the local Aetolian regiments responsible for the bulk of the fighting. Wherever breaches in the lines appear, the reserve forces are moved to aggressively counter-attack, turning the orks' victories into demoralising defeats.

Towards the end of the conflict, the enemy warlord Bonerippa is hunted down and assassinated by a joint force of Nightfaller Rangers and kroot, and this proves to be the final blow. Some of the Scions feel that the honour of victory is undermined by the presence of the kroot, but Drusus is pleased at the pragmatic benefits of cooperating with the Ordo Xenos, and commends the Inquisitor for his initiative.

==The Cobalt Scions join the Fourth Tyrannic War==
With the war concluded on [[Lachesis]] and the Chapter's losses replaced by members of the Novitiate Auxilia joining the reserve companies, the time has come for the Chapter to go back out into the galaxy and contribute to the Imperium's wider wars. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] appoints Consul Gaius Fabian of the Second Company to lead a strike force out into the wider Segmentum to contribute to the Fourth Tyrannic War. It is the first time the Chapter sends the bulk of its forces away since arriving in Thonicia seven years prior. Drusus laments being unable to go with the strike force, but the Chapter's home system is so large and multi-faceted that there is still much to do that requires his attention.

===Strike Force Tarasc's order of battle===
====Fleet assets====
* Battle barge ''Tarasc''
* 6 strike cruisers: ''Alium'', ''Azhdaha'', ''Deliverance'', ''Erenkyl'', ''Mater Accipitrum'', ''Redemption''
* 12 frigates
* 6 destroyers

====Astartes====
* 50 Veterans of the First Company
* 2nd Battle Company
* 4th Battle Company
* 5th Battle Company
* 150 marines from the reserve companies
* 50 marines of the Chapter's Vanguard
* 100 Novitiate Auxilia

The strike force fleet gathers above Thonis, and to celebrate its departure, a parade is held in the streets of Heracleion. The public, perhaps frightened of failing to show due deference, turn out in force to bid them farewell. The tone of the crowd is one of dutiful attendance rather than rapturous approval; Drusus realises that he still has much to do in inculcating Ultramarian values in his populace.

[[Category:Adeptus Astartes]] [[Category:Cobalt Scions]] [[Category: Crusade Forces]] [[Category: Cobalt Scions Missions]]

Cobalt Scions

2026-05-11T21:11:00Z

Charlie: /* Strike Force Tarasc's order of battle */

[[File:Cobalt_Scions.png|600px|center]]
The Cobalt Scions are an all-primaris chapter created from Ultramarines gene stock. Initially they participated in the Indomitus Crusade. After decades of crusading, Guilliman has assigned them to watch over a region of the Segmentum Pacificus from their new home system of [[Thonis]].

=Heraldry=
The Scions' heraldry is very close to their gene-sires, with the bulk of the armour painted the same blue as the Ultramarines. The two differences are their white pauldrons, and their company markings displayed on the left kneepad rather than on the shoulder trim. Since the Cobalt Scions' guiding principle is flexibility, none of the squads display the traditional tactical/assault/devastator symbols, but merely numerals denoting their squad number within their company.

The primary exception to the chapter's bright blue heraldry can be seen on their camouflaged Phobos-pattern armour, which is repainted to suit the local terrain.

==Chapter Icon==
The blue fist used in the Scions' heraldry symbolises the Gauntlets of Ultramar, as the chapter is particularly keen on celebrating and aspiring to the deeds of their forebears.
[[File:Cobalt_Scions_icon.png|300px|center]]

=Chapter organisation=
The Cobalt Scions are only partially Codex compliant. They argue that they follow its rules in spirit, just not in detail, and have reworked elements to suit Cawl's new equipment.

==A recruit's journey==
When recruited, a novitiate is assigned to the 10th Company to begin their training. The training is martial, moral and intellectual; novitiates are expected to familiarise themselves with texts ranging from Guilliman's works on governance, to Bartolomaius' ''Logistica Mathematica''. Novitiates soon learn they must show administrative aptitude if they hope to advance through the ranks.

Once considered battlefield ready, they graduate to the rank of initiate, and are issued carapace armour. In the first few years after the chapter's arrival in Thonis they were only used as a reserve that was only called upon when the need was desperate, since the chapter considered it inefficient to throw its less durable trainees into serious firefights. Consequently, initiates were generally given garrison duties and other auxiliary tasks. The strictness with which this approach was applied waned as the chapter's numbers recovered. Some have even joked that between the stability of the XIII geneseed and a newfound willingness to make use of initiates on the battlefield, the chapter may one day have more auxilia than Astartes.

Once an initiate has been given their final implants they are assigned to one of the reserve companies. Here, surrounded by more experienced marines, they will learn to master one specific role (such as Intercessor, Aggressor, Infiltrator, and so on). Over time they will be rotated through different reserve companies, until eventually they have mastered all the forms of war practised by the Astartes. At this point, most will be given the honour of joining one of the battle companies. Those that show a particular gift for infiltration will be assigned to the 10th Company's Vanguard, and will spend the bulk of their career in Phobos plate.

Any marine who proves their valour and skill may one day hope to be elevated to the veteran ranks of the First Company, whose venerable warriors are generally divided among the various active battlegroups so that they are better able to share their knowledge.

===The Twofold Path===
Once a brother has been elevated into the battle companies, there are several routes to further advancement and greater personal glory. If they show spectacular aptitude for the martial virtues, they may pursue such honoured roles as membership of the Bladeguard, a position as a company ancient, or service in the First Company. Alternatively, if their martial talents are merely acceptable but their political nous is exemplary, they may pursue an Honorary Praetorship such that they can function as an ambassador and intermediary between the chapter and other Imperial institutions, as well as administrators of the chapter's domains. Only masters of the twofold path - both martial and political - can truly hope to be given a true Praetorship, or a position in the Reclusiam.

Those who do well in their Praetorships can expect, if they live long enough, to progress to a Consulship and command of their own company. Those who are too hobbled by injuries and whose bodies reject grafts and bionics tend to retain their Praetorships and serve in a purely political fashion, or as a strategic advisor and attaché to other Imperial forces the Scions are working with. In this way, the number of Praetors far exceeds the 20 lieutenants one would expect to see in a strict observance of the Codex Astartes.

==Chapter Structure==
[[File:drusus.png|250px|right|link=[[Tiberius Drusus]]|Chapter Master Tiberius Drusus]]
===Chapter Command===
The following individuals are known members of the Cobalt Scions' leadership.
* Dictator [[Tiberius Drusus]], Chapter Master
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian
* Consul Quintus Tarentian, Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions First Company|First Company]]
* Consul Gaius Fabian, Captain of the Second Company
* Consul [[Martellus Lucullus]], Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]]

===Chapter Companies===
* [[Cobalt Scions First Company|1st Company]]: the veterans. Squads from this company are often attached to other forces to share their experience and aid with further training for their brothers.
* 2nd-5th Companies: the battle companies. All members are expected to know how to operate in any battlefield role, including vehicle crew, and in any armour pattern. The company captain decides on the mixture of 5 and 10 man squads. Squads may be temporarily divided between (for example) forming a three man fire team and a two man vehicle crew.
* 6th -9th Companies: the reserve companies. Members are only adept at certain battlefield roles, with each squad always performing a consistent role. When their sergeant judges that a marine has mastered their current role, they are rotated out to another squad to begin learning a new one.
* 10th Company: The Vanguard. These are the Chapter's clandestine experts, and forego the traditional blue armour in favour of camouflage. Technically, this company also contains the Initiate Auxilia, meaning that this is the only company with over a hundred members. That the Auxilia are attached to this company is largely to give lip service to the Codex; in reality they are essentially two unrelated organisations.

====The Initiate Auxilia====
When the Cobalt Scions arrived in Thonis, the chapter was badly depleted. As such, their equivalent of the Scout Company did not perform the traditional infiltration duties seen in other chapters. As their name suggests, when deployed they were used for auxiliary duties such as guard duty, where they would get some combat experience, but generally with the added benefit of heavy cover. Only in extremis were they committed to the front line, as the needless loss of an initiate was considered wasteful, particularly with the chapter so under-strength. The bulk of an initiate's time was therefore spent in training.

With the chapter now back to full strength, however, there is an increasing willingness to use the auxilia when tactically expedient. This is the source of some friction within chapter command, who do not all share the view that it is wise to risk wasting promising trainees, or that it is acceptable to take advantage of the Codex Astartes' lack of hard limit on the number of scouts a chapter is permitted to have in active service at any one time.

===Honorary Praetors===
An Honorary Praetorship is not a military rank but a political one, and could even be held by a battle brother. Honorary Praetors form a cadre of the chapter's most able negotiators and orators, dedicated to inspiring traditional virtues and compliance among other Imperial institutions. There are naturally those who argue this constitutes the chapter at its most meddlesome, and certain institutions do not look kindly on some post-human warrior interfering in their business. The Cobalt Scions take this as an additional challenge, and seek to prove their utility, although the petty ambitions of lesser men regularly contrive to make it appear that the Scions are pursuing power for power's sake in clear contravention of the Emperor's original intent for the Astartes.

[[File:priahad.png|250px|right]]
===The Azarian Guard===
This brotherhood of warriors is the Cobalt Scions' equivalent of the Chapter's Honour Guard. They can also be referred to as the Chapter Master's Bladeguard, and exist outside the company structure. They do not have squads, and bear heraldry of the individual rather than the unit. To join them is to foresake the right to seek a command position within the chapter, and to become truly dedicated to pursuing martial prowess. Answerable only to the Chapter Master and the Reclusiam's Master of Sanctity, they serve to protect the virtue of humility within a chapter that might otherwise encourage personal ambition to a dangerous extent. They explicitly have permission to criticise and mock officers, and cannot be censured by any but the Chapter Master or Master of Sanctity for doing so. If they decide to follow an officer to war, however, they must follow the officer's commands precisely during engagements. If a Consul or Praetor wants the aid of the Azarian Guard on a mission, he cannot requisition them; instead, he must petition them. Likewise, Azarian Guards are permitted to turn up unannounced and accompany a strike force if they deem the mission interesting.

====Origins of the Azarian Guard====
Lieutenant Azarias was one of the few Azure Drakes officers to survive the [[The Nova Tarentis Massacre|Nova Tarentis Massacre]]. Following the incorporation of the surviving Drakes into the Cobalt Scions, Azarias took an oath to protect his new chapter master with his life. Coming from a very different chapter culture, he refused to conduct himself in the refined style of the Scions, often mocking others and then challenging them when they failed to mock him back. Amused by this upstart and keen to temper the egos of his senior staff, Chapter Master Drusus instructed Azarias to create his own semi-autonomous brotherhood of up to thirty warriors. Azarias himself was slain protecting Drusus two years later during the reclamation of Raxis Minor, but the Azarian Guard, then numbering seven brothers, remained. Their numbers have since grown, and a number of onetime Azure Drakes use this brotherhood as a way to keep some of their chapter cult alive.

====Known Azarian Guards====
'''Brother Priahad'''

Brother Priahad's helm bears a gold skull, indicating that he is serving as the temporary leader of his fellow Bladeguard. In this way, Cobalt Scions officers know who to direct their commands to. The skull itself is not a permanent fixture but a badge that can be easily removed and passed to another bladeguard between engagements.

His left pauldron bears the chapter icon. It is presented in gold so as to evoke a shield, representing the bladeguard's commitment to safeguarding the Chapter Master. His right pauldron bears his individual heraldry, evoking a deed or quest he has undertaken that his fellow veterans regard as worthy. It shows the four stars of Thonicia, in reference to the vow Priahad enacted to visit every inhabited world in the sprawling home system and provide unexpected aid to those in need.

The tilting plate on his chest bears the ghostly image of a wyrm, and the chapter colour of the Azure Drakes, indicating that he is one of the original members of the now-defunct chapter. The wyrm is presented in a ghostly manner to reference the lingering spirits of his dead brothers.

'''Brother Katumaros'''

The golden skull on Katumaros' tilting plate indicates that he was once an officer. Counter-intuitively, he wears this as a mark of shame; as the fleet master who couldn't bring reinforcements to rescue his brothers in time, he is wracked by guilt and joined the Azarian Guard to ensure he could never rise to a position of command again. Despite a storied career prior to the Nova Tarentis Massacre, he considers his old achievements dead, and as such, his right pauldron remained devoid of heraldry until saving Techmagos Osmal Qvoll from an assassination attempt by [[the Thirteenth Talon]]. After that, his pauldron was adorned with a split motif, with a shielf on one side, and the Cog Mechanicus on the other.

'''Brother Galadoc'''

A mere brother in the Azure Drakes' 8th reserve company when his Chapter was destroyed, Galadoc has only recently joined the Azarian Guard. Like Priahad, his tilting plate features a ghostly image, this time of a dragon's head, commemorating his deceased captain, who he revered. His right pauldron bears the symbol of the Inquisition silhouetted by a shield, commemorating the vow he took to rescue [[Inquisitor Michael]] and his ship the''Accipiter'' after it was boarded by orks during the invasion of Aetonia in [[Eressus]]. After he defeated the heavily armoured ork leading the boarding party, he saved not only Michael himself, but the Chapter's Judiciar, who had been laid low in the fighting.

On his arm, he also bears a rosary once carried by one of the Drakes' chaplains. Galadoc's keen observance of the rites and rituals of his old chapter cult was one of the factors in his acceptance into the Azarian Guard, even though in theory martial prowess should be the only factor.

[[File:tolemias.png|250px|right|link=[[Tolemias]]]]

===The Librarius===
The Cobalt Scions place great stock in the prognostications of psykers, both their own and in the wider Imperium, and will often consult with astropaths, navigators and their own librarians to establish what if anything may be predicted about impending engagements and enemies. In battle, Cobalt Scions Librarians act as dictated by the Codex, employing whichever warp powers their minds are best suited to.

'''Known Librarians'''
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian.
* [[Tolemias]], Codicier.

'''The Thonician Oracles'''

Among the Chapter's most closely guarded secrets are the Oracles, a matriarchal order of seers that have quietly persisted in Thonicia since pre-Imperial times. At various times the Ordo Hereticus have attempted to purge them, but have never managed to wipe them out entirely. The Oracles became known to the Cobalt Scions some time after they arrived in the system, though whether they were discovered or even sought out the Scions is unknown. How the ancient traditions of the Oracles enable them to resist warp corruption is also unknown, as is the extent to which the Cobalt Scions place their faith in them.

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===The Phratry Munitorus===
If the Cobalt Scions' techmarines can make one honest boast, it is the speed and efficiency with which they can erect fortifications and other structures. The Phratry Munitorus (rough Low Gothic translation: the kinship/tribe of builders/engineers) serves the same purpose as a normal Chapter Armourium, but with the added responsibility of assisting with the integration of defences with civic infrastructure. To this end, the techmarines are not just supported by serfs and servitors, but also by human techpriests and architects. Chief among such human followers is Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the chapter's head architect. She is given near-equal standing to the Master of the Forge, and oversees a substantial and growing staff working on the construction of the chapter's fortress monastery and the more general defence enhancements of Thonicia.

When the chapter goes to war, it brings a substantial support staff of humans and servitors tasked with the rapid construction of defences, bridges, field hospitals, and whatever else might swing the Imperium's chances in any given theatre. A supply of prefabricated structures is also brought along for time-critical projects. Encampments are often built along standardised lines, ensuring that personnel familiar with one Scions base are familiar with them all. It has been pointed out by other chapters that this is a strategic vulnerability, but the Scions prefer the speed that comes with familiarity, and are convinced they will be able to adapt on a tactical level to counter this strategic weakness.

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[[File:Aristander.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Sedayus Aristander====
In addition to his regular duties tending to the Cobalt Scions' wargear and vehicles, Brother-Techmarine Sedayus Aristander is an obsessive sculptor, creating busts and statues for the Chapter's various reliquaries and memorials of fallen comrades. In theory, such devotional artworks are the domain of the human artisans of the Phratry Munitorus. While his fellow techmarines' non-military endeavours would generally be limited to designing architecture that serves to inspire as well as defend, Aristander argues that art serves as a major political tool. His defence is halfhearted, however; in truth he sculpts because he enjoys it. As he sees it, the sculptor's challenge is not merely to perfectly replicate their subject's features, but to capture their character. If that happens to serve the political goal of showing the Thonician populace what has been sacrificed for their safety, then that is merely a useful bonus.

He worked at his craft throughout the Chapter's time in the Indomitus Crusade, and yet more since the Scions' arrival in Thonis. Many consider him an excellent craftsman, but he remains unsatisfied, knowing that decades of practice are required to achieve true mastery. His obsession makes him a withdrawn figure who never takes a joke well. Nonetheless, he enjoys a measure of popularity, for all who walk in the Chapter's mausoleum are grateful to look upon the faces of their fallen brothers.

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[[File:hadrios_kelsus.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Hadrios Kelsus====
While Kelsus is perfectly willing to perform his vehicle maintenance duties between engagements, he rarely does so in combat. This is because Hadrios Kelsus is, and always has been, obsessed with the use of large guns. He generally finds an excuse to bring a servo turret on all deployments, and at the first sign of the enemy, gleefully mounts up to provide his brothers with fire support. It has been suggested that he should consider how to advance through the techmarines' ranks, for instance by creating political ties to local Mechanicus personnel. He is, however, far more interested in tinkering with guns in the Chapter's armoury.

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====The Chapter Armoury====
Members of the battle companies all have basic training in crewing the vehicles employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 9th Company, although the bulk of the crewing is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

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[[File:boriels_wrath.png|250px|left]]
=====Repulsor Executioner ''Boriel's Wrath''=====
This tank is named after a Dark Angel biker who aided a group of Scions pinned down by a force of Emperor's Children Heretic Astartes. Driving to good vantage points and providing pinpoint positional data, then moving on before the traitors could corner him, Boriel's actions allowed the Scions to fight clear of the trap. Tragically, they never met him in person; he was finally cornered by a squad of noise marines who, enraged by his efforts, beat him to death with their sonic blasters.

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===The Fleet===
When founded, the Scions had only six strike cruisers and a single battle barge: the ''Reason Inviolate''. Following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, the Azure Drakes' fleet -- far less damaged than the chapter it served -- was folded into the Scions' fleet. Consequently they went from having barely enough capital ships to deploy the chapter to having, arguably, an excess that they should have donated to other Indomitus Founding chapters. The Scions claim to make good use of their fleet assets given that it has enabled them to expand the capabilities of the Phratry Munitorus, with every Scions capital ship being well supplied with the engineers and materiel to respond to the humanitarian requirements of a warzone, as well as prefab fortifications, bridges, and other infrastructural elements. The Scions brush off criticisms that this exceeds the remit of the Adeptus Astartes by reciting the old adage that wars are won with logistics, and that a population protected is a rebellion prevented.

In addition to having holds full of infrastructural material, Cobalt Scions capital ships all have small manufactories capable of producing and repairing Astartes wargear and vehicles, albeit far more slowly than the Chapter Forge on Thonis. This is a hangover from when the chapter was fleet based during the Indomitus Crusade. It is a functionality they have deliberately maintained afterwards so as to reduce their dependence on supply lines.

The chapter has also attracted further criticism for employing several squadrons of the controversial Nova class frigate, which some say Astartes have no need of unless they're expecting to instigate naval battles without the assistance of the Imperial Navy.

Like many (if not most) Astartes fleets, the ships are crewed and captained by humans, although even an Astartes Sergeant is considered to outrank a ship captain as regards the chain of command. What with the fleet regularly returning to Thonis, the crew are given the option of having their families aboard their ship or in terrestrial housing. The family of slain personnel are given a stipend by the chapter, money which originally is taken from the financial tithe the Scions collect from their home system. While living conditions aboard the chapter's vessels are superior to the average ship of the Imperial Navy, expectations are high. Any personnel found wanting are rarely given second chances, and if lucky will get away simply with being discharged without a pension. Of course, incompetent crew can still offer dependable service when sent to the tech-priests for ''conversion,'' serving as a grim reminder to their former crewmates of the price of laxity. Those who have actively transgressed face even worse fates, up to and including a one-way trip to the great arena at Heracleion.

====Current Fleet Assets====
=====Battle Barges=====
*''Reason Inviolate'', the flagship. Constructed to default specifications during the Primaris project, prior to the chapter having a name or an identity. The Scions have since made it their own, modifying a number of its orbital launch bays for the deployment of Phratry Munitorus assets. The vessel served throughout the Scions' participation in the Indomitus Crusade, but the scars it gained during those battles have long since been removed.
*''Tarasc'', (1)(2) the one-time flagship of the Azure Drakes. There is a hall, deep in the ship's core, that serves as a hall of remembrance. There is a plaque on the wall for every Azure Drakes warrior who died in the Nova Tarentis Massacre, commemorating their noblest deeds. Above the hall's threshold is engraved the legend: ''In memory of those I could not save.''

=====Strike Cruisers=====
*''Alium'' (2)
*''Axios''. Deployments include the [[Raid on Lachesis]].
*''Azhdaha'' (1)(2)
*''Deliverance'' (2)
*''Dutiful''
*''Erenkyl'' (1)(2)
*''Illuyaka'' (1)
*''Preceptor''. Deployments include [[the Andaras Affair]].
*''Mater Accipitrum'' (2)
*''Redemption''. (2) Captured as a prize from renegade Astartes in the battle of Zarinth V during the Indomitus Crusade.
*''Vritra''

(1): Originally from the Azure Drakes' fleet.

(2): Currently away from the Eridani Sector on Crusade.

=====Escorts=====

The precise disposition of the Scions' flotilla of frigates and destroyers is unknown, but the number of escorts in their fleet is growing significantly now that the Keraphon Shipyards of Delta Thonicia have been upgraded. A number of these ships are purely for the defence of the sprawling Thonicia system, and the Chapter does not have enough Navigators to guide them through the warp even if they wanted to leave.

=====The ''Mater Castellorum''=====

Archmagos Felicita Morleio is the de facto head of the Phratry Munitorus, despite not being an Astartes. The ''Mater Castellorum'' is her fabrication ark, a capital-class auxiliary vessel originally used to transport the materiel needed to lay the groundwork for the Scions' Fortress-Monastery. Even before the ark finished deploying its contents planetside, Morleio was thinking about how such a vessel might be used afterwards. Once the vessel had finished deploying its original payload, she dispatched it to [[Thonis#Delta_Thonicia_VIII_Gamma:_Keraphon | Keraphon]] to undergo an extensive refit.

The vessel retained its fleet of bulk lifters, and sacrificed some of its kilometers of storage to house manufactories. While all Scions vessels are designed to enable a certain amount of infrastructural aid to Imperial colonies, the newly-refitted ''Mater Castellorum'' carries tens of thousands of workers, artisans and techpriests along with the materiel they need to enact widespread repairs and construction projects. Consul Tarentian once joked that if battles are won with marines and wars won with logistics, the ''Mater Castellorum'' is a weapon of mass construction.

=====The Thonician defence fleet=====

Upon arriving at Thonis, the Scions quickly enlarged their system defence fleet (i.e. naval vessels lacking a warp drive) by initiating a series of boarding actions on the system's pirates rather than destroying them. These mismatched vessels would serve in the short term, but Thonicia is a vast area compared to most star systems, and a more regimented fleet of substantial size would be required so that the Scions chapter fleet would be free to go where it was needed.

This need culminated in the design and production of the Warden class heavy frigate. Similar in design to other Astartes escorts, but with a larger hold suitable for the redeployment of key resources or personnel within the system as needed, these heavy frigates are quicker to produce than cruisers, and more flexible in their applications, having been designed as just about capable of planetary landings on any world of 1.3G or less. While it would be possible to fit them with warp drives, this would greatly increase production time and cost. For now, the priority is to stamp out as many as possible to ensure the safety of the home system.

[[File:stormtalon.png|250px|right]]
=====Gunships, interceptors and other ordnance=====
Operating a fleet of gunships out of a ship in orbit means craft have less time to spend on station, and use far more fuel. Being logistically minded, the Cobalt Scions are always keen to ensure their FOBs can be deployed at great speed, and within hours will have the fuel and ammunition at hand to resupply gunships operating in support of ground units. Members of the battle companies all have basic training in piloting aircraft employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 8th Company, although the bulk of the piloting is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

=History=
==Founding==
Guilliman's major concern about Cawl's artificially indoctrinated primaris marines was their lack of real combat experience, so he decided to form the Scions' senior leadership from veterans of the Ultramarines' 1st Company. A call for volunteers went out.

Encouraged by Calgar's survival of the Rubicon Primaris, Aelius Justarian and his squad stepped up. Their idea was that each of them would be a company captain, forming a group of officers who already knew and respected each other. Guilliman, Calgar and Captain Agemman accepted their proposal, and the ten brothers eagerly submitted themselves to the process, nodding confidently as the risks of the process were explained to them.

In their optimism they hoped they might all survive; the process was becoming less risky with time, but in reality, six brothers died. Sergeant Justarian was among them.

The four survivors had known it was possible some of their brothers might not survive the process. They had lost brothers in the past. Astartes are indoctrinated to process the grief when a brother falls in combat. If anything, it strengthens their resolve. But the survivors learned that losing a brother in combat and losing an uninjured brother to the operating table are two very different things. This new form of grief ate away at them.

The chaplains tried tending to the brothers' spiritual wounds, but old Cassius refused to let them languish in mourning. Success, he told them, is meaningless without adversity. Still despondent at the loss but obedient nonetheless, the four brothers prepared for their voyage across the galaxy to rendezvous with their new chapter in the Sol system. They sought guidance from Calgar, Agemman, and other senior Ultramarines while their new armour was forged. They spoke to political leaders and logisticians, shipmasters and tech-magi, trying to learn what they could, still lamenting the loss of wise Justarian and the others.

When their new Mk.X armour was ready, they entered the Fortress of Hera and donned the unpainted suits for the first time. After so many decades as Ultramarines, it was a strange thing for them to see each other wearing unpainted armour. As they stood there exchanging uncertain glances, they were approached by Sinon, Captain of the Ninth and Master of Relics, who presented them with four master-crafted power swords in honour of their service with the Ultramarines. It was a welcome and tangible connection to their past.

On the journey to Sol, they occupied themselves by debating how they might go about organising their new chapter. Quintus Tarentian and Gaius Fabian favoured adhering strictly to the updated Codex Astartes, while Tiberius Drusus and Martellus Lucullus argued that it didn't map well onto purely primaris chapters.

Unable to agree on how far to stray from the wisdom of the Codex, they turned their attention to what they thought would be the less contentious question of naming the chapter. They soon learned that much rests in a name, and many names are unfit for purpose. Nothing sounded right. At one point, Tarentian confessed that after days of considering monikers for the new chapter, even the honoured name of the Ultramarines sounded foolish. “It is a pun!" he exclaimed, agast. “Or perhaps a declaration that we think ourselves above other chapters." The other three looked at him, appalled by this heresy.

“On the contrary, brother," Drusus replied, “I believe Ultramar to be a word from Ancient Terra describing an empire that stretches across an ocean. In this instance, the void is the ocean, the Five Hundred Worlds the empire. The suffix ''-ines'' must simply indicate that we are men of that great empire. Surely, therefore, the word Ultramar preceded the word Ultramarines? You're putting the artillery train before the tractor."

“Let us pretend I said nothing," Tarentian said, clearly troubled.

It was Lucullus who spoke next. “If we should decide to break with some edicts of the Codex, it would seem all the more important to remember our point of origin. A new chapter has no history, but the Thirteenth Legion and all its successors have ten millennia of it. What if our heraldry echoes that? Our chapter symbol could be a cobalt fist, as if to show one of the Gauntlets of Ultramar."

“That is not a name, Martellus, that is a badge," Fabian said. The others laughed.

Never one to enjoy a joke at his expense, Lucullus doubled down. “It's the idea I'm driving at. Make a point of upholding our identity as scions of Ultramar."

“The Scions of Ultramar is quite the mouthful," Tarentian said.

“The Cobalt Scions," Drusus said. The four of them were silent for a moment. Tarentian, for whom everything now sounded wrong, opened his mouth to speak. Fabian cut him off. “I like it," Fabian said.

“As do I," Lucullus added.

Tarentian frowned, then shrugged. “I am pleased this task is done."

After much debate the four brothers also agreed on their roles. Someone with a willingness to embrace the unfamiliar would be needed to form a new chapter, and so Tiberius Drusus would serve as chapter master. It helped that he was the most learned among them. To keep Drusus grounded, the traditionally-minded Tarentian would assume command of the 1st company, and Fabian would take the 2nd. Martellus Lucullus, Drusus' fellow advocate for new ways, would helm the 3rd.

To find the other seven captains, they would have to screen Cawl's unnaturally trained creations to see if any among them had the wit for independent thought.

When the four brothers eventually reached the Sol system they found a fleet of unnamed ships waiting for them in Mars' crowded dockyards. Inside, a chapter of new marines slept in stasis. Neither ships nor men bore heraldry. Drusus and his brothers had understood the scale of the task ahead in theory, but found the reality somewhat daunting. They were veterans of combat, not leadership. Who were they to step into the shoes of their betters and start from the very beginning?

The four brothers toured the fleet and its crews. They went to see the stasis chambers, and the marines inside. An army of techpriests, artisans and servitors awaited Drusus' signal to begin.

Drusus wanted the chapter to wake up to some sense of heritage, so the artisans were set to work first, applying heraldry to empty racks of armour. Ships were named. The four brothers met with the fleet's human officers, many of whom were decorated volunteers from the Imperial Navy.

When all was prepared, Drusus gave authorisation to wake the chapter.

They soon learned that the indoctrinated marines had names from their previous lives, but all were uncertain how many of their memories were real, and how many implanted. They all thought they remembered lives in Ultramar, and so the four brothers found some common ground with them. Even so, the marines knew little of the modern Imperium. Some spoke of the secular Imperial Truth promulgated in the days of the Great Crusade. The four brothers realised that bringing these men into the 42nd Millennium would involve significant culture shock. Worse yet, they had been indoctrinated to fulfill a single role, rather than having the flexibility of a marine who had worked their way through the ranks.

In the short term, Drusus and the others would simply have to accept Cawl's inflexible progeny and work with them as best they could. The Cobalt Scions fleet began its maiden voyage out of Sol and towards the nearest prong of the Indomitus Crusade.

==The Cobalt Scions in the Indomitus Crusade==
Over the next few decades, the Scions slowly morphed in the direction the four brothers intended. While in transit between warzones, squads were trained in other methods of warfare. Hellblaster units learned to use bolt rifles, Intercessors learned how to move in gravis armour, and so on. Like many of the all-primaris chapters, they took higher casualties early on in the Crusade, and despite occasional reinforcements from Mars, eventually found themselves able to field only 780 combat-ready marines, and it was at this depleted level that they met with their greatest disaster.

===The Nova Tarentis Massacre===
A prosperous world of significant agricultural and mineral output, Nova Tarentis was crucial to trade within its area of the Segmentum Pacificus, and an obvious target for the archenemy. Traitor Guard and Dark Mechanicum forces attacked in strength, and pleas for aid were made. Keen to prevent a cascade of infrastructural failure, the full Azure Drakes chapter was deployed with four companies of Cobalt Scions in support. The Drakes' chapter master, Sorkhos Danithor, committed to a full orbital assault, giving the enemy on the ground little time to react.

Once the bulk of the Drakes and Scions units had launched from their vessels, however, drive cores began to kindle all around Nova Tarentis' planetary rings. A substantial force of Black Legionnaires, thousands strong, had lain the perfect trap. Extracting the deployed troops would take hours, so Danithor - now trapped on the surface with the rest of his chapter - ordered the fleet to break orbit and seek reinforcements, rather than engaging in an unwinnable fight. Nonetheless, a small number of the fleet's capital ships were caught and destroyed as they raced for the system's Mandeville Point.

With their fleet gone, the loyal Astartes fought on as the traitors made planetfall. The fighting was brutal, but ultimately the Drakes and Scions were in an impossible position, hunted by a superior foe and lacking crucial supplies thanks to the loss of their orbital support.

Danithor orchestrated several breakout attempts, reasoning that asymmetric guerrilla warfare might allow more of his forces to survive until reinforcements arrived, but the Black Legion's noose proved too tight. Slowly, the Astartes army lost ground. When the Azure Drakes fleet returned with reinforcements, it was too late to meaningfully save the chapter. Fewer than a hundred Drakes were still alive.

As soon as the heretics' scout vessels spotted the incoming Imperial fleet in the system's outer reaches, the Black Legion began evacuating, their mission a total success. They had slain over a thousand loyalist marines, and had taken favourable casualties.

The final blow was, perhaps, the bitterest. During the enemy's final assault, Danithor noted enemy bombardments on the Imperial formations either side of his position, but none on his own. When enemy veterans in terminator plate teleported down behind him, preventing retreat, he realised all to late that they intended to take him alive. In his last recorded communication, he passed command to the most senior Imperial commander left - a Cobalt Scions reserve sergeant - before taking his own life. Frustrated, the Black Legion veterans butchered his retinue, but left empty handed. It mattered not; the Azure Drakes were gone in all but name. The few survivors were folded into the Cobalt Scions, along with their remaining fleet assets. Some were unhappy to muddy the chapter's culture with the more bellicose Drakes, but none would have seen the survivors cast adrift. The legacy of the Drakes would live on as one of a number of fraternities that a Cobalt Scion might choose to join upon inculcation into the Chapter.

While the Crusade continued to spread out through the galaxy, it was decided that the Scions needed to recover from their losses. Between the attrition of Crusading, and the hundreds of losses incurred on Nova Tarentis, the chapter was now reduced to around a third of its original fighting strength. The time had come for the Scions to go and recuperate on [[Thonis]], the world designated as their new home by Guilliman.

[[File:Cobalt_scions_heavy_intercessor.png|600px|center]]

===The Reclamation of Raxis Minor===
On their way to Thonis, the Scions received a distress call from the agri-world of Raxis Minor. While in theory the Scions were supposed to make all haste to their new homeworld, Drusus refused to ignore such pleas and directed the chapter fleet to alter course. Upon arrival the Scions found the defenders had been overwhelmed by Heretic Astartes of the Iron Warriors Legion. Reconnaissance revealed that the enemy numbered at or below company strength, with substantial mortal auxiliary forces. But even with the chapter at half strength and still suffering low morale following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, Drusus judged that his chapter would be more than strong enough to rally the tattered remains of the planet's defence forces. He split the fleet into three formations and approached the planet from different directions, forcing the Iron Warriors' smaller fleet to try and fight their way clear of the tightening blockade. Badly outnumbered, the Iron Warriors ships were cornered and destroyed, trapping the remaining Iron Warriors on the surface. The Cobalt Scions, hungry for revenge against the forces of Chaos, fell upon the planet with eagerness. There was no glory to be taken in vanquishing a foe so badly outnumbered, but there was some satisfaction to be had in restoring Imperial rule to a world in need of help.

When the Iron Warriors made their final stand, an undecipherable astropathic communication was sent from their command bunker. Fearing reprisal, Drusus committed his resources to reestablishing Imperial rule and improving Raxis Minor's defensive infrastructure. Foremost among this was the creation of several defensive hubs built at the centre of the main population centres with shielding and defensive batteries to defend against orbital assault. The Scions deployed hundreds of servitor-crewed machines to expedite construction, and after only four months' work, Raxis Minor's defences had become substantially easier to hold. Leaving the locals to complete the work, the fleet continued on its journey to their new home.

==A new homeworld==
When it was designated as the Scions' homeworld, [[Thonis]] was far from any active warzones. Situated in the [[Eridani Sector]] of the [[Segmentum Pacificus]], it was Guilliman's intent that the Scions would further strengthen a relatively stable part of the Imperium. Some whispered that it was further evidence of Guilliman ensuring the Ultramarines' ascendancy, particularly given the cultural ties the First Four had sought to maintain.

Either way, none could gainsay the Lord Commander of the Imperium, and so the Scions' fleet made for Thonis. Drusus and the others knew relatively little about Thonis beside some centuries-old information about its major exports and government, but it seemed reasonable to assume the locals would be grateful for the protection of an Astartes Chapter. With four stars and a great many settled worlds, the Thonis system almost seemed like a sub-sector in itself.

[[File:Thonis_system_map.png|600px|center]]

The Scions fleet returned to Mars first. While ship repairs got underway, Chapter Master Drusus met with Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the fabricator-general Cawl had assigned to the chapter. She had been tasked with designing and overseeing the construction of the Scions' fortress monastery, and then remaining with the chapter for the rest of her life, tending to the fortress' manufactorums and forges. She seemed at peace with the notion that she would get to create this one great structure and then be relegated to its maintenance. Drusus, however, was far less willing than Cawl to waste human resources. He suggested that if she showed aptitude for architectural design and understood siegecraft sufficiently, there was every chance she could embark upon an indefinite number of projects across Thonis and the wider Eridani sector as the Scions established themselves.

In that moment, he won Morleio's undivided loyalty.

Everything that would be needed for the fortress monastery, save the stone and rockrete itself, had already been loaded onto Morleio's kilometers-long fabrication ark. The fleet, now repaired, broke orbit and made for the Eridani Sector.

==Arrival in Thonis==
The Imperial governor on Thonis had been told decades ago that a chapter called the Cobalt Scions were coming to live on the planet. That was it. No details, no instructions to make particular preparations. Simply that they were coming.

When a fleet of Astartes ships arrived claiming to be the Cobalt Scions, no one had any reason to doubt them.

The fleet moved straight through the Eridani sector and on to the Hasmides system in the neighbouring Achernar sector. There had been some civil unrest; bombings and the like. It was assumed the Scions intended to terrify the populace into compliance.

In reality, the individuals aboard the Astartes fleet had created the uprising. They were not the Cobalt Scions at all. They were the Word Bearers, six hundred of them, acting on the orders of Khairon. If Guilliman's sons were coming, the Word Bearers were keen to preemptively tarnish their good name and make it clear the Scions' very arrival would only bring suffering.

Hasmides offered little challenge to them.

A thousand light years away, the Scions' fleet approached in blissful ignorance.

With Hasmides' government and infrastructure in tatters, the Word Bearers returned to their ships to prepare their next blow. The Scions might not have been there to prevent the atrocity, but the wider Imperium did not leave it unpunished. As the Word Bearers fleet made all speed for the Hasmides system's Mandeville point so as to escape into the warp, they were intercepted by the full might of Battlefleet Achernar.

The ensuing [[Battle of Hasmides]] cost both fleets dearly, but ultimately the Word Bearers' fleet was so badly damaged that, while most of their Astartes survived, their ability to prosecute a full naval engagement was, for a time at least, nullified.

Ironically the Navy's victory at Hasmides was politically bad for the Cobalt Scions. Not only had their impending arrival attracted dangerous foes to a peaceful place, it wasn't even the Scions who saw them off. Furthermore Thonis' incumbent planetary governor, Lord Aderbal, was well regarded by his subjects. There was little appetite for change.

When the true Cobalt Scions fleet approached Thonis, they were bombarded with security questions, and requests that they remain at a distance until their identity could be verified. It was hardly the welcome the Scions had hoped for. Eventually, Thonis' modest orbital platforms cancelled their firing solutions and stood down. A lone Overlord-class gunship bore the first delegation of Cobalt Scions down to the verdant surface of their new homeworld.

Chapter Master Drusus expected Aderbal to unquestionably accept the Scions' clear right to rule the system. Drusus informed him that there would be a brief transition phase followed by significant reforms in which Aderbal's official title would change from Planetary Governor to Locutor of the Senate: a position Drusus assured him would be very important in the new regime.
[[File:Heracleion.png|400px|right]]
Given the choice between no power and some power, Aderbal was forced to accept Drusus' offer.

In his address during the ceremony in which the Sceptre of Heracleion, symbol of the capital, was to pass from Governor Aderbal to Dictator Drusus, the governor's wording carefully managed to remain obedient while subtly emphasising Drusus' status as a newcomer to an old world with a well-established culture.

The address set the tone for the months to come. The Scions were too terrifying for anyone to risk obvious dissent, but any request made to the government by an Astartes would mysteriously require more paperwork and bureaucracy than the same request made by a native official. If asked for an explanation, people would claim they were taking extra care that they did a good job, or would say they had heard Guilliman's sons encouraged detailed paperwork. The Scions came to be seen as a source of problems by the general populace. With no experience of nuanced public relations, Drusus and his captains were at a loss as to how to win their people over. They went on speaking tours, endeavouring to rouse the public with stilted recollections of their great victories in the Indomitus Crusade, but received only polite applause. They made suggestions to improve the efficiency of institutions, but were told said suggestions would reduce productivity even when it seemed clear this was not the case.

During those first few months, some of the Scions grew restive. They felt the battles they had fought deserved the respect of any Imperial citizen, and talk grew of taking a harsher line with the recalcitrant public. Tarentian in particular advocated for a more direct approach.

Lucullus disagreed. He argued that the harder they pushed, the harder the people would resist. Some would fall into line, of course, but there would also be dissent and perhaps even the fomenting of heresy.

Drusus, politically inexperienced, was indecisive as to whose approach he would implement, and changed his mind regularly. This in turn created a rift between him and Captain Fabian, who proclaimed that he didn't care which side Drusus took, only that he committed to a course of action. Fabian went to far as to suggest that if Drusus couldn't make such decisions, Fabian was happy to take his place. Fabian's insubordination outraged Tarentian, Lucullus, and the other captains. The argument served a purpose, at least. Drusus was at last moved to choose. He took Lucullus' cautious approach.

[[File:Thonis.png|400px|right]]

==The construction of the Fortress of Syrnum==
While the Scions struggled with the political landscape, Archmagos Morleio worked on her designs for the fortress-monastery. It was to be built in the hills above Heracleion, and would require surprisingly few homes to be demolished. Strangely, the news that five hundred families were to be given the honour of having their homes bulldozed for the fortress monastery wasn't met with the sort of gratitude the Scions expected. Citizens of Ultramar, the Scions reflected bitterly, would have been proud to give their land for such a purpose.

Morleio estimated the project would take three years before it would be usable, and more than that before it would reach its full potential. Work began to prepare the Syrnum hills as Morleio and Drusus spent many long days drawing up plans.

==Expanding the docks==
Work also began on enlarging Thonis' modest orbitals. In time, they would need to serve a full fleet of warships in addition to providing efficient trade berths. Where the Scions had failed to gain any political capital thus far, the trade-focussed Thonicians were keen on the idea of increased docking facilities and reduced piracy. Sensing an opportunity, Drusus made a series of speeches promising that within fifty years, Thonis would enjoy the protection and commerce of vast orbital facilities. Finally, the Scions had said something popular.

Naturally this meant the native politicians, still angry at their reduced autonomy, argued for increased influence in the design of the orbitals to ensure the opportunities for trade were maximised.

==Political reforms==
The nobles' request for greater influence was an overt challenge to Drusus' competence in terms of trade, and public perception was very much that a space marine couldn't possibly have the same expertise as the great trading houses of Thonis.

In a move that shocked the Thonician nobility, Drusus responded to their challenge with his first sign of political deftness.

Drusus declared that if the native politicians wanted a say in the Scions' construction projects, then apparently they had accepted the chapter was here to stay. It followed, therefore, they were ready for the political reforms Drusus had promised.

A senate was formed from the heads of the fifty most influential noble families. The senate's role would be to advise the Scions as to how they should proceed in matters of commerce and governance. One senator would be first among equals, and would present the senate's suggestions to the Dictator. This individual would be known as the Locutor, a position that would initially be taken by Lord Aderbal. Upon his death or dismissal, another senator would be elected by their peers to take his position.

The reforms went further still. Ten commoners would be chosen to represent the labourers. These ten Tribunes were to keep the Dictator and Senate informed of how their legislation was being received by the commoners. More importantly, if all ten Tribunes agreed, they had the power to veto new legislation. The veto could only be overruled by the dictator, or in the absence of the Dictator, by one of the chapter's lieutenants, all of whom held the honorific of Praetor.

Being a Praetor incorporated two main duties beyond an Astartes Lieutenant's combat role. One was to act as a diplomat or ambassador for their captain when on campaign, and the other, as intimated above, was to arbitrate on disagreements between the Senate and the Tribunate when at home. In this way, lieutenants gained extensive political experience in preparation for becoming a captain.

Captains, in turn, held the honorific of Consul. Being a Consul meant having the Dictator's blessing to instigate reforms of a planet's government if it was militarily advantageous to do so, up to and including its annexation. The wording of this rule was vague enough that neighbouring planetary governors began to issue complaints to the Adeptus Terra. Guilliman's sons were laying the illegal foundations of their own empire, the governors said. Months later, Guilliman provided a curt response: “Then do not give my sons cause to annex your planet."

This further stoked speculation that the Lord Commander took issue with the modern Imperium, but as yet no one was willing to risk secession.

While the heavy-handed reforms were obviously taking power from the ruling class and handing it to the Cobalt Scions, the nobles also realised that they were now competing with each other for places in the Senate. This broke their unity and revealed their selfishness for all to see, and the mere existence of the Tribunate empowered the bulk of the population far more than the previous regime, even if this was representation in name only.

Tiberius Drusus finally had the political situation working to his advantage.

==Initial Engagements==
The Scions soon learned of the Hasmides atrocity, but were reliant on the Inquisition for further intelligence as to where the Word Bearers might strike next.

In the interim, they had two priorities: rebuilding the chapter, and dealing with any lesser threats in their immediate area. Neighbouring systems, particularly those bordering the Scyrian Expanse, were suffering from frequent greenskin raids. The Scions set about crushing these lesser orkish warbands with relative ease, and cleared out several remote human pirate strongholds, all of which was well received by the Eridani Sector's border colonies, but was of little relevance to the people of Thonis.

As for rebuilding the chapter, the Scions embarked on a major recruitment drive in Thonis. They asked for volunteers only, but the financial support they offered volunteers' families meant that a noticeable percentage of the adolescent aspirants clearly had no desire to be there.

Despite these issues, the Scions soon had a good number of scouts in training, and with at least half the chapter stationed at Thonis at any given moment there were always plenty of instructors available. A major difficulty, of course, was that most of the instructors had never been scouts themselves. Many of the initial recruits were pushed too hard, or were simply not trained effectively, and it took some time before the first generation of aspirants - those that survived - started to make good progress.

===The Andaras Affair===
The [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] are sent to end an ork raid on [[Andaras]]. Their intervention reveals the presence of both aeldari and a genestealer cult infestation, prompting a brief but explosive campaign that ultimately results in the xenos escaping, but the colony being made safe.

Further reading: [[The Andaras Affair]], and Consul Lucullus' [[notes on the Andaran Operation]].

===The Season of Fire===
The Cobalt Scions are pulled from one side of the [[Iolan Reaches]] to the other as xenos raids increase in both variety and intensity. The Scions are broadly successful in engaging a number of these threats, but ultimately the [[Starborn Souls]] prove almost impossible to stamp out, despite successful purges on multiple worlds.

Further reading: the [[Season of Fire]].

===The Raid on Lachesis===
[[Tolemias]] of the Librarius foretells of a Word Bearers raid on [[Lachesis]]. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] leads a force drawn largely from the Third Company and arrives before the Word Bearers. Despite sustaining several injuries, Drusus and Tolemias succeed in thwarting the Word Bearers' scheme to turn the planet's smallest moon into a stable warp gate, but at the cost of all three of the planet's Psykana holding towers.

The raid exposes the presence of not just Word Bearers, but a Night Lords warband of [[the Thirteenth Talon]] and another warband of the Red Corsairs. Following the Word Bearers' retreat, Drusus tracks the Night Lords back to their base of operations and attempts, with the help of [[Taliesin]] of Iybraesil, to destroy it. The base is a death trap, and the attack is a costly failure. The episode casts a pall over the broader success of the Lachesian situation, and the Night Lords escape the Chapter's clutches.

Further reading: the [[Raid on Lachesis]].

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:cobalt_scions_techmarine.png|600px|center]]

==Recuperation==
Aside from continued efforts to catch [[the Thirteenth Talon]] of the Night Lords, the Chapter as a whole enjoys a period of only minor engagements. The Fortress of Syrnum is now both defensible and adequately functional, but Morleio is far from finished with it. She begins the first of many planned expansions by expanding further underground, increasing the Chapter Forge's capacity without compromising the city above.

During this period, Thonician scouts begin passing into the reserve companies, rapidly recovering the Chapter's numbers.

===Trade with Iphara===
As construction of the Chapter Forge nears completion, the final stage is to create the large and costly means to produce tactical dreadnought armour. To this end, a small team of Praetors are convened to travel to [[Iphara]] and compete with other Imperial organisations for a modest share of the adamantium being mined in the newly compliant world. With demand for the metal being so high, negotiations are tough, particularly given the questionable need for terminator plate given the ready availability of gravis-pattern armour. The Praetors ultimately only secure a modest shipment, but it is enough to begin forging a tiny number of suits.

==The Ephramundi Daemonic Incursion==
A distress call is issued by the planet [[Ephramundi]] after [[A Minor Heresy]] causes a scattered but planetwide daemonic incursion. With small rifts popping up in seemingly random locations, and the agri-world being a key source of food to other worlds in the [[Kapran sub]], Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus|Drusus]] orders the largest mass deployment in the Chapter's history, with eight full companies dispatched to contain the problem without having to sacrifice Imperial Guard assets that may later be needed for more conventional wars.

Two companies are left to guard Thonicia, and the rest of the fleet get underway with all haste. The plan is to hold out until Grey Knights can arrive to seal the largest breaches. Using drop pods and other rapid response assets, the operation contains most of the daemonic breaches, preventing the sort of governmental collapse common in such incursions. This success has a cost; marines thrown into rapid response operations against an unpredictable foe comes with predictable losses in both men and materiel. By the time the Grey Knights arrive, the Scions have lost 162 marines, their greatest loss since the massacre on Nova Tarentis. The Scions still consider it a success given the value of the planet, and the vast wastage in conventional forces that would have been required to achieve the same result.

Unfortunately, these losses mean they are temporarily less than well prepared for any unexpected invasions elsewhere in the region.

==The Tyranid Invasion of Melia's Reach==
Even as the Scions await the arrival of the Grey Knights on Ephramundi, word is sent to [[Martellus Lucullus]] of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]] that a Tyranid invasion is underway on [[Melia's Reach]]. Lucullus' company has taken 40% casualties, but he petitions Drusus to be sent as a vanguard to try and slow the Tyranids' advance long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Reluctantly convinced that the warning can be trusted - it is sent by the aeldari Farseer [[Host Taliesin of Iybraesil|Taliesin]] - Drusus permits Lucullus to depart aboard the ''Preceptor''.

The Third Company task force arrive to find the local Planetary Defence Force (PDF) in a shambles, and the Governor entirely unfamiliar with the nature of the xenos. In the week that follows, the Space Defence Force are revealed to have been corrupted by Genestealers, and - despite the aid of Taliesin's own troops - the Tyranids continue their advance. Lucullus' efforts to reorganise and reinforce the PDF are eventually successful in helping the locals hold the line on their own, but an assassination attempt by a Lictor renders him unable to witness this success firsthand.

With Lucullus in a coma, Lieutenant Antigonus Nerva assumes command of the strike force, and accompanies Taliesin into Tyranid territory in a desperate joint operation to destroy the hive's primary hatcheries by triggering a volcanic event.

The operation is a success.

Sadly, strategic victory has come too late, and the Tyranids are now numerous and widely established. Unable to reinforce using the rest of the chapter, the Scions instead commit to a massed deployment of the Initiate Auxilia, with scouting teams spreading out into Tyranid-contaminated zones and calling out targets for orbital and aerial strikes. As a result, the value of maintaining an oversized auxilia is further cemented in the minds of the chapter's leadership, despite this being the first time a large force of initiates has proven useful.

==The Lachesian War==
The Word Bearers return to the [[Lachesis]] system in force. The Cobalt Scions have been preparing for this eventuality and are supported by numerous allies, but the size and strength of the traitors' fleet is substantial. The Imperium's only advantage initially is that, due to the failure of the raid, the Word Bearers' vessels arrive piecemeal. Initial engagements go well for the Imperium, but Alpha Legion-induced naval mutinies and resurgent assaults by both the Night Lords and the Word Bearers keep the war rattling on for several years. Eventually, reinforced by the Blood Angels and Raven Guard Chapters, the Imperium emerges victorious, and the traitors are forced to withdraw. Present from the first shot to the final parting ship to ship actions, it is the Cobalt Scions' lengthiest conflict, but also one of their proudest accomplishments. They had met a large traitor force in battle and were not found wanting; it did much to bolster the young Chapter's confidence, and dispel some of the lingering shame of Nova Tarentis.

==The Salvation of Massyleon==
During the Lachesian War, an ork fleet invaded the [[Massyleon]] system. Drusus dispatched the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] alongside Chief Librarian [[Diokles Adrastos]] to counter the invasion alongside the [[Raven Guard 5th Company]]. The strike force encounters an ork fleet led by a space hulk known as the ''Crawling Ruin''. While the bulk of the strike force rush to the defence of Hive Massinissos to prevent the orks getting a serious foothold beyond the hive's walls, Diokles boards the ''Crawling Ruin'' with ten Terminator-armoured veterans drawn from both the Scions and the Ravens. They find a corrupted abominable intelligence lurking within the hulk. Unable to destroy the AI due to its sheer size, Diokles is forced to entreat with the entity, and is ultimately successful in convincing it to turn on its ork allies before departing the system, decisively turning the fate of the war in an instant. When asked about what was said between Diokles and the AI, he refuses to be drawn. Their mission successful and the planet reinforced by regiments of Imperial Guard, the strike force return to Lachesis, where their return finally tips the balance and is directly responsible for the end of the Lachesian War.

==Xenos Invasions in Eressus==
The [[Eressus]] system is invaded by a Tyranid splinter fleet that assaults Eressus Tertia, and the Cobalt Scions dispatch a company to engage them alongside other Imperial forces, including the Blood Angels and Imperial Guard. Whilst this invasion is underway, another xenos invasion occurs in the same system on the planet of Aetolia: orks under the rulership of Boss Bonerippa of the Evil Sunz clan attack in significant numbers. Leaving Captain Lucullus with half his battle company to face the Tyranids with the Blood Angels, Chapter Master Drusus and the other Cobalt Scions form an Imperial response alongside the [[31st Nightfall Ranger Regiment]], several regiments of Krieg Death Korps, and [[Battlegroup 86]]. Even so, the ork numbers prove so substantial that military victory seems unlikely. The balance is tipped when [[Inquisitor Michael]]'s ship ''Accipiter'' leads a kroot warsphere into the system, delivering substantial numbers of kroot mercenaries, and ordering the Imperial forces not to engage them. Recognising the importance of these xenos on a strategic level, the Scions are quick to respond when Michael's ship is opportunistically boarded by the orks, and save the ''Accipiter'' from destruction, and by extension, enabling the kroot to remain in-system thanks to the Inquisitor's presence. Brother Galadoc of the Azarian Guard swears an oath to protect the Inquisitor with his life, and ends up defeating one of the ork warlords in personal combat alongside the Chapter's Judiciar.

The initial battles leave Aetolia's orbital defences in tatters, leaving the Imperium on the defensive. The Astartes and Imperial Guard forces operate as a mobile reserve, with the local Aetolian regiments responsible for the bulk of the fighting. Wherever breaches in the lines appear, the reserve forces are moved to aggressively counter-attack, turning the orks' victories into demoralising defeats.

Towards the end of the conflict, the enemy warlord Bonerippa is hunted down and assassinated by a joint force of Nightfaller Rangers and kroot, and this proves to be the final blow. Some of the Scions feel that the honour of victory is undermined by the presence of the kroot, but Drusus is pleased at the pragmatic benefits of cooperating with the Ordo Xenos, and commends the Inquisitor for his initiative.

==The Cobalt Scions join the Fourth Tyrannic War==
With the war concluded on [[Lachesis]] and the Chapter's losses replaced by members of the Novitiate Auxilia joining the reserve companies, the time has come for the Chapter to go back out into the galaxy and contribute to the Imperium's wider wars. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] appoints Consul Gaius Fabian of the Second Company to lead a strike force out into the wider Segmentum to contribute to the Fourth Tyrannic War. It is the first time the Chapter sends the bulk of its forces away since arriving in Thonicia seven years prior. Drusus laments being unable to go with the strike force, but the Chapter's home system is so large and multi-faceted that there is still much to do that requires his attention.

===Strike Force Tarasc's order of battle===
====Fleet assets====
* Battle barge ''Tarasc''
* Strike cruiser ''Alium''
* Strike cruiser ''Azhdaha''
* Strike cruiser ''Deliverance''
* Strike cruiser ''Erenkyl''
* Strike cruiser ''Mater Accipitrum''
* Strike cruiser ''Redemption''
* 12 frigates
* 6 destroyers

====Astartes====
* 50 Veterans of the First Company
* 2nd Battle Company
* 4th Battle Company
* 5th Battle Company
* 150 marines from the reserve companies
* 50 marines of the Chapter's Vanguard
* 100 Novitiate Auxilia

The strike force fleet gathers above Thonis, and to celebrate its departure, a parade is held in the streets of Heracleion. The public, perhaps frightened of failing to show due deference, turn out in force to bid them farewell. The tone of the crowd is one of dutiful attendance rather than rapturous approval; Drusus realises that he still has much to do in inculcating Ultramarian values in his populace.

[[Category:Adeptus Astartes]] [[Category:Cobalt Scions]] [[Category: Crusade Forces]] [[Category: Cobalt Scions Missions]]

Cobalt Scions

2026-05-11T21:10:58Z

Charlie: /* Current Fleet Assets */

[[File:Cobalt_Scions.png|600px|center]]
The Cobalt Scions are an all-primaris chapter created from Ultramarines gene stock. Initially they participated in the Indomitus Crusade. After decades of crusading, Guilliman has assigned them to watch over a region of the Segmentum Pacificus from their new home system of [[Thonis]].

=Heraldry=
The Scions' heraldry is very close to their gene-sires, with the bulk of the armour painted the same blue as the Ultramarines. The two differences are their white pauldrons, and their company markings displayed on the left kneepad rather than on the shoulder trim. Since the Cobalt Scions' guiding principle is flexibility, none of the squads display the traditional tactical/assault/devastator symbols, but merely numerals denoting their squad number within their company.

The primary exception to the chapter's bright blue heraldry can be seen on their camouflaged Phobos-pattern armour, which is repainted to suit the local terrain.

==Chapter Icon==
The blue fist used in the Scions' heraldry symbolises the Gauntlets of Ultramar, as the chapter is particularly keen on celebrating and aspiring to the deeds of their forebears.
[[File:Cobalt_Scions_icon.png|300px|center]]

=Chapter organisation=
The Cobalt Scions are only partially Codex compliant. They argue that they follow its rules in spirit, just not in detail, and have reworked elements to suit Cawl's new equipment.

==A recruit's journey==
When recruited, a novitiate is assigned to the 10th Company to begin their training. The training is martial, moral and intellectual; novitiates are expected to familiarise themselves with texts ranging from Guilliman's works on governance, to Bartolomaius' ''Logistica Mathematica''. Novitiates soon learn they must show administrative aptitude if they hope to advance through the ranks.

Once considered battlefield ready, they graduate to the rank of initiate, and are issued carapace armour. In the first few years after the chapter's arrival in Thonis they were only used as a reserve that was only called upon when the need was desperate, since the chapter considered it inefficient to throw its less durable trainees into serious firefights. Consequently, initiates were generally given garrison duties and other auxiliary tasks. The strictness with which this approach was applied waned as the chapter's numbers recovered. Some have even joked that between the stability of the XIII geneseed and a newfound willingness to make use of initiates on the battlefield, the chapter may one day have more auxilia than Astartes.

Once an initiate has been given their final implants they are assigned to one of the reserve companies. Here, surrounded by more experienced marines, they will learn to master one specific role (such as Intercessor, Aggressor, Infiltrator, and so on). Over time they will be rotated through different reserve companies, until eventually they have mastered all the forms of war practised by the Astartes. At this point, most will be given the honour of joining one of the battle companies. Those that show a particular gift for infiltration will be assigned to the 10th Company's Vanguard, and will spend the bulk of their career in Phobos plate.

Any marine who proves their valour and skill may one day hope to be elevated to the veteran ranks of the First Company, whose venerable warriors are generally divided among the various active battlegroups so that they are better able to share their knowledge.

===The Twofold Path===
Once a brother has been elevated into the battle companies, there are several routes to further advancement and greater personal glory. If they show spectacular aptitude for the martial virtues, they may pursue such honoured roles as membership of the Bladeguard, a position as a company ancient, or service in the First Company. Alternatively, if their martial talents are merely acceptable but their political nous is exemplary, they may pursue an Honorary Praetorship such that they can function as an ambassador and intermediary between the chapter and other Imperial institutions, as well as administrators of the chapter's domains. Only masters of the twofold path - both martial and political - can truly hope to be given a true Praetorship, or a position in the Reclusiam.

Those who do well in their Praetorships can expect, if they live long enough, to progress to a Consulship and command of their own company. Those who are too hobbled by injuries and whose bodies reject grafts and bionics tend to retain their Praetorships and serve in a purely political fashion, or as a strategic advisor and attaché to other Imperial forces the Scions are working with. In this way, the number of Praetors far exceeds the 20 lieutenants one would expect to see in a strict observance of the Codex Astartes.

==Chapter Structure==
[[File:drusus.png|250px|right|link=[[Tiberius Drusus]]|Chapter Master Tiberius Drusus]]
===Chapter Command===
The following individuals are known members of the Cobalt Scions' leadership.
* Dictator [[Tiberius Drusus]], Chapter Master
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian
* Consul Quintus Tarentian, Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions First Company|First Company]]
* Consul Gaius Fabian, Captain of the Second Company
* Consul [[Martellus Lucullus]], Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]]

===Chapter Companies===
* [[Cobalt Scions First Company|1st Company]]: the veterans. Squads from this company are often attached to other forces to share their experience and aid with further training for their brothers.
* 2nd-5th Companies: the battle companies. All members are expected to know how to operate in any battlefield role, including vehicle crew, and in any armour pattern. The company captain decides on the mixture of 5 and 10 man squads. Squads may be temporarily divided between (for example) forming a three man fire team and a two man vehicle crew.
* 6th -9th Companies: the reserve companies. Members are only adept at certain battlefield roles, with each squad always performing a consistent role. When their sergeant judges that a marine has mastered their current role, they are rotated out to another squad to begin learning a new one.
* 10th Company: The Vanguard. These are the Chapter's clandestine experts, and forego the traditional blue armour in favour of camouflage. Technically, this company also contains the Initiate Auxilia, meaning that this is the only company with over a hundred members. That the Auxilia are attached to this company is largely to give lip service to the Codex; in reality they are essentially two unrelated organisations.

====The Initiate Auxilia====
When the Cobalt Scions arrived in Thonis, the chapter was badly depleted. As such, their equivalent of the Scout Company did not perform the traditional infiltration duties seen in other chapters. As their name suggests, when deployed they were used for auxiliary duties such as guard duty, where they would get some combat experience, but generally with the added benefit of heavy cover. Only in extremis were they committed to the front line, as the needless loss of an initiate was considered wasteful, particularly with the chapter so under-strength. The bulk of an initiate's time was therefore spent in training.

With the chapter now back to full strength, however, there is an increasing willingness to use the auxilia when tactically expedient. This is the source of some friction within chapter command, who do not all share the view that it is wise to risk wasting promising trainees, or that it is acceptable to take advantage of the Codex Astartes' lack of hard limit on the number of scouts a chapter is permitted to have in active service at any one time.

===Honorary Praetors===
An Honorary Praetorship is not a military rank but a political one, and could even be held by a battle brother. Honorary Praetors form a cadre of the chapter's most able negotiators and orators, dedicated to inspiring traditional virtues and compliance among other Imperial institutions. There are naturally those who argue this constitutes the chapter at its most meddlesome, and certain institutions do not look kindly on some post-human warrior interfering in their business. The Cobalt Scions take this as an additional challenge, and seek to prove their utility, although the petty ambitions of lesser men regularly contrive to make it appear that the Scions are pursuing power for power's sake in clear contravention of the Emperor's original intent for the Astartes.

[[File:priahad.png|250px|right]]
===The Azarian Guard===
This brotherhood of warriors is the Cobalt Scions' equivalent of the Chapter's Honour Guard. They can also be referred to as the Chapter Master's Bladeguard, and exist outside the company structure. They do not have squads, and bear heraldry of the individual rather than the unit. To join them is to foresake the right to seek a command position within the chapter, and to become truly dedicated to pursuing martial prowess. Answerable only to the Chapter Master and the Reclusiam's Master of Sanctity, they serve to protect the virtue of humility within a chapter that might otherwise encourage personal ambition to a dangerous extent. They explicitly have permission to criticise and mock officers, and cannot be censured by any but the Chapter Master or Master of Sanctity for doing so. If they decide to follow an officer to war, however, they must follow the officer's commands precisely during engagements. If a Consul or Praetor wants the aid of the Azarian Guard on a mission, he cannot requisition them; instead, he must petition them. Likewise, Azarian Guards are permitted to turn up unannounced and accompany a strike force if they deem the mission interesting.

====Origins of the Azarian Guard====
Lieutenant Azarias was one of the few Azure Drakes officers to survive the [[The Nova Tarentis Massacre|Nova Tarentis Massacre]]. Following the incorporation of the surviving Drakes into the Cobalt Scions, Azarias took an oath to protect his new chapter master with his life. Coming from a very different chapter culture, he refused to conduct himself in the refined style of the Scions, often mocking others and then challenging them when they failed to mock him back. Amused by this upstart and keen to temper the egos of his senior staff, Chapter Master Drusus instructed Azarias to create his own semi-autonomous brotherhood of up to thirty warriors. Azarias himself was slain protecting Drusus two years later during the reclamation of Raxis Minor, but the Azarian Guard, then numbering seven brothers, remained. Their numbers have since grown, and a number of onetime Azure Drakes use this brotherhood as a way to keep some of their chapter cult alive.

====Known Azarian Guards====
'''Brother Priahad'''

Brother Priahad's helm bears a gold skull, indicating that he is serving as the temporary leader of his fellow Bladeguard. In this way, Cobalt Scions officers know who to direct their commands to. The skull itself is not a permanent fixture but a badge that can be easily removed and passed to another bladeguard between engagements.

His left pauldron bears the chapter icon. It is presented in gold so as to evoke a shield, representing the bladeguard's commitment to safeguarding the Chapter Master. His right pauldron bears his individual heraldry, evoking a deed or quest he has undertaken that his fellow veterans regard as worthy. It shows the four stars of Thonicia, in reference to the vow Priahad enacted to visit every inhabited world in the sprawling home system and provide unexpected aid to those in need.

The tilting plate on his chest bears the ghostly image of a wyrm, and the chapter colour of the Azure Drakes, indicating that he is one of the original members of the now-defunct chapter. The wyrm is presented in a ghostly manner to reference the lingering spirits of his dead brothers.

'''Brother Katumaros'''

The golden skull on Katumaros' tilting plate indicates that he was once an officer. Counter-intuitively, he wears this as a mark of shame; as the fleet master who couldn't bring reinforcements to rescue his brothers in time, he is wracked by guilt and joined the Azarian Guard to ensure he could never rise to a position of command again. Despite a storied career prior to the Nova Tarentis Massacre, he considers his old achievements dead, and as such, his right pauldron remained devoid of heraldry until saving Techmagos Osmal Qvoll from an assassination attempt by [[the Thirteenth Talon]]. After that, his pauldron was adorned with a split motif, with a shielf on one side, and the Cog Mechanicus on the other.

'''Brother Galadoc'''

A mere brother in the Azure Drakes' 8th reserve company when his Chapter was destroyed, Galadoc has only recently joined the Azarian Guard. Like Priahad, his tilting plate features a ghostly image, this time of a dragon's head, commemorating his deceased captain, who he revered. His right pauldron bears the symbol of the Inquisition silhouetted by a shield, commemorating the vow he took to rescue [[Inquisitor Michael]] and his ship the''Accipiter'' after it was boarded by orks during the invasion of Aetonia in [[Eressus]]. After he defeated the heavily armoured ork leading the boarding party, he saved not only Michael himself, but the Chapter's Judiciar, who had been laid low in the fighting.

On his arm, he also bears a rosary once carried by one of the Drakes' chaplains. Galadoc's keen observance of the rites and rituals of his old chapter cult was one of the factors in his acceptance into the Azarian Guard, even though in theory martial prowess should be the only factor.

[[File:tolemias.png|250px|right|link=[[Tolemias]]]]

===The Librarius===
The Cobalt Scions place great stock in the prognostications of psykers, both their own and in the wider Imperium, and will often consult with astropaths, navigators and their own librarians to establish what if anything may be predicted about impending engagements and enemies. In battle, Cobalt Scions Librarians act as dictated by the Codex, employing whichever warp powers their minds are best suited to.

'''Known Librarians'''
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian.
* [[Tolemias]], Codicier.

'''The Thonician Oracles'''

Among the Chapter's most closely guarded secrets are the Oracles, a matriarchal order of seers that have quietly persisted in Thonicia since pre-Imperial times. At various times the Ordo Hereticus have attempted to purge them, but have never managed to wipe them out entirely. The Oracles became known to the Cobalt Scions some time after they arrived in the system, though whether they were discovered or even sought out the Scions is unknown. How the ancient traditions of the Oracles enable them to resist warp corruption is also unknown, as is the extent to which the Cobalt Scions place their faith in them.

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===The Phratry Munitorus===
If the Cobalt Scions' techmarines can make one honest boast, it is the speed and efficiency with which they can erect fortifications and other structures. The Phratry Munitorus (rough Low Gothic translation: the kinship/tribe of builders/engineers) serves the same purpose as a normal Chapter Armourium, but with the added responsibility of assisting with the integration of defences with civic infrastructure. To this end, the techmarines are not just supported by serfs and servitors, but also by human techpriests and architects. Chief among such human followers is Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the chapter's head architect. She is given near-equal standing to the Master of the Forge, and oversees a substantial and growing staff working on the construction of the chapter's fortress monastery and the more general defence enhancements of Thonicia.

When the chapter goes to war, it brings a substantial support staff of humans and servitors tasked with the rapid construction of defences, bridges, field hospitals, and whatever else might swing the Imperium's chances in any given theatre. A supply of prefabricated structures is also brought along for time-critical projects. Encampments are often built along standardised lines, ensuring that personnel familiar with one Scions base are familiar with them all. It has been pointed out by other chapters that this is a strategic vulnerability, but the Scions prefer the speed that comes with familiarity, and are convinced they will be able to adapt on a tactical level to counter this strategic weakness.

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[[File:Aristander.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Sedayus Aristander====
In addition to his regular duties tending to the Cobalt Scions' wargear and vehicles, Brother-Techmarine Sedayus Aristander is an obsessive sculptor, creating busts and statues for the Chapter's various reliquaries and memorials of fallen comrades. In theory, such devotional artworks are the domain of the human artisans of the Phratry Munitorus. While his fellow techmarines' non-military endeavours would generally be limited to designing architecture that serves to inspire as well as defend, Aristander argues that art serves as a major political tool. His defence is halfhearted, however; in truth he sculpts because he enjoys it. As he sees it, the sculptor's challenge is not merely to perfectly replicate their subject's features, but to capture their character. If that happens to serve the political goal of showing the Thonician populace what has been sacrificed for their safety, then that is merely a useful bonus.

He worked at his craft throughout the Chapter's time in the Indomitus Crusade, and yet more since the Scions' arrival in Thonis. Many consider him an excellent craftsman, but he remains unsatisfied, knowing that decades of practice are required to achieve true mastery. His obsession makes him a withdrawn figure who never takes a joke well. Nonetheless, he enjoys a measure of popularity, for all who walk in the Chapter's mausoleum are grateful to look upon the faces of their fallen brothers.

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[[File:hadrios_kelsus.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Hadrios Kelsus====
While Kelsus is perfectly willing to perform his vehicle maintenance duties between engagements, he rarely does so in combat. This is because Hadrios Kelsus is, and always has been, obsessed with the use of large guns. He generally finds an excuse to bring a servo turret on all deployments, and at the first sign of the enemy, gleefully mounts up to provide his brothers with fire support. It has been suggested that he should consider how to advance through the techmarines' ranks, for instance by creating political ties to local Mechanicus personnel. He is, however, far more interested in tinkering with guns in the Chapter's armoury.

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====The Chapter Armoury====
Members of the battle companies all have basic training in crewing the vehicles employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 9th Company, although the bulk of the crewing is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

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[[File:boriels_wrath.png|250px|left]]
=====Repulsor Executioner ''Boriel's Wrath''=====
This tank is named after a Dark Angel biker who aided a group of Scions pinned down by a force of Emperor's Children Heretic Astartes. Driving to good vantage points and providing pinpoint positional data, then moving on before the traitors could corner him, Boriel's actions allowed the Scions to fight clear of the trap. Tragically, they never met him in person; he was finally cornered by a squad of noise marines who, enraged by his efforts, beat him to death with their sonic blasters.

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===The Fleet===
When founded, the Scions had only six strike cruisers and a single battle barge: the ''Reason Inviolate''. Following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, the Azure Drakes' fleet -- far less damaged than the chapter it served -- was folded into the Scions' fleet. Consequently they went from having barely enough capital ships to deploy the chapter to having, arguably, an excess that they should have donated to other Indomitus Founding chapters. The Scions claim to make good use of their fleet assets given that it has enabled them to expand the capabilities of the Phratry Munitorus, with every Scions capital ship being well supplied with the engineers and materiel to respond to the humanitarian requirements of a warzone, as well as prefab fortifications, bridges, and other infrastructural elements. The Scions brush off criticisms that this exceeds the remit of the Adeptus Astartes by reciting the old adage that wars are won with logistics, and that a population protected is a rebellion prevented.

In addition to having holds full of infrastructural material, Cobalt Scions capital ships all have small manufactories capable of producing and repairing Astartes wargear and vehicles, albeit far more slowly than the Chapter Forge on Thonis. This is a hangover from when the chapter was fleet based during the Indomitus Crusade. It is a functionality they have deliberately maintained afterwards so as to reduce their dependence on supply lines.

The chapter has also attracted further criticism for employing several squadrons of the controversial Nova class frigate, which some say Astartes have no need of unless they're expecting to instigate naval battles without the assistance of the Imperial Navy.

Like many (if not most) Astartes fleets, the ships are crewed and captained by humans, although even an Astartes Sergeant is considered to outrank a ship captain as regards the chain of command. What with the fleet regularly returning to Thonis, the crew are given the option of having their families aboard their ship or in terrestrial housing. The family of slain personnel are given a stipend by the chapter, money which originally is taken from the financial tithe the Scions collect from their home system. While living conditions aboard the chapter's vessels are superior to the average ship of the Imperial Navy, expectations are high. Any personnel found wanting are rarely given second chances, and if lucky will get away simply with being discharged without a pension. Of course, incompetent crew can still offer dependable service when sent to the tech-priests for ''conversion,'' serving as a grim reminder to their former crewmates of the price of laxity. Those who have actively transgressed face even worse fates, up to and including a one-way trip to the great arena at Heracleion.

====Current Fleet Assets====
=====Battle Barges=====
*''Reason Inviolate'', the flagship. Constructed to default specifications during the Primaris project, prior to the chapter having a name or an identity. The Scions have since made it their own, modifying a number of its orbital launch bays for the deployment of Phratry Munitorus assets. The vessel served throughout the Scions' participation in the Indomitus Crusade, but the scars it gained during those battles have long since been removed.
*''Tarasc'', (1)(2) the one-time flagship of the Azure Drakes. There is a hall, deep in the ship's core, that serves as a hall of remembrance. There is a plaque on the wall for every Azure Drakes warrior who died in the Nova Tarentis Massacre, commemorating their noblest deeds. Above the hall's threshold is engraved the legend: ''In memory of those I could not save.''

=====Strike Cruisers=====
*''Alium'' (2)
*''Axios''. Deployments include the [[Raid on Lachesis]].
*''Azhdaha'' (1)(2)
*''Deliverance'' (2)
*''Dutiful''
*''Erenkyl'' (1)(2)
*''Illuyaka'' (1)
*''Preceptor''. Deployments include [[the Andaras Affair]].
*''Mater Accipitrum'' (2)
*''Redemption''. (2) Captured as a prize from renegade Astartes in the battle of Zarinth V during the Indomitus Crusade.
*''Vritra''

(1): Originally from the Azure Drakes' fleet.

(2): Currently away from the Eridani Sector on Crusade.

=====Escorts=====

The precise disposition of the Scions' flotilla of frigates and destroyers is unknown, but the number of escorts in their fleet is growing significantly now that the Keraphon Shipyards of Delta Thonicia have been upgraded. A number of these ships are purely for the defence of the sprawling Thonicia system, and the Chapter does not have enough Navigators to guide them through the warp even if they wanted to leave.

=====The ''Mater Castellorum''=====

Archmagos Felicita Morleio is the de facto head of the Phratry Munitorus, despite not being an Astartes. The ''Mater Castellorum'' is her fabrication ark, a capital-class auxiliary vessel originally used to transport the materiel needed to lay the groundwork for the Scions' Fortress-Monastery. Even before the ark finished deploying its contents planetside, Morleio was thinking about how such a vessel might be used afterwards. Once the vessel had finished deploying its original payload, she dispatched it to [[Thonis#Delta_Thonicia_VIII_Gamma:_Keraphon | Keraphon]] to undergo an extensive refit.

The vessel retained its fleet of bulk lifters, and sacrificed some of its kilometers of storage to house manufactories. While all Scions vessels are designed to enable a certain amount of infrastructural aid to Imperial colonies, the newly-refitted ''Mater Castellorum'' carries tens of thousands of workers, artisans and techpriests along with the materiel they need to enact widespread repairs and construction projects. Consul Tarentian once joked that if battles are won with marines and wars won with logistics, the ''Mater Castellorum'' is a weapon of mass construction.

=====The Thonician defence fleet=====

Upon arriving at Thonis, the Scions quickly enlarged their system defence fleet (i.e. naval vessels lacking a warp drive) by initiating a series of boarding actions on the system's pirates rather than destroying them. These mismatched vessels would serve in the short term, but Thonicia is a vast area compared to most star systems, and a more regimented fleet of substantial size would be required so that the Scions chapter fleet would be free to go where it was needed.

This need culminated in the design and production of the Warden class heavy frigate. Similar in design to other Astartes escorts, but with a larger hold suitable for the redeployment of key resources or personnel within the system as needed, these heavy frigates are quicker to produce than cruisers, and more flexible in their applications, having been designed as just about capable of planetary landings on any world of 1.3G or less. While it would be possible to fit them with warp drives, this would greatly increase production time and cost. For now, the priority is to stamp out as many as possible to ensure the safety of the home system.

[[File:stormtalon.png|250px|right]]
=====Gunships, interceptors and other ordnance=====
Operating a fleet of gunships out of a ship in orbit means craft have less time to spend on station, and use far more fuel. Being logistically minded, the Cobalt Scions are always keen to ensure their FOBs can be deployed at great speed, and within hours will have the fuel and ammunition at hand to resupply gunships operating in support of ground units. Members of the battle companies all have basic training in piloting aircraft employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 8th Company, although the bulk of the piloting is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

=History=
==Founding==
Guilliman's major concern about Cawl's artificially indoctrinated primaris marines was their lack of real combat experience, so he decided to form the Scions' senior leadership from veterans of the Ultramarines' 1st Company. A call for volunteers went out.

Encouraged by Calgar's survival of the Rubicon Primaris, Aelius Justarian and his squad stepped up. Their idea was that each of them would be a company captain, forming a group of officers who already knew and respected each other. Guilliman, Calgar and Captain Agemman accepted their proposal, and the ten brothers eagerly submitted themselves to the process, nodding confidently as the risks of the process were explained to them.

In their optimism they hoped they might all survive; the process was becoming less risky with time, but in reality, six brothers died. Sergeant Justarian was among them.

The four survivors had known it was possible some of their brothers might not survive the process. They had lost brothers in the past. Astartes are indoctrinated to process the grief when a brother falls in combat. If anything, it strengthens their resolve. But the survivors learned that losing a brother in combat and losing an uninjured brother to the operating table are two very different things. This new form of grief ate away at them.

The chaplains tried tending to the brothers' spiritual wounds, but old Cassius refused to let them languish in mourning. Success, he told them, is meaningless without adversity. Still despondent at the loss but obedient nonetheless, the four brothers prepared for their voyage across the galaxy to rendezvous with their new chapter in the Sol system. They sought guidance from Calgar, Agemman, and other senior Ultramarines while their new armour was forged. They spoke to political leaders and logisticians, shipmasters and tech-magi, trying to learn what they could, still lamenting the loss of wise Justarian and the others.

When their new Mk.X armour was ready, they entered the Fortress of Hera and donned the unpainted suits for the first time. After so many decades as Ultramarines, it was a strange thing for them to see each other wearing unpainted armour. As they stood there exchanging uncertain glances, they were approached by Sinon, Captain of the Ninth and Master of Relics, who presented them with four master-crafted power swords in honour of their service with the Ultramarines. It was a welcome and tangible connection to their past.

On the journey to Sol, they occupied themselves by debating how they might go about organising their new chapter. Quintus Tarentian and Gaius Fabian favoured adhering strictly to the updated Codex Astartes, while Tiberius Drusus and Martellus Lucullus argued that it didn't map well onto purely primaris chapters.

Unable to agree on how far to stray from the wisdom of the Codex, they turned their attention to what they thought would be the less contentious question of naming the chapter. They soon learned that much rests in a name, and many names are unfit for purpose. Nothing sounded right. At one point, Tarentian confessed that after days of considering monikers for the new chapter, even the honoured name of the Ultramarines sounded foolish. “It is a pun!" he exclaimed, agast. “Or perhaps a declaration that we think ourselves above other chapters." The other three looked at him, appalled by this heresy.

“On the contrary, brother," Drusus replied, “I believe Ultramar to be a word from Ancient Terra describing an empire that stretches across an ocean. In this instance, the void is the ocean, the Five Hundred Worlds the empire. The suffix ''-ines'' must simply indicate that we are men of that great empire. Surely, therefore, the word Ultramar preceded the word Ultramarines? You're putting the artillery train before the tractor."

“Let us pretend I said nothing," Tarentian said, clearly troubled.

It was Lucullus who spoke next. “If we should decide to break with some edicts of the Codex, it would seem all the more important to remember our point of origin. A new chapter has no history, but the Thirteenth Legion and all its successors have ten millennia of it. What if our heraldry echoes that? Our chapter symbol could be a cobalt fist, as if to show one of the Gauntlets of Ultramar."

“That is not a name, Martellus, that is a badge," Fabian said. The others laughed.

Never one to enjoy a joke at his expense, Lucullus doubled down. “It's the idea I'm driving at. Make a point of upholding our identity as scions of Ultramar."

“The Scions of Ultramar is quite the mouthful," Tarentian said.

“The Cobalt Scions," Drusus said. The four of them were silent for a moment. Tarentian, for whom everything now sounded wrong, opened his mouth to speak. Fabian cut him off. “I like it," Fabian said.

“As do I," Lucullus added.

Tarentian frowned, then shrugged. “I am pleased this task is done."

After much debate the four brothers also agreed on their roles. Someone with a willingness to embrace the unfamiliar would be needed to form a new chapter, and so Tiberius Drusus would serve as chapter master. It helped that he was the most learned among them. To keep Drusus grounded, the traditionally-minded Tarentian would assume command of the 1st company, and Fabian would take the 2nd. Martellus Lucullus, Drusus' fellow advocate for new ways, would helm the 3rd.

To find the other seven captains, they would have to screen Cawl's unnaturally trained creations to see if any among them had the wit for independent thought.

When the four brothers eventually reached the Sol system they found a fleet of unnamed ships waiting for them in Mars' crowded dockyards. Inside, a chapter of new marines slept in stasis. Neither ships nor men bore heraldry. Drusus and his brothers had understood the scale of the task ahead in theory, but found the reality somewhat daunting. They were veterans of combat, not leadership. Who were they to step into the shoes of their betters and start from the very beginning?

The four brothers toured the fleet and its crews. They went to see the stasis chambers, and the marines inside. An army of techpriests, artisans and servitors awaited Drusus' signal to begin.

Drusus wanted the chapter to wake up to some sense of heritage, so the artisans were set to work first, applying heraldry to empty racks of armour. Ships were named. The four brothers met with the fleet's human officers, many of whom were decorated volunteers from the Imperial Navy.

When all was prepared, Drusus gave authorisation to wake the chapter.

They soon learned that the indoctrinated marines had names from their previous lives, but all were uncertain how many of their memories were real, and how many implanted. They all thought they remembered lives in Ultramar, and so the four brothers found some common ground with them. Even so, the marines knew little of the modern Imperium. Some spoke of the secular Imperial Truth promulgated in the days of the Great Crusade. The four brothers realised that bringing these men into the 42nd Millennium would involve significant culture shock. Worse yet, they had been indoctrinated to fulfill a single role, rather than having the flexibility of a marine who had worked their way through the ranks.

In the short term, Drusus and the others would simply have to accept Cawl's inflexible progeny and work with them as best they could. The Cobalt Scions fleet began its maiden voyage out of Sol and towards the nearest prong of the Indomitus Crusade.

==The Cobalt Scions in the Indomitus Crusade==
Over the next few decades, the Scions slowly morphed in the direction the four brothers intended. While in transit between warzones, squads were trained in other methods of warfare. Hellblaster units learned to use bolt rifles, Intercessors learned how to move in gravis armour, and so on. Like many of the all-primaris chapters, they took higher casualties early on in the Crusade, and despite occasional reinforcements from Mars, eventually found themselves able to field only 780 combat-ready marines, and it was at this depleted level that they met with their greatest disaster.

===The Nova Tarentis Massacre===
A prosperous world of significant agricultural and mineral output, Nova Tarentis was crucial to trade within its area of the Segmentum Pacificus, and an obvious target for the archenemy. Traitor Guard and Dark Mechanicum forces attacked in strength, and pleas for aid were made. Keen to prevent a cascade of infrastructural failure, the full Azure Drakes chapter was deployed with four companies of Cobalt Scions in support. The Drakes' chapter master, Sorkhos Danithor, committed to a full orbital assault, giving the enemy on the ground little time to react.

Once the bulk of the Drakes and Scions units had launched from their vessels, however, drive cores began to kindle all around Nova Tarentis' planetary rings. A substantial force of Black Legionnaires, thousands strong, had lain the perfect trap. Extracting the deployed troops would take hours, so Danithor - now trapped on the surface with the rest of his chapter - ordered the fleet to break orbit and seek reinforcements, rather than engaging in an unwinnable fight. Nonetheless, a small number of the fleet's capital ships were caught and destroyed as they raced for the system's Mandeville Point.

With their fleet gone, the loyal Astartes fought on as the traitors made planetfall. The fighting was brutal, but ultimately the Drakes and Scions were in an impossible position, hunted by a superior foe and lacking crucial supplies thanks to the loss of their orbital support.

Danithor orchestrated several breakout attempts, reasoning that asymmetric guerrilla warfare might allow more of his forces to survive until reinforcements arrived, but the Black Legion's noose proved too tight. Slowly, the Astartes army lost ground. When the Azure Drakes fleet returned with reinforcements, it was too late to meaningfully save the chapter. Fewer than a hundred Drakes were still alive.

As soon as the heretics' scout vessels spotted the incoming Imperial fleet in the system's outer reaches, the Black Legion began evacuating, their mission a total success. They had slain over a thousand loyalist marines, and had taken favourable casualties.

The final blow was, perhaps, the bitterest. During the enemy's final assault, Danithor noted enemy bombardments on the Imperial formations either side of his position, but none on his own. When enemy veterans in terminator plate teleported down behind him, preventing retreat, he realised all to late that they intended to take him alive. In his last recorded communication, he passed command to the most senior Imperial commander left - a Cobalt Scions reserve sergeant - before taking his own life. Frustrated, the Black Legion veterans butchered his retinue, but left empty handed. It mattered not; the Azure Drakes were gone in all but name. The few survivors were folded into the Cobalt Scions, along with their remaining fleet assets. Some were unhappy to muddy the chapter's culture with the more bellicose Drakes, but none would have seen the survivors cast adrift. The legacy of the Drakes would live on as one of a number of fraternities that a Cobalt Scion might choose to join upon inculcation into the Chapter.

While the Crusade continued to spread out through the galaxy, it was decided that the Scions needed to recover from their losses. Between the attrition of Crusading, and the hundreds of losses incurred on Nova Tarentis, the chapter was now reduced to around a third of its original fighting strength. The time had come for the Scions to go and recuperate on [[Thonis]], the world designated as their new home by Guilliman.

[[File:Cobalt_scions_heavy_intercessor.png|600px|center]]

===The Reclamation of Raxis Minor===
On their way to Thonis, the Scions received a distress call from the agri-world of Raxis Minor. While in theory the Scions were supposed to make all haste to their new homeworld, Drusus refused to ignore such pleas and directed the chapter fleet to alter course. Upon arrival the Scions found the defenders had been overwhelmed by Heretic Astartes of the Iron Warriors Legion. Reconnaissance revealed that the enemy numbered at or below company strength, with substantial mortal auxiliary forces. But even with the chapter at half strength and still suffering low morale following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, Drusus judged that his chapter would be more than strong enough to rally the tattered remains of the planet's defence forces. He split the fleet into three formations and approached the planet from different directions, forcing the Iron Warriors' smaller fleet to try and fight their way clear of the tightening blockade. Badly outnumbered, the Iron Warriors ships were cornered and destroyed, trapping the remaining Iron Warriors on the surface. The Cobalt Scions, hungry for revenge against the forces of Chaos, fell upon the planet with eagerness. There was no glory to be taken in vanquishing a foe so badly outnumbered, but there was some satisfaction to be had in restoring Imperial rule to a world in need of help.

When the Iron Warriors made their final stand, an undecipherable astropathic communication was sent from their command bunker. Fearing reprisal, Drusus committed his resources to reestablishing Imperial rule and improving Raxis Minor's defensive infrastructure. Foremost among this was the creation of several defensive hubs built at the centre of the main population centres with shielding and defensive batteries to defend against orbital assault. The Scions deployed hundreds of servitor-crewed machines to expedite construction, and after only four months' work, Raxis Minor's defences had become substantially easier to hold. Leaving the locals to complete the work, the fleet continued on its journey to their new home.

==A new homeworld==
When it was designated as the Scions' homeworld, [[Thonis]] was far from any active warzones. Situated in the [[Eridani Sector]] of the [[Segmentum Pacificus]], it was Guilliman's intent that the Scions would further strengthen a relatively stable part of the Imperium. Some whispered that it was further evidence of Guilliman ensuring the Ultramarines' ascendancy, particularly given the cultural ties the First Four had sought to maintain.

Either way, none could gainsay the Lord Commander of the Imperium, and so the Scions' fleet made for Thonis. Drusus and the others knew relatively little about Thonis beside some centuries-old information about its major exports and government, but it seemed reasonable to assume the locals would be grateful for the protection of an Astartes Chapter. With four stars and a great many settled worlds, the Thonis system almost seemed like a sub-sector in itself.

[[File:Thonis_system_map.png|600px|center]]

The Scions fleet returned to Mars first. While ship repairs got underway, Chapter Master Drusus met with Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the fabricator-general Cawl had assigned to the chapter. She had been tasked with designing and overseeing the construction of the Scions' fortress monastery, and then remaining with the chapter for the rest of her life, tending to the fortress' manufactorums and forges. She seemed at peace with the notion that she would get to create this one great structure and then be relegated to its maintenance. Drusus, however, was far less willing than Cawl to waste human resources. He suggested that if she showed aptitude for architectural design and understood siegecraft sufficiently, there was every chance she could embark upon an indefinite number of projects across Thonis and the wider Eridani sector as the Scions established themselves.

In that moment, he won Morleio's undivided loyalty.

Everything that would be needed for the fortress monastery, save the stone and rockrete itself, had already been loaded onto Morleio's kilometers-long fabrication ark. The fleet, now repaired, broke orbit and made for the Eridani Sector.

==Arrival in Thonis==
The Imperial governor on Thonis had been told decades ago that a chapter called the Cobalt Scions were coming to live on the planet. That was it. No details, no instructions to make particular preparations. Simply that they were coming.

When a fleet of Astartes ships arrived claiming to be the Cobalt Scions, no one had any reason to doubt them.

The fleet moved straight through the Eridani sector and on to the Hasmides system in the neighbouring Achernar sector. There had been some civil unrest; bombings and the like. It was assumed the Scions intended to terrify the populace into compliance.

In reality, the individuals aboard the Astartes fleet had created the uprising. They were not the Cobalt Scions at all. They were the Word Bearers, six hundred of them, acting on the orders of Khairon. If Guilliman's sons were coming, the Word Bearers were keen to preemptively tarnish their good name and make it clear the Scions' very arrival would only bring suffering.

Hasmides offered little challenge to them.

A thousand light years away, the Scions' fleet approached in blissful ignorance.

With Hasmides' government and infrastructure in tatters, the Word Bearers returned to their ships to prepare their next blow. The Scions might not have been there to prevent the atrocity, but the wider Imperium did not leave it unpunished. As the Word Bearers fleet made all speed for the Hasmides system's Mandeville point so as to escape into the warp, they were intercepted by the full might of Battlefleet Achernar.

The ensuing [[Battle of Hasmides]] cost both fleets dearly, but ultimately the Word Bearers' fleet was so badly damaged that, while most of their Astartes survived, their ability to prosecute a full naval engagement was, for a time at least, nullified.

Ironically the Navy's victory at Hasmides was politically bad for the Cobalt Scions. Not only had their impending arrival attracted dangerous foes to a peaceful place, it wasn't even the Scions who saw them off. Furthermore Thonis' incumbent planetary governor, Lord Aderbal, was well regarded by his subjects. There was little appetite for change.

When the true Cobalt Scions fleet approached Thonis, they were bombarded with security questions, and requests that they remain at a distance until their identity could be verified. It was hardly the welcome the Scions had hoped for. Eventually, Thonis' modest orbital platforms cancelled their firing solutions and stood down. A lone Overlord-class gunship bore the first delegation of Cobalt Scions down to the verdant surface of their new homeworld.

Chapter Master Drusus expected Aderbal to unquestionably accept the Scions' clear right to rule the system. Drusus informed him that there would be a brief transition phase followed by significant reforms in which Aderbal's official title would change from Planetary Governor to Locutor of the Senate: a position Drusus assured him would be very important in the new regime.
[[File:Heracleion.png|400px|right]]
Given the choice between no power and some power, Aderbal was forced to accept Drusus' offer.

In his address during the ceremony in which the Sceptre of Heracleion, symbol of the capital, was to pass from Governor Aderbal to Dictator Drusus, the governor's wording carefully managed to remain obedient while subtly emphasising Drusus' status as a newcomer to an old world with a well-established culture.

The address set the tone for the months to come. The Scions were too terrifying for anyone to risk obvious dissent, but any request made to the government by an Astartes would mysteriously require more paperwork and bureaucracy than the same request made by a native official. If asked for an explanation, people would claim they were taking extra care that they did a good job, or would say they had heard Guilliman's sons encouraged detailed paperwork. The Scions came to be seen as a source of problems by the general populace. With no experience of nuanced public relations, Drusus and his captains were at a loss as to how to win their people over. They went on speaking tours, endeavouring to rouse the public with stilted recollections of their great victories in the Indomitus Crusade, but received only polite applause. They made suggestions to improve the efficiency of institutions, but were told said suggestions would reduce productivity even when it seemed clear this was not the case.

During those first few months, some of the Scions grew restive. They felt the battles they had fought deserved the respect of any Imperial citizen, and talk grew of taking a harsher line with the recalcitrant public. Tarentian in particular advocated for a more direct approach.

Lucullus disagreed. He argued that the harder they pushed, the harder the people would resist. Some would fall into line, of course, but there would also be dissent and perhaps even the fomenting of heresy.

Drusus, politically inexperienced, was indecisive as to whose approach he would implement, and changed his mind regularly. This in turn created a rift between him and Captain Fabian, who proclaimed that he didn't care which side Drusus took, only that he committed to a course of action. Fabian went to far as to suggest that if Drusus couldn't make such decisions, Fabian was happy to take his place. Fabian's insubordination outraged Tarentian, Lucullus, and the other captains. The argument served a purpose, at least. Drusus was at last moved to choose. He took Lucullus' cautious approach.

[[File:Thonis.png|400px|right]]

==The construction of the Fortress of Syrnum==
While the Scions struggled with the political landscape, Archmagos Morleio worked on her designs for the fortress-monastery. It was to be built in the hills above Heracleion, and would require surprisingly few homes to be demolished. Strangely, the news that five hundred families were to be given the honour of having their homes bulldozed for the fortress monastery wasn't met with the sort of gratitude the Scions expected. Citizens of Ultramar, the Scions reflected bitterly, would have been proud to give their land for such a purpose.

Morleio estimated the project would take three years before it would be usable, and more than that before it would reach its full potential. Work began to prepare the Syrnum hills as Morleio and Drusus spent many long days drawing up plans.

==Expanding the docks==
Work also began on enlarging Thonis' modest orbitals. In time, they would need to serve a full fleet of warships in addition to providing efficient trade berths. Where the Scions had failed to gain any political capital thus far, the trade-focussed Thonicians were keen on the idea of increased docking facilities and reduced piracy. Sensing an opportunity, Drusus made a series of speeches promising that within fifty years, Thonis would enjoy the protection and commerce of vast orbital facilities. Finally, the Scions had said something popular.

Naturally this meant the native politicians, still angry at their reduced autonomy, argued for increased influence in the design of the orbitals to ensure the opportunities for trade were maximised.

==Political reforms==
The nobles' request for greater influence was an overt challenge to Drusus' competence in terms of trade, and public perception was very much that a space marine couldn't possibly have the same expertise as the great trading houses of Thonis.

In a move that shocked the Thonician nobility, Drusus responded to their challenge with his first sign of political deftness.

Drusus declared that if the native politicians wanted a say in the Scions' construction projects, then apparently they had accepted the chapter was here to stay. It followed, therefore, they were ready for the political reforms Drusus had promised.

A senate was formed from the heads of the fifty most influential noble families. The senate's role would be to advise the Scions as to how they should proceed in matters of commerce and governance. One senator would be first among equals, and would present the senate's suggestions to the Dictator. This individual would be known as the Locutor, a position that would initially be taken by Lord Aderbal. Upon his death or dismissal, another senator would be elected by their peers to take his position.

The reforms went further still. Ten commoners would be chosen to represent the labourers. These ten Tribunes were to keep the Dictator and Senate informed of how their legislation was being received by the commoners. More importantly, if all ten Tribunes agreed, they had the power to veto new legislation. The veto could only be overruled by the dictator, or in the absence of the Dictator, by one of the chapter's lieutenants, all of whom held the honorific of Praetor.

Being a Praetor incorporated two main duties beyond an Astartes Lieutenant's combat role. One was to act as a diplomat or ambassador for their captain when on campaign, and the other, as intimated above, was to arbitrate on disagreements between the Senate and the Tribunate when at home. In this way, lieutenants gained extensive political experience in preparation for becoming a captain.

Captains, in turn, held the honorific of Consul. Being a Consul meant having the Dictator's blessing to instigate reforms of a planet's government if it was militarily advantageous to do so, up to and including its annexation. The wording of this rule was vague enough that neighbouring planetary governors began to issue complaints to the Adeptus Terra. Guilliman's sons were laying the illegal foundations of their own empire, the governors said. Months later, Guilliman provided a curt response: “Then do not give my sons cause to annex your planet."

This further stoked speculation that the Lord Commander took issue with the modern Imperium, but as yet no one was willing to risk secession.

While the heavy-handed reforms were obviously taking power from the ruling class and handing it to the Cobalt Scions, the nobles also realised that they were now competing with each other for places in the Senate. This broke their unity and revealed their selfishness for all to see, and the mere existence of the Tribunate empowered the bulk of the population far more than the previous regime, even if this was representation in name only.

Tiberius Drusus finally had the political situation working to his advantage.

==Initial Engagements==
The Scions soon learned of the Hasmides atrocity, but were reliant on the Inquisition for further intelligence as to where the Word Bearers might strike next.

In the interim, they had two priorities: rebuilding the chapter, and dealing with any lesser threats in their immediate area. Neighbouring systems, particularly those bordering the Scyrian Expanse, were suffering from frequent greenskin raids. The Scions set about crushing these lesser orkish warbands with relative ease, and cleared out several remote human pirate strongholds, all of which was well received by the Eridani Sector's border colonies, but was of little relevance to the people of Thonis.

As for rebuilding the chapter, the Scions embarked on a major recruitment drive in Thonis. They asked for volunteers only, but the financial support they offered volunteers' families meant that a noticeable percentage of the adolescent aspirants clearly had no desire to be there.

Despite these issues, the Scions soon had a good number of scouts in training, and with at least half the chapter stationed at Thonis at any given moment there were always plenty of instructors available. A major difficulty, of course, was that most of the instructors had never been scouts themselves. Many of the initial recruits were pushed too hard, or were simply not trained effectively, and it took some time before the first generation of aspirants - those that survived - started to make good progress.

===The Andaras Affair===
The [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] are sent to end an ork raid on [[Andaras]]. Their intervention reveals the presence of both aeldari and a genestealer cult infestation, prompting a brief but explosive campaign that ultimately results in the xenos escaping, but the colony being made safe.

Further reading: [[The Andaras Affair]], and Consul Lucullus' [[notes on the Andaran Operation]].

===The Season of Fire===
The Cobalt Scions are pulled from one side of the [[Iolan Reaches]] to the other as xenos raids increase in both variety and intensity. The Scions are broadly successful in engaging a number of these threats, but ultimately the [[Starborn Souls]] prove almost impossible to stamp out, despite successful purges on multiple worlds.

Further reading: the [[Season of Fire]].

===The Raid on Lachesis===
[[Tolemias]] of the Librarius foretells of a Word Bearers raid on [[Lachesis]]. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] leads a force drawn largely from the Third Company and arrives before the Word Bearers. Despite sustaining several injuries, Drusus and Tolemias succeed in thwarting the Word Bearers' scheme to turn the planet's smallest moon into a stable warp gate, but at the cost of all three of the planet's Psykana holding towers.

The raid exposes the presence of not just Word Bearers, but a Night Lords warband of [[the Thirteenth Talon]] and another warband of the Red Corsairs. Following the Word Bearers' retreat, Drusus tracks the Night Lords back to their base of operations and attempts, with the help of [[Taliesin]] of Iybraesil, to destroy it. The base is a death trap, and the attack is a costly failure. The episode casts a pall over the broader success of the Lachesian situation, and the Night Lords escape the Chapter's clutches.

Further reading: the [[Raid on Lachesis]].

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[[File:cobalt_scions_techmarine.png|600px|center]]

==Recuperation==
Aside from continued efforts to catch [[the Thirteenth Talon]] of the Night Lords, the Chapter as a whole enjoys a period of only minor engagements. The Fortress of Syrnum is now both defensible and adequately functional, but Morleio is far from finished with it. She begins the first of many planned expansions by expanding further underground, increasing the Chapter Forge's capacity without compromising the city above.

During this period, Thonician scouts begin passing into the reserve companies, rapidly recovering the Chapter's numbers.

===Trade with Iphara===
As construction of the Chapter Forge nears completion, the final stage is to create the large and costly means to produce tactical dreadnought armour. To this end, a small team of Praetors are convened to travel to [[Iphara]] and compete with other Imperial organisations for a modest share of the adamantium being mined in the newly compliant world. With demand for the metal being so high, negotiations are tough, particularly given the questionable need for terminator plate given the ready availability of gravis-pattern armour. The Praetors ultimately only secure a modest shipment, but it is enough to begin forging a tiny number of suits.

==The Ephramundi Daemonic Incursion==
A distress call is issued by the planet [[Ephramundi]] after [[A Minor Heresy]] causes a scattered but planetwide daemonic incursion. With small rifts popping up in seemingly random locations, and the agri-world being a key source of food to other worlds in the [[Kapran sub]], Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus|Drusus]] orders the largest mass deployment in the Chapter's history, with eight full companies dispatched to contain the problem without having to sacrifice Imperial Guard assets that may later be needed for more conventional wars.

Two companies are left to guard Thonicia, and the rest of the fleet get underway with all haste. The plan is to hold out until Grey Knights can arrive to seal the largest breaches. Using drop pods and other rapid response assets, the operation contains most of the daemonic breaches, preventing the sort of governmental collapse common in such incursions. This success has a cost; marines thrown into rapid response operations against an unpredictable foe comes with predictable losses in both men and materiel. By the time the Grey Knights arrive, the Scions have lost 162 marines, their greatest loss since the massacre on Nova Tarentis. The Scions still consider it a success given the value of the planet, and the vast wastage in conventional forces that would have been required to achieve the same result.

Unfortunately, these losses mean they are temporarily less than well prepared for any unexpected invasions elsewhere in the region.

==The Tyranid Invasion of Melia's Reach==
Even as the Scions await the arrival of the Grey Knights on Ephramundi, word is sent to [[Martellus Lucullus]] of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]] that a Tyranid invasion is underway on [[Melia's Reach]]. Lucullus' company has taken 40% casualties, but he petitions Drusus to be sent as a vanguard to try and slow the Tyranids' advance long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Reluctantly convinced that the warning can be trusted - it is sent by the aeldari Farseer [[Host Taliesin of Iybraesil|Taliesin]] - Drusus permits Lucullus to depart aboard the ''Preceptor''.

The Third Company task force arrive to find the local Planetary Defence Force (PDF) in a shambles, and the Governor entirely unfamiliar with the nature of the xenos. In the week that follows, the Space Defence Force are revealed to have been corrupted by Genestealers, and - despite the aid of Taliesin's own troops - the Tyranids continue their advance. Lucullus' efforts to reorganise and reinforce the PDF are eventually successful in helping the locals hold the line on their own, but an assassination attempt by a Lictor renders him unable to witness this success firsthand.

With Lucullus in a coma, Lieutenant Antigonus Nerva assumes command of the strike force, and accompanies Taliesin into Tyranid territory in a desperate joint operation to destroy the hive's primary hatcheries by triggering a volcanic event.

The operation is a success.

Sadly, strategic victory has come too late, and the Tyranids are now numerous and widely established. Unable to reinforce using the rest of the chapter, the Scions instead commit to a massed deployment of the Initiate Auxilia, with scouting teams spreading out into Tyranid-contaminated zones and calling out targets for orbital and aerial strikes. As a result, the value of maintaining an oversized auxilia is further cemented in the minds of the chapter's leadership, despite this being the first time a large force of initiates has proven useful.

==The Lachesian War==
The Word Bearers return to the [[Lachesis]] system in force. The Cobalt Scions have been preparing for this eventuality and are supported by numerous allies, but the size and strength of the traitors' fleet is substantial. The Imperium's only advantage initially is that, due to the failure of the raid, the Word Bearers' vessels arrive piecemeal. Initial engagements go well for the Imperium, but Alpha Legion-induced naval mutinies and resurgent assaults by both the Night Lords and the Word Bearers keep the war rattling on for several years. Eventually, reinforced by the Blood Angels and Raven Guard Chapters, the Imperium emerges victorious, and the traitors are forced to withdraw. Present from the first shot to the final parting ship to ship actions, it is the Cobalt Scions' lengthiest conflict, but also one of their proudest accomplishments. They had met a large traitor force in battle and were not found wanting; it did much to bolster the young Chapter's confidence, and dispel some of the lingering shame of Nova Tarentis.

==The Salvation of Massyleon==
During the Lachesian War, an ork fleet invaded the [[Massyleon]] system. Drusus dispatched the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] alongside Chief Librarian [[Diokles Adrastos]] to counter the invasion alongside the [[Raven Guard 5th Company]]. The strike force encounters an ork fleet led by a space hulk known as the ''Crawling Ruin''. While the bulk of the strike force rush to the defence of Hive Massinissos to prevent the orks getting a serious foothold beyond the hive's walls, Diokles boards the ''Crawling Ruin'' with ten Terminator-armoured veterans drawn from both the Scions and the Ravens. They find a corrupted abominable intelligence lurking within the hulk. Unable to destroy the AI due to its sheer size, Diokles is forced to entreat with the entity, and is ultimately successful in convincing it to turn on its ork allies before departing the system, decisively turning the fate of the war in an instant. When asked about what was said between Diokles and the AI, he refuses to be drawn. Their mission successful and the planet reinforced by regiments of Imperial Guard, the strike force return to Lachesis, where their return finally tips the balance and is directly responsible for the end of the Lachesian War.

==Xenos Invasions in Eressus==
The [[Eressus]] system is invaded by a Tyranid splinter fleet that assaults Eressus Tertia, and the Cobalt Scions dispatch a company to engage them alongside other Imperial forces, including the Blood Angels and Imperial Guard. Whilst this invasion is underway, another xenos invasion occurs in the same system on the planet of Aetolia: orks under the rulership of Boss Bonerippa of the Evil Sunz clan attack in significant numbers. Leaving Captain Lucullus with half his battle company to face the Tyranids with the Blood Angels, Chapter Master Drusus and the other Cobalt Scions form an Imperial response alongside the [[31st Nightfall Ranger Regiment]], several regiments of Krieg Death Korps, and [[Battlegroup 86]]. Even so, the ork numbers prove so substantial that military victory seems unlikely. The balance is tipped when [[Inquisitor Michael]]'s ship ''Accipiter'' leads a kroot warsphere into the system, delivering substantial numbers of kroot mercenaries, and ordering the Imperial forces not to engage them. Recognising the importance of these xenos on a strategic level, the Scions are quick to respond when Michael's ship is opportunistically boarded by the orks, and save the ''Accipiter'' from destruction, and by extension, enabling the kroot to remain in-system thanks to the Inquisitor's presence. Brother Galadoc of the Azarian Guard swears an oath to protect the Inquisitor with his life, and ends up defeating one of the ork warlords in personal combat alongside the Chapter's Judiciar.

The initial battles leave Aetolia's orbital defences in tatters, leaving the Imperium on the defensive. The Astartes and Imperial Guard forces operate as a mobile reserve, with the local Aetolian regiments responsible for the bulk of the fighting. Wherever breaches in the lines appear, the reserve forces are moved to aggressively counter-attack, turning the orks' victories into demoralising defeats.

Towards the end of the conflict, the enemy warlord Bonerippa is hunted down and assassinated by a joint force of Nightfaller Rangers and kroot, and this proves to be the final blow. Some of the Scions feel that the honour of victory is undermined by the presence of the kroot, but Drusus is pleased at the pragmatic benefits of cooperating with the Ordo Xenos, and commends the Inquisitor for his initiative.

==The Cobalt Scions join the Fourth Tyrannic War==
With the war concluded on [[Lachesis]] and the Chapter's losses replaced by members of the Novitiate Auxilia joining the reserve companies, the time has come for the Chapter to go back out into the galaxy and contribute to the Imperium's wider wars. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] appoints Consul Gaius Fabian of the Second Company to lead a strike force out into the wider Segmentum to contribute to the Fourth Tyrannic War. It is the first time the Chapter sends the bulk of its forces away since arriving in Thonicia seven years prior. Drusus laments being unable to go with the strike force, but the Chapter's home system is so large and multi-faceted that there is still much to do that requires his attention.

===Strike Force Tarasc's order of battle===
====Fleet assets====
* Battle barge ''Tarasc''
* Strike cruiser ''Alium''
* Strike cruiser ''Azhdaha''
* Strike cruiser ''Redemption''
* Strike cruiser ''Mater Accipitrum''
* 9 frigates
* 6 destroyers

====Astartes====
* 50 Veterans of the First Company
* 2nd Battle Company
* 4th Battle Company
* 5th Battle Company
* 150 marines from the reserve companies
* 50 marines of the Chapter's Vanguard
* 100 Novitiate Auxilia

The strike force fleet gathers above Thonis, and to celebrate its departure, a parade is held in the streets of Heracleion. The public, perhaps frightened of failing to show due deference, turn out in force to bid them farewell. The tone of the crowd is one of dutiful attendance rather than rapturous approval; Drusus realises that he still has much to do in inculcating Ultramarian values in his populace.

[[Category:Adeptus Astartes]] [[Category:Cobalt Scions]] [[Category: Crusade Forces]] [[Category: Cobalt Scions Missions]]

Thonis

2026-05-11T20:33:35Z

Charlie: /* Delta Thonicia VIII Gamma: Keraphon */

[[File:Cobalt_Scions_icon.png|400px|right]]
[[File:sector_map_link.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]

Situated in the [[Saedran Sub-sector]] of the [[Eridani Sector]], Thonis is the home system of the [[Cobalt Scions]] Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. It is the name given to both the system as a whole, and its primary planet. The system has four suns and numerous inhabited worlds, all of which are collectively referred to as Thonicia, and its inhabitants as Thonicians.

=Thonician Politics & Culture=
==Political Structure==
While Thonicia contains multiple worlds with their own governments, they have long since stopped operating with any real autonomy. Instead, representatives travel to Heracleion, the system's capital city. Following the arrival of the [[Cobalt Scions]], Chapter Master Tiberius Drusus has reformed the government and assumed control, giving himself and all future Chapter Masters the political rank of Dictator. The last Thonician Governor, Lord Aderbal, was given a new title: Locutor of the Senate. Representatives from Thonicia's 49 most prominent noble families would also be allowed to nominate a Senator to represent their interests. Controversially, Drusus also announced that ten commoners - called Tribunes - would be responsible for informing the Senate and the Dictator how their legislation was being received by the wider Thonician population. More importantly, if the Tribunes were unanimous, they could veto new legislation proposed by Senators. This veto could only be overruled by the Dictator or, in his absence, by one of the Cobalt Scions' lieutenants, all of whom hold the title of Praetor.

This total upending of a millennia-old regime was met with opprobrium by the Thonician nobility, but they soon realised they all wanted to have a seat at the Senate. The inevitable infighting broke their unity, and ensured they were marching to the beat of Drusus' drum.

For more detail on the context of these reforms, and the events preceding them, see the appropriate section on the [[Cobalt_Scions#A_new_homeworld| Cobalt Scions]] history.
[[File:Thonis_system_map.png|600px|center]]

=The Worlds of Thonicia=
==Alpha Thonicia==

===Alpha Thonicia III: Teranis===
This mining world is rich in various ores and minerals. Even after millennia of excavation, there are still plenty of untapped seams waiting to be dug out, refined, and exported to Ralkis, Keraphon, Gamma Thonicia, or indeed outside the system. A common extra-Thonician destination is the shipyards of [[Saedra]] VII. Working conditions are poor, and life expectancy short. There was a brief uprising in 867.M41, but this was swiftly crushed, and operations restored. The poor conditions returned to the political landscape following Drusus' formation of the Thonician Senate, and the newfound ability of the Tribunes to bring attention to the issues of the system's workers. Five years after the Chapter's arrival in Thonicia, Drusus spent a month on the planet with his closest advisors. Following the visit, a number of mining outposts were instructed to trial different working practices. Six months later, dramatic reforms were introduced. It was observed that productivity rose when shifts were shortened from twelve hours to nine, rest days were introduced, and the workers given good quality rations. A year later, yields were up by 7%, but crucially, civil unrest was dramatically reduced. Several senators complained that yields would be further improved by moving shifts to ten hours, but Drusus denied this request, prioritising civil compliance over maximal output, wagering that the population would be more willing to work harder in an emergency if their rulers had showed clemency when given the chance.

===Alpha Thonicia IV: Xerakos===
The once-fertile soil of Xerakos has now been industrially farmed for so long that its quality is now waning, despite regular imports of fertilizer. This in turn has created a degree of uncertainty and fear as regards the future of this agri-world, but experts' warnings that the only way to recover is to allow the fields to go fallow for a time have been dismissed as impractical. Other experts have suggested that the food growing potential of other worlds in the system is significant, and that in theory the system doesn't ''need'' Xerakos' output to feed itself. This suggestion has drawn the ire of Xerakian farmers naturally hesitant about being made surplus to requirements, and who don't seem to understand that the Imperium will always have a demand for more food elsewhere.

[[File:Thonis.png|400px|right]]
[[File:Heracleion.png|400px|right]]
===Alpha Thonicia V: Thonis===
Thonis Prime is a self-sufficient planet sporting a mixture of agriculture, manufacturing, and other industries. Its climate is highly favourable to human life, albeit slightly too warm for visitors. The polar tundra regions are largely uninhabited, while extensive seawater desalination plants and soil culturing have been used to turn arid areas into productive agricultural regions.

[[File:Mazrakis.png|400px|right]]
===Alpha Thonicia VI Gamma: Mazrakis===
This moon-based Mechanicus research station studies the unusual biome of the gas giant it orbits. There are no signs of sentient life, but other flora and fauna can be found to a degree of complexity that is highly unusual for such an environment. Mazrakis' Magi Biologis work under the continuous threat of being closed down or repurposed to work on something more economically beneficial, but have so far seem to have friends in high places with Keraphon's leadership (see Delta Thonicia, below).

==Beta Thonicia==
===Beta Thonicia I.i & I.ii: the Quarrelsome Twins===
These two airless rocky bodies hurtle around their star as a rotating pair in a close orbit of each other. They are entirely uninhabited, but there is an urban legend that the most talented spacefarers can prove their skill by successfully plotting and executing a landing on one of these bodies, through the intense solar activity, bracing orbital velocities, and gravitational challenge.

===Beta Thonicia II===
Civilised world, relatively underpopulated, with a hot, arid climate only capable of growing specially adapted crops.

===Beta Thonicia III: Ralkis===
An industrial world responsible for manufacturing low-tech goods.

===Beta Thonicia VI: Zagreus' Lament===
A cold, desolate penal colony.

==Gamma Thonicia==
===Gamma Thonicia V: Kalidi===
Kalidi is a world of deserts and oceans, with cool alpine rainforests at the poles. Most of the life on the planet is aquatic. Fishing and kelp farming form half the major exports, the other half being the extraction of Kalidi's substantial prometheum deposits. Whilst in theory this should make Kalidi the wealthiest planet in Thonicia per capita, the centralised nature of the Thonician government means that much of the profits find their way to noble bank accounts rather than workers' quality of life, and this has led to some seagoing vessels quietly becoming floating micro-nations that rarely make landfall to contribute to the wider economy beyond selling part of their catch to pay for boat maintenance.

===Gamma Thonicia VII===
Lacking a breathable atmosphere but comfortable gravity made GT-7 an ideal place for emissions-heavy manufacturing, and the Mechanicus wasted no time in claiming it as their own. Now a smog-choked hellscape, GT-7 imports ore from Teranis and fuel from Kalidi to feed vast automated manufactories. These produce everything from cogitators to vehicles, and even some of the components used in the Keraphon shipyards.

===Gamma Thonicia VIII: Sitiros===
Sitiros is regarded by some as a damning indictment of the lords of Xerakos. Despite Sitiros' colder climate and punishing winters, its crop yield is comparable. The difference is that it has been managed better; its governors have, over the years, decided to produce less but to manage the biosphere's integrity more cautiously, meaning that its output has remained impressively consistent over the centuries. At times, demands have been made to increase production in the short term, but Sitirans are famed both for their long view of things, and their disinclination to suffer fools.

==Delta Thonicia==
===Delta Thonicia IV===
This hot, humid mining world has been plagued with industrial action for over sixty years. The metals and minerals beneath the jungle soil are bounteous, but active tectonics and monsoon-induced shaft floods make the work extraordinarily dangerous. It has been suggested that servitors be used to take over the work, but the miners see this as an attack on their way of life and culture, as it's unclear how they would be employed were the workforce to be automated. Attempts at partially automating the digs often result in the servitor units being sabotaged, and many mining corporations find it easier to just keep on paying the locals to do what they have done for as long as anyone can remember.

===Delta Thonicia VII Gamma: Kessos===
Kessos is one of Thonicia's most populous worlds. It orbits Delta Thonicia VII, a turquoise gas giant that dominates the skies. On the cool end of temperate, and thickly forested, much of the food needed to feed the world is imported from elsewhere in Thonicia. The planet's primary export is not physical, but intellectual. The historic records state that some time in M35, research noted a sharp increase in productivity when workers performing routine administrative tasks were given ready access to natural environments and were kept in good health. Kessos, then, is an experiment that was rarely if ever replicated: what if an Administratum hub were spread over an entire planet, rather than jammed into one hive, and a datanet used to connect all the disparate nodes? The result is a population who associate physical fitness and an enjoyment of outdoor pursuits with industriousness, and productivity increased by 29% within fifty years. While initially this seemed effective, further research demonstrated that the workforce were so keen to ensure that it was a success that they began to hide any issues they were having, and noted that the more healthy a person was, the more they would be seen as disciplined. This resulted in people working even harder at their appearance than their actual work, and getting promoted based on these superficial merits. Eventually, the planet was full of people trying to do anything to convince everyone else that they were fine, while secretly being paranoid that they weren't beautiful or fit enough to progress in their careers, not to mention the emergent prejudice against age and infirmity that came with the cultural shift. Kessos is, in several senses of the phrase, a superficial paradise.

The high standards of education needed for an Administratum planet have, however, created renowned centres of learning for those with the money and connections to climb the career ladder. Students learn various dialectic modes, analytical methods, and mathematical proofs all designed to create incisive thinkers. This has in turn resulted in Kessos becoming renowned for having particularly influential leaders, able to twist more impressionable politicians around to their way of thinking.

===Delta Thonicia VII Delta: Astredes===
This world-sized moon has been a long-term terraforming project instigated by the Mechanicus in late M34, and only in the last few centuries has it begun to approach being comfortably habitable. Currently there are only a few small settlements present, used to house and support the various Mechanicus magi who maintain the project. Given the relative lack of security or oversight - the planet is of limited strategic value - its deep canyons are sometimes used as a good place for pirates and other ne'er-do-wells to hide. Regular system fleet patrols haven't managed to stamp this practice out entirely.

===Delta Thonicia VIII Gamma: Keraphon===
Another world-sized moon orbiting a mustard yellow gas giant, Keraphon is the Mechanicus' biggest settlement in Thonicia, and one of the largest shipyards in the [[Eridani Sector]]. Most of the industry on the surface is used to manufacture ship components. These components are then taken up into orbit and brought to the rows of skeletal adamantium chassis. For the most part, Keraphon produces escort vessels and civilian ships, but there is one berth used for the production of capital-class vessels. Most heavy duty shipbuilding of that sort, however, is undertaken in the much larger docks of the [[Saedra]] system.

The construction of any starship is still a significant strategic asset, however, and the Mechanicus ensure Keraphon is well defended, boasting many Skitarii cohorts, extensive orbital facilities, and a household of Knights.

After the Cobalt Scions arrived, and Felicita Morleio was satisfied that things were progressing well on the Fortress of Syrnum, she began making overtures to the Lords of Keraphon as to how quickly the production facilities could be expanded so as to begin the work of constructing warships for the Chapter. With the help of the ''Mater Castellorum's'' flotilla of tugs and construction assets, new berths were laid down for the production of frigates, as well as a berth to begin construction of a new strike cruiser, in anticipation of the need to replace combat losses. The frigate berths were consecrated three years after the Scions' arrival, with the first squadrons of new frigates launching two years after that. Now that Keraphon is of even greater strategic value to the Scions, its orbital defence grid is being upgraded substantially, as are the augur stations scattered across Delta Thonicia.

[[Category: Systems]] [[Category: Eridani Sector Systems]] [[Category: Saedran Sub-sector Systems]]

Eressus

2026-05-10T22:16:46Z

Charlie: /* Eressus Tertia */

[[File:Eressus_system.png|400px|right]]
[[File:sector_map_link.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
A binary system in the [[Alyria Sub-sector]] containing several habitable worlds, all of which orbit Eressus A. The system is currently facing simultaneous Tyranid and Ork invasions.

=Planets=
==Aetolia==
[[File:Aetolia.png|400px|right]]
A temperate world with a mixture of biomes, Aetolia is known for its natural beauty. It was originally an independent world before being conquered by the Tertians during M37, after which the Eressian League was formed to defend the system from attacks by other human systems in the sub-sector prior to Imperial unification during the Macharian Crusade.

===Capital city: Aeos===
Aeos is a port city situated on the coast of the Viyosan Ocean. It has a substantial space port ten miles from the city centre.

===Ork invasion===
The planet was invaded by the self-styled Warboss Bonerippa. With Imperial elements already in-system countering the Tyranid invasion of Eressus Tertia, an Imperial response is hastily drawn together, comprising the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]], [[31st Nightfall Ranger Regiment]], several regiments of Krieg Death Korps, and [[Battlegroup 86]]. Even so, the ork numbers prove so substantial that military victory seems unlikely. The balance is tipped when [[Inquisitor Michael]]'s ship ''Accipiter'' leads a kroot warsphere into the system, delivering substantial numbers of kroot mercenaries, and ordering the Imperial forces not to engage them. Despite early gains that heavily damage Aetolia's planetary defences, the orks are ultimately destroyed by the Imperial defenders. Towards the end of the conflict, the enemy warlord Bonerippa is hunted down and assassinated by a joint force of Nightfaller Rangers and kroot.

==Eressus Tertia==
[[File:Eressus_tertia.png|400px|right]]
This temperate world is usually referred to simply as Tertia by the locals. It has recently been invaded by a Tyranid splinter fleet. This invasion is being countered by the Imperial Guard, including regiments from [[Nightfall]], with support from the Blood Angels and [[Cobalt Scions]].

While the bulk of the fighting took place in Tertia's many verdant agri-zones and forests, a stray cluster of mycetic spores deposited a group of Tyranids in the arid Fedruus Desert, where the only industry of note involves the cultivation and harvesting of a particularly nutritious algae from subterranean caverns. The Tyranids feasted on several small towns' algae silos, growing in number, until they were discovered by scouting units and then eradicated by the Nightfall 31st and Cobalt Scions.

===Inhabited moon: Trasenede===
Eressus Tertia's largest moon, Trasenede, is capable of supporting life, featuring an atmosphere of its own and inhabitable, if highly seasonal, climates. It features a single large city, Iria, and several smaller settlements, mostly focused on the exploitation of Trasenede's vast forests and high levels of biodiversity. A Tyranid splinter swarm attacked the moon as part of the wider invasion of Eressus Tertia, with Cadian and Nightfaller forces redirected from Aetolia in the wake of Waaagh! Bonerippa in its defence. The early stages of the fight for Trasenede were desperate affairs, with the survival of the city of Iria, and with it the core of the Imperial defence, in doubt. Through a mix of firepower, ingenuity and sacrifice the city held off a determined alien assault, and the invasion was blunted days later after Nightfaller reconnaissance teams identified vulnerable spawning pools in the deep forests, which were then targeted and destroyed in the kind of commando raids their regiments specialise in - made possible in the face of formidable Tyranid resistance by heavier Cadian muscle. Had the Tyranids seized control of the forest moon, the biomass they would have gathered would have been strategically disastrous, with troubling estimates as to how this would have affected the wider war. While the alien threat on the moon was not entirely eliminated, their forces were depleted and their ability to reproduce hampered enough that the Eressan PDF were then able to hold Trasenede... At least with the Cadian 177th staying on in an advisory role.

An unsettling revelation in the wake of the battle for Trasenede was the appearance of a separate distinct subgenus of Tyranid bioforms starting to emerge within the same swarm. Ordo Xenos scholars indicate this may be evidence of the Hive Mind evolving in response to Imperial resistance.

[[Category: Systems]] [[Category: Eridani Sector Systems]] [[Category: Alyria Systems]]

Lachesis

2026-05-03T21:10:53Z

Charlie:

[[File:Lachesis_prime.png|400px|right]]
[[File:sector_map_link.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
A system in the [[Graiae Sub-sector]] containing a number of habitable worlds. The system capital is Lachesis Prime, orbiting Lachesis B. The system is one of the three Graiae stars, also known as the three sisters, a trio of bright stars often used in local navigation.

The system is strategically important as it lies on the only stable warp route connecting the [[Eridani Sector]] to the rimward [[Achernar Sector]].

+++TRAVEL ADVISORY: ACTIVE WARZONE, LEGIONES TRAITORIS+++<br>
[https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1Yaxmf_liyelYRxNsKhd-hIZmlK4GIU9n4bAkppTsNTw/edit?usp=sharing Current warzone status]<br>
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t-t55vmtyoPMd0sDM9a_mQLYD19zlFpo5SwgUMhmsNw/edit?usp=sharing Warzone rules of engagement]
<div style="clear: both"></div>

=History=
==425.M36: Initial Settlement==
The system was an Imperial colony from its founding, starting with Lachesis Prime in 425.M36. Mild terraforming and geo-editing was performed on Sudhata from 504.M36-579.M36. Inama's mineral wealth was unexplored due to a poorly executed geological survey, a mistake only rectified in 782.M38.

Due to the system's Imperial origins, a neo-feudal governmental system has been present from the start, with trading houses enjoying connections to Achernar and Eridani holding great influence to this day.

[[File:Word Bearers icon.png|300px|right]]
==The Word Bearers' Invasion==
As a system strategically placed on a key warp route with a higher than average number of psykers, the planet was a tempting target for the forces of Chaos. The Word Bearers, never before seen in the region, raided Lachesis Prime with the intention of paving the way for a larger invasion. The [[Raid on Lachesis]] was repulsed, giving the Imperium a few short years in which to prepare their defences.

When scattered elements of the Word Bearers' armada began to arrive eighteen months later, they were met with ships from both [[Battlefleet Achernar]] and [[Battlefleet Eridani]]. While the Word Bearers and their allies were able to land troops on all three inhabited planets orbiting Lachesis B, the well-prepared Imperial lines, bolstered by the [[Cobalt Scions]], mostly held against the initial assaults.

===Initial engagements in the War on Lachesis===
'''The first assault on the Nova Hevanos Perimeter'''

Word Bearers forces assault the perimeter defences of Nova Hevanos, Lachesis Prime's capital city. Lord Khoura's force smashes the Planetary Defence Force garrison and seeks to gain entry into the tunnel network containing the local command bunker. The [[Cobalt Scions]] prevent him consolidating his gains, and his army is forced into retreat just as Khoura himself gains access to the tunnels. Injured by Atalus, Khoura escapes into the tunnel, pursued by Codicier Tolemias and his brothers. The Word Bearers soon send reinforcements to rescue their lord, but are repulsed, leaving Khoura to navigate the vast tunnel network with an equal parts mix of solitude and belligerence. He eventually finds a sufficiently poorly guarded exit several days later, and emerges in an advanced state of fury.

'''Psyker Abductions by the Night Lords'''

[[The Thirteenth Talon]] make their move, having infiltrated Lachesis Prime in advance of the Word Bearers' arrival. Despite an intercession by [[Host Taliesin]], a temporary camp of psykers is emptied of its precious inhabitants and taken away by the heretics.

'''Void war at the Mandeville Point'''

With the Word Bearers' armada scattered by their long journey through the warp, Imperial Navy flotillas engage them in numerous meeting engagements in an attempt to hamper the Word Bearers' need to consolidate their vessels into a larger, more coordinated fleet. In one such engagement, the [[Battlefleet Achernar]] cruiser ''Gambit'' makes precise use of its nova cannon to cripple the Word Bearers cruisers ''Carnodon'' and ''Violation of Reason.''

'''Traitors Thwarted at Thadaka'''

A joint force of [[Cobalt Scions]] and [[House Ulfir]], led by Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]], engage and destroy a Word Bearers force attempting to thin the empyric veil outside Lachesis Prime's second city. Drusus defeats both a master of possession and a Night Lords sorcerer in personal combat (with "some assistance" from his personal bodyguard) while House Ulfir are engaged by one of their own, a long-lost traitor named Kaldr. House Ulfir take severe damage, and the Cobalt Scions lose multiple armoured assets, but the traitors' plans are averted.

===Imperial setbacks===

'''The Alpha Legion arrive'''

At the moment the flotilla from [[Battlefleet Achernar]] finally converge on the Word Bearers carrier ''Mortis Lux'', simultaneous mutinies occurr aboard the ''Pride of Machadon'' and its frigates. The mutinous guns cripple the Lunar class cruiser ''Triumph'' and, with alarming precision, destroy the bridge of the ''Intemperance'', killing Commodore Drennik and leaving the Imperial fleet in disarray. Prior to cutting all communications with the Navy vessels, the ''Pride'' sends a single transmission on all vox frequencies: "Hydra Dominatus."

The ''Mortis Lux'' escapes with only minor damage, and the remnants of Battlefleet Achernar's flotilla withdraw in disgrace. The engagement puts the Word Bearers in a dominant position for the first time in the naval war. They immediately capitalise on this by landing the full might of their forces on Lachesis Prime.

'''Thadaka devastated by daemonic incursion'''

Khorneate daemons emerge on the ground below ''Khairon's Eye'', a Word Bearers cruiser built around a giant octed. With the veil temporarily thinned, neverborn cause havoc, and an attempt by the Cobalt Scions and Raven Guard to contain the situation fails. The careful fortifying efforts previously made in the city are utterly reversed, and the city left vulnerable to assault.

[[File:diokles.png|400x350px|center]]

Of the event, [[Cobalt Scions]] Chief Librarian [[Diokles Adrastos]] wrote, in his introduction to ''The Lachesian War: its Causes, Occurrences and Consequences'':

<blockquote>''Sometimes referred to as the Green Maze, Lachesis Prime's second city of Thadaka is at the southernmost edge of Kulunu Province, spread along the tropical coastline. Torrential rains mean that people were only permitted to pave over 50% of the surface, since soil absorption is needed to prevent flooding. This resulted in buildings interspersed with plentiful lush greenery in a manner I have rarely seen. The buildings themselves left something to be desired, but I admire any city that has its own character, and a vibrance so often crushed by the demands of industry.''

''Following the naval mutiny, there was little we could do to prevent the Word Bearers cruiser Khairon's Eye entering geostationary orbit above the city. The vessel's superstructure is unique, its spine interrupted by a vast iron octed. Its arcane significance was soon revealed when the veil keeping the warp at bay thinned at impossible speed.''

''I have spoken to some of my brothers who were present at the time. They described the tropical air thickening, the wind stilling, and a haze coalescing. Thunder and red lightning from above tore reality open below, like wounds reopening on a scurvy-ridden body. Daemons poured forth. The city, so well-protected by our efforts hitherto, was now subjected to thoughtless massacre at the hands of thirsting neverborn. No theoretical offered solution, and the only practical was retreat. But the city had already been surrounded by the enemy's forces, and our impregnable defences now became a cage.''

''There is no coherent estimate of the civilian casualties suffered that day. I am told many people chose to swim out to sea and drown rather than face death at the hands of the enemy.''</blockquote>

===The war in Sudhata===
Taking advantage of their naval ascendance, Word Bearers forces land on the Lachesis system's agri-world of Sudhata and attempt a blasphemous ritual in the Chapel of Saint Helene. Their endeavour is thwarted by a joint force of Cobalt Scions and the Order of Our Martyred Lady, the latter of whom force Khairon from the chapel with a barrage of missiles, keen to destroy the building before they see it sullied by witchcraft. This attack, however, turns out to be nothing more than a diversion enabling the Night Lords to land in force on the far side of the planet. Describing the event later on in ''The Lachesian War'', Diokles writes:

<blockquote>''With the void war having turned in the enemy's favour, they immediately took the opportunity to land the full might of their forces on Lachesis Prime. What had begun as a well-prepared rebuke now turned into a war we could lose. Thadaka's fate and the enemy's numbers saw a gloom descend on the faces in our strategiums, while the enemy, so jubilant at the change in their fortunes, felt confident enough to open a second front. The Night Lords invaded the system's agri-world of Sudhata alongside thousands of cultists.''

''Given the fraught naval situation, a second front would be hard for us to resupply and harder to maintain. At this point it was clear to us that further reinforcement by the Imperial Guard would be necessary, but it would take time to arrive. Chapter Master Drusus, normally so cautious, made a bold move.''

''We temporarily redeployed all Cobalt Scions forces to Sudhata.''

''Drusus knew well how evasive the Night Lords can be, particularly those of the thrice-accursed sadist Icarael, the armoured coward of the Eight Legion. By sending all our units, we could overwhelm their petulant invasion before it had a chance to take root. Their cultists were soon slaughtered, and the Night Lords, realising the world could not be theirs, inevitably redirected their efforts to making the place unusable to the innocent inhabitants. They attempted this by striving to poison the Sungrutan Reservoir, an underground lake containing 23% of the planet's freshwater. It would have been an unacceptable loss, and one that we averted with extreme prejudice, albeit at some cost to the Third Company. We hounded the Night Lords from the planet and, redirecting the flow of reinforcements to the agri-world to prevent reinvasion, moved the Chapter back to Lachesis Prime, where the defenders we left behind were almost on their knees.''

''In a sense, this was a strategic victory for the enemy; they forced an outsized redeployment by us, enabling them to make further gains in the industrial heartlands of Lachesis Prime's Miduma Province. On the other hand, allowing the Night Lords to embark on a years-long campaign of guerilla warfare of the kind they prefer would have been worse. The heart of good strategy is forcing your opponent to choose between two bad options, and on this occasion, the enemy did just that. Whenever I see these flashes of brilliance in them, it deepens my hatred. They were created to be so much more than what they have become.''</blockquote>

===Stalemate===
Diokles goes on to describe the long months of sustained conflict that followed:

<blockquote>''The war continued on Lachesis Prime for some months. With our naval and ground assets fairly evenly matched, and our desire to hurt each other undimmed, the fight became one of attrition. The war became a beacon to both sides as the Word Bearers called in ever more favours, and made ever more promises. Just as we stabilised things in the ruins of Thadaka, a warband of Iron Warriors arrived to tip the balance. Just as the Blood Angels answered our call for aid, we received word that the Thousand Sons were up to something in Inama, the system's mining colony, so once again much-needed reinforcements had to be redirected.

''Just as we were convinced we couldn't be stretched more thinly, I received an astropathic sending from [[Massyleon]], the distant capital system of the [[Massylean sub-sector]]: an ork invasion was underway.

''This was ill-timed news. Lachesis is strategically vital as it controls the one stable direct route to the neighbouring [[Achernar sector]]. Massyleon is strategically vital as it is the sector's only true hive world, with all the industry that entails. The events of that war are pertinent here only in that it took me, the Cobalt Scions' Third Company, and the Raven Guard's Fifth Company, off to the opposite end of the sector at a time we could ill afford it. We were gone for some weeks, mostly due to travel time, and while we met with success in Massyleon, it lengthened the Lachesian War.''</blockquote>

===The Deadlock is Broken; the War Ends===
Summarising the war's end, Diokles writes:

<blockquote>''By the time we returned from Massyleon, Chapter Master Drusus had somehow managed to keep the enemy in check with the forces at his disposal. Our return tipped the balance. A final assault on Nova Hevanos was rebuffed, and town by town we retook the Miduman Manufactoria and the Haekan refineries. Even in the ruins of Thadaka we forced the enemy back, ever further.

''In mounting desperation, I believe the Word Bearers attempted a grand ritual in the ruins of Thadaka, but as the summoned energies reached their apex, they suddenly drained away. Tolemias and I both felt as though that energy had gone somewhere, and that somewhere was Inama, the mining colony. We told the Blood Angels of this strange occurrence, and they informed us that it was too vague to be useful. A reasonable response, I concede. But whatever the Word Bearers had just attempted, someone else had benefitted.

''In the wake of this strange occurrence, the Word Bearers' allies began to leave. This was a source of some friction within their ranks, and I found it darkly amusing to learn that the Word Bearers and the Night Lords eventually came to blows. We don't know who fired the first shot, but when the Night Lords made ready to depart, aerial reconnaissance showed that they were approached by a force of Word Bearers and engaged in open battle. The Night Lords seemed to win this exchange, partially thanks to deploying a relic Leviathan Dreadnought that single-handedly slew a tank and two daemon engines. The Night Lords melted away thereafter. Losing their primary ally made the Word Bearers' own position untenable. They fled, and we harried them all the way to the Mandeville Point. Wherever they may strike next, I do not think it will be Lachesis."

''Lachesis Prime has endured, but not without cost. Industrial output is down 64%. Years of rebuilding will be needed. We are victorious, and take pride in that, but the city of Thadaka is, functionally, no more. The ring of defences we built to keep the enemy out now serves as a bulkwark to stop anything escaping from within. No people remain there, and yet those tasked with patrolling its streets claim they can still occasional screams for clemency in the distance. I miss the place that it was, and worry what supernatural ingress it might offer our foes.

''The next time I meet a Word Bearer in combat, the battle cry on my lips may well invoke vengeance for Thadaka.''</blockquote>

=Locations=

==Lachesis Prime==
[[File:Lachesis campaign.jpg|600px|right]]
The system capital is a civilised world boasting a range of biomes. Its population growth is stagnant, and like other worlds in this subsector, a higher than average number of psykers emerge in the population. To handle this, nascent psykers were housed in one of three towers. These towers were destroyed by the forces of chaos during the [[Raid on Lachesis]], and temporary camps have had to be created to manage newly emergent psykers, leaving many with security concerns.

===Kulunu Province===
The home of many Lachesian noble families, the region's expansive agri-estates stretch outwards from the coastal cities. Eventually the fields of the estates give way to a variety of habitats, including forests and heathland. The estates themselves are heavily reliant on poorly paid farm labourers who are rightly beginning to suspect that the industrial methods being used to harvest the crops are beginning to cause ecosystem collapse. As yet, none of the ruling families have been willing to be the first to accept a reduction in profits, since it would reduce their influence in the financial markets of Nova Hevanos.

====Capital city: Nova Hevanos====
As a major seaport and starport, Nova Hevanos boasts substantial financial services for traders moving through the system. Historic treaties allow some noble families to operate their own excise depot even after the construction of Port Magellus in M39. The comparative lack of oversight from the Adeptus Terra has resulted in some trading practices that fall short of the standards expected of noble families, and even some investigations by both the Arbites and the Ordos. Despite this, the political damage of cancelling the excise treaties has kept them in place.

====Second city: Thadaka====
Once referred to as the Green Maze, Thadaka is at the southernmost edge of the province, spread along the tropical coastline. Torrential rains meant that people were only permitted to pave over 50% of the surface, as soil absorption was needed to prevent flooding. This resulted in brutalist Imperial architecture interspersed with plentiful lush greenery even in central districts. During the Word Bearers' invasion, the city was subjected to a daemonic incursion in which much of the city's population were massacred. Following the Word Bearers' defeat, there are no plans to rebuild the city. Instead, the defences built around it prior to the invasion are now used to keep watch in case anything should try to escape the city.

===Miduma Province===
One of Lachesis Prime's more arid regions, Miduma Province boasts much of the planet's manufacturing capacity. Nobles who own manufactories in this region will often reside in Nova Hevanos, visiting infrequently, and largely numb to the conditions in which the workers live so long as the goods keep flowing out on time. Some attempts and collective labour action occurred in 780.M41 and 822.M41, but were brutally put down by the Planetary Defence Force. Conditions also vary from one manufactory to another, with workers sometimes bribing factory overseers to effectively emigrate from one giga-factory to another. When nobles become aware that one with better working conditions is "stealing" (i.e. attracting) labour from others, this can result in clandestine corporate wars featuring worker abductions and even assassination attempts on rival nobles, but such strife has never become widespread enough to attract serious retribution from the Planetary Governor, other than in 957.M40, in which Governor Frand chastised House Chun for forcibly abducting three thousand labourers overnight from House Frayne. Chun settled the matter by returning 50% of the workforce alongside a substantial fiscal offering. Financial commentators noted a subsequent drop in productivity by both houses due to 'workforce agitation,' but no efforts were ever made to reunite families split by the event, as the administrative burden was considered financially unviable.

Following the arrival of the [[Cobalt Scions]] during the [[Raid on Lachesis]], Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] noted the state of the workforce in this province, and dispatched various Praetors to suggest alternative governance methods that would increase productivity and efficiency by improving treatment of the workers. While Houses Frayne, Nurul and Halima have implemented some of these suggestions, most flatly ignored it. As yet, it is too early to tell if the three adopters will enjoy any long-term benefits to the costs they have incurred. For the most part, taking trade advice from a military figure has been met with scorn.

===Haeka Province===
The wealth of promethium deposits beneath the tundra, boreal forests and ice flows of this southern expanse has resulted in a great deal of industry, despite the harsh climate. Haekans consider 'northers' to be a soft lot.

==Sudhata==
An agri world with geno-adapted crops designed to survive the partial night of its planetary ring shadows. It exports food across the wider subsector via its vast orbital, Port Magellus.

===Port Magellus===
The system's largest orbital, built between 402.M39 and 488.M39. Magellus serves as an excise depot, monitoring cargo travelling the warp route connecting the Archernar and Eridani sectors. Failure to post a route map indicating a stop at this port can flag a vessel as subject to impounding by the Eridani and Achernar shipping authorities.

As an isolated Adeptus Terra facility, the port is largely free of the influence of local politics, and is not subject to the rulership of Sudhata's Planetary Governor. Sudhata, in turn, is dependent on the port as its primary means of exporting its produce.

==Inama==
A mining colony for various rare earth elements. There are small orbital platforms to which shipping containers are attached, and then collected by system ships bound for either Lachesis Prime or Port Magellus.

[[Category: Systems]] [[Category: Eridani Sector Systems]] [[Category: Graiae Systems]]

Lachesis

2026-05-03T21:02:32Z

Charlie: /* The Word Bearers' Invasion */

[[File:Lachesis_prime.png|400px|right]]
[[File:sector_map_link.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
A system in the [[Graiae Sub-sector]] containing a number of habitable worlds. The system capital is Lachesis Prime, orbiting Lachesis B. The system is one of the three Graiae stars, also known as the three sisters, a trio of bright stars often used in local navigation.

The system is strategically important as it lies on the only stable warp route connecting the [[Eridani Sector]] to the rimward [[Achernar Sector]].

+++TRAVEL ADVISORY: ACTIVE WARZONE, LEGIONES TRAITORIS+++<br>
[https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1Yaxmf_liyelYRxNsKhd-hIZmlK4GIU9n4bAkppTsNTw/edit?usp=sharing Current warzone status]<br>
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t-t55vmtyoPMd0sDM9a_mQLYD19zlFpo5SwgUMhmsNw/edit?usp=sharing Warzone rules of engagement]
<div style="clear: both"></div>

=History=
==425.M36: Initial Settlement==
The system was an Imperial colony from its founding, starting with Lachesis Prime in 425.M36. Mild terraforming and geo-editing was performed on Sudhata from 504.M36-579.M36. Inama's mineral wealth was unexplored due to a poorly executed geological survey, a mistake only rectified in 782.M38.

Due to the system's Imperial origins, a neo-feudal governmental system has been present from the start, with trading houses enjoying connections to Achernar and Eridani holding great influence to this day.

[[File:Word Bearers icon.png|300px|right]]
==The Word Bearers' Invasion==
As a system strategically placed on a key warp route with a higher than average number of psykers, the planet was a tempting target for the forces of Chaos. The Word Bearers, never before seen in the region, raided Lachesis Prime with the intention of paving the way for a larger invasion. The [[Raid on Lachesis]] was repulsed, giving the Imperium a few short years in which to prepare their defences.

When scattered elements of the Word Bearers' armada began to arrive eighteen months later, they were met with ships from both [[Battlefleet Achernar]] and [[Battlefleet Eridani]]. While the Word Bearers and their allies were able to land troops on all three inhabited planets orbiting Lachesis B, the well-prepared Imperial lines, bolstered by the [[Cobalt Scions]], mostly held against the initial assaults.

===Initial engagements in the War on Lachesis===
'''The first assault on the Nova Hevanos Perimeter'''

Word Bearers forces assault the perimeter defences of Nova Hevanos, Lachesis Prime's capital city. Lord Khoura's force smashes the Planetary Defence Force garrison and seeks to gain entry into the tunnel network containing the local command bunker. The [[Cobalt Scions]] prevent him consolidating his gains, and his army is forced into retreat just as Khoura himself gains access to the tunnels. Injured by Atalus, Khoura escapes into the tunnel, pursued by Codicier Tolemias and his brothers. The Word Bearers soon send reinforcements to rescue their lord, but are repulsed, leaving Khoura to navigate the vast tunnel network with an equal parts mix of solitude and belligerence. He eventually finds a sufficiently poorly guarded exit several days later, and emerges in an advanced state of fury.

'''Psyker Abductions by the Night Lords'''

[[The Thirteenth Talon]] make their move, having infiltrated Lachesis Prime in advance of the Word Bearers' arrival. Despite an intercession by [[Host Taliesin]], a temporary camp of psykers is emptied of its precious inhabitants and taken away by the heretics.

'''Void war at the Mandeville Point'''

With the Word Bearers' armada scattered by their long journey through the warp, Imperial Navy flotillas engage them in numerous meeting engagements in an attempt to hamper the Word Bearers' need to consolidate their vessels into a larger, more coordinated fleet. In one such engagement, the [[Battlefleet Achernar]] cruiser ''Gambit'' makes precise use of its nova cannon to cripple the Word Bearers cruisers ''Carnodon'' and ''Violation of Reason.''

'''Traitors Thwarted at Thadaka'''

A joint force of [[Cobalt Scions]] and [[House Ulfir]], led by Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]], engage and destroy a Word Bearers force attempting to thin the empyric veil outside Lachesis Prime's second city. Drusus defeats both a master of possession and a Night Lords sorcerer in personal combat (with "some assistance" from his personal bodyguard) while House Ulfir are engaged by one of their own, a long-lost traitor named Kaldr. House Ulfir take severe damage, and the Cobalt Scions lose multiple armoured assets, but the traitors' plans are averted.

===Imperial setbacks===

'''The Alpha Legion arrive'''

At the moment the flotilla from [[Battlefleet Achernar]] finally converge on the Word Bearers carrier ''Mortis Lux'', simultaneous mutinies occurr aboard the ''Pride of Machadon'' and its frigates. The mutinous guns cripple the Lunar class cruiser ''Triumph'' and, with alarming precision, destroy the bridge of the ''Intemperance'', killing Commodore Drennik and leaving the Imperial fleet in disarray. Prior to cutting all communications with the Navy vessels, the ''Pride'' sends a single transmission on all vox frequencies: "Hydra Dominatus."

The ''Mortis Lux'' escapes with only minor damage, and the remnants of Battlefleet Achernar's flotilla withdraw in disgrace. The engagement puts the Word Bearers in a dominant position for the first time in the naval war. They immediately capitalise on this by landing the full might of their forces on Lachesis Prime.

'''Thadaka devastated by daemonic incursion'''

Khorneate daemons emerge on the ground below ''Khairon's Eye'', a Word Bearers cruiser built around a giant octed. With the veil temporarily thinned, neverborn cause havoc, and an attempt by the Cobalt Scions and Raven Guard to contain the situation fails. The careful fortifying efforts previously made in the city are utterly reversed, and the city left vulnerable to assault.

[[File:diokles.png|400x350px|center]]

Of the event, [[Cobalt Scions]] Chief Librarian [[Diokles Adrastos]] wrote, in his introduction to ''The Lachesian War: its Causes, Occurrences and Consequences'':

"Sometimes referred to as the Green Maze, Lachesis Prime's second city of Thadaka is at the southernmost edge of Kulunu Province, spread along the tropical coastline. Torrential rains mean that people were only permitted to pave over 50% of the surface, since soil absorption is needed to prevent flooding. This resulted in buildings interspersed with plentiful lush greenery in a manner I have rarely seen. The buildings themselves left something to be desired, but I admire any city that has its own character, and a vibrance so often crushed by the demands of industry.

"Following the naval mutiny, there was little we could do to prevent the Word Bearers cruiser Khairon's Eye entering geostationary orbit above the city. The vessel's superstructure is unique, its spine interrupted by a vast iron octed. Its arcane significance was soon revealed when the veil keeping the warp at bay thinned at impossible speed.

"I have spoken to some of my brothers who were present at the time. They described the tropical air thickening, the wind stilling, and a haze coalescing. Thunder and red lightning from above tore reality open below, like wounds reopening on a scurvy-ridden body. Daemons poured forth. The city, so well-protected by our efforts hitherto, was now subjected to thoughtless massacre at the hands of thirsting neverborn. No theoretical offered solution, and the only practical was retreat. But the city had already been surrounded by the enemy's forces, and our impregnable defences now became a cage.

"There is no coherent estimate of the civilian casualties suffered that day. I am told many people chose to swim out to sea and drown rather than face death at the hands of the enemy."

===The war in Sudhata===
Taking advantage of their naval ascendance, Word Bearers forces land on the Lachesis system's agri-world of Sudhata and attempt a blasphemous ritual in the Chapel of Saint Helene. Their endeavour is thwarted by a joint force of Cobalt Scions and the Order of Our Martyred Lady, the latter of whom force Khairon from the chapel with a barrage of missiles, keen to destroy the building before they see it sullied by witchcraft. This attack, however, turns out to be nothing more than a diversion enabling the Night Lords to land in force on the far side of the planet. Describing the event later on in ''The Lachesian War: its Causes, Occurrences and Consequences'', Diokles writes:

"With the void war having turned in the enemy's favour, they immediately took the opportunity to land the full might of their forces on Lachesis Prime. What had begun as a well-prepared rebuke now turned into a war we could lose. Thadaka's fate and the enemy's numbers saw a gloom descend on the faces in our strategiums, while the enemy, so jubilant at the change in their fortunes, felt confident enough to open a second front. The Night Lords invaded the system's agri-world of Sudhata alongside thousands of cultists.

"Given the fraught naval situation, a second front would be hard for us to resupply and harder to maintain. At this point it was clear to us that further reinforcement by the Imperial Guard would be necessary, but it would take time to arrive. Chapter Master Drusus, normally so cautious, made a bold move.

"We temporarily redeployed all Cobalt Scions forces to Sudhata.

"Drusus knew well how evasive the Night Lords can be, particularly those of the thrice-accursed sadist Icarael, the armoured coward of the Eight Legion. By sending all our units, we could overwhelm their petulant invasion before it had a chance to take root. Their cultists were soon slaughtered, and the Night Lords, realising the world could not be theirs, inevitably redirected their efforts to making the place unusable to the innocent inhabitants. They attempted this by striving to poison the Sungrutan Reservoir, an underground lake containing 23% of the planet's freshwater. It would have been an unacceptable loss, and one that we averted with extreme prejudice, albeit at some cost to the Third Company. We hounded the Night Lords from the planet and, redirecting the flow of reinforcements to the agri-world to prevent reinvasion, moved the Chapter back to Lachesis Prime, where the defenders we left behind were almost on their knees.

"In a sense, this was a strategic victory for the enemy; they forced an outsized redeployment by us, enabling them to make further gains in the industrial heartlands of Lachesis Prime's Miduma Province. On the other hand, allowing the Night Lords to embark on a years-long campaign of guerilla warfare of the kind they prefer would have been worse. The heart of good strategy is forcing your opponent to choose between two bad options, and on this occasion, the enemy did just that. Whenever I see these flashes of brilliance in them, it deepens my hatred. They were created to be so much more than what they have become."

===Stalemate===
Diokles goes on to describe the long months of sustained conflict that followed:

"The war continued on Lachesis Prime for some months. With our naval and ground assets fairly evenly matched, and our desire to hurt each other undimmed, the fight became one of attrition. The war became a beacon to both sides as the Word Bearers called in ever more favours, and made ever more promises. Just as we stabilised things in the ruins of Thadaka, a warband of Iron Warriors arrived to tip the balance. Just as the Blood Angels answered our call for aid, we received word that the Thousand Sons were up to something in Inama, the system's mining colony, so once again much-needed reinforcements had to be redirected."

"Just as we were convinced we couldn't be stretched more thinly, I received an astropathic sending from [[Massyleon]], the distant capital system of the [[Massylean sub-sector]]: an ork invasion was underway.

"This was ill-timed news. Lachesis is strategically vital as it controls the one stable direct route to the neighbouring [[Achernar sector]]. Massyleon is strategically vital as it is the sector's only true hive world, with all the industry that entails. The events of that war are pertinent here only in that it took me, the Cobalt Scions' Third Company, and the Raven Guard's Fifth Company, off to the opposite end of the sector at a time we could ill afford it. We were gone for some weeks, mostly due to travel time, and while we met with success in Massyleon, it lengthened the Lachesian War."

===The Deadlock is Broken; the War Ends===
Summarising the war's end, Diokles writes:

"By the time we returned from Massyleon, Chapter Master Drusus had somehow managed to keep the enemy in check with the forces at his disposal. Our return tipped the balance. A final assault on Nova Hevanos was rebuffed, and town by town we retook the Miduman Manufactoria and the Haekan refineries. Even in the ruins of Thadaka we forced the enemy back, ever further.

"In mounting desperation, I believe the Word Bearers attempted a grand ritual in the ruins of Thadaka, but as the summoned energies reached their apex, they suddenly drained away. Tolemias and I both felt as though that energy had gone somewhere, and that somewhere was Inama, the mining colony. We told the Blood Angels of this strange occurrence, and they informed us that it was too vague to be useful. A reasonable response, I concede. But whatever the Word Bearers had just attempted, someone else had benefitted.

"In the wake of this strange occurrence, the Word Bearers' allies began to leave. This was a source of some friction within their ranks, and I found it darkly amusing to learn that the Word Bearers and the Night Lords eventually came to blows. We don't know who fired the first shot, but when the Night Lords made ready to depart, aerial reconnaissance showed that they were approached by a force of Word Bearers and engaged in open battle. The Night Lords seemed to win this exchange, partially thanks to deploying a relic Leviathan Dreadnought that single-handedly slew a tank and two daemon engines. The Night Lords melted away thereafter. Losing their primary ally made the Word Bearers' own position untenable. They fled, and we harried them all the way to the Mandeville Point. Wherever they may strike next, I do not think it will be Lachesis."

"Lachesis Prime has endured, but not without cost. Industrial output is down 64%. Years of rebuilding will be needed. We are victorious, and take pride in that, but the city of Thadaka is, functionally, no more. The ring of defences we built to keep the enemy out now serves as a bulkwark to stop anything escaping from within. No people remain there, and yet those tasked with patrolling its streets claim they can still occasional screams for clemency in the distance. I miss the place that it was, and worry what supernatural ingress it might offer our foes.

"The next time I meet a Word Bearer in combat, the battle cry on my lips may well invoke vengeance for Thadaka."

=Locations=

==Lachesis Prime==
[[File:Lachesis campaign.jpg|600px|right]]
The system capital is a civilised world boasting a range of biomes. Its population growth is stagnant, and like other worlds in this subsector, a higher than average number of psykers emerge in the population. To handle this, nascent psykers were housed in one of three towers. These towers were destroyed by the forces of chaos during the [[Raid on Lachesis]], and temporary camps have had to be created to manage newly emergent psykers, leaving many with security concerns.

===Kulunu Province===
The home of many Lachesian noble families, the region's expansive agri-estates stretch outwards from the coastal cities. Eventually the fields of the estates give way to a variety of habitats, including forests and heathland. The estates themselves are heavily reliant on poorly paid farm labourers who are rightly beginning to suspect that the industrial methods being used to harvest the crops are beginning to cause ecosystem collapse. As yet, none of the ruling families have been willing to be the first to accept a reduction in profits, since it would reduce their influence in the financial markets of Nova Hevanos.

====Capital city: Nova Hevanos====
As a major seaport and starport, Nova Hevanos boasts substantial financial services for traders moving through the system. Historic treaties allow some noble families to operate their own excise depot even after the construction of Port Magellus in M39. The comparative lack of oversight from the Adeptus Terra has resulted in some trading practices that fall short of the standards expected of noble families, and even some investigations by both the Arbites and the Ordos. Despite this, the political damage of cancelling the excise treaties has kept them in place.

====Second city: Thadaka====
Once referred to as the Green Maze, Thadaka is at the southernmost edge of the province, spread along the tropical coastline. Torrential rains meant that people were only permitted to pave over 50% of the surface, as soil absorption was needed to prevent flooding. This resulted in brutalist Imperial architecture interspersed with plentiful lush greenery even in central districts. During the Word Bearers' invasion, the city was subjected to a daemonic incursion in which much of the city's population were massacred. Following the Word Bearers' defeat, there are no plans to rebuild the city. Instead, the defences built around it prior to the invasion are now used to keep watch in case anything should try to escape the city.

===Miduma Province===
One of Lachesis Prime's more arid regions, Miduma Province boasts much of the planet's manufacturing capacity. Nobles who own manufactories in this region will often reside in Nova Hevanos, visiting infrequently, and largely numb to the conditions in which the workers live so long as the goods keep flowing out on time. Some attempts and collective labour action occurred in 780.M41 and 822.M41, but were brutally put down by the Planetary Defence Force. Conditions also vary from one manufactory to another, with workers sometimes bribing factory overseers to effectively emigrate from one giga-factory to another. When nobles become aware that one with better working conditions is "stealing" (i.e. attracting) labour from others, this can result in clandestine corporate wars featuring worker abductions and even assassination attempts on rival nobles, but such strife has never become widespread enough to attract serious retribution from the Planetary Governor, other than in 957.M40, in which Governor Frand chastised House Chun for forcibly abducting three thousand labourers overnight from House Frayne. Chun settled the matter by returning 50% of the workforce alongside a substantial fiscal offering. Financial commentators noted a subsequent drop in productivity by both houses due to 'workforce agitation,' but no efforts were ever made to reunite families split by the event, as the administrative burden was considered financially unviable.

Following the arrival of the [[Cobalt Scions]] during the [[Raid on Lachesis]], Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] noted the state of the workforce in this province, and dispatched various Praetors to suggest alternative governance methods that would increase productivity and efficiency by improving treatment of the workers. While Houses Frayne, Nurul and Halima have implemented some of these suggestions, most flatly ignored it. As yet, it is too early to tell if the three adopters will enjoy any long-term benefits to the costs they have incurred. For the most part, taking trade advice from a military figure has been met with scorn.

===Haeka Province===
The wealth of promethium deposits beneath the tundra, boreal forests and ice flows of this southern expanse has resulted in a great deal of industry, despite the harsh climate. Haekans consider 'northers' to be a soft lot.

==Sudhata==
An agri world with geno-adapted crops designed to survive the partial night of its planetary ring shadows. It exports food across the wider subsector via its vast orbital, Port Magellus.

===Port Magellus===
The system's largest orbital, built between 402.M39 and 488.M39. Magellus serves as an excise depot, monitoring cargo travelling the warp route connecting the Archernar and Eridani sectors. Failure to post a route map indicating a stop at this port can flag a vessel as subject to impounding by the Eridani and Achernar shipping authorities.

As an isolated Adeptus Terra facility, the port is largely free of the influence of local politics, and is not subject to the rulership of Sudhata's Planetary Governor. Sudhata, in turn, is dependent on the port as its primary means of exporting its produce.

==Inama==
A mining colony for various rare earth elements. There are small orbital platforms to which shipping containers are attached, and then collected by system ships bound for either Lachesis Prime or Port Magellus.

[[Category: Systems]] [[Category: Eridani Sector Systems]] [[Category: Graiae Systems]]

Eressus

2026-05-02T19:47:40Z

Charlie:

[[File:Eressus_system.png|400px|right]]
[[File:sector_map_link.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
A binary system in the [[Alyria Sub-sector]] containing several habitable worlds, all of which orbit Eressus A. The system is currently facing simultaneous Tyranid and Ork invasions.

=Planets=
==Aetolia==
[[File:Aetolia.png|400px|right]]
A temperate world with a mixture of biomes, Aetolia is known for its natural beauty. It was originally an independent world before being conquered by the Tertians during M37, after which the Eressian League was formed to defend the system from attacks by other human systems in the sub-sector prior to Imperial unification during the Macharian Crusade.

===Capital city: Aeos===
Aeos is a port city situated on the coast of the Viyosan Ocean. It has a substantial space port ten miles from the city centre.

===Ork invasion===
The planet was invaded by the self-styled Warboss Bonerippa. With Imperial elements already in-system countering the Tyranid invasion of Eressus Tertia, an Imperial response is hastily drawn together, comprising the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]], [[31st Nightfall Ranger Regiment]], several regiments of Krieg Death Korps, and [[Battlegroup 86]]. Even so, the ork numbers prove so substantial that military victory seems unlikely. The balance is tipped when [[Inquisitor Michael]]'s ship ''Accipiter'' leads a kroot warsphere into the system, delivering substantial numbers of kroot mercenaries, and ordering the Imperial forces not to engage them. Despite early gains that heavily damage Aetolia's planetary defences, the orks are ultimately destroyed by the Imperial defenders. Towards the end of the conflict, the enemy warlord Bonerippa is hunted down and assassinated by a joint force of Nightfaller Rangers and kroot.

==Eressus Tertia==
[[File:Eressus_tertia.png|400px|right]]
This temperate world is usually referred to simply as Tertia by the locals. It has recently been invaded by a Tyranid splinter fleet. This invasion is being countered by the Imperial Guard, including regiments from [[Nightfall]], with support from the Blood Angels and [[Cobalt Scions]].

===Inhabited moon: Trasenede===
Eressus Tertia's largest moon, Trasenede, is capable of supporting life, featuring an atmosphere of its own and inhabitable, if highly seasonal, climates. It features a single large city, Iria, and several smaller settlements, mostly focused on the exploitation of Trasenede's vast forests and high levels of biodiversity. A Tyranid splinter swarm attacked the moon as part of the wider invasion of Eressus Tertia, with Cadian and Nightfaller forces redirected from Aetolia in the wake of Waaagh! Bonerippa in its defence. The early stages of the fight for Trasenede were desperate affairs, with the survival of the city of Iria, and with it the core of the Imperial defence, in doubt. Through a mix of firepower, ingenuity and sacrifice the city held off a determined alien assault, and the invasion was blunted days later after Nightfaller reconnaissance teams identified vulnerable spawning pools in the deep forests, which were then targeted and destroyed in the kind of commando raids their regiments specialise in - made possible in the face of formidable Tyranid resistance by heavier Cadian muscle. Had the Tyranids seized control of the forest moon, the biomass they would have gathered would have been strategically disastrous, with troubling estimates as to how this would have affected the wider war. While the alien threat on the moon was not entirely eliminated, their forces were depleted and their ability to reproduce hampered enough that the Eressan PDF were then able to hold Trasenede... At least with the Cadian 177th staying on in an advisory role.

An unsettling revelation in the wake of the battle for Trasenede was the appearance of a separate distinct subgenus of Tyranid bioforms starting to emerge within the same swarm. Ordo Xenos scholars indicate this may be evidence of the Hive Mind evolving in response to Imperial resistance.

[[Category: Systems]] [[Category: Eridani Sector Systems]] [[Category: Alyria Systems]]

File:Eressus system.png

2026-05-02T19:46:29Z

Charlie:

Eressus

2026-04-21T11:46:46Z

Charlie:

[[File:eridani.png|400px|right]]
[[File:sector_map_link.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
A binary system in the [[Alyria Sub-sector]] containing several habitable worlds, all of which orbit Eressus A. The system is currently facing simultaneous Tyranid and Ork invasions.

=Planets=
==Aetolia==
[[File:Aetolia.png|400px|right]]
A temperate world with a mixture of biomes, Aetolia is known for its natural beauty. It was originally an independent world before being conquered by the Tertians during M37, after which the Eressian League was formed to defend the system from attacks by other human systems in the sub-sector prior to Imperial unification during the Macharian Crusade.

===Capital city: Aeos===
Aeos is a port city situated on the coast of the Viyosan Ocean. It has a substantial space port ten miles from the city centre.

===Ork invasion===
The planet was invaded by the self-styled Warboss Bonerippa. With Imperial elements already in-system countering the Tyranid invasion of Eressus Tertia, an Imperial response is hastily drawn together, comprising the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]], [[31st Nightfall Ranger Regiment]], several regiments of Krieg Death Korps, and [[Battlegroup 86]]. Even so, the ork numbers prove so substantial that military victory seems unlikely. The balance is tipped when [[Inquisitor Michael]]'s ship ''Accipiter'' leads a kroot warsphere into the system, delivering substantial numbers of kroot mercenaries, and ordering the Imperial forces not to engage them. Despite early gains that heavily damage Aetolia's planetary defences, the orks are ultimately destroyed by the Imperial defenders. Towards the end of the conflict, the enemy warlord Bonerippa is hunted down and assassinated by a joint force of Nightfaller Rangers and kroot.

==Eressus Tertia==
[[File:Eressus_tertia.png|400px|right]]
This temperate world is usually referred to simply as Tertia by the locals. It has recently been invaded by a Tyranid splinter fleet. This invasion is being countered by the Imperial Guard, including regiments from [[Nightfall]], with support from the Blood Angels and [[Cobalt Scions]].

===Inhabited moon: Trasenede===
Eressus Tertia's largest moon, Trasenede, is capable of supporting life, featuring an atmosphere of its own and inhabitable, if highly seasonal, climates. It features a single large city, Iria, and several smaller settlements, mostly focused on the exploitation of Trasenede's vast forests and high levels of biodiversity. A Tyranid splinter has attacked the moon as part of the wider invasion of Eressus Tertia, with Cadian and Nightfaller forces redirected from Aetolia in the wake of Waaagh! Bonerippa in its defence. Should the Tyranids be able to seize control of the forest moon, the biomass they could gather would be immense, with troubling estimates as to how this would affect the wider war.

[[Category: Systems]] [[Category: Eridani Sector Systems]] [[Category: Alyria Systems]]

File:Aetolia.png

2026-04-21T11:22:16Z

Charlie:

File:Eressus tertia.png

2026-04-21T11:21:56Z

Charlie:

Cobalt Scions

2026-04-13T22:28:02Z

Charlie: /* History */

[[File:Cobalt_Scions.png|600px|center]]
The Cobalt Scions are an all-primaris chapter created from Ultramarines gene stock. Initially they participated in the Indomitus Crusade. After decades of crusading, Guilliman has assigned them to watch over a region of the Segmentum Pacificus from their new home system of [[Thonis]].

=Heraldry=
The Scions' heraldry is very close to their gene-sires, with the bulk of the armour painted the same blue as the Ultramarines. The two differences are their white pauldrons, and their company markings displayed on the left kneepad rather than on the shoulder trim. Since the Cobalt Scions' guiding principle is flexibility, none of the squads display the traditional tactical/assault/devastator symbols, but merely numerals denoting their squad number within their company.

The primary exception to the chapter's bright blue heraldry can be seen on their camouflaged Phobos-pattern armour, which is repainted to suit the local terrain.

==Chapter Icon==
The blue fist used in the Scions' heraldry symbolises the Gauntlets of Ultramar, as the chapter is particularly keen on celebrating and aspiring to the deeds of their forebears.
[[File:Cobalt_Scions_icon.png|300px|center]]

=Chapter organisation=
The Cobalt Scions are only partially Codex compliant. They argue that they follow its rules in spirit, just not in detail, and have reworked elements to suit Cawl's new equipment.

==A recruit's journey==
When recruited, a novitiate is assigned to the 10th Company to begin their training. The training is martial, moral and intellectual; novitiates are expected to familiarise themselves with texts ranging from Guilliman's works on governance, to Bartolomaius' ''Logistica Mathematica''. Novitiates soon learn they must show administrative aptitude if they hope to advance through the ranks.

Once considered battlefield ready, they graduate to the rank of initiate, and are issued carapace armour. In the first few years after the chapter's arrival in Thonis they were only used as a reserve that was only called upon when the need was desperate, since the chapter considered it inefficient to throw its less durable trainees into serious firefights. Consequently, initiates were generally given garrison duties and other auxiliary tasks. The strictness with which this approach was applied waned as the chapter's numbers recovered. Some have even joked that between the stability of the XIII geneseed and a newfound willingness to make use of initiates on the battlefield, the chapter may one day have more auxilia than Astartes.

Once an initiate has been given their final implants they are assigned to one of the reserve companies. Here, surrounded by more experienced marines, they will learn to master one specific role (such as Intercessor, Aggressor, Infiltrator, and so on). Over time they will be rotated through different reserve companies, until eventually they have mastered all the forms of war practised by the Astartes. At this point, most will be given the honour of joining one of the battle companies. Those that show a particular gift for infiltration will be assigned to the 10th Company's Vanguard, and will spend the bulk of their career in Phobos plate.

Any marine who proves their valour and skill may one day hope to be elevated to the veteran ranks of the First Company, whose venerable warriors are generally divided among the various active battlegroups so that they are better able to share their knowledge.

===The Twofold Path===
Once a brother has been elevated into the battle companies, there are several routes to further advancement and greater personal glory. If they show spectacular aptitude for the martial virtues, they may pursue such honoured roles as membership of the Bladeguard, a position as a company ancient, or service in the First Company. Alternatively, if their martial talents are merely acceptable but their political nous is exemplary, they may pursue an Honorary Praetorship such that they can function as an ambassador and intermediary between the chapter and other Imperial institutions, as well as administrators of the chapter's domains. Only masters of the twofold path - both martial and political - can truly hope to be given a true Praetorship, or a position in the Reclusiam.

Those who do well in their Praetorships can expect, if they live long enough, to progress to a Consulship and command of their own company. Those who are too hobbled by injuries and whose bodies reject grafts and bionics tend to retain their Praetorships and serve in a purely political fashion, or as a strategic advisor and attaché to other Imperial forces the Scions are working with. In this way, the number of Praetors far exceeds the 20 lieutenants one would expect to see in a strict observance of the Codex Astartes.

==Chapter Structure==
[[File:drusus.png|250px|right|link=[[Tiberius Drusus]]|Chapter Master Tiberius Drusus]]
===Chapter Command===
The following individuals are known members of the Cobalt Scions' leadership.
* Dictator [[Tiberius Drusus]], Chapter Master
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian
* Consul Quintus Tarentian, Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions First Company|First Company]]
* Consul Gaius Fabian, Captain of the Second Company
* Consul [[Martellus Lucullus]], Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]]

===Chapter Companies===
* [[Cobalt Scions First Company|1st Company]]: the veterans. Squads from this company are often attached to other forces to share their experience and aid with further training for their brothers.
* 2nd-5th Companies: the battle companies. All members are expected to know how to operate in any battlefield role, including vehicle crew, and in any armour pattern. The company captain decides on the mixture of 5 and 10 man squads. Squads may be temporarily divided between (for example) forming a three man fire team and a two man vehicle crew.
* 6th -9th Companies: the reserve companies. Members are only adept at certain battlefield roles, with each squad always performing a consistent role. When their sergeant judges that a marine has mastered their current role, they are rotated out to another squad to begin learning a new one.
* 10th Company: The Vanguard. These are the Chapter's clandestine experts, and forego the traditional blue armour in favour of camouflage. Technically, this company also contains the Initiate Auxilia, meaning that this is the only company with over a hundred members. That the Auxilia are attached to this company is largely to give lip service to the Codex; in reality they are essentially two unrelated organisations.

====The Initiate Auxilia====
When the Cobalt Scions arrived in Thonis, the chapter was badly depleted. As such, their equivalent of the Scout Company did not perform the traditional infiltration duties seen in other chapters. As their name suggests, when deployed they were used for auxiliary duties such as guard duty, where they would get some combat experience, but generally with the added benefit of heavy cover. Only in extremis were they committed to the front line, as the needless loss of an initiate was considered wasteful, particularly with the chapter so under-strength. The bulk of an initiate's time was therefore spent in training.

With the chapter now back to full strength, however, there is an increasing willingness to use the auxilia when tactically expedient. This is the source of some friction within chapter command, who do not all share the view that it is wise to risk wasting promising trainees, or that it is acceptable to take advantage of the Codex Astartes' lack of hard limit on the number of scouts a chapter is permitted to have in active service at any one time.

===Honorary Praetors===
An Honorary Praetorship is not a military rank but a political one, and could even be held by a battle brother. Honorary Praetors form a cadre of the chapter's most able negotiators and orators, dedicated to inspiring traditional virtues and compliance among other Imperial institutions. There are naturally those who argue this constitutes the chapter at its most meddlesome, and certain institutions do not look kindly on some post-human warrior interfering in their business. The Cobalt Scions take this as an additional challenge, and seek to prove their utility, although the petty ambitions of lesser men regularly contrive to make it appear that the Scions are pursuing power for power's sake in clear contravention of the Emperor's original intent for the Astartes.

[[File:priahad.png|250px|right]]
===The Azarian Guard===
This brotherhood of warriors is the Cobalt Scions' equivalent of the Chapter's Honour Guard. They can also be referred to as the Chapter Master's Bladeguard, and exist outside the company structure. They do not have squads, and bear heraldry of the individual rather than the unit. To join them is to foresake the right to seek a command position within the chapter, and to become truly dedicated to pursuing martial prowess. Answerable only to the Chapter Master and the Reclusiam's Master of Sanctity, they serve to protect the virtue of humility within a chapter that might otherwise encourage personal ambition to a dangerous extent. They explicitly have permission to criticise and mock officers, and cannot be censured by any but the Chapter Master or Master of Sanctity for doing so. If they decide to follow an officer to war, however, they must follow the officer's commands precisely during engagements. If a Consul or Praetor wants the aid of the Azarian Guard on a mission, he cannot requisition them; instead, he must petition them. Likewise, Azarian Guards are permitted to turn up unannounced and accompany a strike force if they deem the mission interesting.

====Origins of the Azarian Guard====
Lieutenant Azarias was one of the few Azure Drakes officers to survive the [[The Nova Tarentis Massacre|Nova Tarentis Massacre]]. Following the incorporation of the surviving Drakes into the Cobalt Scions, Azarias took an oath to protect his new chapter master with his life. Coming from a very different chapter culture, he refused to conduct himself in the refined style of the Scions, often mocking others and then challenging them when they failed to mock him back. Amused by this upstart and keen to temper the egos of his senior staff, Chapter Master Drusus instructed Azarias to create his own semi-autonomous brotherhood of up to thirty warriors. Azarias himself was slain protecting Drusus two years later during the reclamation of Raxis Minor, but the Azarian Guard, then numbering seven brothers, remained. Their numbers have since grown, and a number of onetime Azure Drakes use this brotherhood as a way to keep some of their chapter cult alive.

====Known Azarian Guards====
'''Brother Priahad'''

Brother Priahad's helm bears a gold skull, indicating that he is serving as the temporary leader of his fellow Bladeguard. In this way, Cobalt Scions officers know who to direct their commands to. The skull itself is not a permanent fixture but a badge that can be easily removed and passed to another bladeguard between engagements.

His left pauldron bears the chapter icon. It is presented in gold so as to evoke a shield, representing the bladeguard's commitment to safeguarding the Chapter Master. His right pauldron bears his individual heraldry, evoking a deed or quest he has undertaken that his fellow veterans regard as worthy. It shows the four stars of Thonicia, in reference to the vow Priahad enacted to visit every inhabited world in the sprawling home system and provide unexpected aid to those in need.

The tilting plate on his chest bears the ghostly image of a wyrm, and the chapter colour of the Azure Drakes, indicating that he is one of the original members of the now-defunct chapter. The wyrm is presented in a ghostly manner to reference the lingering spirits of his dead brothers.

'''Brother Katumaros'''

The golden skull on Katumaros' tilting plate indicates that he was once an officer. Counter-intuitively, he wears this as a mark of shame; as the fleet master who couldn't bring reinforcements to rescue his brothers in time, he is wracked by guilt and joined the Azarian Guard to ensure he could never rise to a position of command again. Despite a storied career prior to the Nova Tarentis Massacre, he considers his old achievements dead, and as such, his right pauldron remained devoid of heraldry until saving Techmagos Osmal Qvoll from an assassination attempt by [[the Thirteenth Talon]]. After that, his pauldron was adorned with a split motif, with a shielf on one side, and the Cog Mechanicus on the other.

'''Brother Galadoc'''

A mere brother in the Azure Drakes' 8th reserve company when his Chapter was destroyed, Galadoc has only recently joined the Azarian Guard. Like Priahad, his tilting plate features a ghostly image, this time of a dragon's head, commemorating his deceased captain, who he revered. His right pauldron bears the symbol of the Inquisition silhouetted by a shield, commemorating the vow he took to rescue [[Inquisitor Michael]] and his ship the''Accipiter'' after it was boarded by orks during the invasion of Aetonia in [[Eressus]]. After he defeated the heavily armoured ork leading the boarding party, he saved not only Michael himself, but the Chapter's Judiciar, who had been laid low in the fighting.

On his arm, he also bears a rosary once carried by one of the Drakes' chaplains. Galadoc's keen observance of the rites and rituals of his old chapter cult was one of the factors in his acceptance into the Azarian Guard, even though in theory martial prowess should be the only factor.

[[File:tolemias.png|250px|right|link=[[Tolemias]]]]

===The Librarius===
The Cobalt Scions place great stock in the prognostications of psykers, both their own and in the wider Imperium, and will often consult with astropaths, navigators and their own librarians to establish what if anything may be predicted about impending engagements and enemies. In battle, Cobalt Scions Librarians act as dictated by the Codex, employing whichever warp powers their minds are best suited to.

'''Known Librarians'''
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian.
* [[Tolemias]], Codicier.

'''The Thonician Oracles'''

Among the Chapter's most closely guarded secrets are the Oracles, a matriarchal order of seers that have quietly persisted in Thonicia since pre-Imperial times. At various times the Ordo Hereticus have attempted to purge them, but have never managed to wipe them out entirely. The Oracles became known to the Cobalt Scions some time after they arrived in the system, though whether they were discovered or even sought out the Scions is unknown. How the ancient traditions of the Oracles enable them to resist warp corruption is also unknown, as is the extent to which the Cobalt Scions place their faith in them.

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===The Phratry Munitorus===
If the Cobalt Scions' techmarines can make one honest boast, it is the speed and efficiency with which they can erect fortifications and other structures. The Phratry Munitorus (rough Low Gothic translation: the kinship/tribe of builders/engineers) serves the same purpose as a normal Chapter Armourium, but with the added responsibility of assisting with the integration of defences with civic infrastructure. To this end, the techmarines are not just supported by serfs and servitors, but also by human techpriests and architects. Chief among such human followers is Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the chapter's head architect. She is given near-equal standing to the Master of the Forge, and oversees a substantial and growing staff working on the construction of the chapter's fortress monastery and the more general defence enhancements of Thonicia.

When the chapter goes to war, it brings a substantial support staff of humans and servitors tasked with the rapid construction of defences, bridges, field hospitals, and whatever else might swing the Imperium's chances in any given theatre. A supply of prefabricated structures is also brought along for time-critical projects. Encampments are often built along standardised lines, ensuring that personnel familiar with one Scions base are familiar with them all. It has been pointed out by other chapters that this is a strategic vulnerability, but the Scions prefer the speed that comes with familiarity, and are convinced they will be able to adapt on a tactical level to counter this strategic weakness.

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[[File:Aristander.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Sedayus Aristander====
In addition to his regular duties tending to the Cobalt Scions' wargear and vehicles, Brother-Techmarine Sedayus Aristander is an obsessive sculptor, creating busts and statues for the Chapter's various reliquaries and memorials of fallen comrades. In theory, such devotional artworks are the domain of the human artisans of the Phratry Munitorus. While his fellow techmarines' non-military endeavours would generally be limited to designing architecture that serves to inspire as well as defend, Aristander argues that art serves as a major political tool. His defence is halfhearted, however; in truth he sculpts because he enjoys it. As he sees it, the sculptor's challenge is not merely to perfectly replicate their subject's features, but to capture their character. If that happens to serve the political goal of showing the Thonician populace what has been sacrificed for their safety, then that is merely a useful bonus.

He worked at his craft throughout the Chapter's time in the Indomitus Crusade, and yet more since the Scions' arrival in Thonis. Many consider him an excellent craftsman, but he remains unsatisfied, knowing that decades of practice are required to achieve true mastery. His obsession makes him a withdrawn figure who never takes a joke well. Nonetheless, he enjoys a measure of popularity, for all who walk in the Chapter's mausoleum are grateful to look upon the faces of their fallen brothers.

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[[File:hadrios_kelsus.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Hadrios Kelsus====
While Kelsus is perfectly willing to perform his vehicle maintenance duties between engagements, he rarely does so in combat. This is because Hadrios Kelsus is, and always has been, obsessed with the use of large guns. He generally finds an excuse to bring a servo turret on all deployments, and at the first sign of the enemy, gleefully mounts up to provide his brothers with fire support. It has been suggested that he should consider how to advance through the techmarines' ranks, for instance by creating political ties to local Mechanicus personnel. He is, however, far more interested in tinkering with guns in the Chapter's armoury.

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====The Chapter Armoury====
Members of the battle companies all have basic training in crewing the vehicles employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 9th Company, although the bulk of the crewing is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

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[[File:boriels_wrath.png|250px|left]]
=====Repulsor Executioner ''Boriel's Wrath''=====
This tank is named after a Dark Angel biker who aided a group of Scions pinned down by a force of Emperor's Children Heretic Astartes. Driving to good vantage points and providing pinpoint positional data, then moving on before the traitors could corner him, Boriel's actions allowed the Scions to fight clear of the trap. Tragically, they never met him in person; he was finally cornered by a squad of noise marines who, enraged by his efforts, beat him to death with their sonic blasters.

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===The Fleet===
When founded, the Scions had only six strike cruisers and a single battle barge: the ''Reason Inviolate''. Following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, the Azure Drakes' fleet -- far less damaged than the chapter it served -- was folded into the Scions' fleet. Consequently they went from having barely enough capital ships to deploy the chapter to having, arguably, an excess that they should have donated to other Indomitus Founding chapters. The Scions claim to make good use of their fleet assets given that it has enabled them to expand the capabilities of the Phratry Munitorus, with every Scions capital ship being well supplied with the engineers and materiel to respond to the humanitarian requirements of a warzone, as well as prefab fortifications, bridges, and other infrastructural elements. The Scions brush off criticisms that this exceeds the remit of the Adeptus Astartes by reciting the old adage that wars are won with logistics, and that a population protected is a rebellion prevented.

In addition to having holds full of infrastructural material, Cobalt Scions capital ships all have small manufactories capable of producing and repairing Astartes wargear and vehicles, albeit far more slowly than the Chapter Forge on Thonis. This is a hangover from when the chapter was fleet based during the Indomitus Crusade. It is a functionality they have deliberately maintained afterwards so as to reduce their dependence on supply lines.

The chapter has also attracted further criticism for employing several squadrons of the controversial Nova class frigate, which some say Astartes have no need of unless they're expecting to instigate naval battles without the assistance of the Imperial Navy.

Like many (if not most) Astartes fleets, the ships are crewed and captained by humans, although even an Astartes Sergeant is considered to outrank a ship captain as regards the chain of command. What with the fleet regularly returning to Thonis, the crew are given the option of having their families aboard their ship or in terrestrial housing. The family of slain personnel are given a stipend by the chapter, money which originally is taken from the financial tithe the Scions collect from their home system. While living conditions aboard the chapter's vessels are superior to the average ship of the Imperial Navy, expectations are high. Any personnel found wanting are rarely given second chances, and if lucky will get away simply with being discharged without a pension. Of course, incompetent crew can still offer dependable service when sent to the tech-priests for ''conversion,'' serving as a grim reminder to their former crewmates of the price of laxity. Those who have actively transgressed face even worse fates, up to and including a one-way trip to the great arena at Heracleion.

====Current Fleet Assets====
=====Battle Barges=====
*''Reason Inviolate'', the flagship. Constructed to default specifications during the Primaris project, prior to the chapter having a name or an identity. The Scions have since made it their own, modifying a number of its orbital launch bays for the deployment of Phratry Munitorus assets. The vessel served throughout the Scions' participation in the Indomitus Crusade, but the scars it gained during those battles have long since been removed.
*''Tarasc'', the one-time flagship of the Azure Drakes. There is a hall, deep in the ship's core, that serves as a hall of remembrance. There is a plaque on the wall for every Azure Drakes warrior who died in the Nova Tarentis Massacre, commemorating their noblest deeds. Above the hall's threshold is engraved the legend: ''In memory of those I could not rescue.''

=====Strike Cruisers=====
*''Dutiful''
*''Axios''. Deployments include the [[Raid on Lachesis]].
*''Preceptor''. Deployments include [[the Andaras Affair]].
*''Alium''
*''Deliverance''
*''Redemption''. Captured as a prize from renegade Astartes in the battle of Zarinth V during the Indomitus Crusade.
*''Mater Accipitrum''

From the Azure Drakes' fleet:
*''Vritra''
*''Azhdaha''
*''Illuyaka''
*''Erenkyl''

=====Escorts=====

The precise disposition of the Scions' flotilla of frigates and destroyers is unknown, but thought to consist of up to 9 squadrons.

=====The ''Mater Castellorum''=====

Archmagos Felicita Morleio is the de facto head of the Phratry Munitorus, despite not being an Astartes. The ''Mater Castellorum'' is her fabrication ark, a capital-class auxiliary vessel originally used to transport the materiel needed to lay the groundwork for the Scions' Fortress-Monastery. Even before the ark finished deploying its contents planetside, Morleio was thinking about how such a vessel might be used afterwards. Once the vessel had finished deploying its original payload, she dispatched it to [[Thonis#Delta_Thonicia_VIII_Gamma:_Keraphon | Keraphon]] to undergo an extensive refit.

The vessel retained its fleet of bulk lifters, and sacrificed some of its kilometers of storage to house manufactories. While all Scions vessels are designed to enable a certain amount of infrastructural aid to Imperial colonies, the newly-refitted ''Mater Castellorum'' carries tens of thousands of workers, artisans and techpriests along with the materiel they need to enact widespread repairs and construction projects. Consul Tarentian once joked that if battles are won with marines and wars won with logistics, the ''Mater Castellorum'' is a weapon of mass construction.

=====The Thonician defence fleet=====

Upon arriving at Thonis, the Scions quickly enlarged their system defence fleet (i.e. naval vessels lacking a warp drive) by initiating a series of boarding actions on the system's pirates rather than destroying them. These mismatched vessels would serve in the short term, but Thonicia is a vast area compared to most star systems, and a more regimented fleet of substantial size would be required so that the Scions chapter fleet would be free to go where it was needed.

This need culminated in the design and production of the Warden class heavy frigate. Similar in design to other Astartes escorts, but with a larger hold suitable for the redeployment of key resources or personnel within the system as needed, these heavy frigates are quicker to produce than cruisers, and more flexible in their applications, having been designed as just about capable of planetary landings on any world of 1.3G or less. While it would be possible to fit them with warp drives, this would greatly increase production time and cost. For now, the priority is to stamp out as many as possible to ensure the safety of the home system.

[[File:stormtalon.png|250px|right]]
=====Gunships, interceptors and other ordnance=====
Operating a fleet of gunships out of a ship in orbit means craft have less time to spend on station, and use far more fuel. Being logistically minded, the Cobalt Scions are always keen to ensure their FOBs can be deployed at great speed, and within hours will have the fuel and ammunition at hand to resupply gunships operating in support of ground units. Members of the battle companies all have basic training in piloting aircraft employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 8th Company, although the bulk of the piloting is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

=History=
==Founding==
Guilliman's major concern about Cawl's artificially indoctrinated primaris marines was their lack of real combat experience, so he decided to form the Scions' senior leadership from veterans of the Ultramarines' 1st Company. A call for volunteers went out.

Encouraged by Calgar's survival of the Rubicon Primaris, Aelius Justarian and his squad stepped up. Their idea was that each of them would be a company captain, forming a group of officers who already knew and respected each other. Guilliman, Calgar and Captain Agemman accepted their proposal, and the ten brothers eagerly submitted themselves to the process, nodding confidently as the risks of the process were explained to them.

In their optimism they hoped they might all survive; the process was becoming less risky with time, but in reality, six brothers died. Sergeant Justarian was among them.

The four survivors had known it was possible some of their brothers might not survive the process. They had lost brothers in the past. Astartes are indoctrinated to process the grief when a brother falls in combat. If anything, it strengthens their resolve. But the survivors learned that losing a brother in combat and losing an uninjured brother to the operating table are two very different things. This new form of grief ate away at them.

The chaplains tried tending to the brothers' spiritual wounds, but old Cassius refused to let them languish in mourning. Success, he told them, is meaningless without adversity. Still despondent at the loss but obedient nonetheless, the four brothers prepared for their voyage across the galaxy to rendezvous with their new chapter in the Sol system. They sought guidance from Calgar, Agemman, and other senior Ultramarines while their new armour was forged. They spoke to political leaders and logisticians, shipmasters and tech-magi, trying to learn what they could, still lamenting the loss of wise Justarian and the others.

When their new Mk.X armour was ready, they entered the Fortress of Hera and donned the unpainted suits for the first time. After so many decades as Ultramarines, it was a strange thing for them to see each other wearing unpainted armour. As they stood there exchanging uncertain glances, they were approached by Sinon, Captain of the Ninth and Master of Relics, who presented them with four master-crafted power swords in honour of their service with the Ultramarines. It was a welcome and tangible connection to their past.

On the journey to Sol, they occupied themselves by debating how they might go about organising their new chapter. Quintus Tarentian and Gaius Fabian favoured adhering strictly to the updated Codex Astartes, while Tiberius Drusus and Martellus Lucullus argued that it didn't map well onto purely primaris chapters.

Unable to agree on how far to stray from the wisdom of the Codex, they turned their attention to what they thought would be the less contentious question of naming the chapter. They soon learned that much rests in a name, and many names are unfit for purpose. Nothing sounded right. At one point, Tarentian confessed that after days of considering monikers for the new chapter, even the honoured name of the Ultramarines sounded foolish. “It is a pun!" he exclaimed, agast. “Or perhaps a declaration that we think ourselves above other chapters." The other three looked at him, appalled by this heresy.

“On the contrary, brother," Drusus replied, “I believe Ultramar to be a word from Ancient Terra describing an empire that stretches across an ocean. In this instance, the void is the ocean, the Five Hundred Worlds the empire. The suffix ''-ines'' must simply indicate that we are men of that great empire. Surely, therefore, the word Ultramar preceded the word Ultramarines? You're putting the artillery train before the tractor."

“Let us pretend I said nothing," Tarentian said, clearly troubled.

It was Lucullus who spoke next. “If we should decide to break with some edicts of the Codex, it would seem all the more important to remember our point of origin. A new chapter has no history, but the Thirteenth Legion and all its successors have ten millennia of it. What if our heraldry echoes that? Our chapter symbol could be a cobalt fist, as if to show one of the Gauntlets of Ultramar."

“That is not a name, Martellus, that is a badge," Fabian said. The others laughed.

Never one to enjoy a joke at his expense, Lucullus doubled down. “It's the idea I'm driving at. Make a point of upholding our identity as scions of Ultramar."

“The Scions of Ultramar is quite the mouthful," Tarentian said.

“The Cobalt Scions," Drusus said. The four of them were silent for a moment. Tarentian, for whom everything now sounded wrong, opened his mouth to speak. Fabian cut him off. “I like it," Fabian said.

“As do I," Lucullus added.

Tarentian frowned, then shrugged. “I am pleased this task is done."

After much debate the four brothers also agreed on their roles. Someone with a willingness to embrace the unfamiliar would be needed to form a new chapter, and so Tiberius Drusus would serve as chapter master. It helped that he was the most learned among them. To keep Drusus grounded, the traditionally-minded Tarentian would assume command of the 1st company, and Fabian would take the 2nd. Martellus Lucullus, Drusus' fellow advocate for new ways, would helm the 3rd.

To find the other seven captains, they would have to screen Cawl's unnaturally trained creations to see if any among them had the wit for independent thought.

When the four brothers eventually reached the Sol system they found a fleet of unnamed ships waiting for them in Mars' crowded dockyards. Inside, a chapter of new marines slept in stasis. Neither ships nor men bore heraldry. Drusus and his brothers had understood the scale of the task ahead in theory, but found the reality somewhat daunting. They were veterans of combat, not leadership. Who were they to step into the shoes of their betters and start from the very beginning?

The four brothers toured the fleet and its crews. They went to see the stasis chambers, and the marines inside. An army of techpriests, artisans and servitors awaited Drusus' signal to begin.

Drusus wanted the chapter to wake up to some sense of heritage, so the artisans were set to work first, applying heraldry to empty racks of armour. Ships were named. The four brothers met with the fleet's human officers, many of whom were decorated volunteers from the Imperial Navy.

When all was prepared, Drusus gave authorisation to wake the chapter.

They soon learned that the indoctrinated marines had names from their previous lives, but all were uncertain how many of their memories were real, and how many implanted. They all thought they remembered lives in Ultramar, and so the four brothers found some common ground with them. Even so, the marines knew little of the modern Imperium. Some spoke of the secular Imperial Truth promulgated in the days of the Great Crusade. The four brothers realised that bringing these men into the 42nd Millennium would involve significant culture shock. Worse yet, they had been indoctrinated to fulfill a single role, rather than having the flexibility of a marine who had worked their way through the ranks.

In the short term, Drusus and the others would simply have to accept Cawl's inflexible progeny and work with them as best they could. The Cobalt Scions fleet began its maiden voyage out of Sol and towards the nearest prong of the Indomitus Crusade.

==The Cobalt Scions in the Indomitus Crusade==
Over the next few decades, the Scions slowly morphed in the direction the four brothers intended. While in transit between warzones, squads were trained in other methods of warfare. Hellblaster units learned to use bolt rifles, Intercessors learned how to move in gravis armour, and so on. Like many of the all-primaris chapters, they took higher casualties early on in the Crusade, and despite occasional reinforcements from Mars, eventually found themselves able to field only 780 combat-ready marines, and it was at this depleted level that they met with their greatest disaster.

===The Nova Tarentis Massacre===
A prosperous world of significant agricultural and mineral output, Nova Tarentis was crucial to trade within its area of the Segmentum Pacificus, and an obvious target for the archenemy. Traitor Guard and Dark Mechanicum forces attacked in strength, and pleas for aid were made. Keen to prevent a cascade of infrastructural failure, the full Azure Drakes chapter was deployed with four companies of Cobalt Scions in support. The Drakes' chapter master, Sorkhos Danithor, committed to a full orbital assault, giving the enemy on the ground little time to react.

Once the bulk of the Drakes and Scions units had launched from their vessels, however, drive cores began to kindle all around Nova Tarentis' planetary rings. A substantial force of Black Legionnaires, thousands strong, had lain the perfect trap. Extracting the deployed troops would take hours, so Danithor - now trapped on the surface with the rest of his chapter - ordered the fleet to break orbit and seek reinforcements, rather than engaging in an unwinnable fight. Nonetheless, a small number of the fleet's capital ships were caught and destroyed as they raced for the system's Mandeville Point.

With their fleet gone, the loyal Astartes fought on as the traitors made planetfall. The fighting was brutal, but ultimately the Drakes and Scions were in an impossible position, hunted by a superior foe and lacking crucial supplies thanks to the loss of their orbital support.

Danithor orchestrated several breakout attempts, reasoning that asymmetric guerrilla warfare might allow more of his forces to survive until reinforcements arrived, but the Black Legion's noose proved too tight. Slowly, the Astartes army lost ground. When the Azure Drakes fleet returned with reinforcements, it was too late to meaningfully save the chapter. Fewer than a hundred Drakes were still alive.

As soon as the heretics' scout vessels spotted the incoming Imperial fleet in the system's outer reaches, the Black Legion began evacuating, their mission a total success. They had slain over a thousand loyalist marines, and had taken favourable casualties.

The final blow was, perhaps, the bitterest. During the enemy's final assault, Danithor noted enemy bombardments on the Imperial formations either side of his position, but none on his own. When enemy veterans in terminator plate teleported down behind him, preventing retreat, he realised all to late that they intended to take him alive. In his last recorded communication, he passed command to the most senior Imperial commander left - a Cobalt Scions reserve sergeant - before taking his own life. Frustrated, the Black Legion veterans butchered his retinue, but left empty handed. It mattered not; the Azure Drakes were gone in all but name. The few survivors were folded into the Cobalt Scions, along with their remaining fleet assets. Some were unhappy to muddy the chapter's culture with the more bellicose Drakes, but none would have seen the survivors cast adrift. The legacy of the Drakes would live on as one of a number of fraternities that a Cobalt Scion might choose to join upon inculcation into the Chapter.

While the Crusade continued to spread out through the galaxy, it was decided that the Scions needed to recover from their losses. Between the attrition of Crusading, and the hundreds of losses incurred on Nova Tarentis, the chapter was now reduced to around a third of its original fighting strength. The time had come for the Scions to go and recuperate on [[Thonis]], the world designated as their new home by Guilliman.

[[File:Cobalt_scions_heavy_intercessor.png|600px|center]]

===The Reclamation of Raxis Minor===
On their way to Thonis, the Scions received a distress call from the agri-world of Raxis Minor. While in theory the Scions were supposed to make all haste to their new homeworld, Drusus refused to ignore such pleas and directed the chapter fleet to alter course. Upon arrival the Scions found the defenders had been overwhelmed by Heretic Astartes of the Iron Warriors Legion. Reconnaissance revealed that the enemy numbered at or below company strength, with substantial mortal auxiliary forces. But even with the chapter at half strength and still suffering low morale following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, Drusus judged that his chapter would be more than strong enough to rally the tattered remains of the planet's defence forces. He split the fleet into three formations and approached the planet from different directions, forcing the Iron Warriors' smaller fleet to try and fight their way clear of the tightening blockade. Badly outnumbered, the Iron Warriors ships were cornered and destroyed, trapping the remaining Iron Warriors on the surface. The Cobalt Scions, hungry for revenge against the forces of Chaos, fell upon the planet with eagerness. There was no glory to be taken in vanquishing a foe so badly outnumbered, but there was some satisfaction to be had in restoring Imperial rule to a world in need of help.

When the Iron Warriors made their final stand, an undecipherable astropathic communication was sent from their command bunker. Fearing reprisal, Drusus committed his resources to reestablishing Imperial rule and improving Raxis Minor's defensive infrastructure. Foremost among this was the creation of several defensive hubs built at the centre of the main population centres with shielding and defensive batteries to defend against orbital assault. The Scions deployed hundreds of servitor-crewed machines to expedite construction, and after only four months' work, Raxis Minor's defences had become substantially easier to hold. Leaving the locals to complete the work, the fleet continued on its journey to their new home.

==A new homeworld==
When it was designated as the Scions' homeworld, [[Thonis]] was far from any active warzones. Situated in the [[Eridani Sector]] of the [[Segmentum Pacificus]], it was Guilliman's intent that the Scions would further strengthen a relatively stable part of the Imperium. Some whispered that it was further evidence of Guilliman ensuring the Ultramarines' ascendancy, particularly given the cultural ties the First Four had sought to maintain.

Either way, none could gainsay the Lord Commander of the Imperium, and so the Scions' fleet made for Thonis. Drusus and the others knew relatively little about Thonis beside some centuries-old information about its major exports and government, but it seemed reasonable to assume the locals would be grateful for the protection of an Astartes Chapter. With four stars and a great many settled worlds, the Thonis system almost seemed like a sub-sector in itself.

[[File:Thonis_system_map.png|600px|center]]

The Scions fleet returned to Mars first. While ship repairs got underway, Chapter Master Drusus met with Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the fabricator-general Cawl had assigned to the chapter. She had been tasked with designing and overseeing the construction of the Scions' fortress monastery, and then remaining with the chapter for the rest of her life, tending to the fortress' manufactorums and forges. She seemed at peace with the notion that she would get to create this one great structure and then be relegated to its maintenance. Drusus, however, was far less willing than Cawl to waste human resources. He suggested that if she showed aptitude for architectural design and understood siegecraft sufficiently, there was every chance she could embark upon an indefinite number of projects across Thonis and the wider Eridani sector as the Scions established themselves.

In that moment, he won Morleio's undivided loyalty.

Everything that would be needed for the fortress monastery, save the stone and rockrete itself, had already been loaded onto Morleio's kilometers-long fabrication ark. The fleet, now repaired, broke orbit and made for the Eridani Sector.

==Arrival in Thonis==
The Imperial governor on Thonis had been told decades ago that a chapter called the Cobalt Scions were coming to live on the planet. That was it. No details, no instructions to make particular preparations. Simply that they were coming.

When a fleet of Astartes ships arrived claiming to be the Cobalt Scions, no one had any reason to doubt them.

The fleet moved straight through the Eridani sector and on to the Hasmides system in the neighbouring Achernar sector. There had been some civil unrest; bombings and the like. It was assumed the Scions intended to terrify the populace into compliance.

In reality, the individuals aboard the Astartes fleet had created the uprising. They were not the Cobalt Scions at all. They were the Word Bearers, six hundred of them, acting on the orders of Khairon. If Guilliman's sons were coming, the Word Bearers were keen to preemptively tarnish their good name and make it clear the Scions' very arrival would only bring suffering.

Hasmides offered little challenge to them.

A thousand light years away, the Scions' fleet approached in blissful ignorance.

With Hasmides' government and infrastructure in tatters, the Word Bearers returned to their ships to prepare their next blow. The Scions might not have been there to prevent the atrocity, but the wider Imperium did not leave it unpunished. As the Word Bearers fleet made all speed for the Hasmides system's Mandeville point so as to escape into the warp, they were intercepted by the full might of Battlefleet Achernar.

The ensuing [[Battle of Hasmides]] cost both fleets dearly, but ultimately the Word Bearers' fleet was so badly damaged that, while most of their Astartes survived, their ability to prosecute a full naval engagement was, for a time at least, nullified.

Ironically the Navy's victory at Hasmides was politically bad for the Cobalt Scions. Not only had their impending arrival attracted dangerous foes to a peaceful place, it wasn't even the Scions who saw them off. Furthermore Thonis' incumbent planetary governor, Lord Aderbal, was well regarded by his subjects. There was little appetite for change.

When the true Cobalt Scions fleet approached Thonis, they were bombarded with security questions, and requests that they remain at a distance until their identity could be verified. It was hardly the welcome the Scions had hoped for. Eventually, Thonis' modest orbital platforms cancelled their firing solutions and stood down. A lone Overlord-class gunship bore the first delegation of Cobalt Scions down to the verdant surface of their new homeworld.

Chapter Master Drusus expected Aderbal to unquestionably accept the Scions' clear right to rule the system. Drusus informed him that there would be a brief transition phase followed by significant reforms in which Aderbal's official title would change from Planetary Governor to Locutor of the Senate: a position Drusus assured him would be very important in the new regime.
[[File:Heracleion.png|400px|right]]
Given the choice between no power and some power, Aderbal was forced to accept Drusus' offer.

In his address during the ceremony in which the Sceptre of Heracleion, symbol of the capital, was to pass from Governor Aderbal to Dictator Drusus, the governor's wording carefully managed to remain obedient while subtly emphasising Drusus' status as a newcomer to an old world with a well-established culture.

The address set the tone for the months to come. The Scions were too terrifying for anyone to risk obvious dissent, but any request made to the government by an Astartes would mysteriously require more paperwork and bureaucracy than the same request made by a native official. If asked for an explanation, people would claim they were taking extra care that they did a good job, or would say they had heard Guilliman's sons encouraged detailed paperwork. The Scions came to be seen as a source of problems by the general populace. With no experience of nuanced public relations, Drusus and his captains were at a loss as to how to win their people over. They went on speaking tours, endeavouring to rouse the public with stilted recollections of their great victories in the Indomitus Crusade, but received only polite applause. They made suggestions to improve the efficiency of institutions, but were told said suggestions would reduce productivity even when it seemed clear this was not the case.

During those first few months, some of the Scions grew restive. They felt the battles they had fought deserved the respect of any Imperial citizen, and talk grew of taking a harsher line with the recalcitrant public. Tarentian in particular advocated for a more direct approach.

Lucullus disagreed. He argued that the harder they pushed, the harder the people would resist. Some would fall into line, of course, but there would also be dissent and perhaps even the fomenting of heresy.

Drusus, politically inexperienced, was indecisive as to whose approach he would implement, and changed his mind regularly. This in turn created a rift between him and Captain Fabian, who proclaimed that he didn't care which side Drusus took, only that he committed to a course of action. Fabian went to far as to suggest that if Drusus couldn't make such decisions, Fabian was happy to take his place. Fabian's insubordination outraged Tarentian, Lucullus, and the other captains. The argument served a purpose, at least. Drusus was at last moved to choose. He took Lucullus' cautious approach.

[[File:Thonis.png|400px|right]]

==The construction of the Fortress of Syrnum==
While the Scions struggled with the political landscape, Archmagos Morleio worked on her designs for the fortress-monastery. It was to be built in the hills above Heracleion, and would require surprisingly few homes to be demolished. Strangely, the news that five hundred families were to be given the honour of having their homes bulldozed for the fortress monastery wasn't met with the sort of gratitude the Scions expected. Citizens of Ultramar, the Scions reflected bitterly, would have been proud to give their land for such a purpose.

Morleio estimated the project would take three years before it would be usable, and more than that before it would reach its full potential. Work began to prepare the Syrnum hills as Morleio and Drusus spent many long days drawing up plans.

==Expanding the docks==
Work also began on enlarging Thonis' modest orbitals. In time, they would need to serve a full fleet of warships in addition to providing efficient trade berths. Where the Scions had failed to gain any political capital thus far, the trade-focussed Thonicians were keen on the idea of increased docking facilities and reduced piracy. Sensing an opportunity, Drusus made a series of speeches promising that within fifty years, Thonis would enjoy the protection and commerce of vast orbital facilities. Finally, the Scions had said something popular.

Naturally this meant the native politicians, still angry at their reduced autonomy, argued for increased influence in the design of the orbitals to ensure the opportunities for trade were maximised.

==Political reforms==
The nobles' request for greater influence was an overt challenge to Drusus' competence in terms of trade, and public perception was very much that a space marine couldn't possibly have the same expertise as the great trading houses of Thonis.

In a move that shocked the Thonician nobility, Drusus responded to their challenge with his first sign of political deftness.

Drusus declared that if the native politicians wanted a say in the Scions' construction projects, then apparently they had accepted the chapter was here to stay. It followed, therefore, they were ready for the political reforms Drusus had promised.

A senate was formed from the heads of the fifty most influential noble families. The senate's role would be to advise the Scions as to how they should proceed in matters of commerce and governance. One senator would be first among equals, and would present the senate's suggestions to the Dictator. This individual would be known as the Locutor, a position that would initially be taken by Lord Aderbal. Upon his death or dismissal, another senator would be elected by their peers to take his position.

The reforms went further still. Ten commoners would be chosen to represent the labourers. These ten Tribunes were to keep the Dictator and Senate informed of how their legislation was being received by the commoners. More importantly, if all ten Tribunes agreed, they had the power to veto new legislation. The veto could only be overruled by the dictator, or in the absence of the Dictator, by one of the chapter's lieutenants, all of whom held the honorific of Praetor.

Being a Praetor incorporated two main duties beyond an Astartes Lieutenant's combat role. One was to act as a diplomat or ambassador for their captain when on campaign, and the other, as intimated above, was to arbitrate on disagreements between the Senate and the Tribunate when at home. In this way, lieutenants gained extensive political experience in preparation for becoming a captain.

Captains, in turn, held the honorific of Consul. Being a Consul meant having the Dictator's blessing to instigate reforms of a planet's government if it was militarily advantageous to do so, up to and including its annexation. The wording of this rule was vague enough that neighbouring planetary governors began to issue complaints to the Adeptus Terra. Guilliman's sons were laying the illegal foundations of their own empire, the governors said. Months later, Guilliman provided a curt response: “Then do not give my sons cause to annex your planet."

This further stoked speculation that the Lord Commander took issue with the modern Imperium, but as yet no one was willing to risk secession.

While the heavy-handed reforms were obviously taking power from the ruling class and handing it to the Cobalt Scions, the nobles also realised that they were now competing with each other for places in the Senate. This broke their unity and revealed their selfishness for all to see, and the mere existence of the Tribunate empowered the bulk of the population far more than the previous regime, even if this was representation in name only.

Tiberius Drusus finally had the political situation working to his advantage.

==Initial Engagements==
The Scions soon learned of the Hasmides atrocity, but were reliant on the Inquisition for further intelligence as to where the Word Bearers might strike next.

In the interim, they had two priorities: rebuilding the chapter, and dealing with any lesser threats in their immediate area. Neighbouring systems, particularly those bordering the Scyrian Expanse, were suffering from frequent greenskin raids. The Scions set about crushing these lesser orkish warbands with relative ease, and cleared out several remote human pirate strongholds, all of which was well received by the Eridani Sector's border colonies, but was of little relevance to the people of Thonis.

As for rebuilding the chapter, the Scions embarked on a major recruitment drive in Thonis. They asked for volunteers only, but the financial support they offered volunteers' families meant that a noticeable percentage of the adolescent aspirants clearly had no desire to be there.

Despite these issues, the Scions soon had a good number of scouts in training, and with at least half the chapter stationed at Thonis at any given moment there were always plenty of instructors available. A major difficulty, of course, was that most of the instructors had never been scouts themselves. Many of the initial recruits were pushed too hard, or were simply not trained effectively, and it took some time before the first generation of aspirants - those that survived - started to make good progress.

===The Andaras Affair===
The [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] are sent to end an ork raid on [[Andaras]]. Their intervention reveals the presence of both aeldari and a genestealer cult infestation, prompting a brief but explosive campaign that ultimately results in the xenos escaping, but the colony being made safe.

Further reading: [[The Andaras Affair]], and Consul Lucullus' [[notes on the Andaran Operation]].

===The Season of Fire===
The Cobalt Scions are pulled from one side of the [[Iolan Reaches]] to the other as xenos raids increase in both variety and intensity. The Scions are broadly successful in engaging a number of these threats, but ultimately the [[Starborn Souls]] prove almost impossible to stamp out, despite successful purges on multiple worlds.

Further reading: the [[Season of Fire]].

===The Raid on Lachesis===
[[Tolemias]] of the Librarius foretells of a Word Bearers raid on [[Lachesis]]. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] leads a force drawn largely from the Third Company and arrives before the Word Bearers. Despite sustaining several injuries, Drusus and Tolemias succeed in thwarting the Word Bearers' scheme to turn the planet's smallest moon into a stable warp gate, but at the cost of all three of the planet's Psykana holding towers.

The raid exposes the presence of not just Word Bearers, but a Night Lords warband of [[the Thirteenth Talon]] and another warband of the Red Corsairs. Following the Word Bearers' retreat, Drusus tracks the Night Lords back to their base of operations and attempts, with the help of [[Taliesin]] of Iybraesil, to destroy it. The base is a death trap, and the attack is a costly failure. The episode casts a pall over the broader success of the Lachesian situation, and the Night Lords escape the Chapter's clutches.

Further reading: the [[Raid on Lachesis]].

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:cobalt_scions_techmarine.png|600px|center]]

==Recuperation==
Aside from continued efforts to catch [[the Thirteenth Talon]] of the Night Lords, the Chapter as a whole enjoys a period of only minor engagements. The Fortress of Syrnum is now both defensible and adequately functional, but Morleio is far from finished with it. She begins the first of many planned expansions by expanding further underground, increasing the Chapter Forge's capacity without compromising the city above.

During this period, Thonician scouts begin passing into the reserve companies, rapidly recovering the Chapter's numbers.

===Trade with Iphara===
As construction of the Chapter Forge nears completion, the final stage is to create the large and costly means to produce tactical dreadnought armour. To this end, a small team of Praetors are convened to travel to [[Iphara]] and compete with other Imperial organisations for a modest share of the adamantium being mined in the newly compliant world. With demand for the metal being so high, negotiations are tough, particularly given the questionable need for terminator plate given the ready availability of gravis-pattern armour. The Praetors ultimately only secure a modest shipment, but it is enough to begin forging a tiny number of suits.

==The Ephramundi Daemonic Incursion==
A distress call is issued by the planet [[Ephramundi]] after [[A Minor Heresy]] causes a scattered but planetwide daemonic incursion. With small rifts popping up in seemingly random locations, and the agri-world being a key source of food to other worlds in the [[Kapran sub]], Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus|Drusus]] orders the largest mass deployment in the Chapter's history, with eight full companies dispatched to contain the problem without having to sacrifice Imperial Guard assets that may later be needed for more conventional wars.

Two companies are left to guard Thonicia, and the rest of the fleet get underway with all haste. The plan is to hold out until Grey Knights can arrive to seal the largest breaches. Using drop pods and other rapid response assets, the operation contains most of the daemonic breaches, preventing the sort of governmental collapse common in such incursions. This success has a cost; marines thrown into rapid response operations against an unpredictable foe comes with predictable losses in both men and materiel. By the time the Grey Knights arrive, the Scions have lost 162 marines, their greatest loss since the massacre on Nova Tarentis. The Scions still consider it a success given the value of the planet, and the vast wastage in conventional forces that would have been required to achieve the same result.

Unfortunately, these losses mean they are temporarily less than well prepared for any unexpected invasions elsewhere in the region.

==The Tyranid Invasion of Melia's Reach==
Even as the Scions await the arrival of the Grey Knights on Ephramundi, word is sent to [[Martellus Lucullus]] of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]] that a Tyranid invasion is underway on [[Melia's Reach]]. Lucullus' company has taken 40% casualties, but he petitions Drusus to be sent as a vanguard to try and slow the Tyranids' advance long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Reluctantly convinced that the warning can be trusted - it is sent by the aeldari Farseer [[Host Taliesin of Iybraesil|Taliesin]] - Drusus permits Lucullus to depart aboard the ''Preceptor''.

The Third Company task force arrive to find the local Planetary Defence Force (PDF) in a shambles, and the Governor entirely unfamiliar with the nature of the xenos. In the week that follows, the Space Defence Force are revealed to have been corrupted by Genestealers, and - despite the aid of Taliesin's own troops - the Tyranids continue their advance. Lucullus' efforts to reorganise and reinforce the PDF are eventually successful in helping the locals hold the line on their own, but an assassination attempt by a Lictor renders him unable to witness this success firsthand.

With Lucullus in a coma, Lieutenant Antigonus Nerva assumes command of the strike force, and accompanies Taliesin into Tyranid territory in a desperate joint operation to destroy the hive's primary hatcheries by triggering a volcanic event.

The operation is a success.

Sadly, strategic victory has come too late, and the Tyranids are now numerous and widely established. Unable to reinforce using the rest of the chapter, the Scions instead commit to a massed deployment of the Initiate Auxilia, with scouting teams spreading out into Tyranid-contaminated zones and calling out targets for orbital and aerial strikes. As a result, the value of maintaining an oversized auxilia is further cemented in the minds of the chapter's leadership, despite this being the first time a large force of initiates has proven useful.

==The Lachesian War==
The Word Bearers return to the [[Lachesis]] system in force. The Cobalt Scions have been preparing for this eventuality and are supported by numerous allies, but the size and strength of the traitors' fleet is substantial. The Imperium's only advantage initially is that, due to the failure of the raid, the Word Bearers' vessels arrive piecemeal. Initial engagements go well for the Imperium, but Alpha Legion-induced naval mutinies and resurgent assaults by both the Night Lords and the Word Bearers keep the war rattling on for several years. Eventually, reinforced by the Blood Angels and Raven Guard Chapters, the Imperium emerges victorious, and the traitors are forced to withdraw. Present from the first shot to the final parting ship to ship actions, it is the Cobalt Scions' lengthiest conflict, but also one of their proudest accomplishments. They had met a large traitor force in battle and were not found wanting; it did much to bolster the young Chapter's confidence, and dispel some of the lingering shame of Nova Tarentis.

==The Salvation of Massyleon==
During the Lachesian War, an ork fleet invaded the [[Massyleon]] system. Drusus dispatched the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] alongside Chief Librarian [[Diokles Adrastos]] to counter the invasion alongside the [[Raven Guard 5th Company]]. The strike force encounters an ork fleet led by a space hulk known as the ''Crawling Ruin''. While the bulk of the strike force rush to the defence of Hive Massinissos to prevent the orks getting a serious foothold beyond the hive's walls, Diokles boards the ''Crawling Ruin'' with ten Terminator-armoured veterans drawn from both the Scions and the Ravens. They find a corrupted abominable intelligence lurking within the hulk. Unable to destroy the AI due to its sheer size, Diokles is forced to entreat with the entity, and is ultimately successful in convincing it to turn on its ork allies before departing the system, decisively turning the fate of the war in an instant. When asked about what was said between Diokles and the AI, he refuses to be drawn. Their mission successful and the planet reinforced by regiments of Imperial Guard, the strike force return to Lachesis, where their return finally tips the balance and is directly responsible for the end of the Lachesian War.

==Xenos Invasions in Eressus==
The [[Eressus]] system is invaded by a Tyranid splinter fleet that assaults Eressus Tertia, and the Cobalt Scions dispatch a company to engage them alongside other Imperial forces, including the Blood Angels and Imperial Guard. Whilst this invasion is underway, another xenos invasion occurs in the same system on the planet of Aetolia: orks under the rulership of Boss Bonerippa of the Evil Sunz clan attack in significant numbers. Leaving Captain Lucullus with half his battle company to face the Tyranids with the Blood Angels, Chapter Master Drusus and the other Cobalt Scions form an Imperial response alongside the [[31st Nightfall Ranger Regiment]], several regiments of Krieg Death Korps, and [[Battlegroup 86]]. Even so, the ork numbers prove so substantial that military victory seems unlikely. The balance is tipped when [[Inquisitor Michael]]'s ship ''Accipiter'' leads a kroot warsphere into the system, delivering substantial numbers of kroot mercenaries, and ordering the Imperial forces not to engage them. Recognising the importance of these xenos on a strategic level, the Scions are quick to respond when Michael's ship is opportunistically boarded by the orks, and save the ''Accipiter'' from destruction, and by extension, enabling the kroot to remain in-system thanks to the Inquisitor's presence. Brother Galadoc of the Azarian Guard swears an oath to protect the Inquisitor with his life, and ends up defeating one of the ork warlords in personal combat alongside the Chapter's Judiciar.

The initial battles leave Aetolia's orbital defences in tatters, leaving the Imperium on the defensive. The Astartes and Imperial Guard forces operate as a mobile reserve, with the local Aetolian regiments responsible for the bulk of the fighting. Wherever breaches in the lines appear, the reserve forces are moved to aggressively counter-attack, turning the orks' victories into demoralising defeats.

Towards the end of the conflict, the enemy warlord Bonerippa is hunted down and assassinated by a joint force of Nightfaller Rangers and kroot, and this proves to be the final blow. Some of the Scions feel that the honour of victory is undermined by the presence of the kroot, but Drusus is pleased at the pragmatic benefits of cooperating with the Ordo Xenos, and commends the Inquisitor for his initiative.

==The Cobalt Scions join the Fourth Tyrannic War==
With the war concluded on [[Lachesis]] and the Chapter's losses replaced by members of the Novitiate Auxilia joining the reserve companies, the time has come for the Chapter to go back out into the galaxy and contribute to the Imperium's wider wars. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] appoints Consul Gaius Fabian of the Second Company to lead a strike force out into the wider Segmentum to contribute to the Fourth Tyrannic War. It is the first time the Chapter sends the bulk of its forces away since arriving in Thonicia seven years prior. Drusus laments being unable to go with the strike force, but the Chapter's home system is so large and multi-faceted that there is still much to do that requires his attention.

===Strike Force Tarasc's order of battle===
====Fleet assets====
* Battle barge ''Tarasc''
* Strike cruiser ''Alium''
* Strike cruiser ''Azhdaha''
* Strike cruiser ''Redemption''
* Strike cruiser ''Mater Accipitrum''
* 9 frigates
* 6 destroyers

====Astartes====
* 50 Veterans of the First Company
* 2nd Battle Company
* 4th Battle Company
* 5th Battle Company
* 150 marines from the reserve companies
* 50 marines of the Chapter's Vanguard
* 100 Novitiate Auxilia

The strike force fleet gathers above Thonis, and to celebrate its departure, a parade is held in the streets of Heracleion. The public, perhaps frightened of failing to show due deference, turn out in force to bid them farewell. The tone of the crowd is one of dutiful attendance rather than rapturous approval; Drusus realises that he still has much to do in inculcating Ultramarian values in his populace.

[[Category:Adeptus Astartes]] [[Category:Cobalt Scions]] [[Category: Crusade Forces]] [[Category: Cobalt Scions Missions]]

Cobalt Scions

2026-04-13T21:57:39Z

Charlie: /* Known Azarian Guards */

[[File:Cobalt_Scions.png|600px|center]]
The Cobalt Scions are an all-primaris chapter created from Ultramarines gene stock. Initially they participated in the Indomitus Crusade. After decades of crusading, Guilliman has assigned them to watch over a region of the Segmentum Pacificus from their new home system of [[Thonis]].

=Heraldry=
The Scions' heraldry is very close to their gene-sires, with the bulk of the armour painted the same blue as the Ultramarines. The two differences are their white pauldrons, and their company markings displayed on the left kneepad rather than on the shoulder trim. Since the Cobalt Scions' guiding principle is flexibility, none of the squads display the traditional tactical/assault/devastator symbols, but merely numerals denoting their squad number within their company.

The primary exception to the chapter's bright blue heraldry can be seen on their camouflaged Phobos-pattern armour, which is repainted to suit the local terrain.

==Chapter Icon==
The blue fist used in the Scions' heraldry symbolises the Gauntlets of Ultramar, as the chapter is particularly keen on celebrating and aspiring to the deeds of their forebears.
[[File:Cobalt_Scions_icon.png|300px|center]]

=Chapter organisation=
The Cobalt Scions are only partially Codex compliant. They argue that they follow its rules in spirit, just not in detail, and have reworked elements to suit Cawl's new equipment.

==A recruit's journey==
When recruited, a novitiate is assigned to the 10th Company to begin their training. The training is martial, moral and intellectual; novitiates are expected to familiarise themselves with texts ranging from Guilliman's works on governance, to Bartolomaius' ''Logistica Mathematica''. Novitiates soon learn they must show administrative aptitude if they hope to advance through the ranks.

Once considered battlefield ready, they graduate to the rank of initiate, and are issued carapace armour. In the first few years after the chapter's arrival in Thonis they were only used as a reserve that was only called upon when the need was desperate, since the chapter considered it inefficient to throw its less durable trainees into serious firefights. Consequently, initiates were generally given garrison duties and other auxiliary tasks. The strictness with which this approach was applied waned as the chapter's numbers recovered. Some have even joked that between the stability of the XIII geneseed and a newfound willingness to make use of initiates on the battlefield, the chapter may one day have more auxilia than Astartes.

Once an initiate has been given their final implants they are assigned to one of the reserve companies. Here, surrounded by more experienced marines, they will learn to master one specific role (such as Intercessor, Aggressor, Infiltrator, and so on). Over time they will be rotated through different reserve companies, until eventually they have mastered all the forms of war practised by the Astartes. At this point, most will be given the honour of joining one of the battle companies. Those that show a particular gift for infiltration will be assigned to the 10th Company's Vanguard, and will spend the bulk of their career in Phobos plate.

Any marine who proves their valour and skill may one day hope to be elevated to the veteran ranks of the First Company, whose venerable warriors are generally divided among the various active battlegroups so that they are better able to share their knowledge.

===The Twofold Path===
Once a brother has been elevated into the battle companies, there are several routes to further advancement and greater personal glory. If they show spectacular aptitude for the martial virtues, they may pursue such honoured roles as membership of the Bladeguard, a position as a company ancient, or service in the First Company. Alternatively, if their martial talents are merely acceptable but their political nous is exemplary, they may pursue an Honorary Praetorship such that they can function as an ambassador and intermediary between the chapter and other Imperial institutions, as well as administrators of the chapter's domains. Only masters of the twofold path - both martial and political - can truly hope to be given a true Praetorship, or a position in the Reclusiam.

Those who do well in their Praetorships can expect, if they live long enough, to progress to a Consulship and command of their own company. Those who are too hobbled by injuries and whose bodies reject grafts and bionics tend to retain their Praetorships and serve in a purely political fashion, or as a strategic advisor and attaché to other Imperial forces the Scions are working with. In this way, the number of Praetors far exceeds the 20 lieutenants one would expect to see in a strict observance of the Codex Astartes.

==Chapter Structure==
[[File:drusus.png|250px|right|link=[[Tiberius Drusus]]|Chapter Master Tiberius Drusus]]
===Chapter Command===
The following individuals are known members of the Cobalt Scions' leadership.
* Dictator [[Tiberius Drusus]], Chapter Master
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian
* Consul Quintus Tarentian, Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions First Company|First Company]]
* Consul Gaius Fabian, Captain of the Second Company
* Consul [[Martellus Lucullus]], Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]]

===Chapter Companies===
* [[Cobalt Scions First Company|1st Company]]: the veterans. Squads from this company are often attached to other forces to share their experience and aid with further training for their brothers.
* 2nd-5th Companies: the battle companies. All members are expected to know how to operate in any battlefield role, including vehicle crew, and in any armour pattern. The company captain decides on the mixture of 5 and 10 man squads. Squads may be temporarily divided between (for example) forming a three man fire team and a two man vehicle crew.
* 6th -9th Companies: the reserve companies. Members are only adept at certain battlefield roles, with each squad always performing a consistent role. When their sergeant judges that a marine has mastered their current role, they are rotated out to another squad to begin learning a new one.
* 10th Company: The Vanguard. These are the Chapter's clandestine experts, and forego the traditional blue armour in favour of camouflage. Technically, this company also contains the Initiate Auxilia, meaning that this is the only company with over a hundred members. That the Auxilia are attached to this company is largely to give lip service to the Codex; in reality they are essentially two unrelated organisations.

====The Initiate Auxilia====
When the Cobalt Scions arrived in Thonis, the chapter was badly depleted. As such, their equivalent of the Scout Company did not perform the traditional infiltration duties seen in other chapters. As their name suggests, when deployed they were used for auxiliary duties such as guard duty, where they would get some combat experience, but generally with the added benefit of heavy cover. Only in extremis were they committed to the front line, as the needless loss of an initiate was considered wasteful, particularly with the chapter so under-strength. The bulk of an initiate's time was therefore spent in training.

With the chapter now back to full strength, however, there is an increasing willingness to use the auxilia when tactically expedient. This is the source of some friction within chapter command, who do not all share the view that it is wise to risk wasting promising trainees, or that it is acceptable to take advantage of the Codex Astartes' lack of hard limit on the number of scouts a chapter is permitted to have in active service at any one time.

===Honorary Praetors===
An Honorary Praetorship is not a military rank but a political one, and could even be held by a battle brother. Honorary Praetors form a cadre of the chapter's most able negotiators and orators, dedicated to inspiring traditional virtues and compliance among other Imperial institutions. There are naturally those who argue this constitutes the chapter at its most meddlesome, and certain institutions do not look kindly on some post-human warrior interfering in their business. The Cobalt Scions take this as an additional challenge, and seek to prove their utility, although the petty ambitions of lesser men regularly contrive to make it appear that the Scions are pursuing power for power's sake in clear contravention of the Emperor's original intent for the Astartes.

[[File:priahad.png|250px|right]]
===The Azarian Guard===
This brotherhood of warriors is the Cobalt Scions' equivalent of the Chapter's Honour Guard. They can also be referred to as the Chapter Master's Bladeguard, and exist outside the company structure. They do not have squads, and bear heraldry of the individual rather than the unit. To join them is to foresake the right to seek a command position within the chapter, and to become truly dedicated to pursuing martial prowess. Answerable only to the Chapter Master and the Reclusiam's Master of Sanctity, they serve to protect the virtue of humility within a chapter that might otherwise encourage personal ambition to a dangerous extent. They explicitly have permission to criticise and mock officers, and cannot be censured by any but the Chapter Master or Master of Sanctity for doing so. If they decide to follow an officer to war, however, they must follow the officer's commands precisely during engagements. If a Consul or Praetor wants the aid of the Azarian Guard on a mission, he cannot requisition them; instead, he must petition them. Likewise, Azarian Guards are permitted to turn up unannounced and accompany a strike force if they deem the mission interesting.

====Origins of the Azarian Guard====
Lieutenant Azarias was one of the few Azure Drakes officers to survive the [[The Nova Tarentis Massacre|Nova Tarentis Massacre]]. Following the incorporation of the surviving Drakes into the Cobalt Scions, Azarias took an oath to protect his new chapter master with his life. Coming from a very different chapter culture, he refused to conduct himself in the refined style of the Scions, often mocking others and then challenging them when they failed to mock him back. Amused by this upstart and keen to temper the egos of his senior staff, Chapter Master Drusus instructed Azarias to create his own semi-autonomous brotherhood of up to thirty warriors. Azarias himself was slain protecting Drusus two years later during the reclamation of Raxis Minor, but the Azarian Guard, then numbering seven brothers, remained. Their numbers have since grown, and a number of onetime Azure Drakes use this brotherhood as a way to keep some of their chapter cult alive.

====Known Azarian Guards====
'''Brother Priahad'''

Brother Priahad's helm bears a gold skull, indicating that he is serving as the temporary leader of his fellow Bladeguard. In this way, Cobalt Scions officers know who to direct their commands to. The skull itself is not a permanent fixture but a badge that can be easily removed and passed to another bladeguard between engagements.

His left pauldron bears the chapter icon. It is presented in gold so as to evoke a shield, representing the bladeguard's commitment to safeguarding the Chapter Master. His right pauldron bears his individual heraldry, evoking a deed or quest he has undertaken that his fellow veterans regard as worthy. It shows the four stars of Thonicia, in reference to the vow Priahad enacted to visit every inhabited world in the sprawling home system and provide unexpected aid to those in need.

The tilting plate on his chest bears the ghostly image of a wyrm, and the chapter colour of the Azure Drakes, indicating that he is one of the original members of the now-defunct chapter. The wyrm is presented in a ghostly manner to reference the lingering spirits of his dead brothers.

'''Brother Katumaros'''

The golden skull on Katumaros' tilting plate indicates that he was once an officer. Counter-intuitively, he wears this as a mark of shame; as the fleet master who couldn't bring reinforcements to rescue his brothers in time, he is wracked by guilt and joined the Azarian Guard to ensure he could never rise to a position of command again. Despite a storied career prior to the Nova Tarentis Massacre, he considers his old achievements dead, and as such, his right pauldron remained devoid of heraldry until saving Techmagos Osmal Qvoll from an assassination attempt by [[the Thirteenth Talon]]. After that, his pauldron was adorned with a split motif, with a shielf on one side, and the Cog Mechanicus on the other.

'''Brother Galadoc'''

A mere brother in the Azure Drakes' 8th reserve company when his Chapter was destroyed, Galadoc has only recently joined the Azarian Guard. Like Priahad, his tilting plate features a ghostly image, this time of a dragon's head, commemorating his deceased captain, who he revered. His right pauldron bears the symbol of the Inquisition silhouetted by a shield, commemorating the vow he took to rescue [[Inquisitor Michael]] and his ship the''Accipiter'' after it was boarded by orks during the invasion of Aetonia in [[Eressus]]. After he defeated the heavily armoured ork leading the boarding party, he saved not only Michael himself, but the Chapter's Judiciar, who had been laid low in the fighting.

On his arm, he also bears a rosary once carried by one of the Drakes' chaplains. Galadoc's keen observance of the rites and rituals of his old chapter cult was one of the factors in his acceptance into the Azarian Guard, even though in theory martial prowess should be the only factor.

[[File:tolemias.png|250px|right|link=[[Tolemias]]]]

===The Librarius===
The Cobalt Scions place great stock in the prognostications of psykers, both their own and in the wider Imperium, and will often consult with astropaths, navigators and their own librarians to establish what if anything may be predicted about impending engagements and enemies. In battle, Cobalt Scions Librarians act as dictated by the Codex, employing whichever warp powers their minds are best suited to.

'''Known Librarians'''
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian.
* [[Tolemias]], Codicier.

'''The Thonician Oracles'''

Among the Chapter's most closely guarded secrets are the Oracles, a matriarchal order of seers that have quietly persisted in Thonicia since pre-Imperial times. At various times the Ordo Hereticus have attempted to purge them, but have never managed to wipe them out entirely. The Oracles became known to the Cobalt Scions some time after they arrived in the system, though whether they were discovered or even sought out the Scions is unknown. How the ancient traditions of the Oracles enable them to resist warp corruption is also unknown, as is the extent to which the Cobalt Scions place their faith in them.

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===The Phratry Munitorus===
If the Cobalt Scions' techmarines can make one honest boast, it is the speed and efficiency with which they can erect fortifications and other structures. The Phratry Munitorus (rough Low Gothic translation: the kinship/tribe of builders/engineers) serves the same purpose as a normal Chapter Armourium, but with the added responsibility of assisting with the integration of defences with civic infrastructure. To this end, the techmarines are not just supported by serfs and servitors, but also by human techpriests and architects. Chief among such human followers is Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the chapter's head architect. She is given near-equal standing to the Master of the Forge, and oversees a substantial and growing staff working on the construction of the chapter's fortress monastery and the more general defence enhancements of Thonicia.

When the chapter goes to war, it brings a substantial support staff of humans and servitors tasked with the rapid construction of defences, bridges, field hospitals, and whatever else might swing the Imperium's chances in any given theatre. A supply of prefabricated structures is also brought along for time-critical projects. Encampments are often built along standardised lines, ensuring that personnel familiar with one Scions base are familiar with them all. It has been pointed out by other chapters that this is a strategic vulnerability, but the Scions prefer the speed that comes with familiarity, and are convinced they will be able to adapt on a tactical level to counter this strategic weakness.

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[[File:Aristander.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Sedayus Aristander====
In addition to his regular duties tending to the Cobalt Scions' wargear and vehicles, Brother-Techmarine Sedayus Aristander is an obsessive sculptor, creating busts and statues for the Chapter's various reliquaries and memorials of fallen comrades. In theory, such devotional artworks are the domain of the human artisans of the Phratry Munitorus. While his fellow techmarines' non-military endeavours would generally be limited to designing architecture that serves to inspire as well as defend, Aristander argues that art serves as a major political tool. His defence is halfhearted, however; in truth he sculpts because he enjoys it. As he sees it, the sculptor's challenge is not merely to perfectly replicate their subject's features, but to capture their character. If that happens to serve the political goal of showing the Thonician populace what has been sacrificed for their safety, then that is merely a useful bonus.

He worked at his craft throughout the Chapter's time in the Indomitus Crusade, and yet more since the Scions' arrival in Thonis. Many consider him an excellent craftsman, but he remains unsatisfied, knowing that decades of practice are required to achieve true mastery. His obsession makes him a withdrawn figure who never takes a joke well. Nonetheless, he enjoys a measure of popularity, for all who walk in the Chapter's mausoleum are grateful to look upon the faces of their fallen brothers.

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[[File:hadrios_kelsus.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Hadrios Kelsus====
While Kelsus is perfectly willing to perform his vehicle maintenance duties between engagements, he rarely does so in combat. This is because Hadrios Kelsus is, and always has been, obsessed with the use of large guns. He generally finds an excuse to bring a servo turret on all deployments, and at the first sign of the enemy, gleefully mounts up to provide his brothers with fire support. It has been suggested that he should consider how to advance through the techmarines' ranks, for instance by creating political ties to local Mechanicus personnel. He is, however, far more interested in tinkering with guns in the Chapter's armoury.

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====The Chapter Armoury====
Members of the battle companies all have basic training in crewing the vehicles employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 9th Company, although the bulk of the crewing is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

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[[File:boriels_wrath.png|250px|left]]
=====Repulsor Executioner ''Boriel's Wrath''=====
This tank is named after a Dark Angel biker who aided a group of Scions pinned down by a force of Emperor's Children Heretic Astartes. Driving to good vantage points and providing pinpoint positional data, then moving on before the traitors could corner him, Boriel's actions allowed the Scions to fight clear of the trap. Tragically, they never met him in person; he was finally cornered by a squad of noise marines who, enraged by his efforts, beat him to death with their sonic blasters.

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===The Fleet===
When founded, the Scions had only six strike cruisers and a single battle barge: the ''Reason Inviolate''. Following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, the Azure Drakes' fleet -- far less damaged than the chapter it served -- was folded into the Scions' fleet. Consequently they went from having barely enough capital ships to deploy the chapter to having, arguably, an excess that they should have donated to other Indomitus Founding chapters. The Scions claim to make good use of their fleet assets given that it has enabled them to expand the capabilities of the Phratry Munitorus, with every Scions capital ship being well supplied with the engineers and materiel to respond to the humanitarian requirements of a warzone, as well as prefab fortifications, bridges, and other infrastructural elements. The Scions brush off criticisms that this exceeds the remit of the Adeptus Astartes by reciting the old adage that wars are won with logistics, and that a population protected is a rebellion prevented.

In addition to having holds full of infrastructural material, Cobalt Scions capital ships all have small manufactories capable of producing and repairing Astartes wargear and vehicles, albeit far more slowly than the Chapter Forge on Thonis. This is a hangover from when the chapter was fleet based during the Indomitus Crusade. It is a functionality they have deliberately maintained afterwards so as to reduce their dependence on supply lines.

The chapter has also attracted further criticism for employing several squadrons of the controversial Nova class frigate, which some say Astartes have no need of unless they're expecting to instigate naval battles without the assistance of the Imperial Navy.

Like many (if not most) Astartes fleets, the ships are crewed and captained by humans, although even an Astartes Sergeant is considered to outrank a ship captain as regards the chain of command. What with the fleet regularly returning to Thonis, the crew are given the option of having their families aboard their ship or in terrestrial housing. The family of slain personnel are given a stipend by the chapter, money which originally is taken from the financial tithe the Scions collect from their home system. While living conditions aboard the chapter's vessels are superior to the average ship of the Imperial Navy, expectations are high. Any personnel found wanting are rarely given second chances, and if lucky will get away simply with being discharged without a pension. Of course, incompetent crew can still offer dependable service when sent to the tech-priests for ''conversion,'' serving as a grim reminder to their former crewmates of the price of laxity. Those who have actively transgressed face even worse fates, up to and including a one-way trip to the great arena at Heracleion.

====Current Fleet Assets====
=====Battle Barges=====
*''Reason Inviolate'', the flagship. Constructed to default specifications during the Primaris project, prior to the chapter having a name or an identity. The Scions have since made it their own, modifying a number of its orbital launch bays for the deployment of Phratry Munitorus assets. The vessel served throughout the Scions' participation in the Indomitus Crusade, but the scars it gained during those battles have long since been removed.
*''Tarasc'', the one-time flagship of the Azure Drakes. There is a hall, deep in the ship's core, that serves as a hall of remembrance. There is a plaque on the wall for every Azure Drakes warrior who died in the Nova Tarentis Massacre, commemorating their noblest deeds. Above the hall's threshold is engraved the legend: ''In memory of those I could not rescue.''

=====Strike Cruisers=====
*''Dutiful''
*''Axios''. Deployments include the [[Raid on Lachesis]].
*''Preceptor''. Deployments include [[the Andaras Affair]].
*''Alium''
*''Deliverance''
*''Redemption''. Captured as a prize from renegade Astartes in the battle of Zarinth V during the Indomitus Crusade.
*''Mater Accipitrum''

From the Azure Drakes' fleet:
*''Vritra''
*''Azhdaha''
*''Illuyaka''
*''Erenkyl''

=====Escorts=====

The precise disposition of the Scions' flotilla of frigates and destroyers is unknown, but thought to consist of up to 9 squadrons.

=====The ''Mater Castellorum''=====

Archmagos Felicita Morleio is the de facto head of the Phratry Munitorus, despite not being an Astartes. The ''Mater Castellorum'' is her fabrication ark, a capital-class auxiliary vessel originally used to transport the materiel needed to lay the groundwork for the Scions' Fortress-Monastery. Even before the ark finished deploying its contents planetside, Morleio was thinking about how such a vessel might be used afterwards. Once the vessel had finished deploying its original payload, she dispatched it to [[Thonis#Delta_Thonicia_VIII_Gamma:_Keraphon | Keraphon]] to undergo an extensive refit.

The vessel retained its fleet of bulk lifters, and sacrificed some of its kilometers of storage to house manufactories. While all Scions vessels are designed to enable a certain amount of infrastructural aid to Imperial colonies, the newly-refitted ''Mater Castellorum'' carries tens of thousands of workers, artisans and techpriests along with the materiel they need to enact widespread repairs and construction projects. Consul Tarentian once joked that if battles are won with marines and wars won with logistics, the ''Mater Castellorum'' is a weapon of mass construction.

=====The Thonician defence fleet=====

Upon arriving at Thonis, the Scions quickly enlarged their system defence fleet (i.e. naval vessels lacking a warp drive) by initiating a series of boarding actions on the system's pirates rather than destroying them. These mismatched vessels would serve in the short term, but Thonicia is a vast area compared to most star systems, and a more regimented fleet of substantial size would be required so that the Scions chapter fleet would be free to go where it was needed.

This need culminated in the design and production of the Warden class heavy frigate. Similar in design to other Astartes escorts, but with a larger hold suitable for the redeployment of key resources or personnel within the system as needed, these heavy frigates are quicker to produce than cruisers, and more flexible in their applications, having been designed as just about capable of planetary landings on any world of 1.3G or less. While it would be possible to fit them with warp drives, this would greatly increase production time and cost. For now, the priority is to stamp out as many as possible to ensure the safety of the home system.

[[File:stormtalon.png|250px|right]]
=====Gunships, interceptors and other ordnance=====
Operating a fleet of gunships out of a ship in orbit means craft have less time to spend on station, and use far more fuel. Being logistically minded, the Cobalt Scions are always keen to ensure their FOBs can be deployed at great speed, and within hours will have the fuel and ammunition at hand to resupply gunships operating in support of ground units. Members of the battle companies all have basic training in piloting aircraft employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 8th Company, although the bulk of the piloting is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

=History=
==Founding==
Guilliman's major concern about Cawl's artificially indoctrinated primaris marines was their lack of real combat experience, so he decided to form the Scions' senior leadership from veterans of the Ultramarines' 1st Company. A call for volunteers went out.

Encouraged by Calgar's survival of the Rubicon Primaris, Aelius Justarian and his squad stepped up. Their idea was that each of them would be a company captain, forming a group of officers who already knew and respected each other. Guilliman, Calgar and Captain Agemman accepted their proposal, and the ten brothers eagerly submitted themselves to the process, nodding confidently as the risks of the process were explained to them.

In their optimism they hoped they might all survive; the process was becoming less risky with time, but in reality, six brothers died. Sergeant Justarian was among them.

The four survivors had known it was possible some of their brothers might not survive the process. They had lost brothers in the past. Astartes are indoctrinated to process the grief when a brother falls in combat. If anything, it strengthens their resolve. But the survivors learned that losing a brother in combat and losing an uninjured brother to the operating table are two very different things. This new form of grief ate away at them.

The chaplains tried tending to the brothers' spiritual wounds, but old Cassius refused to let them languish in mourning. Success, he told them, is meaningless without adversity. Still despondent at the loss but obedient nonetheless, the four brothers prepared for their voyage across the galaxy to rendezvous with their new chapter in the Sol system. They sought guidance from Calgar, Agemman, and other senior Ultramarines while their new armour was forged. They spoke to political leaders and logisticians, shipmasters and tech-magi, trying to learn what they could, still lamenting the loss of wise Justarian and the others.

When their new Mk.X armour was ready, they entered the Fortress of Hera and donned the unpainted suits for the first time. After so many decades as Ultramarines, it was a strange thing for them to see each other wearing unpainted armour. As they stood there exchanging uncertain glances, they were approached by Sinon, Captain of the Ninth and Master of Relics, who presented them with four master-crafted power swords in honour of their service with the Ultramarines. It was a welcome and tangible connection to their past.

On the journey to Sol, they occupied themselves by debating how they might go about organising their new chapter. Quintus Tarentian and Gaius Fabian favoured adhering strictly to the updated Codex Astartes, while Tiberius Drusus and Martellus Lucullus argued that it didn't map well onto purely primaris chapters.

Unable to agree on how far to stray from the wisdom of the Codex, they turned their attention to what they thought would be the less contentious question of naming the chapter. They soon learned that much rests in a name, and many names are unfit for purpose. Nothing sounded right. At one point, Tarentian confessed that after days of considering monikers for the new chapter, even the honoured name of the Ultramarines sounded foolish. “It is a pun!" he exclaimed, agast. “Or perhaps a declaration that we think ourselves above other chapters." The other three looked at him, appalled by this heresy.

“On the contrary, brother," Drusus replied, “I believe Ultramar to be a word from Ancient Terra describing an empire that stretches across an ocean. In this instance, the void is the ocean, the Five Hundred Worlds the empire. The suffix ''-ines'' must simply indicate that we are men of that great empire. Surely, therefore, the word Ultramar preceded the word Ultramarines? You're putting the artillery train before the tractor."

“Let us pretend I said nothing," Tarentian said, clearly troubled.

It was Lucullus who spoke next. “If we should decide to break with some edicts of the Codex, it would seem all the more important to remember our point of origin. A new chapter has no history, but the Thirteenth Legion and all its successors have ten millennia of it. What if our heraldry echoes that? Our chapter symbol could be a cobalt fist, as if to show one of the Gauntlets of Ultramar."

“That is not a name, Martellus, that is a badge," Fabian said. The others laughed.

Never one to enjoy a joke at his expense, Lucullus doubled down. “It's the idea I'm driving at. Make a point of upholding our identity as scions of Ultramar."

“The Scions of Ultramar is quite the mouthful," Tarentian said.

“The Cobalt Scions," Drusus said. The four of them were silent for a moment. Tarentian, for whom everything now sounded wrong, opened his mouth to speak. Fabian cut him off. “I like it," Fabian said.

“As do I," Lucullus added.

Tarentian frowned, then shrugged. “I am pleased this task is done."

After much debate the four brothers also agreed on their roles. Someone with a willingness to embrace the unfamiliar would be needed to form a new chapter, and so Tiberius Drusus would serve as chapter master. It helped that he was the most learned among them. To keep Drusus grounded, the traditionally-minded Tarentian would assume command of the 1st company, and Fabian would take the 2nd. Martellus Lucullus, Drusus' fellow advocate for new ways, would helm the 3rd.

To find the other seven captains, they would have to screen Cawl's unnaturally trained creations to see if any among them had the wit for independent thought.

When the four brothers eventually reached the Sol system they found a fleet of unnamed ships waiting for them in Mars' crowded dockyards. Inside, a chapter of new marines slept in stasis. Neither ships nor men bore heraldry. Drusus and his brothers had understood the scale of the task ahead in theory, but found the reality somewhat daunting. They were veterans of combat, not leadership. Who were they to step into the shoes of their betters and start from the very beginning?

The four brothers toured the fleet and its crews. They went to see the stasis chambers, and the marines inside. An army of techpriests, artisans and servitors awaited Drusus' signal to begin.

Drusus wanted the chapter to wake up to some sense of heritage, so the artisans were set to work first, applying heraldry to empty racks of armour. Ships were named. The four brothers met with the fleet's human officers, many of whom were decorated volunteers from the Imperial Navy.

When all was prepared, Drusus gave authorisation to wake the chapter.

They soon learned that the indoctrinated marines had names from their previous lives, but all were uncertain how many of their memories were real, and how many implanted. They all thought they remembered lives in Ultramar, and so the four brothers found some common ground with them. Even so, the marines knew little of the modern Imperium. Some spoke of the secular Imperial Truth promulgated in the days of the Great Crusade. The four brothers realised that bringing these men into the 42nd Millennium would involve significant culture shock. Worse yet, they had been indoctrinated to fulfill a single role, rather than having the flexibility of a marine who had worked their way through the ranks.

In the short term, Drusus and the others would simply have to accept Cawl's inflexible progeny and work with them as best they could. The Cobalt Scions fleet began its maiden voyage out of Sol and towards the nearest prong of the Indomitus Crusade.

==The Cobalt Scions in the Indomitus Crusade==
Over the next few decades, the Scions slowly morphed in the direction the four brothers intended. While in transit between warzones, squads were trained in other methods of warfare. Hellblaster units learned to use bolt rifles, Intercessors learned how to move in gravis armour, and so on. Like many of the all-primaris chapters, they took higher casualties early on in the Crusade, and despite occasional reinforcements from Mars, eventually found themselves able to field only 780 combat-ready marines, and it was at this depleted level that they met with their greatest disaster.

===The Nova Tarentis Massacre===
A prosperous world of significant agricultural and mineral output, Nova Tarentis was crucial to trade within its area of the Segmentum Pacificus, and an obvious target for the archenemy. Traitor Guard and Dark Mechanicum forces attacked in strength, and pleas for aid were made. Keen to prevent a cascade of infrastructural failure, the full Azure Drakes chapter was deployed with four companies of Cobalt Scions in support. The Drakes' chapter master, Sorkhos Danithor, committed to a full orbital assault, giving the enemy on the ground little time to react.

Once the bulk of the Drakes and Scions units had launched from their vessels, however, drive cores began to kindle all around Nova Tarentis' planetary rings. A substantial force of Black Legionnaires, thousands strong, had lain the perfect trap. Extracting the deployed troops would take hours, so Danithor - now trapped on the surface with the rest of his chapter - ordered the fleet to break orbit and seek reinforcements, rather than engaging in an unwinnable fight. Nonetheless, a small number of the fleet's capital ships were caught and destroyed as they raced for the system's Mandeville Point.

With their fleet gone, the loyal Astartes fought on as the traitors made planetfall. The fighting was brutal, but ultimately the Drakes and Scions were in an impossible position, hunted by a superior foe and lacking crucial supplies thanks to the loss of their orbital support.

Danithor orchestrated several breakout attempts, reasoning that asymmetric guerrilla warfare might allow more of his forces to survive until reinforcements arrived, but the Black Legion's noose proved too tight. Slowly, the Astartes army lost ground. When the Azure Drakes fleet returned with reinforcements, it was too late to meaningfully save the chapter. Fewer than a hundred Drakes were still alive.

As soon as the heretics' scout vessels spotted the incoming Imperial fleet in the system's outer reaches, the Black Legion began evacuating, their mission a total success. They had slain over a thousand loyalist marines, and had taken favourable casualties.

The final blow was, perhaps, the bitterest. During the enemy's final assault, Danithor noted enemy bombardments on the Imperial formations either side of his position, but none on his own. When enemy veterans in terminator plate teleported down behind him, preventing retreat, he realised all to late that they intended to take him alive. In his last recorded communication, he passed command to the most senior Imperial commander left - a Cobalt Scions reserve sergeant - before taking his own life. Frustrated, the Black Legion veterans butchered his retinue, but left empty handed. It mattered not; the Azure Drakes were gone in all but name. The few survivors were folded into the Cobalt Scions, along with their remaining fleet assets. Some were unhappy to muddy the chapter's culture with the more bellicose Drakes, but none would have seen the survivors cast adrift. The legacy of the Drakes would live on as one of a number of fraternities that a Cobalt Scion might choose to join upon inculcation into the Chapter.

While the Crusade continued to spread out through the galaxy, it was decided that the Scions needed to recover from their losses. Between the attrition of Crusading, and the hundreds of losses incurred on Nova Tarentis, the chapter was now reduced to around a third of its original fighting strength. The time had come for the Scions to go and recuperate on [[Thonis]], the world designated as their new home by Guilliman.

[[File:Cobalt_scions_heavy_intercessor.png|600px|center]]

===The Reclamation of Raxis Minor===
On their way to Thonis, the Scions received a distress call from the agri-world of Raxis Minor. While in theory the Scions were supposed to make all haste to their new homeworld, Drusus refused to ignore such pleas and directed the chapter fleet to alter course. Upon arrival the Scions found the defenders had been overwhelmed by Heretic Astartes of the Iron Warriors Legion. Reconnaissance revealed that the enemy numbered at or below company strength, with substantial mortal auxiliary forces. But even with the chapter at half strength and still suffering low morale following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, Drusus judged that his chapter would be more than strong enough to rally the tattered remains of the planet's defence forces. He split the fleet into three formations and approached the planet from different directions, forcing the Iron Warriors' smaller fleet to try and fight their way clear of the tightening blockade. Badly outnumbered, the Iron Warriors ships were cornered and destroyed, trapping the remaining Iron Warriors on the surface. The Cobalt Scions, hungry for revenge against the forces of Chaos, fell upon the planet with eagerness. There was no glory to be taken in vanquishing a foe so badly outnumbered, but there was some satisfaction to be had in restoring Imperial rule to a world in need of help.

When the Iron Warriors made their final stand, an undecipherable astropathic communication was sent from their command bunker. Fearing reprisal, Drusus committed his resources to reestablishing Imperial rule and improving Raxis Minor's defensive infrastructure. Foremost among this was the creation of several defensive hubs built at the centre of the main population centres with shielding and defensive batteries to defend against orbital assault. The Scions deployed hundreds of servitor-crewed machines to expedite construction, and after only four months' work, Raxis Minor's defences had become substantially easier to hold. Leaving the locals to complete the work, the fleet continued on its journey to their new home.

==A new homeworld==
When it was designated as the Scions' homeworld, [[Thonis]] was far from any active warzones. Situated in the [[Eridani Sector]] of the [[Segmentum Pacificus]], it was Guilliman's intent that the Scions would further strengthen a relatively stable part of the Imperium. Some whispered that it was further evidence of Guilliman ensuring the Ultramarines' ascendancy, particularly given the cultural ties the First Four had sought to maintain.

Either way, none could gainsay the Lord Commander of the Imperium, and so the Scions' fleet made for Thonis. Drusus and the others knew relatively little about Thonis beside some centuries-old information about its major exports and government, but it seemed reasonable to assume the locals would be grateful for the protection of an Astartes Chapter. With four stars and a great many settled worlds, the Thonis system almost seemed like a sub-sector in itself.

[[File:Thonis_system_map.png|600px|center]]

The Scions fleet returned to Mars first. While ship repairs got underway, Chapter Master Drusus met with Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the fabricator-general Cawl had assigned to the chapter. She had been tasked with designing and overseeing the construction of the Scions' fortress monastery, and then remaining with the chapter for the rest of her life, tending to the fortress' manufactorums and forges. She seemed at peace with the notion that she would get to create this one great structure and then be relegated to its maintenance. Drusus, however, was far less willing than Cawl to waste human resources. He suggested that if she showed aptitude for architectural design and understood siegecraft sufficiently, there was every chance she could embark upon an indefinite number of projects across Thonis and the wider Eridani sector as the Scions established themselves.

In that moment, he won Morleio's undivided loyalty.

Everything that would be needed for the fortress monastery, save the stone and rockrete itself, had already been loaded onto Morleio's kilometers-long fabrication ark. The fleet, now repaired, broke orbit and made for the Eridani Sector.

==Arrival in Thonis==
The Imperial governor on Thonis had been told decades ago that a chapter called the Cobalt Scions were coming to live on the planet. That was it. No details, no instructions to make particular preparations. Simply that they were coming.

When a fleet of Astartes ships arrived claiming to be the Cobalt Scions, no one had any reason to doubt them.

The fleet moved straight through the Eridani sector and on to the Hasmides system in the neighbouring Achernar sector. There had been some civil unrest; bombings and the like. It was assumed the Scions intended to terrify the populace into compliance.

In reality, the individuals aboard the Astartes fleet had created the uprising. They were not the Cobalt Scions at all. They were the Word Bearers, six hundred of them, acting on the orders of Khairon. If Guilliman's sons were coming, the Word Bearers were keen to preemptively tarnish their good name and make it clear the Scions' very arrival would only bring suffering.

Hasmides offered little challenge to them.

A thousand light years away, the Scions' fleet approached in blissful ignorance.

With Hasmides' government and infrastructure in tatters, the Word Bearers returned to their ships to prepare their next blow. The Scions might not have been there to prevent the atrocity, but the wider Imperium did not leave it unpunished. As the Word Bearers fleet made all speed for the Hasmides system's Mandeville point so as to escape into the warp, they were intercepted by the full might of Battlefleet Achernar.

The ensuing [[Battle of Hasmides]] cost both fleets dearly, but ultimately the Word Bearers' fleet was so badly damaged that, while most of their Astartes survived, their ability to prosecute a full naval engagement was, for a time at least, nullified.

Ironically the Navy's victory at Hasmides was politically bad for the Cobalt Scions. Not only had their impending arrival attracted dangerous foes to a peaceful place, it wasn't even the Scions who saw them off. Furthermore Thonis' incumbent planetary governor, Lord Aderbal, was well regarded by his subjects. There was little appetite for change.

When the true Cobalt Scions fleet approached Thonis, they were bombarded with security questions, and requests that they remain at a distance until their identity could be verified. It was hardly the welcome the Scions had hoped for. Eventually, Thonis' modest orbital platforms cancelled their firing solutions and stood down. A lone Overlord-class gunship bore the first delegation of Cobalt Scions down to the verdant surface of their new homeworld.

Chapter Master Drusus expected Aderbal to unquestionably accept the Scions' clear right to rule the system. Drusus informed him that there would be a brief transition phase followed by significant reforms in which Aderbal's official title would change from Planetary Governor to Locutor of the Senate: a position Drusus assured him would be very important in the new regime.
[[File:Heracleion.png|400px|right]]
Given the choice between no power and some power, Aderbal was forced to accept Drusus' offer.

In his address during the ceremony in which the Sceptre of Heracleion, symbol of the capital, was to pass from Governor Aderbal to Dictator Drusus, the governor's wording carefully managed to remain obedient while subtly emphasising Drusus' status as a newcomer to an old world with a well-established culture.

The address set the tone for the months to come. The Scions were too terrifying for anyone to risk obvious dissent, but any request made to the government by an Astartes would mysteriously require more paperwork and bureaucracy than the same request made by a native official. If asked for an explanation, people would claim they were taking extra care that they did a good job, or would say they had heard Guilliman's sons encouraged detailed paperwork. The Scions came to be seen as a source of problems by the general populace. With no experience of nuanced public relations, Drusus and his captains were at a loss as to how to win their people over. They went on speaking tours, endeavouring to rouse the public with stilted recollections of their great victories in the Indomitus Crusade, but received only polite applause. They made suggestions to improve the efficiency of institutions, but were told said suggestions would reduce productivity even when it seemed clear this was not the case.

During those first few months, some of the Scions grew restive. They felt the battles they had fought deserved the respect of any Imperial citizen, and talk grew of taking a harsher line with the recalcitrant public. Tarentian in particular advocated for a more direct approach.

Lucullus disagreed. He argued that the harder they pushed, the harder the people would resist. Some would fall into line, of course, but there would also be dissent and perhaps even the fomenting of heresy.

Drusus, politically inexperienced, was indecisive as to whose approach he would implement, and changed his mind regularly. This in turn created a rift between him and Captain Fabian, who proclaimed that he didn't care which side Drusus took, only that he committed to a course of action. Fabian went to far as to suggest that if Drusus couldn't make such decisions, Fabian was happy to take his place. Fabian's insubordination outraged Tarentian, Lucullus, and the other captains. The argument served a purpose, at least. Drusus was at last moved to choose. He took Lucullus' cautious approach.

[[File:Thonis.png|400px|right]]

==The construction of the Fortress of Syrnum==
While the Scions struggled with the political landscape, Archmagos Morleio worked on her designs for the fortress-monastery. It was to be built in the hills above Heracleion, and would require surprisingly few homes to be demolished. Strangely, the news that five hundred families were to be given the honour of having their homes bulldozed for the fortress monastery wasn't met with the sort of gratitude the Scions expected. Citizens of Ultramar, the Scions reflected bitterly, would have been proud to give their land for such a purpose.

Morleio estimated the project would take three years before it would be usable, and more than that before it would reach its full potential. Work began to prepare the Syrnum hills as Morleio and Drusus spent many long days drawing up plans.

==Expanding the docks==
Work also began on enlarging Thonis' modest orbitals. In time, they would need to serve a full fleet of warships in addition to providing efficient trade berths. Where the Scions had failed to gain any political capital thus far, the trade-focussed Thonicians were keen on the idea of increased docking facilities and reduced piracy. Sensing an opportunity, Drusus made a series of speeches promising that within fifty years, Thonis would enjoy the protection and commerce of vast orbital facilities. Finally, the Scions had said something popular.

Naturally this meant the native politicians, still angry at their reduced autonomy, argued for increased influence in the design of the orbitals to ensure the opportunities for trade were maximised.

==Political reforms==
The nobles' request for greater influence was an overt challenge to Drusus' competence in terms of trade, and public perception was very much that a space marine couldn't possibly have the same expertise as the great trading houses of Thonis.

In a move that shocked the Thonician nobility, Drusus responded to their challenge with his first sign of political deftness.

Drusus declared that if the native politicians wanted a say in the Scions' construction projects, then apparently they had accepted the chapter was here to stay. It followed, therefore, they were ready for the political reforms Drusus had promised.

A senate was formed from the heads of the fifty most influential noble families. The senate's role would be to advise the Scions as to how they should proceed in matters of commerce and governance. One senator would be first among equals, and would present the senate's suggestions to the Dictator. This individual would be known as the Locutor, a position that would initially be taken by Lord Aderbal. Upon his death or dismissal, another senator would be elected by their peers to take his position.

The reforms went further still. Ten commoners would be chosen to represent the labourers. These ten Tribunes were to keep the Dictator and Senate informed of how their legislation was being received by the commoners. More importantly, if all ten Tribunes agreed, they had the power to veto new legislation. The veto could only be overruled by the dictator, or in the absence of the Dictator, by one of the chapter's lieutenants, all of whom held the honorific of Praetor.

Being a Praetor incorporated two main duties beyond an Astartes Lieutenant's combat role. One was to act as a diplomat or ambassador for their captain when on campaign, and the other, as intimated above, was to arbitrate on disagreements between the Senate and the Tribunate when at home. In this way, lieutenants gained extensive political experience in preparation for becoming a captain.

Captains, in turn, held the honorific of Consul. Being a Consul meant having the Dictator's blessing to instigate reforms of a planet's government if it was militarily advantageous to do so, up to and including its annexation. The wording of this rule was vague enough that neighbouring planetary governors began to issue complaints to the Adeptus Terra. Guilliman's sons were laying the illegal foundations of their own empire, the governors said. Months later, Guilliman provided a curt response: “Then do not give my sons cause to annex your planet."

This further stoked speculation that the Lord Commander took issue with the modern Imperium, but as yet no one was willing to risk secession.

While the heavy-handed reforms were obviously taking power from the ruling class and handing it to the Cobalt Scions, the nobles also realised that they were now competing with each other for places in the Senate. This broke their unity and revealed their selfishness for all to see, and the mere existence of the Tribunate empowered the bulk of the population far more than the previous regime, even if this was representation in name only.

Tiberius Drusus finally had the political situation working to his advantage.

==Initial Engagements==
The Scions soon learned of the Hasmides atrocity, but were reliant on the Inquisition for further intelligence as to where the Word Bearers might strike next.

In the interim, they had two priorities: rebuilding the chapter, and dealing with any lesser threats in their immediate area. Neighbouring systems, particularly those bordering the Scyrian Expanse, were suffering from frequent greenskin raids. The Scions set about crushing these lesser orkish warbands with relative ease, and cleared out several remote human pirate strongholds, all of which was well received by the Eridani Sector's border colonies, but was of little relevance to the people of Thonis.

As for rebuilding the chapter, the Scions embarked on a major recruitment drive in Thonis. They asked for volunteers only, but the financial support they offered volunteers' families meant that a noticeable percentage of the adolescent aspirants clearly had no desire to be there.

Despite these issues, the Scions soon had a good number of scouts in training, and with at least half the chapter stationed at Thonis at any given moment there were always plenty of instructors available. A major difficulty, of course, was that most of the instructors had never been scouts themselves. Many of the initial recruits were pushed too hard, or were simply not trained effectively, and it took some time before the first generation of aspirants - those that survived - started to make good progress.

===The Andaras Affair===
The [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] are sent to end an ork raid on [[Andaras]]. Their intervention reveals the presence of both aeldari and a genestealer cult infestation, prompting a brief but explosive campaign that ultimately results in the xenos escaping, but the colony being made safe.

Further reading: [[The Andaras Affair]], and Consul Lucullus' [[notes on the Andaran Operation]].

===The Season of Fire===
The Cobalt Scions are pulled from one side of the [[Iolan Reaches]] to the other as xenos raids increase in both variety and intensity. The Scions are broadly successful in engaging a number of these threats, but ultimately the [[Starborn Souls]] prove almost impossible to stamp out, despite successful purges on multiple worlds.

Further reading: the [[Season of Fire]].

===The Raid on Lachesis===
[[Tolemias]] of the Librarius foretells of a Word Bearers raid on [[Lachesis]]. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] leads a force drawn largely from the Third Company and arrives before the Word Bearers. Despite sustaining several injuries, Drusus and Tolemias succeed in thwarting the Word Bearers' scheme to turn the planet's smallest moon into a stable warp gate, but at the cost of all three of the planet's Psykana holding towers.

The raid exposes the presence of not just Word Bearers, but a Night Lords warband of [[the Thirteenth Talon]] and another warband of the Red Corsairs. Following the Word Bearers' retreat, Drusus tracks the Night Lords back to their base of operations and attempts, with the help of [[Taliesin]] of Iybraesil, to destroy it. The base is a death trap, and the attack is a costly failure. The episode casts a pall over the broader success of the Lachesian situation, and the Night Lords escape the Chapter's clutches.

Further reading: the [[Raid on Lachesis]].

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:cobalt_scions_techmarine.png|600px|center]]

==Recuperation==
Aside from continued efforts to catch [[the Thirteenth Talon]] of the Night Lords, the Chapter as a whole enjoys a period of only minor engagements. The Fortress of Syrnum is now both defensible and adequately functional, but Morleio is far from finished with it. She begins the first of many planned expansions by expanding further underground, increasing the Chapter Forge's capacity without compromising the city above.

During this period, Thonician scouts begin passing into the reserve companies, rapidly recovering the Chapter's numbers.

===Trade with Iphara===
As construction of the Chapter Forge nears completion, the final stage is to create the large and costly means to produce tactical dreadnought armour. To this end, a small team of Praetors are convened to travel to [[Iphara]] and compete with other Imperial organisations for a modest share of the adamantium being mined in the newly compliant world. With demand for the metal being so high, negotiations are tough, particularly given the questionable need for terminator plate given the ready availability of gravis-pattern armour. The Praetors ultimately only secure a modest shipment, but it is enough to begin forging a tiny number of suits.

==The Ephramundi Daemonic Incursion==
A distress call is issued by the planet [[Ephramundi]] after [[A Minor Heresy]] causes a scattered but planetwide daemonic incursion. With small rifts popping up in seemingly random locations, and the agri-world being a key source of food to other worlds in the [[Kapran sub]], Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus|Drusus]] orders the largest mass deployment in the Chapter's history, with eight full companies dispatched to contain the problem without having to sacrifice Imperial Guard assets that may later be needed for more conventional wars.

Two companies are left to guard Thonicia, and the rest of the fleet get underway with all haste. The plan is to hold out until Grey Knights can arrive to seal the largest breaches. Using drop pods and other rapid response assets, the operation contains most of the daemonic breaches, preventing the sort of governmental collapse common in such incursions. This success has a cost; marines thrown into rapid response operations against an unpredictable foe comes with predictable losses in both men and materiel. By the time the Grey Knights arrive, the Scions have lost 162 marines, their greatest loss since the massacre on Nova Tarentis. The Scions still consider it a success given the value of the planet, and the vast wastage in conventional forces that would have been required to achieve the same result.

Unfortunately, these losses mean they are temporarily less than well prepared for any unexpected invasions elsewhere in the region.

==The Tyranid Invasion of Melia's Reach==
Even as the Scions await the arrival of the Grey Knights on Ephramundi, word is sent to [[Martellus Lucullus]] of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]] that a Tyranid invasion is underway on [[Melia's Reach]]. Lucullus' company has taken 40% casualties, but he petitions Drusus to be sent as a vanguard to try and slow the Tyranids' advance long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Reluctantly convinced that the warning can be trusted - it is sent by the aeldari Farseer [[Host Taliesin of Iybraesil|Taliesin]] - Drusus permits Lucullus to depart aboard the ''Preceptor''.

The Third Company task force arrive to find the local Planetary Defence Force (PDF) in a shambles, and the Governor entirely unfamiliar with the nature of the xenos. In the week that follows, the Space Defence Force are revealed to have been corrupted by Genestealers, and - despite the aid of Taliesin's own troops - the Tyranids continue their advance. Lucullus' efforts to reorganise and reinforce the PDF are eventually successful in helping the locals hold the line on their own, but an assassination attempt by a Lictor renders him unable to witness this success firsthand.

With Lucullus in a coma, Lieutenant Antigonus Nerva assumes command of the strike force, and accompanies Taliesin into Tyranid territory in a desperate joint operation to destroy the hive's primary hatcheries by triggering a volcanic event.

The operation is a success.

Sadly, strategic victory has come too late, and the Tyranids are now numerous and widely established. Unable to reinforce using the rest of the chapter, the Scions instead commit to a massed deployment of the Initiate Auxilia, with scouting teams spreading out into Tyranid-contaminated zones and calling out targets for orbital and aerial strikes. As a result, the value of maintaining an oversized auxilia is further cemented in the minds of the chapter's leadership, despite this being the first time a large force of initiates has proven useful.

==The Lachesian War==
The Word Bearers return to the [[Lachesis]] system in force. The Cobalt Scions have been preparing for this eventuality and are supported by numerous allies, but the size and strength of the traitors' fleet is substantial. The Imperium's only advantage initially is that, due to the failure of the raid, the Word Bearers' vessels arrive piecemeal. Initial engagements go well for the Imperium, but Alpha Legion-induced naval mutinies and resurgent assaults by both the Night Lords and the Word Bearers keep the war rattling on for several years. Eventually, reinforced by the Blood Angels and Raven Guard Chapters, the Imperium emerges victorious, and the traitors are forced to withdraw. Present from the first shot to the final parting ship to ship actions, it is the Cobalt Scions' lengthiest conflict, but also one of their proudest accomplishments. They had met a large traitor force in battle and were not found wanting; it did much to bolster the young Chapter's confidence, and dispel some of the lingering shame of Nova Tarentis.

==The Salvation of Massyleon==
During the Lachesian War, an ork fleet invaded the [[Massyleon]] system. Drusus dispatched the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] alongside Chief Librarian [[Diokles Adrastos]] to counter the invasion alongside the [[Raven Guard 5th Company]]. The strike force encounters an ork fleet led by a space hulk known as the ''Crawling Ruin''. While the bulk of the strike force rush to the defence of Hive Massinissos to prevent the orks getting a serious foothold beyond the hive's walls, Diokles boards the ''Crawling Ruin'' with ten Terminator-armoured veterans drawn from both the Scions and the Ravens. They find a corrupted abominable intelligence lurking within the hulk. Unable to destroy the AI due to its sheer size, Diokles is forced to entreat with the entity, and is ultimately successful in convincing it to turn on its ork allies before departing the system, decisively turning the fate of the war in an instant. When asked about what was said between Diokles and the AI, he refuses to be drawn. Their mission successful and the planet reinforced by regiments of Imperial Guard, the strike force return to Lachesis, where their return finally tips the balance and is directly responsible for the end of the Lachesian War.

==Xenos Invasions in Eressus==
The [[Eressus]] system is invaded by a Tyranid splinter fleet that assaults Eressus Tertia, and the Cobalt Scions dispatch a company to engage them alongside other Imperial forces, including the Blood Angels and Imperial Guard. Whilst this invasion is underway, another xenos invasion occurs in the same system on the planet of Aetolia: orks under the rulership of Boss Bonerippa of the Evil Sunz clan attack in significant numbers. Leaving Captain Lucullus with half his battle company to face the Tyranids with the Blood Angels, Chapter Master Drusus and the other Cobalt Scions form an Imperial response alongside the [[31st Nightfall Ranger Regiment]], several regiments of Krieg Death Korps, and [[Battlegroup 86]]. Even so, the ork numbers prove so substantial that military victory seems unlikely. The balance is tipped when [[Inquisitor Michael]]'s ship ''Accipiter'' leads a kroot warsphere into the system, delivering substantial numbers of kroot mercenaries, and ordering the Imperial forces not to engage them. Recognising the importance of these xenos on a strategic level, the Scions are quick to respond when Michael's ship is opportunistically boarded by the orks, and save the ''Accipiter'' from destruction, and by extension, enabling the kroot to remain in-system thanks to the Inquisitor's presence. Brother Galadoc of the Azarian Guard swears an oath to protect the Inquisitor with his life, and ends up defeating one of the ork warlords in personal combat alongside the Chapter's Judiciar.

The initial battles leave Aetolia's orbital defences in tatters, leaving the Imperium on the defensive. The Astartes and Imperial Guard forces operate as a mobile reserve, with the local Aetolian regiments responsible for the bulk of the fighting. Wherever breaches in the lines appear, the reserve forces are moved to aggressively counter-attack, turning the orks' victories into demoralising defeats.

Towards the end of the conflict, the enemy warlord Bonerippa is hunted down and assassinated by a joint force of Nightfaller Rangers and kroot, and this proves to be the final blow. Some of the Scions feel that the honour of victory is undermined by the presence of the kroot, but Drusus is pleased at the pragmatic benefits of cooperating with the Ordo Xenos, and commends the Inquisitor for his initiative.

[[Category:Adeptus Astartes]] [[Category:Cobalt Scions]] [[Category: Crusade Forces]] [[Category: Cobalt Scions Missions]]

Eressus

2026-04-10T21:12:31Z

Charlie:

[[File:Eridani_sector_map.jpg|200px|thumb|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html|Interactive map of the [[Eridani]] Sector.]]
A binary system in the [[Alyria Sub-sector]] containing several habitable worlds, all of which orbit Eressus A. The system is currently facing simultaneous Tyranid and Ork invasions.

=Planets=

==Aetolia==
A temperate world with a mixture of biomes, Aetolia is known for its natural beauty. It was originally an independent world before being conquered by the Tertians during M37, after which the Eressian League was formed to defend the system from attacks by other human systems in the sub-sector prior to Imperial unification during the Macharian Crusade.

===Capital city: Aeos===
Aeos is a port city situated on the coast of the Viyosan Ocean. It has a substantial space port ten miles from the city centre.

===Ork invasion===
The planet was invaded by the self-styled Warboss Bonerippa. With Imperial elements already in-system countering the Tyranid invasion of Eressus Tertia, an Imperial response is hastily drawn together, comprising the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]], [[31st Nightfall Ranger Regiment]], several regiments of Krieg Death Korps, and [[Battlegroup 86]]. Even so, the ork numbers prove so substantial that military victory seems unlikely. The balance is tipped when [[Inquisitor Michael]]'s ship ''Accipiter'' leads a kroot warsphere into the system, delivering substantial numbers of kroot mercenaries, and ordering the Imperial forces not to engage them. Despite early gains that heavily damage Aetolia's planetary defences, the orks are ultimately destroyed by the Imperial defenders. Towards the end of the conflict, the enemy warlord Bonerippa is hunted down and assassinated by a joint force of Nightfaller Rangers and kroot.

==Eressus Tertia==
This temperate world is usually referred to simply as Tertia by the locals. It has recently been invaded by a Tyranid splinter fleet. This invasion is being countered by the Imperial Guard, including regiments from [[Nightfall]], with support from the Blood Angels and [[Cobalt Scions]].

[[Category: Systems]] [[Category: Eridani Sector Systems]] [[Category: Alyria Systems]]

Cobalt Scions

2026-04-10T21:12:00Z

Charlie: /* History */

[[File:Cobalt_Scions.png|600px|center]]
The Cobalt Scions are an all-primaris chapter created from Ultramarines gene stock. Initially they participated in the Indomitus Crusade. After decades of crusading, Guilliman has assigned them to watch over a region of the Segmentum Pacificus from their new home system of [[Thonis]].

=Heraldry=
The Scions' heraldry is very close to their gene-sires, with the bulk of the armour painted the same blue as the Ultramarines. The two differences are their white pauldrons, and their company markings displayed on the left kneepad rather than on the shoulder trim. Since the Cobalt Scions' guiding principle is flexibility, none of the squads display the traditional tactical/assault/devastator symbols, but merely numerals denoting their squad number within their company.

The primary exception to the chapter's bright blue heraldry can be seen on their camouflaged Phobos-pattern armour, which is repainted to suit the local terrain.

==Chapter Icon==
The blue fist used in the Scions' heraldry symbolises the Gauntlets of Ultramar, as the chapter is particularly keen on celebrating and aspiring to the deeds of their forebears.
[[File:Cobalt_Scions_icon.png|300px|center]]

=Chapter organisation=
The Cobalt Scions are only partially Codex compliant. They argue that they follow its rules in spirit, just not in detail, and have reworked elements to suit Cawl's new equipment.

==A recruit's journey==
When recruited, a novitiate is assigned to the 10th Company to begin their training. The training is martial, moral and intellectual; novitiates are expected to familiarise themselves with texts ranging from Guilliman's works on governance, to Bartolomaius' ''Logistica Mathematica''. Novitiates soon learn they must show administrative aptitude if they hope to advance through the ranks.

Once considered battlefield ready, they graduate to the rank of initiate, and are issued carapace armour. In the first few years after the chapter's arrival in Thonis they were only used as a reserve that was only called upon when the need was desperate, since the chapter considered it inefficient to throw its less durable trainees into serious firefights. Consequently, initiates were generally given garrison duties and other auxiliary tasks. The strictness with which this approach was applied waned as the chapter's numbers recovered. Some have even joked that between the stability of the XIII geneseed and a newfound willingness to make use of initiates on the battlefield, the chapter may one day have more auxilia than Astartes.

Once an initiate has been given their final implants they are assigned to one of the reserve companies. Here, surrounded by more experienced marines, they will learn to master one specific role (such as Intercessor, Aggressor, Infiltrator, and so on). Over time they will be rotated through different reserve companies, until eventually they have mastered all the forms of war practised by the Astartes. At this point, most will be given the honour of joining one of the battle companies. Those that show a particular gift for infiltration will be assigned to the 10th Company's Vanguard, and will spend the bulk of their career in Phobos plate.

Any marine who proves their valour and skill may one day hope to be elevated to the veteran ranks of the First Company, whose venerable warriors are generally divided among the various active battlegroups so that they are better able to share their knowledge.

===The Twofold Path===
Once a brother has been elevated into the battle companies, there are several routes to further advancement and greater personal glory. If they show spectacular aptitude for the martial virtues, they may pursue such honoured roles as membership of the Bladeguard, a position as a company ancient, or service in the First Company. Alternatively, if their martial talents are merely acceptable but their political nous is exemplary, they may pursue an Honorary Praetorship such that they can function as an ambassador and intermediary between the chapter and other Imperial institutions, as well as administrators of the chapter's domains. Only masters of the twofold path - both martial and political - can truly hope to be given a true Praetorship, or a position in the Reclusiam.

Those who do well in their Praetorships can expect, if they live long enough, to progress to a Consulship and command of their own company. Those who are too hobbled by injuries and whose bodies reject grafts and bionics tend to retain their Praetorships and serve in a purely political fashion, or as a strategic advisor and attaché to other Imperial forces the Scions are working with. In this way, the number of Praetors far exceeds the 20 lieutenants one would expect to see in a strict observance of the Codex Astartes.

==Chapter Structure==
[[File:drusus.png|250px|right|link=[[Tiberius Drusus]]|Chapter Master Tiberius Drusus]]
===Chapter Command===
The following individuals are known members of the Cobalt Scions' leadership.
* Dictator [[Tiberius Drusus]], Chapter Master
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian
* Consul Quintus Tarentian, Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions First Company|First Company]]
* Consul Gaius Fabian, Captain of the Second Company
* Consul [[Martellus Lucullus]], Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]]

===Chapter Companies===
* [[Cobalt Scions First Company|1st Company]]: the veterans. Squads from this company are often attached to other forces to share their experience and aid with further training for their brothers.
* 2nd-5th Companies: the battle companies. All members are expected to know how to operate in any battlefield role, including vehicle crew, and in any armour pattern. The company captain decides on the mixture of 5 and 10 man squads. Squads may be temporarily divided between (for example) forming a three man fire team and a two man vehicle crew.
* 6th -9th Companies: the reserve companies. Members are only adept at certain battlefield roles, with each squad always performing a consistent role. When their sergeant judges that a marine has mastered their current role, they are rotated out to another squad to begin learning a new one.
* 10th Company: The Vanguard. These are the Chapter's clandestine experts, and forego the traditional blue armour in favour of camouflage. Technically, this company also contains the Initiate Auxilia, meaning that this is the only company with over a hundred members. That the Auxilia are attached to this company is largely to give lip service to the Codex; in reality they are essentially two unrelated organisations.

====The Initiate Auxilia====
When the Cobalt Scions arrived in Thonis, the chapter was badly depleted. As such, their equivalent of the Scout Company did not perform the traditional infiltration duties seen in other chapters. As their name suggests, when deployed they were used for auxiliary duties such as guard duty, where they would get some combat experience, but generally with the added benefit of heavy cover. Only in extremis were they committed to the front line, as the needless loss of an initiate was considered wasteful, particularly with the chapter so under-strength. The bulk of an initiate's time was therefore spent in training.

With the chapter now back to full strength, however, there is an increasing willingness to use the auxilia when tactically expedient. This is the source of some friction within chapter command, who do not all share the view that it is wise to risk wasting promising trainees, or that it is acceptable to take advantage of the Codex Astartes' lack of hard limit on the number of scouts a chapter is permitted to have in active service at any one time.

===Honorary Praetors===
An Honorary Praetorship is not a military rank but a political one, and could even be held by a battle brother. Honorary Praetors form a cadre of the chapter's most able negotiators and orators, dedicated to inspiring traditional virtues and compliance among other Imperial institutions. There are naturally those who argue this constitutes the chapter at its most meddlesome, and certain institutions do not look kindly on some post-human warrior interfering in their business. The Cobalt Scions take this as an additional challenge, and seek to prove their utility, although the petty ambitions of lesser men regularly contrive to make it appear that the Scions are pursuing power for power's sake in clear contravention of the Emperor's original intent for the Astartes.

[[File:priahad.png|250px|right]]
===The Azarian Guard===
This brotherhood of warriors is the Cobalt Scions' equivalent of the Chapter's Honour Guard. They can also be referred to as the Chapter Master's Bladeguard, and exist outside the company structure. They do not have squads, and bear heraldry of the individual rather than the unit. To join them is to foresake the right to seek a command position within the chapter, and to become truly dedicated to pursuing martial prowess. Answerable only to the Chapter Master and the Reclusiam's Master of Sanctity, they serve to protect the virtue of humility within a chapter that might otherwise encourage personal ambition to a dangerous extent. They explicitly have permission to criticise and mock officers, and cannot be censured by any but the Chapter Master or Master of Sanctity for doing so. If they decide to follow an officer to war, however, they must follow the officer's commands precisely during engagements. If a Consul or Praetor wants the aid of the Azarian Guard on a mission, he cannot requisition them; instead, he must petition them. Likewise, Azarian Guards are permitted to turn up unannounced and accompany a strike force if they deem the mission interesting.

====Origins of the Azarian Guard====
Lieutenant Azarias was one of the few Azure Drakes officers to survive the [[The Nova Tarentis Massacre|Nova Tarentis Massacre]]. Following the incorporation of the surviving Drakes into the Cobalt Scions, Azarias took an oath to protect his new chapter master with his life. Coming from a very different chapter culture, he refused to conduct himself in the refined style of the Scions, often mocking others and then challenging them when they failed to mock him back. Amused by this upstart and keen to temper the egos of his senior staff, Chapter Master Drusus instructed Azarias to create his own semi-autonomous brotherhood of up to thirty warriors. Azarias himself was slain protecting Drusus two years later during the reclamation of Raxis Minor, but the Azarian Guard, then numbering seven brothers, remained. Their numbers have since grown, and a number of onetime Azure Drakes use this brotherhood as a way to keep some of their chapter cult alive.

====Known Azarian Guards====
'''Brother Priahad'''

Brother Priahad's helm bears a gold skull, indicating that he is serving as the temporary leader of his fellow Bladeguard. In this way, Cobalt Scions officers know who to direct their commands to. The skull itself is not a permanent fixture but a badge that can be easily removed and passed to another bladeguard between engagements.

His left pauldron bears the chapter icon. It is presented in gold so as to evoke a shield, representing the bladeguard's commitment to safeguarding the Chapter Master. His right pauldron bears his individual heraldry, evoking a deed or quest he has undertaken that his fellow veterans regard as worthy. It shows the four stars of Thonicia, in reference to the vow Priahad enacted to visit every inhabited world in the sprawling home system and provide unexpected aid to those in need.

The tilting plate on his chest bears the ghostly image of a wyrm, and the chapter colour of the Azure Drakes, indicating that he is one of the original members of the now-defunct chapter. The wyrm is presented in a ghostly manner to reference the lingering spirits of his dead brothers.

'''Brother Katumaros'''

The golden skull on Katumaros' tilting plate indicates that he was once an officer. Counter-intuitively, he wears this as a mark of shame; as the fleet master who couldn't bring reinforcements to rescue his brothers in time, he is wracked by guilt and joined the Azarian Guard to ensure he could never rise to a position of command again. Despite a storied career prior to the Nova Tarentis Massacre, he considers his old achievements dead, and as such, his right pauldron remained devoid of heraldry until saving Techmagos Osmal Qvoll from an assassination attempt by [[the Thirteenth Talon]]. After that, his pauldron was adorned with a split motif, with a shielf on one side, and the Cog Mechanicus on the other.

'''Brother Galadoc'''

A mere brother in the Azure Drakes' 8th reserve company when his Chapter was destroyed, Galadoc has only recently joined the Azarian Guard. Like Priahad, his tilting plate features a ghostly image, this time of a dragon's head, commemorating his deceased captain, who he revered. As a new member of the bladeguard, Galadoc has yet to earn personal heraldry for his right pauldron.

On his arm, he also bears a rosary once carried by one of the Drakes' chaplains. Galadoc's keen observance of the rites and rituals of his old chapter cult was one of the factors in his acceptance into the Azarian Guard, even though in theory martial prowess should be the only factor.

[[File:tolemias.png|250px|right|link=[[Tolemias]]]]

===The Librarius===
The Cobalt Scions place great stock in the prognostications of psykers, both their own and in the wider Imperium, and will often consult with astropaths, navigators and their own librarians to establish what if anything may be predicted about impending engagements and enemies. In battle, Cobalt Scions Librarians act as dictated by the Codex, employing whichever warp powers their minds are best suited to.

'''Known Librarians'''
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian.
* [[Tolemias]], Codicier.

'''The Thonician Oracles'''

Among the Chapter's most closely guarded secrets are the Oracles, a matriarchal order of seers that have quietly persisted in Thonicia since pre-Imperial times. At various times the Ordo Hereticus have attempted to purge them, but have never managed to wipe them out entirely. The Oracles became known to the Cobalt Scions some time after they arrived in the system, though whether they were discovered or even sought out the Scions is unknown. How the ancient traditions of the Oracles enable them to resist warp corruption is also unknown, as is the extent to which the Cobalt Scions place their faith in them.

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===The Phratry Munitorus===
If the Cobalt Scions' techmarines can make one honest boast, it is the speed and efficiency with which they can erect fortifications and other structures. The Phratry Munitorus (rough Low Gothic translation: the kinship/tribe of builders/engineers) serves the same purpose as a normal Chapter Armourium, but with the added responsibility of assisting with the integration of defences with civic infrastructure. To this end, the techmarines are not just supported by serfs and servitors, but also by human techpriests and architects. Chief among such human followers is Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the chapter's head architect. She is given near-equal standing to the Master of the Forge, and oversees a substantial and growing staff working on the construction of the chapter's fortress monastery and the more general defence enhancements of Thonicia.

When the chapter goes to war, it brings a substantial support staff of humans and servitors tasked with the rapid construction of defences, bridges, field hospitals, and whatever else might swing the Imperium's chances in any given theatre. A supply of prefabricated structures is also brought along for time-critical projects. Encampments are often built along standardised lines, ensuring that personnel familiar with one Scions base are familiar with them all. It has been pointed out by other chapters that this is a strategic vulnerability, but the Scions prefer the speed that comes with familiarity, and are convinced they will be able to adapt on a tactical level to counter this strategic weakness.

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[[File:Aristander.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Sedayus Aristander====
In addition to his regular duties tending to the Cobalt Scions' wargear and vehicles, Brother-Techmarine Sedayus Aristander is an obsessive sculptor, creating busts and statues for the Chapter's various reliquaries and memorials of fallen comrades. In theory, such devotional artworks are the domain of the human artisans of the Phratry Munitorus. While his fellow techmarines' non-military endeavours would generally be limited to designing architecture that serves to inspire as well as defend, Aristander argues that art serves as a major political tool. His defence is halfhearted, however; in truth he sculpts because he enjoys it. As he sees it, the sculptor's challenge is not merely to perfectly replicate their subject's features, but to capture their character. If that happens to serve the political goal of showing the Thonician populace what has been sacrificed for their safety, then that is merely a useful bonus.

He worked at his craft throughout the Chapter's time in the Indomitus Crusade, and yet more since the Scions' arrival in Thonis. Many consider him an excellent craftsman, but he remains unsatisfied, knowing that decades of practice are required to achieve true mastery. His obsession makes him a withdrawn figure who never takes a joke well. Nonetheless, he enjoys a measure of popularity, for all who walk in the Chapter's mausoleum are grateful to look upon the faces of their fallen brothers.

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[[File:hadrios_kelsus.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Hadrios Kelsus====
While Kelsus is perfectly willing to perform his vehicle maintenance duties between engagements, he rarely does so in combat. This is because Hadrios Kelsus is, and always has been, obsessed with the use of large guns. He generally finds an excuse to bring a servo turret on all deployments, and at the first sign of the enemy, gleefully mounts up to provide his brothers with fire support. It has been suggested that he should consider how to advance through the techmarines' ranks, for instance by creating political ties to local Mechanicus personnel. He is, however, far more interested in tinkering with guns in the Chapter's armoury.

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====The Chapter Armoury====
Members of the battle companies all have basic training in crewing the vehicles employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 9th Company, although the bulk of the crewing is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

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[[File:boriels_wrath.png|250px|left]]
=====Repulsor Executioner ''Boriel's Wrath''=====
This tank is named after a Dark Angel biker who aided a group of Scions pinned down by a force of Emperor's Children Heretic Astartes. Driving to good vantage points and providing pinpoint positional data, then moving on before the traitors could corner him, Boriel's actions allowed the Scions to fight clear of the trap. Tragically, they never met him in person; he was finally cornered by a squad of noise marines who, enraged by his efforts, beat him to death with their sonic blasters.

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===The Fleet===
When founded, the Scions had only six strike cruisers and a single battle barge: the ''Reason Inviolate''. Following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, the Azure Drakes' fleet -- far less damaged than the chapter it served -- was folded into the Scions' fleet. Consequently they went from having barely enough capital ships to deploy the chapter to having, arguably, an excess that they should have donated to other Indomitus Founding chapters. The Scions claim to make good use of their fleet assets given that it has enabled them to expand the capabilities of the Phratry Munitorus, with every Scions capital ship being well supplied with the engineers and materiel to respond to the humanitarian requirements of a warzone, as well as prefab fortifications, bridges, and other infrastructural elements. The Scions brush off criticisms that this exceeds the remit of the Adeptus Astartes by reciting the old adage that wars are won with logistics, and that a population protected is a rebellion prevented.

In addition to having holds full of infrastructural material, Cobalt Scions capital ships all have small manufactories capable of producing and repairing Astartes wargear and vehicles, albeit far more slowly than the Chapter Forge on Thonis. This is a hangover from when the chapter was fleet based during the Indomitus Crusade. It is a functionality they have deliberately maintained afterwards so as to reduce their dependence on supply lines.

The chapter has also attracted further criticism for employing several squadrons of the controversial Nova class frigate, which some say Astartes have no need of unless they're expecting to instigate naval battles without the assistance of the Imperial Navy.

Like many (if not most) Astartes fleets, the ships are crewed and captained by humans, although even an Astartes Sergeant is considered to outrank a ship captain as regards the chain of command. What with the fleet regularly returning to Thonis, the crew are given the option of having their families aboard their ship or in terrestrial housing. The family of slain personnel are given a stipend by the chapter, money which originally is taken from the financial tithe the Scions collect from their home system. While living conditions aboard the chapter's vessels are superior to the average ship of the Imperial Navy, expectations are high. Any personnel found wanting are rarely given second chances, and if lucky will get away simply with being discharged without a pension. Of course, incompetent crew can still offer dependable service when sent to the tech-priests for ''conversion,'' serving as a grim reminder to their former crewmates of the price of laxity. Those who have actively transgressed face even worse fates, up to and including a one-way trip to the great arena at Heracleion.

====Current Fleet Assets====
=====Battle Barges=====
*''Reason Inviolate'', the flagship. Constructed to default specifications during the Primaris project, prior to the chapter having a name or an identity. The Scions have since made it their own, modifying a number of its orbital launch bays for the deployment of Phratry Munitorus assets. The vessel served throughout the Scions' participation in the Indomitus Crusade, but the scars it gained during those battles have long since been removed.
*''Tarasc'', the one-time flagship of the Azure Drakes. There is a hall, deep in the ship's core, that serves as a hall of remembrance. There is a plaque on the wall for every Azure Drakes warrior who died in the Nova Tarentis Massacre, commemorating their noblest deeds. Above the hall's threshold is engraved the legend: ''In memory of those I could not rescue.''

=====Strike Cruisers=====
*''Dutiful''
*''Axios''. Deployments include the [[Raid on Lachesis]].
*''Preceptor''. Deployments include [[the Andaras Affair]].
*''Alium''
*''Deliverance''
*''Redemption''. Captured as a prize from renegade Astartes in the battle of Zarinth V during the Indomitus Crusade.
*''Mater Accipitrum''

From the Azure Drakes' fleet:
*''Vritra''
*''Azhdaha''
*''Illuyaka''
*''Erenkyl''

=====Escorts=====

The precise disposition of the Scions' flotilla of frigates and destroyers is unknown, but thought to consist of up to 9 squadrons.

=====The ''Mater Castellorum''=====

Archmagos Felicita Morleio is the de facto head of the Phratry Munitorus, despite not being an Astartes. The ''Mater Castellorum'' is her fabrication ark, a capital-class auxiliary vessel originally used to transport the materiel needed to lay the groundwork for the Scions' Fortress-Monastery. Even before the ark finished deploying its contents planetside, Morleio was thinking about how such a vessel might be used afterwards. Once the vessel had finished deploying its original payload, she dispatched it to [[Thonis#Delta_Thonicia_VIII_Gamma:_Keraphon | Keraphon]] to undergo an extensive refit.

The vessel retained its fleet of bulk lifters, and sacrificed some of its kilometers of storage to house manufactories. While all Scions vessels are designed to enable a certain amount of infrastructural aid to Imperial colonies, the newly-refitted ''Mater Castellorum'' carries tens of thousands of workers, artisans and techpriests along with the materiel they need to enact widespread repairs and construction projects. Consul Tarentian once joked that if battles are won with marines and wars won with logistics, the ''Mater Castellorum'' is a weapon of mass construction.

=====The Thonician defence fleet=====

Upon arriving at Thonis, the Scions quickly enlarged their system defence fleet (i.e. naval vessels lacking a warp drive) by initiating a series of boarding actions on the system's pirates rather than destroying them. These mismatched vessels would serve in the short term, but Thonicia is a vast area compared to most star systems, and a more regimented fleet of substantial size would be required so that the Scions chapter fleet would be free to go where it was needed.

This need culminated in the design and production of the Warden class heavy frigate. Similar in design to other Astartes escorts, but with a larger hold suitable for the redeployment of key resources or personnel within the system as needed, these heavy frigates are quicker to produce than cruisers, and more flexible in their applications, having been designed as just about capable of planetary landings on any world of 1.3G or less. While it would be possible to fit them with warp drives, this would greatly increase production time and cost. For now, the priority is to stamp out as many as possible to ensure the safety of the home system.

[[File:stormtalon.png|250px|right]]
=====Gunships, interceptors and other ordnance=====
Operating a fleet of gunships out of a ship in orbit means craft have less time to spend on station, and use far more fuel. Being logistically minded, the Cobalt Scions are always keen to ensure their FOBs can be deployed at great speed, and within hours will have the fuel and ammunition at hand to resupply gunships operating in support of ground units. Members of the battle companies all have basic training in piloting aircraft employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 8th Company, although the bulk of the piloting is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

=History=
==Founding==
Guilliman's major concern about Cawl's artificially indoctrinated primaris marines was their lack of real combat experience, so he decided to form the Scions' senior leadership from veterans of the Ultramarines' 1st Company. A call for volunteers went out.

Encouraged by Calgar's survival of the Rubicon Primaris, Aelius Justarian and his squad stepped up. Their idea was that each of them would be a company captain, forming a group of officers who already knew and respected each other. Guilliman, Calgar and Captain Agemman accepted their proposal, and the ten brothers eagerly submitted themselves to the process, nodding confidently as the risks of the process were explained to them.

In their optimism they hoped they might all survive; the process was becoming less risky with time, but in reality, six brothers died. Sergeant Justarian was among them.

The four survivors had known it was possible some of their brothers might not survive the process. They had lost brothers in the past. Astartes are indoctrinated to process the grief when a brother falls in combat. If anything, it strengthens their resolve. But the survivors learned that losing a brother in combat and losing an uninjured brother to the operating table are two very different things. This new form of grief ate away at them.

The chaplains tried tending to the brothers' spiritual wounds, but old Cassius refused to let them languish in mourning. Success, he told them, is meaningless without adversity. Still despondent at the loss but obedient nonetheless, the four brothers prepared for their voyage across the galaxy to rendezvous with their new chapter in the Sol system. They sought guidance from Calgar, Agemman, and other senior Ultramarines while their new armour was forged. They spoke to political leaders and logisticians, shipmasters and tech-magi, trying to learn what they could, still lamenting the loss of wise Justarian and the others.

When their new Mk.X armour was ready, they entered the Fortress of Hera and donned the unpainted suits for the first time. After so many decades as Ultramarines, it was a strange thing for them to see each other wearing unpainted armour. As they stood there exchanging uncertain glances, they were approached by Sinon, Captain of the Ninth and Master of Relics, who presented them with four master-crafted power swords in honour of their service with the Ultramarines. It was a welcome and tangible connection to their past.

On the journey to Sol, they occupied themselves by debating how they might go about organising their new chapter. Quintus Tarentian and Gaius Fabian favoured adhering strictly to the updated Codex Astartes, while Tiberius Drusus and Martellus Lucullus argued that it didn't map well onto purely primaris chapters.

Unable to agree on how far to stray from the wisdom of the Codex, they turned their attention to what they thought would be the less contentious question of naming the chapter. They soon learned that much rests in a name, and many names are unfit for purpose. Nothing sounded right. At one point, Tarentian confessed that after days of considering monikers for the new chapter, even the honoured name of the Ultramarines sounded foolish. “It is a pun!" he exclaimed, agast. “Or perhaps a declaration that we think ourselves above other chapters." The other three looked at him, appalled by this heresy.

“On the contrary, brother," Drusus replied, “I believe Ultramar to be a word from Ancient Terra describing an empire that stretches across an ocean. In this instance, the void is the ocean, the Five Hundred Worlds the empire. The suffix ''-ines'' must simply indicate that we are men of that great empire. Surely, therefore, the word Ultramar preceded the word Ultramarines? You're putting the artillery train before the tractor."

“Let us pretend I said nothing," Tarentian said, clearly troubled.

It was Lucullus who spoke next. “If we should decide to break with some edicts of the Codex, it would seem all the more important to remember our point of origin. A new chapter has no history, but the Thirteenth Legion and all its successors have ten millennia of it. What if our heraldry echoes that? Our chapter symbol could be a cobalt fist, as if to show one of the Gauntlets of Ultramar."

“That is not a name, Martellus, that is a badge," Fabian said. The others laughed.

Never one to enjoy a joke at his expense, Lucullus doubled down. “It's the idea I'm driving at. Make a point of upholding our identity as scions of Ultramar."

“The Scions of Ultramar is quite the mouthful," Tarentian said.

“The Cobalt Scions," Drusus said. The four of them were silent for a moment. Tarentian, for whom everything now sounded wrong, opened his mouth to speak. Fabian cut him off. “I like it," Fabian said.

“As do I," Lucullus added.

Tarentian frowned, then shrugged. “I am pleased this task is done."

After much debate the four brothers also agreed on their roles. Someone with a willingness to embrace the unfamiliar would be needed to form a new chapter, and so Tiberius Drusus would serve as chapter master. It helped that he was the most learned among them. To keep Drusus grounded, the traditionally-minded Tarentian would assume command of the 1st company, and Fabian would take the 2nd. Martellus Lucullus, Drusus' fellow advocate for new ways, would helm the 3rd.

To find the other seven captains, they would have to screen Cawl's unnaturally trained creations to see if any among them had the wit for independent thought.

When the four brothers eventually reached the Sol system they found a fleet of unnamed ships waiting for them in Mars' crowded dockyards. Inside, a chapter of new marines slept in stasis. Neither ships nor men bore heraldry. Drusus and his brothers had understood the scale of the task ahead in theory, but found the reality somewhat daunting. They were veterans of combat, not leadership. Who were they to step into the shoes of their betters and start from the very beginning?

The four brothers toured the fleet and its crews. They went to see the stasis chambers, and the marines inside. An army of techpriests, artisans and servitors awaited Drusus' signal to begin.

Drusus wanted the chapter to wake up to some sense of heritage, so the artisans were set to work first, applying heraldry to empty racks of armour. Ships were named. The four brothers met with the fleet's human officers, many of whom were decorated volunteers from the Imperial Navy.

When all was prepared, Drusus gave authorisation to wake the chapter.

They soon learned that the indoctrinated marines had names from their previous lives, but all were uncertain how many of their memories were real, and how many implanted. They all thought they remembered lives in Ultramar, and so the four brothers found some common ground with them. Even so, the marines knew little of the modern Imperium. Some spoke of the secular Imperial Truth promulgated in the days of the Great Crusade. The four brothers realised that bringing these men into the 42nd Millennium would involve significant culture shock. Worse yet, they had been indoctrinated to fulfill a single role, rather than having the flexibility of a marine who had worked their way through the ranks.

In the short term, Drusus and the others would simply have to accept Cawl's inflexible progeny and work with them as best they could. The Cobalt Scions fleet began its maiden voyage out of Sol and towards the nearest prong of the Indomitus Crusade.

==The Cobalt Scions in the Indomitus Crusade==
Over the next few decades, the Scions slowly morphed in the direction the four brothers intended. While in transit between warzones, squads were trained in other methods of warfare. Hellblaster units learned to use bolt rifles, Intercessors learned how to move in gravis armour, and so on. Like many of the all-primaris chapters, they took higher casualties early on in the Crusade, and despite occasional reinforcements from Mars, eventually found themselves able to field only 780 combat-ready marines, and it was at this depleted level that they met with their greatest disaster.

===The Nova Tarentis Massacre===
A prosperous world of significant agricultural and mineral output, Nova Tarentis was crucial to trade within its area of the Segmentum Pacificus, and an obvious target for the archenemy. Traitor Guard and Dark Mechanicum forces attacked in strength, and pleas for aid were made. Keen to prevent a cascade of infrastructural failure, the full Azure Drakes chapter was deployed with four companies of Cobalt Scions in support. The Drakes' chapter master, Sorkhos Danithor, committed to a full orbital assault, giving the enemy on the ground little time to react.

Once the bulk of the Drakes and Scions units had launched from their vessels, however, drive cores began to kindle all around Nova Tarentis' planetary rings. A substantial force of Black Legionnaires, thousands strong, had lain the perfect trap. Extracting the deployed troops would take hours, so Danithor - now trapped on the surface with the rest of his chapter - ordered the fleet to break orbit and seek reinforcements, rather than engaging in an unwinnable fight. Nonetheless, a small number of the fleet's capital ships were caught and destroyed as they raced for the system's Mandeville Point.

With their fleet gone, the loyal Astartes fought on as the traitors made planetfall. The fighting was brutal, but ultimately the Drakes and Scions were in an impossible position, hunted by a superior foe and lacking crucial supplies thanks to the loss of their orbital support.

Danithor orchestrated several breakout attempts, reasoning that asymmetric guerrilla warfare might allow more of his forces to survive until reinforcements arrived, but the Black Legion's noose proved too tight. Slowly, the Astartes army lost ground. When the Azure Drakes fleet returned with reinforcements, it was too late to meaningfully save the chapter. Fewer than a hundred Drakes were still alive.

As soon as the heretics' scout vessels spotted the incoming Imperial fleet in the system's outer reaches, the Black Legion began evacuating, their mission a total success. They had slain over a thousand loyalist marines, and had taken favourable casualties.

The final blow was, perhaps, the bitterest. During the enemy's final assault, Danithor noted enemy bombardments on the Imperial formations either side of his position, but none on his own. When enemy veterans in terminator plate teleported down behind him, preventing retreat, he realised all to late that they intended to take him alive. In his last recorded communication, he passed command to the most senior Imperial commander left - a Cobalt Scions reserve sergeant - before taking his own life. Frustrated, the Black Legion veterans butchered his retinue, but left empty handed. It mattered not; the Azure Drakes were gone in all but name. The few survivors were folded into the Cobalt Scions, along with their remaining fleet assets. Some were unhappy to muddy the chapter's culture with the more bellicose Drakes, but none would have seen the survivors cast adrift. The legacy of the Drakes would live on as one of a number of fraternities that a Cobalt Scion might choose to join upon inculcation into the Chapter.

While the Crusade continued to spread out through the galaxy, it was decided that the Scions needed to recover from their losses. Between the attrition of Crusading, and the hundreds of losses incurred on Nova Tarentis, the chapter was now reduced to around a third of its original fighting strength. The time had come for the Scions to go and recuperate on [[Thonis]], the world designated as their new home by Guilliman.

[[File:Cobalt_scions_heavy_intercessor.png|600px|center]]

===The Reclamation of Raxis Minor===
On their way to Thonis, the Scions received a distress call from the agri-world of Raxis Minor. While in theory the Scions were supposed to make all haste to their new homeworld, Drusus refused to ignore such pleas and directed the chapter fleet to alter course. Upon arrival the Scions found the defenders had been overwhelmed by Heretic Astartes of the Iron Warriors Legion. Reconnaissance revealed that the enemy numbered at or below company strength, with substantial mortal auxiliary forces. But even with the chapter at half strength and still suffering low morale following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, Drusus judged that his chapter would be more than strong enough to rally the tattered remains of the planet's defence forces. He split the fleet into three formations and approached the planet from different directions, forcing the Iron Warriors' smaller fleet to try and fight their way clear of the tightening blockade. Badly outnumbered, the Iron Warriors ships were cornered and destroyed, trapping the remaining Iron Warriors on the surface. The Cobalt Scions, hungry for revenge against the forces of Chaos, fell upon the planet with eagerness. There was no glory to be taken in vanquishing a foe so badly outnumbered, but there was some satisfaction to be had in restoring Imperial rule to a world in need of help.

When the Iron Warriors made their final stand, an undecipherable astropathic communication was sent from their command bunker. Fearing reprisal, Drusus committed his resources to reestablishing Imperial rule and improving Raxis Minor's defensive infrastructure. Foremost among this was the creation of several defensive hubs built at the centre of the main population centres with shielding and defensive batteries to defend against orbital assault. The Scions deployed hundreds of servitor-crewed machines to expedite construction, and after only four months' work, Raxis Minor's defences had become substantially easier to hold. Leaving the locals to complete the work, the fleet continued on its journey to their new home.

==A new homeworld==
When it was designated as the Scions' homeworld, [[Thonis]] was far from any active warzones. Situated in the [[Eridani Sector]] of the [[Segmentum Pacificus]], it was Guilliman's intent that the Scions would further strengthen a relatively stable part of the Imperium. Some whispered that it was further evidence of Guilliman ensuring the Ultramarines' ascendancy, particularly given the cultural ties the First Four had sought to maintain.

Either way, none could gainsay the Lord Commander of the Imperium, and so the Scions' fleet made for Thonis. Drusus and the others knew relatively little about Thonis beside some centuries-old information about its major exports and government, but it seemed reasonable to assume the locals would be grateful for the protection of an Astartes Chapter. With four stars and a great many settled worlds, the Thonis system almost seemed like a sub-sector in itself.

[[File:Thonis_system_map.png|600px|center]]

The Scions fleet returned to Mars first. While ship repairs got underway, Chapter Master Drusus met with Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the fabricator-general Cawl had assigned to the chapter. She had been tasked with designing and overseeing the construction of the Scions' fortress monastery, and then remaining with the chapter for the rest of her life, tending to the fortress' manufactorums and forges. She seemed at peace with the notion that she would get to create this one great structure and then be relegated to its maintenance. Drusus, however, was far less willing than Cawl to waste human resources. He suggested that if she showed aptitude for architectural design and understood siegecraft sufficiently, there was every chance she could embark upon an indefinite number of projects across Thonis and the wider Eridani sector as the Scions established themselves.

In that moment, he won Morleio's undivided loyalty.

Everything that would be needed for the fortress monastery, save the stone and rockrete itself, had already been loaded onto Morleio's kilometers-long fabrication ark. The fleet, now repaired, broke orbit and made for the Eridani Sector.

==Arrival in Thonis==
The Imperial governor on Thonis had been told decades ago that a chapter called the Cobalt Scions were coming to live on the planet. That was it. No details, no instructions to make particular preparations. Simply that they were coming.

When a fleet of Astartes ships arrived claiming to be the Cobalt Scions, no one had any reason to doubt them.

The fleet moved straight through the Eridani sector and on to the Hasmides system in the neighbouring Achernar sector. There had been some civil unrest; bombings and the like. It was assumed the Scions intended to terrify the populace into compliance.

In reality, the individuals aboard the Astartes fleet had created the uprising. They were not the Cobalt Scions at all. They were the Word Bearers, six hundred of them, acting on the orders of Khairon. If Guilliman's sons were coming, the Word Bearers were keen to preemptively tarnish their good name and make it clear the Scions' very arrival would only bring suffering.

Hasmides offered little challenge to them.

A thousand light years away, the Scions' fleet approached in blissful ignorance.

With Hasmides' government and infrastructure in tatters, the Word Bearers returned to their ships to prepare their next blow. The Scions might not have been there to prevent the atrocity, but the wider Imperium did not leave it unpunished. As the Word Bearers fleet made all speed for the Hasmides system's Mandeville point so as to escape into the warp, they were intercepted by the full might of Battlefleet Achernar.

The ensuing [[Battle of Hasmides]] cost both fleets dearly, but ultimately the Word Bearers' fleet was so badly damaged that, while most of their Astartes survived, their ability to prosecute a full naval engagement was, for a time at least, nullified.

Ironically the Navy's victory at Hasmides was politically bad for the Cobalt Scions. Not only had their impending arrival attracted dangerous foes to a peaceful place, it wasn't even the Scions who saw them off. Furthermore Thonis' incumbent planetary governor, Lord Aderbal, was well regarded by his subjects. There was little appetite for change.

When the true Cobalt Scions fleet approached Thonis, they were bombarded with security questions, and requests that they remain at a distance until their identity could be verified. It was hardly the welcome the Scions had hoped for. Eventually, Thonis' modest orbital platforms cancelled their firing solutions and stood down. A lone Overlord-class gunship bore the first delegation of Cobalt Scions down to the verdant surface of their new homeworld.

Chapter Master Drusus expected Aderbal to unquestionably accept the Scions' clear right to rule the system. Drusus informed him that there would be a brief transition phase followed by significant reforms in which Aderbal's official title would change from Planetary Governor to Locutor of the Senate: a position Drusus assured him would be very important in the new regime.
[[File:Heracleion.png|400px|right]]
Given the choice between no power and some power, Aderbal was forced to accept Drusus' offer.

In his address during the ceremony in which the Sceptre of Heracleion, symbol of the capital, was to pass from Governor Aderbal to Dictator Drusus, the governor's wording carefully managed to remain obedient while subtly emphasising Drusus' status as a newcomer to an old world with a well-established culture.

The address set the tone for the months to come. The Scions were too terrifying for anyone to risk obvious dissent, but any request made to the government by an Astartes would mysteriously require more paperwork and bureaucracy than the same request made by a native official. If asked for an explanation, people would claim they were taking extra care that they did a good job, or would say they had heard Guilliman's sons encouraged detailed paperwork. The Scions came to be seen as a source of problems by the general populace. With no experience of nuanced public relations, Drusus and his captains were at a loss as to how to win their people over. They went on speaking tours, endeavouring to rouse the public with stilted recollections of their great victories in the Indomitus Crusade, but received only polite applause. They made suggestions to improve the efficiency of institutions, but were told said suggestions would reduce productivity even when it seemed clear this was not the case.

During those first few months, some of the Scions grew restive. They felt the battles they had fought deserved the respect of any Imperial citizen, and talk grew of taking a harsher line with the recalcitrant public. Tarentian in particular advocated for a more direct approach.

Lucullus disagreed. He argued that the harder they pushed, the harder the people would resist. Some would fall into line, of course, but there would also be dissent and perhaps even the fomenting of heresy.

Drusus, politically inexperienced, was indecisive as to whose approach he would implement, and changed his mind regularly. This in turn created a rift between him and Captain Fabian, who proclaimed that he didn't care which side Drusus took, only that he committed to a course of action. Fabian went to far as to suggest that if Drusus couldn't make such decisions, Fabian was happy to take his place. Fabian's insubordination outraged Tarentian, Lucullus, and the other captains. The argument served a purpose, at least. Drusus was at last moved to choose. He took Lucullus' cautious approach.

[[File:Thonis.png|400px|right]]

==The construction of the Fortress of Syrnum==
While the Scions struggled with the political landscape, Archmagos Morleio worked on her designs for the fortress-monastery. It was to be built in the hills above Heracleion, and would require surprisingly few homes to be demolished. Strangely, the news that five hundred families were to be given the honour of having their homes bulldozed for the fortress monastery wasn't met with the sort of gratitude the Scions expected. Citizens of Ultramar, the Scions reflected bitterly, would have been proud to give their land for such a purpose.

Morleio estimated the project would take three years before it would be usable, and more than that before it would reach its full potential. Work began to prepare the Syrnum hills as Morleio and Drusus spent many long days drawing up plans.

==Expanding the docks==
Work also began on enlarging Thonis' modest orbitals. In time, they would need to serve a full fleet of warships in addition to providing efficient trade berths. Where the Scions had failed to gain any political capital thus far, the trade-focussed Thonicians were keen on the idea of increased docking facilities and reduced piracy. Sensing an opportunity, Drusus made a series of speeches promising that within fifty years, Thonis would enjoy the protection and commerce of vast orbital facilities. Finally, the Scions had said something popular.

Naturally this meant the native politicians, still angry at their reduced autonomy, argued for increased influence in the design of the orbitals to ensure the opportunities for trade were maximised.

==Political reforms==
The nobles' request for greater influence was an overt challenge to Drusus' competence in terms of trade, and public perception was very much that a space marine couldn't possibly have the same expertise as the great trading houses of Thonis.

In a move that shocked the Thonician nobility, Drusus responded to their challenge with his first sign of political deftness.

Drusus declared that if the native politicians wanted a say in the Scions' construction projects, then apparently they had accepted the chapter was here to stay. It followed, therefore, they were ready for the political reforms Drusus had promised.

A senate was formed from the heads of the fifty most influential noble families. The senate's role would be to advise the Scions as to how they should proceed in matters of commerce and governance. One senator would be first among equals, and would present the senate's suggestions to the Dictator. This individual would be known as the Locutor, a position that would initially be taken by Lord Aderbal. Upon his death or dismissal, another senator would be elected by their peers to take his position.

The reforms went further still. Ten commoners would be chosen to represent the labourers. These ten Tribunes were to keep the Dictator and Senate informed of how their legislation was being received by the commoners. More importantly, if all ten Tribunes agreed, they had the power to veto new legislation. The veto could only be overruled by the dictator, or in the absence of the Dictator, by one of the chapter's lieutenants, all of whom held the honorific of Praetor.

Being a Praetor incorporated two main duties beyond an Astartes Lieutenant's combat role. One was to act as a diplomat or ambassador for their captain when on campaign, and the other, as intimated above, was to arbitrate on disagreements between the Senate and the Tribunate when at home. In this way, lieutenants gained extensive political experience in preparation for becoming a captain.

Captains, in turn, held the honorific of Consul. Being a Consul meant having the Dictator's blessing to instigate reforms of a planet's government if it was militarily advantageous to do so, up to and including its annexation. The wording of this rule was vague enough that neighbouring planetary governors began to issue complaints to the Adeptus Terra. Guilliman's sons were laying the illegal foundations of their own empire, the governors said. Months later, Guilliman provided a curt response: “Then do not give my sons cause to annex your planet."

This further stoked speculation that the Lord Commander took issue with the modern Imperium, but as yet no one was willing to risk secession.

While the heavy-handed reforms were obviously taking power from the ruling class and handing it to the Cobalt Scions, the nobles also realised that they were now competing with each other for places in the Senate. This broke their unity and revealed their selfishness for all to see, and the mere existence of the Tribunate empowered the bulk of the population far more than the previous regime, even if this was representation in name only.

Tiberius Drusus finally had the political situation working to his advantage.

==Initial Engagements==
The Scions soon learned of the Hasmides atrocity, but were reliant on the Inquisition for further intelligence as to where the Word Bearers might strike next.

In the interim, they had two priorities: rebuilding the chapter, and dealing with any lesser threats in their immediate area. Neighbouring systems, particularly those bordering the Scyrian Expanse, were suffering from frequent greenskin raids. The Scions set about crushing these lesser orkish warbands with relative ease, and cleared out several remote human pirate strongholds, all of which was well received by the Eridani Sector's border colonies, but was of little relevance to the people of Thonis.

As for rebuilding the chapter, the Scions embarked on a major recruitment drive in Thonis. They asked for volunteers only, but the financial support they offered volunteers' families meant that a noticeable percentage of the adolescent aspirants clearly had no desire to be there.

Despite these issues, the Scions soon had a good number of scouts in training, and with at least half the chapter stationed at Thonis at any given moment there were always plenty of instructors available. A major difficulty, of course, was that most of the instructors had never been scouts themselves. Many of the initial recruits were pushed too hard, or were simply not trained effectively, and it took some time before the first generation of aspirants - those that survived - started to make good progress.

===The Andaras Affair===
The [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] are sent to end an ork raid on [[Andaras]]. Their intervention reveals the presence of both aeldari and a genestealer cult infestation, prompting a brief but explosive campaign that ultimately results in the xenos escaping, but the colony being made safe.

Further reading: [[The Andaras Affair]], and Consul Lucullus' [[notes on the Andaran Operation]].

===The Season of Fire===
The Cobalt Scions are pulled from one side of the [[Iolan Reaches]] to the other as xenos raids increase in both variety and intensity. The Scions are broadly successful in engaging a number of these threats, but ultimately the [[Starborn Souls]] prove almost impossible to stamp out, despite successful purges on multiple worlds.

Further reading: the [[Season of Fire]].

===The Raid on Lachesis===
[[Tolemias]] of the Librarius foretells of a Word Bearers raid on [[Lachesis]]. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] leads a force drawn largely from the Third Company and arrives before the Word Bearers. Despite sustaining several injuries, Drusus and Tolemias succeed in thwarting the Word Bearers' scheme to turn the planet's smallest moon into a stable warp gate, but at the cost of all three of the planet's Psykana holding towers.

The raid exposes the presence of not just Word Bearers, but a Night Lords warband of [[the Thirteenth Talon]] and another warband of the Red Corsairs. Following the Word Bearers' retreat, Drusus tracks the Night Lords back to their base of operations and attempts, with the help of [[Taliesin]] of Iybraesil, to destroy it. The base is a death trap, and the attack is a costly failure. The episode casts a pall over the broader success of the Lachesian situation, and the Night Lords escape the Chapter's clutches.

Further reading: the [[Raid on Lachesis]].

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:cobalt_scions_techmarine.png|600px|center]]

==Recuperation==
Aside from continued efforts to catch [[the Thirteenth Talon]] of the Night Lords, the Chapter as a whole enjoys a period of only minor engagements. The Fortress of Syrnum is now both defensible and adequately functional, but Morleio is far from finished with it. She begins the first of many planned expansions by expanding further underground, increasing the Chapter Forge's capacity without compromising the city above.

During this period, Thonician scouts begin passing into the reserve companies, rapidly recovering the Chapter's numbers.

===Trade with Iphara===
As construction of the Chapter Forge nears completion, the final stage is to create the large and costly means to produce tactical dreadnought armour. To this end, a small team of Praetors are convened to travel to [[Iphara]] and compete with other Imperial organisations for a modest share of the adamantium being mined in the newly compliant world. With demand for the metal being so high, negotiations are tough, particularly given the questionable need for terminator plate given the ready availability of gravis-pattern armour. The Praetors ultimately only secure a modest shipment, but it is enough to begin forging a tiny number of suits.

==The Ephramundi Daemonic Incursion==
A distress call is issued by the planet [[Ephramundi]] after [[A Minor Heresy]] causes a scattered but planetwide daemonic incursion. With small rifts popping up in seemingly random locations, and the agri-world being a key source of food to other worlds in the [[Kapran sub]], Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus|Drusus]] orders the largest mass deployment in the Chapter's history, with eight full companies dispatched to contain the problem without having to sacrifice Imperial Guard assets that may later be needed for more conventional wars.

Two companies are left to guard Thonicia, and the rest of the fleet get underway with all haste. The plan is to hold out until Grey Knights can arrive to seal the largest breaches. Using drop pods and other rapid response assets, the operation contains most of the daemonic breaches, preventing the sort of governmental collapse common in such incursions. This success has a cost; marines thrown into rapid response operations against an unpredictable foe comes with predictable losses in both men and materiel. By the time the Grey Knights arrive, the Scions have lost 162 marines, their greatest loss since the massacre on Nova Tarentis. The Scions still consider it a success given the value of the planet, and the vast wastage in conventional forces that would have been required to achieve the same result.

Unfortunately, these losses mean they are temporarily less than well prepared for any unexpected invasions elsewhere in the region.

==The Tyranid Invasion of Melia's Reach==
Even as the Scions await the arrival of the Grey Knights on Ephramundi, word is sent to [[Martellus Lucullus]] of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]] that a Tyranid invasion is underway on [[Melia's Reach]]. Lucullus' company has taken 40% casualties, but he petitions Drusus to be sent as a vanguard to try and slow the Tyranids' advance long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Reluctantly convinced that the warning can be trusted - it is sent by the aeldari Farseer [[Host Taliesin of Iybraesil|Taliesin]] - Drusus permits Lucullus to depart aboard the ''Preceptor''.

The Third Company task force arrive to find the local Planetary Defence Force (PDF) in a shambles, and the Governor entirely unfamiliar with the nature of the xenos. In the week that follows, the Space Defence Force are revealed to have been corrupted by Genestealers, and - despite the aid of Taliesin's own troops - the Tyranids continue their advance. Lucullus' efforts to reorganise and reinforce the PDF are eventually successful in helping the locals hold the line on their own, but an assassination attempt by a Lictor renders him unable to witness this success firsthand.

With Lucullus in a coma, Lieutenant Antigonus Nerva assumes command of the strike force, and accompanies Taliesin into Tyranid territory in a desperate joint operation to destroy the hive's primary hatcheries by triggering a volcanic event.

The operation is a success.

Sadly, strategic victory has come too late, and the Tyranids are now numerous and widely established. Unable to reinforce using the rest of the chapter, the Scions instead commit to a massed deployment of the Initiate Auxilia, with scouting teams spreading out into Tyranid-contaminated zones and calling out targets for orbital and aerial strikes. As a result, the value of maintaining an oversized auxilia is further cemented in the minds of the chapter's leadership, despite this being the first time a large force of initiates has proven useful.

==The Lachesian War==
The Word Bearers return to the [[Lachesis]] system in force. The Cobalt Scions have been preparing for this eventuality and are supported by numerous allies, but the size and strength of the traitors' fleet is substantial. The Imperium's only advantage initially is that, due to the failure of the raid, the Word Bearers' vessels arrive piecemeal. Initial engagements go well for the Imperium, but Alpha Legion-induced naval mutinies and resurgent assaults by both the Night Lords and the Word Bearers keep the war rattling on for several years. Eventually, reinforced by the Blood Angels and Raven Guard Chapters, the Imperium emerges victorious, and the traitors are forced to withdraw. Present from the first shot to the final parting ship to ship actions, it is the Cobalt Scions' lengthiest conflict, but also one of their proudest accomplishments. They had met a large traitor force in battle and were not found wanting; it did much to bolster the young Chapter's confidence, and dispel some of the lingering shame of Nova Tarentis.

==The Salvation of Massyleon==
During the Lachesian War, an ork fleet invaded the [[Massyleon]] system. Drusus dispatched the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] alongside Chief Librarian [[Diokles Adrastos]] to counter the invasion alongside the [[Raven Guard 5th Company]]. The strike force encounters an ork fleet led by a space hulk known as the ''Crawling Ruin''. While the bulk of the strike force rush to the defence of Hive Massinissos to prevent the orks getting a serious foothold beyond the hive's walls, Diokles boards the ''Crawling Ruin'' with ten Terminator-armoured veterans drawn from both the Scions and the Ravens. They find a corrupted abominable intelligence lurking within the hulk. Unable to destroy the AI due to its sheer size, Diokles is forced to entreat with the entity, and is ultimately successful in convincing it to turn on its ork allies before departing the system, decisively turning the fate of the war in an instant. When asked about what was said between Diokles and the AI, he refuses to be drawn. Their mission successful and the planet reinforced by regiments of Imperial Guard, the strike force return to Lachesis, where their return finally tips the balance and is directly responsible for the end of the Lachesian War.

==Xenos Invasions in Eressus==
The [[Eressus]] system is invaded by a Tyranid splinter fleet that assaults Eressus Tertia, and the Cobalt Scions dispatch a company to engage them alongside other Imperial forces, including the Blood Angels and Imperial Guard. Whilst this invasion is underway, another xenos invasion occurs in the same system on the planet of Aetolia: orks under the rulership of Boss Bonerippa of the Evil Sunz clan attack in significant numbers. Leaving Captain Lucullus with half his battle company to face the Tyranids with the Blood Angels, Chapter Master Drusus and the other Cobalt Scions form an Imperial response alongside the [[31st Nightfall Ranger Regiment]], several regiments of Krieg Death Korps, and [[Battlegroup 86]]. Even so, the ork numbers prove so substantial that military victory seems unlikely. The balance is tipped when [[Inquisitor Michael]]'s ship ''Accipiter'' leads a kroot warsphere into the system, delivering substantial numbers of kroot mercenaries, and ordering the Imperial forces not to engage them. Recognising the importance of these xenos on a strategic level, the Scions are quick to respond when Michael's ship is opportunistically boarded by the orks, and save the ''Accipiter'' from destruction, and by extension, enabling the kroot to remain in-system thanks to the Inquisitor's presence. Brother Galadoc of the Azarian Guard swears an oath to protect the Inquisitor with his life, and ends up defeating one of the ork warlords in personal combat alongside the Chapter's Judiciar.

The initial battles leave Aetolia's orbital defences in tatters, leaving the Imperium on the defensive. The Astartes and Imperial Guard forces operate as a mobile reserve, with the local Aetolian regiments responsible for the bulk of the fighting. Wherever breaches in the lines appear, the reserve forces are moved to aggressively counter-attack, turning the orks' victories into demoralising defeats.

Towards the end of the conflict, the enemy warlord Bonerippa is hunted down and assassinated by a joint force of Nightfaller Rangers and kroot, and this proves to be the final blow. Some of the Scions feel that the honour of victory is undermined by the presence of the kroot, but Drusus is pleased at the pragmatic benefits of cooperating with the Ordo Xenos, and commends the Inquisitor for his initiative.

[[Category:Adeptus Astartes]] [[Category:Cobalt Scions]] [[Category: Crusade Forces]] [[Category: Cobalt Scions Missions]]

Eressus

2026-04-10T20:49:13Z

Charlie:

[[File:Eridani_sector_map.jpg|200px|thumb|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html|Interactive map of the [[Eridani]] Sector.]]
A binary system in the [[Alyria Sub-sector]] containing several habitable worlds, all of which orbit Eressus A. The system is currently facing simultaneous Tyranid and Ork invasions.

=Planets=

==Aetolia==
A temperate world with a mixture of biomes, Aetolia is known for its natural beauty. It was originally an independent world before being conquered by the Tertians during M37, after which the Eressian League was formed to defend the system from attacks by other human systems in the sub-sector prior to Imperial unification during the Macharian Crusade.

===Capital city: Aeos===
Aeos is a port city situated on the coast of the Viyosan Ocean. It has a substantial space port ten miles from the city centre.

===Ork invasion===
The planet was invaded by the self-styled Warboss Bonerippa. With Imperial elements already in-system countering the Tyranid invasion of Eressus Tertia, an Imperial response is hastily drawn together, comprising the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]], [[31st Nightfall Ranger Regiment]], several regiments of Krieg Death Korps, and the Knights of [[House Ulfir]]. Even so, the ork numbers prove so substantial that military victory seems unlikely. The balance is tipped when [[Inquisitor Michael]]'s ship ''Accipiter'' leads a kroot warsphere into the system, delivering substantial numbers of kroot mercenaries, and ordering the Imperial forces not to engage them. Despite early gains that heavily damage Aetolia's planetary defences, the orks are ultimately destroyed by the Imperial defenders. Towards the end of the conflict, the enemy warlord Bonerippa is hunted down and assassinated by a joint force of Nightfaller Rangers and kroot.

==Eressus Tertia==
This temperate world is usually referred to simply as Tertia by the locals. It has recently been invaded by a Tyranid splinter fleet. This invasion is being countered by the Imperial Guard, including regiments from [[Nightfall]], with support from the Blood Angels and [[Cobalt Scions]].

[[Category: Systems]] [[Category: Eridani Sector Systems]] [[Category: Alyria Systems]]

Cobalt Scions

2026-04-10T20:39:40Z

Charlie:

[[File:Cobalt_Scions.png|600px|center]]
The Cobalt Scions are an all-primaris chapter created from Ultramarines gene stock. Initially they participated in the Indomitus Crusade. After decades of crusading, Guilliman has assigned them to watch over a region of the Segmentum Pacificus from their new home system of [[Thonis]].

=Heraldry=
The Scions' heraldry is very close to their gene-sires, with the bulk of the armour painted the same blue as the Ultramarines. The two differences are their white pauldrons, and their company markings displayed on the left kneepad rather than on the shoulder trim. Since the Cobalt Scions' guiding principle is flexibility, none of the squads display the traditional tactical/assault/devastator symbols, but merely numerals denoting their squad number within their company.

The primary exception to the chapter's bright blue heraldry can be seen on their camouflaged Phobos-pattern armour, which is repainted to suit the local terrain.

==Chapter Icon==
The blue fist used in the Scions' heraldry symbolises the Gauntlets of Ultramar, as the chapter is particularly keen on celebrating and aspiring to the deeds of their forebears.
[[File:Cobalt_Scions_icon.png|300px|center]]

=Chapter organisation=
The Cobalt Scions are only partially Codex compliant. They argue that they follow its rules in spirit, just not in detail, and have reworked elements to suit Cawl's new equipment.

==A recruit's journey==
When recruited, a novitiate is assigned to the 10th Company to begin their training. The training is martial, moral and intellectual; novitiates are expected to familiarise themselves with texts ranging from Guilliman's works on governance, to Bartolomaius' ''Logistica Mathematica''. Novitiates soon learn they must show administrative aptitude if they hope to advance through the ranks.

Once considered battlefield ready, they graduate to the rank of initiate, and are issued carapace armour. In the first few years after the chapter's arrival in Thonis they were only used as a reserve that was only called upon when the need was desperate, since the chapter considered it inefficient to throw its less durable trainees into serious firefights. Consequently, initiates were generally given garrison duties and other auxiliary tasks. The strictness with which this approach was applied waned as the chapter's numbers recovered. Some have even joked that between the stability of the XIII geneseed and a newfound willingness to make use of initiates on the battlefield, the chapter may one day have more auxilia than Astartes.

Once an initiate has been given their final implants they are assigned to one of the reserve companies. Here, surrounded by more experienced marines, they will learn to master one specific role (such as Intercessor, Aggressor, Infiltrator, and so on). Over time they will be rotated through different reserve companies, until eventually they have mastered all the forms of war practised by the Astartes. At this point, most will be given the honour of joining one of the battle companies. Those that show a particular gift for infiltration will be assigned to the 10th Company's Vanguard, and will spend the bulk of their career in Phobos plate.

Any marine who proves their valour and skill may one day hope to be elevated to the veteran ranks of the First Company, whose venerable warriors are generally divided among the various active battlegroups so that they are better able to share their knowledge.

===The Twofold Path===
Once a brother has been elevated into the battle companies, there are several routes to further advancement and greater personal glory. If they show spectacular aptitude for the martial virtues, they may pursue such honoured roles as membership of the Bladeguard, a position as a company ancient, or service in the First Company. Alternatively, if their martial talents are merely acceptable but their political nous is exemplary, they may pursue an Honorary Praetorship such that they can function as an ambassador and intermediary between the chapter and other Imperial institutions, as well as administrators of the chapter's domains. Only masters of the twofold path - both martial and political - can truly hope to be given a true Praetorship, or a position in the Reclusiam.

Those who do well in their Praetorships can expect, if they live long enough, to progress to a Consulship and command of their own company. Those who are too hobbled by injuries and whose bodies reject grafts and bionics tend to retain their Praetorships and serve in a purely political fashion, or as a strategic advisor and attaché to other Imperial forces the Scions are working with. In this way, the number of Praetors far exceeds the 20 lieutenants one would expect to see in a strict observance of the Codex Astartes.

==Chapter Structure==
[[File:drusus.png|250px|right|link=[[Tiberius Drusus]]|Chapter Master Tiberius Drusus]]
===Chapter Command===
The following individuals are known members of the Cobalt Scions' leadership.
* Dictator [[Tiberius Drusus]], Chapter Master
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian
* Consul Quintus Tarentian, Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions First Company|First Company]]
* Consul Gaius Fabian, Captain of the Second Company
* Consul [[Martellus Lucullus]], Captain of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]]

===Chapter Companies===
* [[Cobalt Scions First Company|1st Company]]: the veterans. Squads from this company are often attached to other forces to share their experience and aid with further training for their brothers.
* 2nd-5th Companies: the battle companies. All members are expected to know how to operate in any battlefield role, including vehicle crew, and in any armour pattern. The company captain decides on the mixture of 5 and 10 man squads. Squads may be temporarily divided between (for example) forming a three man fire team and a two man vehicle crew.
* 6th -9th Companies: the reserve companies. Members are only adept at certain battlefield roles, with each squad always performing a consistent role. When their sergeant judges that a marine has mastered their current role, they are rotated out to another squad to begin learning a new one.
* 10th Company: The Vanguard. These are the Chapter's clandestine experts, and forego the traditional blue armour in favour of camouflage. Technically, this company also contains the Initiate Auxilia, meaning that this is the only company with over a hundred members. That the Auxilia are attached to this company is largely to give lip service to the Codex; in reality they are essentially two unrelated organisations.

====The Initiate Auxilia====
When the Cobalt Scions arrived in Thonis, the chapter was badly depleted. As such, their equivalent of the Scout Company did not perform the traditional infiltration duties seen in other chapters. As their name suggests, when deployed they were used for auxiliary duties such as guard duty, where they would get some combat experience, but generally with the added benefit of heavy cover. Only in extremis were they committed to the front line, as the needless loss of an initiate was considered wasteful, particularly with the chapter so under-strength. The bulk of an initiate's time was therefore spent in training.

With the chapter now back to full strength, however, there is an increasing willingness to use the auxilia when tactically expedient. This is the source of some friction within chapter command, who do not all share the view that it is wise to risk wasting promising trainees, or that it is acceptable to take advantage of the Codex Astartes' lack of hard limit on the number of scouts a chapter is permitted to have in active service at any one time.

===Honorary Praetors===
An Honorary Praetorship is not a military rank but a political one, and could even be held by a battle brother. Honorary Praetors form a cadre of the chapter's most able negotiators and orators, dedicated to inspiring traditional virtues and compliance among other Imperial institutions. There are naturally those who argue this constitutes the chapter at its most meddlesome, and certain institutions do not look kindly on some post-human warrior interfering in their business. The Cobalt Scions take this as an additional challenge, and seek to prove their utility, although the petty ambitions of lesser men regularly contrive to make it appear that the Scions are pursuing power for power's sake in clear contravention of the Emperor's original intent for the Astartes.

[[File:priahad.png|250px|right]]
===The Azarian Guard===
This brotherhood of warriors is the Cobalt Scions' equivalent of the Chapter's Honour Guard. They can also be referred to as the Chapter Master's Bladeguard, and exist outside the company structure. They do not have squads, and bear heraldry of the individual rather than the unit. To join them is to foresake the right to seek a command position within the chapter, and to become truly dedicated to pursuing martial prowess. Answerable only to the Chapter Master and the Reclusiam's Master of Sanctity, they serve to protect the virtue of humility within a chapter that might otherwise encourage personal ambition to a dangerous extent. They explicitly have permission to criticise and mock officers, and cannot be censured by any but the Chapter Master or Master of Sanctity for doing so. If they decide to follow an officer to war, however, they must follow the officer's commands precisely during engagements. If a Consul or Praetor wants the aid of the Azarian Guard on a mission, he cannot requisition them; instead, he must petition them. Likewise, Azarian Guards are permitted to turn up unannounced and accompany a strike force if they deem the mission interesting.

====Origins of the Azarian Guard====
Lieutenant Azarias was one of the few Azure Drakes officers to survive the [[The Nova Tarentis Massacre|Nova Tarentis Massacre]]. Following the incorporation of the surviving Drakes into the Cobalt Scions, Azarias took an oath to protect his new chapter master with his life. Coming from a very different chapter culture, he refused to conduct himself in the refined style of the Scions, often mocking others and then challenging them when they failed to mock him back. Amused by this upstart and keen to temper the egos of his senior staff, Chapter Master Drusus instructed Azarias to create his own semi-autonomous brotherhood of up to thirty warriors. Azarias himself was slain protecting Drusus two years later during the reclamation of Raxis Minor, but the Azarian Guard, then numbering seven brothers, remained. Their numbers have since grown, and a number of onetime Azure Drakes use this brotherhood as a way to keep some of their chapter cult alive.

====Known Azarian Guards====
'''Brother Priahad'''

Brother Priahad's helm bears a gold skull, indicating that he is serving as the temporary leader of his fellow Bladeguard. In this way, Cobalt Scions officers know who to direct their commands to. The skull itself is not a permanent fixture but a badge that can be easily removed and passed to another bladeguard between engagements.

His left pauldron bears the chapter icon. It is presented in gold so as to evoke a shield, representing the bladeguard's commitment to safeguarding the Chapter Master. His right pauldron bears his individual heraldry, evoking a deed or quest he has undertaken that his fellow veterans regard as worthy. It shows the four stars of Thonicia, in reference to the vow Priahad enacted to visit every inhabited world in the sprawling home system and provide unexpected aid to those in need.

The tilting plate on his chest bears the ghostly image of a wyrm, and the chapter colour of the Azure Drakes, indicating that he is one of the original members of the now-defunct chapter. The wyrm is presented in a ghostly manner to reference the lingering spirits of his dead brothers.

'''Brother Katumaros'''

The golden skull on Katumaros' tilting plate indicates that he was once an officer. Counter-intuitively, he wears this as a mark of shame; as the fleet master who couldn't bring reinforcements to rescue his brothers in time, he is wracked by guilt and joined the Azarian Guard to ensure he could never rise to a position of command again. Despite a storied career prior to the Nova Tarentis Massacre, he considers his old achievements dead, and as such, his right pauldron remained devoid of heraldry until saving Techmagos Osmal Qvoll from an assassination attempt by [[the Thirteenth Talon]]. After that, his pauldron was adorned with a split motif, with a shielf on one side, and the Cog Mechanicus on the other.

'''Brother Galadoc'''

A mere brother in the Azure Drakes' 8th reserve company when his Chapter was destroyed, Galadoc has only recently joined the Azarian Guard. Like Priahad, his tilting plate features a ghostly image, this time of a dragon's head, commemorating his deceased captain, who he revered. As a new member of the bladeguard, Galadoc has yet to earn personal heraldry for his right pauldron.

On his arm, he also bears a rosary once carried by one of the Drakes' chaplains. Galadoc's keen observance of the rites and rituals of his old chapter cult was one of the factors in his acceptance into the Azarian Guard, even though in theory martial prowess should be the only factor.

[[File:tolemias.png|250px|right|link=[[Tolemias]]]]

===The Librarius===
The Cobalt Scions place great stock in the prognostications of psykers, both their own and in the wider Imperium, and will often consult with astropaths, navigators and their own librarians to establish what if anything may be predicted about impending engagements and enemies. In battle, Cobalt Scions Librarians act as dictated by the Codex, employing whichever warp powers their minds are best suited to.

'''Known Librarians'''
* [[Diokles Adrastos]], Chief Librarian.
* [[Tolemias]], Codicier.

'''The Thonician Oracles'''

Among the Chapter's most closely guarded secrets are the Oracles, a matriarchal order of seers that have quietly persisted in Thonicia since pre-Imperial times. At various times the Ordo Hereticus have attempted to purge them, but have never managed to wipe them out entirely. The Oracles became known to the Cobalt Scions some time after they arrived in the system, though whether they were discovered or even sought out the Scions is unknown. How the ancient traditions of the Oracles enable them to resist warp corruption is also unknown, as is the extent to which the Cobalt Scions place their faith in them.

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===The Phratry Munitorus===
If the Cobalt Scions' techmarines can make one honest boast, it is the speed and efficiency with which they can erect fortifications and other structures. The Phratry Munitorus (rough Low Gothic translation: the kinship/tribe of builders/engineers) serves the same purpose as a normal Chapter Armourium, but with the added responsibility of assisting with the integration of defences with civic infrastructure. To this end, the techmarines are not just supported by serfs and servitors, but also by human techpriests and architects. Chief among such human followers is Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the chapter's head architect. She is given near-equal standing to the Master of the Forge, and oversees a substantial and growing staff working on the construction of the chapter's fortress monastery and the more general defence enhancements of Thonicia.

When the chapter goes to war, it brings a substantial support staff of humans and servitors tasked with the rapid construction of defences, bridges, field hospitals, and whatever else might swing the Imperium's chances in any given theatre. A supply of prefabricated structures is also brought along for time-critical projects. Encampments are often built along standardised lines, ensuring that personnel familiar with one Scions base are familiar with them all. It has been pointed out by other chapters that this is a strategic vulnerability, but the Scions prefer the speed that comes with familiarity, and are convinced they will be able to adapt on a tactical level to counter this strategic weakness.

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[[File:Aristander.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Sedayus Aristander====
In addition to his regular duties tending to the Cobalt Scions' wargear and vehicles, Brother-Techmarine Sedayus Aristander is an obsessive sculptor, creating busts and statues for the Chapter's various reliquaries and memorials of fallen comrades. In theory, such devotional artworks are the domain of the human artisans of the Phratry Munitorus. While his fellow techmarines' non-military endeavours would generally be limited to designing architecture that serves to inspire as well as defend, Aristander argues that art serves as a major political tool. His defence is halfhearted, however; in truth he sculpts because he enjoys it. As he sees it, the sculptor's challenge is not merely to perfectly replicate their subject's features, but to capture their character. If that happens to serve the political goal of showing the Thonician populace what has been sacrificed for their safety, then that is merely a useful bonus.

He worked at his craft throughout the Chapter's time in the Indomitus Crusade, and yet more since the Scions' arrival in Thonis. Many consider him an excellent craftsman, but he remains unsatisfied, knowing that decades of practice are required to achieve true mastery. His obsession makes him a withdrawn figure who never takes a joke well. Nonetheless, he enjoys a measure of popularity, for all who walk in the Chapter's mausoleum are grateful to look upon the faces of their fallen brothers.

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[[File:hadrios_kelsus.png|250px|left]]
====Techmarine Hadrios Kelsus====
While Kelsus is perfectly willing to perform his vehicle maintenance duties between engagements, he rarely does so in combat. This is because Hadrios Kelsus is, and always has been, obsessed with the use of large guns. He generally finds an excuse to bring a servo turret on all deployments, and at the first sign of the enemy, gleefully mounts up to provide his brothers with fire support. It has been suggested that he should consider how to advance through the techmarines' ranks, for instance by creating political ties to local Mechanicus personnel. He is, however, far more interested in tinkering with guns in the Chapter's armoury.

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====The Chapter Armoury====
Members of the battle companies all have basic training in crewing the vehicles employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 9th Company, although the bulk of the crewing is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

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[[File:boriels_wrath.png|250px|left]]
=====Repulsor Executioner ''Boriel's Wrath''=====
This tank is named after a Dark Angel biker who aided a group of Scions pinned down by a force of Emperor's Children Heretic Astartes. Driving to good vantage points and providing pinpoint positional data, then moving on before the traitors could corner him, Boriel's actions allowed the Scions to fight clear of the trap. Tragically, they never met him in person; he was finally cornered by a squad of noise marines who, enraged by his efforts, beat him to death with their sonic blasters.

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===The Fleet===
When founded, the Scions had only six strike cruisers and a single battle barge: the ''Reason Inviolate''. Following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, the Azure Drakes' fleet -- far less damaged than the chapter it served -- was folded into the Scions' fleet. Consequently they went from having barely enough capital ships to deploy the chapter to having, arguably, an excess that they should have donated to other Indomitus Founding chapters. The Scions claim to make good use of their fleet assets given that it has enabled them to expand the capabilities of the Phratry Munitorus, with every Scions capital ship being well supplied with the engineers and materiel to respond to the humanitarian requirements of a warzone, as well as prefab fortifications, bridges, and other infrastructural elements. The Scions brush off criticisms that this exceeds the remit of the Adeptus Astartes by reciting the old adage that wars are won with logistics, and that a population protected is a rebellion prevented.

In addition to having holds full of infrastructural material, Cobalt Scions capital ships all have small manufactories capable of producing and repairing Astartes wargear and vehicles, albeit far more slowly than the Chapter Forge on Thonis. This is a hangover from when the chapter was fleet based during the Indomitus Crusade. It is a functionality they have deliberately maintained afterwards so as to reduce their dependence on supply lines.

The chapter has also attracted further criticism for employing several squadrons of the controversial Nova class frigate, which some say Astartes have no need of unless they're expecting to instigate naval battles without the assistance of the Imperial Navy.

Like many (if not most) Astartes fleets, the ships are crewed and captained by humans, although even an Astartes Sergeant is considered to outrank a ship captain as regards the chain of command. What with the fleet regularly returning to Thonis, the crew are given the option of having their families aboard their ship or in terrestrial housing. The family of slain personnel are given a stipend by the chapter, money which originally is taken from the financial tithe the Scions collect from their home system. While living conditions aboard the chapter's vessels are superior to the average ship of the Imperial Navy, expectations are high. Any personnel found wanting are rarely given second chances, and if lucky will get away simply with being discharged without a pension. Of course, incompetent crew can still offer dependable service when sent to the tech-priests for ''conversion,'' serving as a grim reminder to their former crewmates of the price of laxity. Those who have actively transgressed face even worse fates, up to and including a one-way trip to the great arena at Heracleion.

====Current Fleet Assets====
=====Battle Barges=====
*''Reason Inviolate'', the flagship. Constructed to default specifications during the Primaris project, prior to the chapter having a name or an identity. The Scions have since made it their own, modifying a number of its orbital launch bays for the deployment of Phratry Munitorus assets. The vessel served throughout the Scions' participation in the Indomitus Crusade, but the scars it gained during those battles have long since been removed.
*''Tarasc'', the one-time flagship of the Azure Drakes. There is a hall, deep in the ship's core, that serves as a hall of remembrance. There is a plaque on the wall for every Azure Drakes warrior who died in the Nova Tarentis Massacre, commemorating their noblest deeds. Above the hall's threshold is engraved the legend: ''In memory of those I could not rescue.''

=====Strike Cruisers=====
*''Dutiful''
*''Axios''. Deployments include the [[Raid on Lachesis]].
*''Preceptor''. Deployments include [[the Andaras Affair]].
*''Alium''
*''Deliverance''
*''Redemption''. Captured as a prize from renegade Astartes in the battle of Zarinth V during the Indomitus Crusade.
*''Mater Accipitrum''

From the Azure Drakes' fleet:
*''Vritra''
*''Azhdaha''
*''Illuyaka''
*''Erenkyl''

=====Escorts=====

The precise disposition of the Scions' flotilla of frigates and destroyers is unknown, but thought to consist of up to 9 squadrons.

=====The ''Mater Castellorum''=====

Archmagos Felicita Morleio is the de facto head of the Phratry Munitorus, despite not being an Astartes. The ''Mater Castellorum'' is her fabrication ark, a capital-class auxiliary vessel originally used to transport the materiel needed to lay the groundwork for the Scions' Fortress-Monastery. Even before the ark finished deploying its contents planetside, Morleio was thinking about how such a vessel might be used afterwards. Once the vessel had finished deploying its original payload, she dispatched it to [[Thonis#Delta_Thonicia_VIII_Gamma:_Keraphon | Keraphon]] to undergo an extensive refit.

The vessel retained its fleet of bulk lifters, and sacrificed some of its kilometers of storage to house manufactories. While all Scions vessels are designed to enable a certain amount of infrastructural aid to Imperial colonies, the newly-refitted ''Mater Castellorum'' carries tens of thousands of workers, artisans and techpriests along with the materiel they need to enact widespread repairs and construction projects. Consul Tarentian once joked that if battles are won with marines and wars won with logistics, the ''Mater Castellorum'' is a weapon of mass construction.

=====The Thonician defence fleet=====

Upon arriving at Thonis, the Scions quickly enlarged their system defence fleet (i.e. naval vessels lacking a warp drive) by initiating a series of boarding actions on the system's pirates rather than destroying them. These mismatched vessels would serve in the short term, but Thonicia is a vast area compared to most star systems, and a more regimented fleet of substantial size would be required so that the Scions chapter fleet would be free to go where it was needed.

This need culminated in the design and production of the Warden class heavy frigate. Similar in design to other Astartes escorts, but with a larger hold suitable for the redeployment of key resources or personnel within the system as needed, these heavy frigates are quicker to produce than cruisers, and more flexible in their applications, having been designed as just about capable of planetary landings on any world of 1.3G or less. While it would be possible to fit them with warp drives, this would greatly increase production time and cost. For now, the priority is to stamp out as many as possible to ensure the safety of the home system.

[[File:stormtalon.png|250px|right]]
=====Gunships, interceptors and other ordnance=====
Operating a fleet of gunships out of a ship in orbit means craft have less time to spend on station, and use far more fuel. Being logistically minded, the Cobalt Scions are always keen to ensure their FOBs can be deployed at great speed, and within hours will have the fuel and ammunition at hand to resupply gunships operating in support of ground units. Members of the battle companies all have basic training in piloting aircraft employed by the chapter, as do some members of the 8th Company, although the bulk of the piloting is performed by the brothers of the Phratry. That said, squads divided into units of three often have a tenth member at a loose end, and those marines will often jump aboard a vehicle to provide support.

=History=
==Founding==
Guilliman's major concern about Cawl's artificially indoctrinated primaris marines was their lack of real combat experience, so he decided to form the Scions' senior leadership from veterans of the Ultramarines' 1st Company. A call for volunteers went out.

Encouraged by Calgar's survival of the Rubicon Primaris, Aelius Justarian and his squad stepped up. Their idea was that each of them would be a company captain, forming a group of officers who already knew and respected each other. Guilliman, Calgar and Captain Agemman accepted their proposal, and the ten brothers eagerly submitted themselves to the process, nodding confidently as the risks of the process were explained to them.

In their optimism they hoped they might all survive; the process was becoming less risky with time, but in reality, six brothers died. Sergeant Justarian was among them.

The four survivors had known it was possible some of their brothers might not survive the process. They had lost brothers in the past. Astartes are indoctrinated to process the grief when a brother falls in combat. If anything, it strengthens their resolve. But the survivors learned that losing a brother in combat and losing an uninjured brother to the operating table are two very different things. This new form of grief ate away at them.

The chaplains tried tending to the brothers' spiritual wounds, but old Cassius refused to let them languish in mourning. Success, he told them, is meaningless without adversity. Still despondent at the loss but obedient nonetheless, the four brothers prepared for their voyage across the galaxy to rendezvous with their new chapter in the Sol system. They sought guidance from Calgar, Agemman, and other senior Ultramarines while their new armour was forged. They spoke to political leaders and logisticians, shipmasters and tech-magi, trying to learn what they could, still lamenting the loss of wise Justarian and the others.

When their new Mk.X armour was ready, they entered the Fortress of Hera and donned the unpainted suits for the first time. After so many decades as Ultramarines, it was a strange thing for them to see each other wearing unpainted armour. As they stood there exchanging uncertain glances, they were approached by Sinon, Captain of the Ninth and Master of Relics, who presented them with four master-crafted power swords in honour of their service with the Ultramarines. It was a welcome and tangible connection to their past.

On the journey to Sol, they occupied themselves by debating how they might go about organising their new chapter. Quintus Tarentian and Gaius Fabian favoured adhering strictly to the updated Codex Astartes, while Tiberius Drusus and Martellus Lucullus argued that it didn't map well onto purely primaris chapters.

Unable to agree on how far to stray from the wisdom of the Codex, they turned their attention to what they thought would be the less contentious question of naming the chapter. They soon learned that much rests in a name, and many names are unfit for purpose. Nothing sounded right. At one point, Tarentian confessed that after days of considering monikers for the new chapter, even the honoured name of the Ultramarines sounded foolish. “It is a pun!" he exclaimed, agast. “Or perhaps a declaration that we think ourselves above other chapters." The other three looked at him, appalled by this heresy.

“On the contrary, brother," Drusus replied, “I believe Ultramar to be a word from Ancient Terra describing an empire that stretches across an ocean. In this instance, the void is the ocean, the Five Hundred Worlds the empire. The suffix ''-ines'' must simply indicate that we are men of that great empire. Surely, therefore, the word Ultramar preceded the word Ultramarines? You're putting the artillery train before the tractor."

“Let us pretend I said nothing," Tarentian said, clearly troubled.

It was Lucullus who spoke next. “If we should decide to break with some edicts of the Codex, it would seem all the more important to remember our point of origin. A new chapter has no history, but the Thirteenth Legion and all its successors have ten millennia of it. What if our heraldry echoes that? Our chapter symbol could be a cobalt fist, as if to show one of the Gauntlets of Ultramar."

“That is not a name, Martellus, that is a badge," Fabian said. The others laughed.

Never one to enjoy a joke at his expense, Lucullus doubled down. “It's the idea I'm driving at. Make a point of upholding our identity as scions of Ultramar."

“The Scions of Ultramar is quite the mouthful," Tarentian said.

“The Cobalt Scions," Drusus said. The four of them were silent for a moment. Tarentian, for whom everything now sounded wrong, opened his mouth to speak. Fabian cut him off. “I like it," Fabian said.

“As do I," Lucullus added.

Tarentian frowned, then shrugged. “I am pleased this task is done."

After much debate the four brothers also agreed on their roles. Someone with a willingness to embrace the unfamiliar would be needed to form a new chapter, and so Tiberius Drusus would serve as chapter master. It helped that he was the most learned among them. To keep Drusus grounded, the traditionally-minded Tarentian would assume command of the 1st company, and Fabian would take the 2nd. Martellus Lucullus, Drusus' fellow advocate for new ways, would helm the 3rd.

To find the other seven captains, they would have to screen Cawl's unnaturally trained creations to see if any among them had the wit for independent thought.

When the four brothers eventually reached the Sol system they found a fleet of unnamed ships waiting for them in Mars' crowded dockyards. Inside, a chapter of new marines slept in stasis. Neither ships nor men bore heraldry. Drusus and his brothers had understood the scale of the task ahead in theory, but found the reality somewhat daunting. They were veterans of combat, not leadership. Who were they to step into the shoes of their betters and start from the very beginning?

The four brothers toured the fleet and its crews. They went to see the stasis chambers, and the marines inside. An army of techpriests, artisans and servitors awaited Drusus' signal to begin.

Drusus wanted the chapter to wake up to some sense of heritage, so the artisans were set to work first, applying heraldry to empty racks of armour. Ships were named. The four brothers met with the fleet's human officers, many of whom were decorated volunteers from the Imperial Navy.

When all was prepared, Drusus gave authorisation to wake the chapter.

They soon learned that the indoctrinated marines had names from their previous lives, but all were uncertain how many of their memories were real, and how many implanted. They all thought they remembered lives in Ultramar, and so the four brothers found some common ground with them. Even so, the marines knew little of the modern Imperium. Some spoke of the secular Imperial Truth promulgated in the days of the Great Crusade. The four brothers realised that bringing these men into the 42nd Millennium would involve significant culture shock. Worse yet, they had been indoctrinated to fulfill a single role, rather than having the flexibility of a marine who had worked their way through the ranks.

In the short term, Drusus and the others would simply have to accept Cawl's inflexible progeny and work with them as best they could. The Cobalt Scions fleet began its maiden voyage out of Sol and towards the nearest prong of the Indomitus Crusade.

==The Cobalt Scions in the Indomitus Crusade==
Over the next few decades, the Scions slowly morphed in the direction the four brothers intended. While in transit between warzones, squads were trained in other methods of warfare. Hellblaster units learned to use bolt rifles, Intercessors learned how to move in gravis armour, and so on. Like many of the all-primaris chapters, they took higher casualties early on in the Crusade, and despite occasional reinforcements from Mars, eventually found themselves able to field only 780 combat-ready marines, and it was at this depleted level that they met with their greatest disaster.

===The Nova Tarentis Massacre===
A prosperous world of significant agricultural and mineral output, Nova Tarentis was crucial to trade within its area of the Segmentum Pacificus, and an obvious target for the archenemy. Traitor Guard and Dark Mechanicum forces attacked in strength, and pleas for aid were made. Keen to prevent a cascade of infrastructural failure, the full Azure Drakes chapter was deployed with four companies of Cobalt Scions in support. The Drakes' chapter master, Sorkhos Danithor, committed to a full orbital assault, giving the enemy on the ground little time to react.

Once the bulk of the Drakes and Scions units had launched from their vessels, however, drive cores began to kindle all around Nova Tarentis' planetary rings. A substantial force of Black Legionnaires, thousands strong, had lain the perfect trap. Extracting the deployed troops would take hours, so Danithor - now trapped on the surface with the rest of his chapter - ordered the fleet to break orbit and seek reinforcements, rather than engaging in an unwinnable fight. Nonetheless, a small number of the fleet's capital ships were caught and destroyed as they raced for the system's Mandeville Point.

With their fleet gone, the loyal Astartes fought on as the traitors made planetfall. The fighting was brutal, but ultimately the Drakes and Scions were in an impossible position, hunted by a superior foe and lacking crucial supplies thanks to the loss of their orbital support.

Danithor orchestrated several breakout attempts, reasoning that asymmetric guerrilla warfare might allow more of his forces to survive until reinforcements arrived, but the Black Legion's noose proved too tight. Slowly, the Astartes army lost ground. When the Azure Drakes fleet returned with reinforcements, it was too late to meaningfully save the chapter. Fewer than a hundred Drakes were still alive.

As soon as the heretics' scout vessels spotted the incoming Imperial fleet in the system's outer reaches, the Black Legion began evacuating, their mission a total success. They had slain over a thousand loyalist marines, and had taken favourable casualties.

The final blow was, perhaps, the bitterest. During the enemy's final assault, Danithor noted enemy bombardments on the Imperial formations either side of his position, but none on his own. When enemy veterans in terminator plate teleported down behind him, preventing retreat, he realised all to late that they intended to take him alive. In his last recorded communication, he passed command to the most senior Imperial commander left - a Cobalt Scions reserve sergeant - before taking his own life. Frustrated, the Black Legion veterans butchered his retinue, but left empty handed. It mattered not; the Azure Drakes were gone in all but name. The few survivors were folded into the Cobalt Scions, along with their remaining fleet assets. Some were unhappy to muddy the chapter's culture with the more bellicose Drakes, but none would have seen the survivors cast adrift. The legacy of the Drakes would live on as one of a number of fraternities that a Cobalt Scion might choose to join upon inculcation into the Chapter.

While the Crusade continued to spread out through the galaxy, it was decided that the Scions needed to recover from their losses. Between the attrition of Crusading, and the hundreds of losses incurred on Nova Tarentis, the chapter was now reduced to around a third of its original fighting strength. The time had come for the Scions to go and recuperate on [[Thonis]], the world designated as their new home by Guilliman.

[[File:Cobalt_scions_heavy_intercessor.png|600px|center]]

===The Reclamation of Raxis Minor===
On their way to Thonis, the Scions received a distress call from the agri-world of Raxis Minor. While in theory the Scions were supposed to make all haste to their new homeworld, Drusus refused to ignore such pleas and directed the chapter fleet to alter course. Upon arrival the Scions found the defenders had been overwhelmed by Heretic Astartes of the Iron Warriors Legion. Reconnaissance revealed that the enemy numbered at or below company strength, with substantial mortal auxiliary forces. But even with the chapter at half strength and still suffering low morale following the Nova Tarentis Massacre, Drusus judged that his chapter would be more than strong enough to rally the tattered remains of the planet's defence forces. He split the fleet into three formations and approached the planet from different directions, forcing the Iron Warriors' smaller fleet to try and fight their way clear of the tightening blockade. Badly outnumbered, the Iron Warriors ships were cornered and destroyed, trapping the remaining Iron Warriors on the surface. The Cobalt Scions, hungry for revenge against the forces of Chaos, fell upon the planet with eagerness. There was no glory to be taken in vanquishing a foe so badly outnumbered, but there was some satisfaction to be had in restoring Imperial rule to a world in need of help.

When the Iron Warriors made their final stand, an undecipherable astropathic communication was sent from their command bunker. Fearing reprisal, Drusus committed his resources to reestablishing Imperial rule and improving Raxis Minor's defensive infrastructure. Foremost among this was the creation of several defensive hubs built at the centre of the main population centres with shielding and defensive batteries to defend against orbital assault. The Scions deployed hundreds of servitor-crewed machines to expedite construction, and after only four months' work, Raxis Minor's defences had become substantially easier to hold. Leaving the locals to complete the work, the fleet continued on its journey to their new home.

==A new homeworld==
When it was designated as the Scions' homeworld, [[Thonis]] was far from any active warzones. Situated in the [[Eridani Sector]] of the [[Segmentum Pacificus]], it was Guilliman's intent that the Scions would further strengthen a relatively stable part of the Imperium. Some whispered that it was further evidence of Guilliman ensuring the Ultramarines' ascendancy, particularly given the cultural ties the First Four had sought to maintain.

Either way, none could gainsay the Lord Commander of the Imperium, and so the Scions' fleet made for Thonis. Drusus and the others knew relatively little about Thonis beside some centuries-old information about its major exports and government, but it seemed reasonable to assume the locals would be grateful for the protection of an Astartes Chapter. With four stars and a great many settled worlds, the Thonis system almost seemed like a sub-sector in itself.

[[File:Thonis_system_map.png|600px|center]]

The Scions fleet returned to Mars first. While ship repairs got underway, Chapter Master Drusus met with Archmagos Felicita Morleio, the fabricator-general Cawl had assigned to the chapter. She had been tasked with designing and overseeing the construction of the Scions' fortress monastery, and then remaining with the chapter for the rest of her life, tending to the fortress' manufactorums and forges. She seemed at peace with the notion that she would get to create this one great structure and then be relegated to its maintenance. Drusus, however, was far less willing than Cawl to waste human resources. He suggested that if she showed aptitude for architectural design and understood siegecraft sufficiently, there was every chance she could embark upon an indefinite number of projects across Thonis and the wider Eridani sector as the Scions established themselves.

In that moment, he won Morleio's undivided loyalty.

Everything that would be needed for the fortress monastery, save the stone and rockrete itself, had already been loaded onto Morleio's kilometers-long fabrication ark. The fleet, now repaired, broke orbit and made for the Eridani Sector.

==Arrival in Thonis==
The Imperial governor on Thonis had been told decades ago that a chapter called the Cobalt Scions were coming to live on the planet. That was it. No details, no instructions to make particular preparations. Simply that they were coming.

When a fleet of Astartes ships arrived claiming to be the Cobalt Scions, no one had any reason to doubt them.

The fleet moved straight through the Eridani sector and on to the Hasmides system in the neighbouring Achernar sector. There had been some civil unrest; bombings and the like. It was assumed the Scions intended to terrify the populace into compliance.

In reality, the individuals aboard the Astartes fleet had created the uprising. They were not the Cobalt Scions at all. They were the Word Bearers, six hundred of them, acting on the orders of Khairon. If Guilliman's sons were coming, the Word Bearers were keen to preemptively tarnish their good name and make it clear the Scions' very arrival would only bring suffering.

Hasmides offered little challenge to them.

A thousand light years away, the Scions' fleet approached in blissful ignorance.

With Hasmides' government and infrastructure in tatters, the Word Bearers returned to their ships to prepare their next blow. The Scions might not have been there to prevent the atrocity, but the wider Imperium did not leave it unpunished. As the Word Bearers fleet made all speed for the Hasmides system's Mandeville point so as to escape into the warp, they were intercepted by the full might of Battlefleet Achernar.

The ensuing [[Battle of Hasmides]] cost both fleets dearly, but ultimately the Word Bearers' fleet was so badly damaged that, while most of their Astartes survived, their ability to prosecute a full naval engagement was, for a time at least, nullified.

Ironically the Navy's victory at Hasmides was politically bad for the Cobalt Scions. Not only had their impending arrival attracted dangerous foes to a peaceful place, it wasn't even the Scions who saw them off. Furthermore Thonis' incumbent planetary governor, Lord Aderbal, was well regarded by his subjects. There was little appetite for change.

When the true Cobalt Scions fleet approached Thonis, they were bombarded with security questions, and requests that they remain at a distance until their identity could be verified. It was hardly the welcome the Scions had hoped for. Eventually, Thonis' modest orbital platforms cancelled their firing solutions and stood down. A lone Overlord-class gunship bore the first delegation of Cobalt Scions down to the verdant surface of their new homeworld.

Chapter Master Drusus expected Aderbal to unquestionably accept the Scions' clear right to rule the system. Drusus informed him that there would be a brief transition phase followed by significant reforms in which Aderbal's official title would change from Planetary Governor to Locutor of the Senate: a position Drusus assured him would be very important in the new regime.
[[File:Heracleion.png|400px|right]]
Given the choice between no power and some power, Aderbal was forced to accept Drusus' offer.

In his address during the ceremony in which the Sceptre of Heracleion, symbol of the capital, was to pass from Governor Aderbal to Dictator Drusus, the governor's wording carefully managed to remain obedient while subtly emphasising Drusus' status as a newcomer to an old world with a well-established culture.

The address set the tone for the months to come. The Scions were too terrifying for anyone to risk obvious dissent, but any request made to the government by an Astartes would mysteriously require more paperwork and bureaucracy than the same request made by a native official. If asked for an explanation, people would claim they were taking extra care that they did a good job, or would say they had heard Guilliman's sons encouraged detailed paperwork. The Scions came to be seen as a source of problems by the general populace. With no experience of nuanced public relations, Drusus and his captains were at a loss as to how to win their people over. They went on speaking tours, endeavouring to rouse the public with stilted recollections of their great victories in the Indomitus Crusade, but received only polite applause. They made suggestions to improve the efficiency of institutions, but were told said suggestions would reduce productivity even when it seemed clear this was not the case.

During those first few months, some of the Scions grew restive. They felt the battles they had fought deserved the respect of any Imperial citizen, and talk grew of taking a harsher line with the recalcitrant public. Tarentian in particular advocated for a more direct approach.

Lucullus disagreed. He argued that the harder they pushed, the harder the people would resist. Some would fall into line, of course, but there would also be dissent and perhaps even the fomenting of heresy.

Drusus, politically inexperienced, was indecisive as to whose approach he would implement, and changed his mind regularly. This in turn created a rift between him and Captain Fabian, who proclaimed that he didn't care which side Drusus took, only that he committed to a course of action. Fabian went to far as to suggest that if Drusus couldn't make such decisions, Fabian was happy to take his place. Fabian's insubordination outraged Tarentian, Lucullus, and the other captains. The argument served a purpose, at least. Drusus was at last moved to choose. He took Lucullus' cautious approach.

[[File:Thonis.png|400px|right]]

==The construction of the Fortress of Syrnum==
While the Scions struggled with the political landscape, Archmagos Morleio worked on her designs for the fortress-monastery. It was to be built in the hills above Heracleion, and would require surprisingly few homes to be demolished. Strangely, the news that five hundred families were to be given the honour of having their homes bulldozed for the fortress monastery wasn't met with the sort of gratitude the Scions expected. Citizens of Ultramar, the Scions reflected bitterly, would have been proud to give their land for such a purpose.

Morleio estimated the project would take three years before it would be usable, and more than that before it would reach its full potential. Work began to prepare the Syrnum hills as Morleio and Drusus spent many long days drawing up plans.

==Expanding the docks==
Work also began on enlarging Thonis' modest orbitals. In time, they would need to serve a full fleet of warships in addition to providing efficient trade berths. Where the Scions had failed to gain any political capital thus far, the trade-focussed Thonicians were keen on the idea of increased docking facilities and reduced piracy. Sensing an opportunity, Drusus made a series of speeches promising that within fifty years, Thonis would enjoy the protection and commerce of vast orbital facilities. Finally, the Scions had said something popular.

Naturally this meant the native politicians, still angry at their reduced autonomy, argued for increased influence in the design of the orbitals to ensure the opportunities for trade were maximised.

==Political reforms==
The nobles' request for greater influence was an overt challenge to Drusus' competence in terms of trade, and public perception was very much that a space marine couldn't possibly have the same expertise as the great trading houses of Thonis.

In a move that shocked the Thonician nobility, Drusus responded to their challenge with his first sign of political deftness.

Drusus declared that if the native politicians wanted a say in the Scions' construction projects, then apparently they had accepted the chapter was here to stay. It followed, therefore, they were ready for the political reforms Drusus had promised.

A senate was formed from the heads of the fifty most influential noble families. The senate's role would be to advise the Scions as to how they should proceed in matters of commerce and governance. One senator would be first among equals, and would present the senate's suggestions to the Dictator. This individual would be known as the Locutor, a position that would initially be taken by Lord Aderbal. Upon his death or dismissal, another senator would be elected by their peers to take his position.

The reforms went further still. Ten commoners would be chosen to represent the labourers. These ten Tribunes were to keep the Dictator and Senate informed of how their legislation was being received by the commoners. More importantly, if all ten Tribunes agreed, they had the power to veto new legislation. The veto could only be overruled by the dictator, or in the absence of the Dictator, by one of the chapter's lieutenants, all of whom held the honorific of Praetor.

Being a Praetor incorporated two main duties beyond an Astartes Lieutenant's combat role. One was to act as a diplomat or ambassador for their captain when on campaign, and the other, as intimated above, was to arbitrate on disagreements between the Senate and the Tribunate when at home. In this way, lieutenants gained extensive political experience in preparation for becoming a captain.

Captains, in turn, held the honorific of Consul. Being a Consul meant having the Dictator's blessing to instigate reforms of a planet's government if it was militarily advantageous to do so, up to and including its annexation. The wording of this rule was vague enough that neighbouring planetary governors began to issue complaints to the Adeptus Terra. Guilliman's sons were laying the illegal foundations of their own empire, the governors said. Months later, Guilliman provided a curt response: “Then do not give my sons cause to annex your planet."

This further stoked speculation that the Lord Commander took issue with the modern Imperium, but as yet no one was willing to risk secession.

While the heavy-handed reforms were obviously taking power from the ruling class and handing it to the Cobalt Scions, the nobles also realised that they were now competing with each other for places in the Senate. This broke their unity and revealed their selfishness for all to see, and the mere existence of the Tribunate empowered the bulk of the population far more than the previous regime, even if this was representation in name only.

Tiberius Drusus finally had the political situation working to his advantage.

==Initial Engagements==
The Scions soon learned of the Hasmides atrocity, but were reliant on the Inquisition for further intelligence as to where the Word Bearers might strike next.

In the interim, they had two priorities: rebuilding the chapter, and dealing with any lesser threats in their immediate area. Neighbouring systems, particularly those bordering the Scyrian Expanse, were suffering from frequent greenskin raids. The Scions set about crushing these lesser orkish warbands with relative ease, and cleared out several remote human pirate strongholds, all of which was well received by the Eridani Sector's border colonies, but was of little relevance to the people of Thonis.

As for rebuilding the chapter, the Scions embarked on a major recruitment drive in Thonis. They asked for volunteers only, but the financial support they offered volunteers' families meant that a noticeable percentage of the adolescent aspirants clearly had no desire to be there.

Despite these issues, the Scions soon had a good number of scouts in training, and with at least half the chapter stationed at Thonis at any given moment there were always plenty of instructors available. A major difficulty, of course, was that most of the instructors had never been scouts themselves. Many of the initial recruits were pushed too hard, or were simply not trained effectively, and it took some time before the first generation of aspirants - those that survived - started to make good progress.

===The Andaras Affair===
The [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] are sent to end an ork raid on [[Andaras]]. Their intervention reveals the presence of both aeldari and a genestealer cult infestation, prompting a brief but explosive campaign that ultimately results in the xenos escaping, but the colony being made safe.

Further reading: [[The Andaras Affair]], and Consul Lucullus' [[notes on the Andaran Operation]].

===The Season of Fire===
The Cobalt Scions are pulled from one side of the [[Iolan Reaches]] to the other as xenos raids increase in both variety and intensity. The Scions are broadly successful in engaging a number of these threats, but ultimately the [[Starborn Souls]] prove almost impossible to stamp out, despite successful purges on multiple worlds.

Further reading: the [[Season of Fire]].

===The Raid on Lachesis===
[[Tolemias]] of the Librarius foretells of a Word Bearers raid on [[Lachesis]]. Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus]] leads a force drawn largely from the Third Company and arrives before the Word Bearers. Despite sustaining several injuries, Drusus and Tolemias succeed in thwarting the Word Bearers' scheme to turn the planet's smallest moon into a stable warp gate, but at the cost of all three of the planet's Psykana holding towers.

The raid exposes the presence of not just Word Bearers, but a Night Lords warband of [[the Thirteenth Talon]] and another warband of the Red Corsairs. Following the Word Bearers' retreat, Drusus tracks the Night Lords back to their base of operations and attempts, with the help of [[Taliesin]] of Iybraesil, to destroy it. The base is a death trap, and the attack is a costly failure. The episode casts a pall over the broader success of the Lachesian situation, and the Night Lords escape the Chapter's clutches.

Further reading: the [[Raid on Lachesis]].

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:cobalt_scions_techmarine.png|600px|center]]

==Recuperation==
Aside from continued efforts to catch [[the Thirteenth Talon]] of the Night Lords, the Chapter as a whole enjoys a period of only minor engagements. The Fortress of Syrnum is now both defensible and adequately functional, but Morleio is far from finished with it. She begins the first of many planned expansions by expanding further underground, increasing the Chapter Forge's capacity without compromising the city above.

During this period, Thonician scouts begin passing into the reserve companies, rapidly recovering the Chapter's numbers.

===Trade with Iphara===
As construction of the Chapter Forge nears completion, the final stage is to create the large and costly means to produce tactical dreadnought armour. To this end, a small team of Praetors are convened to travel to [[Iphara]] and compete with other Imperial organisations for a modest share of the adamantium being mined in the newly compliant world. With demand for the metal being so high, negotiations are tough, particularly given the questionable need for terminator plate given the ready availability of gravis-pattern armour. The Praetors ultimately only secure a modest shipment, but it is enough to begin forging a tiny number of suits.

==The Ephramundi Daemonic Incursion==
A distress call is issued by the planet [[Ephramundi]] after [[A Minor Heresy]] causes a scattered but planetwide daemonic incursion. With small rifts popping up in seemingly random locations, and the agri-world being a key source of food to other worlds in the [[Kapran sub]], Chapter Master [[Tiberius Drusus|Drusus]] orders the largest mass deployment in the Chapter's history, with eight full companies dispatched to contain the problem without having to sacrifice Imperial Guard assets that may later be needed for more conventional wars.

Two companies are left to guard Thonicia, and the rest of the fleet get underway with all haste. The plan is to hold out until Grey Knights can arrive to seal the largest breaches. Using drop pods and other rapid response assets, the operation contains most of the daemonic breaches, preventing the sort of governmental collapse common in such incursions. This success has a cost; marines thrown into rapid response operations against an unpredictable foe comes with predictable losses in both men and materiel. By the time the Grey Knights arrive, the Scions have lost 162 marines, their greatest loss since the massacre on Nova Tarentis. The Scions still consider it a success given the value of the planet, and the vast wastage in conventional forces that would have been required to achieve the same result.

Unfortunately, these losses mean they are temporarily less than well prepared for any unexpected invasions elsewhere in the region.

==The Tyranid Invasion of Melia's Reach==
Even as the Scions await the arrival of the Grey Knights on Ephramundi, word is sent to [[Martellus Lucullus]] of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]] that a Tyranid invasion is underway on [[Melia's Reach]]. Lucullus' company has taken 40% casualties, but he petitions Drusus to be sent as a vanguard to try and slow the Tyranids' advance long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Reluctantly convinced that the warning can be trusted - it is sent by the aeldari Farseer [[Host Taliesin of Iybraesil|Taliesin]] - Drusus permits Lucullus to depart aboard the ''Preceptor''.

The Third Company task force arrive to find the local Planetary Defence Force (PDF) in a shambles, and the Governor entirely unfamiliar with the nature of the xenos. In the week that follows, the Space Defence Force are revealed to have been corrupted by Genestealers, and - despite the aid of Taliesin's own troops - the Tyranids continue their advance. Lucullus' efforts to reorganise and reinforce the PDF are eventually successful in helping the locals hold the line on their own, but an assassination attempt by a Lictor renders him unable to witness this success firsthand.

With Lucullus in a coma, Lieutenant Antigonus Nerva assumes command of the strike force, and accompanies Taliesin into Tyranid territory in a desperate joint operation to destroy the hive's primary hatcheries by triggering a volcanic event.

The operation is a success.

Sadly, strategic victory has come too late, and the Tyranids are now numerous and widely established. Unable to reinforce using the rest of the chapter, the Scions instead commit to a massed deployment of the Initiate Auxilia, with scouting teams spreading out into Tyranid-contaminated zones and calling out targets for orbital and aerial strikes. As a result, the value of maintaining an oversized auxilia is further cemented in the minds of the chapter's leadership, despite this being the first time a large force of initiates has proven useful.

==The Lachesian War==
The Word Bearers return to the [[Lachesis]] system in force. The Cobalt Scions have been preparing for this eventuality and are supported by numerous allies, but the size and strength of the traitors' fleet is substantial. The Imperium's only advantage initially is that, due to the failure of the raid, the Word Bearers' vessels arrive piecemeal. Initial engagements go well for the Imperium, but Alpha Legion-induced naval mutinies and resurgent assaults by both the Night Lords and the Word Bearers keep the war rattling on for several years. Eventually, reinforced by the Blood Angels and Raven Guard Chapters, the Imperium emerges victorious, and the traitors are forced to withdraw. Present from the first shot to the final parting ship to ship actions, it is the Cobalt Scions' lengthiest conflict, but also one of their proudest accomplishments. They had met a large traitor force in battle and were not found wanting; it did much to bolster the young Chapter's confidence, and dispel some of the lingering shame of Nova Tarentis.

==The Salvation of Massyleon==
During the Lachesian War, an ork fleet invaded the [[Massyleon]] system. Drusus dispatched the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company]] alongside Chief Librarian [[Diokles Adrastos]] to counter the invasion alongside the [[Raven Guard 5th Company]]. The strike force encounters an ork fleet led by a space hulk known as the ''Crawling Ruin''. While the bulk of the strike force rush to the defence of Hive Massinissos to prevent the orks getting a serious foothold beyond the hive's walls, Diokles boards the ''Crawling Ruin'' with ten Terminator-armoured veterans drawn from both the Scions and the Ravens. They find a corrupted abominable intelligence lurking within the hulk. Unable to destroy the AI due to its sheer size, Diokles is forced to entreat with the entity, and is ultimately successful in convincing it to turn on its ork allies before departing the system, decisively turning the fate of the war in an instant. When asked about what was said between Diokles and the AI, he refuses to be drawn. Their mission successful and the planet reinforced by regiments of Imperial Guard, the strike force return to Lachesis, where their return finally tips the balance and is directly responsible for the end of the Lachesian War.

[[Category:Adeptus Astartes]] [[Category:Cobalt Scions]] [[Category: Crusade Forces]] [[Category: Cobalt Scions Missions]]

Eressus

2026-04-03T13:01:13Z

Charlie:

Eressus

2026-04-03T12:59:38Z

Charlie:

Thonis

2026-03-25T18:23:46Z

Charlie: /* Alpha Thonicia III: Teranis */

[[File:Cobalt_Scions_icon.png|400px|right]]
[[File:sector_map_link.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]

Situated in the [[Saedran Sub-sector]] of the [[Eridani Sector]], Thonis is the home system of the [[Cobalt Scions]] Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. It is the name given to both the system as a whole, and its primary planet. The system has four suns and numerous inhabited worlds, all of which are collectively referred to as Thonicia, and its inhabitants as Thonicians.

=Thonician Politics & Culture=
==Political Structure==
While Thonicia contains multiple worlds with their own governments, they have long since stopped operating with any real autonomy. Instead, representatives travel to Heracleion, the system's capital city. Following the arrival of the [[Cobalt Scions]], Chapter Master Tiberius Drusus has reformed the government and assumed control, giving himself and all future Chapter Masters the political rank of Dictator. The last Thonician Governor, Lord Aderbal, was given a new title: Locutor of the Senate. Representatives from Thonicia's 49 most prominent noble families would also be allowed to nominate a Senator to represent their interests. Controversially, Drusus also announced that ten commoners - called Tribunes - would be responsible for informing the Senate and the Dictator how their legislation was being received by the wider Thonician population. More importantly, if the Tribunes were unanimous, they could veto new legislation proposed by Senators. This veto could only be overruled by the Dictator or, in his absence, by one of the Cobalt Scions' lieutenants, all of whom hold the title of Praetor.

This total upending of a millennia-old regime was met with opprobrium by the Thonician nobility, but they soon realised they all wanted to have a seat at the Senate. The inevitable infighting broke their unity, and ensured they were marching to the beat of Drusus' drum.

For more detail on the context of these reforms, and the events preceding them, see the appropriate section on the [[Cobalt_Scions#A_new_homeworld| Cobalt Scions]] history.
[[File:Thonis_system_map.png|600px|center]]

=The Worlds of Thonicia=
==Alpha Thonicia==

===Alpha Thonicia III: Teranis===
This mining world is rich in various ores and minerals. Even after millennia of excavation, there are still plenty of untapped seams waiting to be dug out, refined, and exported to Ralkis, Keraphon, Gamma Thonicia, or indeed outside the system. A common extra-Thonician destination is the shipyards of [[Saedra]] VII. Working conditions are poor, and life expectancy short. There was a brief uprising in 867.M41, but this was swiftly crushed, and operations restored. The poor conditions returned to the political landscape following Drusus' formation of the Thonician Senate, and the newfound ability of the Tribunes to bring attention to the issues of the system's workers. Five years after the Chapter's arrival in Thonicia, Drusus spent a month on the planet with his closest advisors. Following the visit, a number of mining outposts were instructed to trial different working practices. Six months later, dramatic reforms were introduced. It was observed that productivity rose when shifts were shortened from twelve hours to nine, rest days were introduced, and the workers given good quality rations. A year later, yields were up by 7%, but crucially, civil unrest was dramatically reduced. Several senators complained that yields would be further improved by moving shifts to ten hours, but Drusus denied this request, prioritising civil compliance over maximal output, wagering that the population would be more willing to work harder in an emergency if their rulers had showed clemency when given the chance.

===Alpha Thonicia IV: Xerakos===
The once-fertile soil of Xerakos has now been industrially farmed for so long that its quality is now waning, despite regular imports of fertilizer. This in turn has created a degree of uncertainty and fear as regards the future of this agri-world, but experts' warnings that the only way to recover is to allow the fields to go fallow for a time have been dismissed as impractical. Other experts have suggested that the food growing potential of other worlds in the system is significant, and that in theory the system doesn't ''need'' Xerakos' output to feed itself. This suggestion has drawn the ire of Xerakian farmers naturally hesitant about being made surplus to requirements, and who don't seem to understand that the Imperium will always have a demand for more food elsewhere.

[[File:Thonis.png|400px|right]]
[[File:Heracleion.png|400px|right]]
===Alpha Thonicia V: Thonis===
Thonis Prime is a self-sufficient planet sporting a mixture of agriculture, manufacturing, and other industries. Its climate is highly favourable to human life, albeit slightly too warm for visitors. The polar tundra regions are largely uninhabited, while extensive seawater desalination plants and soil culturing have been used to turn arid areas into productive agricultural regions.

[[File:Mazrakis.png|400px|right]]
===Alpha Thonicia VI Gamma: Mazrakis===
This moon-based Mechanicus research station studies the unusual biome of the gas giant it orbits. There are no signs of sentient life, but other flora and fauna can be found to a degree of complexity that is highly unusual for such an environment. Mazrakis' Magi Biologis work under the continuous threat of being closed down or repurposed to work on something more economically beneficial, but have so far seem to have friends in high places with Keraphon's leadership (see Delta Thonicia, below).

==Beta Thonicia==
===Beta Thonicia I.i & I.ii: the Quarrelsome Twins===
These two airless rocky bodies hurtle around their star as a rotating pair in a close orbit of each other. They are entirely uninhabited, but there is an urban legend that the most talented spacefarers can prove their skill by successfully plotting and executing a landing on one of these bodies, through the intense solar activity, bracing orbital velocities, and gravitational challenge.

===Beta Thonicia II===
Civilised world, relatively underpopulated, with a hot, arid climate only capable of growing specially adapted crops.

===Beta Thonicia III: Ralkis===
An industrial world responsible for manufacturing low-tech goods.

===Beta Thonicia VI: Zagreus' Lament===
A cold, desolate penal colony.

==Gamma Thonicia==
===Gamma Thonicia V: Kalidi===
Kalidi is a world of deserts and oceans, with cool alpine rainforests at the poles. Most of the life on the planet is aquatic. Fishing and kelp farming form half the major exports, the other half being the extraction of Kalidi's substantial prometheum deposits. Whilst in theory this should make Kalidi the wealthiest planet in Thonicia per capita, the centralised nature of the Thonician government means that much of the profits find their way to noble bank accounts rather than workers' quality of life, and this has led to some seagoing vessels quietly becoming floating micro-nations that rarely make landfall to contribute to the wider economy beyond selling part of their catch to pay for boat maintenance.

===Gamma Thonicia VII===
Lacking a breathable atmosphere but comfortable gravity made GT-7 an ideal place for emissions-heavy manufacturing, and the Mechanicus wasted no time in claiming it as their own. Now a smog-choked hellscape, GT-7 imports ore from Teranis and fuel from Kalidi to feed vast automated manufactories. These produce everything from cogitators to vehicles, and even some of the components used in the Keraphon shipyards.

===Gamma Thonicia VIII: Sitiros===
Sitiros is regarded by some as a damning indictment of the lords of Xerakos. Despite Sitiros' colder climate and punishing winters, its crop yield is comparable. The difference is that it has been managed better; its governors have, over the years, decided to produce less but to manage the biosphere's integrity more cautiously, meaning that its output has remained impressively consistent over the centuries. At times, demands have been made to increase production in the short term, but Sitirans are famed both for their long view of things, and their disinclination to suffer fools.

==Delta Thonicia==
===Delta Thonicia IV===
This hot, humid mining world has been plagued with industrial action for over sixty years. The metals and minerals beneath the jungle soil are bounteous, but active tectonics and monsoon-induced shaft floods make the work extraordinarily dangerous. It has been suggested that servitors be used to take over the work, but the miners see this as an attack on their way of life and culture, as it's unclear how they would be employed were the workforce to be automated. Attempts at partially automating the digs often result in the servitor units being sabotaged, and many mining corporations find it easier to just keep on paying the locals to do what they have done for as long as anyone can remember.

===Delta Thonicia VII Gamma: Kessos===
Kessos is one of Thonicia's most populous worlds. It orbits Delta Thonicia VII, a turquoise gas giant that dominates the skies. On the cool end of temperate, and thickly forested, much of the food needed to feed the world is imported from elsewhere in Thonicia. The planet's primary export is not physical, but intellectual. The historic records state that some time in M35, research noted a sharp increase in productivity when workers performing routine administrative tasks were given ready access to natural environments and were kept in good health. Kessos, then, is an experiment that was rarely if ever replicated: what if an Administratum hub were spread over an entire planet, rather than jammed into one hive, and a datanet used to connect all the disparate nodes? The result is a population who associate physical fitness and an enjoyment of outdoor pursuits with industriousness, and productivity increased by 29% within fifty years. While initially this seemed effective, further research demonstrated that the workforce were so keen to ensure that it was a success that they began to hide any issues they were having, and noted that the more healthy a person was, the more they would be seen as disciplined. This resulted in people working even harder at their appearance than their actual work, and getting promoted based on these superficial merits. Eventually, the planet was full of people trying to do anything to convince everyone else that they were fine, while secretly being paranoid that they weren't beautiful or fit enough to progress in their careers, not to mention the emergent prejudice against age and infirmity that came with the cultural shift. Kessos is, in several senses of the phrase, a superficial paradise.

The high standards of education needed for an Administratum planet have, however, created renowned centres of learning for those with the money and connections to climb the career ladder. Students learn various dialectic modes, analytical methods, and mathematical proofs all designed to create incisive thinkers. This has in turn resulted in Kessos becoming renowned for having particularly influential leaders, able to twist more impressionable politicians around to their way of thinking.

===Delta Thonicia VII Delta: Astredes===
This world-sized moon has been a long-term terraforming project instigated by the Mechanicus in late M34, and only in the last few centuries has it begun to approach being comfortably habitable. Currently there are only a few small settlements present, used to house and support the various Mechanicus magi who maintain the project. Given the relative lack of security or oversight - the planet is of limited strategic value - its deep canyons are sometimes used as a good place for pirates and other ne'er-do-wells to hide. Regular system fleet patrols haven't managed to stamp this practice out entirely.

===Delta Thonicia VIII Gamma: Keraphon===
Another world-sized moon orbiting a mustard yellow gas giant, Keraphon is the Mechanicus' biggest settlement in Thonicia, and one of the largest shipyards in the [[Eridani Sector]]. Most of the industry on the surface is used to manufacture ship components. These components are then taken up into orbit and brought to the rows of skeletal adamantium chassis. For the most part, Keraphon produces escort vessels and civilian ships, but there is one berth used for the production of capital-class vessels. Most heavy duty shipbuilding of that sort, however, is undertaken in the much larger docks of the [[Saedra]] system.

The construction of any starship is still a significant strategic asset, however, and the Mechanicus ensure Keraphon is well defended, boasting many Skitarii cohorts, extensive orbital facilities, and a household of Knights.

The newly arrived [[Cobalt Scions]] have already started making overtures as to how quickly the production facilities could be expanded so as to begin the work of constructing warships for the Chapter.

[[Category: Systems]] [[Category: Eridani Sector Systems]] [[Category: Saedran Sub-sector Systems]]

Eressus

2026-02-24T23:16:26Z

Charlie:

Lachesis

2026-02-02T18:19:54Z

Charlie: /* Second city: Thadaka */

Cobalt Scions First Company

2026-01-08T21:27:07Z

Charlie:

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[[File:Cobalt_Scions_icon.png|200px|right]]

The [[Cobalt Scions]]' company of veterans would, quite possibly, be regarded as a joke when measured against the weight of experience present in older, more storied Chapters. Certainly they are the Cobalt Scions' most experienced marines, most of whom have fought for the Chapter since their founding at the start of the Indomitus Crusade. In accordance with the Codex Astartes, the company almost never fight as one, instead acting as attached units for the Chapter's various strike forces. In this way, their expertise may be more efficiently disseminated to their less experienced brothers.

==Known Members of the First Company==
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[[File:Demeias.png|350px|left]]
===Demeias, Ballistus Dreadnought===
Honoured Brother Demeias was once a member of Squad Tyvus of the [[Cobalt Scions Third Company|Third Company]]. Along with his squadmates, he was mutilated by daemonically possessed veterans of the Night Lords' [[The Thirteenth Talon|Thirteenth Talon]]. Unbeknownst to the Chapter, this experience has eroded much of his mental conditioning, leaving him with a fear of hand to hand combat. In life, Demeias was known for his intellectual curiosity and his boisterous humour, a trait that made him popular with his squad in general, and Tyvus in particular. Since interment in his sarcophagus he has been more withdrawn, but it is hoped something of his old personality may return in time.

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[[File:cobalt_scions_terminator.png|350px|right]]
==First Company Terminators==
The Cobalt Scions have only recently finished constructing the extensions to the Chapter Forge required to produce a slow trickle of tactical dreadnought armour. So far, only six suits are ready for battle, only one of which was made for a particular individual: Chief Librarian [[Diokles Adrastos]]. While a number of First Company squads have donned the other suits, Brother-Sergeant Callimachus has made the most notable use of it, including during the infamous boarding of the space hulk ''Crawling Ruin'', in which his squad kept a horde of orks at bay while Diokles and their Raven Guard allies completed a mission that ultimately saved Hive Massinissos.

Cobalt Scions Third Company

2025-12-26T22:37:48Z

Charlie: /* Lieutenant Achaemenes Calvus */

[[File:Cobalt_Scions.png|682px|center]]

The [[Cobalt Scions]]' third company is led by Consul [[Martellus Lucullus]]. Notable individuals are listed below. Like all Cobalt Scions battle companies, its squads are expected to be able to switch their equipment between deployments and should therefore be expected to fulfill any battlefield role.

=Personnel=
==Command Staff==
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[[File:Captain_Martellus_Lucullus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Captain Martellus Lucullus===
Known as an articulate proponent of the patient rationality of his original chapter, some regard Lucullus as a paragon of traditional virtues. Others, though, say that the one-time Ultramarine is a man who will always do the right thing, so long as the right thing helps cement his place in the history books - including his offer to cross the Rubicon Primaris and help found the Cobalt Scions.

See [[Martellus Lucullus|main article]] for more information.

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[[File:Nerva.png|400x350px|left]]
===Lieutenant Antigonus Nerva===
Nerva is the oldest marine in the chapter. This is not due to a long and illustrious career, but because he was one of seventy-two subjects used to test ageing during the Primaris project. This left him with a lingering hatred of the Mechanicus, who treated him like a lab animal for centuries, and with an advanced empathy for people who are not being listened to. Following an ill-advisedly honest speech during the Rite of Remembrance one morning, Nerva found himself elevated from obscurity in the reserve companies to serve as Captain Lucullus' right hand man following the loss of Gais Atalus. Lucullus has made it clear that Nerva's job is to serve as his moral compass more than anything else, but his lack of command experience and lack of martial prowess (relative to the company's other officers) made him a figure of some resentment.

He did at least demonstrate the virtues of tenacity and self sacrifice in his repeated clashes with the ork warlord Guluk during [[the Andaras Affair]], but has yet to truly prove his worth as a tactician.

See [https://www.thebeardbunker.com/2021/04/cobalt-scions-army-complete.html this short story on the Beard Bunker] for more information about his promotion to Lieutenant.

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[[File:Calvus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Lieutenant Achaemenes Calvus===
Following a five year mission away from Thonicia fulfilling the Chapter's obligation to the wider Imperium, Calvus has returned privately convinced that the Scions' doctrine of involving themselves in civic matters is a distraction. He believes they should focus, like most Chapters, purely on war. He misses those brothers in the Third Company who died while he was away; outwardly he celebrates their lives, but inwardly he is riven with grief. Despite his humorous nature he is slow to trust, and slower to make friends, particularly with those brothers most inured to civilian casualties.

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[[File:Verus.png|400x350px|left]]

===Chaplain Caius Verus===
Caius Verus has been the chaplain of the Third Company since he was awakened on Mars at the start of the Indomitus Crusade. When he woke, his experience was similar to his brother-marines; it was hard to trust that this wasn't just another simulation, and harder still to believe that he was now expected to provide rousing rhetoric in the heat of battle. He was far from alone in his uncertainty, and took some comfort from that.

Said comfort evaporated at the start of his first battle, when he was perturbed to find himself delivering a speech that he'd neither written nor imagined. He felt as though someone else was operating his larynx. The speech itself lacked flair or context; it sounded to him like the tired platitudes that one might be subjected to by an Ecclesiarchy auto-hailer when passing a temple.

For weeks, every time he opened his mouth to boost morale of nearby allies, these rote speeches poured out of him. To the other Scions, they were the only speeches they'd heard in battle, and seemed perfectly normal. To Verus, the sermons stuffed in his head sounded almost as though they had been written by someone who barely believed in them, and he was determined to do better.

He snatched what time he could to study rhetoric and oratory for himself. Over time, he learned to suppress autonomic catechisms in favour of his own efforts. They lacked flair, and did little to inspire his brothers, but Captain Lucullus encouraged him to persist even if it meant failure in the short term. Progress was slow and demoralising, but with Lucullus' persistence, Verus grew wiser.

After decades of war and study, Verus eclipsed his tutor. Where Lucullus' dry, rational dialectic is useful for dealing with scheming politicians, it has little ability to turn a crowd of citizens to their duty. Verus is almost the opposite, capable of inspiring citizens and Astartes alike, although shrewder minds are less likely to be swayed. Rationally, Lucullus knows their skills are usefully complimentary, but he envies Verus' charisma and popularity. This occasionally seeps out of him in the form of aphorisms warning against using platitudes over substantive points, but Lucullus recognises this as the fruit of jealous vanity and does what he can to suppress the instinct.

Verus, for his part, now relishes his role, and some say is destined to gain rank within the Reclusiam. For now, he intends to remain where he is to show loyalty to Lucullus and the Third Company - a loyalty which, arguably, now holds him back from achieving all that he could.

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[[File:Aulus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Ancient Aulus Acastian===
Brother Aulus dreams of commanding the Third one day, but while his loyalty and martial prowess are without fault, he lacks the keen mind and political savvy needed for command. Lucullus has thus far placated Aulus with the honoured role of the company's Ancient, and hopes to further avoid the issue by seeing the seasoned warrior elevated to Chapter Ancient and, thus, he can become the Chapter Master's problem. For now, Aulus serves in his role with distinction, and keeps his frustration largely to himself.

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[[File:eudemus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Apothecary Galenus Eudemus===
Eudemus is a firm believer in the Scions' mission to purify and consolidate the [[Eridani Sector]]. He is a humble, gregarious man who is slow to trust outsiders, and in particular takes a cynical view of the decadence of Imperial noble houses, generally making quips at their expense in the privacy of the squad vox while standing behind Lucullus during diplomatic efforts. Unlike most Scions, he has little patience for ceremony or honour, having seen both things been made foolish by the realities of battlefield triage. He holds a particular loathing for Heretic Astartes, having witnessed several Cobalt Scions get dragged away by the agents of Fabius Bile. For a while, he petitioned the Inquisition to find out if there was any way of tracking and killing Bile, concerned that Bile might unlock the secrets of the Ultima Founding. At length, he has come to accept that this is far beyond his remit, and simply a horrifying truth he must live with.

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[[File:arkadios_herodion.png|400x350px|left]]
===Apothecary Arkadios Herodion===
Herodion is a newly qualified apothecary with a keen interest in anatomy, whether it's the administration of posthuman healthcare, or the dissection of repulsive xenos. His academic curiosity means that he is always eager to talk shop with any trained physician or biologis expert he meets.

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==Squad Leaders==
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[[File:Tyvus.png|400x350px|left]]
===I: Xantho Tyvus===
Lucullus promoted Tyvus to lead the First Squad so as to ensure he'd be regularly subjected to at least one contrary opinion. Where Lucullus is cautious and methodical, Tyvus will usually advocate for fast, decisive aggression. He claims his predisposition for using power fists is simply emulating the martial style of the Lord of Macragge, but most in the company think he is rationalising a deep personal preference for punching things. Tyvus is quite a polarising figure in the Third Company, admired by some and grating to others.

As a reward for Tyvus' tireless conduct during the [[Season of Fire]], Hadrios Kelsus of the Phratry Munitorus retooled his power fist with archeotech capacitors. The gauntlet has come to be viewed as a relic of the Third Company. He acquitted himself just as heroically during the [[Raid on Lachesis]], slaying multiple Gal Vorbak of [[the Graven Star]] and defeating their Master of Executions in personal combat, earning him Terminator Honours. In the closing stages of the raid, however, he experienced tragedy when most of his seasoned squadmates were slain by warriors of [[the Thirteenth Talon]] during a boarding action on the ''Revenant''. Never one to hide his emotions, Tyvus openly wept at their loss, and has sworn vengeance upon the Night Lords.

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[[File:Pyrrhos.png|400x350px|left]]
===II: Aelius Pyrrhos===
Recently raised from commanding a squad in the reserve companies, Pyrrhos is eager to prove himself to his new brothers.

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[[File:syras.png|400x350px|left]]
===III: Hairan Syras===
Syras would, all things being equal, be happiest wearing a suit of gravis armour standing next to a shipping container full of ammunition. Others in the Third often joke about his obsession with being prepared for any given situation, but to Syras' chagrin, his preparedness makes him particularly useful when assigned to infiltration missions. Indeed it was one such mission, early in the Indomitus Crusade, that gave Syras his supply-based paranoia; running out of ammo deep behind enemy lines, he spent a week moving under cover of darkness and living and dying by his combat knife. Ever since, he can almost always be found festooned with ammo and chastising anyone he deems under-equipped. His most frequently used phrase is probably, "That'll do, so long as nothing goes wrong. And something always goes wrong."

Among the various specialists in Squad III is combat squad leader Lydus Petronius, an ambitious marine recently reassigned from the reserve companies. Unlike his sergeant, Lydus is only too keen to take as many infiltration missions as he can, all the better to prove his resourcefulness when acting on his own initiative.

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[[File:gallo.png|400x350px|left]]
===IV: Octavius Gallus===
Gallus came to the Segmentum Pacificus as part of an Ultramarines strike force at the onset of the Fourth Tyrannic War. The strike force itself met with disaster, and Gallus was the sole survivor. He was rescued from his drifting escape pod by the Imperial Navy, who in turn brought him to the Cobalt Scions. Rather than face a long and uncertain journey back to Ultramar, he instead petitioned to join this fledgling successor chapter. The Scions welcomed him into the fold, and were pleased to have such a seasoned marine join their young ranks. He soon proved his worthiness for a sergeant's helm, and was assigned to the Third Company. He has a tendency to assume younger marines don't know their business and is something of an over-explainer, but it's hoped that with time he will learn how to strike a balance between being a font of wisdom and a font of patronisation.

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[[File:cassander.png|400x350px|left]]

===V: Oreas Cassander===
With a proven history of trying to get himself spectacularly killed in the attempt to save those in need of protection, Cassander is considered a rash fool by some, and a paragon of virtue by others. Lucullus considers him to be both. Cassander is firm friends with Tyvus, but has little time for Lytanus' emotionally detached lectures about the need to follow the Codex at all times. Lucullus trusts Cassander to conduct himself honourably when working with other Imperial forces, and often gives him the longest leash, ranging ahead of the main force to secure forward objectives and defend them with great determination.

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[[File:Uriel castus.png|400x350px|left]]

===VI: Uriel Castus===
As the sole survivor in his squad following an encounter with a band of plague marines during the Indomitus Crusade, Castus' hatred for Heretic Astartes is extreme. As such he will almost always volunteer his squad should the use of plasma guns be required to deal with their ilk. The [[Raid on Lachesis]] only served to deepen his loathing of the Archenemy.

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[[File:Valius.png|400x350px|left]]

===VII: Valius Agarion===
A keen proponent of victory before honour, Valius enthusiastically volunteers his squad for duties others might consider inglorious or even distasteful. Despite his dark sense of humour, Valius is something of a humanitarian, advocating for surgical strikes over shock and awe to better preserve civilian lives and infrastructure.

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[[File:Viriathus_audax.png|400x350px|left]]

===VIII: Viriathus Audax===
Always one to suggest an elaborate battle plan, 'Viri' often finds himself in arguments with Sergeant Tyvus. Viriathus is too patient for such debates to become ill-tempered, and while his plans rarely prove workable, some element of them often works its way into the company's strategies. He is sometimes referred to as the 'little lieutenant' for his fondness for breaking his squad down into multiple small teams.

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[[File:lastratus.png|400x350px|left]]

===IX: Agnathio Lastratus===
The Cobalt Scions' chapter cult advocates the adoration and veneration of all Imperial heroes, but Agnathio - keen for the chapter to make its mark on the galaxy - pays perhaps too much homage to the First Four Scions who left the Ultramarines to found the chapter. A keen student of their exploits even prior to their crossing of the Rubicon Primaris, Agnathio is regarded by many in the Third Company of being a sycophant. Lucullus, of course, is only too pleased to receive such recognition. The benefit to all this hero worship is that Agnathio extols the value of martial flexibility, and has sought to emulate his captain by mastering all the weapons in the arsenal. While his squad sometimes roll their eyes at his attitude to his betters, they pay attention when he provides weapons training. Indeed, when a marine is promoted into the company from the reserve, Lucullus will often ensure they spend some time in Squad IX to further entrench their skill with a variety of equipment.

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[[File:antinus_severus.png|400x350px|left]]

===X: Antinus Severus===
A notorious glory hound, Severus has been known to take impetuous risks when the rewards are high. Never happier than when he's rushing to the rescue of comrades, he particularly enjoys dispatching the Scions' foes from the saddle of a bike. Ultimately he yearns to command the 8th Company, where he might sate his love of rapid warfare. This eagerness often puts him at odds with the more conservatively minded Lucullus, although this is usually expressed by amused exasperation rather than actual frustration. Squad X's second in command is Squad Leader Aethemus, who like Severus, is perfectly comfortable ranging ahead using either bikes or jump packs.

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==Support Units==
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[[File:atalus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Gaius Atalus, Redemptor Dreadnought===
Gaius Atalus was the first batch-produced primaris marine who truly earned the respect of the four Ultramarines who crossed the Rubicon Primaris to found the chapter.

Being a native of Magna Macragge Civitas helped, but it was his adaptability that got him noticed by Martellus Lucullus of the Third during the Siege of Adrantis VII. Lucullus had Atalus moved from the reserve companies and into the Third, where he took him under his wing. Atalus was a quick study whose good humour only seemed to increase in a crisis. If anything he was a little too sure of himself, but seemed to have the skill to back it up.

He became the first Cobalt Scion to be promoted into the rank of Lieutenant, rather than simply having the position thanks to Cawl's programming. Chapter Master Drusus agreed, at Lucullus' suggestion, that Atalus would be first in line should one of the chapter's captains fall in combat. To ensure Atalus would do well in command, Lucullus regularly had him take control of operations and would watch his pupil, only offering suggestions if he considered that Atalus was making a dangerous mistake.

Sadly it was during one such operation that everything went disastrously wrong.

The Liberation of Pleione Secundus was a long and gruelling fight against ork invaders. Atalus had hastily arranged the defence of Numis City's commercia district, but had missed one possible point of ingress. Lucullus was briefly called away to liaise with other Imperial forces, and whilst he was gone, a large group of orks broke through the gap. Atalus took full responsibility and judged that a full squad of brothers would be lost unless a withdrawal was facilitated. He stormed into the breach and sacrificed himself to cover the withdrawal. Lucullus assumed operational control and led a counterattack to drive the orks back. By the time the Scions recovered Atalus, his second heart was failing.

His loss was mourned, as everyone sensed he had been destined for greatness. He was interred in the chapter's first suit of Dreadnought armour, and given his close relationship with Lucullus, was assigned to the Third. While this does allow Lucullus to maintain his friendship with his old pupil, it also means dealing with Atalus' increasingly... problematic traits.

Having been told he was destined for big things, and then being told he can't have them because apparently you can't just leave dreadnoughts switched on the whole time, has made Atalus increasingly bitter. He doesn't fully understand why he has to be put to sleep so much of the time, and seems slower to learn than he once was. If anything, he seems to be regressing.

Lucullus finds it hard to see his friend slipping away, but he and the chaplains have been unsuccessful in keeping Atalus' spirits up. Some have suggested it would be easier on Lucullus if Atalus was assigned to a different company, but Lucullus thinks himself in the best position to help, even if the process brings him sadness.

Atalus sometimes gets confused or disoriented in firefights, particularly when engaging orks, and has been known to start issuing orders or formulating incomplete plans. The marines of the Third have learned to ignore these edicts, and will joke with Atalus that he's forgotten his place. Atalus will vox back with self-deprecating quips, but Lucullus knows this is a front and tries to employ his friend's suggestions where they're helpful so that Atalus doesn't feel entirely foolish.

Given enough time, it is hoped that Atalus will adapt to his new reality. Perhaps then, something of Lucullus' first and greatest protege will remain.

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==Previous members==
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[[File:lytanus.png|400x350px|left]]
===II: Lytanus Cato===
An extremely unimaginative student of the Codex Astartes, Lytanus' conversation style was once described as almost but not quite as interesting as Sanctioned Munitorum Off-White Emulsion Paint 82-theta. Lucullus saw him as humourless but dependable.

It was not an opinion shared by the Chapter Master. During a raid on a Night Lords outpost, Lytanus and his squad were set upon by the enemy's Chosen. At the time, Second Squad were on the cusp of elevation to the ranks of the First Company, and yet the Night Lords made short work of them. Lytanus never spoke of what was done to his squad members, but what could not be denied is that he was un-manned by the situation, and fled in genuine fear even as Chapter Master Drusus fought on alone. Following the battle, Lytanus was stripped of his Terminator Honours and told, in no uncertain terms, that he had best not imbue his new charges with the same cowardice he had shown in battle. Never a great conversationalist, Lytanus subsequently became yet more taciturn and withdrawn, but continued to serve faithfully until his death several years later by the hands of the very same Night Lords warband he had fled from years before. During the Battle of Sudhata, Night Lords Terminators teleported down directly behind his squad, and swiftly overwhelmed him and his new brothers. He was immediately avenged by Captain Lucullus, who ensured - despite Drusus' disapproval - that a bust of Cato is displayed in Syrnum's Hall of Remembrance. His mono-edged power shortsword, an unusual weapon for the Cobalt Scions, is kept in the Chapter Armoury.

[[Category:Adeptus Astartes]] [[Category:Cobalt Scions]] [[Category: Crusade Forces]]

Cobalt Scions Third Company

2025-12-26T21:50:43Z

Charlie: /* Command Staff */

[[File:Cobalt_Scions.png|682px|center]]

The [[Cobalt Scions]]' third company is led by Consul [[Martellus Lucullus]]. Notable individuals are listed below. Like all Cobalt Scions battle companies, its squads are expected to be able to switch their equipment between deployments and should therefore be expected to fulfill any battlefield role.

=Personnel=
==Command Staff==
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[[File:Captain_Martellus_Lucullus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Captain Martellus Lucullus===
Known as an articulate proponent of the patient rationality of his original chapter, some regard Lucullus as a paragon of traditional virtues. Others, though, say that the one-time Ultramarine is a man who will always do the right thing, so long as the right thing helps cement his place in the history books - including his offer to cross the Rubicon Primaris and help found the Cobalt Scions.

See [[Martellus Lucullus|main article]] for more information.

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[[File:Nerva.png|400x350px|left]]
===Lieutenant Antigonus Nerva===
Nerva is the oldest marine in the chapter. This is not due to a long and illustrious career, but because he was one of seventy-two subjects used to test ageing during the Primaris project. This left him with a lingering hatred of the Mechanicus, who treated him like a lab animal for centuries, and with an advanced empathy for people who are not being listened to. Following an ill-advisedly honest speech during the Rite of Remembrance one morning, Nerva found himself elevated from obscurity in the reserve companies to serve as Captain Lucullus' right hand man following the loss of Gais Atalus. Lucullus has made it clear that Nerva's job is to serve as his moral compass more than anything else, but his lack of command experience and lack of martial prowess (relative to the company's other officers) made him a figure of some resentment.

He did at least demonstrate the virtues of tenacity and self sacrifice in his repeated clashes with the ork warlord Guluk during [[the Andaras Affair]], but has yet to truly prove his worth as a tactician.

See [https://www.thebeardbunker.com/2021/04/cobalt-scions-army-complete.html this short story on the Beard Bunker] for more information about his promotion to Lieutenant.

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[[File:Calvus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Lieutenant Achaemenes Calvus===
Following a five year mission away from Thonicia fulfilling the Chapter's obligation to the wider Imperium, Calvus has returned privately convinced that the Scions' doctrine of involving themselves in civic matters is an error, and that they should focus, like most Chapters, purely on war. He is sore to trust, and struggles to restrain his instinct to talk about humourously about people behind their back.

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[[File:Verus.png|400x350px|left]]

===Chaplain Caius Verus===
Caius Verus has been the chaplain of the Third Company since he was awakened on Mars at the start of the Indomitus Crusade. When he woke, his experience was similar to his brother-marines; it was hard to trust that this wasn't just another simulation, and harder still to believe that he was now expected to provide rousing rhetoric in the heat of battle. He was far from alone in his uncertainty, and took some comfort from that.

Said comfort evaporated at the start of his first battle, when he was perturbed to find himself delivering a speech that he'd neither written nor imagined. He felt as though someone else was operating his larynx. The speech itself lacked flair or context; it sounded to him like the tired platitudes that one might be subjected to by an Ecclesiarchy auto-hailer when passing a temple.

For weeks, every time he opened his mouth to boost morale of nearby allies, these rote speeches poured out of him. To the other Scions, they were the only speeches they'd heard in battle, and seemed perfectly normal. To Verus, the sermons stuffed in his head sounded almost as though they had been written by someone who barely believed in them, and he was determined to do better.

He snatched what time he could to study rhetoric and oratory for himself. Over time, he learned to suppress autonomic catechisms in favour of his own efforts. They lacked flair, and did little to inspire his brothers, but Captain Lucullus encouraged him to persist even if it meant failure in the short term. Progress was slow and demoralising, but with Lucullus' persistence, Verus grew wiser.

After decades of war and study, Verus eclipsed his tutor. Where Lucullus' dry, rational dialectic is useful for dealing with scheming politicians, it has little ability to turn a crowd of citizens to their duty. Verus is almost the opposite, capable of inspiring citizens and Astartes alike, although shrewder minds are less likely to be swayed. Rationally, Lucullus knows their skills are usefully complimentary, but he envies Verus' charisma and popularity. This occasionally seeps out of him in the form of aphorisms warning against using platitudes over substantive points, but Lucullus recognises this as the fruit of jealous vanity and does what he can to suppress the instinct.

Verus, for his part, now relishes his role, and some say is destined to gain rank within the Reclusiam. For now, he intends to remain where he is to show loyalty to Lucullus and the Third Company - a loyalty which, arguably, now holds him back from achieving all that he could.

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[[File:Aulus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Ancient Aulus Acastian===
Brother Aulus dreams of commanding the Third one day, but while his loyalty and martial prowess are without fault, he lacks the keen mind and political savvy needed for command. Lucullus has thus far placated Aulus with the honoured role of the company's Ancient, and hopes to further avoid the issue by seeing the seasoned warrior elevated to Chapter Ancient and, thus, he can become the Chapter Master's problem. For now, Aulus serves in his role with distinction, and keeps his frustration largely to himself.

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[[File:eudemus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Apothecary Galenus Eudemus===
Eudemus is a firm believer in the Scions' mission to purify and consolidate the [[Eridani Sector]]. He is a humble, gregarious man who is slow to trust outsiders, and in particular takes a cynical view of the decadence of Imperial noble houses, generally making quips at their expense in the privacy of the squad vox while standing behind Lucullus during diplomatic efforts. Unlike most Scions, he has little patience for ceremony or honour, having seen both things been made foolish by the realities of battlefield triage. He holds a particular loathing for Heretic Astartes, having witnessed several Cobalt Scions get dragged away by the agents of Fabius Bile. For a while, he petitioned the Inquisition to find out if there was any way of tracking and killing Bile, concerned that Bile might unlock the secrets of the Ultima Founding. At length, he has come to accept that this is far beyond his remit, and simply a horrifying truth he must live with.

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[[File:arkadios_herodion.png|400x350px|left]]
===Apothecary Arkadios Herodion===
Herodion is a newly qualified apothecary with a keen interest in anatomy, whether it's the administration of posthuman healthcare, or the dissection of repulsive xenos. His academic curiosity means that he is always eager to talk shop with any trained physician or biologis expert he meets.

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==Squad Leaders==
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[[File:Tyvus.png|400x350px|left]]
===I: Xantho Tyvus===
Lucullus promoted Tyvus to lead the First Squad so as to ensure he'd be regularly subjected to at least one contrary opinion. Where Lucullus is cautious and methodical, Tyvus will usually advocate for fast, decisive aggression. He claims his predisposition for using power fists is simply emulating the martial style of the Lord of Macragge, but most in the company think he is rationalising a deep personal preference for punching things. Tyvus is quite a polarising figure in the Third Company, admired by some and grating to others.

As a reward for Tyvus' tireless conduct during the [[Season of Fire]], Hadrios Kelsus of the Phratry Munitorus retooled his power fist with archeotech capacitors. The gauntlet has come to be viewed as a relic of the Third Company. He acquitted himself just as heroically during the [[Raid on Lachesis]], slaying multiple Gal Vorbak of [[the Graven Star]] and defeating their Master of Executions in personal combat, earning him Terminator Honours. In the closing stages of the raid, however, he experienced tragedy when most of his seasoned squadmates were slain by warriors of [[the Thirteenth Talon]] during a boarding action on the ''Revenant''. Never one to hide his emotions, Tyvus openly wept at their loss, and has sworn vengeance upon the Night Lords.

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[[File:Pyrrhos.png|400x350px|left]]
===II: Aelius Pyrrhos===
Recently raised from commanding a squad in the reserve companies, Pyrrhos is eager to prove himself to his new brothers.

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[[File:syras.png|400x350px|left]]
===III: Hairan Syras===
Syras would, all things being equal, be happiest wearing a suit of gravis armour standing next to a shipping container full of ammunition. Others in the Third often joke about his obsession with being prepared for any given situation, but to Syras' chagrin, his preparedness makes him particularly useful when assigned to infiltration missions. Indeed it was one such mission, early in the Indomitus Crusade, that gave Syras his supply-based paranoia; running out of ammo deep behind enemy lines, he spent a week moving under cover of darkness and living and dying by his combat knife. Ever since, he can almost always be found festooned with ammo and chastising anyone he deems under-equipped. His most frequently used phrase is probably, "That'll do, so long as nothing goes wrong. And something always goes wrong."

Among the various specialists in Squad III is combat squad leader Lydus Petronius, an ambitious marine recently reassigned from the reserve companies. Unlike his sergeant, Lydus is only too keen to take as many infiltration missions as he can, all the better to prove his resourcefulness when acting on his own initiative.

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[[File:gallo.png|400x350px|left]]
===IV: Octavius Gallus===
Gallus came to the Segmentum Pacificus as part of an Ultramarines strike force at the onset of the Fourth Tyrannic War. The strike force itself met with disaster, and Gallus was the sole survivor. He was rescued from his drifting escape pod by the Imperial Navy, who in turn brought him to the Cobalt Scions. Rather than face a long and uncertain journey back to Ultramar, he instead petitioned to join this fledgling successor chapter. The Scions welcomed him into the fold, and were pleased to have such a seasoned marine join their young ranks. He soon proved his worthiness for a sergeant's helm, and was assigned to the Third Company. He has a tendency to assume younger marines don't know their business and is something of an over-explainer, but it's hoped that with time he will learn how to strike a balance between being a font of wisdom and a font of patronisation.

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[[File:cassander.png|400x350px|left]]

===V: Oreas Cassander===
With a proven history of trying to get himself spectacularly killed in the attempt to save those in need of protection, Cassander is considered a rash fool by some, and a paragon of virtue by others. Lucullus considers him to be both. Cassander is firm friends with Tyvus, but has little time for Lytanus' emotionally detached lectures about the need to follow the Codex at all times. Lucullus trusts Cassander to conduct himself honourably when working with other Imperial forces, and often gives him the longest leash, ranging ahead of the main force to secure forward objectives and defend them with great determination.

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[[File:Uriel castus.png|400x350px|left]]

===VI: Uriel Castus===
As the sole survivor in his squad following an encounter with a band of plague marines during the Indomitus Crusade, Castus' hatred for Heretic Astartes is extreme. As such he will almost always volunteer his squad should the use of plasma guns be required to deal with their ilk. The [[Raid on Lachesis]] only served to deepen his loathing of the Archenemy.

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[[File:Valius.png|400x350px|left]]

===VII: Valius Agarion===
A keen proponent of victory before honour, Valius enthusiastically volunteers his squad for duties others might consider inglorious or even distasteful. Despite his dark sense of humour, Valius is something of a humanitarian, advocating for surgical strikes over shock and awe to better preserve civilian lives and infrastructure.

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[[File:Viriathus_audax.png|400x350px|left]]

===VIII: Viriathus Audax===
Always one to suggest an elaborate battle plan, 'Viri' often finds himself in arguments with Sergeant Tyvus. Viriathus is too patient for such debates to become ill-tempered, and while his plans rarely prove workable, some element of them often works its way into the company's strategies. He is sometimes referred to as the 'little lieutenant' for his fondness for breaking his squad down into multiple small teams.

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[[File:lastratus.png|400x350px|left]]

===IX: Agnathio Lastratus===
The Cobalt Scions' chapter cult advocates the adoration and veneration of all Imperial heroes, but Agnathio - keen for the chapter to make its mark on the galaxy - pays perhaps too much homage to the First Four Scions who left the Ultramarines to found the chapter. A keen student of their exploits even prior to their crossing of the Rubicon Primaris, Agnathio is regarded by many in the Third Company of being a sycophant. Lucullus, of course, is only too pleased to receive such recognition. The benefit to all this hero worship is that Agnathio extols the value of martial flexibility, and has sought to emulate his captain by mastering all the weapons in the arsenal. While his squad sometimes roll their eyes at his attitude to his betters, they pay attention when he provides weapons training. Indeed, when a marine is promoted into the company from the reserve, Lucullus will often ensure they spend some time in Squad IX to further entrench their skill with a variety of equipment.

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[[File:antinus_severus.png|400x350px|left]]

===X: Antinus Severus===
A notorious glory hound, Severus has been known to take impetuous risks when the rewards are high. Never happier than when he's rushing to the rescue of comrades, he particularly enjoys dispatching the Scions' foes from the saddle of a bike. Ultimately he yearns to command the 8th Company, where he might sate his love of rapid warfare. This eagerness often puts him at odds with the more conservatively minded Lucullus, although this is usually expressed by amused exasperation rather than actual frustration. Squad X's second in command is Squad Leader Aethemus, who like Severus, is perfectly comfortable ranging ahead using either bikes or jump packs.

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==Support Units==
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[[File:atalus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Gaius Atalus, Redemptor Dreadnought===
Gaius Atalus was the first batch-produced primaris marine who truly earned the respect of the four Ultramarines who crossed the Rubicon Primaris to found the chapter.

Being a native of Magna Macragge Civitas helped, but it was his adaptability that got him noticed by Martellus Lucullus of the Third during the Siege of Adrantis VII. Lucullus had Atalus moved from the reserve companies and into the Third, where he took him under his wing. Atalus was a quick study whose good humour only seemed to increase in a crisis. If anything he was a little too sure of himself, but seemed to have the skill to back it up.

He became the first Cobalt Scion to be promoted into the rank of Lieutenant, rather than simply having the position thanks to Cawl's programming. Chapter Master Drusus agreed, at Lucullus' suggestion, that Atalus would be first in line should one of the chapter's captains fall in combat. To ensure Atalus would do well in command, Lucullus regularly had him take control of operations and would watch his pupil, only offering suggestions if he considered that Atalus was making a dangerous mistake.

Sadly it was during one such operation that everything went disastrously wrong.

The Liberation of Pleione Secundus was a long and gruelling fight against ork invaders. Atalus had hastily arranged the defence of Numis City's commercia district, but had missed one possible point of ingress. Lucullus was briefly called away to liaise with other Imperial forces, and whilst he was gone, a large group of orks broke through the gap. Atalus took full responsibility and judged that a full squad of brothers would be lost unless a withdrawal was facilitated. He stormed into the breach and sacrificed himself to cover the withdrawal. Lucullus assumed operational control and led a counterattack to drive the orks back. By the time the Scions recovered Atalus, his second heart was failing.

His loss was mourned, as everyone sensed he had been destined for greatness. He was interred in the chapter's first suit of Dreadnought armour, and given his close relationship with Lucullus, was assigned to the Third. While this does allow Lucullus to maintain his friendship with his old pupil, it also means dealing with Atalus' increasingly... problematic traits.

Having been told he was destined for big things, and then being told he can't have them because apparently you can't just leave dreadnoughts switched on the whole time, has made Atalus increasingly bitter. He doesn't fully understand why he has to be put to sleep so much of the time, and seems slower to learn than he once was. If anything, he seems to be regressing.

Lucullus finds it hard to see his friend slipping away, but he and the chaplains have been unsuccessful in keeping Atalus' spirits up. Some have suggested it would be easier on Lucullus if Atalus was assigned to a different company, but Lucullus thinks himself in the best position to help, even if the process brings him sadness.

Atalus sometimes gets confused or disoriented in firefights, particularly when engaging orks, and has been known to start issuing orders or formulating incomplete plans. The marines of the Third have learned to ignore these edicts, and will joke with Atalus that he's forgotten his place. Atalus will vox back with self-deprecating quips, but Lucullus knows this is a front and tries to employ his friend's suggestions where they're helpful so that Atalus doesn't feel entirely foolish.

Given enough time, it is hoped that Atalus will adapt to his new reality. Perhaps then, something of Lucullus' first and greatest protege will remain.

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==Previous members==
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[[File:lytanus.png|400x350px|left]]
===II: Lytanus Cato===
An extremely unimaginative student of the Codex Astartes, Lytanus' conversation style was once described as almost but not quite as interesting as Sanctioned Munitorum Off-White Emulsion Paint 82-theta. Lucullus saw him as humourless but dependable.

It was not an opinion shared by the Chapter Master. During a raid on a Night Lords outpost, Lytanus and his squad were set upon by the enemy's Chosen. At the time, Second Squad were on the cusp of elevation to the ranks of the First Company, and yet the Night Lords made short work of them. Lytanus never spoke of what was done to his squad members, but what could not be denied is that he was un-manned by the situation, and fled in genuine fear even as Chapter Master Drusus fought on alone. Following the battle, Lytanus was stripped of his Terminator Honours and told, in no uncertain terms, that he had best not imbue his new charges with the same cowardice he had shown in battle. Never a great conversationalist, Lytanus subsequently became yet more taciturn and withdrawn, but continued to serve faithfully until his death several years later by the hands of the very same Night Lords warband he had fled from years before. During the Battle of Sudhata, Night Lords Terminators teleported down directly behind his squad, and swiftly overwhelmed him and his new brothers. He was immediately avenged by Captain Lucullus, who ensured - despite Drusus' disapproval - that a bust of Cato is displayed in Syrnum's Hall of Remembrance. His mono-edged power shortsword, an unusual weapon for the Cobalt Scions, is kept in the Chapter Armoury.

[[Category:Adeptus Astartes]] [[Category:Cobalt Scions]] [[Category: Crusade Forces]]

File:Calvus.png

2025-12-26T21:40:44Z

Charlie:

IOL-804

2025-12-25T19:53:00Z

Charlie:

[[File:iol804.png|400px|right]]
[[File:sector_map_link.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
This system in the [[Iolan Reaches]] features a pair of habitable but arid desert worlds, both of which appear to have substantial blackstone deposits. The blackstone did not appear to be of any interest to the small but technologically developed ork populations on the planet.

The blackstone deposits were flagged by an explorator vessel in 997.M41. Some years later, led by the prognostications of their Librarians, the [[Cobalt Scions]] prevented a World Eaters warband from using the Blackstone for unknown purposes and, having become aware of the planets, set about aiding the Adeptus Terra in establishing a mining colony, laying down the basic infrastructure of space ports on both planets, and connecting them to the largest deposits with roads. While the colony is still being established, the Scions have maintained a garrison, primarily made up of the Novitiate Auxilia and reserve units. These units have since exterminated the bulk of the orks from both worlds.

=Planets=

==Kryaskonis Alpha==
The larger of the two planets, the gravity is tiring but manageable for baseline humans, and the atmosphere breathable but thin. Sandstorms are common, and rugged buildings are needed to protect against the heat of the day and the cold of the night.

===Port Aterizar===
With an organised road grid laid down by the Cobalt Scions' head architect Felicita Morleio, this is the system's largest Imperial settlement, but with a population of around 90,000 it is a small city by Imperial standards. It is centered around its Commercia district, with the hab zone on one side, the space port's two terminals on the other, and further out of town, the city's power station.

===Delving Alpha-3===
Known as Sysipheum, this equatorial blackstone mine is notorious for the punishing daytime heat. Being sent to work here is used as a threat to colonists who fail to meet their work quotas or are found guilty of various crimes.

==Kryaskonis Beta==
The smaller of the Kryaskonii, but no less arid. Inhabitants have to be careful to avoid being weakened by the lower gravity. The atmosphere is thicker, making the climate less extreme to work in, but this does mean that sandstorms are that much more spectacular.

===Port Skavos===
This port has only recently become functional. Most of the habs are occupied by construction personnel working on establishing the town as quickly and efficiently as possible.

=Notable events=

==The Temmekh Dynasty Invasion==
Overlord Munukh the Unyielding attempted a conquest of the system, seeking to add its riches to his dynasty's coffers. When a joint response from the Cobalt Scions, Blood Angels and Ultramarines, alongside the Nightfall 31st regiment of the Imperial Guard. When the Necrons were repulsed from both port cities, they instead attempted to created a doomsday device to deny use of the planet to the Imperium. This final plan was also thwarted by the Scions and Nightfallers, thus provoking Munukh's subsequent raid on Thonicia.

[[Category: Systems]] [[Category: Eridani Sector Systems]] [[Category: Iolan Reaches Systems]]

Cobalt Scions Third Company

2025-11-23T21:11:50Z

Charlie: /* X: Antinus Severus */

[[File:Cobalt_Scions.png|682px|center]]

The [[Cobalt Scions]]' third company is led by Consul [[Martellus Lucullus]]. Notable individuals are listed below. Like all Cobalt Scions battle companies, its squads are expected to be able to switch their equipment between deployments and should therefore be expected to fulfill any battlefield role.

=Personnel=
==Command Staff==
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[[File:Captain_Martellus_Lucullus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Captain Martellus Lucullus===
Known as an articulate proponent of the patient rationality of his original chapter, some regard Lucullus as a paragon of traditional virtues. Others, though, say that the one-time Ultramarine is a man who will always do the right thing, so long as the right thing helps cement his place in the history books - including his offer to cross the Rubicon Primaris and help found the Cobalt Scions.

See [[Martellus Lucullus|main article]] for more information.

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[[File:Nerva.png|400x350px|left]]
===Lieutenant Antigonus Nerva===
Nerva is the oldest marine in the chapter. This is not due to a long and illustrious career, but because he was one of seventy-two subjects used to test ageing during the Primaris project. This left him with a lingering hatred of the Mechanicus, who treated him like a lab animal for centuries, and with an advanced empathy for people who are not being listened to. Following an ill-advisedly honest speech during the Rite of Remembrance one morning, Nerva found himself elevated from obscurity in the reserve companies to serve as Captain Lucullus' right hand man following the loss of Gais Atalus. Lucullus has made it clear that Nerva's job is to serve as his moral compass more than anything else, but his lack of command experience and lack of martial prowess (relative to the company's other officers) made him a figure of some resentment.

He did at least demonstrate the virtues of tenacity and self sacrifice in his repeated clashes with the ork warlord Guluk during [[the Andaras Affair]], but has yet to truly prove his worth as a tactician.

See [https://www.thebeardbunker.com/2021/04/cobalt-scions-army-complete.html this short story on the Beard Bunker] for more information about his promotion to Lieutenant.

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[[File:Verus.png|400x350px|left]]

===Chaplain Caius Verus===
Caius Verus has been the chaplain of the Third Company since he was awakened on Mars at the start of the Indomitus Crusade. When he woke, his experience was similar to his brother-marines; it was hard to trust that this wasn't just another simulation, and harder still to believe that he was now expected to provide rousing rhetoric in the heat of battle. He was far from alone in his uncertainty, and took some comfort from that.

Said comfort evaporated at the start of his first battle, when he was perturbed to find himself delivering a speech that he'd neither written nor imagined. He felt as though someone else was operating his larynx. The speech itself lacked flair or context; it sounded to him like the tired platitudes that one might be subjected to by an Ecclesiarchy auto-hailer when passing a temple.

For weeks, every time he opened his mouth to boost morale of nearby allies, these rote speeches poured out of him. To the other Scions, they were the only speeches they'd heard in battle, and seemed perfectly normal. To Verus, the sermons stuffed in his head sounded almost as though they had been written by someone who barely believed in them, and he was determined to do better.

He snatched what time he could to study rhetoric and oratory for himself. Over time, he learned to suppress autonomic catechisms in favour of his own efforts. They lacked flair, and did little to inspire his brothers, but Captain Lucullus encouraged him to persist even if it meant failure in the short term. Progress was slow and demoralising, but with Lucullus' persistence, Verus grew wiser.

After decades of war and study, Verus eclipsed his tutor. Where Lucullus' dry, rational dialectic is useful for dealing with scheming politicians, it has little ability to turn a crowd of citizens to their duty. Verus is almost the opposite, capable of inspiring citizens and Astartes alike, although shrewder minds are less likely to be swayed. Rationally, Lucullus knows their skills are usefully complimentary, but he envies Verus' charisma and popularity. This occasionally seeps out of him in the form of aphorisms warning against using platitudes over substantive points, but Lucullus recognises this as the fruit of jealous vanity and does what he can to suppress the instinct.

Verus, for his part, now relishes his role, and some say is destined to gain rank within the Reclusiam. For now, he intends to remain where he is to show loyalty to Lucullus and the Third Company - a loyalty which, arguably, now holds him back from achieving all that he could.

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[[File:Aulus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Ancient Aulus Acastian===
Brother Aulus dreams of commanding the Third one day, but while his loyalty and martial prowess are without fault, he lacks the keen mind and political savvy needed for command. Lucullus has thus far placated Aulus with the honoured role of the company's Ancient, and hopes to further avoid the issue by seeing the seasoned warrior elevated to Chapter Ancient and, thus, he can become the Chapter Master's problem. For now, Aulus serves in his role with distinction, and keeps his frustration largely to himself.

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[[File:eudemus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Apothecary Galenus Eudemus===
Eudemus is a firm believer in the Scions' mission to purify and consolidate the [[Eridani Sector]]. He is a humble, gregarious man who is slow to trust outsiders, and in particular takes a cynical view of the decadence of Imperial noble houses, generally making quips at their expense in the privacy of the squad vox while standing behind Lucullus during diplomatic efforts. Unlike most Scions, he has little patience for ceremony or honour, having seen both things been made foolish by the realities of battlefield triage. He holds a particular loathing for Heretic Astartes, having witnessed several Cobalt Scions get dragged away by the agents of Fabius Bile. For a while, he petitioned the Inquisition to find out if there was any way of tracking and killing Bile, concerned that Bile might unlock the secrets of the Ultima Founding. At length, he has come to accept that this is far beyond his remit, and simply a horrifying truth he must live with.

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[[File:arkadios_herodion.png|400x350px|left]]
===Apothecary Arkadios Herodion===
Herodion is a newly qualified apothecary with a keen interest in anatomy, whether it's the administration of posthuman healthcare, or the dissection of repulsive xenos. His academic curiosity means that he is always eager to talk shop with any trained physician or biologis expert he meets.

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==Squad Leaders==
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[[File:Tyvus.png|400x350px|left]]
===I: Xantho Tyvus===
Lucullus promoted Tyvus to lead the First Squad so as to ensure he'd be regularly subjected to at least one contrary opinion. Where Lucullus is cautious and methodical, Tyvus will usually advocate for fast, decisive aggression. He claims his predisposition for using power fists is simply emulating the martial style of the Lord of Macragge, but most in the company think he is rationalising a deep personal preference for punching things. Tyvus is quite a polarising figure in the Third Company, admired by some and grating to others.

As a reward for Tyvus' tireless conduct during the [[Season of Fire]], Hadrios Kelsus of the Phratry Munitorus retooled his power fist with archeotech capacitors. The gauntlet has come to be viewed as a relic of the Third Company. He acquitted himself just as heroically during the [[Raid on Lachesis]], slaying multiple Gal Vorbak of [[the Graven Star]] and defeating their Master of Executions in personal combat, earning him Terminator Honours. In the closing stages of the raid, however, he experienced tragedy when most of his seasoned squadmates were slain by warriors of [[the Thirteenth Talon]] during a boarding action on the ''Revenant''. Never one to hide his emotions, Tyvus openly wept at their loss, and has sworn vengeance upon the Night Lords.

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[[File:Pyrrhos.png|400x350px|left]]
===II: Aelius Pyrrhos===
Recently raised from commanding a squad in the reserve companies, Pyrrhos is eager to prove himself to his new brothers.

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[[File:syras.png|400x350px|left]]
===III: Hairan Syras===
Syras would, all things being equal, be happiest wearing a suit of gravis armour standing next to a shipping container full of ammunition. Others in the Third often joke about his obsession with being prepared for any given situation, but to Syras' chagrin, his preparedness makes him particularly useful when assigned to infiltration missions. Indeed it was one such mission, early in the Indomitus Crusade, that gave Syras his supply-based paranoia; running out of ammo deep behind enemy lines, he spent a week moving under cover of darkness and living and dying by his combat knife. Ever since, he can almost always be found festooned with ammo and chastising anyone he deems under-equipped. His most frequently used phrase is probably, "That'll do, so long as nothing goes wrong. And something always goes wrong."

Among the various specialists in Squad III is combat squad leader Lydus Petronius, an ambitious marine recently reassigned from the reserve companies. Unlike his sergeant, Lydus is only too keen to take as many infiltration missions as he can, all the better to prove his resourcefulness when acting on his own initiative.

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[[File:gallo.png|400x350px|left]]
===IV: Octavius Gallus===
Gallus came to the Segmentum Pacificus as part of an Ultramarines strike force at the onset of the Fourth Tyrannic War. The strike force itself met with disaster, and Gallus was the sole survivor. He was rescued from his drifting escape pod by the Imperial Navy, who in turn brought him to the Cobalt Scions. Rather than face a long and uncertain journey back to Ultramar, he instead petitioned to join this fledgling successor chapter. The Scions welcomed him into the fold, and were pleased to have such a seasoned marine join their young ranks. He soon proved his worthiness for a sergeant's helm, and was assigned to the Third Company. He has a tendency to assume younger marines don't know their business and is something of an over-explainer, but it's hoped that with time he will learn how to strike a balance between being a font of wisdom and a font of patronisation.

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[[File:cassander.png|400x350px|left]]

===V: Oreas Cassander===
With a proven history of trying to get himself spectacularly killed in the attempt to save those in need of protection, Cassander is considered a rash fool by some, and a paragon of virtue by others. Lucullus considers him to be both. Cassander is firm friends with Tyvus, but has little time for Lytanus' emotionally detached lectures about the need to follow the Codex at all times. Lucullus trusts Cassander to conduct himself honourably when working with other Imperial forces, and often gives him the longest leash, ranging ahead of the main force to secure forward objectives and defend them with great determination.

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[[File:Uriel castus.png|400x350px|left]]

===VI: Uriel Castus===
As the sole survivor in his squad following an encounter with a band of plague marines during the Indomitus Crusade, Castus' hatred for Heretic Astartes is extreme. As such he will almost always volunteer his squad should the use of plasma guns be required to deal with their ilk. The [[Raid on Lachesis]] only served to deepen his loathing of the Archenemy.

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[[File:Valius.png|400x350px|left]]

===VII: Valius Agarion===
A keen proponent of victory before honour, Valius enthusiastically volunteers his squad for duties others might consider inglorious or even distasteful. Despite his dark sense of humour, Valius is something of a humanitarian, advocating for surgical strikes over shock and awe to better preserve civilian lives and infrastructure.

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[[File:Viriathus_audax.png|400x350px|left]]

===VIII: Viriathus Audax===
Always one to suggest an elaborate battle plan, 'Viri' often finds himself in arguments with Sergeant Tyvus. Viriathus is too patient for such debates to become ill-tempered, and while his plans rarely prove workable, some element of them often works its way into the company's strategies. He is sometimes referred to as the 'little lieutenant' for his fondness for breaking his squad down into multiple small teams.

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[[File:lastratus.png|400x350px|left]]

===IX: Agnathio Lastratus===
The Cobalt Scions' chapter cult advocates the adoration and veneration of all Imperial heroes, but Agnathio - keen for the chapter to make its mark on the galaxy - pays perhaps too much homage to the First Four Scions who left the Ultramarines to found the chapter. A keen student of their exploits even prior to their crossing of the Rubicon Primaris, Agnathio is regarded by many in the Third Company of being a sycophant. Lucullus, of course, is only too pleased to receive such recognition. The benefit to all this hero worship is that Agnathio extols the value of martial flexibility, and has sought to emulate his captain by mastering all the weapons in the arsenal. While his squad sometimes roll their eyes at his attitude to his betters, they pay attention when he provides weapons training. Indeed, when a marine is promoted into the company from the reserve, Lucullus will often ensure they spend some time in Squad IX to further entrench their skill with a variety of equipment.

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[[File:antinus_severus.png|400x350px|left]]

===X: Antinus Severus===
A notorious glory hound, Severus has been known to take impetuous risks when the rewards are high. Never happier than when he's rushing to the rescue of comrades, he particularly enjoys dispatching the Scions' foes from the saddle of a bike. Ultimately he yearns to command the 8th Company, where he might sate his love of rapid warfare. This eagerness often puts him at odds with the more conservatively minded Lucullus, although this is usually expressed by amused exasperation rather than actual frustration. Squad X's second in command is Squad Leader Aethemus, who like Severus, is perfectly comfortable ranging ahead using either bikes or jump packs.

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==Support Units==
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[[File:atalus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Gaius Atalus, Redemptor Dreadnought===
Gaius Atalus was the first batch-produced primaris marine who truly earned the respect of the four Ultramarines who crossed the Rubicon Primaris to found the chapter.

Being a native of Magna Macragge Civitas helped, but it was his adaptability that got him noticed by Martellus Lucullus of the Third during the Siege of Adrantis VII. Lucullus had Atalus moved from the reserve companies and into the Third, where he took him under his wing. Atalus was a quick study whose good humour only seemed to increase in a crisis. If anything he was a little too sure of himself, but seemed to have the skill to back it up.

He became the first Cobalt Scion to be promoted into the rank of Lieutenant, rather than simply having the position thanks to Cawl's programming. Chapter Master Drusus agreed, at Lucullus' suggestion, that Atalus would be first in line should one of the chapter's captains fall in combat. To ensure Atalus would do well in command, Lucullus regularly had him take control of operations and would watch his pupil, only offering suggestions if he considered that Atalus was making a dangerous mistake.

Sadly it was during one such operation that everything went disastrously wrong.

The Liberation of Pleione Secundus was a long and gruelling fight against ork invaders. Atalus had hastily arranged the defence of Numis City's commercia district, but had missed one possible point of ingress. Lucullus was briefly called away to liaise with other Imperial forces, and whilst he was gone, a large group of orks broke through the gap. Atalus took full responsibility and judged that a full squad of brothers would be lost unless a withdrawal was facilitated. He stormed into the breach and sacrificed himself to cover the withdrawal. Lucullus assumed operational control and led a counterattack to drive the orks back. By the time the Scions recovered Atalus, his second heart was failing.

His loss was mourned, as everyone sensed he had been destined for greatness. He was interred in the chapter's first suit of Dreadnought armour, and given his close relationship with Lucullus, was assigned to the Third. While this does allow Lucullus to maintain his friendship with his old pupil, it also means dealing with Atalus' increasingly... problematic traits.

Having been told he was destined for big things, and then being told he can't have them because apparently you can't just leave dreadnoughts switched on the whole time, has made Atalus increasingly bitter. He doesn't fully understand why he has to be put to sleep so much of the time, and seems slower to learn than he once was. If anything, he seems to be regressing.

Lucullus finds it hard to see his friend slipping away, but he and the chaplains have been unsuccessful in keeping Atalus' spirits up. Some have suggested it would be easier on Lucullus if Atalus was assigned to a different company, but Lucullus thinks himself in the best position to help, even if the process brings him sadness.

Atalus sometimes gets confused or disoriented in firefights, particularly when engaging orks, and has been known to start issuing orders or formulating incomplete plans. The marines of the Third have learned to ignore these edicts, and will joke with Atalus that he's forgotten his place. Atalus will vox back with self-deprecating quips, but Lucullus knows this is a front and tries to employ his friend's suggestions where they're helpful so that Atalus doesn't feel entirely foolish.

Given enough time, it is hoped that Atalus will adapt to his new reality. Perhaps then, something of Lucullus' first and greatest protege will remain.

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==Previous members==
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[[File:lytanus.png|400x350px|left]]
===II: Lytanus Cato===
An extremely unimaginative student of the Codex Astartes, Lytanus' conversation style was once described as almost but not quite as interesting as Sanctioned Munitorum Off-White Emulsion Paint 82-theta. Lucullus saw him as humourless but dependable.

It was not an opinion shared by the Chapter Master. During a raid on a Night Lords outpost, Lytanus and his squad were set upon by the enemy's Chosen. At the time, Second Squad were on the cusp of elevation to the ranks of the First Company, and yet the Night Lords made short work of them. Lytanus never spoke of what was done to his squad members, but what could not be denied is that he was un-manned by the situation, and fled in genuine fear even as Chapter Master Drusus fought on alone. Following the battle, Lytanus was stripped of his Terminator Honours and told, in no uncertain terms, that he had best not imbue his new charges with the same cowardice he had shown in battle. Never a great conversationalist, Lytanus subsequently became yet more taciturn and withdrawn, but continued to serve faithfully until his death several years later by the hands of the very same Night Lords warband he had fled from years before. During the Battle of Sudhata, Night Lords Terminators teleported down directly behind his squad, and swiftly overwhelmed him and his new brothers. He was immediately avenged by Captain Lucullus, who ensured - despite Drusus' disapproval - that a bust of Cato is displayed in Syrnum's Hall of Remembrance. His mono-edged power shortsword, an unusual weapon for the Cobalt Scions, is kept in the Chapter Armoury.

[[Category:Adeptus Astartes]] [[Category:Cobalt Scions]] [[Category: Crusade Forces]]

Cobalt Scions Third Company

2025-08-11T21:41:56Z

Charlie:

[[File:Cobalt_Scions.png|682px|center]]

The [[Cobalt Scions]]' third company is led by Consul [[Martellus Lucullus]]. Notable individuals are listed below. Like all Cobalt Scions battle companies, its squads are expected to be able to switch their equipment between deployments and should therefore be expected to fulfill any battlefield role.

=Personnel=
==Command Staff==
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[[File:Captain_Martellus_Lucullus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Captain Martellus Lucullus===
Known as an articulate proponent of the patient rationality of his original chapter, some regard Lucullus as a paragon of traditional virtues. Others, though, say that the one-time Ultramarine is a man who will always do the right thing, so long as the right thing helps cement his place in the history books - including his offer to cross the Rubicon Primaris and help found the Cobalt Scions.

See [[Martellus Lucullus|main article]] for more information.

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[[File:Nerva.png|400x350px|left]]
===Lieutenant Antigonus Nerva===
Nerva is the oldest marine in the chapter. This is not due to a long and illustrious career, but because he was one of seventy-two subjects used to test ageing during the Primaris project. This left him with a lingering hatred of the Mechanicus, who treated him like a lab animal for centuries, and with an advanced empathy for people who are not being listened to. Following an ill-advisedly honest speech during the Rite of Remembrance one morning, Nerva found himself elevated from obscurity in the reserve companies to serve as Captain Lucullus' right hand man following the loss of Gais Atalus. Lucullus has made it clear that Nerva's job is to serve as his moral compass more than anything else, but his lack of command experience and lack of martial prowess (relative to the company's other officers) made him a figure of some resentment.

He did at least demonstrate the virtues of tenacity and self sacrifice in his repeated clashes with the ork warlord Guluk during [[the Andaras Affair]], but has yet to truly prove his worth as a tactician.

See [https://www.thebeardbunker.com/2021/04/cobalt-scions-army-complete.html this short story on the Beard Bunker] for more information about his promotion to Lieutenant.

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[[File:Verus.png|400x350px|left]]

===Chaplain Caius Verus===
Caius Verus has been the chaplain of the Third Company since he was awakened on Mars at the start of the Indomitus Crusade. When he woke, his experience was similar to his brother-marines; it was hard to trust that this wasn't just another simulation, and harder still to believe that he was now expected to provide rousing rhetoric in the heat of battle. He was far from alone in his uncertainty, and took some comfort from that.

Said comfort evaporated at the start of his first battle, when he was perturbed to find himself delivering a speech that he'd neither written nor imagined. He felt as though someone else was operating his larynx. The speech itself lacked flair or context; it sounded to him like the tired platitudes that one might be subjected to by an Ecclesiarchy auto-hailer when passing a temple.

For weeks, every time he opened his mouth to boost morale of nearby allies, these rote speeches poured out of him. To the other Scions, they were the only speeches they'd heard in battle, and seemed perfectly normal. To Verus, the sermons stuffed in his head sounded almost as though they had been written by someone who barely believed in them, and he was determined to do better.

He snatched what time he could to study rhetoric and oratory for himself. Over time, he learned to suppress autonomic catechisms in favour of his own efforts. They lacked flair, and did little to inspire his brothers, but Captain Lucullus encouraged him to persist even if it meant failure in the short term. Progress was slow and demoralising, but with Lucullus' persistence, Verus grew wiser.

After decades of war and study, Verus eclipsed his tutor. Where Lucullus' dry, rational dialectic is useful for dealing with scheming politicians, it has little ability to turn a crowd of citizens to their duty. Verus is almost the opposite, capable of inspiring citizens and Astartes alike, although shrewder minds are less likely to be swayed. Rationally, Lucullus knows their skills are usefully complimentary, but he envies Verus' charisma and popularity. This occasionally seeps out of him in the form of aphorisms warning against using platitudes over substantive points, but Lucullus recognises this as the fruit of jealous vanity and does what he can to suppress the instinct.

Verus, for his part, now relishes his role, and some say is destined to gain rank within the Reclusiam. For now, he intends to remain where he is to show loyalty to Lucullus and the Third Company - a loyalty which, arguably, now holds him back from achieving all that he could.

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[[File:Aulus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Ancient Aulus Acastian===
Brother Aulus dreams of commanding the Third one day, but while his loyalty and martial prowess are without fault, he lacks the keen mind and political savvy needed for command. Lucullus has thus far placated Aulus with the honoured role of the company's Ancient, and hopes to further avoid the issue by seeing the seasoned warrior elevated to Chapter Ancient and, thus, he can become the Chapter Master's problem. For now, Aulus serves in his role with distinction, and keeps his frustration largely to himself.

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[[File:eudemus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Apothecary Galenus Eudemus===
Eudemus is a firm believer in the Scions' mission to purify and consolidate the [[Eridani Sector]]. He is a humble, gregarious man who is slow to trust outsiders, and in particular takes a cynical view of the decadence of Imperial noble houses, generally making quips at their expense in the privacy of the squad vox while standing behind Lucullus during diplomatic efforts. Unlike most Scions, he has little patience for ceremony or honour, having seen both things been made foolish by the realities of battlefield triage. He holds a particular loathing for Heretic Astartes, having witnessed several Cobalt Scions get dragged away by the agents of Fabius Bile. For a while, he petitioned the Inquisition to find out if there was any way of tracking and killing Bile, concerned that Bile might unlock the secrets of the Ultima Founding. At length, he has come to accept that this is far beyond his remit, and simply a horrifying truth he must live with.

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[[File:arkadios_herodion.png|400x350px|left]]
===Apothecary Arkadios Herodion===
Herodion is a newly qualified apothecary with a keen interest in anatomy, whether it's the administration of posthuman healthcare, or the dissection of repulsive xenos. His academic curiosity means that he is always eager to talk shop with any trained physician or biologis expert he meets.

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==Squad Leaders==
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[[File:Tyvus.png|400x350px|left]]
===I: Xantho Tyvus===
Lucullus promoted Tyvus to lead the First Squad so as to ensure he'd be regularly subjected to at least one contrary opinion. Where Lucullus is cautious and methodical, Tyvus will usually advocate for fast, decisive aggression. He claims his predisposition for using power fists is simply emulating the martial style of the Lord of Macragge, but most in the company think he is rationalising a deep personal preference for punching things. Tyvus is quite a polarising figure in the Third Company, admired by some and grating to others.

As a reward for Tyvus' tireless conduct during the [[Season of Fire]], Hadrios Kelsus of the Phratry Munitorus retooled his power fist with archeotech capacitors. The gauntlet has come to be viewed as a relic of the Third Company. He acquitted himself just as heroically during the [[Raid on Lachesis]], slaying multiple Gal Vorbak of [[the Graven Star]] and defeating their Master of Executions in personal combat, earning him Terminator Honours. In the closing stages of the raid, however, he experienced tragedy when most of his seasoned squadmates were slain by warriors of [[the Thirteenth Talon]] during a boarding action on the ''Revenant''. Never one to hide his emotions, Tyvus openly wept at their loss, and has sworn vengeance upon the Night Lords.

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[[File:Pyrrhos.png|400x350px|left]]
===II: Aelius Pyrrhos===
Recently raised from commanding a squad in the reserve companies, Pyrrhos is eager to prove himself to his new brothers.

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[[File:syras.png|400x350px|left]]
===III: Hairan Syras===
Syras would, all things being equal, be happiest wearing a suit of gravis armour standing next to a shipping container full of ammunition. Others in the Third often joke about his obsession with being prepared for any given situation, but to Syras' chagrin, his preparedness makes him particularly useful when assigned to infiltration missions. Indeed it was one such mission, early in the Indomitus Crusade, that gave Syras his supply-based paranoia; running out of ammo deep behind enemy lines, he spent a week moving under cover of darkness and living and dying by his combat knife. Ever since, he can almost always be found festooned with ammo and chastising anyone he deems under-equipped. His most frequently used phrase is probably, "That'll do, so long as nothing goes wrong. And something always goes wrong."

Among the various specialists in Squad III is combat squad leader Lydus Petronius, an ambitious marine recently reassigned from the reserve companies. Unlike his sergeant, Lydus is only too keen to take as many infiltration missions as he can, all the better to prove his resourcefulness when acting on his own initiative.

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[[File:gallo.png|400x350px|left]]
===IV: Octavius Gallus===
Gallus came to the Segmentum Pacificus as part of an Ultramarines strike force at the onset of the Fourth Tyrannic War. The strike force itself met with disaster, and Gallus was the sole survivor. He was rescued from his drifting escape pod by the Imperial Navy, who in turn brought him to the Cobalt Scions. Rather than face a long and uncertain journey back to Ultramar, he instead petitioned to join this fledgling successor chapter. The Scions welcomed him into the fold, and were pleased to have such a seasoned marine join their young ranks. He soon proved his worthiness for a sergeant's helm, and was assigned to the Third Company. He has a tendency to assume younger marines don't know their business and is something of an over-explainer, but it's hoped that with time he will learn how to strike a balance between being a font of wisdom and a font of patronisation.

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[[File:cassander.png|400x350px|left]]

===V: Oreas Cassander===
With a proven history of trying to get himself spectacularly killed in the attempt to save those in need of protection, Cassander is considered a rash fool by some, and a paragon of virtue by others. Lucullus considers him to be both. Cassander is firm friends with Tyvus, but has little time for Lytanus' emotionally detached lectures about the need to follow the Codex at all times. Lucullus trusts Cassander to conduct himself honourably when working with other Imperial forces, and often gives him the longest leash, ranging ahead of the main force to secure forward objectives and defend them with great determination.

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[[File:Uriel castus.png|400x350px|left]]

===VI: Uriel Castus===
As the sole survivor in his squad following an encounter with a band of plague marines during the Indomitus Crusade, Castus' hatred for Heretic Astartes is extreme. As such he will almost always volunteer his squad should the use of plasma guns be required to deal with their ilk. The [[Raid on Lachesis]] only served to deepen his loathing of the Archenemy.

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[[File:Valius.png|400x350px|left]]

===VII: Valius Agarion===
A keen proponent of victory before honour, Valius enthusiastically volunteers his squad for duties others might consider inglorious or even distasteful. Despite his dark sense of humour, Valius is something of a humanitarian, advocating for surgical strikes over shock and awe to better preserve civilian lives and infrastructure.

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[[File:Viriathus_audax.png|400x350px|left]]

===VIII: Viriathus Audax===
Always one to suggest an elaborate battle plan, 'Viri' often finds himself in arguments with Sergeant Tyvus. Viriathus is too patient for such debates to become ill-tempered, and while his plans rarely prove workable, some element of them often works its way into the company's strategies. He is sometimes referred to as the 'little lieutenant' for his fondness for breaking his squad down into multiple small teams.

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[[File:lastratus.png|400x350px|left]]

===IX: Agnathio Lastratus===
The Cobalt Scions' chapter cult advocates the adoration and veneration of all Imperial heroes, but Agnathio - keen for the chapter to make its mark on the galaxy - pays perhaps too much homage to the First Four Scions who left the Ultramarines to found the chapter. A keen student of their exploits even prior to their crossing of the Rubicon Primaris, Agnathio is regarded by many in the Third Company of being a sycophant. Lucullus, of course, is only too pleased to receive such recognition. The benefit to all this hero worship is that Agnathio extols the value of martial flexibility, and has sought to emulate his captain by mastering all the weapons in the arsenal. While his squad sometimes roll their eyes at his attitude to his betters, they pay attention when he provides weapons training. Indeed, when a marine is promoted into the company from the reserve, Lucullus will often ensure they spend some time in Squad IX to further entrench their skill with a variety of equipment.

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[[File:antinus_severus.png|400x350px|left]]

===X: Antinus Severus===
A notorious glory hound, Severus has been known to take impetuous risks when the rewards are high. Never happier than when he's rushing to the rescue of comrades, he particularly enjoys dispatching the Scions' foes from the saddle of a bike. Ultimately he yearns to command the 8th Company, where he might sate his love of rapid warfare. This eagerness often puts him at odds with the more conservatively minded Lucullus, although this is usually expressed by amused exasperation rather than actual frustration.

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==Support Units==
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[[File:atalus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Gaius Atalus, Redemptor Dreadnought===
Gaius Atalus was the first batch-produced primaris marine who truly earned the respect of the four Ultramarines who crossed the Rubicon Primaris to found the chapter.

Being a native of Magna Macragge Civitas helped, but it was his adaptability that got him noticed by Martellus Lucullus of the Third during the Siege of Adrantis VII. Lucullus had Atalus moved from the reserve companies and into the Third, where he took him under his wing. Atalus was a quick study whose good humour only seemed to increase in a crisis. If anything he was a little too sure of himself, but seemed to have the skill to back it up.

He became the first Cobalt Scion to be promoted into the rank of Lieutenant, rather than simply having the position thanks to Cawl's programming. Chapter Master Drusus agreed, at Lucullus' suggestion, that Atalus would be first in line should one of the chapter's captains fall in combat. To ensure Atalus would do well in command, Lucullus regularly had him take control of operations and would watch his pupil, only offering suggestions if he considered that Atalus was making a dangerous mistake.

Sadly it was during one such operation that everything went disastrously wrong.

The Liberation of Pleione Secundus was a long and gruelling fight against ork invaders. Atalus had hastily arranged the defence of Numis City's commercia district, but had missed one possible point of ingress. Lucullus was briefly called away to liaise with other Imperial forces, and whilst he was gone, a large group of orks broke through the gap. Atalus took full responsibility and judged that a full squad of brothers would be lost unless a withdrawal was facilitated. He stormed into the breach and sacrificed himself to cover the withdrawal. Lucullus assumed operational control and led a counterattack to drive the orks back. By the time the Scions recovered Atalus, his second heart was failing.

His loss was mourned, as everyone sensed he had been destined for greatness. He was interred in the chapter's first suit of Dreadnought armour, and given his close relationship with Lucullus, was assigned to the Third. While this does allow Lucullus to maintain his friendship with his old pupil, it also means dealing with Atalus' increasingly... problematic traits.

Having been told he was destined for big things, and then being told he can't have them because apparently you can't just leave dreadnoughts switched on the whole time, has made Atalus increasingly bitter. He doesn't fully understand why he has to be put to sleep so much of the time, and seems slower to learn than he once was. If anything, he seems to be regressing.

Lucullus finds it hard to see his friend slipping away, but he and the chaplains have been unsuccessful in keeping Atalus' spirits up. Some have suggested it would be easier on Lucullus if Atalus was assigned to a different company, but Lucullus thinks himself in the best position to help, even if the process brings him sadness.

Atalus sometimes gets confused or disoriented in firefights, particularly when engaging orks, and has been known to start issuing orders or formulating incomplete plans. The marines of the Third have learned to ignore these edicts, and will joke with Atalus that he's forgotten his place. Atalus will vox back with self-deprecating quips, but Lucullus knows this is a front and tries to employ his friend's suggestions where they're helpful so that Atalus doesn't feel entirely foolish.

Given enough time, it is hoped that Atalus will adapt to his new reality. Perhaps then, something of Lucullus' first and greatest protege will remain.

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==Previous members==
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[[File:lytanus.png|400x350px|left]]
===II: Lytanus Cato===
An extremely unimaginative student of the Codex Astartes, Lytanus' conversation style was once described as almost but not quite as interesting as Sanctioned Munitorum Off-White Emulsion Paint 82-theta. Lucullus saw him as humourless but dependable.

It was not an opinion shared by the Chapter Master. During a raid on a Night Lords outpost, Lytanus and his squad were set upon by the enemy's Chosen. At the time, Second Squad were on the cusp of elevation to the ranks of the First Company, and yet the Night Lords made short work of them. Lytanus never spoke of what was done to his squad members, but what could not be denied is that he was un-manned by the situation, and fled in genuine fear even as Chapter Master Drusus fought on alone. Following the battle, Lytanus was stripped of his Terminator Honours and told, in no uncertain terms, that he had best not imbue his new charges with the same cowardice he had shown in battle. Never a great conversationalist, Lytanus subsequently became yet more taciturn and withdrawn, but continued to serve faithfully until his death several years later by the hands of the very same Night Lords warband he had fled from years before. During the Battle of Sudhata, Night Lords Terminators teleported down directly behind his squad, and swiftly overwhelmed him and his new brothers. He was immediately avenged by Captain Lucullus, who ensured - despite Drusus' disapproval - that a bust of Cato is displayed in Syrnum's Hall of Remembrance. His mono-edged power shortsword, an unusual weapon for the Cobalt Scions, is kept in the Chapter Armoury.

[[Category:Adeptus Astartes]] [[Category:Cobalt Scions]] [[Category: Crusade Forces]]

Cobalt Scions Third Company

2025-08-11T21:20:12Z

Charlie:

[[File:Cobalt_Scions.png|682px|center]]

The [[Cobalt Scions]]' third company is led by Consul [[Martellus Lucullus]]. Notable individuals are listed below. Like all Cobalt Scions battle companies, its squads are expected to be able to switch their equipment between deployments and should therefore be expected to fulfill any battlefield role.

=Personnel=
==Command Staff==
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[[File:Captain_Martellus_Lucullus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Captain Martellus Lucullus===
Known as an articulate proponent of the patient rationality of his original chapter, some regard Lucullus as a paragon of traditional virtues. Others, though, say that the one-time Ultramarine is a man who will always do the right thing, so long as the right thing helps cement his place in the history books - including his offer to cross the Rubicon Primaris and help found the Cobalt Scions.

See [[Martellus Lucullus|main article]] for more information.

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[[File:Nerva.png|400x350px|left]]
===Lieutenant Antigonus Nerva===
Nerva is the oldest marine in the chapter. This is not due to a long and illustrious career, but because he was one of seventy-two subjects used to test ageing during the Primaris project. This left him with a lingering hatred of the Mechanicus, who treated him like a lab animal for centuries, and with an advanced empathy for people who are not being listened to. Following an ill-advisedly honest speech during the Rite of Remembrance one morning, Nerva found himself elevated from obscurity in the reserve companies to serve as Captain Lucullus' right hand man following the loss of Gais Atalus. Lucullus has made it clear that Nerva's job is to serve as his moral compass more than anything else, but his lack of command experience and lack of martial prowess (relative to the company's other officers) made him a figure of some resentment.

He did at least demonstrate the virtues of tenacity and self sacrifice in his repeated clashes with the ork warlord Guluk during [[the Andaras Affair]], but has yet to truly prove his worth as a tactician.

See [https://www.thebeardbunker.com/2021/04/cobalt-scions-army-complete.html this short story on the Beard Bunker] for more information about his promotion to Lieutenant.

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[[File:Verus.png|400x350px|left]]

===Chaplain Caius Verus===
Caius Verus has been the chaplain of the Third Company since he was awakened on Mars at the start of the Indomitus Crusade. When he woke, his experience was similar to his brother-marines; it was hard to trust that this wasn't just another simulation, and harder still to believe that he was now expected to provide rousing rhetoric in the heat of battle. He was far from alone in his uncertainty, and took some comfort from that.

Said comfort evaporated at the start of his first battle, when he was perturbed to find himself delivering a speech that he'd neither written nor imagined. He felt as though someone else was operating his larynx. The speech itself lacked flair or context; it sounded to him like the tired platitudes that one might be subjected to by an Ecclesiarchy auto-hailer when passing a temple.

For weeks, every time he opened his mouth to boost morale of nearby allies, these rote speeches poured out of him. To the other Scions, they were the only speeches they'd heard in battle, and seemed perfectly normal. To Verus, the sermons stuffed in his head sounded almost as though they had been written by someone who barely believed in them, and he was determined to do better.

He snatched what time he could to study rhetoric and oratory for himself. Over time, he learned to suppress autonomic catechisms in favour of his own efforts. They lacked flair, and did little to inspire his brothers, but Captain Lucullus encouraged him to persist even if it meant failure in the short term. Progress was slow and demoralising, but with Lucullus' persistence, Verus grew wiser.

After decades of war and study, Verus eclipsed his tutor. Where Lucullus' dry, rational dialectic is useful for dealing with scheming politicians, it has little ability to turn a crowd of citizens to their duty. Verus is almost the opposite, capable of inspiring citizens and Astartes alike, although shrewder minds are less likely to be swayed. Rationally, Lucullus knows their skills are usefully complimentary, but he envies Verus' charisma and popularity. This occasionally seeps out of him in the form of aphorisms warning against using platitudes over substantive points, but Lucullus recognises this as the fruit of jealous vanity and does what he can to suppress the instinct.

Verus, for his part, now relishes his role, and some say is destined to gain rank within the Reclusiam. For now, he intends to remain where he is to show loyalty to Lucullus and the Third Company - a loyalty which, arguably, now holds him back from achieving all that he could.

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[[File:Aulus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Ancient Aulus Acastian===
Brother Aulus dreams of commanding the Third one day, but while his loyalty and martial prowess are without fault, he lacks the keen mind and political savvy needed for command. Lucullus has thus far placated Aulus with the honoured role of the company's Ancient, and hopes to further avoid the issue by seeing the seasoned warrior elevated to Chapter Ancient and, thus, he can become the Chapter Master's problem. For now, Aulus serves in his role with distinction, and keeps his frustration largely to himself.

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:eudemus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Apothecary Galenus Eudemus===
Eudemus is a firm believer in the Scions' mission to purify and consolidate the [[Eridani Sector]]. He is a humble, gregarious man who is slow to trust outsiders, and in particular takes a cynical view of the decadence of Imperial noble houses, generally making quips at their expense in the privacy of the squad vox while standing behind Lucullus during diplomatic efforts. Unlike most Scions, he has little patience for ceremony or honour, having seen both things been made foolish by the realities of battlefield triage. He holds a particular loathing for Heretic Astartes, having witnessed several Cobalt Scions get dragged away by the agents of Fabius Bile. For a while, he petitioned the Inquisition to find out if there was any way of tracking and killing Bile, concerned that Bile might unlock the secrets of the Ultima Founding. At length, he has come to accept that this is far beyond his remit, and simply a horrifying truth he must live with.

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:arkadios_herodion.png|400x350px|left]]
===Apothecary Arkadios Herodion===
Herodion is a newly qualified apothecary with a keen interest in anatomy, whether it's the administration of posthuman healthcare, or the dissection of repulsive xenos. His academic curiosity means that he is always eager to talk shop with any trained physician or biologis expert he meets.

<div style="clear: both"></div>

==Squad Leaders==
<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:Tyvus.png|400x350px|left]]
===I: Xantho Tyvus===
Lucullus promoted Tyvus to lead the First Squad so as to ensure he'd be regularly subjected to at least one contrary opinion. Where Lucullus is cautious and methodical, Tyvus will usually advocate for fast, decisive aggression. He claims his predisposition for using power fists is simply emulating the martial style of the Lord of Macragge, but most in the company think he is rationalising a deep personal preference for punching things. Tyvus is quite a polarising figure in the Third Company, admired by some and grating to others.

As a reward for Tyvus' tireless conduct during the [[Season of Fire]], Hadrios Kelsus of the Phratry Munitorus retooled his power fist with archeotech capacitors. The gauntlet has come to be viewed as a relic of the Third Company. He acquitted himself just as heroically during the [[Raid on Lachesis]], slaying multiple Gal Vorbak of [[the Graven Star]] and defeating their Master of Executions in personal combat, earning him Terminator Honours. In the closing stages of the raid, however, he experienced tragedy when most of his seasoned squadmates were slain by warriors of [[the Thirteenth Talon]] during a boarding action on the ''Revenant''. Never one to hide his emotions, Tyvus openly wept at their loss, and has sworn vengeance upon the Night Lords.

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:Pyrrhos.png|400x350px|left]]
===II: Aelius Pyrrhos===
Recently raised from commanding a squad in the reserve companies, Pyrrhos is eager to prove himself to his new brothers.

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:syras.png|400x350px|left]]
===III: Hairan Syras===
Syras would, all things being equal, be happiest wearing a suit of gravis armour standing next to a shipping container full of ammunition. Others in the Third often joke about his obsession with being prepared for any given situation, but to Syras' chagrin, his preparedness makes him particularly useful when assigned to infiltration missions. Indeed it was one such mission, early in the Indomitus Crusade, that gave Syras his supply-based paranoia; running out of ammo deep behind enemy lines, he spent a week moving under cover of darkness and living and dying by his combat knife. Ever since, he can almost always be found festooned with ammo and chastising anyone he deems under-equipped. His most frequently used phrase is probably, "That'll do, so long as nothing goes wrong. And something always goes wrong."

Among the various specialists in Squad III is combat squad leader Lydus Petronius, an ambitious marine recently reassigned from the reserve companies. Unlike his sergeant, Lydus is only too keen to take as many infiltration missions as he can, all the better to prove his resourcefulness when acting on his own initiative.

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:gallo.png|400x350px|left]]
===IV: Octavius Gallus===
Gallus came to the Segmentum Pacificus as part of an Ultramarines strike force at the onset of the Fourth Tyrannic War. The strike force itself met with disaster, and Gallus was the sole survivor. He was rescued from his drifting escape pod by the Imperial Navy, who in turn brought him to the Cobalt Scions. Rather than face a long and uncertain journey back to Ultramar, he instead petitioned to join this fledgling successor chapter. The Scions welcomed him into the fold, and were pleased to have such a seasoned marine join their young ranks. He soon proved his worthiness for a sergeant's helm, and was assigned to the Third Company. He has a tendency to assume younger marines don't know their business and is something of an over-explainer, but it's hoped that with time he will learn how to strike a balance between being a font of wisdom and a font of patronisation.

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:cassander.png|400x350px|left]]

===V: Oreas Cassander===
With a proven history of trying to get himself spectacularly killed in the attempt to save those in need of protection, Cassander is considered a rash fool by some, and a paragon of virtue by others. Lucullus considers him to be both. Cassander is firm friends with Tyvus, but has little time for Lytanus' emotionally detached lectures about the need to follow the Codex at all times. Lucullus trusts Cassander to conduct himself honourably when working with other Imperial forces, and often gives him the longest leash, ranging ahead of the main force to secure forward objectives and defend them with great determination.

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:Uriel castus.png|400x350px|left]]

===VI: Uriel Castus===
As the sole survivor in his squad following an encounter with a band of plague marines during the Indomitus Crusade, Castus' hatred for Heretic Astartes is extreme. As such he will almost always volunteer his squad should the use of plasma guns be required to deal with their ilk. The [[Raid on Lachesis]] only served to deepen his loathing of the Archenemy.

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:Valius.png|400x350px|left]]

===VII: Valius Agarion===
A keen proponent of victory before honour, Valius enthusiastically volunteers his squad for any duty others might consider dishonourable or underhanded. Consequently, his men spend much of their time in Phobos armour.

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:Viriathus_audax.png|400x350px|left]]

===VIII: Viriathus Audax===
Always one to suggest an elaborate battle plan, 'Viri' often finds himself in arguments with Sergeant Tyvus. Viriathus is too patient for such debates to become ill-tempered, and while his plans rarely prove workable, some element of them often works its way into the company's strategies. He is sometimes referred to as the 'little lieutenant' for his fondness for breaking his squad down into multiple small teams.

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:lastratus.png|400x350px|left]]

===IX: Agnathio Lastratus===
The Cobalt Scions' chapter cult advocates the adoration and veneration of all Imperial heroes, but Agnathio - keen for the chapter to make its mark on the galaxy - pays perhaps too much homage to the First Four Scions who left the Ultramarines to found the chapter. A keen student of their exploits even prior to their crossing of the Rubicon Primaris, Agnathio is regarded by many in the Third Company of being a sycophant. Lucullus, of course, is only too pleased to receive such recognition. The benefit to all this hero worship is that Agnathio extols the value of martial flexibility, and has sought to emulate his captain by mastering all the weapons in the arsenal. While his squad sometimes roll their eyes at his attitude to his betters, they pay attention when he provides weapons training. Indeed, when a marine is promoted into the company from the reserve, Lucullus will often ensure they spend some time in Squad IX to further entrench their skill with a variety of equipment.

<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:antinus_severus.png|400x350px|left]]

===X: Antinus Severus===
A notorious glory hound, Severus has been known to take impetuous risks when the rewards are high. Never happier than when he's rushing to the rescue of comrades, he particularly enjoys dispatching the Scions' foes from the saddle of a bike. Ultimately he yearns to command the 8th Company, where he might sate his love of rapid warfare. This eagerness often puts him at odds with the more conservatively minded Lucullus, although this is usually expressed by amused exasperation rather than actual frustration.

<div style="clear: both"></div>

==Support Units==
<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:atalus.png|400x350px|left]]
===Gaius Atalus, Redemptor Dreadnought===
Gaius Atalus was the first batch-produced primaris marine who truly earned the respect of the four Ultramarines who crossed the Rubicon Primaris to found the chapter.

Being a native of Magna Macragge Civitas helped, but it was his adaptability that got him noticed by Martellus Lucullus of the Third during the Siege of Adrantis VII. Lucullus had Atalus moved from the reserve companies and into the Third, where he took him under his wing. Atalus was a quick study whose good humour only seemed to increase in a crisis. If anything he was a little too sure of himself, but seemed to have the skill to back it up.

He became the first Cobalt Scion to be promoted into the rank of Lieutenant, rather than simply having the position thanks to Cawl's programming. Chapter Master Drusus agreed, at Lucullus' suggestion, that Atalus would be first in line should one of the chapter's captains fall in combat. To ensure Atalus would do well in command, Lucullus regularly had him take control of operations and would watch his pupil, only offering suggestions if he considered that Atalus was making a dangerous mistake.

Sadly it was during one such operation that everything went disastrously wrong.

The Liberation of Pleione Secundus was a long and gruelling fight against ork invaders. Atalus had hastily arranged the defence of Numis City's commercia district, but had missed one possible point of ingress. Lucullus was briefly called away to liaise with other Imperial forces, and whilst he was gone, a large group of orks broke through the gap. Atalus took full responsibility and judged that a full squad of brothers would be lost unless a withdrawal was facilitated. He stormed into the breach and sacrificed himself to cover the withdrawal. Lucullus assumed operational control and led a counterattack to drive the orks back. By the time the Scions recovered Atalus, his second heart was failing.

His loss was mourned, as everyone sensed he had been destined for greatness. He was interred in the chapter's first suit of Dreadnought armour, and given his close relationship with Lucullus, was assigned to the Third. While this does allow Lucullus to maintain his friendship with his old pupil, it also means dealing with Atalus' increasingly... problematic traits.

Having been told he was destined for big things, and then being told he can't have them because apparently you can't just leave dreadnoughts switched on the whole time, has made Atalus increasingly bitter. He doesn't fully understand why he has to be put to sleep so much of the time, and seems slower to learn than he once was. If anything, he seems to be regressing.

Lucullus finds it hard to see his friend slipping away, but he and the chaplains have been unsuccessful in keeping Atalus' spirits up. Some have suggested it would be easier on Lucullus if Atalus was assigned to a different company, but Lucullus thinks himself in the best position to help, even if the process brings him sadness.

Atalus sometimes gets confused or disoriented in firefights, particularly when engaging orks, and has been known to start issuing orders or formulating incomplete plans. The marines of the Third have learned to ignore these edicts, and will joke with Atalus that he's forgotten his place. Atalus will vox back with self-deprecating quips, but Lucullus knows this is a front and tries to employ his friend's suggestions where they're helpful so that Atalus doesn't feel entirely foolish.

Given enough time, it is hoped that Atalus will adapt to his new reality. Perhaps then, something of Lucullus' first and greatest protege will remain.

<div style="clear: both"></div>

==Previous members==
<div style="clear: both"></div>
[[File:lytanus.png|400x350px|left]]
===II: Lytanus Cato===
An extremely unimaginative student of the Codex Astartes, Lytanus' conversation style was once described as almost but not quite as interesting as Sanctioned Munitorum Off-White Emulsion Paint 82-theta. Lucullus saw him as humourless but dependable.

It was not an opinion shared by the Chapter Master. During a raid on a Night Lords outpost, Lytanus and his squad were set upon by the enemy's Chosen. At the time, Second Squad were on the cusp of elevation to the ranks of the First Company, and yet the Night Lords made short work of them. Lytanus never spoke of what was done to his squad members, but what could not be denied is that he was un-manned by the situation, and fled in genuine fear even as Chapter Master Drusus fought on alone. Following the battle, Lytanus was stripped of his Terminator Honours and told, in no uncertain terms, that he had best not imbue his new charges with the same cowardice he had shown in battle. Never a great conversationalist, Lytanus subsequently became yet more taciturn and withdrawn, but continued to serve faithfully until his death several years later by the hands of the very same Night Lords warband he had fled from years before. During the Battle of Sudhata, Night Lords Terminators teleported down directly behind his squad, and swiftly overwhelmed him and his new brothers. He was immediately avenged by Captain Lucullus, who ensured - despite Drusus' disapproval - that a bust of Cato is displayed in Syrnum's Hall of Remembrance. His mono-edged power shortsword, an unusual weapon for the Cobalt Scions, is kept in the Chapter Armoury.

[[Category:Adeptus Astartes]] [[Category:Cobalt Scions]] [[Category: Crusade Forces]]

File:Viriathus audax.png

2025-08-11T21:11:30Z

Charlie:

File:Valius.png

2025-08-11T21:10:18Z

Charlie:

IOL-804

2025-07-14T13:19:19Z

Charlie:

[[File:iol804.png|400px|right]]
[[File:sector_map_link.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
This system in the [[Iolan Reaches]] features a pair of habitable but arid desert worlds, both of which appear to have substantial blackstone deposits. The blackstone does not appear to be of any interest to the small but technologically developed ork populations on the planet.

The blackstone deposits were flagged by an explorator vessel in 997.M41. Some years later, led by the prognostications of their Librarians, the [[Cobalt Scions]] prevented a World Eaters warband from using the Blackstone for unknown purposes and, having become aware of the planets, set about aiding the Adeptus Terra in establishing a mining colony, laying down the basic infrastructure of space ports on both planets, and connecting them to the largest deposits with roads. While the colony is still being established, the Scions have maintained a garrison, primarily made up of the Novitiate Auxilia and reserve units, to defend the colony against raids, both from the local orks and from elsewhere.

==Kryaskonis Alpha==
The larger of the two planets, the gravity is tiring but manageable for baseline humans, and the atmosphere breathable but thin. Sandstorms are common, and rugged buildings are needed to protect against the heat of the day and the cold of the night.

===Port Aterizar===
With an organised road grid laid down by the Cobalt Scions' head architect Felicita Morleio, this is the system's largest Imperial settlement, but with a population of around 90,000 it is a small city by Imperial standards. It is centered around its Commercia district, with the hab zone on one side, the space port's two terminals on the other, and further out of town, the city's power station.

===Delving Alpha-3===
Known as Sysipheum, this equatorial blackstone mine is notorious for the punishing daytime heat. Being sent to work here is used as a threat to colonists who fail to meet their work quotas or are found guilty of various crimes.

==Kryaskonis Beta==
The smaller of the Kryaskonii, but no less arid. Inhabitants have to be careful to avoid being weakened by the lower gravity. The atmosphere is thicker, making the climate less extreme to work in, but this does mean that sandstorms are that much more spectacular.

===Port Skavos===
This port has only recently become functional. Most of the habs are occupied by construction personnel working on establishing the town as quickly and efficiently as possible.

[[Category: Systems]] [[Category: Eridani Sector Systems]] [[Category: Iolan Reaches Systems]]

Battlefleet Eridani

2025-07-14T09:02:10Z

Charlie: Created page with "The sector battlefleet is considered to be highly problematic by the Ordo Hereticus, and has been the subject of numerous unsuccessful attempts to reform it so as to bring it..."

The sector battlefleet is considered to be highly problematic by the Ordo Hereticus, and has been the subject of numerous unsuccessful attempts to reform it so as to bring it into compliance with Imperial standards.

Navy battlefleets should normally be centrally controlled and unambiguously owe allegiance to no entity beyond the Adeptus Terra. Historically, however, the disparate regions of Eridani were responsible for funding the construction of local fleet assets. In an effort to drum up additional resources, many governors allowed noble families to sponsor the construction of vessels, and endeavoured to instill regional pride by allowing sub sectors or even single systems to choose a livery for naval vessels. This system naturally leant itself to endemic cronyism, and over time it became a tacit understanding that fleet assets built from the contributions of particular systems could expect those assets to come to the defence of their systems when attacked.

By the time the Adeptus Terra got around to consolidating the sector, these semi-independent fleets were so deeply entrenched that when attempts were made to centralise command, multiple prosperous worlds threatened to leave the Imperium. With crises all across the Imperium, the problem was allowed to persist and further entrench. At its worst, this has allowed the worlds of Alyria to continue their incessant infighting. At best, it has resulted in wealthy worlds competing for the prestige of funding the most powerful vessels, and some magnificent battleships. The shipyards of both Saedra and Massyleon have both profited significantly from this arrangement, allowing other systems to 'sponsor' (buy) new naval vessels, which may or may not then be 'initially stationed' with a 'fortunate predisposition' towards protecting the world that 'sponsored' them.

The corruption runs deep, but the cataclysmic consequences of seriously challenging the status quo has, thus far, prevented the Inquisition from essentially launching a naval civil war on the sector and fighting against multiple rebellions in what is, otherwise, a steadfastly loyal and productive region.

=Vessels of note=
==Battlecruisers==
=====''San Bastiano'' (Overlord)=====
* Commodore Bertram Strand
* Ld9
* Disciplined Crew (once per battle the ship may re-roll a failed Leadership test or Command Check).
==Cruisers==
=====''Cardinal Durante'' (Dictator)=====
* Captain Dalia Chima
* Ld7
=====''Fortitude'' (Dominator)=====
* Captain Sokha Soun
* Ld7
=====''Iusta Irae'' (Gothic)=====
* Captain Zarina Alieva
* Ld6
==Escort Squadrons==
=====Squadron 19: The ''Cautus'' (Sword class), ''Cautela'' (Sword class) and ''Pilum'' (Firestorm class)=====
* Ld8

=Allied ships=
=====''Aegis Aeterna'' (Salamanders Strike Cruiser)=====
* Ld9
* Disciplined Crew - Once per battle the ship may reroll a leadership test or command check.
=====The ''Naga, Dreki,'' and ''Tarakona'' (Salamanders Gladius-class frigates)=====
* Ld8

Eridani Sector

2025-07-14T08:33:44Z

Charlie: /* Battlefleet Eridani */

Eridani Sector

2025-07-14T08:32:49Z

Charlie: /* Key Military Factions */

[[File:eridani.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
[[File:sector_map_link.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
The Eridani Sector lies coreward of the [[Achernar Sector]] within the [[Segmentum Pacificus]]. It contains a number of sub-sectors. Notable worlds include [[Thonis]], chapter homeworld of the [[Cobalt Scions]]. Imperial control of the sector is patchy. The isolated colonies of the [[Iolan Reaches]] suffer from frequent enemy raids, while regions such as the [[Targean Veil]] and the [[Neophrae]] remain largely uncharted.

=Timeline=
*[[Eridani Timeline]] records major events in the Eridani sector

=Sub-sectors=

*[[Alyria]]
*[[Graiae]]
*[[Iolan Reaches]]
*[[Massylean Sub-sector]]
*[[Neophrae]]
*[[Saedran Sub-sector]]
*[[Targean Veil]]

See [[:Category:Eridani Sub-sectors]]

==Other Regions==
*[[Pheraean Rift]]

=Key Military Factions=
*Imperial
**[[Cobalt Scions 3rd Company]]
**[[Raven Guard 5th Company]]
**[[The Black Templars Fifth Crusade Fleet]]
**[[Battlefleet Eridani]]
*Chaos
**[[The Iron Tide Grand Company]]
**[[The Thirteenth Talon]]
**[[Expeditionary Force Za-Yin]]
*Xenos
**[[Da Metalwaaagh]]
**[[Da Two Worlds Waaagh]]
**[[Ikarran Dynasty]]
**[[The Starborn Souls]]
**[[Host Vahlkaer]]

See also [[:Category: Crusade Forces]]

=Sector History and Culture=
==Pre and post-Consolidation==
For millennia, the sub sectors of Eridani were entirely separate regions. Geographic features such as the [[Pherean Rift]] and the sparse population of the [[Iolan Reaches]] naturally cut off areas from each other. The worlds of the Saedran sub kept frequent contact with the Graiae and the worlds of Alyria, but had nothing to do with the populous worlds of Massylea. It was only when the Iolan Reaches started to be colonised that trading routes encouraged the Adeptus Terra to consolidate the region into one sector. Despite the consolidation occurring millennia ago, the different regions' cultural identities remain somewhat distinct, and relatively independent.

==Battlefleet Eridani==
The sector battlefleet is considered to be highly problematic by the Ordo Hereticus, and has been the subject of numerous unsuccessful attempts to reform it so as to bring it into compliance with Imperial standards.

Navy battlefleets should normally be centrally controlled and unambiguously owe allegiance to no entity beyond the Adeptus Terra. Historically, however, the disparate regions of Eridani were responsible for funding the construction of local fleet assets. In an effort to drum up additional resources, many governors allowed noble families to sponsor the construction of vessels, and endeavoured to instill regional pride by allowing sub sectors or even single systems to choose a livery for naval vessels. This system naturally leant itself to endemic cronyism, and over time it became a tacit understanding that fleet assets built from the contributions of particular systems could expect those assets to come to the defence of their systems when attacked.

By the time the Adeptus Terra got around to consolidating the sector, these semi-independent fleets were so deeply entrenched that when attempts were made to centralise command, multiple prosperous worlds threatened to leave the Imperium. With crises all across the Imperium, the problem was allowed to persist and further entrench. At its worst, this has allowed the worlds of Alyria to continue their incessant infighting. At best, it has resulted in wealthy worlds competing for the prestige of funding the most powerful vessels, and some magnificent battleships. The shipyards of both Saedra and Massyleon have both profited significantly from this arrangement, allowing other systems to 'sponsor' (buy) new naval vessels, which may or may not then be 'initially stationed' with a 'fortunate predisposition' towards protecting the world that 'sponsored' them.

The corruption runs deep, but the cataclysmic consequences of seriously challenging the status quo has, thus far, prevented the Inquisition from essentially launching a naval civil war on the sector and fighting against multiple rebellions in what is, otherwise, a steadfastly loyal and productive region.

===Vessels of note===
====Battlecruisers====
* ''San Bastiano'' (Overlord)
** Commodore Bertram Strand
** Ld9
** Disciplined Crew (once per battle the ship may re-roll a failed Leadership test or Command Check).
====Cruisers====
* ''Cardinal Durante'' (Dictator)
** Captain Dalia Chima
** Ld7
* ''Fortitude'' (Dominator)
** Captain Sokha Soun
** Ld7
* ''Iusta Irae'' (Gothic)
** Captain Zarina Alieva
** Ld6
====Escort Squadrons====
* Sqdn XIX: The ''Cautus'' (Sword class), ''Cautela'' (Sword class) and ''Pilum'' (Firestorm class)
** Ld8

====Allied ships====
* ''Aegis Aeterna'' (Salamanders Strike Cruiser)
** Ld9
** Disciplined Crew - Once per battle the ship may reroll a leadership test or command check.
* The ''Naga, Dreki,'' and ''Tarakona'' (Salamanders Gladius-class frigates)
** Ld8

[[Category:Sectors]]

Eridani Sector

2025-07-13T21:24:48Z

Charlie: /* Allied ships */

[[File:eridani.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
[[File:sector_map_link.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
The Eridani Sector lies coreward of the [[Achernar Sector]] within the [[Segmentum Pacificus]]. It contains a number of sub-sectors. Notable worlds include [[Thonis]], chapter homeworld of the [[Cobalt Scions]]. Imperial control of the sector is patchy. The isolated colonies of the [[Iolan Reaches]] suffer from frequent enemy raids, while regions such as the [[Targean Veil]] and the [[Neophrae]] remain largely uncharted.

=Timeline=
*[[Eridani Timeline]] records major events in the Eridani sector

=Sub-sectors=

*[[Alyria]]
*[[Graiae]]
*[[Iolan Reaches]]
*[[Massylean Sub-sector]]
*[[Neophrae]]
*[[Saedran Sub-sector]]
*[[Targean Veil]]

See [[:Category:Eridani Sub-sectors]]

==Other Regions==
*[[Pheraean Rift]]

=Key Military Factions=
*Imperial
**[[Cobalt Scions 3rd Company]]
**[[Raven Guard 5th Company]]
**[[The Black Templars Fifth Crusade Fleet]]
*Chaos
**[[The Iron Tide Grand Company]]
**[[The Thirteenth Talon]]
**[[Expeditionary Force Za-Yin]]
*Xenos
**[[Da Metalwaaagh]]
**[[Da Two Worlds Waaagh]]
**[[Ikarran Dynasty]]
**[[The Starborn Souls]]
**[[Host Vahlkaer]]

See also [[:Category: Crusade Forces]]

=Sector History and Culture=
==Pre and post-Consolidation==
For millennia, the sub sectors of Eridani were entirely separate regions. Geographic features such as the [[Pherean Rift]] and the sparse population of the [[Iolan Reaches]] naturally cut off areas from each other. The worlds of the Saedran sub kept frequent contact with the Graiae and the worlds of Alyria, but had nothing to do with the populous worlds of Massylea. It was only when the Iolan Reaches started to be colonised that trading routes encouraged the Adeptus Terra to consolidate the region into one sector. Despite the consolidation occurring millennia ago, the different regions' cultural identities remain somewhat distinct, and relatively independent.

==Battlefleet Eridani==
The sector battlefleet is considered to be highly problematic by the Ordo Hereticus, and has been the subject of numerous unsuccessful attempts to reform it so as to bring it into compliance with Imperial standards.

Navy battlefleets should normally be centrally controlled and unambiguously owe allegiance to no entity beyond the Adeptus Terra. Historically, however, the disparate regions of Eridani were responsible for funding the construction of local fleet assets. In an effort to drum up additional resources, many governors allowed noble families to sponsor the construction of vessels, and endeavoured to instill regional pride by allowing sub sectors or even single systems to choose a livery for naval vessels. This system naturally leant itself to endemic cronyism, and over time it became a tacit understanding that fleet assets built from the contributions of particular systems could expect those assets to come to the defence of their systems when attacked.

By the time the Adeptus Terra got around to consolidating the sector, these semi-independent fleets were so deeply entrenched that when attempts were made to centralise command, multiple prosperous worlds threatened to leave the Imperium. With crises all across the Imperium, the problem was allowed to persist and further entrench. At its worst, this has allowed the worlds of Alyria to continue their incessant infighting. At best, it has resulted in wealthy worlds competing for the prestige of funding the most powerful vessels, and some magnificent battleships. The shipyards of both Saedra and Massyleon have both profited significantly from this arrangement, allowing other systems to 'sponsor' (buy) new naval vessels, which may or may not then be 'initially stationed' with a 'fortunate predisposition' towards protecting the world that 'sponsored' them.

The corruption runs deep, but the cataclysmic consequences of seriously challenging the status quo has, thus far, prevented the Inquisition from essentially launching a naval civil war on the sector and fighting against multiple rebellions in what is, otherwise, a steadfastly loyal and productive region.

===Vessels of note===
====Battlecruisers====
* ''San Bastiano'' (Overlord)
** Commodore Bertram Strand
** Ld9
** Disciplined Crew (once per battle the ship may re-roll a failed Leadership test or Command Check).
====Cruisers====
* ''Cardinal Durante'' (Dictator)
** Captain Dalia Chima
** Ld7
* ''Fortitude'' (Dominator)
** Captain Sokha Soun
** Ld7
* ''Iusta Irae'' (Gothic)
** Captain Zarina Alieva
** Ld6
====Escort Squadrons====
* Sqdn XIX: The ''Cautus'' (Sword class), ''Cautela'' (Sword class) and ''Pilum'' (Firestorm class)
** Ld8

====Allied ships====
* ''Aegis Aeterna'' (Salamanders Strike Cruiser)
** Ld9
** Disciplined Crew - Once per battle the ship may reroll a leadership test or command check.
* The ''Naga, Dreki,'' and ''Tarakona'' (Salamanders Gladius-class frigates)
** Ld8

[[Category:Sectors]]

Eridani Sector

2025-07-13T21:24:14Z

Charlie: /* Vessels of note */

[[File:eridani.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
[[File:sector_map_link.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
The Eridani Sector lies coreward of the [[Achernar Sector]] within the [[Segmentum Pacificus]]. It contains a number of sub-sectors. Notable worlds include [[Thonis]], chapter homeworld of the [[Cobalt Scions]]. Imperial control of the sector is patchy. The isolated colonies of the [[Iolan Reaches]] suffer from frequent enemy raids, while regions such as the [[Targean Veil]] and the [[Neophrae]] remain largely uncharted.

=Timeline=
*[[Eridani Timeline]] records major events in the Eridani sector

=Sub-sectors=

*[[Alyria]]
*[[Graiae]]
*[[Iolan Reaches]]
*[[Massylean Sub-sector]]
*[[Neophrae]]
*[[Saedran Sub-sector]]
*[[Targean Veil]]

See [[:Category:Eridani Sub-sectors]]

==Other Regions==
*[[Pheraean Rift]]

=Key Military Factions=
*Imperial
**[[Cobalt Scions 3rd Company]]
**[[Raven Guard 5th Company]]
**[[The Black Templars Fifth Crusade Fleet]]
*Chaos
**[[The Iron Tide Grand Company]]
**[[The Thirteenth Talon]]
**[[Expeditionary Force Za-Yin]]
*Xenos
**[[Da Metalwaaagh]]
**[[Da Two Worlds Waaagh]]
**[[Ikarran Dynasty]]
**[[The Starborn Souls]]
**[[Host Vahlkaer]]

See also [[:Category: Crusade Forces]]

=Sector History and Culture=
==Pre and post-Consolidation==
For millennia, the sub sectors of Eridani were entirely separate regions. Geographic features such as the [[Pherean Rift]] and the sparse population of the [[Iolan Reaches]] naturally cut off areas from each other. The worlds of the Saedran sub kept frequent contact with the Graiae and the worlds of Alyria, but had nothing to do with the populous worlds of Massylea. It was only when the Iolan Reaches started to be colonised that trading routes encouraged the Adeptus Terra to consolidate the region into one sector. Despite the consolidation occurring millennia ago, the different regions' cultural identities remain somewhat distinct, and relatively independent.

==Battlefleet Eridani==
The sector battlefleet is considered to be highly problematic by the Ordo Hereticus, and has been the subject of numerous unsuccessful attempts to reform it so as to bring it into compliance with Imperial standards.

Navy battlefleets should normally be centrally controlled and unambiguously owe allegiance to no entity beyond the Adeptus Terra. Historically, however, the disparate regions of Eridani were responsible for funding the construction of local fleet assets. In an effort to drum up additional resources, many governors allowed noble families to sponsor the construction of vessels, and endeavoured to instill regional pride by allowing sub sectors or even single systems to choose a livery for naval vessels. This system naturally leant itself to endemic cronyism, and over time it became a tacit understanding that fleet assets built from the contributions of particular systems could expect those assets to come to the defence of their systems when attacked.

By the time the Adeptus Terra got around to consolidating the sector, these semi-independent fleets were so deeply entrenched that when attempts were made to centralise command, multiple prosperous worlds threatened to leave the Imperium. With crises all across the Imperium, the problem was allowed to persist and further entrench. At its worst, this has allowed the worlds of Alyria to continue their incessant infighting. At best, it has resulted in wealthy worlds competing for the prestige of funding the most powerful vessels, and some magnificent battleships. The shipyards of both Saedra and Massyleon have both profited significantly from this arrangement, allowing other systems to 'sponsor' (buy) new naval vessels, which may or may not then be 'initially stationed' with a 'fortunate predisposition' towards protecting the world that 'sponsored' them.

The corruption runs deep, but the cataclysmic consequences of seriously challenging the status quo has, thus far, prevented the Inquisition from essentially launching a naval civil war on the sector and fighting against multiple rebellions in what is, otherwise, a steadfastly loyal and productive region.

===Vessels of note===
====Battlecruisers====
* ''San Bastiano'' (Overlord)
** Commodore Bertram Strand
** Ld9
** Disciplined Crew (once per battle the ship may re-roll a failed Leadership test or Command Check).
====Cruisers====
* ''Cardinal Durante'' (Dictator)
** Captain Dalia Chima
** Ld7
* ''Fortitude'' (Dominator)
** Captain Sokha Soun
** Ld7
* ''Iusta Irae'' (Gothic)
** Captain Zarina Alieva
** Ld6
====Escort Squadrons====
* Sqdn XIX: The ''Cautus'' (Sword class), ''Cautela'' (Sword class) and ''Pilum'' (Firestorm class)
** Ld8

====Allied ships====
* The ''Aegis Aeterna'' is a Salamanders Strike Cruiser
** Ld9
** Disciplined Crew - Once per battle the ship may reroll a leadership test or command check.
* The ''Naga, Dreki,'' and ''Tarakona'' are Salamanders Gladius-class frigates
** Ld8

[[Category:Sectors]]

IOL-804

2025-07-13T09:55:40Z

Charlie:

Iudex

2025-07-01T22:09:40Z

Charlie: /* Iudecian Majoris */

[[File:Iudex_palace.png|400px|right]]
[[File:sector_map_link.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
A system in the [[Iolan Reaches]] of the [[Eridani Sector]], Iudex is one of the few Imperial holdings in the region larger than a colony or military base. A binary star system, Iudecian Majoris is the name of the primary main sequence yellow star - the other being a crystalline white dwarf by the name of Iudecian Minoris. Iudex has three inhabited worlds, though only one (Iudex) is permanently settled enough to qualify for the Imperial Tithe, and a further four uninhabited planetoids.

The Iudex system is a key link along a stable warp route between the Saedran and Alyrian subsectors, and Massyleon beyond them. This gives it strategic relevance to both military and commercial interests.

=Iudexian Politics and Culture=

==Political Structure==
Iudex is a civilised world in the Iolan Reaches with an elective monarchy style government. The Planetary Governor, known colloquially as the King, rules until death with absolute authority. Elections are held after a King’s death, with the interregnum between rulers being a tense time for the whole planet that always sees an increase in crime rates, wars between rival nation states and even more sinister undesirable activity. As a consequence law enforcement (known on Iudex as the Justiciary) are often swift and brutal in their meting out of justice, leading to a society that is broadly accepting of harsh authoritarianism while also having a more competent, connected and dangerous criminal underworld made up of those able and willing to evade the Justicars.

Iudex is also a world with significant Ecclesiarchal presence, at least by the standards of the Iolan Reaches. Its capital nation state of Gundyr is home to the Basilica Diaphonean, a shrine honouring the [[Order of the Cyan Storm]] - an Adepta Sororitas Convent from the neighboring [[Achernar Sector]]. The site itself sits twenty miles or so from the outskirts of the principal city of Solum, on an island protruding from the depths of Lake Theydeyd. Connected by bridge, the Basilica Diaphonean is half church, half fortress - stained glass reliefs of martyrs and battles from centuries passed feature next to parapets and guns pointing threateningly at the Bridge of Holy Obedience. Within lies the seat of Iudex’s Ecclesiarch - perhaps the second most powerful figure on the planet. The current Ecclesiarch is Grierat Knossos, a recent appointment following the untimely demise of his now late master. Investigations have revealed a stunning lack of foul play, and given Knossos’ brief time in charge questions remain over the direction he will take, and just how exactly he plans on safeguarding the souls of the people of Iudex.

The current King, Henselt Verm II, is a decrepit old man, his life having been extended well beyond its natural span by the rejuvenat process, and even this is unable to sustain him much longer. As his body decays and dies around him, his mind is also fading. What was once a beacon of stability in the remote Iolan Reaches is now an uncertain place, both at the whims of an increasingly demented leader, and facing the uncertainty of a looming election. Henselt’s medicae are unanimous in their opinion that Iudex has another decade at best before old age overtakes the King, and the lengthy process of choosing a new Planetary Governor begins.

Naturally, the world’s electors (for there are precious few) are already beginning the process of jostling for position. Each of Iudex’s one hundred and thirty three nation states holds a single vote in the hands of their regional Baron, the only other votes being in the hands of the Ecclesiarchy. The Church holds eleven votes, one for each of the fabled sons of the Emperor, and two representing the will of the God Emperor himself. While not usually enough to win an election outright, the Ecclesiarchy’s eleven votes are a powerful block that any prospective King must court - giving the Cult Imperialis considerable influence in the governance of Iudex.

==Military Strength==
Situated firmly upon the frontier of what could genuinely be considered Imperial space within the Eridani Sector, Iudex is relatively well defended - especially when compared with other Imperial aligned worlds within the Iolan Reaches. Though only the principal planet of Iudex itself has any standing planetary defence forces (which is itself of note in the Reaches), most inhabitants are armed and most population centres have at least some kind of defence from orbital attack. In addition to this the system's Justiciary are almost an army themselves; well armed, equipped and trained and numerous enough across the system to present an obstacle to any would be attacker.

The Imperial Tithe extracted from Iudex is usually in the form of soldiery, with Imperial Guard regiments raised infrequently as required from the best of the PDF and Justiciary. These regiments are normally deployed within the Iolan Reaches in response to more determined pirates, renegades or Xenos presence, and only rarely are sent into the wider Eridani Sector. Consequently there are often veteran reinforcements available to Iudex should more determined attackers than usual make planetfall, if it is able to recall a regiment in its defence. Even just one Imperial Guard regiment is a ponderous force to redeploy however, and requires both the approval of Eridani Sector Command and the petitioning of Battlefleet Eridani to transport them, meaning a lengthy and uncertain process from the point of the decision being made to getting boots on the ground - Such decisions are therefore only made in extremis, when the system itself appears threatened, and even then questions remain over whether the recall is sanctioned by Sector Command, whether or not the reinforcements will arrive in time, and if they will prove equal to the task...

While not a stronghold in any respect, Iudex has been one of the most stable Imperial systems in the Iolan Reaches for centuries - representing an oasis of relative safety and stability in a lawless region of space. It is a hard enough target that slavers and petty raiders give it a wide berth, but it has never been tested by an invasion in earnest. Though they are very complimentary and grateful for the presence of such a system in the Reaches, Sector Command are quietly aware of the uncomfortable truth: Iudex is a small and lonely world in dangerous space, and its reputation as a haven in the Iolan Reaches is more due to its obscurity than the men and women that stand in its defence.

=The Worlds of Iudex=

==Iudecian Majoris==
[[File:Iudex_system_map_lo_res.jpg|800px|center]]
===Iudecian Majoris I: Phantarr===
A small rocky planet with a surface largely composed of radioactive heavy metals and no atmosphere to speak of. The world is so heavily irradiated that the cost of extracting its resources outstrips its potential yield a hundred times over.

===Iudecian Majoris II: Kant’s Folly===
A rocky venusian greenhouse, completely uninhabitable. Kant’s Folly is named for the intrepid Rogue Trader Sucher Kant, who ignored the warnings of Imperial Surveyors and attempted to self fund a colony millennia ago. Suffice to say, nothing of his lamentable effort has survived the corrosive atmosphere and inferno-hurricanes of Iudecian Majoris II.

===Iudecian Majoris III: Rakartha===
A large oceanic world with a primarily tropical climate (that gets stormier and colder the further towards the poles one sails), Rakartha would be considered a perfect agri world capable of feeding billions if situated in a more populous sub sector. Instead, the resources of its oceans are almost exclusively enjoyed in Iudex - and therefore are to all intents and purposes inexhaustible. Its scattered population live mainly nomadic lives, spent either on the tiny clustered archipelagos that make up Rakartha’s only land masses and permanent settlements, or colossal trawler-ships with nets designed to dredge up anything and everything they can. Rakartha’s population is tiny - a million or so at best, since fishing is the only way of life possible, and it is not entirely uncommon for a trawler to mysteriously vanish beneath the waves from time to time, which has given rise to uncomfortable rumours of horrors in the deep...

===Iudecian Majoris IV: Iudex===
A civilised rocky planet that sits on the edge of the habitable belt of Iudecian Majoris, Iudex is the only world with a population higher than one billion in the system. Iudex has a primarily temperate climate, though given its distance from Iudecian Majoris even midday feels like dusk and even midsummer carries a chill in the air. This has led to plant life that conserves all the energy it can - typically evergreen, hardy and difficult to eat.

Iudex’s relative isolation to the rest of the Eridani Sector means that it produces few exports, instead focusing on being a self-sufficient world able to feed and house all of its people. There is a steady trickle of ships to and from Iudex, though almost none are of any import - typically passing military vessels and refugees from elsewhere in the Iolan Reaches, with the occasional soon to be disappointed trader.

There is an old smuggler settlement in the hills called Rascal's Refuge that, becoming a ''popular'' pirate haven attracted the attention of the Governor and was partly bombed back to the stone age. The ruins continue to be a haunt for criminals though.

===Iudecian Majoris V: Sindrian===
A gas giant composed of a helium/hydrogen mix with a core of naturally occurring adamantium. While interesting from a scientific point of view, Sindrian is uninhabited. ++++ Forget the power of technology and science, for so much has been forgotten, never to be re-learned. Forget the promise of progress and understanding, for in the grim dark future there is only war. ++++

===Iudecian Majoris VI: Jebalt===
Beyond the habitable belt of Iudecian Majoris, Jebalt is a bitingly cold world that nevertheless features sites of heavy industrialisation. The vast bulk of the planet’s surface is icy wasteland, but Jebalt does have a few scattered settlements where surveyor ships have identified ores of value beneath the ice. Jebalt exports these metals almost exclusively to Iudex, where they are used in fields from jewellery to arms manufacturing.

==Iudecian Minoris==

===Iudecian Minoris I: Kintaro===
The sole planetary body orbiting Iudecian Minoris, Kintaro is an uninhabited dwarf planet of frozen ammonia and methane.

[[Category: Systems]] [[Category: Eridani Sector Systems]] [[Category: Iolan Reaches Systems]]

Iudex

2025-07-01T22:09:10Z

Charlie: /* The Worlds of Iudex */

[[File:Iudex_palace.png|400px|right]]
[[File:sector_map_link.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
A system in the [[Iolan Reaches]] of the [[Eridani Sector]], Iudex is one of the few Imperial holdings in the region larger than a colony or military base. A binary star system, Iudecian Majoris is the name of the primary main sequence yellow star - the other being a crystalline white dwarf by the name of Iudecian Minoris. Iudex has three inhabited worlds, though only one (Iudex) is permanently settled enough to qualify for the Imperial Tithe, and a further four uninhabited planetoids.

The Iudex system is a key link along a stable warp route between the Saedran and Alyrian subsectors, and Massyleon beyond them. This gives it strategic relevance to both military and commercial interests.

=Iudexian Politics and Culture=

==Political Structure==
Iudex is a civilised world in the Iolan Reaches with an elective monarchy style government. The Planetary Governor, known colloquially as the King, rules until death with absolute authority. Elections are held after a King’s death, with the interregnum between rulers being a tense time for the whole planet that always sees an increase in crime rates, wars between rival nation states and even more sinister undesirable activity. As a consequence law enforcement (known on Iudex as the Justiciary) are often swift and brutal in their meting out of justice, leading to a society that is broadly accepting of harsh authoritarianism while also having a more competent, connected and dangerous criminal underworld made up of those able and willing to evade the Justicars.

Iudex is also a world with significant Ecclesiarchal presence, at least by the standards of the Iolan Reaches. Its capital nation state of Gundyr is home to the Basilica Diaphonean, a shrine honouring the [[Order of the Cyan Storm]] - an Adepta Sororitas Convent from the neighboring [[Achernar Sector]]. The site itself sits twenty miles or so from the outskirts of the principal city of Solum, on an island protruding from the depths of Lake Theydeyd. Connected by bridge, the Basilica Diaphonean is half church, half fortress - stained glass reliefs of martyrs and battles from centuries passed feature next to parapets and guns pointing threateningly at the Bridge of Holy Obedience. Within lies the seat of Iudex’s Ecclesiarch - perhaps the second most powerful figure on the planet. The current Ecclesiarch is Grierat Knossos, a recent appointment following the untimely demise of his now late master. Investigations have revealed a stunning lack of foul play, and given Knossos’ brief time in charge questions remain over the direction he will take, and just how exactly he plans on safeguarding the souls of the people of Iudex.

The current King, Henselt Verm II, is a decrepit old man, his life having been extended well beyond its natural span by the rejuvenat process, and even this is unable to sustain him much longer. As his body decays and dies around him, his mind is also fading. What was once a beacon of stability in the remote Iolan Reaches is now an uncertain place, both at the whims of an increasingly demented leader, and facing the uncertainty of a looming election. Henselt’s medicae are unanimous in their opinion that Iudex has another decade at best before old age overtakes the King, and the lengthy process of choosing a new Planetary Governor begins.

Naturally, the world’s electors (for there are precious few) are already beginning the process of jostling for position. Each of Iudex’s one hundred and thirty three nation states holds a single vote in the hands of their regional Baron, the only other votes being in the hands of the Ecclesiarchy. The Church holds eleven votes, one for each of the fabled sons of the Emperor, and two representing the will of the God Emperor himself. While not usually enough to win an election outright, the Ecclesiarchy’s eleven votes are a powerful block that any prospective King must court - giving the Cult Imperialis considerable influence in the governance of Iudex.

==Military Strength==
Situated firmly upon the frontier of what could genuinely be considered Imperial space within the Eridani Sector, Iudex is relatively well defended - especially when compared with other Imperial aligned worlds within the Iolan Reaches. Though only the principal planet of Iudex itself has any standing planetary defence forces (which is itself of note in the Reaches), most inhabitants are armed and most population centres have at least some kind of defence from orbital attack. In addition to this the system's Justiciary are almost an army themselves; well armed, equipped and trained and numerous enough across the system to present an obstacle to any would be attacker.

The Imperial Tithe extracted from Iudex is usually in the form of soldiery, with Imperial Guard regiments raised infrequently as required from the best of the PDF and Justiciary. These regiments are normally deployed within the Iolan Reaches in response to more determined pirates, renegades or Xenos presence, and only rarely are sent into the wider Eridani Sector. Consequently there are often veteran reinforcements available to Iudex should more determined attackers than usual make planetfall, if it is able to recall a regiment in its defence. Even just one Imperial Guard regiment is a ponderous force to redeploy however, and requires both the approval of Eridani Sector Command and the petitioning of Battlefleet Eridani to transport them, meaning a lengthy and uncertain process from the point of the decision being made to getting boots on the ground - Such decisions are therefore only made in extremis, when the system itself appears threatened, and even then questions remain over whether the recall is sanctioned by Sector Command, whether or not the reinforcements will arrive in time, and if they will prove equal to the task...

While not a stronghold in any respect, Iudex has been one of the most stable Imperial systems in the Iolan Reaches for centuries - representing an oasis of relative safety and stability in a lawless region of space. It is a hard enough target that slavers and petty raiders give it a wide berth, but it has never been tested by an invasion in earnest. Though they are very complimentary and grateful for the presence of such a system in the Reaches, Sector Command are quietly aware of the uncomfortable truth: Iudex is a small and lonely world in dangerous space, and its reputation as a haven in the Iolan Reaches is more due to its obscurity than the men and women that stand in its defence.

=The Worlds of Iudex=

==Iudecian Majoris==
[[File:Iudex_system_map_lo_res.jpg|600px|center]]
===Iudecian Majoris I: Phantarr===
A small rocky planet with a surface largely composed of radioactive heavy metals and no atmosphere to speak of. The world is so heavily irradiated that the cost of extracting its resources outstrips its potential yield a hundred times over.

===Iudecian Majoris II: Kant’s Folly===
A rocky venusian greenhouse, completely uninhabitable. Kant’s Folly is named for the intrepid Rogue Trader Sucher Kant, who ignored the warnings of Imperial Surveyors and attempted to self fund a colony millennia ago. Suffice to say, nothing of his lamentable effort has survived the corrosive atmosphere and inferno-hurricanes of Iudecian Majoris II.

===Iudecian Majoris III: Rakartha===
A large oceanic world with a primarily tropical climate (that gets stormier and colder the further towards the poles one sails), Rakartha would be considered a perfect agri world capable of feeding billions if situated in a more populous sub sector. Instead, the resources of its oceans are almost exclusively enjoyed in Iudex - and therefore are to all intents and purposes inexhaustible. Its scattered population live mainly nomadic lives, spent either on the tiny clustered archipelagos that make up Rakartha’s only land masses and permanent settlements, or colossal trawler-ships with nets designed to dredge up anything and everything they can. Rakartha’s population is tiny - a million or so at best, since fishing is the only way of life possible, and it is not entirely uncommon for a trawler to mysteriously vanish beneath the waves from time to time, which has given rise to uncomfortable rumours of horrors in the deep...

===Iudecian Majoris IV: Iudex===
A civilised rocky planet that sits on the edge of the habitable belt of Iudecian Majoris, Iudex is the only world with a population higher than one billion in the system. Iudex has a primarily temperate climate, though given its distance from Iudecian Majoris even midday feels like dusk and even midsummer carries a chill in the air. This has led to plant life that conserves all the energy it can - typically evergreen, hardy and difficult to eat.

Iudex’s relative isolation to the rest of the Eridani Sector means that it produces few exports, instead focusing on being a self-sufficient world able to feed and house all of its people. There is a steady trickle of ships to and from Iudex, though almost none are of any import - typically passing military vessels and refugees from elsewhere in the Iolan Reaches, with the occasional soon to be disappointed trader.

There is an old smuggler settlement in the hills called Rascal's Refuge that, becoming a ''popular'' pirate haven attracted the attention of the Governor and was partly bombed back to the stone age. The ruins continue to be a haunt for criminals though.

===Iudecian Majoris V: Sindrian===
A gas giant composed of a helium/hydrogen mix with a core of naturally occurring adamantium. While interesting from a scientific point of view, Sindrian is uninhabited. ++++ Forget the power of technology and science, for so much has been forgotten, never to be re-learned. Forget the promise of progress and understanding, for in the grim dark future there is only war. ++++

===Iudecian Majoris VI: Jebalt===
Beyond the habitable belt of Iudecian Majoris, Jebalt is a bitingly cold world that nevertheless features sites of heavy industrialisation. The vast bulk of the planet’s surface is icy wasteland, but Jebalt does have a few scattered settlements where surveyor ships have identified ores of value beneath the ice. Jebalt exports these metals almost exclusively to Iudex, where they are used in fields from jewellery to arms manufacturing.

==Iudecian Minoris==

===Iudecian Minoris I: Kintaro===
The sole planetary body orbiting Iudecian Minoris, Kintaro is an uninhabited dwarf planet of frozen ammonia and methane.

[[Category: Systems]] [[Category: Eridani Sector Systems]] [[Category: Iolan Reaches Systems]]

File:Iudex system map lo res.jpg

2025-07-01T22:06:20Z

Charlie:

Eridani Sector

2025-05-29T20:10:22Z

Charlie: /* Vessels of note */

[[File:eridani.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
[[File:sector_map_link.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
The Eridani Sector lies coreward of the [[Achernar Sector]] within the [[Segmentum Pacificus]]. It contains a number of sub-sectors. Notable worlds include [[Thonis]], chapter homeworld of the [[Cobalt Scions]]. Imperial control of the sector is patchy. The isolated colonies of the [[Iolan Reaches]] suffer from frequent enemy raids, while regions such as the [[Targean Veil]] and the [[Neophrae]] remain largely uncharted.

=Timeline=
*[[Eridani Timeline]] records major events in the Eridani sector

=Sub-sectors=

*[[Alyria]]
*[[Graiae]]
*[[Iolan Reaches]]
*[[Massylean Sub-sector]]
*[[Neophrae]]
*[[Saedran Sub-sector]]
*[[Targean Veil]]

See [[:Category:Eridani Sub-sectors]]

==Other Regions==
*[[Pheraean Rift]]

=Key Military Factions=
*Imperial
**[[Cobalt Scions 3rd Company]]
**[[Raven Guard 5th Company]]
**[[The Black Templars Fifth Crusade Fleet]]
*Chaos
**[[The Iron Tide Grand Company]]
**[[The Thirteenth Talon]]
**[[Expeditionary Force Za-Yin]]
*Xenos
**[[Da Metalwaaagh]]
**[[Da Two Worlds Waaagh]]
**[[Ikarran Dynasty]]
**[[The Starborn Souls]]
**[[Host Vahlkaer]]

See also [[:Category: Crusade Forces]]

=Sector History and Culture=
==Pre and post-Consolidation==
For millennia, the sub sectors of Eridani were entirely separate regions. Geographic features such as the [[Pherean Rift]] and the sparse population of the [[Iolan Reaches]] naturally cut off areas from each other. The worlds of the Saedran sub kept frequent contact with the Graiae and the worlds of Alyria, but had nothing to do with the populous worlds of Massylea. It was only when the Iolan Reaches started to be colonised that trading routes encouraged the Adeptus Terra to consolidate the region into one sector. Despite the consolidation occurring millennia ago, the different regions' cultural identities remain somewhat distinct, and relatively independent.

==Battlefleet Eridani==
The sector battlefleet is considered to be highly problematic by the Ordo Hereticus, and has been the subject of numerous unsuccessful attempts to reform it so as to bring it into compliance with Imperial standards.

Navy battlefleets should normally be centrally controlled and unambiguously owe allegiance to no entity beyond the Adeptus Terra. Historically, however, the disparate regions of Eridani were responsible for funding the construction of local fleet assets. In an effort to drum up additional resources, many governors allowed noble families to sponsor the construction of vessels, and endeavoured to instill regional pride by allowing sub sectors or even single systems to choose a livery for naval vessels. This system naturally leant itself to endemic cronyism, and over time it became a tacit understanding that fleet assets built from the contributions of particular systems could expect those assets to come to the defence of their systems when attacked.

By the time the Adeptus Terra got around to consolidating the sector, these semi-independent fleets were so deeply entrenched that when attempts were made to centralise command, multiple prosperous worlds threatened to leave the Imperium. With crises all across the Imperium, the problem was allowed to persist and further entrench. At its worst, this has allowed the worlds of Alyria to continue their incessant infighting. At best, it has resulted in wealthy worlds competing for the prestige of funding the most powerful vessels, and some magnificent battleships. The shipyards of both Saedra and Massyleon have both profited significantly from this arrangement, allowing other systems to 'sponsor' (buy) new naval vessels, which may or may not then be 'initially stationed' with a 'fortunate predisposition' towards protecting the world that 'sponsored' them.

The corruption runs deep, but the cataclysmic consequences of seriously challenging the status quo has, thus far, prevented the Inquisition from essentially launching a naval civil war on the sector and fighting against multiple rebellions in what is, otherwise, a steadfastly loyal and productive region.

===Vessels of note===
====Cruisers====
* The ''Cardinal Durante'' is a Dictator class cruiser captained by Dalia Chima.
** Ld7

====Allied ships====
* The ''Aegis Aeterna'' is a Salamanders Strike Cruiser
** Ld8
* The ''Naga, Dreki,'' and ''Tarakona'' are Salamanders Gladius-class frigates
** Ld8

[[Category:Sectors]]

Eridani Sector

2025-05-29T18:27:16Z

Charlie: /* Battlefleet Eridani */

[[File:eridani.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
[[File:sector_map_link.png|400px|right|link=http://www.geniusproductions.co.uk/Image-Map/Eridani.html]]
The Eridani Sector lies coreward of the [[Achernar Sector]] within the [[Segmentum Pacificus]]. It contains a number of sub-sectors. Notable worlds include [[Thonis]], chapter homeworld of the [[Cobalt Scions]]. Imperial control of the sector is patchy. The isolated colonies of the [[Iolan Reaches]] suffer from frequent enemy raids, while regions such as the [[Targean Veil]] and the [[Neophrae]] remain largely uncharted.

=Timeline=
*[[Eridani Timeline]] records major events in the Eridani sector

=Sub-sectors=

*[[Alyria]]
*[[Graiae]]
*[[Iolan Reaches]]
*[[Massylean Sub-sector]]
*[[Neophrae]]
*[[Saedran Sub-sector]]
*[[Targean Veil]]

See [[:Category:Eridani Sub-sectors]]

==Other Regions==
*[[Pheraean Rift]]

=Key Military Factions=
*Imperial
**[[Cobalt Scions 3rd Company]]
**[[Raven Guard 5th Company]]
**[[The Black Templars Fifth Crusade Fleet]]
*Chaos
**[[The Iron Tide Grand Company]]
**[[The Thirteenth Talon]]
**[[Expeditionary Force Za-Yin]]
*Xenos
**[[Da Metalwaaagh]]
**[[Da Two Worlds Waaagh]]
**[[Ikarran Dynasty]]
**[[The Starborn Souls]]
**[[Host Vahlkaer]]

See also [[:Category: Crusade Forces]]

=Sector History and Culture=
==Pre and post-Consolidation==
For millennia, the sub sectors of Eridani were entirely separate regions. Geographic features such as the [[Pherean Rift]] and the sparse population of the [[Iolan Reaches]] naturally cut off areas from each other. The worlds of the Saedran sub kept frequent contact with the Graiae and the worlds of Alyria, but had nothing to do with the populous worlds of Massylea. It was only when the Iolan Reaches started to be colonised that trading routes encouraged the Adeptus Terra to consolidate the region into one sector. Despite the consolidation occurring millennia ago, the different regions' cultural identities remain somewhat distinct, and relatively independent.

==Battlefleet Eridani==
The sector battlefleet is considered to be highly problematic by the Ordo Hereticus, and has been the subject of numerous unsuccessful attempts to reform it so as to bring it into compliance with Imperial standards.

Navy battlefleets should normally be centrally controlled and unambiguously owe allegiance to no entity beyond the Adeptus Terra. Historically, however, the disparate regions of Eridani were responsible for funding the construction of local fleet assets. In an effort to drum up additional resources, many governors allowed noble families to sponsor the construction of vessels, and endeavoured to instill regional pride by allowing sub sectors or even single systems to choose a livery for naval vessels. This system naturally leant itself to endemic cronyism, and over time it became a tacit understanding that fleet assets built from the contributions of particular systems could expect those assets to come to the defence of their systems when attacked.

By the time the Adeptus Terra got around to consolidating the sector, these semi-independent fleets were so deeply entrenched that when attempts were made to centralise command, multiple prosperous worlds threatened to leave the Imperium. With crises all across the Imperium, the problem was allowed to persist and further entrench. At its worst, this has allowed the worlds of Alyria to continue their incessant infighting. At best, it has resulted in wealthy worlds competing for the prestige of funding the most powerful vessels, and some magnificent battleships. The shipyards of both Saedra and Massyleon have both profited significantly from this arrangement, allowing other systems to 'sponsor' (buy) new naval vessels, which may or may not then be 'initially stationed' with a 'fortunate predisposition' towards protecting the world that 'sponsored' them.

The corruption runs deep, but the cataclysmic consequences of seriously challenging the status quo has, thus far, prevented the Inquisition from essentially launching a naval civil war on the sector and fighting against multiple rebellions in what is, otherwise, a steadfastly loyal and productive region.

===Vessels of note===
====Cruisers====
* The ''Cardinal Durante'' is a Dictator class cruiser captained by Dalia Chima.
** Ld7

[[Category:Sectors]]