THE CRIMSON LORDS SPACE MARINE CHAPTER

Date:...............983501.M41

Ref:................SAM//

By:.................INITIATE SAMPSON

Re:.................Adeptus Astartes - Crimson Lords

Thought:............Ruthlessness is the kindness of the wise.



The Crimson Lords have dominion over the world of Carnelian and protect its region of space. They are both rulers and warriors in equal measure, serving the Imperium with a keen eye and steeled hand.





Origins of the Crimson Lords

Organization

Homeworld

Combat Doctrine

Geneseed

Interaction with the Legio

Motto

Founded in the 38th millennium, the Crimson Lords draw their gene seed from the line of Dorn. Their first Chapter Master, Luthor Cerdic, believed fiercely in the natural superiority of Space Marines over the common man and argued that ordinary humans could never successfully rule each other. He argued that the Emperor knew this when he launched his Great Crusade and while he now slumbers on the Golden Throne, the Space Marines should rule in his stead. The High Lords of Terra acknowledged that the Araxes Subsector, which had so often come under attack by the perfidious Dark Eldar, required stationed defenders. Specifically, the world of Carnelian could no longer suffer under the whims of the Dark Eldar as an important food supplier to the greater sector. The first members of the Crimson Lords swiftly constructed their Chapter keep in the most formidable mountain range on Carnelian and began mounting their defenses for the Dark Eldar's inevitable return. They would not wait long. Striking only a month after the construction of the keep, the Dark Eldar began going about their usual sport of torture and enslavement at first. But soon, the Crimson Lords rushed out of the mountains and attacked the Dark Eldar wherever they showed themselves. While the Crimson Lords lacked the speed to strike a more decisive blow against the raiders, their numerous victories against the attackers made it clear that Carnelian would no longer serve as an easy mark.The Crimson Lords quickly established the status quo of their new home. They declared that they would rule over the peasants of Carnelian instead of the established noble class of lords. Only one crucial factor kept the Space Marines from not simply disposed of the noble class entirely. They would draw their recruits from the nobility's most worthy sons. This serves the dual purpose of providing the Crimson Lords with a steady flow of recruits, but it also ensures that the strongest of the noble class are removed so that only the weakest remain. Consequently, no noble has yet challenged the Crimson Lords' right as lords over each fiefdom. But the peasants of Carnelian tell another story. The waning years of the 40th millennium saw the majority of the Crimson Lords embark on a crusade into the stars with the goal of scattering a mass incursion of Orks that threatened the subsector. Years passed and the remaining Crimson Lords in the Chapter's keep grew more and more brusque in their stewardship of the planet. Eventually, the peasants of the world saw their chance at freedom had finally come and they began attacking castles all across the countryside. Calling themselves “The Lordless,” the peasants reaped a bloody toll on those nobles who stood against them. The surviving aristocracy fled into the massive mountain range where the Crimson Lords had established their home and begged their rulers to reestablish order. Though it would have proved a simple matter for even the few Space Marines still stationed on Carnelian, the Chapter had other plans.The Crimson Lords on Carnelian alerted their brothers afield of the peasants' mass uprising. Without ever asking, the Crimson Lords forces stationed on Carnelian found themselves reinforced by the entire rest of the Chapter as they prepared for the bloodiest purge in the subsector's history. By this time, The Lordless had swept across Carnelian. Peasants occupied the empty castles that dotted the land and had mustered themselves for a war against their betters. Yet no amount of preparation could have readied them for the coming attack. When the Crimson Lords finally struck back against the Lordless, the brutality of their retaliation beggared belief. Not wishing any damage through bombardment to the castles they so often occupied, the Crimson Lords instead deployed onto each castle's topmost parapets and slaughtered their way down. The floors ran slick with human vital fluid as the few defenders who did not run got cut down by the towering Space Marines. The many who fled at the mere sight of the Crimson Lords' assault squads found themselves running headlong into the waiting bolters of the tactical squads surrounding each castle. This grim process repeated dozens of times until word finally spread of the Crimson Lords' fury and the remaining Lordless quickly returned to their fields. This whole incident only reaffirmed the Crimson Lords' belief that the peasants could not govern themselves. Since the rebellion's end, the Chapter has increased sweeps of their feudal lands and made more brutal examples of those peasants who express even the slightest doubt in the worthiness of the Crimson Lords' dominion.While so much of the Chapter's history remains mired in the blood of humanity, the Crimson Lords have gained much glory in their conflicts with xenos across the stars. In particular, the Dark Eldar have proven themselves a particularly tenacious enemy of the Crimson Lords. Not only did they serve as the main reason for the Chapter's founding, but they have also dealt the Chapter many grievous blows over their comparatively short history. One such insult came when the Dark Eldar of the Starving Chalice captured the Crimson Lords' Master of Sanctity, Pellarn Olwen, even as they made their retreat into the ether. The Crimson Lords had no idea of Olwen's final fate until the Blood Angel Zeruel journeyed to Carnelian nearly a century later. He recounted how he too had found himself captured by the Dark Eldar. Forced into the gladiator pits by day and tortured by night, he only kept his sanity by conferring with his cell neighbor, Olwen. After months of enduring the horrors of the Dark City, Olwen and Zeruel made a breakout attempt, tearing their way free of their bonds and charging towards the port sector. In danger of being overtaken by their pursuers, Olwen sacrificed himself in a diversion that allowed the Blood Angel a clean escape. Commandeering a defaced Imperial freighter, Zeruel piloted himself back towards Baal and vowed that he would not let Olwen go unremembered. Honoring Olwen's friendship with Zeruel and the sacrifice he made for him, the Crimson Lords swore great oaths of brotherhood to the Blood Angels and promised aid whenever the First Founding Chapter needed it. Even now, as the dual threat of Tyranids and Chaos invasion bare down on Baal, a sizeable force of Crimson Lords races to their aid. Most analysts agree that they will not arrive in time, but these are the doubts of lesser men. The Chapter knows that whenever the Imperium needs their noblest sons, the Crimson Lords will always stand at the fore.The Crimson Lords are a Codex-compliant Chapter in all respects. They see the Codex as a tactical text that only the Adeptus Astartes can fully comprehend and follow its instruction in nearly all things, including company composition. Company markings are displayed on the shoulder trim, with all numerical references to company written in High Gothic numerals. Squad designations are commonly displayed on the right knee in Low Gothic numerals, though the display of specific squad markings remains the decision each Battle-Brother.Even with the coming of the Crimson Lords, the planet Carnelian has never advanced past the classification of a feudal world. Only the ubiquitous lasgun stands out from the low level of technology otherwise present on the planet. Peasants have tilled the land since before the Great Crusade, largely unaware of the events of the greater galaxy. The planet possesses a mostly temperate climate perfect for cultivating the massive amounts of foodstuffs that form Carnelian's primary export. The exception to this comes in the form of the north and south poles, cold beyond the imagining of most inhabitants of the rest of the planet. Castles dot the landmasses of Carnelian, each one supposedly ruled by a noble and his family, but they serve only as placeholders for when the Crimson Lords combat the enemies of the Emperor across the stars.The Crimson Lords follow the Codex Astartes' tactics in nearly all engagements, with a noted preference for closing with the enemy so that they might better display their martial prowess. They have no noted preference when choosing their weapons, with the steadfast power sword held in no greater esteem than more esoteric weapons like lightning claws. The members of the Chapter also see the holy Bolter as a worthy form of waging war and the Crimson Lords can wield Bolters as well as any blade. They have, at times, displayed a noted preference for drop pod assaults since it further differentiates them from the ordinary human soldiers of the Imperium. When fighting traitorous elements of humanity, they will opt for a surgical strike against the leadership elements. This keeps with their beliefs that weak-willed humans crumble without leadership.The Crimson Lords derive their geneseed from Rogal Dorn. As a descendant of the Imperial Fists, they have a stubborn streak that sees them rarely quit the field before spending every drop of their blood. The gene-seed also infuses the Crimson Lords with an innate sense of their own righteousness in ruling over Carnelian. Unlike their primogenitors, they let their pride reign unchecked. Battle-Brothers decorate their plate with personal honors and hold great celebrations after momentous victories.The sons of Carnelian rarely cede Battle-Brothers to the Legio, as it permanently removes them from their fiefdoms. Worse, the Crimson Lords have an ill reputation among older Chapters who prize human life. Members of both the Salamanders and the Space Wolves have expressed misgivings about serving alongside Astartes with such arrogance as the Crimson Lords. Only their primogenitor, the Imperial Fists, have reluctantly stood up for them in such matters. It remains in doubt how much longer the Legio will wait before sending an inquiry to Carnelian to discern why the Crimson Lords have become so entrenched in their notions of superiority. However, the few Crimson Lords who have served with the Legio have always proved themselves incredibly versatile warriors and respectful of their Battle-Brothers, no matter what Chapter.

"We rule those who cannot rule themselves."

Edited by Marshal Sampson of Terra, 09 November 2013 - 01:26 PM.