Hello everyone, I decided to write down some of the backstory of my Raven Guard successor Chapter, the Death Ravens, beginning with a small overview of the Chapter and information about the system they inhabit and protect, the Lacrima System.
I'll be updating this with more detailed background stories of the Chapter itself when I find the time and inspiration
Enjoy!
Chapter Information
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Name : Death Ravens
> Battle Cry: "Rejoice, the hour is nigh"
> Founding: Twenty-Fifth Founding
> Successors of: Raven Guard
> Chapter Master: Eliah Dardanos
> Primarch: Corvus Corax
> Homeworld: Charys, Lacrima System, Segmentum Tempestus
> Strength: +-750 Marines, currently rebuilding
> Specialty: Reconnaissance, Guerrilla Warfare
> Allegiance: Imperium
> Colours: Black and purple
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Lacrima System
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Lacrima System.
A small, rather isolated system in the Segmentum Tempestus consisting of five planets: Charys, Ghyron, Hespa, Ledis and Pollo.
Charys and Ghyron are both Hive Worlds as well as Desert Worlds, Hespa and Ledis are Feral Worlds and Pollo is a Dead World, being recently subjected to an Exterminatus (which also led to the Founding of the Death Ravens).
Ghyron also has a large Mechanicus influence, however, not to the degree that it would be classified as a Forge World.
The system is under constant threat of Ork and Chaos invasion, the latter has led to the Exterminatus of Pollo, after it was declared fully tainted by a recent Chaos uprising.
To ensure further safety of the Hive Worlds, and more importantly the Mechanicus operations on Ghyron, a Space Marine chapter was founded to guard the system. This Chapter was a successor of the Raven Guard, as the Inquisitorial handlers of the system found their particular skills useful for battling Chaos insurgencies. The Chapter has established its Fortress-Monastery on Charys, from which they monitor the system.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Planets
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charys:
A Hive World, a Desert World and the homeworld of the Death Ravens Chapter. Most of the planet's surface is covered by desert and mountains, however, several large patches of land are still habitable. The largest habitable areas are where the planet's few Hive Cities can be found. These locations are usually in valleys, with a large river rendering the place more suitable for colonisation.
The planet's main Hive City is Kellion, lying close to the origin of the largest river on Charys, the Mepos.
In the mountains close to Kellion lies the Fortress-Monastery of the Death Ravens. The Chapter has claimed a sizeable portion of the mountainside, which they have partially rebuilt to accommodate the necessary infrastructure
for a Space Marine Chapter.
This Fortress-Monastery, called "The Spire", is the main base of operations for the Death Ravens. The Chapter recruits from Charys as well as from Ghyron, Hespa and Ledis, although recruits from the Feral Worlds are more thoroughly screened for signs of Chaos corruption.
Military-wise, the planet has a sizeable PDF army, who are now reinforced by the Death Ravens. Given the low amount of attacks the planet endures, the PDF is still largely unbloodied, usually busy with keeping the peace or repelling raids from roving desert tribes.
Ghyron:
A Hive World, a Desert World and a base of operations for the Adeptus Mechanicus. The planet's surface is divided between mountainous areas, desert planes, several seas and an ocean and the Hive cities.
The planet has suffered from several incidents concerning rebel incursions, often fuelled by poor living conditions and the oppressive tendencies of the Planetary Governor.
The population generally dislikes him and the PDF, as the latter are known for being ill-tempered, reacting overly aggressive to minor incidents.
At the moment, the Imperial forces are in constant conflict with a rebel faction named 'Al-Ghyri", who employ various terror tactics to push the PDF out of targets of opportunity.
The many ports surrounding the Hive Cities are usual targets, requiring constant surveillance by the PDF.
The main Hive City, Bahdi, has seen its fair share of fighting and is constantly being rebuilt; only to have the works halted again by sabotage, courtesy of the rebels.
The Mechanicus aren't bothered by any of this; their interests lie elsewhere. Beneath the sand, and in the bowels of the mountains, Mechanicus expeditions set out to recover ancient archeotech, which is then brought back into their Forge for inspection. They supply the Planetary Governor with whatever weapons they need, as long as their expeditions are kept safe by PDF troops.
Of course, the definition of 'archeotech' is questionable at best. Rumors about Necron remains are strangely quickly quelled, and the excavation sites are off-limits to anyone except the contracted workers and security guards.
In short, the planet has its fair share of problems, ranging from Chaos insurgents to corruption in the Imperial Administration.
The sector's handlers hope an Astartes presence will restore the peace on the planet, although the option of Exterminatus is not off the table yet...
Hespa:
A verdant Feral World, populated by several barbaric tribes. Despite lacking much technological development, the people of the world are excellent hunters, capable of stalking their prey throughout the world's many forests unnoticed. The planet is comprised of forests, mountains and a couple of seas.
The Death Ravens recruit from the planet regularly, seeking out the more intelligent among the hunters.
Ledis:
A dark, gloomy Feral world covered in volcanic ashes. The volcanoes have become inactive long ago, but the world has been permanently scarred by the violent eruptions which almost wiped the planet clean.
A small human population, survivors of the cataclysm, are in a constant fight for survival. The ever-present threat of the gruesome creatures that dwell in the darkness has led to the humans coming up with increasingly better ways to hide themselves, almost becoming one with the dark itself.
Their City, 'Doloris', lies hidden in the side of one of the ancient volcanoes.
Needless to say, the Death Ravens take a big interest in the planet's inhabitants. Some of the finest members of the Death Ravens hail from the world, their stealth skills unmatched within the Chapter.
Pollo:
A Dead World. Once it was a well-populated Hive World, but a massive Chaos uprising, backed by a small amount of Chaos Space Marines, led to an all-out war between the PDF and the insurgents. Even the deployment of several Imperial Guard regiments proved unsuccessful in containing the situation, and by the time Space Marine deployment would seem appropriate, it was already far too late.
The Inquisition saw no other option except for Exterminatus. After 52 years of fighting, the planet Pollo was silenced forever.
Now the Death Ravens occasionally use it for training exercises, the sound of bolter fire disturbing the eerie silence hanging over the planet.
