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Chapter History Of The Death Hands.
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Receiving code...... 009667_QR21W
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Inquisitorial ID : 0076RRT1_ t800

In this paper the reader will find the required information about the Astartes chapter in question. All Inquisitorial agents are advised to show a certain level of caution when dealing with this chapter.

The founding and early years.

Some two millennia ago it was declared that the Iron Hands chapter would assist, in creating a successor chapter. This chapter was granted the right of possession of a section of Imperial space few others wanted, they received gene seed and other vital equipment from both their brothers and from the high lords of Terra.

The reason for the creation of this later infamous chapter has been lost to time, but it is believed by the author of this paper that they where created to keep the inhabitants of the Ghoul Stars to spill into Imperial space.
The fledgling chapter was granted a feudal world as their home world, this sparsely populated world was named Hades, on its windswept surface they built their fortress monastery with was named Medusel, over the next centuries the Death Hands acquired more worlds, and soon had established themselves firmly as the lords of the system.

They also gained the friendship of the Adeptus Mechanicus forge world of Hellheim, and extended their protection to the system witch that world lay in. this would prove important for the chapter over the next centuries, as they now had access to new weapons and vehicles as the need arose.

Notable Chapter members.

Reich Marshal Astor Hammersmith.

He is the current chapter lord, although he is reduced to a shell of his former self, mortally wounded and crippled beyond help by the wretched forces of Chaos he now rests in a Dreadnought, awaiting the day he will finally die on the field of battle. He took the rank as chapter lord some seven centuries ago and thus making him the Death Hand who has held it longest.

He early on showed a great talent for the tactics the chapter employs, although he never backed down from the chance to assault the enemy directly. This however would prove his undoing when during the battle for the hive city of Gomorrah on Praxia IV him and his fellow brothers was ambushed by a mixed force of traitor guardsmen and Black Legionaries, he fell after a brutal battle with left the assault force in bloody ruin and their foe crippled. It was then decided to place e him in a Dreadnought to prolong his service to the Emperor and the chapter.

Brother Captain Arkangle

This particular individual has been detailed in another related document, I reefer to it for ore information.




Master Apothecary Grimboll Swansong.

This individual is rarely seen outside the great fortress he calls home, but when he is carnage always follows in his wake. He is the grim and bloody reaper of the fallen and the one who makes sure any initiates that survives the horrid trials to become a member of the 10th company is gifted with the gene seed he is entitled to. He is also the caretaker of the entombed chapter master, alongside the honoured Tech marines he eases his lord in his ongoing torment.

He is clad in a age worn suit of war plate witch has been his since the five centuries ago he was accepted into the ranks as a battle brother. The only modifications has been a coat of white paint and some minor modifications to the suits layout.
When he takes to the field of batlle he is armed with a power axe that was forged on Mars and granted to the chapter after its aid in recovering vital STC components, he also is renowned for his skill with said weapon.
It is also important to mention that he is also extensively augmented with bionics and similar enhancements that are due to grievous wounds earned over the centuries in the service of Mankind.

Transmission interrupted :
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Recent campaigns undertaken by the Death Hands
The War for Praxia IV
This campaign proved to be a heavy toll for the Death Hands, they lost a substantial part of the Second Company and a Revered old one, the war was ignited by heretical uprisings backed by traitor guardsmen and Black Legion forces. The main Imperial forces was made up of Ragnarokian regiments alongside two Deathkorps Of Krieg regiments.

But what really turned this war into a quagmire was the loss of their Chapter Master, when he fell this marked a change in the attitude of the remaing Death Hands. No longer could Guardsmen feel safe if they failed they duties, tension rose between said forces until Segmentum command stepped in and replaced the Lord General leading the war effort for the guard.

This was a nightmarish campaign for any mortal man serving in it, Praxia IV proved to be a extremely hard nut to crack even with the support of The Death Hands. In the end the world was reclaimed but at a horrid cost, seven Ragnarokian regiments was lost alongside over hundred Astartes.
The campaign was deemed a failure and the Second Company was withdrawn from active service to rebuild and learn from their mistakes.

The purging of Centurion Prime.
This campaign revealed the cold and emotionless Death Hands for what they truly where. It soon became clear that none who opposed them, be them loyalist or traitor could count on surviving their retribution. After their recent defeat at Praxia IV the chapter saw a need to redeem themselves in the blood of their foes. They also entered this campaign to finally get their long overdue vengeance on a old nemesis.

It is estimated that two full companies was deployed to Centurion Prime, although these mainly worked alone and rarely interacted with other Imperial forces, the most common sign of their involvement was the distant bark of bolt weapons, and heaps of dead foes.

A good read, its always nice to learn more about the chapter!

That's what I like to see! Can't beat a bit of back story. Good to see you fleshing out the Death Hands some more, Trondheim. Are you going to give us a clue about the threat the Chapter was founded to contain?

Yes, I was thinking about that. Will post more when I have ironed out some issues with the things I have already writhen

The Death Hands are a very interesting Chapter; it's always good to see more stuff about them. I like the stuff on Astor Hammersmith, as it fits the tone of the Imperium well. He was once a great and skilled man but now, as you said, he's a crippled shell of his former self condemned to a fate worse than death.

Part II.
The Pragsian blood plague.

For the observant reader it will be noted that the reason for the founding of the Death Hands, was not mentioned in the earlier section.

This will now be addressed.

Some two millenniums ago the Emperium of Man was beset by a horrid new foe, from the Ghoul Stars a horrid disease spread death and disorder. This came to be known as the Pragsian blood plague after the Magos who first identified it, this particular virus was unsealed onto the Imperium Of Man by Xeno forces working from within the Ghoul Stars. It was long unclear whom these aliens where but it was after some time discovered that it was indeed the horrid race known as the Slaugth who had unleashed it.

This horrid race and its foul minions was driven back with heavy casualties by a combined force of Iron Hands and the first battle brothers of the Death Hands, the two chapters alongside members of the Ordo Xeno and Ordo Malleus fought against inhumane horrors, and whole worlds burned as the disease ran rampant true the systems it reached.

It was only when a Inquisitor who’s name has been lost to the mist of time discovered their true form that the Imperial forces was able to bring might to bear upon the creators of this truly daemon spawned disease.

The events that led up to the final battle are not known to anyone except the highest lords of the above mentioned chapters, but the battle must have been the stuff of legends. This event earned the Death Hands much Inquisitorial goodwill and the backing of both Orders for the millenniums to come, they maintain strong ties to both to this day.

This can also explain the lack of interest in their brutal tactics and methods of operation, because those who know them dare not consider the consequences of another blood plague.
It has been speculated that the Eldar of the Craft world Ygdrasil had a role to play in these events also. However this lead was never fully investigated due to the nature of the situation.

Always good to see someone using their imagination and fleshing out their chapter with characters and history. I wish my friends would do the same so I could write a narrative campaign for my Iron Warriors!

In particular, I like the way the background was pitched as an Inquisition dispatch. It conveys the information quickly and gives it a nice fluffy feel. Well done.

Thank you. Yes I think when you decide to make a custom chapter it should have uniq feeling to it, check out my other stuff if you want more

Yeah, I agree with Algorithm, the Inquisitorial Datathingy gives it a good feel.

More mysteries ... What was the 'true form' of these nefarious xenos types?

The final battle ... naval, planetside or both?

What contingencies do the IoM have in place to prevent the blood plague returning?

Nice work - keep drip-feeding us stuff!

Part III.

Notable foes and Chapter related incidents.

This part will list some of the events that shaped the Death Hands, and will also contain a list of notable foes of the chapter. These files where submitted to the archives by the Inquisitor Kimberley who vanished in the Ghoul Star traverse seventy years ago, therefore they may be slightly inaccurate.

Arch Heretek Tyriel.
This fallen Astartes have been the nemesis of the Death hands for centuries, he is one of the few Death Hands witch has turned to the dark gods. He was long expected to be next commander of the first company, but few could have expected the treachery he would unleash, it was remarked by a Chaplain of the chapter that he possessed a remarkable tendency to acts of perversion, his most notable sin on this matter was the pleasure he took from torture, and watching those he considered worthless to the chapter. The even that made this once promising Astartes to turn away from the light of the Emperor was the day he was surpassed for promotion by an another member of the first company.

Gripped by jealousness and rage, he drew his sword and struck down his brothers that where with him aboard the ship. His howls of rage and the cries of his brothers filled the dark corridors of the Strike cruiser, after disposing of those who could resist him he forced the surviving chapter serfs to set a course for the one place he could hide. The place he fled to was the lost world of Demntium, there he found refuge amongst the heretics and fellow Traitor Astartes dwelling on its tainted surface. The ship he had escaped upon was given to the lord of the world as a token of submission.

He quickly rose in the ranks of his new found brotherhood. After this he began his long lasting personal crusade against his former brothers, he has sworn he will find a way to see them all burn and the systems he once aided in the defence of fall to his wrath. He is now a mockery of his former self, twisted by the dark gifts from the dark prince of pleasure he wages a merciless war against all imperial citizen.



The Xeno race known as Slaugth.

These are the foes witch the Chapter and all those who serve in it despises the most, this race of maggot men and deranged henchmen constantly plots and schemes against those who stands in defence of Mankind.
Against these foes normal means of warfare are ill suited, they hide behind countless minions and devilish organized covert operations.
(Note on Slaugth : These particular xenos are fearsome opponents, it is recommended that power weapons and plasma weapons are employed if one are to have a chance at vanquishing these hell spawn.)
The chapter has for considerable time been working with the Ordo Xeno to find a way to strike at their leaders, but it seems no such things exists in this race, and that each individual works for its own personal gains. This has also lead the Death Hands to lend a sizeable strike force to the mentioned Inquisitorial order in the Calexisis sector, where there seems to be a gathering of these foes.
This also lead to increased conflicts with the Amarthian Syndicate that strongly oppose all Imperial authorises.

Tyriel sounds badass. Is he on his way to daemon princehood or more like Abaddon?

No, he is abit more like Abaddon but with a sligthly more tendency for insanity due to the god he follows, Daemonhood will not be his fate

Reallycool new input!

Have you by chance built models of Tyriel or some Slaughts? If so I'd love to see them!

No I do not own the moddel representing Tyriel, and as for the Slaugth I think making one would take me ages, but if you want more infor on them check out Lexicanum,

++Activate Archive Servitor++
++Transcribe Inquisitorial report on the Fenksworld incident++
Binary code : 0900221_Wu778666_Xj9
Thought of the day : never forget, never forgive

This paper is a response to the request by several adepts of the Dakkatatium Ordos. This document also contains restricted information so readers are required to handle with care.


Of the foes that daily strives to strike down the Death Hands one kind stands out, a race of carrion eaters and despoilers. These merciless aliens are known as the Slaugth by the Imperium, although this information is closely guarded, Man has long strived to find the place where these foul beasts hail from. But this has not panned out into anything useful.
The place these Xenos have made their baleful presence known the most outside the Ghoul Stars are the Calexis sector in the Segmentum Obscurus.

It was on the world of Archcaos that the front of their operations the Amarthian syndicate began to make it self known . Faced with a organization like this the local Arbitrate was helpless, however help was coming from an unexpected source. The Inquisition was already aware of the shadowy cartel. And now with the Calexis sector at stake they began their shadowy work.

Even with these precautions events unfolded in a unfortunate manner for the Imperial powers, a planet by the name of Fenks erupted in a tsunami of blood and mayhem. The world was shaken to its core, its hives was aflame with heresy. Amongst all this chaos the ugly head of the Amarathian cartel appeared.
The sowing of the seeds of mayhem had been one of the goals of its Slaugth masters, but now things changed. Several of the maggot men left their minions to fend of the PDF and the Arbitrate witch where fighting to keep the world from falling.

Their reasons for this was simple, they where leaving to feed on the carnage unleashed by their servants, this is one of the most hideous habits they posses. They thrive on death and disorder, for them war is noting more than a banquet of meat awaiting their maws.

Cool entry on the slaughts, they seem rather unpleasant.....

Also, I think I already said that, I really like this writing style

I approve of the dreadnought chapter master.

Thanks man!

This is building nicely up towards a widescreen, big-budget action climax - protagonists and foes are characterful and interesting. I'm also liking the epistolary-type approach, rather than a full-on narrative.

Cheers from an adept of the Dakkatatium Ordos.

Yeah, Slaugths are pretty unpleasant. Their name even looks like Slaughter.