This is the background for a new Chapter. I wanted to give them an original background but without it impacting too much on playing style to give me flexibility. As such they are heavily influenced by Middle Eastern history with elements of the Ottomans, Persian Il-Khanate and even Ancient Babylonia. They are part of the Verana Sector which is a broader fluff project of mine. Any C&C would be greatly appreciated.
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Marines Scimitar
Founding Chapter: Imperial Fists
Founding: Twenty-Third Founding
Chapter Master: Iskender Bey
Homeworld: Jahannam
Fortress-Monastery: The Hilsari
Colours: Bone, Charcoal
Speciality: Siege Warfare, Assault
Strength: 1,000 marines
The Marines Scimitar are a successor chapter of the Imperial Fists, established during the 23rd ‘Sentinel’ Founding in the 38th millennium to protect the Verana Sector, then a barely inhabited region teeming with worlds ripe for colonisation. Like their progenitors, the Marines Scimitar have a reputation as siege specialists, combining long-range artillery with mobile assault groups to crack the enemy lines. When on the defensive the chapter are known to utilise terror tactics both in pre-emptive strikes and -controversially- against wavering Imperial citizens. They take their responsibility as guardians of Verana very seriously, feeling to give up even a single world to aliens or heretics is a shameful act to be done only temporarily and as a last resort
[1]. As such the scorched earth tactics used during the Tyrannic Wars were considered by the Marines Scimitar to be a crime against the Emperor himself. To this day relations remain frosty with the Ordo Xenos.
The Marines Scimitar’s sanctum is located on the death world of Jahannam which orbits a bloated, red sun. Known as the Hilsari (simply meaning ‘keep’ in the local tongue), their fortress-monastery is cut into the highest mountain peaks. Jahannam was also once the single source of recruits for the chapter but following a destructive Ork invasion which saw 90% of the population wiped out
[2], the Marines Scimitar looked to the numerous worlds of Verana under their care to collect what is now known as the ‘blood tax’. Regardless new recruits are rigorously schooled in Jahanni language, customs and philosophy, and are even given a new name on induction. Centuries on from the Ork attack 80% of battle brothers, including the current chapter-master Iskender Bey, are drawn from the blood tax and yet there is no doubt as to where their loyalties lie.
The chapter has inherited the Imperial Fists’ focus on self-control and martial honour; although as with everything it is heavily influenced by Jahanni culture. Fasting, psychoactive drugs and isolation in the deserts of their homeworld are all used by the Astartes to connect with the Emperor, while disputes are settled by Ghuta contests, a highly stylised form of wrestling dating back millennia. New recruits are also instructed in two skills that are very surprising to outsiders, namely gardening and poetry. The former on Jahannam is considered an art form in of itself, with practitioners battling the harsh environment and utilising limited resources of soil and water to create something beautiful. It is a test of patience, conservation and creativity. The latter serves a more direct purpose as a way to chronicle the chapter’s history and praise the God-Emperor. A skill with verse is highly valued and Astartes often enter battle, their power armour adorned with lines of such poetry written the night before.
[1] Shadow Oath: Long an arid planet, the pre-Imperial beliefs of Jahannam included the idea that anywhere a shadow fell was holy ground. Newly arrived missionaries taught that the Imperium was the shadow of the God-Emperor on earth and wherever its servants went, his blessing followed. As such all Imperial worlds are holy in the eyes of the Marines Scimitar, and their battle cry is “We are His shadow, He walks beside us”.
[2] Sack of Jahannam: Surprise attack by Waaagh! Mongork in 258.M40. Having greatly underestimated the Ork presence within the sub-sector, the chapter’s homeworld was lightly defended when hundreds of thousands of greenskins descended from orbit. Although the fortress-monastery held, the planet’s feudal-level population was slaughtered and the ancient irrigation systems used to maintain their garden-cities were destroyed, triggering an ecological disaster that turned the already harsh environment into a wasteland. The Marines Scimitar have reached out to the Mechanicum to help repair the damage and in payment have launched countless missions to investigate the rumoured locations of
STCs however little progress has been made.
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Iskender Bey
Born on the agri-world of Ambrose V, Iskender left his green home for the deserts and mountains of Jahannam at the age of 10. As captain of the 4th Company he became renowned for the Dardarian Campaign of 915.M41 in which he and forty battle brothers rallied the frontier world against a full blown Tau invasion. Iskender made use of ambushes, booby traps, double agents and psychological warfare to cripple the xeno offensive. Infamously he had a dozen enemy commanders, including several of their leadership caste, captured and impaled on spikes on a hill above the Tau camp. After months of grinding guerilla warfare the sight broke the invaders' will to fight, leading to their complete withdrawal from the planet.
Iskender became Chapter-Master shortly thereafter and has led his chapter through numerous conflicts in the Varana Sector and elsewhere fighting against Hive Fleet Kraken, the Golden Waaagh!, Sons of Hastur traitor marines and the Baronite Rebellion. Iskender has also been controversial is his willingness to intervene with sector politics, such as providing support to the trial of Inquisitor Narnhem and following the defeat of the Baronite secessionists, ensuring the Marines Scimitar were given greater control over their blood tax worlds. Some claim he is attempting to carve an empire of his own but with the sector capital now in ruins it seems Verana needs the Astartes more than ever.
Usman the Penitent
A chapter master renowned for his cunning, honour and bravery his name is sadly forever linked with the Sack of Jahannam. It was his decision not to recall the majority of the Marines Scimitar on word of Mongork's advance. When Usman arrived with a full 8 companies in tow he was mortified by the destruction wrought upon his homeworld. The story goes that as the Orks were driven back by the reinforcements he handed the Shadow Blade (the symbol of chapter command) to his lieutenant and charged into the greenskin ranks alone, hoping to find forgiveness for his hubris in death. It was not to be. His mangled body was found on the battlefield by the apothecaries and returned to Hilsari. There he was preserved and put into a Dreadnought sarcophagus where he remains to this day, ever ready to find redemption at the hands of his enemies. For obvious reasons he loathes Orks more than any xeno and led the 7th Company during the 3rd Armageddon War, where they fought extensively around Hive Infernus notably at the Battle of Stygies Bridge. At the ritual tsam, during which all battle brothers are present, it is Usman's honour and burden to recite The Flower of Jahan, the epic poem which chronicles the destruction of their homeworld.
