The Iron Dragons
Progenitor: Iron Hands
Colors: Black, Silver, Green
Words: "We shall be reforged!"

Of the Iron Hands successors the Iron Dragons are the most fervent in their following of Ferrus Manus. While many Iron Hands believe Ferrus Manus wants them to reforge themselves through cybernetics to remove impurities, the Iron Dragons believe that Ferrus himself slayed a C'tan and by the act of striking down a star god he removed all impurity and doubt in himself. It is because of this belief that the Iron Dragons hunt Necrons wherever they may be found and are almost always on the front line to attempt to prevent a Tomb World from being awakened or Necron Lord from seizing a world.

In the later years of their formation, however, the Iron Dragons came to acquire a Shard of the Void Dragon while stopping what they assumed was an attempt to awaken a Tomb World. It had an immediate impact on the chapter's techmarines and drove some of them mad, but drove the others to momentary glimpses of genius. At first the Techmarines adapted Necron technology to their own use, modified gauss weaponry and the like, soon after they moved into creating powerful bionics and implants. Over time the Shard slowly began corrupting the chapter through this technology, and even the chapter master found himself heeding the call of the shard.

Any remaining loyalists in the chapter were purged during a fight with a Necron scouting force when their brothers turned upon them opening fire with modified gauss weaponry and joined their new Necron brethren. In Imperial Records 374 bodies were found on the planet, suffering from gauss wounds from all sides and its thought they died honorably against their most hated foe and the belief the rest of the bodies were vaporized by heavier Necron weapons. The chapter was declared destroyed having died valiantly against the Emperor's foes.

Rumors trickle in occasionally from outlying worlds that strange giant men have been seen fighting alongside the Necrons. Their bodies covered in Cryptek-looking machinery and Necron runes. Very few reports make it off these soon to be dead worlds however, and the Inquisition has chalked it up to a new Necron heavy infantry unit.

The Celestial Fists
Progenitor: Ultramarines
Colors: Purple, Gold, Silver
Words: "His glory radiates!"

The Celestial Fists were a powerful chapter who’s record shows nothing but flawless campaigns against the Emperor’s foes. They became known for having the Emperor’s favor at all of their battles, as miracles would happen in their favor as they fought against their foes at every turn. Earthquakes would swallow armies, beams of holy light from the skies would blind their foes, and sometimes brothers thought dead would miraculously find themselves healed and fighting again.

The Inquisition took heavy interest in them at first, assuming that these miracles might be the work of sorcerers or psykers, but the Celestial Fists maintained no standing Librarians in their ranks and none among them had even minor psychic powers (primarily because their progenitor, an Ultramarine, was a known blank.) Eventually they deemed these acts of the Emperor as true miracles. With the blessing of the Ecclesiarchy, the Celestial Fists were cleared and sent to assist in the defense of core Imperial Worlds.

What happened next is the subject of much debate among the Inquisition. While defending Khalarn IV against Chaos invaders, the Emperor himself appeared in the sky above the brothers and began smiting their foes. Rallied by his presence, the Chaos Warlord and his warriors stood no chance against them. However once the battle had finished the Celestial Fists put every man, woman, and child on Khalarn IV to the sword, including the Imperial Guard and PDF stationed there assisting them and left the planet on their battle barge.

All attempts to speak with the Celestial Fists leadership was rebuffed and ignored. They were declared traitors of the Imperium and have been on the run ever since. The Inquisition has debated many theories as to why the Celestial Fists turned all of a sudden while in the Emperor’s presence with some blaming Chaos exposure, or a flaw in their geneseed.

The truth of the matter is that these “miracles” were the creations of the Necron C’tan, the Deceiver, who had been setting up these marines to be his followers since their inception. Every miracle was his doing, every step was by his design, and now they fight what they perceive to be the enemies of the Emperor, unknowing to the fact that they are fighting for his foes.

The Solar Strike
Progenitor: White Scars
Colors: Dark Red and Gold
Words: "With the fire of a thousand suns!”

The Solar Strike found itself part of a distinguished campaign in the Damocles Gulf. Against the Tau the Solar Strike’s hit and run tactics and fast assaults hit home and the Tau had trouble adapting to their tactics while still dealing with other more traditional forces. However Commander Shadowsun, not to be outdone, fought a long and bloody campaign against them, causing many casualties but enduring many among her own forces.

Shadowsun finally managed to ensnare the Solar Strike’s primary battle company by using heavily modified Kauyon tactics. Trapped and isolated, the company fought bravely, knowing they would die here for the Emperor. As their ammo burned out and their supplies ran low, the Tau forces besieging their camp drew closer and closer each night. After forty-five nights and hundreds of slain Tau, the survivors were captured alive in a sudden daytime raid led by Shadowsun herself.

Turned over to the Water Caste for “analyzing”, their built in programming and indoctrination made them very hard to handle and many of the company died being examined by Water Caste scientists. They were subject to strange drugs, mind control helmets, mental reprogramming, and even genetic modification to try to subdue and control them. After years of work the Water Caste scientists managed a breakthrough and a small number of the Solar Strike began being used in field testing.

These Space Marines would need constant supervision by a Water Caste Controller, who would provide control of their metabolisms and emergency kill switches should any break the indoctrination, but their results on the battlefield were unparalleled. Even better their use as a propaganda tool to break Imperial worlds and convince them of the Tau’s intentions was a far more powerful tool than they could’ve imagined. Entire populaces would bow to the “heralds of the Emperor” believing the Tau to be his divine will made physical as even Space Marines would join them.

Their combat usage is sparse, and surely will provoke the ire of their brothers on the battlefield, but their power level is unarguable. The Imperium has investigated rumors of these marines but has yet to provide any physical evidence to the High Lords that such a matter needs to be taken seriously.

The Silent Brotherhood
Progenitor: Dark Angels
Colors: Dark Blue and Silver
Words: “Our souls are found wanting.”

The Silent Brotherhood carries a heavy guilt upon themselves for unspeakable actions in their past. In an attempt to rectify their mistakes they began a self-imposed exile/penitence campaign to restore honor to their chapter and themselves. During one of these campaigns they found themselves facing an Eldar Seer among the ruins of a former Eldar world who was seeking a former wraithbone tomb.

The Brotherhood fought their way into the tomb viciously, their will unwavering. Inside they found the Seer standing atop a platform channeling the spirits of his fallen brothers. The Chapter Master led the charge at him but was too late, as the entire tomb complex erupted in a roar of light and wailing.

When they awoke they were not themselves. The Silent Brotherhood had perished, their souls ripped from their bodies and placed within the soulstones, in their place were the bodies of men with the souls of ancient Eldar warriors. The “chapter master” and his brothers laid down their weapons and surrendered to the Eldar.

Their arms and armor were modified by the Eldar to bring them up to par with their former lives as Eldar warriors. These ancient knights now fight alongside the Eldar in various campaigns, the Eldar strive to keep them hidden, however, as they know that as soon as the Imperium catches wind one of their chapters has gone renegade (whether it is actually them or not) surely the might of the entire Imperium would come down upon them. Until then they are assumed to be crusading across the cosmos in the name of the Emperor.