As I am preparing for my first series of tabletop games (against orks Bad Moons clan - so the evil sunz have been retconed), I bring to you detailed timeline of my homebrew Vorpal Swords fluff so far, and also a bonus in form of Agramento Sector map.
Map:
Timeline:
• Pilgrimage to Fenris system (115.M38)
Entire Chapter undertook a two years pilgrimage to the Fenris system – homeworld of Space Wolves Chapter, in order to return strike cruiser Hoarfrost to Leman Russ descendants. As a form of gratitude, Great Wolf ordered Vorpal Swords resupplied and gifted with tons of precious weapons and armor from Adeptus Astartes arsenal, in order to help them rebuild their former strength.
•
Granting of Vryreus IV (121.M38)
Vorpal Swords Chapter received from the Lords of Terra a new homeworld, both in recognition of their stalwart service to the Imperium, and also as a form of compensation that their previous homeworld was destroyed in a disastrous solar flare phenomena that scoured the surface of the planed and devoid it of all life and life sustaining atmosphere. The planet Vryreus IV was located in Agramento sector, which was considered a frontier region of Segmentum Ultima, in close proximity to Ghoul Stars area. Agramento Sector, upon Vorpal Swords arrival was found in complete disarray, thanks to incompetent rule of local governors. They have allowed the situation to drift into chaos, under their irresponsible rule.
Agramento’s Sector capital is located at the Fulto Prime Hive World in sector’s core region. The sins of the ruling noble cast and the sector governor consisted of completely ignoring the petitions of frontier worlds for defense, while they were under xenos onslaught. Even more damning was the fact of falsifying the reports send to the Segmentum administration, regarding the sector’s status and tithe collection. Sector governor lied about shortages and problems with tithe collection and kept the vast amount of it for himself as well as distributing portion of it to his supporters.
Chapter Master Konvak Lann and his Vorpal Swords, learned of those grievous developments from Lord Admiral Bentok – Imperial Navy commander of Battlefleet Agramento. Having evaluated the nature of the facts Vorpal Swords descended upon Fulto Prime and after pompous welcoming ceremony broadcasted to the entirety of the planet population, Konvak Lann have had the governor publicly executed. A new governor was established – Patonious, who served previously as Chapters mortal servant of high rank. Executions of several hundreds of closest supporters of former governor followed shortly after. Astartes actions were not met with any martial opposition.
•
Arrival at Vryreus IV (122.M38)
After brutal but short acquaintance with sectors ruling cast, Vorpal Swords embarked on the last part of their journey to their new home. Vryreus IV is a massive feral world, twice the size of Holy Terra. It possesses three major oceans and enormous land masses. Both continents present variety of biomes, yet it can be stated that the bigger of them is mostly covered in steaming jungles, full of deadly beasts and other hazards, while the second continent resembles near-endless mountain ranges and muddy hillsides.
Since only the jungle continent is settled with bronze age level human population, Vorpal Swords decide to carve their fortress monastery into the mountain slopes of the other continent. The construction of gigantic fortress took 49 years, and during that time, chapters flagship served as a base of operation and headquarters.
Vryreus IV is inhabited with about a dozen million scattered humans organized in tribes that have degraded to the level of bronze age tribes. To the recon teams' surprise local population was fully compliant with Imperial Creed’s teachings spread on the planet’s surface centuries before by imperial missionaries. Although there were no hostilities towards the new comers (quite the contrary, as Astartes were rightfully regarded as Emperors Angels), the tribesman have developed very spiritual shamanistic approach towards the cult of the Emperor. After thorough analysis undertook by Chapter Apothecaries and accompanying Magos Biologos, the planet’s population was judged to be exceptionally pure as to their gene stock.
During the construction, Chapter veterans held a council regarding the Chapters restoration to its former strength. It was decided that remaining 281 space marines will be reorganized from their current temporary 3 battle companies into 10 companies amounting to about 30 marines each (the division was obviously uneven, for example 1st Company received 50 veterans and 10th received 11 veterans). The idea behind it was to create a framework for the future inflow of new recruit from Vryreus IV, that would need guidance from the surviving veterans
•
Inventory count – rebirth of a Chapter / beginning of distress calls (125.M38)
During the period of land and population assessment as well as fortress monastery construction Vorpal Swords consisted of 281 space marines, 13 dreadnoughts 108 vehicles of various type and a fleet consisting of flagship Battle Barge Lyxaemon, four strike cruisers: Petronax, Pax Imperialis, Hammer of Llellach and Bemagus, and also two dozens of escorts, nearly half of which were granted to them by Imperial Fists and Excoriators chapters as a gift after their return from the Eye of Terror, thanks to them sharing the same bloodline.
During that time, newly appointed Captain of 10th Company – Clementes Rorg, was named a Master of Recruits and received the task to organize and implement wide range of recruitment programs from among the Vryreus IV population. Thanks to his dutiful approach and exceptional dedication, first wave of new recruits amounting 149 initiates out of 280 candidates and were considered a great success on the level of their training results and compatibility with implanted organs. They soon were divided among all of the Companies, which were in turn send out to different corners of Agramento sector to assess the nature of increasing number of pleas for help forwarded from sector capital Fulto Prime. Several dozens of those proved to be real battle engagements, furthering the expertise of new recruits. Among the threats encountered – 90% were small attempts at secessions by those supporters of the former governor and his coterie, that managed to escape the change of government enacted by Vorpal Swords some years ago. The latter 10% were numerous engagements with the growing threat of Ork Bad Moons clan roaming in the area, looking for easy prey upon undefended for centuries, human colonies and space stations.
•
Siege of Helack Majoris Forge World (179.M38)
In the year of 178.M38, newly established and fully operational Vorpal Swords fortress Monastery – "The Whetstone" received an astropathic plea for help from sector’s main forge world – Helack Majoris. Rulled by Archmagos Cetrynax, Helack Majoris was the crucial world in the chain of supplies for the entire sector. Thanks to being the only forge world in the sector, capable to meet nearly any needs sector might present, Archmagos demanded horrendous prices in materials and services for the goods his domain produced.
Yet now, thanks to decades of incompetence of the sectors governor and limited supply of armaments, the Forge World could not count on any Astra Militarum help. The only bulwark against the incoming Ork menace was the Imperial Navy, who tried their best but was unable to cover all approached to the Mechanicum domain, and thus the Vorpal Swords, presented themselves as the last chance for the Forge World survival.
Chapter Master Konvak Lann gathered all his Captains but for the 5th Company commander Ozallean, who was with his forces too far to heed the call. A council was held and, even thou some Captains counseled against straightforward rush towards the enemy, Konvak Lann decided to deliver the Forge World from the green tide right away.
Entirety of eight companies (5th being too far away and 10th chosen to stay in the fortress to further train recruits and guard it) – amounting to only 546 space marines – were send to Helack Majors system to undergo biggest Chapter deployment since the Abyssal Crusade.
Upon Vorpal Swords arrival in the system, it was made clear that this was the last possible chance at driving the unending ork onslaught in the system away from the holy forges of Mechanicum. Even though Cult Mechanicum forces allied with minor Knight House Cadwig from neighboring Knight World Gerdan, did their best, they were simply too few to stand a chance against Ork armada packed with thousands of orks constantly descending upon planet surface.
Vorpal Swords did not waste the opportunity to descend upon the Orks with the advantage of surprise, and so they began boarding the main Ork ships in search of the Warboss. An individual known as Bordrakk Flashy Klaw was located and eliminated by combined elements of 3rd and 4th Companies. This stratagem allowed to gain tactical advantage upon quickly disorganizing foe and have let the Space Marines fleet together with remaining elements of Battlefleet Agramento to wipe out most of Bad Moons major warships.
With the inflow of Orks stopped, ground units of the Cult Mechanicum and Knight House Cadwig pushed the attackers back to their landing zones, and awaited the drop pod assault of Space Marines forces that followed shortly after. The battle was won after two weeks of digging Orks out of every trench they have built and every cave they have descended into.
In the aftermath of the battle known later as the siege of Helack Majoris, Archmagos Cetrynax and the head of Knight House Cadwig, Lord Dromund, have both swore oaths of eternal gratitude and alliance to Vorpal Swords Chapter. Furthermore Cetrynax swore to provide constant flow of ammunition, war gear and vehicles for the Chapter. Knight House Cadwig, on the other hand provided three Knights from among their House, to serve as auxiliary units beside Astartes forces.
The outcome of the victory could not be more satisfying for Chapter Master Konvak Lann, not only have he done his duty, spread the fame and honor of his chapter, but also secured the future of chapter’s armory, if not for the losses Vorpal Swords have taken. Out of 546 space marines that arrived in the battle zone, only 328 survived, yet for the most part they were counted from among the new recruits. There were also losses on the side of chapters fleet. Seven escorts were lost with all hands and strike cruiser Hammer of Llellach, had to undergo two decades of repairs in order to return to line duties. Rest of the fleet was also badly damages but not to that degree.
Yet contrary to what some might have done, Konvak Lann have not ordered to speed up the process of recruitment or lower the expectations that recruits had to make. Quite the contrary, he have ordered Captain of 10th Company – Clementes Rorg, to elevate the demanded results level from potential candidates, that would be recruited to the Chapter in the future.
•
Proclamation of Rebirth (269.M38)
In the year 269.M38 Vorpal Swords Chapter restored its ranks to full battle readiness counting their ranks to full 1000 battle brothers, excluding the command cadre and technical specialists. This brought the Chapter back to full Codex complainant structure, and combined with nearly a century of inflow of ammunition, armor and vehicles from Forge World Helack Majoris, resulted in the event know in Chapter’s history as “Proclamation of Rebirth”. Chapter Master Konvak Lann announced that no longer will Vorpal Swords engage in defensive wars to hold their ground and secure the nearest space. They were now fully ready to take the battle to the foe, wherever they will find him, and whoever might he be…
During the ceremony called “Proclamation of Rebirth”, a new strike cruiser named adequately Proclamation of Rebirth, was admitted into the Chapter’s fleet, having it received from the shipyards above Helack Majoris, as a special gift from Archmagos Cetrynax who cherished the fact of nearly 100 years of peace in his domain thanks to the Space Marines patrol fleets protection, that have let him to further the development of Omnisiah’s will upon his worlds.
During the ceremony the Chapter structure framework was finally acclaimed and codex compliance was accomplished in its entirety. Present during the ceremony were all Chapter commanders and figures of note, among which were:
- Chapter Master – Konvak Lann
- Master of Sanctity – Chaplain Ydehoot
- Master of the Forge – Techmarine Broxan Tegor
- Master of the Apothecarion – Apothecary Bellurias
- Chief Librarian – Liorwar Claart
- 1st Company Captain – The Swordmaster (Vorpal Swords’ specific title) – Tondbert
- 2nd Company Captain - Master of the Watch – Beornric
- 3rd Company Captain - Master of the Fleet – Decius Horon
- 4th Company Captain - Master of the Arsenal – Cenhelm Tertarios
- 5th Company Captain - Master of the Marches - Ozallean
- 6th Company Captain - Master of the Rites - Veredictan
- 7th Company Captain – Regent of Vryreus IV (Vorpal Swords’ specific title) – Udo Mortagan
- 8th Company Captain - Lord Executioner - Athager
- 9th Company Captain - Master of Relics - Regnfread
- 10th Company Captain - Master of the Recruits - Clementes Rorg
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Any comments would be appreciated.
