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Serving with distinction in a crusade, these gene-sons of the Blood Angels were formed into the 'Marines Scholaris' chapter during the 3rd Founding. This chapter seeks to bring the light of knowledge and proper governorship to their subjects within their Chapter Homeworld, Alexandria Prime.
Conquered in the crusade, Alexandria Prime was found to be a civilized, but low-tech, world in the outskirts of Segmentum Ultima. The Marines Scholaris discovered a world of great artists and scholars, excelling at nothing greater than the preservation of their works. The sparsely populated world of less than five hundred million souls, with no weapons greater than bronze, could put up no effective resistance to the Emperors Angels. The swiftly surrendered after a short series of failed attacks, awed by the might of the Space Marines.
The first appointed Chapter Master, Luthen Binel, could not bring himself to wrought further destruction on the world. He, accompanied by his First Company, removed their armor and all weapons, donned gray robe and made their way to the planets greatest city-state. Unmolested, and otherwise undeterred by the cities soldiers, they made their way to the palace of Queen Agora and presented her with three items: A scroll, a sword, and a scale. Luthen then spoke;
"Accept these gifts, and your people will never want for knowledge, protection, and justice. Deny them if you will, the next monarch will not."
Queen Agora accepted the Chapter Masters offer and reaped the rewards for the rest of her days. The Marines Scholaris established their Fortress- Monastery within the walls of Agora's city and gave it the simple title of 'The Library.' Within its secure walls did Agora's scholars store the collected works of the city-state. The promise of knowledge was kept as much of the lower reaches of the citadel became schools for the most gifted minds of city, and eventually, the greatest minds of each of Alexandria's city-states.
Each member of the Marines Scholaris is expected to master a field of study in conjunction with mastering the field of battle. The preservation , and distribution, of knowledge is viewed by each Marine as a measure of devotion to the Emperors Truth. Broadly speaking, each company is devoted to a scholarly subject that each Marine is obligated to further.

First: Veterans of all companies.
Second: Governance
Third: Philosophy
Fourth: Religion
Fifth: Architecture
Six: Mathematics
Seventh: Art
Eight: Sociology
Ninth: Engineering
Tenth: History

The Chapter Master is more than careful to not introduce technologies or ideas that would too rapidly advance the planet and invite conflict with the Inquisition and the Mechanicus. Despite this, Chapter Masters since have always maintained a great level of secrecy regarding the planets culture.

Alexandria Prime shares a solar system with Ilitian Hox, a hive world devastated by mutation and cut off from the rest of the galaxy. It's last remaining human inhabitants all trace their lineage to the upper classes of the the once mighty hiveworld. Whether or not this claim is true is debatable, but a moot point as they survive solely in the upper spires of the hive subsisting on vat-grown algae and centuries old lasguns to hold the mutants at bay. Neophytes and Chapter Auxilla from Alexandria Prime make planetfall once a year upon Ilitian Hox to test their mettle in real combat against the horrors that inhabit the lower hives and the wastelands of the dead world.

The events following the 13th Black Crusade and the fall of Cadia have left Alexandria Prime cut off from the rest of the Imperium as it became engulfed by the expanding Eye of Terror that split the galaxy in two. As a result of this the Chapter's strength has been reduced significantly as the majority of the Astartes Scholaris were still on world; only elements of the 1st, 2nd, and the 3rd Company were spared as they were entrenched on Baal assisting the Blood Angels and their successors against the Tyranid invasion.

With the addition of a company of Primaris Marines by the resurrected Primach Guilliman, and the acquisition of additional strike cruisers, the Marines Scholaris have become a fleet-based chapter until such a time that their homework can be recovered, if it even can be.

The current Chapter Master of the Marines Scholaris is Alexian Polos, who commands now the remaining one hundred and six Marines of the chapter. In addition to this the remnants of the chapter have access to a Battle Barge, three strike cruisers, and ten thousand Chapter Auxilla.

I really like the history and depth of this chapter.

I would like to see a follow up after a huge campaign where they retake the Library and find all the books and scrolls have been tainted by chaos and then the chapter itself is forced to burn all the accumulated knowledge. Would be very grimdark and fuel a rage against chaos for forcing them to destroy the one thing they valued over anything else. Just my $.02 but I think it would be very cool.

Thank you for the c&c! That's definitely the direction I'm heading with their story but I want to get a few games under my belt with them to have some more story fodder...That, and maybe see where Blood Angels lore goes but that probably won't effect to much.




Automatically Appended Next Post:
The resurgent Astronomicon had illuminated that which had been eaten by the darkness of the Great Rift, and among such light, the Astarte Scholaris homeworld of Alexandria Prime could once more be seen. This revelation was noticed by the displaced Chapter immediately; the pleas of the planetary governor of Klupia 7 for the Emperor's Angels to remain on world falling on deaf ears. Marines Scholaris, along with their allies the Rogue Trader Caloux Filic, and the Kasian 15th 'Ranger Corp' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, set their course for the Alexandria System.

A flotilla of one battle barge, four stroke cruisers, the Rogue Trader's Light Cruiser, seven Cobra-class Destroyers, and the transport vessel of the Kasian Rangers emerged from the warp at their intended destination without notable troubles. Across these vessels a force of 15,000 base humans between the chapter Auxilla, the Kasians, and the Rogue Trader. In addition to this number were the 260 Marines of the slowly rebuilding Marines Scholaris Chapter.

"Seventy-two minutes on approach. The orbital station appears to be operational and occupied via our sensors, but no communications are being transmitted." Reported the helmsman of the Battle Barge "Light of Knowledge" to the gold and silver armored Space Marine on the command deck.

"Send out a shuttle, and attempt to make contact with the station via Vox to confirm their arrival." The Space Marine commanded as he peered at the data screen pouring out every information almost incomprehensible to the common eye.

"Yes Chapter Master Alexian." The helmsman responded, seeing about his appointed task with all the vigor of an Alexandrian, despite his having never set a foot on the homeworld of his grandparents. Now was his chance, now was Alexian's first chance in Emperor knows how many years, as that matter was one of much dispute. There it was though, a blue green orb of increasing size, the place where Alexian was born. He had last seen it, presumably, two hundred years earlier as he and three hundred of the finest warriors of his chapter assembled a hasty force to assist Ba'al against the Tyranids.

"No response to vox communication Chapter Master." The helmsman said, forcing Alexian back to reality.

"Stay the course, make way for high orbit." He ordered, turning his back to the data screen to address two fellow Astartes standing guard at the doors of the command bridge. These two were adorned in red armor with silver and gold trim.

"Prepare your brothers." He commanded.

(More soon)

Very interesting. Keep it up.

"Ten minutes out. The auspex is now picking up seven ships of Cruiser size." The helmsman relayed to Alexian.

"They must of been on the other side of the planet in orbit for us to only now see them." The chapter master added as the data screen was filled with this new information. The seven cruisers were undoubtedly making their way to the Imperial vessels; Alexians heart dropped, now full of doubt for the state of his homeworld. Alexian opened a vox channel to the ships of his small fleet.

"Prepare to engage the enemy. All ships form a crossed battle line formation." Alexian ordered, pleased to hear the ship captains confirm his command. With the battle barge 'Light of Knowledge' at the center, the seven destroyers of the Imperial Navy in addition to the chapter's strike cruisers formed a buckled X shape.

"By the Emperor..." Cried a crewman softly as the seven ships came into view of the bridge. Alexian thought much the same but gave no voice to his concern. The seven cruisers, once painted a light blue, were mired in filth and unnatural growth. Very little of the original hull could be seen, but from what he could make out Alexian understood who they faced.

"The Putrid Choir." He said distainfully under his breath.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
The navies clashed in the space between Ilitian Hox and Saeria in a engagement as brief as it was bloody. All seven of the plagueships made a direct line to the Imperial flotilla's capital ship 'Light of Knowledge' and right into the obvious trap that Alexian had set for them. The ease of the Astarte's plan had left him with an unmistakable dread, it should not be this simple.

The first salvos came from the strike cruisers at the ends of the X formation, who's guns tore viscus chunks out of the hulls of the plagueships but did nothing to impede their speed; quickly began firing back against their aggressors. The first minutes of the battle played painfully slow as all ships moved to surround the plagueships.

"All ships, open fire and close in." Alexian commanded; followed by the noiseless roar of guns in the void. The point ship of the Putrid Choirs Navy was the first to fall to the combined firepower of the fourteen Imperial vessels. However this victory was short lived as the remaining six broke formation to engage the arms of their opponents fleet formation.

"They are on a ramming trajectory. Throne damn it, destroy it!" Cried the Rogue Trader over the vox, who's voice was joined by the other captains of the fleet. Alexian's battle barge had two of the plagueships bearing down on his position. The guns tore meaty chunks from their hulls to little effect at first, but the continued salvos were beginning to have a noticeable effect on the closer of the Nurglite ships.

The explosion of viscera had been expected as the closest ship was brought low by the combined firepower of the Battle Barge and two destroyers. What was unexpected were the multitudes of nurglings mixed within in that became scattered on the hull of the nearest Imperial ships. Beasts with corrosive ichor oozing from their flesh burrowed there way into the two Destroyers. Alexian's datascreen flashed warnings of boarders on the Imperial Navy ships.

"All ships keep a distance but do not break formation. They are attempting to board." Alexian issues to his fleet just as a flash of blinding light erupted from the Navy destroyer 'Jaeger's Arrow' as it's hull splintered and tore itself to pieces as the core overloaded. Alexian's datascreen displayed that the ships self destruct had be activated by the Captain.

Of the seven original plagueships only two now remained, but each took a terrible toll; four destroyers, and two of the strike cruisers had been destroyed in the first act of the battle. Of these ships, the destroyer 'Hero of The Void' had been captured by the creatures of Nurgle that erupted from a destroyed plagueship. Whoever commanded the vessel now was a mystery that would never be solved as the guns of the remaining destroyers blew it into oblivion.

One of the last two plagueships were heading straight for the Light of Knowledge, and the other towards the troop ship of the Kasian Rangers. The Rogue Trader made for the defense of the troop ships, strafing the plagueship from above as the mighty cannons ripped deep holes into its hull. At last it could not longer hold and the vessel came apart in a viscous mass of diseased flesh twisted into the ships frame.

The guns of the Light of Knowledge were fairing far worse against the foe bearing down upon it. Salvos that had ripped it's earlier attackers to pieces were having no effect beyond sending visceral masses of nurglings into the void.

"Two minutes til impact." The helmsman declared with what Alexian could tell to be barely masked fear.

"Prepare for boarders." The Chapter Master commanded though the ships vox intercom. This was no Imperial Navy ship guarded only by naval armsmen, the Emperors finest would repel these daemons. This confidence was never given a chance to be proved as the damaged destroyer 'Heart of Terra' plowed it's stern into the starboard hull of the last plagueship. The Nurglite vessel tore nearly in two as the destroyer ripped through it. After a few moments, or perhaps several hours, the blinding flash and energy wave of the ships self destruct vaporized itself and it's foe.

The battle was done and only the Light of Knowledge, the Rogue Trader, two Strike Cruisers, two destroyers and the troop transport were all that remained. Alexian surveyed the destruction with distain and sorrow. He did not let himself brood long however, turning his back to the bridge.

"Make for Alexandria."