Index Astartes: Deathsworn
Index Astartes: Deathsworn
Homeworld: Celestia Tertius-Sigma
Fortress Monastery: The Jarlhalle (Vigilant Station)
Origins
The Deathsworn are one of a handful of known Ultima Founding successors of the Space Wolves chapter. Unlike most Ultima founding chapters however the Deathsworn are rumored to have been founded around a cadre of veteran firstborn sons of Russ. Where these warriors came from or how they came to be absorbed into a new primaris chapter are secrets closely guarded by the Deathsworn themselves. Some stories contend that the chapter's founders must have been a lost company, long isolated from their chapter brothers, while others contend they could have been Deathwatch veterans who were honored for their service with the opportunity to lead a new chapter rather than return to the Space Wolves themselves. Still other rumors suggest warriors displaced in time by the vagaries of warp travel or redeemed former renegades who joined the Lord Commander's banner. Whatever the truth and in spite of the dangerous curiosity of the Ordo Astartes the Deathsworn chapter's charter comes directly from the Lord Commander Roboute Guilliman. This means that the returned Primarch almost certainly was aware of the history of the firstborn warriors assigned to found the new chapter but even the Lord Commander has made no statement or recorded any additional details about the Deathsworn or where they came from. Despite the rumors of a firstborn officer cadre serving at the core of the chapter the Deathsworn are an entirely primaris chapter, indicating that if firstborn did indeed found the chapter they have either perished in combat already or undergone the Rubicon Primaris.
The chapter's founding charter proscribes the Deathsworn as a fleet based chapter, however a decade later the Deathsworn had already planted their flag in the previously uninhabited Celestia system on the borders of the Vanyr sub-sector. A relatively narrow region of space leading off of the primary warp routes between Fenris and Armageddon the Vanyr sub-sector's northernmost reaches come close to the Great Rift and the Celestia system is the closest of the sub-sector's systems to the rift itself. Based out of a formerly abandoned refueling station and void-dock orbiting the gas-giant of Celestia Tertius the chapter has claimed one of the several dozen moons that orbit the gas giant as their nominal homeworld. Celestia Tertius-Sigma is a frozen ball of ice with a minimal atmosphere and extremely limited native flora and fauna, transplanted millennia previously in a failed attempt to colonize the moon. The Deathsworn have aggressively transplanted a wider variety of species of plants and animals, as well as transplanted tens of thousands of feral-world natives to the moon to serve as a recruiting population for the chapter. These tribes have been equipped with minimal Imperial technology and inhabit isolated environment domes built into meteor impact craters within the icy surface of the moon. Geothermal power plants melt the ice for potable water and limited hydroponics provide much of the food stuff that keeps the tribes alive. This food source is supplemented by the tribes with the hunting of the few dangerous species that have managed to survive on the hostile moon and raiding their fellow tribes for resources.
The Deathsworn themselves maintain only a handful of small outposts on the moon's surface for the purpose of recruitment. Those few young tribesmen who survive the extremely hostile environment and the predators that inhabit it to reach these outposts can call for the chapter to assess them for recruitment. Those who prove genetically compatible and physically suitable for recruitment are accepted into the chapter, those who are not are either returned to their tribes or accepted as serfs.
The Jarlhalle, formerly known as the Vigilant Station, has seen massive changes since the chapter took up residence within it's abandoned halls. Massive slabs of armor and scores of gun turrets now adorn the station. The thin docking gantries and refueling stations now jut out between stacked tiers of guns, torpedo tubes and attack craft hangars. At least half a dozen orbital defense platforms drift languidly around the station, linked by chains with links the size of hab blocks and flexible plastek transit tubes to the station itself. The underside of the Jarlhalle still hangs with the massive, kilometers long extraction tubes, that hang down into the atmosphere of Celestia Tertius and suck in and filter out valuable gasses and compounds and pumps them back to the station for processing.
Although the chapter has established a fortress monastery and recruiting world the Deathsworn still maintain an enormous fleet for a chapter of their size. Many of the vessels in the chapter fleet clearly having been taken as trophies in engagements with renegades, pirates and heretics. The chapter's flagship is the Victory-class battleship Herald of Morkai, a vessel that would never normally serve within the fleet of an adeptus astartes chapter.
A mere two decades after founding, relative to local time-keeping, the chapter has already proven itself a deadly and merciless body of grim warriors. Expert void hunters and boarding assault specialists without compare the Deathsworn are bloody-handed killers one and all. Attack fleets of the chapter aggressively patrol the borders of the Great Rift, running down their foes and annihilating them whenever they dare show themselves within the borders of the Imperium Sanctus.
Organization
The structure of the Deathsworn chapter remains in some flux but is already closer to that of the VI Legion of old than the modern primogenitor chapter and unsurprisingly the Deathsworn pay no heed what so ever to the dictates of the codex astartes, either the original or Guilliman's new revision. The squads of the Deathsworn are known as packs and instead of the tactical, support and assault squads typical of codex-compliant chapters the Deathsworn organize their forces into claw, hunter and fang packs. Veterans of the chapter are known as Wolf Guard and are often detached to lead other packs and spread their experience around the company rather than keep it concentrated in a single pack. The chapter maintains scout squads but they are not the fresh-blooded initiates of codex chapters but are seasoned veterans known as Wolf Scouts. Like all chapters of the Ultima founding the Deathsworn make extensive use of the entire range of arms, armor and vehicles developed by Archmagos Dominus Bellisarius Cawl for his Primaris marines, from bolt rifles to Repulsor grav-tanks.
The chapter is roughly organized into thirteen great companies. These companies, much like their reflection in the Space Wolves, are organized and operate largely on their own, their squad composition, numbers and armory are not reflective of the conventional battle and reserve companies of codex chapters but vary depending on the needs of the current campaign and the whims of the Wolf Lord leading the company. At present all of these companies are under-strength as the chapter continues to grow and expand from it's modest initial draft of Primaris recruits into a full and independent chapter. Nevertheless despite their numbers the chapter has had an out-sized impact on the region surrounding it's base of operations, the experience of the founding cadre proving an incredible boon to the chapter and an advantage most other Ultima founding chapters lack.
The
Great Companies of the chapter have no formal size or structure with
their numbers varying depending on recruitment and casualty rates and
the number and organization of the company packs shifting depending on
the needs of a given campaign and the personality of the Wolf Lord in
command of the company. Each company possesses it's own great ship from
the chapter fleet to ferry it from warzone to warzone and each company
maintains it's own armory, vehicles, gunships and equipment and even occasionally conducts it's own recruitment if needed, though these numbers are
regularly reinforced by the more aggressive recruitment currently being
undertaken around the Celestia system. Whether that will continue to be
the case after the chapter reaches a nominal full strength is still to
be determined.
Instead of the normal rank progression of codex chapters from scout to reserve company to line company to veteran the youngest warriors of the chapter are known as Blood Claws and are organized into Claw packs where their hot-headed aggression can be best put to use. As the warrior gains experience and restraint as well as greys in the hair and beard they will rise to the rank of Grey Hunter and join Hunter packs. These are versatile warriors expected to fight in whatever manner their lord requires and keep their heads in battle. Older warriors who have not earned a place in the veteran Wolf Guard or whose temperament is better suited to ranged warfare become Long Fangs and serve in Fang packs, the heavy-weapon specialists of the chapter. Any warrior of any age who proves themselves in battle or saves their lord's life may earn a place in the company Wolf Guard, the chapter's veteran elite. Those battle-brothers whose personality tends towards the lonesome and independent may join the ranks of the veteran Wolf Scouts, the elite reconnaissance, sabotage and infiltration specialists of the chapter. Unlike in the Space Wolves the Wolf Scouts of the Deathsworn are not part of the chapter master's retinue but are organized and maintained by each great company individually the same as their Wolf Guard. Occasionally a warrior who has lost all of his battle brothers and is the lone survivor of his pack may choose to take the oaths of the Lone Wolf, forsaking brotherhood and taking on the role of the lone berserker, seeking vengeance in battle for his fallen brothers or glorious death. Only rarely will a Lone Wolf succeed in his mission, avenge his brothers, and return to the brotherhood of the chapter, most such warriors end their lives in glorious battle against some worthy foe.
Headquarters – Einherjar
-The chapter's various priests, dreadnoughts and senior command staff all serve as part of the Great Wolf's retinue or Einherjar. Like their primogenitor chapter the Deathsworn maintain cadres of Wolf, Rune and Iron Priests that fill the typical roles of Chaplain/Apothecary, Librarian and Techmarine and like the Space Wolves the chapter does not maintain a standing core of dedicated Apothecaries. Instead the Wolf Priests serve a dual role as both spiritual leaders and field medics. Specialists from the Einherjar will be detached and assigned to each of the Great Companies as needed, typically with each company receiving at least one of each priest and several dreadnoughts at any given time. Brothers of the chapter who have succumbed to the Curse of the Wulfen are entrusted into the care of the Wolf Priests and may only be deployed on the orders of a senior member of the chapter cult.
First Great Company
– Onn – The Great Wolf's Own
-The Great Wolf or Konungur of the chapter also serves as the Captain or Wolf Lord of the first company. A tradition carried over from the Space Wolves and which differs from codex chapters whose Chapter Masters do not directly command any single company. The bulk of the chapter's veterans, terminator and gravis-armor can be found in this company though each other company will typically maintain modest numbers of heavy assault specialists and veterans as well.
Second Great Company – Twa
Third Great Company – Tra
Fourth Great Company – For
Fifth Great Company – Fyf
Sixth Great Company – Sesc
Seventh Great Company – Sepp
Eighth Great Company – For-Twa
Ninth Great Company – Tra-Tra
Tenth Great Company – Dekk
Eleventh Great Company – Elva
Twelfth Great Company – Tolv
Thirteenth Great Company – Dekk-Tra
Chapter Serfs
-The bulk of the
chapter's personnel are non-augmented human servants who perform the
countless day-to-day activities needed to keep the chapter's
warriors, equipment and starships functional. At the lowest end of
the scale menials and lobotomized servitors clean and maintain the
corridors, chambers and decks of the chapter's ships, haul the
macrocannon shells up from the magazines and load the hab-block sized
torpedoes into launch tubes. Armed and highly trained Kaerls crew the
chapter's ships and defend against boarders. At the upper end of the
Kaerl hierarchy Huscarls command squads of their fellows and act as
junior officers and Rivenmasters and Shipmasters serve as the command
cadre of the chapter's mortal servants. In total tens of thousands of
unagumented humans crew the chapter's ships, the greater bulk of them
disciplined, highly-trained, well armed and well fed professionals,
not the press-ganged conscripts that fill out the crews of many
Imperial Navy vessels.
Konungur: Chapter Master, literally “chieftain.”
Jarl: Captain, “ring giver.”
Thane: Lieutenant, “noble.”
Fáninn: Ancient, translates roughly as “flag bearer.”
Huscarl: Sergeant
Hersir: Veteran, translated as “hero.”
Ulfsark: Battle-Brother
Kennari: Scout-Sergeant, literally “teacher.”
Ungur: Neophyte, literally “young.”
Gothi: Librarians and Chaplains
Skapari: Techmarine, roughly translated as “creator.”
Huskaerl: Serf officer.
Kaerl: Chapter serf.
Fortress Monastery
Records surrounding the exact date that Vigilant Station
was built are sparse and contradictory. Conflicting sources put the
establishment of the first orbital refinery at somewhere in the latter
half of the thirty third millennium to the early half of the thirty
fifth millennium. The date the station was abandoned is better known
with the last honest Imperial inhabitants departing the station
somewhere between 121.M41 to 213.M41. The station is believed to have
sat empty for some three or four centuries before pirates began to
occupy the abandoned refinery and docks towards the middle of the
forty-first millennium until elements of the newly founded Deathsworn chapter annihilated
the pirate inhabitants and claimed the station as their own.
During it's abandonment and hostile occupation the station suffered
considerable damage and neglect with whole sections depressurized or
opened to the void, others left without power or infested with vermin.
Occupying the station and bringing it back to full operation has taken
considerable effort and resources from the Deathsworn chapter with
years spent slowly restoring one section after another working from the
core refineries outwards. In addition to restoring the existing
facilities the Deathsworn have undertaken to heavily fortify the
station, adding meters of ablative armor to the outer surfaces,
installing void-shield generators and significant anti-ship and close
defense weaponry.
Although the restoration has taken time and
resources the station has proven a valuable asset to the chapter once it
was brought into operation. The refineries produce valuable materials
to keep the chapter's ships supplied while the storehouses and dockyards
have made a roomy and functional home for the chapter's fleet,
companies and servants. The one thing the station severely lacks is
ample forge facilities for the chapter's arms and armor but a recently acquired Lucius-pattern forgeship is currently meeting the chapter's needs.
Renamed the Jarlhalle by the chapter the station is slowly transforming into a space-borne Fenrisian great-hall with it's corridors lit by flaming torches and gas lamps while it's chambers are carpeted in furs and bedecked with shields and trophies. One of the storage bays near the station's core has been converted into a spacious apothecarion and gene-seed repository where the bulk of the chapter's recruits undergo their ascension into skywarriors.
Recruitment
Freed by the ingenuity of Bellisarius Cawl from the recruitment limitations of Russ' gene-seed the Deathsworn have taken to claiming viable recruits from any world the chapter happens to find themselves on. In addition to recruitment of opportunity the chapter has also gone out of it's way to essentially harvest thousands of tribespeople from a variety of different feral worlds across the northern reaches of the Segmentum Solar and transplant them to the chapter's newly established homeworld of Celestia Tertius-Sigma. This population continues to grow and has offered up hundreds of potential aspirants so far but has not reached the point where it is viable for the chapter to rely solely on the moon's tribes for aspirants.
After
being selected by the Wolf Priests and taken from their homes aspirants to the chapter will begin the process of transformation into a
warrior of
the adeptus astartes. Surgical implantation will begin along with an
aggressive regimen of training, fasting and hyno-indoctrination. The
most dangerous part of the ascension is the Trial of Morkai, whereby
recruits who have survived the initial implantation procedures will
drink from the Cup of the Wulfen, ingesting the Canis Helix, the unique
genetic legacy of the Primarch Leman Russ. The Canis Helix activates the
fresh gene-seed implants and triggers the beginning of the physical
changes unique to the Sons of Russ. Elongated canine growth, the
development of yellow eyes, increased sensitivity of smell, and
heightened aggression. As the recruit's body begins to adapt to the
Canis Helix they are taken to the wilderness of Celestia Tertius-Sigma
and dropped off in the wastes with nothing but basic clothing and a
combat knife. The recruit must then trek across the frozen tundra,
survive the cold, starvation, dehydration and hostile predators to make
it back to a small chapter keep located at the north pole of the
moon. Successful return marks the end of the recruit's transformation
into an adeptus astartes and the beginning of their service as a Blood
Claw of the chapter. The recruit will be assigned to a claw pack and
that pack will then be transferred to one of the chapter's great
companies. Many young warriors of the chapter may earn their first
trophies and their first deed-names during their Test of Morkai.
Chapter Tactics
Perhaps unsurprisingly for a chapter initially established as a fleet-based force the Deathsworn are masters of void warfare, ship combat and boarding actions. The chapter heraldry, a wolf skull over crossed bones, was chosen to represent the marauding and piratical experience of the chapter's founding veteran cadre. Even now that the chapter has a home system, fortress monastery and recruiting world the chapter's various great companies still spend most of their time operating far from their home, patrolling the edges of Imperial space and hunting pirates and renegades, taking prizes and claiming wargeld from their foes. More patient and disciplined in void warfare than their primogenitor chapter the Deathsworn are capable of waiting until the perfect moment to strike, shadowing their prey for days, weeks or longer until the perfect moment to attack presents itself. Sometimes the chapter will prefer to stalk their pray back to their lair, following marauding warbands or isolated pirate raiders to their strongholds before striking at the heart of their foes and tearing them apart.
Close quarters fighting is the cornerstone of the chapter's battle tactics, the warriors of the Deathsworn preferring the cut and thrust of melee combat over calculated ranged bombardment. The chapter makes heavy use of armored transports and assault gunships to deliver the chapter's packs into close contact with their foes. Boarding actions, clearing space hulks, cleansing operations in the maze-like depths of hive cities, these are the battlefields the chapter most favors and excels in.
When a foe proves particularly troublesome the Deathsworn may choose to unleash the Wulfen on them. Packs of thunderwolf riders and fenrisian wolves accompanying their bestial brethren in lightning assaults on the foe, unleashing their merciless ferocity without consideration of collateral damage. As such these forces are rarely deployed when allied Imperial forces are anywhere nearby, the chapter loath to allow their more savage brothers to be witnessed or risk their wrath falling on unintended targets. It does happen but the Deathsworn strive to ensure such incidents are rare and quickly covered up.
Chapter Beliefs
Given the general attitude of the chapter and it's name it is little surprise that worship of the Death Wolf itself, the twin-headed wolf of legend Morkai, would take a prominent place in the culture of the chapter. The Wolf Priests of the Deathsworn hold great sway over the tempers of their battle brothers and the savage wolf-skull helmets favored by the priests have become a common sight on the warriors of the chapter with whole packs sometimes choosing to wear the forbidding headgear over more conventional battle helms. In particular the veterans and wolf guard of the chapter almost always wear the wolf skull helms, each one fashioned from a great beast slain in single combat by the wearer. To don such a helm indicates that the wearer is an inductee into the lowest ranks of the Cult of Morkai and in time may choose to become a Wolf Priest themselves. Unsurprisingly Wolf Priests are incredibly common in the ranks of the Deathsworn, with each company usually being accompanied by at least two or three of he forbidding figures.
The name of the chapter itself references a variant of the specialized destroyer squads the old legions fielded during the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy unique to the Space Wolves. Grim figures armored in black and wearing wolf-skull helmets the Deathsworn were warriors committed to the most suicidal of missions, armed with deadly power blades and forbidden munitions the Deathsworn would destroy their target or die trying. To take such a name as the cognomen of the chapter entire indicates the Deathsworn always intended their chapter cult to be as grim, brutal and merciless as the deathsworn packs of old.
Cult of Morkai
-While
the warriors of the Deathsworn revere many of the traditions of
Fenris, including the many wolves of Fenrisian myths, the death wolf
Morkai holds the greatest favor with the battle-brothers of the chapter.
The Wolf Priests, as the choosers of the slain, hold even greater
reverence for the battle-brothers of the chapter than they do within the
ranks of their primogenitor or other known successor chapters.
Holmgang
-Ritual
honor duels are common among the Deathsworn and are frequently used
to settle disagreements and help warriors form bonds with their pack
brothers. However the greatest grievances and matters of honor must be
settled in the sacred contest of holmgang. These duels can only take
place on solid ground, space stations, ships or other artificial
constructs are not sufficient. When a dispute between battle-brothers is
so serious that a holmgang is demanded the Deathsworn will find the
closest available solid ground, be it a moon, an asteroid, a rogue
planetoid or even the rocky surface of a drifting space hulk. There a
circle will be drawn and witnesses will gather in a circle around the
dueling ring. All results of the holmgang are final with no further
challenges permitted on any given matter after the duel has been
demanded and resolved. All battle-brothers of the chapter will accept
the results of a holmgang, even if only reluctantly, for such duels are a
sacred matter.
The Lion and the Wolf
-Although the Deathsworn have diverged from some of the practices of their primogenitor chapter the honor of Leman Russ is still of utmost importance to all of his sons. Even if they no longer wear the colors of the Space Wolves should a strike force of Deathsworn warriors find themselves sharing a warzone with any Dark Angels or their successors it is inevitable that an honor duel will be demanded with the sons of Lion El'Johnson. Occasionally such duels are carried out by the commanders of either force but more often a veteran or champion will be selected to represent each chapter in the duel. These contests are always to the first blood but serious injuries and even the occasional death do happen. Most of the time the sons of both Primarchs are able to share a battlefield without coming to direct blows but open aggression between the sons of Russ and the sons of the Lion do occur and can result in considerable destruction and many casualties before the two sides eventually calm their ire.
Chapter Artifacts
As
a succcessor chapter of the Space Wolves and a rare Ultima founding
chapter that benefited from a veteran firstborn contingent, the Deathsworn possess a number of weapons and technologies unique to the Sons
of Russ. Even though their initial supply of such artifacts was
relatively limited the chapter Iron Priests retained the knowledge of
their creation and slowly the armory of the Deathsworn has been filled
with master-crafted examples of weapons and armor unknown to the
chapters of other gene-lines.
Belts of Russ
-Rather than using the more common Iron Halo to provide protective force fields for chapter officers the Sons of Russ utilize a unique form of protective technology known as the belts of Russ. Incorporating a powerful force field generator the belts of Russ provide the chapter's Wolf Lords with formidable protection against all but the most powerful and esoteric of enemy attacks.
Runic Armor
-The Rune Priests of the chapter utilize customized suits of power and terminator armor enhanced with an elaborate series of protective runes carved and enchanted with the powers of the Rune Priests. These suits grant their wearer significantly improved protection against the aetheric powers of the warp.
Frost Blades
-These
weapons take a variety of forms, from axes forged of ice-cold crystal
to chainblades made from the teeth of Fenrisian kraken, yet whatever
their form these weapons are extremely deadly and formidable. Only the
greatest heroes of the chapter are permitted to bear such relic weapons
into battle and the chapter will take great pains to recover these
priceless artifacts should their bearers fall in battle.
Helfrost Weaponry
-Rare and unusual energy weapons powered by crystals mined from deep beneath the Asaheim mountain range helfrost weapons produce beams of incredible cold that can freeze even the most terrible monsters and warmachines in their tracks. Only a few honored warmachines and the Iron Priests of the chapter are permitted to bear these weapons and they are highly prized by the chapter.
Stormwolf and Stormfang Gunships
-Based on a pattern of vehicle unique to the Space Wolves chapter and their successors the Stormwolf is a dedicated assault transport while the Stormfang is a gunship with a small passenger compartment enabling it to insert small packs into battle. Both gunships mount helfrost weaponry in addition to a suite of primary and secondary armaments that make them fearsome attack craft and highly prized insertion vehicles for the Deathsworn.
Chapter Fleet
For
a chapter of
it's size the Deathsworn maintain a fleet much larger than it should
be were the chapter being compliant to the dictates of the Codex
Astartes. In particular the Deathsworn have captured and refit a
number of classes of ships that should not be in a Codex adherent
Space Marine chapter fleet such as Battlecruisers and Grand Cruisers. In
addition to the
capitol-ships the Deathsworn have obtained through various means a
large number of escort craft. At the present time the chapter fleet
numbers fourteen capital ships of various classes, with the bulk being
made up of different light-cruisers. Each of the twelve Great Companies
is assigned one of these capital ships as it's primary transport with a
further two in reserve, the thirteenth company does not deploy as it's
own distinct force and therefore does not require it's own independent
transport vessel. The chapter was also provided with a Lucius-pattern
forgeship to aide in the manufacture of the various arms and armaments
designed by Archmagos Dominus Bellisarius Cawl for the Primaris Marines
and five fleet supply ships when the chapter departed from the ranks of
Fleet Primus. The three largest and most powerful ships of the chapter
fleet are the transports of the first, second and third great companies
and typically deploy together, concentrating their formidable firepower
to break the back of any fleet that stands against them and the
overwhelming force of more than three hundred Sons of Russ to annihilate
any foe that dares stand against the chapter. The rest of the chapter
companies and ships are more often deployed alone or in smaller
detachments, utilizing the greater speed of the chapter's light cruisers
and escort craft to deliver strike forces to beleaguered warzones
across the segmentum as quickly as possible given the still turbulent
warp conditions.
Victory-class Battleship Herald of Morkai
-This
Victory-class battleship is one of a rare few examples of it's size and
class of ship to be newly built in the Jovian shipyards in the last
century, intended for Fleet Primus of the Indomitus Crusade the ship has
seen a few major battles in that time but is still a largely untested
craft. Nevertheless the design, based on the irreplaceable
Apocalypse-class, possesses unmatched long-range firepower with lance
batteries and dorsal lance turrets combined with a prow mounted nova
cannon. When the Deathsworn were formally recognized as a chapter of
the Ultima Founding the chapter was granted a number of ships to
reinforce it's fledgling fleet but no proper Battle Barges were
available and so Jarl Silvar requested permission to select a flagship
for the chapter from the vessels of fleet Primus and the Primarch
Roboute Guilliman agreed to the request. Jarl Silvar chose the Righteous Wrath without a moment's hesitation, his time with the Storm Breaker
having left the new chapter master with a deep admiration for the nova
cannon and he was determined that any flagship of his chapter had to
possess such a weapon. In the last few decades the Righteous Wrath, renamed the Herald of Morkai, has proven to be an invaluable asset to the chapter. Together with the Storm Breaker and the Redoubtable the Herald of Morkai is referred to as one of the Three Crones,
the trio of sister ships having gained a fearsome reputation for
sailing together and unleashing the fury of their nova cannons in
simultaneous barrages capable of ripping the heart out of entire fleets
with a single salvo.
Mars-class
Battlecruiser Storm Breaker
-Claimed by the original Stormblade Great Company during it's years in exile from the Space Wolves chapter this main-line battlecruiser and served as Jarl Silvar's flagship for many years. Although not as fast or agile as a traditional strike cruiser the Storm Breaker is favored by Silvar largely because of it's nova cannon armament. The Nova cannon is one of the largest and most powerful weapons ever deployed by the Imperium of man and is capable of breaking whole ship squadrons and scattering fleets with a single shot. Few are the foes that can withstand a sustained bombardment from the formidable weapon and it is a favored tactic of the Deathsworn Chapter Master to open fleet engagements with a shot from the mighty weapon.
Mercury-class Battlecruiser Redoubtable
-Salvaged from the wreckage found adrift in the Celestia system the Redoubtable was painstakingly rebuilt for the simple reason that it's primary armament, a deadly Mars pattern nova cannon, remained mostly intact. Despite the extensive damage to the rest of the ship the Deathsworn chose to cannibalize multiple other wrecks to restore the Redoubtable and bring it into the service of the chapter. Together with the Storm Breaker and the Herald of Morkai the Redoubtable is known as one of the Three Crones, a name derived from the chapter's habit of deploying all three ships together and utilizing their nova cannon armament in simultaneous and extremely destructive bombardments.
Exorcist-Class Grand Cruiser Unbroken Fury
-Formerly the flagship of a small corsair fleet operating in the Segmentum Obscurus. The storm-ravaged remnants of the corsair fleet were fortunate enough to break from the warp in the Imperium Sanctus but were unfortunate enough to be met almost immediately by a fleet of Deathsworn chapter ships. The ensuing battle was short and grossly one-sided and resulted in a number of new vessels being added to the chapter fleet including the Unbroken Fury itself which now serves as an assault carrier for the chapter fleet. Fitted with spacious launch bays the aging Grand Cruiser may not be a powerful and deadly ship-of-the-line capable of slugging it out in close-ranged void war but it's hangar bays make it a highly effective launch platform for chapter void-fighters and gunships.
Dictator-Class Cruiser The Spear of Retribution
-Another recent addition to the chapter fleet The Spear of Retribution was formerly part of Battlefleet Gothic, tossed out of the warp with it's decks crawling with daemon-spawn and warp-twisted mutants, all that remained of the once human crew. The chapter stumbled upon the ship while patrolling the borders of the Cicatrix Maledictum and cleansed the vessel from bow to stern. After a lengthy period of re-sanctification and refit the vessel entered service with the chapter fleet.
Dominion-class Battlecruiser Fist of Bakka
-Like the Dictator-class cruiser the Dominion is another attempt
by the Imperial Navy to iterate on the Mars-class combining considerable
firepower and launch bays to create a versatile and powerful ship of
the line. To the Deathsworn these traits are particularly important
given the chapter's need for gunship launch platforms in the absence of
conventional strike cruisers and battle-barges. Recovered from the
blasted wreckage of an Imperial Navy patrol fleet found dead on the edge
of the great rift the chapter chose to haul the gutted wreck back to
Celestia and spent years bringing the vessel back to service.
Strike Cruiser Angurvadal
-One of a number of Adeptus Astartes strike craft granted to the Deathsworn chapter upon it's inception as part of the Ultima Founding.
Strike Cruiser Romslag
-One of a number of Adeptus Astartes strike craft granted to the Deathsworn chapter upon it's inception as part of the Ultima Founding.
Strike Cruiser Utholdenhet
-One of a number of Adeptus Astartes strike craft granted to the Deathsworn chapter upon it's inception as part of the Ultima Founding.
Dauntless-class Light Cruiser Herald of Vengeance
-One of a handful of pirate vessels captured and repurposed by the chapter in recent years the Herald of Vengeance
has proven a tough and reliable brawler despite it's relatively modest
size compared to other capital ships of the line and it's greater speed
is highly prized by the chapter's aggressive warriors.
Dauntless-class Light Cruiser Redoubtable Spirit
-The newest light-cruiser added to the chapter fleet the Redoubtable Spirit
was discovered as an abandoned hulk cast out of the warp on the edge of
the Celestia system and crewed by nothing but ghosts and foul spirits.
Many would have scrapped the ship or blasted it from the void but the
Deathsworn would not be deterred by the ghosts of the dead or whatever
foul humors may have infested the ship from it's time in the warp. The
chapter's priests scoured the vessel from prow to stern, servitors and
servo-skulls prowled every chamber, every deck and every maintenance
hatch for weeks burning incense and scrawling countless lines of prayers
and blessings across the decks. Tech-adepts scoured every system for
signs of taint and Wolf Priests carved runes of warding into every
hatchway. When the chapter was certain the ship had been cleansed of any
remaining taint it was dragged back to the Jarlhalle and underwent months of refit and restoration before it joined the chapter fleet properly.
Defiant-class Light Cruiser Sword of Constantine
-An
unusual variant of the endeavor-class cruiser the Defiant swaps the
broadside macro cannons for launch bays. The Defiant is very much based
on the old Enforcer-class cruiser, taking an old design and applying it
to a newer platform.
Defender-class Escort Cruiser Vigilant Shield
-Surprisingly
heavily armed for a ship of it's size the Defender-class light cruiser
is often used as the flagship of supply convoys where it's firepower and
speed make it an effective deterrent against pirates and xenos raiders.
Enforcer-class System Control Cruiser Adamant Scion
-A
rare variant of light-cruiser the Enforcer mounts sizable flight decks
capable of launching fighter and bomber wings as well as boarding
assault craft and gunships. Although nowhere near as potent in a direct
engagement as a Strike Cruiser the rapid growth of the chapter has
required utilizing whatever ships they can lay their hands.
1 Lucius-pattern Forgeship
5 Fleet Supply Ships
21 Frigates
36 Destroyers
19 System Defense Monitors (Celestia System Defense Squadron)
6 Orbital Defense Platforms (Celestia Tertius-Sigma orbit)
Notable Examples of Chapter Escort Squadrons
Gladius-Class Frigate Squadron Blad
-Blad/Onn
-Blad/Twa
-Blad/Tra
Nova-Class Frigate Squadron Reise
-Reise/Onn
-Reise/Twa
-Reise/Tra
-Reise/For
Nova-Class Frigate Squadron Seile
-Seile/Onn
-Seile/Twa
-Seile/Tra
Sword-Class Frigate Squadron Jakt
-Jakt/Onn
-Jakt/Twa
-Jakt/Tra
Hunter-Class Destroyer Squadron Drepe
-Drepe/Onn
-Drepe/Twa
-Drepe/Tra
-Drepe/For
-Drepe/Fyf
Cobra-Class Destroyer Squadron Skyte
-Skyte/Onn
-Skyte/Twa
-Skyte/Tra
Heroes of the Chapter
Great Wolf Silvar Stormblade, Bringer of the Red Snow, the Headtaker, Champion of Russ
Wolf Lord Brynjar Razorfang
Wolf Lord Daelin Frostmourn
Wolf Lord Half Ironbreaker
Wolf Lord Skjor Angel-Bane
Wolf Lord Anrakiir Kin-Slayer
Wolf Lord Ragnvald the Red-Handed
High Wolf Priest Geirmund Wolf-Totem
High Rune Priest Holmgeir Oath-Keeper
High Iron Priest Haelfdar Ironhelm
Lord Ancient Thorvald Felldawn
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