Crimson Bulwark

Chapter Name
Warcry:	We are His Shield! / The Bulwark Shall Not Fall!
Founding:	Unsure, pre-10th Founding
Founding Chapter:	Unconfirmed, suspected Imperial Fists
Chapter Master:	Molruibh 'The Flagellant' Callum
Homeworld:	Shield of Absolution
Fortress-Monastery:	Absolution's Reflection
Colors:	Red and Bone-White
Specialty:	Large Apothecarium, Anti-Plague
Strength:	1000 Marines, ~90,000 Chapter Serfs
Chapter Creed:	We are His Fortresses, His Redoubts, His Bulwark

Overview

The Crimson Bulwark, formerly known as the Crimson Hammer, are a loyalist Chapter found in Subsector Makerus of Sector Eternum. Over millenia of conflict against the Rotbelchers and other servants of the plague God, they have become skilled at countering both invasions originating from the Bubonic Rift and the plagues Nurgle's followers so often bring.

History

According to chapter records, almost all history prior to M35 was lost when the fortress Hammer of the Emperor (now known as the Shield of Absolution) was severely damaged and infested with data and memetic viruses by an attack from the plague god's forces. Outsiders who lost their own records over time note several inconsistencies in this incident, but none they would bring up to the Bulwark. Some of the few fragments that survive record that the chapter was originally founded to observe and protect against the warp touched area of space that would become nascent Bubonic rift, which explains their fierce defense of the Eternum sector.

The chapter home world is the fortress monastery Shield of Absolution, with all recruiting worlds in subsector Makerus. The chapter used to boast several recruiting worlds, but after several vicious campaigns lead by the death guard, only a handful remain. Originally known as the Crimson Hammer, the Chapter renamed themselves after the Battle of Absolution during the First Poxwar.

Due to losses incurred, the Bulwark changed to emphasize heavy ranged firepower supported by tactical squads, with melee used as a scapel instead of a sledgehammer and a high importance placed on sturdy armor leading to further veneration of their armor and craftsmen. Each battle brother is expected to help maintain their armor, and each forge litanies and benedictions detailing the clan's and armour's service on the inside. This, combined with the artistry behind each piece of armor, has a side effect of warding the armor against certain types of attacks (which only add to the armor's list of deeds). Each marine takes pride in their armor, and a poorly maintained or crafted armor can result in the responsible marine being stripped of holy armor for disrespecting the legacy of the craft. The increase in seriously injured marines during the First Poxwar caused an increase in Dreadnoughts and more apothecaries than normal for a traditional chapter.

Beliefs and Reputation

The Bulwark pride themselves on their recruitment world's clan's town or village's honor, and fight for them in the field. These clan villages, feral or civilized, fight for the right to send applicants and the Bulwark takes only the best of the winning village. Assuming the clan's best warriors win, the clan's town is renamed in honor of the initiates, declaring the successful initiates each their Lord Ex Crusadas, and becoming untouchable (by threat of chapter retaliation) to any other villages who would make war on them. Marines, while loyal first to the Emperor and Chapter, do come to see themselves as the masters and Paladins of their clans and holdings, returning in times of relative calm to extravagant processions and feasts in the Emperor's name. Marines view their fiefdom, and by extension all of the chapter's clan, as much a part of the chapter and themselves as their arm and thus when the Rotbelchers razed or corrupted whole recruitment planets the marines were assailed by guilt, rage, and suicidal despair at their loss and failure compounded by the losses their chapter suffered.

The Crimson Grief started during the First Poxwar, whether by some latent gene seed defect or warp machinations none can say, though all marines can be subjected to it, even those whose home is still alive. Marines who lose their fiefdom, most or all of their clan, or fail a stubborn oath they've sworn are shamed in the eyes of the chapter, and join the ranks of "The Marked" (at least the ones who do not lose themselves to the Grief completely). These clans are generally governed by the populace (either a local noble or council, depending on the population and local culture), with the marine serving more as a ceremonial role with absolute power they rarely use. As the worlds the Bulwark recruit from are generally tough and brutal like Death Worlds, Feral Worlds, and mixed tech Feudal worlds, there will often be a nearby monster or threat to deal with whenever the marine returns and this serves to both hone the lone hunter skills of the marine will maintaining their ties to the clan. Most clans will only have one Lord Ex Crusadas, but larger clans may have multiple in which case power is split between them (either by having them rule in a quasi military republic junta, or splitting the clan into different sects). It's very rare a marine actually involves themselves with local politics, but it can happen if the marine believes the local government or populace have grown weak or decadent.

As part of the chapter, each town is expected to provide the destitute, unemployable, and other lower classes to the Chapter to become servitors and members of the working and higher class as chapter serfs, to better help the chapter maintain its artisan weapons, armor, and fortifications. If a town has run out of the lower classes, they will begin to either raid non affiliated towns for potential servitors, or increase the amount of laws to increase the amount of criminals, this reflecting the safety and prosperity being serfs of the chapter brings. The Bulwark's stubbornness is also legendary, and once a marine has decided on a mission there's little that can stop him beyond death (and in the case of Dreadnoughts, not even death). This results in violent arguments when two marines of equal rank disagree internally, and can lead to a duel, or, a recently interred dreadnought breaking lines to charge forth to kill a target he swore he would kill while alive if he can still remember the oath that ended with him being interred. That being said, once settled the marines will bond again, holding no grudge with their brothers. Outside of the chapter, however, these can turn into serious, long term grudges, with the perfect example being Gulliman and the Custodes forcing of the Primaris - the Bulwark now views the former as borderline heretical upstarts, and the latter as perverting the vision the Emperor had for the space marines. Compounded by the fact that when Gulliman's "pets" were in danger, the Ultramarines and their successors deployed in legion strength while the Bulwark was left to fend alone against a tide of plague, their dislike of Gulliman, his marines, and the Custodes has only increased. The only reason the Bulwark could ever fight alongside the Custodes or Gulliman is if the alternative is being declared traitor, even that is a stretch. If such an event were to occur, both would likely find themselves receiving far more 'friendly fire' than they would normally expect while more hardline members of the chapter edge closer to being renegades.

Ties to other Imperial Organizations

The Bulwark will on occasion work with other Imperial Institutions (primarily the Guard, but rarely the Inquisition) when their goals overlap, or if an individual that has previously shown their veracity in combat makes a compelling case for a joint action. The Bulwark respects the honorable who serve the Emperor, and regiments they have served with them and proven their mettle can have somewhat closer ties to the chapter, not enough to regularly request support, but one that can lead to the Bulwark accepting an official imperial command request for support in a larger action. This does require a two way relationship, and if the Bulwark needs a larger amount of fire support than normal, a diversion offensive, or bodies to hold a line they expect Guard support in turn. That's not to say the Bulwark is callous with the lives of guardsmen, but won't hesitate to sacrifice a pawn to capture a queen, knowing that the Guardsmen will be at the Emperor's table.

Views on the Emperor

The Chapter's views are somewhat confusing, owing in part to the loss of most historical records before M35. Some of the few records existent that mention anything regarding the Horus Heresy state the Emperor did not consider himself a God, but records after that point to the Emperor being increasingly powerful and deistic to outright being called the God of Mankind by surviving records around M34. The current views ascribe Godhood to the Emperor, but differ from the Imperial Cult in that the Bulwark believes he has become a God since the Heresy versus always being one. This is not a universal belief, while all acknowledge the Emperor as the master of mankind, some marines believe he is not a true God and just the incredibly powerful father of Mankind.

Organization

Each company is led by a Captain with two lieutenants and has its own staff of four apothecaries and a tech-marine. Company apothecary staff rarely take to the field in force, with generally only one or two 'frontline' apothecaries deploying and the remainder focused on disease research and countering, more advanced treatment with the facilities of the company's strike cruiser or section's battle barge, or managing the dreadnaughts and other critically wounded marines.

The First Poxwar not only caused a heavy loss in marines and recruits, but also several chapter relicteries. As such, the Crimson Bulwark are limited to slightly over 60 suits of Indomitus Terminator Armor, and each marine with Crux Terminatus honors is expected to assist the chapter's artificers with maintaining them. Due to the nature of what they fight, the Bulwark use flamers, melta, and plasma frequently to burn any remnant of Nurgle's pathogens.

The bulk of the Crimson Bulwark is stationed in the Eternum sector and neighboring sectors to respond to incursions by the Rotbelchers and Nurgle's daemons, but the Fifth Company, among others as situations demand, is only stationed in Eternum to rearm and refuel after a crusade. All marines are expected to serve at least one campaign on crusade (though most will serve for a long period of time before promotion), assisting the Imperium in distant battlefields learning vital knowledge in how to defeat all the Emperor's foes and fulfilling ancient oaths of support. Although incredibly rare, it is possible for Fifth company to return from a crusade to assist the rest of the chapter, but only if Makerus itself is under mortal peril. The rest of the companies will normally stay near Eternum to pursue the Rotbelchers and protect neighboring sectors, but individual marines are allowed to volunteer or be assigned to crusade, either as part of a desire to learn more of their enemies, for glory, or a penitent crusade. Fifth Company will almost always be accompanied by some first Company veterans for this crusade, comprised of those who want to learn more or seek distant glory for the chapter. Outside of Second Company and the bulk of Third, most companies will disperse across the larger sector to assist in engagements and campaigns as needed, only deploying in full strength for the greatest of threats.

As a result of the collective loss and guilt of the first pox war, the Bulwark attempt to prevent any more from falling to the dark god of decay, as such it is common to see reserve companies screening evacuation of Imperial civilians while the battle companies wage brutal war. Although they will attempt to save as many as possible, if they come across infected would be evacuees they will execute them, and if too many are compromised or there is a risk of hidden infection, they may instead spare the imperial citizens their grisly fate through inferno bombardment while speaking the Emperor's fallen benediction. In their eyes this is a failure, only adding to their sorrow and guilt. Guilt is a common feeling amongst the Bulwark, leading individuals to flagellate or self-immolate themselves as a penance for their failures, real or perceived.

The Bulwark favors ranged combat, with the bulk of marines armed with heavy firepower and high temperature weaponry. Melee specialists are either veterans who wear heavy armor or penitent assault squads. Penitent assault squads are composed of the marines who feel significant guilt, grief, or rage at the chapter's losses during the first pox war, and aim to earn absolution through visceral melee combat, commonly using flames to purge the enemy and purify themselves.

Villeins

Composed of mortals whose artistic skill at the forge has impressed the Chapter, villeins live in segregated quarters in the Shield of Absolution where they work on metallurgy and artistic pursuits in service of the Chapter. Recruited from several worlds, villeins are not hereditarily chosen and instead must earn a place in the Shield of Absolution through merit alone.

Chapter Serfs and Men at Arms

Due to the feudal relationship the Bulwark has with its recruiting worlds, the Bulwark has a plethora of manpower available for auxiliary tasks and deployments. Proper chapter serfs serve the marines directly and command the Men at Arms, whereas all others comprise the Men at Arms. Men at Arms are used where the strength of the chapter would be wasted, and patrol and garrison the recruiting worlds and fortifications the Bulwark build. Serfs are comprised of those who passed the aspirant trials, but failed to become a space marine for whatever reason while Men at Arms are recruited from those who do not meet the stringent requirements to become a marine  but have proven their mettle against the monsters of their homeworld. Both are treated well by the chapter, like valued knights of their fiefdom, so long as they do not question their lord's will. Men at arms will rarely see their marine masters, at most catching a glimpse, whereas serfs interact on a constant basis with them.

Primaris

The Bulwark is predominantly firstborn, and views the Primaris marines as little more than a blasphemous madman's pet project. Vehemently opposed to the Primaris project the Bulwark initially refused to accept any, the Custodes' threat of violence only further incensing the chapter against the Primaris and causing the chapter to seriously consider refusing the ultimatum and staying true to the Emperor's original vision. Chapter Master Karneus, after deep consultation with his captains and chaplains, acquiesced to the demand to avoid shedding more Imperial blood with the threat of the Great Rift ever present. Their legendary stubborn nature demanded they return the insult in kind, and while they officially followed the stipulations set forth, any Primaris forced upon the chapter are segregated in their own berths, their own armories, and their own sections of the ship and fortresses. Any tactical briefings are delivered by a chapter serf delegated by the mission lead to add insult to injury, and the 'true' marines (with ever increasing spite) make a note to treat the chapter serfs as closer to equals than primaris. Very few Primaris marines are recruited, generally only enough to fill the quota and never choice recruits from the chapter homeworld, nor can Primaris ever be Lord Ex Crusadas. Additionally, Primaris marines tend to be sent on far more dangerous missions and are far more disposable to chapter command. It remains to be seen if this will change, but given the chapter's extreme stubbornness it seems unlikely. As of late more Primaris are joining the Crusading Company in an effort to earn their place, and while far from accepted they are at least starting to be included in briefings of the Crusading Company.

Clans

The pseudo feudal society the Bulwark recruits from is organized into separate but similar warrior clans. These clans share a common surname (eg, MacEanain) with their direct family name as their middle name. Clans are generally related to some degree, and derive from the families of colonists originally sent to the world. Millenia of fighting the horrors of the world and each other has forced the clan-members to rely on each other's battle prowess and loyalty, which carries over to the chapter. A tradition the Bulwark have inherited from their mortal upbringing, a clan earns honorifics based off the accomplishments they have earned, with some more distinguished clans having thousands of titles only fully spoken in the most formal of situations. Outside of these situations, the clan has up to three honorifics it chooses to use, for example, clan Callum uses Clan Callum the Knights of the Bulwark (the honor of a clanmember serving as chapter master), slayers of Morrer (a particularly nasty beast), the holy (having a large number of Imperial churches). The marine will keep his clan name but the honorifics are not transferred, instead honorifics are earned in service. For example, The Flagellant was awarded for the chapter master taking an oath to physically punish himself for every failure, where the Baleful was a negative title awarded for failing critically in leading the chapter (an action which irrevocably shamed his clan, leading to their extinction through banishment).

A marine is known only by their first name until they have earned an accolade in battle, at which point they earn the right to bear their clan name and inscribe it on their armor. Each armor, once inscribed, is kept within that clan as much as possible, earning more inscriptions with every successful clan brother, a fact the machine spirit responds to. While rare, armor may change clans if there are no eligible brothers from that clan or chance of future brothers (ie, if the clan went extinct). The exception is terminator armor, which more often changes clans and bears many clan inscriptions (carried out by the brother, the chief Epistolary, the master of the forge, and the chapter master) in a delicate process to coax the machine spirit to the new user. Repurposed armor goes through a similar process, with the exception that the former clan has a reason for the change inscribed under its deeds (ex, Clan Ioolach, Awarded the Emperor's Light in defense of their clan against the most evil traitors of the plague god). While multiple clan members may be brothers simultaneously, each impacts the honor of their clan equally regardless of rank. As such, clan nepotism is never a concern as a brother promoted to a role they are not capable of will have a severe risk of disparaging the clan. That coupled with the overarching clan that is the Bulwark removes any risk of mixed interest.

Librarians

Chosen from aspirants who show psychic potential, the Bulwark's librarians all fall under the purview of the Chief Librarian. Under him sit three Epistolaries, eight Codicers, ten Lexicanums, and five Acolytum as a baseline. The total number varies, but librarians are attached as needed (though the chief librarian almost always deploys alongside first company). The Chief Librarian advises the Chapter Master on the tides of the warp, strategy, and also ritualistically reads the Emperor's tarot to predict where the chapter will be needed and what threats they may face. The tarot is only read once every year, and while its predictions are difficult to understand they are always taken seriously, though the chapter has not always discerned their meaning the Tarot has never been wrong.  The Epistolaries underneath the Chief Librarian are powerful psykers themselves, and they often align with one company over another, deploying with them when possible and serving as an advisor to that company's captain.

Oaths and the Chapter Master's Duties

The Chapter places a high value on Oaths sworn for different objectives, from slaying a particularly foul enemy to accomplishing a difficult objective. The Chapter Regent is also the Master of Oaths and responsible for monitoring Oaths and judging failures. The Master of Oaths is also responsible for judging Oath breakers as well as Oath Redeclartions where the original Oath is impossible to achieve in even the most suicidal plan, for example, an Oath to slay someone who traveled through time. In these instances the Oath is substituted as the discretion of the Master of Oaths. Chaplains handle the standard recording of Oaths and assist the Master of Oaths in his duties.

Molruibh 'The Flagellant' Callum is the current chapter master of the Bulwark, and has served since the prior chapter master Hetcar "The Resilient" Macparum was critically wounded and interred in a dreadnought during the First Poxwar. Chapter Masters are generally the captain of the first company, but rarely can be another veteran of the first if an incredibly excellent warrior and strategist arises. Chapter Masters are given an honorific title based on their most prevalent trait, as well as swearing an oath they will set the chapter to accomplish. Chapter Master Callum has sworn he would not only push the great enemy back to the Bubonic Rift, but ultimately find a way to close or weaken it. Time will tell if this is possible, or if it will result in undoing the Chapter Master.

All chapter masters share the same suit of terminator armor, the holy relic Aegis of Redemption, each responsible for overseeing its maintenance as well as inscribing the chapter's worst losses and failures, each demanding a heroic deed in redemption, as well as their clan name. It falls onto the Chapter Master to even the tally, and any inscription of penance should be accompanied by an equally heroic commemoration. If a chapter master fails to equal the tally before he passes, the next master must finish his predecessor's inscriptions. The Bulwark judges the worth of their leadership based heavily on this balance, and this is complicated by the heroic deeds needing to be suitably significant. For example, a squad holding off a company of traitor marines or an army of heretics would be significant, as would a marine sacrificing himself to bring down a defiler with nothing but krak grenades he shoved into an opening he forced with his hands. This armor is the chapter's most holy relic, and were it ever to be in danger, or, Emperor forbid fall into enemy hands, the entire chapter would rally to recover it regardless of the odds. Their innate stubbornness would lead them to charge a black crusade by themselves if the armor, and by extension their honor, were at stake. The armour's machine spirit is also aware of the inscriptions of redemption, and believed to assist the true leaders of the chapter, and work against the indolent. While unconfirmed and not a subject any are willing to test, most believe that the late Chapter Master Larsus "The Baleful" was a victim of the machine spirit. Larsus led the chapter in M38, and oversaw a series of devastating defeats as he was goaded into reckless charges and maneuvers. The inscriptions of failure began to dominate the holy armor, and during one pivotal battle, during which his future successor Walluce Milloam "The Unstoppable" rallied the now-Bulwark to victory, Larsus was facing down the enemy when every servo-joint in the armor locked up, leaving him completely frozen. The enemy made short work of him, and the armor was recovered mostly undamaged, save for the fatal wounds. The chapter's artisans along with Walluce could find no fault with the armor that could have caused it, and the armor has had no other failures since.

Recruitment

Chosen from the best offspring of the victorious warring villages in the Crimson Bulwark's domain, or from a fiefdom's populace if an individual catches the attention of their Lord Ex Crusades, recruits are closely screened to ensure they are free from taint, psych-indoctrination, and possess a stubborn temperament with healthy hatred of anything, even flora, that dare to challenge mankind's dominance. Potential recruits first face the trial of craft where they must forge a longsword and simple shotgun with any materials they wish, those that cannot form even the most basic of swords or shotguns are disqualified. Those who succeed then face a trial of the predator, where they alone must best one of the multitude of xenos monsters alone. Only the most ferocious and clever can defeat these xenos monsters alone, armed with nothing beyond the longsword and shotgun they produced. If they succeed, they are grouped with several other initiates and dropped off at the Redoubt of Reflection, a fortification that is consistently assaulted by xenos monsters, both the dumb and strong and the clever and many.

The fortress is cleared prior to drop-off, and the aspirants have their choice of serf weaponry including lasguns, stubbers, frag missile launchers and more, flak armor or no armor, and one week of rations. They are told to hold the Redoubt for one week against the tide of filth before they will be relieved, and those that survive will begin the process of becoming a fully fledged Battle Brother. To better recreate the Bulwark's position and history, the aspirants are actually expected to hold the fortress for two weeks with no signal that help is coming. The aspirants must go without food and limited water for another week, all the while being whittled down by the xenos with no hope of rescue. Those that try to escape the fortress will be shortly eaten by the monsters, while the few that hold onto the fortress, even if pushed to the last strong room, have proven they have the stubborn resolve to join the Bulwark.

The last test is the test of character. The survivors are grouped into pairs of two, separated from each other, then told that to, in a break of tradition due to too many recent aspirants, earn their place in the chapter, they must fight to the death, with only the winner becoming a brother. Those who follow the instruction and make to attack their fellow initiate, who they spent two weeks fighting an unending horde of enemies, are executed. Only those who are of such a morality to refuse to attack their fellows, or try to dissuade the other and only prepare to fight defensively are allowed to proceed. Rarely, only one initiate survives the trial of the Redoubt. These inmates, Lone Survivors, are believed to be marked for greatness to succeed where all others failed, though their last test is unique. As there are no battle peers to test their morality against, the overseer of the trials, again telling the aspiring warrior that in a break from tradition they'll face a unique test owing to unique circumstances, instead they're offered a Xenos device and told to peer into it to gain immense insight. This is a test designed to trick those that aren't utterly convinced of Man's superiority, as the only correct answer is for them to refuse or destroy the vessel in question.

Successful Neophytes start out as scouts to both stay relatively safe until they've earned their armor and to better learn the disciples of Nurgle's tactics. After completing a stint as a scout, they are assigned to devastator squads. After a long service as a devestator, the marine either stays as a devastator or is inducted into a short stint of training as an assault marine, with those who suffer from the Grief forming more permanent (until the Grief clears) assault squads. Afterwards, they begin training as tactical marines before either electing to stay or continue up the path to become a veteran. Chaplains and leaders closely monitor their battle brothers, and those who show aptitude for command are selected to begin training. A future leader must complete tactical marine training before starting command training, regardless if they are a veteran devastator or currently going through tactical marine training.

Equipment and Fleet

Dreadnoughts

Marines chosen for internment into Dreadnoughts are those too wounded to continue service and have normally (but not always) mastered their grief. Dreadnoughts loadouts almost always mirror their marine's former specialty, with former devastators using lascannons or assault cannons with a missile launcher, former assault marines using flamers and Dreadclaws, and former tactical marines using a combination. Almost any marine is eligible for internment, provided there is no other way to save them, they're compatible with the mind interface, and most importantly, mastered their grief. Dreadnoughts will generally maintain their fiefdom in title only, choosing a battle brother they trust implicitly as a steward in their absence. A dreadnought that falls to the grief (however exceedingly rare) will charge the nearest enemy, even going as far as threatening serfs to help deploy him from orbit if he's stuck on a ship, where the dreadnought will continue until he meets his end or slaughters enough to satiate his wounded pride. The chapter also possesses several relic Dreadnoughts, though how they gained possession of them is a history destroyed when the chapter records were destroyed. A different type of brother is interred in each dreadnought, with the Leviathan being the only pattern redeemed marked brothers can be interred in. Even though they have lost the stigmata, they still carry their quest of repentance and thus the dangerous Leviathans are the perfect fit.  While the chapter does remove the sarcophagus from the Leviathans between battles, extended operations sometimes prevent this from occurring and thus the interred brother must be of exceptionally resolute mind and willpower, which the veteran redeemed possess after surviving the guilt for so long. The most veteran Leviathan dreadnought still in service is brother Barca the Black, one of the most respected redeemed marked in the chapter's known history.

The Chapter's Machine Spirits

The Chapter's machine spirits are particularly engaged, though temperamental. A pleased machine spirit can enhance a marines defense, response time, accuracy and countless other benefits, while an angered spirit can slow servos, malfunction, and even lockdown to attempt to kill the brother who earned its ire. This leads to an almost worship of the machine spirit, and the clan has ascribed their ancestors and lost brothers spirits to the machine, causing intense veneration and complicated and convoluted formal ceremonies to appease the spirit. While the armor spirit is the most visible, vehicle and even weapon machine spirits are also venerated and appeased, with several recorded instances of a bolter firing by itself when surrounded by enemies and their owner lay dead, or a plasma pistol critically overcharging itself to kill the looter that killed its owner, or even a vehicle going on a rampage when its operators are incapacitated. This is rare overall, but each marine venerates the spirits to hope to build a bond that sees the spirit protect the marine. A side effect of this, the weapons, armor, and even vehicles a marine uses are theirs and theirs alone, with a marine using another's weapon in only the most dire scenarios, with that marines blessing (if possible). Rededication ceremonies for relics are long and drawn out affairs, and only done when the relic either is too valuable to bury with the marine, or if the relic demands to fight (interpreted through the relic 'acting out' and increasingly malfunctioning when it gets closer to internment). This veneration has brought them into conflict with other servants of the Imperium in the past, as laying claim to one of their Holy relics (even as simple as a venerated bolter magazine) can lead to a fight as sure as attempting to kidnap the Chapter Master, thus authorities in Eternum have learned to leave these items to the Bulwark (or at least cleverly hide their actions).

The Crimson Fleet

The Crimson Bulwark were luckily able to maintain their fleet's integrity even with the brutal battles of the First Poxwar, and as such have four battle barges, with one assigned to Fifth company to support crusades, one to be assigned as needed, and the remaining two assigned to sector Eternum or neighboring sectors to support operations. Each company also has two strike cruisers, except for Fifth Company who have four to carry themselves, supplies for distant crusades, and any other marines or companies that volunteer. Each ship is accompanied by a flurry of escort craft, but if serious naval opposition is expected the Imperial Navy will step in to clear the way. First and Second Company currently occupy the Battle Barge and flagship Litany of Sorrow, with Second Company strike teams operating out of the Strike Cruiser Canticle of the Shield. In total the fleet contains four Battlebarges, twenty-two Strike Cruisers, and fifty Escort class vessels.

Notable Craft of the Crimson Fleet

• Battlebarges
  • Litany of Sorrow
  • Unyielding Vengeance
  • Illuminating Penance
  • Deliverance of Oaths
• Strike Cruisers
  • Oathbearer
  • Canticle of the Shield
  • Wings of Faith
  • Crucible of Oaths
  • Judgement of Oaths
  • Purity of Righteousness
  • Shrine of the Fallen
  • Paladin of Our Clans

The Crimson Grief

The Crimson Grief is an affliction of unknown origin that began to impact the Chapter during the First Poxwar. Not every Battle Brother will suffer it, but many will. The grief's cause is not well understood, but all who suffer it share the same symptoms. Sufferers are generally lucid but occasionally suffer bouts of confusion, believing they're in the First Poxwar regardless of whether they served in it or not. They will attempt to reinforce squadrons that no longer exist, move to intercept a force that disappeared long ago, or more dangerously believe they're surrounded by hostile Rotbelchers and lash out with lethal results. During these bouts, they cannot be reasoned with and will only reply to commanders who died long ago, while taking up arms with any flame based weaponry nearby and firing excessively to purge any perceived (real or not) taint. Chaplains are some of the few marines who can get the afflicted to occasionally follow orders. For the lucid, they are filled with a mixture of sorrow and rage, to the point that they will discard any ranged weaponry save close range weapons like flamers, melta, or pistols to close to melee and tear apart the enemy, purposefully seeking a brutal death to atone for their perceived failure.

Though some never come out of the Crimson Grief, most eventually break out of it after a period of service as an assault marine after a long campaign, ready to return in service of the chapter. Few receive a vision of absolution, earmarking them for ascension to the Chapter's Chaplains. None can say what the vision holds, but all chaplains share the same vision. Chaplains will not discuss the vision outside of their own, and only they know what it contains and what it means. As the Chaplains closely monitor those who suffer from the Grief, they are first to know of vision sufferers.

For those marines who never break out of the Grief, their chapter will oft find them gone one morning, leading a suicidal lone charge against an overwhelming enemy, or more rarely, off to report to long passed commanders on a dead world where the elements, raiders, and leftover chaos forces will wear them down until they're eventually killed or throw themselves into a self made pyre, dying a lonely death on a forgotten world for a forgotten battle.

The Marked

Marines who lose their clan or fiefdom lose a piece of themselves, and as penance burn one of their limbs off.  As part of this penance, the marine receives an augmentation that,  whenever the brother is not in battle or training or chaplain services, randomly and occasionally simulates the pain of burning a limb. The Marked will generally form up into squads geared towards close combat with an emphasis on flame based weaponry, with both knee plates painted black instead of only the right called 'The Ashen Stigmata' to represent them kneeling in the ashes of their fiefdom. They will generally maintain their company rank but will never advance unless, however incredibly rare, they regain their honor and avenge their village. The only way for them to regain their honor and status is to both eliminate those directly responsible for the destruction of their home, and perform an unbelievably heroic feat against an enemy (for example, Marked Brother Anthron Buchler single handedly brought down a Rotbelcher helbrute in close combat after the monster and his retinue had killed his whole squad, killing both the commander (interned in the brute) responsible for his village's destruction and performing a feat few could match. As a result, he was allowed to remove the Ashen Stigmata and purifier pattern augmentic and return to a status of honor among the Bulwark, becoming a bearer of sorrow of his lost fiefdom and regaining the respect of his brothers. A brother who regains his honor is eligible, although exceedingly rare, to be awarded stewardship of either a dreadnought's (at the interred brothers discretion) or deceased brother's (at the chapter master's discretion) fiefdom and merge clans. Awarding the wrong fiefdom or clan to a redeemed battle brother is a serious moral offense to the chapter, and thus the chapter master closely consults with his captains and chaplains before considering any reward of stewardship.

Company Structure and Notable Elements of the Crimson Bulwark

Company Number	Captain Role	Captain Name	Company Type	Trim
First	Regent Master of Oaths	Oisean Tolmach	Veteran	White Silver
Second	Master of the Watch	Arailt Guinne	Battleline	Gold
Third	Master of the Arsenal	Thalor Argum	Battleline	Black
Fourth	Master of the Forge	Ailean Caimbeulach	Battleline	Yellow
Fifth	Master of the Fleet	Siomon MacIllAnndrais	Battleline / Crusade	Light Blue
Sixth	Master of the Marches	Artair MacMhiad	Reserve Tactical / Bikes and Speeders	Dark Blue
Seventh	Chief Victualler	Tycho Macmillo	Reserve Tactical / Primaris	Pale Brown
Eigth	Lord Executioner	Iagan MacThom	Grief Company / Assault Squads	Green
Ninth	Master of Relics	Tocull Liosach	Reserve Devastators	Red Orange
Tenth	Master of Recruits	Eanraig MacDiar	Scouts / Training Company	Red