Dawn Guard (Dark Angels Successor)
Dawn Guard
| Chapter Name | |
|---|---|
| |
| Warcry: | "in Bello, Victoria!" |
| Founding: | 3rd Founding |
| Founding Chapter: | Dark Angels |
| Chapter Master: | Isador Cassandros |
| Homeworld: | Cormyr IV |
| Fortress-Monastery: | Arduous Dawn |
| Colors: | Silver, White, and Red |
| Specialty: | Dueling, Plasma-based offenses |
| Strength: | ~1000 marines |
| Chapter Creed: | |
“Join us brothers, join us in the darkness. For all you once were is no longer, and become a light standing against the tides of those who seek our destruction.Join us as we carry the light that cannot be relinquished.. And should you fade in glory, know that we will honor thy sacrifice, and one day join you.” - Oath sworn during final trial of Rites of Initiation.
The Dawn Guard are a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter created during the 3rd Founding and successors of Dark Angels.
While members of the Dawnguard come from the genestock of Primarch Lion El’ Jonson, they are unique in that members of the Dawnguard are no longer within the vaunted Inner Circle of Dark Angels, due to heavy losses during the First Battle of Ullanor in the War of the Beast - resulting in the former chapter members of the Inner Circle having perished. The upper echelons of the Dark Angel command thought the chapter lost during the battle, and hence, no further members of the Dawnguard were promoted to the command.
However, one imperial Strike Cruiser remained - the Celestial Hammer. Thought lost, heavily damaged, and with no way to contact other allies, the cruiser attempted to return to Cormyr but was waylaid and lost in the Warp for centuries until it was finally able to emerge from the rift back to their homeworld within Subsector Aurealis - which was in flux due to a massive warpstorm severing communications to the greater Imperium.
There, the chapter was able to lick their wounds and rebuild the chapter. Reclaiming their ancient fortress monastery in the mountains of Cormyr IV, the chapter re-established a foothold in the area and liberated the subsector from a Bad Moon WAAGH that had taken up residence in their absence.
During the Era Indomitus, the chapter was able to re-establish communique with the Imperium Sanctus, and participated in the Indomitus Crusade - receiving well-needed reinforcements from Primarch Guilliman’s newly made Primaris Marines.
The Dawnguard are described as hungry to reclaim their lost glory of old, a stark contrast to their parent chapter who typically shun laurels and achievements. They frequently undertake endeavors with other arms of the Imperium’s military, and are described as chivalrous, tactful, and perceptive. They remain untrusting of outside sources however, preferring their own measures and proven battle methodology when working with other arms of the Imperium, surely a trait inherited from their parent chapter.
Organization
Unlike their parent chapter and other successors from the genestock of Lion El’ Jonson, rather than following the archetype of the Deathwing and Ravenwing - the 1st and 2nd chapters are broken into a similar format.
1st Company - Stormwing
The Stormwing, like their parent chapter, represent a special operations unit specializing in not only line-breaking but also as elite veteran infantry and honor guards. However, the 1st Company is home to not exclusively Terminator Veterans, but instead, Veterans of any variations such as Sternguard or Paladin Orders.
2nd Company - Blackwing
The Blackwing varies greatly from the Ravenwing. Instead, they interpret the mobile hunter's aspect of the parent Ravenwing to be more reconnaissance focused. The Blackwing is home to exclusively all Phobos equipped marines, and most (if not all), vehicles that solely focus on reporting and tactical data. The Blackwing prioritizes stealth and mobility, referencing the hunters of the Order of the Raven of their gene-father’s home of Caliban and their ability to survive and navigate the Death World forests alone.
3rd-9th Companies - Battle Company
The remaining companies are organized along Codex doctrine guidelines.
Paladin Orders
Veterans who have proven themselves as heroes to the chapter in their own individual right are inducted into one of the many Paladin Orders within the chapter. The Paladin orders often act as personal honor guard to the Company Masters. There is much competitiveness within these orders, as each within each company seeks to outdo any competing Company Paladin Order. At the end of every standard Terran year, the current Grandmaster arbitrates an induction ceremony, where the Paladins of each company select prominent veterans within the company to induct into their order - and the drafting process order is dictated by boasts and accomplishments from the respective head of the orders, for the Grandmaster to decide which order is awarded the next selection of an eligible veteran.