Legion I: The Black Knights
Legion I: The Black Knights
"We are salvation for our kin, damnation for our foes! The First Legion started this battle and we shall end it. Thy Will be Done on Terra, as Across the Stars!!"
Primarch: Eddard Fendragon: The Emperor's Sword.
Symbol: Winged human skull, in front of a downward-facing Longsword.
Colors: Obsidian Black with Gold Trim
Capital World- Ambrosius
Specialty: Experimental Warfare and Super-Formation Usage.
Battlecry: Thy will be done!
The 1st Primarch
Eddard Fendragon was the first true result of the Primarch project. More than a prototype like Arik Taranis and the Angel. While not specialized like his younger siblings. Eddard was designed as a proof of concept for the Primarch project. An unparalleled warrior, commander, and paragon of humanity. While many of his brothers surpass him in some regards none form the master of warfare that is Eddard.
Above average in height for a Primarch the First stands a bit over three meters and possesses facial features that similar to Gretbritton ethnic groups. With piercing green eyes and golden blond hair, he strikes the picture of the classical Knight-King, just as he was designed too. Eddard is known for his regal air and force of personality. Charismatic and strong-willed his very presence demands respect and loyalty. Eddard views his duty as the Emperor's Sword as a monumental responsibility. Leaving little time or energy for anything than defending mankind from various threats. Leading to many critics viewing him as too serious, hyper-focused and introverted.
Wielding the Titans-Sword and combi-Power Claw he is a figure of martial dominance. Eddard is an avid warrior and finds purpose on the battlefield. He loves nothing more than to spearhead an assault or challenge an enemy commander. That being said, he knows a Primarchs true value. Commanding entire armies and campaigns with superhuman intellect. Only taking to the field when his presence is truly needed. Tempering his battle-hunger with clinical precision.
Of the psychic arts he is one of the lesser Primarchs. Typically only channeling his might through biomancy and Force-Weaponry. While powerful spiritually like all the Primarchs Eddard has little interest in the ritual craft and eldritch science of Psychic power. Eddard has basic (for a Primarch) skill in most of the disciplines and mixes them into his arsenal. They are additional tools and accessories. Not the bedrock of his power.
Like his Legion Eddard Fendragon is a being of united opposites. Simultaneously a gallant Knight-Commander who brings order and Civilization. A brutal Warrior-Predator who stalks the stars looking for his next hunt. The Primarch is aware of this disconnect and seeks to balance these twin natures. To truly be the Emperor's Sword. To defend all that is good and destroy all that is evil. Primarch Eddard Fendragon is the Imperiums Black Knight.
History of the Legion
The First Legion at first was primarily recruited from the children of loyal Unification War Veterans. Typically those belonging to martial sects or organizations under Imperial control. This was done to simultaneously honor these groups and cripple any long term thoughts of insurrection and disloyalty. The First Primarch trained alongside these early legionaries and led them on numerous suppression operations across Terra, often acting as a test case for the Legio Astartes. The Black Knights helped codify Astartes battle doctrine and gained a reputation for skill, reliability and discretion while testing out experimental tactics and technology.
The legion was awarded many merits during the Battle of Ceres and Lunar Crusade, and the I Legion left the Solar System as one of the most respected forces in the Legiones Astartes. Entrusted with the Emperor's Sword, the First Primarch and his Black Knights quickly entered into a series of brutal campaigns, putting the experimental technology and large numbers of the Legion to good use by destroying multiple Greenskin WAAAGH before they could attract the attention of the Beast-Bosses, purging the Kinebrach Ennui-Spheres, liberating the entire Doulu Sector from Enslaver Swarms and executing half of the Fra'al Council of Satraps. While earning many accolades for their accomplishments in battle, the First Legion also aided in the peaceful to semi-peaceful compliances of hundreds of systems.
The First Legion earned its name during its worst moments and its greatest triumphs: the Rangda Xenocides. Eddard Fendragon led a coalition force of Seven Legions against the parasitic xenos known as the Rangda Empire. During those dark years, the First Legion suffered horrific casualties and took the name of Black Knights in recognition of their heroic service and terrible deeds. Purging the Rangda meant burning innocent worlds and using tactics so unspeakable they forever marred the Legion's honor.
As the Great Crusade reached its climax, the depleted Black Knights were awarded the Ambrosius Sub-Sector as recruitment and command center. With fresh warriors and new Martian technology to use, the I Legion served well as the Crusade ended and the Legions turned to keeping and securing the galaxy they conquered, destroying numerous resurgent WAAAGH, non-compliant Xeno breeds, and an entire Doom-Tide from the Maelstrom, all before the Webway Wars.
Astartes Biology
Appearance and Apotheosis- The apotheosis (transformation into Astartes) for Black Knights is one of the more clean and stable processes. Eddard's geneseed is stable and reasonably compatible, as suiting the firstborn. Black Knights gain noble features like their Primarch and will often experience minor changes to hair and eye pigment, usually becoming a more intense version of their natural coloration. Black Knights also tend to display different morphology depending on their chosen specialty, with their flesh and bone shifting to accommodate different styles of warfare. For example: battle-brothers outfitted in Terminator armor grow bigger and more hulking, to match their brutal combat style. Intuitive tactical sense, mental compartmentalization and a suspicious nature are common mental features found in all of Eddard's sons.
Unique Organ- The Prince's Tears. The Tears are a biomechanical augment to the Ventricular system and Dohrnii Drive which releases a psycho-reactive compound into the Astartes cerebrospinal fluid. This compound, known as the 'Tears' reacts to certain neural activity, typically relating to reflex, learned behavior and muscle memory. Once triggered, the Tears form into nanodroplets containing records of the observed neural activity that are subsequently stored in the Astartes' bone-marrow, cerebrospinal fluid, and prognoids. When introduced to a new body via prognoids or a fluid transfer the Tears will activate, encoding the stored neural patterns on the new brain before dissolving. This allows base elements of an Astartes' skill and talent to be passed to another.
Organization
Battlefield Deployments- In battle, the Black Knights deploy themselves almost exclusively under the Super-Formation (A.K.A. Branch) policy, eschewing the Chapter organization outside of Expedition Fleets and Garrisons. Instead, each company acts semi-independently, following the Battle-Commander's orders and focusing only upon their duty. Each company is a perfect regicide piece on the field of war, doing its duty perfectly and synced with its fellows. As such, the Black Knights are deployed in numbered orders of companies. For example, "6 Companies of the 5th Order and 8 companies of the 6th Order" would be deployed instead of a more generalist Chapter formation. Because of this, each Legion Cohort is far more unified than other Legions, forming a singular Astartes Army designed to work together perfectly.
Homeworld: Ambrosius- Like every Legion, the Black Knights rule a sub-sector of Imperial Space as a recruitment pool and base of operations. The Ambrosius Sub-sector in the Segmentum Solar's western region has the honor of hosting the First Legion. Eddard Fendragon holds court from Ambrosius Prime, the sub-sector capital. Surprisingly beautiful for a Death-World, its lush forested surface is dotted with craggy peaks hosting Legion Fortress monasteries. Only one true Imperial city has been carved into the formidable wilderness. Kaer Leon, the Primarchs capital. The nation sized citadel houses an entire civilization of Legion support staff. Ambrosius hosts a truly formidable eco-system of super-predators and cultivated xeno infestations, kept to provide the Black Knights with targets of ritual "quests" of great importance. The dozens of fortress monasteries in the Ambrosian wilds are fought over by the Legions various Cohorts, with practice combat and various challenges used to decide ownership. Owning multiple monasteries is considered a great honor and brings prestige to Cohorts capable of such a feat.
Recruitment- Across the Ambrosius Sector hundreds of Squire Fellowships exist. Military orders designed to find recruits for the Legion and its Auxiliary forces. Each Fellowship originates from a non-Astartes Imperial military official who caught the Primarchs attention. Writs of Tautology are given to these chosen mortals who join or if renowned enough, are allowed to establish a Squire Fellowship to pass on their skills. Each Fellowship will have multiple Squire Maesters (the name the First Legion calls their writ holders) who educate its students in the various arts of war. Every settlement across the Sub Sector hopes to send their finest youth to a Squire Fellowship, where the vast majority of these candidates become part of the Ambrosius Axilla and fights alongside the First Legion. The best of the best are selected to join the Legion. Having a student selected for Astartes apotheosis is one of the highest honors a Fellowship can obtain. Each Squire Fellowship invests great time and energy into forging worthy neophytes, and can earn the patronage of Legion Cohorts if they impress.
Unique Ranks and Roles- Each of the twenty Legions has unique parts of its chain of command. The First is no exception. Due to their eschewing of typical Chapter structure, the Black Knights changed the role of Chapter Master into a unique and more specialised role. Simply known by the rank of 'Master", these Astartes take an oath to devote themselves to a singular aspect of War. Each type of oath forming a unique type of Astartes within the legion. The following four are the most common oaths, but lesser, more specialized ones exist that are unique to a single cohort or particular task.
Blade Oath- Black Knights who show such skill in close quarter combat and dueling that they devote themselves to it. Acting as martial champions of a Cohort, they surrender the roles of strategist and leader and become the Legion's living blade.
Crown Oath- The Black Knight's Lord Commanders require talented aids and strategic advisors. That is the duty of the Crown Oath, who act as advisors and agents of a Commanding Officer. They help formulate strategy at the headquarters and ensure the implementation of it on the battlefield.
Castle Oath- Acting the closest to traditional Chapter Masters, the Castle Oath are given semi-independent command of a host of Companies for specialized duties such as garrison duty, for which the title comes from chief among them. Masters of the Castle Oath are trusted to act wisely and effectively even when far removed from the usual legion chain of command.
Hearth Oath- Not one particular oath but the general one taken by members of the Legion's support Astartes who hold positions of power and command within those bodies. Chief Librarians, Head Apothecaries and Elder Chaplains are all examples of this.
Legion Culture
Personality-. The culture and genetics of the Black Knights instill a number of seemingly contradictory traits in its Astartes. Vicious pragmatism, as well as an obsession with honor. The Black Knights were born to be the Emperor's Sword, and they seek to fulfill that ideal of becoming living weapons to its greatest possibility. They are men of cold steel who hold tradition and duty high. Black Knights are proud, even for Astartes. Each Legionnaire strives to prove his worth on and off the battlefield, with personal honor and reputation motivating the Astartes. That reputation and honor is built upon grim effectiveness upon the fields of war. When given a task, a Black Knight will complete it, no matter how ugly or difficult it may be. Fiercely loyal and highly competitive, rivalries of honor within the Legion and with their Astartes cousins are common. The Black Knights are likened to well crafted sword: a murderous killing edge cloaked in tradition, skill, and pedigree.
Customs- The competitive and prideful nature of the Black Knights leads to a culture of challenges and quests, self-assigned or Legion appointed for Astartes to prove themselves. Nearly all the Black Knights rituals are related to proving honor and capability. Entire companies will work together to earn trophies and victory tallies enhancing there pedigree. Little distinction is made between personal and company wide accolades. They all share in victory or failure. Promotion within the Legion requires the prospective officer to complete a quest or feat of some noteworthiness. Entire companies will work to complete these challenges, and truly become a band of brothers hoping to earn one of them a rightful honor. Each company works as a fully unified order of Black Knights, completely and dogmatically loyal to each other. While fiercely competitive with any peer force, the Black Knights in every aspect are a dichotomy. Honorable and loyal, while simultaneously ruthless and suspicious.
Unique Features- The Oath of Brotherhood: Oaths of all kinds make a central foundation of the Black Knights. Oaths to master a type of war, oaths to complete a task or die trying, and even oaths of vengeance and life-debt. Of all these oaths, the most integral and primal is the Oath of Brotherhood. On times of importance like the acceptance of a new squad or promotion of a member, accompany will take the Oath of Brotherhood. Each member of the company has a sample of cerebrospinal fluid extracted and refined, producing the Prince's Tears. These Tears are then mixed together and further refined into an elixir of shared memory which is reintroduced to the entire company. Memories, martial skill and bonds are shared between the Astartes, enhancing the company's cohesion to supernatural levels and granting new experience to the Battle-Brothers.
Battle Strategy and Equipment
Tactical Doctrine- Each Black Knight company refines itself into a specialist force beyond compare, taking one of the Super Formation doctrines and molding themselves too it utterly. This strips the Astartes of generalist roles and features in exchange for utter mastery of a type of war. Companies are forced to rely on each other in ways other Legions would consider unorthodox. Experimental and dangerous resources are allocated to the Black Knights more than any other Legion. The First is trusted with these wonders of warfare for a number of reasons. Sharing memories and high cohesion allows for quicker and more effective adoption of new strategies and tools than any other Legion. Each company is heavily reliant on its siblings, preventing rogue forces from becoming corrupted by dangerous weapons to function, and allowing quick quarantine and elimination should the worst come to pass. Additionally, the specialist nature of each company allows for results applicable to all subsequent legions. These tactics and responsibilities require the Legion's officers to be of the highest caliber. It is said the First Legion lacks a true specialization, being an adept of many but master of none. This is simply not true. The Black Knights are a force of countless Masters of One who work in perfect synchronicity.
Weapons and Armor- The most brutal tools available to the Legiones Astartes were tested with the Black Knights. Hence, the Legion holds a truly massive supply of rare weapons and armor compared to others. Distortion, gravity, and plasma weaponry are a common sight, used to utterly destroy foes of every kind. While not as destructive as the world-killing and city leveling arsenals of some Legions, the Black Knights have arguably the most lethal armory of them all. The saying among Imperial commanders is "If you want to kill something, pick any Legion. If you want to make sure it stays dead, get the Black Knights." Mech-Suits like Terminator Armor, Dreadknights, and other similar pieces of weaponry are also quite common, leading to an abnormally large 2nd Formation. The elite companies of the legion are often the first to be equipped with the newest and deadliest aspects of the Imperial arsenal, giving them a terrifying reputation for eldritch and nightmarish methods of warfare.
Fleet and Transport- The Gloriana Class Ty-Prydwn is the Black Knight Flagship and one of the first of its class in Imperial history. Its elderly nature and the duties of the Black Knights has led the vessel to spend inordinate amount of time at Mechanicum drydocks. Not repairing the wounds of war, but being upgraded with new and esoteric systems. The Primarch's ship is one of the most deadly vessels in the galaxy, fitted with weapons that are rarely seen outside Ark Mechancus vessels. The rest of the First Legion fleet is an odd assortment, with each new prototype and experimental ship class developed, the Black Knights gain another collection of new vessels. This leaves them with a large but, disjointed fleet of vessels from various generations of Imperial industry. Instead of retiring these older vessels, the Black Knights simply have the Mechanicum upgrade the increasingly obsolete ship with whatever new tools they are charged with testing, resulting in archaic ships centuries out of date being more formidable than most modern ships of its weight class.
Trivia
The Black Knights have a friendly rivalry with the Wild Hunt (VI Legion) Both share similar roles as direct tool of the Emperor and cultural ideas of honor and group-loyalty.
Within the Ty-Prydwen is a hall of honors where every active company is marked by a golden plaque holding its designation and finest accomplishment.
Companies utterly destroyed have a sheet of black silk is draped over their plaque, a solemn reminder of the Legion's dark days. A single strand of different colored fabric marks each draping, distinguishing the foe responsible for the lost.
New companies sometimes recycle destroyed designations after a particular victory against the enemy who destroyed the original. The Astartes are avenged and their memory lives on again with new Battle-Brothers.
Slaying a Quest-Beast of Ambrosius is a key factor of the Black Knight training process.
A number of retired Astartes oversee the acquisition and management of these Quest-Beasts, putting the skills of war to work preparing the next generation.
The Titansword, when used as a mobile distort weapon, can utterly destroy almost anything it cuts. It is only limited by its size and Eddard Fendragon's psychic power.
Telepathy is favored among the Legion's librarians, allowing instantaneous communication between companies across the battlefield.
A thread of Imperial gold marks destroyed companies euthanized due to Chaos or Rangda infection.
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