The Scarlet Beasts were a Codex-compliant chapter. Similar to the Brazen Claws chapter, the Scarlet Beasts were one of the few Codex chapters hailing from the gene-stock of the Iron Hands and the Primarch Ferrus Manus.
Praised throughout the many millennia they served the Imperium of Mankind, the Scarlet Beasts earned fierce, unyielding and succesfull reputation amongst the ranks of the Astartes even if they faced many misfortunes and hardships. Last records about the Scarlet Beasts were made during the 39th Millennium and it is believed that the whole chapter had perished while fighting the Eldar in the lower galactic plane.
History[]
As the spirits of the revered dead rose to battle against the vile incursions from the Warp, a new generation of Space Marines were born. Among the many chapters, borne by the Red Priesthood in their hazy labs, were the Scarlet Beasts who hailed from the venerated gene-stock of the Iron Hands.
Unlike many of the chapters created from the geneseed of the Great Gorgon, Scarlet Beasts were created and organized into a Codex compliant chapter. Ready to bring the fury of the Imperium as the First Lord of Ultramar, Roboute Guilliman, intended.
First Gregoran Reformation[]
The acting Lord Commander Ultima Winrich Carollon launched many crusades and campaigns, right after the devastating event of the Howling in 401.M34, where Scarlet Beasts participated. Chapter's crusading fleet was located in the eastern galactic arm at the time when they were called upon and its acting chapter master, Aexylys, answered the call with the whole might of the chapter. First Gregoran Reformation, then known only as the Gregoran Reformation, was launched in 419.M34 into the Gregora sector. Scarlet Beasts alongside one hundred and fiftythree Astra Militarum regiments carved a bloody path from the outer rim of the rebellious sector to its very heart in a single year. In 420.M34 the Master Aexylys executed the rebel leader Timotheus the True (known as "Cursed" in Imperial records) by ripping his still beating heart from his chest and eating it. Covered in the blood of his enemies, Master Aexylys vowed to get the whole sector to kneel before the God Emperor within the time of two years.
Four strike forces were formed, each hosting as much as two companies of the Scarlet Beasts and 30 Guard regiments. These Gregoran Four conquered the sector in no less than 729 Terran days making Master Aexylys a man of his word. Lord Commander Ultima, with the favor of the High Lords of Terra, granted the chapter a homeworld within the Gregora sector. On contrary, chapter was forced to yield three of its strike cruisers for recently founded chapters in order to keep the chapter's fleet's size in reasonable limits.
Crusade for Glory[]
Master Aexylys was taunted by the Marshal Rafael Thorben of the Black Templars, who said that the Scarlet Beasts were welcome to organise their things with their new homeworld and loss of fleet, rather than to join the crusading forces of the Marshal, as planned.
- "How dares he?"
- —Master Aexylys, 423.M34
Master Aexylys, enraged by such belittling words, called for his brothers-in-arms and joined the Marshal's crusade. Around 800 battle brothers left the Gregora sector and journeyed towards the Galactic Core. Chapter fought side-by-side with the Black Templars' crusade for over sixty years and lost no less than 200 of its brothers. The Pacification of Fagham III took three brothers. Fight over the war worlds of Hrumenia lasted for fifty years and claimed fifty brothers. One battle-barge was lost and 72 brothers died during the Assault on Pestilent Carrion, in the end the Space Hulk was ripped apart into thousand fragments. One of its fragments entered the nearby Alaikum system and caused massive damage over the civilised world, soon piratical raiders attacked the system and Scarlet Beasts hurried to fight against the enemies of the Imperium. Battle of Alaikum lasted no more than few days. The raiders' fleet fled from the grasps of the Black Templars and Master Aexylys blamed Marshal Rafael for it. Now bitter rivalry was set up and the chapter and the crusade fought not for the Imperium but for their names only. Daemons of Iskara, a demonic brood led by Bloodthirster Iskara, manifested themselves in the Alaikum system, which fabric between warp and real-space was damaged by the fragments of the Space Hulk. A full-scale war broke out on the three planets of Alaikum system, Crusade and Chapter caught on the third planet. Bloody carnage, havok and chaos spred over the recently civilised worlds. Men and women turned into bloodthirsting abominations but the Scarlet Beasts stood by their Black Templars allies and held the tide. War for the Alaikum system lasted for three months, after what the triumphant Space Marine allies purged the rebellious, the witches and the heretics from the face of the planets leaving no man or woman alive. Master Aexylys lost his mind during the last days of the fight when a stray bullet was caught in his forehead leaving him somewhat paralyzed. First Captain Baltasar took the command of the chapter's remnants and returned to their homeworld on Gregora sector.
None ever found out how did the chaos incursion end so quickly and how the fight was so short.
New Generation[]
When chapter returned from their wars into Gregora sector and their homeworld, they still had three intact companies. They were re-organized into a strike force and as the Lord Sector of Kelpie Rifts called, First Captain Baltasar answered and sent the strike force on their way. Chapter Master himself stayed on their homeworld to oversee the training of new recruits.
Chapter's librarians utilised their telepathic powers to group thousands of men into pens, hastily crafted by the techmarines. Chaplains probed through the candidates and began their training. Twelve chaplains crudely lashed, day and night, their recruits to work over their limits. They organised fights of ten men against one veteran of the first company who, even if unarmed and unarmored, beated fifty men out of five hundred to their deaths. First Captain Baltasar protested against this procedure, but Master Aexylys, now entombed in a mighty Dreadnought sarcophagus, ordered him to be set into the Penitorium for four months. When First Captain Baltasar came back from the Penitorium he apologised the Chapter Master for such hasty words of weakness. At the time seven hundred aspirants had been trained to their deaths or turned into servitors.
Veteran marines of the First Company took active part in the training, but when the Third Captain Cassux requested reinforcements into the Liberation of Nix Primus, the first company alongside Captain Baltasar and Master Aexylys left with the remnants of the fourth company to take command of the seemingly failed liberation attempt of the Lord Sector of Kelpie Rifts. When the Chapter Master was gone, the Fifth Captain Nessux, Master of Marches, formed the remnants of the 5th, 7th and 9th companies into smaller strike force and sent them on their way into Graian system further north, where chaos cults had broken out and the conflict had escalated into full scale war. Master of Recruits, Tenth Captain Hizkiah, demanded aid of the 8th company for his training. Lord Executioner gladly accepted, even if he did not agree that his company needed any further training. The size of the tenth company, where all aspirants in theory belonged to, had become to acceptable levels so the Master of Recruits gave a small steel knife for every recruit. They were to fight against the members of the eight company and the rules were that should Space Marine bleed, the recruit passed. If not, recruit would be beaten to the state of a servitor. This final test preceded the first implants and as the Master of Recruits wasn't exactly experienced, when it came to recruiting, he had to improvise. Of course, the fight was never fair, to put boys of ten to twelve years against superhuman who couldn't bleed even if stabbed with such dull blade. Test was to prove determination, rather than physical skill, for all aspirants were already physically more than capable to take the first implants.
One hundred and fifty were accepted that day. During the following years ten of them died because of implant-caused body stress. Twenty were killed during harsh training and five were executed for various reasons. When the new generation of Scarlet Beasts were ready and armed in 495.M34 they were sent as scouts for the First War for Absalon. One hundred and ten survived the war when chapter's forces were resituated into warzones of the Betrayal of Dimlight Stars in 525.M34.
Betrayal of Dimlight Stars[]
Long line of dim, dangerously radioactive stars strecthed from the far end of Kelpie Rifts sector through five other sectors into the void between Galactic Core and Arm. These Imperial worlds suddenly bursted with cults of necromancy and witchcraft. The Hammer of the Emperor, Astra Militarum, was first to answer and regiments drawn from the five sectors engaged with the nightmares of the Dimlight Stars.
As the fight begun in 525.M34 the Scarlet Beasts were caught in the First War for Absalon. Seventh and Sixth companies were left in the Absalon Warzone for the use of Lord General Johann Johansson of the Imperial Guard. Master Aexylys led his forces into the northern tip of the Dimlight Stars and crushed against the pestilent habitants of the fallen worlds. As more experienced and veteran commander than the Lord Militant Governor Trugge Rogvyn of Fellworlds cluster, Master Aexylys took over the command of the Imperial forces in Dimlight Stars' northern parts. In practice the command was held by the Master of Marches, Fifth Captain Nessux who proved his worth when Master Aexylys suddenly began to suffer from phantom pain and paranoia. Techmarines reported the First Captain Baltasar that Master Aexylys' sarcophagus had a leak that infested his blood with blessed oils of Omnissiah. First Captain Baltasar, now unquestionably loyal to the Aexylys and his wishes suffered no such talk about the Chapter Master and hushed the techmarines.
Scarlet Beasts suffered minor casualties by utilising ruthless tactics on the cost of the Guard regiments. Heavy Bolter fire filled the air on three worlds as the Scarlet Beasts marched for war and burned the festering things that had once been humans. On fourth world, later dubbed as Aexylys' Fall, the resistance was better equipped and organised because of the heavy industry on planet and managed to strike a killing blow on Master Aexylys. Great sarcophagus' front creaked loudly and the spinning assault cannon kept firing against the swarming, mindless enemies as the Master of Scarlet Beasts fell to the ground and his final death. It took the lives of twenty space marines to secure and retrieve the remains of the Dreadnought, only to discover by the techmarines that it had been corrupted by the Ruinous Powers and must be destroyed. Among those who gave their lives to retrieve the mechanic body of the great hero was the First Captain Baltasar who by some records managed to kill some of three hundred cultists before he was overwhelmed by the sheer mass of his enemies.
Fifth Captain Nessux proved his tactical worth for the Imperial troops by ordering well planned and organised tactical withdrawal. Forming a line of defence with the Imperial Guard, the captains of Scarlet Beasts organised a meeting. The captains agreed that the acting Force Commander Nessux should continue his duties as Force Commander and as Chapter's High Commander, before a better time would come for choosing the successor of Master Aexylys the Magnificent. Normally it would have been clear choice that the First Captain would've been chosen, but now as Baltasar had also fallen, the terminator captain Ezras, even if experienced and veteran of many battles, was not seen capable enough for such task.
Force Commander Nessux took over the command of the Imperial forces and after his first victory over the planet's space port and weapon districts, Lord Militant Governor Trugge Rogvyn agreed with his superiority over Imperial forces. However, when the war was pushed forward over the sectors' borders, it was not as simple anymore. Lord Sector Milian of Udo was former Imperial Navy officer, Lord Admiral to be accurate, and he did not recognize Nessux' superiority. Even if Lord Militant Governor Trugge tried to persuade Milian of Udo, he did not accept the demands of Force Commander Nessux who wished command over all Imperial forces. So the Force Commander announced that Milian of Udo was a traitor and a heretic who tried to overthrow the Divine Rule of the Emperor. Scarlet Beasts, now embolstered by their 4th, 6th and 8th companies, boldly attacked the Lord Sector's troops on garrison world of Ygr. Performing devastating Thunderhawk bombing runs followed by drop pod assault, Scarlet Beasts took over the garrison and the command of every man there. Chaplains managed to persuade the devout priests of Ecclesiarchy and soon the regiments were fighting against their "traitorous" liege. The sector was quickly drawn into great firestorm of war where loyalist fought against loyalist and the real enemy was left free to plunder.
Revolting against the rule of high ranking member of the Adeptus Administratum left the Scarlet Beasts with poor hand when they were caught up with the interstellar fleet of the Adeptus Arbites on Olof's Haven mining colony system. Force Commander Nessux decided to agree Commodore-Judge Erik of Dimlight's demand to arrange meeting with the Lord Sector Milian of Udo. As so, a truce between these two seemingly loyal Imperial forces halted their fights on Ygr and system of Olof's Haven. Force Commander Nessux alongside with his right hand First Captain Ezras removed their helmets and entered the Arbites' vessels with ceremonial knives only. Lord Sector Milian of Udo explained for the Commodore-Judge how things had escalated and how the treacherous Scarlet Beasts had attacked his forces without warning and turned the remnants of his forces against him. Force Commander Nessux stood emotionlessly when his First Captain attacked verbally against the bureaucrats and their overheaded thoughts about the glories of war. Commodore-Judge Erik wanted to hold a break after five hours of negotiations, but First Captain refused of such and took steps towards the Lord Sector. Alarmed, and vary not only for the Lord Sector's life but for his own too, Commodore-Judge reached his powersword and began to unsheath it with gentle hissing of on-turned powerfield. However, it was Force Commander Nessux, who pressed his hand on Commodore-Judge's and told him not to draw his blade. At the same time, First Captain Ezras took three steps, grasped the Lord Sector's head between his mighty fists and smashed it into pieces. Commodore-Judge Erik drew his sword which gleamed with hazy blue aura, eager to drink the blood of anyone who stood before the Imperial Justice. Dwarfed by the great Space Marines, Erik felt no fear nor regret for he was granted with the authority over all branches of Adeptus Terra. He spat curses against the First Captain and Nessux and demanded that Scarlet Beasts would cease all actions within the reach of Dimlight Stars. However, Commodore-Judge was persuaded by the members of the late Lord Sector's retinue of adepts and diplomats. One of the bureaucrats proposed that the Commodore-Judge should use his powers and indeed declare the late Lord Sector Milian of Udo as heretic and to turn the course of the war. What was the pride and fame of a dead man anyway? Force Commander Nessux asked the same, as that had been in his mind all the time, and after long negotiations, Commodore-Judge agreed to these propositions. However, every single recorder and record was destroyed after the meeting, every attended servitor mind-wiped and every attended assistant or adept launched into the deep space. Commodore-Judge Erik of Dimlight was a man of his word, being of hard breed of Arbites, but he did not trust the Scarlet Beasts who too eagerly tried their limits and so the First Captain Ezras was left into his custody.
Force Commander Nessux took his leave and organised with the remaining captains of his chapter the further progress of the campaign on hand. Each Captain was given ten Imperial Guard regiments in addition to their own company as sub-units of the campaign which was led by Nessux. Accompanied by the Arbitrator specialist team, Force Commander managed to push his forces on several planets and to liberate few of them in months. More men were drawn from the system that surrounded Dimlight Stars and the war was falling into Imperial hands. Months of war followed one by one before a far better organised and more sufficient force to counter the threat of Dimlight Stars arrived for the Scarlet Beasts' aid in 541.M34 and even with those additional forces, the campaign had cost dearly for the Scarlet Beasts. When Force Commander Nessux was killed in 580.M34 by mutant brood in the lower levels of Hive Feyspire on the world of Torton's Hope, First Captain Ezras was released from his custody and let to lead his chapter. Brothers cheered as the fabled, and young, captain returned to their ranks and cleaved a path through the underhives of Feyspire. Year later Master Ezras gave the command of the campaigns forces over to the Lord General Rochard Herling.
Master Ezras fought in the first shock troops of Lord General Rochard until the end of 587.M34 when the initial fighting of the campaign was over and Scarlet Beasts were released of their duty in Dimlight Stars. Chapter returned in Gregora sector having lost three hundred brothers in total and two chapter masters in the same campaign.
No songs were sung when First Captain Ezras was formally recognised in 590.M34 as the Chapter Master of Scarlet Beasts.
Time of Ezras[]
Chapter Master Ezras of the Scarlet Beasts followed a similar doctrines as his predecessor Nessux the Patient. He was relatively young, younger than any of his captains who all aged well over 300 years by then. During Ezras' time the chapter's scout company grew into great numbers as the young chapter master placed heavy emphasis on recruitment. Chapter Master Ezras' recruitment methods were, however, extremely brutal and inhuman himself being from the "new generation" wave of recruits introduced into the chapter before the Betrayal of Dimlight Stars. As Scarlet Beasts' homeworld, Silvia, prospered with number of favourable years and numerous abundant generations the chapter was free to recruit as much as it needed without having to regulate amount of population and men-women ratio.
It was the first scouts of Ezras' reign that performed the governmental coup during the Orcas II Genocide in 600.M34 and destroyed major portion of former civilised world's urban areas. The 8th Company saw its ranks of assault marines to swell and the 7th Company introduced few assault squads into its composition too.
Chapter Master Ezras participated into many conflicts even if his chapter was still recovering from its losses during the Betrayal of Dimlight Stars. Before Orcas II Genocide, Ezras performed the Subjugation of Karenia Io within the area of Gregora sector of which he scolded the members of Adeptus Administration for even requesting such task of a space marine chapter. Claiming such petty squables should be reserved for the bluntness of Imperial Guard. After Subjugation of Karenia Io Scarlet Beasts traversed far towards the galactic core and participated into Defence against Waaagh! Kutrippa in 597.M34 and gleefully pursued the remnants of destroyed Waaagh! far and wide Segmentum Ultima for number of years. Strike Force formed of the 1st, 3rd, 7th and 8th companies cleaved through the Waaagh! and chased the Orks which turned feral and hid into far-flung worlds. Eradication of Waaagh! Kutrippa lasted into 628.M34 and was in 622.M34 joined by forces of 2nd, 4th and 10th company.
During these times Tech-Provost Cnaes began his work with the "Tomb of Aexylys Twice-Struck" with the blessings of Chapter Master Ezras. Chapter Master Ezras began to see his chapter invincible, especially after performing extraordinary feats with a strike force led by himself in 651.M34 during the Hurkhad Campaign. His personal combat prowess saw that the war that had lasted for a century was ended within 30 days of neatly orchestrated carnage.
Chapter Master Ezras led his strike force which consisted of 1st, 2nd, 7th and 8th companies into ever more perilous campaigns and garnered tales worthy of telling for future generations. Even if he started his career as patient and calculating general, the fiery blood of Silvia soon saw himself turning into bloodthirsty, if talented, commander. His first captain was butchered during the Jurgas Massacre and was replaced by one of the more restraining members of the chapter, Veteran-Sergeant Auxeys. First Captain Auxeys and Chapter Master Ezras were heralds of two distinctively different military doctrines which caused Auxeys to leave Ezras' strike force with the first company. First Captain Auxeys spred his company into few different strike forces that were deployed at the time, himself taking control over one of them.
Chapter Master Ezras favored Master Timaias the Furor of the Second Company as his possible heir and the rivalry between him and First Captain Auxeys who represented the more calculating military doctrine represented the much famed Nessux the Patient was ready to flame up.
Trurk Incident[]
By the end of 7th century of M34 the chapter participated into a long campaign near Braxis sector. A rebel league driven by parasitic xenos managed to pose serious threat against human colonies within Trurk Cluster. In 694.M34 Scarlet Beasts answered the call and three of their strike forces raced towards the warzone and the chapter was almost wholly deployed. However, the war on Trurk worlds proved to be nigh impossible to fight. On all planets everyone was possibly carrying the feared parasites, only trying to lure the Scarlet Beasts into trap and to destroy them.
Rivalries within the ranks of the Scarlet Beasts also proved to be a massive hindrance for the strike forces and Chapter Master Ezras. The whole campaign was orchestrated by Khornate Prophets and a certain gene-manipulator who had created the vile breed of parasites. Scarlet Beasts' bloodlust was more than noted by many organisations, Imperial and others too. This Khornate Warband organized one of the bloodiest and thorough genocides of the decade which was ultimately performed upon the Imperial population by Imperial forces.
Scarlet Beasts were caught into this insideous trap and played their part just as it was planned. Within the time of 12 years the population on all five worlds was brought from tens of billions into few millions, scattered across the war-torn wastes and hidden deep beneath the surface in plasteel bunkers.
Chapter Master Ezras perished during the Trurk Incident but records and recordings of the campaign were purged by Imperial degree shortly after the war was deemed over. His exact time or cause of death is left unanswered, his body was brought on Silvia in 709.M34 when the remaining forces returned to their Fortress-Monastery to lick their wounds.
Forsworn Crusade[]
After the perilous events of Trurk Incident the chapter emerged again not before the year 737 of the 34th Millennium. What exactly was the cause of this long silence is yet left unanswered but it is believed that the chapter had lost a major portion of their gene-seed during the reign of Chapter Master Ezras.
First Captain Auxeys assumed a short-lived command over the chapter and restored the 7th Company's composition into Codex standard of 10 tactical squads. Auxeys was not an organiser as his predecessors had been and the long idleness was possibly too much for the former Hero of the Imperium. When High Lords of Terra called for a crusade, Scarlet Beasts answered, bringing forth a grand strike force composed of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 8th companies and further bolstered with fresh recruits from scout company. Originally known as Roskith Crusade, the crusade was launched in 737.M34 towards the Chaos engulfed war worlds around the warp storm Roskith's Maw.
Chapter Master Auxeys, eager to prove himself and his chapter for the High Lords, led the first charge against the rebel bastions on the world of Manaklosothorsos XII deep striking with his Honour Guard and First Company Terminators, left of his chapter performing a massive drop pod assault at the same time against multiple locations. Chapter Master Auxeys led his forces from one victory into another on the cold surface of Manaklosothorsos XII while the other Imperial forces secured the fortresses and defence lines. As the world fell into Imperial hands within mere weeks, Scarlet Beasts resituated themselves upon the next world, Palathakson Majoris. On Palathakson Majoris the Imperial forces continued their onslaught against the chaotic rebels and renegades, cleaving through masses and executing leaderless mobs like cattle. At the end of 740.M34 most of the area around Roskith's Maw was contested by Imperium. It was during the assault on Rapakarsansas Secundii when the Warmaster Hans of Gallia showed his true intentions and bombarded the Imperial forces on ground with those loyal to himself on board of his massive crusading fleet. Chapter Master Auxeys fell when the lance batteries evaporated him and a fair portion of the 2nd Company. Situated with the main assaulting force were mortally wounded Captain Syrus of the 2nd Company, Captain Isaias of the 3rd Company and ever-morbid Lord Executioner Pontus. Together these three captains broke through the drop site and the massacre performed by the treacherous Warmaster. Guard regiments fell in numbers when the grand cruiser Valiant emptied its belly-full of thermal bombs from low orbit.
However, the Warmaster had gravely underestimated the firepower of the Scarlet Beasts' fleet. Representing the might of the Gorgon Sons, the incandescent Rex Autex loomed in high orbit surrounded by battle barges Cardinal and Scarlet Claw. Strike Cruisers Bestia Aeternum, Iron Santar, Eye of Gorgon and Red Palm were left in lower orbit with the main fleet of the traitor Warmaster. Broadsides flamed when the traitorous fleet opened fire on baffled space marine fleet. In an instant the First Captain Jehyxes situated on Rex Autex ordered the chapter to engage ships of the Warmaster. So the red fleet opened its fire dealing massive damage on the Battlefleet Gallia. The brutal battle of those mighty space vessels lasted for days, each side trying to outmanouver the other and to preserve their own craft as well as possible. The first company's Terminator squads pulled few devastating board actions against the Warmaster's fleet and when the Battlefleet Gallia finally managed to cripple both strike cruisers Eye of Gorgon and Red Palm, First Captain Jehyxes formed a defensive perimeter in low-orbit over Rapakarsansas Secundii. This way it provided constant ground support for battle-brothers on ground and the badly maimed Eye of Gorgon. Last attack of Battlefleet Gallia occured six days after the first blow and the Warmaster managed to destroy the Red Palm completely but was not able to outwit Jehyxes' defensive formation. Battlefleet Gallia withdrew from Rapakarsansas Secundii to Manaklosothorsos system.
At the same time the Imperial troops fled the orbital bombardments only running into well-fortified positions of the fortresses on Rapakarsansas Secundii. Scarlet Beasts saw that the Warmaster had planned these moves for years and everything was set up for full-scale slaughter. The Three Captains managed to pull their companies together under extreme pressure, chaos and devastation and to perform victorious attack against the defenders. Forming an escape route from the drop site, armored columns pushed the Imperial forces into momentum breaking through defences and sending their enemies into flight. Marshal Ruuk Milason of the Howling Hyenas of Slars took the mantle of Grand Marshal and organised surviving troops into few attack groups. In two days the Grand Marshal managed to contact with other surviving regiments that had fled the drop site and when Scarlet Beasts began Thunderhawk supply runs after driving the Battlefleet Gallia from Rapakarsansas Secundii's orbit Grand Marshal began his own offence. Grand Marshal soon outwitted the Warmaster Hans of Gallia's officers responsible of the planet's defence and managed to push his offence succesfully, winning ground and resources for his ground units. Captain Syrus's condition was stable thanks to the efforts of the Tech-Marines who participated the assault and he was being prepared for a Dreadnought. Command over the second company was taken by veteran-sergeant Lazaros who was one of the fifteen surviving members of the 2nd company.
Warmaster Hans, after fleeing the system, headed towards the Manaklosothorsos XII and instigated a massive uprising on planet. Within the crazed rebellions he orchestrated a macabre rituals summoning the Chaos warband Bloodbreed on planet. At the same time the Imperial forces struggled to break the defenders of Rapakarsansas Secundii and when finally emerging victorious from the battle, Grand Marshal Ruuk Milason planned completely new strategy to counter the Forsworn Crusade.
Organisation[]
Scarlet Beasts were during their days a Codex compliant chapter, holding the creeds of the Codex Astartes high. As such, the chapter was divided into ten companies, of which four (2nd-5th) were battle companies, four (6th-9th) were reserve companies, one (1st) was a veteran company and one (10th) a scout company.
Chapter was finally organised into a fleet based chapter and did not receive a homeworld for itself during its founding. After First Gregoran Reformation was over in 422.M34, the chapter was granted with its own homeworld within Gregora sector and parts of its vast fleet were "donated" for chapters of the 7th and 8th Foundings. The Fleet was again bolstered after the Second Gregoran Reformation when the chapter's homeworld was lost. After that the chapter remained fleet based to its very end in 39th millennium.
Chapter Fleet[]
Because of the chapter's nature as fleet based, it had quite large battlefleet to support its actions.
- Rex Autex (Battleship) - extremely old and venerated Victory class battleship serves as the fortress-monastery, and flagship, of the Scarlet Beasts
- Cardinal (Battle Barge)
- Rufus Dextra (Battle Barge)
- Scarlet Claw (Battle Barge)
- Bestia Aeternum (Strike Cruiser)
- Bloodtide (Strike Cruiser)
- Deus Ferrum (Strike Cruiser)
- Iron Santar (Strike Cruiser)
- Lady Silvia (Strike Cruiser)
During the long millennia of service, Scarlet Beasts also lost few of their mighty vessels. These were the fabled:
- Red Palm - a strike cruiser destroyed in 740.M34, it took its name from the fabled Chapter Master Ezras the Red Hand. It was blown into smithereens by the traitor Warmaster Hans of Gallia's fleet over Rapakarsansas Secundii
- Eye of Gorgon - a strike cruiser destroyed in 742.M34, which was badly maimed during the War on Rapakarsansas Secundii and was delivered a killing blow by Bloodbreed's chaos vessels only few years after
Gene-seed[]
No notable flaws exist in Scarlet Beasts' geneseed. The chapter's members use extensive amount of bionics, usually replacing their completely healthy organs such as eyes, heart(s), skull and hands. However, it is not as visible or common as the trend tends to be within other successors of the Great Gorgon.
Chapter Culture[]
Chapter Culture was, as can be guessed, highly influenced by the creeds of the Codex Astartes. Chapter also had quite peculiar faith and relation to the Emperor, Master of Mankind.
- "Like father, like son."
- —Captain Cleopax of the Salamanders
Stalwart defenders and stubborn assaulters, the unyielding nature of Scarlet Beasts was well known and much revered. The chapter did however have a much more sinister side too which was mostly shunned and hushed after the great victories they performed with few casualties. You see, Scarlet Beasts were known of extreme brutality and nigh savageness when it came to those they suspected of heresy or rebellious thoughts. This was propably the only clearly visible trait given to the Scarlet Beasts by their primogenitor. It is also speculated that these traits, pooled together, led to the chapter's destruction.
Appearance and Heraldry[]
Assault Marine of the 5th Company.
The colors of the Scarlet Beasts are scarlet and grey. Scarlet is used for weapons, backpacks, shoulder pauldrons and for right knee pads. Left knee shows the company color. Crest aquila (if present) is golden.
According to the Scarlet Season, an old and venerated tome of the chapter, each member of the chapter is allowed to paint his helmet with scarlet red. It is however strictly controlled, what shapes and in what sizes, are allowed to be painted on the helmet. Usual paintings include lightning pattern, halved and even quartered. Helmet stripes are also common and especially veterans of the first company favor these marks. It has come into practice that any such painting refers to certain battle or gained skill. This is the reason why lightning pattern is usually replaced with quartered or halved color when one moves from assault squad into devastator squad, and finally painted fully when the "rank" of a tactical marine is achieved. Some never paint their helmets, finding no suitable reason or particular feat from themselves to be shown to their brethren.
Chapter symbol can be found, as supposed, from the left shoulder pauldron painted with grey on scarlet. Those who have gained the honor to wear tactical dreadnought armor wear their chapter's symbol on the right pauldron, as do chapter's specialists.
Chapter's commanders are allowed to carry personal crests on their armor, usually in front of another armpit. These tend to be simple geometric patterns, further bolstered with baroque details by the aspirants of the Librarium, after the commander has died.
Recruitment[]
As tends to be the habit with fleet-based chapters, Scarlet Beasts were granted the privilege of recruiting new members from any Imperial world that had not reached the atomic era-equalent. In practice this ment feral and feudal worlds. When the chapter gained its homeworld its recruits were bound only on that particular planet. After losing their homeworld during the Second Gregoran Reformation, the chapter was denied of the right to recruit new members from any other world and they were commanded on a penitent crusade of one hundred years in order to hone their ranks worthy enough to recruit new members. When the crusade was over, the Lord Sector Gregora Immanuel granted the Scarlet Beasts a freedom to recruit from any world they saw fit, which was part of the Gregora sector.
As such is the case, the Scarlet Beasts do not have a specific chapter culture that would resemble their homeworld, for their recruits came from various worlds within Gregora sector. The chapter was known to favor the worlds of Feral Circle, and Three Knights, but also recruited from the civilised worlds too. Especially from the ranks of Whiteshields, who were quite common after the Second Gregoran Reformation.
As the time went by, the chapter ventured ever further into other areas and warzones and did not come back to Gregora sector to take new recruits from Feral Circle or Three Knights. They were granted rights to recruit new members from various locations in the areas they left under Imperial rule.
Relics[]
- Vehicles
- Tomb of Aexylys Twice-Struck - an ancient Dreadnought chassis received by the chapter during its founding in M33 The second chapter master, Aexylys, was placed within its iron sarcophagus but the machine got corrupted, and finally destroyed, during the Betrayal of Dimlight Stars. Tech-Provost Cnaes managed, during his long life, to purificate the sarcophagus and repair the Dreadnought, but it was never taken into combat again because of fear of corruption. The Dreadnought serves now as the final resting place of Master Aexylys and ceremonially "guards" the tomb of First Lord Cleisthenes deep within the frozen caverns of Silvia.
Notes[]
Notable Members[]
Chapter Masters
- ???.M33-180.M34 - First Lord Cleisthenes, first chapter master
- 181.M34-481.M34 - Master Aexylys, wounded during Banishing of Iskara
- 482.M34-483.M34 - First Captain Baltasar, acting master before Aexylys' recovery
- 484.M34-529.M34 - Master Aexylys Twice-Struck, served as Master in a Dreadnought
- 530.M34-580.M34 - Force Commander Nessux the Patient, during Betrayal of Dimlight Stars
- 581.M34-???.M34 - Master Ezras the Young, elected after the death of Nessux
- 709.M34-740.M34 - Master Auxeys, elected after the Trurk Incident
- 741.M34-???.M3? - Force Commander Lazaros the Last, assumed his position during Forsworn Crusade
Notable Engagements[]
- 419.M34-422.M34 - First Gregoran Reformation (whole chapter was deployed)
- 424.M34-481.M34 - Crusade for Glory (whole chapter was deployed)
- 423.M34-426.M34 - Pacification of Fagham III
- 427.M34-477.M34 - Hrumenian Campaign
- 480.M34 - Assault on Pestilent Carrion
- 481.M34 - Battle of Alaikum
- 481.M34 - Banishing of Iskara
- 485.M34-512.M34 - Liberation of Nix Primus (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th companies)
- 487.M34-492.M34 - Graian Termination (5th, 7th and 9th companies)
- 494.M34-529.M34 - First War for Absalon (5th, 7th, 9th and 10th companies. Joined by the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 6th companies in 515.M34. 1st, 2nd, 5th, 9th and 10th companies left in 525.M34)
- 526.M34-587.M34 - Betrayal of Dimlight Stars (1st, 2nd, 5th, 9th, 10th)
- 595.M34 - Subjugation of Karenia Io (3rd)
- 597.M34-628.M34 - Waaagh! Kutrippa
- 597.M34-603.M34 - Defence against Waaagh! Kutrippa (1st, 3rd, 7th, 8th)
- 604.M34-628.M34 - Eradication of Waaagh! Kutrippa (1st, 7th, 8th) (later 2nd, 4th, 10th)
- 599.M34-600.M34 - Orcas II Genocide (4th, 10th)
- 602.M34-622.M34 - Bath on Red Fields (2nd, 4th, 10th)
- 651.M34 - Hurkhad Campaign (1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th)
- 658.M34 - Jurgas Massacre (1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th)
- 694.M34-706.M34 - Trurk Incident (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 8th, 10th)
- 737.M34-749.M34 - Forsworn Crusade
- 737.M34-740.M34 - Roskith Crusade
- 741.M34 - War for Rapakarsansas Secundii
- 741.M34-748.M34 - Uprising of Manaklosothorsos XII
- 742.M34-745.M34 - Bloodbreed Invasion
- 748.M34-749.M34 - Flight of the Warmaster
- 005.M35-022.M35 - Second Gregoran Reformation (whole chapter was deployed)
- 761.M38 - Extermination of Ingrosus Pacius