+ + + Classification : Notatus Imperius + + +

+ + + Subject : Adeptus Astartes, cross. ref. Emperor’s Templars + + +

+ + + Security Level : Omicron, Magenta, Five + + +

+ + + Authorised by : Inquisitor Phoenix + + +

+ + + Thought For The Day : Do your duties in life, so when dead you may rest + + +

Facts:

Homeworld: Deneb, a m -class (Feudal) World. (note: similar to WHFB’s Empire)

Chapter Master: Lord High Templar Heron – a Lord Templar is elected from the most revered of champions in the inner circle, when the former one is either slain or choose to resign (e.g. due to an especially dishonourable defeat in battle.

Founding: First records of the chapter dates back to the 18^th Founding. The chapter is a successor chapter of the Ultramarines, or more specifically from the Novamarines successor chapter, whose armour colours they still share to this day with only a few modifications. Their gene-seed is that of Roboute Guilliman, the Primarch of the Ultramarines Legion of the Adeptus Astartes, and although having passed through one other successor chapter first is reported to have lost only 0,3% purity on the Heriax Angelon scale (m.32).

Chapter Badge: the chapter badge depicts one of the chapter’s most revered artefacts, the holy grail, the Canis Helix, from which all new recruits must drink before beginning the implantation of the chapter gene-seed. When a warrior earns great honour in battle he will be allowed to have a second drink of the grail and will be granted the honour of wearing the Robes of the Champion as a sign of his veteran status. The wings on the chapter badge symbolises the honour and greatness given from the Imperium and the Primarch through the grail.

Customs and traditions of the Emperor’s Templars:

Many traditions of the local population (who lives in something similar to our medieval age) has been adopted by the chapter. This includes in particular the strict hierarchy between servants and the knighthood (the Space Marines). As a consequence the High Priests (equivalent to a Chaplain) enjoys a holy and very respectful place, second only to the Lord Templar in power and influence.

New Recruits:

New recruits, or Initiates, are chosen through tournaments held every year among the civilian population of Deneb. Each Earldom holds a tournament between its best knights or warriors, and the winner from each Earldom is then gathered on the Night of Ascension where the chapter’s High Priests travel with them to the Fortress Monastery of the Emperor’s Templars where they will begin their induction by being allowed to drink from the sacred Grail.

Earldoms:

The planet of Deneb is a vast continental world with a day-night cycle very similar to that of ancient Terra. The lands are divided into several Earldoms each of which is ruled by an Earl and his knights. The number of Earldoms vary from almost a hundred and down to as few as 7, due to wars being fought between rivalling Earls suppressed peasants revolting towards a tyrannical Earl. As these fights only makes the recruiting potential of the population higher, these wars are not only accepted but strongly encouraged by the chapter. Of the many varying Earldoms, 4 families have remained since the chapter first was founded on the planet. The banners of these Earls are also depicted in small format on the Chapter’s Sacred Standard, and on any individual Marine coming from one of these families.

The ruling families are:

The Khan Family; a strong family with some barbaric traditions.
The Fitzwalter Family; a noble and –usually- peaceful family.
The Borden Family; Has the best (& most) archers.
The Wallace Family; Has a proud history of horseback fighting.

Personal Quest's:

Any warrior who receives great praise after a victorious battle will be allowed to choose a quest of his own, for instance to hunt down an enemy leader who escaped the battle or something similar, he may then go to choose a small group of volunteers to join him on the quest. On their return these heroes will receive much praise and earn a place in the Hall of Champions in the most sacred region of the chapter's fortress monastery. For this reason the chapter always maintains a large fleet, ready to dispatch a “Questor’s Fleet” for the champion of a quest. There has been occasions, when several quests took place at the same time, where Imperial Adepts, whom was not knowing of the chapter, had mistaken it for a Fleet based chapter, much like the Black Templars.

Organisation of the Emperor’s Templars (a note on chapter characters)

The Emperor’s Templars chapter is in many ways a codex chapter, almost identical in organisational structure. However amongst the higher ranking battlebrethren titles deviate somewhat from the ones used by many codex chapters.

I have compiled the following list of equivalents between the Emperor’s Templars and the Space Marine Codex.

Codex Space Marine Title	ó	Emperor’s Templar Title
Chapter Master	ó	Lord High Templar*
Force Commander	ó	Lord Templar
Commander	ó	Judicator
Leader	ó	Executor
Chaplain	ó	High Priest
Librarian	ó	Librarian
Command Squad	ó	Honour Guard
Techmarine	ó	Machinepriest
Any title not mentioned here is the same as in codex Space Marines

* : Present Lord High Templar is Heron. (In gameterms he is a Force Commander).

The Sanctuary Circle (priesthoods of the Emperor’s Templars)

The main part of Emperor’s Templar characters wear dark robes over their armour. This is often referred to as the black robes of the champion. The robes are granted to a Templar by the High Priests on the evening when he drinks from the Canis Helix the second time either due to a completed Quest or an exceptional performance in a important battle. (cross ref.: middleages: becoming a knight…).

The Sanctuary Circle members is powerful and awe-inspiring individuals who inspires their (lesser) swordbrethren to even greater deeds of bravery. (cross ref.: first company marines…).

Veteran Sergeants / Champions

Squads of Emperor’s Templars will most often be led by Veteran Sergeants. These will for the most part be armed with sophisticated close combat weapons such as the revered powersword. It is very uncommon for any Templar not to be armed with a sword before any other close combat weapon. The squads are led in this way both because of the high amount of veterans in the chapter, due to their Quests, glory and knightly ways of operation and also due to their mentality of the heroic champion followed by his squires.

All veteran sergeants have been inducted into the sanctuary circle and therefore wear the black robes of a champion into battle.