Obsidian Wyrms


 * "It has been ten thousands of years since the dreadful betrayal of the arch-enemy Horus and yet we are no closer to repelling the enemies of the Emperor. Far from it, the stability of the Imperium is crumbling, bit by bit. Our current tactics and doctrines need to be updated lest this downward spiral continues on until there's nothing left."

- Elias Dammerüng, Grand Wyrm

The Obsidian Wyrms are a loyalist 13th Founding Chapter whose primary defining characteristic is the testing of an ancient project simply labeled "FG". Project FG was initiated shortly after the Istvaan V Drop site Massacre as a mean to help replenish legions faster by making Gene-seed compatible with both genomes and thus efficiently doubling the potential neophyte candidates pool.

The Obsidian Wyrms are not a codex-compliant Chapter and most of its senior staff has a deep-rooted dislike of the Ultramarines' Primarch Guilliman, although approaching the topic will not often give answers. They are a largely crusading Chapter with a strong connection to their progenitor Legion's heritage and doctrines. Their Gene-seed is also well-tied.



Origins
 The Origin of the Chapter begins long before its actual foundation with the appearance of the poorly-known project FG. After the catastrophic losses of loyalists during the Istvaan V drop site massacre, no less than 3 legions had been nearly wiped out in but a single short engagement by the traitors. Such casualties had been unheard of throughout the Crusade; they were nearly impossible to imagine at the time, and yet they were. The   damage was so dramatic that there was very little hope for the shattered legions to participate in the rest of the conflict a recruitment methods were too slow and long-spanning.

 Despite that crushing blows, the surviving loyalists were bitter and did not want to be cast aside. They sought to do whatever they could and find whatever way they might to come back from this defeat and participate in the defense of the Imperium. Out of these efforts, the most well-known were that of the Primarch Corax Corvus who received the Emperor's authorisation to attempt certain drastic measures. However, other attempts were also held concurrently, some with proper authorisation and others without. Most of these focused on the speed of growth of the space marine Neophytes and these accelerated growth often ended in much higher failure rates, wasting precious candidates.

 On the opposite, project FG focused not on speed but on numbers. Its objective was to achieve compatibility between the then Male-only Gene-stock and the female genome - hence 'FG'. Such a course of action was perceived as going strongly against traditions but in the midst of such dark times as the great Heresy and in the wake of other, even more radical project, it was not all too disturbing. Unfortunately, the project did not see completion before the end of the civil war and was quickly shelved by its puritanical opponents. The project would then began a cycle of being forgotten for centuries, re-awakened for a few decades, progressing slightly before funding would be withdrawn again, starting the cycle anew until it finally reached completion in the end of the 35th Millennium.



Foundation
 The Obsidian Wyrms were officially founded during the mysterious 13th Founding of which very little is known, overlapping with the troubled and marred times of the Age of Apostasy. The details of this early period of the Chapter is largely left shrouded due to the poor records and prolific Warp Storms of the Reign of Blood and the ensuing Plague of Unbelief. What however is certain is that the foundation of the Obsidian Wyrms predates the installment of the Adeptus Sororitas. Despite what could be expected from the works of project FG, the Wyrms and their Gene-seed are not Female-only but rather compatible with both genders, leading to a roughly equal ratio of genders amongst the combat personnel which is still more or less maintained today, not by conscious effort but simply by circumstances. Just as it was promised, the Gene-seed delivered on its expectations and was able to replace casualties at a shockingly faster rate than usual, keeping the Chapter at optimal strength most of the time despite its early losses.



The Two
 Among the first members of the Chapter were two sisters who were the very first successful   'products' of project FG and served as the template of the proper process onto base gene-seed. The two sisters exhibited much faster learning capabilities and absorbed both tactical and martial knowledge like none else in ages, reminiscent of the dark age that saw the birth of the project. The Two would later prove incredible longevity,   surviving from the Chapter's infancy into present times

 While those properties made them alike, the two sisters could not be further apart when it came to personality and temperament. The elder, Elias, was always calm and collected, liking to study matters longly and thoroughly. She was primarily recognized as a reserved thinker and peerless strategist but was more than able to battle; putting that same creativity and ingenuity into unpredictable strikes and counters that would rarely work outside of the precise context of that single battle but makes the difference in this one. Contrastingly, the younger sister Kyriel was much more prone to following instinct rather than thorough planning. She was a relentless warrior with a fiery and ferocious temperament which reflected in her every decisions, but her instincts were rarely wrong, leading to unfound rumors that they were guided by the Emperor Himself. In this same contrast, the hot-tempered Kyriel rose through the ranks very quickly while Elias, patient as always, declined transfers and stayed behind, taking several centuries each to study the working of every type of units of the Astartes under every imaginable angle.



Age of Flames
 The first Grand Wyrm of the Obsidian Wyrms was, to none's surprise, the younger sister Kyriel. She took command by the middle of the 36th Millenium, approximately 250 years after the founding of the chapter and her arrival set forth a number of changes, in a way once again reminiscent of the era of the crusade. Under her watch, the Wyrms took upon her restless ferocity and   battles and crusades multiplied in frequency and intensity. This time is referred to in Librarium archives as the Age of Flames as it was a time of relentless war. In this early age the Imperium was ripe with ambitious traitors and secessionists in the wake of the Age of Apostasy and between traitors, xenos and chaos there was no short supply of enemies. The only time where the Wyrms were not fighting under Kyriel's early command was when they were travelling from one battlefield to the next.

 In addition to that, Kyriel's tactics were heavily aggressive and combined with the merciless crusades numbers eventually dwindled down to approximately 3 companies, attrition came much more slowly than it would have in such endeavors due the much enhanced recruitment rates and procedures. It was only then that - and much begrudgingly, Kyriel agreed to slow down by the turn of the 37th millenium. While the flames dimmed, the crusades still continued, albeit at a more reasonable pace. This allowed the Obsidian Wyrms to work back to optimal strength, but that only heralded more campaigns. While the freshly-restored Chapter never crusaded with as much little care for its own safeguard than at the beginning of the Age of Flames, Kyriel's leadership still made it one of the most pro-active and aggressive Chapters for the times to come.



Vision of Prophecy
 In the late days of the Age of   Flames at the end of the 38th Millenium, Grand Wyrm Kyriel claimed to have received a vision from the Emperor Himself directing her to lead a crusade on a very specific system long lost to the Imperium's archives. detailing with great precision every aspect of the system and its location. Immediately, forces were mobilized and converged towards the then-nameless system that had been isolated by Warp Storms through millennia and forgotten by all archives. The Warp storms were violent and the journey was perilous but the fleet managed to cross it relatively unscathed, many would later attribute the feat to the blessing of the Emperor, which would correlate with the theory of His being at the origin of the vision, but those elements who do not see the Obsidian Wyrms in a favorable light tend to whisper that it was not the Emperor's doing but rather a scheme of the ruinous powers. No evidence was truly provided either way

 Upon arriving in the system, the Wyrms were immediately attacked by an hostile race of xenos that had not yet been encountered before. The xenos were extremely territorial and aggressive and fought to the bitter end but their inferior technology could not hope to contain the furious advance of the Grand Wyrm's forces, leaving their miniature Empire in ruins in their wake. They pursued onto the last bastion of the xenos on the second satellite of their primary world. It is in that moon's shadow that they discovered an immense battle station of a much different architectural design than the xenos' own ships and constructs. Once they were defeated, the Warp storms cutting off the system suddenly and permanently receded with no explanation in sigh t.



The Solace Uncovered
 The Massive star fortress was boarded by the Wyrms, led by the two sisters as it strangely did not shoot upon their arrival. Soon they were able to understand that the battle station was not built by the xenos who were just trying to understand how to activate it but was rather an artifact of human construct: a colossal archeotech from the Lost Age of Technology. Once the hostile xenos were eliminated the Wyrms assumed command of the lost relic and brought it back to Imperial space, making it their new Fortress-monastery and naming it the Solace of Wisdom. The Solace has been since then a symbol of the Obsidian Wyrms' strength and has spearheaded the assaults of many major campaigns, proving an invaluable asset in naval battles.

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Meeting in the Depths
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> A handful of centuries later, the two sisters met in the deepest chambers of the Solace of Wisdom to discuss of important matters. There is no accurate transcript of the closed conversation but it is known that many reforms were discussed and adopted, including the decision to strengthen the Chapter's numbers. The hours-long meeting laid the basic philosophies of what would later become the Schism.

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The Black Crusades
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> Ever since their beginning, the Obsidian Wyrms have always preferred to target and battle the forces of the Traitor Legions of chaos space marines. As such, large campaigns by them were often bound to attract their attention and the most notable of them were the Black Crusades. The Wyrms have sought to combat the forces of Chaos at every occurrences of a Black Crusade they were able to mobilize against, resulting in a bit of a reputation amongst their foes. Wherever Abaddon's foul hordes would strike, they would eventually find the Wyrms on their way.

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 *  5th Black Crusade  - During this crusade the Obsidian Wyrms fought alongside the Imperial Navy of the Segmentum   Obscurus, leading a serie of savage boarding assaults on the vessels of Abaddon's Black Fleet that was tasked with keeping the Imperial navy occupied during his assaults in the Elysian system.
 *  7th Black Crusade  - Like before, the Wyrms began the Ghost War by assisting the Imperial Navy, but soon enough they realized that this game of cat and mouse led them nowhere and decided to set a trap themselves. The whole chapter awaited for the Black Legion to attack the strategically-important Mining World of Sandros before falling upon them mercilessly. The Traitors however were not caught by surprise as anticipated, perhaps warned by Abaddon's always-problematic Sorcerer cabals, and replied head-on against the landing forces after the initial bombardment. The Assault marines led by Kyriel engaged a force of Khornate Berserkers in a truly vicious engagement but as Abaddon himself was occupied with the blood angels on Midian at the time and the Grand Wyrm's fury tipped the balance of the ravenous melee, slaying the lesser warlord and breaking the ranks; pushing forwards. It is said that at the height of the battle Kyriel's power sword shattered under the countless, relentless blows of its wielder and that the Grand Wyrm continued to fight by picking up two bloodied chainaxes from her latest slain foes, barely hindered for a moment before resuming a savage display. Ultimately the Wyrms managed to eliminate the force deployed on Sandros before it could devastate its Imperial Settlements but were forced to withdraw as well due to their own severe losses.
 *  9th Black Crusade  - The Obsidian Wyrms were part of the battlegroup led by the Ultramarines and White Scars to relieve the besieged Hive World of Corilla. This was the first time the Solace of Wisdom faced the naval forces of Abaddon, the Star Fortress inflicting untold damage and setting the tone for all future engagements between the two opposed factions. Upon the joint forces rescuing the remnants of the Lamenters, Grand Wyrm Kyriel was enraged by the actions of the Mortifactors Chapter who left the Lamenters to their fate over mere superstitions but the efforts of then-Captain Elias associated with the Ultramarines' commander's managed to calm down the incensed Chapter Master before inner conflict could happen.
 *  10th Black Crusade  - Once more the Wyrms were part of the Imperial reinforcements that sailed forth to support the assaulted world of Medusa, Homeworld of the Iron Hands. The bulk of the forces of Abaddon however had already withdrawn when then battlegroup arrived and there was little more than clean-up operations to do.
 *  12th and 13th Black Crusades  - further described in Recent History

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Recent History
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤-  The Schism (40M968) - After a long closed meeting in the Solace, the Two   concluded that sometimes the worst enemies of the Imperium were within and that yet they could not fight them without being branded traitors. Such feeling was shared amongst the Chapter and following the meeting, the Chapter split in two, former Grand Wyrm Kyriel taking several companies to form a renegade warband that could attack the enemies within, without endangering the bulk of the Chapter. A short civil war ensued between the Two; a show to satisfy the inquisitive   looks of other elements of the Imperium. The confrontation was an exceptional display of the fluid and ferocious tactics of the Chapter but ultimately with both parties anticipating the movements of the other like a giant game of chess, very little losses resulted from the massive con.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤- First battle of M'khand (41M040)  - Agents of Chaos infiltrated the Forge World of M'khand and slowly converted a score of Tech-priests to the ways of Hereteks, using their clearances to sneak in a number of Traitor Guardsmen forces disguised as mineral cargo ships. The traitors broke into several depots and turned the machines against their makers.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> The 2nd Battalion of the Wyrms reacted first, quickly establishing a blockade in orbit to interdict further Traitor reinforcements. The 5 companies each descended upon one of the main captured depots, using the labyrinthine manufactorum   complexes to disable the stolen vehicles from the higher levels. The initial threat was stopped quickly but traitor guardsmen and their corrupted benefactors remained elusive for a time, leading a guerilla warfare of sabotage   from the shadows of the jungle of steel.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤  - The Great Hunt (41M170-41M438) - Incensed by the stagnation of her situation, renegade Grand Wyrm Kyriel, now influenced to a degree by Chaos, begins a great hunt to seek out and defeat in single combat one of each Greater Daemons in a defiant attempt to force respect from the ruinous powers despite refusing to commit to the worship of any path.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"> -¤- 12th Black Crusade (41M141-41M160)  - Nearly two years passed between the first signs of a large-scale attack began revealing themselves to the Inquisitors and the moment where the attacks actually happened. Unlike the last few attacks where the Wyrms were part of late reinforcements, this time they were prepared and present from the very beginning. When Abaddon's first wave of attacked washed across Imperial space, they received them in full at the Forge World of Malegai. Against the might of the Solace and 3 Battalions' warfleets the Warband dispatched to this area was annihilated. However this limited success was very short-lived as the news of the fate of Savaven at the hands of some new battleship reached their ears. Immediately, they vowed to find and destroy that dreadfully inhumane and cowardly weapon.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> That promise was not to be fulfilled anytime soon as years passed with no more signs of the Planet Killer or the Blackstone Fortresses In the meanwhile, the Obsidian Wyrms focused more on the rear than the hunt. The piracy problem across the sector was massive and Chaos blockades further worsened the issue, menacing to starve off entire worlds to death. The Wyrms' forces targeted primarily those blockades and raiding parties to try to relieve the tormented populations and wearing down the numbers of the Chaos ships until new signs of the dreaded super-weapons would appear. Again, the minor victories were eclipsed as they did with the destruction of the Tarantis system. The threat had became even more ludicrous than before and there was no more time to play.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> Fortunately, as the year of 41M151 drew, the warp storms quieted down and reinforcements flooded in, with a new plan to commit to from the Lord-Admiral. When the combined Battlefleet arrived on Schindlegeist. the Obsidian Wyrms were more than eager to exact righteous retribution. Their fleet was restless, pressing their battle-brothers to urgency with exceptional zeal. While the Blackstone Fortresses were beacons of might for the chaotic forces, likewise did the Solace of Wisdom became as its ancient void shields soaked massive firepower, responding in kind with its radiant lance batteries as it moved towards the fortresses but not in time. The super-weapons were about to be unleashed before anything could be done when the Captain of the Imperial Navy battlecruiser Flame of Purity sacrificed his vessel and life to disrupt the arcane beam, exhausting the fortresses' energy supply and prompting Abaddon's general retreat. The Solace pursued with the rest of the fleet, thunderous Lance barrages restlessly pounding onto the traitorous defenses. Ultimately, two fortresses and Abaddon's flagship managed to escape, leaving their vow unfulfilled.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤- Second Battle of M'khand (41M271-41M274)  - Nearly 250 years after the first battle of M'khand, the forces of Chaos attacked the world once more, but this time with far more forces. There was no subtle infiltration this time, several warbands appeared into its air space, containing traitor marines from the Iron Warriors, Night Lords and Alpha Legion. That spearhead was followed by numerous forces of cultists and traitor guardsmen with their own armored support.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> The 1st and 3rd Battalions of Obsidian Wyrms responded to the call once more, their combined fleets engaging with the Traitor fleets in orbit. The naval battle resulted in a limited Chaos victory and the loyalist vessels were forced to pull back to avoid further damage, moving to the other side of the planet and sending their gunships from there.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> The ten companies deployed in several sectors, assisting the local skiitari forces on many fronts. Ultimately however, the forces of the Ruinous Powers had overwhelming numerical superiority and were supported by the expert artillery of the Iron Warriors, forcing the Loyalists to concede terrain slowly but surely over two years, securing a sizable traitorous foothold for the invaders. It was only once they were reinforced on the third year of the war that tehe situation changed. The damaged Astartes fleet moved back in to support the newly arrived forces of the Imperial Navy and their combined might managed to eliminate the chaotic forces in orbit, before deploying multiple Imperial Guard regiments in the rear of the traitorous breachead. The Imperial guard managed to silence the heavy artillery of the Iron Warriors and the Skiitari/Astartes forces immediately mounted a staggering counter-attack that smashed the advancing traitorous lines, sending the invaders into disarray.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤-  Elysian Campaign (41M324-41M348) - At the beginning of the third century, traces of the actions of the Alpha Legion were discovered at the very heart of the Imperium, in the Segmentum Solar. A force of Obsidian Wyrms orbiting near Mars at the time began to organize a Campaign to purge these agitators and saboteurs from the Elysian system, calling for the assistance of other Imperial Forces. The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Wyrms were assisted by multiple local Imperial Guard regiments and a preceptory of the Ebon Chalice.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> Once the crusade began, it quickly faced stark opposition as the numerous pirate fleets of the Elysian system laid ambush after ambush to try to destroy the Imperial forces, as if carefully organized by some higher force. The extent of the threat became obvious as soon enough even the Ork marauders joined in the attacks, likely manipulated by the shrewd deceivers of Chaos. The fleets were under heavy pressure but with the combination of the Imperial Navy, Astartes fleet and the Solace of Wisdom itself,   the crusade managed to make steady progress, albeit a bit slow.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> The main bastion of Chaos forces was found on a nameless, forsaken icy moon where the battles continued to punctuated by elusive ambushes and guerilla tactics, but the might of the combined Imperial forces ultimately prevailed. However, other forces were disseminated across the system and finding the numerous bases, listening posts and such took many more years.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤-  34th Daemonic Incursion (41M349) - In a last display of defiance and spite, Sorcerers of Chaos opened a Warp rift on the icy moon where they first fought. The 3rd Battalion relieved the battle-worn 1st and 2nd and quickly stemmed the red tide of Daemons

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤- Assault on Merceris VII (41M503)  - Upon the discovery of a fortress-foundry of the Iron Warriors on the dead world of Merceris VII the Obsidian Wyrms' 3rd Battalion organized a joint assault, two successor Chapters of the Imperial Fists answering the call against their old enemy. The Task force descended in an aerial assault directly onto the fortress to negate the severe threat of the massive artillery canons of the traitor legion, finding the flak more manageable overall. The ensuing battle raged ferociously for 3 days and another 4 were necessary to eliminate all the survivors from the complex. The Wyrms remained behind after their allies took their leave in order to recover pieces of equipments that were rightfully Imperial.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤-  Ambush on the Tortured Sun ( 41M542) - The Dark Eldar Kabal of the Tortured Sun had been mercilessly pillaging and raiding for decades a score of fringe worlds on the edge of the Callixis sector before the pleas of the Imperial citizens were heard. The Obsidian Wyrms' 2nd Battalion quickly studied the raiding patterns and set up a trap on the world the dark Eldars were to attack next. When the Xenos made planetfall the civilians they wanted to enslave were nowhere to be found and only four squads of Astartes were left in the city. Believing their foe to be weak and outnumbered, the raiding dark Eldars committed their ground forces to a savage assault to try to exterminate them. The 4 squads drew back in rhinos and lured them into the nearby forest where they were slaughtered by the massive firepower of the entire Battalions, their ships soon to follow the same fate.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤-  Destruction of the Star Chaser (41M582-41M589) - The Star Chaser was an Eldar Void Stalker-class Battleship who led an Eldar pirate force raiding through the Segmentum Obscurus. The second Battalion assisted the Imperial Navy into hunting down the elusive fleet. The Eldar were finally engaged in the Gothic Sector and the 2nd Battalion focused its effort on the flagship; Terminators being teleported directly to its bridge and numerous boarding torpedoes being launched across the craft. The xeno forces were sent in disaray and exterminated, the rest of the fleet broken and shot down by the Imperial Navy.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤-  37th Daemonic Incursion (41M656-41M662) - The Wyrms investigated the appearance of a sudden warp rift next to an unnamed Death World they had recently recruited from and discovered the beginnings of a Daemonic Incursion. The 1st Battalion immediately made planetfall on the reach where Daemons were appearing and laid siege to the rifts and portals for 6 years until the storm finally receded.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤-  Siege of Epock (41M734) - The Wyrms participated in relieving the besieged capitol of the Mining World of Epock along with contingents from three other chapters against a Necron attack.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤-  Hive Fleet Grendel (41M769) - A splinter of Hive fleet Behemoth designated as Grendel wandered off to the galactic north of the main force and was intercepted by the nearby 3rd Battalion. The fleet was destroyed but all of the Astartes capital ships took crippling damage in the process and would not be able to participate in a full-on naval battle again until the Third War for Armageddon over 200 years later.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤  -Quelling of Serion (41M883) - The Serion Sub-sector was brought into   civil war when agents of Chaos convinced the governor of the Industrial world of Serion at the center of the sub-sector to secede. The fledgling 5th Battalion was dispatched to deal with the threat. The 23rd and 24th Reserve companies deployed in the nearby agri-world and civilised world respectively to hold back the rebel forces trying to take them over while the 21st and 22nd launched an orbital assault directly on the governor's palace, cutting down the heads of the rebellion and eliminating deep-rooted agents of the Alpha Legion.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤- De'phell Campaign (41M937-41M942  ) - The De'phell campaign was undertaken by the Wyrms' 1st and 3rd Battalions to liberate the Ork-infested Forge World of Da'phell and the surrounding moons and planets. They began by cleansing the outlying, less-densely populated worlds, making copious use of flame-based weaponry in every battlefield to eradicate as many spores as possible. The Wyrms fought most of their battles as a united force, only splitting for clean-up operations. While this made the campaign take longer, the concentration of fire-power was devastating as they encroached onto the Forge World itself with minimal casualties. The assault paused in orbit for two weeks during which the world was studied, discovering the location and identity of the Warboss and various clans. The Wyrms struck directly at the Warboss with a full head-on engagement and eliminated the orkish unity before picking off the now warring clans one by one. The Forge World was ultimately handed back to the Mechanicum, relatively spared by the non-use of orbital support or heavy-ordnance weaponry.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤-Battle of Ra'zier (41M941)  - The armory world of Ra'zier was shaken by the awakening of a buried Necron Tomb and sent a distress call, which was answered by the Wyrms' 2nd Battalion. The Battalion was led personally by Grand Wyrm Elias and the Wyrm Lords council who sought out the reigning Necron Lord. The two met in single combat within the Tomb but even the tremendous regeneration speed of the Necrodermis could do little against the ferocious cleaving blows of the Power Greatsword, hacking limbs wholesome with individual thunderous swings. With the reigning   Lord destroyed, the lesser Lords began to scheme to take his place; the Wyrm Lords used this dissent and the lesser lords were either taken out one by one or teleported away to another untold tomb world while the main force cleaned up the underlings.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤- Bttle of Rynn's World (41M989)  - The 3rd Battalion took part in the large combined task force that drove back the Waaagh Snagrod on Rynn's World and assisted in rescuing the beleaguered Crimson Fist survivors.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤- Third War for Armageddon (41M998)  - When the Wyrms were made aware of the scope of the ork Waaaagh on Armageddon, the 3rd Battalion, closest to the conflict, was immediately dispatched, with the support of the Solace of Wisdom. The Battalion had kept close communication with the imperial command on site as they traveled the warp to be aware of the situation on the ground and formulate a plan as they were on their way. It was the Star Fortress that emerged from the Immaterium first, the massive station's batteries roared, thunderous lance barrages reducing nearby crafts and light vessels to slag. The Star fortress ponderously made its way amidst the massive naval battle towards its objective, soon to be supported by the 3rd Battalion's warfleet of a battle barge, 4 cruisers and their escort squadrons.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> The force focused its fire onto the Space Hulk that had been bombarding the Hive City of Infernus, besieged and abandoned to its fate. Attack crafts and Fighta-Bombas began to swarm around the Solace of Wisdom as it made its purposeful advance, escorts fired at will while the Star Fortress' void shields were radiant with the ripples of a multitude of attacks. The shields held. As the Solace came to a halt next to the Hulk, its Lances fired once more a blinding light-blue barrage, damaging the space hulk at countless points and crippling its weaponry.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> The orbital threat neutralized in the target area neutralized, gunships sparked to life, Storm Eagles and Fire Raptors descending into the atmosphere in a tight formation, thunderhawks transporters following suit a bit higher. In the second wave of attacks, countless bombs and missiles hailed upon the greenskins horde, heralded by the whir of assault cannons and Avenger bolt cannons as the gunships made their way to the besieged   Hive City. Soon after sowing mayhem into the ork horde, the aerial armada landed in Infernus, the 3rd Battalion deploying and taking defensive positions to shield a population forsaken from all.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤- 13th Black Crusade (41M999)  - The combat on Armageddon was barely starting to settle down when the news of the Black Crusade echoed across the astropathic choirs of the Imperium and the Solace of Wisdom was quickly withdrawn. The entirety of the 1st, 2nd and 4th Battalions were recalled to participate to the massive engagement. Reinforcements could only arrive in the later stages of the conflict, arriving with the last wave of Astartes reinforcements.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> The Solace of Wisdom extirpated itself from the Warp flanked by a quatuor of Battle-barges, 14 strike cruisers and their escorts, following the advance of the Imperial Fists' own. The first ten companies landed shortly after them in a different sector, forming a merciless pincer attack towards the attack vectors of the Imperial Fists' forces and causing untold devastation. Further back, the 16th, 17th and 18th companies were tasked with supporting the defense forces on the walls. Unfortunately those successes were short-lived as the arrival of Chaos Titans at the battle of Kasr Gehr forced them to retreat.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> During the last stand of Kasr Partox, the Wyrms took it upon themselves to rather defend the forsaken fortress of Kasr Xerel, overseeing an access route that flanked the primary fortress. Their objective was to cut if off and prevent further reinforcements from bolstering the already frighteningly massive army besieging Kasr Partox. The three Battalions were deployed along the walls with all their vehicles and stemmed the tide, holding the flank for the main Imperial combined forces at the main fortress. Soon enough however, the general retreat was ordered, which sent the normally collected and reserved chapter master Elias in a rage unseen in millenia, howling with hatred and frustration at the inexorable advance of the numberless yet mindless hordes. It is rumored that the Grand Wyrm's howl was so terrifying that the fallen Fellowship heard it and answered the call, appearing from the folds of the Immaterium to reap all before them in chaotic frenzy of slaughter.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> Led by an uncharacteristic fury, Elias ordered a charge which was preceded by a merciless orbital bombardment from the warfleet. the 3 Battalion's counter-attack was staggering. After an hour of ruthless combat, the horde that was menacing to flank by the south was annihilated, providing for temporary relief, but it was all in vain. Kasr Partox had fallen, more hordes would soon be to come   from all directions and if the Wyrms insisted in their vindictive endeavor they would also be encircled and surely exterminated for an objective that was no longer strategically relevant. With a bitter growl, evacuation went underway.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> In the aftermath, moderate casualties were suffered and most of the damage had been bared by the Chapter's vehicles. The Solace of Wisdom and its accompanying capital ships were battered -but not eradicated, much as the Despoiler might have liked-, and the entirety of the First company's ferocious Land Raider force had been immobilized or taken too much damage, all of which would be needing long and arduous repair.

Chapter Organization
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> The Obsidian Wyrms deviate very heavily from the Codex Astartes, as best exemplified by the recent apparition of the Codex Ignis. They do not reject it wholesome however, and will rea di ly a dmit that several of its tenets are worthy of respect - which they do follow - but the codex Astartes is regarded as inherently incomplete and flawed. The most core difference being on the topic of combat personnel. The Wyrms consider the fracture of the Legions into far smaller Chapters a fundamentally wrong decision and even a betrayal of the original vision of the Emperor. As such, they tend to avoid having to work with the descendants of the Primarch Guilliman. In their defiance, they have grown over the years to significantly exceed the limitation thanks to a combination of factors, recruitment methods and battlefield ideologies.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> The core battle formation of the Wyrms is the Battalion, formed of 5 companies usuall y themselves respecting the 100-marines standard. Battalions act as a cohesive unit and from Crusade fleets which sail wherever the Imperium needs them, using tactics and deployments reminiscent of the days of old. Each Battalion has its own Barge, cruisers, escorts and armory of ground vehicles, strengthening its ability for independent campaigns.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> The First Battalion is composed of two battle companies, two veteran companies and the Elder Wyrms elite company which is the only one to number significantly more than a single company. Since the Schism however, the Chapter has lost many of its suits of Terminator armor and barely one third of the 1st Company is equipped with Terminator Armor, the rest favoring artificer armor. On the flip side, the first battalion concentrates most of the Chapter's Land Raiders in a particularly mighty formation.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> The Second and Third Battalions are identically composed and represent the standard for future line battalions. They include one veteran company, three battle companies and one reserve company. This Battle Order is the one most often encountered by other imperial elements and is permanently in crusades. Unlike the 1st Battalion who mostly keeps itself to major engagements, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions are as likely to appear in any scale of combat. The 4th Battalion is dedicated to learning and is composed of 1 battle company, 2 reserve company and 2 scout companies; most of the chapter's new warriors. Its elements tend to serve as reserves to other Battalions or forces of the Imperium wherever it can ge t battlefield experience without being the main force relied on. Finally, the 5th Battalion us composed of 2 Battle companies, 2 reserve companies and 1 scout company and is in the process of "Maturing" into a standard Battalion like the 2nd and 3rd.

Another minor but notable difference from the Codex Astartes is that while according to it, Apothecaries, Librarians and Techmarines have mostly white, blue and red armors respectively, these colors are contained to the Marines' right arm as per the Chapter's standard

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Chapter Recruitment
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> As a crusading fleet-based Chapter, the Wyrms have no set planet or system where they most recruit on. Candidates are recruited from the many world their campaigns lead them through and are selected   for desirable personality traits such as self-criticism, affinity with team combat, flexible mindset and affinity for crafting; as opposed to how many chapters recruit from raw s avagery and feat of physical prowess. A great many chapters test their candidates with such things as hunting particularly dangerous beasts or surviving particularly hostile environments with little to no equipment. However, the Obsidian Wyrms operate much differently and instead require neophytes to complete 3 trials bond to their traditions. These trials may be   undertaken in any order, but is most often done in the order presented below. If a Neophyte fails a test, they may take it again after one year. This patient method teaches perseverance and learning from one's mistakes as well as ensuring far higher success rates overall.

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 * Trial of Fire - The first trial is one of mental fortitude and discipline. The candidate is brought to a closed room where they are surrounded by pyres and are asked to sit down and meditate for 3 days and find peace of mind. The heat of the flames is intense and the smoke is regulated, sometimes allowed to remain in sufficient quantity to make the oxygen rare and the air barely breathable for a moment. Gouts of flames have been known to occasionally lick directly at exposed skin of applicants to put their concentration and self-control to the test.
 * Trial of Steel - The second trial is one of skill in the arts of the forge. The candidate is required to craft a weapon of satisfying quality by themselves. They have access to the Chapter's tools, but are required to find their materials themselves. Often,  this is done by harvesting ores itself from one of the many planets encountered and processing it themselves, but it is not explicitly forbidden to attempt to convince a veteran or techmarine to allow them to take some from the stockpile of materials. Likewise, while no other marine may touch the applicant's weapon,  they may still provide advices, guidance and opinions. These loopholes are intentional and are meant to teach that cooperating with your comrades makes things easier than trying to do everything on your own.
 * Trial of Blood - The final trial is one of martial prowess. Applicants are faced with a veteran that they must fight in single combat. They are, of course, never expected to win and the veteran is tasked with evaluating the technique and strength of the applicant. This test often also include a portion where the evaluator demands of the applicant to accomplish certain feats of accuracy in ranged combat. Once the Evaluator feels they have seen enough, they declare whether the applicant has grown strong enough to be accepted amongst them or not.

Bloodlines
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"> At the turn of the 42nd   Millennium, the Wyrms have found the remains of a long-lost Chap ter during the cleansing of a city infested by mutants. Underneath the city was a crypt with two stasis pods, old armories and the defunct Chapter's Gene-seed reserves. The two Marines preserved within were a w akened and faced with the annihilation of the rest of their Chapter untold millennia ago they were convi nced by Grand Wyrm Elias to join the Obsidian Wyrms so that they could keep fighting and transmit their tea chin gs rather than being simply disbanded by the High Lord of Terra.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> This new Bloodline, now referred to as the Silver Wyrms,   is in most parts compatible with the dogma and doctrines of the Obsidian Wyrms and use the same equipment but are in their own separate Battalions. The Silver Wyrm gene-seed is rumored to be descended from the Iron Hands and has its own advantages and flaws much different than the Obsidians' own, including a better ability with psykers and a strange mutation of the blood cells.

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===<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-CA;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Specialist Ranks ===
 * The Wyrm Lords Council - The Wyrm Lords are a council of 6 of the oldest, most experienced Astartes of the Chapter. Drawn from the ranks of the Captains, they serve as a modern equivalent to formations  like the Mournival or the Rehati which bring counsel and discuss with the Grand Wyrm about matters of importance. In battle they serve as Honour Guard to the chapter master, all clad in Tartaros-pattern terminator armor and bringing finely-crafted weapons to bear. Wyrm Lords are great symbols of wisdom and overall martial and technical prowess, They often speak with the weight of authority of the Grand Wyrm as their most impactful decisions are often made together. Wyrm Lords are highly revered and may commandeer any company by a single word.
 * Tarrasque - The 5 most ancient Dreadnoughts of the Chapter form a council called "The Tarrasque" named after the mythical beast of old Terra that would never die. Always deployed together, the Tarrasque are venerable Dreadnoughts clad in a sarcophagus pattern of the same name which is based upon the Ironclad Chassis. Very heavily armored for siege-breaching warfare, Tarrasques are normally armed with two Thunder Reavers, prized constructs of the Chapter's Techmarines designed specifically for them. They may replace one however with Inferno Cannons or Seismic Hammers as the situation demands. The Tarrasque Dreadnoughts are revered to as some of the most wise combatants of the Chapter and are approached after by young Astartes seeking their counsels.
 * Pulse Riders Terminator Squads - This rare formation of Terminators represents the apex of the Obsidian Wyrms' might and fury. Only the most experienced and quick-thinking Terminators veterans with particularly resilient gene-seed are allowed to join the Pulse Riders squads as their tactics differ significantly than the usual Terminators. Their armors are outfitted with a different kind of teleportation devices that sacrifices the long-range Deep Strike ability for quickly-recharging short-ranged bursts of teleportation. This unique configuration allows Pulse Riders to perform a flurry of quick "blinks" of no more than 5 meters with an average cooldown time of 2-3 seconds between them. Pulse Riders require extensive specialist training to be able to avoid disorientation from these blinks and be able to continue fighting unhindered and may apply to both standard or Assault configurations.
 * Knights of the Forge Squads - Knights of the Forges are seasoned veterans that have mastered both the arts of the Forge and the arts of Battle. They sport carefully maintained suits of artificer armour which they have worked untold times to perfect as well as their personal wargear, also of their craft. These squads are akin to Tactical Squads in that they are expected to be very flexible. As each Knight has access to several finely-crafted weapons they can field a variety of formations, sometimes mixing melee, standard and heavy weapons, sometimes focusing all in one type. Sergeants of these squads are called 'Lordknights' and may wear Heraldic Helmets like a captain.

===<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-CA;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Extended Armorium ===


 * Land Raider Heracles - The Heracles is a heavy-duty pattern of Land Raider designed to weather storms of ordnance and carry troops through the harshest of battlefields. It makes use of extremely rare, ancient Flare Shields to weaken the force of incoming heavy guns but is unable to make use of the usual energy weapons of Land Raiders due to the power drain. Instead, the Heracles is armed with multiple missile launcher and can carry various payloads depending on the situation, including dreaded Rad missiles or rare Plasma missiles. The Heracles has first seen use at the siege of Hive World Rizhem where the planet's primary Hive City had been under siege for several years by a massive force of extremely well-equipped Traitor Guards. The Wyrms used a massed spearhead of Heracles Land Raiders to cross the no-man's land despite merciless artillery barrages, managing to break the Traitor lines and putting a end to the siege in the process.
 * Deimos Predator Veredus - The Predator Veredus is a long-forgotten pattern from the Crusade Era optimized for close-quarter engagements. It features a heavy melta armament able to take on any enemy armor and its Magna-melta main gun grants it a the ability to also deal with concentrations of elite heavy infantry. The STC fragment for this variant of the Deimos Predator was recovered in the early 37th millenium on the dead world of Delavan, an Ex-Forge World that had been destroyed in the middle 32th millenium by the Eldar when the Mechanicum tried to colonize two nearby Maiden Worlds in the same solar system to bring in additional resources. The Wyrms defeated the Eldar presence in the sector and have since then returned the STC fragment to the Mechanicum
 * Deimos Predator Exscindo - The Predator Exscindo was consceived by the Obsydian Wyrms in the face of the rising threat of the Tyranid Hive Fleets. The Exscindo is similar to the Predator Infernus but trades its Flamestorm cannon for a Chem Cannon and equips its heavy flamers with dangerous Chem-ammunition. Whether or not the pattern has been sanctified by the Mechanicum yet is as of now unknown, but its tremendous power at felling Tyranids has made this uncertainty and the unstability of some of its weapons an acceptable compromise.

Penal Force
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> The Penal Force, similar to the Imperial Guard's own Penal Legions, is composed of Ex-renegades and the likes that have seen the errors of their way and seek redemption. Composed solely of assault Marines, they are sent in the most dangerous of battlefields where they fight with unparalleled ferocity in the name of the Emperor in the hopes of either a glorious death or salvation. The Penal Force includes Astartes from all origins that would otherwise be shunned and killed by their original Chapters and were formed after Elias' last operation within the Screaming Vortex itself where she had slain the ruling Daemon Prince of a minor planet and where a score of renegade of various origins which had been shackled to this world by a curse sworn back their loyalty to the Imperium for having been freed of the Curse. Like the Blood Angels' Death Company, they act in a separated Company outside of the normal chain of Command and are called the "Raptor Company" in remembrance of the circumstances of their founding.

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Auxillia Force
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> The Ork assault on Rosaus in the early 42nd Millenium   made it obvious that the sector of space overseen by the 5th Battalion had far insufficient forces with practically inexistent garrisons to fend off attacks until their arrival. As such, the Wyrms have sponsored the creation of a number of Imperial Guard regiments, taking care of their organization and training. Labeled Koroni Guardians, those Guard Regiments are under the direct command of the Obsidian Wyrms and will act as auxiliary force when called upon

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Deathwatch Service
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> Amongst the Chapter, a transfer to the Deathwatch is both a chance to prove themselves and their ways, but also to establish bridges of good relations between chapters and get to understand them better. Obsidian Wyrm Astartes in service to the Deathwatch have been known to bring with them their aptitude for planning strategies that maximize the strength of their allies and make them cover eachothers' weaknesses. This combined with their wide experience and adaptability earns them a place of renown as excellent Kill-team leaders. They are also known for an above-average of Techmarines, which often serve for extended amounts of time and bring their knowledge to the Jericho armories.

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Chapter Combat Doctrine
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> The Obsidian Wyrms' battle order is starkly different from the usual codex-compliant as it revolves around the Battalion as primary deployment. Each Battalion is a self-contained Crusade fleet of 5 companies trained equally to take part in combat united or separately. This focus on synergy between the companies of a Battalion has rendered them exceptionally effective at large-scale engagements. Wyrm Battalions also apply this dogma when taking part in joint operations with other elements of the Imperium or Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, taking additional planning time to most efficiently maximize each element's specialities.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> As a Fleet-based crusading chapter,   the Obsidian Wyrms have traveled across each Segmentum throughout the Millenia. This has provided them with experience a wide range of threats, though their most favored foe are the forces of the Ruinous Powers. They have clashed with forces of all four of major Chaos Gods, whether in the form of cultists, Daemons, but especially Traitor marines which they relentlessly hunt down wherever they are located.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> The Obsidian Wyrms make heavy use of vehicles, most commonly predators and whirlwinds. While those later are not as commonly fielded than other Astartes vehicles by most chapters, the Wyrms make extensive use of them, especially while equipped with Incendiary Castellan missiles under a maneuver called Rain of Fire. It is also common for Predators to be outfitted with the Infernus weapon loadout to exterminate infantry while anti-armor duty is taken up by Devastator Squads and copious use of Melta bombs and Krak grenades. They make little use of plasma weaponry because of its tendency to turn against its wielder and prefer the use of the more reliable lascannons.

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Chapter Beliefs
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> The Chapter does not adhere by the rules of the Codex Astartes, but that does not mean it rejects it wholesome either. While the Chapter's teaching always takes priority, many passages are still used and referred to. The Codex is not seen as something fundamentally wrong, but rather as a sometimes-incomplete, sometimes-flawed base that needs to be improved upon. The most divergent view comes to the restrictions on combat personnel which is perceived as misguided and born of the paranoia caused by the betrayal of the arch-traitor Horus. The Wyrms believe that for the forces of the Astartes to be so firmly divided to the drip with often very different and even outrightly incompatible beliefs and tradition is a dire mistakes as it makes cooperation between such different Chapters tense at best. That is not an acceptable situation in a universe where numberless foes require the combined forces of numerous elements of the Imperium.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> Like many, the Wyrms honor the Emperor and their Primarch as spiritual fathers and guides, but never as gods or divine entities. They view the Ecclesiarchy with much distrust due to this fact, but remain quiet as to avoid dissent or hostilities. Likewise, they do not consider themselves as demi-gods and decline such appellations. Inversely, they do not see normal men as lesser beings and never sacrifice populations or imperial guard regiments. Finally, the Wyrms have a No Man Left Behind policy according to which no battle-brother may be abandoned.

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Chapter Traditions

 * Day of Reflection - The Day of Reflection is a common event within the Chapter where every company gathers to study  records of the past and revered texts. This event is one of the rare instances where the Obsidian Wyrms very strongly agree with a tenet of the Codex Astartes, specifically one that speaks of being critical of oneself and learning of both the successes and failures of the past. The Day of Reflection is held at a minimum of once per year but can be  called for at any time by senior officers. This is commonly done before operations where the wisdom gleamed will come to great use.
 * The Three Trials - While many Chapters ask for neophytes to prove themselves by a display of savage physical strength, often hunting native creatures of their homeworld, the Wyrms' initiation methods are largely different. Neophytes are to pass three tests; one of strength and peace of mind, one of  technical skill and one of martial skill, called the Trials of Fire, Steel and Blood, respectively. Success in all 3 is required and may take longer, but preserves the lives of initiates rather than wasting candidates.
 * Drake Mk.I Helmets -  A recent addition to the armory, Drake-Pattern helmets have been reshaped to more closely resemble the old Terran mythological creatures of the Chapter's heraldry and contains a slightly forward-elongated section, not all too unlike the MkVI Corvus' helmet, as well as draconic horns. Considered Artificer armor, those finely-crafted helmet features improved systems and protection and are issued to Captains and other senior officers of the Chapter as a symbol of strength and authority.
 * Firescale Dens - The Firescale Dens are places of gathering where all warriors can bond and speak their minds without concern for rank or specialisation. Their purpose is to strengthen a sense of unity and friendship between the warriors as well as allow them to exchange ideas and learn from each-others in a comfortable, civil environment. Unlike the infamous Warrior Lodges of the past, the Firescale Dens are open communities that suffer no forms of deceit or obscure, questionable practices. No violence is allowed within a Firescale Den and offenders are harshly punished. One of the most famous of these modern lodges are the Den of Steel which focuses its meetings and discussions on matters of the Forge

Chapter Gene-seed
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> The Obsidian Wyrms Gene-seed remains rather close to its progenitors' core aspect and displays more advanced resistance to heat, toxins and faster levels of cellular repair. It does not cause bio-luminescence in the eyes but has been noted to share to at least a degree the melanochrome's sensitivity to certain radiations. However, unlike the Salamanders whose homeworld is swarmed with radiations, the fleet-based Chapter is not   nearly as much exposed to it and as such the modifications of the skin pigment is much more rarer. Some become all the way to the same granite-black skin as their progenitors with long and continued exposition, but often the effect on the melanochrome is much more tame, resulting in a brown skin like that of those in tropical countries of Old Terra.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> While keeping most of its progenitor's   characteristics, the Chapter's Gene-seed has also developed a few of its own. It's theorized that these could be a by-product of project FG's unique methods. The Gene-seed is strongly pure and very resilient to mutation and exposition to the warp such as through the use of teleport beacons and similar technologies. However, that same resilience dulls out psychic abilities and makes it so most librarians remain of low-levels unless exceptionally potent.

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Chapter Relics
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤- Solace of Wisdom  - The Solace of Wisdom is a massive warp-faring Star Fortress that serves as the Chapter's Fortress-Monastery. It was discovered in the early 37th Millenium by former Chapter Master Kyriel after a prophetic vision drove her to mount an expedition in an uncharted part of the Segmentum Tempestus. The expedition encountered and purged a yet never encountered specie of hostile xenos that had been trying to re-activate the colossal artefact which dates back to the Dark Age of Technology. The Solace of Wisdom is armed with poorly-understood weapon systems dating back from the era of its construction and mostly composed of immense batteries of smaller but rapid-firing Lances, able to strike dreadful barrages in every direction

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤- Black Foundry  - The Black Foundry is a large forgeship that never strays too far away from the Solace's protection. It produces most of the ammunition used by the Chapter but as the majority of weapons are hand-crafted, it does not produce weapons. Rather it refines materials and mold a wide array of components and vehicle spare parts for the Techmarines to more readily perform their craft.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤- Codex Ignis  - A rather recent addition, the Codex of Flames is a tome of strategy that details how warfare has changed in the ten thousand years since the induction of the Codex Astartes and offers an updated view of the battlefield, giving credit where it feels the original codex was right and offering alternative views where it feels that codex was wrong. The Codex Ignis also details a range of new strategies and battle philosophies.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤- Mail of Celerity  - This unique suit of Artificer armor whose every piece and component are optimised to provide protection while lowering overall weight and increasing freedom of movement, allowing unparalleled agility and speed to its wearer, Grand Wyrm Elias Dammerüng. It is rumored that each core piece of the Mail of Celerity has been taken one by one from the armors of the many champions and leaders of the Arch-enemy slain by Elias through the millennia.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤- Thunder Reavers  - This sizable weapon consists of a rather large and ferocious Dreadnought-sized Lightning claw with a built-in heavy flamer. It was originally built for the Tarrasque, a council of ancient venerable dreadnoughts who wielded them in pairs, but has recently started being manufactured again for other Dreadnoughts

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤-  Strategium Apex - Originally an exquisitely-crafted combi-flamer assembled and used by Chapter Master Elias, A number of Obsidian Wyrms Techmarines have sought to follow the example and craft combi-weapons of same caliber. Designed with alternative fuel-storage techniques and making use of specialist ammunition, Strategium Apex Combi-weapons have far higher ammunition capacity for the secondary weapon and are able to maintain the strategic flexibility it was conceived to achieve for a far longer time. A few of these exceptionally versatile weapons are now in the possession of the Jericho Watch fortress; the Chapter's contribution to their armories.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤- Ignis-Pattern Flamers  - A variant used almost exclusively by the Obsidian Wyrms and the Deathwatch, the Ignis-pattern variant can be applied to Hand Flamers, Flamers and Heavy flamers. Ignis Flamers feature larger twin canisters of promethium arranged one on each side rather than under-fed below the barrel and carry significantly more ammunition, especially for the Hand Flamer variant, and allowing them to be used far more liberally.

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"> -¤-  Mural of the Two - At the deepest of the Solace of Wisdom a massive mural stands depicting former Chapter Master Kyriel and current Chapter Master Elias fighting side-by-side for a score of battles representing the most important campaigns of the Chapter before parting ways in a manner reminiscent of the Schism. It is unclear when the mural was made or by who but it has been there since before most of the events depicted actually happened and the mural continues, depicting events yet to happen and the Two eventually re-uniting. The Mural is often seen as a prophetic creation that can provide insight into the future trials the Chapter will face and also as a reminder that those who once departed will one day return. Though in which circumstances is unclear.

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Notable Wyrms

 * Kyriel Dammerüng - Kyriel was the younger of The Two and the first Grand Wyrm of the Obsidian Wyrms, commanding for nearly 4 millennia and half. She led the Chapter with in a serie of restless crusades and campaigns only surpassed in pace, length and ferocity by the Great Crusade of the 31st millenium. She was responsible for the discovery and retrieval of the Solace of Wisdom and participated in the defense against multiple Black Crusades until the end of the 40th Millenium where she turned renegade with a splinter force of the Wyrms. Originally she did so in order to hunt the enemies of the Emperor within the Imperium itself without endangering the bulk of the Chapter but that purpose was twisted after centuries of exposition to the Warp while in hiding. Kyriel has since then fallen under the influence of Chaos and ascended to Daemonhood at the head of the Fellowship of Transcendence Warband.
 * Elias Dammerüng - Elias is the older of The Two and the current Grand Wyrm of the Obsidian Wyrms, having commanded the Chapter for a little over a millennium now.  Despite her younger sister being in command longer, Elias was always the mastermind behind the organization, reforms and customs of the Chapter. She was a thinker the younger sibling would often refer to for opinions on more long-spanning campaigns. This does not however makes her any less of a formidable warrior - not as much as her ferocious, short-tempered sister but formidable nonetheless. Under her command the Wyrms' crusading has become more poised, carefully choosing its battles to further its own agenda.
 * Senior Chaplain Andras - Andras was the Chaplain of the 1st Company before being transferred as Senior Chaplain of the 5th Battalion with the task of providing wisdom and guidance to the less experienced captains and officers of the 5th. Andras was in charge of the 1st Company for several centuries beforehand and  is rumored to predates the Schism. She is one of Elias' trusted advisors and it is said that she could be a contender for the Wyrms Lords Council.
 * Zeinder "Swordmaster" Mars - Zeinder is a Wyrm Lord famous for his skill with swords of all kinds, both wielding and forging them. He used to be a Lordknight and the Captain of the 2nd Company before being welcomed into the Council and his ability with blades extends from  massive relic blades to the dual-wielding of standard-sized power swords as well as the more classical sword and storm shield combination.
 * Sotel "Tankbane" Mercurion - Sotel is a Wyrm Lord in charge of the specialist training of Pulse Rider Terminators and has been leading those fearsome warriors for centuries, earning himself a reputation for prioritizing and hunting down any and every heavy armor on the battlefield he takes part in, using his master-crafted multi-melta to lay waste to tanks, monstrous creatures and chaos terminators alike.
 * Riem Delorm  - Senior Captain Riem is the captain of the 11th Company and the commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion. She has participated in a great number of campaigns and has a friendly rivalry with Thano of the 2nd Battalion. Riem prefers siege or urban warfare whether in defense or on the offense and played an instrumental role during the Assault on Merceris VII, properly estimating the layout of the Iron Warriors fortress and allowing the joint task force to deploy in the most effective way to conduct a most-crippling first wave of attack against the Stronghold. Riem's careful planning was also a cornerstone of the Wyrms' successful defense of Hive City Infernus during the 3rd war for Armageddon.
 * Thano Jaegger - Senior Captain Thano is the captain of the 6th Company and the commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion. He has participated in a great number of campaigns and has a friendly rivalry with Riem of the 3rd Battalion. Thano prefers highly mobile warfare, especially on semi-open ground and makes especially wide use of aircrafts over ground vehicles. Thano's merciless tactics are credited with the total and utter annihilation of the Tortured Sun Dark Eldar Kabal in the Calixis Sector as well as organizing and spearheading the countless Seek and Destroy missions during the second half of the Elysian Campaign.
 * Lorknight Karsan - Karsan is a well tech-versed Lordknight of the 1st Company famous for  his crafting skills. He has been credited with the creation of at least one hundred fine weapons out of which at least one of each type available in the armories from the more humble bolt pistols and chainswords to the rare thunder hammer and plasma canon.
 * Morgen Furcht - Morgen is a member of the Black Reavers elite Pulse Rider Terminators Squad and wields a pair of master-crafted lightning claws. She is infamous for pushing her suit's teleportation device to its limits, phasing across battlefields like a blur and accumulating kill tallies unrivaled by any other Terminator of the Chapter.
 * Deathwatch Captain Darstein - A long-standing battle-brother within the Deathwatch with a deep hatred for Tyranids, Darstein is a flexible and quick-witted tactician often called upon to accomplish missions with particularly low chances of success and has so far managed to make it happen every time.
 * Deathwatch Techmarine Sarento - Sarento has been with the Deathwatch for 300 years and is an expert in combi-weapons with few peers. Many of the Ignis-pattern flame weapons and Strategium Apex combi-weapons present in the Deathwatch armories were commissioned to her.
 * Venerable Dreadnought Horst - This ancient Dreadnought has been awake since the beginning of the Chapter and is a member of the mythical Tarrasque formation. Horst tends to spend much time discussion with freshly inducted scout marines and can often be found in the Firescale Dens that are large enough to accommodate the bulky sarcophagus' size

Chapter Fleet & Assets

 * Various Crusade Keeps
 * Solace of Wisdom (Star Fortress, Chapter-monastery)
 * Verteidiger der Einheit ( Imperator-class Titan )
 * Elder's Counsel (1st Battalion Battle Barge)
 * Wyrms' Judgement (1st Battalion Battle Barge)
 * Wrath of Blazes (2nd Battalion Battle Barge)
 * Might of Temperance (3rd Battalion Battle Barge)
 * Radiant Guidance (4th Battalion Battle Barge)
 * Honoured Traditions (5th Battalion Battle Barge)
 * Hope of Renewal (6th Battalion Battle Barge)
 * Nyddhogr (9th Company Vanguard Cruiser)
 * 17 Strike Cruisers
 * 4 Vanguard Cruisers
 * Various Escort Squadrons