The Order
The brave
knights he encountered belonged to a group known simply as the Order.
The Order had a reputation across all of Caliban for the honesty,
nobility and fearless skill of it's brother knights in battle.
Uniquely amongst the knights of Caliban, the members, or brothers, of
the Order were selected by merit rather than inheritance. Anyone could
join the Order, no matter how low-born they might be. Contingents of
brother-knights from the Order traveled across the planet, giving
their aid wherever it was needed.
It was
while on one of their great expeditions that a band from the Order
came upon the wild man that lived in the forests. Thinking him a
monster, the knights were ready to kill the Primarch when one of their
number, sensing that there was something more to the creature than was
at first apparent, halted his fellows. Luther, for such was the name
of the Primarch's saviour, and the other knights returned to
civilization, taking with them the man born of the forest.
Because of his appearance and the place of his discovery, the Order
gave the wild man the name of Lion El' Johnson, which meant 'The Lion,
the Son of the Forest'. Johnson easily adapted to the ways of the
humans, learning to speak remarkably quickly. But of his time growing
up in the forest he never spoke.
Within
the fortress-monastery of the Order the Primarch was assimilated into
human society on Caliban. There he and Luther formed a close
friendship. It appeared that the two men filled the gaps in each
other's personalities. Where Johnson was temperamental and taciturn,
Luther was charming and charismatic. Where Luther was rash and
emotional, Johnson was a brilliant strategist and unstoppable once
decided upon a course of action. They realized that they complemented
each other and, as such, became an incomparable team.
Over
the following years Johnson and Luther rose through the ranks of the
Order. Their exploits became the stuff of legend on Caliban, and the
reputation of the Order rose accordingly. The number of young warriors
wishing to join the Order grew and grew, so that in time many new
fortress monasteries had to be built. As the Order grew in size
Johnson and Luther argued for a crusade against the monsters that
infested the forests, to cleanse the planet once and for all of their
foul presence. The oratory of Luther convinced the Grand Masters of
the monasteries and most of the nobles of the planet to join the
crusade, but it was Johnson's supreme ability at planning and
organization which ensured that within the course of a single decade
the entire planet of Caliban was cleared of the monstrous creatures
that inhabited it. A golden age dawned for the inhabitants of the once
troubled planet.
In
recognition of his triumph against the creatures of Chaos Lion
El'jonson was proclaimed new Supreme Master of the Order and Caliban.
Although Luther did not openly begrudge Johnson the great honor he had
won, he would not have been human if he did not feel some twinge of
jealousy. Thus was lit the first small spark that would lead to the
schism which would tear the Dark Angels Chapter apart. But all this
was in the future - for the present the people of Caliban enjoyed a
time of peace and plenty.
The
Fallen Dark Angels
In the
eyes of the Dark Angels Space Marines, the only way they can rid
themselves totally of their shame, and restore their honour and trust
in the Emperor's eyes, is if all the Fallen and are either made to
repent or slain. However, since the Fallen were cast through the Warp
to all corners of space and time, this is no mean task for the Dark
Angels to achieve. Unlike the Inquisitors and Grey Knights of the
Imperium, whose role it is to root out the agents of Chaos at work
within the galaxy, in this regard the Dark Angels are only concerned
with finding the Fallen of their Chapter. Although the Dark Angels
will be called upon for many different missions for the Imperium, the
search for their Fallen comrades is a constant quest they can never
relinquish.
Not
all the Dark Angels' damned brethren have succumbed to the power of
Chaos to the same degree. Some of the Fallen have embraced the ways of
the Dark Gods totally becoming true Chaos Space MArines. These Fallen
do not belong to a Chapter of their own like Angron's World Eaters.
Instead they are dispersed throughout space and time as either
isolated individuals or in small bands.
However, most of the Fallen realize that their actions during the fall
of Caliban were wrong. Disgusted by the corrupting influence of the
Chaos gods and unable to reconcile themselves with their order they
lead a solitary existence. Many of them become mercenaries or pirates,
roaming the galaxy as master less men. Others are willing to atone for
their sins and in an attempt to do so have integrated themselves back
into human societies taking on the role of any ordinary person. This
only makes the Dark Angels' task of finding the Fallen harder as they
are not east to identify as such. But it is still the Dark Angels'
duty to try and track them down. In order to do so, they must
investigate any rumor or story relating to the Fallen, just in case it
should lead them to one of their corrupted brethren.
The
Dark Angels can go for years without hearing any rumors that might
lead them to one or more of the Fallen. When they do however, and
their mission is a success, those fallen that are captured are taken
back to the Rock. Deep inside it's dungeons Interrogator-Chaplains
attempt to make the Fallen repent. Occasionally they do and for their
pains die quickly. More often than not though the captured Fallen
refuses and suffers a long, drawn out and agonizing death at the hands
of those who would save their soul.
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