Charnel Warhawks

The Charnel Warhawks are a loyalist chapter of Space Marines of an unknown founding. Their specialty is rooting out cults, be them Chaos, Genestealer or some other variant. This has led to close ties with the Ordo Hereticus, who value their ability to protect mankind from itself. Given the urban locale of many cults, the Charnel Warhawks have become brutally efficient at urban warfare. This has gradually grown to resemble guerrilla tactics, preferring to deploy a multitude of autonomous small units each with specific objectives, not dissimilar to Deathwatch kill-teams.

Founding
Whilst documents containing the exact events surrounding the Charnel Warhawks' founding have sealed by the Inquisition, the general circumstances are known. In short, Umbran Ero, 6th Captain of the Dark Hunters, and part of his company were requisitioned by the Ordo Hereticus. Captain Ero was subsequently briefed of rumours which had reached the ears of the Ordo Hereticus, that a Chaos cult had successfully infiltrated Graveshead's infrastructure. A contingent of Dark Hunters was then ordered to quietly make planetfall and await further instruction. Meanwhile the Ordo Hereticus Inquisitor, Mildred Orpha, investigated the rumours. Initially she found little evidence of corruption - least of all within the planet's infrastructure. However, she was made aware by the planetary governor of a wave of terrorist attacks against the Graveshead PDF. Mildred, assuming these attacks were engineered by the Chaos cults she sought, quickly tracked down the terrorist organization known as 'The Ebbing Light'. Soon thereafter Mildred, flanked by Captain Ero and his Dark Hunters, marched on the terrorist headquarters only to discover it besieged by hundreds of Graveshead PDF guardsmen. Unexpectedly, it was the Graveshead PDF who panicked at the Dark Hunters' approach, opening fire into their unsuspecting ranks. Mildred Orpha was hit by las-fire and fell, wounded at the feet of Captain Ero. Captain Ero scooped up the Inquisitor and got her into a nearby building. Unable to contend with the hail of las-fire which befell them, the Dark Hunters scrambled to follow Captain Ero into the nearby buildings. Only a handful succeeded. Realising that the Graveshead PDF, and likely the planetary governor, had been tainted by Chaos, the remaining few held their position in the building, protecting the wounded Inquisitor to the best of their ability. Nevertheless, one by one the remaining Dark Hunters began to fall. A shockwave permeated the building as the wall at the rear of the building was blown out. A man beckoned the Dark Hunters to fall back through the newly opened exit. Carrying the Inquisitor, Captain Ero, his Dark Hunters, and now the newcomer made a tactical retreat, repelling the PDF where necessary, until they reached the sewers. The newcomer introduced himself as Nathaniel Amon, the appointed leader of 'The Ebbing Light'. Nathaniel explained that his organization, consisting of those who knew of the corruption permeating Graveshead's infrastructure, had been fighting the traitor guard for years. However, only 2000 members remained after the seige - they were losing. Hearing that the Dark Hunters' ship was facing resistance Inquisitor Orpha ordered the withdrawal of the remaining Space Marines. Thankful, Inquisitor Orpha also allowed the 2000 members of 'The Ebbing Light' to return to the Dark Hunters' ship, deeming them free of corruption. Those who remained successfully fled the system, later returning with the full might of the Dark Hunters in order to deliver exterminatus via orbital bombardment.

Inquisitor Orpha later made requests that the remaining members of 'The Ebbing Light' be made use of. She deemed their faith and determination against impossible odds to be invaluable. It was decided that viable members of 'The Ebbing Light' would be granted the opportunity to form a chapter of Space Marines and that Captain Umbran Ero of the Dark Hunters would become the master of this new chapter, the Charnel Warhawks. The name of Nathaniel Amon's organization, 'The Ebbing Light', was later repurposed as the name of their flagship. Sadly, it was not long before Chapter Master Ero died along with the rest of the Dark Hunters who became Charnel Warhawks. Currently, Nathaniel Amon is Chapter Master of the Charnel Warhawks.

Primogenitor
Their primogenitor is Jaghatai Khan. However, whilst they may have retained the Warhawk's hunter's instinct (albeit a unique variation), they do not retain many White Scar traits. They tend to prefer the use of Rhino APCs rather than bikes and have a strikingly dour personality. Similarly, they have not inherited the Dark Hunters' distrust of technology, gladly engaging with the Adeptus Mechanicus when necessary.

Quotes
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