Exalted Paladins

"The Exalted Paladins live on a knifes edge between the Emperor's light and Damnation. Only those who have spoken with them and grown to know them can understand their peril."

- Cardinal Gregoria III The Exalted Paladins are a Space Marine chapter which are a successor to the Iron-bound Thanes (before the World Burning and the renaming to Ashen Thanes) and are descended from an unknown Primarch. They are renowned throughout the Imperium for their fanatical zeal towards worshiping the Emperor and are one of the few Chapters to go from being Fleet-based to having a Home World.

Early History
Due to the loss of the history of the Ashen Thanes prior to the World Burning little is known about how they earned the Honor to have a successor chapter. What is known is that the Exalted Paladins were founded to be a crusading chapter similar to the Black Templars. Soon it became apparent however that something had changed in the gene-seed, whether through mutation or experimentation is unknown. While all the zygotes still function, the Exalted Paladins developed a tendency to slide towards emotional and mental extremes, similar to the Eldar. to counter-act this the Chapter developed a strictly religious culture to channel the marines emotions towards worshiping the Emperor.

The Pale Wasting
When a Terror arose in the Ghoul Stars, the Exalted Paladins accompanied their parent chapter in the wars of the Pale Wasting. While the events of the wasting are still suppressed, the Exalted Paladins returned much reduced in strength and, if anything, more zealous. It is also noted that while they lost a great number of marines, they somehow increased the size of their fleet.

Age of Apostasy
While many chapters of the Adeptus Astartes did their best to avoid involement in the Age of Apostasy and the actions of the mad Goge Vandire, the Exalted Paladins gave such importance to the worship of the God-Emperor that they became furious when they heard of the insane High Lord. They utterly refused the notion that the mad orders issued by Vandire were from the Emperor. When word came to them of Sebastian Thor, the Chapter Master went to meet him as one of the Confederation of Light (a group of Astartes Chapter Masters). Upon meeting with Sebastian the Chapter Master of the Exalted Paladins agreed with the others to support him. While some of the others, (the Fire Hawks, Imperial Fists, Black Templars, and Soul Drinkers) would accompany Sebastian Thor to Terra, others including the Exalted Paladins would move to cease the civil war raging through the Imperium. It was at this time that the bond between the Balck Templars and the Exalted Paladins would be formed.

Settling of Cúarthol
Tired of constantly being on the move and desiring a Home World of their own, the Exalted Paladins laid claim to the newly discovered world of Cúarthol. After obtaining permission from the High Lords of Terra, the Planet was colonized by the Imperium, and a mighty Fortress-Monastery, Bandouin, was constructed.

World Burning
In 173.M37 the Home World of the parent chapter of the Exalted Paladins, the Iron-Bound Thanes, came under attack by Chaos Forces. Arriving too late, the Exalted Paladins found both the Chapter and their Home World in ruins. Though the two chapters had become estranged due to the Exalted Paladins religious fervor, they were united by the flames of hatred. It is said that the Chapters swore powerful oaths of unity and Brotherhood the same day the Iron-bound Thanes took on the name Ashen Thanes. Since then, whenever a World Eaters warband emerges from the Eye of Terror, the 2 Chapters will drop all else to destroy the traitor marines in a storm of Holy Fire and vengeance.

Chapter Homeworld
Cúarthol is a Feudal World on the edge of the Segmentums Pacificus and Tempestus. Settled in M36 by the Exalted Paladins, the Astartes chose it for it's similarity to their parent chapters home world Tuar-Hithlum and it's culture was deliberately manipulated to be similar to theirs. It possesses a similar climate, gravity, and orbit to Ancient Terra.

The planet follows a variation of the Imperial Creed that venerates the Primarchs as the primary saints.