Incinerators

"Feel no fear as I am fear incarnate! Burn out the fear with your pride, and crush the simple-minded xenos under your feet until they breathe no more!"

- A morale-boosting rally call of the Brazed Warden

The Incinerators are a 15th Founding, non-codex compliant Space Marine Chapter of unknown origin. The Chapter has a history of homage, betrayal, and war, but has stubbornly continued to serve the Imperium and the Emperor. Since the time of their founding, they have held a burning hatred for xenos life akin to that of a blazing furnace, and has taken it upon themselves since the time of the 40th Millennium to crusade endlessly against the alien menace.

Pre-Heresy (Late-36th Millennium - Mid-39th Millennium)
Before their large-scale Chapter civil war, the Incinerators were already a non-codex compliant chapter, making use of a variety of pyro-based weaponry as well as fielding seven Battle Companies and two Reserve Companies; having no designated Scout Company. They had received a great of attention from both the Inquisition and Codex-compliant Chapters such as the Ultramarines for their neglection of the Codex Astartes in favor of their own guidelines and rules, some going so far as to outright refusing to fight alongside them.

The Incinerators cared little for how their fellow Chapters thought of them, and continued to fight wars in the Emperor's name. They were known to participate in both the 6th and 10th Black Crusades, the former in where they fought alongside a number of other chapters to fend off Abaddon and his dreaded Black Legion, the latter in where they fought alongside the Iron Hands to protect their homeworld of Medusa from the Iron Warriors Traitor Legion.

These were not the only conflicts that the Chapter partook in however, as Incinerator forces were noted to have taken part in the Damocles Gulf Crusade as well as various campaigns against Dark Eldar Pirates led by the vile Haemonculus Ixedov Kitrah. Brazed Warden Adonor Mordax fell into personal combat with the twisted creature but was unable to slay it, and was nearly killed in the process. It was only thanks to the timely intervention of his Honor Guard was Adonor able to be transported back to the Firebrand. As his final command as Brazed Warden, the dying Mordax ordered his men to encase him within one of the Chapter's Dreadnought sarcophagi so that he may continue to serve the Incinerators. Despite his rank of Brazed Warden being passed down, lo and behold that Adonor Mordax would go on to lead the Chapter into combat one final time, many centuries later.

The Incendium Heresy (Late-39th Millennium - Early-40th Millennium)
Near the end of the 39th Millennium, tragedy struck the Chapter as they were played for fools by the dreaded alien, though none knew it until the very end of the conflict. To truly understand the origins of the civil war that forever scarred the Incinerators, one was first turn towards the Seventh Brazed Warden, Othar Incendium, and the dreaded Haemonculus Ixedov Kitrah. In the year 986.M39, Othar Incendium led members of the First Company into the Webway in a desperate attempt to destroy one of the Chapter's most prominent enemies; Ixedov Kitrah. Lost in the Realm of the Labyrinthine Dimension for seven years, there was a great divide within the Chapter as many wished for a new Brazed Warden to be chosen, while others could not believe that Othar was lost forever.

And then, at the end of the seventh year, it seemed as though those who had taken the latter side had been right to believe so. Out of the Webway did the Firebrand emerge above Lux Aeterna, and multiple squads of Flamebearers were sent to search for survivors. What they found was a ship riddled with the corpses of both Dark Eldar and Space Marine alike. It seemed as though the Firebrand had been boarded by vile xenos when Othar and the First Company chased them into the Webway, and the battle that followed had been catastrophic for both sides. And then, amidst the carnage, they found him. Is broken regalia bathed in the ichor of xenos, and his head hung low; the Incinerators found Othar Incendium.

The Brazed Warden was quickly brought back to the surface of Lux Aeterna so that he might recount his tale, and so he did. Incendium spoke of how Ixedov had led them into a trap, and how their ship had been boarded in less than an hour after entering the Webway. A titanic battle had ensued, and soon Othar found himself alone, the bodies of his fellow brothers at his feet as the Dark Eldar continued their relentless attack, until finally he met Ixedov face to face. Incendium claimed that the Lord of Pain spared his life so that he may return to his Chapter and break their spirits with his tale. At that, the Brazed Warden let out a thunderous howl of laughter, stating how much of a fool it had been for doing so.

In no time at all, Othar rallied the Chapter's strongest warriors under his banner before setting off on crusade. The remainder of the Chapter remained under the watchful eye of the ever incredulous Chief Librarian; Andu Zar. There had been something different about the Brazed Warden once he had been recovered from the Firebrand, something unfamilar, something repugnant. After consulting the his Epistolaries and the Fourth Company Captain, they all agreed that something was different about their Brazed Warden, though the majority of them agreed it wasn't anything more groundbreaking than a slight change of character after all he had been through. One of the Epistolaries suggested Othar felt guilty for the slaughter of the First Company and wished to atone for his failures, and many of them agreed to this suggestion. Andu was not so easily convinced, as he severely doubted one would be set free from the Dark Eldar's clutches so casually, and continued to ponder on what might have transpired within the Webway.

Before he could make any meaningfull deduction however, the Chapter Fleet sent on crusade suddenly returned to Lux Aeterna. Many were curious as to why they had returned so soon, as they had been for little more than three months. Before they could hail the returning fleet however, those Incinerators within the fleet that stayed behind were aghast as the returning ships, without warning, fired several Virus Bombs down to the surface. Little more than four-hundred Battle Brothers along with the planet's entire population were still stationed upon the surface, and in less than three minutes the remaining Incinerators could only look on in horror as their brothers and people were exterminated.

Caught off-guard, the remaining two-hundred Incinerators above orbit suddenly found their ships boarded as the returning crusade fleet fired boarding pots upon them. The crew of the Firebrand, under the command of Andu Zar and the Fourth Company Captain, mobilized all defenses, and ordered that they shoot at anything that dares shoot first. In the meantime, Andu ordered his Brother-Captain to make his way to the Hall of Remembrance and have the Master of the Forge reawaken the Dreadnoughts that were kept in statis onboard the ship, while he led the assault against the traitors.

As the loyalists mobilized their defenses, vessels belonging to their hated enemy - the Dark Eldar - emerged from the Webway once more. They two fired upon their own sickly version of boarding pods before hanging behind the crusade fleet for the remainder of the conflict. Meanwhile, the Fourth Captain and his Command Squad made their way to the Remembrance Hall before meeting with the Master of the Forge, who quickly set to work on awakening the Dreadnoughts from their slumber.

The halls of the Firebrand were littered with corpses once more, except this scene was far more gruesome than before. The Fourth Company were now forced to fight bastardized versions of their former brothers. Those who had joined Othar in his crusade no longer looked like Space Marines of the Incinerators Chapter. Their battlegrey power armor was now a dark violet, their tanned skin sickly white, and their veins flowing with murky blue ichor. They fought side-by-side with the vicious xenos that they once swore to purge, and reveled in the slaughter of their former kin. Chief Librarian Andu Zar and his fellow psykers were quickly dispatched as the alien pirates used dreaded weapons known as Crucibles of Malediction to free the tortured spirits of psykers they had captured years, if not centuries, beforehand. Andu and his fellow Librarians were driven mad by the psychic assault before they were quickly gunned down by their former brothers.

Soon, the loyalist Incinerators were forced to retreat into the halls of their flagship, engaging is brief yet deadly firefights. In less than an hour, the ship was overrun with the Dark Eldar and their allies. Vox-communication became scarce as the loyalists were quickly neutralized. It didn't take long for the alien forces to find their way to the Hall of Remembrance, where the rite of awakening was still underway. Warriors dressed in violet Terminator Armor marched into the Hall, weapons blaring as they fired upon not only the Fourth Captain and his Command Squad, but the sarcophagi of those Venerable Brothers who had been made Dreadnoughts. In retaliation, the Fourth Company Command Squad sprung into action. These five brave warriors, led by their Captain, held the line against all forms of terrors, from Kabalite Trueborn to Mandrakes, so that the Master of the Forge might complete his awakening rite.

The Company Champion was cut in half while fighting one of his former Terminator brothers, yet even as his bisected body fell to the floor he fired his gilded bolt pistol with pinpoint accuracy, which caused the terminator's head to explode as a bolt round collided with his forehead. The Standard Bearer's plasma pistol overheated and drained from the constant pull of the trigger, but even then the warrior continued to fight on; impaling an Incubus Warrior with his Company Standard. Finally, the Company Captain was known to crush the skull of a deadly Dark Eldar Syren with his Power Gauntlets; the Hands of Ares. Yet despite their best efforts, the enemy was far too large in number and it would only be a matter of time before they were overrun.

Their efforts to protect the Master of the Forge ultimately proved futile, as they were soon overwhelmed by a gigantic, Dark Eldar Grotesque, who charged forwards and slew the Techmarine with it's giant, rusting cleaver. In a blurt of machine code did the Master of the Forge fall onto his knees, before finally dying. In that one moment, it seemed as though the loyalist Incinerators had lost to the xenos, and would go down in history as failures, defeated by the very thing they had hunted for so long. Morale crumbled, yet the Command Squad continued to fight, vowing to bring down as many aliens with them as possible. The Fourth Company Captain charged at the Grotesque who had slain the Master of the Forge, ready to bring down the xenos that had stolen away their chances of victory.

Yet it was not the Captain's fate to slay the creature, for as the two foes raised their weapons, all within the Hall soon looked upon the Grotesque in shock as it's chest was blown apart. In a moments notice, the entire chamber was filled with echoing bolter fire, and soon the Grotesque that had stolen away the chance of the Incinerators revenge was naught but a pile of broken bones and gore. In its place stood a titan of gunmetal grey and fiery orange; there stood the Venerable Dreadnought and Second Brazed Warden, Adonor Mordax. Equipped with a twin-linked heavy bolter and master crafted heavy flamer, the Dreadnought let out a deafing war cry - which was heard as crackling static - before he layed waste to all alien and traitor in his path.

While at first many of the enemy tried to face the cybernetic walker, they soon realized just how outmatched they were, and began to retreat out of the Remembrance Hall. In a short respite, Adonor lowered his weapons before turning to the grizzled Command Squad. While the Apothecary set to work on tending to the various wounds they had all sustained, the Company Captain removed his helmet and greeted the Dreadnought with his name; Soratus Arcun.

Captain Arcun went on to explain the dire situation the entire Chapter was in, from how Othar had joiend forces with the xenos to how the surface of Lux Aeterna had been virus bombed; Adonor kept silent throughout, before he finally asked how many brothers loyal to the Imperium yet remained. Soratus was ashamed to admit that as far as he knew, his Command Squad and the Dreadnoughts that had yet survived the onslaught were the only ones who yet drew breath. The Venerable Mordax snorted, before he told Soratus that he prayed the Captain was wrong.

Post-Heresy (40th Millennium - Present)
(HEAVY CONSTRUCTION, WILL BE UPDATED ASAP)

Notable Campaigns

 * Torching of Pyrrhus (618.M41 - 621.M41) - Captain Galenos led the First Company against the vile Death Guard under the command of the Daemon Prince, Achaeus the Foul, upon the planet of Pyrrhus. The terrible conflict would cost the Incinerators many of their veterans, but eventually ended with Galenos beheading Achaeus with his Power Halberd. It would take the next year or so for Pyrrhus to be completely rid of the taint that the Plague God's servants had left, but the Imperium was eventually victorious.
 * Pacification of Alexius (633.M41 - 635.M41) - Captain Galath and the 9th Company of Incinerators were sent to fight alongside the Marines Malevolent under the command of Captain Nevac to quell the recent uprisings of a warband known as the Evening Wolves within the Oriens Sector. While the warband was defeated and their leader slain, the two Imperial Forces came to blows after the questionable acts of the Marines Malevolent began to scavenge and loot for weapons and armor from both ally and enemy casualties. Tensions had already been high during the Pacification, and after Captain Nevac slandered Galath's honor and position as a Captain, both Companies began to tear each other to pieces, and were only stopped once Agents of the Holy Ordo Hereticus were called to quell the conflict from extremely concerned Planetary Govenors, who were worried that their Sector would once again be embroiled in conflict. Ultimately, Captain Nevac was executed for ordering his subordinates to loot the possibly tainted equipment of the Evening Wolves. Captain Galath himself was questioned, but was ultimately deemed clear of any heresy. The entirety of the Oriens Sector was put under Inquisitorial Review until further notice.
 * War of Advenus II (639.M41 - 643.M41) - The War of Advenus II saw the Honored First, Second, and Third Companies wage war against the foul xenos of Waaagh! Rodzik within the Genesis System. Led by the Brazed Warden himself, Advenus II became a bloodbath as the Incinerators mercilessly cut down the Orks one by one. In the end, the War came down to a duel between Soratus and Warlord Rodzik within the Hive City of New Angelos, where the two enemies fought long and hard. Howbeit in the end Soratus ripped Rodzik's head off it's esophagus, taking the head as a morbid trophy.
 * Scorching of Hastilimus VI (692.M41 - 693.M41) -
 * Purging of Tomb World Noranu (785.M41 - 787.M41) -
 * Liquidation of Mastiles (883.M41) - Brazed Warden Soratus Arcun led his Honor Guard and First Company of Incinerators to fight alongside the Executioners' First Company led by High Executioner Arkash Hakkon in order to destroy the Chaos Warband known as the Anguishers. The campaign eventually ended with the execution of the Daemon Prince Marbas the Tormented at the hands of both Soratus Arcun and Hakkon, and the excoriation of the Dark Apostle Lucifer the False Whisperer by the hands of Isaan Incudes and Lord Speaker of the Dead Thulsa Kane. The two chapters departed on amicable terms and little to say to one another.

Chapter Organization
The Incinerators have a limit of 1800 marines ever since they began their never-ending crusade against the xenos menace. The chapter is organized into 10 companies of 180 astartes maximum, and each astartes within the chapter is equipped with a pyro-weapon of their choice along with the weapons a normal astartes of their position would be granted to possess.

Recruitment
Despite their endless crusade, the Incinerators maintain a designated homeworld known as Lux Aeterna, a populous Mining World which is then protected by the company of Incinerators with the least amount of members within their ranks at that time. The chapter does this because the company with the least amount of brothers within their ranks is not only meant to protect the homeworld, but is also able to receive new members and replenish their numbers.

While the process of recruiting new astartes does not differ from other chapters entirely, the final test for Incinerator neophytes are tested by a ritual known as the Initiation of Fire. This ritual has neophytes combat each other with hand flamers and combat knives. The victor goes on to become a full-fledged astartes, where the loser is held back and must retry the final test against a new opponent until he is victorious. If he should fail more than three times, the initiate is then transformed into a dead-minded servitor.

Deathwatch Service
Incinerator astartes make for prominent allies within a Deathwatch Kill-Team, as they carry over their knowledge and weaponry from their chapter's long crusade against the xenos menace. To add onto this, Incinerators are more than willing to serve within the Deathwatch as they still fight against the evil xenos that their chapter is fighting, and feel right at home while serving within a Kill-Team.

Chapter Fleet

 * Firebrand - Unknown Class, has served as the flagship of the Chapter since it's founding, and serves as its mobile fortress when they are away on crusade. Heavily armored, and is under constant vigilance by a group of five Nova-class Frigates, known as Inferno Squadron.
 * Phantasm of Aeterna - Battle Barge, 2nd Company.
 * Blazing Disposition - Battle Barge, 3rd Company.
 * Frenetic Kiln - Strike Cruiser, 4th Company.
 * Animus of Ash - Strike Cruiser, 5th Company.
 * Phoenix Lance - Strike Cruiser, 6th Company.
 * Wrath of Hephaestus - Strike Cruiser, 7th Company.
 * Phantom of Smoke - Strike Cruiser, 8th Company.
 * Angel of Fire - Strike Cruiser, 9th Company.
 * Incandescence - Strike Cruiser, 10th Company.

Combat Doctrine
The Incinerators use a variety of weapons that correspond with their endless crusade against the xenos, such as flame-based weapons and:

Weapons

 * Promethium Grenades - Specialized explosives that discharge powerful flames. Used to combat xenos and enemies without heavy armor.
 * Bolter-mounted Shield 

Brazed Warden Soratus Arcun
"Burn a path through the universe, and have all of mankind follow you into greatness, for we are the crusaders that shall free the galaxy of the dreaded xenos menace!"

- Soratus Arcun leads his brothers to battle

The Chapter's current and Eighth Brazed Warden, Soratus Arcun has lead the Incinerators for several hundred years, and is currently 1,200 standard years of age. Extremely dangerous, as well as extremely respected, Arcun has stood upon at least a hundred battlefields in his lifetime, and has won dozens upon dozens of these campaigns. Soratus spearheaded the War of Advenus II, before he single handedly fought and slew the Warlord leading the large Ork force upon the surface, a testament to his strength.

Captain Galenos
"Humanity is under siege from all fronts! They face daemons, aliens, and even themselves! They are a fragile species that beg the Emperor for a miracle! Become that miracle, and destroy all that would seek to destroy humanity!"

- Captain Galenos raises his weapons to the heavens

Captain Galenos - the Savior of Aeterna - is the current Captain of the 1st Company; The Heralds of Hate. Dressed in his ancient set of Cataphractii Pattern Terminator Armor known as the Mail of Hate, Galenos is most notable for slaying the Daemon Prince Achaeus the Foul of the Death Guard Traitor Legion during the Torching of Pyrrhus. Alongside his archaic Mail of Hate, Galenos also wields an ancient power halberd, which he used to slay Achaeus.

High Chaplain Isaan Incudes
"Take up your weapons and carve, tear, and scorch your way through all that dare stand in your way! Let hatred consume you, so that all other corrupt emotions such as lust, remorse, and envy may become ash!"

- Isaan Incudes rallies his chapter to war

The oldest living Incinerator, Isaan Incudes has served the chapter for 1,200 standard years, and was with his chapter near the end of the terrible Incendium Heresy. Over the centuries Isaan's iron will has been forged to near perfection, and his hatred for the enemies of the Imperium burns brighter than any other in the chapter. Proof of this is shown in the scripture Isaan wrote when he was 700 standard years of age: The Catechism of Spite. This tome has served to guide the chapter's marines on it's crusade against the aliens that threaten mankind, and it has become tradition for each marine to read one passage from the book once they become a full-fledged astartes. Indeed, some say that Incudes' scriptures have molded the Incinerators into some of the most hateful and xenophobic space marines in the galaxy.

Captain Galath
"Stand tall so that nothing may strike you down! Let the rivers run red with the blood of the alien, and the civilizations they create be burnt down so that humanity can strengthen their hold on the universe!"

- Captain Galath stands tall among his brothers

Captain Galath of the 9th Company is a steadfast warrior of countless wars. Armed in a set of artificer power armor and wielding a deadly twin-linked heavy bolter and heavy flamer, Galath is an unmovable wall of hate that will stand in the way of anything that dares defy the Emperor of Mankind, or his chapter's holy crusade against the xenos menace.

Venerable Adonor
"You have been deceived by the very things you swore to destroy, and are now on the brink of annihilation! Follow me, so that I might lead you all to glory once more and purge our Chapter of those who haved been turned against us!"

- Venerable Adonor leads his chapter into a new age

The Chapter's Second Brazed Warden and Venerable Dreadnought. Adonor had been kept in Statis for centuries after he somehow sustained major injuries during a titanic duel against a Dark Eldar Haemonculi during the 38th Millennium. However, during the dark time in the Chapter's history known as the Incendium Heresy, Adonor was awoken by the Captain of the Fourth Company in order to take upon the mantle of Brazed Warden once more until such qualms could be solved. Afterwards, Adonor returned into his hibernation state, declaring that if such an event would occur ever again, he would not hesitate to burn his chapter to ash. He has never been awoken since that day.

Relations with Other Chapters
Because they stray away from the Codex astartes in various degrees, the Incinerators have an overall capricious relationship with chapters that adhere heavily to the writings of Roboute Guilliman, such as his sons of the Ultramarines and their successors. While Codex-compliant chapters may scold them for not following Guilliman's guidelines, they may also praise them for never faltering in their crusade against the xenos menace.

An example of this would be the Space Marines of the Iron Scorpions chapter, of which the Incinerators have encountered upon the battlefield a number of times. These astartes follow their own adaptation of the Codex Astartes known as The Thirteen Commandments of Iron.

The Incinerators were known to come to blows with the Space Marines of the Marines Malevolent during the crusade known as the Pacification of Alexius after the Marines Malevolent gave complete disregard for civilian casualties and went so far as to loot the corpses of fallen space marines, whether they be from their own chapter, their fellow loyalists, or even the heretics of the warband they had been sent to purge from the surface of the world. Needless to say the Incinerators have not been on fair terms with these (as they have deemed) corsairs since that campaign.

Chapter Relics

 * The Catechism of Spite - A tome written by the current Reclusiarch, Isaan Incudes, this scripture delves into various concepts of hate, abhorring, and so forth. Kept in statis within the Brazed Citadel's Reclusiam, many brothers often visit the chamber to listen to the Revered Odyss read from this ancient tome.
 * Hands of Ares - Twin Mezoa Pattern Power Fists wielded by the Brazed Warden. A twin-linked flamer is welded together with the right gauntlet, and an Ultima Pattern Meltagun is welded with the left. The Chapter icon is impressed upon the left gauntlet, and the names of the Chapter's previous leaders are inscribed upon the right.
 * Mail of Hate - The Chapter's only set of Cataphractii Pattern Terminator Armor which is currently used by First Captain Galenos. It is a topic of debate amongst other chapters as to how the Incinerators still have possession of such an archaic suit, though none amongst the living truly have all the facts, even among the Incinerators.

By
"We are the Emperor's Torch! He shall use us to guide His Imperium further to victory!"

- Another warcry, used only during campaigns in which the Brazed Warden takes part in.

About
Feel free to add your own!

"Say what you will about the Inciderators, they may be hateful, persistant bastards but there is no one I would rather have on my side in a war for attrition."

- Saracen, the Voidwalker of the Star Reapers

"That the Phaeron would consider these primitives honourable! See to it the commander of this force has an accident with our Deathmarks, but let not the Phaeron know."

- Lord Xennion Names or of the Estomik Dynasty

"At last! A market for those enormous Exterminatus grade flamethrower things!"

- Radriar Drazin