Praetorian Sons

The Praetorian Sons are a successor Chapter of the Ultramarines were technically founded during the Third Founding. The Praetorian Sons are a Codex Compliant Chapter and venerate Roboute Guilliman to the same extent as the Chapter does with the Emperor, the Chapter cult venerating both as gods. They are fanatical in their beliefs in Guilliman and believe his Codex Astartes to be divine mandate in how an Astartes must carry himself both on and off the battlefield. This has led to the Chapter remaining very versatile in their military capabilities but also means they do not excel in a specific form of combat like other non-compliant chapters. Rather than specializing in a certain form of combat, the Praetorian Sons are well known for being some of the most capable administrators and generals within the Imperium, they know how best to utilize forces at their disposal, both of their Chapter and allies, as well as creating and maintaining their own domain within the Imperium. They maintain very close ties to the Lions of Ultramar and Ultramarines, along with maintain good relations with all Ultramarines Successor Chapters that

Chapter Early History and Creation:
The Praetorian Sons can trace their roots back all the way to the 18th Chapter of the Ultramarines Legion of the Great Crusade. The 18th Ultramarine Chapter had a long and proud history during the Great Crusade. Being part of the 392nd Expeditionary Fleet alongside the 7th Ultramarine Chapter, they garnered much praise from Guilliman for their efficiency in battle and ability to rebuild worlds with great speed compared to other Ultramarine Chapters. The 7th would eventually be transferred to another Expeditionary Force, leaving the 18th to deal with a xenos held cluster of systems that would give the 18th its nickname Lions of Ultramar. The campaign was long and cost the Lions many Astartes lives fighting against the Xenos which called themselves the Knuthkraq, whose empire was designated Knuthraqi Domains. The 18th fought valiantly but simply did not have the forces to defeat the Empire head on without reinforcements. However, Dumnus Marsyas, the Chapter Master, devised a daring plan that involved a full scale invasion of the Xenos primary shipyards located on Thraq Secundus, bypassing multiple strongpoints and fortress worlds of the xenos. This would leave the invasion force to be easily outflanked and eventually overrun had the invasion been stalled in any way but that was the plan, to draw the xenos into a full-scale counter offensive against this invasionary force. While the xenos were preoccupied with dealing with the invasion, Dumnus would lead a secondary invasion on Thraq Primus, the Knuthraqi Capital World and kill the Matriarch of the xenos and disrupt the entirety of the xenos' leadership.

The invasion of Thraq Secundus would number 3,000 Astartes along with the entirety of the Imperial Army forces of the Ultramar Auxilia while the secondary invasion was solely 1,000 Ultramarines. The Fleet was greatly outnumbered and outgunned but was much faster and bettered armoured than the xenos. Its task was merely meant to provide cover for the first invasion force to make landing to begin the overall assault and once this was completed the Fleet would skirmish with the xenos vessels, occupying them while the xenos prepared to mobilize its total strength against this force. Once it appeared the xenos were fully committed, the Fleet would break for Thraq Primus and launch the secondary invasion along with a full scale bombardment of the planet before the xenos fleet would catch up. The plan would be executed with little variance from Dumnus' planning and xenos empire crumbled before the 18th with this daring tactic but cost the 18th many lives and resources. However, the losses the 18th endured would be trivial to the number of lives and resources which were spared cutting off the head of this xenos Empire, the lives of the 3,300 brothers lost in this campaign saved possibly tens of thousands of others along with countless mortals. This campaign would leave the 18th in a combat-ineffective status for years until the outbreak of the Horus Heresy wherein the Chapter had just been expanded incorporate an extra 1,000 marines to a total of 5,000.

The 18th was brutalized during the Horus Heresy, in particular, during the Great Scouring. Numbering 5 Battalions with 10 Companies each, the 18th Chapter would start the Heresy at 5,000 battle brothers, almost the entirety being raw recruits with several hundred veterans from the Great Crusade, rather than the original 4 Battalions during the Great Crusade. But, due to the homeworld of the Chapter being on the fringes of Ultramar, the vast Warp Storms kept the 18th from aiding Guilliman and their brothers during the Shadow Crusade or aiding the Emperor and the Loyalists on Terra. This led to great anger within the 18th but by the time the Warp Storm abated, the Emperor was mortally wounded and Horus defeated. In retribution the 18th went mad with lust for vengeance against the Traitors for what they had done to Ultramar and the Imperium, in particular the Word Bearers. Dumnus led the 18th in multiple successful campaigns against the sons of Lorgar but by the end of the Great Scouring, the 18th suffered around 80% casualties, most of which we sustained in a brutal campaign against the Word Bearers Legion known as the Lion's Cage. This campaign was where the 18th was ambushed and cut off from friendly forces when the Chapter Master Dumnus Marsyas had made a terrible miscalculation of the traitors' strength in the region around Colchis. The 18th was thought to be lost after Dumnus ordered the remainder of his forces to make a desperate jump into the warp once all hope had faded. For centuries the Lions of Ultramr were believed to have been defeated by the Word Bearers and great honors and ceremonies were held on Praetora for their lost sons and the Fortress of Hera would keep a shrine dedicated to the 18th with one of its ancient battle standards along with a tome of its accomplishments.

However, in the waning years of the 32nd millenium, a handful of badly damaged ships entered realspace within the Macragge System. The entirety of the Ultramarines, Auxilia, and Imperial Navy were on high alert and prepared for attack but realized that these ships were ancient vessels of the Ultramarines that appeared to have recently just escaped from battle. Immediately hailing the vessels, Tigris Decon recieved an immediate reply from an Astartes claiming to be Dumnus Marsyas of the 18th Chapter of the Ultramarines Legion. Apparently, the members of the 18th had just jumped out of their engagement with the Word Bearers in their own "timeline" but those few hours for the Legionaries of the 18th was nearly a millenia for those in real-space. This was difficult for all present to grasp and took months of private discussions, meetings, and informing the High Lords of Terra of the situation. Eventually the survivors of the 18th were given a choice, they could either be split into two under-strength successor chapters, one maintaining Praetora as their homeworld while the other being granted another world to make their own, or the survivors were to be dispersed across the successor chapters of the Ultramarines as veterans and officers. The 18th chose the first option and were split into two successor Chapters, and so the Praetorian Sons and the Lions of Ultramar Successor Chapters were created.

Chapter Appearance:
Symbol

The Chapter's symbol is a roaring Silver Lion with a Golden mane standing on its hind legs atop of a Crimson Fasces.

This is a reminder of the Lions of Ultramar title that the 18th used to hold and also the strict adherence of the Praetorian Sons to the Codex Astartes.

Livery

The Praetorian Sons maintain a Crimson Battle Plate and Pauldrons with Silver Trim and golden lenses.

Each Company follows the Codex's coloring, so just like their gene-fathers, the Praetorian Sons' companies each have a unique trim for their pauldrons and their officer and veterans also make use of the same colouring schemes to mark them out from the average battle brother.

Geneseed:
The Praetorian Sons only geneseed deficiency is the inactive beltchers gland and is considered to be highly stable. Over the milennia, no mutations have occurred to the successors of Guilliman.

Homeworld:
The Praetorian Sons' homeworld is Praetora which lies in the Illyrios System which is located on the fringes of the realm of Ultramar. Praetora is considered to be a paradise world, with large oceans, large green valleys rich with life of all sorts, snow covered mountains and a sky as clear as can be. Its sprawling and pristine cities filled with all manner of well to do people and wealth flowing in and out, tall towers and citadels of marble and stone lining the sky, marble statues of great heroes of the Imperium decorating plazas, rich courtyards, and massive villas all magnify the paradise that is Praetora.

Praetora is the heart of an empire within an empire. It's people a proud and honorable folk, completely devoted to the Emperor and his Angels. A web of trade, communication, and travel goes through Praetora's incredible port, collecting taxes and ensuring no scum or enemies of Praetora can set foot on the paradise without going through extensive security measures and protocol. A mighty fleet lays anchor at the port at all times, the Imperial Navy ensuring this vital planet and its port remain free from any threat. So to lies the fearsome battle barges and cruisers of the Adeptus Astartes, making any foe think twice of invading the system. Despite the beauty of Praetora itself, it is a mighty world with many bastions, fortresses, and a fearsome defense force to defend it if the formidable naval forces are defeated.

Fortress of Ares
The Fortress of Ares is the Praetorian Sons' Fortress Monastery. These successors of Guilliman ensured that fortress was to resemble that of the Fortress of Hera on Macragge, making the fortress both an impregnable bastion but also a capital for an empire. The Fortress of Ares is much like Praetora both beautiful yet fierce. The Fortress is of elegant and intricate architecture, built with many columns supporting much of the buildings which houses beautifully sculpted statues of various heroes of the Imperium. There are vast chambers whose purposes vary; some being for civil use, court rooms, meeting rooms, war rooms, armories, libraries, and many reliquaries. Despite being a marble beauty, the Fortress of Ares is a multi-tiered fortress with a set of five walls lined with heavy weapons, artillery emplacements, and anti-air guns. Large stone plazas can serve as both gathering grounds and meeting places for civilians and officials or as a parade ground for the Praetor Auxilia and the Praetorian Sons to marshal their full military might.

Recruitment:
The Praetorian Sons recruit from the elite of Praetora as well as the Praetor Auxilia. Like their gene-fathers, the Ultramarines, the Praetorian Sons never lack for recruits. They do not have any barbarous traditions like many of their brother chapters, rather, the Praetorian Sons look for the most fit, strong willed, and loyal servants of the Imperium and force them to endure agonizing trials that are meant to test their strength of will and loyalty above all else. Physical strength is not the primary focus of the Chapter, they want Astartes that whose loyalty is unwavering but are also compassionate and intelligent, capable of administrating their realm and not just acting a butchers like some other Astartes. By the time an aspirant who has successfully passed the long and arduous process and has joined the 10th Company, they will be highly disciplined, physically mighty, of the highest moral fiber, and of unquestionable loyalty to the Praetorian Sons and the Imperium.

Combat Doctrine:
The Praetorian Sons pride themselves in being a versatile Chapter, capable in fighting in all forms of warfare proficiently. They do not specialize like many other Chapters but make up for this with their high coordination and discipline, strict adherence to the Codex Astartes, and ability to adapt quickly by using Guilliman's tactics. When facing an enemy that has an advantage over the battle brothers of the Chapter, the strategists of the Chapter will adapt their combat plans to turn their enemy's strength into a weakness.

In some cases the Praetorian Sons may appear fanatical or suicidal to carry out their orders, sometimes their battle strategies making no sense and appearing to be military blunders, however, most of these cases end up being a ploy. Much of Guilliman's strategies are intricate and are so advanced that only a handful of strategists can appreciate the scope of his strategic understanding and carry out his battle plans in even just a shadow of Guilliman's intention. Many of the Chapter Masters of the Praetorian Sons have been such caliber of men, but there have been a number of exceptions which have cost the Chapter in the past due to folly and gross miscalculation or even simply hubris. In fact, the Praetorian Sons' greatest military weakness is their belief in their superiority over most of their foes and allies. Seeing themselves, like their gene-fathers, as the exemplars of the Codex Astartes, the Praetorian Sons are unable to adapt to situations that are not specified in the Codex without great difficulty and debate, such as when fighting in the Tyrannid Wars or fighting Necron Legions.

Chapter Organization:
The Praetorian Sons are a strict codex compliant Chapter that follow Guilliman's word to the letter. They maintain 10 Companies with 100 Battle Brothers in each. The Companies 1-4 are Battle Companies, 5-7 are reserve Companies, 8th Company is the Assault Company, 9th Company is the Devastator Company, and the 10th is the Scout Company.

Chapter Equipment:
The Chapter does not specialize in any particular kind of warfare but rather aim for being extremely versatile. This means that the Praetorian Sons maintain a very wide array of weaponry and equipment to suite the various warzones they will participate in. As usual the Mark IV Boltgun and Chainsword are the mainstay of the Praetorian Battle Brothers but each Battle brother is also trained to use various other special and uncommon weapons should their Specialist Brothers fall and require replacement. There are a handful of relics maintained by the Chapter; gifts, trophies, and ancient weapons.

 Pride of the 18th  - A Sacred Banner of the Chapter when they served in the Great Crusade as the 18th Chapter of the Ultramarines Legion. It is brought into battle by the Sigil Bearer of the Honorguard of the Chapter Master and will always be found in the thickest of the fighting, raising the courage and strength of all the Praetorian Battle Brothers that fight under its ancient shadow. The banner itself is an artistic rendition of the an Ultramarine Legionary of the 18th Chapter standing atop a mound of bones and skulls, his sword raised to the stars. His armor battered and bloody but his posture filled with pride as the sun behind him shines brightly on this son of Guilliman. It symbolizes the costly victories the Chapter had itself had undertake during the Great Crusade, being gifted to the Chapter Master Dumnus by Guilliman himself. After every battle, the banner is repaired by the most skilled artisans of Praetora to ensure that it is never in poor condition when it is on display in the Fortress of Ares or when seen upon the battle field.

 Praetora's Vengeance  - Praetora's Vengeance is a Relic Sword wielded by Chapter Master Dumnus Marsyas during the Great Scouring. Chapter Master Dumnus had been defeated in personal combat by a Word Bearer Champion during the Ambush at Colchis leaving the Chapter Master badly wounded. Reclusiarch Nikantor stepped in to defend his liege's broken body and fought the Traitor Champion on the Command deck of the Indomnitus. Nikantor's weapon had been broken in the duel and was also badly wounded by the Word Bearer, having his left arm severed, helm struck in two, and right leg punctured. Kneeling before the Word Bearer before being executed, Nikantor grabbed his liege's blade which lay beside him and pierced the heart of the Traitor before the Champion's blade cleaved his head from his shoulders. Nikantor would soon die from his wounds, next to his wounded liege, gripping the blade firmly in hand with a satisfied grin on his face. This blade's original name was lost during the passage of time but it had been renamed on that day as Praetora's Vengeance. It is an elegant weapon of near intoxicating beauty. Its crossguard a golden pair of wing that connect the golden hand guard to the golden pommel of an eagle's head. The blade itself a shining silver, single edged and slightly cured toward's the wielder, ending it a long sharp point. Ancient runes of unknown significance line both sides of the blade that turn from a cold ebony to an electric blue once the powerblade is turned on. The grip being a crimson red leather that is wrapped around the golden steel.