Warriors of Fortuity

Origins
The Warriors of Fortuity are one of the newest batch of the myriad chapters of Space Marines. Their sole purpose for being created is to add to the defenses of the Ultima Segmentum. Most notably the area of many xenos incursions. Their homeworld of Felix Mundus is in the epicenter of various ork infested planets, the Tau empire, and the Alaitoc craftworld. This also places them near the Realm of Ultramar and Tyranid Hive Fleet paths.

Their planet is a feudal world with mostly mountains surrounding low plains as terrain, with large islands in their oceans. The people and culture seem to be reminiscent of ancient Celts from Terra and are mostly shepherds or farmers. Some notable wildlife are the unusual eight legged horses bred by the locals known as Galifaxi. They have golden coats and can run large distances in a short amount of time. They're also very powerful,being able to pull at least 4 times the weight of ancient terran horse. The Space Marines have developed their own stock of them that are even faster, stronger, have a grey coat, and are called Sleipner. In the mountains is another type of creature called the Cornursi by the locals. A Cornursis slightly resembles an old terran bear but with strong sharp horns, and thick fur and hide that can'tbe penerated by the meager weapons the natives use.They're much too large to climb the trees where they live but have enough strength and thickness of bone to just shove them down instead. They are omnivorous and eat the local foliage and anything else that can't escape from their jaws.

Notable Warriors of Fortuity
Eaque Solitudo Fortuna: chapter master and excellent strategist, originally a veteran of a another space marine chapter but was given the honor and recognition of leading his own. Being the first leader of the chapter he influences many things about it, it's culture, it's beliefs, it's honor system. Everything unique about the chapter was influenced by him or his 3 favored commanders who were also chosen from a different chapter.

Virtute Forti: Stable Master of the House of Fate Chasers, also advisor and close friend of Eaque. An expert of fast attacks and knowing how to mow down an enemy, Virtute manages the breeding of Sleipner and the best way to care, train, and equip them if needed. Not once has an enemy unseated Virtute whether it has been on a vehicle or a steed. No official reports on which chaoter he originated but there are only a few where he could have learned his techniques.

Exercitus Dominare: The Bear Baron of the House of Savages, confidante and close friend of Eaque. Known for his bellowing voice and stoic appearance, he keeps tight reign his troops the savages. He taught the battle brothers under his command how to unleash and hone their inner carnal violence. To keep his men in shape he organizes brawls or hunting expeditions on the mountain. To make sure his Astartes don't waste their rage anywhere besides battle, he psycho-indoctrines a trigger in the form of a battle roar to keep his men civilized. A noteworthy effect of this is the increased stress levels enemies tend to get from this roar.

Populi Sustinere: Titled Duke Bulwark of the House of Thunder Shields, he's an advisor and old ally to Eaque. He was the one to discover the STC template for the thunder shields that the Mechanicus agreed to develop for them. Populi supplies all his men a thunder shield, power lance, and power sword for their specialty. He enforces discipline among his battle brothers to push forward and watch each others backs. His shield wall tactics have stopped many enemies charges,just to smash against shields and spears. Always knowing when to go on defensive or when to charge ahead.

Geneseed
The Warriors of Fortuity Geneseed is healthy except for two organ deficiencies. They have a mutated Catalespean Node and a deficient Sus-an membrane. Due to this any battle brother with grievous wound may as well be dead. They must also keep shifts when they are in a siege. It is unknown from what stock their geneseed is from.

The Hall of Giants
The Fortress Monastery is called the Giant's Lair and is built into the Mountain of Mourning, the largest mountain and most populated by Cornursi. At the entrance, about a mile in length, lies the corpses and skeletal remains of curious wanderers or lost shepherds. Attacked and eaten by the Cornursi, and left along a path as a warning from these Giant's, to the people they watch, test, and take into their hall. While most would think from the entrance further in the Fortress is built into the mountain. However beyond the entrance is but a maze of naturally formed tunnels leading to various places on and around the mountain. Only the Astartes know the correct path of tunnels to take to get to the real entrance of their home. They truly live beneath the mountain and the lowlands to the south of it. Nearly everything is beneath the mountain half, living chambers, the librarium, the apothecary, the armory, and other necessary buildings for the marines. Beneath the plains lie the stables and hangars for vehicles. Hidden entrances in the earth rise up to allow the coming and going of the large transports and steeds that could not traverse the mountain tunnels into the mountains roots. Before the Astartes settled on the mountain were tales of great treasure beneath the fearsome mountain. When the construction began they did indeed find a treasure trove of gems and stones inside the mountain. Instead of selling off what they found, however, they merely added them to materials used to construct the earthen keep. Gems were placed in specific places to enhance lighting and to shine blindly at entrances if it was ever necessary. Stones were used as pavement in rooms and walkways throughout the complex of the keep.

Organization
The Warriors of Fortuity have a unique chapter organization. Marines are split into 5 groups known as houses, 3 major and 2 "minor". The reasoning behind this is to quickly recover any lost imperial worlds taken by xenos in the area. The chapter master is known as the Fortunate Son who heads the minor house the Fortunates. The major houses are headed by Commanders which then break down to warlords and then chieftains. During dire periods one or all Major houses may be split into 2 minor houses. The leader of the splinter group is chosen by the house commander from the warlords. Techmarines are known as Chancesmiths, Librarians are Druids,Apothecaries are Healers, and Chaplains are called Lucklords.

There are approximately 250 battle brothers for each major house. With 5 warlords and 5 chieftains under each warlord's command. Each warlord also has 1 druid and 1 healer within his ranks. Each chieftain has a lucklord amongst his battle brothers. Chancesmiths are placed as needed, more often amongst the thunder shields than any other house. Most vehicles are utilized by the savages or the thunder shields, with the fate chasers using thunderhawks to transport to the ground.

The Fortunates minor house has 100 veteran marines and has the chapter's dreadnoughts. While the savages and thunder shields may adorn terminator armor,most fate chasers forgo it. It is only when their steeds fall in battle do they claim the heavy armor, and then mount bikes from then on. The fortunates are the only house besides the scouts to use ranged weaponry instead of melee weapons.

The scout minor house holds 150 future battle brothers that are grouped in three sets of about  50. Each has a main instructor from a major house that trains them all for a period of time. The aspirants are individually rotated between the 3 instructors to be taught basics and deployed with certain houses. This is the only house that uses all ranged weaponry and are given bikes before a steed. After learning and being deployed with all 3 major houses, scouts are ready to choose which one they will join.

Recruitment
The people of Felix Mundus can catch the eye of the giants for various reasons. Showing ample ability during a clan feud, excelling in various events during the festivals held every few months, or even protecting their herd from various dangers (with some not being a coincidence). Afterwords the village they are from will see a lone figure on a horse from afar, which the shaman himself alone goes to investigate. When he returns he calls only calls out a name and retires for the day. The villager has the rrst of the day or night to prepare for his journey. For the next day he must say his goodbyes and go to the Mountain of Mourning.

The Mountain of Mourning
Once there the gate opens and immediately shuts once the native enters into the tunnels. He is then left in that maze for 24 hours, using his wits to navigate and survive in a place that has claimed many. If he is lucky he might manage to find the Doors to the keep without too many problems. However in some events cornursi are in the tunnels, some might be scared or fought off, but some that get lost at crossroads in the core of the mountain are driven by hunger and will not turn back. Not always but actions in the tunnels usually display where the future battle brother will excel. For instance if they ride through on a galifaxi, for most tunnels are tall enough if the rider watches his head. And display cleverness when facing dangers, they will go into the Fate Chasers, even if their galifaxi doesn't make it to the end. If they go in alone and manage to avoid dangers and stay fit, they will be added to the Thunder Shield ranks. For those who are stubborn and weather through the maze and,if there are any, manage to best or somehow kill a cornursis they will be welcomed by the Savages. Note that some who ride in on galifaxi and their steed gets killed or wounded by a cornursi, who then go into a rage and manages to kill the cornursi usually join the Savages even if they display good horsemanship. Those that don't survive get their body thrown to the side of the path at the mountain entrance.

Once the doors open after 24 hours and they are found and led to the Keep in the mountain roots, they begin their change into a Warrior of Fortuity. During their genetic modification they are shown the basics of the 3 main houses of the battle brothers. The devastating calvary Fate Chasers, the decisive Thunder Shields, or the ruthless Savages. They also help take care of Sleipner keep everything clean. They are also the only ones in the chapter who mainly use ranged weaponry. Once their implants are all implemented they must take their final test to decide which of houses they will remain with until they die or live long enough to join the Fortunates minor house. The aspirant will have 3 trials to choose from,each pertaining to skills they will need to use in their house. There is rarely a time when an aspirants choice and where his instructors and observers believe he should be placed clash, but when they do the house commanders debate with the would-be battle brother about his abilities and placement. In most cases that this occurrence arises involves an aspirant that was raised with galifaxi and wishes to remain with a steed.

The Trials
To become part of the Savages an neophyte is led onto the mountain to fight Cornursi and take a trophy of horns and pelt. They go with nothing but a pair of power axes, a loincloth, and tools to harvest a body of a cornursis. It may take days but an neophyte must go near the peak and wait until a cornursis of immense size challenges them. Then the would-be battle brother must give in to his primal rage in order to best the nightmarish creature and claim his place among his brothers. Once he has done this the horns of the cornursis are placed on his helmet and the pelt strapped to various areas of his armor. He is then one of the brutal and frightening Savages of the Warriors of Fortuity.

To be welcomed into the herd of Fate Chasers a neophyte is given the horse he was observed to bond most with. He is then led to a stadium sized chamber beneath the plains at the base of the mountain. In this stadium is a special gauntlet designed to test both battle brother and steed. He must race through while fighting and evading all in his path. He must remain on his steed at all times except when stated, and both must make it to the end with little to no harm. He must race past various ranged attacks coming from various directions coming from a half circle shape. He must navigate through various emulated terrains from unstable marshes to burning wastelands and even dense jungle. Then he needs to dismount and lead his horse through a dark area trying to make as little sound to for ambush preparation on enemies. If a noise is made weapons are fired and the neophyte must choose to evade as best they can, or try to hunker down and hide until the threat passes. Once he makes it out he must charge into combat against armed servitors and disarm them to make it to the final stretch. If the rider successfully passed through the gauntlet he must keep pace with a fate chaser battle brother from the farthest exit in the lowlands to the entrance to the mountain.

To be part of the Thunder Shields takes great strength but also discipline and a sharp mind. For this trial a mock battle is set up between 2 groups of Thunder Shield battle brothers. One will be led by an instructor and the other by the neophyte. The battle brothers wear cloth and wield dull mock weaponry and shields made from the trees of the mountain. The neophyte must try to take command of his soon to be peers and develop a strategy to fend off the attack from his superior. Some battle brothers may fool around or try to settle old rivalries, so the future battle brother must learn to reign in his troops and ensure discipline. Then he must quickly learn how to strategize against his opponent and try to lead his troops to victory or to stave them off as long as he can. By the end of the battle the troops under the neophyte's command must say whether they believe he is worthy or not. To date there is no battle brother who has beaten his instructor, but occasionally it has been close.

Combat Doctrine
The Warriors of Fortuity' main combat doctrine is close combat among most battle brothers. Such that battle brothers of the 3 main houses have no ranged weaponry with them. They must rely on deployed scouts, vehicles, and/or turrets for cover fire. The only ones who deviate are part of the minor houses with the Fortunate using ranged as much as close combat and the scout minor house using only ranged. The savage house often enters the fray with drop pods to further devastate enemies. The fate chasers may use thunderhawks to do a sweep of the enemies then charge right afterword to ensure breaking the enemy line.

Chapter Appearance
The chapter colors are green and brown, the two main colors adorned on the mountain. Their heraldry is of a native plant called a 4 leaf clover that dot the planet, and a broadsword which is commonly used by the people.

They have no normal company iconography or colors and use armor decorations to determine which house they belong to. Fate Chasers are distinguished by cloaks and a cross of grey as wide as the vox grill to the top of the head,and to the edge of each photolense. Savages have their armor adorned by the pelt of the Cornursis they hunted and the horns mounted on their helmets. The Thunder Shields have a stripe of sleipner hair from their forehead the back of their helmet to distinguish themselves. The fortunates tend to wear either good luck trinkets from locals on planets they've defended, or a trophy from an enemy that took great skill and perhaps luck to kill.

Chieftains tend to have a completely drab green helmet, with veterans having a skull on their helm. Warlords have a brown helmet with an imperialis on veteran warlords helms. Commanders of the major houses have forest green helmets. The chapter master is designated by having decorations from the three major houses' battle brothers.

Equipment
The favored weapons of this chapter are power weapons throughout. Most common in the chapter are power axes,swords,and lances. There is also the unique Thunder Shields found and used by the Thunder Shields house. The STC discovered by their commander while constructing the Fortress Monastery, the Mechanicus agreed to manufacture these for the chapter. Large enough to cover an entire space marine, but light enough to be wielded by a normal battlebrother. Their defensive capabilities are less than the storm shield wielded by terminators. However they make up for it by an increase in the energy released from kinetic impacts to disable enemies. Being a newer chapter they have more suits of mark VIII armor than others but still mostly field mark VII.

Chapter Beliefs
Modified from local superstitions the Warriors of Fortuity believe in one's skill and mere luck. However their view of luck is that of the emperor, having to watch over so much, grants small miracles here and their to help his people. But they know that they can not at all depend on just luck. They train just as much if not more than most other space marine chapters. After all, with all their surrounded by they will need all the expertise and hope they need to battle these odds. But they are all willing to gamble themselves to better defend the imperium.

Other Information

 * They have ties to the Mechanicus and the nearby ultramarines who they occasionally aid, but also some close ties to the inquisition


 * Their dreadnoughts are not from their own but instead were assigned to them from chapters who have been functionally exterminated or couldn't recover from grievous losses and were split


 * It is also unknowable what geneseed they're sired from due to the differing styles between houses and various similarities with other different chapters


 * It has been speculated that with their differing styles of warfare but close bonds to themselves and ties to the inquisition,that the Commanders and Chapter Master were actually a death watch kill team before getting their own chapter. Some further reasoning points to how they are tasked with defending against xenos and how no records show them directly emanating from another chapter.


 * The commanders' names are latinized from the name meanings of Harald,Richard,and Menelaus