User:Inquisitor White/My Sandbox

"We are the Emperor's soldiers, angels of death and nothing more. Lest the Dark Slumber claim us all."

- Orerin Grimseeker, White Paladins Chapter Master

The White Paladins are a 25th founding successor of the Astral Knights and a one of two splinter groups of the disbanded Divine Paladins. Their gene-seed is cursed by the mysterious Dark Slumber that tempts them into sleep to be plagued by horrifying visions of countless possible futures. To counter these urges the White Paladin focus on discipline and purity above all else, avoiding glory and scrapping much of their history to avoid being remembered.

Fall of the Divine Paladins - (852.M41 - 907.M41)
For centuries the chapter bore the title of the Divine Paladins. Many years after Hypseus became the Divine Paladin's Chapter Master the marines began to fall into deep slumbers and dream of battle. Slowly the dreams began to include the dreamer making small mistakes such as missing a shot or suffering the most minor of wounds. The marines paid them no heed, such occurrences happened in battle all the time, why not in their dreams? Day by day the dreams more changes took place, the number of foes grew and the battle-brothers at the dreamer's side would disappear one by one. Sometimes they dreamed of fighting Orks, sometimes Tyranids, and a plethora of other xenos and heretics. Until one night the dreams took a dark turn. They began to dream about fighting the Imperial Fists, before long the dreamer would find himself alone against untold odds and dying in horrible ways. The Divine Paladins sought the aid of their chaplains. Hypseus summoned the chaplains and the chief-librarian Azachite to gather in the Waking Hall Fortress-Monastery to seek a solution to the dreams. For weeks nothing was heard from within the chapter master's chamber. Try as they may, the majority of the Divine Paladins could not resist the pull of the dreams, perhaps embracing the dreams was the solution. The dreamers slumbered for days on end. Until the day came that Hypseus strode out of the Waking Hall, heavily afflicted by the blessings of the Dark Gods. Hypseus implored the awakened marines to lie down and let the slumber grasp them. Captain Orerin of the 3rd Company realized that the chapter faced corruption and ordered the Paladins to attack Hypseus. At that exact moment, the slumbering marines awoke and declared for Chaos in an cackling burst of insanity.

Battle ensued, and the weapons of the traitor marines began malfunctioning. Olbaeon, Master of the Forge in an act of caution and foresight had sabotaged the weapons of all the previously slumbering marines in case they fell to chaos. Thus, the battle devolved into a massive and bloody melee. At the foot of the Waking Hall Captain Orerin dueled with Hypseus. Infused with dark powers, Hypseus seized Orerin's arm in his powerfist and tore the captain's arm from it's socket. Chief-Librarian Azachite then emerged from the Waking Hall having finally awoken from the slumber forced upon himself and the chaplains by Hypseus. Seeing the carnage before him, Azachite put every ounce of his power into banishing Hypseus and as many traitors as possible into the Warp. The remaining traitors, realizing the battle was lost fled for their lives. They managed to escape the planet on stolen ships before fracturing into multiple warbands in the absence of their lord.

Birth of the White Paladins - 907.M41
Before the remaining Paladins could make pursuit, Azachite shared troubling news. Many days ago the chapter had received word that the other worlds in the Bordelux sector had been attacked by a recently unveiled Genestealer Cult which had stuck in the chapter's moment of weakness. Bloodied but not broken, the Paladins declared Orerin the new Chapter Master and implored him what they must do. After many hours of contemplation Orerin had an answer. If the dreams would never stop, then the Divine Paladins must reform into something else or face destruction.

Orerin decreed that the chapter tear down their heraldry and cover themselves in white cloaks. They abolished any claim to glory and devoted themselves to the Emperor and the Imperium. Taking the new name of the White Paladins they severed ties to their corrupted brothers. After reorganizing their remaining forces into new companies, Orerin appointed Talbac Gloryseeker as the captain of the new 1st Company to hunt down the traitors while the rest of the chapter went to war with the Genestealer Cult.

Hunting the Divine Praetors - (907.M41 - Cont.)
Not a day has gone by since The Splitting that the White Paladins haven't sought to execute every traitor they can get their hands on while reclaiming any stolen weapons and armor. The 1st Company in particular has been at the front lines of this campaign. Led by Talbac Gloryseeker, the 1st Company will see it's chapter's treasures reclaimed and it's honor restored.

The Cults of Bordelux - 907.M41
In the decadent times of the Divine Paladins, multiple planets in the Bordelux sector became hosts to Genestealer infestations. Before the chapter could recover from the arrival of the Dark Slumber, numerous Genestealer cultists struck. Defenses were sabotaged and PDF officials were assassinated. Bloodied and disorganized, the people of the sector looked to Deregeus and the Divine Paladins, but no aid came. Even once the White Paladins finally took control of Deregeus and struck out against the Genestealers, the damage had been done. While the cult was defeated, remnants still remain in hiding, impatiently waiting for their Tyranid masters to invade in a grand Hive Fleet and destroy the White Paladins.

Chapter Beliefs
Many of the ceremonies and rituals of the Divine Paladins were lost after the emergence of the Dark Slumber. The new traditions of the White Paladins include:

- All Battle-Brothers are required to wear white cloaks over their armor and a sign of purity.

- No heraldry is allowed. They are the Emperor's soldiers, nothing more.

- Before and after battle, meditation sessions are led by a chaplain in an effort to "strengthen their connection to the Emperor" and help stave off the Dark Slumber.

- The former Chapter Master's chamber that belonged to Hypseus is now the Dream Chamber. Every promotion from simply becoming a White Paladin to becoming a company captain requires the Paladin to meditate in the chamber for varying lengths of time ranging from one minute to multiple days depending on the initiation. During this time they are highly vulnerable to the temptations of the Dark Slumber. Should the Paladin fall into the slumber they are turned into a servitor due to the possibility of them being corrupted.

- There is no redemption for traitors. One betrayal and the individual will always see it as an option.

- Anything reclaimed from traitor legions is purified and painted in a dark green and black color scheme.

Chapter Gene-Seed
The White Paladin gene-seed inherently contains now major flaws or deviations. Yet every marine in the White Paladins is affected by the Dark Slumber as soon as they receive their implants. Recently a lone tech marine stole a sample of the gene-seed and fled into the Screaming Vortex to find the secret to cleansing the White Paladins of the Dark Slumber. Though many believe that he has fallen to Chaos.

The Dreadnoughts
The White Paladins only have one Dreadnought among their ranks at the moment. For the White Paladins fear that the hibernating Dreadnoughts might have fallen into the Dark Slumber. Brother Keras was awakened during Hypseus's betrayal and has elected to remain awake permanently to avoid the Dark Slumber. To honor the ancient warrior the White Paladins keep him on the front lines of any conflict so that he may enjoy fighting for the Emperor instead of suffering in the steel cage that serves as his armor. Therefore he is usually present in the 1st Company. If the 1st Company is recovering or on a defensive operation then Brother Keras is transferred to a suitable company until the 1st Company is on the attack once more.

Chapter Homeworld
The White Paladin homeworld is the feral world Deregeus in the Bordelux Sector. The planet is dominated by dense jungles, continent spanning marshes and thousands of volcanic islands scattered across the oceans. The planet's human population is made up of semi-nomadic tribes. The tribes migrate depending on the seasons but maintain one or two permanent settlements in the marshes to grow crops. Deregeus is populated by a plethora of large and dangerous animals ranging from the speedy Marshskinners to the fire-spitting Grenwyrms. Among the tribes your status is measured by the creatures you have hunted. Tribe warriors are adorned with skulls, claws, scales, and furs of the creatures they have hunted.

Chapter Organization
The White Paladins currently maintain five companies including the scout company.

1st Company
- Captain Talbac Gloryseeker

- Apothecary Marius the Bloodless

- Chaplain Escheux Dreamtamer

- Brother Keras (Dreadnought)

- 1 Terminator Squad

- 3 Assault Marine Sqauds

- 3 Tactical Marine Squads

- 1 Devastator Squad

- 3 Rhinos

- 1 Land Raider

The 1st Company's mission has been to hunt down the Divine Praetors wherever they appear and reclaim any stolen weapons or armor. This has led to them becoming specialized in boarding actions and disabling vehicles instead of destroying them outright, thus allowing them to be recovered and serve the Imperium once more.

Chapter Recruitment
At the dawn of winter the White Paladins go to the tribes and feasts with the chieftains and then receive their tribute of young boys to become more White Paladins. All the gathered boys spend their first night at the Waking Hall in the Dream Chamber where they sleep. The boys may not contain gene-seed yet but the Dream Chamber is corrupted enough for boys to be affected by the Dark Slumber. The next morning the boys are questioned about their dreams. Those that were affected by the Dark Slumber fill non-combat roles in the Waking Hall and are warned to never come near the Dream Chamber. Those that are resistant to the Dark Slumber are then tested to see if they have the combat prowess and killer instinct to be a space marine. Those that are unfit are toured throughout the Waking Hall before being sent back to their tribe. to tell the story of their visit and keep the White Paladins in the minds of the tribes.