"We are judgement. Death is absolution."
- — Chapter Master Tygranas Dalir of the Absolvers Space Marine Chapter
The Absolvers is a Codex Astartes-compliant Loyalist Space Marine Chapter of unknown Founding and origin. Their dogmatic adherence to the Codex Astartes suggests that they share the lineage of the Ultramarines, but there is no decisive evidence concerning their true genetic ancestry.
Enigmatic and dour, the Absolvers Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes are based -- and now trapped -- in the Gilead System of the Imperium Nihilus. Recruitment of neophytes has skyrocketed since the appearance of the Great Rift to alleviate the burden of these stalwart warriors, oath-bound as they are to defend the Imperium's citizens from the fell foes of the Emperor. The citizens of the Heartworlds in the Gilead System whisper of the righteous wrath of the Absolvers, relentless and draconian in their fight against heresy.
Each noble Astartes of this Chapter knows they have no reinforcements; they are cut off from the vast war machine of the Imperium, and instructed to savour every bolt round. They have been informed that to save the many they may have to sacrifice the few.
Many Absolver Space Marines have been allowed to operate within the system individually, lending their strength to covert operations by other Imperial forces to serve as force multipliers.
The Great Rift spews daemonic monstrosities into the Gilead System daily. Although Astartes-led warbands have proven more than capable of beating back daemonic incursions, there has been notable collateral damage.
Chapter History[]
The Absolvers Chapter have protected the Gilead System since their former Chapter Master, Tygranus Dalir, swore a solemn vow to defend its people in perpetuity. His Astartes carry this mantle still, tightly bound as they are to every vow they make.
They have acquiesced to many orders in these trying times, often causing collateral damage as they ensure they keep their word; citizens of the Gilead System that have seen their ghastly work and survived speak of them with fear.
The Firstborn Astartes of the Absolvers refuse to initiate their Primaris Space Marine brethren into the Chapter's secret rites; another isolation they must bear.
Ferried to the Gilead System by the Varonius Flotilla of the Rogue Trader Jakel Varonius who is working closely with Imperial forces to combat threats to the worlds of the Imperium Nihilus, these Intercessor reinforcements have met with a cold welcome despite a proven prowess in combat.
The unwillingness of the Firstborn Absolvers to fully work alongside the Primaris Intercessors has led to them being assigned to watch over less powerful agents of the Imperium in need of heavy combat support.
Chapter Recruitment[]
"Eighteen times I have lain on cold metal, my eyes open, my body torn asunder and remade strong by the strictures of the Codex. Once more and I will be an Angel of Death. These scars are steps to my ascension."
- — Gezrael, Space Marine Scout of the Absolvers Chapter
Space Marine Scouts are viewed as demi-gods among the people of the Heartworlds of the Gilead System; though the Absolvers Chapter have a reputation for being as fearsome as they are fearless, most Heartworlds citizens still put their faith in the Emperor's greatest warriors. The Chapter's lack of resources and dwindling gene-seed reserves mean there are many Scouts operating as part of the Absolvers.
Leading a small cadre of mortal warriors on focused missions is considered a rite of passage; one that some Absolvers Scouts have been committed to complete for solar decades whilst they await the implantation of their Black Carapace.
Chapter Beliefs[]
"I'll tolerate a meddling Inquisitor over another decadent, dogmatic sybarite of the damned Ecclesiarchy."
- — Brevet Captain Akahir of the Absolvers
If an Absolver proclaims that he will take an action, nothing but death stops him. This has garnered a famed reputation for the Chapter of utter trustworthiness and dependability, coupled with an infamously obstinate inflexibility. Beset on all sides by Warpborne evil, opportunistic xenos, wary allies, and rebellious citizens, the Absolvers rely on their faith to shield them more than ever before -- after all, the Emperor protects.
The Absolvers Chapter has 1,000 names they deem sacrosanct, one of which is ritually tattooed onto a Space Marine's magnified form when the Chapter Master deems it has been earned.
Many Absolvers decorate their wargear with their names, knowing that when they fall in glorious battle their designation will be passed to a new aspirant.
Notable Absolvers[]
- Chapter Master Tygranas Dalir - Also known as the "Emperor's Archangel," Tygranas Dalir was the first Chapter Master of the Absolvers Chapter at the time of its Founding. He most notably pledged the Absolvers to the eternal defence of an Imperial sub-sector, which has become the Chapter's greatest acclaim and glory.
- Captain Syres - Syres is a company captain of the Absolvers Chapter. Syres is currently the official commanding officer of the battle barge Vow of Absolution. In the aftermath of the Great Rift's creation, Syres is leading his company in the defence of the Imperial sub-sector the Absolvers have pledged to defend. The Vow of Absolution remained behind in the Gilead System where it is currently commanded by Brevet Captain Akahir since that system has been cut off from the rest of the galaxy by the opening of the Great Rift.
- Brevet Captain Akahir - Akahir is an Absolvers brevet captain and is among the Chapter's forces now trapped within the Gilead System due to the birth of the Great Rift. Akahir is actually a sergeant of the Chapter, but attained his current, acting officer rank after most of the Absolvers' Chapter Command departed Gilead for a mission before the Great Rift formed. Now he commands the battle barge Vow of Absolution, which is located in the region of the Gilead System known as the Reach. Though he stands barely over 7 feet tall, Brevet Captain Akahir looms large among the Astartes of the Absolvers Chapter. The inscrutable ritual scarring popular amongst the Absolvers intermingles with the twisted scars Akahir earned through battling Daemons, attesting to the violence of his three standard years of service. His dark skin has been stretched thin over his enhanced transhuman form since he became an Astartes, his only imperfection a patchwork augmetic eye installed midway through the battle for Villum Fundus. In the absence of the Chapter Master and with the anarchy of the Noctis Aeterna bearing down on the system, the Absolvers within the Gilead System had grave need of leadership. It was Chaplain Heractis who took it upon himself to anoint Akahir as a brevet captain and the acting commander of the Absolvers in the system, in recognition of Akahir's early success in rallying Gilead's mortal defenders. In privacy, Heractis spoke also of a prophecy from the forgotten annals of the Chapter's history, and the role he foresaw for Akahir. Akahir has shown a greater knack for diplomacy than many of his battle-brothers. He tolerates much of the politicking and debate of the Circlet Council with stony silence before voicing his opinion with both tact and finality.
- Invictor Braham - Braham is a Primaris Space Marine Intercessor sent to defend the Gilead System. Like the other battle-brothers of his Chapter stationed in the system, Braham is zealously dedicated to defending the Emperor's holdings within the Gilead System.
- Chaplain Shahin - Shahin serves as a Chaplain of the Absolvers Chapter in the company commanded by Captain Syres. In the aftermath of the Great Rift's creation, Syres is leading his company in the defence of the Imperial sub-sector that the Absolvers have pledged to defend. However, this sub-sector is within the Dark Imperium, cut off from the light of the Astronomican, and along with the upheaval caused by the Great Rift, the Chapter's numbers have dwindled in battle against the Imperium's enemies. In order to be able to continue to carry out their pledge, Shahin and Syres both agreed that the Absolvers' tactics needed to change. They decided to send individual battle-brothers to combat the numerous minor threats within the sub-sector that the company as a whole could not respond to. The first to take part in this new initiative was Battle-Brother Gulkir, who Shahin ordered to the Gilead System after Yaril Varonius, eldest daughter of the Rogue Trader Jakel Varonius, requested aid to combat a threat to Gilead, which her dynasty was currently protecting.
- Gulkir - Absolvers battle-brother sent to defend the Gilead System.
- Scout Atticus - Standing over 2 metres (over 6.5 feet) tall and rippling with muscle, Atticus is a proud Astartes of the Absolvers Chapter. Grim but honourable, he follows his Chapter's strictures rigorously, refusing to ever break his word. Atticus' dour personality was intensified by his trials to be accepted as a neophyte and the subsequent gene-seed implantation operations, leaving him disconnected from the mortals he protects. He seeks only to bring honour to his Chapter through his actions, and earn a Black Carapace, becoming a fully-fledged Space Marine.
Chapter Fleet[]
- Vow of Absolution (Battle Barge) - The Vow of Absolution is among the Chapter's forces now trapped within the Gilead System due to the birth of the Great Rift. It is currently based in the region of the Gilead System known as the Reach, which is infested by xenos and Chaos forces. The Vow of Absolution is commanded by Captain Syres but is under the temporary command of Brevet Captain Akahir.
Chapter Appearance[]
Chapter Colours[]
The Absolvers Chapter wears white power armour with black shoulder plate trim.
The Aquila or Imperialis on the chest armour is red. The red squad tactical specialty symbol -- battleline, close support, fire support, Veteran or command -- is indicated on the right shoulder plate.
Squad number is indicated by the white High Gothic numeral centred in the squad specialty symbol. The Chapter iconography is on the left shoulder guard.
Chapter Badge[]
The Absolvers' Chapter badge is a red chalice, with a white Aquila in the middle of it, all centred on a field of white.
Sources[]
- Adeptus Astartes: Successor Chapters (Limited Release Booklet), pg. 4
- Chapter Approved 2001 - Second Book of the Astronomican, pg. 117
- Wrath & Glory: Core Rules (RPG) (2018 Edition), pp. 8-13
- Wrath & Glory: Forsaken System Player Guide (RPG), pg. 77
- Wrath & Glory: Rulebook (RPG) (Cubicle 7 Revised Edition 2020), pp. 14, 27, 58, 71, 106, 117, 299
- Cubicle 7 Games Website - #40KFriday: Tactical Space Marine
- Cubicle 7 Games Website - Wrath & Glory Cover Reveal
- Wrath & Glory: Rain of Mercy (RPG), pg. 14
- Wrath & Glory: Redacted Records (RPG) (Cover Art) by Mikhail Savier
- Wrath & Glory: Blessings Unheralded Cover Art by Diego Gisbert Llorens.