The Fire Lords is a Codex Astartes-compliant Loyalist Space Marine Chapter. Its Founding date has not been officially established. The Fire Lords take to the battlefield bearing a plethora of Flamer weapons. Preceding their fiery assaults with barrages of incendiary missiles, they hurl themselves at the charred, bewildered foe even before the flames have had a chance to gutter out. The Fire Lords' participation in the 816th Feast of Blades indicates that they are Successors of Rogal Dorn, Primarch of the Imperial Fists. The Fire Lords' homeworld is the volcanic planet of Mundus Pyra, a planet far out in the Eastern Fringe, and they are known for the strange flame-craft they use in Chapter rituals, which many find reminiscent of the rituals of the Salamanders.
Chapter History
Fire Lords' Chapter Colour Scheme
History does not record which Founding gave rise to the Fire Lords, nor whether the Chapter was specifically named for its favoured battle tactics. It had been indicated that the Fire Lords are indeed a Successor Chapter of the Imperial Fists, as they were one of the many Chapters that had participated in the 816th Feast of Blades, which all the Successor Chapters of the Imperial Fists vow to participate every century on a specific planet. As their name might suggest, the Fire Lords are known for their utilisation of all manner of incendiary weapons, from hand-held Flamer units all the way up to Firestorm bombardment charges delivered from low orbit.
Notable Campaigns
- Hell's Last Duke (931.M38) - The Space Hulk Hell's Last Duke ploughed into the surface of Bereguel Tertia, causing an extinction-level event. Many of the world's most valuable dignitaries saved themselves by taking to underground bunkers as the conglomerate nightmare of the Space Hulk burned through the atmosphere. Though they believed themselves to have escaped the worst of the disaster, the dignitaries soon learned otherwise when the renegade Space Marines of the Purge emerged from the heart of the hulk and began to hunt them down. The Space Marines of the Fire Lords Chapter received the dignitaries' distress call and diverted their crusade to make planetfall upon Bereguel. Their Centurion Siegebreaker Cohorts bore holes into the rockcrete of the hulk, leading a massed assault right into the dark chamber that served as its bridge. A close-quarters battle broke out, and though the Fire Lords lost several of their Centurions in the process, the grisly death of the Chaos Space Marine Lord Doluthec ensured the warband was left leaderless and eventually defeated.
- The Blood Star Campaign (748.M41) - A massive daemonic incursion into the Scarus Sector was heralded by the star Ares turning an ominous blood red. The Fire Lords, Relictors and Rainbow Warriors eventually halted the invasion but took grievous casualties, including the loss of all three Chapter Masters. The Imperium grieved for three of its mightiest heroes.
- The Dissolution of Burr (831.M41) - The Necron Overlord Janzikh of Phall launched an invasion of the binary worlds of Burr. Burr Major was the first planet to fall, thanks to the recklessness on the part of its remaining defenders, but soon both worlds were firmly under the Necrons' control. The dissolution furnaces roared day and night, and when Captain D'Estev and the Fire Lords 5th Company finally arrived, all they could do was destroy Janzikh in retaliation for his dark deeds and the genocidal slaughter of the Burr System's countless millions.
- The Krandor Rebellion (853.M41) - The Krandor Rebellion escalated when Alpha Legion forces arrived and the Planetary Defence Forces of Krandor crumbled. The Fire Lords, Imperial Fists, and Revilers launched a counterattack to secure vital Imperial artefacts before Exterminatus was declared.
- Assault on Beroghast (963.M41) - When WAAAGH! Snappaklaw descended upon the Ice World of Beroghast, the 2nd Brotherhood of the Grey Knights assaulted the Ork horde. A series of decisive strikes left the WAAAGH! cut off from its supply lines and the final Imperial blow against the Greenskins was delivered on the banks of the River Gandor, where the Ork Warlord Snappaklaw himself was slain. Three days later, the Fire Lords Space Marine Chapter, under the command of their newly promoted Chapter Master Jaric Phoros, arrived on Beroghast to discover the Orks in full retreat and the primitive locals bubbling over with tales about their "Steel Saviours".
- The Grissen Campaign (Late 900s.M41, Exact Date Unknown) - Due to a clerical error in the Imperium's labyrinthine bureaucracy, the once-prosperous world of Grissen had essentially gone unnoticed by the Adeptus Administratum for millennia. A mid-level functionary discovered that the planetary tithes were now some 8,000 standard years overdue. An Imperial Guard regiment was immediately raised to bring the Emperor's law back to Grissen. When the regiment found itself overwhelmed by the sheer ferocity of the rebel warriors they found on the surface of the planet, they requested support. A task force from the Fire Lords Chapter, under the command of Captain Jaric Phoros, joined the fray. At first the Space Marines made little progress. The natives were so entrenched that even the most devastating incendiary orbital bombardments made scant impact on their positions. Nonetheless, the Imperial decree was that Grissen should be brought back into the fold. Grissen would prove an excellent recruiting ground for the Imperial Guard, and so Phoros held back from ordering an all-out Exterminatus. Biting back his mounting frustration, Phoros directed his Techmarines to construct a weapon that would win the war. Within a week of the first Land Raider modifications that ultimately created the Land Raider Redeemer variant, the Fire Lords took Grissen's capital city. Within a month, the largest planetary faction was suing for peace and Grissen was part of the Imperium once more. The rituals of modification were disseminated to other Chapters with close ties to the Fire Lords, and soon the Land Raider Redeemer was recognised throughout the Adeptus Astartes as an official variant of the Land Raider Crusader rather than a new design in its own right, avoiding the problem of needing official recognition for its use by the Adeptus Mechanicus, and it soon entered the canon of war machines of the Adeptus Astartes.
- Scouring of Bellicas (990.M41) - The Fire Lords Chapter descended on the Tomb World of Bellicas and proceeded to exterminate the Necron menace and avenge the destruction of the Emperor's Swords Space Marine Chapter.
Deathwatch Service
Several Battle-Brothers of the Fire Lords Chapter are recorded as having taken the Apocryphon Oath and stood a Vigil of the Long Watch in the Jericho Reach. All have displayed the Chapter's characteristic zeal for unleashing the flames of divine judgement upon the numerous enemies of Mankind that lurk in the dark void of the region. Many have utilised weapons crafted for them by the master artisans of their parent Chapter. Devastators often carry Heavy Flamers or Multi-Meltas into battle, while Tactical Marines favour Combi-flamers and -meltas. Even when mission parameters make the use of such weapons less relevant, it has been observed that Fire Lords Battle-Brothers often carry secondary or back-up weapons that utilise flame or heat. Incendiary grenades, Flame Pistols and even Jokaero Digital Meltas have all been carried into battle by such Battle-Brothers, and used to strike down the enemies of the Mankind.
Chapter Combat Doctrine
The Fire Lords precede assaults with a barrage of incendiary missiles, and hurl themselves at the charred foe before the flames have burnt themselves out. The Fire Lords prefer planetary assaults and following their incendiary orbital bombardment they unleash Thunderfire Cannons and Land Raider Redeemers. For mopping-up exercises, the Chapter deploys Tactical Squads in Drop Pod assaults.
Another unusual practice of the Chapter is for individual Fire Lords to have their teeth replaced with shards of razor-sharp stone, each with the appearance of a primitive arrowhead or spear tip. When they bite down, their clenched jaws spark, igniting their Promethium-swilled breath. They can then send a gout of flame into an enemy's face when engaged in close combat.
Land Raider Redeemer
In the wake of the Grissen Campaign, Captain Phoros disseminated his new Land Raider design's schematics. Having always been possessed of a sardonic frame of mind, he named the new Land Raider pattern "Prometheus" after a god from an ancient Terran legend who brought fire to men. He changed the official designation to Land Raider Redeemer only upon learning that the name was already taken by a Land Raider variant developed by the Salamanders. Nonetheless, the original Land Raider Redeemer still serves in the Fire Lord's 2nd Company, the name Prometheus resplendent on its flanks and honoured in the Chapter's histories.
Chapter Beliefs
The Fire Lords' renowned flamecraft and warrior creed is highly reminiscent of the Salamanders Space Marine Chapter. The Chapter Rites of the Fire Lords call for a Battle-Brother to render himself up to the fires of judgement at key stages in his service. Ordinarily such trials would be set and overseen by the Chapter's Chaplains, but Battle-Brothers standing the Long Watch must ensure their adherence to the rites according to their own counsel. Whatever form it takes, the Battle-Brother must ensure he undergoes some especially trying experience and that he emerges from it a better warrior.
As Sons of Dorn, the Fire Lords are known to take part in the Feast of Blades, a traditional competition that is held centennially to foster the bonds of brotherhood and maintain relations between the various Imperial Fists' Successor Chapters. This traditional contest helps to strengthen these bonds of fraternal friendship and to temper them through vigorous competition.
Another curious practice of the Fire Lords is the Chapter's penchant for ritualistic tattoos. Most Fire Lords Astartes are walking illustrations -- every part of their bodies has been inked to represent the swirling inferno they wish to bring to their foes. Their flesh usually displays illustrations curled with flame and fury, while the blackened dome of their skulls are made to appear spiky and soot-smeared, like the burned stubble of Agri-World fields.
Notable Fire Lords
- Chapter Master Jaric Phoros - Jaris Phoros has been the Chapter Master of the Fire Lords since 963.M41 and saw his first action as the new leader of the Chapter during the cleanup of the Ork WAAAGH! Snappaklaw on the Ice World of Beroghast in that same year.
- Captain D'Estev - Captain of the Fire Lords 5th Company who destroyed the Necron Overlord Janzikh of Phall as retaliation for the Dissolution of Burr.
Chapter Relics
- Descent into the Flames - This suit of Artificer Armour is patterned along the principles of the Mark VI Corvus Pattern Power Armour, but its masterful craftsmanship sacrifices none of its protection for the mobility characteristic of Corvus Armour. A double-bonded Ceramite coating provides further defence against heat-based attacks, and the wearers of this armour are typically seen descending on a Jump Pack directly behind the incendiary bombardments the Fire Lords favour.
Chapter Appearance
Chapter Colours
The Fire Lords predominately wear red Power Armour. The Aquila or Imperialis on the chest guard, the helm, greaves, and vambraces are yellow. The yellow squad specialty symbol -- (Tactical, Assault, Devastator or Veteran) -- is indicated on the right shoulder guard. A black Low Gothic numeral is stenciled in the centre of the specialist symbol, indicating the squad number. The colour of the shoulder plate trim indicates company number in accordance with the Codex Astartes -- i.e. White (1st Company), Yellow (2nd Company), Red (3rd Company), Green (4th Company), etc.
Chapter badge
The Fire Lords' Chapter badge is a black clenched fist with yellow flame emanating from it, centred upon a field of red.
Sources
- Adeptus Astartes: Successor Chapters (Limited Release Booklet), pg. 45
- Codex: Grey Knights (5th Edition), pg. 16
- Codex: Necrons (5th Edition), pg. 26
- Codex: Space Marines (8th Edition), pg. 58
- Codex: Space Marines (6th Edition), pp. 18-19, 45, 73, 88
- Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), pp. 27, 30, 49, 83
- Dataslate: Centurion Siegebreaker Cohort
- Deathwatch: Honour the Chapter (RPG), pp. 116, 127
- How to Paint Space Marines (2004), pg. 88
- Imperial Armour Volume Two (Second Edition) - War Machines of the Adeptus Astartes, pg. 31
- Legion of the Damned (Novel) by Rob Sanders
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