The Adeptus Astartes stand watch over Mankind.
The 3rd Founding of the Space Marines occurred during the 31st Millennium in the wake of the Great Scouring. The 3rd Founding was called for by Rogal Dorn, primarch of the Imperial Fists Chapter, who presented the need for another Founding of the Adeptus Astartes to the High Lords of Terra.
Over a hundred writs of succession were granted to the existing First and Second Founding Chapters with at least nine writs being granted to the Ultramarines alone. This Founding included two Successor Chapters created from the gene-seed of the Imperial Fists and the Ultramarines, respectively -- both highly aggressive Chapters.
The Executioners are scions of the proud line of the Imperial Fists. Founded under the command of Fafnir Rann, reputedly the most vicious of Rogal Dorn's later captains, they were created for the sole task of seeking out and slaughtering Mankind's foes rather than undertaking a more defensive or strategic purpose.
The Scythes of the Emperor are a fierce and proud Chapter created from the lineage of Roboute Guilliman. Their origins can be traced back to the bygone era of the Horus Heresy, when they were originally members of the Ultramarines Legion's 199th "Aegida" Company, who were assigned as sentinels over the restricted world of Sotha, and the mysterious xenos artefact known as the Pharos.
Following the Second Founding in 021.M31, Guilliman charged the remaining members of Aegida Company with continued watch over the secrets of the Pharos as an 11th "ghost company" of the Ultramarines Chapter, in direct contradiction of the dictates of the Codex Astartes.
Later, during the 3rd Founding, Captain Oberdeii, the last surviving member of Aegida Company, was reassigned as the first Chapter Master of a newly created Chapter which he renamed the "Scythes of the Emperor."
They continued their vigil over Sotha and the surrounding sectors in the Ultima Segmentum. Recently, they faced near-annihilation at the hands of the Tyranids of Hive Fleet Kraken in 992.M41. Though severely depleted, the surviving Battle-Brothers of the Scythes have vowed to wipe out the remnants of the Tyranids in the Ultima Segmentum, even while they continue with their efforts to rebuild the Chapter.
The recent reinforcement of the Chapter by the Primaris Space Marines of Roboute Guilliman's Indomitus Crusade have allowed them to go on the offensive against the enemies of the Emperor once more.
Finally, there is the Dark Paladins. Little is known about them apart from their destruction during the fall of the world of Jarrman Primus to the unliving legions of the Necrons.
Select 3rd Founding Chapters[]
| Angels Erythrean | Blood Angels | Sanguinius | Unknown | Fleet-Based | |
| Charnel Guard (Suspected) | Blood Angels | Sanguinius | Zephon | Fleet-Based | This little known fleet-based Chapter, whose chronicle threads through many dark passages of the Imperium's history, is believed by some sources to date from the Third Founding. Evidence for this can be seen in the number of ancient war relics it is known to possess. |
| Dark Paladins | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | The Dark Paladins were destroyed in battle with unknown xenos on the world of Jarrman Primus in the late 41st Millennium. |
| Death Wardens | Blood Angels and Successor Chapters | Sanguinius | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Executioners | Imperial Fists | Rogal Dorn | Fafnir Rann | Stygia-Aquilon (Binary World) | An ancient and proud Chapter, their patriarch was reputedly one of Primarch Rogal Dorn's most ruthless Captains, by the name of Fafnir Rann. |
| Iron Knights (Suspected) | Imperial Fists | Rogal Dorn | Unknown | Brycantia or Seheris | The Iron Knights Chapter existed at the time of the War of the Beast (544-546.M32). |
| Scythes of the Emperor | Ultramarines | Roboute Guilliman | Oberdeii | Sotha (Destroyed) /Fleet-Based (Currently) | The Scythes of the Emperor can trace their long, glorious history to the dark days of the Horus Heresy when they were a part of the Ultramarines Legion's 199th "Aegida" Company, assigned as permanent protection over the world of Sotha and the mysterious alien artefact known as the Pharos. |
| <Name Redacted> | Iron Hands | Ferrus Manus | Unknown | Unknown | The Tears of the Gorgon is an allegorical and now prohibited treatise associated with the {NAME REDACTED} Chapter of the 3rd Founding. |
Sources[]
- The Horus Heresy Book Six: Retribution (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 66
- Imperial Armour Volume Ten - The Badab War - Part Two, pg. 84
- Imperial Armour Volume Two, Second Edition - War Machines of the Adeptus Astartes, pg. 107
- Warhammer 40,000 Compendium, "The Badab War" (1st Edition), pg. 34
- White Dwarf 101 (US), "Index Astartes: The Badab War: The uniforms and history of the Badab Uprising", pp. 71-73
- Throneworld (Novel) by Guy Haley, Ch. 1
- Echoes of Eternity (Novel) by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, Author Afterword
- The Aegidan Oath (Short Story) by Laurie Goulding
- Tau & Necron (Collector's Guide), pg. 45
- The Warhammer Community Podcast Episode 12 - Space Marine Successor Chapters