Rammius
Rammius is a Space Marine of the Black Templars Chapter. He has led a distinguished career and became a legendary figure due to his many exploits. He is currently entombed within the sarcophagus of a Dreadnought.[1]
Contents
Early Childhood
Paresh Rammius grew up on the Death World of Pragos II, one of the lethal worlds of the Gorgon Cluster. The planet is in constant turmoil from earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanic eruptions, and its population of techno-barbarians are under further threat from various forms of hostile life. One night Rammius' family, the Paramec tribe, came under attack by storm beasts, flying monsters that hunt for humans during lulls in the storms. Only Rammius survived the attack and, mad with grief at the loss of his family, tracked them to their lairs deep in the mountain caves. He killed seven beasts before they overwhelmed him, but before the killing blow could be delivered he was saved by a force of Black Templars. Taking his battered body to their Thunderhawk, they transported Rammius to their Chapter Keep on Pragos IV, where he recovered from his wounds.[1a]
Neophyte
After his wounds were healed, Rammius was subjected to physiological and spiritual tests. He met the stringent requirements that were deemed necessary to become an aspirant. For six years Rammius remained at the Chapter Keep under the instruction of Chaplain Alberas before he was finally gifted with the Chapter's gene-seed and became a Neophyte. Rammius was apprenticed to Initiate Koverich and dispatched on the Crusade of Brotherhood to aid the Crimson Fists, the Templars' fraternal Chapter, against the Orks. During his first crusade Rammius won praise for his conduct in battle from the Sword Brethren. He would fight besides Koverich in many campaigns until, after the success of the Vinculus Crusade, Koverich proclaimed him ready for full initiation into the Chapter.[1a]
Initiate
As a full battle-brother, Rammius would join Castellan Mefridus' Crusade and fight in many campaigns, alongside many of the Chapter's heroes. However, none would have as great an impact on him as a Castellan named Helbrecht. The two would form a close bond over the following decades.[1b]
Rammius would also be responsible for training his own Neophyte, and during a resupply stop at the Chapter Keep of Fergax, Rammius selected one named Varin. After the Crusade was replenished, Rammius followed Mefridus to the Hell Stars of the Garon Nebula, where the Black Templar engaged fierce crystalline xeno creatures, able to focus deadly energies through their bodies into beams of intense power capable of piercing even Terminator Armour. After seven years of intense fighting Rammius deemed Varin's training complete and elevated him to the rank of Initiate. Rammius would take on several new Neophytes during the course of the Crusade until the final assault on the creatures' last bastion. A giant crystal warrior, tearing through the Black Templars' lines, was poised to slay Mefridus when Rammius saved the Castellan, shattering the xenos with one blow from his power fist. In recognition of his deed, Mefridus inducted Rammius into his personal household and elevated him to the rank of Sword Brethren.[1b]
Sword Brethren
Over the course of thirty days and thirty nights Rammius' armour was embellished with holy inscriptions, Crusader seals and personal heraldry. During the ceremony, he was brought before Mefridus to be clad in his new armour by Cenobyte Servitors as Chaplains blessed him with holy oil and the Chapter's Master of Sanctity intoned the Ninety Sacred Verses of Revulsion. Finally, Mefridus clipped the red and cream cloak to Rammius' shoulder guards, marking him as a living example of the Black Templar ideals.[1c]
Over the next seventy years Rammius would earn a reputation as a warrior of skill and courage. He killed the Chaos Renegade Maaloganz, held the Issimar Prime breach alone against an army of mutants, and toppled an Ork Dreadnought at Corinth, saving the life of Marneus Calgar, Chapter Master of the Ultramarines.[1c]
When High Marshal Kordhel died, Helbrecht was elected to his position, and Rammius immediate petitioned to join him in his Crusade against the Cythor Fiends of the Ghoul Stars. Mefridus consented, and Helbrecht was happy to receive his old brother-in-arms. For many years the Crusade fought to penetrate the outer defenses of the Cythor Fiends' systems, but when the core worlds were breached they were found to be empty. Before the mystery could be solved, the call for aid came from Armageddon: the Ork Warlord Ghazghkull Thraka had started the Third War for Armageddon.[1c]
Rammius' Final Stand
High Marshal Helbrecht rallied three Crusades to the Chapter Keep of Fergax, where they swore Oaths of Vengeance before setting off for Armageddon. Helbrecht would assume command of the Space Marine fleet at Armageddon, and Rammius would lead many of the boarding actions clad in Terminator Armour. In the third month of the war, the Kill Kroozer Dethburna, infamous for crippling the Ultramarines' Battle Barge Severian, was discovered in low orbit over Chosin.[1d] Rammius led a force of Strike Cruisers to trap the ship and subsequent boarding action, planting demolition charges throughout the infernal vessel. However, the boarding party became cut-off from their Thunderhawk transports and, surrounded by thousands of Orks, Rammius led his Sword Brethren Terminators in a breakout attempt, smashing a hole through the Orkish trap and clearing a way to the waiting gunships, staying back until the last one had escaped.[1d]
At that moment a monstrous Mek appeared, wielding a Power Klaw and clad in Mega Armour so heavy it would take four men just to lift. With a quickness that belied its size the Mek engaged Rammius, as power klaw and Lightning Claws clashed in brilliant orange sparks.[1e] Rammius was able to force his blades deep into the Ork's chest and twisted them, though this only served to enrage the beast and leave Rammius vulnerable. In its powerfully muscled, machine-assisted arms, the Ork wrapped Rammius in a bear hug and lifted him off the ground, squeezing him with such force that even his Terminator armour came close to failing. With his face only inches away, Rammius slammed his helmet into the creature's face, breaking his nose. A second headbutt smashed more of its facial bones to splinters, and the Ork's grip loosened, letting Rammius collapse to the ground. Enraged, the Ork proceeded to rain blow upon blow on the wounded Ramius, severing an arm with his power klaw and inflicting mortal wounds. With one last cry of "No Pity! No Remorse! No Fear!", Rammius thrust his remaining lighting claw straight through the Ork's head, destroying its brain and finally killing the beast.[1e]
Rammius' outraged companions, seeing their champion fall, fought their way back to recover their fallen comrade and escaped with his body back to the Strike Cruisers. Upon arrival, the Apothecaries were shocked to discover him still alive, and fought a hopeless fight to save his body. With his last breath, Rammius begged for the opportunity to continue the fight in the Emperor's name, and such was his standing within the ranks of the Black Templars that his request was granted. A final procession of Initiates, an Honour Guard personally trained by Rammius himself, bore his remains to the Sepulcher of Heroes, where he was interred within the body of a mighty Dreadnought.[1d]
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