Kalael
Kalael was a former Captain and later Commander of the Blood Angels. He unexpectedly succumbed to the Black Rage soon after his ascension to Commander in M35, which threw the Chapter into a crisis[1]. A conclave was convened by the Sons of Sanguinius (Chapters descended from the Primarch Sanguinius), where it was decided that the Chapter Masters of the Angels Sanguine and the Angels Vermillion would jointly take up the mantle of seniority; in order for the Chapters to show a united front, against the various threats imperiling the Imperium at that time.[2]
Since then, it has become traditional, in the event of the Chapter Master's death or incapacitation, for the Sanguinary High Priest and High Chaplain to assume joint temporary command, rather than for command to pass automatically to the Captain of the First Company. This allows the High Priest and the High Chaplain to observe and evaluate any new candidate for the Mastery of the Chapter and prevent a similar crisis from ever recurring.[1]
For the same reason, the Blood Angels' Chaplaincy and Apothecarium are considered equal in rank with the Chapter Command, rather than subordinate to it, as is traditional in other Codex Chapters.[1]
Related Articles
Sources
- 1: Codex: Blood Angels (5th Edition), pg. 8
- 2: White Dwarf 45 (2014), pg. 29
