Mortifactors
The Mortifactors, alternatively spelt as Mortificators [5], are a Space Marine Chapter recruited from the Feral World Posul, which is shrouded in almost perpetual darkness. The population of the planet is broken down into tribes, and the mightiest tribe is ideal for recruitment into the Mortifactors. They are a successor Chapter of the Ultramarines.
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History
The Mortifactors closely follows the dictates of the Codex Astartes, but their outward appearance differs sharply from the Codex's dictates. These differences are products of the culture of Posul.[6]
The Basilica Mortis is the Mortifactors Fortress-Monastery, a star fort orbiting Posul. The halls are filled with rows of engraved skulls taken from the bodies of fallen Space Marines and the main chapel is filled with the skulls of foes claimed in the aftermath of victory.[6]
The Chapter' funerary rites are led by its Chaplains, recruited from the priest class of Posul and many characteristics of the Chapter cult is drawn from their culture.[6]
The tribal wars of Posul created a population suited to become Space Marines and since Posul is a night world, Mortifactors are accustomed to fighting in low-light conditions. Even trough Neophytes are inducted and indoctrinated into ways and traditions of the Adeptus Astartes and the Ultramarines' Primarch, they still maintain a significant amount of culture of the feral tribes they were drawn from. Some of these traditions include meditating before battle, to reach a death-like trance in an attempt to commune with the Primarch and their ancestors, and after the battle drinking the blood and flesh of their enemies and then severing their head and flensing their skull. To others of the Imperium the Mortifactors appear to be on the verge of heresy and are often held with suspicion by the Ultramarines or its Primogenitor Chapters, but they stand as some of the Imperium's most stalwart defenders.[6]
Recruitment is done by the Chaplains who preach to their Marines that death will unite them with the Emperor, and regularly enter a state of near-death prior to battles in order to find out how the Emperor would like them to fight this coming battle. If they do die, they are taken to the Halls of Victors and sit at the feast table of the Ultimate Warrior (a divine being inhabiting the perfect body for fighting prowess), in the afterlife.[Needs Citation]
On the day of the Feast of the Emperor's Ascension (998.M41), the entire chapter entered a massed meditation. When they awoke, they prophesised that the Third War for Armageddon against the Beast would be the 'Last Battle' and all men who would be warriors were called up and recruited. They entrusted their fortress monastery to their underlings and the entire Chapter (all 10 Companies) set off for Armageddon.
Upon return from Armageddon, the Mortifactors set about re-establishing those Marines and Companies that were lost defending the world. The next full action performed by the Morifactors was assisting the Ultramarines in defending the world of Tarsis Ultra against a splinter of Hive Fleet Leviathan[Needs Citation].
Notable campaigns
- Achilus Crusade[6] - The chapter has served in the Jericho Reach on three separate deployments on Ravacene ash-choked forest in the Greyhell Front. They have taken several habits from Ravacene, including smearing their faces with the world's volcanic ashes because smearing their bodies with ashes helped them with stealth while deployed on Ravacene; watching the Kroot tendency to eat the flesh of the fallen they were enraged and took it as an insult to their rites and as such they became adept in fighting Kroot and some joined the Deathwatch. A squad was lost and eaten by the Kroot of this world, for which the Mortifactors in the Deathwatch plan on taking revenge.
Related Articles
Sources
- 1: Armageddon Website - Details of the Third War for Armageddon Worldwide Campaign
- 2: Warriors of Ultramar (Novel) by Graham McNeill
- 3: Information about the Mortifactors succession.
- 4: Codex: Armageddon, [Needs Citation]
- 5: Codex: Tyranids (5th Edition), p. 28
- 6: Deathwatch: Rites of Battle, pp. 57-58
