Sigismund var addthis_config = {"data_track_addressbar":true};

Space Marines Portal Imperial Fists

Space Marines Portal Black Templars

Sigismund was the first Emperor's Champion (as First Captain of the Imperial Fists) and the first First High Marshal of the Black Templars.¹

Description and Personality

Sigismund had dark blond hair and a patrician face. His build was thick and sturdy.²

Sigismund was known for being volatile and hot headed, a reputation known widely enough that even Malcador the Sigilite remarked on it in conversation with Rogal Dorn.³ He was also known for his superior swordsmanship, being regarded as one of the best swordsmen in the Astartes Legions.⁴

The Great Crusade

Sigismund served during the Great Crusade as First Captain of the Imperial Fists and as Adjutant to Rogal Dorn.⁵

During the Great Crusade, Sigismund demonstrated a cold, realist view of the future of the Imperium. While conversing with Garviel Loken and other members of the Luna Wolves' Mournival, he stated his belief that the Great Crusade would never end: "we will spend our lives fighting to secure this Imperium, and then I fear we will spend the rest of our days fighting to keep it intact...In the far future, there will be only war." He also delivered a striking statement on the nature of the Imperium, perhaps even the nature of man: "Space is limitless, and so is our appetite to master it." ^6a

The Horus Heresy

It was Sigismund who led the squad of marines that accompanied Rogal Dorn in a boarding action on the Eisenstein, under the command of Captain Nathaniel Garro, bringing word of the rebellion by Horus.⁷ Once Dorn had absorbed the news, he sent Sigismund as his "strong, right arm" on a mission to the Isstvan System to assist any surviving loyalists and evaluate the situation.⁸

Sigismund led four companies of Imperial Fists on a mission to secure the forges at Occulus Mondum and Occulus Gamma on Mars.⁹ Enemy resistance proved too intense however, and Sigismund decided instead to evacuate as much material and personnel as possible then withdraw from the planet.¹⁰

During Horus's attack on the Imperial Palace, Rogal Dorn chose Sigismund as the Emperor's Champion, and gave him the best armour and weapons. He went forward to challenge the traitorous leaders to single combat, and triumphed over all he met in battle.^{[Needs Citation]} When Rogal Dorn accompanied the Emperor of Mankind and Sanguinius in boarding Horus's flagship, he left most of his Imperial Fists behind to look to the defense of the Imperial Palace. Considering him his finest soldier, Dorn placed Sigismund as the leader of the ground forces until Dorn returned.^11a

The Second Founding

He was a mighty warrior and after the Horus Heresy and the breakdown of the Imperial Fists into Codex chapters, Sigismund led the more zealous of the Imperial Fists as the Black Templars chapter and was elevated to the rank of High Marshal of the Black Templars. His personal heraldry, consisting of black and white, became the official colors of his new Chapter. Immediately following the Horus Heresy, the Imperial Fists and their primarch came under suspicion as heretics for their refusal to back the Codex Astartes and break down into smaller Chapters. In addition, the Chapters and former Legions were laden with strife. Recognizing that only an act of supreme faith could quell such suspicion and restore the integrity of the Space Marines, Sigismund declared an eternal crusade, vowing never to cease his prosecution of the Emperor's enemies. All subsequent High Marshals of the Black Templars have renewed this oath, and so the Black Templars have waged their crusade, unbroken, for more then 10,000 years.^11b

Quotes

• "In the far future, there will be only war." - to Garviel Loken, debating the anticipated end of the Great Crusade. ^6b

Sources

• ¹: Codex: Black Templars (4th Edition), p.6
• ²:The Flight of the Eisenstein (Novel), James Swallow, p. 327
• ³:Mechanicum (Novel), Graham McNeill, p. 330
• ⁴:Age of Darkness (Anthology), p. 395
• ⁵:The Flight of the Eisenstein (Novel), James Swallow, p. 327
• ⁶:Horus Rising (Novel), Dan Abnett
  • ^6a: Part One, Chapter 6, pp. 130-133
  • ^6b: Part One, Chapter 6, p. 132
• ⁷:The Flight of the Eisenstein (Novel), James Swallow, p. 320,327
• ⁸:The Flight of the Eisenstein (Novel), James Swallow, p. 348
• ⁹:Mechanicum (Novel), Graham McNeill, p. 330
• ¹⁰:Mechanicum (Novel), Graham McNeill, p. 370
• ¹¹: Codex: Black Templars (4th Edition)
  • ^a: p.4
  • ^b: p.6