Skull and Motto
The Skull and Motto is a Space Marine Honour Badge which can appear as either an inscribed skull on its own or as a skull above or below a scroll or book bearing its own inscription. This Honour can also be worn or displayed almost anywhere from knee pads or shoulder plates to boltguns or banners. Personal banners especially are known to bear the Skull and Motto, as out of all the Honours a Space Marine might earn, it is among the most personal and the most reflective of his own unique deeds and glory.[1]
This Honour is used to reward special achievements and deeds when other Honour would either be inappropriate or insufficient to represent the nature of the Battle-Brother's actions and it can be worn in addition to any other Honours they might have earned. The Skull and Motto is a very difficult Honour to earn and only if a Brother's Chapter and Chapter Master both recognise the deed as something worthy of their remembrance.[1]
The exact benefits of gaining this Honour depend entirely on just what great deed, achievement, or glory it represents. This can vary widely from the respect and recognition of a certain organisation, Imperial Adepta or powerful personage, to a special role within the Chapter, a right to carry a sacred name or the favour of the Chapter Master himself. Bearers of the Skull and Motto are also recognised for their individuality, a trait which has mixed blessings within the Chapters but which is especially prized within the Deathwatch. Those that see this symbol on a Battle-Brother's armour or effects know that its bearer is a man of initiative and action.[1]
Sources
- 1: Deathwatch: Rites of Battle, pgs. 206-211
