Celestial Lions
The Celestial Lions are a Space Marine Chapter created in the 38th millennium. They have a long and glorious history, but one event stands out amongst all other, one that could have damned the chapter for all time to come.
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Background
During a period known as the Khattarn Insurrection, five companies of the Celestial Lions were attached to Inquisitor Apollyon in order to crush a ongoing revolt on the main planet, Khattar. The orbital defences were nothing to the Space Marines and they quickly landed on the planet, virtual with no opposition. As the campaign progressed and the number of prisoners increased, it became evident that this was no mere minor rebellion. Apparently the priesthood of Khattar had been corrupted and had led the leaders of the planet into the arms of Slaanesh. Local renegade Imperial Guard and Planetary Defence Force regiments were quickly defeated and within three months the rebellion was crushed. The detachment of the Celestian Lion boarded into their ships and left for their Fortress Monastary.
As the ships left orbit, the Imperial Navy, under orders of Inquisitor Apollyon, bombarded the planet, and obliterated the entire population of the planet. This action horrified the Celestial Lions who proceeded to condemn the Inquisitor. Captain Saul attempted to halt the bombardment, but could not counter-order an Inquisitor. From then on, the Celestial Lions were highly vocal against the Inquisition, as it was not necessary to destroy the planet. They sent a series of very loud and public condemnations against the Inquisition in general. A delegation of Chapters senior officers left for Terra to further their cause, but the ship never arrived. It was blown wildly off course by a freak warp storm, far into Ork territory. The wreckage was eventually found two years later, although this was not enough to deter the Celestial Lions, which kept demanding an investigation into the events surrounding the destruction of Khattar.
Their efforts, though valiant, were completely in vain. The Inquisition technically answers to no one but the Emperor himself and itself. Furthermore the Inquisition reacts poorly to outside pressure and does not like any kind of criticism...
With the outbreak of the Third War for Armageddon, the entire chapter of the Celestial Lions dispatched was deployed to defend Hive Volcanus. They suffered horrendous casualties within months of arriving. The intelligence they received was horribly inaccurate and often led them into ambushes where they were outnumbered and outgunned. Some of the higher ranking officials began to suspect this was intentional, a ploy to wipe out the entire chapter, but nothing could be proven.
One particularly devastating battle was when four entire companies were wiped out in the Mannheim Gap by the combined forces of Warlord Thogfang's Gargant mob and the Razor Speed Freeks. Losses mounted and ended with a very well coordinated attack on the Celestial Lions base camp.
This particular battle lasted for three hours. Hundreds of Marines fell to the overwhelming Ork forces. Sniper fire reigned down from the mountain sides, relentlessly targeting the Apothecaries. Finally, a small company was able to break through the Ork lines and fight their way back to the Hive. Only ninety-six Marines survived and, to make matters worse, the last Apothecary took a bullet to the head within hours of arriving at the Hive. Their gene-seed lies unharvested on the surface of Armageddon and the remaining brothers have sworn to die alongside their fallen brothers, fighting to the last. The Bell of Lost Souls will be tolled for them when they are finally all wiped out.
Sources
- 1Armageddon Website - Details of the Third War for Armageddon Worldwide Campaign
- 2"Index Astartes: Emperor's Shield" (WD249, WD248us)
