Brusc

Space Marines Portal Black Templars

Brusc is a Black Templars Sword Brother, who is currently taking part in the Third War for Armageddon.^[1]

History

He has served his Chapter for 600 years and is the oldest Black Templar alive, not interred within a Dreadnought^[1]. Because of his age, many within the Chapter respectfully refer to Brusc as the Old Man^[2]. He was born Karsanhuk on Fergax, he and his friend Mekal worked together to complete the Black Templars Aspirant trials in the world's deadly Forbidden Lands^[3]. Now reborn as Brusc, he became the last Neophyte to be mentored by Initiate Adelard^[4] and first served in the Chapter's Kalidar Crusade against the Orks. In the following years, he aided the Black Templars in defending Imperial worlds that had been bled dry to support the Macharian Crusade^[1]. Brusc later took part in a Crusade sent to exterminate a primitive Xenos species, so their world could be colonized by the Imperium. During that campaign, Brusc served in Initiate Amund's squadron as it was sent to conduct a disruption strike on one of the Xenos' encampment. Serving alongside him was Brusc's friend, Mekal, who now went by Parsival. Though by now, their rivalry began to overshadow their friendship, and continued to do so, as more of their fellow Neophytes died in battle. Before their attack commenced on the encampment, and despite their prior orders, the two Neophytes were able to convince Initiate Amund that they could successfully kill all of the Xenos in a full on attack. Despite being only 5 members strong, the squadron succeeded in killing most of the Xenos, with only a few being able to escape their wrath. During the attack though, Amund had to rebuke Brusc for levity and for nearly touching an amulet worn by one of the dead Xenos. While Amund had thought Brusc was going to take it as a trophy, the Neophyte had simply felt the amulet was to finely crafted to have been made by the primitive Xenos.^[3]

After Brusc became an Initiate, he served in the Dominar Crusade alongside his former mentor Castellan Adelard. During that campaign, Brusc was among a group of Templars that Adelard led to claim the derelict Cathedral Ship Veritas Diras. Though he wished to aid Adelard and the Sword Brethren in exploring the ship, the Castellan ordered him to remain with the other Initiates and defend Forgemaster Dolus. The Forgemaster was charged with restoring power to the Veritas Diras and Brusc and the others defended Dolus as he successfully did so^[5]. Brusc later fought in the Xereus Crusade and took part in purging a settlement on Bornvel. Its population's worship of the Imperial Cult had been corrupted by Heresy, but during the purge Brusc hesitated to kill a family he came across. Composed of a mother and her children, she begged for mercy and apologized for not worshiping the Emperor in the correct way. Brusc ultimately decided to allow them to escape, as the Black Templars razed the settlement behind him. During the Madrigal Crusade, as an Initiate, Brusc attempted to join the ranks of the Chapter's Sword Brethren. 23 of the Crusade's Bretheren would determine if he would so, as well as Brusc's mentor, Castellan Adelard and Chaplain Hrollo, who oversaw the secretive ritual. After all of the Brethren present determined he was qualified to join, Brusc then had to to undergo a duel with one of their number to first blood. He was surprised, however, that it was Parsival who would be his opponent. It had been twenty years since the two had seen each other, during which time the highly driven Parsival had joined the Sword Brethren. Their closeness was the exact reason Parsival had been chosen to duel Brusc, who saw that his friend was now gripped by a cold arrogance. Despite Parsival's skill and disdain, however, Brusc defeated him using one of the sacred Swords of Challenge, used during the ritual.^[3]

While he had proven himself twice over now, Brusc faced a final test to determine if he would join the Sword Brethren. Chaplain Hrollo then led Brusc to a cell, which contained the revered Dreadnought Cantus Maxim Gloria, who would ultimately decide his fate. Cantus determined, though, after reviewing Brusc's battles that the Initiate held too much mercy in his heart still. The Dreadnought then told Brusc that he was supposed to be a blade of the Emperor, to be used against the Imperium's foes. There should be no conscience that prevents him from caring out Black Templars' duties and if he remembered that, then Brusc would likely succeed next time. With that, the ritual was ended and a shocked and distraught Brusc left Cantus' cell to tell the Bretheren of the Dreadnought's judgement^[2]. However it was on Brusc's third attempt, after 500 years of service to the Black Templars, that he finally succeeded in joining the Sword Brethren. He served for the next 100 years as one of the Sword Brothers and is now fighting in the Third War for Armageddon, as part of the Ash Wastes Crusade^[1]. It was near the end of Armageddon's Season of Fire, that Marshal Ricard sent Brusc's Crusader Squad out aboard the Rhino Cataphraxes to act as scouts for the Crusade. However Brusc's squadron was attacked by the Orks several times and half of their number were killed by the Xenos. After the last attack only he and four other members remained, which included the Initiates Osric and Sunno, along with the Neophytes Marcomar and Doneal. Marcomar drew Brusc' concern the most, as the Neophyte was left morose after his Initiate, and mentor, was killed in one of the Orks' attack. Such was his mood, that Brusc was worried Marcomar would fail the Black Templars' initiation. Worse news soon reached Brusc, though, as he received word from the Ash Crusade's command that Hive Acheron had fallen to the Orks. The area around the Hive would soon be in the Orks' hands and all Imperial forces were ordered to withdraw to Hive Helsreach. Marshal Ricard gave the order that the Black Templars should retreat as well and to also deliver the same message to any Imperial encampments they came across.^[2]

With that, the remains of Brusc's squadron began the track to safety, as a storm raged around them. During their journey, however, they encountered an Imperial signal, which they believed was the location of a field hospital. Osric convinced Brusc to check if it was still held by the Imperials and the two entered the hospital. They soon encountered Lieutenant Sanjeed Ghaskar of the Jopal Indentured Guard, who was charged with the field hospital's defense and the Battle Sister Hospitaller Rosa, who ran the Hospice of the Blessed Lady Santanna. Brusc delivered the order to retreat, but Rosa stated that many of those under the Hospitallers' care, were too wounded to be moved immediately. It would take time to prepare them, however, the Hospitallers would be ready to depart when the storm ended in several days. Brusc warned Rosa that the Orks would attack the field hospital when the storm cleared and his squadron would be long gone by then. Osric privately voxed Brusc, to chide the Sword Brother to his disrespectful attitude to the Sisters and Guardsmen. The Initiate then apologized to Rosa and as Osric was both Brusc's good friend and the last Neophyte he had trained, the Sword Brother took the Initiate's criticism seriously. It was Rosa, though, who changed Brusc's mind after she ridiculed him for wanting to leave fellow servants of the God-Emperor behind for the Orks; something she did not expect to hear from the devout Black Templars. Brusc agreed with her and he told Rosa and Lieutenant Ghaskar that his squadron would help defend the base. As the two then left to inform his squadron, Brusc claimed that Osric's diplomatic nature made the Initiate more suited to be a Sword Brother. Osric took this to hear and asked if Brusc would recommend him to the Sword Brethren for consideration. Brusc said he would consider it, but they needed to survive the coming battles first. When the storm finally ended, the field hospital's personnel began to board the convoy that would take them to the safety of Hive Helreach. Just as Brusc had predicted, however, a large number of Orks attacked soon afterwards.^[2]

In the battle that followed, the Warboss that led the Orks made their way to the convoy and Brusc and Osric went to defend the vehicles. In his need to prove himself worthy to be a Sword Brother, though, Osric challenged the Warboss and was severely wounded. Before Osric could be killed, Brusc came to his aid, but the Sword Brother was overwhelmed by the Warboss as well. Just as he was about to meet his end, the Neophyte Marcomar killed the Warboss with a shot from his Sniper Rifle. As he pulled away from the Warboss' corpse, Brusc could sense that the battle had lifted Marcomar's spirit and knew the Neophyte would prosper now. After the battle was ended, with the Orks dead or retreated, Brusc was finally able to check on Osric who had not moved from where the Warboss had left him. Both knew his injuries were severe and Brusc told Osric he was foolish to challenge the Warboss on his own. The Initiate agreed, but stated if he had killed the Warboss, then Osric would have ensured that Brusc would have recommended him to the Sword Brethren. Brusc lamented Osric's actions and told the Initiate he had fought well, as the Hospitallers attempted to save his life^[2]. Despite their efforts, Osric died from his wounds and convoy left the field hospital soon afterwards. As the convoy raced to reach the safety of Hive Helsreach, Brusc mourned the death of Osric. The Sword Brother could not help, but wonder why the Emperor had allowed him to live, while the Orks on Armageddon had claimed the lives of so many of his Battle Brothers.^[1]

Sources

• 1: Season of Shadows (Short Story)
• 2: Only Blood (Short Story)
• 3: Circle of Honour (Short Story)
• 4: The Glorious Tomb (Audio Drama)
• 5: The Black Pilgrims (Short Story)