Emerald Fists Space Marines

The Emerald Fists

Note: clicking photo captions will link to more images of the unit

The origins of the Emerald Fists are unknown; however records of their deeds can be traced back as far as M35 near the Eye of Terror. The Fists have functioned as a fleet based chapter as far back as records are available. They specialise in siege warfare and prefer frontal assaults to more subtle methods of war holding strength, fortitude and resolve as the three pillars of their training.

Sometime near 950.M41 stories of strange sightings began to trickle in to the Inquisition involving the Emerald Fists. The first of which involved picter-feed images relayed via distress beacon showing Emerald Fist forces seemingly fighting alongside invading forces against the Imperium. The fleet-born chapter has been persecuting a crusade for the last 100 years and have not responded to Imperial Summons to defend the images.

The Inquisition has not yet branded the chapter traitor as the wheels of Terra are ever slow to move especially with conflicting stories. Many in the Inquisition have their own thoughts on the matter. The following communique was transmitted shortly after the Fernixa incident:

***decrypt***

Inquisitor Hornel, I have been attempting to investigate the Emerald Fist chapter for the last decade. My findings are inconclusive however I believe that the Fist's gene-seed was corrupted sometime in the 8th century M41 with a carrier strain of the Destroyer Plague. I believe this strain remained idle and corrupted the chapter from within and was masked from all who saught to expunge the taint of chaos from the Astartes. Slowly as the chapter replenished battlefield loses more and more marines were inducted and transformed with infected progenoid gland. Whether this initial infection occurred during fleet based action near the eye, or from indiscriminate recruitment following the battle of Invus where the chapter suffered near catastrophic loses I can't be certain. It appears that the chapter is completely infected and the virus has begun to mutate to its original form. With the souls of its victims now corrupt it has moved on to the flesh. I have seen horrible things, the Emerald Fists fight alongside warp spawn and wade through pestilent environs with impunity.

***end transmission***

The following was recorded on the Truvort IV planetary governor's palace wall in 917.M41:

During the darkest days of the coldest Winter when our world was besieged by xenos spawned from the deepest depths of the void the Emerald Fists descended. Like a god-wielded hammer they smashed the xenos threat into oblivion. They asked for nothing and left without a trace. We are forever indebted.

The Schism of the Fists

The motivations which sowed the seeds of the Schism of the Fists were known only to Chief Apothecary Sextus Roscius, whom has long since transcended his mortal existence. The following details the compiled records pieced together following the Schism.

Some time in early 800M41 Roscius began tampering with the Emerald Fist geneseed; making minor alterations which lay dormant and unknown to any within the chapter. Gradually, as the crusading fleet suffered battle losses, the corrupted geneseed was implanted into new recruits and their training was enacted as it had been for 5 millennia. For nearly 100 years the chapter continued its campaign around the eye of terror persecuting whatever mission chapter command had ordered and slowly the composition of the chapter swelled with battle brothers host to a dormant corruption.

In 898M41, acting on intel suggesting a potentially massive incursion from the eye of terror, fully one half of the Emerald Fists were dispatched to meet this building threat. The 5^th, 6^th, 7^th and portions of the 1^st, 2^nd, 9^th and 10^th along with Roscius travelled at speed through the warp to reach their target. During the journey the fleet became stalled within a savage warp storm and a plague of immeasurable horror was spread throughout the fleet. Escorts, strike cruisers and the battle barge Intangible Force were enveloped one by one. At this moment the truth of the introduced gene flaw became apparent; the Emerald Fists knew fear. As the plague ravaged the crew and space marine alike, the marines with the corrupt geneseed felt anathema to the thought of rotting a slow and painful death. Apothecary Roscius spread word that his battle brothers could protect themselves from the plague by cutting a three ringed mark on their chest. The veteran marines knew this for what it was and steeled themselves against this threat for no true son of Dorn would cower before hand of death. The marines carrying the corrupted gene seed however saw the result of the plague before them and their iron resolve crumbled. In scores they followed Roscius’ instructions as did most of the Imperial crews. The veteran marines moved to take Roscius but the plague had ravaged their strength and those marines now loyal to Roscius rushed to his aid. The plague slowly and mercilessly destroyed the bodies and minds of the veterans as the traitors held them at bay.

Witnessing these events from the bridge of the Dawn Imperitus and piecing together reports from the veterans aboard other ships in the fleet, veteran sergeant Titus Latinius of 1^st company, 4^th assault squad gave the order to disengage. Guided by the Emperor’s light the chief navigator aboard the strike cruiser managed to escape the warp storm and bring word of the treachery to chapter command.

Over the next 5 years as the chapter’s chaplains and apothecaries unearthed the depth of the corruption and nearly half of the remaining loyal marines were purged for the good of the chapter. Chapter master Gneaus Claudius swore vengeance and set the chapter about its last crusade, to bring the traitor fists to heel. This event would be forever recorded as the Schism of the Fists within chapter records however no word of this would be spoken to the Imperium.

The crusade fleet, now cleansed of the pure geneseed bearing marines was under Roscius’ control. He now controlled nearly one half of the chapter’s strength; materiel and men.



Mamom, Daemon Prince of Nurgle  - click for more images

As reward for his patient deceit and the corruption of a chapter he was elevated to daemonhood. Roscius, Daemon Prince of Nurgle now directs the tainted marines through the warp, targeting systems seemingly at random to further the goals of his master. Though he cannot lead his fleet through realspace his captains are more than capable of enacting his will and summoning him should the barrier between the realms be weakened.

The motivations which sowed the seeds of the Schism of the Fists were known only to Chief Apothecary Sextus Roscius, whom has long since transcended his mortal existence. The following details the compiled records pieced together following the Schism.

Chapter master Gneaus Claudius

Gneaus Cladius has been chapter master of the Emerald Fists for over 300 years and predates the Schism of the Fists. Upon hearing of these treacherous events Cladius swore vengeance and set about the largest crusade in chapter history. Seeing the Schism as a personal failing as the chapter was slowly corrupted under his command, Cladius vowed to see the death of the apostate elements of his chapter. Under his orders the chapter now engages in battles solely to see Roscius' band ground to dust and have chased the traitors for over a century. While seeing the renegades perish is of utmost importance he has cautiously rebuilt the chapter from near oblivion. While still depleated, he has strengthened the chapter from a low of just over two companies to nearly 500 astartes during the ongoing crusade.

Squad Tiberius

Vox traffic filled his helmet as he led Squad Tiberius to the teleport pad. The traitor marines had fortified the Oburo valley with trenches, barricades and anti aircraft batteries. This was a battle made for the Emerald Fists Tiberius thought.
"May the Emperor guide us" he intoned through his helmet. With an actinic flare the squad materialised at the foot of the emplaced guns. As the smell of ozone melded with spent prometheum the terminators were already firing. With steady assured footsteps Tiberius and his battle brothers marched toward an enemy terminator squad. Storm bolters barked on both sides and as the storm of shells reached a crescendo, two unyielding forces collided in a brutal melee. The traitors, armed with fierce force swords landed blow after blow; yet the Emperor would protect. With unerring certainty the Emerald Fists crushed their mirrors beneath their glowing emerald power fists. Tiberius had singled out the enemy leader, his tainted battle honours charred and billowing in the wind.

"I will purge this world of your taint" Tiberius issued the challenge in a measured tone seemingly unsuited for the maelstrom of battle. His foe turned, fresh blood undoubtedly sacrificial in nature, dripped from his gorget. As the enemy champion rushed toward him, Tiberius spun on his heal unleashing a whirlwind chop of his power axe. Completing his turn, the sergeant and his squad prepared to storm the battlements, paying little attention to those they had silenced.
The antiair batteries lowered and began to track the terminators. In their tactical dreadnought armour they did not have speed but for what they lacked they made up in near-invulnerability. With their own storm bolters lending covering fire the squad made for the reinforced ferrocrete barricades and shouldered through them. Brother Amos was held up in the rubble and was immediately targeted. Round after round of bolter fire hammered his chest until it cracked and he slumped forward.

Master Librarian

"Honour the fallen" Tiberius commanded and in as many seconds the remainder of his squad had slaughtered the dozen traitor marines manning the guns.

**Sergeant, the traitor warlord has overrun our staging area** A human voice cracked over the vox. The tone conveyed the practised orders of an Imperial Guard commander yet Tiberius could detect the subtle tremble of fear in his words.

"Korvex, turn the gun on Regiment command." With a groan the quad gun rotated toward the impromptu command post which had been set up to besiege the enemy strong point now held by Tiberius.

"Tracking one target; firing". Without hesitation Korvex unleashed a salvo of autocannon shells. Seconds later a pink mist could be seen in the distance through Tiberius' autosenses.
"Commander, have your units secure the stronghold". Tiberius spoke no further words to the Imperial Guard in the Oburo valley and returned to where Brother Amos had fallen.
"You honour us Brother" he whispered as he clasped a small golden eagle.
A flash of light erupted enveloping the slain marine and his battle brothers. As quickly as the blinding light had appeared, it was gone along with Squad Tiberius.


3rd Company

Captain Marcus Galba, 3rd Company

Captain Marcus Galba of the 3rd Company holds the honoured rank of Master of the Siege within the Emerald Fists. This position is akin to the Master of the Arsenal common to codex chapters and holds much prestige as would any such position among a successor of the Imperial Fists. The strong tradition of siege warfare among the Fists led to the 3rd company being among the first in the chapter to reach full strength after the Schism, second only to the 1st company. Although the Fists do not bear the standard Codex Astartes colours on their armour, Galba wears it proudly here on the inside of his cloak, a mark of his station. The 3rd company has been instrumental in hunting the tainted and assailing their fortified positions in no small part to Galba's command. Calm and collected, Galba exemplifies this hallmark trait of the Emerald Fists. Shown here, triumphant after laying siege to Bronux Prime, Captain Galba carries many relics of the chapter including an Emerald Fist and advanced signum unit from before the days of the Horus Heresy, handed down as heirlooms from their parent chapter.

3rd Squad

Squad Prontus

Not all of the Emerald Fists have sworn themselves to the crusade ordered after the Schism. Brother Sergeant Crius Prontus is one of a small few who believe that the chapter should focus on rebuilding strength rather embracing vengeance against their traitor brethren. Made weak by the Schism and subsequent conflict aimed at erasing their shame, the Emerald Fists have been slow to rebuild. Prontus' views on the matter have kept an otherwise exemplary tactician from leaving the line; his long view falling ever out of favour among chapter command in favour of immediate retribution.

7th Squad

During the Schism of the Fists, a grievous blow was dealt to the Emerald Fists with nearly 3/4 of their chapter turned traitor, purged or killed. Much of the chapter was reorganised into functional companies. Since this restructuring the Fists have not worn company colours on their shoulder guards although each marine remains a part of a standard company. As many of the younger battle brothers were purged, when it came time to promote a new sergeant due to battle field loses, the pool from which to draw was limited and had the Schism not occurred sergeant Larcius may not have been granted a promotion. He does not excel in combat or marksmanship however his ability to capture objectives without friendly loses earmarked him for leadership. In these dark times when the Emerald Fists are rebuilding their strength, every battle brother's life is sacred.

10th Squad

Devestator Squad Mullor of the Emerald Fists was paramount in the defence of Truvort IV in 917.M41. Shown here Sgt. Mullor issues target priority commands to his squad as the enemy hordes encroach. A veteran of nearly two centuries of battle, Mullor is a calm and calculating soldier who prefers the cleansing heat of plasma at his side. Determination and strength of will have kept him alive this long; carrying a man-portable plasma reactor to battle with sufficient calm to accurately level it against an enemy time and time again would require no less.

Armoury

Rhinos 1 and 2

Glipse of Rot

Squad Villius

Brother Atius looked down at his dying brother and uttered a quiet curse. "Such a coward for fearing death and giving in to the traitor apothecary's temptation" he whispered as his bolter barked. Atius turned and stepped toward the exit lift heading to the next level of the ship.

Before he could take a second step he heard a rasping, wheezing sound and spun on his heel into a ready position facing the noise. His former brother began to rise, limping toward him. The marine took 2 bolter shells to the torso as the magazine ran dry; it closed the distance but showed no outward sign of the impact save for the smell of burnt flesh. As Atius brought his mono-filament combat blade up into a defensive position the blade began to disintegrate in his hand. He looked on in disgust and charged. The abomination welcomed the charge with open arms and closed its embrace.

Squad Cronus

"It is true, Brother," he wheezed "I have known the fear of oblivion and I have been shown a path without pain, without death . Now, accept this blessing..."

Atius struggled to rip free of the embrace but his strikes were weak. He felt himself thrown to the side. Splinters of ceramite pierced his flesh as he struck the bulkhead with his spine and slumped to the ground. Atius managed to right himself but a knee impacted his side sending him to his back once more. As the ceramite-encased plague straddled him he knew he would soon be with the Emperor.


"Perhaps not all are meant to walk the true path" the plague marine spit as he tore Atius' helm from its mountings.

Atius' eyes widened and he managed a last breath through ever withering flesh. "Tratior".

The plague marine stood leaving the dessicated husk of Brother Atius to its final resting place and stepped into the elevator.

Squad Proteus

Lords of Rot

Lord Kurnex -

  The traitor elements of the Emerald Fists are led by Lords of Rot. Those battle brothers who were implanted with defective geneseed long before the Schism and possessed of exceptional natural ability soon became sergeants of their own squads. These traitors are rare, yet so is their prowess in battle. These exceptional individuals who would have been destined for great things among their loyal chapter have risen to prominence among the traitors. Blessed with the gifts of the Lord of Pestulence and innate ability they reap unimaginable carnage across the worlds of the Imperium serving as the daemon prince Roscius' lieutenants. Originally, a sergeant of a 7th company assault squad, Kurnex is a proficient brawler. He has risen in prominence among Roscius’ war host on the corpses of those he has slaughtered; kings, governors and champions all falling to his envenomed blades.

Lord Rothos

Once the putrid essence of nurgle had infected the Emerald Fists the traitors sought out demonic pacts among the denizens of the warp. All manner of beast would be summoned to the world set to rot beneath the treads of the Fists. Innumerable pestilent creatures have been recorded in the service of nurgle; foremost among the Fist's charges being toad-like beasts towering over even the astartes and more than twice the width. With a speed unfitting of such beasts these daemons bound across the battlefield clawing and spitting bile on all caught in their path. Lord Rothos has even been described as taking one of the abominations into battle as a mount; though corroboration of these anecdotes is thin as is all hyperbole among the raving lunatic survivors of an Emerald Fist attack.

Morteus, Emerald Fist Sorcerer of Nurgle

The Schism of the Fists was not limited to line astartes. Neither Lexicani nor codicier, fused with the tainted geneseed, were immune to those blighted events. Although they may have held out longer than their comrades, secluding themselves to rigorous meditation to ward off the pressing tide of corruption, the young librarians inevitably ceded to Roscius as their battle brothers died around them. Once removed from the shackles of the Librarius’ edicts designed to protect those wielding the powers of the warp, the traitors were free to delve into the rotting wonder of the Lord of Decay. Most of these new sorcerers had not yet steeled their minds to such power and perished or worse, devolved into gibbering masses of flesh spawn. Few, such as Morteus, harnessed this power to their will. With but a look Morteus infects his victims and wracks their flesh. The sharing of his gifts with all those he sets his gaze upon has become his only impetus. Those who earn his attention are rewarded with a death experienced throughout a lifetime in a state between worlds; neither in the material world nor the immaterium, his victims suffer for an eternity at the blink of an eye before crumbling to dust at his feet. Large swaths of the population of Bruj were inevitably cursed to fates worse than death by his hand.

Kor Ikthon, Dark Apostle

The dark apostle Kor Ikthon was instrumental in creating the Nurgle cults on Bruj Secundus and lead his cult followers in battle during the initial ambush against the Raven Guard on Occulum. After blooding the population of Bruj Secundus and sealing their fate, Kor Ikthon translated out of system to further his own goals leaving the Fists to their own devices. Shown here, the daemon infused power armour worn by Ikthon has been imbued with lesser beings through rites of binding. The Book of Lorgar is carried at his side, its words capable of turning entire planets to his whim. Sacred texts have been inscribed on both armour and flesh offering wards and boons to their bearer.

 

Plague Terminators

While those strong of character may rise to become lords, those strong of purpose can be sidetracked by such single-mindedness. Among the Emerald Fist traitors, those who fully embraced the touch of Nurgle and fought for prominence among their peers were granted the gift of tactical dreadnought armour. The terminator armour fashioned by the Dark Mechanicus on Juro IV is a gross interpretation of the STC and appears to encourage integration of its wearer's flesh with the outer shell. Once encased within the battle plate, the wearer quickly begins to bond with the ceremite; warping its plates and penetrating breaches with warped flesh. Although the armour appears compromised by disrepair, plasma burns and bleeding metal, the hulking mass is all but impossible to stop with anything short of antitank weaponry.

Daemonic Assault

Herald of Nurgle

A resilient body and a stronger soul can hold a plague of Nurgle at bay for a time. The mortal soul is slowly leached into the warp as the plague ravages the body. The longer one resists the taint of corruption the stronger the plague bearer born of the tormented soul in the immaterium. The most powerful of these beings become heralds of Nurgle. Their pestilent bodies hemorrhage and ooze puss in a blighted trail across the battlefield as they lead packs of lesser plague bearers to the mortal realm. These beings often grafted with crude implements reminiscent of ancient surgical tools slice open their victims and leave them to fester with the many poxes of the Lord of Decay. Inevitably the cries of suffering they leave among the dying will herald the arrival of more powerful of their kind. Once the veil between the realms is raised to the followers of Nurgle only the most resolute of opposition can hope to banish the tide of death.

Plague Toads

Fallen Armory

Defiler

A vast majority of the traitor armoury is comprised of relics stolen during the Schism.  These machines are kept fighting by the warband's warp smiths and supplemented with new and horrifying creations touched by the warp.

Hover Rhino

The Mark IA Hover Rhino was created near the end of the Great Crusade by applying anti-grav technology discovered by Arkhan Land; a technology more common to the Land Speeder which bears his name. The Hover Rhino did not enter widespread service due to problems with the reliability of its engines. For a vehicle whose prominence was owed partly to its machine spirit's resilience, the However Rhino's inability to match its predecessor's stubbornness was its ultimate downfall. Although prone to breakdown, its unique design allowed it to reach greater speeds and traverse terrain not approachable by typical APCs. This reason, paired with limited production numbers, saw the Hover Rhino issued primarily to command squads among the legions. 

The relic shown here was passed from the Imperial Fists to the Emerald Fists at their founding and was looted by traitor forces during the Schism of the Fists. The temperamental machine spirit renowned among these vehicles has been appeased by the warband's warp smiths through undoubtedly unconventional means.


Blight Drones

Blight Drone spotten on Kuren Prime 981M41

Reports of Emerald Fist forces fighting alongside the forces of chaos rarely involve tales of full scale daemonic incursion; for tales of this magnitude do not leave the sanity of the few survivors to whisper them. Far more common are descriptions of strange mechanical beasts flying support or walking among the Fists. Of particular note are the flying constructs known as blight drones. These foul machines can be heard approaching with a sound akin to a swarm of flies. A large mass of flesh protected by thick armour plating is held aloft by two rotors. Whether this merger of armour and flesh is spawned directly from the warp or hammered into existance by Emerald Fists' warp smiths aboard their fleet vessels is unknown. A popular suspision among the Ordo Malleus is that of fatally wounded marines giving themselves fully to the corruption of the warp and becoming engorged with unknown plagues; destined to live on and spread rot and suffering from their bloated selves.