Halcyon Wardens

"Contrary to what some of our cousins believe, our Primarch has not spayed us and made a Legion that cowers behind shields. We have learned patience and restraint, true, but that only makes us more dangerous when we allow the storm to slip its leash."

- Irvin Ruel, The 'Reaper of Terra', Legion Master Emeritus, Lord Commander of the First Cohort.

The Halcyon Wardens are the Vth Legion as established by the Emperor of Mankind. Initially known as the Storm Riders, the legion would be at the forefront of melee combat and armoured cavalry experts, famed for their aggression. It was also during this time that a string of incidents would cast a shadow on their accomplishments, tales of space marines losing control of themselves, whether in homicidal rage or frozen catatonia. This ended with the discovery of their Primarch, Alexandros Darshan VonSalim. Under his guidance, their past aggression was checked, and they were renewed with a dedication to serving humanity. Likewise, the incidents came to an apparent end, mistakenly leading observers to believe they had been cured by Alexandros.

History
The Halcyon Wardens have always been, above all else, protectors. While the Legiones Astartes may have been conceived as weapons in the Emperor's Great Crusade, they have been tempered to become weapons in the service of Humanity due to the vision of their Primarch. As such, the Vth Legion excels in defensive warfare, forming a living wall that absorbs the enemy's attacks before crushing them in retaliation whether on the edge of combat or supporting the wall from afar. Upon Alexandros' ascent to High Regent, the Halcyon Wardens have strived to live up to the honour accorded to them, honing their discipline to the highest degree possible. At the same time, this zeal for higher standards has inflicted its share of sorrows.

All of the legions were made to serve Humanity. To reclaim mankind's lost outposts of civilizations, to extend their dominion over the entire galaxy, and to protect those borders once established, that was their mission. At times, it is difficult to remember this since they stand above us in stature, both literally and metaphorically. Yet, the Halcyon Wardens never forgot this and struggled the most to ensure Humanity's ascension. However, no legion could claim the heart of the common Man as the Vth legion could. For the Wardens not only worked harder to protect the Imperium, they made the most effort to connect with Humanity on a personal level. It was not an uncommon sight for Wardens to interact with the common man, to speak with and to learn from each other.

The Storm Riders
The roots of the Vth Legion can be traced back to the ancient nation-state of Jermani. When the Emperor revealed himself to Mankind, Jermani was composed to a confederacy of theocratic territories. Each state was overseen by a Bischof, a warrior-priest that were members of the highest caste. The Bischofs would alternate between making war with foreigners and with each other. Central to the teachings of the Kirche der Geduldigen was the Obermann. It was prophesied that a being of great power and will would come to Jermani and institute a ten thousand-year reign. When the Emperor visited Jermani, all but one of the Bischofs recognized him as the Obermann, the sole dissenter executed by his fellow Bischofs. As such, Jermani would become one of the Emperor's early supporters and was rewarded by giving birth to one of his legions.

While the techno-barbarians of Jermani were unable to provide much in the way of land or materials, they had one key strategic resource that the Emperor was eager to develop. Due to the constant wars waged by Jermani within and without, it had created an elite caste of fighters known as Blitzers, or Lightning Warriors. These warriors were fearless masters of close-quarters combat, their preferred weapon being the scatter gun. It would be this warrior caste that would be assimilated into the core of the newly minted Vth Legion, augmented by recruits from other Imperium-controlled regions.

The fresh Legion would be first tested on the 'isles' of Albyon. Taking place at a latter point in the Unification Wars, Albyon had been deemed a lesser priority by the Emperor given other more threatening Terran powers. As such, Albyon would become one of the first territories to experience invasion at the hands of the nascent Legiones Astartes, instead of the more typical Thunder Warriors. Commanded by the peerless Otovan Biz'sark, the Albyon campaign was a success, providing valuable combat experience to the new Legion.

Although the Fifth Legion achieved victory, a critical weakness was identified. Even at this early stage in the Emperor's grand design, rivalry was breaking out among the Legions. In this specific case, legionnaires of the Vth began to compete with their cousins of the First Legion. To differentiate themselves from the tactical flexibility of the First Legion, the Fifth Legion dedicated itself to mastering close quarters combat, undoubtedly influenced by the former Blitzers in their ranks. During the Albyon campaign, the Fifth Legion would often unleash devastating assaults against enemy positions, scoring visually pleasing victories. Yet, it came with a steep cost of blood as even Space Marines could eventually be overwhelmed with sheer numbers. After several battles, casualties were high enough that survival became an issue for the new Legion.

To counter this weakness, the Legion turned to developing assault vehicles specifically designed for the transhumans. While efforts were underway, the Unification Wars continued. The next assignment for the Fifth Legion was to breakthrough the Nordafrick Conclave defence zone surrounding The Three Flags' transportation hub. Given that the Legion couldn't rely on assault transports, First Lord Commander Bizs'ark decided to improve his chances of victory through the use of massed rhino and predator formations. This was a controversial logistical request given the limited manufacturing capabilities of Terra. Yet, Bizs'ark's request was granted. The First Lord Commander did not waste this blessing and promptly scored a major victory over the Conclave, a foe that had already repulsed several attempts by the Thunder Warriors. More importantly, through the additional emphasis on armoured units, casualties within the legion dropped to more acceptable levels. At the same time, the infamous battle created a corps of talented cavalry officers that would become known as the Prefects.

It was after this battle featuring a massed mechanized assault that the Legion earned the name, 'Storm Riders'. They would go on and demonstrate the truth of this name again and again throughout the Unification Wars. After the Emperor signed Treaty of Mars, known as the Treaty of Olympus Mons among the Mechanicum, the Storm Riders would be placed in charge of developing and field testing the recently discovered Land's Raider, and eventually the Spartan Assault Tank. They would become powerful additions to the Legiones Astartes, with the Storm Riders being the undisputed masters of them during the early stages of the Great Crusade.

Rivalry with the Blood Wolves
The rivalry with the First Legion was not the only antagonistic relationship the Storm Riders developed in those early days of the Imperium. While the IIIrd Legion was founded before the Vth Legion, the Vth would deploy before the IIIrd Legion, due to a higher gene-seed acceptance rate among the Vth Legion. As mentioned previously, the proto-Storm Riders would first conquer Albyon as a Legion. Albyon would go on and provide a large number of warriors who would form the core of the IIIrd Legion. Due to the V Legion's involvement, a number of these 'Blood Wolves', as the IIIrd Legion became known, harbored grudges against their cousins, the Storm Riders.

The Storm Riders reacted to the wounded pride of the Blood Wolves with dismissive pride, claiming that all they had done was faithfully serve the Emperor. Given the belligerence on both sides, tensions escalated until the two Legions nearly came to blows during the Compliance of Reillis. Both legions had been chosen to bring the renegade forces of the mega metropolis to heel and had quickly placed it under siege. Confident that victory was nigh, it was here that a fight nearly broke out when the commanders of both legions, Lord Commander Bizs'ark and Lord Commander Thegn Rollon, insisted on completing the battle with their preferred tactics. Moments after Thegn Rollon demanded a duel for honor, the rebels launched a vicious counter-attack using a network of secret tunnels to assault the Legions from beneath their feet.

Although at each other's throats a moment before, the Blood Wolves and Storm Riders reacted quickly as their trained instincts came to the fore. Legionnaires from both sides found themselves fighting for their lives relying on one and another as they endured the Reillis assault. Bizs'ark and Rollon ended up fighting back-to-back when they were surrounded by the renegade human forces. It was during this engagement that Bizs'ark lost a foot when a roving plasma blast melted it, necessitating a bionic replacement later. As furious as the opening assault was, the transhuman Legiones Astartes rallied, first persevering through the storm before launching their own counter-attack. The Reillisian leaders had gambled everything on this attack and, in turn, lost everything as the twin Legions used the same tunnel network to bypass the metropolis' defenses.

Although victory was won, the matter of honour would not be denied. While Rollon now respected Bizs'ark, honor dictated that his demand for a duel to be sated. Bizs'ark agreed. Due to the Storm Rider's injuries, Bizs'ark was given three days to heal before the duel would commence. Compliance continued forward, until the appointed time. When the two lords of war came together before their legions, it was agreed that the duel would be fought to first blood instead of death. The two Legion Masters engaged in a spirited fight that lasted the better part of a day with their respective legions cheering them on. In the end, Bizs'ark could not match Rollen's ferocity and lost. Yet, the bonds of brotherhood created between the V and the IIIrd lasted far beyond this loss. In honor of that first duel, tradition has ensured that whenever the two Legions join together for battle that two representatives will fight a duel to first blood. A tradition that continues to this day.

A Wave of Madness
Alas, it was not long into the Great Crusade when the Storm Riders appeared to have an awakening. The number of Storm Riders who were psykers, able to wield the powers of the Immaterium in service to the Emperor, multiplied. The initial reaction was one of pride and satisfaction. A well-trained battle-psyker can fight as well as an entire squad of Space Marines. The new psykers lost no time in mastering their skills and enhancing the lethality of the Vth Legion.

Yet, much like their Lost cousins, a price was to be paid for this newfound power. It began when during the Ork Extermination campaign in the Hamadan cluster. A legionary, Third Lieutenant Froid, abruptly ignored the established tactical plan to launch an enraged, suicidal assault on an Ork position, leading to death for himself and those under his command. The second case occurred when Sergeant Goverian became afflicted with acute paranoia. He was removed from active duty before he could do harm. After this incident, a steady trickle of incidents of mental health cases would become the new norm, though it never reached the catastrophic levels of the Thousand Sons' flesh-change. Yet, a new sense of urgency struck the legion when it's most infamous case occurred. Replacing Lord Commander Biz'sark after his demise was Lord Commander Edrick Yeshie. Not only was he the second Master of the Legion but also the Legion's most powerful psyker. His command was bright with power but short when he fell to an extreme case of schizophrenia.

The third Lord Commander of the Storm Riders, Irvin Ruel, immediately ordered a general ban against the use of battle-psykers until a solution could be found. Additionally, he attempted to salvage what remained of the Legion's reputation among the Great Crusade. Their earlier prominence among their cousins had fallen by the wayside as embarrassing incident after incident continued to afflict the Storm Riders. It had fallen to the point where there were whispers that the Legion would need to be recalled as what had happened to the IXth. Distrusted, the Storm Riders had carried on as best as they could.

A New Perspective
Against this background of mistrust and struggle, the Storm Riders were ordered by the Emperor Himself to re-assemble the entire Legion underneath His command. Rumours spread throughout the Legion serfs and other allied human contingents that this could only mean that the Emperor was to formally act against the Legion and warned that the Legion would be pulled from the Great Crusade and made to wait on Terra where they could no longer sully the honour of the Legiones Astartes, much like their brothers in the IXth Legion.

The rumours were proven false as the Legion rendezvoused at the ordered coordinates. Waiting for them were not only the Emperor's flagship, but the flagships of his only found son: Araphel. The Vth Legion were to take their place for an unique, temporary Expeditionary Fleet. Their target? The Delos System, which laid just beyond the Imperium's latest conquests. The rumours of degradation withered away as newer, more exotic rumours took their place, trying to explain how one system could require the personal involvement of the Emperor and His Son. They spoke of an unheard of and deadly xenos threat that would need a decade to exterminate, a lost treasure trove of the Dark Age of Technology guarded by ancient machines, and, lastly, that another lost Primarch had been located.

Old Night had left a weak scar on the Delos System. When it struck, the Delos system became bereft of its connection to Humanity and had surrendered to fear as a brief, intense civil war reduced its technological levels to pre-Industrial capabilities. Yet, the blow was temporary and several planets including Delos Prime were still rich in natural resources. In time, the Delians struggled to return to their past prosperity, eventually spawning several new civilizations that would commit war and diplomacy against one another. Technological progress suffered when xenos raiders targeted the system, stealing valuable resources and destroying scientific centers, in moves obviously meant to impede advancement, all the while, never outright attempting to destroy the Delians, despite possessing the capability to do so. Though these setbacks greatly hampered progress and caused great fear of these 'night demons', these attacks would aid the Delians' on the road to political unity. Unfortunately, it was unknown which scenario would occur first: the Delians' eventual annihilation or developing the means to fight off their monsters.

That answer arrived in an incubation pod. Landing near a village within the small Hellasan state of Massidon, the Primarch was discovered and adopted by the local magistrate. Only a few years would pass before Alexandros was known throughout the planet, making his mark through his military victories over their xenos raider, while becoming an unparalleled statesman. While other brothers conquered their homeworlds with force, Alexandros would take the longer, more difficult, and less trodden road of unification solely through diplomacy. With his innate, Emperor-given gifts, this nigh impossible feat was accomplished in a decade. Not only was he appointed as supreme military commander & de facto political leader, Alexandros had invested small portions of his time into technology and science causing a new boom of innovation and progress.

It was to this prosperous system the Emperor and His armies arrived. Knowing four days before the first of the Imperial ships would reach the system, Alexandros began a subtle propaganda campaign that would plant the seeds for the inevitable Imperial compliance. Broadcasting planet-wide, the Primarch spoke to his people of his dreams. He dreamed of reuniting with the rest of the Humanity. A dream to share in lost technologies. A dream of an even brighter future, where they were made whole. Although it seemed obvious, we must remember we have the benefit of hindsight, and the Delians had no knowledge of the Imperium.

Thus, when the Emperor arrived, his son was waiting and willing to join the Great Crusade. The Compliance of Delos was achieved quickly as Alexandros departed from his homeworld to Terra to learn directly from his Father. It was during this time he would learn about the Imperium and his place in it. Once his time came to an end, he would finally take his place at the head of the Storm Riders.

The Coming of Alexandros
It was during this nadir of the Legion that a miracle occurred. Alexandros Darshan VonSalim, Son of the Emperor and Gene-sire of the Vth, was found on the planet of Delos. Assuming his rightful position as Master of the Legion after a period of apprenticeship under the Emperor, Alexandros led the Storm Riders on three campaigns as he familiarized and established his place among his sons.

Few legions have undergone such a drastic change as the Vth Legion did with Alexandros' ascension. Renaming the Legion as the Halcyon Wardens, Alexandros changed the appearance and guiding principles of the legion. No longer was the priority on destroying the enemy, but on preserving Humanity and the Legion. Instead of aggressive assaults, Alexandros molded the legion into a powerful defensive army that could absorb much firepower before unleashing devastating counter-attacks or force their enemies into suicidal charges. With contemporary warfare involving close quarter fighting as much as long-range ballistics, an ancient tool of war was resurrected and underwent an apotheosis through technology: the shield.

Remade with adamantium and powerful generators, the shield would become the symbol of Alexandros as he campaigned across the galaxy. Able to defend against both melee and ballistic weaponry, it offered a utility hinged on its size from the small, agile combat shields to the elite, mammoth storm shields. More importantly, in Alexandros' eyes, it sacrificed a small portion of offensive power for a greater degree of defense that could be shared by both wearer and any units behind him.

While the shield remained as the legion's most visible change, Alexandros wrought another, greater change upon taking command. The incidents of insanity that had reeked havoc upon the Vth Legion simply stopped. Curiously, for a Primarch who had been infamous for his insistence on transparency, how this came to be is still unknown. Where truth remains hidden, rumor is more than eager to fill its place. From early whispers of the Emperor himself secretly curing the legion to the latter fears of malicious pacts, none could be sure. Whenever questioned on the subject, Alexandros would merely offer a wink, a grin, and say, "Que sera, sera."

Regardless of the mystery, in a decade, Alexandros had completed the transformation of his legion. With his new combat doctrines and philosophy of command, the Halcyon Wardens transitioned from being ostracized to being a welcome sight on the battlefield. With his men in full control of themselves, their brother legions and the Imperial Army could rely on them to do their part. With the Wardens taking special care to defend the Imperial Army on deployments, the mortals fighting for the Emperor released their former suspicions and eventually cheering at the mere sight of the Halcyon Wardens.

The Halcyon Wardens
The day after the campaign known as the Liberation of Balov, Alexandros summoned his entire Legion before him on the plains outside of the capital city. Once there, the Lord of the Fifth declared that the primary purpose of the Great Crusade was not to slay the enemies of Man but to reunite and protect Humanity itself. As such, the Vth Legion would no longer be Storm Riders. From that moment onward, they were the Halcyon Wardens. The standard grey was replaced by a rich purple while pauldrons were to become bright red. It was in this manner, Alexandros explained, that the legionnaires would represent their Emperor as his elite warriors as the purple represented the Emperor's nobility and the red would symbolize the blood of Humanity, a burden to be carried by the Emperor's Angels of Death. This would not be the only change to come to the Vth.

The classical Legion structure as described in the Principia Belicosa was replaced by a new system where Three Hundred Companies were divided among eight Cohorts. Intra-legion organisations were codified and given an official presence, including the Order of the Shield, Order of the Mind, the Prefects, and the Diplomacy Corps. Additionally, the Consuls-Opsequiar, a corps inducted to maintain discipline among the legionnaires, was transformed into a chaplaincy corps with the express intention of watching the spiritual and mental health of their brothers. Finally, to provide a physical symbol of the Legion's new emphasis on protecting humanity, Alexandros introduced the shield as a priority wargear for his sons. The Primarch envisioned his Legion as a living wall, standing between humanity and its enemies.

From that point onward, the Halycon Wardens prosecuted the Great Crusade according to Alexandros' wishes. From the Phireen Extermination to the Campaign against the Golden Apostles, the Halcyon Wardens fought as much as to protect humanity as to slay its enemies. It would be during this time that the Legion would become secondarily known for its garrisons. Few Legions would relegate Legionnaires to simply guarding humanity, but Alexandros insisted so as to foster close ties between Warden and human. Under the Primarch, psykers flourished, no longer hounded by insanity. Gradually, the Halcyon Wardens become one of largest and most successful Legions.

Another notable development in this time was the promulgation of Warrior Lodges among the Legion. Drawing on ancient martial traditions, these private bodies had would serve as an unofficial meeting point between warriors and allies for amiable companiship. Alexandros would introduce facets which ensured that, although the lodges remained free from outside scrutiny and the trappings of rank, they would discreetly serve to bind the members together. In this way bonds were formed which crossed the lines of company and brigade, and even in time reached across to other Legions.

An Unprecedented Election
Although a great victory had been won, the Great Crusade continued onward. Alexandros and the Halcyon Wardens would not be joining the upcoming Ullanor Crusade. Several other Legions had already secured the honour, an honour which the Halcyon Wardens did not mind giving. Instead, the other battlefields were to receive the Vth Legion. There was little warning of the great event that would soon shake the galaxy to its core.

The shock which followed the Vanishing is well-documented, but it would be remiss of us not to remark that the Halcyon Wardens shared in that surprise. No Vth Legion officer claimed to have expected it, nor any seer of the Librarius or even the Primarch himself. In quick reaction, Alexandros and the Halcyon Wardens transitioned from crusaders to defenders. While the Imperium reeled from the havoc caused by the Astronomican’s loss, the Halcyon Wardens were already moving.

Alexandros positioned himself upon noble Terra to work closely with Malcador as they coordinated the Imperium’s recovery. The Halcyon Wardens, especially the Order of the Open Hand, worked hard to stabilise systems on the edge of revolt and used their extended network of connections and favors to put out fires before they could grow. As few battle honours as the Fifth possessed, they would become the Imperium’s greatest servants during this year of pain.

At last, the Conclave of Terra assembled. It was at this event that the Halcyon Wardens would be elevated to a degree never before seen. Now the Legion of the High Regent himself this most unassuming of the Legions was dragged to the heart of the Imperial war machine. Alexandros was well aware of the burden and honour which had been bestowed upon him, and he vowed to do the Emperor proud until His return.

The fragility of the situation was not loss upon Alexandros. Although no one contested he had won the vote fairly, the support was not one could hope for the new ruler of the Imperium. Yet, Alexandros was not able to win over a majority of his own brothers to his banner. From the beginning, then, Alexandros was at pains to mend relations which had been strained and put uneasy minds at rest. In this, we can say that the Emperor’s choice was indeed prescient, for the diplomatic prowess which Alexandros had shown so many times were drawn upon constantly. Simultaneously, he and his commanders threw themselves into a series of ambitious campaigns which served to announce that the Vth Legion would own their elevated position. These included some of the Halcyon Wardens’ greatest victories, such as the Humbling of the Maelynos.

For all these efforts, however, there were many who would or could not be appeased. In some quarters the High Regent was denounced as a faintheart or mere politician, more interested in his own power and the petty workings of state than war. Others bridled at his meddling, for meddle Alexandros did where the conduct of others fell short of the standards he set. On appearance, Alexandros appeared to be overwhelmed by the new tensions and challenges against the Imperium. A more comprehensive review of the transitions would reveal a different story. The average Imperial citizen enjoyed a new status not seen in the 200-years of the Imperium. Although personally unhappy with this brothers’ preoccupation with political gamesmanship, Alexandros was able to use both his connections and skills to redirect his brothers efforts into strengthening the Imperium through cooperation and competition as necessary. Given enough time, it is possible to theorise the new High Regent may have lead the Imperium into a new golden age.

Alas, cruel fate and the enemies of Mankind would not let it come to pass. In the months before the Five Ruins, Alexandros found himself beset with infrequent but lurid dreams, portents of calamity. The origin of these remained out of sight, and Alexandros spoke only of these visions to his closest confidants. Nonetheless they worked extensively to anticipate potential threats, running simulations for mass rebellions, some unexpected resurgence of xenos or an extra-Galactic incursion, which they deemed the most likely scenario. A very few, Malis among them, thought on the fate of the Thunder Warriors and conceived a deeper unease.

In terms of Alexandros' actions, disquiet manifested only in the proliferation of stronghold systems throughout the Imperium, and a regular appeal to vigilance in his oratory. Those of his writings which are available to us speak of a push-pull between his open-handed instincts and the need he felt to guard against whatever was coming. But despite that vigilance, the visions created a vulnerability which humanity's enemies exploited. Dozens of expeditionary fleet deployments were motivated by security concerns, only for Ka'rta to manipulate these to serve his own agenda.