Legion IV: The Steel Wardens

"The armies of the damned break themselves upon our gate! As they always have, and they always will!" -Octaviar Perturabo

Primarch: Octaviar Perturabo: Warden of the Outer Hells.

Symbol: Shield crossed by chains, with a lock at its center.

Colors: Steel-Blue, Grey, and Black

Capital World- Hellwatch (With Aur-Cadia, Badablon, and Pavonis as Grand Bastions)

Specialty: Offensive Siege Work, Defensive Siegework, Attrition Warfare.

Battlecry: Steel and Doom! Steel and Doom! (Repeated over and over before combat.)

The "IV" Primarch

The galaxy is a brutal place. Glutted with war, suffering, and destruction. Surviving its horrors requires knowledge, power, and a will stronger than steel. Octaviar Perturabo is the embodiment of the grit and skill required to push back the horrors. The IV Primarch was born to defend humanity from within and without. To build mighty fortresses, capable of breaking any army. While hosting artistic wonders and scientific progress behind those mighty walls. Showing humanity what as a species it can accomplish. Octaviar works to build Paradise at the Gates of Perdition. Turning the worlds around the Eye of Terror, the Maelstrom and every other rip in reality into places of strength. Cities and Planets capable of defending against any foe. Mighty walls and stalwart defenders to keep the forces of Chaos at bay. Simultaneously being works of art, where culture and progress thrive. Octaviar Perturabo works to craft utopias at the Dark Gods' doorstep.

Physically Octaviar Perturabo is a wall of muscle and steel. Not especially tall for a Primarch but stout with a dense frame. Built like an ancient Greko Wrestler, with a low center of gravity. Where many of his brothers could be called beautiful or handsome. Perturabo's features are brutalist, like something carved from hard stone. His eyes a pair of bright sapphires set within a rocky face. Many mortals who have interacted with this Primarch remark how he reminds them of a great mountain. Ancient, powerful, stoic, and watching overall. A primordial titan of incalculable intellect and strength. Which is indeed a fitting metaphor for Perturabo: Warden of the Outer Hells. Vastly intelligent, possessing an intuitive sense of the universe. He can put this herculean mind to countless challenging tasks simultaneously. Analyzing troves of information, synthesizing solutions to any problem, and constantly refining and augmenting everything under his control.

This great mind is complemented by incredible mental and physical endurance. Perturabo can operate with superhuman faculties for weeks on end with little to no rest. With his body keeping up, and enduring the rigors of battle and war with equal fortitude. Not especially skilled in the arts of personal combat, at least compared to his brothers. Octaviar relies on his resourcefulness and durability to win. Preferring to command and fight alongside his Legion, instead of dueling enemy champions or striking daring blows. Turning every challenge he faces into an equation to be solved. With precise, pragmatic use of his resources. On the battlefield, Octaviar wears a unique suit of armor. The Gigantomachy, blurring the lines between Terminator and Dreadknight armor. This highly customizable walking tank acts as both the Primarchs command center and chief weapon of war. Armored enough to survive direct artillery bombardments. Fitted with weapons and countermeasures capable of reducing Bloodthirsters to purified ash with a single volley. Perturabo modifies this armor before every battle, tailoring it to whatever threats he may face. Becoming the mighty stone mankind's enemies break themselves upon.

As Warden of the Outer Hells, Perturabo is gifted with an innate sense related to Warp Rifts and their status. Sensing when the Hellmouth across the galaxy wax and wane. Enough to even worn him to attacks. The marshaling of the dark powers to unleash a Doom Tide leaves a distinct impression for Octaviar to sense. The Primarch uses his intellect and understanding of this threat to defend mankind. Under his steady watch, great Fortress-Worlds sprung up around the Eye of Terror and its lesser kin. Citadels of human might and wisdom. Designed to protect the body with mighty guns and stalwart ramparts. While protecting the soul with beautiful artistry and purpose-filled lives. These Steel Rings that encircle the Hell Mouths reflect their creator. Stern, stoic bastions that hide unmistakable kindness and wisdom within themselves.

A polymath beyond any of his brothers. Octaviar is most likely the most intelligent of the twenty Primarchs. With some surpassing him in certain matters but few coming close to raw intellect Perturabo possesses. Mathematics, philosophy, history, physics, biology, and many more fields of study fall under the IV Primarchs complete mastery. The psychic arts are known to Perturabo but only the needed minimum. A being such as him, born to master any skill or science set before him. Does not fare well with the uncertain madness of the Warp. However study of wards and powerful defenses born of equations and chemistry do fall under his purview. The fortress of the Steel Rings is designed to invoke beauty and defend against all threats. While their very architecture and materials confound Warps fiends.

Capable of learning and synthesizing knowledge to improve the world around him. Perturabo works to build and augment everything he can. While dealing with a crucial flaw within himself. Octaviar is the least creative of his brothers. Capable of refining ideas and using his great breadth of knowledge. While lacking the true spark of genius that powers true invention and breakthroughs. He is not the diamond in the rough, of new-born wonder. Instead, he is the steady hands and strong tools to cut that diamond to perfection. This forces the Primarch to rely on others to achieve his full potential. A craftsman who improves upon a form of genius beyond his reach. The Primarch theorizes correctly this lack of creative genius was designed in him to protect against Chaotic whispers and instill within him the ability to work with others. Where a lesser man might be filled with envy and spite at this. Perturabo recognizes his importance and value. Knowing his talents and abilities are his own. Acknowledging his limits, and still proud of all he can accomplish with them. Perturabo works to defend the Imperium while ensuring it is something worth fighting for.

History of the Legion

The first recruits of the IV Legion were taken from the Sek-Amrak Gun-Tribes and Dust Peoples. The stark, barren and often radioactive wastes these tribes called home. Fostered cultures of hardy, hardworking and dour warriors with a knack for survival. Attributes which became core tenets of the IV Legion. With the Legion first seeing combat against some of the last holdouts against unification. Grinding these isolated fiefdoms to dust under the Primarchs command. Learning the grim skills of siegework and gaining a reputation of reliability and grit. The IV Legion later proved its merit alongside the III Legion in the Venus Campaign. With the Litho-Golems of the War Witches brought down by the stubborn fury of Perturabos' sons. Later during the Lunar Crusade. The Primarchs ability to sense things coming through Warp Rifts proved crucial. The IV Legion formed a rock-hard bulwark around the worst rifts opened up by the Selenar heretics. Keeping entire fleets of Chaos infested ships from even exiting the warp. The strategy of creating macro killboxes around Warp phenomena was first developed here by the IV Legion and later perfected during the Great Crusade.

The Steel Wardens served in the Great Crusade with the stalwart grit expected of them. Not chasing honors or acclaim like some of their cousins. It quickly became known across the Imperium that if a task seemed impossible, the IV Legion would complete it. Some of the most entrenched and prepared enemies the Imperium faced broke under Perturabo and his sons. Fortress Worlds ruled by paranoid Abominable Intelligence were reduced to scrap and salvage by the Legion. Orkish WAAAGH threatening to cut crucial supply lines were repulsed at every turn. Entire generations of Astartes and Imperial Soldiers lived and died besieging the Hrud warrenworld of Gugann. If it needed to be done the Steel Wardens would do it and do it well.

Aside from campaigning against the myriad of Xeno and Heretic threats during the Great Crusade. The Steel Wardens also worked to find, quarantine, and fortify the Galaxy's various Warp-Rifts. Working heavily alongside the Silver Knights and XI Legion to contain these fonts of Chaos. It was the IV Crusader Fleet itself that first reached the Cadian Gate. Burning the purple-eyed cultists from its worlds and erecting a fortress upon Aur-Cadia. The resources of the Steel Wardens were devoted to building up defenses around the Warp Rifts and laying the formation of the Steel Circles. Even during the heights of the Xenocides and Beast Wars. Soldiers, materials, and more poured into the Steel Circles. The IV Legion ensured the Dark Gods did not take advantage of the Imperiums struggles. With the remaining non-garrison elements of the Legion supporting their cousins at the most vicious fighting of the Great Crusade. Lending their expertise to stop Rangda and Orkish advances.

After the Great Crusade and throughout the Webway Wars the Steel Wardens continued their duties. Working constantly to improve the defenses around the Eye of Terror, Maelstrom, and similar Hellmouths. Withstanding near-constant Daemonic and Heretic incursions. Repulsing all but the worst and rebuilding stronger after each one. The efforts of the Steel Wardens paid off when the Doom Tides struck. The full might of Korban the Eversacrifce and his allies battered against the Steel Circles. Perturabo and his sons held strong and bought the Imperium precious time to mobilize against the chaotic threats. After the end of the first Doom Tides and Chaos War. The Steel Wardens set to work building up defenses within the Ultramarches in the galactic south-east. Holding strong against the dark domain of the Ruinstorm.

Astartes Biology

Appearance and Apotheosis- Of all twenty geneseed linages, none is easier to implant than Perturabos. The IV Legion's geneseed is a hardy and nondiscriminating stock. Capable of being implanted in a wide variety of humans. Virtually any prepubescent male of good health can be elevated into the Steel Wardens. A fact that ensures the IV Legion is always flush with recruits. The ease of Apotheosis and broad acceptance of Geneseed does come with a cost. Perturabo's sons are generally less agile and mobile than their cousins. Additionally, some even experience the effects of aging not typical in Astartes. The physical features of Steel Wardens are changed slightly by apotheosis. Broad, stout, and dense frames are near-universal. Facial features are blunt and sturdy. As if carved from weathered stone or steel.

Unique Organ- Gorod Marrow. The organ of the Steel Wardens is an enhancement to the Astartes bone marrow. Implanted directly into the neophytes bones through transfusion. Augmenting the existing marrow with a Primarchs regenerative ability. Drastically increasing the production of stem cells and blood cells. Speeding up the rate IV Legion Astartes heal from injuries by a significant margin. Wounds normally severe enough to remove an Astartes from action for weeks or months. Heal in a fraction of the time. Additionally, this enhancement of biological restoration impacts the growth of Prognoids. Steel Wardens produce Progenoids far quicker and in greater numbers than other Legions. The organs' effects work to ensure the Steel Wardens recover quickly from grueling battles. Either through new recruits or healed veterans.

Organization

Battlefield Deployments- The geneseed of the Steel Wardens ensures the Legion is always one of the largest of the twenty. A fact the Legion puts to good work on the battlefield. Not in anything as primitive as transhuman wave tactics. But applying overwhelming pressure to the enemy in a methodical offensive. Using the large numbers and high endurance of the Legion to attack all fronts for extended periods of time. A mighty glacier closing in on the foe. Crushing everything in its way and leaving unbreakable fortifications in its track. Either in defending a fortress or prosecuting a campaign the Steel Wardens deploy in a concentrated mass.

Homeworld: - Hellwatch- Built after the Great Crusade and the Webway Wars. Hellwatch is a massive Imperial megastructure existing within both Realspace and the Webway. Using data recovered from Golden Age Star-Forts, Port Maw of the Gothic Sector, along with Perturabo's brilliance. This megastructure was designed and built to be a singular defense hub within the webway. Thrice the size of Terra and attached through Webway Gates to major and minor Bastion Worlds across the galaxy. Resources from across the Imperium flow into Hellwatch and are used as the Steel Wardens see fit to fortify worlds around Warp Rifts. Hellwatch itself boasts manufacturing capabilities comparable to large forge worlds. Populated by over three hundred Acrologies. Its population provides recruits for the Steel Wardens and the scores of Auxilia cohorts based in Hellwatch. Entirely militarized the megastructure is governed by the IV Legion and Imperial Military. Created entirely under Perturabo's watchful eyes, following his design. Hellwatch is a virtually impregnable fortress. Designed with near-infinite defensive positions across its planet-sized frame. Capable of cutting compromised sections of itself off, and turning any avenue of attack into a suicidal endeavor. If the forces of Chaos were to ever push past the Steel Ring around the Eye of Terror or Maelstrom. Fight their way through the Bastion Worlds and push into the Webway. Hellwatch would stand strong to hold the line.

Recruitment- The colossal population of Hellwatch provides the vast majority of Steel Warden Neophytes. In the Legions early years recruits were taken directly from Bastion Worlds. This practice was stopped to ensure the populations of those worlds were strong enough to muster Auxilia regiments and defend their worlds. Now, every year the Apothecaries Chaplains and Scout-Sergeants of the Steel Wardens tour the academies and apprenticeshops of a singular Arcology. Selecting the best and brightest youths to join the Astartes. The Acrology examined rotates every year and it will often be centuries between selections.

Unique Ranks and Roles

Castellan - Across the Imperium the Steel Wardens garrison millions of defensive structures. Ranging from minor Star-Fort along trade routes. To mighty Bastions that cover entire continents. The duties and responsibilities for officers in charge of these fortifications vary dramatically from their campaigning siblings. Requiring an adaptation in the form of the Castellan Rank. Given to the supreme commander of a fortress it marks that Astartes as the officer in charge of maintaining the security of a position. Existing outside the normal command structure a Castellan is considered at minimum equivalent to an Astartes Captain. However, the authority of a Castellan is directly tied to the importance and power of the fortress he stewards. Castellans of Aur-Cadian Bastions or Marcher Star-Forts are comparable to Lord Commanders or Battlemasters of other legions.

Steel Marshal- Large swathes of Imperial space border minor Warp Rifts and other dangerous phenomena. That does not warrant a large-scale defensive investment. Places the Steel Wardens are tasked with defending but do not merit mighty fortresses and the like. To fill this need the Steel Marshals were created. Astartes tasked with patrolling minor Imperial systems. Always on the lookout for any sign of attack or corruption. While also skilled in the arts of war and fellowship. To rally whatever meager defenses they can to delay the foe. Lonesome figures who walk among Mortals and traverse the wildspaces of the Imperium. Calling a small frigate home and only contacting the rest of the Legion for resupply or to warn them. Acting as the first line of defense in distant worlds and often seconded to the Offico Inspectorum. Serving the Silver, Steel and Gold Order on occasion.

Legion Culture

Personality- The Steel Wardens are a stoic lot. Rarely showing emotion and losing themselves in their work. Self-restraint and hard work are the tenets of this Legion. Its members pride themselves on being effective and efficient. That is not to say they are completely inhuman or mechanical in personality. Most Steel Wardens hide a core of softer emotions. Embracing the arts and sciences as a way to cope with the challenges of defending the Steel Circles. Filling the worlds and stations they inhabit with mechanical and aesthetic wonders. Being able to exit the stoic shell crafted to survive ugly sieges is an important skill of the IV Legion. Not all are able to enter or exit it as they please. Some crumbling under the stress of war, others falling into brutal pragmatism at every turn. The Legion will rotate its members as needed, but will not hesitate to throw broken warriors into battle if there is no other option. For thousands of years, the Steel Wardens have seen the worst the galaxy can offer. In besieging enemy cities or defending against those same enemies. Leaving them with a pragmatic and bitter sense of reality. The galaxy is broken and they were born to put it back together, whether it likes it or not. Paradise will be erected by their efforts and all who threaten it will be crushed.

Customs- A natural ability for architecture is common in the legion. A methodical talent for building and improving structures and systems. A fact that plays a major role in the culture of the Steel Wardens. Alongside them engaging in some of the most brutal warfare in the galaxy on a near-constant basis. With a lack of true biological immortality found in their cousins. Produces an idea of transience not common in other Legions. They are temporary pieces in an ever-shifting battle. Living and dying to ensure an ultimate victory they will never see. Talent in war will not preserve them eternally like other Legions. Instead, they are immortal through deeds and constructs. The Steel Wardens constantly build and improve wherever they dwell. Every Astartes from the youngest Battlebrother to most ancient Chapter Master constantly seeks to improve the galaxy around them. Turning the ruins after every devastating attack into something better than before. Every construction or modification is marked with the name of the Battlebrother whose idea birthed it. Only leaving if the structure is completely destroyed. A clear lesson to all Steel Wardens that they must always be improving. This talent is used in more than walls and gates. Beautiful and useful structures designed to support the defenders' hearts and minds also arise. Places of art, culture, and things worth defending. The enemies of mankind are always searching for weakness. The IV Legion are the wardens who ensure they only find Steel of arms and Steel of Armor.

Unique Features- The defenses surrounding the Eye of Terror and its kin are known to the Imperium as the Steel Circles. Mighty bands of fortresses and strongpoints designed to keep the forces of Chaos locked away for all time. With three of these Circles standing out from the rest. The Circle of the Eye, and it's Great Bastion World of Aur-Cadia. The Circle of the Maelstrom and its Great Bastion of Badablon. Then the Broken Circle, a curved line of fortresses that borders the Ruinstorm in the galactic south-east. Guarding a region known as the Ultramarches. With its Great Bastion located on the world of Pavonis, a nearly abandoned Tomb World of the Yngir. Nearly all of the IV Legion is deployed across these Steel Circles. A mighty bulwark against anything that would drag itself from the Hellmouths.

Battle Strategy and Equipment

Tactical Doctrine- Overwhelming Force has long served the Steel Wardens in defending and expanding the Imperium. Combined with stalwart defensive capabilities. Forms a Legion that fights through a mixture of attrition and devastating firepower. The preferred tactic of the Steel Wardens is to create a defensive position near the enemy. Fortify and arm it with heavy weapons and Astartes. Then blast the enemy to ash. Withstanding any counterattack and keeping up the pressure. When the enemy is crushed. They then advance to the next foe, build a stronghold and repeat. Enacting a slow, grinding style of warfare. An equation of bullets and lives. Solved by Perturabo and his sons to ensure maximum enemy casualties and minimum damage to themselves. Similarly, when defending a static fortification the Steel Wardens turn the fortress or city into a deathtrap. Every angle of attack is covered and any offensive must pay dearly to push through the Steel Wardens. Who will gladly fallback to secondary, tertiary, quaternary, and pentirary positions. Designed to bleed the foe and provide a launching point for reclaiming lost defenses. A great general once said "War is Hell" the Steel Wardens ensure it is for even the Armies of the Damned.

Weapons and Armor- Durable, practical, and formidable have been the watchwords of the IV Legion armory since founding. Like the soldiers that use them the arms and armor of the Steel Wardens are designed to survive whatever the foe unleashes. Then hit back hard. Eschewing specialist equipment in all but the most extreme circumstances. The IV legions tools are meant to be interchangeable and easily repaired or replaced. It is not unheard of for these Astartes to fight with a Chainsword till it breaks, pick up a fallen brother's weapon and continue fighting. Using raw firepower and ritual engravings on munitions to hurt Daemons and corrupted minions of Chaos. It all boils down to cost-effectiveness and reliability for the Steel Wardens. They fight a near infinite-enemy foe and make every bolt and blade count.

Fleet and Transport- The Steel Wardens fleet was long ago broken and stationed alongside the Battlefleets defending the worlds near the Eye of Terror, Maelstrom, and Ruinstorm. With the Primarchs Gloriana-class Battleship "Steelheart" acting as Flagship for Battlefleet Cadia. Surprisingly considering the surface doctrine of the Steel Wardens. Mobility is considered extremely important in IV Legion ships. To ensure fast reaction to new threats and efficient movement of forces between fronts. With the Legions Starforts acting as its main heavy-hitting orbital presence. Ground vehicles do conform to the standard doctrine of the Steel Wardens. Tank Columns and Artillery detachments forming key parts of the Legions fighting power. Semi-mobile fortifications like Dropkeeps and Land-Crawlers are also used to quickly defend key locations or support allies. Ensuring the Steel Wardens can be where they need to be and no force can remove them without bleeding themselves dry.

Trivia

The Lockwarden of the Shadowcells and Arik Taranis both accompanied Perturabo during the conquest of Pavonis. Apparently deploying a "sinister" weapon of the Emperor's own design against a threat below the planet's surface.

By the end of the first Doomtide barely a handful of Great Crusade era Steel Wardens lived.

Steel Marshal Aleksandr Cruzco led the defense of industrial-world Steigla-4 against a Doom Tide dedicated to Nurgle. Holding out for over three years against overwhelming forces. Long enough for Lord Paladin Dolzak to fight his way out of the nearby Warp-Rift and kill the Chaos Champion.

Augur Rodan's sculpture "The Gates of Hell" gifted to Perturabo by the Emperor. Stands behind Perturabos throne in Hellwatch command.

Aside from Hellwatch, the Steel Wardens do not rule over any of the Worlds they garrison. Even the Great Bastions are ruled by Governor-Generals of the Imperial Auxilia. With Astartes Castellans and Commanders acting as advisors.

The Phoenix Blades and Steel Wardens have a long history of cooperation tracing back to the Unification of Sol. With only the Dragonforged and Arcanist Legions sharing a similar bond with the IV.

Purple Eyed auxilia and Steel Warden Astartes are not uncommon. These "Children of the Eye" are living reminders of mankind's fortitude and the dangers of defending the gates of hell.

Mechanicus Magos and IV Legion Librarians have worked to produce math based wards and spiritual defenses. Harnessing the fundamental order of the Material universe to push back the chaos of the Immaterial.