The Emperor's Firebrands

Summary
The Emperor's Firebrands are a Space Marine Chapter that was founded in the 39th Millennium, in the same Founding as the Revenants and the Forge. They are descended from the gene-seed of the Imperial Fists, and are, amongst other things, an extremely zealous Chapter: they spend the vast majority of their time Crusading in the Emperor’s name, in a similar fashion to their gene-brothers, the Black Templars, but unlike the Templars they have remained true to the Codex Astartes.

Essential Information
Chapter Name: Emperor's Firebrands.

Chapter Master: Daun Soloman.

Homeworld: Ignis.

Number of Marines: 1000 approx.

Gene seed ancestry: Imperial Fists.

War Cry: "We are His light, spread to all corners of His realm!"

Status: Active

Founding
Formed in the 39th Millennium, the Emperor's Firebrands were gifted with a fleet and rather than remain stationed on a single planet, they chose to become a Crusading Chapter from the very beginning, feeling that it best served the Emperor to fight in His name against those enemies that the Imperium had not yet smited, rather than to sit on a planet and await summons. However, unlike traditional Crusading Chapters, they are not strictly fleet based: they decided that they would need a Fortress Monastery, one where their brothers could always find refuge and sanctuary and a place their Chapter could always call home. Such a place was set up on the planet Ignis, inhospitable to human life and therefore just what the Firebrands wanted: a world where brothers could come and rest, safe from mortal concerns and thus able to meditate on what it is to be a Space Marine and to serve the Emperor.

The Firebrands see themselves as the Emperor's light made flesh: they believe they must, as they put it, "take his radiance to the furthest reaches of space". Thus for the past two thousand years, the majority of their Chapter fleet (if not the entire fleet) have been crusading in what could be classed, were one to attempt to describe such a place colloquially, as the "rough" part of the Imperium, putting down Chaos uprisings, cleansing worlds of Xenos filth (including Necrons, Hrud, Tau and Orks), and generally serving the will of the Emperor, insofar as they see it. There are those amongst the various Imperial Military Commanders, including several Space Marine Chapter Masters, who believe that the Chapter could be better used, but in general their Crusading is looked upon favourably by the Imperium's authorities, who are glad to see a recent Chapter Crusading in His name rather than making trouble with the Inquisition, angering the Ecclesiarchy, or keeping secrets from the entire Imperium.

Home World
Ignis is a volcanic, ash covered wasteland, constantly in a state of volcanic and tectonic unrest: it is a world in the primal stages of its formation. The fortress monastery of the Emperor's Firebrands is therefore set deep in the rock of one of the continents, and the exterior Walls are reinforced against lava damage, although they often appear blackened and charred nonetheless, a testament to the planet’s deadliness.

The vast majority of the fortress monastery is actually underground; serving as a far better defence than any overground fortress (at least, in the Chapter's opinion). Despite their rare visits to this place, the Firebrands are grateful that it exists, as without a steady home they would find little internal peace. The Fortress Monastery contains individual quarters for every member of the Chapter, so that they may meditate on their place in the universe and, more importantly, their service to the Emperor. They see this as vital – it clears the mind, sharpening it for conflict. A clear mind knows its duty and its purpose. Within this Fortress Monastery there are also training rooms and simulation battlefields where Brother-Marines may hone their skills, and of course rooms where Battle-Brothers may relax in contemplation of their duty to the Emperor.

Training
While crusading, the Chapter will often find recruits among the various planets they pass; these recruits are stored and trained on one of the three Battle Barges the Chapter possesses, and when the Chapter periodically returns to Ignis, they are put through their paces by a series of tests. When the novice Marines are deemed ready they will be put into service as scouts.

The scouts serve a single decade in the tenth company, providing support to their brothers on the field of battle in this time and learning the various methods they will come to rely upon in their future careers. Upon their second visit to Ignis, after a single decade as scouts, the novice Marines will go through the Trial of Ignis: they will be given standard issue Scout equipment, and told to last twelve hours on the surface. Although many have burns from the experience, most survive (and indeed, since their older brothers usually warn them of the test, they spend much time preparing), and upon returning, have the Black Carapace implanted, and are made into full battle brothers, and from there assigned to a company. This method of training is fast for Astartes but the Chapter sustains many casualties in their battles and drop-pod assaults, and so requires this high turnaround in order to survive.

Organisation
The Emperor's Firebrands are a Codex Chapter for the most part. Since their Chapter spends ninety percent of its time crusading, they have adapted many of their tactics for planetary assault from orbit, and their Chapter Master, Daun Soloman, is well known for his masterful tactics in assault warfare. Their tactics are so refined that it is not unheard of for them to completely pacify a world in a single day, and indeed, Soloman has been known to punish his men should a planetary assault go on for any time considerably longer than this.

The fleet will usually stick together upon departure from Ignis, knowing a full Chapter is a force to be reckoned with under any circumstances and that their fleet is a powerful weapon against raiders. However, should a distress signal be received that does not require the attention of the full Chapter, it is not unheard of for elements of certain companies to be dispatched in a strike cruiser to investigate, deal with the issue, and report back to the fleet once their mission is complete. In this manner several companies of the Emperor's Firebrands, in their own Strike Cruisers, have become mini-crusades all of their own, though they still return to the Fortress Monastery at the appointed time.

Within the Chapter, most elements of the organisation are Codex, apart from minor naming deviations; Chaplains are known by the rather more florid title of "Keepers of the Light", and the first company are known as the Torchbearers. There is also something of a predilection among brothers of the chapter for Flamers (for obvious reasons).

The Chapter returns to Ignis once every ten years to rest, before setting out on their quest again. This ninety day rest is one of the Chapter's traditions, during which they train, share war stories, clean and repair armour, weaponry and ships and prepare for the next ten years. Such times are a time for celebrations, mourning, promotions, penitence for failures, and devotion to the Emperor, and are therefore some of the most colourful and memorable times the Marines may experience outside of battle. Though the traditional time for this is ninety days, this time of rest is almost always cut short by the demands of the time, and Daun Soloman is known to cut it down to as little as two weeks to maximise time spent slaying the enemy.

Allies
The Emperor's Firebrands have fought alongside and have the respect of the Ultramarines, Imperial Fists, Blood Angels, Blood Ravens, Raptors and Salamanders Chapters. Many see them as paragons of what Space Marines once were, and could be again.

In addition, tradition harking back to their initial founding has the Chapter Master of the Firebrands swear an oath of brotherhood with the "Penultimate" of the Forge. The reasons for this are lost to the annals of history, but these two Chapters are close nonetheless, and whenever one has need of aid in the field of combat, they know they can rely on the other.

Enemies
As part of their oath of brotherhood with the Forge, the Firebrand's share the Forge's dislike of the Revenants Chapter. This is not only because of their brotherhood bond however, but also because the Revenants' Doctrine is anathema to the Firebrand's belief in combat for the glory of the Emperor.

Battle Honours
Since the vast majority of the battles they fight are on the edges of the Imperium, or in its backwaters, it is difficult to know just how many battles the Chapter has fought. They have, however, been known to appear in more relevant battles:
 * Zephyrus: the Third and Fifth Companies held the shrine world against Chaos.
 * 13th Black Crusade: they were among the many Chapters to arrive at the 13th Black Crusade to attempt to defeat the forces of Chaos.
 * Armageddon: they were part of the many battles in Tempestora on Armageddon.
 * The War for Sanctatum.

Notable Members

 * Daun Soloman, the Chapter Master of the Emperor's Firebrands. Well known for lightning fast strikes and being a stern taskmaster.
 * Arganon Valus, Captain of the Third Company. Respected by the Restorers Chapter for saving their Captain Dion during the Qorintian Diatribe.

Temperament
The Marines of the Emperor's Firebrands tend towards being pious, quiet figures who spend a considerable amount of their time praying and contemplating the meaning of their lives as Space Marines. Every warrior has his own small room in the Fortress Monastery on Ignis where they can pray in solitude.

In war they are cold, shrewd, cunning warriors, who have to make split second decisions; it is rare that they get these decisions wrong. They are trained best in the art of planetary assault, each Marine learning where on a planet to strike in order to gain maximum discord to the enemy with minimum waste of life. This idea of striking where it is most effective extends to personal combat and firefights; a Firebrand learns where to hit his foe for maximum impact, where to aim, and who to aim for. On the field, this makes them deadly, efficient soldiers whose foes break before them.

Equipment
The Emperor's Firebrands maintain a high number of ancient suits of Power Armour, usually reserved for the veteran and high ranking brothers of the chapter. The younger brothers of the Chapter are usually seen in Mark VII and VIII armour - indeed, the number of Marines in possession of Errant Armour is quite high.

Among the Chapter, older weapons and equipment are maintained with reverence, and indeed they are seen as relics by some of the more devoted Marines. To lose an ancient piece of equipment - such as a power sword or a piece of armour is see as a dishonour to the Chapter, and no effort is spared in the retrieval of relics.