Daun Soloman

Summary
"It took thirty seven hours to pacify that one. Another hour and I would have had the entire Second Company fasting for a week." -Daun Soloman, during the pacification of the Xenos planet Drolnax.

Daun Soloman is the Chapter Master of the Emperor's Firebrands. He is a stern, unrelenting taskmaster, hard but fair and honest, and has served his Chapter faithfully for nigh on two hundred years.

Early service.
Like many in the Chapter, Soloman was recruited on a world that had recently been protected by them, chosen from amongst many of the younger inhabitants for his apparent fortitude. While the basics of his training began on the Battle Barge he was stored on, it was when the vessel returned to Ignis that his training truly began.

Little is known of the initial training regimens of the Firebrands; some rumours suggest a trial of survival for the aspirant Marines, but this has never been confirmed. Whatever tests Daun Soloman had to face on that planet, he passed them well, and afterwards spent ten years crusading as a Scout Marine. It was during this time that he learned many of the skills that would serve him well in his later career, including the tactics for planetary assault for which he would later become famous. He was known to spend many a quiet hour in the libraries of the scouts' Battle Barge, reading up on the past victories of his glorious Chapter.

When the time came for the young Marine to face the trial of Ignis, he prepared himself by applying holy water across his body, and made sure he wore an osmotic gill to assist his breathing in that harsh climate. It is said among the brothers of the Emperor's Firebrands that the young Soloman stepped out of the Fortress Monastery with his head held higher and prouder than any who have gone on the trial before or since, and refused to take cover from the off, marching instead with dignity while under the sight of his brothers' walls. Only once he was well out of sight did he begin the practicalities of survival.

None can say what he saw out on that unexplored rock, nor what trials he faced, nor what pains he endured. All that is known is that when he returned, it was with a burn in his arm that had turned the skin into charcoal. He would not speak of what he found upon the way, or what had caused his wound, but he was declared a battle brother all the same and honoured amongst his fellows.

As a Space Marine
Upon his ascent to full Marine, Soloman and his company were dispatched to Armageddon to assist the Imperium's great struggle there. In the dirty, rubble strewn streets of that world's Hives, Soloman learned when to duck, when to shoot, he learned to predict his foe's moves. It was fighting on Armageddon that gave him the cold hatred of Orks he still bears now, as well as his promotion to Company Senior Sergeant. It was also on that forsaken planet that he learned the harsh lesson of how to order men to their deaths, one which still burns him to this day, though he has long since learned to hide this from the world.

In the many crusading years that followed, Soloman continued to prove himself to the superiors of his Chapter. He was to take command of his Compny after a Tau Battlesuit killed his Captain, and his record after this continued to be nothing less than exemplary. Indeed, so impressive was his record that Chapter Master Querric specially asked for his Company to go with him to reinforce a small company of Imperial Guard who had sent a distress signal from a small planetoid outpost.

Ascension to Chapter Master
However, this mission was to prove a trap. Upon arrival, Querric was assassinated by the traitorous Imperial Guardsmen, who had been corrupted by a powerful warp gate. Falling back with Querric's body, the Firebrands could only watch in horror as the gate - spurred on by the death of the might Space Marine - opened, allowing a horde of dæmons to overrun the planet. The few brothers who escaped the planet were led by Soloman, who had tried his utmost to keep the Marines retreat from becoming a route, and almost succeeded. Upon returning to their strike cruiser, Soloman ordered the planet's Exterminatus, and left many warning beacons preventing the Imperium's forces from ever approaching that accursed world again.

Upon returning to the main fleet, Soloman and the rest of his men were screened for taint. When they were found pure, Soloman was promoted to Chapter Master by unanimous decision of the other Captains. It seemed fitting somehow, that the Captain most trusted by Querric be his successor.

As Chapter Master
As Chapter Master, Soloman maintained his record of impressive military action: his fleet purged no less than six Xenos worlds in as many months, and Soloman himself personally killed over forty credited in hand to hand combat over the course of the campaign. He has renewed many times his Chapter's pledge to crusade in the Emperor's name, and his fervour is such that men are inspired to great deeds under his command.

Soloman's service is such that he has been honoured repeatedly by his fellow Chapter Masters. Marneus Calgar has called him "a standard to aspire to." Soloman has also made special effort to renew the bonds of brotherhood with the Forge, and their Chapter Master Leo, coming to their aid many times, most notably when Collosea, the Forge's home world, was invaded by the Tau.

Personality
Daun Soloman is a grim, forbidding man who pushes his men hard and himself harder. He has been described as cold, ruthless, and utterly dedicated to victory. However, he is still an honourable man, and expects nothing of his men that his does not expect of himself. He also feels deeply, and remembers the name of every Marine he ever sent to die.

Skills
Daun Soloman is skilled with Bolter and Sword alike; as a Scout, he always preferred serving as a sniper, killing as many traitors, xenos and other foes as possible through the scope of his rifle. When serving as a full Marine, he took greatest pride in serving as a Devestator Marine, and his accuracy with a lascannon was startling. Soloman also proved adept as an Assault Marine, and killed many foes in hand to hand. His sword fighting style is less about finesse and more about killing, swiftly and efficiently. Therefore his moves are direct, with the minimum of energy expended for the best of results. He lacks finesse or overt grace in his sword-fighting style, but is still formidable, and he has retained his accuracy with the bolt pistol, able to aim well with it and despatch foes before they ever reach him: he has even added a scope to his pistol for extra accuracy.