I have begun converting some marines with machiney bits, as befits a Mechanicus-loving Chapter such as the Revenants. Woooo! This includes a whole five-man squad of robo-Scouts. This is exciting for me.
The Knights of Glory
The Knights of Glory are a Dark Angels successor of the 16th Founding of Space Marines. They are one of the three Chapters sent into the Aetherium star cluster to take and hold the dozens of rediscovered planets in that region of space. They were vaguely inspired by the knights of Edmund Spenser's Faerie Queene.
Organization:
Each of the Masters, and the Spenserian knightly virtue with which they are associated:
Grand Master of the Virtues - The leader of the Knights of Glory. His seat at the Stone Table is no different than any other Master, but among the Knights of Glory, his word is indisputable and his honour is without reproach. (Arthur)
The Masters:
Each of these six warriors sits the Stone Table with the Master of Glory. Their titles are:
Master of the Faith (Redcrosse, Holinesse) – Head of the Chapter Cult. The Brotherhood of Faith contributes all the Chaplains.
Master of the Brethren (Friendship) – Leads the Brotherhood Aspirant, where all Squires spend their time until they are deemed worthy to ascend to Knighthood. Assigns all ascendant Squires to their Knightly Orders.
Master of Justice (Justice) – The Master of Justice is in charge of the Chapter’s Librarium. He also decides what pleas and petitions for aid reach the Stone Table. As such, it is considered perhaps the most important seat on the table, and he who holds the seat is trusted even moreso than the Grand Master himself.
Master of Deeds (Courtesy) – The overseer of the Chapter archives, and the leader of the Chapter’s spacegoing forces. The Master of Deeds must appoint a representative to every one of the Chapter’s endeavours, so that all victories and defeats may be passed down to posterity.
Master of the Flesh (Temperance) – The Master of the Flesh oversees the training, health, and purity of body for the Knights of Glory. He also controls who is allowed to enter into the Frater Mortis, the elite cadre of veterans that forms the “tip of the spear” for the toughest engagements.
Master of Iron (Chastity) – The Master of Iron is to the Knights of Glory both a master of steeds and a master armorer. Unlike traditional Techmarines, the Master of Iron is not a student of Mars. The Knights of Glory have, over the millennia, perfected the techniques of bike construction and maintenance, so much so that even the Ultramarines have been known to petition the Knights of Glory for custom master-crafted machines. Though they will sometimes lend their expertise to other Chapters, they guard their secrets jealously and hold their prowess and technical aptitude as points of pride.
The Knights of Glory are organized into Knightly Orders rather than battle-companies. Each of the Knightly Orders is sworn to protect the Imperium and uphold the honor of the Chapter, as well as protecting the weak and providing succor to the weary. The Knightly Orders are:
Order of Luna’s Blade – This Order’s name refers to some fabled blade, either held by an early Grand Master, or wielded by the Primarch himself. The Order of Luna’s Blade favors engagements where they can bring their weapons to bear upon traitors to the Golden Throne.
Order of Saint Virgil – The Order of Saint Virgil was named in honor of the Inquisitor who first explored the Aetherium. Its members are the most often found on the home front, battling threats within the Aetherium Cluster. Currently, they have significant resources dedicated to assisting the Steel Revenants in their fight to drive the greenskins from Lucifer once and for all.
Order of the Torch – The Torch refers to the Astronomican. The Knights of Glory view the Astronomican as a symbol for the Emperor’s light, which it is their avowed duty to spread throughout the Imperium. The Order of the Torch is most often called to duty on worlds where the Emperor’s light is dim, that their virtue might shine through the clouded eyes of those whose faith is sorely tested.
Order of Thor’s Hammer – Named after Sebastian Thor, who deposed the tyrant, Vandire Goge, and ended the Reign of Blood. When the Inquisition or the Imperial Cult need assistance, it is most often the Order of Thor’s Hammer that responds.
Order of the Emperor’s Mercy – This Order is legendary among the Imperial Guard. The Order of the Emperor’s Mercy seeks out worlds upon which the Guard has been brought to a standstill and seeks to break the deadlock. The Knights appear, streaking out of the sky in their thunderhawks, and ride like avenging lightning through the ranks of the foe, softening them for the hammer-blows of the Guard’s tanks and the grinding teeth of its infantry.
The Order of the Bloody Spear – The Knights of the Bloody Spear despise witchcraft above all. Unlike the Black Templars, who view all psykery as witchcraft, the traditions of the Knights of Glory include a clear distinction between the righteous magic of the Emperor's servants and the daemonic mischief of the Ruinous Powers – in fact, the Order of the Bloody Spear is attractive to many Librarians who feel that the best way to destroy a witch is to turn his own dark magic against him.
Order of Squires – Nearly all the initiates of the Knights of Glory begin even their first days of training on a bike. Mounted combat is integral in chapter doctrine; that those who cannot ride alongside their brothers cannot fight alongside them.
Order Errant – The Order Errant is a spaceborne Crusade force. Its members rarely, if ever, see their homeworld once they have joined its ranks. Only the most zealous of recruits actively seeks entry into the Order Errant. Most are deemed Errant because they lack in courtly virtues, or because they failed to meed the demands of Knighthood, or because they have brought shame upon themselves or the Chapter.
Below the Knightly Orders are the Chapter’s auxiliaries. These are Battle-Brothers who, whether by choice, training, or inclination do not ride into battle upon the fearsome bikes of their brethren. The auxiliary branches of the Knights of Glory are:
The Cannoniers – The Cannoniers drive the war machines of the Knights of Glory. As a Chapter, the Knights of Glory have very few armoured vehicles, preferring to do most of their fighting from bikeback, but each order maintains some Predators and Land Raiders, as well as a skeleton contingent of Rhinos, for the rare occasions when their battles slow down and heavier armour is called for.
The Armsmen - Squires who fail to learn the knightly virtues, or who are wholly unsuited to the lightning raids favored by the Chapter as a whole are formed into small bands of “armsmen.” Most Armsmen are deployed in small squads in Rhinos and armed with man-portable heavy weapons. They are held in reserve, far from the fighting, unless it becomes clear that the fast, light weaponry favored by the Knightly Orders will be insufficient to pierce some critical target.
The Smithy - It is very rare for a Techmarine to see battle alongside the Knights of Glory. Their ability to fortify defenses is not in high demand among the Knights, and the large, lumbering vehicles that they see to are seldom seen on the same battlefield as the rapidly moving Knights themselves. If a Techmarine does see the field, he will always be accompanied by serfs or servitors.
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