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Characters / Imperium Ascendant

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Here is a list of characters from the Warhammer 40,000 fanfic Imperium Ascendant.

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Imperial Court

    The Emperor of Mankind 
  • Adaptational Badass: Due to being powered by the souls from the future, he's much more powerful than his canon self, able to easily beat back the Chaos Gods and Using the Angel during the Lunar War burned a hole through the domain of the Four and had them set their sights upon each other, effectively neutering their influence for a while. This is a far cry to what even the Emperor can do in his prime or even when entombed to the Golden Throne, who was only even able to grow because of the numerous amounts of people worshipping him, and even then it's not a common occurrence that he can exert his influence.
  • Adaptational Nice Guy: The Emperor commits the same level of crimes his canon self does, but there's a difference in their mindset: The Ascendant!Emperor knows that there's going to be a lot of spilled blood on his hands and doesn't enjoy what he does, only doing so because he feels like there's no choice and even explaining to his Primarchs why he chooses a certain course of action. This is in contrast to his canon self, who expects people to listen to him and acts like his way is the only way without explaining why.
  • Adaptational Relationship Overhaul: Because of the Emperor seeing just how bad things got in the distant future, he's much more open to his allies and willing to show affection and care to those serving under him.
    • His relationship with the Primarchs is one example, as because the Emperor delayed the Great Crusade to raise the Primarchs and allow them to have a stable childhood, they all show a paternal affection to him and for all his pragmatism, the Emperor does care for their well-being in return. He's also much more willing to explain his reasonings and why he acts in a certain manner, such as what happened in Luna as well as the debate about aliens, and while his sons don't follow him blindly, they still nonetheless think of him as their father. This is a far cry from canon, where the Emperor's perception is heavily mixed with some treating him with respect (Roboute, Rogal, Ferrus and Sanguinius), indifference (Jaghatai) or outright resentment (Angron, Lorgar post-Monarchia and Mortarion) as well as the Emperor viewing them as tools of conquest not really helping his case.
    • Uriah Olathaire's relationship with the Emperor also changes, as instead of calling him out, he instead becomes part of the Emperor's inner circle along with notable figures such as Malcador and Constantin Valdor. It helps that the Emperor asked for his counsel instead of trying to shut down his beliefs, allowing a more proper rapport to be built.
  • Absolute Xenophobe: Subverted - while the Emperor is willing to wipe out alien species (as in canon), he has legitimate reasons for doing so, and is willing to allow his sons to make their own cases for sparing certain species.
  • Berserk Button: Mentioning what happened on Moloch sends him into a rage.
  • Break the Haughty: Seeing just how far he's fallen in the 40k canon forces him to realize just how much his actions have not only doomed the Imperium, but the galaxy at large because of his own arrogance and inability to empathize with others.
  • Humanoid Abomination / Physical God: As usual, but even more so after he is empowered by souls from the future, and is revealed to be the human afterlife. He may also be part-Old One.
  • My Greatest Failure: His inability to prevent the release of Void Dragon by Eldar. The Horus Heresy and following events also count.
  • One Myth to Explain Them All: How The Emperor inspired most religions in human history.
  • Punny Name: His real name, Atham, sounds like "Adam" when pronounced. Yet it's also a Meaningful Name since Adam is the first man created by God in Biblical lore, and the Emperor is the founder/ruler of the Imperium of Mankind.
  • Set Right What Once Went Wrong: When he sees where his original plans would lead to ten thousand years in the future, He sets out to rewrite his destiny.
  • Took a Level in Kindness: The Emperor is still a morally gray ruler whose plans for humanity involve a lot of bloodshed that spans throughout the galaxy, but seeing just how much he screwed up in the future causes him to start genuinely treating those who serve him with care.
    • While the Thunder Warriors still died off like in canon, the Emperor didn't order their deaths and let nature take its course, even saving Arik Taranis as well as Ghota.
    • The Primarchs were treated equally and never favoring one son over the other, which causes their canon flaws to be negated or at least heavily toned down.
    • He still justifies his views on why he chooses a certain course of action, but is willing to acknowledge opinions different from his own and doesn't try to force them into working things his way.
  • Walking the Earth: What he did for most of his life, until the Unification Wars.
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: More emphasis on well-intentioned part, after he saw the dark future. Genocidal warlord he may be, but it doesn't bring him any pleasure.

    Malcador The Sigilite 

    Arik Taranis 
  • Spared by the Adaptation: Canon had it that Taranis and the last of the Thunder Warriors were wiped out once they had completed the conquest of Terra, though a few survived long enough to see the Horus Heresy, and the events of The Outcast Dead imply that Taranis and his surviving Thunder Warriors may have found a way to cling on to the present. Here, Taranis and another Thunder Warrior, Ghota, are spared this fate and he instead becomes a teacher in the craft of war for the Primarchs.
  • Red Baron: Throne-Slayer

    Uriah Olathaire 
  • Adaptational Relationship Overhaul: Thanks to the Emperor asking for his council instead of shutting down his beliefs along with actually explaining why he views religion in such a dim light, Uriah is a part of the Emperor's inner circle and have a working relationship.
  • Spared by the Adaptation: He's convinced by Emperor to leave religion after being shown the actual reasons the Emperor hates religion(the first religion was used by Chaos to establish themselves on Earth) and the terrors of Chaos.

    Fabius Augustus 
  • Adaptational Heroism: Canon would have him become Fabius Bile, who is probably the greatest Mad Scientist of the Chaos Space Marines. Here, Fabius is a much more noble individual, using his talents for the good of the Imperium instead.
  • Adaptational Badass: Downplayed given the achievements of his canonical self, but the Phoenix Blades' legion entry implies that he managed to replicate many of his canonical counterpart's achievements without much of the drawbacks.
  • Lackof Empathy: Downplayed compared to his canonical self - here, Fabius is noted to be "cold-hearted, even for an Astartes", and it's implied that he struggles to relate to and sympathise with others. However, he's also explicitly noted to retain the empathy and sanity that his canonical counterpart lacks.
  • Secret Test of Character: The Emperor personally tutored Fabius to see whether he would be like his canon counterpart. He passes with flying colors.

    The Silver Lord 
  • Da Chief: Head of the Silver Order of the Adeptus Umbrex

Primarchs

    General 
  • Adaptational Badass: The Emperor not only ironed out the personality flaws of the Primarchs by being a good parent to them, but they're also gifted with powers and weapons their canonical counterparts lack.
    • Eddard Fendragon has a BFS that can eliminate anything it touches and some skill in pyromancy, as he used in the Battle of Ceres during the Solar Crusade. He also doesn't possess the Fatal Flaw of having No Social Skills, being able to effectively banter more with his siblings.
    • Not much is shown about Tallas of Dullant (Alexio Garva's canon version) but side materials show that he's too trusting and indecisive and while he's an expert void admiral, he's not martially inclined and is more of a diplomat. Alexio on the other hand maintains the skill of his canon self in void warfare, but isn't as pacifistic.
    • Iskandar Baselius is not only a Perpetual, but his canon flaws of being The Perfectionist has been heavily toned down.
    • Octaviar Perturabo is still capable of sensing the Eye of Terror like in canon, but a talk from Uriah Olathaire has allowed him to come to terms with his powers, allowing him to create a paradise even so close to the Eye in order to show that mankind can flourish against anything. He also holds no resentment towards his father and is willing to take his job in stride.
    • Tengri Khagan is capable of using Shock and Awe.
    • Tyric Balderson is An Ice Person, being able and willing to use said gift in battle in contrast to his canon's hatred of such powers. He also has been gifted with a spear called Gungir, meant to show the Truth of anything who touches it.
    • Rogal Mauer is able to project his psychic powers and become a living star of Anathemic light, able to burn away demons and returning the laws of physics. He's still The Stoic & The Dutiful Son, but living with his brothers has caused the tension between any rivalries they had in canon to be negated or heavily toned down.
    • Konrad Curze lacks the madness of his canon version due to fighting off the Night Haunter with Malcador's help. While his visions are also as grim as his canon self, having a better childhood prevents him from falling into insanity and taught him to take his visions as warnings and lessons he can put to use, as opposed to immutable and inevitable destiny.
    • Dante Uriael has a Super Mode that allows him to tap into the full power of his canon counterpart. Also, having a talk with the Emperor convinces Dante to come to terms with his wings and embrace them wholeheartedly, becoming known as an angel who brings hope to humanity and wrath against its enemies, showcasing this by having two swords named Mephiston & Alatron. On another note, he's capable of also using his wings offensively and launch them like pinions
    • Culain Mac Turson is able to commune with any machine spirit regardless of its power, becoming a better inventor in the weapons of war. The Emperor also gifted him with a Dyson Bottle which is a miniature capable of powering an entire sector.
    • Kalib Kraad is an expert in eliminating anything from the Warp, but his IA version has been given a proper childhood, lacking the insanity from being raised in a Space Hulk with no parents & isn't mutated by the Warp. The Emperor gifted him with the Rubi-Carceron, a Soul Jar meant to imprison souls and creatures of the Immaterium.
    • Baraca is still a Blood Knight, but lacking the Butcher's Nails has allowed him to be a leader and not just charge into the battlefield.
    • Marcus Augustio is capable of shutting out the Warp and enforcing reality.
    • Moric Thane has Bio Manipulation to continue the cycle of life and death as well as lacking his canon version's hatred of such powers.
    • Magnus Rubricar is still The Archmage, but repeatedly getting his ass kicked by a Pariah has caused him to recognize the Fatal Flaw of being arrogant about and overreliant on his powers, resulting in a much more healthy and grounded worldview.
    • Horus Lupercali has some level of pyromancy as used in the Battle of Luna and was gifted with the Spear of Destiny, a weapon made of Anathemic energy and dipped in the Emperor's own blood.
    • Phillip Lot hasn't had a lot of screen time yet, but living with the Emperor didn't instill in him a religious fervor towards him and thus cutting off potential problem of needing a god to worship. He also is willing to fight and isn't just the runt among a lineage of warriors.
    • Odafin Vulkan found drakes in his canon homeworld and used them as part of his army. He later tames a Stellar Drake (naming her Ayida), and goes on to creates his own breed of Stellar Drake called the Ayidakin.
    • Kota Ravenwing was given a suit of armor that the Emperor once used called the Shadow of Judgement. It's a suit of nano-gossamer with Psi-reactive crystals that greatly enhances his stealth capabilities, and he uses it to great effect to kill an Ork.
  • Adaptational Heroism: Since they weren't scattered by the Chaos Gods and were given an actual childhood, the Primarchs as a whole are much more well-adjusted and heroic. In particular, the Primarchs who would've fallen to Chaos in canon are free from the neuroses and issues that doomed their canonical counterparts. Best seen when Iskandar Basileus (canonically Fulgrim) rejects Slaanesh on Proxima Centauri, Octaviar Perturabo comes to accept and understand the true significance of his role as Warden of the Outer Hells, and Konrad Curze successfully uplifts and transforms Nostromo.
  • Adaptational Name Change: since they were never scattered by the Chaos Gods, they naturally grow up with different names,with some retaining parts of their canonical names and others having entirely different names. Averted for Konrad Curze and Alpharius Omegon, who retain their canonical names.
  • For Want Of A Nail: Due to the Emperor seeing just how much he messed up by treating the Primarchs like tools, he delays the Great Crusade for some time and removes their maturation enhancers to ensure they all grow up in a stable household and a loving family. While this has the negative effect of making the Great Crusade more difficult than the canon timeline, the Primarchs lack the Fatal Flaw their canonical counterparts have and in spite of some of them having disagreements with the Emperor, they're all loyal to him with the Crusade not being heavily hindered as a result.

    I: Eddard Fendragon (Lion El'Jonson), Primarch of The Black Knights (Dark Angels) 
  • BFS: His Unique Gift is an ancient blade called the Titansword, which can obliterate anything it strikes.
  • Red Baron: The Emperor's Sword
  • Tranquil Fury: Unlike some of his brothers, his fury is less of a burning fire but more like "a laser that seared through whatever had gained his ire". He displays this at Magnus during their duel, because the latter was cheating by using warpcraft.

    II: Alexio Garvia (Tallas of Dunant), Primarch of The Void Champions (Valedictors) 
  • Dual Wielding: He carries a pair of modified Volkite and Grav Pistols on his person at all times.
  • Magic Compass: His Unique Gift, the Astra-Scope. The Astra-Scope is a model copy of the Solar System, marked with runes and infused with the light of Sol and the Astronomicon. In Alexio's hands, it can guide vessels through the most perilous journeys, burn away small warp storms - and most importantly, provide a celestial compass that points to Sol and the Astronomicon no matter what.
  • Mentor Archetype: He has a knack for grooming talent, and possesses some of the most capable Astartes and Mortal officers in his fleet as a result.
  • Red Baron: Imperial Explorer

    III: Iskandar Basileus (Fulgrim), Primarch of The Phoenix Blades (Emperor's Children) 

    IV: Octaviar Perturabo (Perturabo), Primarch of The Steel Wardens (Iron Warriors) 
  • Hellgate: His world, Hellwatch, and the surrounding worlds lie close to the Eye of Terror.
  • Meaningful Name: His full name translates to "Builder of Empires that forever Endure". In addition, steel is a refined form of iron, befitting this version's lack of his canonical counterpart's personality flaws and neuroses.
  • Red Baron: Warden of the Outer Hells
  • Sixth Sense: His Unique Gift - it lets him sense where warp storms or rifts would open before they did.
  • Start My Own: The Emperor's plan for Perturabo is for him to convert the worlds closer to the Eye of Terror into fortresses and paradises, to show that humanity can flourish even in hell - "refut[ing] the Chaos Gods by building a civilization like no equal at their doorstep". Best exemplified by the statue gifted to him, The Gates of Hell - "a beautiful creation marking the entrance to the underworld”.
  • Ultimate Blacksmith: Is noted to be this along with Culain Mac Turson and Odafin Vulkan, being one of the trio of Primarchs created by the Emperor to represent mankind's relationship with technology.

    V: Tengri Khagan (Jaghatai Khan), Primarch of The Lighting Riders (White Scars) 
  • Hit-and-Run Tactics: If their initial assault isn't enough to overwhelm their enemies, they pull back, escape, and strike again when the enemy begins to relax.
  • Lightning Bruiser: Tengri is the fastest of all the Primarchs, with only Magnus coming close via time manipulation - and even then, Tengri could counter that with his own psionics. The V Legion's main battle doctrine reflects this: they favour mobility and raw destructive force, preferring to hit hard and fast.
  • Thunder Drum: His Unique Gift, the Thundersoul Drum, the very first Shaman Drum ever made. Aside from acting as an incredibly powerful psychic focus, the drum is also attuned to humanity’s gestalt consciousness, beating on its own in response to the location and state of human souls.
  • Red Baron: Imperial Outrider, The Rider, the Warhawk, the Bolt from the Blue, Lord of White Lightning, Wildhearted Primarch, the Great Khagan
  • Shock and Awe: His psyker powers include summoning sheets of lightning.

    VI: Tyric Baldurson (Leman Russ), Primarch of The Wild Hunt (Space Wolves) 
  • Awful Truth: His Unique Gift Gungir, the Dionysian Spear shows visions of the Truth to everyone who touches it, Tyric himself included. These visions of the Truth are potent enough to "redeem the lost, break minds, and destroy daemons".
  • Cruel Mercy: Doesn't finish off Opus Jorith after stabbing it with Gungir, letting it feel the full weight of its crimes in its final moments.
  • Obfuscating Insanity / Obfuscating Stupidity: Invoked by Tyric and his legion. Beneath their ferocious, boisterous, barbaric, and animalistic trappings, are keenly observant and acutely intelligent hunters.
  • Red Baron: Slayer of Monsters, The Emperor's Executioner

    VII: Rogal Mauer (Rogal Dorn), Primarch of The Solar Wardens (Imperial Fists) 

    VIII: Konrad Curze, Primarch of The Night Lords 
  • Battle in the Center of the Mind: How he confronts and defeats his canon counterpart, with Malcador's help.
  • Fusion Dance: With Malcador, temporarily. This transforms him into his prime form, the King of the Night, and allows him to defeat the Night Haunter once and for all.
  • Red Baron: Judge of the Damned, King of the Night, Midnight Judge, the Eater of Sins, Hidden Claw of the Emperor, the true Night Lord, Prince of Nightmares, the Emperor's Murderer

    IX: Dante Uriael (Sanguinius), Primarch of The Dawn Angels (Blood Angels) 
  • Badass in Distress: While investigating a Rangda planet that he couldn't properly see in his visions, his fleet is ambushed and crashes onto the planet with no way off or call for help. He has to spend 4 years fighting guerilla warfare on a planet while waiting for backup and has to face against Opus Jorith near the end of it until The Wild Hunt arrives.
  • Freakiness Shame: Used to hate his wings in his youth, thinking they made him a freak.
  • I Know Your True Name: His true name, Sanguinius, allows him to access his super mode. This is thanks to tapping into the power of the canon Sanguinius and the power of his legend that is imprinted in the Warp.
  • Logical Weakness: His Future Vision is severely affected by Pariahs. Especially when a planet has a number of them which are converted by the Rangda into a Superweapon.
  • Meaningful Name: This Dante is named after Dante the Chapter Master of the canonical timeline.
  • Our Angels Are Different: The closest thing to an actual angel. Especially since his power resides in the Warp.
  • Red Baron: The Archangel
  • Super Mode: His Unique gift.

    X: Culain Mac Turson (Ferrus Manus), Primarch of The Stormbringers (Iron Hands) 
  • Machine Empathy: Culain is the undisputed master of this, being designed by the Emperor to commune with any and every type of machine spirit.
  • Red Baron: Stormlord, Star-keeper, Ira de Imperator
  • Tank Goodness
  • Ultimate Blacksmith: Is noted to be this along with Octaviar Perturabo and Odafin Vulkan, being one of the trio of Primarchs created by the Emperor to represent mankind's relationship with technology.

    XI: Kalib Kraad, Primarch of The Soul Hunters (Silent Brotherhood) 
  • Alliterative Name: Kalib Kraad.
  • Demon Slaying: His Specialty.
  • The Dreaded: Between his skills, his psyker powers, and his Rubi-Carceron, Kalib is this to daemons. So feared is he, some daemons have been known to avoid any battles that he's involved in, preferring to risk the displeasure of their masters over whatever Kalib has in store for them.
  • The Empath: A variant. Kalib can intuitively sense and predict the motions and interactions of the Warp as a whole, letting him read the the broiling emotions that threaten to spill into the Material world to gain a general standing strength of Warp creatures breaching out into the mortal realm.
  • Red Baron: Keeper of Souls
  • Tele-Frag: Invoked - he loves screwing up daemonic attempts to materialise in the Materium, with one particular favourite being materialising polar opposites into each other. He can also make this trope less likely to happen for allied forces, giving them a better chance of materialising without issues.

    XII: Baraca Themistar (Angron), Primarch of The Warhounds (World Eaters) 
  • Adaptation Personality Change: His canonical counterpart has nothing but hatred towards his father for letting his gladiators die & the Butcher's Nails reduced him to being The Berserker, robbing him of nearly any semblance of personality save for a few moments of insight. With Baraca being raised under the Emperor and no Butcher's Nails, he's still a man who loves a decent fight, but is capable of displaying a sense of humor and has great control over himself
  • Blood Knight: Baraca loves a good fight. Unlike his canonical counterpart, this trait is tempered by self-control. It helps that he lacks the Butcher's Nails which allows him to use his head more and not just charge in like a berserker as well as being more well-adjusted due to having a more caring Emperor as his father.
  • Red Baron: Lord Protector

    XIII: Marcus Augustio (Roboute Guilliman), Primarch of The Prime Legion (Ultramarines) 
  • Combat Pragmatist: His entire combat doctrine.
  • Cutting the Knot: During the Lunar Rebellion, he dispatched a Daemon Prince expecting to duel him with an orbital bombardment, reasoning that the gate the Daemon Prince occupied could always be replaced.
  • Red Baron: Imperial Chancellor

    XIV: Moric Thane (Mortarion), Primarch of The Eternal Guard (Dusk Raiders/Death Guard) 
  • Bio Manipulation: His talents. Making him a counter to Nurgle's corruption. Where Nurgle freezes everything in decay and prevents it from dying, Moric Thane ensures that the cycle of life and death continues.
  • Medical Monarch: One half of Moric's duties, finding and creating cures for biological afflictions using his intellect, enhanced body, and biomancy.
  • Red Baron: The Watcher of Cycles, Lord of Cycles
  • World Tree: His Unique Gift, the Seed of Eden, is a seed from a World Tree and enhances his biomancy as well and purifying Nurgle's corruption.

    XV: Magnus Rubricar (Magnus The Red), Primarch of The Arcane Brotherhood (Thousand Sons) 
  • Genius Bruiser: Magnus is this even by Primarch standards.
  • Manipulative Bastard: A benign version. He turns Eldrad Ulthran's attempts to manipulate him back on the Farseer, and convinces Eldrad to enter a more equal alliance with the Imperium instead.
  • Red Baron: Lord of Mysteries
  • Smug Super: Was this in regards to his psyker powers before...
  • Training from Hell: And How, since Arik Taranis forces him to fight a Pariah in order to humble his arrogance around Warpcraft. It's deconstructed as while it does work, the Emperor feels that Arik went too far since his methods made it very likely for him to lose one of his beloved sons, especially since said Pariah expressed her desire to actually kill Magnus.
  • Took a Level in Kindness: Magnus eventually settles into a more healthy, grounded view of his psyker powers, teaching his Legion that it's the duty and privilege of psykers to use their gifts to benefit mankind.

    XVI: Horus Lupercali, Primarch of The Lunar Templars (Luna Wolves/Sons of Horus) 
  • Achilles in His Tent: Is in a state of shock after the XVI Legion's disastrous performance during the Lunar Rebellion. He gets better.
  • Back from the Dead: Is the first Primarch to die, choosing to fall on his spear instead of giving in to Chaos. His spear captures his soul, letting the Emperor revive him.
  • Red Baron: Master of War

    XVII: Phillip Lot (Lorgar), Primarch of The Imperial Heralds (Word Bearers) 

    XVIII: Odafin Vulkan (Vulkan), Primarch of The Dragonforged (Salamanders) 
  • Awesome Moment of Crowning: Is crowned High King of the Khazkhun, the Dragon of the Mountain Holds, King Under the Surface by the Squats in exchange for them joining the Imperium.
  • Dragon Rider: He sometimes rides his Familiar, Ayida the Stellar Drake, into battle.
  • Red Baron: Lord Perpetual
  • Our Dragons Are Different: He has a giant dragon as his familiar.
  • Ultimate Blacksmith: He's noted to be this along with Octaviar Perturabo and Culain Mac Turson, being one of the trio of Primarchs created by the Emperor to represent mankind's relationship with technology.

    XIX: Kota Ravenwing (Corvus Corax), Primarch of The Dark Raptors (Raven Guard) 
  • Red Baron: Imperial Prosecutor
  • Stealth Expert: As a young child, Kota was able to sneak past the squads of Custodes assigned to guard the sleeping Emperor. He's only gotten better at stealth.

    XX: Alpharius Omegon, Primarch of The Hydra Legion (Alpha Legion) 
  • Creepy Twins: They're still this, even in an alternate universe.
  • Red Baron: Spymaster Primus
  • The Unsolved Mystery: Their file for the canon timeline is missing a lot of information, but they are qualified as a success by the Emperor, but no explanation is given.

Legiones Astartes

    General 
  • Adaptational Badass: Much like the Primarchs, the Astartes also receive a significant upgrade, possessing not only a Special Organ that's unique to each legion, but also having the organs of both their baseline and Primaris canon versions. With the Emperor's knowledge of the canon timeline, the Astartes don't have the flaws their canon versions possess.
  • Everyone Has a Special Move: While above and beyond their Canon Baseline and Primaris counterparts, they are also bequeathed a Special Organ unique for each legion and tailored to their specific combat doctrines.
    • The I Legion have "The Prince's Tears", which modifies the Ventricular system and Dohrnii Drive to create a psycho-reactive compound that allow an Astartes to store behaviour, reflex and muscle memory into their cerebrospinal fluid, bone marrow or Progenoid Glands. Thus, whether it be by gene-implantation or fluid transfer, new Astartes can inherit the basic skill and talent of older, experienced Astartes.
    • The II Legion have "The Thrumonyx System", which connects and modifies the Sus-an Membrane, Larraman's Organ and Mucranoid gene-seeds. This allows the Astartes to produce a hybrid quick clotting, low temperature conductive, chemically and biologically resistant black gel known as "Thurmonyx" (or Onyx) in large quantities to close wounds and protect tissue from the vacuum of space, allowing these Astartes to survive in hard vacuum for far longer than other Legions. The chemical process to create this Thurmonyx, while energy-intensive, also produces oxygen as a byproduct, allowing Astartes with damaged life-support systems to function within the vacuum, and the use of Thurmonyx cells prepares the body for Sus-an suspension if needed so the Astartes can still fight and remain active until they are safe or need to hibernate. Finally, the gene-seed modifies the Sus-an Membrane to give off small amounts of an specific, unique radiation when it is activated, becoming a form of locator for Imperial Sensors to find Astartes lost in space for either rescues or Gland extraction.
    • The III Legion have "The Phoenix Feather", which is a bunch of artificial nerves added to the spinal cord and connected to their nervous system that enhances it beyond normal Astartes standards. This allows the Astartes increased reaction times and enhanced skill with their senses, as well as causing new nervous tissue growth to handle faster internal communication and enhanced senses, drastically improving their swordplay and stewardship skills and making them the fastest and most alert Astartes on average. It does have a downside, however, as increasing the number of nerves and their sensitivity makes the Astartes more affected by pain due to a lower tolerance, and they can still go into Shock or similar states with enough trauma.
    • The IV Legion have "The Gorod Marrow", which arguments the Astartes' bone marrow to drastically increase the production of stem cells and blood, and grants them a Primarch's level of regeneration. This allows them to heal from wounds that would put other Astartes out for weeks and months within a fraction of the time. Finally, this gene-seed also accelerates the growth of Progenoid Glands, allowing this Legion to produce and mature them not only faster, but also in greater numbers. Overall, the gene-seed allows the Legion to maintain their numbers either through healing veterans or by rapidly producing recruits.
    • The V Legion have the "Warhawk's Vision", which replaces their eyes and optical nerves and connects and upgrades the Occulobe implant. Using transhuman cellular tissue and cybernetic sensory apparatus, this enhances the already superhuman vision of Astartes to new levels, providing augmented vision superior to anything of similar size. Legion V Astartes without helmets can see with accuracy and focus on par to their cousins using weapon targeting arrays. While the enhanced kinetic vision, infrared detection, and rapid adjustment could be accomplished by armor-systems, the Impant streamlines and accelerates the connections and efficiency of the optic nerve shaving off crucial microseconds of reaction time and visual adaptation, and allowing for levels of visual acuity at a high velocity not thought possible. As a side effect, it changes the appearance of Astartes to those of birds of prey.
    • The VI Legion have the "Vargaz", a complicated sub-system linked to the other existing gene-seed; more specifically, it is a number of mutagen cocktails, mega-stimulants, rejuvenus chems and psi-reactive materials bonded to the Revitalizer, Omophagea, Biscopea, and Larraman's Organ. The Vargaz becomes active when one of three conditions occur: Extreme physical trauma like the normal Revitalizer Organ, ingestion of mutagen laced animal-blood sourced from their bestial gene origin, or exposure to large quantities of Warp Energy. When active, the Vargaz awakens the latent bestial traits and DNA within the Astartes, turning them into near-hybrid of transhuman and animal, and causing a extreme increase in physical prowess, regeneration, and resistance to other mutations. While very primal and viscous, the Legion still retain their reason within this state. However, exiting the Vargaz state is very traumatising to their bodies and souls, and if they are forced to spend months on end as a Vargaz or fail to master their baser instincts, then they'll become little more than animals.
    • The VII Legion have the "Ossuaric Forge", which modifies the Ossmodula gene-seed. The Ossuaric Forge grants the Astartes' the ability to produce mineralized tissue of much higher quality, causing their bones to develop as much denser and stronger than other Legions' Astartes. Additionally, the much stronger bones allow for muscle growth that would be too much for even Astartes, causing the VII Legion to build beyond superhuman muscle density and gifting them a variety of advancements to their physical prowess. Furthermore, these augments to the bone and muscular system only increase with age as the augmentation works deeper into the Astartes tissue, with some of the oldest Astartes to have bones and muscle stronger than many industrial metals.
    • The VIII Legion have the "Kronos Lobe", an organ requiring natural psychic aptitude to be implanted without issue, and thus so tricky and difficult to implant that a majority of the Legion only have damaged versions of it. Attached the Corpus Callosum in the brain, those with damaged versions of the organ receive "flickers" of incredible awareness and the ability to perceive time in a way humans had not evolved to do so. This extra-temporal ability grants the Legion's Astartes flashes of insight and seizures of foresight, showcasing bits of precognition that can allow them react and act with supernatural speed and luck. If the Astartes possess the psychic power and strength of will needed for the organ to be undamaged, then they become part of the "Solomonari" role of the Legion. These Astartes have access to incredible precognitive powers and extra-sensory awareness even greater than the strongest seers. The precognition is unique among other types in that it doesn't show multiple futures, but rather only the current future; what things are going to occur unless something interferes. Use of this organ, both damaged and intact, take a great mental toll on the Astartes.
    • The IX Legion have "Gabrielian Joints" - Biomechanical Wing stumps that include the organic changes to support and use the extra pair of limbs in a myriad ways. Though easily the most common attachment is a pair of metallic alloy wings which gives the Astartes the power of limited flight, artillery and scouting attachments have been made use of by various organizations within the legion to become a more effective implement of their Primarch’s will.
    • The X Legion have the "Steel Carapace", an upgraded version of the Black Carapace that lets Astartes better link with their technology and each other, making them smarter, faster,and more accurate when operating technology.
    • The XI Legion have the Anathemic Liver, an additional liver that filters their body and laces their bodily fluids with anathemic properties, gradually seeping into their tissues as well. This organ not only helps the XI Legion in performing anti-Chaotic rituals, but any daemon foolish enough to try and consume the flesh of a Soul Hunter will join their foe in death, while any cult that tries to use captured Soul Hunters as sacrifices will find their blood is much more of a danger to them than it is to the Imperium. This also has the side effect of making the flesh of any Soul Hunter over a century old entirely poisonous - something the XI Legion exploits by cremating fallen Soul Hunters with more than a century of service, and using their ashes to coat, line, or even infuse various pieces of equipment used in their anti-Warp operations.
    • The XII Legion have the "Warhound's Leash", which forges a chain of both chemical and psychic nature between the Astartes. Each individual Phalanx becomes a unified pack bound to its Captain, who is bound to his commanding officer, and so on and so forth, all the way up to their Primarch. This network of pheromonal and psychic links also greatly enhances their coordination, with the entire Legion fighting as a singular macro-unit with virtually the same level of coordination as a single Phalanx.
    • The Legion of "The Silver Knights" (this timeline's version of the Grey Knights) are this up to eleven, as they instead have gene-seed hybridisation of all Twenty Primarchs, picking out the strongest anti-Chaos qualities of each and then further enhanced by the Emperor. The Legion is also lead by Eight "Super-Astartes", Perpetuals born from "The Angel's" power, who is the prototype of a Primarch's Soul and an Avatar of Mankind, allowing them to regenerate from any wound and not be killed by most means. These Eight were created by the Emperor to fulfil their lack of a Primarch, using a improved hybrid creation method between the Custodes' and Astartes' creation processes along with the souls of fallen heroes - including those from the canonical timeline. These Eight "Lord Paladins" are inferior to the Primarchs' might, but still possess immense psychic power and knowledge from hundreds of dead Astartes.
      • As for the Astartes themselves, they possess "The Ghost Heart", a Warp crystal of the highest quality that is created from the Emperor's Anathema psychic power that are crafted into a psionic anchor and implanted into their primary heart. This bonds with their muscle tissues and increases the Silver Knights' psychic powers, along with granting them the ability to see and use the souls of the deceased in the Warp not consumed by Chaos to fuel their spells and rituals, in addition to protecting them from going mad when doing so and granting them great control over calling the spirits. It also collects souls of those worthy of joining the Emperor, turning them into spirit familiars to serve the Silver Knights until death, after which the saved souls join the Astronomicon.

    Abbadon the Redeemer 
  • Death by Adaptation: Sacrifices his life during the Battle of Ullanor to buy Tengri time to escape.
  • Heroic Willpower: Abbadon was one of the very first Astartes to reject Chaos and shake off its taint during the Lunar Rebellion, in spite of being shown what he became in the canon timeline.

    Kharn the Traitor Breaker 
  • Internal Affairs: Acts as this for the Space Marine Legions, hunting and arresting Astartes who turn rogue.

Forces of Chaos

    Korban the Eversacrifice 

    Be'lakor 
  • Starter Villain: The Architect of the Lunar Rebellion, which sets the tone for the Great Crusade.

    Sagitari- 17 

Aeldari

    Cegorach 
  • Eldritch Abomination: He is the Laughing God of the Eldar and one of the last Old Ones.
  • Knight Templar: He tried to kill the Emperor to prevent strengthening of Chaos by latter one's genocidal actions and to destroy Chaos Gods.
  • Monster Clown: the Modus Operandi of him and his troupe of Harlequins.
  • Wounded Gazelle Gambit: How he sets up first contact with the Imperium. Naturally, The Emperor is very angry with this.

Rangda

    Theophage 

    Opus Jorith 

    Khrave 

Orks

    Graunhaug 
  • Blood Knight: By Ork Standards, he is incredibly brutal. Keep in mind that normal Orkz are all Blood Knights by default.
  • Dirty Coward: When utterly thrashed by Vulkan, he tries to crawl back to his forces only for the Squat Champion to hold him down and let Vulkan finish him off.
  • Good Old Ways: He is focused on endless WAAAAG Hs compared to the empire building other Beasts are performing on Ullanor. The narration states that while the Orks are evolving without becoming Krorks and developing new methods, Graunhaug is basically a Traditionalist trying to prove his method is the best and is also that idea's last chance.
  • Off with His Head!: On the receiving end. He survives and puts it back on. Then Vulkan shows up.

Other Xenos factions

    Mag'ladroth 
  • Eldritch Abomination: As a C'tan, an ancient being from the dawn of time, he is this.
  • Technopath: How he triggered the Iron War by awakening from a millennia-long slumber.

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