Dark Apostle

The Dark Apostles are the Chaplains and de facto leaders of the Word Bearers Chaos Space Marine Traitor Legion, second only to the Legion's Primarch Lorgar.

Overview
Dark Apostles start their career as a standard Chaos Space Marine and must earn the right through their deeds to be elevated to the rank of Dark Apostle by the current Dark Apostle of his Host, gaining the rank of First Acolyte (basically a lieutenant to the current Dark Apostle). There are only three ways for a First Acolyte to become the Dark Apostle of his host: to wait for the current Dark Apostle to die in battle, to get elected to be the new Dark Apostle by the Dark Council of Sicarus or for the First Acolyte to kill the Dark Apostle himself and await the Dark Council's appointment as the new Dark Apostle. In any case, the Acolyte will need the Dark Council's blessings to become a Dark Apostle.

Dark Apostles take the role of what would normally be the Chaplains of a Space Marine Legion and normally lead sermons and litanies worshiping and praising the Chaos Gods during peacetime and war for the Word Bearers Legion. A Dark Apostle of any Word Bearers Host is a seasoned summoner of daemons and has been known to summon several in quick succession, though at the cost of damage to the daemon's physical being, thus shortening the amount of time that the daemon can spend on the physical plane.

Dark Apostles are said to be aloof, mysterious and charismatic as well as a step above the Battle-Brothers of their Host. The only person with equal rank within one of the Word Bearers' Hosts would be the Coryphaus, the main warleader in the Host and the person who serves as the bridge between the Dark Apostle and the Host.

Apostles in Combat
When Dark Apostles go to war they are terrifying to behold, for the Apostles are fueled by their indomitable faith, daemonic blessings and the super-human might of a Space Marine. Few can stand and fight against a Dark Apostle and live to tell the tale. The Dark Apostles (and all of the Word Bearers for that matter) hold a certain hatred for the Adeptus Ministorum (the Ecclesiarchy) and all those who ally with it. They take great pleasure in destroying Imperial temples, burning banners and above all killing Missionaries, Adeptus Sororitas and if possible Ordo Hereticus Inquisitors.

Armaments
The main armament of the Dark Apostles is a corrupted Crozius Arcanum, a perverted version of the Adeptus Astartes' primary weapon for Chaplains but the weapon still still serves to show their faith in the Ruinous Powers of Chaos. Although they have unlimited access to the Word Bearers' Armoury, they commonly prefer customized Power Armour and a very ornate Bolt Pistol. A First Acolyte or Dark Apostle will also commonly employ a daemon-possessed weapon, likely a Chainsword or Chain Axe and a standard Bolt Pistol. A few of the Dark Apostles or First Acolytes will sometimes make use of other weapons beside the Crozius Arcanum or a daemon-possessed weapon, swapping them for heavy duty weapons such as a Heavy Bolter or use a different form of a melee weapon.

Notable Dark Apostles and First Acolytes

 * Jarulek
 * Marduk
 * Warmonger
 * Eliphas the Inheritor