Knights-Errant



The Knights-Errant were a mysterious body of warriors that was formed at the express order of Malcador the Sigillite, the acting Regent of Terra, following betrayal at Istvaan III during the opening days of the Horus Heresy in the early years of the 31st Millennium. These agents of the Sigillite were made up of an ever-expanding band of elite Legiones Astartes, each and every one an exemplar of the Emperor's vision for the champions of humanity. They were the pinnacle of the ' Chosen of Malcador ', a secret army, sent to the far reaches of the Imperium to prosecute the Sigillite's Silent War, entirely dedicated to Malcador's cause which transcended even the immediate concerns of the Horus Heresy and was vital to all that would come after the Traitors were finally cast out.

History
In the decades that had passed since the culmination of the Horus Heresy and the outset of the period referred to as 'The Scouring', tacticae-savants identified a broad spectrum of categories into which many irregular forces could be placed. At one end of this spectrum was to be found the body of warriors coined the ' Knights-Errant '. Imperial scholars knew all but nothing of this mysterious group, other than it was formed at the express order of Malcador the Sigillite. The so-called ' Chosen of Malcador ' included many individuals from a wide range o{backgrounds, but his Knights-Errant were all Space Marines, and many of these were the scions of the Traitor Primarchs who had refused to follow their fathers into treachery and chosen instead to renounce their Legion and serve the Imperium directly at its highest level. All cast off their Legion heraldry and wore in its stead the gunmetal grey of bare ceramite.

Little is now known of the highly secret missions the Knights-Errant undertook at the behest of the Regent of Terra throughout the Age of Darkness, for many accounts have been deliberately suppressed, events have gone unrecorded at the time or reports were simply lost in the conflagration that descended upon Terra at the culmination of the Warmaster's great betrayal. Certainly, the Knights-Errant fought alone or in small groups against key foes identified by the Sigillite and in some cases aligned their interests with those of other Legion forces, serving side by side with conventional Legiones Astartes units when deemed necessary. It is considered likely by some Imperial historators that the Knights-Errant may had played a key, albeit mysterious role in the unseen ' silent war ' that was waged between Malcador and the Imperial Fists Primarch Rogal Dorn, for both found their interests frequently in opposition. As the Solar War gripped humanity's birth system, the interests of the Sigillite and the Primarch frequently clashed and while face to face the two remained cordial, if often coldly so, behind the scenes their agents and servants might very well have been murdering one another. Whether or not the Knights-Errant ever took up arms against Loyalist forces is unknown, but it is certain that they undertook missions that furthered the long term goals of the Regent of Terra at the expense of those of the Praetorian of Terra.

The Crusader Host
At the conclusion of the Unification Wars, the Legions stood upon the precipice of launching the Great Crusade, to depart the Sol System in a great many cases never to return. Before leaving at the head of the first great Expeditionary fleets, each of the Legions mustered a party of Legionaries who would remain on Terra and stand as their representatives before the Terran Council in all matters in which the Legions held a stake. In addition, they would serve as an Honour Guard to watch over Terra and all that the Unification Wars had won Mankind. Perhaps most importantly, they would record the names of those Legionaries who would lay down their lives conquering the great darkness beyond the light of Sol, so that no sacrifice would ever be forgotten. In accepting this honour, the Legionaries of the Crusader Host would be making an equally great sacrifice, for they would partake in none of the glory their brothers would win and all their victories would be won by proxy.

When the Warmaster's betrayal was revealed at Istvaan III, the members of the Crusader Host were as one incarcerated by the Praetorian of Terra, the Primarch Rogal Dom. If such as Horus could turn, then who among the Host could be trusted? At length, Dorn was satisfied that those of the Host drawn from his own Legion were sound in their loyalties and he ordered them freed. Of the remainder, each is a tale in its own right. Some escaped, their fates unknown. A small· number were freed on condition of their performing some great and vital task, such as service in the ranks of the Knights-Errant. The ultimate fate of many of the Crusader Host is bound up in the events of the climax of the Horus Heresy, when total war came at last to Terra, but that is a tale best accounted when at last it is time to do so.

One of its number, a former Luna Wolves Legionary by the name of Severian, helped the Sigillite in identifying potential Knights-Errant from both Loyalist and Traitor Legions alike. The Sigillite's intent was to gather each of those named by Severian and muster them into a cadre of warriors directly under his control, a band he would dub the Knights-Errant. It fell to the most senior of these, the Agentia Primus Nathaniel Garro, a former Battle-Captain of the Death Guard and witness to the events of the Istvaan III Atrocity, to go forth into the galaxy and recruit all twenty to his master's cause.

Calth (007.M31)
"You court death, Garro, like some ancient Knight-Errant." --"That's as good a title as any, Brother."

- Exchange between former Ultramarines Librarian Tylos Rubio and Nathaniel Garro during the Battle of Calth

In 007.M31, Agentia Primus Garro sought out Battle-Brother Tylos Rubio amongst the Astartes of the 21st Company, an extremely powerful psyker who had once been a Codicier of the XIIIth Legion before the Emperor’s formal decree at the Council of Nikaea had banned the Space Marine Legion’s use of psykers, including their own corps of Librarians. Many resented the Decrees of Nikaea, but honoured their oath to the Emperor and surrendered their Librarian panoply and wargear, returning to the lines as ordinary Battle-Brothers. Captain Gaius had been killed in a Word Bearers’ assault when a large force of Traitor Marines and Chaos Cultists nearly overwhelmed the 21st Company’s battle lines. Garro arrived before the next assault and found Brother Rubio. He explained to the perplexed Ultramarine that he was there on the orders of Malcador the Sigillite and that Rubio must come away with him. Rubio refused to leave his Battle-Brothers in the face of annihilation unless so ordered by the Emperor himself. Much to Rubio’s surprise, the honourable Garro respected his decision and agreed to stand and fight with him against the Word Bearers. In the final assault, the Ultramarines were driven back in the face of overwhelming numbers, and sought cover within a cave. They were hard-pressed by the elite Word Bearers' Cataphractii-armoured Terminators. Brother Rubio was sorely tested, forced to restrain from using his innate psychic abilities, bound by his sacred oaths to the Emperor, even though he knew that by doing so he could have saved the lives of many of his fallen Battle-Brothers. Facing imminent death, Rubio felt that he had no other choice and unleashed a powerful psychic attack, driving the enemy back with the full force of his powers. The tunnel collapsed in the process, burying the attacking Word Bearers Cataphractii under tons of rubble. The survivors of the 21st Company had been saved and the sole passage to Numinus had been denied to the enemy. The cost of using his powers had cost Rubio dearly – his honour before his Primarch and his Emperor. Garro told him to be grateful that he had saved his Brothers' lives. As he approached his fellow Ultramarines, they averted their eyes and as one turned their backs, shunning him. Rubio had disobeyed a Decree Absolute of the Emperor, and for that, there was no forgiveness. Garro drew his sword Libertas and Rubio spun at the sound of it, fixing Garro with a furious glare. Garro held the sword out, the point down towards the ground. He had Rubio place his hand upon the blade to take an Oath of Moment, to dedicate himself to the orders of the Regent of Terra and put aside all other claims upon his honour. Rubio swore upon the blade, for he had little other choice.

Sword of Truth, Sol System (007.M31)
The second mission Garro undertook was within the Sol system itself, when a rag tag fleet of Loyalists arrived in the Kuiper Belt, on the outskirts of the Sol System. This small flotilla of hodge podge vessels were comprised of small merchant vessels led by the Daggerline which bore the heraldry of the traitorous World Eaters Legion. Stopped by Loyalist forces, the flotilla was ordered to stand down pending further investigation. Aware of the situation, Malcador sent Garro, Tylos Rubio, and Khorarinn, a member of the Emperor's elite Legio Custodes, aboard the Battleship Nolandia, to ascertain the true allegiance of this so-called "Loyalist" flotilla. Once they arrived, Garro insisted on making Vox contact with the flotilla's de facto commander -- the former World Eaters' Captain Macer Varren. Khorarinn, Garro and Rubio then took a shuttle to the Daggerline to meet with Varren in person, and were surprised that besides the presence of Varren's warriors, there were other Legionaries present from various Legions, including a small contingent of Emperor's Children led by Captain Rakatio, and the White Scars, led by Captain Hakim. Events soon took place that seemed to incriminate the Emperor's Children as traitors, but Garro, Rubio and Varren realised they had been duped, when Captain Hakin's White Scars contingent callously murdered the few Emperor's Children Legionaries along with the arrogant Khorarinn. It turned out that Hakim and his warriors were, in actuality, both Warrior Lodge members, and loyal to the Warmaster's cause. With Hakim's proclamation, the human refugees began to panic and attempted to flee. Obeying Khararrin's final orders, the Nolandia began to systematically destroy each fleeing vessel. Garro, Rubio and Varren rushed to the Daggerline's vox array in order to send a message to the Nolandia, ordering them to stand down, but found its officers had been murdered and the vox array damaged beyond their ability to repair. In the ensuing melee, the Traitor White Scars murdered the remainder of Varren's men. The trio were soon confronted by a squad of White Scars and Captain Hakim. Cornered, they faced imminent death, but fortunately, Rubio had taken the dead Custodian's teleporter homer during the subsequent firefight, and activated it, which teleported the trio back aboard the Nolandia. Garro had the vessel stop attacking the refugee vessels, and ordered all weapons to be trained on the Daggerline. He then offered the choice to Captain Varren, to either take the Traitor White Scars into custody, or to destroy them outright. Without hesitation, Varren gave the order to fire, destroying the Traitor's vessel. Garro then offered Varren a place within the Sigillite's Knights-Errant, to act as the Regent's "knife in the dark." Varren accepted, and joined this shadow brotherhood.

The Phalanx (ca. 007.M31)
Undertaking the next recruiting mission alone, Garro, armed only with his Power Sword Libertas, infiltrates the Imperial Fists flagship -- the mobile-starfortress Phalanx. Within the massive floating citadel, lies a sealed chamber, where the former Librarians of the VIIth Legion have been remanded in custody, under orders from Primarch Rogal Dorn, since the Emperor's Edict of Nikaea declared the dissolution of the Legiones Astartes Librarius. Disabling the guard-servitors, Garro manages to open the sealed chamber, and is confronted by a group of six former Librarians. To Garro's astonishment he learns that these Imperial Fists have had no outside contact with either their battle-brothers or their Primarch in years. They are unaware of what has occurred since they withdrew from the Great Crusade or of Horus's betrayal and the resulting galaxy-wide internecine conflict known as the Horus Heresy. However, one of the Librarians, named Massic, confesses to having troubling dreams of conflict that currently rages in the galaxy, and of futures events in regards to the terrible final battle that will inevitably come. Garro offers the Librarians an opportunity to to join with him and put their powers to good use, but all of them refuse to disobey their Primarch's orders. Before Garro can persuade them further, Rogal Dorn himself appears, for Garro's presence had been detected the moment he came aboard. Demanding an explanation, Garro informs the Primarch that he is under strict orders from the Sigillite not to reveal his mission to anyone, save Massic. Reluctantly, Dorn acquiesces to Garro's demand, and allows the Agentia Primus and Massic to have the room to themselves for a few moments. He explains to the Librarian how the Heresy came to be, and of the presence of daemons amongst the Traitor Legions, as well as the founding and mission of Malcador's Knights-Errant. Much to Garro's surprise, Massic refuses his offer to join, and explains to the Knight-Errant that he and his fellow Librarians would not disobey their lord's orders, even if it means they must stay secluded for the remainder of their lives. But Massic has faith, that when the time is right, they will be called upon. Garro accepts Massic's explanation, and reluctantly takes his leave. Before Garro departs the Phalanx, he is confronted by Dorn a final time, who warns the Agentia Primus, and through him, the Sigillite, not to test his forbearance again. Carrying the burden of Praetor of Terra and fortifying both the Throneworld and the Sol system, he has no wish to have to keep a vigilant watch over his own 'allies' as well. The Primarch also explains to Garro, that Malcador misunderstood his intent when it came to his sons -- he was not keeping the Librarians prisoner out of blind obedience to the Emperor's Decree Absolute, but was keeping them safeguarded until the day their abilities would be needed.

Istvaan III (007.M31)
Next, Garro and Macer Varren returned to Istvaan III, the sight of Horus's betrayal, with the express purpose of searching for a lost Legionary as a recruit to join the Knights-Errant, the precursor organisation that Malcador intended to found on the Emperor's orders, that would later become the Imperial Inquisition. They encountered a handful of survivors who spoke of a beast that hunted them. Taking matters into his own hands, Garro went to the lair of the so-called beast of Istvaan III, and on discovery of the long-dead corpse of the Sons of Horus Captain Tarik Torgaddon, he was attacked by the unkempt, nearly-psychotic ' Cerberus '. After a lengthy battle, during which Cerberus escaped, Garro and his companions discovered that the human "survivors" of the virus-bombing of Istvaan III were in fact daemonhosts who had been transformed into undead Plague Zombies of Nurgle when the virus-bombing had weakened the barrier between the Immaterium and Istvaan III, allowing the Plague Lord's influence to reign supreme. Garro and his Loyalist Astartes managed to defeat the foul creatures with the aid of Cerberus; however, once the undead had been destroyed, Garro and Cerberus once more faced one another in mortal combat. It was during this final fight that Garro managed to reach through the amnesia and fractured awareness of Cerberus to the core of the good man that remained deep within his psyche, reminding him of who he truly was, and that the Emperor still had a use for him in rooting out the corruption that was staining the Imperium. Aware of his true identity once more, Garviel Loken joined Garro and his team. With his assemblage of warriors now complete, Garro and Loken left Istvaan III for Luna to receive their first mission from Malcador the Sigillite.

Caliban (007.M31)
Garviel Loken is sent by Malcador on his first mission to the Dark Angels' home world of Caliban, alongside his former comrade, Iacton Qruze. Their vital mission calls for the Knights-Errant to ascertain both the Ist Legion's strengths and loyalty to their Primarch Lion El'Jonson. Infiltrating their fortress-monastery of Aldurukh, Loken allows himself to be captured by the Dark Angels. Shackled and bound, he soon finds himself being interrogated by Caliban's Regent, Luther. Identifying himself only as 'Cerberus', Luther is still able to accurately determine his captive's former status as a former Luna Wolf based on his Cthonian accent. Loken's captor mentions his prior experience fighting alongside the Luna Wolves at both Cardensine and Zaramund, which triggers Loken to experience flashbacks to those moments. Upon further study by torchlight, Luther recognises Loken, but only vaguely, as he is still unsure of his captive's identity. Luther questioned Loken as to why one Legion would be spying on another, which showed Loken that the Regent was still woefully ignorant of the events of the Heresy that currently raged throughout the galaxy. Though he wished to tell Luther the full truth, he felt that Caliban was surrounded by darkness and would eventually turn. Unsatisfied, Luther took his leave from Loken's cell.

The Knight-Errant was then confronted by a small hooded figure in his cell -- a Watchers in the Dark. Through telepathy, he gave Loken a small fraction to sense Luther's feelings. The creature would not offer an explanation as to it's presence, and instead freed him from his bondage. He wanted Loken to explain to both Dorn and the Sigillite what he had witnessed -- that Luther was ignorant of the wider events of the Heresy, and that he was ambitious and felt resentment towards the Lion. This only complicated Loken's mission, as Terra had no clue as to the Lion's true loyalties. During his escape, Loken was discovered by a mysterious figure who had snuck up on him and held a power blade to his throat. Startling the Knight-Errant, the figure said the Loken's name. He explained that he was the Lord Cypher, and proceeded to assist Loken in his escape. When a guard came upon the pair of Legionaries, Cypher ordered the guard to hold, in order for Loken to subdue. Unfortunately, this was not enough, and Qruze killed the guard with his Stalker-pattern Bolter. Enraged over Qruze's callous disregard, he chastised the older Knight-Errant, explaining that with the Dark Angel's death might now tip the scales of loyalty against the Imperium. Qruze responded that it didn't, for their original mission was already a failure. But they had found something greater -- a potential recruit in the form of Lord Cypher. The Dark Angel was aware of the wider events of the galaxy, but explained that events on Caliban were complex. Declining Loken's offer to join them, the pair of Knights-Errant escaped Aldurukh and made their way back to Terra to report what they had learned.

Baal (ca. 008.M31)
After majority of the Blood Angels Space Marine Legion and their Primarch Sanguinius, disappeared in the Signus System in 005.M31 and were presumed lost, Rubio was sent by Malcador the Sigillite to Baal to meet with Warden Arkad, the acting Regent of Baal. Arkand and twenty fellow Blood Angels stood guard on their Legion's home world, desperate for news of their brothers, but all travel and communication with the Signus System has been effectively blocked by the malignant Ruinstorm between the two systems. Surprised by the arrival of Rubio, the Knight Errant had the misfortune of being the bearer of bad tidings: by order of the Regent of Terra, the Blood Angels Legion were hereby ordered to disband and have their Legion's resources divided amongst the remaining Loyalist Legions. Warden Arkad and his battle-brothers vehemently protested the Sigillite's command, arguing that as long as a single Son of Sanguinius yet drew breath, they could indeed rebuild their Legion. But due to serious time constraints, the Loyalists could ill-afford letting such valuable resources fall into the hands of the Traitors.

Rubio sympathised with his cousins' outrage and the pain over the disbandment of the Blood Angels, for he knew what it was like to lose a Legion, having been exiled from his own due to his violation of the Emperor's Decree Absolute when he utilised his powers to save Agentia Primus Garro on Calth. The Knight-Errant went on to explain that a new organisation was being formed in order to counter the dark powers that Horus Lupercal had aligned himself with. Disregarding the Sigillite's messenger, Warden Arkad and his battle-brothers vowed to undertake a suicidal journey in order to find their missing Primarch or carry the fight directly to the Warmaster himself. When Rubio attempted to stop Arkad, the Librarian came close to being slain by the remaining Blood Angels, but was miraculously saved by an unexpected astropathic message received from the Signus System, stating that Sangunius and the Blood Angels yet lived. Warden Arkad ordered Rubio to depart Baal, for he would have to return to the Sigillite empty-handed. Satisfied that the Blood Angels had survived, Rubio was only too happy to do so.

Notable Knights-Errant
Twenty original members of the Knights-Errant were recruited directly by Malcador with others being recruited second-hand. Known members include the following:

Wargear

 * Paragon Bolter - The Knights-Errant were outfitted with the finest crafted panoply of arms and armour that the Sigillite's household could procure, the plain grey heraldry belying the peerless quality of the underlying workmanship.
 * Master-Crafted Bolt Pistol
 * Master-Crafted Power Weapon
 * Iron Halo
 * Artificer Armour
 * Frag & Krak Grenades

Optional Wargear
A Knight-Errant may take one of the following: A Knight-Errant may replace his power weapon with one of the following: A Knight-Errant may replace his paragon bolter with one of the following: A Knight-Errant may replace his master-crafted bolt pistol with one of the following:
 * Narthecium
 * Nuncio-Vox
 * Servo-Arm
 * Melta Bombs
 * Jump Pack
 * Master-Crafted Power Fist
 * A single Master-Crafted Lightning Claw
 * Combi-Weapon
 * Sniper Rifle
 * Master-Crafted Volkite Serpenta
 * Master-Crafted Plasma Pistol

Knights-Errant Colours
Having foresworn their oaths to their Legions, the Knights-Errant wore artificer-wrought battle plate scoured to ceremite gunmetal grey and bore no sigil other than that of Malcador. Despite renouncing former ties, many Knights-Errant retained some token of their former identity, varying from a simple keepsake of a battle of old to a favoured weapon too potent to set aside. In the aftermath of the Schism of Mars, during which the Imperial Fists were able to extricate stockpiles of the new Mark VI "Corvus" pattern Legiones Astartes Power Armour, the Knights-Errant were equipped with the very finest examples of this class of armour as well as whatever other master-wrought weapons and equipment they required to prosecute the Sigillite's far-rearching Silent War.

Knights-Errant Iconography
Members of the Knights-Errant were marked with the personal sigil of Malcador the Sigillite himself -- a stylised letter "I" with three horizontal lines through its center, the icon that would later become infamous across the galaxy after the Heresy, as this symbol would be the precursor to the Inquisitorial Seal of the Inquisition.