Soul Drinkers

The Soul Drinkers are a Space Marines Chapter. They are one of the Chapters created during the Second Founding, and they are a Successor Chapter of the Imperial Fists Legion.

=History=

The Soul Drinkers were formed from the Imperial Fists' shock assault contingent during the Second Founding. They participated along with the Imperial Fists, Fire Hawk and Black Templars Chapters in the assault on Terra at the end of the Reign of Blood during the Age of Apostasy in the 36th Millennium and had many notable victories on other worlds against xenos races like the Eldar.

The Lakonia Star Fort Incident
The Soul Drinkers were declared Excommunicate Traitoris by the Inquisition after their obsessive need to retrieve a relic called the Soulspear (a vortex weapon gifted to them by the Imperial Fists' Primarch Rogal Dorn) brought them into conflict with the Adeptus Mechanicus. The Mechanicus were ostensibly assisting the Adeptus Ministorum, but actually wanted to obtain the Soulspear for themselves. The standoff between the Soul Drinkers and the other Imperial forces ended with the destruction of the Mechanicus Star Fort Lakonia, and major damage to several ships of the Adeptus Ministorum and Adeptus Mechanicus.

The remaining Soul Drinkers retreated in their strike cruiser to an asteroid field where they were beset by the combined fleets of the Inquisition and the Adeptus Ministorum until the Soul Drinkers' fleet, lead by Chapter Master Gorgoleon, arrived by Warp Route 931-c that had been closed for 600 years prior to this incident.

1st Chapter War
After the Soul Drinkers fleet linked up with the survivors of the star fort, Chapter Master Gorgoleon told his fellow Soul Drinker Captain Sarpedon of an offer the Inquisition had made, which required the deaths of the Space Marines involved in the Lakonia incident in exchange for a reprieve. Gorgoleon explained that he had refused this offer on the basis that the only person fit to judge a Soul Drinker was another Soul Drinker. This judgment would require Sarpedon to face Gorgoleon himself in a duel to the death to determine the righteousness of Sarpedon's actions on Lakonia. During the height of the duel, Sarpedon seemed to be affected by some outside power and spontaneously grew eight arachnoid legs, giving him a crucial advantage over Gorgoleon and enabling him to tear his erstwhile master to pieces and so claim the mantle of Chapter Master for himself.

Although he did not know it at the time, his mutation was caused by the corrupting powers of the Chaos God Tzeentch. After a brief, but bloody struggle with those who could not accept his mutation, Sarpedon became leader of the Soul Drinkers Chapter from that point on. Despite their rejection by and of the Imperium itself, they remained loyal to the Emperor, even having been exposed to the raw power of Chaos which presently began to manifest mutations in the Chapter's other Marines.

Stratix Luminae
After a time, the Chapter Apothecary Pallas managed to stop the spread of new mutations, and also to halt the progression of mutation in those Marines already afflicted, thanks to the retrieval of information held on planetoid Stratix Luminae. This information came at the price of of the Soul Drinkers being forced to abandon Sergeant Tellos and his cadre of Assault Marines as they made their escape from the planetoid.

Dealing with Tellos
In the third novel, Crimson Tear, the Soul Drinkers come in conflict with the Crimson Fists' Commander Reinez and with Slaanesh-worshipping Dark Eldar in an attempt to bring the now Chaos- aligned Tellos to justice. After a long battle between Chaos forces and the forces of the Imperium, Sarpedon fights Tellos in a duel. Sarpedon emerged victorious, and believing Tellos dead, withdrew the Soul Drinkers. Tellos survived, only to be killed when the Inquisition bombed the planet.

2nd Chapter War
The fourth novel in the series sees the Soul Drinkers face enemies from within and without as Brother Eumenes usurps the Chapter's leadership from Sarpedon. Meanwhile, the Howling Griffons Chapter has vowed to destroy the Black Chalice whom they believe the Soul Drinkers to be. In the end, Sarpedon kills Eumenes, declaring him as unworthy of being Chapter Master. He then addresses the remaining Battle-Brothers, asking if any of them wish to take up the burden of the title. When none of them respond, Sarpdedon declares he will remain the Chapter Master. Not satisfied with this, at least one squad of the newer recruits leave the Chapter.

Aftermath
After the 2nd Chapter War, the Soul Drinkers' numbers dwindled to around two hundred Space Marines. Sarpedon was defeated by the Imperial Fists First Company Captain Lysander in single combat on the planet Selaaca and taken captive.

Organisation
The Soul Drinkers loosely follow the Codex Astartes but have more in common with the Blood Angels due to the shock-assault nature of their respective Chapters, (the Blood Angel Codex works well as Death Company Marines can represent the Soul Drinkers that suffered the worst mutations).

Combat Doctrine
The Soul Drinkers prefer to shock the enemy with hard hitting raids and often make use of boarding actions and drop pod assaults.

Chapter Traits
The Chapter's name derives from a mutation in their Omophagea. Normally this organ allows a Marine to absorb some of the memories of a creature by consuming its flesh. Soul Drinkers ritualise this in the "Ceremony of the Chalice". In addition to this, the Soul Drinkers also experience the creature's emotions and memories. Philosophically speaking, they "see into the creature's soul".


 * See also Soul Drinkers contradiction for inconsistencies within published material about the founding of the Soul Drinkers.

Appearance
The Chapter's main color is purple with ornate bone and gold-colored pauldron trims and a gold Imperial Aquila on their breastplates. Their Chapter badge is a golden chalice with five spirals of soul energy rising out of the top.

Battlecry
"Cold And Fast, Soul Drinkers!"

Significant Soul Drinkers
The current Chapter Master is a powerful Librarian by the name of Sarpedon. He can telepathically send but not receive thoughts and is also able to generate a mass illusion called The Hell, which feeds off the fears of his enemies. His mutation provides him with eight arachnid limbs (allowing him to scuttle along ceilings and walls), incredible physical strength and enormous psychic power. Sarpedon defeated notable foes such as Interrogator K'Shuk, Chapter Master Gorgoleon, multiple daemons and daemon princes, Sergeant Tellos, Chapter Master Eumenes and the Necron Overlord of Selaaca. Sarpedon was most recently defeated in single combat with Captain Lysander of the Imperial Fists' 1st Company, and taken into Imperial custody.

Daenyathos is a famous Soul Drinker. He lived sometime in or around the 36th Millennium and in his time wrote the Catechisms Martial, which is still used by the Soul Drinkers Chapter and is considered as an almost holy tome by them.

Assault Sergeant Tellos. Promising Soul Drinker, turned servant of Khorne, almost ridiculously talented in close combat. His mutation enabled his body to repair any damage it suffered almost instantly. This made him exceptionally difficult to kill, with an orbital strike eventually having the desired effect where everything else had failed.

Brother Augustus. A newly accepted Soul Drinker who has a open mind to the Chapter's beliefs. But when he finds out about the conflict with the Howling Griffons, he is reluctant to fight other warriors of the Imperium. After Sarpedon's counsel with him, the Chapter Master decides that the Emperor is watching over Augustus. After all, a name like augustus is someone destined for great things.

Apothecary Pallas. He developed a way to halt the mutation of the Soul Drinkers. Joined Eumenes in the Second Chapter War, citing the reason that he couldn't bear to watch his Chapter dwindle and die out in Sarpedon's wars. Chose to remain with the Chapter in the Aftermath of the Chapter War to atone for his sins.

Scout/Chapter Master Eumenes. Scout Sergeant in charge of Nisryus, Scamander, Raek and others of their Scout Squad during the hunt for Tellos. He was the one who found Tellos. Challenged Sarpedon to a duel over the Mastery of the Chapter. Shortly after he masterminded the rebellion that began the Second Chapter War in which he gained the title of Chapter Master. He saved Sarpedon's life by killing Lord Librarian Murcaeno of the Howling Griffons. Sarpedon later killed Eumenes in another duel.

Techmarine Lygris - Captain of the Brokenback and one of Sarpedon's most prized counselors. Was the only loyal Chapter member that remained on the Brokenback during Eumenes' rebellion, sabotaging the Thunderhawks and hiding in the network of maintenance tunnels in the Brokenback. Gave his life to defeat the Necron Overlord on Selaaca after loosing his sanity after joining with a Necron Harvester on Raevenia.

Chaplain Iktinos. Master of Sanctity for the entire Chapter. Appears to be manipulating the course of the Chapter, though to what ends is unknown.

Gresk - Soul Drinkers Librarian. Able to speed to speed up the reactions of his Battle-Brothers. Killed by Eumenes' forces after warning Sarpedon of an imminent orbital bombardment during the Chapter War.

Tyrendian - Soul Drinkers Librarian. Able to project powerful lightning attacks.

Captain Luko. Utilises a pair of Lightning Claws. Was promoted to Captain following the battle on Entymion IV and remains one of Sarpedon's most loyal supporters. Pretends to love warfare to inspire his followers, telling only Eumenes and Sarpedon the truth, that he actually can't stand fighting and craves nothing more than peace.

Veteran Sergeant Graevus. Assault squad sergeant. Mutated right arm allows him to deftly wield a Power Axe with one hand.

Lord Inquisitor Tsouras. Head of the Lakonian Persecution.

Interrogator K'Shuk. Apprentice and former Acolyte of Tsouras, he delivered the sentence of excommunication to the Soul Drinkers before being killed by Sarpedon in a duel.

Inquisitor Thaddeus. Forges an alliance of convenience with Sarpedon in order to kill Teturact. Uses incredibly expensive executioner rounds in his auto pistol. One round has been known to cost the same as an Imperial cruiser. Reappeared tracking the Soul Drinkers in Chapter War aboard the Howling Griffon's battle-barge. He attempts to explain to them that there is no such thing as the Black Chalice, but is forced to leave the ship, killing a Howling Griffon in the process. He then goes and meets with Sarpedon. After a breif reunion, the Howling Griffons assault the Soul Drinkers, during which Murcaeno kills Thaddeus.