Scythes of the Emperor

Overview
The Scythes of the Emperor are a Chapter of Space Marines who along with the Lamenters, were virtually destroyed during the invasion of the Tyranid Hive Fleet Kraken.

Chapter Colors
Their armor is black and yellow, with a crossed (or single) yellow (or black) scythe symbol on the shoulder panels.

Home World
Their world of origin, Sotha, was in the path of the hive fleet and after a great battle, it was reduced to the state of an asteroid by the Tyranid swarms. Most chapter brethren fell defending their fortress-monastery on Sotha's surface, but some managed to escape. Two hundred Marines attempted a breakthrough and escaped to the deathworld Miral. Somewhere on the surface of this planet, a huge rocky outcrop called the Giant's Coffin rose from the jungle. The surviving Imperial forces prepared to make this their final stronghold. The Giant's Coffin was a tremendous natural citadel whose steep cliffs would slow the invaders and the rocky promontories would provide excellent firing positions for heavy weapons. The Scythes would sell their lives dearly.

Organization
The Scythes of the Emperor chapter now navigates through space on board their last star ship The Heart of Sotha. They are a shadow of their former glory, but they are a hard and elite fighting force, and can be found fighting anywhere within the Ultima Segmentum.

The chapter was forced to break with tradition and now operates with only two companies. The survivors of Sotha were amalgamated to form one company referred to only as the 'battle company', while all new recruits which the Scythes actively seek from any suitable worlds they pass (often in fact those worlds that they have saved from destruction by Tyranid splinter fleets), are now inducted into the 'scout company'.

The Chapter has been forced to change tactics due to the limited resources and manpower it now possesses. The chapter now organizes small mobile strike forces, which are capable of making hit and run missions and are used to relying on only themselves.

It is also not uncommon to see Master Thrasius on the field of battle, due partly to the limited resources of the Scythes, but also because he is deeply driven to prove himself worthy of a command he does not feel he earned and to bring honor and glory to the chapter once more.

Due to devastating losses from Hive Fleet Kraken and the withdrawal from Sotha, the Scythes of the Emperor have almost no Terminator suits left, nor any tanks larger than Rhino's or their variants.

The chapter tend to fight exclusively against Tyranids (though they will of course engage any enemy of the Imperium as any Space Marine Chapter would) and hate them more than any other group in the galaxy. Fully two thirds of the chapter are Tyranic War veterans (the rest having been recruited following the destruction of Sotha), the chapter is also known to have killed more Tyranids per man than any other fighting force in the galaxy and are often the first to respond to any distress call regarding Tyranids made within the Ultima Segmentum.

Founding
The Scythes of the Emperor is designated chapter 874, and was founded approx. 500 - 600.M41. Their gene-stock is speculated to have come from either the Ultramarines or the Imperial Fists. Their first Chapter Master was Thorcyra, a strategically-minded leader. He led the Scythes for several centuries until his death during the escape with his Chapter from the jaws of Hive Fleet Kraken.

As the Chapter grew in strength, their policing actions around the Eastern Fringe world of Sotha expanded. After eradicating human and alien pirates from the nearby mining colonies, the Scythes moved on to counter several Ork migrations in the lower segmentum regions.

The Scythes served during the Damocles Gulf Crusade, and played a vital role in the capture of Sy'l'kell from the Tau empire. However, the crusade stalled and withdrew when it was learned that the newly discovered Tyranids were heading for Ultramar, home of the Ultramarines.

After the Badab War - the rebellion led by the Astral Claws Chapter in M41.901 - the Chapter was charged to watch the one the rebel chapters that returned to the side of the Imperium, the Lamenters, as they undertook a hundred year penance crusade following the rebellion. The Scythes were responsible for watching the penitent chapter for any further signs of revolt. Through this long watch both Chapters became firm allies. They continued in this role until the final years of the 41st millennium, when the chapter's homeworld Sotha was attacked and destroyed by Hive Fleet Kraken. The Scythes were initially presumed destroyed with their homeworld, but a small number of survivors are in fact active and are pursuing splinters of Hive Fleet Kraken and other Tyranid forces.

The last days of Sotha
In 992.M41 Hive Fleet Kraken appeared almost from nowhere spreading like a fast cancer. The hive fleet overwhelmed all of the Imperium's initial resistance, destroying the Lamenters chapter, and causing serious losses to the Scythes of the Emperor who bore the brunt of the initial wave of Tyranid ships.

With devastating losses to the chapter fleet the Scythes were driven back to their home world of Sotha, which quickly came under siege by the Tyranids. Thousands of Tyranid creatures landed on the planet, and the Scythes, led by Chapter Master Thorcyra, prepared to make a stand at a rocky plateau called 'Giants Coffin', in order to give as much time as possible for the population to evacuate.

The alien menace, with their innumerable ships, could bring forces to bear so numerous the Scythes would seem insignificant. Despite this, the chapter was resolute, and held out for many weeks as the Tyranids attempted to destroy what was the only obstacle to claiming the planet of Sotha. As the situation became desperate and food and ammunition was running out, the Scythes were forced to eat the remains of the fallen Tyranids in order to keep battle ready.

The situation was hopeless though, and as the Tyranids mounted their forces for a final push to wipe the remaining Scythes out. Master Thorcyra ordered for all remaining brethren to withdraw so as to avoid complete destruction for the Chapter. In his last official act he passed the Emperor's scythe, the Chapter Masters symbol of office, to Captain Thrasius of the Third Company, the only Captain still alive. As the rest escaped the doomed planet in Thunderhawk ships, Thorcyra and the remains of the First Company took up the position as the last line of defense.

Leadership of the nearly destroyed chapter passed to Thrasius, the solemn ceremony conducted on the Bridge of the Honour's Might (the chapters only remaining star ship, an almost crippled battle barge with severely depleted resources). Thrasius then ordered the ship renamed The Heart of Sotha in memory of their home world and the sacrifices made there.

The Damocles Crusade
It was in the years following The Damocles Crusade against the Tau in M41.742 the Scythes of the Emperor would come to the forefront of Eastern Fringe warfare.

The Scythes led the first landing onto Tau territory, the world of Sy'L'Kell. After establishing the landing zone, the Brimlock Dragoons moved on to expand the Imperial foothold. The Dragoons were nearly destroyed by a Tau ambush which the Scythes, leading Imperial Storm Troopers, broke through averting a near disaster. After claiming Sy'L'Kell, the Crusade moved to cross the Damocles Gulf. After a brutal first fleet engagement with the Tau, the Imperials landed on the a major Tau world of Dal'Yth Prime. Joining members of the venerated Ultramarines and Iron Hands Chapters, the Scythes were part of several spearhead assaults and kept up constant night patrols against Tau infiltrators during the months long fighting. With news of a Hivefleet Behemoth bearing down upon the Eastern fringe and the stalemate between the two sides. The Crusade withdrew, though a mutual respect between both sides had been forged.

The Badab War
After the Badab rebellion, the Chapter was charged to watch the forgiven Lamenters Chapter for any further signs of revolt. Through this long watch both Chapters became firm allies.

Hivefleet Behemoth
The Scythes played little part in this first war, mainly recovering from actions against the Tau in the Damocles Crusade. Fortifying their homeworld against possible Tyrannic attack also being undertaken.

The Arrival of Hive Fleet Kraken
Over 300 years since Hivefleet Behemoth, the Imperial Tarot began to tell of disaster 10 years before the arrival of Hive Fleet Kraken. Images of war haunted the Thorcyra and the Astropaths. An uprising on the Factory World of Graia led to the deployment of the 3rd, 9th, and elements of the 10th companies to restore the Imperium's hold on the system. But during the Scythes invasion it became apparent that the uprising was caused by a Genestealer cult. After several months of combat and heavy casualties, the cult was finally crushed.

While returning home, the Scythes forces from Graia encountered increasing disturbances in the warp. The Navigators suggested the Miral System to rest and wait out the warp storms. Here they encountered the remnants of their own Chapter, and learned of the overrunning of Sotha and the destruction of the Lamenters Chapter (The Lamenters made their last stand against the Tyranids at the Devlan System Sentinel Stations) by what the Imperium had now named 'Hive Fleet Kraken'.

Stories of desperate boarding actions against the Hiveships and their awakening occupants, close quarter combats and waves of attackers left dread in the hearts of the Scythes. With the Lamenters and their homeworld of Sotha gone, the Scythes found themselves cornered on the Deathworld of Miral. After planet fall the Scythes organized the Miral Planetary Defense Force to defend against what seemed to be an imminent assault.

Within a week the Tyranid were upon them. After countless, desperate, boarding actions and pitched land battles the Imperial forces chose a large rock mesa fortification known as the 'Giant's Coffin' from which to make a protracted last stand. After several weeks of fighting the Imperial forces attempted a breakout to leave the planet utilizing a recently discovered Imperator Titan found inside the many labyrinthine chambers of the mesa fortress.

In the counter-attack that led to their withdrawal, barely a hundred Imperials escaped Miral. This was only achieved when the Titan inducted a core breach to eradicate a majority of their planet based pursuers. The survivors then fled back to Graia, losing several ships en route to harrying vanguards of the Hivefleet. Once they arrived at Graia, they set about organizing the Graian defenders for the invasion that was surely to come.

Notable Battles
Damocles Gulf Crusade (745.M41).3 The Scythes led the first landing onto Tau territory during the failed Damocles Gulf Crusade, on the Agri-world of Sy'L'Kell. The Crusade withdrew with news of a Hive Fleet Behemoth approaching Ultramar, realm of the Ultramarines. Second Tyrannic War (992.M41).2 Over 300 years since Hive Fleet Behemoth, the Imperial Tarot began to tell of disaster 10 years before the arrival of Hive Fleet Kraken. Despite a valiant effort, the Scythe's homeworld of Sotha was overrun and consumed. The few survivors made their last stand on a Death World in the Miral system, before all contact was lost. However remnants of the Chapter have now resurfaced having escaped the Miral System and the harrying vanguards of the Kraken. The remnants of the chapter now seek out and annihilate the remaining Tyranid forces within the Ultima Segmentum and beyond.

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