Ancient

"Raise the flag high. Let those degenerates know who comes to claim their lives this day!"

- Sergeant Adar Geronan, Imperial Fists 4th Company

A Standard Bearer is a hand picked veteran of a Space Marine Chapter chosen to bear the sacred battle standards of a Chapter or an individual Company. These battle standards are possibly the most revered of all of the Chapter's artefacts. Each standard has proudly flown over hundreds of battlefields and every battle-brother will understand the exact nuance and reference that has been woven into their lavish designs. The Standard Bearers are chosen specifically for their bravery and steadfastness. They are also a more than capable warrior not to be discounted when assessing the Chapter's fighting strength. The title of "Ancient" is reserved for the standard bearers of the more Codex-oriented Chapters to bear their sacred battle standards, and is considered one of the most prestigious and senior ranks within most Space Marine Chapters. A Standard Bearer is sworn to carry the standard forward, not to dishonour or lose it, and to die defending it if necessary.

History
A Standard Bearer is an honourific that heralds back to the bygone Legion Standard Bearers of the ancient Legiones Astartes. These specially chosen individuals were consummate warriors, chosen for the honour of carrying one of the Legion's great standards, making them a rallying point on the battlefield for the Legion's troops. These chosen Space Marines were a part of the Legion Command Squads, and had access to the finest wargear available to the Legion's rank and file and embodied the Legion's honour in war.

In the current 41st Millennium, Standard Bearers continue to uphold the honour of their ancient predecessors. Chapter Banners are the most sacred artefacts belonging to a Chapter. These banners are very ancient and are only ever carried into battle by the appropriately named Chapter's Ancient. These individuals carry the battle-flag of the Chapter or Company in which they serve. Each standard is an ancient relic, steeped in history and heavy with the glories of the Chapter. A Standard Bearer serves within the Command Squads that accompany the high-ranking Space Marine officers on the field of battle. A Chapter standard bearer is recognised by a skull and Imperial Laurel honour worn on their right shoulder plate.

The banner is as individual as the Chapter itself and there are few rules to govern its design. The Codex limits comment on the Chapter Banner to simply saying that the standard should carry the colours and icon of the Chapter and should display such honours as the Chapter Masters deems worthy. Venerable Chapters usually possess several Chapter banners, although only one will be in use at any given time. The specific design vary greatly from banner to banner, but all will evoke one of the Chapter's greatest triumphs or some other key moment from its long history.

It is quite likely that a Chapter will in fact own a number of Chapter Banners although one, and only one, will be in use at any given time. This battle standard will have been consecrated by the Chapter's senior Chaplain and dedicated to the heroes of the Chapter's past, present and future. In battle the banner is used to inspire the Space Marines to superhuman feats of martial prowess and woe betide the enemy that threatens this holiest of relics. Eventually however, these banners age or are damaged beyond repair and it will then be retired to grace the great hall of a Chapter's Fortress-Monastery. Furthermore, new Chapter banners may be fabricated to mark great victories or to honour mighty heroes who have fallen in battle. For a Chapter with a long history like a First Founding Chapter, there will be dozens of these venerable and venerated flags each one carefully preserved and honoured by the Space Marines.

Notable Standard Bearers

 * Veteran Sergeant Cleutin - Cleutin is the most senior sergeant within the Blood Angels Chapter and the current Guardian of the Shroud of Sanguinius -- one of the Chapter's most revered holy relics. It is said to be the remnants of an ancient battle standard that the Emperor used to cover Sanguinius' dead body when he discovered it on Horus's Battle Barge Vengeful Spirit after the Warmaster had slain his former brother in the waning hours of the Battle of Terra. Soaked with the blood of the Primarch, it was later retrieved by the Blood Angels and taken back to Baal. Only a small fragment remains, preserved lovingly in an iron box with a built-in stasis field. Though a miniscule relic, its powerful psychic aura can drive any Blood Angels near its presence into an ecstatic state through the psychic emanations. As the senior sergeant of the Chapter, it has fallen to Cleutin to be the current Guardian of the sacred shroud. It is rumoured that Cleutin is so old that he was the sergeant in charge of Lord Commander Dante's Scout Squad when he was still an Aspirant. Whatever the truth of this rumour, there is no doubting that Cleutin is a doughty and experienced warrior, and a worthy guardian of the Shroud.
 * Brother Bethor - Current Bearer of the Sacred Standards of the Dark Angels Chapter.
 * Captain of the Banner Nevarre - The Wars of Apostasy or the Terran Crusade was a series of battles fought against the forces of the Renegade High Lord of Terra Goge Vandire during the Age of Apostasy's Reign of Blood in the fourth century of the 36th Millennium. During this tumultuous period, the Black Templars had concerned themselves little with the affairs of the Imperium, but when Crusade fleets returned to the Segmentum Solar and discovered that their Chapter keeps had been destroyed by orbital bombardments, the full extent of Vandire's treachery became apparent. Enraged by what they discovered of Vandire's perversion of the Emperor's will, in 378.M36 the Black Templars Chapter's High Marshal Sigenandus declared a Crusade to be launched against Vandire on Terra. The Black Templars, together with their progenitors the Imperial Fists, the Soul Drinkers, the zealous Fire Hawks and elements of the Martian Tech Guard, took the fight to Terra itself and laid siege to Vandire's Ecclesiarchal Palace. For months the armies of the Imperial preacher Sebastian Thor, the Space Marines and their allies laid siege to the Ecclesiarchal Palace without managing to breach its formidable defences. Eventually, a forlorn hope led by the Emperor's Champion Navarre of the Black Templars led a daring last ditch assault. At the height of the fighting, the Chapter Banner Bearer fell, and all eyes watched as the Black Templars Chapter Standard began to slowly sink to the ground, but Navarre swept the banner up and carried it through the breach in the palace's walls, inspiring his brothers to fight all the harder. After the battle, Chapter Master Lazerian of the Imperial Fists honoured Navarre with the title of Captain of the Banner in recognition of his exemplary bravery and courage.
 * Captain Odovocar - Legion Standard Bearer for the III Legion, Emperor's Children during the Great Crusade era.
 * Ancient Galatan - Ancient Galatan was the Bearer of the Banner of Macragge in times past, taking part in the Corinth Crusade from 698-705.M41. During a fierce battle against the Orks of WAAAGH! Skargor, he briefly dropped the sacred standard when his arm was chopped off by the Ork Warboss Skargor. While distracted with trying to break the banner with his Power Claw, Ancient Galatan impaled his Power Sword through the back of Skargor's head, killing him instantly and breaking the spirit of the Greenskins. Though he later died from the wounds incurred in the encounter, the Banner of Macragge remained upright for the remainder of the battle, rallying the Ultramarines to finally defeat the Orks.
 * Ancient Helveticus - Ancient Helveticus was the Bearer of the Banner of Macragge. He bore the Chapter's Banner during the Battle of Macragge, and was present aboard Chapter Master Marneus Calgar's Battle Barge when it was boarded by Tyranids. He led the fierce counter-attack against the encroaching xenos, and was subsequently killed in battle, both fatally poisoned and burned. His grip upon the shaft of the banner was said to be so tight, that initially it could not be pried from his hands even after his death.
 * Ancient Tortalus - After the Battle of Macragge, the young Chapter Master Calgar declared that the Banner of Macragge would not be carried forth again until the Ultramarines had rebuilt their strength, until they were once again a whole Chapter. It has taken them two centuries to bring the 1st Company back to full strength after their sacrifice at Macragge. Only then, did the Chapter Master believe that the Ultramarines were fit to carry the Banner of Macragge once more. Ancient Helveticus was succeeded by Ancient Tortalus.
 * Burias Drak'Shal - Burias Drak'Shal was the Icon Bearer of the 34th Host of the Word Bearers Traitor Legion. Burias had been born and raised in the monastery-prisons of Colchis but only indoctrinated into the Legion during the first great influx, once the old beliefs had been re-embraced wholeheartedly. He fought under the command of Dark Apostle Jarulek and later Marduk, being the latter's blood-sworn brother and closest ally. During the Horus Heresy he fought at Calth against the Word Bearers' most hated rivals, the Ultramarines. Known also as Burias Drak'Shal due to his joining his soul with that of a Daemon. When Marduk was elevated to the esteemed position of Dark Apostle of the 34th Host, Burias thought that he would be elevated as well. But Marduk had elevated Ashkanez to the position of First Acolyte of the Host instead. Bitter at this betrayal, Burias grew spiteful towards his former master. Seeking to prey upon this bitterness, Ashkanez fuelled Burias' anger towards Marduk and secretly inducted him into the ranks of The Brotherhood. This newest iteration of the secret sect of the Legion was composed of Word Bearers primarily loyal to Kor Phaeron. Eventually, Burias revealed his betrayal to Marduk and was mortally wounded in a massive battle between the factions by Kor Badar, the 34th Host's Coryphaus. After the annihilation of Burias's co-conspirators, the traitorous former Icon Bearer was sent to the Basilica of Torments to suffer accordingly for his transgressions. Not satisfied that the pain and torture Burias endured was punishment enough, Marduk came up with a most vile way of punishing his former follower. He had Burias entombed within The Warmonger's now empty Chaos Dreadnought sarcophagus. He then had the Dreadnought's limbs removed, entombing the traitor for all eternity within its Adamantium shell to slowly go insane.