Chaplain

A Chaplain is a specialist officer and one of the spiritual leaders of a Space Marine Chapter, the warrior-priests that minister to the spiritual well-being of the Battle-Brothers, instilling in them the values and beliefs of the Chapter along with promoting the veneration or in some cases worship of the Emperor of Mankind. In battle, the Chaplains will be at the forefront of the Chapter, rousing their fellow Space Marines through their words and actions. Their Power Armour is black and often incorporates Imperial skull iconography, most commonly in the form of a skull-shaped helmet. Most Chaplains wield a Power Weapon that takes the form of a mace and is called a Crozius Arcanum. They are also equipped with an Imperial holy symbol known as a Rosarius. Individual Chaplains are assigned to each company within a Space Marine Chapter. Others, including the Reclusiarch who cares for the Chapter's sacred Reclusiam and the Master of Sanctity who is the chief Chaplain of a Chapter and an officer whose rank is usually subordinate only to that of the Chapter Master himself, operate within the Chapter's command structure independent of any specific company. A Chaplain is fanatically loyal to his Chapter and to the Emperor, and works to instill a similar devotion in his fellow soldiers.

The Reclusiam
Each fortress-monastery of the Adeptus Astartes, or Battle Barge (for the fully space-dwelling Chapters of Space Marines), has a cathedral-like chamber known as the Reclusiam. It is here that the ancient cult ceremonies, traditions and rituals of the Astartes are performed in the presence of the entire Chapter. These ceremonies are carried out under the guidance of the Chaplains with the rank of Reclusiarch and his superior, the Master of Sanctity, who is the spiritual head of the Chapter. Only these two ranks of Chaplain serve the spiritual needs of the entire Chapter, as all other Chaplains are attached to individual companies.

Company Chapels
The importance of faith to Space Marines is further reinforced in the Company Chapels. All ten companies within each Codex-Astartes-compliant Chapter have their own Chapel where Battle-Brothers can observe the rites of the Chapter and those special to their own company. Here the worship is supervised by one of the Reclusiarch's subordinate company Chaplains. It is the Chaplains, living and fighting alongside their Battle-Brothers, who are responsible for the spiritual health of the companies.

The Imperial Cult
Each Chapter officially follows the basic tenets of the orthodox Imperial Cult of the God-Emperor of Mankind even as they maintain the older spiritual traditions of the Space Marines that hold that the Emperor was not truly divine but an inspiration and example of everything that a human being could become if he or she achieved perfection. In many cases, the veneration of the Emperor by the Astartes long predates the birth of the Imperial Cult. The Astartes views of the Emperor's divinity or lack thereof vary widely between Chapters. Individual Astartes Chapters have extended the Imperial Cult's standard creed to include ceremonies, liturgies and rituals which have relevance only to their own members. For example, a deep reverence for each Chapter's founding Primarch often equal in intensity to that held for the Emperor is widespread amongst the Adeptus Astartes, as is the practice of honouring the heroes of each Chapter who fell in battle and upheld the honour and traditions of the Space Marines in a particularly notable fashion. A Chapter's collection of Primarch relics and war-gear is entombed in the Chapter catacombs, placed upon sepulchres or hung in the Reclusiam of the fortress-monastery or primary Battle Barge.

The Chaplains of a Chapter often display the Imperial holy symbol known as a Rosarius which is taken as a sign of fellowship between the faith traditions of the Astartes and the orthodox teachings of the Ecclesiarchy. A Rosarius usually takes the form of a necklace, brooch or amulet in the shape of the Imperial Aquila or the Crux Terminatus. Often given as a gift to the Chaplains of a Space Marine Chapter by Cardinals or other high-ranking priests of the Adeptus Ministorum, the Rosarius is intended to represent the common faith of both the Space Marines and the members of the Ecclesiarchy in the Emperor of Mankind. In truth, there is often a great deal of friction between the Ecclesiarchy and the Adeptus Astartes, as the Astartes claim to be the direct descendants of the Emperor and to have carried out his will from the moment of the Imperium's birth, while the Ecclesiarchy is an Imperial institution that only developed long after the Emperor had already been interred within the Golden Throne. The dislike is often mutual, but the structure of the Imperium makes the Astartes largely independent of any legal authority outside of direct decrees made by the High Lords of Terra in the Emperor's name.

Adeptus Astartes Chaplains
Chaplains are well-versed in all matters of their Chapter's faith traditions, having spent many years studying the battle liturgies and scriptures stored in the Chapter library. This study includes memorising all the rites of their Chapter and individual company. This knowledge is also put to practical use. Chaplains are responsible for the spiritual care, discipline and faith of the Battle-Brothers in their companies. Young recruits must also be monitored and indoctrinated as they progress towards becoming full Battle-Brothers. In battle, Chaplains are frequently found where the fighting is fiercest. They can be found chanting the Chapter's battle creeds, ministering to the fallen and granting absolution to the dead. They are also Space Marines, which means that they fight with as much savagery as any of their brothers.

Variations by Chapter
Chaplains of certain Chapters have unique duties in addition to those laid out in the Codex Astartes. These are related to the Chapter's background and individual traditions. In the Blood Angels Chapter, Chaplains are tasked with seeking out signs of the Black Rage and leading the Death Companies into combat. A special class of Chaplains of the Dark Angels, known as Interrogator-Chaplains, are tasked with interrogating captured Fallen Angels and forcing them to repent their sins against the Emperor before killing them. The Iron Hands have the "Iron Fathers", a role that combines the duties of Chaplain, Apothecary and Techmarine. The Chaplains of the Space Wolves are known as "Wolf Priests", and perform a role that appears analogous to that of both Chaplain and Apothecary for that non-standard Chapter's Great Companies.

Becoming a Chaplain
Chaplains are drawn from the ranks of the Chapter, although only those Space Marines who have earned both Merit and Devout badges are considered for a Chaplaincy. These awards may be displayed as actual badges, or for example as diagonal stripes painted across the right shoulder plate. As a first step, a Space Marine is singled out to aid the Chaplain of his company as a Novice (or Initiate - the terms are almost interchangeable in each Chapter). Duties often involve little more than assisting the Chaplain during company rituals, but deep study of the liturgies under a Chaplain's personal direction is also necessary.

Should a Chaplaincy fall vacant, the most advanced and promising of the Initiates is sent to the Solitarium. This small cell is situated in a secluded part of the Chapter's fortress-monastery and here the Initiate meditates and fasts for a time. He may be left there for up to a week, while his investiture by the Reclusiarch and the Master of Sanctity is prepared. Then, in front of the whole Chapter, he is formally given his symbols of office and presented to the company who are now under his spiritual guidance. At this point the new Chaplain takes the name of his predecessor.

When a Chaplain is killed in battle, a formal ceremony often has to wait. The senior Initiate immediately takes the helmet and shoulder plates of the Chaplain and dons them. From the moment he puts on the old Chaplain's war-gear he has full authority as one of the Chapter's spiritual leaders. He is formally invested as a new Chaplain only when the battle is won and the dead are absolved.

Chaplains in Battle
Chaplains are a puritanical and sometimes eccentric group. Their religious zeal has a strong practical slant that often horrifies orthodox priests of the Ecclesiarchy, as befits a warrior. They fight alongside their Battle-Brothers, reciting extracts from the Chapter's Creed and Liturgies. Indeed, their dedication adds considerably to the fearsome reputation of the Space Marines. Their inspirational sayings and constant exhortations harden the determination of every Space Marine to serve the Emperor and relive the former glories of the Chapter's Primarch. The bond between Space Marines and their Chaplains is a strong one. Chaplains preside over each Battle-Brother's indoctrination as a recruit; they teach loyalty to the Chapter, reinforce its precepts through rituals and ceremonies and perform inspiring acts of valour upon the field of battle.

"As our bodies are armoured with Adamantium, our souls are protected with our loyalty. As our bolters are charged with death for the Emperor's enemies, our thoughts are charged with his wisdom. As our ranks advance, so does our devotion, for are we not Marines? Are we not the chosen of the Emperor, his loyal servants unto death? - Brother-Chaplain Fergas Nils' address to the defenders of Portrein"

Armour and Appearance
Space Marine Chaplains wear a variant type of standard-issue Mark VI, VII or even VIII Space Marine Power Armour. A Chaplain can appear stylised and archaic in his Power Armour when compared to his fellow Astartes, which makes him stand out and act as a focus for his brethren in battle. Some or all of a Chaplain's armour is usually painted black. A skull insignia usually adorns the right shoulder of a Chaplain's Power Armour and this is often displayed on both shoulder plates. A skull is a common symbol in the iconography of the Imperial Cult that is used to represent the sacrifice of the Emperor in giving up his conscious life so that he might ascend to a new state of spiritual being in the Immaterium through the use of the Golden Throne and protect humanity from the evils of Chaos, xenos and heretics. Skulls can also be a motif repeated throughout a Chaplain's armour. Skull-shaped helmets are common, and the upper chest armour or even the whole of the torso armour may be cast in the shape of a skull. Skull-shaped groin-guards are also not unknown.

Chaplains often also wear or make use of one or more Primarchal relics or pieces of war-gear which are worn or carried into battle. A single gauntlet from the armour of a Chapter hero passes on a little of the Primarch's fortitude and faith to the Chaplain.

The formal regalia of an Astartes Chaplain includes a staff of office called the Crozius, which is used during Chapter ceremonies. Many Chaplains carry them into battle, a visible sign that battle is the highest ritual in the Chapter's devotional calendar. The crozius normally bears the Imperial eagle or a skull motif at its tip. The most ancient of these staffs is the rare Crozius Arcanum; a mace forged from an alien relic which contains a neuro-disruptor in the haft. Chaplains are also marked by a Rosarius, a gorget or amulet worn about the neck. This bears the image of the Imperial Aquila and serves as the "armour of the soul" for the Chaplain.

Initiates usually wear standard Space Marine Power Armour. However, the helmets, right shoulder plates and right arms of their armour are painted black rather than in the Chapter's formal colours. The black shoulder plate replaces the previous Devout markings which were shown there - once declared as an Initiate, the Space Marine's devotion needs no further advertisement.

Typical Chaplain Uniform Variations
Black is the official colour for all Chaplains' Power Armour both by tradition and as outlined in the Codex Astartes. However, over the millennia of the Age of the Imperium, Space Marine Chapters often incorporated their own colours and insignia into a Chaplain's armour, resulting in wide variations from the basic colour scheme. Many of these changes come about as a result of a Chaplain repairing his armour from the available resources while on a campaign. Some modifications are later adopted permanently for all of the Chaplains within a given Chapter. Hybrid Power Armour schemes can also appear if the Chaplain dons archaic Power Armour patterns kept by the Chapter since the time of the Great Crusade or the Horus Heresy as a Primarchal relic. Of course, apart from the organisations they belong to, Chaplains themselves have a long lifespan, so there is plenty of time for them to stamp their own personality on their armour.

Armament and Equipment
The Codex Astartes lists the standard equipment usable by a Space Marine Chaplain as:


 * Power Armour with communicator, respirator and auto-senses
 * Combat Knife or other combat accessory
 * Bolt Pistol
 * Frag Grenades
 * Bolter
 * Plasma Pistol
 * Power Sword
 * Conversion Field
 * Chainswords

Some Chapters allow their Chaplains to carry a variety of close combat and heavy weaponry as well as grenades.

Chaplains and Vehicles
A Chaplain will often be needed at many points on the battlefield. He must serve as an inspiration for squads, check on the purity of action of those in his care and carry out a hundred other duties. Units frequently assign Rhinos or Land Raiders to their Chaplains to allow them swift and safe passage across the battlefield to wherever their ministrations are most needed. Where possible these vehicles are painted in the Chaplaincy colours of black and marked by skull insignia, although line vehicles in the Chapter colors are also issued.

Dark Angels
The Dark Angels Chapter and their Unforgiven Successor Chapters maintain "normal," Codex Astartes-compliant Chaplains for every company, but also created non-standard Chaplains known as "Interrogator-Chaplains" who possess a rank that stands above the company-level of organisation and serve as members of the ruling Inner Circle of the Chapter. Interrogator-Chaplains are all entrusted with the secret of the Fallen Angels' existence and are tasked with tracking down each of these ancient Traitor Marines and compelling them to repent their sins against the Emperor. This is a process that usually involves the use of torture and physical coercion so Interrogator-Chaplains are often hard men with the vaguely sinister mien held by their counterparts among the Inquisition's Ordo Hereticus. Those Fallen Angels who confess their crime and repent are given swift, painless deaths as a mercy; those who refuse are forced to undergo a horrific penance of pain leading to their execution at the hands of the Interrogator-Chaplains.

Iron Hands
The Iron Hands Chapter does not have Chaplains but instead a rank of specialist officers known as Iron Fathers who combine the roles of the Chaplain, Techmarine and Apothecary in Codex Astartes-compliant Chapters into one. They are trained on Mars by the Adeptus Mechanicus and believe deeply in the doctrines of the Cult of the Machine rather than the Imperial Creed. As a result of this belief that the Emperor is actually just one aspect of the Mechanicum's Omnissiah, the Ecclesiarchy refuses to provide the Iron Fathers with Rosariuses, as these holy symbols are intended to be a sign of a common faith in the God-Emperor of Mankind, a faith that the Iron Fathers do not truly share in the Ecclesiarchy's view, seeing them as heretical much like their allies in the Mechanicus.

Blood Angels
The Chaplains of the Blood Angels Chapter and their Successor Chapters have a special duty: to care for those members of the Chapter who succumbed to the Flaws of Sanguinius, including the Black Rage and the Red Thirst. Only the Blood Angel Chaplains are still able to communicate with those Battle-Brothers who are lost to the Black Rage and so they lead these unfortunates in the Blood Angels' and their Successor Chapters' feared Death Companies. They are also believed to care for those members of the Chapter who must be locked away for their own and others' safety on the Blood Angels' homeworld of Baal.

Space Wolves
Within the non-standard Space Wolves Chapter, the Wolf Priests take on the roles of both Chaplains and Apothecaries in other Chapters. Wolf Priests are intended to care for the spiritual and physical needs of their Battle-Brothers, but their most important duties are to oversee the recruitment, indoctrination and implantation of new Space Wolves so that the Chapter's Great Companies can continue to flourish. Asa result of these duties, several Wolf Priests can always be found traveling across the death world of Fenris where the Chapter makes its home, going from village to village to observe the Fenrisians and determine which of their warriors has the strength, courage and spirit required to become a new Space Wolf.

Word Bearers
The Word Bearers Traitor Legion are the only remaining Chaos Space Marines who betrayed the Emperor of Mankind during the Horus Heresy to still make use of Chaplains as spiritual leaders, albeit in this case, priests who serve the Dark Powers of Chaos Undivided. These Chaplains, called Dark Apostles, are skilled orators and propagandists for the Forces of Chaos and also the ultimate leaders of the Word Bearers since their Daemon Primarch Lorgar has remained in seclusion from the Legion since the end of the Horus Heresy and the Word Bearers' retreat into the Eye of Terror. Dark Apostles are powerful servants of Chaos who constantly scheme and plot to unleash the Forces of Chaos upon the Imperium and possess the ability to summon legions of daemons from the Immaterium to supplement their troops. A Dark Apostle always wields his Chaos-corrupted Crozius Arcanum, now called an Accursed Crozius, which serves as weapon, a symbol of his office and an implement for calling forth the powers and entities of the Warp.