The Dark Sons is a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter of unknown Founding created from the genetic lineage of the vaunted Ultramarines Chapter.
Along with the Angels of Fury, the Dark Sons had the honour of being under the tutelage of the venerable Novamarines Chapter following their inception.
The Dark Sons' homeworld is the planet Darkhold in the Segmentum Obscurus.
A certain spectre of pridefulness and egotism clings to these warriors and has soured their dealings with other Imperial organisations in the past, but their arrogance is not undeserved.
The Dark Sons fight with remarkable efficiency and skill, and have won countless battles against remarkable odds.
Chapter History[]
Dark Sons Chapter colour scheme as displayed by a Firstborn Space Marine.
Notable Campaigns[]
Dark Sons Chapter colour scheme as displayed by Primaris Marine Brother Thengillimus of the 7th Company, indicated by his knee plate colouration.
- Achilus Crusade (777.M41) - The Dark Sons contributed a contingent of Space Marines to the Achilus Crusade to retake the Jericho Reach for the Imperium. Its commander, Captain Taurinus Demos, competed with Lorgath Mac Lir of the Storm Wardens Chapter for overall command of the Space Marines contingent. Though Demos won an honour duel between them, he was so impressed by Mac Lir's honour and prowess that he surrendered the command to the Storm Warden.
- First Punisher War (825.M41) - The infamous Chaos Space Marine warband known as the Punishers led a massive Chaos invasion of the Kargad System. The Dark Hunters Chapter led the defence of its homeworld, but was woefully outnumbered by the Forces of Chaos. The Punishers landed a quarter of a million Chaos Cultists in the first wave upon Phobian, with mighty Emperor-class Battleships to back them up. It took the help of six other Chapters, including the Dark Sons, Brazen Fists, Doomsayers, Shadowhawks and two other Chapters, to finally extirpate the Punishers from this system. Without their help, the Dark Hunters would have faced certain annihilation.
- Second Punisher War (982.M41) - Jonah Kerne, Captain of the Dark Hunters 3rd Company led his Space Marines to the world of Ras Hanem during the Second Punisher War against the warband of Heretic Astartes known as the Punishers. Kerne was able to hold off the Forces of Chaos while being assisted by the local forces of the Astra Militarum and the Planetary Defence Forces. The Dark Hunters went so far as to form a temporary alliance with the Aeldari of the Kaelor Craftworld, helping those xenos to find an ancient artefact in exchange for their aid in defeating the Forces of Chaos. Despite the deceptions and cunning of the Aeldari, Kerne stayed true to his word and gave the artefact to their Farseer, thus committing an act of heresy. The remaining Imperial and Aeldari forces were able to hold the Punishers long enough for the remainder of the Dark Hunters Chapter to arrive with Astartes allies drawn from other Chapters, including once again the Dark Sons. When the war on Ras Hanem had concluded in the Emperor's favour, Jonah was taken by his Chapter back to their homeworld of Phobian. There, he was taken into custody by the Inquisition to answer for his crime.
Notable Dark Sons[]
- Captain Taurinus Demos - Demos is the Captain of the Dark Sons' 2nd Company. A decorated and experienced Battle-Brother, he had achieved victory in countless battles against the xenos that threatened Mankind. Demos had been considered more than once for promotion to Chapter Master of the Dark Sons. However, his towering hubris and recklessness had held him back, for Demos was a supremely prideful man. During the outset of the Achilus Crusade in the Jericho Reach in 777.M41, a great council of the senior Space Marine commanders of several dozen Chapters came to contribute forces to the Crusade. The only matter of business that remained was the election of an overall commander. Lorgath Mac Lir of the Storm Wardens Chapter was voted, near unanimously, to lead the council of war in their decisions regarding the Crusade. Demos was gravely insulted by this decision, believing that only he was truly capable of success in such a grand undertaking in the name of the Emperor. To prove himself to the other commanders, he challenged Maclir to an honour duel. Several of the gathered observers noted afterwards that a duel of such martial finesse and power was rare outside the Feast of Blades. Maclir irrefutably had the upper hand for solar hours, his meticulous study of Combat Shield techniques gave Demos no opportunity for a decisive blow. Yet Demos relentlessly assailed the Chapter Master with powerful blows, hammering Maclir with such force that the stone floor began to crack beneath the Storm Warden. In the end, it was Maclir who finally made a crucial error, and Demos landed the final blow. Defeated, Maclir knelt before Demos and officially declared him commander of the Adeptus Astartes council in the Achilus Crusade. Taurinus Demos bowed his head and reflected upon the matter for many tense heartbeats. Finally, he beckoned Maclir to stand. Demos had never fought such a worthy opponent, and even through his own pride, he realised that the Storm Warden Chapter Master understood the burden of command. Thus, Demos declared that Lorgath Maclir should lead the Space Marines into the Jericho Reach. Demos returned to his Strike Cruiser content in the knowledge that the Space Marines of the Achilus Crusade possessed an exemplary commander.
- Deathwatch Watch Captain Bron - Brother Bron was sequestered to the Jericho Reach and served as a Watch Captain in the elite xenos-hunting Deathwatch, the Chamber Militant of the Ordo Xenos. When Bron was mortally wounded during a confrontation with a Slaugth Overseer in the Black Reef, he recommended that the Marines Errant Battle-Brother Kail Vibius be promoted to the rank of Watch Captain in his stead, a role he has held ever since.
Chapter Appearance[]
Chapter Colours[]
The Dark Sons' power armour is quartered dark green and white. The Aquila or Imperialis on the chest plate is golden.
The yellow squad tactical specialty icon -- battleline, close support, fire support, Veteran or command -- is indicated on the right shoulder plate.
A green High Gothic numeral centred on the squad specialty symbol indicates squad number.
The colour of the right knee plate indicates company number in accordance with the Codex Astartes -- i.e. white (1st Company), yellow (2nd Company), red (3rd Company), etc.
Chapter Badge[]
The Dark Sons' Chapter badge is a stylised green-, open-faced, twelve-pointed star with a circle of the same tone of green in the centre, on a field of white.
Sources[]
- Adeptus Astartes: Successor Chapters (Limited Release Booklet), pg. 32
- Codex Supplement: Ultramarines (8th Edition), pg. 25
- Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), pg. 30
- Deathwatch: The Achilus Crusade (RPG), pg. 27
- Deathwatch: The Jericho Reach (RPG), pg. 19
- How to Paint Space Marines (2004), pg. 89
- Imperial Armour Volume Nine - The Badab War - Part One, pg. 116
- Dark Hunters: Umbra Sumus (Novel) by Paul Kearney
Gallery[]
