Malkaan Feirros

"It is as Master of the Forge Malkaan Feirros says: “A Titan is a mighty weapon of the Omnissiah, but without the fires of its reactor it is but cold, dead metal.“"

— Brother Urloch, Intercessor

Iron Father and Master of the Forge Malkaan Feirros of the Iron Hands Chapter after his ascension to become a Primaris Marine.

Malkaan Feirros is an Iron Father and the current Master of the Forge of the Iron Hands Chapter. He is also a leading figure of the Iron Hands' Clan Raukaan.

Feirros recently underwent the surgical process known as the Rubicon Primaris to transform from a Firstborn to a Primaris Space Marine.

Known for his age and eccentricity, Feirros is atypical for an Astartes of his Chapter in that he is known for his potent sense of gallows humour.

History

Perhaps oddly for one so ingrained in the Chapter’s most formative rituals, Feirros is considered something of a maverick by his peers upon the Iron Council. He clings to his emotions with a grip no less iron than that of his own left hand, and refuses all augmetics that might ease his transition into a life of pure logic. For Feirros, true wisdom lies in a balance between logic and emotion -- a balance that forever eluded fallen Manus. Without the former, there can be no reason, and no certainty of the onward path. But to discard the latter, Feirros believes, is to lose all hope of intuition -- an ephemeral concept that no machine has hope of embracing.

That Feirros yet holds the rank he does despite such borderline-heretical beliefs is proof positive of his achievements in the Chapter’s service. It doesn’t hurt that his old pupil Kardan Stronos -- the current Voice of the Council, and Iron Hands Chapter Master -- has often expressed similar views, having many times witnessed first-hand the perils to which a purely logical approach has led his brethren. Thus Feirros’ brothers revere him for his service, and tolerate wry gallows humour which many of them no longer have the capacity to properly comprehend. Only the wisest realise that the balance Feirros has struck requires greater discipline, rather than less. But such is the way of emotion: those who suppress it seldom understand its strength.

There are those amongst Feirros’ peers who believe him a corrupting influence -- a cog in the Chapter’s mighty machinery that might yet bring the whole endeavour to a grinding halt. In truth, Feirros does not seek to overthrow the Chapter’s longheld values, nor instil revolution in the augmetic hearts of his brothers -- he has learnt too well the lessons of old for that. He desires only to serve as a counterpoint to a destructive instinct that has ever led the Iron Hands to seek false solace in the certainty of logic, and if he sways a handful of his battle-brothers to recognise this, then he is well-content. If the Iron Hands can any longer be said to have soul, thatessence resides within Feirros.

Feirros’ careful balance allows him to serve his Chapter in ways no other can. Following Clan Company Raukaan’s near-destruction during the Skarvus Ambush, the Iron Council was minded to censure the Raukaan entirely as punishment for their weakness. Few of their number were prepared to speak in Raukaan’s defence, for the facts of the clan company’s failure were indisputable and the necessary tithe clearly laid out in Chapter doctrine. However, Feirros argued long and loud that the company be permitted to prove itself anew under new leadership. After all, was such not the way of all broken machines, that with but one flawed component replaced the entire mechanism could function again anew?

Ultimately, the staunchly conservative Iron Father Kristos aligned his voice with Feirros’, though not out of agreement. Over the course of long decades, Kristos had come to view Feirros as a relic better suited to the waking sleep of a Dreadnought than to the living duties of Iron Father. He seized on Clan Raukaan’s fate as a chance to prove Feirros’ waning to the rest of the Iron Council -- only to suffer apoplexy when it was decided that he himself, and not Feirros, would be responsible for reforging Raukaan from its battered shards. Too late, Kristos realised that Feirros had goaded him, subverting emotions he struggled to conceal in order to achieve his victory.

Such deviousness was hardly the manner in which an Iron Hand -- much less an Iron Father -- was expected to comport himself, but Kristos could hardly denounce Feirros without also confessing his own failure of self-control. This was the first time that Kristos understood how Feirros’ refusal to forsake emotion was strength, and not weakness. It was also the first time he acknowledged a grudging respect. Though the two could never be said to be friends, Kristos honoured Feirros’ victory by working ceaselessly to shape Clan Raukaan into a force of which both could be proud. Alas, he failed to learn the lesson Feirros had endeavoured to teach and strove ever for the cold certainty of logic -- in the end, his own inflexibility ushered him into the corrupting embrace of the Sapphire King.

When the Iron Hands received word that already-inducted battle-brothers could cross the Rubicon Primaris and become Primaris Space Marines, Feirros was amongst the first to volunteer. The Primaris’ capabilities in battle were undeniable, and to him a clear demonstration of the capabilities of flesh. He welcomed the opportunity to vastly improve his strength and endurance without need for mechanical enhancement.

Feirros can often be seen leading the assault. Harrowhand arcs bright against the gathering darkness; his sonorous voice challenges the all-consuming roar of his servo-harness’ armament. Where he treads, the Iron Hands fight with redoubled fervour, for even Feirros’ detractors know that when death at last claims the indomitable Iron Father, an age passes with him.

Wargear

• Gorgon's Wrath - In battle the Iron Father can effortlessly cut foes down with this shoulder-mounted artificer Heavy Bolter.
• Harrowhand - In close combat the Iron Father can hew any who dare to draw within reach of this cog-toothed Power Axe.

Sources

• Clan Raukaan - A Codex: Space Marines Supplement (6th Edition), "The Grand Calculation"
• Codex Supplement: Iron Hands (8th Edition), pp. 38-39
• Warhammer Community - Coming Next Week: Iron and Shadow

Gallery

Iron Father and Master of the Forge Malkaan Feirros ready to face the foe.