Unforgiven

The Unforgiven is the name given to the Dark Angels Chapter of Loyalist Space Marines and all of their Successor Chapters. Each of the Unforgiven Chapters traces their genetic lineage to the Primarch Lion El'Jonson and his Space Marine Legion. The Unforgiven have come to hold this name because of the events surrounding the death of their Primarch at the hands of his second-in-command Luther and a contingent of the original Dark Angels Legion which turned to Chaos at the end of the Horus Heresy. Luther and the Lion met in single combat upon the surface of the Dark Angels' original homeworld of Caliban where Luther used the powers of Chaos to slay his former friend. However Luther repented of his actions upon seeing the Lion mortally wounded at his feet. In their rage, the Ruinous Powers initiated a massive Warp Storm that tore the world of Caliban apart and transported every one of the Chaos-tainted Dark Angels through time and space after drawing them into the Warp. These Traitor Marines are known today to the Unforgiven as the Fallen Angels. The leadership and veteran Space Marines of each Unforgiven Chapter swears an oath that they will not again know the forgiveness of the Emperor for the Chapter's disloyalty during the Horus Heresy until every one of the Fallen has repented their crime or received the Emperor's justice. However, the Marines of the Unforgiven who have learned this secret will pursue this quest to the exclusion of all other duties, even their defense of the Imperium. As a result of this obsession, some in the Inquisition have begun to fear for the Dark Angels' and their Successor Chapters' loyalties as their have been instances where they have even disobeyed a direct order of the High Lords of Terra. Because of this secret, the Dark Angels do not mix openly with Space Marine Chapters outside of the Unforgiven even when fighting alongside them as allies. In turn they are deeply distrustful of the Inquisition, for they will do anything to avoid having their secret shame discovered by outsiders, and ferreting out secrets is the reason for the Inquisition's existence.

The Unforgiven do not only share the secret of the Fallen Angels; they also share a common military organisation that closely mirrors that of the Dark Angels' unorthodox structure. Each Unforgiven Chapter is governed by an Inner Circle of officers and each usually maintains company formations that are identical in doctrine and composition to the Dark Angels' Deathwing 1st Company of Terminators and their Ravenwing 2nd Company of fast attack squadrons. Because of their shared secret, all of the Unforgiven Chapters maintain an unusual level of coordination with one another as they seek out leads on their Fallen Angel targets. It is not unknown for the Chapter Masters of all the Unforgiven to gather at relatively regular intervals for secret convocations at the Rock, the asteroid that is all that remains of Caliban serving as the Dark Angels' fortress-monastery.

Unforgiven Chapters

• Dark Angels
• Angels of Absolution
• Angels of Redemption
• Angels of Vengeance
• Disciples of Caliban
• Guardians of the Covenant
• Consecrators

Sources

• Codex: Dark Angels (4th Edition)