The Order of the Broken Sword

Here is a list of the things that Chapter Master Vandels knows.

• That the Lectitio Divinitatus was Written by one of the Chaos Primarchs
• That the Emperor did not want to be worshiped as a God
• The Basics of the Imperial Truth from the writings of Remembrancers
• The Names of Four Traitor Primarchs: Horus, Angron, Mortarion and Fulgrim.
• That A Traitor Primarch wrote the Lectitio Divinitatus, he does not know who, why or when.
• That the Mechanicus operates almost separately from the Imperium or at least many of it’s smaller organisations do.
• That the Fallen exist although they are not his duty to hunt.
• That the Emperor wanted an Atheist State devoid of all worship, he does not know or care why.

Each Marine is given a Sword upon initiation, the style and length of which is entirely up to the individual.

The final step to his initiation is to break the blade with his own hands. The broken shard of the blade is then taken to the Great Hall and it is here that the Brother’s Deeds and History will be recorded.

Upon Promotion to Officer the Brother is given a new Sword to represent his rank. He will still carry his old Sword however.

The Chapter does not follow the standard naming designation for it’s ranks.

• The Standard Marine is Known as a “Brother”
• The Squad Leader is Known as a “Brother Sergeant”
• The Lieutenant is Known as a “Sub Commander”
• The Captain is Known as a “Commander”
• Three Companies are Lead by an “Order Commander”
• The Marine Leader of the Order is Known as the “Order Master”
• The Leader of the Order is Known as the “Grand Master”
• Chaplains are Known as “Brother Chaplain” and are treated with immense respect and admiration.
• The Librarian’s are Known as “Librarian” they are treated as any other Brother but intensely monitored. Grand Master Vandels considered outlawing them but was persuaded from it by his Officers.
• Apothecaries are Known as “Brother Surgeons”
• Marines interred in Dreadnoughts keep their Rank and are known as that Rank.
• As a whole the Dreadnoughts are Known as “The Enduring Brothers”
• The Dead are Known as “The Eternal Brothers”

Worship of the Emperor as a God is strictly forbidden.

The Chaplains have extra duties mainly that they ensure that no worship of any kind takes place among the Brothers of the Order.

When the Primaris reinforcements were sent there were no Techmarines included in their ranks. The belief being that a Chapter so linked to the Mechanics had no use for them.

Instead the Chapter loaned Techmarines from their fellow Dark Angels until they could send their own members to be trained as Techmarines.

This is perhaps the biggest difference between the Order of the Broken Sword and other Chapters. The Chapter has no Space Marine Techmarines. Instead being a Techmarine is the worst punishment that can be issued to a Brother of the Order.

If a Brother of the Order disgraces himself, the Order or the Imperium he is stripped of his membership and his Status as an Astartes. He is then demoted to a mere Chapter Servant, equal to any servitor or data entry specialist, and banished to a Forge World to learn his craft before returning to the Order.

Upon his return he is stripped of any name, known only as “Techmarine” followed by a binary number. His helmet is permanently fixed to his armour and cannot be removed under any circumstances, such is his shame.

The disgraced Brother’s Sword is reforged and placed in it’s plinth, all deeds, history and name removed.

Finally, the greatest insult of all, the Gene Seed of the Techmarines are considered tainted by their worship of the Omnissiah and are never recovered from fallen Marines, such is the hatred of the Mechanicus.

The Order of the broken Sword is tasked with hunting down Rogue members of the Adeptus Mechanicus. Not necessarily Chaos worshiping Cults or even disloyal Cults but any groups that the Inquisition has denounced.

Any Adeptus Mechanicus groups that attempt Innovation, Go to Extreme Lengths to secure new STC’s or deal with Xenos will find themselves on the ‘Hit List’ of the Order of the Broken Sword.

Of course the Adeptus Mechanicus that formerly occupied Galland V are a constant target for the Order, the Recovery of the Swords of “The Knights of the Blade” is one of their main objectives regardless of any orders.

To oversee their hunt for the Mechanicus Traitors the Inquisition has sent an Inquisitor from the Ordo Machinum, a branch of the Inquisition tasked with overseeing the Adeptus Mechanicus.

Inquisitor Alonso Fredericus Cohannan is out of his mind. He sees all technology as Heresy and an enemy of Mankind. Fortunately he also considers himself to be a Radical Inquisitor and so doesn’t mind the use of Technology so long as it’s used with the goal of eliminating the enemies of Mankind.

The Inquisitor and the Order Master get along extremely well and both give the other a wide berth and plenty of trust. Even though the Order Master is basically just a Machine he tirelessly fights the enemies of Mankind and so is permitted to exist.