Storm Hammers

Storm Hammers
A hammer flanked by two lightning bolts
Battle Cry	"Strike like lightning itself!"
Number	Unknown
Successor Chapters	Unknown
Primarch	Engerand
Homeworld	Lostregia
Specialty	Overwhelming assault and firepower
Allegiance	Loyalist
Colours

This page is part of the Imperium Asunder, a fan re-working of the Warhammer 40,000 Universe. See the Imperium Asunder page for more information on the Alternate Universe.

Homeworld

Lostregia, decades after the terraforming failure.

In ages past, during what is called the Dark Age of Technology, Lostregia was an experimental colony: a world where cutting-edge terraforming was used to turn a hellscape into paradise. By the time of the 31st Millenium, such terraforming had been fatally undone, reverting Lostregia to a world of cataclysmic weather: great storms which could last for days and set the sky on fire and clouds of toxic gas which could melt the flesh from a man's bone. Deadly radiation storms were commonplace, horrific weather which could drive a man insane as his brain melted or horrifically mutate him. In spite of these conditions, life exist on Lostregia's surface. Life which has adapted to feed off the radiations. Terrifying mutants, called Glowfiends, haunt the surface: rendered near-immortal by their symbiosis with radiation which also drove them mad. The human survivors, descendants of these early colonist, live in great fortresses which exist both above and below ground and are shielded from the deadly environment. Organized in a feudal system, these fortress battle for supremacy and limited resources.

History

Engerand's Arrival on Lostregia

Engerand arrived on Lostregia on a completely average day. The sky was clear (as clear as it can be on Lostregia, in any case) and the storms were predicted to return only the next day. Radiation levels were low and the serfs had left their shielded home to collect the strange, deformed fruits which grew on the surface which would then be purified and reduced into a sticky paste. The miners had left for the mountains to dig new tunnels and extract more minerals, some of them strange and exotic, unique to the planet. All seemed normal until something suddenly impacted the side of the mountain. Miners were first to arrive and found a child within the crater. This child was taken in by a miner family and quickly grew. Soon he was a young boy of great strength and endurance who took to the ways of the workers on this strange alien world: work hard, work fast and complete your work before the next storm. Soon he drew the attention of the lord of his fortress, Bellognatus, who wanted the boy for himself. Taken from his foster family, the young Primarch joined the knightly caste which served the lord of the fortress and was taught in the ways of war, where previously he had been but a worker.

Unfortunately for his people, Bellognatus was a dead man walking: years before, during a campaign against another lord, he had been caught in a deadly radiation storm. While the man had survived (in part thanks to some cybernetic life support systems), he had contracted a strange incurable condition which slowly degraded his sanity. As the years passed he grew more and more unstable and belligerent, sending the Primarch and his fellow knights on brutal campaigns of pillaging and conquest. The people suffered under an unjust, mad ruler and so Engerand began fomenting a rebellion amongst the people. He traveled deep into the mine tunnels to recover some of the rare minerals, fighting underground mutants. When he came back, he forged nine hammers which he gifted to his champions; these mighty weapons could easily crush the metallic armor which the knights were clad in. Engerand and his nine loyal companions had no great strategy and no muster of serfs or armsmen to breach Bellognatus' inner keep, only the cold, tempered steel in their hands, and the courage in their hearts. Assaulting the very front of the tyrant's palace, they hewed left and hewed right with their mighty hammers, the knights of Bellognatus' service falling with each blow, Engerand himself leading the charge. Bellowing at the top of his lungs, he hefted his hammer, Sturumgan, and tore down the great gates of the mad king's keep - a scene depicted in murals, engravings, and holo-dramas across the Storm Kingdoms and beyond. When Engerand finally confronted the now-reclusive Bellognatus, he discovered the man had begun degenerating into a Glowfiend. The knights, outraged of serving a mutant, turned on their lord and installed Engerand as their new ruler. In time, the Primarch would mount a campaign of conquest to join the disparate fortress and unite the humans of Lostregia.

Arrival of the Emperor

It is said that during stormy days, when lightning would tear the surface asunder, Engerand was filled with some strange emotion he could not properly understand or convey: a mixture of fear, anticipation and longing. During one said storm, for reasons he could not explain, Engerand left the safety of his fortress and climbed to the peak of a mountain, guided by some strange visions he could not quite explain. From the storm emerged a massive ship, far larger than any of these surface aircrafts kept in the museums of Lostregia. From the craft emerged the Master of Mankind, the Emperor. Flled with a sense of awe and purpose he never felt before, Engerand knelt at the feets of the Emperor and swore fealty to him in an instant. The Primarch was given command of the Legion crafted from his genes, which he renamed the Storm Hammers, for they were now named after these nine weapons Engerand had gifted to his champions. Now each warrior would be reborn, crafted into a mighty weapon like how the Primarch had once crafted these crude hammers. Because of their symbolic importance to the people of Lostregia, the nine hammers were gifted to the Adeptus Mechanicus so they could be reforged into suitable weapons for the Astartes to wield.

The Storm Kingdoms

The Storm Kingdoms are a union of systems and planets under the rule of the Storm Hammer Legion, organized into a feudal system not unlike that of the former Imperium of Man. The Storm Kingdoms encourage self-reliance of their planets, ensuring that Kingdoms are able to defend themselves in times of need. While they each have a sizable level of independence, the downside is a certain amount of infighting amongst the various political factions and nobles. The Storm Kingdoms field vast armies of human soldiers which are expected to fight alongside the Storm Hammer Legion. These armies are under the control of the various planetary lords but are expected to show deference and loyalty to the Legion, which maintain both human and Astarte advisers (especially Librarians) in multiple levels of the chain of command. All worlds pay tithe to the Storm Hammers and the Legion commander who is the symbolic head of all the Storm Kingdoms. The non-Astartes miltiary forces of the Storm Kingdom include 'Imperial' soldiers and exiled Mechanicum Skitarii as well as Knightly Houses. Because the Storm Kingdom has few, if any Titans left, it relies more extensively on the Knights.

Primarch

Relationships

• The Emperor: Engerand and the Emperor had a complicated relationship. While the Primarch recognized the Emperor as his father and a man worthy of respect, in private the two were known to heavily disagree on various matters due to the Emperor's strange and unreadable nature and a tendency to always speak about how things would be revealed 'in due time'. In turn, the Emperor was quick to chastise Engerand for his impulsivity and recklessness in battle. Up until his death, Engerand remained loyal to the Emperor's vision of the galaxy yet cautious about it. In time, he had come to believe (perhaps rightly so) that that Emperor was ultimately an imperfect being, much like he and every human could be and that they should always strive to be greater and never fall into the complacency of self-assured perfection and righteousness.
• Anshul the Resplendent: Scorn. Contempt. Mockery. Engerand had little to no love for the strange, mutated Anshul and his bizarre ways and was one of the most open and spiteful critic of a Legion he held up to be nothing less than a complete stain on the purity of Astartes. Not only that, but the scholarly ways of Anshul and his Legion were directly at odds with the pragmatic, martial culture of the Storm Hammers. While generally not one to scorn intellectuals, Engerand considered the Asuran to be wasting too much time in what he deemed the pursuit of 'abstract knowledge' which had no practical application to winning a battle, running an empire or even improving the lives of the citizen of the Imperium. Such a task was for crusty philosophers, not for Primarchs and Astartes.
• Balthasar the Bloody: Bitter rivals turned sworn enemies.
• Raydon Neratos: A mutual respect tempered by extremely opposite personalities. Both men at least understood each others on the basis that they could rely on each others and produce the intended results.
• Klaus Staffel: Engerand and Klaus were vastly different in both mentality and combat tactics yet that was hardly ever a reason for the Primarch of the Storm Hammers to dislike his brother. If anything, the two had Legions which were complimentary on the battlefield. Their relationship was one of genuine attempts at understanding and learning from the other despite the vast differences.
• Sarco Funerus: Amongst those Engerand would go out and call a friend, especially after Sarco's ill-fated encounter with the Eldar Titan, which taught Engerand the humbling lesson that not even Primarchs are immortal. Share an affinity over their reliance on heavy assault and firepower.
• Saul Sheridan: Originally, Engerand related to Saul due to his origins. Their worlds were, on many levels, similar or so Engerand believed. As more of the history of Saul's homeworld came to light, this relation took a turn for the worse. The Storm Hammers end conflict as quickly and pragmatically, it is true, but widespread use of nuclear and viral weapons goes against the primary reason for these lightning wars.

Gene-seed

Originally mostly-pure, the Storm Hammers gene-seed is generally understood to be an unfortunately degraded one due to the Legion's aggressive recruitment policies combined with the radioactive surface of their main recruitment world. All implants are accounted for except the Omophagea and each decade, the Legion apothecaries complain about 'quirks' and 'minor mutations' in the gene-seed. It has been noted that in marines native of their original world, the Preomnor, Melanchromic Organ and Oolitic Kidney are unusually active. Some speculate these organs are over-stimulated by the highly toxic environment of Lostregia.

It is commonly accepted that Gene-Seed not only carry physical traits but also mental traits as well and this is no different for the Storm Hammers, even if some of the more iconoclastic members of the Legion simple argue that it's simply the influence from the recruitment pool and the values instilled by the Legion itself and not a genetic trait. Storm Hammers tend toward being sometimes seen as 'twitchy' and 'impulsive' by the other Legions, never able to rest properly if they consider that their work isn't done. These negative traits, at their worst, make them brash, paranoid and prone to critical errors of judgment, somethings the Legion has been known to try to correct within its ranks.

Tactics

Combat Doctrine

The Storm Hammers, like their namesake, are a blunt instrument. They do not engage their foes - they crash into their foes, repeatedly, as hard as (post)humanly possible. Favouring shock tactics and heavy infantry, the combat doctrine of the Storm Hammers is modeled around the delivery of its most powerful force multipliers into contact with the enemy, and doing so with as much speed and as few causalities as possible. Fast, inexpensive troop transports are commonplace, designed purely to get the Legion's renowned heavy infantry into the fight and get out. The foes of the Storm Hammers can expect to see a solid wall of onrushing Terminator armour emerging from such vehicles, providing a spearhead of adamantium-laced plasteel behind which the less durable rank and file of the Legion advance. The Storm Hammers loathe long, protracted campaigns which they see as a futile waste of time, resources and lives. While short shock campaign may seem initially needlessly brutal, the Legion and its Primarch have always held the opinion that such a tactic is not only more cost-efficient but also, in the long term, less devastating to the lives of civilians compared to decades-long sieges which may turn a planet into an irradiated wasteland.

Equipment

Unsurprisingly, the signature weapon of the Storm Hammers is the trusty Thunder Hammer. Capable of sending disorientating shockwaves of percussive force through the ranks of their foes, the weapon is perfectly suited to the Legion's straightforward shock-assault tactics. Besides the Thunder Hammer, however, Engerands sons utilize a number of specialized armaments designed to inflict maximum carnage at close range.

• Arc Weaponry: Arc Mauls, Arc Rifles, and heavier variants are all commonplace among the Storm Hammers, their voltaic capabilities proving invaluable in disabling war machines and bringing down exceptionally tough targets.
• Battle Hammers: An alternative to the chainsword, these immensely heavy hammers are nothing more than a crude, stripped-down version of the Thunder Hammer meant for mass production.
• Maelstrom Generators: Only ever activated once its user is wading through the ranks of his foes, the Maelstrom Generator is a bulky modification to standard Terminator armour. Generating a field of ionizing particles, the device transforms the air around the Terminator into a flashing micro-storm, lashing at those around him with tendrils of incandescent lightning. Exceptionally draining, these devices can only be utilized for a short while, but they grant those Marines entrusted with them an invaluable advantage.
• Voltaic Coil Projectors: Large, bulky devices appearing almost like a weaponized radio tower, the Coil Projector is a devastating weapon when unleashed upon the unprepared, sending streams of electrical energy arcing from one warm body to the next.
• Tempest Hammers: Heavy, two-handed variants of the Thunder Hammer design, the Tempest Hammer utilizes voltaic coil technology to deliver not only a tremendous burst of pressure upon impact, but also jettison bolts of searing lightning that leap between unprotected bystanders, often paralyzing scores of enemies with a single blow.
• Thunderstrike Cannons: Broad, conical firearms generally affixed to dreadnought armour or heavy tanks, the Thunderstrike Cannon is a devastating sonic weapon, designed not only to pulp flesh and shatter steel with a burst of sonic distortion, but disorientate and deafen nearby foes, making for a disorganized and ultimately futile response to the Legion's advancing infantry vanguard.

Culture

The culture of the Storm Hammers is primarily influenced by that of their homeworld, Lostregia. Self-reliance and efficiency are core virtues to the Legion, as well as devotion to one's cause and self-sacrifice. This, combined with the Storm Hammers having an important influence in the Storm Kingdoms, make them a Legion who regularly interact with ordinary humans which they generally hold in a respect which is quite high by Astartes standards. No citizen of the bygone and broken Imperium is 'too small' or 'too insignificant', at least in theory: in practice the marines aren't going to foolishly self-sacrifice. They respect martial prowess as well as bureaucratic efficiency (an increasingly rare trait in these dark days), the former because it is a core aspect of their culture and the latter because the Legion and its Primarch were well-known to delegate tasks to individual more suited to it. As such, they expect a certain level of trust and woe to the one who abuse the trust of the Storm Hammers. Appearance-wise, the Storm Hammers tend toward mustache and breaded beards, as well as small blue tattoos which signifies one's rank and achievements. Outside of their armor, they favor work-efficient jumpsuits over robes when not wearing the anachronistic apparel of the savage warrior-knights of old Lostregia.

Sample Names: Lostregian names are primarily drawn from Norse, Norman, Briton, Gaul and Medieval french names. Those native of other worlds could have any sort of name.

Characters

Faulk Druger, "The Bear", 2nd Chapter Champion of the Storm Hammer Legion

Faulk Druger is akin to a tempest, if a tempest were eight-and-a-half feet tall and carried a warhammer which could split open a land raider. His moniker "the bear" stems not only from his appearance, both his size and his grizzled mutton chops, but also from his temperance. Druger is brash, quick to insult and cajole, and seems to take great pleasure from getting a duel out of anyone he sized up as suitably worthy, whether it be by formal challenge or heat-of-the-moment coaxing. On the other hand, he is quick to forgive, fast with a joke, and a more loyal and steadfast companion could not be found amongst the entire host of the Emperor's Astartes. Besides his impetuous nature he is also recognizable by his weapon of choice. While the other champions fought with the traditional style of shield and hammer, Druger disregarded a shield and fought with a great two-handed maul. He brought his weapon to the legion artificers to have it fitted with a longer handle and an even stronger powerfield generator, famously stating "What need do I have for a shield if I strike down my foes before they can strike me?"

The last sighting of Champion Faulk Druger was at the Tratior's Tournament, where he was witnessed combating at least a score of Silver Spear, Judgement Bringer, and Iron Heart marines in close combat before the melee was bathed in artillery fire and onlookers lost sight of the indigo-clad giant amidst showers of rock and other debris. Although his hammer was recovered, there was no sign of the champion. Without watertight evidence, the tattered remains of the Storm Hammer's 2nd chapter refused to accept their beloved champion could have found his end by means of "something so paltry as an artillery round", they said, and their confidence infected the rest of the legion. To this day, Faulk Druger is not honored along with the legion's dead, nor his he recounted amongst the names of marines whose remains were never found but are considered irrevocably lost. The Bear has become a sort of folk hero to the legion and its splinters, and a common excuse for tardiness amongst initiates is that they "were simply having a chat with Druger". The champion's weapon, which came to be called the Dusk Hammer, holds a special place in the Storm Hammer's relic hall. It is only uninterred when battle is joined with those traitorous brothers who turned their backs to the Emperor, and when it is extracted it is with many prayers honoring friends gone but not forgotten.

>"Know this, Champion. In days of yore it was named the Dusk Hammer not in somber remembrance for the one who once wielded it. It is so called because those who cross you while you wield this mighty weapon have seen their end of days!" >-Chapter Master Nenderel Augusta Oresv, 607.M37

Organization

Lord of Thunder

The title of the Legion Master, Regent of the Storm Hammers and supreme commander of the Storm Kingdom.

Taranisian Guard

The Honour Guard of Engerand are the Taranisian. They are chosen not only for their skill but also because these marines have a strong, personal bond which formed with their primarch (or later, the regent of the Chapter). While veteran marines, who have a long history with the chapter are obviously prime candidates, in practice age has very little meaning and through the chapter's history there have been young marines chosen to become part of the ranks of this esteemed order. The admission of a new Taranisian is purely the decision of the command staff, none may petition to join their ranks and in fact doing so is seen in poor taste. Sometimes, a marine will be chosen to become part of the Taranisian not because of skill at arms but rather their tactical or political acumen. While technically members of the Taranisian, these marine see far less front line combat and focus on the maintenance of the inner workings of the chapter. In battle, the Taranisian are deployed either as a Terminator unit (although the use of Terminator Armor is not solely restricted to their ranks, they are by far the most famous of the Storm Hammer Terminators) or as a power-armor Veteran squad. Should their Primarch or the current regent fall in battle (or be crippled), the Taranisian would, as per his orders, elect one of their own to become the Lord of Thunders and act as his regent.

The colors of the Taranisian Guard are Silver and Gold, with their helmets and shoulder pads painted silver.

Grand Companies

The Grand Companies are the primary organization unit of the Storm Hammers. Originally there were nine of them, one for each of Engerand's champions but as the legion grew this number increased. The exact roster has change many times over the last ten millennium, both due to the addition of new companies but also the splintering and destruction of others. The current roster includes:

• The Emperor's Storm (I): The first company has always held a certain prestige and to this day remain unchanged aside from its increase in size. Its symbol is a hammer under a lightning bolt.
• The Great Thunder (II): Long-term rivals of the first Great Company when it come to seeking recognition as the best of the Legion, their symbol is a three lightning bolts loosing forming an upward pointing triangle.
• The Unyielding Fists (III): Considered by far to be the most steadfast, resolute (and stubborn) great company. Has suffered crippling casualties because of this but has always managed to eventually rebuild. Symbol is a fist superimposed over a hammer.
• The Storm Riders (IV): Befitting their name, this Great Company is well-known for its various chapters with a specialty for rapid assault, whether as bike, jet pack user or deep striking. Its symbol is a yellow lightning bolt and a hand.
• The Cloudseekers (V): The Cloudseekers have a reputation as being seen as more mystically-inclined than the other Great Companies. Their symbol is a stylized cloud.
• The Skyquake (VI): Second to bear the name following the costly and devastating Ghoul Star crusade in M37, where the original 6th Great Company was crippled, leaving it without leadership and with vastly reduced numbers for a few decades where its banner was retired from the Hall of the Lord of Thunder. As a result, the new rebuilt company is considered a distinct entity from its predecessor. Its symbol is a mountain struck by lightning.
• The Thundersons (VII): The first 'replacement' company following the split of the Seven Thunders. Despite having been succeeded by many other Great Companies, they still maintain a reputation as the 'young aspiring company'. Their symbol is a humanoid figure holding a lightning bolt.
• The Red Storm (VIII): Their symbol is a red cloud and a white lightning bolt.
• The Cyclone (IX): Their symbol is a spiral.
• The Proven (X): As the first new Great Company, this one had much to prove, hence the name. Its symbol is a white flower with a thunderbolt, symbolizing new growth.
• The Wind Tamers (XI): Another rapid-assault specialist. Their symbol is a stylized wind gust and a hand.
• The Monsoon (XII): Primarily recruited from the feral world of Inowhenu, this Legion is known as one of the newer Great Companies which are primarily not composed of Lostregian. Their symbol is a drop of water and a skull.
• The Worldbreakers (XIII): The most ferocious of the Great Companies with a reputation for ruthlessness which is very much well-earned. Their symbol is a planet shattered by a lightning bolt.
• The Lighting Fangs (XIV): Much like the Monsoon, the Lightning Fang are recruited from a different stock and have a different cultural identity from the main Legion. Their symbol is maw.
• The Eye of the Storm (XV): Their symbol is an eye above a lightning bolt.

Former Great Companies include:

• The (Original) Skyquake (Formerly VI): Devastated in the Ghoul Stars crusade and considered out of commission afterward. Has been replaced by a different, but identically-named Great Company.
• The Seven Thunders (Formerly VII): While still on good term with its parent Legion, the Seven Thunders split from the Storm Hammers over a difference in dogma. They are rabid fanatics, with a level of devotion and zeal which put the other Great Companies at a certain unease, for the Seven Thunders are suicidally reckless even by Storm Hammer standards.
• The Ravagers (Formerly XI): Splintered from the Storm Hammers and became an independant Chapter known as the Storm Reavers.

Companies

Great Companies are further sub divided into Companies ranging between 3 and 5 per Great Company. Each Company field usually anywhere between 1000 to 3000 marines. Companies are rarely at full strength due to the near-constant state of warfare at the edge of the Storm Kingdoms and many can expect a century or two of being out of commission until ranks are replenished. Aside from elite specialist, most marines in a company are not assigned a specific role until it is time to deploy. Squads are, likewise, frequently re-arranged to suit the need of the battle, the taste of the commander or the special equipment brought into battle. Each company is led by a Captain who is always accompanied by its honor guard, itself led by the Company Champion.

• Tactical Squad: In the Storm Hammers, the term 'tactical squad' usually refer to the ground troops, who either assault the target on foot in large formation or loaded up on Rhino. Most of them are equipped with bolters, sometimes backed by a few marines with heavy bolters or auto cannons. Sergeants usually use plasma pistol, power maul, arc maul or arc spears.
• Drop Squad: The Storm Hammer make intensive use of drop pods and as such, squads loaded into drop pods are named Drop Squads and considered a separate type of unit. They are armed the same way Tactical Squads are. This also applies to their sergeants.
• Assault Squad: Assault Squads refer to the melee shock troops, which are not to be confused with the more specialized jump troops. Assault Squads are usually armed with chainsword and bolt pistol or can replace this with Battle Hammers. Sergeants are usually armed with power or arc weapons or Tempest Hammers.
• Breacher Squad: Deployed to board ship or break siege, Breachers trade their usual armor for bulky front-reinforced armor. They are equipped with bolters and boarding shields. Sergeants usually fight with the same weapons as their squad mates or volkite weapons.
• Heavy Weapon Squad: Counterparts to the canon Devastator Squads. These marines are deployed with whatever heavy weapon is suitable for the task and can be on foot or mounted in a Rhino. Sergeants usually fight with the same weapons as their squad mates or combi-bolters.

Brotherhoods

The Brotherhoods refer to those 'special unit' squads who are always assigned a specific battlefield role. It is these elite marines who are given the specialized wargear for highly specific missions.

• Eradicator Squad: Eradicators exist as melee shock troops, designed to be deployed against an enemy with numerical advantage. These marines are equipped with oversized chainsaw or Tempest Hammers. Their only purpose is to wade into melee and kill as many enemies as quickly as possible. These marines are usually first into battle, clearing huge swaths of ill-prepared and unsuspecting enemies with terrifying efficiency.
• Jump Pack Squad: While the Storm Hammers remain capable of creating jump pack they have never really taken to using them in mass. While all marines are trained in their use, only those who wish to master its use are deployed with them. Jump Pack squads are usually armed similar to Assault Squads. A few Jump Pack squads are armed as Eradicators.
• Centurion Squad: Limited in numbers, Centurion Squads are quite rare and limited to those warriors with the dedication and skill to master them. Most companies forgo their use. In the past they were associated with the Taranisian, who had access to these suits collecting dust in the armory, until founding Master of the 13th Grand Company, Garanwyn took upon himself the challenge to master these antique suits. Ever since then, the Worldbreakers have become the primary users of Centurion armor in the Legion.

Specialist Crews

Specialists are never formally part of a companies, instead answering directly to their own superior. They are assigned as needed.

• Apothecaries: Similar in function and role to the apothecaries pioneered by the Oathsworn. Sometimes referred to as 'medics' by the human auxiliaries. Wear white or partially-white armor.
• Techmarine: The Storm Kingdoms make do with the exiled Mechanicum personnel they have, making training new Techmarines somewhat difficult which in turn make the Priests of Mars valuable. As a result, they are never deployed alone, protected by either squads of personally-designed combat servitors or a squad of Astartes. They wear red armor to honor the traditions of the Adeptus Mechanicus.
• Morale Officer: Similar to Chaplains but with less of a religious bent, since these marines must also police the human auxiliaries. Wear black armors decorated with orange or yellow lightning bolts.