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The Precepts of Sword Brother Syvand Vechta

The End of the Indomitus Crusade and the Crusade for Edess-Urfa

Roboute Guilliman called the Indomitus Crusade to retake the Imperium Nihilus and many Black Templar joined the call, eager to reclaim the systems slipping from the Imperium's grasp. For Rechiard Gaiseric, the Indomitus Crusade was an echo of the Great Crusade that saw the Emperor's Space Marines marching to war to conquer the galaxy for the sake of Humanity. When the Indomitus Crusade ended with its work undone, Gaiseric raged, calling for the Templar to finish the work by themselves if their allies were so faithless. The High Marshal of the Black Templar could not grant Gaiseric's request--there were too many other pressing matters to permit such a singular focus and the Templar had other oaths to uphold and promises to fulfill. Undaunted, Gaiseric gathered allies who petitioned for the Templar to help in reclaiming the shrine world of Urfa, which had fallen into the hands of tech-heretics called the Tech-Gnostikoi. Gaiseric brought their petition to the High Marshal and the council of Sword Brethren sanctioned the Crusade for Edess-Urfa and Rechiard Gaiseric was declared its Marshal.

The reclamation of Urfa and its holy capitol, Edess-Urfa, took decades. When support for its supply lines in the Imperium Nihilus failed, the Templar took to conquest and raiding to keep their efforts going. When allies betrayed their faith, the Templar forged new alliances. In the distant blackness of the Dark Imperium, the crusaders were changed. They became embittered against the others who called themselves servants of the Emperor but fell so short of his righteousness. The Urfan crusaders determined they would not fail in their mission, no matter the cost. Urfan Templar maintained their faithful mission but the impious came to call them pirates, mercenaries, and despots. Dishonoring the Crusade was blasphemy against the Emperor himself and the wrath of the Templar was swift and unrelenting.

Crusader State

After the Crusade for Edess-Urfa was complete, the Templar recaptured arcane auto-divinators developed on Urfa and began to incorporate their use into short-range warp travel through the Imperium Nihilus. Cut off from the Astronomicon by the Great Rift, the sacred relics allowed Templar ships quicker and more accurate travel than many of their Imperial counterparts and they were less reliant on Navigators. The technology worked on poorly understood quantum entanglement principles and it was far inferior to Imperial warp drive technology guided by the light of the Astronomicon and a competent Navigator. Nonetheless, it was a great boon in the dire circumstances of the Imperium Nihilus. The Crusaders used their narrow advantage to fight the enemies of Man, to guide pilgrim ships, and to escort imperial tithes from the Imperium Nihilus to the Imperium Sanctus--all for a price.

After treachery from the hereditary king of Urfa, Marshal Rechiard Gaiseric imprisoned the mortal man aboard his voidship and declared himself Regent of Edess-Urfa. Maintaining the legitimacy of the Templar control of the planet, its system, and adjacent space is no easy task. To keep their efforts going, the Urfan Regency has sent legates across the Imperium Nihilus and even into the Imperium Sanctus in order to maintain relations, gather intelligence, and exert pressure. These legates are mortal humans, drawn equally from the aristocratic and priestly castes of Urfa and from the Templar's own chapter serfs. Among the most important delegation of Urfan representatives are the those that have embedded themselves into small enclaves across the Nachmund sector. The legates there keep track of comings and goings, maintain trade relations, and sniff out enemies to accuse of heresy.

Mortals are made to do the dirty work of Urfan crusader state and often mortals are pressed to war as well. Yet Templar Space Marines remain ever-vigilant to ensure the pure hearts of the legates and to strike against enemies they cannot. Sword Brother Syvand Vechta leads a detachment of Black Templar Intercessors from aboard a Gladius-Class Frigate, the ill-named Lance of Hope The Lance of Hope roves hither and yon, responding to the needs of the Urfan legates, escorting other Imperial ships, and occasionally venturing into skirmishes in the Vigilus Region.

A key goal objective of the Urfan legates has been to maintain a solid working relationship with Duke Meridian Armentanus, the Rogue Trader who commands much power and influence in Nachmund and through the Nachmund Gauntlet.

Syvand Vechta, Sword Brother of the Black Templar

Syvand Vechta was one of Marshal Gaiseric's household in the initial war for Edess-Urfa, elevated to the rank of Sword Brother a decade in. Younger by a century, he had served in a Crusade alongside Chaplain Evard Aldedramus, a sworn brother of Gaiseric's since the two of them had served together as Neophytes. When Aldedramus joined Gaiseric's Urfan Crusade, Syvand followed. His fighting experience had primarily been against human rebels and other tech-heretics, whereas Marshal Gaiseric had devoted much of his life to battling Orks and commanding ships in void warfare. After meritorious service and the display of great valor, he was named a Sword Brother and given a voice in the council for his wisdom in battling more human foes.

As a neophyte Vechta had carried his master's bolter into battle and had himself born a chainsword. Fiercely loyal to his teacher, Vechta never failed to push into the fray alongside the initiate that guided him. When combat claimed his master's life, Vechta held the enemy at bay until the apothecaries could re-claim his master's gene-seed and panoply. For his faithful zeal, Vechta was Initiated into the Black Templar and given his master's bolter as his own. He cherished the weapon, training with it continuously, and soon his talent for marksmanship exceeded his peers. The weapon was subsequently damaged beyond repair but his artificer serfs have worked all the salvageable parts into the bolt rifle he now bears. He worships the weapon still, above all things except the Emperor himself.

Syvand's reverence for the remnants of his old master's bolter is not the limit of his piety. He collects bolters that have been carried in battle and born by fallen Templar. Although he has collected many storied weapons he is not afforded the stock of the chapter's reliquary--which weapons naturally tend to arm living Space Marines rather than sit in Syvand's vault. Rather, Syvand's collection is not based on legend or piety but his personal sentiments for his fallen brethren. Many Space Marines honor their weapon but rarely with Syvand's enthusiasm. When asked why he is so reverent, Syvand says that the Astartes are themselves weapons and draws an equivalence between himself and his arms.

Although this perspective is not shared by most of his fellow Black Templar, the Initiates who have gathered under Sword Brother Syvand Vechta see the value in it, and the value in Syvand's training. In return, he is zealous in his instruction and shows his Initiates the same sort of honor as he does the weapons he keeps. Syvand's proclivities create a bond between him and his Initiates that is perhaps more fervent than possessed by the many Sword Brethren who focus on personal glory or righteous victories.