Gabriel Seth: The Flesh Tearer (Lords of the Space Marines)

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Halo of Thorns - The Flesh Tearers Chapter Master has the honour of wearing this ancient Iron Halo, a sacred relic of his Chapter known as the Halo of Thorns. Instead, each of their four companies was organised to be fully and independently functional. To maintain this ability, all battle-brothers underwent constant functional cross-training so that they may effectively serve the role of a Scout, Tactical, Assault or Devastator Marine as the tactical situation necessitates. Yet by striking first, and in isolation from other forces, the Flesh Tearers' worst excesses are concealed, as is the collateral damage amongst allies that once was the hallmark of the Chapter's assaults. Now, worlds that once reviled the Flesh Tearers praise them as saviours. Praying for these lost sons of Sanguinius, Astorath proceeded with his grim task, and soon managed to kill all five of the cursed brethren. With their deaths, Astorath unfurled a length of the tapered parchments hanging from his armour, recording each of the names as he dragged their corpses into a pile. Such warriors as these would never receive a proper burial, and would not be remembered in the annals of their Chapter. Their names would missing from the Hall of Heroes. They were lost, and they must remain so. It was Astorath, and him alone, who would remember them.

And so the Flesh Tearers Chapter Master was judged guilty -- but he and his Chapter were allowed to continue to serve as the bloody weapons of the Emperor. Part of a grand alliance of the Blood Angels' Successor Chapters, the Flesh Tearers had taken their place in a thin crimson line standing against the Tyranids. The Chapter sought redemption for its many past misdeeds, and Chapter Master Gabriel Seth hoped that he might yet bring honour to his dying Chapter, tempering its Red Thirst in the blood of its enemies. Dante asked the High Chaplain why he would stand in Seth's defence. Seth had troubled him, even bloodied him on a prior visit to Baal, and on more than one occasion. Astorath explained that they were the Emperor's avenging angels. They showed no mercy. No forgiveness. They had been bred to bring only death. They were terrible to behold and their fury was the stuff of fire-swept legends. Yet, there were terrors in the depths of the universe whose might eclipsed their own, whose hatred they could not comprehend. There were foes they must face who would cross the lines of honour and kinship that they could not afford to break.After his sibling's death, the true master behind the nefarious Chaos plot revealed himself -- Malfallax, a Greater Daemon of Tzeentch. Malfallax and Inquisitor Stele had entered into a devil's bargain with Warmaster Garand of the Word Bearers Traitor Legion to turn the Blood Angels to Chaos by using Arkio as a false messiah. When Arkio was killed by his sibling Rafen, Stele attempted to summon Malfallax, intending to have the daemon possess his slave Ulan. Upon assuming custodianship of the Flesh Tearers, Seth was also told the terrible truth of his Chapter's rapid decline. He listened grim-faced as the Chapter's Sanguinary Priests presented the evidence -- the rate at which their Battle-Brothers succumbed to madness or death now far exceeded the Flesh Tearers' capacity to replace their losses. Within two Terran centuries, the Flesh Tearers would be no more, abandoned by their allies and betrayed by their own flesh. At that moment, Seth swore that if the Flesh Tearers' fate was extinction, then they would pass into history in proud remembrance, not through whispered rumours of brutality and madness.

They are true servants of the Emperor of Mankind though their heavy affliction with the genetic flaws of their Primarch Sanguinius and the resulting brutality has led to their investigation on charges of heresy by the Inquisition. They have been cleared of suspicion at present. In exchange for the blood drinking Rite that would save thousands of brothers from the Death Company, Kairos would gain the ability to change the visions of a select few Death Company marines from the normal visions of Sanguinius’ death to those of Holos and the daemon itself. As of M39 eighteen brothers had witnessed it, and Kairos has spoken through the memories to each battle-brother, tempting them with the power of Chaos. If one even so much as thinks of accepting Kairos’s offer the entire Chapter will be damned and fall to Chaos. Thus far all have refused Kairos, but the Daemon cares not as only a single “Yes” is necessary for the Blood Drinkers to be damned forever. Only the Reclusiarchs know the truth behind the Rite, though it is unknown if they wish the Chapter to fall.” Lamenters A few of the enormous insects wielded natural weapons capable of penetrating even Power Armour. Some of the other predators were nearly as large in scale as an Imperial Titan. Seth leads his Chapter from the front, landing in the vanguard of the Flesh Tearers assaults as his massive two-handed Eviscerator, Blood Reaver, scythes through his foes in vivid crimson arcs. Close to the centre of the action and knee-deep in the dead, Seth can better command his Battle-Brothers. When the Red Thirst takes a Flesh Tearer the teachings of the Codex Astartes fall away and only the scent of blood and death will guide them. Seth has become adept at channelling the unrestrained violence of his Chapter, leading by example when words hold no weight. When not in combat, Seth is a stern and gloomy Chapter Master, preoccupied with the imminent extinction of his Chapter and what, if anything, he can do to stop it. Though Seth hopes for a reprieve, he also is preparing his Chapter to join the annals of the lost with honour rather than being remembered with fear and loathing. Despite his intentions, Seth has done little to dispel the mistrust of his staunchest critics. Yet such things are of little concern to the Flesh Tearers Chapter Master, for, in his heart, Seth never truly abandoned hope that the Flesh Tearers can be spared from ultimate oblivion.

Units

Buoyed by their ability to hold objectives to the very last man, the Deathwing can teleport right into the heart of the battle as an immovable barricade, safe in the knowledge that points will be scored no matter the cost. A New Beginning (815.M41) - Gabriel Seth becomes the Chapter Master of the Flesh Tearers. His first act was to repair relations between his Chapter and the Blood Angels, as the tradition of brotherhood between the Chapters had been sundered for many standard centuries by the Flesh Tearers' bloodthirstiness. The Devastation of Baal is covered in superb detail in Guy Haley’s aptly-named The Devastation of Baal , which we’d recommend heartily if you’re a fan of the Blood Angels, or despise them and want to read about a lot of them getting eaten by xenos. Their reputation for such savagery has spread through the millennia to the extent that some forces -- including several other Space Marine Chapters -- are no longer willing to engage in allied missions with members of the Flesh Tearers. In spite of this fact, there are numerous instances where the Flesh Tearers have worked in battle zones with other Chapters. On a number of occasions, these included other Chapters that were known to be part of the Blood Angels lineage.