Index Astartes: Dark Angels-Sons of the forest
"We stand here with a chance to strike back at the Emperor and the Imperium who have forgotten us. They have sent us to die on countless worlds for no reason than to empower my father. Now we spit upon those who dare restrict our hunting for our prey is everywhere." Lion El'jonson at the proclamation of rebellion.
Origin
"We fought and bleed on Caliban and now you abandon your home to fight on worlds that you never see again." Luther to Lion El'jonson upon the discovery of Caliban by the Emperor.
"For Caliban and Unity" Battle cry of the Lion's forces during the Unification wars of Caliban.
When the capsule containing the first Primarch landed upon the death world of Caliban it went unnoticed to the population of the feudal world the pod landing far from civilisation in the depths of the great forests of the planet that would not last for long. The Primarch would be found by the leader of the knightly order of The Order one Sar Luther. Luther would find the young man after he killed of the great beasts of Caliban whom his detachment had been tasked with killing. Luther would bring the young man back with him naming him Lion El'Jonson meaning Lion son of the forest. Lion would be trained in the manner of the Order, he would quickly raise through the ranks where he would eventually be proclaimed as the Lord commander of the Order this would lead to his proclamation of an crusade to purge Caliban of the great beasts that had devasted the population for centuries and to unite Caliban under a single banner.
The crusade would last for six years as The Order broke all who stood against them under the leadership of the Lion and his mentor Luther. The beasts would be slaughtered wherever they were found, and their pelts used as banners of honour and pride by their killers. As the other orders were broken and absorbed one stood strong The Knights of Lupus. The Assault upon the last remaining fortress of an enemy force was a cause for the full mobilisation of all the forces available to El'jonson as the largest host that Caliban had ever seen gathered around the defences of the Knights of Lupus. The Assault would utilise the full abilities of a Primarch and not even the greatest of minds upon Caliban could hope to compete with one. The walls of their fortress would be broken their leaders slain and forces routed as the Order's forces ground towards the heart of the Knights of Lupus's territory. Luther would be granted the command of the final attack and as he commanded it El'jonson would take an elite force to deal with his enemies. As Luthers forces tore through the courtyard of the Knights of Lupus hearts the Lion tore his way through the few remaining leaders of those who would stand against a Primarch. As the banner of the lion was placed above the gates of the fortress a ceremony was taking place the coronation of Lion El'jonson as King of Caliban, Defender of man, Lord Commander of the Order, Grand Duke of the Forests etc symbolising the absolute power of the Lion. Then the skies burnt, and the Emperor came to Caliban with a host of the First Legion. For three days and three nights did the Emperor and his son talk until the Lion would proclaim his allegiance to the Emperor and Imperium and revoked his royal title. He would take command of the legion made from his gene-seed and proclaim them the Dark Angels after an ancient Calibanite poem.
The Great Crusade
"From the Skies they came clad in the darkest black upon their banners wings of silver and grey truly they were Dark Angels" one of the few surviving fragments from the historical work a history of Solomon a feudal world conquered by the Dark Angels.
"Men of Caliban today we shall fight an enemy unlike any other these are Xenos who have given up on restraint and bounds today we will fight the Drukhari." Lion El'jonson as the battle of Signus.
The newly named Dark Angels would lead the Great Crusade alongside the Imperial Fists, Ultramarines and Luna Wolves. Each planet they would come across they would conquer quickly and efficiently spreading the rule of the Imperium but every world that fell flamed the Lions resentment as he was conquering them for his father not for himself. As he would be if his title had not been revoked by the Emperor. As the black Astartes ravaged the galaxy under his command. The worlds that he would conquer would all be productive worlds generating the resources needed to continue the Great Crusade as his reluctance to destroy unnecessary boons to the Great Crusade. The Dark Angels would have a cordial relationship with the other legions for most of the Crusade, their relation with the Space Wolves and the Emperors Children were tense as the Dark Angles had intervened without their knowledge on conflicts which the other Legion was doing well and did not need help.
For the Space Wolves this would be the Dulan campaign as the Sons of Russ were fighting across the capital of the mighty empire that they had been involved with for the past few years. The Dark Angels would be assigned at the end of the campaign wherein they would kill the Tyrant of Dulan. This would lead to a brutal battle between Leman Russ and Lion El'jonson it would be a victory for the VI Primarch as he forced the first Primarch to apologise destroying any chance of friendship between the two. The Dark Angels would withdraw as El'jonson swore revenge upon Leman Russ which he would attempt to collect.
The Emperors Children would be alienated when during the campaign to pacify the Lear Lion El'jonson would come in at the last minute destroying a temple which held particularly strong defences the ruins of the temple would have a shattered sword which held Fulgrim's interest their argument would last for three weeks and lead to the severing of ties between the two legions. With not even Horus able to make them reconcile they would be ordered to different sides of the Galaxy.
Luthers Rebellion and the Corruption of the Dark Angels
"My son know this you were the second choice between you and Horus how are you supposed to command your brothers when you cannot even control your own sons?" The message from the Emperor explain why he did not choose El'jonson as Warmaster instead of Horus.
"Hail Chaos, death to our father." Lion El'jonson to Lorgar.
The effects of Luthers revolt to the Dark Angels would be catastrophic the shame of being the only Legion that had its Homeworld try and secede from the Imperium led by Legion members would tip the Dark Angels over the edge the Word Bearers would be easily able to spread Chaos corruption throughout the ranks soon only the few remaining Terran born Astartes and a few of the Caliban originating Astartes would still be loyal to distant Terra and the Emperor.
As the Legion returned to the Great Crusade a new hate was born in their hearts a hatred if those who would scorn and mock them. They were the sons of the Lion and the Knights of Caliban they were greater and more powerful than the lesser legions their once noble and chivalrous beliefs were corrupted by Chaos.
The Horusian Heresy
"Come fight me scum I am the lord of blades commander of the Winged Host, a lord of the Dark Angels. Come fight me." Last Words of Chapter master Alajos of the Ninth Order at the battle of Fenris before being slain by Bjorn the fell-handed.
"I do not care about Horus at all, this is just a naught then a game to the Gods. Nay I do this as it allows me to strike against my father, how was I to know that Luther had fallen." Lion El'jonson on his reasons of betrayal.
The Dark Angels would spend most of the heresy fighting alongside Horus on the push to Terra distinguishing themselves multiple times in battle against the loyalists. Their first major independent action would be the battles of Fenris and the exterminatus of Chemos.
The battles of Fenris were some of the bloodiest battles in the entire heresy with two legions battling upon one of the harshest worlds in the Imperium Lion El'jonson had proclaimed that he would tame Fenris, kill its wolves slaughter her people and raise his banner over the broken ramparts of the Fang he would fail. The first battle the Dark Angels would be completely unprepared for the horrific environment of Fenris the steadfastness of the natives and savagery of the Space Wolves, the traitors would be forced to withdraw from the planet after the wounding of their Primarch by a pack of Fenrisian Wolves. The second battle would go better for the Dark Angles but was it still a brutal campaign the Fang itself would be besieged but the joint work of Perturabo, Rogal Dorn, Leman Russ and Fenris stood strong against those who would be foolish enough to attack the Fang. The third battle was the first sight of the winged knights that would become so common in later years amongst the Dark Angels as the mutations of chaos began to set in. The fourth and final battle of Fenris would show the first cracks in the first Legion.
Following the first battle of Fenris lion El'jonson would take the Invincible Reason to the homeworld of the third Legion Chemos with a single goal in mind extermination. The fleet of the Emperors Children was at the time helping the Thousand Sons against the White Scars. The few ships left behind were broken by the Dark Angels fleet El'jonson cared less about the Emperors Children then the Space Wolves and thus refused to waste resources upon a heavily defended Hive World instead he would utilise one of the Virus bombs stored abord the Invincible Reason to destroy the world.
At Terra the Dark Angels would play a small part following the banishment of their Primarch by Sanguinius, mostly acting as aerial support troops to the traitors. Following the defeat of Horus the Dark Angles would flee under the command of the surviving senior officers of the Legion a group who would become known as the Round Table as they fled to Caliban a splinter group would emerge calling themselves the Sons of Luther they believed that Luther was right and still lived somewhere the majority of the Sons of Luther followed the Chaos God Tzeentch, they would quickly take control of Caliban and force the remaining forces of the Legion were forced to flee.
The Scouring and dissolution of the Legion
"My sons Caliban is lot to us forever more thus we must rebuild beyond the reaches of my father's empire already I have found a new world a New Caliban. Come my sons praise Chaos." Lion El'jonson summoning his legion to the planet of New Caliban for his coronation.
"Our father is weak our father is a fool. No there shall be no New Caliban instead there will be an endless sea of blood and corpses power is all money is all. BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD! SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE!" The Merry Men is a breakaway mercenary faction of the Dark Angels this quote was their founding and their creed.
The Dark Angels were hit hard by the scouring with Caliban destroyed save for the Fortress Monastery which would be converted into a warship known as the Rock under the command of the Sons of Luther. The rock would drive the forces of the Round Table from the Caliban System and began their prowling over the region that they declared the Segmentum Luther. They nominally pay tribute to Abaddon however they still ride out when they call to a Black Crusade is called. They ride forth to search for Luther and ravage the Imperium.
The Round table wold flee towards the deepest darkest part of space that they could find when they had a dream from their Primarch which would give them a set of warp coordinates while most of the Legion rejoiced, the Khornates and some others would dismiss the call and proclaim themselves as separate to the Dark Angels as the company of the Merry Men who would fight for gold, influence, equipment whatever they needed. The Merry Men would start their rampage across the galaxy that day.
The third Group the Dark Angels proper would head to the world of New Caliban where they would find a heavily forested Daemon-world with beasts that made the horrors of Caliban look like newborn puppies. The Kingdom of New Caliban would be Proclaimed with Lion El'jonson as King of New Caliban, Chosen of the Gods, The Dark Angel, Lord of the First Legion, Grand Duke of the forests etc. The Dark Angels would swear allegiance to him as rightful heir of Horus. The Senior Officers who had commanded the Legion in his absence would be granted the title of the lords of the Round Table and Advisors to the King titles that many of them still hold today.
The Forty-first Millennium
"Come my sons this day we march to war against those who would spite my claim to the throne today we claim my crown" Lion El'jonson at the launch of the Zaherialn crusade
"One day we will find him. One day we will find Luther and he shall lead us into the light of the Changer of ways." Belial Lord Commander of the Sons of Luther.
The three divisions of the First Legion are at their most active in millennium with the rumours of a Thirteenth Black Crusade gathering the Sons of Luther are calling in the great covens of the Sorcerers. The Merry Men are all meeting for the first time since the First War of Armageddon. While the Kingdom of New Caliban reinforces the claim of the monarch under the force of arms. The Dark millennium has summoned the angels of Darkness.
Organisation
"You are the cowards who have taken up the lowest possible calling of a warrior. A true warrior fights at the front lines Blade in hand head raised high and wings spread while you stand at the rear you shoot your enemies you have no honour. So why have you chosen the path of Mordred?" A training officer belittling neophytes.
"The feeling of lying with blade in hand is unlike any other the wind through your feathers, the blade slicing the air and the screams of terror as you swoop from above onto your foes." A Slaaneshi Lancelot describing the average tactic of the Dark Angel Knights
The organisation of the Dark Angles is unique to put it lightly. The battle line is divided into the Mordreds and the Knights. The Mordreds are those Astartes who have chosen to use ranged weaponry as their man choice of battle equipment they are looked down upon by the rest of the Legion as cowardly and unchivalrous. The Mordreds think that the Knights are glory focused and vain, who take no precautions and should practise what they preach.
The Knights make up the majority of the Legion and are some of the greatest swordsmen in the known galaxy, often trained from when they could hold a sword they are all gifted with the mutation most common to the Dark Angels black wings often filled with holes and wounds these Astartes are considered the epitome of chivalry and honour by the legion. They are divided into three main tiers at the bottom are the newest known as the Gawains, then the Lancelots and finally the Arthurs each major tier has between three and five minor tiers between them.
Primarch
"The Lion is a strange beast a mix of beast and man if he had stayed loyal mankind would have had another great hero to look up to but, now he is nought but beast" The opening line of the Chapter on the Lion in the Historical work The Primarchs: Heirs of the Emperor by Magnus the Red
"He's quiet sometimes too quiet in my opinion a gaunt shape upon the throne he claimed, madness radiates from him in waves you can taste the Insanity that rest within his brain" After report from Fulgrim Primarch of the Emperors Children following the disastrous assault upon New Caliban by the Imperium.
Following the ascension of the Lion his form has been redeveloped, now standing at the height of Vulkan his humanoid form has obvious differences most notably the wings that now rise from his back made of clattering Iron and Bone. His head has taken on a leonine appearance with a mane made of severed daemon arms constantly trying to tear themselves free. His armour is in the form of ancient Terran Knightly armour which despite its ancient appearance is as hard and powerful as Terminator armour.
Homeworld
"New Caliban is an environment where not even the greatest Blood Claw could survive. Its wildlife is horribly mutated and monstrous and the locals after my blood. It's just like Fenris" Wolf Lord Raganr Blackmane on New Caliban.
"New Caliban is the greatest symbol of heresy to the teachings of Luther in existence it must be destroyed it's earth must burn its people bleed and seas boil!" A sermon by one of the few priests of Luther on the abomination that the Lion had created
New Caliban is harsher than old Caliban ever was, as New Caliban is a daemon world explicitly designed to be harsh and brutal. With Forests filled with brutal chaos influenced beasts who can kill Astartes with a single blow. The seas upon New Caliban are cold and deep filled with ancient beasts and ancient machines. The Capital and only city on the planet is focused around an ancient hollowed out mountain also known as the Fortress Monastery of the Dark Angels and Palace of the Lion. The city of Camelot is a mixture of modern technology and feudal society with many nobles in the form of high-ranking Astartes who have pleased their gene-father.
Gene-seed
"Why brother are we both not Angels and Angels must have wings no?" Lion El'jonson to Sanguinius Primarch of the Blood Angels.
"My wings are mighty and strong they hold aloft the weight of me and my armour, yet they do not break what wings do you have son of the 'Angel'" A Dark Angel taunting a Blood Angel at the battle of Valhalla.
The Gene-seed of the Dark Angels was incredibly pure pre corruption and it had one of the highest amounts of Astartes of all the Legions. Post fall the Gene-seed is one of the most heavily corrupted of all the Traitor Legions with by and large the majority of the Legion having grown wings as part of their growth into Astartes.