Night Serpents

"Prophecy atop the Golden mountains. Roshan, the road laid bare. The lotus, its blades unfurled. Krishas brother, his hands uneven."

- Night Serpent orders, given in Kataran battle cant.

The Night Serpents were the VIIth Legiones Astartes under command of their Primarch Zakarah Sawul. Eventually hailing from the desert world of Katarah, and the worlds under its control,they would began as all legions did upon Terra. borne to an uncertain future due to a perilous geneseed, they would be heavily bloodied in the wars of unification. Their early combat doctrine one of reckless abandon and unwavering obedience until their father was found.

Unification Wars
The origins of the VII legion began as all Legions did upon Terra. In the early days of unification. The legions “Alpha” intake, the testing group of first few thousand marines would show mutation amongst them. Initially, they appeared pure. They had no physical mutations or defunct organs, as had plagued many of their kinsmen. However, this seeming purity would be soon betrayed. As the first Psykers were implanted, they reported a complete breakdown of ocular cone cells, their sight destroyed as the geneseed ruptured nerves and lysed cells, turning their eyes to empty pale green orbs, still leaking white traces of intraocular fluid, giving the impression of wisps of clouds on the surface on a green planet.

Not only this, but the number of Psykers amongst their ranks would be noted as impossibly high. Reaching near 40 percent of the strength of the Legion. This curse would likely see the Legion destroyed and remade in more pure form, if not for an unexpected blessing. These blind Psykers would prove astonishingly powerful in latent powers, amplifying their remaining senses to beyond that of any other. With these psychic senses, they proved to excel in combat trials, And the bizarre Legion would be christened as the VIIth.

Still, yet a shadow of impending judgement stood over the Legion, many yet believed their time would end suddenly, as did the Thunder-Warriors, and they would carve a bloody name for themselves in the wars of Unification as warriors who fought like men who knew their time was up. They would not let themselves be forgotten, even if they were to be destroyed. And they showed it magnificently, decorating themselves and their vehicles in incredible lavishness. Their war panoply became one of burnished bronze and gleaming golden detail. Their tactics showed a suicidal bravery and fatalistic streak during this time, with many Legionnaires seeing themselves as already dead, a common practise became decorating armoured vehicles with both lavish materials and macabre imagery for they were seen as tombs in waiting, worthy steeds of honoured dead.

Luna
The Pacification of Luna was a Joint-Legion operation between the I VII, XII, XIII, XV and XVII Legions, Their goal to eradicate the occupying forces of Cardinal Tangs Gene-cults

Rahol War
Druezolk- during the Rahol war the VII Legion, still under the cognomen of Lightbringers, would aid in the annexation of the Druezolk sector. alongside the Honourbound and Convicts legions, Titan legio, and knight house

Twisted Blade- Two Night Serpents were chosen for the operation, Techmarine Jalbir, and Apothecary Nahum, With Zakarah leading the operation. he chose to entrust his own sons with these specialist roles.

Legion Organisation
Night Serpent Legion Pauldron

Composition
a Temple is formed of ten Companies Each Company led by an Emir. ten Emirs led by a Raja. No fixed limit for a Company, troops can be moved between Companies to praise or punish their Emir. each Company has an attached complement of up to 5 veteran Librarians. and multiple Psyker squads inside their structure.

the First Chapter function as a mounted guard, vanguard and household cavalry. due to their elite role. they are not subject to the same restrictions. often moved to be used as bodyguards for Legion command or for Officers, as well as primary defense of the Kataran System

Sanap Cults
Perhaps the most known but least understood of the legions unique formations, the sanap cults foster a dark reputation as untrustworthy and macarbre witches, hiding in darkess. in truth this reputation is largely udeserved, for they have been the deciding factor in a great number of the legions most important victories. Their role one of a psyvhically charged dagger into the heart of the enemy, allowig the scattered ennemy force to be destroyed by massed ranks of infantry in fire and blood.

The sanap cults are threefold, each one specialising in a different form of warfare, under a different Leader.

Boidae

Pythonidae

Viperae

Khandakar


The Khandakar are the First Chapter of the Night Serpents. Dressed in the traditional jet black of the legion with kataran patterns amblazoned across their chest, the last remnants of the lightbringers opulence. The company is largely coprised of veteran terrans and inherited their culture of mounted steeds, although they have largely disrefgarded their tombs of heavy armour for jetbikes and troop transports. crating a rapid and deastating charge from atop their floating steeds or charging from the hatches of still speeding rhinos.

Ahsam
The Ahsam serve as the elite guard for their primarch and the Rajas under him. Largely clad in terminator armour and wielding Volkite weaponry. they embody their genefathers virtuous reputation and princely attitude, their weapons a last reflection of the legion that once was, the title now taken by their father. Zakarah, "The Light Bringer". they do not wear the traditional black of the legion. instead a warmer, regal blue, decorated with a silvered trim

Pearlescent Blades
As the Ahsam first serve to guard their Primarch, the Pearlescent Blades were originally the veteran brothers of Raja Junaid of the Temple of Azure Winds, so great was his influence that the tradition of psychic blade-smiths spread across temples. soon they would march alongside the captains and chapter masters of the Legion who became split between their view on psykers. Their choice of Ahsam or Pearlescent blades as retinue became used to show their allegiance to one school of thinking, creating no small rivalry between the two elite formations

Notable Personnel
Legion Champion Sevitar Red Son Envoy