View source for Kardan Stronos

{{Character
|Portal              ={{IronHandsPortal}}
|Name                ={{PAGENAME}}
|Image               =Stronos.jpg
|Caption             =Kardan Stronos{{Fn|3}}
|Title               =
|Homeworld           =[[Medusa (Planet)|Medusa]]
|Birth               =
|Active Period       =[[M41]] - Present
|Death               =
|Cause of Death      =
|Species             =[[Human]]
|Type                =[[Astartes]]
|Gender              =Male
|Relatives           ='' ''
*[[Ferrus Manus]]<br><small>("Father" via [[gene-seed]])</small>
*[[Iron Hands]] & Successors <br><small>("Brothers" via gene-seed)</small>
|Occupation          ='' ''
*[[Iron Hands]] [[Iron Father]]{{Fn|6}}
*[[Chapter Master|Master]] of the [[Iron Council]]{{Fn|5}}
|Preceded by         =[[Kristos]]<br><small>(as Master of the [[Iron Council]])</small>
|Succeeded by        =
|Faction             ='' ''
*[[Imperium]]
**[[Iron Hands]]
***[[Clan Garrsak]]
|Notes               =
}}
'''Kardan Stronos''' is an [[Iron Father]] of the [[Iron Hands]] [[Space Marines]] [[Chapter]] who serves as its current elected [[Chapter Master]].{{Fn|8}}

===History===
Kardan Stronos was originally a Space Marine of [[Clan Vurgaan]], however he was transferred to [[Clan Garrsak]] upon him reaching the rank of [[Space Marine Sergeant|Sergeant]].{{Fn|6}}

He then went on to serve for years as [[Space Marine Captain|Iron-Captain]] of Clan Garrsak before he was inducted into the Iron Hands [[Chaplaincy]], eventually traveling to [[Mars]] for training as a [[Techmarine]]. His reverence for the Machine and hatred of weakness earned him a place on the [[Iron Council]], and his ruthlessness and desire to succeed made him the logical choice to be the next [[Chapter Master]] of the [[Iron Hands]], taking all power and responsibilities for campaigns involving multiple [[Clan-Company|Clan-Companies]] and returning power back to the Clan Council at the end of the campaign. Stronos was originally elected by the Council, and as is chapter tradition can have it stripped away from him at any given time.{{Fn|8}} It is a testament of his skill as a leader and warrior that the Clan Council has appointed him as Commander for over three consecutive centuries. Under his leadership, the Iron Hands have destroyed [[Waaagh! Drezgnod]] and the renegade [[Blood Heralds]], as well as purging [[Hive Fleet]] [[Moloch]] from the [[Regis System]].{{fn|2}}

During the era of the [[Kristosian Conclave]], Stronos was among those who opposed the Kristonian faction of the [[Iron Hands]] and stressed the [[Chapter]]'s humanity over the machine aspect emphasized by [[Kristos]] and his followers.{{Fn|3}} After the [[Gaudinian Heresy]], where a third of the [[Iron Council]] was lost, Stronos inspired the remaining Council members to endure by reminding them that they were also men and not purely cold machines. Since then, Stronos was elected War Leader of the Iron Council and has been reelected at every opportunity since.{{Fn|3}}

As of 760.[[M41]] Kardan Stronos had been on the [[Iron Council]] as ''de facto'' [[Chapter Master]] for 300 consecutive years, making him the longest serving [[Iron Hands]] leader since [[Primarch]] [[Ferrus Manus]].{{Fn|2}} It was in the face of [[Waaagh! Grimfist]] that the [[Iron Council]] reappointed Stronos to lead the Chapter for the 300th consecutive year. Stronos then brutally annihilated Grimfist's [[Ork]]s.{{Fn|2}}<sup>,</sup>{{Fn|5}}

In 802.M41, during the [[Defense of Parathen City]] he accepted a challenge to personal combat from [[Varlag the Butcher]], a [[World Eaters]] [[Champion of Chaos]], decapitating him with his [[Axe of Medusa]].{{Fn|4}} In 998.[[M41]] after battling the [[Farsight Enclave]]s on [[Fall'yth]] Stronos gave up his position on the Iron Council, but was immediately reappointed by the Council in the face of the threat posed by [[Hive Fleet Leviathan]] — despite the objection of several veteran [[Iron Father]]s.{{Fn|2}}

After the formation of the [[Great Rift]], Kardan Stronos appeared on [[Vigilus]] leading eight [[Clan-Companies]] of [[Iron Hands]] and two companies of [[Brazen Claws]] in aid of their [[Mechanicus]] allies in the [[War of Beasts]].{{Fn|7}}

===Personality and beliefs===
Kardan Stronos is an firm believer in firepower and considers it the only tenet of battle. He considers [[Razorback]] assault transports to be the pinnacle of battlefield effectiveness. Like many in the [[Iron Hands]], he is also a follower of the [[Cult Mechanicus]] and worships the [[Omnissiah]].{{Fn|1}}

Stronos's desire to eradicate weakness has extended to his fellow [[Iron Hands]]. At his urging, the [[Clan Council]] has expanded to include [[Iron-Captain]]s, [[Apothecary|Apothecaries]], [[Chaplain]]s, and other Iron Hands, broadening the collective wisdom of the Council. Stronos also believes that by suppressing their emotions, the Iron Hands are making themselves weaker, he is convinced that only by experiencing and mastering their emotions can they become the perfect [[Space Marines]]. While his actions have undoubtedly strengthened the Chapter, many other Iron Fathers view the changes he has made with caution. Stronos has long displayed difficulty mastering his own emotions, and many fear that he will suffer the same fate as their [[Primarch]] [[Ferrus Manus]] in allowing his anger to overcome his judgement.{{Fn|2}}

Of all the enemies the [[Iron Hands]] have faced, it is the [[Necron]]s that Kadan Stronos hates the most, viewing the soulless automatons as abominations in the eyes of the [[Omnissiah]]. When expecting to face Necron forces, Stronos will persecute the wars with the Necrons more perniciously than the [[Clan Council]] believe to be necessary.{{fn|2}}

===Related Articles===
*[[List of Chapter Masters]]

===Sources===
*{{Endn|1}}: [[Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition)]], pg. 77
*{{Endn|2}}: [[Codex: Space Marines (6th Edition)]] (Online) pgs. 238–240
*{{Endn|3}}: [[Clan Raukaan - A Codex: Space Marines Supplement]] — ''A New Resolve''
*{{Endn|4}}: [[Codex: Space Marines (6th Edition)]] (E-Book Edition), ''"Iron Hands - The Wars of Iron"'' pg. 232
*{{Endn|5}}: [[Codex: Space Marines (8th Edition)]], pg. 56
*{{Endn|6}}: [[The Eye of Medusa (Novel)]], Chapter 1
*{{Endn|7}}: [[Imperium Nihilus: Vigilus Defiant]], pg. 79
*{{Endn|8}}: [[Codex Supplement: Iron Hands (8th Edition)]], pg. 22

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stronos, Kardan}}
[[Category:Characters (Iron Hands)]]
[[Category:Characters (Iron Fathers)]]

[[fr:Kardan Stronos]]