Atramentar
The Atramentar were the elite of the Night Lords Space Marine Legion who were equipped with Terminator Armour and formed the elite of the First Company under First Captain Jago Sevatarion.[1a][1b][1c][4]
Contents
History
The Atramentar were a company-strength formation holding the finest warriors within the Legion with the best level of wargear and training. However, while more disciplined than most Night Lords, they nonetheless had a fractious and rebellious streak. Thus only the strongest and most capable of leaders was able to command the Atramentar and earn their respect, something Sevatar eventually achieved. Unusually for many Space Marine Honour Guards, the Atramentar swore loyalty to Sevatar instead of to their legion or even their primarch. But despite their difficult nature, Atramentar were superb shock troops when properly deployed. Furthermore, they seem to have acted as a check on the many fractious elements within the Legion, and though this cannot now be confirmed, it is widely thought that they served as Curze’s executioners when the need arose.[4][6]
The Atramentar usually fought using deception and trickery to make spiteful and underhanded attacks, never facing their opponent in an honest engagement, even stooping to push their own brethren before a killing blow in order to make a counter themselves. An Atramentar squad was led by an officer known as Trucidor[4]
During the Thramas Crusade the Night Lords Primarch Konrad Curze teleported across to the Dark Angels flagship Invincible Reason to exact revenge on the Dark Angels Primarch Lion El'Jonson and ordered Sevatar to take the Atramentar and join him.[1a] Sevatar complied and 100 of the Atramentar attacked the Invincible Reason, initially making strong progress until the Dark Angels brought in reinforcements and surrounded the Night Lords.[1e] Eventually, Curze retreated into the depths of the ship after realizing the battle was hopeless, abandoning his sons. By the battle’s end, only 12 members of the First Company still survived. All of whom would be captured by the Dark Angels.[1f]
Following the death of Sevatar, the Atramentar largely dissolved rather than follow Zso Sahaal, who succeeded Sevatar as the First Captain. Some, like Apothecary Talos Valcoran, put this down to Sahaal not being a Nostraman, but according to the Atramentar asked by Mercutian, a member of First Claw, 10th Company, it was mostly because the Atramentar felt no one could live up to Sevatar's reputation and he had formed the Atramentar into the brotherhood they were.[2a] When former Atramentar members did see each other, meetings tended to degenerate into duels over their warlords’ respective strengths.[2b]
Some Atramentar adorn their armour or shoulder-plates with metalic representations of sabre-toothed Nostraman lions. These crag cougars were native to the world's mountainous, rural areas and sometimes hunted by the wealthy of Nostramo's cities as a sign of status.[3a][8]
Known Members
- Garadon - Served as bodyguard to the Exalted[3a] and subsequently to Decimus[2b]
- Jakresh - A member of the Atramentar during the Thramas Crusade[1a]
- Kevark - Praetor during the Horus Heresy[5]
- Malek - Served as bodyguard to the Exalted[3a] and subsequently to Decimus[2b]
- Miric - Trucidor during the Horus Heresy[5]
- Thorion - Served as Commander of the Atramentar during the Thramas Crusade[1a]
- Orrin Valzen - Chief Apothecary and officer during the Thramas Crusade[1g]
- Tal Vanek - Captured alongside Sevatar, Var Jahan and other Atramentar during the Thramas Crusade[1f]
- Aran Vastak - Took part in the Battle of Sotha[4]
- Vraal - Served as bodyguard to the Exalted until his death to Malcharion[3c]
- Abraxis - Served as leader of the Atramentar bodyguard to the Exalted[3b]
Trivia
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- The Atramentar are likely named after the Latin word Atramentum, which in ancient Rome signified any black colouring substance used for any purpose.
See also
Sources
- 1: Prince of Crows (Novella):
- 2: Void Stalker (Novel):
- 3: Soul Hunter (Novel):
- 4: Exemplary Battles of the Age of Darkness: Volume One, pgs. 11-13
- 5: The Horus Heresy: Legions, Hidden Dagger Expansion: Night Lords
- 6: The Horus Heresy Book Two - Massacre, pg. 99
- 7: Exemplary Battles of the Age of Darkness: The Defence of Sotha: Aegida's Lament, pg. 6
- 8: Blood Reaver (Novel), Chapter VIII
