Darnath Lysander

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Targetdrone.gif This article is about the Imperial Fists Captain. For other uses of Lysander, see Lysander (disambiguation).
Darnath Lysander
LysanderArtColor.jpg

Darnath Lysander[7]

Title(s) The Indomitable
Overseer of the Armoury
Watch Commander of the Phalanx
Homeworld Terra
Born c. M40[3]
Active Period M40 — Present
Species Human
Type Astartes
Gender Male
Occupation(s)
Affiliation(s)
Preceded by Kleitus
(as First Captain)

Darnath Lysander is First Captain of the Imperial Fists and a legendary hero among the Space Marines.

Biography

Early life

Lysander was recruited from Holy Terra itself after a 13-year-long pilgrimage that saw the death of his parents. The youth's survival through Waaagh! Grozdakk and the Quesarch Heresy had made Lysander famous, and brought him to the attention of the Imperial Fists' Chaplain Shadryss. When Shadryss found the boy near the Pillar of Bone, a famous monument known only to a few as the last remnant of the Fists' Fortress-monastery on Terra, he took it as a sign from Rogal Dorn himself and recruited the boy.[3]

Scout Service

While a Scout, Lysander fought against the Iron Warriors for the first time in his life. During his first engagement with the Warsmith Shon'tu, Lysander allowed the Warsmith to escape, choosing instead to defend the life of a hostage - a decision he would come to regret later.[6]

Ascension to Command

Lysander in all his might[3]

Lysander first appeared in the Liber Honorus Imperial Fists in 567.M40 as a sergeant in command of a unit in the 2nd Company, where he was victorious over a group of heretics on Iduno at the Battle of Colonial Bridge. He was then promoted to command of the 2nd Company in 585.M40 after successfully boarding and capturing an Eldar Cruiser named Blood of Khaine.[1][3]

During the three-year siege of Haddrake Tor, Lysander led a drop pod assault to take the highest peaks. Once the area was secured he set up teleport homers, allowing the Terminators of the 1st Company to teleport in and assault the lower levels. However, the heretics were able to manipulate the warp and caused the deaths of several Terminators, as they materialized embedded in stone or over deep precipices. Lysander himself witnessed the death of the 1st Company's Captain Kleitus and from him received the Fist of Dorn, a mighty Thunder Hammer which he used to go on and conquer the heretics.[3]

Due to the sudden destruction of much of the 1st Company, Lysander was promoted to First Captain, Master of the 1st Company, Overseer of the Armoury and Watch Commander of the Phalanx. He went on to lead the 1st Company for many years and perfected the tactic of teleporting multiple Terminator Squads into enemy positions. Lysander was often at the head of such assaults, leading some to believe him reckless and foolhardy, but fortune thus far had been kind to him. One of his most notable success was during the campaign against the Alpha Legion in the Jorgurd Cluster. After tracking down the Legion's cruiser to a hidden asteroid base, Lysander lead the boarding action to cleanse it of heretics, an effort that lasted for several hours of intense, close-quarters combat.[3]

Lysander and a force of Imperial Fists he was leading aboard the Shield of Valour disappeared in a warp storm and, after some time, were pronounced dead by the remainder of the Imperial Fists chapter. In truth, Lysander's ship re-emerged into Chaos-held space, caught right in the gun sights of several Iron Warriors spacecraft. Lysander and the survivors of the ensuing barrage were taken by the Iron Warriors to one of their accursed fortress worlds, Malodrax, and tortured. Eventually Lysander, without weapons or armour, escaped with a handful of others and fought their way out to freedom. When he returned to the Imperial Fists Chapter, a millennium had passed in the material universe. For six months he was thoroughly screened by apothecaries, chaplains and librarians, but after finding no taint, Lysander was reinstated to his position as Captain of the 1st Company. Lysander then led a force to raze the Iron Warriors from Malodrax and laid it to waste, thereby achieving vengeance.[1]

Recent History

Lysander has continued his illustrious career in the Imperial Fists. He commanded Task Force Gauntlet on planet Vernalis in Segmentum Obscurus, a mixed force of 1st Company, elements of the 5th Company, and several Scout squads of the 10th Company, and defeated Chaos warband consisting of Emperor's Children Legion, the Roaring Blades traitor guard regiment and daemons that were led by arch-traitor Sybaris.[2a][2b] In 998.M41, he defeated the Iron Warriors Warsmith Shon'tu in the Battle for the Endeavour of Will, earning the Warsmith's eternal hatred in the process.[4] He also has apprehended the mutant Soul Drinker Sarpedon.[13]

However, his career has not been without controversy. Sometime in M41 Lysander once again engaged Shon'tu and his Sons of the Forge in the Invasion of Taladorn. During the battle, which he saw as his own opportunity for vengeance, Lysander repeatedly refused Ultramarines and Blood Angels aid, resulting in higher Imperial Fist casualties. In the aftermath of the battle Lysander was recalled back to the Phalanx to meet with Chapter Master Vladimir Pugh and the eight surviving Company Captains. In the ensuing testimony half of the Chapter Council agreed with Lysander that the defeat of Shon'tu was a glory for the Imperial Fists alone and the division saved him from the demotion Pugh hoped to carry out. Pugh, however, ordered his own lighter sentence, removing Lysander from Command of the 1st Company and instead placing him as Captain of the 3rd, which suffered heavily during the Battle of Taladorn. Lysander had no choice but to obey, and was assigned to lead the newly reformed 3rd Company in the Crusade of Thunder.[5a] Later, after the death of Vladimir Pugh in the Infestation of Drashin, Lysander was offered the position of Chapter Master, but refused the honour.[5b] He has since instead been restored to full command of the 1st Company.[8]

Since the opening of the Great Rift, Lysander and elements of the 1st Company have been active across the Segmentum Solar and Segmentum Obscurus. During these battles, Lysander killed the Ork Freebooter Droknog Redfist and turned the tide of the naval battle over Amurav. He also led teleportation and dropship strikes against the Necrons on the forge world of Mons Magnifica, liberating a number of manufactorum facilities from the Xenos. Of late, Lysander has been active in the vicinity of the Cadian Gate, suppressing Chaos uprisings on Hazzephet and responding to calls for aid from dozens of worlds in the region. His suspicions have been raised by reports of renewed Iron Warriors activity. He is still suspicious that Shon'tu may have returned and harbours hopes of finally exacting his revenge against the Warsmith.[11]

Lysander was the pioneer of the Terminator Titanhammer Squad, first used against Legio Unctator.[12]

Wargear

Lysander is most famous for wearing his suit of Terminator Armour and carrying the Fist of Dorn and the Storm Shield Rampart. His armour is also highly embellished with purity seals and incorporates a teleport homer.[3]

Images

Trivia

TriviaScrollTrans.png

The following information is not to be regarded as officially sanctioned and/ or is not written from an in-universe point of view. A detailed explanation of the term "Trivia" as used in the Lexicanum can be found here.

  • Lysander was originally introduced as a unique Veteran Sergeant in standard Power Armour specialized in Bolter Drills.[10]

Conflicting sources

See also

Sources

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