Oath Seal
Oath seals, like purity seals, consist of a strip of parchment with script often affixed to wargear with a wax seal. In some Imperial Guard regiments it's common practice amongst the hardcore faithful to make pre-battle sermons, solidifying such catechisms onto parchment, and affixing them to their gear of war.
Contents
Space Marines
The Oath Seal, like a purity seal, was a significant symbol for a Space Marine. It took the form of a wax grey or pale-yellow seal with an attached parchment, inscribed with declarations.[1]
In contrast to a Purity Seal, an Oath Seal was applied before a battle, commending the Space Marine to victory. One of these Seals marked one of the Emperor's Children Contemptor Pattern Dreadnoughts, that was identified as part of Eidolon's forces during the Isstvan Atrocity .[1]
In M41 similar seals (named Seals of Oath) are used by the Ultramarines and their Successor Chapters as a time-honoured tradition of swearing oaths to the Emperor and Guilliman. Upholding such oaths is sacred and the Space Marines' serfs often reverently record oaths of their masters on strips of parchment. These parchments are then blessed by Chaplains of the Chapter and bonded to the armour of a Space Marine with wax seals. It is better for a Space Marine to die than to fail his written oath.[2]
Images
Aetus Mk IV Flak Helmet with Redeemer Style Rebreather Mask and Oath Seals[3a]
See also
Sources
- 1: The Horus Heresy Book One - Betrayal, pg. 177
- 2: Codex Supplement: Ultramarines (8th Edition), pg. 75 - Special-Issue Wargear: Seal of Oath
- 3: Warhammer 40,000: Darktide:
- 3a: Aetus Mk IV Flak Helmet with Redeemer Style Rebreather Mask and Oath Seals
