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[[Category:Cursed Founding]]
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The '''Black Dragons''' are long rumoured to be a [[Salamanders]] [[Successor Chapter]].{{Fn|15}}{{Fn|5a}} The chapter was founded in the cursed [[Twenty First Founding|21st Founding]], just prior to the [[Age of Apostasy]].{{Fn|1a}}
===History===
[[File:Black-dragon-large.jpg|right|300px|thumb|A Dragon Claw.{{Fn|4}}]]
The Black Dragons are chiefly known for their status as a Cursed Founding chapter, and for their uniquely peculiar [[gene-seed]] mutation; their [[Ossmodula]] [[zygote]] has mutated, producing bony crests on their heads and blades from the forearm and elbow. Similar to the [[Death Company]] of the [[Blood Angels]], those with these abnormalities join a separate unit, known as the '''Dragon Claws'''. In this unit, they sharpen their protrusions to a killing edge and coat them with [[adamantium]] to turn them into horrifying [[Close Combat Weapon]]s.{{Fn|1a}}{{Fn|5}} These forearm blades can be retracted into the Claw's arm and then extended at will. The most extreme mutations also cause rampant growth in the rest of the Marine's skeleton; some Dragon Claws stand more than three metres tall and must wear custom [[power armour]] to fit their gargantuan frames.{{Fn|3b}}
During the [[Indomitus Crusade]], a [[Torchbearer Fleet]] commanded by [[Custodian]] [[Alezandrios Menza]] delivered the technology necessary to create [[Primaris Space Marine]]s and a squad of Black Dragons [[Greyshields]], injected with the chapter's [[Geneseed]], to the fifth company, which were accepted by chaplain Darrig.{{Fn|16}}
====Notable battles and campaigns====
*'''232.[[M40]]:''' The '''Bone Curse''' — The [[Haemonculi]] of [[The Hex]] learn of the Black Dragons mutations and with the help of [[Duke Sliscus]], attack the Chapter in the [[Donorian System]]. After a vicious battle, several of the most mutated Black Dragons are captured and brought back to [[Commorragh]]. After multiple experimentation's, an osseovirus is developed that can birth bone 'dragons' from its hosts flesh, resulting in the weapon known as the [[Ossefactor]].{{Fn|9}}
*Combating the [[Plague Zombie|Plague of Undeath]] on [[Antagonis]]{{Fn|3a}}
While they are frowned upon and often investigated for traces of heresy, the Marines of the Black Dragons proudly bear their mutations and use them efficiently in battle. Most of their culture turns around bones and honour. Their Chaplain sits next to [[Chapter Master|The High Dragon]] on thrones made from bones and sculpted to the likeness of their Chapter Symbol. Being implanted with the gene-seed of the Black Dragons isn’t enough to be one of them, the [[Rites of Bone]], [[Rites of Fire]] and [[Rites of Claw]] seem to be essential to be called a battle-brother amongst the mutated Marines. Even those who do not have the mutations from the curse of their gene-seed fashion their armour in a way that resembles the bone growths their brothers have.{{Fn|16}}
===Gene-Seed===The Black Dragons are of unknown founding lineage but reports of them being of [[Salamanders]] decent descent exist,.{{Fn|Conflicting sources}} and like Like all the chapters created during the [[21st Founding]] it's believed that the [[Magos Biologis]] charged with overseeing the Founding manipulated their [[gene-seed]].{{Fn|20}} In the case of the Black Dragons this has had the effect that their [[Ossmodula]] [[zygote]] functions in an abnormal way, causing the growth of bony crests on the head, and blade-like protuberances from the forearm and elbow of some battle-brothers. Warriors inflicted afflicted with such abnormal developments are formed into a separate fighting unit, known as the '''Dragon Claws'''.{{Fn|21a}}
It’s rumoured that the Black Dragon Dragons' [[Apothecaries]] deliberately encourage such growths, even going so far as to knowingly implant aberrant zygotes into some initiates. This is exceptionally dangerous, and the practice is forbidden by Imperial edict, but old traditions die hard as the ferocity of the Dragon Claws is much valued by the Chapter.{{Fn|21a}}
The Black Dragons gene-seed is not stable, leading . This has led to some of their numbersnumber, known as [[Cursed Knights (Cursed Founding troops)|Cursed Knights]], to have seemingly having escaped their chapter's curse and , lacking the mutations their brethren’s brethren have but ; however, this veneer of perfection hides often more extreme mutations. And other Other brothers suffering suffer the worst extremes of the chapter's curse, known as [[Abominations (Cursed Founding troops)| Abominations]].{{Fn|21c}} Those troops are not used by the chapter when fighting alongside imperial allies.{{Fn|21b}}
Each Chapter is required to send 5% of its genetic material to the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] on [[Mars]], to enable the monitoring of the health of each Space Marine chapter, and store gene-seed with a view to founding new chapters. The Black Dragons has have on several occasions been threatened with military action unless it complies they comply with this decree and even when the Chapter has submitted gene-seed, its veracity has often been seen as suspect as each sample provided has passed the most stringent genetic purity checks without fail. While it has not been proven, many suspect that the Chapter submit has submitted genetic material culled from other sources. How this can be possible is unknown and the Adeptus Mechanicus is eager to fully investigate the medical practices within the Chapter.{{Fn|21a}}
===Notable Elements of the Black Dragons=======Vessels====
*''[[Ebon Flame]]'' — [[Battle Barge]].{{Fn|1b}}
*''[[Argent Blade]]'' — [[Strike Cruiser]]. Attached to the 4th company.{{Fn|11}}
*''[[Fist of Kraedor]]''{{Fn|8b}} — [[Hunter Destroyer]], (M41).{{Fn|8a}}
====Aircraft====
*''[[Battle Pyre]]'' — [[Thunderhawk|Thunderhawk gunship]].{{Fn|3a}}
====Known Members of the Black Dragons====
*[[Vai'tan Ushorak]] - Former Chaplain turned Renegade, (M41) - Deceased.{{Fn|6a}}
*[[Zartath]], Astartes, (M41){{Fn|6a}} - Trapped in the Volgorrah Reef region of the Webway, linked up with trapped elements of the Salamanders,{{Fn|6a}} subsequently rescued and detained by the Salamanders [[Firedrakes]].{{Fn|6d}}
*[[Drostyn]] - Sergeant, Fifth Company (M42).{{Fn|16}}
===Images===
[[Image:Black Dragons Marine.jpg|thumb|center|180px|Black Dragons [[Firstborn]].{{Fn|14}}]]
===Trivia===
{{Trivia}}
===={{Endn|Conflicting sources}}====
*The exact lineage of the Black Dragons is unclear. Multiple sources describe them as likely being derived from the [[Salamanders]]{{Fn|5a}}{{Fn|15}} and having a connection to the Chapter.{{Fn|6a}} However, the more recent [[10th Edition]] Space Marine codex lists them in Chapters with an unknown founder.{{Fn|19}}
===See also===
*[[Loyal Space Marine Chapters (List)]]
*[[Space Marine Forces (List)]]
===Sources===*{{Endn|1}}: [[White Dwarf 279 (UK)]]{{CME}}
**{{Endn|1a}}: pg. 50
**{{Endn|1b}}: pg. 65
**{{Endn|3c}}: {{Cite Marker End}}
**{{Endn|3d}}: Chapter 7
*{{Endn|4}}: [http://www.blacklibrary.com/Blog/enter-the-dragon.html Black Library's September 18, 2012 Blog Entry] ''(last accessed 18 September 18, 2012)''
*{{Endn|5}}: [[Index Astartes I]], pgs. 7-8 - ''Rites of Initiation: The creation of a Space Marine''
**{{Endn|5a}}: Promethean Warriors
*{{Endn|19}}: [[Codex: Space Marines (10th Edition)]], pg. 64
*{{Endn|20}}: [[White Dwarf 260 (UK)]], pgs. 98-102 — ''[[Index Astartes]]: The Cursed Founding: an investigation into a mysterious Space Marine founding''
*21: [[Chapter Approved 2004]] — ''The Cursed Founding'':
**{{Endn|21a}}: pg. 6
**{{Endn|21b}}: pg. 8
[[Category:Later Foundings]]
[[Category:Salamanders Successor Chapters]]
[[de:Black Dragons]]
[[fr:Black Dragons]]
