Sanguinary Guard Project Part I * Initiate Androcles

This is the background for my Blood Angels successor Chapter's (i.e., the Blood Saints) Sanguinary Guard. The Sanguinary Guard are a separate formation taken from the Chapter's best veterans, tracing their origins all the way back to Sanguinus' personal bodyguard and is composed of the uttermost elite of the Blood Angels.

Even among the most vaunted veterans of the Chapter, these are warriors that stand above their brothers in might of arms and sheer skill. These are the Sanguinary Guard, an inner order of the Blood Angels that traces its origins to the days of the Great Crusade, when they served as their Primarch's own personal bodyguard, and even accompanied Sanguinius when he, the Emperor, and Rogal Dorn confronted Horus in the arch traitor's battle barge. Clad in golden Artificer Armour and armed with wrist mounted Angelus Bolters, they charge into battle wielding Glaives Encarmine, ancient master crafted power weapons of terrible power.

All Chapters descended from the Blood Angels maintain units of Sanguinary Guard as a legacy to their Legion's grandest tradition. The Sanguinary Guard are the uttermost elite of the Blood Angels' veterans, proven in mind, body and spirit, exemplifying the values of their Primarch Sanguinius to an extent no other Space Marine can.

Only a single survivor remained of the Legion's original force - Azkaellon, Herald of the Primarch, and only because Sanguinius insisted that he remain on Terra. It was on his shoulders that the heavy burden befell the reconstitution of the Order, to serve as a beacon of hope for the dark days that lay ahead. It is largely through his efforts that the legacy of the Sanguinary Guard survived in the Blood Angels, and spread to all its Successors.

Initiate Androcles

Androcles was born a mute but was gifted with telepathy. The homeworld of the Blood Saints is well guarded against the Black Ships of Terra and as such Androcles was protected at an early age due to his special gift.

The Blood Saints learned of the child due to some of his early amazing feats and kept a close watch on him thereafter. Upon induction into the Chapter no special exceptions were made for Brother Androcles. He was able to pass the hardest trials required of all young recruits under the watchful eyes of the Chapter's Librarians.

Great things were expected of Androcles and he quickly moved up the ranks from scout to tactical Marine. During the battle of Argosfel Brother Androcels single handedly picked off a squad of Ork Nobs with his sniper rifle, first targeting the furthest and quickly working his way through their rank so that none of the brutes ever realized they were under fire.

He spent a short period following his service as a tactical Marine training as an assault Marine and saw brief combat in several boarding actions in space versus the Black Legion. 

Brother Androcles was then chosen to join the rank of his chapter's Sanguinary Guard where he still remains. Androcles was given an ancient infernus pistol due to his crackshot ability to quickly find weak points that can be exploited.

While he is gifted with an extraordinary shot Brother Androcles is also a fierce warrior and well versed with the Glaive Encarmine. Androcles is a silent figure in battle and a true Angel of Death to behold. He keeps his distance from his battle brothers but is never lacking in courage or fortitude.