Deathwatch Custom Chapters Table of ContentNote - The following is subject to approval by Andy before it can be considered canon or useable.
Night DragonsSecretive to a fault, the Night Dragons are infamous for their monstrous appearence and ruthless nature. In reality, this bears only slight resemblance to the truth. Because of their unusually subtle tactics that emphasise stealth and cunning over the usual brute force tactics they prefer to work alone. Additionally because of certain quirks of their appearence they tend to find the Imperial Ecclisarchy, Inquisition and even other Space Marines quick to suspect them of heresy or unchecked mutation and so tend to prefer to remain isolated when possible.
The Night Dragons were founded in the 36th millenium and are a successor chapter of the Imperial Fists. They strongly revere the Imperial Fist primarch, Rogal Dorn and great emphasis is put upon following the example of honesty and personal sacrifice he left them. They provided the Imperium with a standing force in a vital but unruly sector and put down a series of brutal rebellions in their early years.
SolutusThe Night Dragon's Homeworld, Solutus is a dazzling unspoilt wilderness, having never been settled by any starfaring race prior to the Night Dragon's building their Fortress Monastery upon it. Fantastical, maddening landscapes bristle with nonsentient life and bizarre phenomina of dazzling and often lethal beauty. The Night Dragons stalk these utterly alien landscapes, training their skills at subterfuge and misdirection in isolation such that when required, they are able to strike their target unannounced wherever it may lurk.
Their Fortress Monastery lies hidden somewhere upon the planet. The exact location is a secret to all outside of the chapter itself, any contact with their allies is done via one of several designated neutral staging posts, such as the vast mountaintop auditorium or the Battle-Station in geo-synchronous orbit above the living sea.
The Dragon Rising and the Pantheonic HeresyThe Night Dragons were founded and dispatched to deal with a sector that had festered with small rebellions, interstellar piracy and renegade political movements demanding renegotiating treaties and pacts with the wider imperium for some time. The common link between the majority of such insurections and civil disobediances appeared to be the Imperial Cult's slipping grasp on the populace, who were increasingly coming to hold unusual and often conflicting interpretations of the offical faith as well as an over-emphasis on what was becoming an increasingly pantheistic take on the regions Imperial Saints.
The Night Dragons were dropped simultainiously right into the middle of one of the largest urban revolts on the sector's three most developed planets. It did not take the Chapter Master (often referred to simply as 'The Dragon' by his battle-brothers) long to break the back of the uprising, co-ordinating his strike forces across all three planets and taking out the apparent ringleaders in a brutally short period of time.
However, even as construction began on the Night Dragon's Fortress Monastery on their chosen homeworld, a new conflict broke out between several planets in the system, each openly backing a different fleet of space-pirates in a devestating proxy-war that threatened to destablize the entire region.
Over the course of a number of years, the Chapter Master personally built a number of crucial alliances in the region, including manouvering a small Rogue Trader house into a position of growing prominance in order to stifle the conflict indirectly. With the aid of the Rogue Trader dynasty and it's growing resources, he personally uncovered a corrupt branch of the Imperial Inquisition and the Heretical cultists that were using the inquisitorial infrastructure to deliberately forment insurrection and damage faith in the imperium. Mobilising the majority of the chapter, The Dragon destroyed the infrastructure that allowed the cult to influence the sector allowing the Ecclisiarchy to subdue and negate the heretical beliefs so widespread in the sector by that point that had caused much of the conflict. Heading off potential conflict with the Inquisition itself, the Chapter and it's Rogue Trader ally were instrumental in the re-establishing of Inquisitorial resources in the region, but rumours of the whole escapade soon spread beyond the sector and only served to fuel widespread distrust of the Night Dragons.
It is also believed that the Chaos faction behind the plot hold a grudge against the Night Dragons to this day and never turn down an opportunity to strike at them or their allies.
Alone in the Dark and the Curse of the Night DragonsFew Space Marine chapters feel entirely comfortable working alongside the Night Dragons, fewer still trust them entirely despite their diligent service to the Imperium and the causes of Mankind in general. Controversial actions in their early years are only part of the issue, as although the monstrous appearence of the Night Dragons is frequently exaggerated, there is a grain of truth there.
Perhaps because of the reckless modification of their gene-seed in their founding, or perhaps simply because their Gene-Seed has degenerated, the Night Dragons Oolitic kidneys are catastrophically flawed. This leaves them unable to rely on the space marine's usual ability to resist poisons and toxins but also causes oddities in the way their other implants interact. To avoid complete biological collapse, the flawed Oolitic Kidney is still implanted, but has led to some very visually arresting side-effects.
Toxins and other strange substances ever-present on the Night Dragon homeworld constantly build up in the Battle Brother's system. A newly recruited Battle Brother has at worst slight discoloration of the skin, a slight greeny-grey tinge perhaps. As they age and spend time on their home-world, the toxins cause further damage however and their skin becomes damaged, the discoloration increasing and noticeable scaliness developing in rougher areas. Dark green substances also build up in the whites of the eyes over time, and a battle brother by this stage will have a noticeably greenish tint. By the point of 'maturity', a Night Dragon will not only have discoloured grey-green mottled skin and noticeable scaling, they also are prone to the growth of fleshy ganglions from about the eyebrows, chin lips and jaw, as well and rarely on other locations across their body.
Veteren Night Dragons and prominant members of the chapter such as the Chapter Master frequently live to quite extreme ages (though nothing compared to the legendary longevity of the Blood Angels) and can become quite strikingly inhuman looking, despite the fact that none of these changes actually formally count as Mutation. As a result, they rarely remove their helmets in the company of those from outside their chapter.
Which of course only makes the rumours worse.
Combat DoctrineUnlike most Space Marine chapters, the Night Dragons actively specialise in Stealth tactics. A variety of carefully customized wargear and unique tactics combine to make their attacks as sudden, unexpected and overwhelming as possible.
Night Dragon CharactersThe Night Dragon's Gene-seed favours strength and cunning. +5 Perception & +5 Strength
They may not choose the tech-marine speciality.
Flawed Zygote - In addition to altering their appearence, damage to their Zygotes means they do not gain the bonuses of their Oolitic Kidney.
Codex Demeanor: See and Don't Be Seen.The Night Dragons understand the value of maintaining a silent, unseen vigil upon their foe, striking only when he is at his most vulnerable. They use darkness to their advantage and strike from unexpected angles before dissapearing again. They foster a patience and wily cunning in their battle-brothers and often regard those who charge headlong into battle as rash and headstrong. This outsiders perspective means they are frequently prepared to look at a problem from a different perspective than their fellows and are more open to unusual solutions than some chapters.
Night Dragon's Primarch's Curse
Heart of the ReptileFaced with the horrors of failure, the Night Dragon's hone their tactics and their minds to ensure success at all costs. But there is a cost.
Level 1 (Alien Within) - The Battle Brother can no longer ignore how different they are both physically and mentally from their Brother Marines or Humanity in general. The Battle Brother will prefer to stay concealed within armour whenever possible and hold themselves seperate and aloof from outsiders. All fellowship based tests made with non-chapter members are made with a -5 penalty, rising to -10 when dealing with those outside the Battle Brother's Kill-team.
Level 2 (Inhuman Patience) - The patience emphasised by the Chapter's Doctrine becomes an obsession, and the Battle Brother will increasingly spurn any plan that is remotely hasty or rushed, to the point of outright disobeying orders in favour of dealing with the situation their own way.
Level 3 (Overwhelming Force) - The Battle Brother begins to prefer a single, decisive strike as best way to guarantee success. To that end, as long as the strike acheives it's goal, secondary concerns like minimizing collatoral damage or civilian casualties are unimportant. The Battle Brother will strongly favour and argue for the most overwhelming strike possible reguardless of consequences. If given the opportunity to end a conflict or complete a mission in a single stroke, the Battle Brother must pass a Hard (-20) Willpower test or be forced to take the opportunity regardless of the consequences.
Night Dragons Solo Mode AbilityDragon's EyesDue to their ongoing emnity with specific forces of chaos, the Night Dragons have trained to be particularly aware of minute disturbances of the warp pressing in on realspace. This grants them Psyniscience as a trained skill. The Battle Brother may also re-roll any failed willpower test to resist a psychic power.
Night Dragon's Squad Mode AbilitiesAttack - Storm of Hell
Full Action - Cost 3
Sustained (Yes)
While this is in effect, the Battle Brother and those nearby gain the Furious Assault and Frenzy Talents. At rank 4, activating this is a half action.
Defend - Hold At All Costs
Full Action - Cost 3
Sustained (Yes)
The Battle Brother may issue the command to defend at all costs by nominating a specific terrain feature, fortification or area of cover of up to ten meters in diameter. While this ability is in effect, those within support range of him and within the nominated feature are entirely immune to the effects of fear.
Night Dragons Chapter Advances| Advance | Cost | Type | Prerequisites |
| Awareness | 200 | Skill | |
| Awareness +10 | 200 | Skill | Awareness |
| Awareness +20 | 200 | Skill | Awareness +10 |
| Concealment | 300 | Skill | |
| Concealment +10 | 300 | Skill | Concealment |
| Concealment +20 | 300 | Skill | Concealment +10 |
| Bolter Drill | 1000 | Talent | Adeptus Astartes, Weapon Training |
| Deadeye Shot | 500 | Talent | BS30 |
| Exotic Weapon Training (Any) | 400 | Talent | |
| Hip Shooting | 400 | Talent | BS40 AG40 |
Night Dragons EquipmentBattle Brothers of this chapter favour weapons that can be fitted with Supressors or silencers or that are innately silent. Weapons manufactured in their own facilities or commissioned by them are almost always of a patern that reflects this preference.
