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| “ | Follow the plan! The Traitors shall fall; the Emperor granted us a vision of triumph. | „ |
| ~ Blood Ravens Librarian Ibrahim, at the Battle of Gravitas |
The Blood Ravens are recurring protagonists in the Warhammer 40,000 franchise. They first appear as main protagonists of the 2004 video game Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. They are a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter of unknown genetic origin and Founding, and some speculate they may have origins within the Horus Heresy. These Space Marines have a strong drive to collect and record knowledge, and in particular have a fascination with ancient lore. An unusual characteristic to the Chapter is their large number of Librarians, as neophytes tend to develop psychic abilities soon after their official transformation into an Astartes. They are currently led by Gabriel Angelos as their Chapter Master. They were formerly led by Azariah Kyras as both Chapter Master and Chief Librarian until he was disposed and killed for his betrayal and secret allegiance to Chaos.
The powerful Librarians guide the Blood Ravens Chapter, enabling them to fight with a precision and calculated fury made possible by their ability to predict and thwart their enemy's strategies and tactics before they come to pass. These arcane powers have led to great speculation and some worry about the true nature and origins of this Chapter in the rest of the Imperium.
Warhammer 40,000 Video Games[]
Dawn of War[]
"Dawn of War" unfolds on the Imperial Civilized World of Tartarus, which is currently under siege by a massive Ork WAAAGH! The story begins with Colonel Brom and his 37th Tartarus Planetary Defense Force Regiment facing a fierce attack from a horde of Orks. Just then, Captain Gabriel Angelos and the Blood Ravens 3rd Company arrive on the planet to rescue Brom and his surviving troops, then proceed to eliminate the remaining Orks in the area. Following the battle, Gabriel is joined by Space Marine Librarian Isador Akios. Brom inquires about a recent Exterminatus on Cyrene, Gabriel Angelos' homeworld, but Isador firmly requests that he refrain from discussing it further. The Blood Ravens then gear up for a mission to eradicate the Orks surrounding the port to safeguard the evacuation craft for the planet's inhabitants.
Isador, sensing Gabriel's distress, understands the root of his turmoil and reassures him that he could not have prevented the destruction of Cyrene. However, Gabriel insists that he does not want to hear about it again, emphasizing that the fate of his home planet rests on his shoulders. After the successful eradication of the Orks, the Scout Marines inform Gabriel that Chaos forces are also active on Tartarus. Shortly after this revelation, they are visited by Inquisitor Mordecai Toth, who instructs the Blood Angels to evacuate the planet as a Warp Storm is set to engulf it in three days. Toth calls for an immediate evacuation of any remaining Imperial citizens on the world. Further investigations reveal that the Eldar of Craftworld Biel-tan are also present on Tartarus. The Blood Ravens stumble upon an altar dedicated to Chaos Undivided, which confirms Gabriel's suspicions. He resolves to eliminate the Traitors, unaware that Isador has already fallen under the influence of Sindri Myr, the Chaos Sorcerer associated with the Alpha Legion warband present on the planet.
After Gabriel's forces eliminate most of the Eldar, their Farseer, Macha, implores Gabriel to heed her warnings. In a moment of distraction, Sindri manages to steal an artifact, which Macha discloses is a key to "the undoing of this world." When questioned, the Biel-tan Farseer expresses surprise at the Astartes' naivety, suggesting that the Inquisitor "keeps them on a short leash" and implying he has more information than he lets on. She then advises the Blood Ravens on the location of the entrenched Chaotic forces. Gabriel and Isador confront Inquisitor Toth in the remnants of an Imperial Cult temple after engaging in a fierce battle with the Alpha Legion forces. Toth reveals that the planet is cursed and was home to a Chaos artifact known as the Maledictum, a stone containing the essence of a Greater Daemon of Khorne. The Chaos forces now possess everything they need to unearth it. Toth further explains that the Eldar fought to protect the stone, having originally imprisoned the daemon within it: "As Chaos’s oldest enemy, the Eldar believe they are the only ones capable of defending against its influence. And we have suffered for their arrogance." He warns that the Maledictum’s power is strong enough to corrupt the faithful and drive men insane, having already tainted much of Tartarus' population and the Imperial Guard, as well as partially affecting the Blood Ravens with its Chaotic tendencies. Gabriel and Toth decide to join forces to locate and destroy the Maledictum, but Isador becomes wholly consumed by the allure of Sindri and Chaos, yearning to claim the Maledictum for himself.
The Blood Ravens defeat the army of Alpha Legion's Chaos Lord Bale, who is betrayed by Sindri during this time. Seizing his moment, Isador steals the Maledictum. Faced with Isador’s treachery, Gabriel pursues him to bring him to justice. The Blood Raven forces successfully eliminate Isador’s Traitor Imperial Guard, and Gabriel triumphs over Isador in one-on-one combat. Isador begs for Gabriel’s forgiveness, and Gabriel responds, "If redemption is what you seek, then that is what I will give you," before shooting him in the head with his Bolt Pistol, using Isador’s fate as a warning to his fellow Astartes about the insidious nature of Chaos. Inquisitor Toth later reveals that he was aware of the Chaos corruption affecting one of the Space Marine officers on Tartarus but had mistakenly thought it was Gabriel rather than Isador, and they ultimately paid a heavy price for this misjudgment.
Meanwhile, Sindri harnesses the power of the Maledictum to transform himself into a Daemon Prince. Inquisitor Toth bestows the Daemon Hammer God-Splitter to Gabriel. Together with the Blood Ravens and the support of the remaining Eldar led by Farseer Macha, they launch an offensive against the forces of Chaos, culminating in the defeat of Daemon Prince Sindri. In the final scene, the Eldar and Blood Ravens gather around the Maledictum. Despite Macha's urgent warnings against its destruction, Gabriel adheres to Inquisitor Toth’s orders and his own judgment, shattering the Maledictum with God-Splitter. The Eldar forces retreat, as Macha ominously warns that Gabriel has sealed their doom, while the Blood Ravens prepare to evacuate. However, Gabriel lingers behind and encounters the Greater Daemon of Khorne, an unnamed Bloodthirster, which he inadvertently released from the Maledictum. The daemon allows Gabriel and his men to depart as a gesture of gratitude for its liberation, but warns him that it will soon come to claim him and his forces. Resolute, Gabriel vows to destroy the daemon before rejoining his departing Astartes.
Dawn of War Winter Assault[]
The Blood Ravens didn't have formal appearance in the Dawn of War Winter Assault video game, but they were mentioned by Lord General Sturnn of the 412th Cadian Shock Trooper Regiment of the Astra Militarum when he was forced to form a temporary alliance with the Eldar of Ulthwé Craftworld led by the Farseer Taldeer during his campaign in liberating the Imperial Ice World of Lorn V from Chaos control and a subsequent Ork WAAAGH! as well recovering a fallen Imperator-class Battle Titan bearing the name Dominatus.
Dawn of War Dark Crusade[]
The Blood Ravens made their appearance in Dawn of War Dark Crusade as a playable Space Marine faction (alongside the Imperial Guard, the Eldar, the Orks, the Chaos Space Marines, the Necrons and the Tau Empire), they were led by Captain Davian Thule with the orders of purging the world of Kronus while defending several relics regarded as sacred by Azariah Kyras. However, the Imperial Guard led by General Lukas Alexander also arrived on Kronus with the task of retaking the planet for the Imperium, Davian Thule would request Lukas Alexander to leave Kronus, but the General refused to obey his demand. The Blood Ravens would be forced to battle the Imperial Guard as an invader.
If the player choose to play as the Blood Ravens Space Marines and successfully defeated the other opposing factions, the Blood Ravens would have completed the purge of Kronus, their battle barge Litany of Fury would remain in close orbit thus imposing a strict prohibition of any visits to the world while the fifth company would maintain their headquarters Castellum Incorruptus in North Vandea. However the Imperial Guard Segmentum Command would protest against the Blood Ravens actions toward Lukas Alexander and the 1st Kronus "Liberators" Regiment and have the Inquisition conduct an investigation, but Davian Thule managed to successfully convince their interrogators that General Lukas Alexander should have bowed to the Blood Ravens orders and withdrawn peacefully. But nevertheless, the Inquisition would kept a watchful eye on the Blood Ravens Chapter due to their rumors of hoarded relics never fully abated and likewise many in the Guard's command structure will never forget the blood shed on Kronus and the darkest time in chapter's history would began soon after the war's end.
Dawn of War Soulstorm[]
A little while after Dark Crusade, the Blood Ravens would make their return again. This time being led by Force Commander Indrick Boreale. The Blood Ravens mission was to capture the Kaurava System, which at the time was beset by 8 other factions, including the Imperium's Sisters of Battle and the Astra Militarum commanded by General Vance Stubbs. Before the arrival of the Imperial Forces, a warp storm was threatening the system and led to the arrival of the Eldar of Ulthwé under Farseer Caerys, and the awakening of the Necrons buried on Kaurava 3. During the climax of the Kaurava Conflict, Boreale and his forces were broken during an assault on the Lands of Solitude on Kaurava 2. The failure of Boreale crippled the Blood Ravens Chapter, the survivors of the disaster would return to Subsector Aurelia to rebuild.
Trivia[]
- In Dawn of War: Dark Crusade, if the player chose to play as the Blood Ravens and successfully defeated the other factions, the Blood Ravens have successfully completed the purge of Kronus but would also mark a dark day for the Space Marine Chapter, this takes place in the official timeline. However if the player chose to play other factions and successfully defeated Blood Ravens, the Blood Ravens would be defeated instead.
- In Dawn of War: Soulstorm, if the player chose to play as the Blood Ravens and successfully defeated the other factions, the Blood Ravens would have made Kaurava II as their chapter homeworld and primary headquarters of the Blood Ravens, however this victory would take place in an alternate timeline of the Warhammer 40K universe, as in the official timeline, the Blood Ravens would suffer a disastrous defeat at the hands of the Orks led by Gorgutz.
- It has been strongly implied that the Blood Ravens genetic origin is that of the Thousand Sons.
- One of the most popular memes in 40k is that of the Blood Ravens being kleptomaniacs who enjoy stealing things from everyone, including other Loyalist Chapters.
