The Unyielding Legacy of the Imperial Fists
In the darkest hour of the Horus Heresy, the Imperial Fists stood strong against the traitor legions. Led by Rogal Dorn, the Legion played a crucial role in defending the Sol System and the Imperial Palace. Despite their valiant efforts, they were unable to prevent Horus from attacking Terra itself.
A Crusade of Vengeance
In the aftermath of the Horus Heresy, Dorn’s grief was palpable. He became consumed by a desire for vengeance, leading the Imperial Fists on a crusade against the traitor legions. The Legion lent its support to Imperial worlds and institutions, but Dorn’s absence from the highest councils of the Imperium was notable. It wasn’t until he was summoned by Roboute Guilliman to receive the Codex Astartes that Dorn returned to Terra.
The Codex Astartes Crisis
Dorn initially rejected the Codex Astartes, sparking a rift between him and Guilliman. The disagreement escalated, drawing in other Space Marine Legions. Leman Russ of the Space Wolves stood by the Imperial Fists, while Jaghatai Khan of the White Scars and Corax of the Raven Guard supported the Ultramarines. The crisis deepened, with the Imperial Navy firing on the Imperial Fists’ strike cruiser, Terrible Angel. However, Dorn eventually relented after a period of meditation, accepting the new order and the Codex.
The Iron Cage
Dorn decided that the Legion would symbolically enter into the pain glove together and emerge according to the Codex Astartes. This opportunity presented itself in the battle known as The Iron Cage. The Imperial Fists committed to the assault on the Eternal Fortress, a twenty-square-mile fortress constructed by the Iron Warriors. Despite being masters of defense and siege, the Iron Warriors were unable to finish off the Imperial Fists, who endured and ultimately emerged victorious with the help of the Ultramarines.
Reorganization and Legacy
Cleansed by their sacrifice at the Iron Cage, the Imperial Fists began their reorganization. For two decades, the newly formed Chapter mastered the tenets of the Codex Astartes. The Imperial Fists participated in the Second Founding, christening the Soul Drinkers, Black Templars, and Crimson Fists. The Legion’s most fanatical battle-brothers composed the Black Templars, while the more level-headed members founded the Crimson Fists.
The Last Wall Protocol
Secretly, Dorn established a contingency for his successors. Dubbed the “Last Wall Protocol,” it called for the Imperial Fists’ Successor Chapters to reunify into a Legion once more should Terra come under dire threat. The protocol was enacted 1,500 years later during the War of the Beast.
The War of the Beast
The Imperial Fists suffered greatly during the conflict against the Orks. Nearly the entire chapter was annihilated on the world of Ardamantua. The only known survivor was Captain Koorland, who enacted Rogal Dorn’s secret “Last Wall Protocol.” The Black Templars, Fists Exemplar, Crimson Fists, Iron Knights, and Excoriators all rendezvoused at Phall, combining as a Legion once more to save Terra from an Attack Moon and recover the Primarch Vulkan.
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