[hider=Primarch Wolfram of Parrisan] Name: Wolfram of Parrisan Gender: Male Homeworld: The Hive City World of Parrisan. Unlike other Hive Cities found on human worlds, the single megacity of Parrisan, known as the World-City, is a vast horizontal urban sprawl covering much of a world bearing terrain similar to 3rd Millennium-era Terra, opposed to the general design of enormous spire cities. The main source of conflict, strife, and danger came not from the world itself, but from the nearby locations in the void of space, for at the time of his arrival, Parrison was a minor spacefaring multi-world nation, bent on its own claims to undiscovered human worlds and technology. Appearance: Wolfram is an outlandish individual among his sibling Primarchs, in that both he and the majority of his chapter share their nine foot height, though Wolfram himself bears a physical form far more reminiscent of a natural human in quality physical health and fitness, as opposed to his legionnaire offspring who were designed for combat first and foremost. Wolfram resembles the common flavors of ancient North Europe stock, fair skin and hair, with a brighter verdant green eye color. When it comes to the armored battle regalia of a Primarch, Wolfram is as much an outlier as he is physically, favoring a lighter suit of custom powered armor more resembling a souped-up suit of Astartes Scout armor rather than the standard large battle armor donned by the frontline fighters of the Imperium. He also bares a power sword resembling the depictions of the ancient Terran mythological sword Excalibur, a traditional English longsword with a golden rectangular crossguard and matching rounded pommel, with his sidearm being a Bolt Pistol that to the untrained eye would seem to match those carried by all other Astartes officers, but is carefully engraved with lines resembling the travel layout of the entire World-City of Parrisan. Personality: Wolfram is quiet. Eerily quiet. He is the bookkeeper that stands just alongside the mob boss in his chair. The financier next to the CEO at a board meeting. The adviser who speaks only in whispers in the king's ear. The trusted first officer always at the side of the naval captain. In a galaxy of generals, statesmen, warmongers, tyrants, and heroes, Wolfram is the 'man behind the throne' often found throughout the history of mankind. As such, in meetings between his siblings, their father, and others of importance in the Imperial government and military, Wolfram is often the only attendant who almost never speaks, answering questions and making statements in the most direct way possible, with no fanfare or righteous anger. When he reports of conflict, everything is presented akin to statistics on a clipboard, or data in a spreadsheet. This often puts him at odds with those who see the Crusade as a righteous quest or a grandiose adventure. To Wolfram, it is not. It is war, and war is not heroic, it is cold and impersonal. And Wolfram knows that understanding this is vital to uniting the galaxy under human rule. Skills: Some of his siblings are warrior-tacticians, champions who lead their armies into battle from the tip of the frontline. Others are statesmen and politicians, world builders who fight to preserve the conquest for the Imperium of the future. Wolfram is neither of these things. First and foremost he is a master of logistics and broad strategy, the movement and planning of an entire front, directing entire army groups across fronts spanning an entire continent, armadas patrolling an entire subsector. Though he carries arms and armor, they are not his true tools of battle. His weapon is the pen of a cartographer, his shield the map of a war theater, his armor the orders directing distribution of forces, supply, and relief. While his siblings win personal glory and bring back trophies and tales of their accomplishments, Wolfram simply brings statistical reports of worlds reclaimed, supplies and forces lost, assets captured, and future plans. The more intimate the fight becomes, the harder it becomes for Wolfram to comprehend. His mind is not build to lead a squad, a single division, or a system fleet. It is honed and trained to direct the men and women that do, to ensure they are able to operate at their peak in their chosen field of engagement. In times of politicking and social networking, empire-building and leadership, Wolfram is the man tracking public opinion and. He's the campaign manager to the man running for office. He abhors the public spotlight, as statistics and charts simply bore the common man, while a rousing speech can make parades out of the deaths of millions. Assignment Grade: Kappa level, generally manifesting itself as a natural intuition or 'gut feeling' in how, when, and where to deploy assorted assets, units, and supplies. He has found that his seclusion of emotions tend to cause more intense manifestation of these 6th sense predictions, and he fear this is the herald of something more fierce to come. Biography: The citizenry of Parrisan were one of the lucky human colony worlds that remained relatively unscathed by the fall of Pre-Imperium Humanity. Thus, when the incubation pod containing the lost Primarch crash-landed upon the world, near the center of the vast city, scientific and engineering research teams quickly arrived to investigate. Upon discovering the young Primarch, even their rudimentary(compared to the Imperium) equipment could see the vast power he carried. He was given to the Parrisanian government to be raised as a future head in the effort to rediscover nearby lost human colony worlds. Over time, both the young man dubbed Wolfram of Parrisan and his superiors and trainers saw that his mental intuition for force organization, supply line arrangement, and the broad front deployment of large-scale units was the only thing that rivaled his superhuman physique. In no time at all, the Parrisanian Star League expanded from a small pocket of three star systems to nearly the size of an entire modern Imperial Sub-Sector. But with expansion comes conflict, and not all of it human. With the expansion of Parrisanian territory, the antiquated human war vessels came into contact with minor, yet devastating, Xenos races in several sections of their Rimward frontier. After a series of grueling campaigns in a multi-front war, and some expert maneuvering of forward fleets to keep the Xenos divided enough to prevent a united front. Ultimately, the war would be whittled down to the beleaguered Parrisanian Star League and the most prominent and successful Xenos force, known as the Lannoth. For much of the direct campaign against the Lannoth, even Wolfram's expert organization of the Parrisanian Armada could not prevent the front from steadily collapsing as their ships were forced to either pull back or win unstable Pyrrhic victories which would never last. The fortunes finally began to reverse when some of the most powerful vessels in the Lannoth fleets began to be withdrawn deep into their territoy, giving Wolfram the perfect opportunity to break through, overwhelming their forces in the confusion of what Wolfram's intelligence determined was the arrival of another Human force to the Xenos' opposing flank. Now caught in a two-front engagement, they would eventually collapse, with the two human forces with no prior contact finally meeting as they laid ground siege to the capital planet of the Xenos. The top commanding officer of the unknown Human forces made contact with the Parrisanian Star League, requesting a parlay between Wolfram and himself. Their smallest ships of the line were enough to obliterate even the most sophisticated of Parrisan's veseels, so the agreement was made almost immediately. The two met in orbit around the planet, via docking two shuttlecraft together in order to form a neutral meeting location. As soon as Wolfram met with the other force commander, he understood that it was not just their superior vessels that enabled this strange armada to annihilate the alien military. The man exuded an intense aura of awe and wonder, despite simply appearing as a simple human man garbed in the standard military officer's uniform of his accompanying staff officers. However, the man was clearly the most brilliant leader not just in his nation, but likely within the entire galaxy. This man made it clear that he was not just the officer in charge of this theater of his war, but the supreme leader of the entire nation he hailed from, the Imperium of Man, ruler of the ancient human homeworld of Terra. Wolfram was more than accustomed to dealing with pompous political leaders who made far more grandiose claims than this, as he had served under far too many of them in his extended superhuman life as the chief military official within Parrisan. But unlike the others, this man was far more than all talk. His stance, his walk, and his voice carried himself as everything he claimed to be, and more. A non-aggression agreement was made, with a further political discussion being planned after the mutual defeat of the last Xenos holdouts. The Emperor insisted on combining the ground forces of his Imperial Navy with the Parrisanian Star League Marines, so that Wolfram and himself could learn more about each others strategic acumen on the ground as well as in the void. After the defeat of the Lennoth, The Emperor requested that Wolfram direct him to the Chancellor of the World-City, who was convinced to abdicate his position to Wolfram almost immediately. Upon questioning why the Emperor had desired this, he made it all clear to Wolfram of Parrisan. He was one of the Emperor's Sons, the 20 Primarchs created specifically to lead mankind's most elite forces, that had been scattered across the galaxy by villainous enemies of mankind many years ago, and he had been gathering them ever since, while also seeking to reunite the scattered worlds of humanity. He desired Wolfram to join him in this war, and after much internal deliberation, Wolfram agreed. To Wolfram, this was a way to help ensure the broader protection of not just the people of the Parrisan Star League, but other people both in similar and less beneficial situations across the galaxy. When reunited with his Legion of Astartes warriors and their Imperial Army contingents, Wolfram set about redesigning their force organization to better suit their equipment. The Astartes divisions would serve as the steel bone structure to the softer, more mortal forces of the Army in ground combat, while Astartes space vessels would act as command ships for Imperial fleets under his command. One of the gifts accompanying his Legion was his own Imperial flagship vessel, which he christened the [i]Astra Urba[/i], or Star City, as a counterpart to the World-City of his adopted homeworld. In honor of the military force which he served with for years, his Legion would become dubbed the Imperial Star League, with the Parrisan Star League becoming the name of the Imperial Army units raised from his homeworld. In a bizarre decision that, like others, set Wolfram apart from his siblings, he made the executive decision to supply and recruit for the Imperial Star League as he had done with his former forces, by operating entirely from aboard voidships and drawing supplies and recruits for both the Army and the Astartes from Compliant worlds. The [i]Astra Urba[/i] would operate as the primary field command center for controlling the entire front of his legion. With this, much of Wolfram's actions in the subsequent crusade would see his entire Legion and their contingents operating in the same broad front, battling the same enemy in the same theater of war, overseen in the broadest strokes by the Primarch and carried down the chain of command. As such, Wolfram does not tell stories of scaling enemy supercannons or dueling Ork warbosses in a multi-hour hand to hand battle. Instead he simply provides progress reports on his divisions, offers and asks for suggestion future courses of action, and confers with his siblings and father on how to manipulate his theater to assist the others. This leaves Wolfram himself feeling much more at home with his cadre of Legionnaire staff officers and their Imperial Army counterparts, as they operate much in the same fashion, while subsequently isolated from many of the only beings that near him as an equal in any fashion. But there is a time for heroics in war, and a time for efficiency. It is better to leave the charges and speeches to those properly suited for it, while those with the mind for high-level command at the back where they can direct the wider-scale engagement. The Meeting: The Parrisanian shuttle locked docking walkways with its far larger counterpart from the unknown fleet that had aided them against the aliens. The moment the vessels locked into place, Wolfram felt...small. Not just physically, but mentally, as though someone aboard the other vessel was watching him directly. Stepping into the airlock doorway as it hissed open in time with its counterpart on the other ship, this ethereal pressure grew more and more immense upon his mind. As they were directed through the halls by armed men far better equipped than the Parrisan Star League Marines. They escorted Wolfram and his small cadre of general staff officers to the bridge of the far more expansive shuttlecraft, inside which stood a trio of men, one of which simply radiated with the mental weight Wolfram had felt. This man is the one that addressed him. The man in question assumed, correctly, that Wolfram was the head commander of his people's forces, not just in the war with these aliens, but in all matters of conflict. Knowing this seemed to please the man, who smiled warmly. The man then gestured for the Wolfram's comrades to be escorted back to their shuttle as the strange man asked to speak to him alone. Wolfram listened intently as the man explained his origins as the ruler of the ancient Human homeworld of Terra, and the founder of the Imperium of Man, a spacefaring nation desiring to reunite all of humanity and defend them from aliens and those who choose not to join with them. Having seen firsthand the damage alien forces can do to unprepared human settlements and colonies, Wolfram knew that the best way to defend both his people and others like them would be to serve this Emperor of Man. As a test of his true might as a military leader, the Emperor asked that the two nations combine their ground forces, attacking the enemy on the planet from the same reinforced front. This plan worked brilliantly, the grand strategy plans devised by the two saw the planet's critical centers overrun in a matter of 2 Solar days. Impressed with what he had been shown from Wolfram, the Emperor of man offered him the deal of non-aggression between their powers if he agreed to escort the Emperor to the ruler of his people. Wolfram humbly agreed, and the Parrisan Star League fleet escorted the Emperor's vessel to the World-City. Upon arriving at the planet, the Emperor requested a private meeting with the Chancellor of Parrisan, and within a single local hour, the entire nation had been abdicated to the rule of Wolfram of Parrisan, on the condition he himself swear fealty to the Emperor and Imperium, and agree to serve alongside his forces in the crusade to unite and defend Humanity. Wolfram agreed by silently kneeling down before the Emperor, who ordered him to rise and ushered him aboard his vessel, ferrying him to Terra immediately to unite him with his future Legion. [/hider] [hider=The Imperial Star League] Legion Name: Formerly dubbed by the Emperor as the Steel Angels, They were quickly renamed to the Imperial Star League by their Primarch as an homage to the original force he led, and their status as an extension of the Imperial Army and garrison forces from that world. Legion Number: IV Legion Strength: 100,000 Astartes Armour Appearance: [img]https://i.imgur.com/dEtBnwJ.jpg[/img] Warcry: "For All Mankind!" Dramatis Personae: The primary top members within the legion form what Primarch Wolfram refers to as his 'Star League General Staff', a tradition carried from the original Parrisan Star League. They consist of the single most skilled and senior officer or representative from each of the following Legion-affiliate organizations: The Astartes Ground Forces, Astartes Naval Forces, Imperial Army Ground Forces, and Imperial Army Naval Forces. They are as follows. [b]Marine General Germaine Varr:[/b] The top officer in command of the 4th Legion's Astartes ground divisions, and one that has been with the Legion longer than its own Primarch. He served as the Legion Master in the years before Wolfram's discovery, and thus has the most understanding of the Legion's force capabilities out of every member of the General Staff. He will not hesitate to cite this personal experience when recommending a different course of action to the Primarch, and often Wolfram will at least partially incorporate his suggestions every single time. [b]Marine Admiral Bethar Andaris:[/b]Easily the most experienced naval strategist bar the Primarch himself, and once a mortal serving alongside Wolfram as the Star Admiral of the Parrisan Star League Navy. Much like Wolfram himself, the man excels far more as a strategic mind at the bridge of an operation's flagship than leading the ground battle, despite being a proper Astartes. He's easily Wolfram's most trusted adviser and comrade, and would likely take his place as a new Legion Master should the Primarch have to leave the Legion for an extended period. [b]Imperial General Ophiel Santar:[/b] Germaine's mortal counterpart, and the best infantry senior officer the 4th Legion could get its hands on. During his service as a commissioned member of the Imperial Army, he's been shuffled around between Legion attachments to gather experience in commanding such large troop deployments, before eventually finding a permanent home as the head of the Imperial Army's ground attachment to the Star League. He's heavily focused on cooperation with Germaine, as the Legion's tactics involve the Astartes ground forces to serve as the solid frame the Army divisions are formed up around. He frequently doesn't have much to add to staff meetings himself, preferring to bring reports and defer to the wisdom of the ageless Astartes and their Primarch. [b]Imperial Admiral Michael Kyrax:[/b] Originally the Imperial Naval Liason aboard Bethar's flagship, when Bethar was elevated to the General Staff upon its formalized creation, Michael came with him. Where Bethar is the aggressive spearhead of the Star League's fleet battleplans, Michael is the tempered shield, ensuring the battlegroups do not advance too far to stretch the supply lines or risk being cut off without their screening support. He's renowned in both the Imperial and Astartes ranks as one of the few mortals who can talk down a Space Marine from the peak of their temper. Favored Tactics/Battlefield Role: When the Legion deploys, it is always in a mix of Marine and Imperial forces. Marine Divisions or Naval vessels are used as firm puncturing formations to pierce the opposing front while being screened in its advance by heavy Imperial ground and Naval forces respectively. Astartes and Imperial ground forces both deploy as Heavy Mechanized Infantry, utilizing heavily armed and armored infantry fighting vehicles supported with heavy tanks and self-propelled artillery. In naval engagements, the Astartes vessels are heavy battleships designed solely to fight ship-to-ship, with the Imperial screens meant to provide voidfighter cover and longer-range anti-armor fire. Airfighters are used to deny enemy air superiority when it is an issue, but are otherwise dedicated to bombing strategic military targets prior to an advance from the Legion's lines. Orbital strikes and other 'superweapon' attacks are frowned upon unless it is assumed the world cannot be reclaimed, then all possible assets and personnel are withdrawn and the entire naval presence in orbit commences bombardment. Legion Characteristics/Ideology: When a world has reached acceptable levels of Compliance or is otherwise garrisoned by members of the legion, every member capable of doing so actively assists in reconstruction and relief efforts. A Marine in the legion can transition from firing on rebelling militias to helping the survivors of an airbombing rebuild their homes at a moments notice. The founding philosophy of the Legion is that of the belief that if they do not help the victims of war, then no one will, and that the latter is an unacceptable failure of the Imperium's duty to defend humanity. Relationships: Because the Star League heavily integrate ground and space forces from the Imperial Army into their regular combat formations, many in their legion detachments and even those having temporarily served with them in command have come to view them as more "like the grunts" than expected, and casual conversations between Marines and Imperial Army personnel stationed together is very common. Given their penchant for recruiting and training reinforcements from worlds being garrisoned before they depart, many of the Astartes and Army members within the Legion come from a largely diverse set of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, giving the 'camp culture' on both their vessels and on-planet a distinct variety and uniqueness. Their reliance on heavy usage of space travel means they have many contacts and connections with the Navigator families and the Astra Telepathica as well. [/hider]