ADEPTUS CUSTODES - The Bodyguards of the Emperor of Mankind in Warhammer 40000

the custodian god it was a momentous day one of the rare moments where the pomp of the entire world was directed towards the one event the one spectacle a ritual that had gone on for over ten thousand years since the very dawn of the imperium of mankind and it was only to be seen on the planet at the very center of the empire the birthplace of humanity once called merely earth now known across the entire milky way galaxy as holy terror the towering spires reflected the brilliant dawn the colossal edifices of lost lords priests and demigods lined this one of the most sacred routes to the imperial palace itself the avenue of sacrifice one causeway was the venue for the ritual but it was situated so that most of the urban spore around and above it could witness the event every window was open every place filmed adoring crowds bathed and cheered in their millions to the exaltation of their god but centered their approbation at those now processing down the causeway's length all the way unto the sacred essences gate of the imperial palace itself there were a hundred couples each with a male and female both were exquisite finally a tire that could well be the worth of a small moon for they were of the highest of the high they were aristocrats so mighty that they were the elect of the imperium not just holy terror and in the arms of each woman was a child swaddled in golden wraps there were to be the sacrifice the pledge the where geld to their lord the master of mankind each child of these ancient houses would be put through the most rigorous screening and training few of them would survive but those that did those that managed to thrive in such a regime they would become the most powerful examples of humanity that have ever been known by the primarks themselves they will become the most trusted and prestigious the most noble of all of the forces of the imperium for they would become custodians the very bodyguards of the emperor himself it had been a trap none could now refute that the knights of salami a chapter of space marines had been founded some three millennia ago a chapter of ultramarine stock they've been rugged and dependable they did not deviate from the codex but nor did they worship it as many of their pedigree were prone to do they had received a message that could not be ignored for it bored a royal seal the markings of the custodian guards themselves the astropathic choir confirmed this well as far as they could confirm anything in these days the tear across reality had made communication even less reliable than before most messages were ignored not because of a lack of interest but due to a lack of endurance so few messages could be deciphered these days so it was that the communication had been received loud and clear meaning the force and clarity of the choir that sent it could only be of the highest magnitude hence backing up the communications contents the two battle barges and half a dozen strike cruiser and support ships were all that was left of the chapter the vile traitors and their never-born allies had taken a huge toll they had wiped out three other chapters in the region it was bad very bad so it was with a heady euphoria that the knights went to the location to await important reinforcements from the throne itself some even whispered that the emperor had risen but they were not hearkened to not really that the message came from his guard was odd it was true but the knights had always been level-headed and the whispers were stamped on by the veterans who heard them yet when they had been only half a day in location the tear in the warp opened and vomited out a sizeable chaos wharf nate the knights of slavia were not known for sitting on their thumbs and they gutted a half dozen vessels with raking broadsides before they could acclimatize from the translation to real space but then the battle started in earnest and it was hotly contested the chaos forces had older vessels but they were all the more vicious due to it and their fury was remarkable not suicidal but near to it the onslaught of their boarding pods was the next stage of the conflict the two fleets concentrated on eliminating escorts while the capital ships became an open battlefield the traitor marines were hoping to double their fleet in one swift action they launched everything they had the pods opened in the loyalist marines corridors and the engagement began the solid robust defenses of the ultramarines against the frantic fury of the warriors of their long war an experience counted the chaos band many veterans of the heresy had the greater experience and skill the better weaponry if truth be told and they were augmented by the power of chaos the fight was hard the knights exacting a tarry from their foes but it was going in one direction at the last when the ships were all but taken clarkson's rang out again as another force slipped into real space the knights then stiffened their defenses as they were informed imperial boarding craft were approaching their ships but it was the color the armor of the vessels that gave way to grins amongst the command staff that remained for they were gold all rushed to look down at their screens as the ships landed fire burst out from the cow's scum who had been holding the hangar bays surrounding the storm eagles that had been used to bring over more men once the boarding pods and terminators had exploded into a lot of ships the fire hit the landing ships but did a lot less than usual a lot less then the front hatches opened and out they strode they strode huge men wider taller more pronounced than even their startees they were armored from head to toe in golden oramite exquisitely forged every single item a work of genius a labor of love they wielded long spears with butter attachments at the side of the huge blade edge while bottom shell smashed into them they rarely did more than break their stride if that the custodies acted like terminators but moved faster than mach 6 corvus armada started with blinding speed they advanced firing into those holding the area and killing first shot every shot they knew exactly where to hit their adversaries every weak point every crack and they exploited them with efficiency within 10 seconds there was a semi-circle of dead traitors and the custodian guard advanced into the ship on each monitor the command staff of the knights of salami are grouped as they saw the guardians fan out and the corridors they were lethal their bolters blazed and decapitated or amputated limbs from all they shot when they found anyone close enough for melee combat it was over within a second or less sometimes much less their speed was that of a harlequin their power that of a demon they could cut through ceramic wallplate like it was smoke could lift and throw marines as if they were ragdolls they were larger even than primaris marines and their skills astonishing even to those who had fought the great war the long war the heresy the crusade even to these broken legends they could barely follow the movements of the custodies let alone stop them and their aura much great armor seemed proof to all attacks but this was due to the skill of the wearer angling its defenses to deflect to dampen each blow on their hardest almost angled hardpoints the appearance of custodies in terminator armored the central halls immediately ceased the traitor push they butchered them like cattle it was like watching their own space marine terminators walk through farmers or hives scum the custodies were on another level they were death incarnate the chapter master blinked then his eyes widened as he watched the screen the custodies had moved into the royalist areas but they did not stop shooting at marines only this time it was his marines story continued at the end of this entry welcome gentle listener i am baldemot your faithful servant and i wish to introduce you to the forces factions and organizations of the warhammer 40k universe the grim darkness of the far future where there is no time for peace there is only time for war and today we are to discuss the most exalted the most honored and most powerful of all of the forces within the imperium of mankind of course i can only be speaking of the ten thousand the adeptus custodies the very gods of the emperor himself ten thousand years or more have passed since the creation of this element of the imperium and it is said that they were the first of the warriors created by the emperor when he arose to bring order back to the galaxy through force of arms they were his most trusted and most potent of all forces because they had to be now some might say that the time of the custodies is now that the wars of the setting have never been so dire so perilous but let me disavow you of one thing right now gentle listener from my reading of the law the wars of even this the end times of warhammer 40k are as a painted picture party compared to the trials and horrors of the unification wars for when the emperor arose he did so with all of the knowledge he needed he knew exactly what he would need to do to make his vision his dream a reality and there was no worse place in all of the galaxy as terror and the emperor forged an army to take it the great crusade encountered nearly every form of horror one can imagine from demons which is zenos races that could kill with a flick of the wrist or the merest gaze the space marines fought them and killed them mostly but this was as nothing compared to the challenge of reclaiming terror for in all of the galaxy there was no place more over burgeoning with psychic entities demons cults genetically enhanced monster armies cybernetic weapons in their masses and entire lesions of warriors and weapons every bit as dangerous if not more so than the vaunted space marines the first battle would inevitably be the worst the taking of terror and the emperor was under absolutely no illusions of what it would require to be done for the emperor had not visited terror recently had not been born into the times of strife called old night he was no mere warlord he was the emperor of mankind an ancient immortal being who had walked the earth and the stars since prehistoric times he knew the peoples of the world what they had what they could create what they would do what horrors they could summon or unleash on any who opposed them and he had been watching this all unfold for millennia uncounted often the emperor had taken on a temporary existence to attempt to guide and steer humanity he was allied with others of his kind perpetuals immortal beings born for reasons unknown though the emperor always stated it was for the defense and tuition the guidance of the greater human race yet the emperor was always the most powerful and influential of his kind and others bent to knee to his will or they were crushed or they simply disappeared and attempted to avoid him of course but these rarely survived so it was that the emperor had witnessed the progression of humanity through all of its revolutions agricultural industrial space information expansion all the way to its apex the golden age of technology where enlightenment and wisdom and progress were the guiding lights to humanity and it could be viewed as truly enlightened but it was not to last and the emperor witnessed the form the fracturing of the human hegemony and his repercussions he witnessed first hand with his own eyes the depths to which our kind then fell how the human race had lost its center its core its righteousness its grace he then watched on as the vast and potent technologies of the golden age could be warped and twisted to things of carnage and slaughter how genetic knowledge gave birth to mountains of flesh and sinew that white out entire armies of non-enhanced warriors how smells and rights could be used to tear reality asunder and sort of millions with its warping effects how exoskeletons and armor could be used to make armies that were practically invulnerable crushing all but the most twisted warp users into dust and he knew that the only answer to these deranged weapons of the tyrants butchers and warlords who ruled over the great trees of the planet was even greater force even greater barbarity an army that could smash anything put before it be it machine man or monster thus did he make his plans thus did he build his armies and the fast beings he made would ever be the greatest of his works the most loyal of all of his weapons for many believe he viewed them as just that tools but as every craftsman knows some tools are more precious than others and in these his legio custodies his ten thousand he went one step further for they were not made to be disposable as were his other forces custodies were ever the special ones for a very simple reason they were not just his tools not just his weapons the custodies were also to be his companions he would actually know each and every one of them personally would enter into discourse with them gain reassurance or even guidance from them where another perspective were necessary each and every one had to not only be the most lethal being ever to set foot on earth but also so educated refined complex and intelligent that they could actually engage and entertain the most powerful mind and soul that humanity had ever thrown up the emperor and it is for this reason that they are as far above and beyond the astartes the space marines as those beings are above the common baseline human they are each unique as an asset of inestimable value in any theater whatsoever they are simply the best there are or have ever been now some may demure and perpetually point to the primarks for the pinnacle of humanity but i cannot agree to me the primarks are as soiled and far from human as any possessed of the chaos lesions they are not and never were human they are as much creatures of the warp as they are of the materium so hence i discount them utterly from this deliberation and in the future we shall discuss the nuances of the primark project as far as i read the law hopefully not too far in the distance now the custody's origins are now unknown to the general populace of the imperium after so long and so many attempts by the imminent startum and inquisition to crowd nearly every facet of the human empire in doubletalk misinformation and outright lies they are mythical beings despite being present ever more in the current stage of the setting for now they fight across the stars as they have not since the great crusade the unification wars were terrible and even included the last recorded battle against men of iron in numbers as far as i'm aware anyway the custodies were ever the bodyguard and utter elite of the emperor but this should not be viewed as a ceremonial role not by any stretch of the imagination for their charge the master of mankind was prone to off-take to the field at crux point he was no mere general he was wrath incarnate and it is his intervention that changed the course of many a battle and at his side were ever deletio custodies his bodyguards for they were sculpted individually as much works of art as weapons of war they were trained in all disciplines known to man not merely blood and battle as the lesser shadow the marines are they are unique for their creation as usual let us lean on existing wisdom to quote shadows and alchemy it was the emperor himself that invented the process by which the warriors of the adeptus custodies are created more than ten thousand years later the same processes are still utilized remaining every bit as shrouded in secrecy and tradition as they were during the great crusade if it can truly be said that the space marines are the sons of the primarks then the adeptus custodies are the progeny of the emperor himself his might permeates them his blessings so powerful that they can shield the custodians from hurts both physical and empiric the greatness of the master of mankind runs in their veins burns in their eyes and charges the air around them so that all faithful warriors instinctively respect and fear these demigods of war the method by which such remarkable individuals are created has always been known only to those of the imperial household and is carried out by the most accomplished sherogians and bio alchemists of terror within gilded factories locked away from the site of humanity's masses with the adeptus custodies fighting only for the emperor himself and beholden to the commands and scrutiny of no other the secrets of their recruitment have never been revealed for not even the high lords of taylor have the right to demand them it is known that all custodians begin their lives as the infant sons of the noble houses of terror it is a hallmark of incredible prestige to surrender one's child to this most glorious of callings within the imperium and many notable clans amongst the terran aristocracy have willingly given up almost entire generations of newborn sons to earn it such children are taken in when they are still in infancy for the earlier the genetic metamorphosis into a warrior of the adeptus custodies begins the better a chance it has of success huge crowds lined the avenue of sacrifice outside the essences gate when such an intake occurs they fill the air with frenzy cheering and prayer as the great and good of terrorist high society parade before them soaking in the adoration of the masses even as they surrender their progeny forever into the emperor's care there is a reason that despite their remarkable lifespan the adectus custodies have never numbered more than approximately 10 000 warriors simply put for every worthy aspirant who succeeds thousands are found wanting the space marine is created by the introduction of gene seed to the body as well as the implantation supporting organs between them these modifications reshape those who receive them into living weapons by comparison whatever mysterious bioalchemy is used to trigger the transformation into a custodian occurs on an entirely different level taking root in the cells perhaps even the soul of an aspirant the process of ascension goes beyond the purely physical and spiritual those who would join the brotherhood of the adaptive custodies are mentally indoctrinated their psyches are rebuilt from the ground up their mental architecture fortified as the imperial palace itself was fortified in the face of horus's treachery until it becomes an impregnable fastness or else collapses under its own weight each aspirant endures thousands of hours of psychoindoctrination and mimic conditioning their education is mercilessly absolute information beaten into the metal of their minds at a punishing rate that drives many mad they must grasp not only the tense of warfare in all its forms and learn every method of assassination counter espionage threat recognition and death stealing known to mankind but also expand their minds in far more esoteric directions diplomacy and statecraft aggregation and interstellar geography history philosophy theosophy artistry and countless other subjects must all be mastered to a breathtakingly high degree much of this education is a throwback to the days when the custodians were expected to not not only to provide the emperor with protection but also counsel and conversation it has become a tradition applied by rote but still its benefits are apparent not only does such an avalanche of information screen out those whose psyches are not sufficiently robust but it further ensures that almost alone in a dark and dreadful age the adeptus custodies retain the enlightenment and perspective commonplace during the great crusade of course with such blessings comes a tragic comprehension of the depths to which the imperium has sunk it is a credit to the adeptus custodies that such a realization does not drive them to despair no truth is withheld from the adapter's custodies for an order to do their duty without impediment they must possess all of the facts about the dark terrors that seek to conquer the galaxy such sanity eroding revelations quickly eliminate those inductees who do not have sufficient spiritual fortitude to do their duty those that remain can be counted upon not only to understand the deeper ramifications of the war for the emperor's realm but to recognize why such truths must never be allowed to spread beyond their own ranks how long the process of creating a custodian takes is unknown beyond the walls of the imperial palace all those who survive emerge as magnificent praetorians their sculpted physiques and altered minds so utterly other that they adopt entirely new personalities they draw their names from ancient texts driving them from heroes monsters and gods of old terror mythology not only is this practice regarded as being entirely appropriate for such transcendent beings it also allows the noble families of tenor to save faith or can and will claimed that it was their offspring that showed the fortitude to become a custodian and none will gain say them though the minds of the custodians are armored against the machinations of witches and psyches they themselves never exhibit such abilities the emperor allowed for no in the defenses of his custodians for while battlefield cycles are undoubtedly powerful living weapons they're also unstable ones their minds are prone to invasion by warp entities a danger that no member of the adeptus custodies need ever face for those superlative individuals that do survive to join the golden ranks their comrades afford them immediate respect there are no juniors amongst the adeptus custodies only worthy warriors who understand the full burden of responsibility that their power and authority brings a custodian's role of honor is encompassed by his name though all begin with a single epithet as these warriors achieve great deeds they are awarded additional names to reflect them in days past the emperor himself would bestow these titles now it falls to the captain general or occasionally a shield captain in the field to bestow the honor on his comrades custodians who have served for many centuries typically have dozens of names inscribed within the plates of their armor or in some cases even etched microscopically into their bones along with their name ascension to the ranks of the adeptus custodies earns each individual their own armor and weapons entire bloodlines are exceptionally skilled artisans dwell within gilded towers on terror their purpose to fashion the oromite armor and perfectly balanced weapons for each new custodian certain names such as the clan halbrinmer or the clan castaxtis are renowned for their martial masterworks and their augmetically enhanced artisan balance are famed for the wonders they have wrought the adeptus custodies also have access to an incomparable armory of technology much of it dating back thousands of years from the sleek dawn eagle jet bikes of the virtus praetors and the magnificent alaris pattern terminator armor to land raiders and contempted dreadnoughts that saw battle during the great crusade such equipment epitomizes the proven excellence of ore adiptus custody's material the tools of war wielded by the emperor's guardians never fail or falter for they are handmade by the imperium's most skilled smiths and maintained to the most painstaking standards imaginable just as the warriors who protect the golden throne must be utterly without fault or weakness so must the equipment they rely upon to discharge their duties these incredible armaments the endless training regimes that the custodians undergo the years long hollow conflicts through which they battle and the shadow shrouded wars they fight in the emperor's name throughout the salt system and far beyond all these factors ensure that the ten thousand are the finest fighting force in the entire imperium guardians of the golden throne in the wake of the horus heresy the legio custodies became the adeptus custodies they donned morning black for theirs was a shame and a failing that they sought neither to forget nor to be absorbed of yet though they met with defeat and tragedy the custodian's vigil did not falter for even a moment for ten thousand years the adeptus custodies have stood guard over the golden throne in that time not a single enemy has gained access to the sanctum imperiales [Music] the custodians have many tasks upon terror it is they who watch over not just the great gates that lead to the emperor's throne room but all of the domains of the imperial palace considering the complex is a continent-sized sprawl of interconnected fortresses cathedrals armories dungeons macrahabs judicariums archives sanctum spaceports and countless other structures this is no mean feat it is the adeptus custodies alone who decide who will be permitted audience with the emperor and it is an honor that is granted only in the rarest of circumstances they patrol the endless lines of petitioners that went through the imperial palace ever watchful for those of zenos taint or heretical bent who might have contrived to penetrate the structure's outer defenses they oversee the soul-binding ritual that sees thousands of psyches each day drained of their life force in order to sustain the emperor and his astronomicon the adaptus custodies guard the deepest vaults of the imperial palace wherein lurk sanity blasting secrets from the dark age of technology they dispatch shield companies to inspect the defenses of the sole system and to eliminate anything that presents even the slightest hint of a threat to the sanctity of holy terror they play their endless blood games one of their own number taking the role of invader or assassin to test their defenses and in doing so to strengthen them still further for millennia the custodians have gone about their duties bound to traditions that have become ritual and wrote yet even as the wider imperium has stagnated around them and the emperor's servants have come to view them with a mixture of superstition and awe the adeptus custodies have done what they can to fend off doubt and enwe and have never permitted despair to take them they barely notice the fleeting mortal men that scurry about their feet and insist upon keeping even the most ardently loyal space marine at a spear's length for what has proven fallible once may do so again yet this is a mantra the custodians apply also to themselves and thus they have never permitted themselves a moment of laxity or introspection at times the captain general has stood amongst the high lords of terror at others he has served as one of that council's most powerful advisors either way the adaptor's custodies continue to exercise the full authority of the magisterium lex ultima marshalling the defenses of terror as they see fit and answering to no one but their silent master in matters of security sanctity and strength the companions the companions are a 300 strong force that forms the direct bodyguard of the emperor while he sits upon the golden throne they are hand-picked for their duties by the captain general who chooses his candidates based upon painstaking assessment of each warrior's performance in training and battle as well as their mental acuity spiritual fortitude and countless other indicative factors there can be no more important duty in all of the imperium than to shield the emperor himself as such no consideration for rank or veteran status is given when appointing custodians to the companions and those passed over in favor of younger or less experienced candidates take no offence the vigil of the companions is unending and though they are of course rotated out for brief periods of rest it is still a purgatorial duty a raid in ranks around a golden throne these wardens stand for incredible lengths of time and moving and speaking poised constantly upon the cusp of battle readiness in case the slightest threat were to present itself it is mentally and spiritually exhausting even for the demigods of the adeptus custodies and so when the captain general judges that a companion has served long enough they will be rotated out with immediate effect replaced by a fresh inductee or to their rank again this is no mark of dishonor merely a pragmatic admission that even a custodian cannot perform such a taxing duty indefinitely the longest any individual has stood the companion's watch was astoran carlos who endured for a full century before atlas surrendering his place amongst the silent ranks those who serve amongst the companions are more likely to lend their talents to the grim bodyguards known as the aquilan shields such custodians have protected the lives of the greatest and most august personages in the imperium most notably the high lords of terror themselves from the master of the navigator's guild to the high logistica of the adeptus administratum the lord militant of the imperium to the shadow master of the official assassinatum former companions have acted as guardians for them all to the ten thousand such duties are simply an extension of their vows to protect the emperor in this case by safeguarding those assets most important to the successful running of his imperium still it is a role that has earned the adeptus custodies much favor in the eyes of terror's noble elite a host of heroes from outside the organization of the ten thousand seems byzantine when they deign to account themselves at all to other imperial bodies their ranks appear complex and highly stratified yet much of this is tradition or else purposeful misdirection in practice the adeptus custodies use a robust and easily adaptable system to organize their forces the adeptus custodies operate as a military force a gathering of champions each of whom possesses unassailable authority over virtually any other organization in the imperium conversely no imperial agent can give a custodian orders even such worthies as the high lords of terror and lord commander gilman are able only to request not to demand their aid as befits such a body of elite warriors the internal hierarchy of the adeptus custodes is remarkably flat the captain general commands the ten thousand inheriting a post that has passed down from one gallant leader to the next ever since the mysterious disappearance of constantine valdo the captain general has absolute authority over the custodies acting as the ritual proxy for the emperor himself and speaking with the voice of the master of mankind beneath the captain general is the custodian tribunate a group of 10 veteran custodians who act as advisers to the captain general membership of this body changes periodically to ensure a blend of established wisdom and fresh ideas a custodian must have earned at least 10 names before he can serve on the tribunate and have led his comrades victoriously in battle on at least three occasions once he joins a tribunal a custodian must serve for at least 10 years during this time he will not see the front lines for he is too busy bending all of his considerable intellect to supporting strategically and diplomatically the captain general below this ruling council are the shield captains who fulfill the roles of inspiring leaders gifted generals and selfless champions their titles vary enormously from supreme castle and aquila commanders to master guardians often born in accordance with the specific duties to which they have been assigned it is shield captains that take charge of the adaptus custody's military engagements one is typically afforded overall command of an operation while several others of his rank may lend their strength and wisdom in a supporting capacity the remainder of the custodians possess roughly equivalent status to one another forming loose warrior bands traditionally known as sodalities there are varying strategic roles within the organization to which some custodians find themselves better suited however whether this be the rapid jet bike troops of the virtus praetors the heavy assault specialists of the alas custodians or the unwavering wardens they still operate within a meritocracy that sees them afforded whatever honor their comrades believe them worthy of a singular force of the adaptive custodies is referred to as a shield company the numbers within such a formation can vary considerably hand picked by their shield captain for the task at hand and ranging from a small band to a sizeable army complete with jet wax tanks and dreadnoughts [Music] under normal circumstances a shield company includes no more than one shield captain and perhaps 30 to 40 custodians when a larger force is required multiple shield companies gather into forces known as shield hosts led by conclaves of shield captains and boosting tens sometimes hundreds of custodians shield hosts have the martial strength to crush enemy armies and bring entire star systems to heal the gathering of such might is a momentous undertaking a shield host is only assembled to accomplish those tasks that no other imperial force could be trusted with and its warriors marched to war with a singular and implacable determination to enact the emperor's will the misery cordia when an aspirant ascends to the ranks of the adaptor's custodies he is presented with a beautifully fashioned knife known as a misery misericordia these weapons are filigreed with gold and seldright their hilts moulded to the owner's unique grip and their blades imbued with micromolecular dissonator spirits that allowed them to slice through the thickest armor as though it wasn't there at all more than a lethal sidearm the misericordia signifies something greater its traditional meaning is said to date all the way back to the darkest days of turin history when cruel warlords ruled by the blade alone these weapons of oppression were known as misericordia yet as the emperor led his armies of unification his custodians are believed to have co-opted the term for their own use no longer would the misericordia be a symbol of tyrannical rule instead it came to represent the right of the bearer to act as the arbiter of the emperor's judgment and to put to death those tyrants lunatics and demagogues who stood against him the misericordia still shows its wielder to be the emperor's sanctioned executioner yet since his four these blades bear a second glimmer meaning they have become weapons of vengeance to be turned upon those who betrayed the emperor and left him a broken shell every time a misericordia is plunged into a traitor's heart so it is said a minuscule measure of revenge is exacted on behalf of the emperor himself though the custodians are typically immune to such superstition there are those amongst their ranks who harbour the hope that if enough traitor blood is spilt with these blades it may in some way restore their master another school of thought the adherents of which are known as the miserians believe that through the wounds inflicted with mesoaccordia they will slowly bleed the great descendants of horus inflicting a death by a thousand cuts upon the black legion and their masters thus though custodians have the right to carry them as a recordia or not as they see fit it is rare indeed that they go to battle against the heretic astartes without these blades at their hips the shadow keepers borders of the dark cells there are terrible things locked away beneath the emperor's palace eldridge terrors from the depths of old night that could annihilate the imperium to the shadow keepers force the duty of standing guard over them until the end of time the shutter keepers hold the keys to the rune-locked portals hidden deep beneath the imperial path they alone know the ways by which the runic rocks may be disengaged the wards unbound and the sanctic circles breach they alone know these things must never happen for the dark cells hold such horrors at bay that mankind's sanity would not survive their release a full shield host is devoted to this grim responsibility over a hundred custodians patrolling the dark and silent corridors vigilantly watching over the last terrors of old night it is a task that would soon drive most men mad for though neither sight nor sound can escape the forbidden cells the air of those corridors is charged with dread a perpetual menace thickens the shadows and makes them crawl even the superhumans of the adapter's custodies are forever on edge in these dark ubriet for the sense of unspeakable threat never wanes it is a testament to the discipline and spiritual fortitude of the shadow keepers that they stand their ground unflinchingly sometimes for decades at a time the ranks of this shield host include many custodian wardens whose oaths of protection help them to focus upon a task at hand to the exclusion of all else the leaders of these forbidden centuries carry ancient weapons of mysterious provenance their use intended as a last resort should anything ever break free from the dark cells for ten thousand years the shadow keepers have performed their duty yet the coming of the great rift changed everything with the power of chaos spilling roar and seething into the spaces between the stars new abominations have come to light worse still are the cells that stand suddenly empty the entities and artifacts once contained within spirited away by some unholy force to curse the galaxy once more fearing the consequences of such dread remnants of the age of strife falling into the wrong hands the shadow keepers at last sent warriors out into the galaxy these jailers must tremel that which should not be slaughtering all who seek to impede them before returning their foul prizes to the sails where they belong the lock warden there have been many shield captains charged with mastery of the shadow keepers this appointment confers the title of lock warden a name that is born in perpetuity and garners solemn respect from every other member of the ten thousand the loch warden must be the sternest of all guardians the most unrelenting and alert jailer on the face of terror moreover should any creature or relic escape the dark cells or newly emerged threat need to be imprisoned therein it is the duty of the loch warden to personally oversee the operation the current incumbent of this position is shield captain bortha thirsk who has been lock warden for a century and a half he is a grim and frighteningly intense warrior whose utter fearlessness and steely vigilance make him ideal for this realm it speaks volumes about the dire condition of the galaxy the thirst left terror but twice before the breaking of the storm yet he has barely set foot there since the great rift yawned wide the quillin shield the gilded guardians certain servants of the emperor bear great responsibilities deemed directly relevant to the safety of terror such esteemed figures are afforded the protection of the aquiline shield at least until their usefulness is thought to be at its end as the doomsdires of the imperial palace sift the tides of the imperium for warnings of disaster they also take notes of those who through example fought or deed are likely to avert such catastrophes before they threaten the golden throne these fated individuals are honored with the protection of the aquiline shield for in this way a small band of custodians can ensure a significant martial or spiritual asset survives to act in the emperor's defense equivalent shields are an informal brotherhood laced through the ranks of the adaptive custodians they typically operate in small warrior bands journeying across the stars to stand watch over their charges wherever they may be no warning is given nor permission asked the warriors of the aquiline shield appeared as if from nowhere avatars of the emperor's will who announced their quality to be under the protection of the master of mankind such an honor is beyond compare and is never refused no matter the circumstances of the individual chosen the quillen shield have acted as bodyguards to high lords sorara task cannons lord inquisitors astra militarium generals and space marine captains they have even protected two crusade leaders bearing the title of war master staunchly ignoring the historic associations with he who first held that rank yet they have also appeared amidst flares of golden light to watch over fireband front-line preachers bewildered militia leaders and others of apparently little import the only unifying factor amongst them all is that while attending their duties beneath the gimlet gaze of the emperor's own guards these individuals are expected to achieve incredible things in the defense of the throne world they quill and shield fight to ensure such a future comes to pass shielding their charges from harm until the exact moment the usefulness of the person under their protection is deemed spent at that point they depart without a word leaving those they guarded to look to their own defense tragedy often follows but this is of no concern to the aquiline shield providing it does not jeopardize the safety of the golden throne the dread host instrument of the emperor's wrath fear is a familiar weapon to the imperium used to deter enemies and keep seizing populations in line yet there is no terror as pure and absolute as that invoked when the emperor's own fury is unleashed to punish his foes the dread host represents a breathtaking concentration of military might it numbers hundreds of custodians organized into multiple shield hosts and transported aboard a trio of pre-healthy warships known as the moradians the nature of this army is simple they are the deliverers of the emperor's judgment his anger and his punishment made manifest for them the pinpoint rapid strike the hidden war or the measured defensive action instead the assembled shield captains of the dread host identified the most visible and dramatic threats to the segmentum solar and unleash upon them such overwhelming annihilation that it sends shockwaves rolling through the warp itself sometimes one warship is set sometimes two only a handful of times in the entire history of the imperium of all three of them or aids loose their passengers against a single foe yet always the effect is the same spearheaded by dozens of alice custodians the dread host falls upon their victims with unstoppable force they slaughter their enemies warriors and reduce their war engines to wreckage they cast down their false idols and set them a flame they topple their cities sunder their strongholds and butcher their allies and followers they make grisly examples of those who dare lead such a challenge to the emperor's domain ignoring all attempts at surrender and foiling all bids at flight by the time the dread hosts are done with their war nothing remains of their chosen victims but the gruesome tales of their brutal demise at the emperor's hand the dread host has smashed awkward obliterated rebellious star systems and crushed traitor crusades they have fought against enemies thousands of times their number and humbled them through strategy speed and strength with every campaign they spread the terror of the emperor's wrath the breathtaking bloodshed and absolute destruction they leave in their wick has dissuaded hundreds of uprisings and invasions before they could even begin the sanctum of a thousand eyes the stronghold of the dread host rises to dominate an entire district of the imperial palace this armored bastion is lit with electro braziers an arc lumen of immense size all angles to underlying the 500 enormous eagle statues that line the sanctum's upper battlements each as large as a super heavy tank these ominous sculptures are posed in vigilant stances many staring up into the stellar gulf while the remaining peered down upon the thronging processionals below superstition runs rife that the eagles of the sanctum of a thousand eyes can perceive disloyalty no matter where it lies and that the emperor looks through their avian eyes to see the darkness in men's hearts to some extent this is true each eagle contains a complex array of long-range augers server to commutation banks and multi-spectral listening devices that feed floods of information down into the sanctum's data shrines this information is used by the dread host to isolate and annihilate threats to the golden throne the solar watch castellans of the blessed world the sol system is amongst the most heavily fortified of mankind's stellar holdings the adeptus custodies consider its worlds star forts and space lanes to be extensions of their masters paths and ensure that they are guarded accordingly from the vast orbital fortresses of luna to the cloud keeps of jupiter and the deep space star force of the halo belt humanity maintains hundreds of strongholds throughout the sol system billions of weapons point menacingly into the dark ghosts of space ready to unleash spectacular devastation upon any foolish enough to threaten mankind's seat of power armored towers and gargoyle festooned bastions loom over every approach sanctified against the foul machinations of the emperor's many foes entire fleets of imperial navy ships prowl the space lanes vigilant for the slightest threat yet perhaps the most formidable of all terror's outer defensive measures are the custodians of the solar watch consisting of several shield companies of varying strength the solar watch swear binding oaths to keep guard over the outer bastions of the throne world they see themselves as the first true line of defense for the imperial pass and believe that is their duty to ensure that no external threat ever makes it as far as terror to this end they constantly patrol routes between the worlds and void structures of the sol system ever vigilant for danger though they typically travel via naval craft and interstellar trade ships the solar watch maintain a formidable concentration of venerable land raiders and are typically able to deploy forces that are predominantly if not entirely mechanized this allows them to respond swiftly and with overwhelming force to any potentially threatening situation that may develop while such dangers are not common within the soul system they are certainly not unheard of the soda watch have been instrumental in bringing an end to demon-worshipping cults inquisitorial coups and subtle xenos incursions on every world by mars while their authority technically extends to the red planet the adaptus custodies are wise enough to maintain cordial relationships with the servants of the omnisire and so travel to that world only occasionally trusting the cult mechanicus to police its own deviance emissaries imperatives heralds of the golden throne in the days of the great crusade the emperor often entrusted crucial messages or artifacts to be borne by his custodians it is a duty they still fulfill now speaking with the authority of the master of mankind himself though the emperor has long been confined to the golden throne there are those amongst the ten thousand who claim to hear their masters voice during their meditations and to feel his hand guiding them to their comrades there is no implication of divine intervention in this for the custodies have never viewed the emperor as a god they merely see their leisure's indomitable will at work reaching out from his shattered frame to direct his praetorians as he did when he could still walk amongst the stars those who feel the emperor's guidance the keenest become emissaries imperatives they band together in like-minded groups and through discussion and meditation interpret what it is that the master of mankind wishes them to do with the tacit approval of the captain general they bear the emperor's words across the imperium to commanders who must hear them or occasionally unlock some ancient device from the past vaults and bequeath it to whichever champion can wield it best their words have redirected entire crusades and seeing threats intercepted and archaeotech riches won that might otherwise have passed the emperor's servants by for thousands of years the emissaries impale artists have been seen abroad but very in such numbers yet with the return of gilman and the commencement of the indomitus crusade their activity has increased considerably when the primark announced his intention to bear the secrets of the primary space marines to the loyalist chapters there was some resistance from the adapter's custodies who feared strengthening those who might one day rebel against the emperor once again yet dozens of emissaries imperative step forward to intercede stating that this was the will of the emperor they accompanied gilman's crusade many of them taking to the air as virtus praetors the quicker to deliver messages of reinforcement to the embattled space marines the presence of the adapter scustolis also ensured that even the most traditional chapters accepted the primaries warriors into their ranks one does not decline a gift from the emperor's own hand after all the eyes of the emperor though functionally immortal even the warriors of the adeptus custodes eventually tire some suffer physical hurts that impact upon their ability to perform their duties with lost limbs artificial eyes or augmented organs lessening their physical perfection others find their mental faculties begin to erode however slightly acknowledging that their reaction times or nemic awareness are not quite what they once were for the vast majority of warriors a tenth of a second reduction in the speed at which blows struck or parried might be considered negligible for a custodian it is error enough to necessitate their watch come to an end when a custodian judges himself no longer fit for duty he surrenders all of his equipment to the hall of armaments and vanishes into the void of the galaxy cladded in hooded black robes such noble exile still serves the emperor however for wherever they travel they observe some work alone dark and ominous figures slipping through the shadows of the emperor's realm others cultivate networks of informants and agents using fear and intimidation to secure compliance where loyalty and honour will not suffice should they bear witness to a situation developing that they believe might threaten terror or the emperor these watchers use secret channels to communicate a warning to the captain so general response forces of the adaptive custodies launch punitive and often preemptive strikes throughout the imperium forewarned of dangers by the eyes of the emperor quote and that we can see how the custodies are created the custodies were not like the thunder warriors who were not like the space marines not really thus under warrior's mere existence shows the necessity of the struggle on terror the level of its bitterness and difficulty for the thunder warriors were far mightier than their replacements to space marines they were creatures of savagery made to fight this war alone they were stronger faster more resilient and more aggressive than even the new primaries marines but they were physically and mentally unstable butchers from the outset in their very core the thunder warriors were the rank confirmed to the armies of the emperor for the unification wars but ever was eligio custody's his greatest hammer the master of mankind would never bleed his custodies as he would his other forces where he would send company after company of thunder warriors and later his astartes into breaches chasms and burning pits of hell tiring out and grinding down his foes where needed he never did this with his custodies they were precious to him in a way that only his primax would become later on even then few of the primarks could be said to be friendly or to know their father not so the custodies for they were not just warnings there were shining beacons of everything that humanity would become sterile of course as otherwise their very existence would threaten humanity to relegation the custodies are as different to the space marines as an artificer armor is to a flak vest for they are not made in bulk as are the space marines they are not the recipients of mere gene seed than trained to become weapons of war the custodies are the real deal the finished product they were trained in such ways as to be the very beating heart of the great crusade and shining beacons of what it was to be human they were the epitome of the imperial truth trained in art artifice theology history diplomacy and everything else surrounding the human condition minds are sharp as their blades wheels as honed and impregnable as the order might armor they wore things not just bashed out in numbers but lovingly forged into sublime perfection and each and every item they wield or wear as as special and unique as the custodies who employs them now no matter what you do today do try to make some time for fun too blue the custodians had moved through the ships with alacrity but diligence no one was spared their judgment traitor or loyalist they slaughtered all before them hunting down those who broke away from the squads efficient precise and utterly without mercy the custody flew all vox hails had been issued and open coms had been used throughout the entire ship the chapter master requested they stand down three times even implored in the last attempt but they simply ignored him and any other calls for clemency so the chapter master donned his helm and took his command staff out to meet the custodians in person or in battle it did not matter he would confront them before the last of his men were dead he had to try the wait was not long as they had made even more progress than the chapter master had thought he barely made it out of the first section before he could hear the bark of baltified and death he stood into the next main hall with his staff at his shoulders find out in a v formation he took off his helm as he saw three of the huge golden order might be demigods walked towards him seeing his rank they stopped but they did not raise or lower their weapons just held them with the marines in their sights the chapter master stepped forward open-handed and addressed them emperor's chosen warriors of the golden throne why you can see that we are fought against traitors you can see that we are loyal sons why one of the custodians shifted his feet and spoke you have been ambushed which means you have been betrayed which means you have spies amongst your number which means you are inept the two other custodians then opened fire expunging the command staff and the remaining marines before they could even take cover the few shots fired back were on target but they did not punch through the golden armor of the custodies the leader who spoke took three gargantuan steps forward and engaged the chapter master strikes were traded and to his credit the chapter master blocked and parried over a dozen attacks only to find he had been toyed with as at the last the custodian swept in and took both of his hands off at the wrist his sword and hands clattered to the floor as the custodian grabbed him by the neck and lifted him up an honor the marines suppose as he got to spit his final words why we are the enhanced warriors of the emperor we are like you why do you hate us so [Music] the custodian brought the marine in close as he stated flatly we are nothing alike [Music] we custodians are the flower of humanity warrior poets able guardians loyal but you you are starties you are broken things that have outlived your usefulness or would have had you not turned on your maker to us you are like the men of iron tools that think themselves are masters weapons that cut the hand that wields them you were made to fight and to die for your race for your emperor and you did not do as you were supposed to do you are beneath our contempt and with that the custodies tightened his grip and ended the chapter master the replacement and primaries gene seed for the knights of salamia would be returned to holy terror you

Channel: Baldermort's Guide to Warhammer

Views: 232,442

Keywords: ADEPTUS CUSTODES - The Bodyguards of the Emperor of Mankind in Warhammer 40000, ADEPTUS CUSTODES, Bodyguards of the Emperor of Mankind, Custodian Guard, The 10000 in Warhammer 40k, Warhammer 40K, Emperor's Bodyguards, Imperial Guards, Imperial Palace, Games Workshop, POWER ARMOUR, POWER WEAPONS, SPACE MARINES, Imperium of Mankind, Baldermort, Guide to Warhammer, Beginners guide to Warhammer, Custodes Lore, bacon, War, Story, Bed time story, Warhammer audio drama

Id: EJTalAddDo0

Length: 68min 38sec (4118 seconds)

Published: Fri Sep 10 2021

Reddit Comments

[u/Smurf_Sausage_Sucker]

This made me unspeakably happy when the YT notification popped up. Especially after seeing that it was one of his super long episodes. Went from a bad day to a good day in about an hour

[u/neverunderestimateme]

To see a video about Custodes makes me happy, to see a video from Baldermort makes me happy, to see Baltermort made a Custodes video? I was over joyed.