Tactical Marine Squad Leader - Ashen Shrikes

9th Ashen Shrike piece
--------------------Lore---------------------
Battle Brother Passeris

The "Marred One"

Squad leader of Ashen Shrikes Tactical Marine squad 1 but also de facto leader of the Ashen Shrikes

-----------------BORING HISTORY----------------
The chapter known as the Ashen Shrikes, were originally designated not as a full Astartes operated force. Rather it was a small experimental group with just a single company of Asartes at its core and the majority of its operating forces were comprised of non-Astartes crew and troops. 

The idea behind the creation of this unorthodox force was as follows. While the Astartes are far superior than mere mortals, their numbers are not readily able to be replenished due to the rather complex process and the time required to produce a single Astartes. Not to mention, sometimes, they do not have access to quality candidates to be turned into Astartes nor do they have readily available means to arm the Astartes to full capacity. On the other hand, mortals are readily available where ever there are colonies big enough for the Chapter to be there protecting in the first place and their arms are also readily available. And so, the idea follows that the bulk of the forces would be from a "renewable" source with the Astartes acting as a force multiplier or the precision strike force aiding the bulk of the force. 

And so, the Chapter was created as sort of small but effective, low maintenance peacekeeping force that operates beyond the reaches of "civilisation" and along the outskirts of the galaxy, aiding the few colonies sprinkled through out the stars from dangers of Eldar pirates and the occasional small scale WAAARGH. And if all else fails, at the very least act as a hindrance to any greater threat and buy valuable time to assemble a force in proper response

And so, the chapter operated in the Southern fringes of the galaxy pretty much under independent self-operations, year after year, carrying out their duties for Humanity and the Emperor. Year after year of thankless duty, carrying out these almost-menial tasks. Tasks that the Imperium has deem inconsequential enough to just relegate this tiny, not even full-chapter strength force. Year after year of sustaining the existences of those whom the Emperor seem to have forgotten. Year after year of running on minimum supplies, fighting the ever-present attrition. Year after year of brothers, both Astartes and mortals, dying to xenos raids, their lives snuffed out with no one else to remember them by, no one else knowing that they have ever existed, no stories nor sagas to be told to the future generations. 

And so. Those that had enough mutinied and threw down those that doggedly adhered to the "glory" of the thankless Imperium and the Emperor. And in a single fell swoop that was planned and orchestrated over a month, the Loyalists were wiped out, leaving enough behind to deceive anyone that came looking that the chapter that existed before has been wiped out completely. And those that remained threw away their original chapter name and colors given to them by the Imperium and was born anew as the Ashen Shrikes.

Now they sail across the stars, travelling through the fringe, forging their own paths and writing their own sagas.

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Features:
Bolter and Combat Blade - Armed with a standard bolter and combat blade, modified to the suitings of the wielder. The bolter has added ventilation port and an attached cord foregrip, useful for managing recoil while being light and compact. The long combat blade has been blackened to reduce its reflectiveness and, just like many of the older Astartes members of the Ashen Shrike, the pommel of the blade is colored red, a color that has come to signify fratricide, crime of killing a brother, in remembrance to those that they once called battle brothers that died in the rebirth of the chapter.
Modified Armor - The standard Astartes Power Armor has been modified to suit the user. Most tactical squads have opted out to slim down their leg armor to allow faster and nimbler movement which they deem to be more important than just brute protection in firefight. To compensate, the armor in the torso and arms have been reinforced upon.
Helmet - A single stripe running down the helmet denoting the position of a Squad Leader. Passeris personally wears a single red smear across the face of the helmet as reminder to himself of the major role he played in the deadly rebirth of the chapter. He wears the mark as both a reminder and of personal penance for all the lives lost in that incident. In addition, Passeris as well as few other members of the chapter, has modified their helmets to resemble a Mark 4 helmet worn by the previous Squad 1 leader. He was a figure that many looked up to, more importantly as a mentor to Passeris(and thus, de facto, naming Passeris as his successor). And many mourn that he did not live to see through the rebirth of the chapter which he had initialized.
Trophy rack - A "trophy rack" composed of a simple metal spike running through the skull of the former Chaplain of the chapter, an Astartes that Passeris both respected and hated. Respected for his charisma but also hated due to his blindly dogmatic ways. The Chaplain had originally wanted Passeris to become his pupil, to eventually replace him when the time arises but the more he tried to educate him, the more he saw the hypocrisy of it all. Passeris killed the Chaplain during the rebirth but not before the Chaplain had killed his mentor. Now skull rests above him as a reminder of the lie that is the Imperium and the holy Rosarius have been desecrated and scavenged as nothing more than a piece of gear that acts as a makeshift iron halo. 

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So the first full body representation of an Ashen Shrikes Astartes. It was... pretty fun drawing it. it took a while because i took so much time on and off but i got, honestly, the bulk of it done within the last 3 days. i took a new approach where i decided i should vary the line weight and it gave out a much more clear and distinct picture. so distinct that i didnt see the need to shade it to make parts pop out more. which i think resulted in a more crisp presentation. honestly, my shading methods were pretty sloppy because they were just means to an end. i dont know why ive never tried it before. i guess it was the OCD kicking in, telling me that all lines should be the same. i mean, ive seen comic books before and i knew that people did that. i dont know why i would only try that in earnest now. its not like ive been drawing most of my life or anything. duh.

anyways. as you can see, a LOT of story behind this one, not just lore but all the trinkets and the color he wears. i really wanted to embody the key feature that is the Ashen Shrikes which is quick and tactical. And he is just basically a nobody. No thunderhammer, no powersword, no heavy bolter, no alien tech. Just basic down to earth rifleman. because thats what matters tactically. of course that is not to say the rest of the chapters are all range-inclined. but he is the baseline that all others work off from.

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I am open for more commissions. 
Check out the following link to see more details if you are interested yourself
www.deviantart.com/mistymiasma…

You can also check me out on twitter twitter.com/DiceyJune
where I will most likely be uploading stupid joke pictures.