The Order of the Seraphim is the ruling theocratic hierarchy of the Covenant of the Ebon Creed. It is composed of transfigured war leaders, monarchs, and champions drawn from populations forcibly sanctified by the Creed. These individuals are remade into mechanized entities known as Seraphim, functioning as planetary governors, military commanders, and architects of tomb-world expansion.
The Order serves as both spiritual authority and operational command structure for the Creed’s genocidal sanctification campaigns.
Origins & History
The Order traces its origin to Mor’thelis, the first tomb world of the Covenant. In its early phase, the Creed operated as a ritualistic death sect honoring Deimos through structured rites of passing. Under the leadership of 'Prophet' Seraphiel, the sect radicalized, redefining sanctification as forced transcendence rather than voluntary passage.
The first Seraphim were selected from among Mor’thelis’ most formidable warlords and paladins. These individuals were forcibly converted through neural implantation and mechanized augmentation, binding their cognition to the Creed’s doctrine.
As the Covenant expanded beyond Mor’thelis, the Order institutionalized this practice. Every newly sanctified world yields candidates for transfiguration—typically those who demonstrated dominance, resilience, or martial capability prior to conquest.
Over time, the Seraphim became the permanent governing class of the Covenant.
Structure & Members
The Order is structured hierarchically:
- Seraphiel — First Prophet and Arch-Seraph, originating from Mor’thelis. Oversees galactic-scale doctrine and strategic direction.
- High Seraphim — Senior planetary priests responsible for coordinating multiple tomb worlds.
- Seraphim — Individual planetary rulers assigned to sanctified worlds.
- Lesser Seraphim / Sentinels — Subordinate transfigured entities with limited autonomy.
Selection into the Order is not voluntary. Candidates are chosen for strength, tactical intelligence, or symbolic importance within their native societies. Transfiguration integrates mechanized augmentation with preserved neural structures. In some cases, fragments of the original personality persist; in most, adherence to Creed doctrine overrides prior identity.
Seraphim are visually distinct from lesser Creed constructs. Their metallic plating is colored deep red, and the preserved skull fragments integrated into their cranial assemblies are similarly stained. Their forms vary depending on original physiology but conform to the Covenant’s aesthetic of skeletal reverence and mechanical ascension.
Purpose & Philosophy
The Order of the Seraphim exists to enact and perpetuate sanctification. Its doctrine frames planetary extermination as liberation from biological limitation and the divine sin that is life.
Each Seraph governs the transformation of conquered worlds into tomb worlds—overseeing population eradication, neural harvesting, atmospheric sterilization, and architectural conversion.
The Order teaches that only through forced transcendence can existence approach purity. While Deimos is invoked rhetorically, it is widely believed that the Covenant’s actions have instead fueled the emergence of the White Death, a new Khaos entity born of mass extinction.
The Seraphim do not debate doctrine. Their purpose is execution.
Significance & Connections
The Order of the Seraphim is the operational core of the Covenant’s expansion. Without the Seraphim, tomb worlds would not be constructed or maintained.
Seraphiel directs galactic-scale campaigns but does not micromanage planetary transformation. Individual Seraphim retain localized command authority, enabling rapid expansion and adaptation.
Externally, the Order is viewed as one of the most dangerous theocratic hierarchies in the galaxy. Their ability to convert powerful enemy leaders into mechanized instruments of extermination destabilizes resistance movements before they can reorganize.
Where a Seraph arrives, a world may not fall immediately—but it is already lost.