Saint Celestine

Celestine first rose to prominence as a Sister Repentia of the Order of Our Martyred Lady during the Palatine Schism. At Eurytion she fought at the head of a doomed assault and cut down scores of heretics before falling with the other Repentia. Her Sisters recovered her body and discovered that life still remained within her. By the following day every wound had vanished. Celestine returned to battle and led the renewed attack that shattered the defenders within hours. She became the figurehead of the Palatine Crusade before traveling to Sanctus Lys and entering a hidden shrine once visited by Saint Katherine. At dawn she emerged bearing the Ardent Blade and clad in Saint Katherine’s armour. Lord Ansgar proclaimed her a Living Saint and Celestine thereafter led Imperial armies through successive Wars of Faith.

Celestine was eventually lost on Forrax when a renegade warmaster destroyed his own fortress with an atomic weapon. Her service did not end there. She returned in later centuries whenever the Imperium faced desperate wars and appeared during the Promethean War on Heletine where she led Imperial forces against the Black Legion and personally struck down the Daemon Prince Gralastyx. Each return demanded that Celestine endure a terrible spiritual trial before reclaiming mortal form. She repeatedly accepted that burden and returned to war whenever her duty called her back.

During the Thirteenth Black Crusade Celestine appeared on Cadia and became one of the principal leaders of its defense. She restored the fallen Canonesses Eleanor and Genevieve as the Geminae Superia and later fought Abaddon the Despoiler beneath the Cadian pylons. When the pylons suppressed the powers of the Warp Celestine was stripped of much of her miraculous strength but continued fighting him as a mortal warrior. Cadia ultimately fell. Celestine then guided survivors including Belisarius Cawl and Inquisitor Katarinya Greyfax through the Webway and onward to Macragge. She fought during the restoration of Roboute Guilliman and later accompanied the Terran Crusade toward the Throneworld.

Appearance: Saint Celestine has fair peach skin and a tall athletic build with broad shoulders and long legs. Her eyes glow solid white. Her short black hair falls around her jaw in straight layered sections with blunt bangs across her forehead.

She wears ornate gold power armor with broad shoulder plates and a sculpted breastplate. A red armored corset section covers her abdomen with a vertical black inset and a small skull ornament near the top. Gold forearm guards protect her arms while layered gold thigh plates and segmented greaves cover her legs. Fleur-de-lis emblems and skull motifs decorate several armor sections.

Large white feathered wings extend from her back with thick gold edging along the upper structure. A circular golden halo rises behind her head with long pointed rays around its rim. Red fabric panels hang from her waist and trail behind her between sections of the armor.

Personality: Celestine is utterly devoted to the Emperor but her faith is not born from ignorance of fear or suffering. Every return forces her to confront pain and doubt before she can take up her duty again. She accepts martyrdom because she believes her life belongs in service to humanity rather than because she is incapable of fearing its cost. Celestine is compassionate toward the faithful and places herself directly in danger when others require protection. On the battlefield her presence is commanding and uncompromising. She expects courage from those around her because she demands the same from herself.

The Geminae Superia are Celestine’s closest companions in battle. Eleanor and Genevieve were Canonesses of the Order of Our Martyred Lady before Celestine restored them on Cadia and accepted them as her champions. Katarinya Greyfax initially regarded Celestine with deep suspicion and considered the reverence surrounding her dangerously close to idolatry. Their shared campaigns gradually changed that relationship. Greyfax fought beside Celestine through Cadia and Macragge and the journey to Terra before finally accepting that the Living Saint was not an enemy of the Imperium. Celestine treats the Emperor as the source of her purpose and repeatedly follows visions that she believes carry His will even when the path leads directly into overwhelming danger.

As a Living Saint Celestine possesses abilities far beyond those of an ordinary human. She can manifest great wings that carry her through the air and radiates an aura capable of inspiring Imperial warriors around her. Her presence can turn collapsing formations back toward the enemy and strengthen the resolve of the faithful. Celestine can channel searing holy power against her enemies and has repeatedly returned after being slain. Resurrection is not immediate or effortless. Her spirit must endure a realm of suffering and prove itself before she can return to physical existence.

Celestine is also an exceptional swordswoman with centuries of warfare behind her. Her principal weapon is the Ardent Blade which she recovered from the crypt on Sanctus Lys. The long double-edged sword can unleash torrents of flame in addition to serving as a devastating close-combat weapon. She originally emerged from the shrine wearing the golden Armour of Saint Katherine and continues to enter battle clad in ornate power armour suited to the protection of a Living Saint. Even when her supernatural gifts are suppressed Celestine remains an experienced Sororitas warrior capable of facing enemies through training and sheer resolve alone.