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“Today was a disgrace. Tomorrow, you’ll do better.”- Driller Kexie.

This page didn’t spend long enough in boot camp. Help the First and Only by training it to a higher standard, soldier.

Colonel Elim Rawne was the second officer of the Tanith First and Only. He was the highest ranked Tanith-born, and had command of 3rd Platoon and then B Company. Often dubbed Fething Rawne, he was famous in the regiment for his dark cynicism as well as his tactical nous and fighting skills. He was refered to as srahke by Eszrah, which in the old Nihtgane tongue means: the keen-ness of a newly whetted dagger's edge. Rawne was one of the Gereon 12.

Appearance[]

Rawne is described as having a slim, dangerously handsome face, and it has been obsereved that he resembles a dagger or a knife both in looks, as well as in personality. He has a lean, muscled physique, and stands a few inches shorter than many of the taller men in the regiment, such as Gaunt. Rawne has a blue starburst tattoo over his right eye.

Personality[]

For a long time, Rawne was seen as the dark side of the Tanith First, a deceitful, untrustworthy schemer who would do his job but not one who you would turn your back on. In the early days, he bore a pure hatred for Gaunt, and this was shared amongst the men of his much-maligned 3rd Platoon. He had a seemingly limitless cynical streak, and a dark, sarcastic wit.

However, as time went on his approach and attitude softened, although he continued to harbour serious misgivings about almost everyone, and was as brutal as always. His darker personality traits have more than once drawn the attention of manipulators, but each time his sense of his duty, never misplaced, has always kept him firm.

Early Life and Background[]

Not a great deal is known about Rawne's life on Tanith. He was a from a rich family of merchants and politicians , and grew up in Tanith Attica, but due to being a third son had no prospect of real power as part of the business. Instead, he indulged in what he has described as being a 'misspent youth', which involved a dubious familiarity with explosives.

Unable to advance himself further as part of the family, he joined the Tanith Attica Militia along with Murtan Feygor, where the two first met. The pair indulged in a highly fruitful racketeering operation, which only fell apart when the Imperium's call for arms was answered by the Elector.

Rawne signed up, as did Feygor, for the first founding, and was stationed on the Founding Fields when Tanith was attacked, where he shared a tent with Hlaine Larkin and Colm Corbec.

Animosity with Gaunt[]

Major rawne

For a long time, Rawne's main motivation in life was his feral hatred of Gaunt, a resentment born from his commanding officer's decision to pull the regiment from Tanith rather than let them fight to defend it. This resentment was demonstrated first by his attempt to kill Gaunt at Blackshard, and also by him openly stating that he would one day "kill Gaunt with his own hands" on a number of occasions.

This animosity, which saw Gaunt distrust his third officer intensely, often meant that Gaunt would not turn his back on Rawne or allow him a place in his circle of trust, such as during their trip on the Absolom. Gaunt referred to Rawne, and his third platoon "lackies", as malcontents. This worked both ways, with Third Platoon's hostility at their status in the eyes of the commander making them far more dangerous and unwelcoming, despite their effectiveness in the field and ruthlessness, as personified by the likes of Feygor and Meryn.

However, after serving for some time under Gaunt and admiring his command authority and respect for his men, Rawne's attitude started to soften, making him slightly more mellow and trustworthy in the eyes of Gaunt, until eventually the two men were able to share a drink at Cirenholm and began resorting to a first name basis. Eventually, Gaunt proved that Rawne had come around sufficiently in his eyes when he was picked as part of the Gereon 12 over the likes of Kolea and Daur.

After Gereon, despite one particular incident there, the two became, in Gaunt's words, "best friends".

History[]

Following the fall of Tanith, and with the First in transit, a trio of Tanith troops - Corbec, Milo and Rawne - visited Gaunt in his quarters to make clear the discontentment with the situation felt among the regiment. After a brief debate over the merits of not allowing the men to fight for their planet, Gaunt reeled them in by giving Corbec and Rawne officer posts and ranks. Based on his strength and charisma, he made Corbec a Colonel, and Rawne was made a Major due to his intelligence and fierce tongue, rationalising that since they were sent to speak to him, then they must be seen as the leaders among the troops. Dumbfounded, the new officers left Gaunt's rooms.

(Ghostmaker)

Fortis Binary[]

At the end of a six-month campaign of trench warfare on Fortis Binary, Rawne was, along with many other Tanith, isolated from the Imperial lines by a curtain of artillery fire set up by the Shriven and designed to destroy such units. He, along with the other Tanith and a detachment of Vitrian Dragoons who had been similarly separated, took part in the assault on the Shriven defensive positions which destroyed their Chaos artefacts and put an end to the campaign.

(First and Only)

Pyrites[]

180px-Elim Rawne

As portrayed by Lexicanum

After the Tanith's deployment on Fortis Binary ended, the regiment was sent to Pyrites for some much-needed leave. Whilst there, Rawne made a deal with local crime boss Vulnor Habshept kal Geel for illicit liquor, tobacco, and other black-market goods which he intended to sell on for a profit. Reneging on the agreement, Rawne murdered kal Geel and stole the shipment. Despite being pursued by kal Geel's henchmen, he was assisted by Colonel Corbec, who proceeded to issue the contraband to the Tanith men as a morale booster.

The Vermilion Conspiracy[]

In transit from Pyrites to Menazoid Epsilon aboard the Adeptus Mechanicus starship Absolom, Rawne was abducted by members of the rival Jantine Patricians regiment, who handed him over to Inquisitor Heldane who planned to psychically condition him as a sleeper agent. Fortunately for Rawne, he was rescued by his comrades before the process could be completed.

On Menazoid Epsilon, Rawne was one of the small group selected by Gaunt to be a part of the team sent to find out what the weapon desired by the Vermilion conspirators actually was. Due to his previous mental contact with Heldane, he was able to warn the group when the Inquisitor activated one of his other "assets," an old acquaintance of Gaunt's named Fereyd. This undoubtedly prevented the expedition's destruction, and likely saved the Sabbat Worlds Crusade a great deal of internal strife.

The Liberation of Gereon[]

During the Crusade's retaking of Gereon, Rawne participated in the battle to take control of Cantible. When Gaunt led a small squad off to make contact with the Gereon Resistance, Rawne remained behind in the town and commanded the regiment in his superior's absence.

Relationships[]

Jessi Banda[]

  • Rawne and Banda were in some form of relationship prior to Gereon. After the Gereon team was reported dead, Banda developed a relationship with Captain Meryn.
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