Merek Grimaldus

Merek Grimaldus is Reclusiarch of the Black Templars, a Space Marine Chapter descended from the Imperial Fists. The Chapter keeps no single home world. He is also called the Hero of Helsreach. High Marshal Helbrecht noted him as the youngest Black Templar raised to Sword Brother. After the Battle of Fire and Blood on Pelegeron IV he was inducted into the Reclusiam and mentored by Mordred, whom he later succeeded as Reclusiarch. He took his vows before the broken Sword of Dorn aboard the battle barge Eternal Crusader.

In the Third War for Armageddon, dated from 998.M41, Helbrecht charged him with the Helsreach Crusade, his first command as Reclusiarch. He led a hundred Black Templars in the defence of Hive Helsreach against millions of Orks. The last stand was at the Temple of the Emperor Ascendant, which collapsed in the fighting. A day later he crawled from the ruins with the temple’s relics; his Reclusiam Command Squad was destroyed and not reformed. At the Season of Fire the hive named him Hero of Helsreach. He then remained on Armageddon to aid the Celestial Lions, fought in the Second Mannheim Siege in the Mannheim Gap near Hive Volcanus, and later left with Helbrecht in the pursuit of Ghazghkull Thraka.

He has crossed the Rubicon Primaris and become a Primaris Space Marine. On Hevaran, in a year not recorded, he accompanied Helbrecht and the Emperor’s Champion Bloheim when a shard of Rogal Dorn’s armour was recovered. In the Season of Blood, in M42, he returned to Hive Helsreach with Helbrecht’s approval and led its defence. He remains Reclusiarch in the Era Indomitus. A plasma pistol he carries is recorded as recovered from an Imperial Fists sergeant who saved his life on Alfava Metraxis.