All of the Pyre Guard were Terran-born Space Marines, but still displayed the physical traits of onyx-black skin and red eyes, an irreversible reaction to the unique radiation of Nocturne combined with the genetic heritage of their Primarch, possessed by every Salamander, regardless of origin. As Terran-born sons of Vulkan, they did not always fully appreciate the earthy sentiments of the Nocturnean culture in which Vulkan had been raised, but they knew their duty deep within their genetically-enhanced bones. They were led by Artellus Numeon, a Terran-born Salamanders officer who also served as the First Captain of the Legion's elite 1st Company (the Firedrakes) and as Equerry to the Primarch. The Pyre Guard's fate following the Horus Heresy remains unknown, but like their contemporaries,