+++ Dawn Cometh - A Word Bearers Log +++

[BadgersinHills]

Nice work! The personalisation on the boltgun adds so much character. :) 

[Lexington]

Would it surprise you to know that Kor Va'Shoth is not the 'He' that line is referring to?....

 

Oh, you tease, you.

[Hungry Nostraman Lizard]

 

#bringbackmkii

 

 

 

 

 

Okay... So maybe it's not fully MK II, but it's the thought that counts, right? Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to get my grubby little paws on any full mkii marines from Forgeworld before they went out of stock. I haven't been giving my Horus Heresy Word Bearers much attention lately (that's a different log for a different day) but damn if I wasn't inspired by Kizzdoug's beautiful Mk2 Emperor's Child over on his log.

 

 So, with what few MK II bits I had lying around (just the head and shoulders,) I followed my inspiration and put together a rather standard line marine from a tactical squad. 

 

This wasn't really planned and we'll return to our regularly scheduled Chaos Worshipers in the 41st Millenium soon enough. 

 

This is giving me strong 'book 2, Word Bearers omnibus vibes', Love it.

[Noctus Cornix]

 

Ships sailorless lay rotting on the sea, and their masts fell down piecemeal:

As they dropp'd they slept on the abyss without a surge—

 

The waves were dead; the tides were in their grave, the moon, their mistress, had expir'd before;

The winds were wither'd in the stagnant air, and the clouds perish'd; 

 

Darkness had no need of aid from them

 

 

 

Sorry for the little delay there, folks. I had intended on getting in an update sooner, but I was hitting a brick wall for a little while. Got a good bunch of updates coming in the works. Looking forward to sharing with you guys!

 

 

@Ryltar Thamior: Man, you always give me so much to chew on and think about, which I always do sincerely appreciate. Of course, I can't go into exactly what I'm thinking... otherwise that would spoil everything. What I will say, though, is that something that was very important to me was trying to consider exactly how someone can think of Chaos in an idea of a religion. We always look solely to Chaos a present thing and what it has done to the galaxy in its historical context. However, every religion has some kind of 'beginning'. Clearly, the Gods were born, but they did not create this world. So, from a believer in the faith of Chaos purely see the Gods as solely a product of mortals? Was the universe just the result of the 'Big Bang'? This makes no sense to me. If the warp is supposedly the very life-essence of the divine, then clearly there must be a source. 

 

Of course, everything I produce here is largely a work of pure theoretical, but it's something I'm very fascinated in. I like the idea of those who are willing to look back and see the divine interwoven between reality and the warp. A 'God' that created both corporeal and the incorporeal. To my particular sect of Word Bearer fanatics and their followers, they believe in the radical concept in the same underlying idea as the Hindu Brahman, a formless sentience that weave all forms in visible reality. To these Word Bearers, it is referred to as Phaos, or simply 'The Will'  Which is why the Host refers to itself as the Host of the Grievous Will. It will also become apparent that this Host is largely recognized, even by other members of the Legion, as a Doomsday Cult in some fashion. Buuuut we'll get to that reason. ;)

 

@Kizzdougs: Thank you so much, man! It means a lot to me. Your works is also a sincere inspiration for my work, particularly when it comes to Horus Heresy stuff. I really hope my XVII Legion army comes out half as well as your Emperor's Children.

 

@Bjorn Firewalker: Would you believe me if I told you that he's just a standard lineman Tactical Marine. 

 

@Vazzy: Thank you so much for the love, brother!

 

@BadgersinHills: Thank you so much!

 

@Lexington: :D

 

@Hungry Nostraman Lizard: Any particular reason why this made you think of Dark Disciple? :)

[Hungry Nostraman Lizard]

OOOoooh! Are you getting onto the Battlefleet:Heresy train as well? 

It reminds me of the assault on the winter-bastion. I forget the name of it, but the Word Bearers come at it through a very strong blizzard, before disembarking from Land Raiders and Rhinos. I remember Reynolds describing it very vividly, the snow almost caking every inch of their armor immediately. I adore that you didn't do the back paneling in red, it's an excellent choice, if I do say so myself. 

[Noctus Cornix]

 

 

'The Madman's Pledge'

Hades-Class Heavy Cruiser of the Word Bearers Legion

Personal Vessel of Witch-Deacon Kor Va'Shoth

Flagship of the Pilgrim Flotilla 'Gor Go'Thoth'

 

 

A ferry for those who would take the Pilgrimage of Contrition. A Harbringer for the 'Eclipse of Dawn'. Her Presence brings not but tears. 

 

 

 

OOOoooh! Are you getting onto the Battlefleet:Heresy train as well? 

It reminds me of the assault on the winter-bastion. I forget the name of it, but the Word Bearers come at it through a very strong blizzard, before disembarking from Land Raiders and Rhinos. I remember Reynolds describing it very vividly, the snow almost caking every inch of their armor immediately. I adore that you didn't do the back paneling in red, it's an excellent choice, if I do say so myself. 

 

Weeeell, yes and no.  While I could certainly use all of these ships in 30k and there would largely be no difference between them, the intent in this thread is primarily for 40k. That being said, I do have a friend who has a 30k Ultramarines fleet... So him and I should definitely get a game in some time.. 

 

Now that you mention it, I do remember the scene you're referring to. I have a weird relationship with Anthony Reynolds' works in that I find them incredibly engaging, even when I find most of his characters to be entirely uninteresting and shallow at best. That being said, the particular scene you're referencing is probably one of my favorites in the book. 

 

Something about the way MK 3 armour looks with plain back paneling is just really evocative to me. It provides a more utilitarian look and also emphasizes the colored platings. It helps make them pop out more and feel more like... well, reinforced armour. Really glad you like them.

 

 

--------------

 

 

Aaaaand just for a little teaser to the next piece.

 

Edited November 2, 2020 by Noctus Cornix

[BadgersinHills]

Looking forward to it. Lovely stuff, the ship is great. :) 

[Hungry Nostraman Lizard]

Love the use of the decal on the prow. Excellent stuff, definitely. I'm liking what I'm seeing from the teaser.

[Midnightmare]

Very evocative fluff you have going for these guys; it really brings them to life.

 

The Witch-Deacon is immense! The epitome of chaos; he looks truly evil to the core and a worthy vessel for the pantheon. I like how the trophies look fairly ‘freshly’ added, though theskin parlour and blood looks dark enough to look like they might be starting to smell. Very grisly.

 

The new guy looks promising also! Again, very grisly, which I wholeheartedly approve of. War, especially Word Bearers war, is not pretty!

[Xin Ceithan]

I can't wait to see what's next. But it is the good kind of pain - the one that brings us closer to the gods! :)

 

Bonus points for using the Styx.

It is probably my favorite class from the Gothic game and I always felt that it's the vessel of choice for the serious warlord: fast, lance weaponary and ample launch capabilities for Thunderhawks and Boarding Pods.

[Zebulon]

Some great stuff here, found while I was looking for something else, and possibly in part stealing the thunder of something I am planning to post, but which you have done better and in more detail than I could have managed. So, damn you, but I come to praise you not to bury you! I will need to think darker and deeper if I should hope to aspire to this level of quality discourse.

[Noctus Cornix]

 

Cruelty.

 

It is the sober truth of the Legiones Astartes, a fundamental pillar of our nature. As tools of war, we are meant for battle, weapons meant to maim and murder. Yet we are not the cold algorithm of steel, born into this world with not but fire in our souls. We are born of man, children turned into killers. No matter how far our ascendancy from humanity rises, that core of our nature remains, twisted and honed into the foundation of our minds made for the ferocity of bloodshed. 

 

In Ritual, there is sacrifice, an offering of blood and of spirit. To some, it is seen as freedom when we deliver ourselves body and soul to the Gods and allow the Will of Phaos to flow through us. In melancholy we see our shackles as the slip of bondage, to know ourselves at the most basic and crude level. But it is a sacrifice nonetheless, for what humanity we have is stripped away, torn asunder when there is no use for it, and a man is less than he once was, an animal and a slave to the whims of cruel masters. 

 

For those of the Astartes, such truth is no different, that last vestige of morality and conscience slowly peeled from our minds to give way to such habits most pleasing to the Pantheon. To savor the kill, the murder and carnage, to dominate over others for but the simple thrill of that deifying moment.. Such things are come amongst those slaves to the Dark Gods, and duty gives way to cruelty. It is a curse of the Legiones Astartes sworn to the Dark Gods.

 

No Exceptions.

 

 

 

 

--------------------------------------

 

 

 

Brother Tor'Val of the Word Bearers Legion

Devout Warrior of the Grievous Will's Host

III Choir of Lord Vor'Gath's Quorum

Pict-feed taken at the 'Grief of Herodin' Culling

 

He takes no greater pleasure than in the chaos of senseless genocide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking forward to it. Lovely stuff, the ship is great.

Thank you so much!

 

Love the use of the decal on the prow. Excellent stuff, definitely. I'm liking what I'm seeing from the teaser.

Thanks, brother. Really looking forward to getting some more paint on the rest of my Chaos ships!

 

Very evocative fluff you have going for these guys; it really brings them to life.

The Witch-Deacon is immense! The epitome of chaos; he looks truly evil to the core and a worthy vessel for the pantheon. I like how the trophies look fairly ‘freshly’ added, though the skin parlour and blood looks dark enough to look like they might be starting to smell. Very grisly.

The new guy looks promising also! Again, very grisly, which I wholeheartedly approve of. War, especially Word Bearers war, is not pretty!

I honestly take this as the highest of praise, coming from the man of the Flesh Eaters. 

I genuinely couldn't be happier with how my Word Bearers have been coming out. It's been a long time coming and a lot of trial and error, but I'm finally fully satisfied with the overall level and quality of my work. 

 

The idea for the 'prayer scrolls' came from our old associate and member RazakelXIII and his truly grizly Word Bearers. Previously, I had just been painting my prayer scrolls just as parchment and it annoyingly blended too much with the skulls and bones already decorating the armour and base. After searching for inspiration, I ran across Razakel's old work. Tor'Val here was actually the prototype for the concept, so he didn't turn out quite as well as the others did, but I'm still happy with the result and outcome.

 

Essentially, the thought process is that my Word Bearers, much in the same tradition that loyalist Astartes mimic, adorn new prayers upon their armour before the even of each battle. Rather than mere parchment, colchisian runes are tattooed onto the skin of devouted slaves before the skin is 'cleanly' cut and peeled away to adorn the armour of the blessed warriors. There is no higher honour for such chattel. 

 

And you're right. War, and the war of the Word Bearers in particular, is a particularly gruesome and horrific thing. To me, Word Bearer are, in every way, more terrible and horrifying a creature than any of the other legions. Whenever I think of the XVII Legion, I remember the single line from AD-B's Betrayer. 

 

"Khârn loathed that smile, because this one wasn't false. It was the smile of a murderer, not a warrior. Fanatics smiled like that."

 

I can't wait to see what's next. But it is the good kind of pain - the one that brings us closer to the gods!

Bonus points for using the Styx.
It is probably my favorite class from the Gothic game and I always felt that it's the vessel of choice for the serious warlord: fast, lance weaponary and ample launch capabilities for Thunderhawks and Boarding Pods.

Yeah man. The Styx has always been my favorite of the Cruisers. But, then again, smallcraft carriers have always been a favorite of mine. 

 

Some great stuff here, found while I was looking for something else, and possibly in part stealing the thunder of something I am planning to post, but which you have done better and in more detail than I could have managed. So, damn you, but I come to praise you not to bury you! I will need to think darker and deeper if I should hope to aspire to this level of quality discourse.

Thank you so much, though I'm curious to know what you had in mind that I stole

Edited October 27, 2020 by Noctus Cornix

[Zebulon]

Thank you so much, though I'm curious to know what you had in mind that I stole

:) No theft, Selah... more fellow travelling. Doing the same sort of thing, but just better and in greater depth.

 

I was searching for posts relating to the Black Psalm warband, and of course there is much potential risk for them to be cast as Word Bearer clones; somehow I thus stumbled upon your current thread.

 

I am frequently most impressed by the literary and narrative skill of some posters on the B&C, and the intellectual depth of their work. I would number you among those posters.

 

Here meanwhile are my childlike and cartoonish musings on the Black Psalm, or the beginnings thereof. I hope to develop all of this, given time and leisure:

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/367276-the-black-psalm/

 

When I have models to show, I may repost some of this emerging Liber thread in the Forge, with my simple paintwork :tu:

Edited October 27, 2020 by Zebulon

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Excellent work on Tor'Val's model, and the accompanying narration. Is he sworn to Khorne, as the narration suggests?

[Vazzy]

Beautiful work as always brother!

[Ryltar Thamior]

Things look great , as per usual - and I definitely see what you mean viz. Phaos 

one thing to note, though - that's a Hades class heavy cruiser you've got there , not a Styx. 

 

[Xin Ceithan]

Things look great , as per usual - and I definitely see what you mean viz. Phaos 

 

one thing to note, though - that's a Hades class heavy cruiser you've got there , not a Styx. 

 

 

That is a bit embarrassing....

 

Now that you mention it, the model does indeed lack the launch bay bit  of the Styx. Of course, it might just be a bit of a deviant pattern or changed after all those years fighting the long war ?      

Edited October 29, 2020 by Xin Ceithan

[Midnightmare]

Turned out excellent, and as grim and dark as possible! Excellent read as ever too :tu: :tu:

 

As an aside, what are you using for snow? (Sorry if I missed it!)

Edited October 31, 2020 by Midnightmare

[MaliGn]

These are really coming together nicely! Excellent stuff.

[Noctus Cornix]

 

Before battle, the Word Bearers gather in ritual prayer, chanting blasphemous hymns and forbidden doctrine to affirm their faith in the power of Chaos. Often these chants will be answered and it is common for the Word Bearers to fight alongside hideous daemonic entities that have made diabolical pacts with the Dark Apostles.

 

The Word Bearers then raise their damned standards high and march into battle beneath cursed icons, bellowing catechisms and canticles of hatred at their foe as hideous drums beat out a dolorous thunder. The relentless advance of the Word Bearers is a terrifying sight, as the monotonous chant and beat of drums can break even the strongest will. The night before battle, the enemy can hear dark mutterings emanating from all around, echoed in the pounding drums, stretching the nerve and instilling every man with fear.

 

The unshakeable belief of the Word Bearers that they alone can save the galaxy has seen them marching towards certain death, yet unwilling to take a single step backwards. Any victory won over the Word Bearers is only won at a terrible cost, as their attacks will only ever end when all are dead.

 

From the Index Astartes: Word Bearers

 

 

 

 

Icon Bearer Gro'Vaar of the Word Bearers Legion

Devout Warrior of the Grievous Will's Host

III Choir of Lord Vor'Gath's Quorum

Pict-feed taken at the 'Grief of Herodin' Culling

 

His throat was slit by Aeldari Corsairs. Now, his mechanical roar lends the the Choir's dirge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you so much, though I'm curious to know what you had in mind that I stole

No theft, Selah... more fellow travelling. Doing the same sort of thing, but just better and in greater depth.

I was searching for posts relating to the Black Psalm warband, and of course there is much potential risk for them to be cast as Word Bearer clones; somehow I thus stumbled upon your current thread.

I am frequently most impressed by the literary and narrative skill of some posters on the B&C, and the intellectual depth of their work. I would number you among those posters.

Here meanwhile are my childlike and cartoonish musings on the Black Psalm, or the beginnings thereof. I hope to develop all of this, given time and leisure:

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/367276-the-black-psalm/

When I have models to show, I may repost some of this emerging Liber thread in the Forge, with my simple paintwork

 

Didn't the Black Psalm have an array of gorgeous looking tanks in the Imperial Armour 13? For some reason, I can't seem to locate my copy of the book so I couldn't cheek. I think the general concept of Chaos as a real religion is often overlooked in 40k and narrators usually just gloss over it. Word Bearers and their form of faith would, naturally, be the most common standard. I could certainly see the Black Psalm, if they had some kind of connection to the XVII Legion, could certainly have some overlapping values. 

 

Really great stuff though, man. You should keep it up and see what you can make of it!

 

Excellent work on Tor'Val's model, and the accompanying narration. Is he sworn to Khorne, as the narration suggests?

Haha. Again, as with the tactical marine, he's a standard Word Bearer and so follows all of the Gods equally.  

 

 

Beautiful work as always brother!

Your support is always appreciated, brother!

 

Things look great , as per usual - and I definitely see what you mean viz. Phaos 

one thing to note, though - that's a Hades class heavy cruiser you've got there , not a Styx. 

   Ahem... Ah... Yes.. Well, you see, I did that entirely intentionally. It was a test, you see... To ahh.... see who would notice it and catch that first. You passed, the test... yes.. test...

 

 

Things look great , as per usual - and I definitely see what you mean viz. Phaos 

one thing to note, though - that's a Hades class heavy cruiser you've got there , not a Styx. 

 

That is a bit embarrassing....

 

Now that you mention it, the model does indeed lack the launch bay bit  of the Styx. Of course, it might just be a bit of a deviant pattern or changed after all those years fighting the long war ?      

Shhhhh........ 

 

Turned out excellent, and as grim and dark as possible! Excellent read as ever too

As an aside, what are you using for snow? (Sorry if I missed it!)

Valhallan Blizzard from Citadel's technical paints. I swear by this damn things. It's amazing. 

 

These are really coming together nicely! Excellent stuff.

Thank you kindly, brother!

Edited November 2, 2020 by Noctus Cornix

[Hungry Nostraman Lizard]

You make me want to give the XVII another try. I did two color recipes that I wasn't content with, looking back on them.

[MegaVolt87]

Thats a good mod on the new CSM shoulderpad trims. I'll keep that in mind for future reference. 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Excellent work on Gro'Vaar's model.

[Noctus Cornix]

You make me want to give the XVII another try. I did two color recipes that I wasn't content with, looking back on them.

Well, I certainly wouldn't recommend mine! While I do absolutely adore the completed product, I will whole-heartedly admit that it takes forever and is an absolute pain in the ass to produce. I would absolutely love to see you do some Word Bearers though, man.

 

Thats a good mod on the new CSM shoulderpad trims. I'll keep that in mind for future reference. 

Sorry, but I'm not entirely sure what you're referring to. What mod? :huh:

[Xin Ceithan]

That is some seriously brutal looking icon bearer! Great work!

 

and yes, there is That tingling to do Word Bearers! (...and Night Lords...and Iron Warriors... aaaand.... maybe a cold shower .  )

 

Edit: Auto correction Servitor+++flensed++++

Edited November 3, 2020 by Xin Ceithan