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Once more, there was a rumbling in the fortress. What was rumbling, few could identify. It was not anything tangible to be felt, and produced no noise to be heard, even to the genehanced ear of an Astartes, or one of the many xenos species that maintained something akin to an embassy. No, it was not a rumbling that any scientist would call such, nothing seismic or mechanical. It was a call, however, and those that needed to hear it, did. A psychic summons, from the Deepest, Darkest Depths of the Liber. And it would be terrible to behold. =][= Hail brothers and sisters of the Liber! Once again the Liberalia has come around and we have ourselves the honour of being the centre of attention. Regardless, I would like to ask both Liberites and other members of B&C to dust off any old DIYs they have and give them another shot. Now's the time to crank out the old creativity. The IRON GAUNTLET returns! After four years gone, it returns once more- with thanks to @Olis for running it back in 2017, and @Dosjetkafor the 2020 running of the Gauntlet, - and a welcome sight it is. Now, of course, just entering is not enough! There is an expectation that we will have members who will accomplish all five challenges. If the old Iron Gauntlets are anything to go by, they will number few indeed! But, certainly, those who push themselves and achieve all that is asked of them, then they shall be rewarded with a specific and unique badge. But do not be daunted. This is supposed to be fun... in a roundabout way. If you think you can only complete specific challenges, then only enter those ones. There is nothing here saying that you must complete them all or automatically fail. Do what you can. Just remember the idea is to push yourself. To register for this Challenge or any others make the following statement: I, <your name>, of the <Chapter/Warband/Regiment/Klan/Craftworld/Sept/Legio/Gang/other organization name> take up your Challenges. I vow, before my brothers and sisters of the B&C to complete Challenge <challenge number> and submit it to the Liber before the deadline. I vow to support my fellow challengers to the best of my ability. May the Emperor/the Dark Gods/Gork and Mork/Hive Mind/other 40k deity/Brother Argos curse me if I fail. [Please leave a link to your article so I can update the first post.] The Challenges: Challenge the First * Bronze: Complete a 1,000+ word article describing the origins and history of your organization and post constructive criticism in other DIY threads; * Silver: Complete a 2,000+ word article describing the origins and history of your organization and post constructive criticism in other DIY threads; * Gold: Complete a 3,000+ word article describing the origins and history of your organization and post constructive criticism in other DIY threads. -> Duration: 17th March – 17th May (2 months) Note: The format of your article is not strictly relevant, though it is encouraged to follow the usual DIY guidelines. (If you're not familiar with the article types, check out @Brother Tyler's article template thread linked here. I also encourage you to check out the rest of Liber Resources if you're stuck for ideas and/or looking for some solid advice from renowned Liberites of old.) Challenge the Second * Bronze: Fully assemble, paint and base a Kill Team (at minimum: three models) representing your organization; * Silver: Fully assemble, paint, and base a Combat Patrol (at minimum: one CHARACTER, one BATTLELINE, and one additional unit) representing your organization; * Gold: Fully assemble, paint, and base a Strike Force (at minimum: one HQ, one BATTLELINE, and five additional units) representing your organization. -> Duration: with 17th May – 17th July (two months) Note: If your organization represents an Aeronautica Imperialis, Adeptus Titanicus, Blackstone Fortress (BSF), Legiones Imperialis, or Necromunda organization, use the following tiers: * Bronze: Fully assemble, paint and base a Flight (at minimum two Aeronautica aircraft), a single Titanicus Titan, a Banner (at minimum three Titanicus Knights), [LI I’m not familiar with, if you’re doing them, let me know and I’ll figure something out], half an Exploration Team (at minimum two BSF Adventurers), half a Hostile Swarm (at minimum four BSF Hostiles), OR a demi-Gang (at minimum four Necromunda Gangers); * Silver: Fully assemble, paint and base a Squadron (at minimum four Aeronautica aircraft), a demi-Maniple (at minimum two Titanicus Titans), a Lance (at minimum six Titanicus Knights), [LI I’m not familiar with, if you’re doing them, let me know and I’ll figure something out], an Exploration Team (at minimum four BSF Adventurers), a Hostile Swarm (at minimum eight BSF Hostiles), OR a Gang (at minimum eight Necromunda Gangers); * Gold: Fully assemble, paint and base a Group (at minimum six Aeronautica aircraft), a Maniple (at minimum four Titanicus Titans), a Household (at minimum nine Titanicus Knights), [LI I’m not familiar with, if you’re doing them, let me know and I’ll figure something out], a reinforced Exploration Team (at minimum six BSF Adventurers), a reinforced Hostile Swarm (at minimum twelve BSF Hostiles), OR a reinforced Gang (at minimum twelve Necromunda Gangers); Challenge the Third * Bronze: Post a battle report of a game you played with your organization force created in Challenge #2; * Silver: Post a battle report, with EITHER pre- and post-battle fluff (500 words each) OR turn-by-turn photos/maps, of a game you played with your organization force; * Gold: Post a battle report, with pre- and post-battle fluff (500 words each) AND turn-by-turn photos/maps, of a game you played with your organization force. -> 17th July to 17th August (1 month) The Penultimate Challenge * Bronze: Create a dataslate (converted and painted model, fluff, custom rules and stats) representing a notable character from your organization; * Silver: Create two dataslates representing two notable characters from your organization; * Gold: Create three dataslates representing three notable characters from your organization. -> Duration: 17th August to 17th September (1 month) The Final Challenge * Bronze: Write a story about your organization that is between 1000 and 1999 words in length; * Silver: Write a story that is between 2000 and 2999 words in length; * Gold: Write a story that is 3000+ words in length. -> Duration: 17th September to 17th December (3 months) And finally, I'd like to wish you all the best of luck for the upcoming challenges! Remember to push back the boundaries of what you thought you could achieve and, most importantly, have fun! P.S. If you have an issue or question and you haven't gotten a reply in a couple of days from one of the Mods, feel free to send a PM to the Moderators on the list below (make sure to include them all in the PM so whoever sees it first can answer): @Brother Cambrius @Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch @Kelborn @Lysimachus A note on organization: Fraters’ vow posts will be linked in the main post Fraters’ vow posts are asked to have links to each of their threads elsefora, through the entire challenge This is to help the organizer keep track of who’s doing what challenge, etc Threads for the other challenges will be linked in the main post Frater are also asked to tag their threads with 'Iron Gauntlet 2024' for sorting/ease of searchbar use Best of luck to any and all who choose to participate! I look forward to seeing your DIYs!

This is not my submission for the Liber Martiale, but just a rough draft of ideas for the challenge. Once I get a chance to refine and put more detail, I will be fleshing this out Bluebeak Kindred Based out of the the Warsphere Gio’co’cyks, loosely translates to Void Runner A mercenary warband that maintains close relations to the Dal’yth sept. Due to their evolutionary predilections, the Bluebeaks have a particularly close relations to the Earth Caste of that sept. Bluebeak warriors have fought alongside the Dal’yth cadres on numerous occasions. Bluebeak warriors have integrated both the primitive guerilla tactics of their race with the Kauyon philosophy. Bluebeak Carnivores and Dal’yth Pathfinders work together to combine traps such as punji pits and rope lures with seeker missile strikes and Firesight ambushes. The Bluebeaks, while eschewing most technological development, do have a preference for tinkering with looted or gifted technology. This comes in the form of modifying weapons, bionics, and personal gadgets. The Flesh Shapers have directed this aspect of the kindred. Whilst the traits of deadly predators and brawny herd animals are still sought after, the Kindred has a affinity for hunting and consuming the traits of logical prey. The Bluebeaks have been known to hunt scientists, engineers, and technicians of other species. The Gio’co’cyks is currently on the dark side of the Great Rift. It was sent as a scouting expedition of the wider galaxy, a joint venture between the kindred and Dal’yth. The expedition was trapped in Imperium Nihilus shortly after the establishment of the Great Rift, and now seeks a path through back home to the Empire Due to a fragmentation within Imperium Nihilus, the expedition has been able to venture deep within certain Imperial sectors. The expedition has to fight for resources, relying on mercenary work with fringe Imperial and alien enclaves to stay supplied Water Caste agents have used this work to recruit forces into the Greater Good, replenishing the forces of the expedition I want to use this as a chance to create a DIY alien auxiliary race When necessary, the expedition has had to resort to piracy. Their raiding of an outpost of the Lareso IX forge world has pulled the expedition into conflict with the Mechanus and their allies As a joint venture, the Gio’co’cyks was retrofitted by the T’au. Though primarily a Kroot force, a Contingent of Dal'yth Cadres is onboard. With the agreement of the Bluebeaks Shaper council, the Earth and Air Caste retrofit a section of the Warsphere to be suitable for T’au habitation. A hanger for a wing of fighter aircraft alongside a single Manta Kroot void weaponry has been supplemented by hidden railgun and ion cannon batteries The Fire Caste Contingent is primarily focused around Stealth cadres, though a few Armoured and Retaliation Cadres are onboard as a heavy reserve. The T’au remain hidden within the Warsphere as protection against the Imperium. Whereas Kroot mercenary forces have been able to traverse the fringes of the Imperium, it was feared that the T’au presence would draw unwanted attention. The Gio’co’cyks also has sections for a Contingent of Vespid Strains Though the Bluebeaks are close to the T’au, they remain wary of giving the Earth Caste full access to the inner working of the Warsphere. This has led to some tension between the shaper council and the T’au leadership. Conversely, some of the Kindred feel that this close relationship threatens the sovereignty of the Kroot as a whole. Alongside the Gio’co’cyks, the expedition also includes a trio of T’au retrofitted Gue’la escorts: 2 Claymore Corvettes and a Carrack Transport. These vessels were captured and modified by the T’au to escort the Gio’co’cyks into Imperial space. They are manned by Gue’vesa born into the empire to ensure loyalty, alongside an Air Caste command Corp. Much like the Gio’co’cyks, much of the native weaponry of these vessels has been supplemented by T’au firepower. Heavy automation allows for a reduced crew load. Contingents of Gue’vesa infantry are carried by each vessel, ready to reinforce their allies in surface operations. Due to a lack of Navigators and ignorance of Warp Drives, the escorts are instead towed with gravitic hooks by the Warsphere.

I, twopounder, of the Obsidian Angels take up your Challenges. I vow, before my brothers and sisters of the B&C to complete Challenge The First and submit it to the Liber before the deadline. I vow to support my fellow challengers to the best of my ability. May the Emperor curse me if I fail. Chapter Names: Order of Obsidian, Obsidian Angels Home world: Serran Founding: NA/Unofficial Legion: Dark Angels Colors: Obsidian, Gold, Granite From the Ashes After the destruction of their home world Caliban, the surviving marines of the first legion had multiple catastrophes to handle. Their planet and recruiting world was gone, their gene-father was missing, half their number were traitor, dead or missing and the flames of heresy still consumed the galaxy. While commanders were preparing the remains of the legion to secrecy about the events of Caliban and summoning resources to fight in The Scourging, a small few chapter masters and the forge lords gathered to discuss a matter of secrecy equal to Luther's betrayal. When the Dark Angels first departed Terra to pave the way for the Emperor's Great Crusade, they were secreted weapons forbidden to the rest of humanity. So dangerous were these devices that none of the Emperor's sons were ever trusted to know of their existence. This arsenal increased yet further when Jonson took command of the legion and their vaults stretched across the galaxy. The gravity of the censure from possessing these weapons would be severe and the consequences of the weapons being turned upon loyal forces, dire. While plans were being made to track down the traitors of the legion, Chapter Master Callan Gehl met with Forge Masters Lukha Verenz and Therrus Fell about this concern. This would come to be known as the Tripacta Sovereignty Council and set into place the framework for the future of collaboration between the First Legion and what would become its successor chapters. Though the Codex Astartes had not yet been declared by Guilliman, nine-hundred and fifty seven warriors with knowledge of the Dark Angel's forbidden weapons were assembled into a self-sufficient force tasked with three protocols to adhere for chapter operations: 1) Retrieve all weapons and wargear owned, branded or claimed by the First Legion prior to the betrayal at Caliban. 2) Destroy any incriminating evidence that cannot be secured 3) Pursue anyone that possesses this forbidden technology The legion officially declared this chapter XVII, The Order of Obsidian and provided them with most of the forbidden technology that remained in the Tower of Angels. There was concern already of an investigation into the debris field of Caliban, and the Dark Angels were not willing to risk additional incrimination for their artefacts. Master Ortoro Sebastian was promoted to the rank of Grand Master and commissioned as the first to lead the chapter into its crusade for the lost relics. While the bulk of the legion prepared for the long war against the forces of the dead warmaster, the Order of Obsidian departed in a separate fleet to their first target. Aside from caches known to the legion masters, several additional sites listed in Jonson's personal logs. The planet Serran was visited by Jonson and was noted to have a technology vault suitable to sustain a significant force. Discovery of Serran Three months after their departure from Caliban the Order of Obsidian made orbit above Serran. Its surface was hidden by thick amber clouds and it had two moons in opposing orbits. Hails to the surface went unanswered, but scans detected a high output energy source on the surface. The marines landed an expeditionary force, keeping reserves ready in expectation of an ambush. However, what they discovered instead was a facility from the dark age of technology. Thousands upon thousands of stasis chambers lined the well fortified interior. Whatever treasures or horrors the stasis chambers held were long gone, but the facility itself was operational. The cogitators were arcane and would not easily yield answers. After some deliberation, Ortoro decided to make Serran their base of operations and tasked the forge masters with setting up listening posts on the moons and to expand the facility to quarter the legion and support its operations. This would eventually come to be known as the Obsidian Enclave and was reinforced during the millennia the followed the Horus Heresy. The Order of the Obsidian set to its duties in tracking down and recovering the legion's lost artefacts. Though many caches had been plundered or destroyed, some were yet forgotten. Those local inhabitants that had robbed the vaults in the chaos of the heresy were hunted down and mercilessly executed. That which was safe was transitioned to the Dark Angels chapter and anything too esoteric was locked within the stasis vaults. Their Mission Expands Though the order was initially created for the recovery of artefacts belonging to the First Legion, many searches ended in forgotten battlefields or desolate cruiser hulls of other legions. Once again, there was debate about what to do with these items. Many wanted to leave the battlefields as untouched as possible as a type of mausoleum. Others felt that it may be too dangerous to disturb old battlefields that could be mined or worse. However, it was chaplain Tyrius of the fourth company that suggested returning the relics and bodies of fallen warriors to their chapters. Though time, nature and the elements had savaged both machine and remains, there was usually enough left to determine the progenitor. It was then decided that an honor guard would be formed of the first company that would reunite the lost astartes and their possessions to the loyalist chapters they belonged and destroy the last of the traitors. Within a few hundred years, The Order of Obsidian had returned hundreds of chapter relics and thousands of astartes to their rightful legion home worlds. This ceremony became so frequent that the honor guard was rotated through the veterans of the first five companies to make certain that no marine would be without combat for too long. Each marine assigned to this duty had a shoulder pad cased in bronze. Mysterious Founding Because the Order of Obsidian was not a true founding authorized by the high lords of terra, they continued operating as pre-heresy Dark Angels chapter, retaining the original colors and chapter regalia. As the millennia passed, they decided to adopt another moniker to mask their true origin. The Obsidian Angels were borne with black armor, light gold trim and granite bolters. Its unknown exactly when the name and colors were changed, but by the 41st millenium, no knowledge or banners of the Order of Obsidian remained outside the reclusium of the first company. There, the original founding orders of the Tripacta Sovereignty Council is still emblazoned on the wall. They have no official chapter marking, but retain the ancient Dark Angel devices from ancient Caliban, along with robes of all the Unforgiven. Current Operations Cooperation between the Obsidian Angels and Dark Angels never ceased, though the discovery of ancient relics is extremely rare. The experience and tactics refined over a millennia of recovery operations has made them experts of extraction and esoteric technology. Though they are grim and taciturn as other chapters of the Unforgiven, their willingness to return treasured wargear to other chapters has provided them with diplomatic options that would be otherwise unavailable. Many of these relics have been recovered at a great cost to the Obsidian Angels and their names are inscribed into the granite containers hand cut for them. So great has their knowledge of pre-heresy equipment that much of the weapons and armor can be restored to at least partial functionality. Primaris exist in their ranks, but it is unknown how they received the gene technology and training to produce them. It may have been the Dark Angels that transmitted this information to them, but none outside the two chapters could know. Due to the need for extensive technical knowledge and constant maintenance, there are a large number of tech marines within the ranks of the Obsidian Angels and they retain a rank within their inner circle for Masters of the Forge. Serran The planet of Serran was highly developed during the Dark Age of Technology, though most of it now lies in ruins. What happened to the population is unknown to the Obsidian Angels, even after millenia of research. It is clear that they had knowledge that rivaled the very apex of human achievement. Many believe that they were victims of the Long Night, perhaps destroying themselves or falling victim to an alien attack. Whatever the cause, the planet is now heavily militarized and has only enough population to support an entrenched planetary defense force and their astartes governors. Recruiting is done at several nearby death worlds. However, the truth of Serran's demise is dark and foreboding. Deep within the rocks, below the depth that scanners and mining dredges can reach, lies a dormant Necron Tomb. Its technology stolen through a once-open channel during the Dark Age of Technology and used to create the energy plant and stasis chambers in what would become the Obsidian Enclave. Whether these xenos awoke and took revenge on the population is cloaked in thousands of years of erosion.

One of my favorite threads I've ever read on the B&C, and one of the main reasons I got into the hobby was @Kierdale's thread for his psychopomps. I've similarly enjoyed @WarriorFish's Sundered and what I've seen of @Tallarn Commander's Warpborn. I'm also looking forward to reading about @Slave to Darkness's Khornate Word Bearers warband. I like reading about you guys' custom warbands and I'm going to channel that energy into my own hobby blog. The warband is still a WIP. I have yet to settle on a name that I really enjoy. But I do have some solid themes I want to incorporate and a paint scheme. I mocked up this digital test model with the app impcat. I think I am partial to the one with the black boots. I've also done up a test shoulder pad to see how the colors actually look in real life. I used the new Mantis Warrior Green contrast paint and then a conventional blue black for the trim. I'm going to have to come up with a method for touching up the green, otherwise I'm going to take some years off my life stressing out about painting so much black trim next to my beautiful, bright acid green. I'm choosing a leviathan's cross for the symbol for a couple of reasons. It invokes imagery of the occult It is connected to alchemy where it is a symbol for brimstone (sulfur) It looks cool Its simple enough to freehand that I don't need to mess around with transfers.

Hail, Frater! Today, on the Liberalia Martiale, The IRON GAUNTLET has returned once more! Those of you who have been around the board for several years perhaps remember the last Iron Gauntlet, last run in 2020, and then before in 2017. Those of you who have joined after 2020 may not know the name--but I assure you, you will in time! The Iron Gauntlet is the Liber's Premiere DIY event--a year-long challenge, composed of five smaller challenges, each with three tiers designed to challenge fraters' creativity to the utmost. I invite all of you to visit the Liber, and consider its rigors, and perhaps take up the challenges, to prove yourselves worthy of the Iron Gauntlet! Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go searching through the Deepest Darkest Depths of the Liber, and see where the accursed relic has got off to this time. Perhaps the kitchens, I don't think they've been searched (or cleaned) for years....