[DIY Discussion] The Melanochrome and the New Codex

[Sigismund Himself]

The Case of the Missing Organ

The new codex is full of fluff, both completely new and recycled material. A lot of the material will be recognised by the older players of Space Marine armies. One such piece is the "Making of a Space Marine". In these two pages, the purpose of gene-seed and, more importantly, the purpose of the unique organs that make Space Marines superhuman are explored. This piece was originally published in WD247 and is now available online on GW's page (or used to be with the old site, grumble grumble). To make it fit into two pages, a lot of information has been left out. However, one crucial point of information is missing. Nowhere within those two pages is the Melanochrome.

 

Shock horror, one organ is missing. Could this be put down to a simple mistake by Games Workshop? Maybe. The codex has a few other errors within its pages. This leads to the question, is the Melanochrome still an organ? This is where it gets interesting. Unlike the Rites of Initiation article, it does not specify that there are only 19 organs. So there is still the chance that the Melanochrome is official, due to the wording of the new codex's article. You can also get into the debate of when canon is replaced by something or not. But all this is putting this down to a mistake on Games Workshop's part, for not including this organ. What happens if they intended it?

 

If the Melanochrome disappeared, that would mean that Games Workshop no longer have to explain such things as the Salamanders. From this October's White Dwarf- "Born out of fire, the battle-brothers of the Salamanders Chapter have jet-black skin and burning red eyes - a daemonic appearance brought about by a reaction between their unique genetics and the high levels of radiation of the Chapter Planet of Nocturne." This new Edition has seen all of the Salamanders skin become pure black, as evidenced by the above quote and the repainting of the studio army. Explaining this mutation is hard, in light of the Melanochrome's function. From the Rites of Initiation article- It monitors radiation levels and types bombarding the skin, and if necessary, sets off chemical reactions to darken the skin to protect it from ultraviolet exposure. So would it be easier to do away with this organ, rather than going through the rigour of explaining exactly why every time they mention it and having to degrade the purity of the Salamanders geneseed? Judging by Games Workshop's actions, it may be.

 

What are the implications for us if GW really did intend for the Melanochrome to go the way of the Squats? Well, all the DIY chapters from the Raven Guard no longer have to worry about explaining their chapter's veterans different colour. It would also lead to lots of chapters also becoming the dominant skin colour of their homeworld. The Raven Guard themselves also have no longer reason for their paler veterans, if this organ is gone. Is it likely that Games Workshop have and meant to remove this organ?

 

Your thoughts are welcome.

[Imperial Knight]

Given the other additions, deletions and mistakes made in the codex and the fact that it was written by and Ultra's Fanboy who obviously does not care for any of the other founding chapters or their rich fluff, I would say it is a mistake, otherwise they would be completely re-writing history/fluff and it is clear they are somewhat scatterbrained by their almost complete lack of mentioning the Iron Hands. Just MHO.

[Grimdarkness]

I,m hoping it,s a mistake i believe the new skin and eye colour could be explained through the background info for the chapter and a missing organ for the sallies can be played up a couple of ways. The Sal's are always methodical in there recruitment so much so they only have 7 companies so maybe something happens here that over loads they organ. There also the only chapter that actively live among the people of there home world perhaps to better fit in they forgo the Melanochrome to retain there native colouring.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

There also the only chapter that actively live among the people of there home world perhaps to better fit in they forgo the Melanochrome to retain there native colouring.

 

Actually the Raven Guard are also known for mixing in with the people of their homeworld.

 

As to the Melanchrome, I can't decide. There are good cases for it being both a concious omission and a simple mistake. Though given how thorough they have been with the codex on the whole I would lean more towards it being a concious choice to remove it.

 

So would it be easier to do away with this organ, rather than going through the rigour of explaining exactly why every time they mention it and having to degrade the purity of the Salamanders geneseed?

 

Well actually I would consider the Melanchrome to be a rather painless explanation for it, given that their homeworld is highly irradiated as you said yourself. Their skin has darkened due to the high levels of radiation.

[Imperialis_Dominatus]

Personally I think it's a mistake. Never attribute to malice or intent of any sort what can be attributed to stupidity, after all.

 

There are several Chapters in canon whose differences with their brethren seem most easily explained by this organ. Why complicate things?

 

Of course, since UM have pure geneseed, maybe since the Codex had so many Ultragasms the authors figured they didn't need to bone up on their Space Marine biology. After all, mutations in the Melanchrome don't affect our Boys in Blue, so why bother?

[Hellstrike]

I think its an omission as well. You need that organ to explain the fluff of some other chapters (as already noted).

 

As far as the sallies go, it could be a corruption of the organ from being CONSTANTLY bombarded when they are planet side that causes it to stay in the "maximum on" setting all the time. Or, it could be a genetic defect of the native population growing up in such conditions, that interacts with the organ once implanted in a recruit that causes the more extreme coloration in the Sallies.

[Paradigm]

Really I think its just an omission. The melanochrome is an important organ, but there has never been a truly solid list of Marine organs anyways that say these are them and there are no more. I tend to have an open view of games workshop material, in other words if they don't mention it, it doesn't mean it isn't there. Besides this actually allows for more player customization of their chapter anyway, an obvious benefit. So if you dislike the raven guard having ivory soap skin and boot black eyes and hair you are now much more free to change it up a bit. Same goes for sallies away on a campaign.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

I think Fortnight hit the nail on the head. Whether it was stupidity, absent mindedness or a deliberate omission won't affect you if you decide to use it or not.