IA: Bronze Prophets

[Octavulg]

Did the Inquisition fear them? Apparently they are/were the most psychic Chapter since the 1000 Sons, and we all know how that turned out. Was anyone investigating them before their issues became apparent?

Hmmm.

 

I should mention Inquisitorial scrutiny at some point, though at this stage it's a legend and so it should probably come later. Still, it'll flesh out the later chapter a bit, which I don't mind.

How famous were they exactly? This describes them as being well-known across the entire Realm of Man. Apparently everyone was in awe of these guys, from peasents to Governors? How did they get so famous? Winning battles is what Space Marines do, so how did your Chapter become famous amongst these storied legions of warriors?

Across, but not throughout, if you follow me. Also, their legend may have grown since. In actuality, five guys on this one agri-world thought they were kind of OK.

While awesome, this seems like a little too much awesome... Eldrard Uthren vs Montress the Golden. Who is better? This paragraph suggests that Montress would crush him like a gnat. I understand that the idea is to build his pride, skill, and arrogance up for the inevitable fall, but this is a lot of skill and pride.

Again, legend may have grown since. Actual Montress could, with great effort, bend a spoon. With his hands. Also, Eldrad didn't end up with his eyes running out of his skull, so I'm gonna have to give him the edge.

 

More to the point: if he's not ridiculously awesome, him trying to do what he did won't make sense and I'll have to do something else with my time.

This is amazingly cool.

Good.

Proud as Astartes are, does this lead to conflict with other chapters? With the Inquisition or the Church? Their views are unique, and in the Imperium, the unique nail gets hammered hardest...

Astartes don't tell people what they believe. This is one of those its-in-the-IA-but-nobody-really-knows-all-that-much things.

That whole sidebar was amazing. Seriously, a perfect addition to this IA.

Thanks. Though Lysimachus wrote a lot of it.

They don't look down on non-psykers? Seems like they would, since they see themselves as more evolved and closer to the Emperor for being psychic. Also, the whole eye-melting thing didn't change their views at all?

The eye-melting thing may or may not have happened.

 

OK, it totally happened. But people don't KNOW that.

 

As to not looking down on psykers: a very fair point, which I shall ponder. Keep in mind that the Cursed Founding improved Marines fairly generally - they look awesome. They're just horrifically flawed. So even your average marine is probably mildly awesome, and thus has something to be smug about.

 

Also also, being able to understand the Emperor's will is just as important as being able to reach it. More, arguably. Especially since some schmuck burnt his eyes out.

They don't predict the strategies and outcomes of battles/wars? I would assume they would use their foresight most prevalently here, aiming to outmaneuver and prepare for the future of each fight?

...I did say "tactically". And then spend a paragraph later on talking about how they like to :cuss with their foes heads' and predict what they do.

 

Fair point, though. Will amend accordingly.

No shooting fire from their hands, lightning from their arse, and thunder from their eyes? If they were able to drag fighters from the skies, they clearly possess some offensive psychic talent. Why is it absent from here?

Good point. There are two reasons:

 

1) This IA was written, oh so long ago, for the "using alternative codices" contest in the Liber. It was for the 4e Chaos Codex. I think that's a pretty good representation of icons, actually, in hindsight.

 

2) I forgot. Or I wanted to focus on their interaction with their fellow Marines a little more and show their integration - other Librarians are very individual, while in the Bronze Prophets they're more integrated.

If they keep burning out, why do they rely on them so heavily? Seems like an unreliable system.

You still get a few wars out of them, and there's a lot of them. And they're still really useful, and really capable. The most powerful are more powerful than those of other chapters, and the ones who aren't as powerful are more numerous. They just don't last as long.

How do they combat foes like the Tyranids, Necrons, Daemons, and the like? What is their strategy against enemies that aren't vulnerable to psychic assault and whose actions can't be planned, or who suffer no psychological warfare effects?

Carefully. And I'd refer you to earlier on, where they still use the Codex.

 

All are open to prediction (maybe not the Nids - I'm unsure. But the Prophets hang around Pacificus, anyway), if not direct psychic attack.

Again, what of enemies that can't be intimidated, frightened, etc? What do they do then?

Sulkily shoot them in the face for being no fun.

I like it Octy. Like all your IAs, I like it a lot, and it was hard to find anything to criticize. I tried to find something to ask about, but it was hard. Another well written IA. I like the psyker angle, and you have managed it well.

Thanks. You've given me a lot that I can add and build on, which is good. Writing them up as a CCS was surprisingly tricky, since a lot of the IA turns out to be me spinning out a simple concept a very, very long way. I'm pleased that I managed it, but don't mind having some more to put in.