Early Great Crusade gene-seeds

[Sköll Khan]

Where did the gene seeds for astartes come from before the primarchs were rediscovers?

 

If there were twenty legions full of astartes before at the start of the great crusade, before the Primarchs were rediscovered, then where did the original

gene-seeds come from?

 

Obviously there were gene-seeds before, the primarchs were found.

But each gene-seed is distinct, and based upon the primarch's genetic material, thus giving each legion different traits

but if the gene-seeds were created from pre-scattering genetic material then none of the primarch's evolutionary traits, would have been in the material, as each primarch adapted to their new environment post scattering.

 

So when did astartes begin to take on the traits of the primarchs?

 

Were all the gene-seeds over hauled after reunion with their primarch?

 

or were new gene-seeds created, not that you can transplant a gene-seed, and what would happen with all the old (generic brand) gene-seeds?

[Lord_Caerolion]

It seems the Primarchs landed on worlds very coincidentally, as Russ would have already had his Canis Helix etc, and I can't remember where, but it says somewhere that it was often obvious what Legion a Primarch was head of, as the Marines already resembled them.

[Child-of-the-Emperor]

The Legions before their Primarchs discovery were still made up of their primarchs geneseed. The Emperor would have had some from when he genetically engineered them on Luna, so a legion of Astartes was created with the Primarchs Geneseed.

 

Hence why their was a lot of Psykers in the Thousand Sons for example, even pre-Primarch.

 

I see what you mean about the evolutionary traits occuring on the planet, but that was their DNA i suppose. Eg. Magnus was a psyker, not just because he landed on a planet full of Psykers! hence why his legion had a large percentage of psykers.

 

I think in the case of the World Eaters though, the Gene-seed was changed after Angrons discovery, Angrons upbringing had him implanted with Nerve implant And when he took control of his legion, he also implanted them with Nerve implants thereby changing them to his likeness. (whether or not this would change the actual geneseed or not though i don't know)

Quote: "The Emperor promised Angron a legion made in his image, limitless power, and life-times spent perfecting the Art of Conquest."

 

Its possible i suppose that the Emperor designed each primarch to represent himself/humanity in some way. - so the Primarchs in this sense were pre-determined to develop such traits, not just because they landed on a certain planet.

 

EDIT: Just found a quote that solves it!:

"They were created in a secret underground laboratory on Luna under tightest security. However, somehow the forces of Chaos managed to spirit them away just prior to their maturation and it is speculated that they also managed to tamper with the infant Primarchs. These were scattered across the galaxy, beyond the Emperor's reach, and all of them landed on different worlds. The Emperor could sense that the Primarchs were alive, but was unable to reach them. Therefore he used their previously collected DNA samples to create the Space Marines. The genetic material of each one of them was used to found a single Space Marine Legion, twenty in total."

[ikik]

the primarch weren't created on luna but under the himalaya ( at least it's that way in the HH books )

anyway back on topic: the emperor had some back up geen seed or something like that so that's where the legion's came from

[Child-of-the-Emperor]

the primarch weren't created on luna but under the himalaya ( at least it's that way in the HH books )

anyway back on topic: the emperor had some back up geen seed or something like that so that's where the legion's came from

 

Hmm.. :huh: more fluff seems to indicate they were created on Luna. The Imperial Dungeon is known to be below the Himalayas, but most sources suggest the Primarch Project was undertaken on Luna, so thats the view im holding :)

[Falenganesh]

In the HH Book Flight of the Eisenstein, the Character Nathaniel Garro points out that he was a Marine created on Terra from the "original" Gene - Seed stock, he also mentioned that he noticed how different the younger Marines were since the introduction of their Primarch Mortarion. This could point to the argument that the Marines were changed by their Primarchs presence, perhaps the Gene - Seed reacted more to the re - introduction of the 'Pure' source, changing the Marines to more like their Father Primarch.

 

*Falenganesh*

[dustermaker]

The way I always saw it was the Original Marines(before any of the legions were made...aka costodes) were created on earth then the Emperor united earth under his banner, then he went to mars etc with the originals then he created the primarch's on Luna and they were scattered and he created the rest of the marines on luna.

[ferrum proeliator]

In the HH Book Flight of the Eisenstein, the Character Nathaniel Garro points out that he was a Marine created on Terra from the "original" Gene - Seed stock, he also mentioned that he noticed how different the younger Marines were since the introduction of their Primarch Mortarion. This could point to the argument that the Marines were changed by their Primarchs presence, perhaps the Gene - Seed reacted more to the re - introduction of the 'Pure' source, changing the Marines to more like their Father Primarch.

 

*Falenganesh*

 

 

There are some lines in Horus Rising that go along with this as well. The true "sons of horus" resembled him, and I think were created from Primarch Genestock. The younger, initiates, didn't resemble Horus so much. Implantation vs. Creation I feel. But, the implants, as we know from the Blood Angels Chapter, can also lead to the genes being passed to the marines, with traits of the chapter being passed on. Makes me wonder why so few Blood Angels develop wings though, if they are created from the same genes as Sanguinious, as his genetics mutated causing him to have wings. Sounds like an interested conversion for a Chapter master though!