KiltedMarine Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 Edit: Have added additional material in new post below- inspired by all the new 'Dex chatter! Hey, all. Dread Wolf Master's question about the Wolf Brothers led me back to thinking of the background I've got written for my own Wolves. I've tried getting 'round the "there are no successors to the SW" issue by being very circumspect. Let me know what you think... Disputed Provenance: No records exist of the founding of the Hounds of Arawn as a Chapter. The earliest record of their participation in a military campaign notes their presence on Skaros XIII during the Saris Gulf Crusade in 415M36- this places their founding as dating to during or shortly before the Age of Apostasy. While no records exist from Lord Vandire ordering their founding, much historical data was lost both during and after his reign, and many other chapters, particularly those hailing from pre-literate cultures such as the Brothers of Grendel and the Claws of Wendigo, have similarly vague histories. The majority opinion within the Imperium, based on the zealous piety of the Hounds and their apparent genetic stability, is that the Hounds of Arawn are descended from mainline marine geneseed, most likely Ultramarine, and that their organizational eccentricities are rooted in the tribal/early feudal culture of Cymru. Further, the Genators of the Adeptus Mechanicus have never made any comment on any flaw or taint within the tithed geneseed provided by the Hounds of Arawn. The Hounds of Arawn themselves claim descent from a legendary figure named Pwyll, who came from the sea of stars to save the people from the Orks of their homeworld, which they refer to as the Fomori. From descriptions of Pwyll and his warriors, it is clear they were Space Marines, and that their own cultural background was similar to that of Cymru, i.e. tribal and warrior-centric. This refers to a significant percentage of all chapters, however, and is thus basically inconclusive. Critics and those suspicious of the Chapter put forward two theories of the Hounds of Arawn’s founding. The first, and most damaging if ever proven, is that the Chapter was founded by a renegade Space Wolf commander off on his own. This theory then bifurcates- either the renegade for some reason gave the Cymraeg warriors the means to make themselves Marines (geneseed cultures and some start on the technology required) and then left with his entourage, or he settled on Cymru, “went native,” and the Hounds of Pwyll are the direct lineal descendants of his rogue Great Company, now granted a patina of legitimacy by millennia of faithful service. To support this frankly fanciful theory, its supporters point to the convenience with which Pwyll immediately disappears from the oral records of the Hounds of Pwyll, replaced by their first acknowledged chapter Master, Uther of the Dragon's-blood. They point to the ubiquity of wolflike iconography within the Chapter's culture, and to the many cosmetic similarities between the Hounds of Pwyll and the Space Wolves. All of these arguments disintegrate, however, on close scrutiny. Pwyll's disappearance from the oral histories isn't by itself proof of anything. Wolves are freqent totemic figures amongst more primitive human cultures, for their fierceness and strength, and many Chapters that have no connection whatsoever to the Space Wolves, and whose ancestry is clearly orthodox, have wolf iconography in their identities [ref. "Wolves of Night," "Iron Hunters," "Claws of Wendigo"]. Similarities in appearance are explained by the common root genetic stock of all Chapters, the parallel cultures and ideals of the Fenrisian and Cymraeg primitives, and the most damaging similarity, at least in the eyes of these conspiracy fanatics, the pronounced canines of the Hounds of Arawn, are also frequently seen in other chapters that have nothing to do with the Canis Helix [ref. "Star Dragons," "Sun Cobras," "Lion Knights"]. Even more fanciful still, however, is the theory put forward most notably by Inquisitor-Lord Lelio Atropos Sixtus of the Ordo Hereticus, that the Chapter was founded by Leman Russ himself. According to the Inquisitor's theory, Russ, having somehow traversed the Eye of Terror, reentered normal space on the other side of that massive tear in reality and, seeing a people like his own, gave them the gift of geneseed and the start of the tech necessary to build a force of Space Marines. As evidence, Lord Sixtus pointed to the number of stories in which the Hounds of Arawn claimed to be descendants of the great Primarch, and to details in several versions of the Chapter's own founding-myth that match descriptions of Russ's character or physical traits. While Lord Lelio has a number of devoted proteges within the Inquisition who argue to this day that the Hounds of Arawn should be subjected to thorough investigation based on these suspicions, the vast majority of historians within the Imperium consider the very idea foolish. While the Hounds of Arawn love to encourage Lelio's followers, or at least love to egg them on, careful study of the Chapter's histories, all of which are either oral or transcriptions of oral tradition, shows that the Chapter's bards have claimed descent not only from Russ, but Lion Eljonson, Vulkan, Corax, Guilliman, and even the Emperor himself. This state of affairs led Pan-Archivist Padraic Paulus Josephus to declare in exasperation that "to these Hounds of Arawn, veracity, accuracy, and historicity come at a distant last place to 'sounds good' and 'earns me a round in the great hall.'" As far as mainstream scholars are concerned, any attribution by the Hounds of Arawn as to their ultimate forebear's identity is worse than useless. Lelio's theory is not helped by his reputation as the "wolf-hunter." He carried a grudge against the Space Wolves bordering on the paranoiac after being very publicly rescued from his own overzealousness in the Balax Conflagration. He blamed his embarrassing capture, mockery, and near-execution during that rebellion on the Great Company of Egil Iron Wolf, believing the Wolflord had allowed his force of stormtroopers to be surrounded and cut off. When questioned directly, and when in a mood to give anything like a straight answer, the Hounds of Arawn will honestly say that the identity of their ultimate primarch is unimportant. "Pwyll is his name, whoever the rest of the Empire might think he is." To the Hounds of Arawn, that is enough. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/164812-hounds-of-arawn/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Mage Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 Hrmm... it could use a bit more, but I like it. More on what theyve done, how theyre organised, etc... not on where they come from. THis is all rather good. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/164812-hounds-of-arawn/#findComment-1938724 Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitewolfmxc Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 why not just make a the chapter a "secretly made" shadow chapter for SW , that they only swear legions to the current wolf lord , and they are always sent to do the hardest and properly the dirtiest jobs the chapter can not do publicly (assassinate enemy leaders / fighting corrupted guard or Sm legions that hasn't been officially pronouced etc) , they will be like "men in black" kind of group where no one except the head knows they exists (kind like 13th hah ?) As for army composition ,they can have more wolf scouts than normal and perhaps a assassin or two from demon / witch hunter codex , one Venerable drednought who is also the company master (who used to be a great wolf himself) , makes more use on jumppacks / speeders / bikes , and also assault terminators in drop pods Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/164812-hounds-of-arawn/#findComment-1938815 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarl Kjaran Coldheart Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 why not just make a the chapter a "secretly made" shadow chapter for SW , that they only swear legions to the current wolf lord , and they are always sent to do the hardest and properly the dirtiest jobs the chapter can not do publicly (assassinate enemy leaders / fighting corrupted guard or Sm legions that hasn't been officially pronouced etc) , they will be like "men in black" kind of group where no one except the head knows they exists (kind like 13th hah ?) that is pretty much the entire concept for my shadow wolves....i posted that here months ago. weird huh? WLK Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/164812-hounds-of-arawn/#findComment-1938880 Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitewolfmxc Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 why not just make a the chapter a "secretly made" shadow chapter for SW , that they only swear legions to the current wolf lord , and they are always sent to do the hardest and properly the dirtiest jobs the chapter can not do publicly (assassinate enemy leaders / fighting corrupted guard or Sm legions that hasn't been officially pronouced etc) , they will be like "men in black" kind of group where no one except the head knows they exists (kind like 13th hah ?) that is pretty much the entire concept for my shadow wolves....i posted that here months ago. weird huh? WLK well awesome people think alike XD cheers Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/164812-hounds-of-arawn/#findComment-1938933 Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiltedMarine Posted September 8, 2009 Author Share Posted September 8, 2009 Hey, brothers. All the news about the impending release of our new 'Dex drove me to dig this writing project up and add the following: Sweet Emperor’s mercy! Are they singing?? I don’t know which side scares me more! -Colonel Blavast Morgenthal, Mordian XXXIII, at the Battle of Blackpoint Hive, shortly before his execution by an unknown Comissar. Tactics It is difficult for the academic to make generalized statements regarding the tactical preferences of the Hounds of Arawn as a chapter. Individual Lords are granted great leeway in prosecution of battles and campaigns, and the Chapter has a profound individualist streak at the same time as being tightly-knit. Across all companies, however, the Hounds prefer attack to defense, and closer rather than longer ranges. Thanks to the ubiquity of chariot and cavalry warfare amongst the nobility of Cymru, the Hounds prefer mobility, and use large numbers of Rhinos and Razorbacks. Some Lords emphasize firepower, others cunning and misdirection. The one thing they all have in common is a genuine love of battle. To some Chapters, most notably the Dark Angels, war is a grim job. To others, like the Ultramarines, it is a noble duty. In all cases, it is taken very seriously and treated with solemnity. The Hounds are very different. For the Hounds, war is joy. War is the ultimate source of personal realization and expression. War is the path to eternity at the left hand of Arawn, who is the Emperor. The roar of bolter fire and the thunder of heavy weapons set their nerves singing. The growl of a chainsword is a song all its own, and the rushing of their own blood in their ears is something to exult in. They have been known to laugh in the throes of berserk frenzy, overcome with the thrill of it all. Frequently packs and even whole battle groups will sing the Sagas of their people in unison in the heat of battle. On many occasions this behavior has unnerved their allies as much or more than their foes, as the quote above references. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/164812-hounds-of-arawn/#findComment-2105180 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Mage Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 Good... I like that last bit. It definitely shows a bit of the "Celtic Brawler" amped up to space marines. :P. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/164812-hounds-of-arawn/#findComment-2105409 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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