Octavulg Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Lord Commander Eleaxus of the Emperor's Children, was one of the few original Marines from Terra that later became the core of his Legion. Proud, arrogant and vain, he was never one to retreat from a battle, and would sooner lead his troops through the most hellish battlefield than admit he had been defeated. But strategy and planning were second nature to him, a trait that he has retained even in damnation, and that rapidly earned him the nickname 'the Flawless'. He also had a great rivalry with Lord Commander Lucius, the two always trying to catch Fulgrim's eye and maybe become the right hand of the Primarch, and they often argued over the nature of perfection, sometimes even coming to blows over it. Tying your character's to canon characters is an amateur's trick. How the hell could a man rise to Lord Commander if he was unwilling to admit when he had been defeated? That's not perfection - that's stupidity. He rapidly fell to Slaanesh with the rest of his Legion, and joyfully participated in the most horrendous atrocities during the Siege of Terra. When the call came from Ezekyle Abaddon to retreat to the Eye of Terror, Eleaxus would not, could not obey. Thus, he fled to Warpstorm Bloodflame, in the Xanthus Subsector of the Segmentum Pacificus, aboard his flagship, The Ecstatic Blessing, and also with the Grand Company that he commanded, preparing to strike back at the Imperium, planning his terrible vengeance for the bitter loss at Terra. He shortly discovered a world within the eternal storm, and named it Eleaxa after himself. There, he made a grand speech, declaring that the 36th Grand Company was now to be known as the Flawless Host, for they had found perfection. Many were shocked at this declaration, but Eleaxus continued, saying that the Emperor's Children were weak to not push perfection to its absolute limit. He lambasted Abaddon, saying that he was pathetic to run away and hide in the Eye of Terror. He even attacked Fulgrim, claiming that he was a coward for fleeing with Abaddon. The Flawless Host would fight the Long War against the Imperium alone if need be, but they would triumph, for they had found perfection in Slaanesh. The Grand Company cheered Eleaxus on as he made his declarations, and as he ended, they kneeled before him as one. There's no insight here into what, exactly, his vision of perfection is. Why is retreating in one direction somehow better than retreating in another? 666 Marines, ... No. Just...no. There are good allusions, and there are bad allusions, and this is a bad one. Furthermore, 6000 marines is (admittedly depending on source) more than half of a legion. The obvious sacred organization for Slaanesh is a squad of six, the next tier at 36, the next tier at 216, and the next tier at 1296, and the next at...7776. I'd stop at 1296 (more or less). each divided into 10 Centuries of 66 Marines. A leader of a Century is known as a Centurion, a leader of a Company a Master. Charitable of him, tolerating Fulgrim's imperfect legion organization for so long. More to the point - 10! 10! That's not a good, Slaaneshi number! Hell, it's nearly a Tzeentchian number! The Flawless Host prefer to fight in close combat, for unknown reasons, although the most popular theory is that they wish to display their martial prowess. Whatever the reason, once battle is joined they will give no mercy or quarter, killing for no reason but that they enjoy it. Noise Marines are common, like in many other splinters of the Emperor's Children. The Flawless Host take also truly immense amounts of combat drugs, particularly ones that remove all traces of fear and pain, as well as improving their reaction time. Imperial Guard commanders have reported Chaos Space Marines of the Flawless Host taking multiple artillery strikes or suffering wounds that would have crippled other Space Marines and still advancing, without a trace of fear or pain. Combat drugs are noted for the variety of their effects. The Flawless Host is almost universally addicted to these combat drugs and are dependent on Eleaxus for their supply, giving them absolute loyalty to him. Daemons of Slaanesh are also commonly used to pin down and distract the enemy while the Flawless Host advance in full glory and splendour. Also, the Flawless Host are known to use large amounts of Chaos cultists and heretics in their attacks, using them as cannon fodder so that the bullets and lasbolts of their enemies do not harm them or damage their armour. Where do they get their supply from in any case? Why are they dependent on Eleaxus? I thought Daemons were inferior? Why sully their battle plans with them? If they're so perfect and fearless, why do they need cannon fodder? A large number of power weapons have been found in the possession of the Flawless Host, and sometimes even whole squads are armed with them. This is believed to be due to the fact that the Flawless Host all but control Warpstorm Bloodflame, and thus have its entire industrial capacity ready for whatever Eleaxus finds useful. They are also believed to prefer these weapons due to the greater grace and skill involved with their use - far greater than with the cruder chainsword. Completely needless. Justifications of equipment weaken an IA. Combat reports have noted that the Flawless Host have an unwillingness to retreat, most likely because of Eleaxus' beliefs. If clearly losing, they will continue to fight to the last rather than retreat, and if ordered to fall back, they will attempt a fighting retreat, hurting the enemy even as they fall back to their ships. Sorcerers are also used, occasionally leading lesser raids, more often as lieutenants for the Centurions and Masters of the Flawless Host. They're a Slaaneshi, Emperor's Children-derived army and you didn't mention sonic weapons once. Also fearless =/= flawless. Jhasius the Dark, Dreadnought of the Flawless Host, was originally Jhasius, Master of the First Company and right hand of Eleaxus. However, he put into motion a plot to betray Eleaxus and supplant his dominion over the Flawless Host, and paid the price when it was discovered. Eleaxus had all the plotters sentenced to death by agonising torment and replaced by more loyal people, but Jhasius he gave special treatment. Jhasius was steadily tortured until he finally begged for death, but that was not enough for Eleaxus. He had Jhasius implanted into a specially prepared Dreadnought shell, tormented eternally in constant pain and yet ever denied the peace of death, compelled to serve the one he hated most. A - Slaaneshi devotees like pain. B - ...They plot to betray their master while simultaneously virtually worshipping him? The hell? * * * You don't explore what perfection might mean to Chaos, how it might be twisted by Slaanesh. You don't explain how they justify the twisted ruins they occupy as being perfect. You don't even explain why the perfect warriors would need combat drugs. Or how they justify losing if they're perfect. Or how they explain that their lord and master hasn't been raised to Daemonhood in ten thousand years. Chaos Marines aren't stupid - they might have noticed these things. You just keep saying "oh, they're perfect/oh, they think it's perfect". Why? Are they deluded? Do they see perfection differently? What? There's no insight into the character of the chapter - it's all what, and very little 'why'. Like too, too many Chaos IAs, you don't explain why, things just happen. That may work for the Warp, but it doesn't work for writing. 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XKhalilX Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 i was thinking insanity, a distinction for the FH over the EC maybe that they do NOT have noise marines? Maybe you can tie that into fluff somehow. and explain why. Maybe they find noise marines a bit pathetic? i dunno. its just my personal bias, I find noise marines to be rather "flamboyant." Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/170003-the-flawless-host-fluffing-them-up/page/2/#findComment-2015206 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octavulg Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Oh, he doesn't have to have Noise Marines. But their absence would require explanation. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/170003-the-flawless-host-fluffing-them-up/page/2/#findComment-2015278 Share on other sites More sharing options...
The 13th Goat Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 I share Octo's sentiments. Also..... ...he fled to Warpstorm Bloodflame, in the Xanthus Subsector of the Segmentum Pacificus, aboard his flagship, The Ecstatic Blessing, and also with the Grand Company that he commanded, preparing to strike back at the Imperium, planning his terrible vengeance for the bitter loss at Terra. He shortly discovered a world within the eternal storm, and named it Eleaxa after himself... ...Eleaxus spent the next few millennia imposing his will on the various inhabitants of Warpstorm Bloodflame - pirates, reavers, xenos, and worse. Morzdagga was cleansed of the Orks that infested it, and the traitor Forgeworld of Lexias was brought to heel. Before long, Eleaxus controlled almost the whole of Bloodflame, building a strong power base with which to cement his attacks on the Imperium... Not a big fan of this. The only known constant Warp storms are the Eye and Mealstrom. All others have disipated after some time, like the Storm Of The Emperor's Wrath during the Age Of Apostasy. 10'000 years would see it displayed on star maps in the codex's, and with the amount of planets you've named, it encompasses at least two whole systems. It is something you should look at as to my mind it is a significant problem. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/170003-the-flawless-host-fluffing-them-up/page/2/#findComment-2017948 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Master Tyrak Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 All others have disipated after some time, like the Storm Of The Emperor's Wrath during the Age Of Apostasy. 10'000 years would see it displayed on star maps in the codex's, Storm of the Emperor's Wrath is still on the map. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/170003-the-flawless-host-fluffing-them-up/page/2/#findComment-2018264 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnus Thane Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 These guys have only one true problem, unfortunately it's a rather big one. Namely, what sets them apart from the rest of the Emperor's Children? Barring their preference for melee, but even that's hardly a major difference as the Emperor's Children don't shy away from close combat (see Lucius the Eternal). Actually that's not a problem. Their history can vary but it's not odd for warbands or successors to be very similar to their 'parent' or similary affiliated faction. And he can always finetune things. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/170003-the-flawless-host-fluffing-them-up/page/2/#findComment-2018265 Share on other sites More sharing options...
The 13th Goat Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 Storm of the Emperor's Wrath is still on the map. Ahh, i didn't notice that. Still, the point stands on other storms, doesn't it? Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/170003-the-flawless-host-fluffing-them-up/page/2/#findComment-2018457 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Insanity Posted June 13, 2009 Author Share Posted June 13, 2009 Storm of the Emperor's Wrath is still on the map. Ahh, i didn't notice that. Still, the point stands on other storms, doesn't it? Warpstorm Bloodflame is a very minor storm, so minor as not to warrant any notice or attention in the galaxy at large. That's why it's not on the map. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/170003-the-flawless-host-fluffing-them-up/page/2/#findComment-2020721 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleaxus the Flawless Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 This is a very nice fluff up, my thanks to Lord Insanity, however Bloodflame doesn't quite touch my fancy as far as the name for the Warpstorm in which the Host resides in, perhaps I'll think up a nice one in the near future. Overall an excellent read, I might offer some suggestions for revision in the future, nothing major, as I did enjoy the read very much. Also the battlecry made me smile, it's quite fitting. Regards, ~ Eleaxus the Flawless Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/170003-the-flawless-host-fluffing-them-up/page/2/#findComment-2476696 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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