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The Revenants


Tyrannicide

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For the past few weeks I've been focusing on creating another Chapter, one that uses the gene-seed of Rogal Dorn. I've always been fascinated by the over-zealous, stubborn nature of the Imperial Fists and have wanted to make one of their descendants for quite a while now. I think I have finally gotten to a point where these notes are presentable and make sense. I've been scribbling down random ideas onto a pad of paper for the past few weeks, and this is currently where its at. I intend to flesh out these points until I've reached something suitable for an IA article and hope to be working on these guys little by little over the summer, hopefully making some worthwhile progression. Any comments and criticism are welcome, and I encourage you to help. :P

 

My current thoughts in orange.

 

 

THE REVENANTS

 

ORIGINS

  • Imperial Fists successor, created during the Nineteenth Founding of the Adeptus Astartes.
  • Descendants of the Imperial Fists themselves, who provided a founding cadre for this new Chapter.
  • First Chapter Master was a Captain named Erasmus.
  • Erasmus could be a very influential character in the Chapter’s history, or a somewhat neglected and an insignificant Chapter Master. I find that too many people fixate the Origins section of their IA articles on their Chapter’s first commander. I think it’s something I’d like to avoid with the Revenants, as I’m one to already make this mistake.

 

HOMEWORLD

  • The Revenants’ homeworld is located on the northwestern edge of the Ultima Segmentum (Somewhere near the Storm of the Emperor’s Wrath).
  • Varsenae is a harsh planet, engulfed in storms of heavy snow, it’s surface a mixture of icy wastelands, dense forest regions, and mountainous crags. These combinations of weather conditions undoubtedly provide a discordant life for the world’s inhabitants.
  • I’m not entirely sure if I’m satisfied with the name ‘Varsenae’ for my Chapter’s home planet, but it’ll stay for now. Any suggestions are welcomed, I’m not good with names.
  • My main goal with the Varsenians is to create a tension between two sides of people. My idea is that there are groups of organized ‘Orders’ (or somesuch, basically they are civilized people) scattered across the major continent, that wage wars against the barbaric tribes of the north. This conflict has been ongoing since the dawn of man on Varsenae, with no end in sight.
  • The Revenants do not intervene in these wars, since these skirmishes, brood young and healthy aspirants for the Chapter. They will take warriors from both sides of the conflict, barbarians and intellects alike.
  • Once accepted into the ranks of the Revenants, after initial psychological screenings and compatibility tests, an aspirant starts Chapter indoctrination and implantation. The neophytes are sometimes subject to culture shock, particularly those among the selection of the barbaric warriors.
  • Half a century after the Revenants were founded, the Chapter discovered Varsenae and quickly decided it was an ideal foundation for the future of the Chapter. Erasmus formed a deep respect for the Varsenians, and admired their unwavering belief in the Emperor as well as their formidable military strength in both sides.
  • The world's inhabitants are cognizant of the 'Angels of Death' that come for their young every decade, and fear these great messiahs. The Revenants are well aware of the mystique that surrounds them, and encourages the myths circulated by the Varsenian people.
  • Upon admission to the Chapter the neophyte will discard his 'birth name' in favor of being ordained a new name by the Chaplains.
  • Large necropolis structures are erected on the planet's surface that houses the dead. It's a practice that has dated back to the birth of civilization on the world. My first thoughts include that this is the only aspect of life that connects the barbaric tribes and civilized people, as they both have their own forms of these burial rites.
  • The Chapter's fortress monastery is located on the planet's lone and isolated moon, Icosium.

 

COMBAT DOCTRINE

  • The Chapter wages war in the methods prescribed by the Codex Astartes.

 

ORGANIZATION

  • The Revenants follow the organizational structure laid down in the Codex Astartes.
  • The Chapter only possesses sixteen venerated suits of tactical dreadnought armor. The three Terminator squads and the First Captain are among the most experienced veterans that the Chapter has to offer.

 

BELIEFS

  • Members of the Chapter are zealous, stubborn, unforgiving, and completely and utterly ravenous in their search for weakness. They believe that the roots of corruption are born in the flaws of others, and will go to great lengths to exterminate it. This attitude towards the eradication of weakness and corruption, make them stalwart supporters of the Inquisition.
  • The Revenants obey all teachings laid down in the Codex Astartes.
  • The Chapter has relatively amiable relations with the Imperial Fists and most of their other successors.
  • The Chapter reveres the Emperor as most Space Marine Chapters do, and look to His strength for guidance and sanctuary.
  • Marines believe in gaining more spiritual growth with their Primarch and the Emperor, as did their progenitors, and will perform acts of self-mutilation and frequently penitence.
  • They follow the teachings of Rogal Dorn and study the texts of Rhetoricus.
  • Manifest a strong purpose of duty to the Imperium and its safeguarding, and their primary duty is the destruction of the numerous enemies of the Emperor.
  • The Revenants will renew their oaths of fealty to the Emperor and the Imperium at the beginning of each and every day, whether in the heat of battle on some lost world of the Imperium, or basic training on Icosium.
  • If not wholly engrossed in battle, the Chapter will lend a champion every century to the honor duels held between the Imperial Fists and their successors, known as the Feast of Blades.

 

GENE-SEED

  • The Chapter proudly traces their legacy back to the gene-seed of Rogal Dorn, Primarch of the Imperial Fists. They have also inherited the genetic flaw present in all Chapters of the Dorn gene-line and do not contain the two organs known as the Betcher's Gland and the Sus-an membrane.

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Looks good! one or two questions thought.

 

What is the reason behind them abandoning the IF tradition of being fleet based?

 

Are they a completely new Chapter or a split from one of the IF companies?

Thanks for the reply.

 

I figured that I wanted a homeworld because it would add something to the Chapter. I'm not entirely sure exactly what that is yet, but I definitely will include a reason as to why my Chapter has decided to make that planet their homeworld.

 

To answer your second question, these guys will be a completely new Chapter from the Nineteenth Founding, and will have formed from a training cadre of Space Marines from the Imperial Fists Chapter.

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I'll make sure to make it clear why they ended up choosing that particular planet as their homeworld, because as of right now I'm not entirely sure why. I haven't done much on these guys since I posted the notes up, and will be busy the remainder of tonight. I'll try to get some more work done tomorrow.
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Alright, so I've currently finished writing in some more thoughts and concepts I had, and I must say I much happier with where this is going now.

 

Biggest changes since my first copy of the notes:

- I've selected 'Revenants' for the Chapter name. I like it a lot actually. Short and sweet.

- Different homeworld. I've completely overhauled the concept of the Chapter's home planet, and I like this one much more than its first rendition. I think this new version of the Chapter planet is much more interesting, and should provide a solid foundation for greater inspiration and new ideas to come.

 

I'd like to know what you guys think of the Revenants so far. Thanks for taking the time to read, and I hope to see your comments regarding their current state soon. :lol:

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I really like the notes you've put up.

 

I think it's a great idea to have an ongoing conflict on the home world. My only suggestion would be to flesh out the two sides a bit and make sure that there is a balance between the two sides so that the conflict was able to continue for this long.

As you said the north are barbarians, to be able to continu fighting the other side they'd have to have some sort of edge on them. Either numbers, low tech weaponry and tactics or something to be able match the other side.

 

For my DIY chapter I have my chapter located on the moon as well. I figure I still need to flesh out why they're there. They could be on the planet on a remote location or have a fleet and return to the planet every once in a while. I guess the same counts for you as well. Your homeworld seems Imperial so why couldn't they have a chapter monastery there?

 

Anyways I'm looking forward to read more.

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Did they start fleet based and then choose to settle for their moon base? Maybe a bit more of a description of why they chose those peoples over any others that they had come across.

 

Other than that it seems good.

Yeah they would have started as a fleet based Chapter and eventually chosen a planet as their homeworld. I mainly decided to place the Chapter on the planet's moon, as I think it adds to that whole mystique that surrounds the Chapter from the average person's perspective. The people see these great and terrible beings that come from the stars on the tips of fiery wings from this frightening star vessel, these Angels of Death who come for their young and mysteriously leave. It's something that's quite compelling in my mind. I fully intend to explain why the Revenants decided to choose this world over the others they came across in the decades before they discovered Varsenae, but as I said it was mainly because of the Varsenians' resolute nature and strong faith in the God-Emperor that Erasmus admired.

 

 

I really like the notes you've put up.

 

I think it's a great idea to have an ongoing conflict on the home world. My only suggestion would be to flesh out the two sides a bit and make sure that there is a balance between the two sides so that the conflict was able to continue for this long.

As you said the north are barbarians, to be able to continu fighting the other side they'd have to have some sort of edge on them. Either numbers, low tech weaponry and tactics or something to be able match the other side.

 

For my DIY chapter I have my chapter located on the moon as well. I figure I still need to flesh out why they're there. They could be on the planet on a remote location or have a fleet and return to the planet every once in a while. I guess the same counts for you as well. Your homeworld seems Imperial so why couldn't they have a chapter monastery there?

 

Anyways I'm looking forward to read more.

I'll definitely flesh out the people of the world and give both groups much more character. My initial thought as to why the conflict has been able to continue for so long, would be the barbaric clans' numbers, shear ferocity, and determination to destroy their enemy, and the civilized people's slight advantage in technology, tactics, and will to survive. The main inspiration behind the Varsenians were the two opposing sides from the opening scenes of the movie Gladiator. The Romans led by General Maximus, would be a common comparison for the civilized people, while the Germanic tribes would be similar to the, well, barbarians.

 

To make it clear I don't see the people of the north as any less intelligent or inferior than the civilized people, their way of life is just far different from the others. They're nothing close to the stereotypical, dumb 'caveman' people normally seem to associate a barbarian with. These are natural born killers, cruel and brutal individuals who specialize in war. Fitting for part of the Chapter's recruiting population, eh?

 

While I call the more barbaric people 'barbarians' right now I will create a better collective term for them, as well as the civilized people of the planet. In fact most of the names so far are placeholders until I find some suitable ones, the world especially. I don't like the name 'Varsenae' as it seems too 'pure' and 'clean' for a world torn in half by massive conflict. It's ironic that it's such a 'regal' name, but I'd like to search for more fitting ones. As I said earlier, any name suggestions are welcome, though I'm certainly looking for something more warlike and grisly. I've also been told that the name Revenants doesn't quite fit as it's a term also used for the a ghost or spectre. When I first named my Chapter the Revenants my line of thought was more along the first definition I got for them; "a person who has returned". I thought it was interesting and intended to elaborate on the name in the future, but I'm just not sure if I'd like to keep it at this point. Either way names are relatively important right now and shouldn't hold any significance over this Chapter so soon.

 


 

Though I haven't done much on the Chapter in the last day or so, does anyone else have some thoughts they'd like to share? I'm working on the Chapter's main theme, which will become more evident in my next few updates, and will become the backbone of the IA article. I just need to refine the concept and start brainstorming to make things mesh well without any open ends. Looks like I'll be consuming more energy drinks then I'd like to this weekend. <_<

 

Again, comments and concerns welcome, I shall continue work.

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While I call the more barbaric people 'barbarians' right now I will create a better collective term for them, as well as the civilized people of the planet.

 

Maybe just the tribal peoples vs the city dwellers,...? What type of regality are you looking for in the name?

 

Severus6

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