Corsairs Serpentis +New Content+

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

:P Corsairs Serpentis ;)

 

كنت أعرف أن تلتزم قلبي والحكمة, وأن يعرفوا الجنون الجنون. أتصور ان هذا ايضا كان يطارد في الريح. في الكثير من الحكمة, وحزن كثيرا. وقال ان يزيد المعرفة, يزيد حزن

 

I abide my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceive that this also was a chasing at the wind. For in much wisdom, is much grief. And he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow.

~Captain Ibrahīm

 

 

The Corsairs Serpentis added their strength to the Emperors Adeptus Astartes in the closing years of the 39th Millennium. They were told their presence was needed to replace a Chapter lost amongst a storm of the Emperors enemies, the Star Adders, even receiving the lost Chapters number while their erstwhile brothers were struck from the roster. Their own entry inscribed even as the bell of the lost tolled a thousand times for their predecessors. Their existence could have been unremarkable had the reasons for their founding been accurate. In the Imperium the wheels of administrative duty grind slowly and ominously onwards. Reports can be lost or take circuitous routes through the unfathomable bureaucracy of the Adeptus Terra. Unknown to the Corsairs the reasons for their creation had been false, the Star Adders were not lost at all. A powerful warp storm had cut off their current home system from the rest of the sector and in the silence of the void the local governors had feared the worst and in so doing feared for themselves and their own worlds.

 

 

Journey's End

 

When the Corsairs discovered the error firsthand upon their arrival at the Star Adders area of operations they were both elated for their brothers survival and crushed from the destruction of their own sense of purpose. The Star Adders seemed to be unperturbed by their being stricken from the roster and welcomed the Corsairs as brothers. The Star Adders had no homeworld and so confessed to no claim to the area and offered to leave to allow the Corsairs time to grow, something the then Chapter Master of the Corsairs readily agreed to with much gratitude, swearing oaths of friendship between the two Chapters that would strengthen in the years to come.

 

In the decades that followed the Corsairs picked a homeworld on the outer edge of the sector. A large desert world that bred a people of a hardy constitution. The practice of mounted warfare and raiding culture that evolved from it resonated with the Corsairs heritage of the Great Khan. The people of ‘Ālamīn proved to be ideal stock for the chapter. The pragmatic, introspective culture of ‘Ālamīn became infused in the chapter, the native script and language soon supplanting the original founders high gothic, the spiritual beliefs intertwined with the innate chapter cult taught at their founding and the combination began to push the chapter in new directions. The people of ‘Ālamīns' fierce streak of independence and self sufficiency drove the Chapter apart not through violence, but through a mutual agreement to stand on their own, each company breaking off from the whole to form their own ibn amm or 'descent group'.

 

The companies moved across the sector of their own volition, returning home only when the trials for recruitment were held or if the direst of circumstances motivated them to stand together. Each company would stand alone in whatever trials awaited them among the stars.

[Ferrus Manus]

Some interesting ideas here, GHY. It's nice to see a change from the Spartan Space Marines etc...

They could perhaps first meet with the Xenos in error and warn them away. If not then they are informed they have committed transgression against the Imperium and must pay.

Personally, I don't like this bit, seems forced. I think it's trying to hard to fit the theme in. I'd consider dropping it.

 

Otherwise, I look forward to seeing where this goes. :D

[Rabidus]

I played around using this culture as an inspiration for a chapter, so glad to see someone working with them! My favourite part of the cultural idiosyncrasies is the predilection for truth telling and the rite of truth, where by they place a small coal (though on the wiki link you've got they mention it as a hot spoon) on the tongue to determine if someone has lied or not.

 

Think the xenos part is quite weak IMO, for what its worth - you could feasibly do it that they assisted another chapter who seemingly were retreating from massive defeats of supposed rebel forces. They battle on their behalf, only to find out that they were the traitors and the others loyalist - thus gaining a description of their rites of hospitality and then an internal/imperial blood feud and the eschewing hunt and bloodbath?

 

Final note - love the colour scheme!

[Donkey Kong]

:huh:

:D

:o

^_^

 

My train of thought upon seeing this thread. I love these guys so much (near exclusively for their color scheme).

 

I'm a little confused on where their blood feud is going, is it against chaos or aliens (or both)?

 

I'm also a little uncertain on which chapter you're going to be using as a parent, especially considering your desired traits.

 

I know it's not what you intended with that inspiration picture, but I honestly imagine some sort of emphasis on scouts (maybe even having some full fledged Astartes go unarmored (ala Legion).

 

I was also wanting the various companies to work independently of one another

 

I see nothing wrong with this, your expansive command structure could even fall back on some of the RT stuff with the Force Commander and such.

 

What is your Chapter's take on Psykers and Chaplains?

 

Also, how were you going to expand on the more humanitarian aspect of the Corsairs?

 

Finally, I will have you know I will be pushing you the whole way (dragging you kicking and screaming if I have to) :P !

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

Ferrus,

 

Personally, I don't like this bit, seems forced. I think it's trying to hard to fit the theme in. I'd consider dropping it.

 

I was thinking that as I wrote it, I'm glad it wasn't just me over-thinking a problem.

 

Rabidus,

 

I played around using this culture as an inspiration for a chapter, so glad to see someone working with them! My favourite part of the cultural idiosyncrasies is the predilection for truth telling and the rite of truth, where by they place a small coal (though on the wiki link you've got they mention it as a hot spoon) on the tongue to determine if someone has lied or not.

 

Thanks! I've always had a fascination with Bedouin, they have a certain mystique and are mostly unknown enigmas even a thousand years later. I'm glad you approve! :D

 

Think the xenos part is quite weak IMO, for what its worth - you could feasibly do it that they assisted another chapter who seemingly were retreating from massive defeats of supposed rebel forces. They battle on their behalf, only to find out that they were the traitors and the others loyalist - thus gaining a description of their rites of hospitality and then an internal/imperial blood feud and the eschewing hunt and bloodbath?

 

Call me dense but I'm not entirely sure what you mean. I understand that you agree with Ferrus above in that the 'rites of hospitality' toward Xenos is a bit forced, but I'm not entirely sure what you mean with the rebels. Do you mean that it's a way to make the chapter eschew their rites of hospitality or to promote it? I'm a little confused, could you clarify for me?

 

Final note - love the colour scheme!

I love these guys so much (near exclusively for their color scheme).

 

:yes:

 

I know, it's one of the last schemes Scally did before he left the board on his last hiatus. I kept staring at it and having ideas come to me and now, finally, I've gotten around to putting pen to paper and having a go at doing it justice.

 

KHK,

 

I'm a little confused on where their blood feud is going, is it against chaos or aliens (or both)?

 

They declare their feuds against anyone who disrupts assahiya, the Imperium being their extended tribe. Basically, they view the Imperium and humanity in general as one of many larger 'tribes' in the galaxy. They see Xenos as their own 'tribes' and within each larger group there are smaller subgroups, just like in Bedouin society there are tribes as the largest group type and within those groups are families and extended families working together within their own groups.

 

To put it concisely; the Imperium is their Tribe, the Chapter is their goum and each company is a bayt. This makes them a little bit like the Templars in a way in that each company is in essence a 'household'.

(Goum = collection of tents or bayt which is the Arabic and Hebrew word for house)

 

This also leaves room for internal conflict within the Imperium if they see an individual or group as being overly disruptive or committing grievances against the tribe.

 

I'm also a little uncertain on which chapter you're going to be using as a parent, especially considering your desired traits.

 

I was going to have them use the White Scars geneseed originally, but as of the current build it doesn't really matter that much. Geneseed doesn't decide their traits or how they fight, only various aspects of their physical appearance and physiology which in itself is tempered by the makeup of their recruits.

 

I know it's not what you intended with that inspiration picture, but I honestly imagine some sort of emphasis on scouts (maybe even having some full fledged Astartes go unarmored (ala Legion).

 

It could work to have them follow a very Space Wolf way of warfare. Blood Claws (in this case Khamsa) being the youths, the ones with a passion for righting the ills committed against them or humanity. Wolf Scouts could be some of the chapters veterans who more or less excel at their given duties, etc. That said, I'm not decided yet and I've yet to read the latest Codex: Space Wolves, so I could be out of touch.

 

I see nothing wrong with this, your expansive command structure could even fall back on some of the RT stuff with the Force Commander and such.

 

That's what I thought as well. My initial ideas on structure again relate directly to the Bedouin. Each company is led by an Elder who is in turn backed up by the head of each grouping of warriors within the company. Using again Space Wolf units for my example, each company is lead by a Wolf Lord (Elder) who is in turn served by his Wolf Guard (squad sargents) with each Wolf Guard being responsible for an aspect of the company, Blood Claws, Long Fangs or Grey Hunters respectively. As marines age and gain experience they essentially move up in their household.

 

At least, those are my first thoughts and not once again not final.

 

What is your Chapter's take on Psykers and Chaplains?

 

I never envisaged the Corsairs being much of a Psyker chapter. Since they recruit so disparately they are essentially mixing and matching gene-stock and the chances of having the psyker gene is both much lower and at the same time more of a wild-card than usual.

 

As for Chaplains I consider them to be the equivalent of a Mubesha (or Mubasha) or what is essentially a Judicator. There is a small entry on the Mubesha in this article on the truth ritual that Rabidus mentioned above, linked here.

 

They mediate internal disputes within the chapter and conduct the induction ritual of every recruit into each company. They still perform the duties of other chaplains, reminding the Corsairs of their honour bound duty to the Emperor as family, but they are less prevalent as there is less of a religious tone in the chapter overall. They are also the ones to declare any blood feud upon another and can be declared for the entire chapter depending on the weight of the grievances and in such regard is a duty not undertaken lightly.

 

Also, how were you going to expand on the more humanitarian aspect of the Corsairs?

 

Well I see the Corsairs as much like the Space Wolves in this regard. They speak out against what they see as injustice against ones own family or tribe and will do all they can to see such grievances righted but are not in the same way intrinsically humanitarian like the Salamanders.

 

Finally, I will have you know I will be pushing you the whole way (dragging you kicking and screaming if I have to) :ph34r: !

 

Glad to have your support! (Or perhaps your beatings until more material is produced!) ^_^

[Dazzo]

I agree with previous comments, the colour scheme is great, it really adds flava, and name wise I say keep it as is, its different and it has a pleasing ring to it, and I dont say these things simply so I wont have to change the image or move it because the name was changed.... :lol:

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

....and I dont say these things simply so I wont have to change the image or move it because the name was changed.... :P

 

Your heroically selfless acts shall not go unremembered Dazzo. :rolleyes:

[Donkey Kong]

By desired traits, I meant you religious aspects (ala Blood Feuds), not appearance and battle strategy. Y'know, GHY, considering how much went into the Death Heads I would have thought you knew that little tidbit about how you don't act exactly like your parent chapter :) :D !

 

If the companies are all independent, is there a first veteran company? If not the companies could go unnumbered like the Space Wolves.

Also, is there a specific Chapter Master like the Great Wolf or is there just a council of captains like the Iron Hands and their Clan Companies?

 

*push push* c'mon GHY, just a little farther :D !

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

If not the companies could go unnumbered like the Space Wolves.

Also, is there a specific Chapter Master like the Great Wolf or is there just a council of captains like the Iron Hands and their Clan Companies?

 

Un-numbered. Named, but not numbered no. I think in times of great crisis a council of Elders would elect a leader from among their number, when something threatened the entire chapter or a great catastrophe like a Black Crusade or new hive fleet invasion. In such a case the elected elder would be able to decide just how many companies would be assigned to collectively deal with the threat and would be lead by the same man.

 

Y'know, GHY, considering how much went into the Death Heads I would have thought you knew that little tidbit about how you don't act exactly like your parent chapter

 

Ohh... :pinch:

 

Well I don't know who their gene-parent chapter would be as I can't think of one to pick. As to their teachers? I'd assume they pick up a lot of their traits, but develop some of their own along the way, not copy them completely. Perhaps taking some of their teachers aspects and taking them in another direction. I'm still developing them from the more basic ideas I posted at the top so nothing is really all that well thought out as of yet.

[Donkey Kong]

So, if the Companies are unnumbered what takes the place of the First Company? Is there something in the way of the Wolf Guard where the Veterans are given some distinct position?

A Chapter that is so into its own philosophy may oppose the Mechanicus in some way, do they? Do they have access to some of the better machines and do they have a rocky or good relationship with Mars?

 

You've already stated something along the lines of a blood feud with all Orks, how does the chapter feel about the relatively more "civil" aliens like the Eldar and the Tau? Where are they located in the Galaxy?

 

I'm a little confused on what drives the blood feuds, is it indoctrination? Do they crusade over them, basically pursuing retreating enemies just to "end the feud" and start another one?

 

*nudge nudge* GHY! C'mon! You're getting farther :lol: !

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

So, if the Companies are unnumbered what takes the place of the First Company? Is there something in the way of the Wolf Guard where the Veterans are given some distinct position?

 

The older and more experienced a warrior gets the more elevated his position within his company becomes. This elevation in status gives him more access to the rare and powerful weapons held by the company armoury. There are no real defined ranks other than those given out by the Company Elder. The Elder dictates who oversees what task or squad. The eldest and most experienced of the companies warriors are grouped together to perform a particularly perilous task.

 

The companies are larger than average, not by much, but enough to compensate for the lack of a dedicated first company and the integration of a companies own veterans into their structure.

 

I'm a little confused on what drives the blood feuds, is it indoctrination? Do they crusade over them, basically pursuing retreating enemies just to "end the feud" and start another one?

 

Anyone that disrupts humanity, anyone that commits a grievance against humanity as a whole. Think of the Dwarfs Book of Grudges from Warhammer Fantasy, in the same vein the Corsairs prosecute their Blood Feuds against any that wrong humanity or the chapter itself. Unlike the Grudges, the chapter only declares Blood Feuds in situations they know about. While they can't right every wrong committed against humanity, the companies can right whatever they come across.

 

While they have a fued with all orks, this is because the race is so persistant in it's attacks against humanity all across the galaxy unceasingly they were viewed as a special case, those who needed to be eradicated for there was no other way. They do not fight for territory or wealth, just for the fight itself and in that case are different than the rest.

 

As to the civilized aliens? It could be rationalized as using their time as valuably as possible but I don't see the Corsairs persecuting any other aliens further than the Blood Feud calls for. For example if the Tau invade a human world the Chapter responds and in light of their crimes, commits them to a blood feud. They destroy the invading forces and the fleet in orbit, but their blood debt is considered paid and they don't subsequently raid Tau shipping lines or other worlds just because they can.

 

It's more like the actual defence of the Imperium, rather than just killing aliens because you have the opportunity I suppose.

 

A Chapter that is so into its own philosophy may oppose the Mechanicus in some way, do they?

 

I haven't thought about the Mechanicus in relation to the Corsairs actually. They might not really mind the mechanicus and simply view them as another 'tribe' inside the Imperium.

[Donkey Kong]

Ah, so I understand that they don't take revenge on aliens. Using your own example, suppose Tau attack an Imperial world, the Corsairs come and push them off and devastate whatever fleet assets they have. Now, the Tau retreat, would the Corsairs peruse or would they allow them to leave?

 

Honestly the latter would raise some eyebrows.

 

*shove shove* C'mon GHY, lets get started with an IA :lol: !

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

Ah, so I understand that they don't take revenge on aliens. Using your own example, suppose Tau attack an Imperial world, the Corsairs come and push them off and devastate whatever fleet assets they have. Now, the Tau retreat, would the Corsairs peruse or would they allow them to leave?

 

Well, considering that they probably obliterated all those who actually killed and attempted to overwhelm Imperial forces, they would let anyone who hadn't explicitly been involved in the fighting leave. They would likely also consider pursuing the Xenos through the void to be the Imperial Navies job and would leave them to it.

 

*shove shove* C'mon GHY, lets get started with an IA

 

Hah! Well I guess I might have enough to start an IA now. I just don't really know how to start. I'm still working out how they come to be.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

Bumped for new content. The old content has been moved to a blog page so that it is still there so I can re-read my initial thoughts without having to chew through loads of pages of posts or my own notepads of oblivion.

 

Linked here.

[Codex Grey]

Nice start there, Ydalir.

 

My suggestion would be to sneak it up a notch. What I mean is how about not mentioning the Alpha Legion at all. Make it a mystery for the reader to solve. They are Alpha Legion after all, the sneakiest of the sneakiest.

 

Do you mind sharing how the Adders planned the treachery ( or if they didn't plan it, and even why they did it at that specific time)? I know they are the Alpha Legion, known for their unpredictability, but the whole set-up seems a bit strange. Why did they decide to betray them that way?

 

Unless you can give the above question a good answer ( I'll be the judge of that ;) ) An idea could be to have the Adders using the friendship with the Corsairs to try and manipulate them, trick them etc. into helping them with... stuff... I don't know, and then the Corsairs find out. Upon the revelation, the Corsairs can still loose a lot of men, if that is what you want (the adders probably always have a backup plan in case they need to destroy their 'allies'.)

But right now the Istvaan-like thing is just ... well, an Istvaan-like thing.

 

Just some random thoughts. Keep going GHY. And don't forget Gehenna!

[Lysimachus]

seems like a good start, GHY

 

I'm a little confused too though, if the Star Adders were working with the AL, why were they hunting them? If that was just a front for aiding them, why not just tell the Corsairs that they didn't need any help in the hunt, keep them out of the way?

 

perhaps as CG said it would work if they were trying to manipulate them. If the Star Adders were fewer in numbers than the Corsairs (maybe swap numbers of companies present?), they could be using them to do their dirty work e.g. tell them the Navy depot is itself a front for traitors, get them to attack it. then half way through the attack, the Corsairs realize something's not right? I can just picture the moment the Adders and the Corsairs are stood there looking at each other, the light bulbs suddenly appear above their heads and who starts shooting first...?

 

anyway, good stuff!

 

Lysimachus

[Donkey Kong]

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY :D !!!!

 

Good stuff, GHY. I agree with Codex on trying to disguise the Alpha Legion. Also, does the title "Elder" take the place of Captain?

 

Can't wait for more,

 

KHK

[Ferrus Manus]

My suggestion would be to sneak it up a notch. What I mean is how about not mentioning the Alpha Legion at all. Make it a mystery for the reader to solve. They are Alpha Legion after all, the sneakiest of the sneakiest.

It could work. I like it. 'were infiltrated by a Chaos Force?'

 

Now, my only real issue is the Star Adders, horrible name :P, any chance of changing it? Plus it's too similar to the Corsairs Serpentis.

And, I'm not even going to start on the grammar... yet ;)

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

My suggestion would be to sneak it up a notch. What I mean is how about not mentioning the Alpha Legion at all. Make it a mystery for the reader to solve. They are Alpha Legion after all, the sneakiest of the sneakiest.

 

Intriguingly sneaky... :)

 

Not a bad idea at all, and one that could probably work better than my current blundering plot as it stands (it needs work!).

 

I'm a little confused too though, if the Star Adders were working with the AL, why were they hunting them? If that was just a front for aiding them, why not just tell the Corsairs that they didn't need any help in the hunt, keep them out of the way?

 

Legitimacy on the surface. You work with a 'brother' chapter and your reputation is boosted and cemented as loyal, as far as it can be in any case.

 

Do you mind sharing how the Adders planned the treachery ( or if they didn't plan it, and even why they did it at that specific time)? I know they are the Alpha Legion, known for their unpredictability, but the whole set-up seems a bit strange. Why did they decide to betray them that way?

 

It's more the fact that their 'true face' was stumbled upon by chance. They wanted to simply eliminate the evidence for it is far easier to pursue a campaign based on false victories and lies as to it's course while operating in it's shadow than simply plotting the downfall of another chapter that would be better served as unknowing dupes.

 

I imagined it to be an unexpected chance occurrence that couldn't or hadn't been planned for. The betrayal was more a scrambling to erase the evidence of the Alpha Legions presence at all rather than to simply cover their own arses. They didn't anticipate the Corsairs to survive, as most heroic tales go.

 

perhaps as CG said it would work if they were trying to manipulate them. If the Star Adders were fewer in numbers than the Corsairs (maybe swap numbers of companies present?), they could be using them to do their dirty work e.g. tell them the Navy depot is itself a front for traitors, get them to attack it. then half way through the attack, the Corsairs realize something's not right? I can just picture the moment the Adders and the Corsairs are stood there looking at each other, the light bulbs suddenly appear above their heads and who starts shooting first...?

 

The mental image is quite amusing at first, then becomes quite dramatic rather quickly! It's an idea and works in more easily to the nature of the Alpha Legions dealings with others.

 

Also, does the title "Elder" take the place of Captain?

 

Indubitably my friend, the difference is that while a Captain can be elevated through talent and skill, an Elder is picked for having the required experience alongside those other traits. If an Elder dies and he has no nominated replacement the next most talented and experience warrior takes his place. I plan to add this in organization obviously. As an aside, there is a lack of ego in the chapters tenets, ego can cause problems in such a resource scarce place as the harsh deserts and the peoples pragmatic culture dictates that those who view themselves as unworthy must remove themselves from the process. In this way the Honour Guard is formed, those that do not consider themselves right for command commit their lives to protecting those that are.

 

It could work. I like it. 'were infiltrated by a Chaos Force?'

 

Sneaking it up seems to be the consensus. ;)

 

I always intended the Adders to be (at least by the time the Corsairs come on the scene) to be a satellite of the Alpha Legion. I'm a huge fan of the Alpha Legion, but not as Chaos Marines. I love them for being completely and utterly enigmatic to the point of being a complete unknown to both sides of the coin, much like Cipher.

 

Now, my only real issue is the Star Adders, horrible name :P, any chance of changing it? Plus it's too similar to the Corsairs Serpentis.

And, I'm not even going to start on the grammar... yet ;)

 

My grammar always needs work. :lol:

 

Well I didn't mind the Star Adders too much, even if it is a bit of a ham-fisted 'hint' to their Alpha Legion backers. I'm more than welcome for anyone to present a suggestion to an alternative. They are similar to the Corsairs in a fashion, but only on the surface. The Corsairs were meant to replace them and for a time helped them develop. That said, they can have a different name and it won't change anything really. Help though, is appreciated.

[Donkey Kong]

Alternative names?

 

Star Forgers (in keeping with the original name)

Children of Fortune (irony)

Celestial Charity (sort of ironic)

Children of Charity (combination of irony)

 

The Marines Benevolent :lol: (I'm sorry, I just had to)

 

I have to agree that the Star Adders is just atrocious as far as names go, no offense. It's rather funny, "Brother, how many stars are there?" "Let's start counting!" :lol: /bad joke.

[Ferrus Manus]

When he says Adder, KHK, I think he meant the type of Snake ;) ...

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

I think he meant the type of Snake :( ...

 

Your not wrong Ferrus. ^_^

 

I'm mid working on Scribe entries for Gehenna to be taking this apart and putting it back together, but regardless the 'sneaking it up' is fueling my creative process enough to be subconsciously working on new ways to implement such sneakiness I assure you.

[Donkey Kong]

My mistake :devil: ! Sorry.

 

For the sneakiness, may I recommend simply getting rid of any name references and leaving only the colors green and blue and maybe making a reference to the hydra.

[Ferrus Manus]

Do you have a colour scheme for these guys GHY? If so, fancy signing up for the DIY Challenge?

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

Yes they do, a rather spiffy one at that. However, I have no paints, brushes and I barely even have glue to continue with my unfinished models and not a lot of spare cash to get any and no time to go down and get them, which is a bit of a bummer considering I have probably enough models for a game but no way to paint them as of yet. I have black primer spraycan, if I get a colour scheme that is completely black I could do it! :P