Disciples of Man

[Ferrata]

Disciples of Man

The Disciples are an old chapter of mine - linked to my main chapter the Wings of Death. I have recently started to reflesh them out and actually started writing some bits and bobs. Hope you enjoy.

Short Disciples of Man article

IA: Wings of Death [outdated]

IA: Wings of Death [history only]

My general plan to making chapters is to make notes of all the sections, pointing out the key areas in each. This allows a more flowing IA in the end, and allows any fluff issues to be picked up. So, here they are, the notes on the Disciples. Comments, as always, are welcomed - Ferrata

Pre-thoughts on the Chapter

With the previous version of this IA, a short 1000 word article on the chapter, I found I was basically writing the Wings of Death IA from a different perspective - this needs to change. Whilst a lot of the background to the Disciples is interwoven with that of the Wings, it needs to focus on the Disciples and their actions.

Disciples of Man

Origins

As the Imperium still shook from the most recent of Abandon's Black Crusades against the realm of man, it raised its bloody gauntlets in the name of retribution. Declaring a new founding of Astartes, the High Lords decreed that no Imperial world would fear the darkness of Chaos again. It is said that ranks upon ranks of Marines filled out of the Great Halls of Terra, all vowing to purge the stars of the Ruinous Powers. On the ancient ship Radiant Faith, a young chapter swore an oath to spread humility and hope with each breath they took; they became the Disciples of Man.

They were seconded to a budding jewel of the Imperium, the Olorun sub-sector, to aid in the campaigns to reclaim the Aetherius Stars. The now veteran Wings of Death, the spearhead chapter of the recent victories to pacify the Stars, had exploded the sub-sector, continually increasing the borders of the infant territory. As the Wings retreated to regain their strength, the Disciples were left with an impossible task of securing the boundaries of Imperial space. These first decades were a true baptism by fire for the Chapter; at times every battle brother was deployed in the field of battle. Their adaptability and flexibility served them well, but too much was asked of the fledging marines, too many planets needed to be defended from the resurgent Shakgrot Orks and widespread rebellions from Chaos insurgents.

It was decided that a number of outer worlds needed to be sacrificed to concentrate the man-power of the Imperium; otherwise the sector would be overrun. The Disciples of Man fought a valiant retreat, allowing the Imperial Guard to fortify the next planet before breaking from combat. Whilst their hearts were saddened with the loss of Imperial soil, the enemy was asked to pay a heavy price in blood for every foot they took. This campaign was declared a success, with the Lord Governor of the sub-sector praising the efforts of his saviours as he called the Disciples. This honour fell on deaf ears within the Chapter who mourned the loss of so many Imperial citizens and those warriors who had died to allow others to live, be they Astartes or Imperial Guardsmen.

Within a decade the Disciples of Man were leading new campaigns to recapture these lost worlds. Freshly raised Guard regiments marched alongside the gleaming gold and white of the noble chapter. The disciplined tactics of overlapping bolter fire, and the protracted rate of acquiring each planet meant once the main fighting force had moved on, they left behind a more secure and Imperialised culture. The sub-sector flourished as uprisings became a distant memory and the brutal Orks fleeing into the recesses of the Aetherius Stars. As their first century of active service drew to a close, the Disciples were heralded as heroes and liberators. Toasts were raised in their name across dozens of worlds and Governors pledged oaths sycophantically to the Chapter. Though they found such praise abhorrent, they played to the role for the morale of the citizens.

The Chapter gained many battle honours as centuries turned into millennia. The glorious defence as heck Secondus entered into Imperial libraries as a near perfect example of how to starve off a Chaos incursion. By ensuring the hearts and minds of the populace belonged to the Imperium, the Ruinous powers found even the simplest of citizen a difficult soul to capture. Countless marauders had fallen upon the planet expecting an easy victory, but instead found an armed populace that dogged them at every corner. The space-borne battles in the orbit Ghede became famous for the sacrifice of the Disciples, whom rather than have the enemy vessel crash through the planet's atmosphere, decided to board the ship. The resulting mission cost the lives of over three squads, but the inhabitants of Ghede were saved from decades of nuclear winter.

Whilst they guarded against the darkness that attempted to seep into the Imperium, the Disciples were plagued by their own daemons. They were dogged by Imperial Commanders, Governors and officials, seeking to praise the Chapter solely to raise their own profile in the political world. To have their duty cheapened by such men whose greasy hands dulled the glorious image of the Emperor placed the Disciples into a sombre mood. As more accolades rained down upon the Chapter, they began to look inwards at the corruption that could crush the sub-sector. Deciding that they only course of action to purify the stain of such sycophants was to take an active role in the governing of each planet. Although at first the burden weighed heavy on the Chapter, soon the benefits became apparent. The advisors supported by the Disciples spread the word of the people instead of the one, preached that each citizen should demand their dues. As long as they held the Emperor true in their hearts, they should strive together to better their lives. As rebellions of hope, justice and equality erupted in the sub-sector, a dark storm was gathering on the horizon.

With the Chapter deployed across the wide front of the sector, forcing both Chaotic and Xenos alike back into the darkness, the planets behind their Golden Line bloomed in fruitful peace. Governors were focussed on the need of the people, and the administrators the need of the sector. In this shining example of Imperial rule that the Disciples claimed as their spiritual domain, one world fell silent, Discelo. A taskforce led by the Chapter Master himself raced back to the Discelo, the home world of the Chapter, for fear of what might have happened. What they discovered was beyond their worst nightmares.

The Culling

• Fall of the Wings of Death
  
• Attack on Discelo (home world)
  
• Stalked at every moment
  
• Boarding actions against Battle Barge
  
• Crumbling of the Chapter
  
• Final battles
  

Home World

• Was an urbanised world
  
• Recruited from young athletes
  
• Peaceful
  
• Some mix between communism and T'au Greater Good (basically, a nice, quiet utopia)
  
• Now a barren land, nothing grows.
  

Beliefs

• Duty to serve
  
• Humans not Astartes idea
  
• Protecting those that cannot protect themselves
  
• No attachment to personal glory
  

Combat Doctrine

• Codex battle idea, very adaptable
  
• Bolters are the greatest weapon
  

Organisation

• Codex
  
• No adornment for anything (Chaplains, Captains, etc)
  

Gene Seed

• Ultramarine
  

[Ferrus Manus]

There's nothing that stands out to me as 'wrong' at the moment, I guess I'll just have to wait until they get a bit more flesh to the bones. As for the name, I like it - it adds to the Humans not Astartes idea.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing this grow, this has been my favourite of your Chapters since you wrote the original. :P

[CantonWC]

Interesting. So, I guess this a Chapter that does not have a happy ending? ;)

 

* Duty to serve

* Humans not Astartes idea

* Protecting those that cannot protect themselves

* No attachment to personal glory

 

No adornment for anything (Chaplains, Captains, etc)

 

I am thinking of attaching similar ideas to my own Chapter. I would be very interested in seeing how your Chapter develops these beliefs, because I am having trouble figuring out where mine would get theirs.

[Ferrata]

Interesting. So, I guess this a Chapter that does not have a happy ending?

Death and Destruction (and then having your saving fleet stolen)...so no, they do not have a happy ending.

 

I think there are the two major ways of achieving those results, through a man or through an action. The latter is a route I'm probably not going to tred although I am slightly tempted. Some action they over step the mark, believing themselves too good to care. They get crotch armour handed to them and they change. This could be interesting as it would reflect the Wings prideful fall, one chapter would see its error and fix it and the other would fall. However, I feel like this would change the dynamic of the relationship between the two.

 

The second option would be a plain man coming to control of the chapter - he just preaches these points. He makes it so the chapter don't glorify their victories etc. This does fall into the on-one-man chapter, but they can work as long as he isn't overplayed.

 

*Added rough idea of scheme*

[Codex Grey]

*Added rough idea of scheme*

;) I made the exact same scheme a few days ago. So it gets my approval ;)

 

I like the initial ideas and their beliefs remind me of my Heralds', except for the 'Human not Astartes' angle, which I'm looking forward to see you handle.

 

EDIT: Any thoughts on Chapter Symbol?