The Rift Lords - Ace's idea for traitors

[Ace Debonair]

Ok, cool. Doesn't matter if no-one likes possessed marines in the board game. Who knows what the next codex will bring, after all. :)

 

Uh, hope that makes it clearer. And again by draw inspiration I meant for your Chapter, not your self. If self thn the same mail and keyboard incident shall happen. :P

 

Yeah, that makes more sense. I'll work on this maybe after the weekend. ;)

[Ace Debonair]

a fanatical force, devoted to your death or theirs if needs be. A force that seems omnipresent because there is little fractured groups of them everywhere. A group that everyone is paranoid about. And no matter how well you prepare they will always get you in the place you didn't expect. A group that thinks nothing of killing "infidels" if it will help achieve their goal.

The more I think about this, the more I think I can't sensibly use this idea.

Why? Because if everyone is worried about what the Rift Lords will do, we'd probably have heard of them before now. :whistling:

 

Although, if large parts of the Imperium don't know anything about traitor marines, I suppose it's not unreasonable to assume details on the Rift Lords are kept only to the important people - you know, system govenors, Imperial generals and Loyalist chapters.

 

I'm presently thinking that the Rift Lords might sit still in the Shroud Stars when they reach there, and launch their devious operations all over the place, either converting worlds to Chaos or targetting any Space Marine forces that look weakened or diminished. This is still in the 'rough ideas' stages, to be honest, so I'm not settled on any details yet.

 

Anyway. I did say I'd write a quick story detailing some interaction between Maluk and Keja, so here it is.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Escorted by three of Maluk's personal guard, Keja was guided along the corridors to Maluk's war room. The Sorceror smirked to himself - he already knew exactly how this meeting would play out. Maluk would question Keja's decisions, take them as a challenge to his authority, and throw a tantrum like a child whose favourite toy has been taken from him, before Keja elected to enlighten him as to the true consequences of his actions.

 

The door opened, and the three marines escorting the Sorceror called out simultaneously:

"Lord Maluk, great liberator and destroyer - we present your Sorceror, Ke-"

"Silence. Leave us," Maluk commanded, rising from his throne. Keja idly brushed his long, silver hair back as the marines left the room. Maluk remained where he was, giving Keja a blank, level stare. The silence dragged on for what seemed to be minutes before Maluk spoke.

"My orders were to crush the loyalists completely, Keja. Yet my men tell me you disobeyed my commands, and sounded a retreat while you were on the brink of victory."

"Lord Maluk, there ar-"

"I did not ask you to speak, Keja. I know why you let them live. You sought to plant the seeds of doubt in their minds. To let them see that Chaos, the path of the Gods, will grant them power and glory like none they have ever known."

Keja was stunned, although he tried hard not to let it show. How did Maluk learn of his plans? Maluk walked forward, his hand straying to the power sword at his side.

"My orders, however, were to leave none alive - only their corpses to honour our Gods. Now the unenlightened will send their ships after us."

"Lord Maluk, there are many ways to achieve victory," Keja said, speaking quickly. "Their reliance on the psychic - on sorcery - was poised to tear them apart. Now instead it will further our goal; more enlightened worshippers now means more glories in the names of the Gods in future. All I did was set their feet on the path by showing them the power that the Gods have given us."

Maluk paused, his hand on his sword hilt. Keja continued;

"They will join us. They will see their powers are welcomed here, not punished. They will turn from the darkness of the Imperium, and embrace the searing, blinding light of Chaos."

"When?"

"I... cannot say, Lord. Not everything is revealed to me."

"You had better be right, Keja." Maluk said, relaxing his grip on the sword hilt. "Because if the Twilight Talons attack us again, I will personally cut your head from your shoulders. Do you understand?"

"Understood, Lord." Keja bowed low, so Maluk could not see the evil smile that flashed across his face. "Now I must rest, and meditate on our next course of action."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

Eh, that's a bit clumsy, but it'll do to illustrate the way they work.

Obviosuly Keja and Maluk will mostly co-operate, it's just when Keja goes into his wheels-within-wheels plans that Maluk will lose his temper with him.

 

Oh, and I worked in something that will pop up in the Twilight Talons IA, although that's going to be a bit of a while in the making.

 

EDIT:

OK, the story's way to big to be a sidebar. That was my original plan. ;) Maybe I'll add a cut-down version for the IA, or drop it in favour of a brief, disconnected account of what happened.

Edited May 24, 2010 by Ace Debonair

[Brother Argent]

Good point. Might I just make a tiny counter point, however. How many terrorist groups do you know of? I'm guessing about three or four. Ones such as Al-Quaeda, the Taliban, Jimah Islamiah(SP?) ? Now their are I beleive countless thousands of petty terrorist groups that we've never heard of. Of course most people have heard of terrorists in general, so I suppose your statement of how most Imperials are ignorant of evil space marines (and just about everything else). Just some food for thought.

 

 

You know the Rift Lords re probably the only Chapter I have ever put this musch comments on. Quite sad really...

[Wildfire]

OP is fine now. Thanks.

 

Just a quick note about daemons: there are unaligned daemons. And even Undivided warbands can invoke indiviual Chaos gods (and their respective daemons) for specific purposes. For instance, in the 3.5 Chaos 'dex there's a short story about an Alpha Legion sorcerer that summons Bloodletters.

[Lysimachus]

It's a good start Ace, I think the 'fanatic terrorist' idea is an excellent way to pull all the NL, AL, WB ideas together

 

The more I think about this, the more I think I can't sensibly use this idea.

Why? Because if everyone is worried about what the Rift Lords will do, we'd probably have heard of them before now.

 

True enough. However, 'everyone' doesn't have to mean everyone. It could simply be everyone ( referring to leaders here, not common people obviously) within a chosen Sector, heck even just a couple of Sub-Sectors would probably work. Having a proper sense of scale of the Imperium, you can have them range far and wide, feared by countless worlds and always turning up in unexpected places.... but all that and they're still barely visible on the galatic map. The Imperium is just that big.

Edited May 25, 2010 by Strike Captain Lysimachus

[Brother Argent]

Wow, someone agrees with me. Thats a first ^_^

[Ace Debonair]

It's a good start Ace, I think the 'fanatic terrorist' idea is an excellent way to pull all the NL, AL, WB ideas together

 

It could simply be everyone ( referring to leaders here, not common people obviously) within a chosen Sector, heck even just a couple of Sub-Sectors would probably work. Having a proper sense of scale of the Imperium, you can have them range far and wide, feared by countless worlds and always turning up in unexpected places.... but all that and they're still barely visible on the galatic map. The Imperium is just that big.

 

Put like that... :)

Sneaky devious fanatics planning to kill or convert you and everyone you know who may or may not be lurking around every corner - could just work.

 

Wow, someone agrees with me. Thats a first

I laughed when I read this.

Conclusive proof that even a topic about fiendishly evil traitors can produce positive things. :lol:

 

Between working on the Rift Lords, Infinity Knights and Stonebound, I am going to be one busy battle-brother.

Business as usual, in other words. :P

 

I think I'll keep working on these as a concept for now, rather than leaping right in and creating more problems for myself.

 

There's still things to work out, for one thing. As an example: is there a way that the central force of the Rift Lords could communicate easily with the isolated, widely-scattered cells?

[Guest Mordray]

Sorcery... sacrifice a few willing pawns and with a little help from a daemon host and you're looking at a real-time conference call... use discreetly... wouldn't want to be detected to regularly... Astropathic communications is apparently the most reliable form of communications available combine that with Chaos Sorcery and you should have a 'reliable' method of communicating.

 

When working with scattered elements it's also best to not micro manage but instead give them generic goals to achieve and let them figure out how to go about it.

[Walter Payton]

These seem like a wonderful concept. I am looking forward to the IT!

[Ace Debonair]

Sorcery... sacrifice a few willing pawns and with a little help from a daemon host and you're looking at a real-time conference call... use discreetly... wouldn't want to be detected to regularly... Astropathic communications is apparently the most reliable form of communications available combine that with Chaos Sorcery and you should have a 'reliable' method of communicating.

 

When working with scattered elements it's also best to not micro manage but instead give them generic goals to achieve and let them figure out how to go about it.

 

Trust me not to think of that. :rolleyes: Cheers Mordray. ;)

 

These seem like a wonderful concept. I am looking forward to the IT!

Thanks!

I was sat on the idea for the Stonebound for almost three months. I've been sat on these for almost five months - there's a fair bit of planning going into this.

The IT will be a little while coming, though. I want to get my Infinity Knights and Stonebound sorted out first. Then I can make more difficulties for myself. :lol:

 

Although in some ways I can hardly wait to start on this IT.

Part of their beliefs will definitely be that they are 'saving' the Imperium by making everyone embrace Chaos. So they're launching attacks in any number of locations at any possible time - but it's for your own good. :D

They'll also refer to the Chaos Gods as just 'The Gods', I think, and use a lot of 'light' imagery to describe Chaos.

 

Oh, and I thought I'd try switching the white and purple around on the colours.

Any thoughts?

Hope that doesn't make the post all wide-screen on folks. :sweat:

[Walter Payton]

The one on the left.

[Reyner]

The one on the left.

I agree.

 

I really like the sound of these heretics!

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

I'm ashamed I didn't get here sooner Ace.

 

I love the character interaction between the two main characters. Keja and Maluk. This is the kind of character-driven influence you expect from Chaos. While the Imperium has stories about groups and even whole armies of heroes, chaos is all about the individual, nefarious villains and this is great.

 

On the colour scheme, why not use both? They are chaos after all, why not have the colour scheme be a little bit eclectic to reflect this?

[Ace Debonair]

I love the character interaction between the two main characters. Keja and Maluk. This is the kind of character-driven influence you expect from Chaos. While the Imperium has stories about groups and even whole armies of heroes, chaos is all about the individual, nefarious villains and this is great.

 

I'm quite good at creating characters, so perhaps I'll find the IT easier than my IAs.

I must remember not to get too drawn in, though - Maluk and Keja are important guys, but not the only two Rift Lords. :)

 

On the colour scheme, why not use both? They are chaos after all, why not have the colour scheme be a little bit eclectic to reflect this?

I suppose the second scheme could be used to denote leader-types? The extra white was to symbolise purity and freedom, so perhaps those tasked with conversion rather than conquest can wear primarily white.

 

On another note: How big can I make this warband without it seeming silly/overpowered?

I was aiming for something fairly sizeable, but I don't especially want to make the Rift Lords a bigger threat (numerically) than any of the major legions/warbands.

 

Unless I can get away with it, of course. :tu:

[Brother Argent]

My advice on that part Ace is not to specify their size. Hint thnat they may be big (not Legion size obviously) but never actually say it. It goes with the whole hidden extremeist theme. You don't know how many there are, or where they are, you just know that they are out there somewhere...

 

EDIT: And you are really putting me to shame here Ace, I better get cracking on my IT: Iron Dragons.

Edited May 26, 2010 by Silver Phoenix

[Ace Debonair]

My advice on that part Ace is not to specify their size. Hint thnat they may be big (not Legion size obviously) but never actually say it. It goes with the whole hidden extremeist theme. You don't know how many there are, or where they are, you just know that they are out there somewhere...

 

Good thinking, that man. :D

 

Right, now for the homeworld questions.

 

What I've got in my head is that the Rift Lords are based in the Shroud Stars, a group of stars I made up that are in the galactic north. Basically, it's a Chaos stronghold, a bit like the Eye of Terror but on a much smaller scale.

 

This has got me thinking, though, since I'm fairly sure the Eye links straight into the warp, doesn't it?

I don't think the Shroud Stars could be the same, if that's the case - otherwise there might be ways for Chaos forces to come flooding out of the Shroud Stars, and the next Black Crusade could come from the north. ;)

 

I suppose the entire place could instead be shrouded in a permanent warp-storm, hence the name, but then I have to make up some reason that the Rift Lords can come and go with no problems.

 

Do either of these ideas seem plausible in the least?

Has Ace's poor, overworked brain finally snapped?

Tune in next time to find out! :lol:

 

...Seriously, though, what do you all think? ^_^

[Brother Argent]

To me the Shroud Stars sound like some kind of Warp Storm Accumilating Nebula cross debris field. Basically a massive area filled with space dust and debris that, somehow, conduct the energies of the Warp makig the entire thing some kind of massive warp flickering ships graveyard. The idea would be that Warp Storms flicker and burst into being, swallowing stray ships and other objects, only to spit them out seconds later as the Storm flickers out of existance. Maybe some crazy super physker exploded there or something, thus making the region unstable. As for the Rift Lords getting through unharmed: well, they are buddies with the gribblys in the Warp so I reckon Warp Storms aren't going to worry them too much.

[Captain Juan Juarez]

Well think of it as a Warp Storm held in place by the powers of Chaos that prevents the corrupt Imperium from piercing the shroud* around its strongholds and seeing the plans of its foes.

 

*See what I did there?

[Walter Payton]

Good point. Might I just make a tiny counter point, however. How many terrorist groups do you know of? I'm guessing about three or four. Ones such as Al-Quaeda, the Taliban, Jimah Islamiah(SP?)

 

Irish Republican Army

Irish National Liberation Front

Baader-Meinhof Gang

Al-Quaeda

The Taliban

The Shining Path

The Tamil Tigers

The PLA

The PNLA

Hezbollah

Global Jihad

 

Quite scary really...

 

Hurry up and write the IT Ace!

[Ace Debonair]

Well think of it as a Warp Storm held in place by the powers of Chaos that prevents the corrupt Imperium from piercing the shroud* around its strongholds and seeing the plans of its foes.

 

*See what I did there?

I do indeed see what you did there, CJJ. :D

 

Basically a massive area filled with space dust and debris that, somehow, conduct the energies of the Warp makig the entire thing some kind of massive warp flickering ships graveyard. The idea would be that Warp Storms flicker and burst into being, swallowing stray ships and other objects, only to spit them out seconds later as the Storm flickers out of existance. Maybe some crazy super physker exploded there or something, thus making the region unstable.

SP, you've done it again. :blink: I was sold on the idea as soon as I read ship's graveyard. ;)

 

Hurry up and write the IT Ace!

All in good time, all in good time - I'm making sure I've though this all out first.

I'm honestly amazed at how popular this thread has been- I just hope the IT isn't a letdown when it's finished.

 

I did think of another minor idea, something perhaps for the geneseed section.

With the acid-spraying ability that marines have, I'm thinking a geneseed mutation that alters it so the produced fluid is much less corrosive, but is highly flammable and is known to combust under direct sunlight in even temperate climes - something the Rift Lords most commonly use for big impressive displays where they burn Imperial iconography.

 

Sound any good?

Edited May 27, 2010 by Ace Debonair

[Brother Argent]

Wow, someone else liking my ideas. Okay, this is getting wierd... :blink:

[Reyner]

The idea for the geneseed seems very good. That would be a very disturbing thing for a group of captured Imperial citizens I imagine, Chaos Marines are scary enough but ones that breathe fire to destroy the holiest places on your home planet?!

 

The ship graveyard is a nice idea too.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

I like the idea of these marines treating chaos in much the way of a formal religion, as would many 'unenlightened' worlds in the void.

 

I like it.

 

I suppose the second scheme could be used to denote leader-types? The extra white was to symbolise purity and freedom, so perhaps those tasked with conversion rather than conquest can wear primarily white.

 

Exactly. Those higher up the command chain are seen to be more 'pure' since they gain more favour from the gods for their acts and devotion.

 

I also love the idea of a ship-graveyard.

[Ace Debonair]

I like the idea of these marines treating chaos in much the way of a formal religion, as would many 'unenlightened' worlds in the void.

 

I like it.

I'm pretty pleased with it myself. :) Imperial citizens will gather round to hear the zealous preaching of the... er... preacher... (I need a flashy name for them, don't I?) and he'll either sway them to take a pledge to the glory of Chaos, or if they resist, he'll command the ambush attack on the city that leaves a devastated ruin and a pile of corpses.

 

I might not have them refer to it as 'Chaos', though. Chaos sounds bad. I need a way of making it sound positive, so people want to be saved by this new religion.

 

I suppose the second scheme could be used to denote leader-types? The extra white was to symbolise purity and freedom, so perhaps those tasked with conversion rather than conquest can wear primarily white.

 

Exactly. Those higher up the command chain are seen to be more 'pure' since they gain more favour from the gods for their acts and devotion.

 

I also love the idea of a ship-graveyard.

I think the white armour should be for the 'preachers'. Captains and sergeants (or rather the chaos equivalents) and so forth will replace bits of their blue-steel trim with gold.

 

Although Keja's armour will be primarily white, and Maluk's will be mostly white and gold.

 

Silver Phoenix was on serious form with the ship's graveyard idea. It's awesome! I've had a wacky idea myself, though, in addition.

 

Since the idea of an enormous, multiple-system-spanning, warp-storm protected ship's graveyard is far, far too cool to keep to just one warband...

I'm thinking, since the Rift Lords promote salvation through Chaos, they might generously allow other, smaller Warbands* into the fold - essentially granting them Sanctuary within their domain, and allowing the other warbands or renegade/traitor chapters to settle there for a time, provided they promise to honour the four great Gods while they do so. Obviously, the Rift Lords would have sufficient forces to maintain their dominance there should any challenges to Maluk's authority occur, and the Rift Lords would be adept at watching the other traitors to make sure their promises of undivided worship were upheld...

 

*I was thinking DIY warbands/traitor chapters/renegades, mostly for if anyone else wants to make use of the Shroud Stars. :D

 

Is that a bit much? Am I taking too many liberties with the shared universe by doing that?

Or is it a cracking idea and have I earned myself another purity seal?

[Heru]

Ok so you've got all this information on what they are now, what is their origins?