IA: Myrmidons

[PorridgeMeister]

Index Astartes: Myrmidons

Description and history of Achaea:

Achaea is a world where there is only one nation as a result of the "Oblivion War" between Greenskins and men untold years ago during the Age of Strife. A man named Creon came from nothing to lead his clan. In time, the Orks who were uncharacteristically advanced in technology and purpose, had annihilated the other clans one by one. However, Creon was a man unlike no other; he stood no less than a foot taller than other men and could lift a fully-grown man above his head without breaking a sweat. Also, he was believed to have had great and terrible powers - making water boil with a mere glance being the least of them - that were attributed to his having fallen into a river of tar. Thus he was well-prepared to lead his new people in a war against the Greenskin. Yet, victory was not guaranteed

Finally, Creon discovered the Orks' secret through the use of his powers - their leader had been possessed by an agent of Chaos, known as the Skinweaver. Creon organised a last-ditch attempt at victory and salvation; he and his best troops would strike at the Daemon in its palace whilst the rest would assault the walls of the ramshackle city. Creon defeated and banished the Daemon in single combat in its lair, thus cutting off the head of the Waaaagh. However, the price was high; his bodyguards were slaughtered to the last man and his army almost too. Despite this, the Achaeans now had an opportunity to rebuild and re-take what was lost. Creon left them on the fifth anniversary of the Orks' defeat and promised he would return if his people were prepared to wait for him. The only reason that Creon gave for his sudden departure was that he was making a great journey for the sake of all. Many thousands of years later, by the time of the end of the Great Crusade, the Achaeans were still faithful to his memory and had managed to carve out a miniature empire in their system away from the Imperium to the galactic south.

The Achaeans were and are a prosperous civilisation with a mighty military. Their homeworld used to be an oasis in the void of space, but after the Oblivion War, most of its surface was barren and mountainous, inhabitable. The cities are havens in the occasional breaks between the vast expanses of rock, but the Fortress-Monastery of the Myrmidons is at the North Pole of the planet, inside the greatest mountain on the planet, Satore. The orbital defences of the planet are concealed inside the mountains and the people have contributed recruits to the Myrmidons and the five Achaean regiments of Housecarls, warriors of the Imperial Guard raised by the Chapter.

The Achaeans first encountered the Imperium during the Horus Heresy, when a single damaged Imperial ship had made an emergency transit out of the warp due to lack of supplies. It noticed signals coming from Achaea and investigated it because the crew were desperate for food. The ship's captain recorded in his log that they had found a planet inhabited by humans at a similar technological stage except that they had never tried to develop space-flight, but that the inhabitants were mighty and brave warriors despite their simple nature. The Achaeans provisioned them as best they as they could and the Imperial ship went on its way. Some remained behind however, and lived alongside the people of the planet in secret. The contents of the captain's log were assimilated into the Imperial Naval archives when he died. Hundreds of years later, the description of the planet was found by an archive menial and set forward as a potential candidate for integration. A fleet was sent to Achaea to investigate it and determine the fate of its populous.

Origins:

When the fleet arrived at Achaea, they were astonished that the people welcomed them with open arms and called them brother; for they remembered the stories told to them of those men who had come from above. The Imperials were delighted with this and the High-Commander of the fleet deemed Achaea compliant. The Quaesitor Militarius of the fleet completed his report and had it sent for submission to the Adeptus Terra, believing that this world might be suitable to become an Astartes recruitment world. The Adeptus complied and added it to the roster of candidates for the next Founding. At the time of the Third Founding, the formation of the new Chapter was tasked to the Imperial Fists. Rogal Dorn, proud with this responsibility, made a trip to Achaea with some of his finest Veterans to select the new first aspirants. The Achaeans gave them a welcome and invited them to a great feast. After this came the selection process and 500 of Achaea\'s finest men were chosen to be elevated to the Astartes.

Now, the new Chapter had to find a name. When Dorn himself suggested that they be named the Myrmidons, after the brave men who fought with Creon in their past (Myrmidon being a word for Warrior in the tongue of Achaea), the men roared their assent, for they felt proud that the Primarch should honour their heritage in such a way. The Veterans who had come with Dorn became the first Captains of the Chapter and that Achaea should be the homeworld for the Chapter. Dorn left alone, pleased that he might have found another chance of penance for his failure to protect the Emperor. The First Chapter Master, Juteis Lamnos, had been the Captain of the Imperial Fists 6th Company and knew the importance of tactical fluidity as taught by the Codex. However, he decided that the Chapter would use a variation on the Codex's structure so that each Company would be larger and could adapt to any situation with its own veterans and specialists.

Beliefs:

When Rogal Dorn first walked on Achaea, the Achaeans hailed him as Creon who had left the planet millennia before, claiming he would one day return. They still call him so as Dorn and others after him have guided and taught the Achaeans the truth of the Imperium and much knowledge. This has brought them to believe that their saviour. His words are venerated as the truth above all others, save those of the Emperor himself. Therefore, the Myrmidons still hold true to the belief that the Emperor is not a god, but is the most powerful man conceivable and Dorn his champion despite Dorn blaming himself over the Emperor's near-demise. Unlike the Imperial Fists, the Myrmidons do not blame themselves for the Emperor's near-death, but instead praise His virtues and those of Dorn, in the heat of battle, despite Horus's near victory.

Gene Seed:

Their gene-seed was taken from the Imperial Fists Chapter. They share similar characteristics such as the lack of the Betcher's Gland, but they still retain the Su'san Membrane for reasons that the Magos Biologis and the Chapter's Apothecaries have yet to discover.

Characteristics:

Myrmidons tend to be reserved, but confident off the battlefield, whilst fierce and decisive on it. On the rare occasion that they are on the defensive, they are immovable and on the attack, none can resist their precision-planned strikes. Their bonds of brotherhood are extremely strong and they will go to the furthest reaches of the galaxy to complete their orders and honour their oaths of fealty or a debt.

Battle Cry:

The leaders of the units shout "Myrmidons!" and then they take up the cry together: "For the Emperor and Creon! For Mankind!" This happens before battle is joined, and during the battle, they chant war songs. Afterwards, during the burning of their dead upon pyres, the Myrmidons pray with their Chaplains.

Notable Battles:

Notable Battles/Actions:

- Medusa V Campaign: 4th Company protected Hive Eurydalus against Ygethmor's Iron Warriors Contigent with merit before the planet's loss.

- Armageddon: 5th Company under command of War-Captain Drakon currently engaged in Search and Destroy Mission against Ork hordes.

- Countering Tau Expansion: Taskforce Sarissa composed of ten Predators and several units from the 3rd Company, supporting Imperial Guard on campaign against Tau Expansion on the Eastern Fringe.

- Hive Fleet Leviathan: The 2nd Company after recovering its losses has been engaged against the Tyranids in Segmentum Obscurus in conjunction with Marines from the Marauders Chapter in the Bilratis System.

Notable Members:

- Chapter Master Orthus Mentrix (Active)

Mentrix came to the position of Chapter Master of the Myrmidons after the Morutin Insurrection near the Storm of the Emperor's Wrath almost a hundred years ago after the death of his predecessor, Master Barbatus. He has since led the Myrmidons to victory in battle, in hopeless situations where less brave men would have backed out.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++(MORE SOON)++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

- Chief Librarian Nysseus (In-active - Recovering from wounds)

During M41.922, the Myrmidons came to learn from their then Chief Librarian, Kantisamius, that Chaos forces were mustering in a nearby system to attack Achaea. This prompted the 1st Company backed by all three Reserve Companies and all five regiments of the Achaean Housecarls to launch a pre-emptive strike; Mentrixwould not be the first Chapter Master to allow an attack on Achaean soil which had remained inviolate since the coming of the Imperium. When they arrived in the system, they found a mighty warband assembled in ambush. As battle was joined, Kantisamius challenged "the Herald of Woes", head of the Chaos forces, to a psychic duel. It ended when Kantisamius was flayed alive and hung from a nearby tree with his own skin. The Chapter Staff present made to avenge their brother, only to find that their attacks had no effect on the abomination.

The Myrmidons pulled back in an orderly fashion to consilate the possession when Nysseus, a subordinate librarian, was struck with a vision during meditation; a massive man was standing over him and spoke to him with words of encouragement and told him that the Daemon Prince was none other than the Skinweaver, the Achaean's ancient foe and that he had come to take his revenge on his enemies. Never before had the Skinweaver been defeated in an encounter with Imperial forces, yet the man in Nysseus's dream had told him the iota of wisdom that had saved Achaea untold years before. Mentrix, upon hearing this news, suspected the man in the dream to be Creon and decided to launch a fresh spearhead composed of the Honour Company, Nysseus and himself. When they attacked, the Daemon and its bodyguard were alone on the site of the battle, feasting on the dead and where ill prepared for a second battle. Nysseus headed straight for the Skinweaver as the other Myrmidons fought its bodyguard. Uttering the incantation taught to him in his vision, Nysseus removed the wards surrounding the beast and clove it in two with his force glaive. In that instant, the beast was banished, never to be seen again for many years. The bodyguard turned to dust as the summons binding them failed, and the warband returning from its rampage was made easy prey in the wake of the Skinweaver's banishing. Afterwards, Nysseus was voted the Chapter's new Chief Librarian in unison by both the Librarius and Chapter Assembly as a result of his actions. However, Nysseus keeps "Deliverance", as the incantation that defeated the Skinweaver is now termed, a secret to from all save Mentrix and the Emperor himself. The Ordo Malleus is secretly in negotiations with the Myrmidons to discover it.; for it is most powerful in the banishing of daemons.

- Master Syntagmarch Pherus (Active)

Pherus is currently serving meritously in the conflict against the Tyranids and led the defence of Bilratis Prime whilst the other Syntagmas of the 2nd Company were engaged in destroying the critical Hive Nodes on Bilratis Prime's moon. He prevented the loss of Hive City Eronymous by leading the killing of Synapse creatures from the Splinter fleet and sending the hordes into disarray. After his HQ was accidently bombarded from orbit by an Imperial ship, Pherus, wounded and alone, crawled through the ruins to friendly forces five kilometres away, only to arrive during the middle of an assault by several Genestealer broods in which he killed the leading Broodlord singlehandedly. After this incident, Pherus had to have his left arm bionically replaced and has hated the Tyranids greatly ever since.

- War-Captain Santomiton (KIA: M35.678)

Santomiton led the 2nd Company to the Martius System after a request for aid from Matrius II. They arrived to find the planet completely overrun by the Necrons, who had slept beneath the planet for millennia. The 2nd held out for a month against the soulless legion until reinforcements arrived in the form of four whole regiments of the Imperial Guard and the 9th Company of the Angels Porphyr. The relief force had to peel away piles of metallic scrap from the fort where the 2nd Company had made their stand. Only three Myrmidons survived the conflict and two of them died of grievous wounds soon after, whilst the last one, the Company's Standard Bearer Arkis Melagius had to be interred in a Dreadnought sarcophagus and served as the 2nd's Captain until a successor could be found. Santimiton himself had died destroying a Monolith and the 2nd was inactive for many years, recovering its losses.

Combat Doctrine:

The Myrmidons are capable of all forms of warfare and prefer tactical fluidity so they have a unique structural organisation. They do not follow the Codex Astartes directly, but they are inspired by it. The Myrmidons prefer to stand eye to eye and blade to blade with their opponents. However, they will not forsake any form of tactical advantage for this, as this was such an attitude almost destroyed their culture at the hands of the hordes of Orks. They still harbour a hatred of Chaos in all its forms more than they usually would towards their foes, but not more than the Greenskins.

Chapter Structure:

- 1st Company 100 veterans (as Codex)

- 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th War Companies 150 marines (10 Veterans, 80 Tacticals, 30 Devastators and 30 Assault Each)

- 6th Tactical Company 50 marines (as Codex)

- 7th Assault Company 50 marines (as Codex)

- 8th Devastator Company 50 marines (as Codex)

- 9th Scout Company 100 scouts (as Codex)

Colours and Heraldry:

Cream Lambda - All black. Cream detail and kneepads, green eyes/lens and metallic grey joins/vents.

Chapter Markings:

Company/Syntagma/Squad

As Red Number on Right Kneepad

Codex Blue

Yellow

(Black if none)

Company colour on left elbow and Syntagma colour on right

Chevrons: Gold: Command Ranks /Silver: Field Distinction /Bronze: Field Ranks

Three /Chapter Master /Master Syntagmarch /Brother-Sergeant

Two /War Captain /Syntagmarch /Brother-Specialist

One /Captain /Master Sergeant /Brother

Rank Markings: (on right shoulder)

Example Marine; Brother-Specialist Keles, 2nd Company, 1st Syntagma, 2nd Squad

(NO INSIGNIA AT THE MOMENT FOR EXAMPLE MARINE (CAN\'T FIND WAY TO UPLOAD COMPLETE INDIVIDUAL)

C&C would be greatly appreciated....

Can someone please tell me how to upload an image from my computer so that I can display the Proper Marine?

[Ferrus Manus]

Firstly, welcome to the Liber!

 

I suggest you read the Guide to DIYing at the top of the forum. Most specifically where it mentions about the suspension of disbelief. The best advice I can give you at the moment is to change the names of your characters. Achilles, Theseus, Leonidas and to some extent the Myrmidons all pull the reader out of their bubble.

[PorridgeMeister]

Firstly, welcome to the Liber!

 

I suggest you read the Guide to DIYing at the top of the forum. Most specifically where it mentions about the suspension of disbelief. The best advice I can give you at the moment is to change the names of your characters. Achilles, Theseus, Leonidas and to some extent the Myrmidons all pull the reader out of their bubble.

 

Thank you for your welcome and your advice

 

I forgot to read that bit of the article, so I'm going to try and find substitutes for the names of the characters.

 

+++UPDATE+++

[Ace Debonair]

They still harbour a hatred of Chaos in all its forms more than all other foes, almost more than Greenskins.

So... which enemy do the myrmidons hate more, chaos or greenskin?

 

Other than that, not a bad start at all!

[PorridgeMeister]

They still harbour a hatred of Chaos in all its forms more than all other foes, almost more than Greenskins.

So... which enemy do the myrmidons hate more, chaos or greenskin?

 

Other than that, not a bad start at all!

 

Thank you for your kind words.... ;)

I think they hate greenskins more considering they almost wiped out their culture. They hate Chaos because of the Skinweaver's manipulation of the Orks in doing so though, so I need to change that....

 

+++UPDATE+++

[moi_a_mania]

First, not a bad revision. I agree with our brothers about your first one, but didn't want to "pile on.

 

I only have a few comments/recommendations.

 

In your history, you talk about Creon leaving. Why? Was it some legend that led him away? He did feel like he shouldn't be there anymore? Was he abducted by Aliens?

 

Next, you cite Combat Doctrine and go into full detail. This might be nitpicky, but it doesn't flow. It seems to me that the next paragraph referring to Dorn being treated as the second coming of Creon needs to be addressed first, then you can talk about combat doctrine.

 

Is Dorn really Creon? That would be a pretty good twist except there are alot of Dorn lovers on Liber and you best be careful or some of them will cry foul. :)

 

 

Creon has "meditation" powers. Is he a librarian? A primarch? (Be careful here as the Missing Primarchs are very well guarded) Is he a psyker? Where did these powers come from?

 

Your chapter master is Orthus Mentix. How did he arrive at this post? What notable battles did he win/lead? The same question for your other mentioned Chapter Leaders. Flesh out your chapter's characters. It will make us want to believe in your chapter. But don't go overboard. I just read one IA where half of it was about how great this chapter master was, but yet "he was civallized beyond his own understanding." Whatever!

 

Other than that, I think you are on the right path. If you don't have a chapter symbol, I would suggest maybe the side view of the helmet Achilles wore. It's very Michigan State like, but it would look cool with your color patterns.

[PorridgeMeister]

First, not a bad revision. I agree with our brothers about your first one, but didn't want to "pile on.

 

I only have a few comments/recommendations.

 

In your history, you talk about Creon leaving. Why? Was it some legend that led him away? He did feel like he shouldn't be there anymore? Was he abducted by Aliens?

 

Next, you cite Combat Doctrine and go into full detail. This might be nitpicky, but it doesn't flow. It seems to me that the next paragraph referring to Dorn being treated as the second coming of Creon needs to be addressed first, then you can talk about combat doctrine.

 

Is Dorn really Creon? That would be a pretty good twist except there are alot of Dorn lovers on Liber and you best be careful or some of them will cry foul. ;)

 

Creon has "meditation" powers. Is he a librarian? A primarch? (Be careful here as the Missing Primarchs are very well guarded) Is he a psyker? Where did these powers come from?

 

Your chapter master is Orthus Mentix. How did he arrive at this post? What notable battles did he win/lead? The same question for your other mentioned Chapter Leaders. Flesh out your chapter's characters. It will make us want to believe in your chapter. But don't go overboard. I just read one IA where half of it was about how great this chapter master was, but yet "he was civallized beyond his own understanding." Whatever!

 

Other than that, I think you are on the right path. If you don't have a chapter symbol, I would suggest maybe the side view of the helmet Achilles wore. It's very Michigan State like, but it would look cool with your color patterns.

 

Thanks first of all, :sweat:

Comments taken and stuff will be added soon.

 

@Order of Sections: I'm going to go with your suggestion - it doesn't really work.

@Creon: My idea behind Creon was that these "meditative powers" of his are Psyker powers; working on detail on him at the moment and that will be ready on Friday along with origins.

@Chapter Symbol: I do have one, its just that I can't figure out how to upload the marine with the symbol on. The symbol is a White Lambda, but I've been thinking about changing it. Thanks for the idea of the helmet.

@Leaders: That will be ready on Friday along too.

 

+++UPDATE+++

[The Normish]

Hm... If you ask me, this Creon fellow sounds very similar to a Primarch...

 

Besides that, seems fine to me so far. I'll be waiting for your update.

[PorridgeMeister]

Hm... If you ask me, this Creon fellow sounds very similar to a Primarch...

 

Besides that, seems fine to me so far. I'll be waiting for your update.

 

Thanks

 

Well, I do want to give people something to think about...... :D

It is actually turning out that I might have it ready soon than that.....

[PorridgeMeister]

+++UPDATE+++

 

Right, I am now updating the IA.

If anyone reads this and it isn't up there yet, it's because I'm still working on it.

 

Orthus Mentrix, Drakon and Pherus will be ready in a day or so - GCSEs are slowing things down... :huh:

[PorridgeMeister]

Right, I have uploaded the background for Pherus and Nysseus. Mentrix's will be finished soon and I might write some short stories or something..

[PorridgeMeister]

Is anyone bothered anymore with my IA?

[Ferrus Manus]

Just be patient, the Liber is one of the slower boards due to the nature of the topics. To be brutally honest, I think just from a glance that you have a lot of extra information that doesn't need tot be there, such as Notable Battles, Characteristics (which if you need to have a section to get them across to the reader, you haven't done well as a writer. We should be able, as readers, to pick out a Chapter's characteristics from their IA.), Notable Members and Colours and Heraldry (an Image would suffice for this.)

 

I'd suggest taking a look at the IAs in the Librarium, just to see what sections they have and what type of thing goes in them.

[The Normish]

Well, seems good to me, I only have one possibly major criticism:

While I like the history of the Chapter, and the involvement of Dorn, I'm not sure if there is any precedent for having a Primarch be directly involved with the DIY Chapter.

On a minor note, was Dorn still alive at the Third Founding (my Founding history is a little muddled).

I think that the character descriptions is a nice touch, as is listing their status.

 

Keep up the good work, fellow son of Dorn!

[PorridgeMeister]

Well, seems good to me, I only have one possibly major criticism:

While I like the history of the Chapter, and the involvement of Dorn, I'm not sure if there is any precedent for having a Primarch be directly involved with the DIY Chapter.

On a minor note, was Dorn still alive at the Third Founding (my Founding history is a little muddled).

I think that the character descriptions is a nice touch, as is listing their status.

 

Keep up the good work, fellow son of Dorn!

 

Thank you!

I think I might change that bit around.

 

@Ferrus Manus: Ok, I will have to be a bit more patient and I will take a look at other IAs.

[Espada Azul]

I think there's a simpler solution to involving a Primarch in the founding, and Rogal Dorn at that: replace him with a high-ranking official of an Astartes Chapter that traces its lineage to the Imperial Fists. To hammer the similarity to Creon, hero of Achea, make that Space Marine a Librarian as well.

 

The deviation with regards to organization needs to be explained more in depth though. Remember, barring the Black Templars, the descendants of Dorn are nominally as Codex-Adherent as the Ultramarines. And yet here we are with over-strength Battle Companies, and under-strength Reserves, and a squad of Veterans assigned to each Battle Company. Is there any significance to the number, like how the Crusade Company of the Crimson Fists is always composed of 120 marines, or how the Salamanders have 120 men per company yet only have 7 Companies in the whole Chapter?

[PorridgeMeister]

Oh I didn't know that the intervention of a Primarch in a founding wasn't a suitable plot idea for a DIY Chapter. Sorry everyone.

 

I've got an idea for the reason behind the number of companies in mind and I am working it into my Word Document of the IA.

 

I'll work on these things at the weekend when I have more time; I have my last exam tommorrow and I don't want to mess it up.