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Angels Encarmine


jeremy1391

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I'm not sure why they paint the armor white. I can't find anything pointing to a reason. But I'd like to think it has something to do

with purity and death. It's easy to see why they do this for the DC, but cause they're dead-men-walking. Performing rites of purifying the

soul or flesh before sacrificing themselves the way Sanguinius did for the Emperor. Plus there isn't any denoting among death company.

 

But I haven't the slightest idea why they paint the guard this way. Sorry.

 

Hope this helps.

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I'd agree with WarpWalker about the Death Company seems like the most logical, if not best reason to do so.

 

I've been looking around and I can't find anything on the guard, I'd assume it may be to do with Purity or some emulation of sangius or something, (white was probably his favourite colour in his crayola pack) :)

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I have no fluff reasons behind why they paint the DC and SG armors white, but what everyone else has mentioned seem like good reasons. I will likely just make my own reasoning sometime as to why they are white instead of black.

 

As far as the different color helms to denote specialty (yellow FA, blue HS, etc) I have somewhat followed that. I have however painted all my ASM with red helms and yellow bits on their JP's. I feel this give them more of a "troop" look rather than a specialty unit look. I do have my landspeeder/baal pred crews helms painted yellow. Dev's and pred crew are still blue helmed, and all my vet's (VV, sternguard, HG) have gold helms and trim.

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Answer

 

Alabaster was very expensive in Bible times, and if a person bought an alabaster box, it was only used for very important purposes. So the Pharisees considered it a waste when a woman poured perfume from an alabaster box on Jesus' head in Matthew 26:7-9.

 

We are assuming here that you are talking about this moment which is also described in more detail in Luke Chapter Six? Here, a woman enters a house owned by a Pharisee and, wordlessly and with many tears, washes Christ with ointment, using her hair to clean his feet. When the Pharisee expresses disgust that such a woman, who, it is inferred, is a prostitute, or certainly a sinner, should be allowed to do such a thing, Christ rebukes him and points out that since the woman has entered, he has done nothing but minister to him while the Pharisee, whose name is Simon, has done nothing. He then turns to the woman and pardons her of all her sins for her great devotion. Since Pope Gregory the Great, this woman has been conflated with Mary Magdelene and so she is often portrayed as carrying an alabaster jar. In fact she is referred to as Mary of Bethany in another Gospel. But then Gregory also conflated Mary of Bethany with Mary Magdelene...

 

Alabaster historically was a symbol of purity and great honour. It is also thought to have been associated with the Egyptian Goddess Bast (hence alaBASTer). So in some sense, the Woman with the Alabaster Jar may have been associated in the author's mind as connected to ancient forms of worship, particularly of the Goddess. It is significant in this connection that, just before this passage in Luke, the text says 'Wisdom is justified in all her children". Now, the author of Luke would have known what he was referring to as Wisdom ie the Sophia, the Feminine Aspect of God and Bride of Christ. The New Testament, contrary to what most organised Churches will tell you, is full of veiled references to other spiritual cultures - eg Hellenic Alexandrian ones, Egyptian Mysteries ('out of Egypt have I brought my son'), Eleusinian Mysteries (corn and wheat imagery), Zoroastrianism (the Three Wise Men)... So this moment with the Alabaster Jar is very significant in terms of Christ and the Feminine/Sophia. What we are seeing is how, in fact, the Woman with the Jar is much closer in spirit to Christ...

 

Further, the Alabaster Jar is linked to the image of the Grail. It is the receiving vessel, into which the Holy Spirit pours and the individual can be transformed. Here it is filled with ointment. The woman is not just washing Christ but ANOINTING him. And remember that the word Christ means 'Anointed One'.

 

So the Jar and the woman who carries it are VERY significant in terms of understanding the inner meaning of the Christ Mystery."

 

 

This is from answers.com I found the link to Egyptian mythology along with judeo Christian mythology specifically dealing with legend of the holy Grail could be where GW got the idea of alabaster armor....

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I like the white=mourning in other cultures idea. I don't really care what GW did or didn't intend, but if I were running with the Encarmine I might play them up as being a little more inspired by a culture in which white is the mourning colour.
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so from what i gather from you all and other sources the alabaster armor for the sanguinary guard is yo denote their purity as the pinnacle of what one can achieve.

 

The white death company armor denotes mourning for those who are essentially dead men walking...... i like this.

 

now I am going to have to write some angels encarmine fluff......

 

now what is the symbolism of the chapter symbol?

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ok so here is some updates on bat symbolism.

 

African folklore:"bats are the souls of the dead returning to earth to watch over their loved ones at night" this idea sounds pretty cool to me

 

Apache folklore: "he who comes to 'know' the bat becomes an excellent horsemen" Blood rodeo anyone?

 

Christianity: "the bat is the devil bird an incarnation of the dark prince represents hypocracy and duplicity associated with melancholy places"

 

Chinese folklore: "if a bat wing is displayed the owner will experience great luck where as those opposing him will not be granted with luck, this symbol is still used in chinese casinos to bring the house luck over the gamblers"

 

POP culture: vampires and batman.......

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Ok so since the only thing we know about angels encarmine is thy have a big DC and the sang guard and DC where alabaster armor, their chapter master is named castellan zargo..... So Let's put some stuff together....

Castellan is a governor or caretaker of a castle. Seen in Jerusalem

Bats are souls watching over the living. From eastern Africa

White is a color of mourning throughout Asia sooooo what connection do all these have for influence?

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Two things I found while researching possible origins of their beliefs. Zargo is a Vampire king in the "Doctor Who" tv series. Zargo is also a name

given to Kurdish males(Turkish/Iranians, more or less). A non-Arab Middle Eastern minority population. Kurdish culture is more akin to that of eastern Europe than to Middle East. Their culture is shaped by Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions.

 

Hope this helps

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