Relation to the Raptor Cults to the Legions

[Gree]

I know that the Raptor Cults are generally considered a seperate organzation to the Traitor Legions and may worship a seperate God. I've read the Librarium article. But my question is, how closely do they relate to the original Traitor Legions?

 

I've read the Core (and it's excellent) and I've found Lucoryphus to be interesting. The way be refers to the Ninth Claw it's as if the Bleeding Eyes are one of many Raptor Cults. In addition, correct me if I'm wrong, but Lucoryphus has Night Lord geneseed (Although greatly mutated) and he refers Talos as ''prophet'' and appears to take orders from him. He appears to be apart of the warband, than a hired outside force.

 

How closely would these cults relate to their parent legions? Would say, a Word Bearers raptor cult integrate themselves into the strictly regimented lives of the host and take orders like everyone else? Or are they just like mercenaries. How much would a raptor indentify with his orginal legion? Or does it differ with each warband and cult.

[Paradigm]

As far as I know, raptor cults exist as an organization within the legions. Organizations that sometimes supercede legion loyalty.

 

They are usually still a part of their original legion, but may go off on their own with other raptors to fight with other legions.

 

I don't think you'd ever see a raptor only army, but a raptor from one legion might paint his armor over and fight for any number of others if his cult decides to.

[maverike_prime]

my understanding is that the raptor cults all worship, or claim patronage of one of the lesser Chaos Gods. Exactly how that worship is displayed is what differs between cults. What exactly the objective of the worship is, I'm not sure. So while one 'cult' may choose to worship one way, another may choose their worship to be through action on the battle field.

[Wolfbiter]

While it's never directly confirmed he becomes a Raptor, I could clearly see Kalus Ekkadon from "Horus Rising" eventually evolving into that role.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if some Raptor squads remained attached to warbands of their parent Legions while others split off to offer their services to whatever warlord most appealed to them.

[nightlordsrock3564]

in "Lord of the Night" it says that zso sahaal trained the first ever raptors and then they went around the legions or something like that

[Khestra the Unbeheld]

The problem with the Raptor cults is unlike with the Obliterators, the fluff gives us a "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" quandary. Did the Night Lords Raptors found the original Assault Marines, or were they just named Raptors in the Legion itself? If they did invent them, then is every Raptor a former or current Night Lord, or did the concept spread to every Legion who then took the name Raptors for their own Assault Marines? Is it a coincidence that the Night Lords chose the name Raptors for their Assault Marines, or was the name "Raptors" chosen after the Heresy, and if so, why does every Traitor Assault Marine call itself a Raptor?

 

I like to think the Night Lords were the original source for jump-pack assaults, the same way the Luna Wolves/Sons of Horus were the original Legion to use the drop pod assault, and that because the Night Lords called their Assault Marines "Raptors", the name was passed to every pre-Heresy Assault Marine contingent throughout the Legions, only reverting back to "Assault Marines" after Guilliman wrote the Codex Astartes, whereas the Legions kept the name. After Legions began breaking up into warbands, the Raptors of those Legions that couldn't keep their integrity intact, or the ones that strayed to the worship of particular Chaos gods, became free agents of a sort, which led to what's now called "Raptor Cults", jump-pack Marines that move from warband to warband like mercenaries.

 

Just my view of how it went down, results may vary. :)

[evolved23]

The problem with the Raptor cults is unlike with the Obliterators, the fluff gives us a "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" quandary. Did the Night Lords Raptors found the original Assault Marines, or were they just named Raptors in the Legion itself? If they did invent them, then is every Raptor a former or current Night Lord, or did the concept spread to every Legion who then took the name Raptors for their own Assault Marines? Is it a coincidence that the Night Lords chose the name Raptors for their Assault Marines, or was the name "Raptors" chosen after the Heresy, and if so, why does every Traitor Assault Marine call itself a Raptor?

 

I like to think the Night Lords were the original source for jump-pack assaults, the same way the Luna Wolves/Sons of Horus were the original Legion to use the drop pod assault, and that because the Night Lords called their Assault Marines "Raptors", the name was passed to every pre-Heresy Assault Marine contingent throughout the Legions, only reverting back to "Assault Marines" after Guilliman wrote the Codex Astartes, whereas the Legions kept the name. After Legions began breaking up into warbands, the Raptors of those Legions that couldn't keep their integrity intact, or the ones that strayed to the worship of particular Chaos gods, became free agents of a sort, which led to what's now called "Raptor Cults", jump-pack Marines that move from warband to warband like mercenaries.

 

Just my view of how it went down, results may vary. :lol:

 

Very interesting perspective. Now that you mention it perhaps the change in the name from Raptors to assault marines coincides with the change in Havocs to devastators.

Its probable that as the crusade continued that the legions learnt from each other. I mean its in the Haunter's background that he learnt warfare from Fulgrim so who's to say that with his adaption of techniques weren't picked up on by other legions?