Algrim Whitefang Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Index Astartes: The Sons of Odin "For the Emperor and for Odin!" http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f262/SGM-Daly91/Warhammer%2040K/SonsofOdinSpaceMarine.jpg Origins http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f262/SGM-Daly91/Warhammer%2040K/SonsofOdinChapterBadge.jpg The Sons of Odin Chapter insignia. The Space Marine Chapter of the Sons of Odin is steeped in mystery. The circumstances surrounding the founding of this obscure Chapter is largely unknown. Imperial scholars claim this Chapter’s lineage is from the gene-seed stock of the Ultramarines. But this claim has not yet been able to be substantially verified. When this Chapter is mentioned its battle record is exemplary. Over many millennia this Chapter has proven themselves in countless campaigns to be the most loyal servants of the Emperor, though they remain somewhat mistrusted by their fellow Chapters, due to their strong ties with the Inquisition. The Sons of Odin are a mighty Chapter indeed, not afraid to bring the light of truth of the Emperor to the darkest corners of the galaxy. Nor are they afraid to bring the sword to their enemies; be they daemons, apostates, or the alien. It matters not, for all of the various enemies of mankind have fallen to the bolter or the sword of this mighty Chapter.This ancient Chapter can trace its origin back to the bygone era of the Horus Heresy. This was a time of total war - a great schism rent across the Imperium in the wake of the Arch-Traitor Horus’ folly. Horus’ treachery and deceit ensnared no less than half of the Space Marine Legions, whether by coercion, misdirection or corruption. When the forces of Chaos laid siege to the Emperor’s Palace, they were finally laid low when the Emperor of Mankind, boarded the Warmaster’s battle-barge and slew his traitorous son, Horus. With the death of the Warmaster the traitors paused in their assaults and then fell back to their transports and fled into space. The Imperial Fleet, which been powerless to intervene while the traitors were within the Imperial Palace, gave chase. They had broken faith with the Emperor and trafficked with the arcane. They were declared Excommunicate Traitoris. As news of the Warmaster’s defeat spread throughout the Imperium, widespread fighting renewed. The Scouring of the Traitors continued for another seven years before the last rebel formations were destroyed or exiled.After the defeat of Horus the Loyalist Space Marine Legions continued to pursue the retreating Chaos forces towards the Occularis Terribus. During the seventh and final year of the great scouring (Imperial Date 021.M31), one of the pursuing Loyalist fleets was composed of the Space Marine Legions from both the Space Wolves and the Ultramarines, and was commanded by Space Wolf Lord Odin Thorson. They caught a large group of Traitor Legionnaires raiding a mining colony in the XBR-MU1009A2 system near the Eye. In the midst of battle a tremendous warp storm engulfed the colony as well as several adjacent systems. All were presumed 'lost to the warp.' Though isolated, the Space Marines led by Odin, continued to fight. Odin first contacted and then organized the inhabitants of the surrounding systems into a coherent defense. The forces of Chaos, led by a mighty Daemon Prince named F'al Baruuk, though also mostly isolated, fought incessantly. Gradually over the course of years the Chaos forces wore down the defending forces. The Space Marines at first replaced their losses with recruits chosen from among the various worlds of the adjacent systems. Conditions were harsh and bred strong warriors; the Space Marines selecting only the best. Somewhere along the way the Space Marine's gene-seed was corrupted by prolonged exposure to the warp. One by one, zygotes began to fail to produce proper organs for transplant. The number of scout units continued to grow, but without the necessary organs, the transformation into full Space Marines couldn't be completed. Nevertheless, the Marines continued fighting, tenaciously holding every inch of every world as long as possible. Inexorably they were pushed back until, after twenty-five years, all they controlled was the original mining colony, which over the years, had been turned into a massive fortress, along with the surrounding territories.Chaos reigned, distorting the very fabric of the planet until only the fortress and its environs remained stable, an island of constancy amidst a sea of ever changing landscapes. Every living thing left on the planet gathered to this refuge, among them came the great wolves. The Dire Wolves, named by the miners, were remarkably canny; some miners claimed they were smarter than most people. In any event, they seemed to understand what was happening and recognized the humans as their only chance of survival. They kept to themselves until it was time for battle, but then they fought alongside the humans better than most warriors. They came to be called Wolf Brothers. The forces of Chaos gathered their strength for the final assault, confident of victory. At this dark hour Odin sought solace and guidance in the highest tower of the fortress. In a dark and cold cell he contemplated his fate, the weight of his responsibility bore heavily on his soul. Every living thing, from Space Marine to human to wolf, even the beasts of the field, depended on him to save them from Chaos. He gathered his faith in the Emperor and sent out a silent call to the universe, "Benevolent Emperor, succor these valiant men!" His call did not go unanswered. http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f262/SGM-Daly91/Warhammer%2040K/ChapterMasterOdinThorson.jpg Wolf Lord Odin Thorson, Chapter Master of the Sons of Odin, circa 001M32. The consciousness of the Emperor, now entombed in the Golden Throne, constantly sifting through the warp, heard Odin's plea and answered. Odin's mind was flooded with all the necessary information he needed, not only to fend of chaos but also to repair the damaged geneseed, yet, the energy required to penetrate the warp storm even for an instant was tremendous. The psychic force of the contact caused Odin's right eye to melt in its socket and stream down his cheek, appearing as ghastly twins to the tears coursing from his good eye.Odin emerged from the tower, the remains of his ruined eye stilling oozing down his face, and strode straight to the gates. The gleam in his good eye wordlessly commanded all who encountered him to follow. He strode out the gates and enchanted the Daemon Prince standing before the fortress, his army arrayed behind him. On a whim, F'al Baruuk allowed the puny human to approach. The Prince opened his mouth to hurl a contemptuous epithet when something in the intense gaze of Odin's single eye gave him pause. In that instant, Odin struck the daemon's head from his shoulders with a single sweep of his sword, then turned and began walking back toward the gates before the gruesome visage even hit the ground.The Chaos forces were stunned. The head hit the ground, the gates slammed shut and the army, regaining its collective wits, disintegrated into disarray. They began fighting amongst themselves to re-establish power and position.Odin knew his time was short. He began working as a man possessed, for as far as anyone knew he never slept from the moment he left the tower. By day, he directed the preparations for an offensive, which caused many to question his sanity, though none dared do so openly. By night, he directed the tech-priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus on splicing the gene-seed of the Space Wolves and Ultramarines into a single viable strain within his own body. This was something most tech-priests considered heresy unto itself, yet none would dare oppose Odin’s will. With each splice, his body would produce two new organs, one to be left intact, another to be removed and replicated.Odin seemed to be everywhere; advising engineers on the defensive works, planning strategy with the other Captains, training the Neophyte Scouts, and instructing tech-marines on new vehicle modifications. At first, the new vehicles had some of the older tech-marines worried--converted ore carriers and survey vehicles with weapons grafted into scratch-built turrets--definitely not 'Standard Template Construction,' but Odin provided detailed schematics for their manufacture. When the senior Iron Priest, Master Gunarson questioned the 'Reliability' and 'Durability' of the modifications, Odin complimented his 'Orthodoxy' and then reassured him that these were not 'new' ideas, merely old ones that had fallen into disuse. Odin then instructed the tech-marines in the proper 'litanies' for normal operations, emergencies and repair, which impressed them greatly. In fact, this 'Ancient Knowledge', with which he was able to describe, illustrate, explain and recite the litanies for every part of any piece of equipment, down to the smallest detail soon raised Odin to near deity status in the eyes of the Tech-Marines. It wasn't long before they were eagerly seeking for more 'old' things to build and Odin obliged, keeping them busy. In honor of his outstanding service in the face of serious adversity Odin crafted an extraordinary master crafted Thunder Hammer, which he then gifted to Master Gunarson. It was the first of many peculiar and unique devices Odin would craft himself. The most renowned device created by Odin would be Molnir, a hammer of unique properties, which would later come to be the symbol of office for the Imperial Commander of the Sons of Odin. The surviving devices are treated as sacred relics by the Chapter. These relics and the most battle-worthy of the equipment variations still remain on the standard Tables of Organization and Equipment of the Chapter.In total Odin had only a little less than a year before the Chaos onslaught began again, but in that time he was able to accomplish much. It began with a few reports of 'twisted ones' from the far ranging Dire Wolves. Then a few skirmishes with raiders during long range forages. Soon they were once again enmeshed fighting an all-out war for survival. Inch by inch, Odin widened his sphere of influence. The land that emerged from the Chaos was different – mountains in place of plains, tundra in place of jungles, and large tracts of forests; a whole new world was being born bit by bit. As Chaos was pushed back the magnetic poles of the planet shifted to align with the centers of order and chaos; the Fortress became the North Pole. In a final battle at the southern pole, Odin once again, defeated the commanding daemon prince. The Chaos army had been beaten but their commander remained, standing atop a huge pile of corpses. Unwilling to sacrifice any more lives in an assault, Odin calmly pulled Molnir from his belt and hurled the remarkable hammer at the Daemon. The Daemon, laughing, dodged the puny weapon, which as always, returned to Odin's hand. However, while the daemon was distracted by Molnir, Odin had lobbed a vortex grenade atop the hill at the daemon's feet. With a scream of rage the grenade exploded. The daemon prince and the mound of bodies were sucked back into the warp. The planet was once again free of Chaos. The tech-priests, under Odin's direction, erected an obelisk on the spot, both as a monument to the battle and according to Odin, to prevent Chaos from using the nexus at the southern pole to open a gate on the planet’s surface. Both sides were now temporarily isolated from the other. With the immediate influence of Chaos gone the planet stabilized into its present form. Odin christened the newly formed world, Freya (after the Fenrisian Goddess of Winter). Life on the planet began to return to normal and all except a few of the Dire Wolves returned to the wild. Odin, however, was not content to rest, and he immediately began plans to rebuild the fleet lost before the Enlightening and continue the cleansing – first freeing Freya's system then, eventually, the surrounding systems. The struggle was a long and difficult one. Year by year, world by world, Odin pushed Chaos back. He fought a hundred score battles and always emerged victorious – time and again snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. He gave much of the credit to the Scout Company’s Captain Thor Odinson and his tactical genius and the daring exploits of his Scouts and remaining Wolf Brothers. Finally, after nearly one hundred years of almost ceaseless warfare, the last of the Chaos forces had been hunted down and exterminated. The system-wide warp storm at last began to dissipate. Contact was finally re-established with the Imperium of Man (Imperial Date 998.M31). For Odin and his men, only a century had passed. But time flows differently in the warp. When the chaotic storms had finally subsided, it was realized by the investigating forces that these missing Space Marines had been missing for nearly a millennium! An Inquisitor was aboard the first human ship to re-enter this newly accessible region of space, and what he found greatly disturbed him. After an encounter with Chaos, the Inquisition – per standard protocol – came to sanitize the system and ensure that there was no surviving taint. The remaining Space Marines were mind-wiped and sent back to their respective Chapters. That is, all except Wolf Lord Odin Thorson and the few Space Marines of the Scout Company who'd received the hybrid zygotes. Inexplicably the mind wipe did not work on them. The procedure only gave them a mild headache. This obviously troubled the Inquisition greatly.Odin and his so-called 'sons' (they all used the patronymic Odinson) and their store of hybrid zygotes were hurriedly sent back to Terra aboard a specially requested Black Ship. There they were debriefed and tested (subjected to interrogation and experimentation). Odin's initial testimony lasted over one hundred hours (he still seemed to require no sleep and hadn't slept since the enlightening; this fact only caused further consternation) at which point the committee had to recess to allow the members to rest. In total, Odin dictated over one-thousand hours of testimony and rendered hundreds of detailed schematics, maps, and battle plans by hand. All of this information was meticulously footnoted with references to Imperial Archives. It seemed, he could recall every detail of the last ninety-seven years (of his reality whilst trapped within the Freyan System) with exacting clarity and when checked for validity and accuracy, his references were indeed found to exist; some in fact were thought to have been lost centuries ago. Many of these references were classified, several raised eyebrows, and a few even had to be censored because they referred to documents whose very existence was deemed heretical. At one point, the Administratum scribes had to be removed and immediately mind-wiped, as Odin, in detailing the Chaos forces he'd encountered, referred to the "LIBER DAEMONICA"; a catalog of daemons known only to, and accessible by, the Grey Knights of the Ordo Malleus. It was at this junction that one of the senior-most Lord Inquisitors of the Council motioned for Odin to be terminated on the spot for even mentioning the name of the book aloud. Fortunately, a more astute member mentioned that they needed to know how he knew of the book’s existence before they eliminated the source of information. http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f262/SGM-Daly91/Warhammer%2040K/TheTrial.jpg Odin, stands before his accusers during his trial, circa 998M31. Not once during the inquest did Odin's testimony ever vary. In fact, he corrected several errors made in the transcripts, which he reviewed at night in his cell. The testimonies of his 'sons' corroborated his relation of the facts, though none demonstrated the same ability to recall the events in minutiae. The zygotes, though of a hybrid strain (something not thought possible and a few considered heretical to even contemplate) proved not only to be stable but where actually resistant to mutation. After more than a year, the Council sequestered to decide the fate of Odin and his sons. They reviewed the facts, incredulous as they were, and made the only decision they thought possible. On the thirteenth hour, of the thirteenth day, of the thirteenth month of the inquest, Odin and his ‘sons’ were brought before the Council for the verdict to be read. The entire episode was pronounced Factum Irritus; all records of the trial were to be destroyed, all minor functionaries terminated, and senior participants mind-wiped. As Odin and his ‘sons’ were immune to the mind-wiping process, they were to be terminated with extreme prejudice. Odin and his stoic ‘sons’ stood resolute before their accusers. Before the Council could utter another vitriolic word, a mighty, anguished thought which itself transcended time, filled the mind of every person in the room, "NO! MY SONS ARE NOT TO BE HARMED!" In response, Odin and his 'sons' simultaneously shouted, "LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR!" The Council sat in stunned silence. Several minutes passed. The senior-most Inquisitor called for a recess. Only two of the Council had recognized the voice as that of their benevolent but terrible overlord, the God-Emperor. Though there was little doubt in those who'd heard the Master of Mankind’s powerful voice for the first time. One of the two whom recognized the voice was Inquisitor Lord Gaius, the lowest ranking man on the council. This fact did not escape the President of the Council as they raised a few eyebrows of the other members. Ten minutes later the Council reconvened. Officially, the hybrid Space Marines were to be commissioned as a newly found Chapter, the "Sons of Odin" a Chapter of the Second Founding. Their primogenitor Chapters were to be classified. Their TO&E would be subject for approval by Primarch Roboute Guilliman himself. All members of this new Chapter were to be sworn to the utmost secrecy concerning the existence of daemons and Chaos. Violation of this oath by any Space Marine member would result in death for the individual and their Chapter would be deemed Excommunicate Traitoris.Unofficially, the Sons of Odin would be subject to the Ordo Malleus’ scrutiny and would have an Inquisitor permanently assigned to their Chapter. The first such Inquisitor was to be Lord Inquisitor Gaius, who was charged with assisting in organizing and equipping the new Chapter and to assist their new Chapter Master in fighting the forces of Chaos. One year later, to the day, Lord Inquisitor Gaius returned with the Sons of Odin TO&E; apprised of the secret events surrounding the newly formed Chapter, Guilliman immediately approved it. Within one month of his return Gaius was raised to High Lord Inquisitor of the Ordo Malleus, in which, he served with distinction in this position for many decades. It is said that after Odin bid farewell to Gaius, who had become a close friend, he sighed; his shoulders slumping with exhaustion. He then turned to Thor Odinson (the Captain of the Scout Company), handed him Molnir, and said, "My work here is done, my son. I surrender command to you. Keep vigilant and fear not. For one day I shall return.” He then strode forth from his personal chambers and was never seen again. The guard to the catacombs in the old mining tunnels below the Sons’ Fortress Monastery reported Odin's passing. Odin had said he was looking for a cool dark place to rest and asked the guard to ensure he wasn't disturbed. A subsequent search of the labyrinth was unable to locate him. To this day an honor guard known as the Odin’s Watch, stands vigil at the large oaken door to the entrance of the catacombs, barring entrance to most, and cautioning those few who do enter to be careful not to disturb Odin's slumber. It is rumored, of course, that one day Odin will emerge from his hibernating slumber to once again to lead the Chapter in its time of need. In an effort to appease the still suspicious Inquisition, Odin and Gaius moved away from the unique organization of the Space Wolves and adopted a structure closer to that of the orthodox Ultramarines. Only the Veteran Company deviates significantly from the Codex Astartes. Home World http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f262/SGM-Daly91/Warhammer%2040K/Freya2.jpg Freya The feral world of Freya, homeworld of the Sons of Odin, is situated along the Cygnus Arm of the Milky Way, running through the Segmentum Obscurus near the Eye of Terror. The Freyan system is located to the galactic Northwest of the Eye. Freya is therefore at the forefront of the Imperium’s defense against the foul denizens of Chaos. Freya is a turbulent world of ice, dominated by extremes of climates that constantly change. Most would deem it inimical to life, but as always, the early human settlers of this frozen outpost found a way not only to survive, but to thrive. Before Old Night, this world was originally settled as a mining colony. The world of Freya was rich in many of the ores used in the construction of space faring vessels and technology used at the time. But with the advent of the horrendous warps storms and the Age of Strife, the stranded settlers were cut off from the outside world and were barely able to survive the harsh environment. Only the hardiest survived. Over the following millennia, the forgotten technology of that era was irrevocably lost and the world became overrun by the denizens of Chaos. The survivors reverted to a barbaric state. This was the state of the world when the predecessors of the Sons of Odin found the world of Freya when they became trapped by a prodigious warp storm for a quarter of a century near the end of the 31st Millennium. Of that original mixed Imperial fleet of Ultramarines and Space Wolves, it was the Sons of Fenris who quickly adapted to the similar environs of the frigid world of Freya, the easiest. Though the new world was but a dim reflection of their savage homeworld of Fenris, they soon grew very fond of their new world. The native tribes of Freya prefer to live in the frigid, arctic lands with glaciers and heavy snowfall. Living in a very hostile and isolated region, the Freyan warrior tribes are forced to rely on their resourcefulness and their unwavering courage to survive. They survive the harsh and unforgiving ‘hell-winters by hunting amongst the icy tundra of the Frozen Wastes. They mostly eat meat, which they can hunt or kill for themselves. During the long, cruel winter months the days are short and the nights are unbearably long and snowy. Game becomes scarce, making the Freyan hunter’s task of foraging for food a race for survival. But during the long summer months when the snow caps melt and the fjords are free of ice, the Freyan tribes take to their longboats and raid other settlements, plundering them for sustenance and wealth. Despite their savage reputation the Freyans also survive by farming and herding, spreading to colonize faraway lands as opportunities present themselves. Where their intuitive natures and wanderlust takes them, they engage in trade; when other tribes encroach into their territories, they exact tribute. For centuries the Freyans have dominated the sea lanes and the few lands that possess forests, where wild game is plentiful. Freyan Culture http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f262/SGM-Daly91/Warhammer%2040K/aesir_warriors.jpg Freyan warriors raiding a settlement. For millennia, the image of the Freyan warrior has engraved itself in the minds of those whom have come in contact with this feral society; the image of the bloodthirsty barbarian with axe, sword and hide-covered armor. They are the epitome of savage fighters and terrifying raiders, sweeping across the continents of their frigid world and the water lanes of the turbulent seas. Although they are considered uncultured and primitive, these fierce people have developed a highly ritualistic and distinctive culture. The Freyan people resembles vikings from ancient Terran history. According to ancient legends, Freya’s original space-faring ancestors mixed their blood with that of the Frost Giants, thereby producing a robust and hearty race of humans who possess a near immunity to the cold and an affinity for battle. Though the veracity of these tales are disputed by Imperial scholars as to the identity of this mysterious race of ‘giants’, the Freyans males builds are robust; somewhat sinewy and very muscular. They have well defined and rough-hewn features due to the constant exposure to the extreme elements of the harsh Freyan winters. Most of the males possess long unkempt hair (sometimes worn braided), and they grow long, course beards. Freyan males also have somewhat pale skin like those of their distant Frost Giant cousins. The Freyan females builds are somewhat smaller; athletic and well proportioned. They possess a frontier beauty that can only be found amongst such a hardy race of women. Their beautiful locks of hair are often worn in long, braided tresses. Freyans can generally live to 100 years of age or older, although Freyan males generally have shorter life spans than their female counterparts. If they are lucky they may survive to the ripe age of fifty years old if they are fortunate enough not to be killed in battle, by wild beasts, or the notoriously foul weather of their homeworld. It is a rare thing indeed to meet a Freyan male of venerable age. An elder Freyan is a warrior without peer, who has literally survived hundreds of battles and decades of Freyan ‘hell-winters’ due to their strength, cunning and intelligence. It is these venerable warriors who become a tribe’s chieftain or Jarl. Recruitment The Sons of Odin recruit from Freya and the worlds of the other systems occupied during 'The Ordeal'. Most of the colonists brought to these systems after the Inquisitions’ purge and sanitation came from Novaya Zemlya and Norwegia.On Freya and the other worlds in the surrounding systems, strangers clad in armor as black as shadow, stalk the lands. In the Jarl’s long halls, tales are told of these strangers known as the Choosers of the Slain – whom watch silently from the hills overlooking the battlefield, choosing those whom show true valor and commit the most insane acts of courage. These warriors, though mortally wounded, are taken by the ebon-armored Sky Warriors to join the ranks of the Einherjar, never to be seen again. These mysterious strangers are the Chaplains of the Sons of Odin. The youths they pick are tested to the extreme, to see if they are worthy to have the legacy of Odin Thorson implanted into their bodies, and eventually become one of his chosen sons. The Ordeal Those selected as potential Space Marines must undergo several initiation rights, the first of which is 'The Ordeal'. The individual is dropped naked on the shores of the southern continent armed with only a combat knife. He must make his way through the mountains of the Barrier Range to the continent’s central desert plateau. He must then find the Obelisk at the southern pole. Most candidates arrive exhausted and dehydrated – most do not arrive at all. A very few aspirants arrive accompanied by an adolescent Dire Wolf. It is not common knowledge, but all adolescent Direwolves of the southern continent are required to make this pilgrimage before being acknowledged as an adult. The Enlightening The Wolf Brothers It is understood that lone direwolves and young adolescents wishing to join the 'Star Brothers' in their fight against the ancient 'twisted ones' wait until a candidate arrives and then accompanies him to the Obelisk. The wolves are similarly affected by ‘The Enlightening' and hate Chaos. What is not understood is why they also share the psychic resistance, as they receive no implants. As of today, no wild wolf has ever been tested to see if the resistance is a natural trait. The Sons of Odin forbid any such testing and as unofficial servants of the Inquisition none, so far, have yet dared defy their edict. When the candidate reaches the stone monolith he must than place a hand on its jet-black surface. The stone functions something like an armor plate window, denying access yet permitting observation. What each candidate sees is different; most see some or the entirety of Odin’s ‘Ordeal’. All are allowed to glimpse the entities of the warp and feel their malevolent hatred for humanity. More than one candidate has been driven mad by the experience; however, the careful selection process ensures that most are able to endure. Those who survive with their sanity intact are instilled with a deep hatred of Chaos. The Librarians of the Chapter are aware of the contact with the Obelisk and a recovery team is dispatched to recover the initiate, usually before he regains consciousness from the visions. If accompanied by a wolf the wolf is retrieved as well.The neophyte is sedated and the initial implants are made. The neophyte awakes lying on a bed in the Scout barracks, which is conveniently located near the kitchens. The 'Ordeal' and subsequent implants induce a ravenous hunger in boy and wolf alike. Having fed, the initiates are met by the Senior Instructor and their 'Preparation' begins. Once an initiate has completed his training he undergoes a period of ritualistic washing and fasting lasting several days at the end of which he is presented to the 'Council'. The Trial The ‘Trial’ is a series of written, oral, and performance evaluations lasting 13 days, 13 hours and 13 minutes. At the end of The Trial the initiate is brought to a darkened chamber and made to stand in a single circle of light. The initiate must stand resolute before the ‘Council’ as they hurl insults and recriminations. Finally, their verdict is rendered, the sentence which is always ‘death’. At which point, the sacred words once uttered by the God-Emperor are heard, "NO! MY SONS ARE NOT TO BE HARMED!" The initiate then vigorously responds with, "LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR!” He is then accepted as a brother marine and chooses a new name. The Council then helps him don his power-armor for the first time and he is sent to take his first watch of the Vigil. The newly ordained Space Marine's first duty is to stand watch at the entrance to the catacombs to ensure Odin's rest is not disturbed and to watch for his return. Combat Doctrine http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f262/SGM-Daly91/Warhammer%2040K/2SonsofOdinAssaultMarine.jpg A Sons of Odin Assault Marine The Sons of Odin fight according to the doctrines of the Ultramarines and the dictates of the Codex Astartes. As befits a predecessor of Guilliman’s legacy, the Chapter has found that by fighting in the manner prescribed in this holiest of tomes, they do not deviate significantly from its wisdom. The Veteran Company is the only one that deviates significantly from the Codex. The members of this esteemed Company of the most battle-hardened veterans continue to fight in the style of their Space Wolves forebears, preferring close combat to ranged warfare. This is represented by the fact that when not fighting in Tactical Dreadnought Armor, they prefer to fight in Assault rather than Tactical Squads. This is emphasized by the fanaticism of the Sons of Odin battle brothers, whose righteous anger makes them impatient and headstrong. They will drive towards their foes relentlessly, with axe and bolt pistol in hand. However, not all of the Companies can be relied upon to fight in the structured and disciplined ways of the Codex, for their genome seems to have inherited the Freyan culture’s savagery and thirst for war. This can turn even the most taciturn veteran into a berserker, wishing only to release their calculated brutality and savagery upon their foes. When this occurs, these berserk warriors are placed within the ranks of the 8th Assault Company. Whilst in the throes of a berserk frenzy these battle brothers seeks nothing more in battle than to rush into close quarters with the enemy and tear them apart in a hail of blood. Those who have actually witnessed their bloodthirstiness in action report that they have never seen such barbaric displays of charnel violence. The Chapter most often finds itself fighting the foul forces of Chaos, being relatively close to the Eye of Terror as well as Orks. The Sons of Odin have become very adept at combating these opponents. The Chapter vigilantly patrols the regions in the Cygnus Arm close to the Eye, always maintaining a vigilant watch for another Chaos incursion. Organization Following the break-up of their original fleet, the Sons of Odin were broken down into a single Chapter composed of those Ultramarines and Space Wolves that received the original hybrid gene-seed created by their Patriarch, Odin Thorson. Many in the Inquisition did not look too favorably upon this newly formed Chapter, due to their uniquely splice-geneseed. To assuage any fears and to reinforce the loyalty of the Chapter, the first Chapter Commander Thor Odinson swore his Chapter to strict adherence to the Codex Astartes. The Sons of Odin are split into ten companies, each a hundred Space Marines strong and led by a Captain. The 1st Company is composed of battle-hardened veterans and is the most powerful. It is also the only Company that fields warriors clad in Tactical Dreadnought Armor. The 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Companies fight as the main Battle Companies and are composed of Tactical, Assault and Devastator squads. Each Battle Company is self-sufficient, capable of meeting any threat and defeating it. These Companies form the backbone of the Chapter. The 6th through 9th Companies are the Reserve Companies, each comprised of squads of one particular type. Companies 6th and 7th are Tactical Companies, the 8th is the Assault Company and the 9th is the Devastator Company. The 10th Company is composed of Scout squads made up from the ranks of the Chapter’s newest inductees. Appearance and Heraldry Sons of Odin Squad Designations http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f262/SGM-Daly91/Warhammer%2040K/SquadTypeMarkings.jpgFrom Top to Bottom: Tactical, Assault, Devastator and Veteran http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f262/SGM-Daly91/Warhammer%2040K/4SonsofOdin-1stCoVeteranb.jpg 1st Company Veteran in Tactical Dreadnought Armor. The Sons of Odin panoply consists of a dark purple-blue with gold details. The Space Marines ceremonially apply runic tattoos of protection and power upon entering the Chapter. These tattoos usually cover the arms and sometimes the face of the marine, reinforcing their fearsome Freyan warrior image. The Sons of Odin Space Marines also take great pride in their heraldry, using the arts and styles of the Freyan Runemasters. Their armor is most often engraved with Freyan runic script or magical runes. The Freyan people are a superstitious lot; their pagan beliefs provide that through the use of powerful magic runes, it may help one to fulfill that person’s innermost needs, wants, and wishes. This tradition has carried over to the Sons of Odin. They believe that by incorporating these runes as well as the potent Dire Wolves talismans on their armor, that they will evoke protection and strength against all their enemies.A few Space Marines within the Chapter are honored enough to inherit the power armor of a great warrior and continue on their legacy; veterans in particular wear ornate armor immersed in centuries worth of talismans and etched symbols, accumulated from great heroes over the ages. Scouts are the only elements of the force that don't decorate their armor extensively, preferring to maintain their anonymity when performing their dangerous reconnaissance missions. The adaptation of traditional Freyan symbols has also spread to some of their traditional marine insignia. Patterned specialization designations follow the Freyan warriors' artistic style and are painted in gold on the right shoulder pad. Classical Imperial icons are rarely seen on a marine’s armor. The Chapter is also known to incorporate the use of many ancient patterns of power armor, handed down over the millennia from one marine to another. http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f262/SGM-Daly91/Warhammer%2040K/TattooedFreyanWarrior.jpg Freyan warrior sporting traditional clan tattoos. Beliefs The Sons of Odin revere the Emperor through Odin – with Odin acting as his Advocate or Avatar. This disturbs the orthodox Ecclesiarchy but as effective and loyal servants of the Ordo Malleus the Sons of Odin are immune to any reprisals or retributions. As a result Adeptus Ministorum squads will not ally with the Sons of Odin unless an Inquisitor is present. Freyans are robust and outspoken, unafraid to speak or act on impulse. They are somewhat boastful and known to be braggarts, but they will back up their words with either their fists or with the sharpened edges of their battle-axes. To a Freyan, action literally speaks louder than words. Honor is another concept that the Freyans have a high regard for. Whether it is on the field of battle, or defending one’s pride when someone sullies their family name, honor must be maintained. The warriors of Freya are brought up on the heroic sagas of the ‘Sky-Warriors’, maintaining a proud martial tradition. To prove one’s worth as a warrior to the other members of their tribe, a Freyan warrior must constantly meet any challenge bestowed upon them by the venerable elders and senior warriors within their tribe. A young warrior must prove their battle prowess by acquiring numerous war trophies and battle scars if they are to be judged worthy. Some warriors are so dedicated to achieving this goal that they strive for nothing less than the chance to be immortalized forever in the form of a Freyan epic saga. Years after their death, they will be remembered when the sagas are recited by the old shamans of their tribes during the “The Feast of The Great Hunt”, held every twenty years during the rising of the Hunter’s Moon.When a Freyan has proved his worth or is slain in glorious battle they believe that they will earn a place amongst the honored ranks of the Einherjar. These are the fell-spirits of the warriors whom died in glorious battle and were raised from the dead; chosen to continue fighting by the side of the Emperor, (whom Freyans refer to as the “All-Father”) against the enemies of Mankind. According to the ancient Freyan sagas the “All-Father” will face Hel, the Goddess of Death and the underworld, and her other three aspects (lust, wrath, and transformation) and her daemonic hordes during the final days of all of creation, known as the “End-Times”. It is every Freyan’s fondest wish to be judged worthy enough to join their God-Emperor in eternal battle. These fanatically devout warriors are constantly trying to prove their worth in battle through insane acts of bravery or by slaying the most enemies.This Chapter doesn’t venerate one Primarch over the other, but they do acknowledge their shared heritage from both. Geneseed http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f262/SGM-Daly91/Warhammer%2040K/3SonsofOdinOfficer.jpg A Veteran Captain of the 1st Company. The gene-legacy of Russ and Guilliman is proudly borne by the Sons of Odin. Their gene stock appears to be stable and displays some interesting qualities, such as the ability to make it impossible for a Sons of Odin Space Marine’s mind to be tampered with through artificial means (such as mind scrubbing). The splicing of the Space Wolves’ gene-seed with that of the Ultramarines has also had some unique effects on the overall function of the hybrid gene-seed. It seems the legacy of Guilliman’s genetic material has no known aberrations in its genetic structure. This has seemed to cast out the majority of the unique traits common to the Canis Helix of the Space Wolves’ gene-seed, resulting in the absence of the curse of the Wulfen, the lack of heightened senses of hearing and smell as well and the loss of the long canines common to their Space Wolves forebears. However, with the introduction of the genetic material from the Freyan warriors, the genome seems to have inherited their savagery and thirst for war. This Chapter does bear some stigma from its early history of gene-tampering by some within the Inquisition, though they have proven themselves countless times on the field of honor throughout the millennia. Battle-Cry The battle-cry of the Sons of Odin varies from Great Company to Great Company. However, the two most commonly heard battle-cries shouted in their native Freyan tongue are: Ojør Va Odin! (Long Live Odin!) and Freya Hjølda! (For Freya!) About the Author Algrim Whitefang (aka Zach Wooten) has been involved with the Warhammer 40K universe since 1989. He was a long time Space Wolves and Angels of Vengeance player, but hasn't been an active player since the mid-90's, but that hasn't stop his love for acquiring as much fluff and artwork as possible. He is also an avid reader of all things 40K, and has practically every novel ever written, his first being Inquisitor by Ian Watson. Algrim is also fascinated with writing short-stories, creating artwork and trolling the various 40K forums. His DIY Chapters include the Sons of Odin and the Blood Seekers. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/212480-index-astartes-sons-of-odin/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quozzo Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 A chain-bayonet? thats just awesome! :lol: Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/212480-index-astartes-sons-of-odin/#findComment-2527703 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snorri Goresson Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 wow didnt know that my dads space marine chapter the Sons of Odin was blue, not sure were this guy got this idear from but id guess that he has seen my dads thread on warseer called Sons of Odin by Titan wolf, they have been around for a good few years. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/212480-index-astartes-sons-of-odin/#findComment-2527721 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algrim Whitefang Posted October 3, 2010 Author Share Posted October 3, 2010 Snorri, Glad to finally hear from someone who finds this original idea as interesting as I did! Actually, I didn't see it on Warseer, I ran across it many years ago (around 1997 or 1998) on some random website. The original idea for the Sons of Odin was created by a man name Art Colver. I used to be in contact with him, but have since lost his contact info. This was when the fluff for the Sons of Odin was still coming into its own. Was never able to find out if he ever updated it. Apparently, your Dad saw the same fluff that I did and decided to expand on the idea and play his own Sons of Odin army. Just so you know, this article wasn't an attempt to challenge any intellectual property on the part of your Dad. In fact, this was my way of honoring an excellent idea that was way ahead of its time! They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! I merely wanted to expand on an excellent idea. Hope I haven't offended anyone! This is merely my take on an excellent DIY Chapter! Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/212480-index-astartes-sons-of-odin/#findComment-2527735 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quozzo Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 If Odin and his sons are lost on the planet within the Warp for 100 years, but emerge 1000 years later at 998.M31. Then how did he cite the Liber Daemonia in his references, as the grey knights are rumoured to be created at the time around the second founding, which is after the Emperors death. Horus’ treachery and deceit ensnared no less than a third of the Space Marine Legions While that is true, exactly half of the Legions followed Horus. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/212480-index-astartes-sons-of-odin/#findComment-2528782 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonaides Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 An interesting read, and well fleshed out. I would double-check the date they re-appear from the warp storm against guliman's death tho. Or have you already done that? There are a number of inconsistencies in the story, but i suspect thats not the point here. Nice job. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/212480-index-astartes-sons-of-odin/#findComment-2528800 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algrim Whitefang Posted October 5, 2010 Author Share Posted October 5, 2010 Quozzo, Well, the original intent as far as the Sons emerging nearly a millennia later, I attributed to them being trapped by the warp storms which had an obvious effect on their perception of the time-continuum, since we all know that time flows differently within the warp. For them, only a century had passed, but in our reality it had been an entire millennium. Now, how did Odin know of such a forbidden book of knowledge such as the Liber Daemonica ? That's one of the mysteries about him. One can only assume, when he was temporarily granted the wisdom of the Emperor he was granted not only past knowledge, but some insight into future knowledge (such as the compilation of forbidden knowledge about daemons and Chaos). I know, confusing! But that's what you get when it comes to space/time-continuum issues! If Odin and his sons are lost on the planet within the Warp for 100 years, but emerge 1000 years later at 998.M31. Then how did he cite the Liber Daemonica in his references, as the grey knights are rumored to be created at the time around the second founding, which is after the Emperors death. Oh yeah, I attributed this minor bit of info as a misquote on my part. When I originally was fleshing out some of the ideas from the original article I forgot to update it, as I was using some of the older info found in some of the RT era sources such as the Lost and the Damned book. Sorry about that! I'll update it! Horus’ treachery and deceit ensnared no less than a third of the Space Marine LegionsWhile that is true, exactly half of the Legions followed Horus. Thanks for the constructive criticism! I appreciate your insights! Hope I answered your questions! Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/212480-index-astartes-sons-of-odin/#findComment-2528929 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algrim Whitefang Posted October 5, 2010 Author Share Posted October 5, 2010 Leonaides, Thanks for pointing this out! I had a difficult time pin-pointing Guilliman's death, even against the timeline posted here on the B&C forums. So basically, I kind of had to guess on that! I know there are a few minor inconsistencies, but I was willing to flesh these out at a later point. Thanks for the critique! I have no problem taking constructive criticism, be it positive or negative! I just enjoy having someone actually enjoy reading it and giving me some feedback! Thanks! ~Algrim An interesting read, and well fleshed out. I would double-check the date they re-appear from the warp storm against guliman's death tho. Or have you already done that? There are a number of inconsistencies in the story, but i suspect thats not the point here. Nice job. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/212480-index-astartes-sons-of-odin/#findComment-2528932 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonaides Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Algrim, with regard to constructive criticism: such as the ability to make it impossible for a Sons of Odin Space Marine’s mind to be tampered with through artificial means (such as mind scrubbing). how does the above affect their training regimes and physical development? For example, hypnotherapy to allow the marines to control their unstable biology - necessary otherwise they need frequent drug/chemical stabilisation which could cause problems if they are operating away from easy supply lines. Or hypnotic learning, teachign the mariens new battle languages, tactics, target information, chapter history quickly... For the first example, that may actually cause a genuine problem - the marines would be less incontrol of their own bodies, maybe feel more pain, etc... the second could lead to a smaller range of tactical ability - they may make up for being unable to learn such a wide variety of combat styles and tactical options by specialising in a few specific tactics (a cut down play-book if you will) so that the marines can actually learn those tactics to the standard required of marines. It really is an interesting twist, a nice background quirk but not something jammed in to gain a tabletop advantage, but maybe something to consider? Feel free to ignore, of course - there're probably very few pedants who would even notice that sort of thing... Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/212480-index-astartes-sons-of-odin/#findComment-2529100 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luy22 Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Glory and fame Blood is our name Souls full of thunder Hearts of steel Killers of men Of warriors friend Sworn to avenge our fallen brothers To the end :) Reading this was awesome. Fantastic chapter and awesome fluff! Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/212480-index-astartes-sons-of-odin/#findComment-2529276 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algrim Whitefang Posted October 6, 2010 Author Share Posted October 6, 2010 Thank you, thank you! I appreciate all of the wonderful feedback! Always had a soft spot for vikings, says I! http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f262/SGM-Daly91/Warhammer%2040K/norseman.jpg Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/212480-index-astartes-sons-of-odin/#findComment-2529316 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algrim Whitefang Posted October 9, 2010 Author Share Posted October 9, 2010 Sons of Odin...now updated, with more pics! Yeah! http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f262/SGM-Daly91/Warhammer%2040K/SW_Lighter_and_Raven_by_BioWolff.gif Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/212480-index-astartes-sons-of-odin/#findComment-2532122 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octavulg Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 Index Astartes: The Sons of Odin Odin. Look, I understand. GW is not a good example of how to be subtle when writing an IA. Nonetheless, I must implore you - try harder than this. Any reference I would have found cripplingly obvious before I entered high school should be right out. And that includes naming things after Norse Gods. Also, I feel obliged to point out right now that the Space Wolves are dominating the Viking niche so thoroughly that it's kind of annoying. I hope you have a unique spin to put on all this. "For the Emperor and for Odin!" See, this doesn't really tell us anything about the Chapter. Something more insightful would get us into the right mindset and give us some idea of what to expect. The Sons of Odin Chapter insignia. Kind of neat. A little piratical, but neat. With the death of the Warmaster the traitors paused in their assaults and then fell back to their transports and fled into space. The Imperial Fleet, which been powerless to intervene while the traitors were within the Imperial Palace, gave chase. They had broken faith with the Emperor and trafficked with the arcane. They were declared Excommunicate Traitoris. As news of the Warmaster’s defeat spread throughout the Imperium, widespread fighting renewed. The Scouring of the Traitors continued for another seven years before the last rebel formations were destroyed or exiled.After the defeat of Horus the Loyalist Space Marine Legions continued to pursue the retreating Chaos forces towards the Occularis Terribus. During the seventh and final year of the great scouring (Imperial Date 021.M31), one of the pursuing Loyalist fleets was composed of the Space Marine Legions from both the Space Wolves and the Ultramarines, and was commanded by Space Wolf Lord Odin Thorson. They caught a large group of Traitor Legionnaires raiding a mining colony in the XBR-MU1009A2 system near the Eye. In the midst of battle a tremendous warp storm engulfed the colony as well as several adjacent systems. All were presumed 'lost to the warp.' Read the DIY Guide. Being lost in the warp is an easy out, and is widely recognized for what it is - a deus ex machina to allow the author to more closely associate his characters with big shiny events like the Heresy. It's neither intrinsically interesting or particularly interesting, Though isolated, the Space Marines led by Odin, continued to fight. Odin first contacted and then organized the inhabitants of the surrounding systems into a coherent defense. The forces of Chaos, led by a mighty Daemon Prince named F'al Baruuk, though also mostly isolated, fought incessantly. Gradually over the course of years the Chaos forces wore down the defending forces. The Space Marines at first replaced their losses with recruits chosen from among the various worlds of the adjacent systems. Conditions were harsh and bred strong warriors; the Space Marines selecting only the best. How did they get from system to system inside the Warp storm? Chaos reigned, distorting the very fabric of the planet until only the fortress and its environs remained stable, an island of constancy amidst a sea of ever changing landscapes. Every living thing left on the planet gathered to this refuge, among them came the great wolves. The Dire Wolves, named by the miners, were remarkably canny; some miners claimed they were smarter than most people. In any event, they seemed to understand what was happening and recognized the humans as their only chance of survival. They kept to themselves until it was time for battle, but then they fought alongside the humans better than most warriors. They came to be called Wolf Brothers. First, the Wolf Brothers are already the Space Wolves only know successor chapter. Second, the Dire Wolves kind of came out of nowhere. Nor do they feel particularly unique from the wolves of Fenris. The consciousness of the Emperor, now entombed in the Golden Throne, constantly sifting through the warp, heard Odin's plea and answered. Odin's mind was flooded with all the necessary information he needed, not only to fend of chaos but also to repair the damaged geneseed, yet, the energy required to penetrate the warp storm even for an instant was tremendous. The psychic force of the contact caused Odin's right eye to melt in its socket and stream down his cheek, appearing as ghastly twins to the tears coursing from his good eye. The direct personal intercession of the Emperor, eh? Well, at least you're not aiming low. Visions, divine intervention and the like are much better as a light touch. This feels...blatant. Odin emerged from the tower, the remains of his ruined eye stilling oozing down his face, and strode straight to the gates. The gleam in his good eye wordlessly commanded all who encountered him to follow. He strode out the gates and enchanted the Daemon Prince standing before the fortress, his army arrayed behind him. On a whim, F'al Baruuk allowed the puny human to approach. The Prince opened his mouth to hurl a contemptuous epithet when something in the intense gaze of Odin's single eye gave him pause. In that instant, Odin struck the daemon's head from his shoulders with a single sweep of his sword, then turned and began walking back toward the gates before the gruesome visage even hit the ground. He's inside a warp storm. I don't know that you can kill Daemons in the Warp... Odin seemed to be everywhere; advising engineers on the defensive works, planning strategy with the other Captains, training the Neophyte Scouts, and instructing tech-marines on new vehicle modifications. At first, the new vehicles had some of the older tech-marines worried--converted ore carriers and survey vehicles with weapons grafted into scratch-built turrets--definitely not 'Standard Template Construction,' but Odin provided detailed schematics for their manufacture. When the senior Iron Priest, Master Gunarson questioned the 'Reliability' and 'Durability' of the modifications, Odin complimented his 'Orthodoxy' and then reassured him that these were not 'new' ideas, merely old ones that had fallen into disuse. Odin's definitely pushing things. I like a good story as much as anyone else, but the Amazing Story of Odin and How He Saved the Day is pushing things a little. A good IA is about a Chapter, not the guy who founded it. In total Odin had only a little less than a year before the Chaos onslaught began again, but in that time he was able to accomplish much. It took them a year to re-establish who was in charge? Chaos isn't that incompetent. Hell, I'd have expected them to just attack and work it out afterward. The land that emerged from the Chaos was different – mountains in place of plains, tundra in place of jungles, and large tracts of forests; a whole new world was being born bit by bit. As Chaos was pushed back the magnetic poles of the planet shifted to align with the centers of order and chaos; the Fortress became the North Pole. In a final battle at the southern pole, Odin once again, defeated the commanding daemon prince. The Chaos army had been beaten but their commander remained, standing atop a huge pile of corpses. Unwilling to sacrifice any more lives in an assault, Odin calmly pulled Molnir from his belt and hurled the remarkable hammer at the Daemon. The Daemon, laughing, dodged the puny weapon, which as always, returned to Odin's hand. However, while the daemon was distracted by Molnir, Odin had lobbed a vortex grenade atop the hill at the daemon's feet. With a scream of rage the grenade exploded. The daemon prince and the mound of bodies were sucked back into the warp. The planet was once again free of Chaos. Fighting in the Warp is rather unfair. You can't win. You can't break even. And you can't get out of the game. The Warp is where demons come from. No matter how many you kill, there are always more. While there are things that have survived in the Warp, the idea that a Chaos army would be defeatable inside a Warp storm is simply unbelievable to me. The tech-priests, under Odin's direction, erected an obelisk on the spot, both as a monument to the battle and according to Odin, to prevent Chaos from using the nexus at the southern pole to open a gate on the planet’s surface. Both sides were now temporarily isolated from the other. With the immediate influence of Chaos gone the planet stabilized into its present form. Odin christened the newly formed world, Freya (after the Fenrisian Goddess of Winter). Life on the planet began to return to normal and all except a few of the Dire Wolves returned to the wild. Odin, however, was not content to rest, and he immediately began plans to rebuild the fleet lost before the Enlightening and continue the cleansing – first freeing Freya's system then, eventually, the surrounding systems. Again, I press the issue of subtlety. You're being less subtle than the Space Wolves in your influences, and that's not a good thing. The Space Wolves are pushing hard against the Envelope of Getting Away With This as it is. An Inquisitor was aboard the first human ship to re-enter this newly accessible region of space, and what he found greatly disturbed him. After an encounter with Chaos, the Inquisition – per standard protocol – came to sanitize the system and ensure that there was no surviving taint. The remaining Space Marines were mind-wiped and sent back to their respective Chapters. That is, all except Wolf Lord Odin Thorson and the few Space Marines of the Scout Company who'd received the hybrid zygotes. Inexplicably the mind wipe did not work on them. The procedure only gave them a mild headache. This obviously troubled the Inquisition greatly. Hybrid zygotes with the Space Wolves DNA? The Adeptus Mechanicus has a tricky time mixing geneseed when it's the relatively normal stuff, and you're telling me they successfully dealt with the Canis Helix in the middle of a Warp storm? On the thirteenth hour, of the thirteenth day, of the thirteenth month of the inquest, Odin and his ‘sons’ were brought before the Council for the verdict to be read. The entire episode was pronounced Factum Irritus; all records of the trial were to be destroyed, all minor functionaries terminated, and senior participants mind-wiped. As Odin and his ‘sons’ were immune to the mind-wiping process, they were to be terminated with extreme prejudice. Odin and his stoic ‘sons’ stood resolute before their accusers. Before the Council could utter another vitriolic word, a mighty, anguished thought which itself transcended time, filled the mind of every person in the room, "NO! MY SONS ARE NOT TO BE HARMED!" In response, Odin and his 'sons' simultaneously shouted, "LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR!" Oh my dear god. Space Marines are pretty much a power fantasy. But this is silly. Odin's virtually perfect, the Emperor is personally interceding to preserve them from danger, and they routinely do things that they should not be able to do. You've evidently put a lot of thought and effort into this, but the result simply doesn't work. The Chapter is too super, too important, too special. Freya is a turbulent world of ice, dominated by extremes of climates that constantly change. Most would deem it inimical to life, but as always, the early human settlers of this frozen outpost found a way not only to survive, but to thrive. Before Old Night, this world was originally settled as a mining colony. The world of Freya was rich in many of the ores used in the construction of space faring vessels and technology used at the time. But with the advent of the horrendous warps storms and the Age of Strife, the stranded settlers were cut off from the outside world and were barely able to survive the harsh environment. Only the hardiest survived. So it's Fenris all over again. Huzzah. There is a line between being inspired by another Chapter and just being another Chapter. You seem to be basically recreating the Space Wolves with a few extra quirks. And in that case, I really don't see what the point is of creating a whole IA, let alone one nearly seven thousand words long. * * * 6691 words is too many for a GW IA. It is certainly too much for a work of fanfiction. It's simply too much information, too many words. Too much. You're not getting paid by the word. Nor do we have any need to read it beyond interest. Thus, you should be trying to keep your writing as tight as possible to heighten the chances of people reading it. My first time through, I critique concepts, rather than writing. I mention this because there are a few spots where your writing are a little awkward, and several spots where it is redundant or words are misused. You need some practice. Honestly, this Chapter is the Space Wolves with a Far Too Special Character. There needs to be more to a Chapter than that - something about their personality and nature that is unique and interesting. That isn't here right now. The only thing clearly separating a Son of Odin from a Space Wolf is the color of his armor. In short, the Chapter is based around a Mary-Sue character, lacks a personality independent of the Space Wolves, and is based off many things that are vastly implausible. The IA is far too long, and the writing needs improvement. I'm sorry, but right now, this is not a good IA. So I ask you: what do you want out of this Chapter? Once I know that, I'll have a better idea what to recommend to you as a course of action, and might be able to come up with some ideas for you. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/212480-index-astartes-sons-of-odin/#findComment-2532914 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algrim Whitefang Posted October 11, 2010 Author Share Posted October 11, 2010 OUCH!!!!http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f262/SGM-Daly91/Warhammer%2040K/SpacemarineStern_by_BioWolff.gif I have been slain by the mighty 'critique-atomic smack down'! Man, you don't hold back do ya'? 'Tell me whatcha' really think?' :) All kidding aside, thanks Octavulg for setting me straight and giving me such an excellent rundown of things that I need to do to make my IA better!! It hurt (a bit) but hey, I've got a thick skin. :P I'll just have to regroup, readjust, and one day repost a better product next time around! Oh, and I did do myself a favor and read through your excellent guide to creating a truly excellent DIY Chapter. I guess it's back to the ol' Word Pad, to see if I can make it better. Odin. Look, I understand. GW is not a good example of how to be subtle when writing an IA. Nonetheless, I must implore you - try harder than this. Any reference I would have found cripplingly obvious before I entered high school should be right out. And that includes naming things after Norse Gods. Also, I feel obliged to point out right now that the Space Wolves are dominating the Viking niche so thoroughly that it's kind of annoying. I hope you have a unique spin to put on all this. Okay. I know it's not the most unique name ever used for a DIY Chapter. But keep in mind I did point out that I am not the original author of this particular DIY Chapter. That credit belongs to a gentleman named Art Colver. 90% of the writing was done by him. I merely filled in some of the details and extrapolated additional information for this IA through various sources. As far as the SoO (Sons of Odin gets a bit redundant writing it!) being just another Viking-style Chapter, well that's not exactly how it was meant to be portrayed. The unique spin on all of this, is that they are an unofficial predecessor of both the Space Wolves and the Ultramarines. Unlike their Space Wolves forebears, whom we know as being unorthodox and headstrong the SoO are the exact opposite fighting as a purely Codex Chapter with only few exceptions. Is this very original? No. Was this my idea? No. Now that you have pointed this out, I'm doing my best to come up with something quite unique to only this particular Chapter. See, this doesn't really tell us anything about the Chapter. Something more insightful would get us into the right mindset and give us some idea of what to expect. I admit, not very original. Working on something more unique to this Chapter to post. The Sons of Odin Chapter insignia. As far as the SoO Chapter insignia goes, wasn't meant to be piratical. The patch was meant to emulate their Patriarch, Odin. The skull represents the death that they reign down upon their enemies. The white pinioned wings represent a quick and brutal death. (Hmmm...methinks maybe making this Chapter some kind of Assault specialists or some such! :) ) Read the DIY Guide. Being lost in the warp is an easy out, and is widely recognized for what it is - a deus ex machina to allow the author to more closely associate his characters with big shiny events like the Heresy. It's neither intrinsically interesting or particularly interesting, Okay, I once again I admit that this section of the IA wasn't particularly interesting or very original. But I'll think of something to make it a bit more interesting! How did they get from system to system inside the Warp storm? Very precariously, of course! :( All kidding aside, its not impossible to get around in the warp. It's just very dangerous. As they've shown in numerous Battlefleet Gothic novels as well as some of the Horus Heresy novels, ships can indeed travel the dangerous currents and wakes of the warp. Though, this is definitely not the preferred method of travel. Especially when a hug warpstorm is raging! I'll have to figure something else out as well. First, the Wolf Brothers are already the Space Wolves only know successor chapter. Second, the Dire Wolves kind of came out of nowhere. Nor do they feel particularly unique from the wolves of Fenris. First, I know the Space Wolves history quite well, having been involved with the GW hobby since 1989 and owning practically every single novel, chapter book, rulebook, ect. Secondly, I agree in regards to the Dire Wolves. This is something I'm still fleshing out. Not like the wolves of Fenris, but unique in their on right. A work in progress. The direct personal intercession of the Emperor, eh? Well, at least you're not aiming low. Visions, divine intervention and the like are much better as a light touch. This feels...blatant. The use of the direct personal intercession of the Emperor was not my original idea but I ran with it. It's extremely rare, but not unheard of. This was proven in the Horus Heresy novels when they mention the fledgling Divinitatus cult's first saint, Euphrati Keeler. When Kyril Sindermann (a renowned iterator) accidentally summoned a demon using the Book of Lorgar in the library of Warmaster Horus' flagship, the Vengeful Spirit, as she stood before the beast and using nothing but her faith, she felt the power of the Emperor flow throw her and banished the creature back into the Warp. I know this only occurs under unusual circumstances, but it has happened. Yeah, it does feel a bit blatant. But once again, not my idea. Working on something a bit more plausible. He's inside a warp storm. I don't know that you can kill Daemons in the Warp... I disagree on this point. It has been shown on many occasions that you actually can kill a Daemon in the warp; Blood Angels did it in 'Bloodquest', Justicar Alaric did it in the Grey Knights novel 'Hammer of Daemons', Captain Garrow and his intrepid crew defeated and banished resurrected corpses controlled by Nurgle in 'Flight of the Eisenstein' ect. Need I go on? Odin's definitely pushing things. I like a good story as much as anyone else, but the Amazing Story of Odin and How He Saved the Day is pushing things a little. A good IA is about a Chapter, not the guy who founded it. I admit the original author did give a little to much credence to Odin and his near-omnipotence. Once again, I'm working on something a lot more plausible. It took them a year to re-establish who was in charge? Chaos isn't that incompetent. Hell, I'd have expected them to just attack and work it out afterward. I agree, this is a weak plot point. One that I aim to correct. Fighting in the Warp is rather unfair. You can't win. You can't break even. And you can't get out of the game. The Warp is where demons come from. No matter how many you kill, there are always more. While there are things that have survived in the Warp, the idea that a Chaos army would be defeatable inside a Warp storm is simply unbelievable to me. I agree. I agree. I agree. Fighting in the warp is a !#@^*! Another plot device that I'm going to have to correct. Again, I press the issue of subtlety. You're being less subtle than the Space Wolves in your influences, and that's not a good thing. The Space Wolves are pushing hard against the Envelope of Getting Away With This as it is. I understand that I need to work on this. I'm trying to get the point across that many of the original Space Wolves and Ultramarines legionnaires decided to stay on and help form the SoO, and that they used influences from both Legions. I didn't want to favor one over the other. Hybrid zygotes with the Space Wolves DNA? The Adeptus Mechanicus has a tricky time mixing geneseed when it's the relatively normal stuff, and you're telling me they successfully dealt with the Canis Helix in the middle of a Warp storm? Desperate times call for desperate measures. When your cut-off, alone, out-manned and out-gunned you do what you have to do to survive. By trying to recreate viable zygotes to keep themselves alive and functioning as Space Marines they knew they were delving into some pretty forbidden areas of forbidden knowledge. But they were trying to survive. As far as them dealing with the Canis Helix and using it in conjunction with Guilliman's gene-legacy, I purposely tried to remain vague on this topic. Sometimes, things are best left unexplained. Oh my dear god. Space Marines are pretty much a power fantasy. But this is silly. Odin's virtually perfect, the Emperor is personally interceding to preserve them from danger, and they routinely do things that they should not be able to do. You've evidently put a lot of thought and effort into this, but the result simply doesn't work. The Chapter is too super, too important, too special. I know the Space Marines are purely for power fantasy. Yes, I understand that Odin is too perfect. And yes, they do have abilities that they shouldn't be able to do. I never presented the SoO as being a 'Super Chapter', nor did I present them as being 'too important or too special'. No Chapter is. I understand this. But like I've said multiple times in this post, I'm working on a complete revision for this IA. So it's Fenris all over again. Huzzah. There is a line between being inspired by another Chapter and just being another Chapter. You seem to be basically recreating the Space Wolves with a few extra quirks. And in that case, I really don't see what the point is of creating a whole IA, let alone one nearly seven thousand words long. No, it's not 'Fenris all over again,' this is a completely unique and separate Chapter that has some uncanny similarities to their predecessors, but as far as the rest they are their own unique Chapter. They are Successors of their parent Legion, and are proud of their unique double-heritage. Yes, I admit that it is way too lengthy. Working on the revision. 6691 words is too many for a GW IA. It is certainly too much for a work of fanfiction. It's simply too much information, too many words. Too much. You're not getting paid by the word. Nor do we have any need to read it beyond interest. Thus, you should be trying to keep your writing as tight as possible to heighten the chances of people reading it. My first time through, I critique concepts, rather than writing. I mention this because there are a few spots where your writing are a little awkward, and several spots where it is redundant or words are misused. You need some practice. Honestly, this Chapter is the Space Wolves with a Far Too Special Character. There needs to be more to a Chapter than that - something about their personality and nature that is unique and interesting. That isn't here right now. The only thing clearly separating a Son of Odin from a Space Wolf is the color of his armor. In short, the Chapter is based around a Mary-Sue character, lacks a personality independent of the Space Wolves, and is based off many things that are vastly implausible. The IA is far too long, and the writing needs improvement. I'm sorry, but right now, this is not a good IA. So I ask you: what do you want out of this Chapter? Once I know that, I'll have a better idea what to recommend to you as a course of action, and might be able to come up with some ideas for you. Once again, thanks for the critique! The revised IA is still in a state of flux and is being revised as we speak! I'll keep you posted! 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Octavulg Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 I have been slain by the mighty 'critique-atomic smack down'! Man, you don't hold back do ya'? 'Tell me whatcha' really think?' laugh.gif All kidding aside, thanks Octavulg for setting me straight and giving me such an excellent rundown of things that I need to do to make my IA better!! It hurt (a bit) but hey, I've got a thick skin. tongue.gif I'll just have to regroup, readjust, and one day repost a better product next time around! Oh, and I did do myself a favor and read through your excellent guide to creating a truly excellent DIY Chapter. I guess it's back to the ol' Word Pad, to see if I can make it better. I've been a little meaner than usual, lately, I'm afraid. Not sure why. It may be the weather. It's too damn hot. Anyway, glad I didn't eviscerate you too badly. Okay. I know it's not the most unique name ever used for a DIY Chapter. But keep in mind I did point out that I am not the original author of this particular DIY Chapter. That credit belongs to a gentleman named Art Colver. 90% of the writing was done by him. I merely filled in some of the details and extrapolated additional information for this IA through various sources. Then in that case, you have my official permission to improve on his work. :tu: As far as the SoO (Sons of Odin gets a bit redundant writing it!) being just another Viking-style Chapter, well that's not exactly how it was meant to be portrayed. The unique spin on all of this, is that they are an unofficial predecessor of both the Space Wolves and the Ultramarines. Unlike their Space Wolves forebears, whom we know as being unorthodox and headstrong the SoO are the exact opposite fighting as a purely Codex Chapter with only few exceptions. Is this very original? No. Was this my idea? No. Now that you have pointed this out, I'm doing my best to come up with something quite unique to only this particular Chapter. You know predecessor means antecedent/ancestor/person-who-came-before, right? There's plenty to be mined out of Viking chapter, if done right - it'd just take some caution. Just stay away from the more Space Wolfy aspects, if only to help the Chapter stand on its own. I'm not sure the best route to Codex vikinginess is through being lost in the Warp, etc, etc. Obvious thing that springs to mind - the Varangian Guard. Vikings, but disciplined army as well. Space Wolf + Ultramarine contingent fight their way around the galaxy in the Heresy. Space Wolves lose their leader, and grow more and more attached to the Ultramarines leader (who is a relatively boisterous and jovial fellow). Conversely, the Ultramarines of the group grow somewhat more wild and prone to wearing fur, while still remaining, well, Ultramarines. During the Scouring, both groups return to their respective Legions, but when the Second Founding comes, the commander of that Ultramarine contingent is chosen to form a new Chapter. He does so, naming it for his fallen comrade, Odin Somethinghammer, and a small group of the Space Wolves who once served with him help him train the new Chapter, in memory of their fallen leader, before returning to the Space Wolves. And, of course, the home planet is appropriately barbaric, so as to keep them Space Wolfey. I'd imagine you'd end up with something mostly Codex, but with a few quirks - and a definite lack of polish in many ways. It's not an ideal solution, but it might work. Avoids a lot of the issues, but still gets you some of what you're after (I think, anyway). And you can do all kinds of strange things involving a weird melange of Ultramarineness and Space Wolfiness. As far as the SoO Chapter insignia goes, wasn't meant to be piratical. The patch was meant to emulate their Patriarch, Odin. The skull represents the death that they reign down upon their enemies. The white pinioned wings represent a quick and brutal death. (Hmmm...methinks maybe making this Chapter some kind of Assault specialists or some such! dry.gif ) Oh, I get why the patch is there. It's just that eyepatch-wearing skulls have some pretty firm associations by this point in time. Very precariously, of course! biggrin.gif All kidding aside, its not impossible to get around in the warp. It's just very dangerous. As they've shown in numerous Battlefleet Gothic novels as well as some of the Horus Heresy novels, ships can indeed travel the dangerous currents and wakes of the warp. Though, this is definitely not the preferred method of travel. Especially when a hug warpstorm is raging! I'll have to figure something else out as well. The trick is that warp storms basically shut down travel. If they could travel between systems, it would seem to make just as much sense to, well, leave. First, I know the Space Wolves history quite well, having been involved with the GW hobby since 1989 and owning practically every single novel, chapter book, rulebook, ect. Good! Then you see why you might want to avoid using that name. :tu: ;) Secondly, I agree in regards to the Dire Wolves. This is something I'm still fleshing out. Not like the wolves of Fenris, but unique in their on right. A work in progress. The problem is that big wolves always seem Space Wolfey. This is not your fault, of course, but you're the one who gets to deal with it. :P I disagree on this point. It has been shown on many occasions that you actually can kill a Daemon in the warp; Blood Angels did it in 'Bloodquest', Justicar Alaric did it in the Grey Knights novel 'Hammer of Daemons', Captain Garrow and his intrepid crew defeated and banished resurrected corpses controlled by Nurgle in 'Flight of the Eisenstein' ect. Need I go on? Fair enough. I am recalling incidents such as Ciaphas Cain, where even having a Warp Storm close by filled daemons with ridiculous levels of power. I agree. I agree. I agree. Fighting in the warp is a !#@^*! Another plot device that I'm going to have to correct. Be cautious. It sounds a little like you're running around trying to patch the holes in this, when (and I don't mean this unkindly), you might be better off stepping back and deciding if this is even the boat you want to be sailing around on. What do you want the Sons of Odin to be? Desperate times call for desperate measures. When your cut-off, alone, out-manned and out-gunned you do what you have to do to survive. By trying to recreate viable zygotes to keep themselves alive and functioning as Space Marines they knew they were delving into some pretty forbidden areas of forbidden knowledge. But they were trying to survive. As far as them dealing with the Canis Helix and using it in conjunction with Guilliman's gene-legacy, I purposely tried to remain vague on this topic. Sometimes, things are best left unexplained. I don't mind them trying it, I mind them succeeding. Better than they in better circumstances have failed utterly at such attempts. I know the Space Marines are purely for power fantasy. Yes, I understand that Odin is too perfect. And yes, they do have abilities that they shouldn't be able to do. I never presented the SoO as being a 'Super Chapter', nor did I present them as being 'too important or too special'. No Chapter is. I understand this. But like I've said multiple times in this post, I'm working on a complete revision for this IA. That's fine. Though I must disagree - they come across as a super Chapter. It's a decently handled one, but that's still the impression I'm left with. No, it's not 'Fenris all over again,' this is a completely unique and separate Chapter that has some uncanny similarities to their predecessors, but as far as the rest they are their own unique Chapter. They are Successors of their parent Legion, and are proud of their unique double-heritage. Yes, I admit that it is way too lengthy. Working on the revision. It's a barbaric world that's basically populated by Vikings. When dealing with a Space Wolves successor Chapter, that's Fenris all over again. There is a balance to be struck between being like the originating Chapter and being unique. The home world is dragging them back toward the Space Wolves at a prodigous rate. Once again, thanks for the critique! The revised IA is still in a state of flux and is being revised as we speak! I'll keep you posted! You still haven't told me what it is that you want. I promise, I'm not going to take your soul to prove some grand point about the philosophy behind interstellar politics. Well, probably. Anyway, the point is, what do you want the Sons of Odin to be? Beyond their history and all that. Describe the Chapter in a sentence. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/212480-index-astartes-sons-of-odin/#findComment-2532994 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Hunter Ydalir Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 And, of course, the home planet is appropriately barbaric, so as to keep them Space Wolfey. You know, the vikings didn't just live and fight in blizzards. You do have room to maneuver within the geological archetype for northern/eastern European barbarians. That's fine. Though I must disagree - they come across as a super Chapter. It's a decently handled one, but that's still the impression I'm left with. I have to agree. That might not be the way you intended them to come across, but since this is not quite all your work as you have said earlier, I have to tell you that it is exactly how they are coming across. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/212480-index-astartes-sons-of-odin/#findComment-2533120 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Debonair Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 :blink: Gosh. I've just sat down and read this whole IA. It seems to be made up almost entirely of things that make me wince (mixed geneseeds, legendary super-marine from the heresy-era as founder, basically being the unnoficial 21st legion and robbing the Ultramarines' colours) and yet somehow I couldn't stop reading. Alright, that sounded more negative than I wanted it to. You've clearly put a lot of work into this IA, and certainly you're not short of creativity. But this stretches believability far past breaking point. It's just impossible that a chapter like this would not have been mentioned in any 'official' works. Aside from the fact you're talking about creating chapters at a time when the legions were still all running around. And Odin is like Super-Russ. He even has a mysterious, don't-get-to-see-the-corpse death, and a prophecy that says he'll come back one day. Oh, but the artwork is awesome. Apart from Odin has no eyepatch during his trial, but what the heck, it's still awesome. :P I'll stop here, since I've just noticed Octavulg and GHY have already gone through all this. ;) It's almost a shame this isn't all your own original work, although now I'm wondering what a chapter of your own would turn out like! :D Keep at it, and I'm sure you can make something spectacular out of this! Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/212480-index-astartes-sons-of-odin/#findComment-2533141 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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