++The Conqueror's/Disciples of the Lion++

[Marshal Rohr]

Idea:

 

M.36: An Imperial Fist successor suffers a massive defeat at the hands of a large Ork Waaagh! that destroys the Fortress-Monastery and the gene-stocks of the Chapter. A schism is formed between those loyal to the Chapter Master, who wishes to die gloriously with remaining members of the Chapter by leading a counter-attack into the heart of the Ork realm, and those who wish to rebuild the Chapter. Both factions citing different aspects of the Primarch as evidence to make their cases. The Chapter Master rallies those who wish to die and take the majority of the remaining fleet and chapter assets with him while telling those who wish to rebuild to 'go and die in whatever manner they find best'. Those wishing to die gloriously do so, but naturally it was in vain, nothing was accomplished, and the Chapter Master's personal banner flies from the back of a Warboss' personal battlewagon.

 

Led by the 10th Company Captain (the only Chapter line officer wishing to rebuild), the Master of the Forge, the Chief Apothecary and a few of his brothers, the majority of the Librarius, and barely two-hundred battle brothers and scouts make all possible speed for Terra to plead their case before the High Lords wishing to rebuild their Chapter. Unfortunately, the Age of Apostasy is in full swing, and their are no more High Lords. Vandire's servants/judges/whoever listens to these things summarily dismisses the case and tell them to 'die with honor'. Something they have been hearing a lot lately.

 

Discouraged, but too stubborn to quit, the remaining Conqueror's resolve to find a way to rebuild. They head into the Segmentum Obscuras to lend aid to whoever will donate warmaterials in return. During this 12 year wandering they receive an astropathic distress signal from the Disciples of the Lion, a Dark Angel successor who's homeworld is besieged by the Eldar (of Ulthwé). The Eldar are spanking the Disciples at every turn, and a 'warp storm' (<_<) has rendered the other I Legion Chapters unable to lend aid. The Conqueror's attempt to break warp above the planet (not wanting another Chapter to befall a fate like theirs... and hoping for some spare equipment), and somehow are able to do so... almost like they were meant to...

 

When they arrive the Disciple's have all been slain, not a soul survives, the passages and land surrounding the Monastery are littered with the slain serfs and brother marines. The Conqueror's land in force to attempt to find survivors and find none, instead they find the Chapter's armory nearly unspoiled, monastery nearly without a scratch, forges still hot, and equipment stores fresh and full. Many within the group see it as a sign from the Emperor. Especially considering the nice untouched genestocks laying unspoiled at the heart of the fortress.

 

Immediately the more 'liberal' members of the Conqueror's begin crying to take it, and rebuild. The more conservative members detest the idea of using genestocks from another Primarch, not to mention looting the dead. The captain leading them, in true Dornian fashion, self-flagellates until he receives a 'vision' from the Emperor. The Chapter will assume the Disciples heraldry and equipment and pose as the Chapter so that they can be re-equipped, etc. All of this to continue their war against the Emperor's enemies. Those who protest too loudly are threatened into submission. These past 12 years have been very hard on the Conqueror's and many see that 'beggars cant be choosers' :lol: . Over the next year, they lie low, take recruits from the surrounding feral and death worlds, pay their 'tithes' and run a few operations, but most of the focus in on retraining and rebuilding.

 

Now the idea really takes a hard left:

 

Within the next year, the 10th Captain, now Chapter Master, receives an unusual mission from the Supreme Grand Master of the Dark Angels. Taken aback that the Master of another Chapter would attempt to 'order' a peer, he flatly denies without glancing at the request, sending the bewildered emissary (in a smooth looking bone white robe, emblazoned with a winged, broken sword) away. Everything is all well and good for about another year, until a fleet of the Angel's of Absolution appears in system and requests permission to land and consult with the new 'Grand Master' as they call the 10th Captain, a moniker he doesn't recognize. He consents, and the Grand Master of the Angels of Absolution and his honor guard come down and meet with the Disciples Chapter Master. The Chapter Master recounts to them the story well rehearsed by the former Conquerors: They were all junior members of the Chapter, and the only survivors of the Eldar raid, barely 150 strong, and they have been attempting to rebuild the Chapter in the years since. The Angels of Absolution conclude their meeting with standard force dispersals and operational details as an 'olive branch' since the Chapter Fleet plans to be operating near the Disciples AO for a few months.

 

The Disciples keep on, keepin on. They rebuild and grow to love their incredibly well stocked armory and advanced forges. Meanwhile, back at the Rock, and emergency meeting of the Deathwing is called (probably by casting a large winged, broken sword spotlight into space, or something). The case, to them at least, is clear: no surviving Inner Circle members of the Disciples of the Lion survived the Eldar assault, and in accordance with all secret society operations manuals, destroyed their intel on the Fallen when death was imminent. The Inner Circle is split between those who think it might be best if they didn't know, and those who think it is vital to maintain their 'reach' throughout the Imperium. The matter is put to a vote, and swings in favor of those wishing to induct the newly promoted 'Disciples' upper chain of command.

 

The Supreme Grand Master of the Dark Angels, and all other Available/non-deployed Grand Masters make haste for the Conqueror's/Disciples home world. When they arrive, the Conqueror's Chapter Master is a little perturbed that these Dark Angels keep showing up, and suspects that they are onto them. As the delegation arrives, the full might of the Chapter (what little might they can muster) meets them in parade formation, all with live rounds in case the I Legion takes it a little personally. Instead the Supreme Grand Master and attendant Grand Masters escort the former Conqueror into the Monastery's inner sanctum, where they spill the beans on the 'Fallen' to the newest member of the Inner Circle, and his Captains.

 

After the delegation departs, the new Inner Circle members, all Sons of Dorn, are totally shocked. They decide it is best to keep up pretenses, and agree it is best for the Chapter to continue on and serve as 'Dark Angels'. 4 Millennia later, there is really no differece in between the Disciples and any other Dark Angel successor. But I thought it would be an unusual back story.

 

 

 

So Spoliers:

-The Eldar want the Conqueror's to become the Disciple's. Why? Who knows its the Eldar.

-The Chapter was a Dornian successor, but a far more moderate one, they still clung to the virtues of self sacrifice. The difference being those who chose to rebuild sacrificed the identity as Sons of Dorn and Conquerors to continue in their holy duty to fight for the Emperor.

-The driving factor to loot the equipment was the 12 years of floating in space, and desire to fight their enemies but lack of resources to do so.

-The driving factor to assume the identity was a pain induced hallucination by the 10th Captain, who saw it as a way to fight on even further than just looting the equipment. They are loyal unto death, not just loyal. You can be loyal but if you have no means to prove your loyalty, your loyalty doesnt matter. This would all be in the Chapter beliefs.

-The merging with the inner circle is going to be the hardest part, as you have to be scrutinized first. I want to handwave it as the Inner Circle just assuming they are good to go, by them having been members of the chapters chain of command before the inner circle members were wiped out. I am thinking maybe they find a 'Codex Angelus' or whatever the DA alternative to the Codex Astartes is, and in it they find some kind of 'cursory' knowledge.

 

 

Please forgive the lack of seriousness in the post, the true IA, if it isnt burnt first, will be true to form and serious.

[Hrvat]

You could be onto a winner here. I really liked all the non serious :) approach of the new "Grand Master".

 

I think you should expand upon this but now your chapter will have to secrets.

 

1. From other unforgiven.

2. From the rest of Imperium about unforgiven.

 

 

I will be watchin this space with interest.

 

 

edit: I appologise to the mods for using an inapropriate word, it completely sliped my mind :D

[Dosjetka]

I'm really liking the M2C, it's definitely different, but I really like it. As Hrvat said, it's time to develop now :D