IT: The Unchained

[Captain Juan Juarez]

The Raid of Tal'Mahtin

 

The raid the Unchained would perpetrate upon the Tal'Mahtin shipyards would forever alter the Imperiums perception of this motley band of pirates and mercenaries; where before they were barely a footnote in the history of the Imperium the raid would catapult them into the spotlight of the Imperial Navy forces in the sectors surounding Tal'Mahtin. The Raid would be a watershed moment for the warband, seeing the transition from mere footnote to reviled enemy and hunted traitor.

 

The shipyards of Tal'Mahtin were no longer the bustling orbital metropolis they had been, falling too far behind to do anything more than service the squadrons and ships of the Imperial Navy that would patrol the sector. In a moment that was to herald a return to greatness for the yards, the Avenger Grand Cruiser Unyielding Fist would finally have its refit from Naval Reserve complete, ready to join the dwindling forces of the Segmentum Battlefleet.

 

Such hopes would be short lived as an unidentified vessel surged from the Warp on a tide of otherwordly power, its great armoured prow slicing through space like an ancient ocean predator. Coasting in close to the Destroyer Squadrons and Light Cruiser guarding the yards of Tal'Mahtin, the vessel took advantage of the antiquated target aquisition systems of the orbital defences to spare themselves that firepower.

 

With the Light Cruiser Foe of the Faithless crippled by a point-blank broadside volley and the stricken hulls of the two Destroyers burning in space around it the vessel, later indentified as the Astartes Strike Cruiser Sailors Bane would deploy its boarding craft.

 

The Unyielding Fist was boarded by a handful of Marines, the apparent leader of the traitor Astartes offering the Captain a simple choice; serve or die and in choosing to draw his ceremonial sabre death was swift and merciless. With the same offer made to a Commander who was far less enthralled by serving the Emperor in his death, the Avenger was captured and the first of a long line of prizes that the Unchained would take. With the Avenger in its wake, and a compliment of Astartes on board to ensure the "loyalty" of the crew, Sailors Bane gave one parting salute to Tal'Mahtin: a triple volley from its Bombardment Cannon at certain structural weak points leaving the majority of the shipyards nothing more than floating debris.

 

Ezekiel Brunner

 

With no records existing of Brunner within Imperial archives, extensive debates have occured as to his origins but such talk is fruitless without even a scrap of evidence to support it and as such those origins remain a mystery. Now the only knowledge of Ezekiel Brunner and the Unchained are the attrocities they have perpetrated.

 

For the three hundred years prior to the Raid of Tal'Mahtin the Unchained were led by "Lord-Admiral" Vassan Kurr until he was deposed in rather dramatic and bloody style by the unknown quantity that was Ezekiel Brunner. With the backing of three confederates and his own skill at arms Brunner ensured Kurr would end his days chained to a torpedo fired from the forward armament of his flagship.

 

With Kurr no longer a threat Brunner weeded out those who had voiced their own disquiet at the leadership of the Pirate-King, the daggers wielded in the dark becoming a far cry from the later leadership challenges he would face. With the Sailors Bane under his control and the escorts cowed by the threat of the Cruisers guns, Ezekiel Brunner would begin to pave the way for the victory that would be Tal'Mahtin.

 

Ezekiel Brunner is perhaps unique amongst traitorous ranks of the Astartes in that his every thought, plan and action is devoted to accumulating wealth of any description be it precious metals or gems, currency or ships hulls. Those who follow him - Astartes and those few Humans alike - do so less out of fear for his considerable skill-at-arms and more for the tenacity and flair he shows in aquiring that which he wants. Speculation is widespread as to his true goals, though the more sane-minded claim that either Brunner is Chaos-addled or that some flaw in the process of his creation has caused this anomaly.

 

 

**NOTE: Work In Progress**

Edited February 1, 2011 by Captain Juan Juarez

[Ferrata]

At the moment I am getting the feeling that we are meant to like this character, that we are meant to believe he is being held down and his fall isn't his fault. Now, I can see him becoming miffed at the chapter, but it would take a lot for a brother to turn away from the Emperor. Plus, he needs to get a lot of equipment before he can become a pirate force, like a ship for a start :) I think the pirate idea has merit, but I am not sure if one man's egotism is enough to really start such a force.

[Captain Juan Juarez]

I think the pirate idea has merit, but I am not sure if one man's egotism is enough to really start such a force.

 

Aye, it's part of the reason I'm struggling with it.. There are a couple of good pirate ITs in the Librarium, but I'm finding hard to think of something coherent without accidentally stealing from the Iron Gods or Barretts Privateers.

 

Like I said, it's the pirate part I want to emphasise - intitially I had thought to have a company wander so far from the Chapter as a whole that time simply corrupted its purpose; instead of taking ships from enemies, it took them from whoever had them whenever it needed them. Then eventually they are called to answer for what some consider crimes - they consider expediency - and they refuse to be judged.

[Ferrata]

The simpliest method to your end is have a splinter from one of the traitor legions that decides that their leader isn't doing them service and wants to go off on their own. That way, you get to spend most of the IT talking about the traitor force and how they operate/feel instead of talking about their fall. However, I get the feeling you want them to come from the Starstriders. I find ITs a lot harder than IAs, that is why since starting the Wings of Death I have completed 3 IAs and the Wings are only nearly finished. It needs to be believable - marines don't just wonder off without reason. Do you want them to be Chaos worshippers or just not Pro-Imperium?

[Captain Juan Juarez]

The simpliest method to your end is have a splinter from one of the traitor legions that decides that their leader isn't doing them service and wants to go off on their own. That way, you get to spend most of the IT talking about the traitor force and how they operate/feel instead of talking about their fall. However, I get the feeling you want them to come from the Starstriders. I find ITs a lot harder than IAs, that is why since starting the Wings of Death I have completed 3 IAs and the Wings are only nearly finished. It needs to be believable - marines don't just wonder off without reason. Do you want them to be Chaos worshippers or just not Pro-Imperium?

 

They don't have to come from the Starstriders, I just thought that would be an easier way to explain the piratical endeavours. I'm not a fan of Chaos-worshipping of any sort, so realistically just not Pro-Imperium or even Pro-Anyone except for themselves.

 

In purely human terms, were I writing about an IG unit that went rogue, it would be something along the lines of them not being particularly valued - I see pride/arrogance as a major factor in the desicision to go rogue - or used effectively and even not getting a cut of the "profits" in terms of equipment and the like - that is if they come from a more established force.

[Heru]

They don't have to come from the Starstriders, I just thought that would be an easier way to explain the piratical endeavours. I'm not a fan of Chaos-worshipping of any sort, so realistically just not Pro-Imperium or even Pro-Anyone except for themselves.

Then do what SCL has done with the Iron Gods and Ace has done with the Rift Lords, don't bother with the "where they came from" just bother with the "who they are now".

[Captain Juan Juarez]

They don't have to come from the Starstriders, I just thought that would be an easier way to explain the piratical endeavours. I'm not a fan of Chaos-worshipping of any sort, so realistically just not Pro-Imperium or even Pro-Anyone except for themselves.

Then do what SCL has done with the Iron Gods and Ace has done with the Rift Lords, don't bother with the "where they came from" just bother with the "who they are now".

 

I think I'd find that harder to do, to be honest - though I may have to try it - because with a standard "This Was Us, This Is Us" IT I can do it in a vaguely narrative/story form which will ease the burden on me.

 

 

Here are the cetral themes I want to explore:

 

- Obviously the void pirate element

- The "Us/Them" mentality - if you are not a part of the warband then taking your life or your property is potentially only a step away

- The mercenary attitude - they're more than willing to fight for their own goals or causes, but are just as happy accepting payment for others using their services (even if that payment is just "what we take we keep")

- How leadership changes within a warband, or rather one of the potential ways

- Also, how a warband can grow from its roots to be something larger - very difficult though I think is this one

[Ferrata]

Unless you expect it to play a heavy role within the force, I would agree with Heru, or at least for now. Write up the force and ignore where it came from - just discuss them as you would any other force bar you miss out the first few paragraphs about their history. Then, if you feel like you need to discuss this background, you can add it onto the start. Unless it is an entire chapter gone awol, then you shouldn't need to overly discuss their past.

[Captain Juan Juarez]

Cheers guys, I appreciate the help on a very vague concept :teehee:

 

Watch this space - hopefully later this evening - for something of beginning.

Edited January 20, 2011 by Captain Juan Juarez

[Lysimachus]

Since you asked so nicely... :)

 

What the others have said is certainly true though (hey, I did it!) that you can give as much detail or not about who they were as you want. Almost invariably, who they are now is going to be very different from what they were, so you don't need to use up your word count going into it. On the other hand, don't use that as an excuse. If we (the readers) need to understand why they are who they are, don't shy away from telling us because it's difficult to write.

 

Also remember that an IT doesn't have to follow the strictures of an IA (nor does an IA come to think of it, but that's going off the point...). The various sections: Origins, Beliefs, etc can be moved, changed, left out entirely in favour of something else, whatever. It's even possible that a more narrative-style article might be a better way of telling their story. Writing an IT is all about thinking outside the box!

 

What I would do to begin with is look more closely at the list you gave above and do some brainstorming about each of those points. Then you can start to work the initial idea into a full article.

 

- Obviously the void pirate element

 

Perhaps one thing to consider is where they are, how do they avoid Imperial reprisals, etc?

 

- The "Us/Them" mentality - if you are not a part of the warband then taking your life or your property is potentially only a step away

 

Are they loyal to one another then, or is this just how it appears from the outside? Is there any rivalry/backstabbing within the warband?

 

- The mercenary attitude - they're more than willing to fight for their own goals or causes, but are just as happy accepting payment for others using their services (even if that payment is just "what we take we keep")

 

Interesting. How are they viewed by the Imperium (and more specifically by 'local' planetary governors)? An enemy or a useful tool?

 

- How leadership changes within a warband, or rather one of the potential ways

 

Again, this ties in with the rivalry/backstabbing mentioned above. Do they fight open challenges for leadership, or are they more sneaky? Could they even be more democratic (although it doesn't feel pirate-y exactly, it could make for an interesting dynamic, and might even give a reason why they have gone their own way from a dictatorial Imperium?)

 

- Also, how a warband can grow from its roots to be something larger - very difficult though I think is this one

 

This is difficult. If you're getting too big too quickly, why hasn't the Imperium squashed you hard (because with a pirate force without the Webway/etc to hide in, they can, like a bug)? It's probably best to keep them small, not so much of a threat that they have to be dealt with, and then just hint very, very subtly about them getting bigger (this is what I did with the IG)

 

 

Hope this has been some help!

[Captain Juan Juarez]

- Obviously the void pirate element

 

Perhaps one thing to consider is where they are, how do they avoid Imperial reprisals, etc?

 

- I didn't really want to tie them down to a particular area, or system, perhaps just a general area with some populated worlds/busy space lanes nearby

 

- The "Us/Them" mentality - if you are not a part of the warband then taking your life or your property is potentially only a step away

 

Are they loyal to one another then, or is this just how it appears from the outside? Is there any rivalry/backstabbing within the warband?

 

I see it as loyalty, but only of a kind; the sort where they will watch the back of eachother so long as each of them is playing "fair" and contributing.

 

- The mercenary attitude - they're more than willing to fight for their own goals or causes, but are just as happy accepting payment for others using their services (even if that payment is just "what we take we keep")

 

Interesting. How are they viewed by the Imperium (and more specifically by 'local' planetary governors)? An enemy or a useful tool?

 

- My original premise was to have them as "guns for hire" for anyone with the ability, but I thought perhaps that may be going to far. I saw it as a local governor thinking "they may be enemies of the Imperium, but here and now I need them".

 

- How leadership changes within a warband, or rather one of the potential ways

 

Again, this ties in with the rivalry/backstabbing mentioned above. Do they fight open challenges for leadership, or are they more sneaky? Could they even be more democratic (although it doesn't feel pirate-y exactly, it could make for an interesting dynamic, and might even give a reason why they have gone their own way from a dictatorial Imperium?)

 

I wanted to explore the idea that "every sailor has his say" but in the end, the Captain rules even if it's through fear and violence. So, basically every member has the right to give their opinion but equally the Captain has the right to slap down any one of them.

 

I like the idea of plotting and backstabbing in general, but with the notion that at any point someone can challenge the leader for his position by single combat.

 

- Also, how a warband can grow from its roots to be something larger - very difficult though I think is this one

 

This is difficult. If you're getting too big too quickly, why hasn't the Imperium squashed you hard (because with a pirate force without the Webway/etc to hide in, they can, like a bug)? It's probably best to keep them small, not so much of a threat that they have to be dealt with, and then just hint very, very subtly about them getting bigger (this is what I did with the IG)

 

- To be honest, I was thinking about the Unchained growing to a certain size and then a group of three or four ships being sent off on their own merry way but with the stipulation that "if I call, you come" following them so that if the Unchained ever get in over their own heads, collectively they have considerable power behind them.

 

Obviously that is only in theory, as would any of those newer fleets answer?

Edited January 21, 2011 by Captain Juan Juarez

[PH34RB0T]

Again, this ties in with the rivalry/backstabbing mentioned above. Do they fight open challenges for leadership, or are they more sneaky? Could they even be more democratic (although it doesn't feel pirate-y exactly, it could make for an interesting dynamic, and might even give a reason why they have gone their own way from a dictatorial Imperium?)

 

Actually, if I recall correctly, real world pirate captains were actually elected in a democratic process.

[Captain Juan Juarez]

Again, this ties in with the rivalry/backstabbing mentioned above. Do they fight open challenges for leadership, or are they more sneaky? Could they even be more democratic (although it doesn't feel pirate-y exactly, it could make for an interesting dynamic, and might even give a reason why they have gone their own way from a dictatorial Imperium?)

 

Actually, if I recall correctly, real world pirate captains were actually elected in a democratic process.

 

In the main, yes; mostly a case of "if you can get us booty, women and rum, then you can stay" but occasionally there were cases of less.. amicable.. transfers of power.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

You know I was rather interested in what you had written up for the new version of the Unchained but...

 

*Watch This Space.. But Not Too Hard*

 

Is this a thread created by the derailer for the expressed purpose of derailing... itself? Have I fallen into some kind of paradox?

 

 

 

Pardon me while I go check whether the sky is falling.....

Edited January 21, 2011 by Grey Hunter Ydalir

[Captain Juan Juarez]

You know I was rather interested in what you had written up for the new version of the Unchained but...

 

*Watch This Space.. But Not Too Hard*

 

Is this a thread created by the derailer for the expressed purpose of derailing... itself? Have I fallen into some kind of paradox?

 

 

 

Pardon me while I go check whether the sky is falling.

 

No.. I want pirates, but "evil" piratey pirates!

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

....... Yep the sky is falling, there goes the southern cross, crashing down over yonder....

[Captain Juan Juarez]

Whilst I haven't come up with a concrete idea for a beginning, well I did but it was so bad I beseeched SCL for help :P

 

So the ideas that I want to include:

 

The Unchained were just another roving warband until coming under the leadership of a Marine I shall call Brunner - because I like the name :lol: - who turns them from another group to be crushed at will by the Imperium to a thorn in their side - I originally fabricated a raid on a shipping yard and the theft of an recently finished Imperial Battleship as the reason but eventually started to hate the idea as I'd set it as a small part in a larger mass raid but the idea is still on the table.

 

Brunner begins to sell the services of the few vessels - two or three? - that the Warband can muster, but it is the quality rather than the quantity that is being paid for. Alaric even willing to sell his services to the Imperium for a price that often includes raids on the shipping they are there to protect.

 

I want to include a section on the loyalty - the empahsis that the warband is all and threats to its health both internal and external are dealt with with deadly force - and also about the politics and in-fighting of the band.

 

Again, maybe see how I can inegrate that Brunner is all too willing to allow others to go their way but onlt as it suits his purposes.

 

Is the start I proposed startlingly stupid? A raid to capture a new Navy ship as it begins its maiden oyage.

[Plague Angel]

References to Warhammer... I can never decide whether I adore them in my 40k, or hate them. I think I'd need to see more, so that this Brunner takes on his own personality in my head, before I can tell whether it works.

[Captain Juan Juarez]

References to Warhammer... I can never decide whether I adore them in my 40k, or hate them. I think I'd need to see more, so that this Brunner takes on his own personality in my head, before I can tell whether it works.

 

Same basic characteristics - brutal, values "gold" more than anything, ruthless - plus I couldn't think of a better name and I'm currently reading the Brunner stories :P

[Plague Angel]

Then I might suggest staying away. Or at least reorganizing the letters in his name or something?

 

EDIT: Don't worry about it for now though. Use "Brunner" as a place-holder and get on with the real work! ...then when you have more of a basis for the IA, come back and give him a better name.

Edited January 22, 2011 by Plague Angel

[Ferrata]

Then I might suggest staying away. Or at least reorganizing the letters in his name or something?

But Nurbner or Rennrub don't sound half as cool :P You could call him Burnner, but that sounds like he sets everything on firer :P I'm not sure how popular the series is, I haven't came across the name before, so I don't think it is an instant break (unlike calling him Karl Franz).

[Captain Juan Juarez]

(unlike calling him Karl Franz).

 

So Lieutenants Karl-Franz, Felix and Captain Gotrek are out then? :P

Edited January 22, 2011 by Captain Juan Juarez

[Captain Juan Juarez]

Bad Double-Post!

 

I've expanded on the Tal'Mahtin Raid.. Any thoughts?

 

EDIT: Terrible, terrible, typos.

Edited January 23, 2011 by Captain Juan Juarez

[Captain Juan Juarez]

Bumpety Bump.

 

Have exapnded the section of Brunner, but I'm unsure as to whether this coveys the right feeling or is even just bland.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

until Kurr was deposed in rather dramatic and bloody style by the unknown quantity that was Ezekiel Brunner; Brunner was an unknown quantity even to Vassan Kurr

 

Just how unknown IS this guy? Also, I don't think 'quantity' is the right term to use.

 

sometimes even whilst in the service of Imperial Governers with a lax sense of right and wrong.

 

Maybe it's just me, but this feels a little off. Oh and it's Governors.

Edited January 24, 2011 by Grey Hunter Ydalir