The Inheritors

[Talthus]

I really hope you do expand on these guys. There is so much potential here. Are you still planning on the degenerating geneseed?

[Tyrannicide]

I've really slacked off with the Inheritors - whether it be their background or tabletop representation (which comes as no surprise to me, really). I've managed to really get no where over this winter break, unless you count me changing the aesthetics of the one and only Tactical squad about three times through now.

 

So here's where I try to commit more time to the progression of their story, because it's something that I'd really like for others to enjoy one day. I really do have a lot of ideas floating about in my head. Just today I wrote small blurbs on the two Sergeants leading the tactical squads within my 1,000 pt force. But I feel like I'm going about things wrong, almost as if I haven't done these guys justice by literally not even having a first draft of the IA complete to date. I've decided to start generating more activity, by asking the Liber for more involvement in this endeavor.

 

That's all for my nightly rant...

 

 

I really hope you do expand on these guys. There is so much potential here. Are you still planning on the degenerating geneseed?

Thank you, Talthus. Your question prompts some rambling!

 

Whenever I finally do begin to write the IA proper, one crucial detail that hasn't been resolved yet is the Chapter's gene-curse. Whatever it may be, it has rapidly deteriorated the Chapter's fighting strength.

 

I imagined one scenario where the Inheritors have inherited (;)) a faulty Sus-an membrane. The organ normally grows into the Astartes brain tissue, where it has the ability to "deanimate" its owner (where upon they can be reawakened using the correct methods). But perhaps within an Inheritor, the Sus-an membrane has a horrific backlash, where it often accelerates a Space Marine's life cycle, deanimating them by the time they reach point x. In this scenario, the Inheritors have time against them the moment the organ is implanted within their bodies. The Chapter's average age becomes quite young, for only the oldest make it to three hundred. Maybe the effects are a combination of the Catalepsean Node and Sus-an Membrane working in conjunction with one another?... It's possible that this curse has only revealed itself within the last millennia, and it's only recently that the Chapter's Apothecaries and gene-smiths have begun tampering with the Chapter's gene-banks.

 

 

Sink or swim? :tu: / :down: ?

 

Don't be shy, let's hear your thoughts.

[Dosjetka]

Hmm... It is a good idea, but if it is a recent thing, then how did it come about? Also, some Chapters (Imperial Fists & Co.) just don't have a Sus-an membrane, so they could potentially just remove it. However, if it's the interaction between the SAM and the Catalespian Node, well that spices things up a bit and makes this idea both unique and workable in my mind.

 

I think you're on to something here, I really do, so keep it up :down:

 

Unlike my previous comment, I hope this one helps you out somewhat.

 

Ludovic

[Pulse]

Sink or swim? :tu: / ;) ?

Kick those legs and get your arms moving - SWIM DAMN IT SWIM! :D

[Destecado]

It seems that I have come late to the discussion, but I wanted to offer two possibilities for organs that might be failing or malfunctioning.

 

Abberant interaction between the Catalepsean Node and Sus-an Membrane

 

The interaction between the two organs has the potential to cause the Space Marine to slip into hibernation or a coma, from which they have been unable to be roused. Fit energetic brothers can go to sleep one night and never awaken. Instead of being truly dead, they are still living, after a fashion. Instead of being remembered in death, they persist as an enduring reminder of what can befall any battle brother of the chapter.

 

Insomnia among the battle Crothers might be rampant. Some may have turned to deep meditation…not a substitute for sleep, but a safer alternative. Marines need not fall into total slumber. Since the Catalepsean Node can shut down different sections of the brain independantly, you could also have marines that have lost their eyesight, hearing or other functions, not because there is damage to the eyes, lyman’s ear, etc, but beacaue the part of the brain that receives signals from that organ has gone dormant.

 

Affected marines may require replacing the affected areas of their brains with artificial mechanisms that fulfill a similar function. Members of the chapter may therefore appear highly cybered, but not for reasons of damaged taken in battle. This betrayal by their own bodies are might be viewed by some as a mark against their honor…The whole concept of scar received in battle being a mark of courage or valor, perverted into a constant reminder of their inferiority.

 

Abnormal Growth of Progenoids

 

There might be a high precentage chance that the progenoids actually mutate into tumorous growths, that can potentially prove fatal for host marine. This malfunction not only affects the future of the chapter, but off the existing brethren. It may be that the progenoids themselves are flawed or that the genetic stock of the initiates is somehow debased. The implants are designed to absorb genetic material, so the Chapter’s apothecaries might be trying to eliminate as many variable as possible to isolate the cause.

 

The chapter may have to consider a fundamental change in their recruiting program, possibly petitioning for a homeworld or skeeking out a homegenouse genetic pool from which to recruit. The chapter may even try to create it’s own homogenous genetic pool of recruits, by using artificial insemination to impreganate selected ova. There may be an institution within the chapter’s serfs, which finds femal candidates to provide the ova and act as surrogates to carry the children to term. The sperm of aspirants is collected before they begin the conversion to space marines.

 

The breeding program has not fixed the problem, but it has helped to decrease the precentage of progenoids and marines lost to this defect. Exploring this unusual relationship between the Marines and their serfs could prove quite interesting.

[Tyrannicide]

Appreciate the support, Ludo. As you mention, the most viable option is the Sus-an Membrane AND Catalepsean Node both failing in conjunction with one another.

 

 

Destecado, you've provided some great imagery. :)

 

Interesting thoughts on a possible degeneration of the Progenoids, but I'm going to concentrate more on your elaboration of the SAM <-> CN relationship, and what problems could occur. (...rant ensues...)

 

I haven't thought a whole lot about the Inheritors' homeworld, but Molotov did help solidify some concepts earlier last year. Currently, it makes the most sense if the Chapter retires to a remote sector of space - providing them with the solace they require. I visualized a scenario earlier where the Chapter is entrusted with a mighty space fortress upon their inception. With it forming the backbone of their fleet, the Inheritors go on an inaugural crusade to establish themselves as contenders. Then with the discovery of their gene-curse the Chapter retreats to a forgotten system, as they cope with the horror that has afflicted them. Once established they construct genetic-manipulation facilities, hidden upon the surface of a small moon. The Inheritors keep vigilant watch over their laboratories, protecting the Chapter's darkest secrets from all eyes, as their starship unceasingly orbits the moon. Perhaps as time passes, and no true progress is met, the Chapter begins sending "capsules" into orbit around their lunar base. With inside these small pods are the remains of brothers lost to the comatose grip of their curse. Perhaps a few thousand of these ritualistic satellites wreathe the moon in shadow, serving as a constant reminder as to why the Chapter will never cease while some of their brethren still remain.

 

I know it doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but I think it has the cool factor on its side. I'll try working some more into it to make an easier transition and suspend the reader's disbelief, if well-liked. It would certainly hold a very strong significance in the Chapter cult and has that religious aspect to it. Perhaps the Inheritors feel that it is their "lost" brethren who protect them, safeguarding them from prying external forces or somesuch.

 

I quite like your idea of the Marines being shamed by their bionics. Within another Chapter such as the Iron Hands these cybernetic replacements are a great honor, but the Inheritors absolutely loathe them. I really do envision the Chapter to be very pure of heart and focused primarily upon upholding the legacy of their past, even if it is nigh unreachable in their current condition.

 

Lot's of food for the thought, so thanks again for the reply!

[Dosjetka]

Quite a bit of food for thought. I really like what's going on here and I look forward to the next update!

 

This also motivates me to get some work done here in the Liber :ermm:

 

Ludovic

[Destecado]

Destecado, you've provided some great imagery. :devil:

 

Interesting thoughts on a possible degeneration of the Progenoids, but I'm going to concentrate more on your elaboration of the SAM <-> CN relationship, and what problems could occur.

 

Glad to be of help.

 

I was deliberating last night, why they would not just eliminate the implantation of one or both organs. There are possibly several reasons.

 

1. One or both Organs play some other role in the development of the marine.

 

The Catalepean Node requires hypnotherapy to function correctly. It’s ability to shut down parts of the brain may also serve some purpose in the further hypnotherapy, used to “sleep train” certain skills or reinforce indoctrination. This would be in addition to the benefits it provides with regard to sleep deprivation.

 

Similarly the Catalepean Node may help the marine recruit survive the rapid changes taking place in their body or be used in lieu of anistetics. There might be procedures preformed during the implantation of various organs, that require the recruit to be conscious at some level during the operation. Other parts of the brain are “switched off” similar to the current medical practice of medically inducing a coma in patients, who might otherwise go into shock and die from the pain stimuli caused by their injuries.

 

I’m reminded of the original Star Trek episode “Spock’s Brain. Spock’s brain is stolen by an alien race. Near the end of the episode he assists Dr. McCoy with reattaching the various nerve ending correctly, as the good doctor preforms a reverse brain transplant (putting the brain back into Spock’s body). This is most likely a fictionalized version of Awake Brain Surgery

 

2. It may be suspected that the problem is not biological

 

The Chapter’s apothecaries or whoever is responsible for the implantation of the various organs and the chemical and hypnotherapy might suspect that the problem is not with the “hardware” (biological) but instead in the “software” (Hypnotheraphy regime). Someone may have implanted a post hypnotic off-switch within the hypnotherapy program.

 

As I’m typing this, the first thing that comes to mind is the trigger phrase used by Simon Tam to put River (Tam) to sleep in the movie Serenity. Such a trigger need not actually exist, but it might be an avenue explored while they are trying to determine where the root cause of the problem.

 

3. The benefits outweigh the risk

 

In an examination of the cost to benefit ratio, the number of marines affected falls within the parameter of “acceptable losses”. The Chapter may rationalize the danger as a necessary sacrifice. There are many ways to die in the 41st millennium. It may be a fatalistic view, but the general consensus among battle brothers might be that something else will probably kill them long before they succumb to the “living death”.

 

 

4. Hope for a cure

 

Even in the 40k Universe hope is not lost. For the Inheritors, there is hope that one day those brother taken from them by the “living death” will one day be restored. Rather than marking them as dead, the comatose brethren are inducted into a special company, designated The Long Patrol or possibly The Long Watch. One or more companies may be dispatched by a chapter to undertake a mission or crusade. This is how the Long Watch / Patrol is viewed…they are just on a different kind of crusade.

 

 

 

I haven't thought a whole lot about the Inheritors' homeworld, but Molotov did help solidify some concepts earlier last year. Currently, it makes the most sense if the Chapter retires to a remote sector of space - providing them with the solace they require…

 

Are we talking a Ramillies-class Star Fort or one of the lesser classes of space fortresses? If you go this route, you might want to consider another class than the RSF. The Ramillies-class is fairly rare and there is already another chapter (Relictors) who have/had one as their Chapter fortress.

 

Was the chapter still going to be part of the 3rd founding or were you going to take Molotov’s advice and make them part of the 21st founding? The only reason I ask, is to place the chapter’s founding and deployment in context with other events taking place in the 40k universe at the same time. Have you considered the possibility of rather than being handed their fortress, they took it as a prize in some combat action?

 

There should be some strategic significance to the facility or possibly to the system it is moved to. Are they on the Eastern Fringe? Perhaps they were placed there to act as reinforcements against the Tyranids. It could be that their isolated system is actually out near the edge, to guard against the arrival of any new hive fleets. Maybe an increase in Gene Stealer activity in the surrounding systems has caused concern of the possible arrive of a new hive fleet. Publically, Imperial officials attribute this activity to splinter fleets from the existing Tyranid incursions. “Unofficially”, they are preparing for the worst…the arrival of a new hive fleet.

 

The Inheritors keep vigilant watch over their laboratories, protecting the Chapter's darkest secrets from all eyes, as their starship unceasingly orbits the moon. Perhaps as time passes, and no true progress is met, the Chapter begins sending "capsules" into orbit around their lunar base. With inside these small pods are the remains of brothers lost to the comatose grip of their curse. Perhaps a few thousand of these ritualistic satellites wreathe the moon in shadow, serving as a constant reminder as to why the Chapter will never cease while some of their brethren still remain.

 

They keep watch over their laboratories, but blast their brethren into space in little pods? Wouldn’t they want them close at hand if they found a cure? Would they also not need them as test subjects to aide in their research? There are also the issues of security and hazards to navigation that the pods would present. You may want to consider a centralized Sepulcher or stasis vault in which the afflicted brothers reside.

 

It could be that the research facility hides in plain sight. It is incorporated as part of the complex dedicated to housing and venerating the fallen members of the chapter…both deceased and those on the long patrol.