IA: Sons of the Abyss

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

SONS OF THE ABYSS

ORIGINS:

At the outset of the 35th Millennium, the Imperium was struggling to recover from the ravages of Abaddon’s fourth Black Crusade, and the threat posed by the traitor legions of Chaos was even more profound than had been thought before. The 17th Founding was set to proceed as planned, supplying dearly needed troops to the Imperial war machine. However, the High Lords of Terra were very aware of the fact little would change. Abaddon would continue to persecute the Imperium, and every attack would increase his Daemonic power.

In such dire circumstances, they were prepared to take an approach never before utilized. It had become increasingly clear through engagements during the latest of Abaddon’s Crusades that when a loyalist Chapter of Space Marines engaged a force of Chaos Marines, either a superior equipped force or an extreme tactical advantage was required to overcome the Chaotic gifts possessed by their enemy in an equal battle. Essentially, in a faceoff between a Chaos Marine force and a loyalist one of equal numbers, the Traitors almost always had the advantage due to their Daemonic boons. In contrast to the Codex’s teachings that each chapter should be equally equipped and trained to face any form of enemy, it was suggested to the High Lords that a new approach might yield advantageous results.

They sanctioned the creation of a Chapter whose main purpose would be to annihilate the traitor legions. This Chapter would be trained, equipped and optimized to eliminate traitor Space Marines. In the 17th Founding, the Sons of the Abyss would be created.

HOMEWORLD:

As the Administratum planned for the Chapter’s formation, its officials were instructed to select a homeworld that would provide adequate gene stock for a Chapter devoted to combating and opposing Chaos. Delving within their expansive archives, they found a nigh-on perfect world: Charybodis Prime.

One of the reasons for selection was that Charybodis Prime is located in a system within relatively close proximity to the Eye of Terror, so that the Chapter would be able to react swiftly to Traitor Legion movements within the area. However, the main reason was undoubtedly the history of its twin planet, Charybodis Secundus.

Secundus was, in M33 assaulted by the Daemonic forces of Chaos which soon over-whelmed the planet’s paltry defenses. By the time adequate Imperial Forces had arrived, Charybodis Secundus was well on the way to becoming a Daemon World. In order to defeat the occupying forces, the Navy presence targeted the epicenter of a global ritual which would finally complete the planet’s ascension to a realm of Chaos. A simultaneous orbital strike upon this target decimated the Daemonic forces, but had unexpected consequences.

The attack had occurred as the ritual was reaching its climax, and the raw firepower of the ordnance unleashed the dark energies which were being accumulated by the daemonic ceremony. A detonation of unbelievable magnitude destroyed the majority of the orbiting fleet, and as the energies tore a rent into the immaterium, the planet was split asunder.

Charybodis Secundus had been obliterated, and in its place now resides a partial tear in realspace. Although it has not yet proved sufficient to facilitate another Daemonic incursion, this rift radiates warp energies, occasionally unleashing a minor warp storm, and remaining a stark reminder of the system’s history.

Named by Imperial officials as Warp Anomaly 738, it has become know to the inhabitants of Charybodis Prime as “The Abyss”.

Over subsequent generations since Secundus’s destruction the energies emitted by the Abyss began to have noticeable effects on Prime’s population. At first mutation was rife, but over the centuries the planet’s population began to exhibit increased resistance to the effects of Chaos. This was first noted upon by Imperial officials when soldiers from Charybodis Prime, enlisted into local Imperial Guard regiments were noticeably less susceptible to the negative effects of Chaos during engagements with the servants of the ruinous powers, whether physical or psychological. Although there were the occasional mutations within the Charybodeans, this resistance, and a high ratio of psychically active individuals within the populace was noted as notable for possible Astartes recruitment in the future.

When Administratum personnel searched their records for a possible homeworld for the new Chapter, these qualities were assessed as perfect for a Chapter designed to combat Traitor Marines.

Situated within an asteroid belt, Charybodis would prove hard to assault en-masse, and this feature also proves perfect for training the Chapter’s pilots. The planet itself consists of rocky, barren terrain, whilst a hyperactive volcanic system fills the skies with smoke and ash. A slightly high gravitational field leads to advanced muscle development in the planet’s population, which lives almost exclusively on aquatic food from the planet’s expansive oceans, with only a few agro-communities living off the sparse areas of volcanically-enriched soil.

These inhabitants are hardy and tough, as the incredibly advanced and diverse aquatic ecosystem that sustains them also acts as the habitat of a variety of voracious and deadly predators, some of which have developed in disturbingly lethal ways due to the planet’s exposure to warp energies emanating from the Abyss.

FOUNDING:

Homeworld selected, the High Lords of Terra initially planned to draw geneseed from an Ultramarines successor Chapter, due to the high level of purity amongst their gene-stock. However, a number of Mechanicum Biologist Tech-Priests expressed an interest in combining the unique genetic traits of the populace of Charybodis Prime with a less stable geneseed, as this could produce unpredictable and possibly ground-breaking results. After much debate the High Lords conceded, and gave the Tech-Priests leave to adapt a small control group of the planet’s habitants with Raven Guard geneseed, adding purpose-grown organs which the Raven Guard lack due to Corax’s gene-acceleration experiments. This operation was, naturally closely overseen by an Inquisitorial taskforce to ensure absolute compliance to the High Lords’ edicts.

Due to the unique genetic qualities of the test subjects, initial results did not meet with success, and the Inquisitor tasked with monitoring the experiments was skeptical that the High Lords’ goal could be achieved with Raven Guard geneseed. Successive attempts continued to meet with failure, and just as the Inquisitor was preparing to shut down the project, the Biologis Tech-Priests began to stabilize the geneseed. Eventually they perfected their methods, and their first successful Space Marine was created.

Immediately the High Lords of Terra requisitioned large quantities of Astartes weapons, equipment and vehicles from the Adeptus Mechanicus, and organized a small group of Raven Guard marines who would begin to train the Sons of the Abyss Marines, alongside Inquisitorial personnel who would help focus their training towards combating Traitor Marines.

COMBAT DOCTRINE:

Throughout their lives as Space Marines, Sons of the Abyss hone their art of warfare to combating their own kind, Astartes. They train to fight every known renegade Marine fighting style, learn the strengths and weaknesses of their own, enhanced physiques and are equipped with the very best weapons suited to destroying Traitor Marines, ruthlessly and efficiently. They do still school themselves in more Codex teachings on warfare, as they must always be prepared to fight any opponent, even though they focus on Chaos Space Marines.

Like their progenitors, they practice swift, brutal surprise attacks, as it is of utmost importance that their often elusive prey does not know of their presence or intention before they attack. To do this they depend on reliable, up-to-date intelligence. Fortunately, they have a very close relationship with the Inquisition, and have access to their spy networks for the purpose of intelligence gathering. However, this relationship works both ways, as the reason for the Inquisition’s keen interest is that they represent a very dangerous possible threat. Despite their enhanced resistance to the influence of Chaos, they are trained to eliminate Space Marines. If they ever turned renegade, they would represent a terrible prospect, a force specifically designed to destroy the most elite warrior the Imperium possesses.

On the battle field, the Sons of the Abyss practice combined arms with incredible precision. They centre their battle-lines around a core of infantry, providing suppressing fire and attrition specialization. These are supported by long-range fire support, who work to whittle down the enemy and keep them pinned in place. Flanking fast attack units harass the enemy and keep them distracted, whilst heavy-hitting assault forces teleport or attack via drop-pod. Infiltrating units that have previously been sabotaging supplies, enemy compounds and vehicles attack from the rear, whilst air support units eliminate enemy fliers and provide withering aerial firepower, as simultaneous precision orbital strikes from the Fleet decimate enemy positions.

Almost all battles are engaged immediately after a Warp-jump, to retain the element of surprise. This means even the Chapters heavy support ground vehicles have to be very mobile, and large numbers of drop-pods, Thunderhawk transports and gunships alongside dropships are maintained by the Sons of the Abyss.

ORGANIZATION:

Altogether, the Sons of the Abyss are a mainly Codex-Adherent Chapter, but they do have some minor organizational divergences. In their eternal hunt for those marines who have set aside any loyalty to the Emperor and betrayed their kin, the Sons of the Abyss created a formation designed to locate and eliminate specifically designated individuals, the leaders and motivators of these dark forces.

Retribution Executioner Units consist of three elite veterans, who have sworn unbreakable oaths to pursue their quarry to the edges of the known galaxy. Their identities are known only to the Chapter’s Master of Sanctity, as upon induction into the Executioner division they are listed as killed in action, and are always masked or hooded when not in their power armor. They undergo rituals and rites that are designed to remove any semblance of personality and emotion; from this point on they become tools, weapons and are expected to eliminate their targets or be killed by them. They are completely removed from the Chapter’s command structure, overseen by the Chaplains and answerable only to the Master of Sanctity.

The Chapter’s first company possesses only around 50 suits of Terminator armor, and features a slightly different composition than that of other Chapters. Alongside these 50 Terminators, it features only two squads of power-armored Veterans. All of the other veterans are assigned to the four battle companies and the devastator and assault reserve companies. Each of these posses ten attached Veteran Marines, used to spearhead other squads or perform solitary assault actions.

The assault and devastator reserve companies are organized into slightly different formations than those of most Chapters. Each does not function as a single company for deployment purposes. They are split into two halves, consisting of five Veterans and between two and five Assault or Devastator squads (depending on the recent losses to these units in the Chapter’s battle companies), lead by either the company’s Chaplain or Captain. These are called detachments, and are assigned to the Chapter’s first company or its battle companies depending on the particular demands of their engagements.

The Sons of the Abyss maintain a higher than average number of scouts, because their duties are essential to the success of the Chapter’s engagements. This is because, although the Chapter has access to some of the Inquisition’s information networks, scouts are necessary to collect specific data from planned assault sites. They gather intelligence, sabotage supplies and eliminate troublesome individuals, ensuring that as soon as Sons of the Abyss ships arrive in the system, they have the upper hand.

BELEIFS:

Like most Chapters, the Sons of the Abyss regard the Emperor as an almost messianic figure, but do not believe he is a God. They maintain a standard number of Chaplains, but these figures have the added duty of being the bearers of the Liber Excommunicae, a tome which lists every Chapter of Space Marines that have turned from the Emperor’s light. Every Sons of the Abyss Initiate learns every passage from the Liber Excommunicae, and as such knows every one of these Chapters and Legions by heart, alongside their fighting styles, specific tactics to combat them and how to recognize their dark livery in battle.

The Sons of the Abyss despise corruption in all its forms, and see any sign of mutation or impurity as a thing to be purged. They will ruthlessly eliminate any unjust, twisted, or slightly corrupt human they come across, as they see it as their duty to destroy any perpetrator of crimes within the Imperium or without. This, however can lead to tensions within allied Imperial forces, as there are records of them brutally executing any Imperial official who they suspect of gambling illegally, possessing stolen property or accepting bribes. Unfortunately crimes such as these are often rife in the units of the Imperial Guard, and with their tendency to arrive suddenly, unannounced in a system, the Sons of the Abyss have a reputation of shedding Imperial blood.

The Chapter maintains links with the Adeptus Mechanicum, and sends a quota of their Marines to train in the ways of the Omnissiah.

GENESEED:

The Sons of the Abyss were founded using Raven Guard geneseed, which has proven to combine very well with the distinctive genetic traits of the inhabitants of Charybodis Prime. Because of Corax’s forbidden zygote acceleration techniques, there are a number of mutations within the Raven Guard geneseed, which leads to the Sons of the Abyss’ predilection for black hair. These mutations do not have a large impact on the Chapter’s Marines, however because of the effects of the Warp Energies emanating from the Abyss on Charybodis’s population, the geneseed’s mutations have in extremely rare cases unlocked mutations in an aspirant’s genetic code, creating horrific monstrosities which have swiftly been destroyed and concealed from Imperial records.

Another effect of the unique recruits provided by Charybodis Prime is a large number of Psychic talent, as the large numbers of native Psykers originating from the Abyss’s effects are nurtured by Charybodis’s society, and they are encouraged to join the Planet’s militia, defending the civilians from the voracious native fauna, leading to a high uptake into the Astartes Chapter based there.

BATTLE-CRY:

“To turn from the Emperor is your doom, come forward and face it!”

Tactical

Veteran

Very WIP C&C welcome :)

[DarkCrusader]

That...was...WOW! :cuss that is up there with FW and GW IAs...Seriously awesome...

[Ring-around-the-roses]

I like it very much, but would have some issue with their planet having a warp rift near it. Maybe if they settled the planet, then it opened it would make more sense, as it would be very unlikely that the Inquisition would okay such a high corruption place for a chapter. Just having them closely watched for being near the EoT, and being assigned to that spot where a number of warbands are taking shelter in would be just as fine, and explain the preference for fighting Chaos Astartes.

 

Still, its your Chapter and if you want them near a warp-rift, then at your leave

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

I like it very much, but would have some issue with their planet having a warp rift near it. Maybe if they settled the planet, then it opened it would make more sense, as it would be very unlikely that the Inquisition would okay such a high corruption place for a chapter. Just having them closely watched for being near the EoT, and being assigned to that spot where a number of warbands are taking shelter in would be just as fine, and explain the preference for fighting Chaos Astartes.

 

Still, its your Chapter and if you want them near a warp-rift, then at your leave

 

I know it does seem a bit dodgy, but I needed a logical (40k logical anyway) way of explaining the homeworld's native resistance to Chaos. A very minor, constantly monitored warp-rift wouldnt be too dangerous would it?

 

P.S thanks for the positive feedback on what I initially thought would be recieved as a very mundane chapter <_<

[Ring-around-the-roses]

It doesn't have to be a warp-rift, it could be something as mundane as a extremely ancient relic, or even a necron pylon. It could be that the ruin-filled world is laced with giant underground tunnels, laid out in esoteric formations that somehow ward off chaos. The natives have been affected by this, and by proxy, the Chapter.

mmmmn, giant, continent spanning hexagrammic wards. The designs are so imprinted subconsciously, that the battle-brothers often draw the designs on their armour and weapons, little knowing what they mean and attributing their power against Chaos as pure and true faith.

 

It's your chapter though, and a stable warp rift wouldmake for an interesting training ground, as traitors and pirates occasionally find themselves pitted against the might of the Chapter, who by now is paranoid and insular due to constant attacks by said traitors and pirates. Still, i don't want to change your chapter too much, as it has a clear adirection which makes for a nice theme. Good job overall.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Okay, the only major thing needed now fluff-wise is a chapter symbol. I want something relevant to the chapter's background, but unique, not just a re-coloured version of another chapter's symbol.

 

I was considering a fist / gauntlet holding a serpent, like the ones in the Horus Heresy symbol, representing the traitor legions.

 

Good/Bad, any ideas on alternatives?

[DarkCrusader]

Thats quite a good idea actualy

[Octavulg]

In such dire circumstances, they were prepared to take an approach never before utilized. It had become increasingly clear through engagements during the latest of Abaddon’s Crusades that when a loyalist Chapter of Space Marines engaged a force of Chaos Marines, either a superior equipped force or an extreme tactical advantage was required to overcome the Chaotic gifts possessed by their enemy in an equal battle. Essentially, in a faceoff between a Chaos Marine force and a loyalist one of equal numbers, the Traitors almost always had the advantage due to their Daemonic boons. In contrast to the Codex’s teachings that each chapter should be equally equipped and trained to face any form of enemy, it was suggested to the High Lords that a new approach might yield advantageous results.

 

It took the Imperium four millenia (and a Horus Heresy) to realize that the daemonically twisted forces of the damned are rather capable?

 

That seems inordinately dumb, even for the Imperium.

 

Named by Imperial officials as Warp Anomaly 738, it has become know to the inhabitants of Charybodis Prime as “The Abyss”.

 

So they put the new chapter next to a Warp anomaly and named it after a Warp anomaly?

 

Over subsequent generations since Secundus’s destruction the energies emitted by the Abyss began to have noticeable effects on Prime’s population. At first mutation was rife, but over the centuries the planet’s population began to exhibit increased resistance to the effects of Chaos. This was first noted upon by Imperial officials when soldiers from Charybodis Prime, enlisted into local Imperial Guard regiments were noticeably less susceptible to the negative effects of Chaos during engagements with the servants of the ruinous powers, whether physical or psychological. Although there were the occasional mutations within the Charybodeans, this resistance, and a high ratio of psychically active individuals within the populace was noted as notable for possible Astartes recruitment in the future.

 

I'm...I'm just not sure Chaos works that way. I'm not sure it's something you can breed resistance to. It's not even part of our universe.

 

And if you could breed resistance to it, and these people had, surely the Ad. Mech would have descended on the place, scalpels and genetic logbooks at the ready. Or the Inquisition. Or the Grey Knights.

 

And what about all the other worlds close to Warp anomalies>

 

Situated within an asteroid belt, Charybodis would prove hard to assault en-masse, and this feature also proves perfect for training the Chapter’s pilots. The planet itself consists of rocky, barren terrain, whilst a hyperactive volcanic system fills the skies with smoke and ash. A slightly high gravitational field leads to advanced muscle development in the planet’s population, which lives almost exclusively on aquatic food from the planet’s expansive oceans, with only a few agro-communities living off the sparse areas of volcanically-enriched soil.

 

Planets can't be situated within asteroid belts. It simply doesn't work - they sweep the surrounding area clear. Mostly by smashing into the asteroids (or drawing the asteroids in so the asteroids smash into them.

 

FOUNDING:

Homeworld selected, the High Lords of Terra initially planned to draw geneseed from an Ultramarines successor Chapter, due to the high level of purity amongst their gene-stock. However, a number of Mechanicum Biologist Tech-Priests expressed an interest in combining the unique genetic traits of the populace of Charybodis Prime with a less stable geneseed, as this could produce unpredictable and possibly ground-breaking results. After much debate the High Lords conceded, and gave the Tech-Priests leave to adapt a small control group of the planet’s habitants with Raven Guard geneseed, adding purpose-grown organs which the Raven Guard lack due to Corax’s gene-acceleration experiments. This operation was, naturally closely overseen by an Inquisitorial taskforce to ensure absolute compliance to the High Lords’ edicts.

 

Expose the people who are stable to unstable geneseed. What a brilliant idea.

 

Oh wait, no. The other thing. Bad idea. Why take the risk of wasting all this effort by taking an unstable geneseed and dumping it in front of a Warp anomaly?

 

Plus, the Raven Guard geneseed isn't just unstable. It's effectively non-viable. The Raven Guard need to get their tithe back or they'll go extinct. That's not the sort of thing you propagate. That, and if they're supposed to take on Chaos head-to-head, maybe they shouldn't be trained by the chapter that fetishizes guerilla warfare?

 

Indeed, if conventional Astartes forces have such difficulty with Chaos, maybe the best thing to do would be to draw from Chapters experienced in fighting around the Eye, like the Adeptus Praeses or the Imperial Fists?

 

GENESEED:

The Sons of the Abyss were founded using Raven Guard geneseed, which has proven to combine very well with the distinctive genetic traits of the inhabitants of Charybodis Prime. Because of Corax’s forbidden zygote acceleration techniques, there are a number of mutations within the Raven Guard geneseed, which leads to the Sons of the Abyss’ predilection for black hair. These mutations do not have a large impact on the Chapter’s Marines, however because of the effects of the Warp Energies emanating from the Abyss on Charybodis’s population, the geneseed’s mutations have in extremely rare cases unlocked mutations in an aspirant’s genetic code, creating horrific monstrosities which have swiftly been destroyed and concealed from Imperial records.

 

So they purge any sign of mutation or impurity...except the blatant mutation and impurity in their own geneseed, which leads to further impurity and mutation on occasion.

 

Seems a tad hypocritical.

 

Another effect of the unique recruits provided by Charybodis Prime is a large number of Psychic talent, as the large numbers of native Psykers originating from the Abyss’s effects are nurtured by Charybodis’s society, and they are encouraged to join the Planet’s militia, defending the civilians from the voracious native fauna, leading to a high uptake into the Astartes Chapter based there.

 

Ah. So it's "mutation and impurity that isn't in us, or useful to us".

 

Seems a lot hypocritical.

 

BATTLE-CRY:

“To turn from the Emperor is your doom, come forward and face it!”

 

Seems weak for a battle-cry. Always best, IMO, to end on a strong note that sums up the character of the chapter.

 

Good overall, but with some bits that don't make sense. I'd also recommend shortening the organization section - TO&Es are rarely that interesting.

 

I do like the idea for the chapter symbol a lot. Seems to fit really well.

[E. Severus]

Despite the comments given by Octavulg, I still like IHF Sons of the Abyss, he created a quite realistic chapter in the little space that is left for DIY's in the 40k universe. Maybe just a little note about vengeance rounds ?

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

In such dire circumstances, they were prepared to take an approach never before utilized. It had become increasingly clear through engagements during the latest of Abaddon’s Crusades that when a loyalist Chapter of Space Marines engaged a force of Chaos Marines, either a superior equipped force or an extreme tactical advantage was required to overcome the Chaotic gifts possessed by their enemy in an equal battle. Essentially, in a faceoff between a Chaos Marine force and a loyalist one of equal numbers, the Traitors almost always had the advantage due to their Daemonic boons. In contrast to the Codex’s teachings that each chapter should be equally equipped and trained to face any form of enemy, it was suggested to the High Lords that a new approach might yield advantageous results.

 

It took the Imperium four millenia (and a Horus Heresy) to realize that the daemonically twisted forces of the damned are rather capable?

 

That seems inordinately dumb, even for the Imperium.

Yeah, I think with a little re-wording this could be easily rectified. My Bad.

 

Named by Imperial officials as Warp Anomaly 738, it has become know to the inhabitants of Charybodis Prime as “The Abyss”.

 

So they put the new chapter next to a Warp anomaly and named it after a Warp anomaly?

Its in reference to the fact that the "Abyss" shapes who they are, indeed, without it they as a chapter would probaby not exist.

 

Over subsequent generations since Secundus’s destruction the energies emitted by the Abyss began to have noticeable effects on Prime’s population. At first mutation was rife, but over the centuries the planet’s population began to exhibit increased resistance to the effects of Chaos. This was first noted upon by Imperial officials when soldiers from Charybodis Prime, enlisted into local Imperial Guard regiments were noticeably less susceptible to the negative effects of Chaos during engagements with the servants of the ruinous powers, whether physical or psychological. Although there were the occasional mutations within the Charybodeans, this resistance, and a high ratio of psychically active individuals within the populace was noted as notable for possible Astartes recruitment in the future.

 

I'm...I'm just not sure Chaos works that way. I'm not sure it's something you can breed resistance to. It's not even part of our universe.

 

And if you could breed resistance to it, and these people had, surely the Ad. Mech would have descended on the place, scalpels and genetic logbooks at the ready. Or the Inquisition. Or the Grey Knights.

 

And what about all the other worlds close to Warp anomalies>

:) But I waaaaaaaaant it *throws tantrum*.

Erm yeah, the Abyss is what gives the Chapter any character at all, what makes them unique. Perhaps I could say that the rampant genetic mutation caused by the Abyss originally, before it began to fade / diminish in potency created a small group of people with resistance to the chaos energies, and because they survived the mutations that spread across the globe, through natural selection this trait became dominant. After a series of brutal and bloody wars, this tribe / group / nation slaughtered the degenerate mutants that had cropped up in other areas of the planet and through un-mutated extra-terrestrial human imigrants formed a stable genepool featuring the genetic trait.

 

I shall also make the Chapter's links with the Inquisition more prominent, futhering them to incorporate the I's express interest in the Genetic features of Charybodis Prime's inhabitants. (should I give the trait a name?, as the Pariah gene has one?)

 

Situated within an asteroid belt, Charybodis would prove hard to assault en-masse, and this feature also proves perfect for training the Chapter’s pilots. The planet itself consists of rocky, barren terrain, whilst a hyperactive volcanic system fills the skies with smoke and ash. A slightly high gravitational field leads to advanced muscle development in the planet’s population, which lives almost exclusively on aquatic food from the planet’s expansive oceans, with only a few agro-communities living off the sparse areas of volcanically-enriched soil.

 

Planets can't be situated within asteroid belts. It simply doesn't work - they sweep the surrounding area clear. Mostly by smashing into the asteroids (or drawing the asteroids in so the asteroids smash into them.

My lack of faith in Pysics is disturbing. Yeah, sorry - shall be eradicated.

 

FOUNDING:

Homeworld selected, the High Lords of Terra initially planned to draw geneseed from an Ultramarines successor Chapter, due to the high level of purity amongst their gene-stock. However, a number of Mechanicum Biologist Tech-Priests expressed an interest in combining the unique genetic traits of the populace of Charybodis Prime with a less stable geneseed, as this could produce unpredictable and possibly ground-breaking results. After much debate the High Lords conceded, and gave the Tech-Priests leave to adapt a small control group of the planet’s habitants with Raven Guard geneseed, adding purpose-grown organs which the Raven Guard lack due to Corax’s gene-acceleration experiments. This operation was, naturally closely overseen by an Inquisitorial taskforce to ensure absolute compliance to the High Lords’ edicts.

 

Expose the people who are stable to unstable geneseed. What a brilliant idea.

 

Oh wait, no. The other thing. Bad idea. Why take the risk of wasting all this effort by taking an unstable geneseed and dumping it in front of a Warp anomaly?

 

Plus, the Raven Guard geneseed isn't just unstable. It's effectively non-viable. The Raven Guard need to get their tithe back or they'll go extinct. That's not the sort of thing you propagate. That, and if they're supposed to take on Chaos head-to-head, maybe they shouldn't be trained by the chapter that fetishizes guerilla warfare?

 

Indeed, if conventional Astartes forces have such difficulty with Chaos, maybe the best thing to do would be to draw from Chapters experienced in fighting around the Eye, like the Adeptus Praeses or the Imperial Fists?

Okay, to be honest the only reason I drew from the Raven Guard was because I didn't want another Ultramarine sucessor clone. Transferral to Imperial Fists as founding Chapter should rectify unstable geneseed / mutation hypocrasy and help anti-Chaos fluff from "Eye-fighting". Scratch that last one. Sounds wierd. You know what I mean.

 

GENESEED:

The Sons of the Abyss were founded using Raven Guard geneseed, which has proven to combine very well with the distinctive genetic traits of the inhabitants of Charybodis Prime. Because of Corax’s forbidden zygote acceleration techniques, there are a number of mutations within the Raven Guard geneseed, which leads to the Sons of the Abyss’ predilection for black hair. These mutations do not have a large impact on the Chapter’s Marines, however because of the effects of the Warp Energies emanating from the Abyss on Charybodis’s population, the geneseed’s mutations have in extremely rare cases unlocked mutations in an aspirant’s genetic code, creating horrific monstrosities which have swiftly been destroyed and concealed from Imperial records.

 

So they purge any sign of mutation or impurity...except the blatant mutation and impurity in their own geneseed, which leads to further impurity and mutation on occasion.

 

Seems a tad hypocritical.

Explained above.

 

Another effect of the unique recruits provided by Charybodis Prime is a large number of Psychic talent, as the large numbers of native Psykers originating from the Abyss’s effects are nurtured by Charybodis’s society, and they are encouraged to join the Planet’s militia, defending the civilians from the voracious native fauna, leading to a high uptake into the Astartes Chapter based there.

 

Ah. So it's "mutation and impurity that isn't in us, or useful to us".

 

Seems a lot hypocritical.

But I like libbies!!! Yeah play the librarian thing down? Normal numbers?

 

BATTLE-CRY:

“To turn from the Emperor is your doom, come forward and face it!”

 

Seems weak for a battle-cry. Always best, IMO, to end on a strong note that sums up the character of the chapter.

 

Yeah WIP, not sure either.

[jokaero weaponsmith]

Instead of an asteriod belt why not a ringed planet, pilots still get training and rings could be effective as defence platforms.

[Ring-around-the-roses]

A series of small moons, in orbit around the planet, each with their own very gingerly held together asteroid rings. Makes awesome Fleet training just landing on the planet (with all the moons+asteroids floating around) and you could either have a series of defences on the moon, or a hidden "Insert cool thing here" on the moons. Maybe training grounds, each with their own particular brand of death, custom made by the Chapter. And a space laser on the moons, with rocket silos on the asteroid rings. A stupidly over the top number of defences. Perfect. :huh:

[Octavulg]

Its in reference to the fact that the "Abyss" shapes who they are, indeed, without it they as a chapter would probaby not exist.

 

Yes, but the fact remains that they're named after a source of evil, corruption, and damnation.

 

It seems a little odd.

 

Erm yeah, the Abyss is what gives the Chapter any character at all, what makes them unique.

 

Then that's a problem - chapters shouldn't be defined by their geographical location. It can be part of their character, or the impetus that produces their character, but if it's the only thing you're doing something wrong.

 

Perhaps I could say that the rampant genetic mutation caused by the Abyss originally, before it began to fade / diminish in potency created a small group of people with resistance to the chaos energies, and because they survived the mutations that spread across the globe, through natural selection this trait became dominant. After a series of brutal and bloody wars, this tribe / group / nation slaughtered the degenerate mutants that had cropped up in other areas of the planet and through un-mutated extra-terrestrial human imigrants formed a stable genepool featuring the genetic trait.

 

It makes logical sense. The problem is that this is the Warp, and so I'm not sure it should. I mean, this is 40K, which features the Navigator gene - a gene which, if you breed a Navigator and a non-Navigator, evidently disappears entirely. I'm not sure reason and logic apply to the science here.

 

As I understand it, mutation is brought about by the conscious acts of daemons and other warp powers - they make you change (with and without your cooperation). It's not something you can develop a resistance to separately from a resistance to psychic phenomena generally.

 

I may be very wrong on this, mind you. But it still seems...off.

 

I shall also make the Chapter's links with the Inquisition more prominent, futhering them to incorporate the I's express interest in the Genetic features of Charybodis Prime's inhabitants. (should I give the trait a name?, as the Pariah gene has one?)

 

That would make sense.

 

Okay, to be honest the only reason I drew from the Raven Guard was because I didn't want another Ultramarine sucessor clone. Transferral to Imperial Fists as founding Chapter should rectify unstable geneseed / mutation hypocrasy and help anti-Chaos fluff from "Eye-fighting". Scratch that last one. Sounds wierd. You know what I mean.

 

Indeed.

 

But I like libbies!!! Yeah play the librarian thing down? Normal numbers?

 

Could bite the bullet and go "no-Librarians". It's been done.

 

Yeah WIP, not sure either.

 

Worse comes to worse, rip off the Raven Guard - no defined battle cry, but this is the chapter motto. Then have the motto be clever and sum up the chapter instead. :mellow:

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

It makes logical sense. The problem is that this is the Warp, and so I'm not sure it should. I mean, this is 40K, which features the Navigator gene - a gene which, if you breed a Navigator and a non-Navigator, evidently disappears entirely. I'm not sure reason and logic apply to the science here.

 

As I understand it, mutation is brought about by the conscious acts of daemons and other warp powers - they make you change (with and without your cooperation). It's not something you can develop a resistance to separately from a resistance to psychic phenomena generally.

 

I may be very wrong on this, mind you. But it still seems...off.

 

I can see what you mean. Although evolutionarily my explanation fits, the Warp is an anomaly, so we dont know if it would work this way.

 

I guess I allways assumed that Warp energies acted like high-frequency eletromagnetic radiation, in that it Ionises DNA from prolonged contact, but unlike EMR isnt necessarily lethal in high doses (though the 40k explanation would probably be different whilst behaiving in the same way).

 

I suppose I could say that Charybodis Prime is the only known location where X gene is located, and some theorise that it occured as in the above explanation, but is still unknown (air of mystery- allways good). The Admech and Inquisition could still be investigating this phenomenon, but attempts to transfer it to extra-terrstrial human stock have been un-successful due to certain complications.

 

In non-native genetic material, the X-gene has an allmost perfect record of causing stillbirths when spliced in-vitro, whilst when implanted into adult humans not from Charybodis Prime, the gene has effectively become defunct, having no noticeable effect.

 

This means the Chapter retains the genetic factor that makes it unique, whilst avioding my dodgy-logic and preventing a sparkly new Chaos-antidote that could be exploited massively.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Okay, with the chapter's relationship to the Abyss as a source of chaos / minor warp rift it seems that naming them the sons of the Abyss is irrational. Im currently thinking about adding to the "beliefs" section to clarify the homeworld's religious / cultural relationship to the Abyss.

 

This means I am in search of a new name, one more closely related to fighting chaos.

 

Any ideas would be appreciated. :D

 

So, to start off:

 

Persecutors?

 

Vengence Legion?