Direct brain to keyboard upload commencing...

[Draakur]

So: many distractions, standard case of inabiltiy to decide on army etc etc, huge surge of inspiration to restart hobby, brain finally a-bubble with new take on ancient ideas, etc etc, must get down on paper ASAP before I give up on the possibility again. Help me kind traveller, it burns!

 

 

 

- successor of the Marines Exemplar; new founding on the way, and, having been triumphant over particularly mischieveous dirty Chaos blokes, a captain was chosen for the honour of beginning a training cadre for chapter to continue to fight the Emperor's fight. Wants to carry on parent chapter's legacy.

 

- set up homeworld on a planet that, for no reason yet understood, was completely left untouched by a Tyranid splinter-fleet amidst a sea of planets completely demolished *cue creepy music*

 

- incredibly arrogant, even for marines. Openly snub noses at brother chapters and most of the inferior Imperial forces, will not hesitate to allow Imperial casualties as necessary (Marines Malevolent?), many a scuffle already, freely looking down their noses at everyone. Only got by so far due to impressive success rates (and possibly saving the ass of someone important and blackmailing them to keep safe from irritated friendlies)

 

- brutal death cult homeworld. Supersitious warriors, ritualistic death worshippers (Mortifactors? Not pretty boy marines but not the shaggy barbarian feel of the Space Wolves). See themselves as borderline divine agents, holier than thou engines of war. 'Minor' mutation of the omophagea, excessive feasting/drinking has become part of chapter culture and influences various elements of chapter ritual

 

- new chapter master continues them on the path of the Praeses and takes the fight to Chaos. Brag about being the bravest, going into the warp to fight more often than anyone else, accused of allowing themselves unsafe exposure to warp and developing an "addiction" of sorts. While the parent chapter was fiercely opposed to Chaos though, these guys seem to not display typical Astartes abhorence (Relictors?)

 

- developed ritualistic tendency to feast merrily on the flesh/brains of the denizens of the warp they have become almost permanently in contact with, though nothing in the way of real proof has emerged. These behaviours believed to be related to their escalating eccentricities and seemingly mad grandiosity. Librarians in particular supposedly use these rituals to enter trances wherein the Emperor's wishes are divined and the chapter's actions thus decided (Silver Skulls?). Allies have noted that on a number of occassions this has landed them in uncannily fortunate circumstances, where they have arrived just in time to "save the day", thus leaving forces deeply indebted to them, or found themselves out of harm's way of enormous enemy hosts they could not hope to have defeated while other Imperial allies have instead suffered the casualties

 

- Again, excellent track record and undisputable warrior prowess, some say their successes and "luck" are proof they are in fact fully in league with the dark powers. A few of those who have made these claims have disappeared. Oh dear

 

- predisposition towards close quarters fighting but not overly slanted. Lots of maces and hammers. Brutal, relentless steamroll tactics, always moving forward

 

 

 

 

I'm going for them being slightly otherworldly and 'of the shade', mad but undeniably powerful, presently indespensable but possibly half in kahootz with the devil, loyalist so far but suspect in the extreme. I sort of have vague notions of tying this chapter in with my Oracles of Change army/characters that I'm working on.

 

Does this have the sparkle of potential to it? First thoughts that come into your head, boombanggogogo! :P

[Donkey Kong]

Hmm, individually many of these points work. Together, the elements don't meld, at least not perfectly.

 

The Marines Exemplar are perfect for what you want as one of the Chapters charged with fighting around the Eye of Terror. You could try and find a founding around the same time as the end of a Black Crusade. The only problem is that it doesn't exactly line up with your hopes for a passing mention of the Tyranids. The First Tyrannic War begins 745.M41, and the last founding was 738.M41.

 

Arrogance is fine. However, it doesn't line up with a Chapter who recruits from savages. Also, if they see themselves as divine, do they have a connection with the Ecclesiarchy?

 

How exactly does fighting "in the warp" work? That's basically impossible considering how Gellar Fields need to be up to keep ships safe. Without a Gellar Field, the ship is torn apart. This doesn't include how "looking into the warp" induces madness.

 

The omophagea mutation works. It lines up with feasting on brains, but not general feasting and drinking.

 

Luck works as a quirk, but it seems random and unexplained. It would be worse to justify it as a side effect of consuming warp beasts. Separating the two points, Librarian deviation and feasting, would be for the best.

 

As a suggestion, you could have the Chapter opening small warp gates to capture and consume the creatures that spill out. It would tie in with the arrogance, being the only Chapter they know with the balls to fight the warp on their own terms.

[Mazer Rackham]

Potential yes!

 

I have to say it, this Chapter is asking for it big style. :P

 

Best that will happen to this chapter in no-time it's going to be "Hello, I'm Inquisitor Bob. I've noticed you like to drink and dance with and eat denizens of the warp...who wouldn't? Oh, wait...Excommunicate Traitoris my lads! Nice knowing you - Tally ho, what, what!"

 

This needs toning to get just right - if you want loyalists. If you want renegades keep going with it as is. The concepts are ok for the latter, need work for the former. If they are arrogant, maybe think of a world to recruit from that values that: martial pride, warrior sons etc. As KHK said, feral worlders don't strike me as the arrogant type - after all, you're going to be polite to a man who could cave in your noggin' with that that huge rock he's holding right? Spire dwellers, they're more your lads.

 

Messing with the warp is going to be pretty dangerous stuff. Only the Exorcists and Grey Knights get away with that due to Plot Armour and Creative Licence niether of which Liberites have much leeway in.

 

The real problem is that your Astartes are an asset, an expendable asset. The Ultramarines are Indispensible. Dirty Brian's Slash n' Bash Chapter is not so protected... :D

 

Also, trying to blackmail an Inquisitor isn't going to work. He's just going to tip off the Grey Knights and then you're on the run or dead.

 

Keep honing the concepts - it could either be crazy good or....

 

"Hi there, my name's Bob..."

 

MR.

[Draakur]

Ahh the voices of angels, thankyou both. This was actually a really good dose of order for my scrambled etchings, I feel like I already have a much stronger sense of control over this.

 

@KingHongKong: just the kind of rationale I needed to hear. I hope people won't mind my use of dot points...

 

- I didn't even think to check if the timelines would be off... creates a problem. One solution would be to just ditch the homeworld's backstory altogether, but I felt I was on to such a cool idea! :) orrr... ok. Could they have started off with nowhere to begin with, crusaded around for awhile, then the first Tyranids pop up, and in the divination period prior to entering combat, foresaw they would find the planet in general area X and that the Emperor deems that once successful in their duties they should make it their home? Or is this too forced?

 

- being connected to the Ecclesiarchy was one of the possibilities I was considering, yes. I sort of have the issue of over-ubering my guys though. I want them to be suspiciously great, but yes they're marines and quite enjoy a bit of gum etc as is so often brought up. I fear there's the risk of going over the top with their 'strengths' and advantages. Can I potentially include this tie-in but make it just as much an issue for them as a boon? I'm off to read everything I can about the Ecclesiarchy...

 

- hrm I want to stick with the death-worship, superstition and ritual behaviour, but I can understand the idea that savages may not suit the theme. I'll need to find a middle ground here

 

- I have no idea how fighting in the warp would work! I should have thought this through. My research suggests that this concept is a nonsense and must be adapted. Big and important this part, thanks for pulling me up on it early. Ok, I need to find some other way they can be exposed to the warp. I quite like your idea of opening unsanctioned connections to warpspace for their various purposes. Maybe they went overboard with it on some backwater planet and got the populace slaughtered by the stuff they brought through, covered it up etc. Constant unnecessary warp jumps to travel? Can I tie the webway in here?

 

- can the omophagea mutation be explained as having mutated to the point where it creates a constant thirst/hunger in general? Or do I need to involve other organs here? There's something about habitually consuming a lot that sort of speaks to me, kind of a chink in the armour and a reminder that they are not entirely rid of their human weaknesses despite being superhumans and calling themselves king of the heap. It provides something of a logical foundation for them eventually moving on to 'new things' in this sense as well

 

- I think what I was going for was that the luck was more a function of unusually specific divination, resulting from the nature of the materials they consume in ritual leading up to it. I wasn't trying to convey that they ate warp creatures then got lucky. Does this seem more plausible? Even though I feel like I've sort of just explained it, it seems like it's a bit much, maybe. Too uber?

 

 

@Mazer Rackham: hah I laughed at your second comment :P Good stuff!

 

- then toning it will have to be. I'm hoping to keep Bob off their backs. It seems I may have to drop the overall level of warp shenanigans. I still want them to be highly suspect though... I'd rather make them still quite "dangerous" and something of a target but create strong, plausible reasons why they've not yet been eradicated, than just simmer down how dodgy they are all the way

 

- Dirty Brian is unpleased :( but understandable. Does anyone have any ideas on how this can be made to work? Again, I'd rather keep them from being nice boys who have done one or two naughties.

 

- is there nobody my boys can blackmail somehow? Or at least have owe them enormous favours? AdMech, maybe? Could be an explanation for how they maintain their ships so well despite so much warp travel and whatnot

 

 

Hope I'm not too long-winded!

[Mazer Rackham]

I'm sure KHK will chip in soon, but if I may I'd like to try and respond to the comments directed my way:

 

Ahh the voices of angels, thankyou both. This was actually a really good dose of order for my scrambled etchings, I feel like I already have a much stronger sense of control over this.

I don't know about being an angel, but I'm glad I could help - even in some small way.

 

hah I laughed at your second comment :lol: Good stuff!

Good! :)

then toning it will have to be. I'm hoping to keep Bob off their backs. It seems I may have to drop the overall level of warp shenanigans. I still want them to be highly suspect though... I'd rather make them still quite "dangerous" and something of a target but create strong, plausible reasons why they've not yet been eradicated, than just simmer down how dodgy they are all the way

Absolutely. You want to try and find that line where they're close to and can see the edge, but aren't walking it enough for suspicion to become censure. Pricking the interest of the Inquisition is fine.

Dirty Brian is unpleased :D but understandable. Does anyone have any ideas on how this can be made to work? Again, I'd rather keep them from being nice boys who have done one or two naughties.

Let's not throw Bob away just yet. Remember that the Inquisiton are a police force and he will have to undertake investigation. What you could do is have Bob taking a look at you, but do in such a way that he can find no proof. This may provoke his suspicions even more, but as long as he's satisfied that your death worship is in the Emperor's benefit, he might be more careful about his poking. A good example of this is death cultists - they're nuts for death worship, blood drinking and eating the bodies of the slain foe - but it is to the Emperor that they dedicate it all. Be careful about eating Daemons though - Bob wouldn't like that one bit (unless he's a radical and that carries a whole heap of baggage - you could go that way if you like).

 

Is there nobody my boys can blackmail somehow? Or at least have owe them enormous favours? AdMech, maybe? Could be an explanation for how they maintain their ships so well despite so much warp travel and whatnot.

Well all ships have to do warp travel and I'm supposing that any Astartes Praeses will have a lot of Gellar Field maintenance to do, so I don't think you'll need anything special.

 

On the other point, you'll only get clout if you've got something good. You're Astartes yes, the big bad, yes. But you don't have the Phalanx. You haven't got anything good enough for everyone to know about. The only way you could get let's say an AdMech buddy is if you accompanied a recovery fleet or an explorator fleet.

 

Alternatively we could go back to Bad Inquisitor Bob. He's lost something important and the Emperor would love you more if you could help him get it...? The problem here is Bob needs to be written in very carefully, you don't want him turning up and waving a magic wand and getting rid of all the trouble.

 

On the whole I think what you're aiming for is great, and your awareness of pitfalls is good too.

 

That's all I can think of right now, hope it helps.

 

MR.