RNG Chapter - Night Angels

[Tenebris]

Hello B&C

 

I have recently aquired the Deathwach Rpg book Rites of Battle. As part of the book there is a vast section which allows the reader to customize a space marine chapter by rolling the dice in diverse categories, from the chapter geneseed to homeworld relations. I couldn't resist the urge to roll my dice and here are the results. Let's see if we can make an intresting chapter out of the aviable data:

 

Reason of Founding: Strategic Prognostication

 

Founding: M34, prior to the Howling (?)

 

Progenitor Chapter: Dark Angels

 

Gene Stock: Pure

 

Codex Demeanor: Suffer not the Alien to live.

 

Chance of Geneseed Mutation: 10%

 

Gene-seed Deficiencies: Oversensitive Occulobe

 

Inactive Zygotes: Neuroglottis (knowledge by taste)

 

Chapter Flaw: Pride in the Colours

 

Chapter Charateristic: Skill with blade and gun

 

Figure of Legend: Chief Librarian

 

Deeds of Legend: Enemy of Chaos, slayer of a Daemon Prince

 

Home World: Hive World

 

Home World terrain: Temperate

 

Home World relationship: Stewardship

 

Chapter Organisation: Codex Chapter

 

Combat Doctrine: Close Combat

 

Solo Mode Abilities (rpg only): Stoic Defence

 

Squad Mode Attack (rpg only): Storm of Hell (Furious Charge + Frenzy)

 

Squad Mode Defence (rpg only): Courage Under Fire

 

Speciality Restriction: Techmarine

 

Special Equipment: Traditional Weapon

 

Chapter Beliefs: Death Cult

 

Chapter Status: Nominal (Full Strenght)

 

Chapter Firends: Rogue Trader Dynasty

 

Chapter Enemies: The Orks

 

Attack Pattern: Sustained Supression (Dark Angels) - overlapping fields of fire

 

Defensice Stance: Immovable Defence (Dark Angels) - stubborness on the defence, unyielding

 

Chapter Advance: Command Without Doubt - individual space marines have a great grasp on strategy, leadership and command

 

Trial of Initiation: Knowledge of Self (selfinducted transcendental state, many aspirants die to nightmares and visions)

 

The Dice Gods provided me with the next names:

 

- Brazen Knights

- Night Angels

- Space Paladins

- Black Tearers

- Sable Hunters

 

 

I confess that I am greatly inspired by the results of the dice rolls. From what I see we have on our hands a valiant Dark Angels successor, a chapter skilled in close combat, learned and utterly stubborn on the defence. The Occulobe defect could allow them to see in total darkness and make them near blind in daylight giving them a dark vibe to start, while the ruined neuroglottis zygotes might prevent them to taste anything. As for the chapter traits I see a Son of the Lion to actually follow a death cult and be greatly skilled with bolt pistol and chainsword, which could be the chapter's traditional weapons...

 

Now we have the basic informations to work with, lets build a chapter.

[Hrvat]

Interesting.

 

Night Angels sounds the best and I just can't picture what kind of sable the marines would need to hunt to earn the respect of others unless it would be a basis for one enourmose fur coat :D

 

 

I used the Deathwatch:RoB to provide me with a skeleton for my chapter and it is solid in doing that. Now you have to put flesh on those bones.

 

 

Good luck with that and expect help on the way.

 

 

Cheers

[Tenebris]

Pozdravljen Hrvat :lol:

Now as it is proper every great chapter begins its life with the definition of their livery and badge. I opted for a halved scheme in the tradition of the Unforgiven successors in order to pay a tribute to the Night Angels primogenitor chapter and indicate their particular chapter belief, a death cult.

As you can see I selected a theme to follow with the chapter livery. The Black (Chaos Black) is a tribute to the Sons of the Lion, to the very first livery of the Dark Angels and marks this chapter as a loyal child of the Unforgiven. The second colour is Bone White (Bleached Bone) an ancient war paint, a symbol of death, a powerful reminder of one's grim fate as an adeptus astrates. Since the chapter proved to have a Death Cult as a base for their beliefs I see the Deathwing Bone as a fitting part of their livery.

Now lets move unto the name, Night Angels appeared from the rolls and the Dice gods seem to favour it so I decided to use it. A proper explanation for the name will be found in the history of the Night Angels homeworld as well as in their oversensitive occulobe deficiency. For the chapter badge I decided to use a winged moon, a tribute to the chapter name.

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/9633/moongz.png

[Hrvat]

So far so good. Also the scheme should look striking enough on the battlefield though selecting the correct colour for the base might prove tricky cosidering white and black are the opposide sides of the spectrum. Green or Red might do it.

[blackoption]

I would agree. Though it could change based on company markings.

 

One issue you might have to be creative with is the lack of techmarines. But I don't see that as an issue.

 

Are they going to be part of the Unforgiven? I can see them having issues with Dark Angels command for the mutuations....

[Tenebris]

Well to solve the techmarine problem I considered the Hive World as an answer. While I hardly understand a chapter without techmarines I can see a chapter with a very diminutive number of techmarines (just a few of them). Still the Techmarines are the ones responsabile for the chapter's wargear, no techies means no battles so to say and I am considering a vast host of Techpriests of Mars who serve indirectly the chapter as part of a pact. The Hive Worlds are known for having vast forges and manofactorums which cannibalize the old technology and prime materials present in the lower parts of the hive cities as well as those materials imported from the near sectors. Since the Night Angles have a relationship of stewardship with their homeworld governement part of this feudal accord can be the support from the Mechanicus rappresentatives and their manofactorums.

 

I find it wrong from the lore perspective to exclude a DA successor chapter from the membership in the Unforgiven. While our progenitors are known for having some of the purest geneseed present in the Imperium I see some minor malfunctions as part of my chapter lore. What are we talking is a minor defficiency of the Occulobe (perfect sight in total darkness, low sight in daylight) which is corrected by wearing the helmet and a malfunction/inactivity of the Neuroglottis which in turn results in the inability to track a quarry by scent and taste. This deviations are far from the dangerous mutations we witness in other chapters (increased psyhic ability, bone crests, fangs...) and thus not a reason by itself to exclude the Night Angels from being full members of the Unforgiven.

 

Since the Dice gods favoured a codex organisation I feel obliged to use the Dark Angel codex and its deviations from the work of Roboute Guilliman. This forces me to include a Deathwing and a Ravenwing formation in my chapter as well as the standard traditions of the Dark Angels. While this two formations would be by all accounts just a pale shadow of their original counterparts they are still very important for the Unforgiven. By extention the Deathwing will be painted in Bleached Bone and the Ravenwing in Black, without quatered or halved schemes, while the rest of the chapter dons the livery above.

 

Now my question goes on the Founding Father of the Night Angels, a chief librarian who banished a daemon prince. Is it viable for an Unforgiven chapter to second one fo their librarians as a mentor to the newlyborn chapter, and it is viable for the said librarian to slay a daemon prince, a Fallen Angel himself?

 

Such an act would prove to be a testament to the devotion and loyalty of the Night Angels, a crowning victory which secured them a place among the Unforgiven, a fitting deed of legend as the Dice gods decreed.

[Hrvat]

Yes your ideas are possible. Also the last codex actually mentions that Dark Angel successor outside the 2nd founding are also Unforgiven so you should have no problem with that.

 

 

Cheers

[Tenebris]

Origins:

 

In the first bloody centuries of M34 the Imperium of Man was bleeding, wounded by the 4th Black Crusade and tortured by the many xeno invasions. Despite the blood of countless heroes spilled upon the holy battlefield the Imperium was living a religious upheaval, the Ecclesiarchy recived seat among the High Lords of Terra and the Imperium Cult was sanctioned as the official religion of the mankind's domain, from now on the worship of the Emperor was mandatory. In the wake of this religious transformation the Emperor's Tarot was predicting a dire threat rising from the shadows, soon the research stations were reporting warp annomalies, strange phenomena were observed and many worlds were plunged into madness and war. The High Lords of Terra were now called into action, the domain of mankind was once again threatened and an immediate response was needed. Soon the prognosticators were able to read the Tarot with an uncanning clarity and more detailed visions became to unfold. Orks, Chaos Marauders and even dire xenos were to plague the Imperium in the next centuries and it was clear that the Imperium had nor the power nor the strength to face its enemies.

 

In the Codimus Edict the High Lords of Terra ordered the foundation of several space marine chapters and the levy of more than thousand Imperial Guard regiments, including the construction of seven separate battlefleets of the Imperial Navy. While this army of astrates and guardsmen was judged barely enough to contrast the rising enemies the resources of the Imperium were depleted from the past Black Crusade and many worlds were rebuilding after the devastation wrought upon by the Chaos forces, the Imperium of Man was in of its many dark hours. What came to be known as the 7th Founding was one of the most strained Imperium projects. The historians write that more than twenty Forge Worlds were ordered to increase their production output by tenfold, the demand for raw materials was so high that enitre generations were worked to death and as a result many Imperial worlds resulted in famine, poverty and open rebellion, but regardless of the pleas the High Lords were adamant in their choice, then Astrates Chapters were to be founded.

 

The Adeptus Mechanicus used numerous geneseed templates in the 7th Founding but only a single chapter was created from the geneseed of Lion El'Jonson. While considered one of the most stable geneseeds present in the Imperium it is unknown why the genetors favour other, more liable genetic templates for the creation of the angles of death. For two hundred years the Mechanicus cultivated the first marines of Chapter 171 and the very first recruits were taken from the dreaded hive gangs of Terra itself. The future astrates proved to be free of taint and mutation and Chapter 171 was considered a success but while genetic purity is greatly sought after it is the skill at war that froges a true astrates. Elements of the Angels of Redemption were selected to provide the newlyborn chapter with an identity and the necessary combat experience and leadership.

 

Grand Master Azelan appointed Master Kalimero of the 5th Company as the first Chapter Master of Chapter 171 and the veteran Captain took with him the elements of his Company to form the veteran core of the fledgling astrates chapter. The chronicles of the Night Angels write that when Kalimero saw for the first time his charges he was deeply touched and honoured for the battle brothers of Chapter 171 were some of the purest sons of his revered primarch, Lion El'Jonson...(more to follow after some feedback)

 

Homeworld:

 

When the Codimus Edict ordered the creation of several astrates chapters the Magos Explorators were sent on mission to identify and monitor the possible planets siutable for an adeptus astrates homeworld. Magos Orlanus took his fleet in the Segmentum Obscurus and set upon the difficoult task ahead of him. For several years he travelled the numerous nebulae and sectors present in the said Segmentus until he identified a siutable planet in the Tema sector. Shrouded in perpetual darkness, the planets of Tema developed an intresting ecology. Vast fields of lichen, fungus forests and dark oceans covered the worlds circling around the Noctis Star while the numerous asteroid fields provided the human colonies with a wealth in ore and metals. Despite the distinct ecology the humans settled on the rich planets, vast hive cities have been built in the Dark Age and many subterranian colonies have been carved out from the volcanic rock. The oceans and the particular forests fo fungi and lichen provided the settlers with huge ammount of food and chemical components, all more than capable to substain a great number of human communities. In millenia the colonies developed into proper hive cities and the hive cities soon dotted the landscape of Umbris, the greatest planet present in the Tema sector.

 

Due to its relative stability in warp flux and the low gravitation of the Tema planets the sector was a natural crossroad for space trafiic, which greatly aided the progressive civilisation and colonisation of the neighbour worlds as well acted as a lure for the numerous xenos present in the area. The chronicles of the Tema Conclave write of many confrontation with alien enemies and chaos marauders thus the sector proved to be the perfect base of operations for a space marine chapter. Magos Orlanus repoted to his supperiors the genetic stability of the human stock present on Umbris and considered the people living in the hive cities as a fitting material for forging new astrates. Since the Astrates are known to recruit from cultures deeply rooted in war and conflict the initial response of the Mechanicus was one of subspicion and denial but when Magos Orlanus reported the harsh living conditions in the lower levels ot the hive cities and the ever present, usually brutal conflicts raging among the hive gangs the Magos Genetors on Mars were pleased and requisitioned the Hive World of Umbris as the home planet for Chapter 171.

 

Five millenia have passed since the 7th Founding and the facilities on Umbris were greatly expanded to supplement the Night Angels with all the material and personell that the voracious machine that is a space marine chapter needs to perform. Umbris was included in the defensive grid of Segmentum Obscurus and was provided with docking bays, spaceports, orbital defense batteries and all the facilities that allow the Night Angels to operate. Vast areas of the hive cities were expanded to include manofactroums, training facilities, orbital relays and staging grounds for the space marines while the citizens in the lower levels were left in their misery with intent, to better breed strong warriors and to cull the weak from the flock.

 

... (need some feedback on the idea to better develop the relation with the planet governement and its people)

 

 

Combat Doctrine

 

The Night Angels drink deeply from the chalice of their progenitors. They have accepted the customs and the traditions of the Unforgiven and have made their name in the hallowed halls of the Rock. In the millenia only minor divergencies appeared from their primogenitor brothers, most notable the great expertise in close combat and ritual duels that are deeply rooted in this Unforgiven chapter. This divergence form their elder brothers is displayed in the equipment of every Night Angels battle brothers who carries a longsword as part of his standard wargear and in the will to engage the enemy champions in personal duel rather than as part of a group action.

 

As a testament to their name the Night Angels favour actions performed under the cover of night, to better surprise their enemies and strike fear in their foes. Many a campaign is performed in the hours from dusk till dawn and it is said that the effect of such a campaign on the enemy morale is simply staggering. Faithful to the decrees of their elder brothers the Night Angels field a fearsome First Company clad in Terminator Armour and a swift Second Company equipped and trained for rapid assault and recon. This two units are considered the veteran force of the chapter and usually are the spearhead of every Night Angels combat operation.

 

Organisation

 

The Night Angels follow the decrees of the Codex Astrates but maintain as part of their Unforgiven legacy the Deathwing and Ravenwing formations. This two units are considered veteran formations and serve the chapter in its secret quest, the Hunt of the Fallen. It is noted that the Night Angels field a very limited number of Techmarines, some say that the reason for this is rooted in their chapter beliefs while other more pragmatic observers speculate that since the Night Angels are recruited from the hive worlders present on Umbris each of their battle brothers is familiar with the workings of the Omnissiah and are skilled in the use of technology.

 

Since the Night Angels are faithful members of the Unforgiven they maintain a number of Orders present in their chapter and provide their Grand Masters to the Inner Circle of the scions of Jonson. Other minor Orders are considered brotherhoods of warriors, some Orders train in a specific form of combat, others practice the study of their chapter creed while the most esoteric ones guard the dark history of the Unforgiven. Many Night Angels are known as bards and ministrels of great skill and their works are semtimes revealed to those who appreciate works of poetry and narrative, even if they come from this sinister warrior monks.

 

Beliefs

 

All I know is that I must figure somekind of Death Cult fitting for an Unforgiven chapter, some help is appreciated.

 

 

Geneseed

 

The Night Angels are the genetic heirs of the primarch Lion El'Jonson. Their geneseed is pure and free of taint but the particular ecology of Umbris as well as their diet somehow tampered with their genetic code. The Night Angels are known for having an oversensitive occulobe, a mutation that allows them to see in total darkness while it prevents them to use their enhanced sight in daylight. This deviation can easily be overcome by using the helmet thus it is indeed rare to see a NIght Angel without wearing a protective headpiece. The Magos Genetors speculate that the low light spectrum of Umbris as well as near constant life underground mutated to some extent the humans present on the night world, a mutation that was carried and amplified by the Night Angels geneseed.

 

Due to their diet of fungi and lichen the Night Angels Neuroglottis slowly degraded due to the corroding chemicals present in their food. Many Umbrese people are unable to taste but the diet has also another effect, the fungi possess a stron mix of toxins that are benefict to a human organism, thus working as a minor rejuvination treatment. It needs to be said that the fungi of Umbris are their most pricey export and the astrates greatly benefit form that, having a healthier and younger organism due to their constant exposure to the Umbrese fungi.

 

Battle Cry

 

From Dusk till Dawn!

[Andrew J]

I REALLY like your introduction. Do you mind if I borrow the first couple paragraphs? it is one of the best origins intros i have read and has a great feel for the 40k universe.

[Rylanor]

Well written! I wish i could write mine that well.... Speaking of which I really need to get going on mine.

 

Anyways good job and keep going!

 

Rylanor

[Zynk Kaladin]

Did I hear Night Angels? With a chapter name like that you are truely destined for greatness. :(

[Tenebris]

Thanks for the nice replies, I must confess this is far from my first DIY.

 

Here are some samples:

 

Green Knights

 

Jade Legion

 

Feel free to use some quotes/info as inspiration, also feedback is always welcome. As for the intro in this DIY I would rather use it myself for my IA article.

 

 

Hehe Zynk, the name appeared from the random name generator in Deathwatch: Rites of Battle book and it seems fitting to their origins and geneseed mutation.

[Zynk Kaladin]

Hehe Zynk, the name appeared from the random name generator in Deathwatch: Rites of Battle book and it seems fitting to their origins and geneseed mutation.

 

Indeed it is fitting. You're IA looks good so far and is very well written, but here are some suggestions (opinions):

 

1) While masterfully done, imo the origins section spends too much time "building up". What I mean by this is you have a lot of back story about the Imperium at the time, but only two paragraphs about your actual chapter. I think you need to focus more on your chapter's specific origins.

 

2) For your homeworld I don't think you really need to establish its government's relationship with its people. But as an idea I would think because of all the gangs, the government would be very strict and have have a massive police force. One would think having a massive police force would be great, but the government, wielding so much power, can get oppressive and desperate to crack down on the hive gangs. As a result, the people would get involved at some point and anger would set in, essentially fueling the gangs with new members and help from the people.

 

3) Combat Doctrine: Longswords! I'm glad to see someone else's Night Angels love swords, too. I must ask though: why is/what makes your chapter masters of close combat and duels? I think you could further establish this in more detail in your homeworld section. Perhaps because the people live in subterranean hives, the corridors are smaller than regular hives, making close quarters combat inevitable. The hard part about this is talking less about the people of your homeworld and more about how they effect your chapter's culture.

 

4) The Death Cult idea is very interesting. Perhaps the Night Angels worship the Emperor as a "god of death". As such, your chapter wears all sorts of death motifs (skulls, bones, etc.). I can't really explain it very well story-wise, but I picture a massive skeletal structure of a long decayed goat-headed (the ones with huge horns) daemon prince crucified on a Deathwing equivalent landraider and veterans with blood splattered skulls and bones (kind of like the legion of the damned models). Of course, your chaplains will have to look even more badass to compensate for the skull and bones veterans... damn now I must resist doing something like this, haha.

 

5)Lastly, make your chapter dark blue! :P

[NightrawenII]

Hello and welcome in the Liber. Being the pedant I am...

 

Origins

In the first bloody centuries of M34 the Imperium of Man was bleeding... *snip* What came to be known as the 7th Founding was one of the most strained Imperium projects.

- I'm still not fond of dates in Badab War books and I would say the early M34 would be 10+th. But if you want...

 

the Ecclesiarchy recived seat among the High Lords of Terra and the Imperium Cult was sanctioned as the official religion of the mankind's domain, from now on the worship of the Emperor was mandatory.

- Temple of Saviour Emperor.

- The position of Ecclesiarch in High Council of Terra was sanctioned in mid M32.

 

While this army of astrates and guardsmen...

- Through entire article: ASTARTES.

 

While considered one of the most stable geneseeds present in the Imperium it is unknown why the genetors favour other, more liable genetic templates for the creation of the angles of death.

- Yeah, some angles are quite deadly. :)

 

For two hundred years the Mechanicus cultivated the first marines of Chapter 171 and the very first recruits were taken from the dreaded hive gangs of Terra itself.

- It takes half century to grow enough gene-seed for Chapter creation, even if we stretch it a lot, century or so is more likely.

- '171' is too small number for 7th Founding Chapter. Even if we ignore the Book of Sacrilege with its 400 Chapters in 2nd Founding, you are probably looking at number over 200.

 

The chronicles of the Night Angels write that when Kalimero saw for the first time his charges he was deeply touched and honoured for the battle brothers of Chapter 171 were some of the purest sons of his revered primarch, Lion El'Jonson...

... that he shed tear of pure manliness. From this time, the goblet with this sacred liquid has became relic of Nigh Angels. Ahem, man. The Unforgiven are bunch of dour, sinister and grim Marines, certainly they are not going to be sentimental over such thing.

 

Homeworld

When the Codimus Edict ordered the creation of several astrates chapters the Magos Explorators were sent on mission to identify and monitor the possible planets siutable for an adeptus astrates homeworld. Magos Orlanus took his fleet in the Segmentum Obscurus and set upon the difficoult task ahead of him. For several years he travelled the numerous nebulae and sectors present in the said Segmentus until he identified a siutable planet in the Tema sector.

- Instead of wandering into somewhere at random, what about sifting various reports of troubled areas and place the Chapter in near vicinity of such area?

 

Vast areas of the hive cities were expanded to include manofactroums, training facilities, orbital relays and staging grounds for the space marines while the citizens in the lower levels were left in their misery with intent, to better breed strong warriors and to cull the weak from the flock.

- The Chapter usually builds its own base.

 

Combat Doctrine

As a testament to their name the Night Angels favour actions performed under the cover of night, to better surprise their enemies and strike fear in their foes. Many a campaign is performed in the hours from dusk till dawn and it is said that the effect of such a campaign on the enemy morale is simply staggering.

- Except your Chapter Flaw is 'Pride in the Colours'. With this character, it's very unlikely that your Chapter will ambush people in dark alleys like some band of thugs.

 

Geneseed

Due to their diet of fungi and lichen the Night Angels Neuroglottis slowly degraded due to the corroding chemicals present in their food. Many Umbrese people are unable to taste but the diet has also another effect, the fungi possess a stron mix of toxins that are benefict to a human organism, thus working as a minor rejuvination treatment. It needs to be said that the fungi of Umbris are their most pricey export and the astrates greatly benefit form that, having a healthier and younger organism due to their constant exposure to the Umbrese fungi.

- It's hilarious, how are some people creative, when it comes to beating some positives out of negative. ;)

 

---

Overall: This article is somewhat well-written and thought out, however it doesn't really convey anything important about Chapter itself. For example, the origins section could be abolished without any serious impact on the rest of article.

[Tenebris]

Thanks for your feedback, I will work on the background and better develop the plot points for my chapter.

 

Question:

 

I see a Death Cult viable for the Dark Angels but I have to figure out how to explain it. IMO the marines of my chapter see themselves as the angels of doom and death, they are always sorrounded by death and in a certain way they embrace it. Perhaps they carry small reliquaries of their former brothers (bones) and eleveate the art of death to a high level. They can be seen practicing perfect beheadings, swift kills and employ devastating weapons with utter ruthlessness but such things are common for the rest of the space marines. Perhaps the sheer determination to stand your ground, to selflessly die for the others and to partake suicide missions can be some results of the death cult. Long story short, I find it hard to explain a death cult and make it somehow different from the Doom Eagles, Spectres and Mortificators. I could really use some help here.

 

BTW: I will edit my IA asap (blasted exams :) )