Index Astartes: The Order Of Dorn V2.0

[Cleal Baros]

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H

eretu lies at the heart of the Segmentum Ultima on the edge of the Dominion of Storms. It is a feudal world that’s surface is dominated by two large continents of which only one, Dunholm, is capable of bearing life. The other, Rhys is a barren wasteland of desert and vitrified glass, a lasting reminder of the space born firepower of Dorn's Phalanx space station. These two large continents, each comparable in size to Terra’s Merica Plates are bridged by a stretch of land only twenty miles across and it is at this point The Order of Dorn’s ancient fortress monastery of Alnweck is sited.

Far predating the founding of the chapter and even the coming of the Imperial Fists many a legend and theory abound as to the origins of the great basalt structure. Some have suggested the fortress was built long before the coming of man and that it is an artefact of a long extinct xenos culture wiped forever from the face of the universe. Others that it marks the point of first human settlement on Heretu and that it represents the great achievements of Humanity in an earlier epoch of interstellar travel however what is known is that within and beneath it’s great basalt walls Alnweck sports technology little found or know in the 41st millennium. Powered by vast geothermal machines driven deep into the heart of Heretu the fortress acts as a beacon in the warp, shining out into the storm wracked region of space surrounding the Heratian sector to offer warning and a point of navigation to ships passing by. The lost technologies and working of Alnwecks beacon have been much scrutinised by representatives of the Adeptus Mechanicus who continue to probe and study its inner workings with the blessing of the chapter.

Dunholm itself, now the home of the sole people of Heretu, is a large and varied landmass. Its climate and ecology range from the harsh and frozen tundra of the north to the warm temperate coasts of the south. Its peoples live under the protection and rule of numerous noble households between which Dunholm's lands are divided and managed. It is the Lords and Heirs of these noble households that make up The Order of Dorn.

Origins

H

eretu emerged from old night a planet divided, its two large landmasses host to two very different civilisations. Nothing is known of the early colonisation of the world, nor what happened to divide the original settlers so absolutely but from their very beginnings it is clear they found themselves in conflict.

To the west was Dunholm, a Kingdom much the same as it remains; a feudal society managed and protected by a noble elite, served and fed by a peasant class of agricultural worker and artisan all ruled over by a single hereditary monarch.

To the East was Rhys, a civilisation of which little is now known and only the stories and legends of Dunholm shed any light. They tell of a bestial people who at the turn of old night spat on all bonds of fealty and welcomed the anarchy their isolation wrought. Ancient songs and murals depict a brutal society based on cruelty and human sacrifice in which life was cheap and bloodshed a sport.

For millennia the two nations fought endless wars of supremacy, neither able to turn the conflict to their advantage but with the clearing of the warp storms around the planet and the return of the stars to Heretu’s skies the peoples of Dunholm crowned themselves a new king and looked eastward, toward a great light that now shone skyward from the lands of the Jabal landbridge, lost centuries before by their ancestors and prepared to reclaim them once again.

The war was long and bloody. For years Dunholm’s blessed King, Antonid Frax ‘The First Of His Name’, fought battle after battle to reclaim the lands lost but at last his banner was placed atop the fortress of Alnweck, the ancient site of his family’s seat of power and the source of the great celestial beacon that had drawn his people to arms.

For months Rhys fell silent, no emissary was heard from, no armies appeared to challenge Dunholm’s claim and taking the appearance of a bright new star in the sky as an omen that his work was not yet done Frax set forth to ensure Dunholm would never again look to its borders in fear. Mustering his host about him and calling every knight of age to his side the King pushed into Rhys itself.

At this point the peoples of Heretu's second continent fell back to the use of dark magiks as they had done in times past. Whole cities devoted themselves to vast rituals of sacrifice and summoning in an attempt to spawn forth creatures of chaos and damnation to do their bidding and cast aside the army that now threatened to bring a final victory to the peoples of Dunholm but all did not go as they had planned. Unable to any longer draw upon the energies of the warp storms that had hidden Heretu for so long the daemons found another means to fuel their torturous transition into real space and fell upon their masters. Warping their bodies into terrifying masses of horn and maw those that had once been slaves, bound to the will of those that had summoned them, now devoured their souls in reparation and took their bodies as host.

Faced with such a foe - a legion of Daemonic beasts in such great number they eclipsed even the exaggerated bard tales of Old - the army of Dunholm fled back to their nation’s last hope at the Citidel of Alnweck. Sited at the bridging of the continents with ancient walls spanning the twenty miles from coast to coast the fortress gave the King and his army a single slim chance to hold their hellish enemy at bay and save his people from destruction.

For one score days and nights the army of Dunholm held as the magiks and wards sown into the fabric of the Alnweck’s walls weakened the daemon's' ties to the mortal world enough that sword and axe might end their heretical existence. Through strength and bravery the men of Dunholm fought on but each day more and more knights were lost and as the sun fell on the twenty second day hope began to wane.

Though much diminished and showing signs that its hold on the physical world was beginning to weaken the Daemonic legion threw itself once again at the King’s army in full force and the tide began to turn. Exhausted and broken those Knights that remained fell back to the Fortress’s towers and whole sections of wall fell. Frax himself scrabbled to organise his huscarls and mount a last desperate defence of the citadel’s main gate but as all hope seemed lost the skies above Heretu came to life and the Eastern Horizon disappeared beneath a holocaust of destructive power.

Rogal Dorn's Phalanx flagship unleashed its massive batteries on the continent of Rhys and wiped all but those creatures of chaos closest to the citadel from reality. The first, second and fourth companies of the Imperial fists fell from the skies into the heart of the foe. Descending like angels by drop pod and teleporter onto the walls of the citadel itself and the seventh legion brought death too all before them as the Primarch himself led his warriors in the defence of Heretu’s human population. Sealed inside their towers the Knights of Dunholm simply watched in awe as the golden giants strode amongst the warp spawn, banishing the creatures with blade and thunder seemingly impervious to those attacks that had brought ruinous end to so many of their kin.

By sunrise it was over, nothing remained of Dunholm’s mortal foe and with trepidation gates and doors to the citadel keeps began to open as the Knights of Dunholm approached their saviours with trepidation. All but untouched by the nights fighting, his armour showing no sign of damage, his perfect features demonstrating nothing of fatigue or exertion Dorn sought out the horrifically wounded Heretian king and carried him personally from the field. For days they remained locked away in the highest tower of the citadel, with only the legions apothecary’s granted entry. The primarch explained from where and why he had come. He explained that the bright new start in the sky had in fact been one of his ships come to investigate the signal that that had shone out across the sector with the dispersion of the regions storms and that he has come to unite the people of Dunholm with the rest of their race.

Leaving behind a small contingent of his fists to secure the planet, investigate the source of the beacon and protect those personnel now tasked with brining Heretu in line with the ways of the Imperium Dorn left just ten days after his arrival. Agents of the Mechanicum quickly arrived to examine the workings of Alnweck’s ancient systems and alongside the Imperial Fists converted and fortified the bastion further to act as a hub of Imperial governance. In time, owing to the increased demands of the Great Crusade and the relative levels of genetic purity found amongst the population of the feudal world the site became a legion keep of the Imperial Fists and recruits began to be drawn from the worlds noble families.

Throughout the later stages of the Great Crusade many Knights of Dunholm fought valiantly as members of the 7th Legion, marking their heritage and origins by displaying a small Beauseant within the iconography on their right shoulder pad and it is to noted that many quickly found themselves lifted into the ranks of Sigismund's Templars. At the break of the Legion and the end of Horus Heresy they found themselves divided between those three chapter made of the Dorn’s sons and for the first time a Knight of Dunholm, a direct descendant of the royal house of Frax no less, found himself in the position of Company Captain.

Antonid Frax V fought as Captain of the 4th throughout the great scouring and at the coming of the third founding was asked to form a chapter of his own to take Heretu as its homeworld. Following the edict Frax left the fists - and after seeking permission to invite those few marines of Heratian decent still serving the chapter to join him in the endeavour - set forth to reunite all those Astartes born of Dunholm.

It is said that this point marks the beginning of what has later come to have been known as the ‘founding quest’; the story of the three years Frax and his companions spent shadowing the crusading forces of the Black Templars, completing four great acts and convincing Sigismund to release those Heratians in his service to join their King on the forming of a new chapter. The story is still told each year at the end of the great feast set to mark the day of their founding.

Upon their return to Heretu the founding eight prepared the way for their new brothers. Frax took his place at the head of his house and was crowned King of Dunholm - Antonid Frax, the third of his name - and gave order that the families of the ten be raised as his great council. They in turn selected neigh one thousand families under their rule to take in a Space Marine so that he might be taught the ways of their society and eventually take lead of their houses. For one great hertain year, just less than three Terran, the King and his captains watched over their new battle brothers as they adapted to the culture and codes of what was to become their chapter and under the watch of the ten many of the original battle began to take on the traits of their house and region. Those under the watch of Great Tyset, captain of the 3rd, adopted the stoic fortitude of the frozen west; many of Aaret Cawly’s men began to display the impetuousness of Dunholm’s planes folk still found in 5th; and even Frax’s company took up the stubborn pride his ancestors had been known for.

On the founding day, just three years after their arrival on Heretu the Order of Dorn marked the declaration of its readiness to re-join the armies of the emperor with a week of celebration across Dunholm, culminating in a vast tournament of arms watched over by the King himself. Those members of the chapter who fared well, demonstrating martial prowess and skill across the events were awarded with rank and station. So it was that when the call to arms came, just weeks later, the Order made ready for war against the Ork empires surrounding Baradon and Charadon in supports of the Legio Destructor at full chapter strength.

Organisation

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Chapter Organisation 998.M41

T

he Order of Dorn differs from the standard codex organisation of most chapters on account of their unique recruitment methods and command structures. Drawn only from the noble families of Heretu each Space Marine of the Order of Dorn is the head of his house and rules in absence through a steward, usually a brother or uncle and the next in line to his title.

Rank and position within the Order are not the product of merit or experience but rather a reflection of position of the marine’s household in the power structures of Dunholm's noble class. With that said little else can affect the standing of a noble household of Dunholm to the quite the same extent as the honours and glories, or lack thereof, won by the Knight at its head.

The Order of Dorn are organised into eight fighting sorties rather than the ten battle companies dictated by the Codex Astartes. This alternative organisation is due to the lack of a fighting tenth as a result of the Order’s means of recruitment and training as well as the absence of a veteran first. Each of the fighting sorties is under the command of one of the ruling Lords of the upper houses of Dunholm and the members of the King’s Great Council.

The product of centuries of marriage, alliance, oath and favour each of these lords forms his own sortie from the Lords and Knights at the head of those minor houses sworn as banner men to his own. No formal veteran company is formed as each Knight of Dorn fights beside his own liege lord and only the extreme honour of being named a Royal Huscarl will ever see them fight under the banner of another sortie.

The eight sorties of The Order Of Dorn are made up of three combat battle sorties, three assault battle sorties and two reserve sorties. These forces see frequent rotation to allow for any losses taken to be replenished in reserve and for the Knights of Dorn to return and remain au fait with the affairs of their household.

Recruitment

WIP

The Lost Sorties

D

rawn only from the noble houses of Dunholm the recruitment processes of the Order of Dorn differ from the more traditional methods of many chapters. As the heads of their respective houses each member of The Order is responsible for the induction of their own heir as well as their training in the means of war. Most similar in fashion to the recruitment and training methods of the Black Templars, neophytes or squires are trained on a one to one basis by the heads of their family and in time join him in the field to prove they have what it takes to become a Space Marine.

Far from the most efficient means of recruitment The Order’s tradition is both slow and complex. Many squires are lost before their ascension into the Chapter’s ranks either on the field or as a result of the medical processes involved in becoming a space marine and although the rates of mortality for aspirants amongst The Order are no higher than in other chapters, the more tedious and complicated means of finding their replacements makes the losses far more costly. Often a Knight will find themselves with no clear heir leading to conflict and infighting within his household or face delays the training of a new Knight as he waits for a male child of the correct lineage to come of age. This in turn often leads to situations in which the head of a household is lost in battle before his heir and replacement can be inducted and it is at this point the chaplaincy of The Order steps in. Those squires who find themselves without a Knight to train them are adopted, sometimes two or three at a time, by one of the chapter’s Chaplains who act as their mentor until such time as they are judged ready to make their errant quest.

The Errant Quest is the final stage of the Order’s recruitment process, and is only undertaken once a squire and heir has proven themselves in battle and completed many of the medical procedures required for ascension into the ranks of the Adeptus Astartes. Once a member of the Order feels his heir is ready to undertake the ordeal he will escort him to the inner sanctum of the fortress monastery of Alnweck and hand him over to the Chaplains of the order so that the trials may be begun. For twenty days the aspirant is tried and tested to his mental and physical limits, his mind is probed and tested, his system attacked with toxin and hallucinogens and his body pushed to the edge of its genetically altered limits. Again and again he will be offered the chance to withdraw, granted the opportunity to take a place in serfdom to the chapter and forgo his ascension into the order’s ranks and again and again he will pay more dearly should he refuse to do so.

Should he last and should, after twenty days of trial, he still protest his right to take a place amongst his battle brothers he will be flown out into the wilds of Rhys, deep into the heart of the dead continent and be abandoned there - in a land where no living thing can survive and where the veil between reality and the warp is still dangerously thin. This marks the beginning of the Errant Quest as the squire is forced to set out alone, back to Dunholm on a journey that can take more than a week. During this time, already on the limit of physical endurance and with the residual effects of the chaplaincy’s toxins still taking affect the squire will face his greatest trail for in Rhys, there are voices still to be heard on the wind.

Through tortuous days of walking, kept alive only by surgically implanted organs often becoming agonisingly active for the first time, triggered by those drugs administer during the twenty days or simply through the necessity to go on, the aspirants undergo a barrage of daemonic attacks. Sensing a sole presence in this place where the boundary between their realm and reality is so thin entities of the warp flock to attack the mind of potential vassals that they might experience physical form once again. Doubt, greed, pride, lust and fear the creatures of the warp will try anyway they can to open the mind of aspirants enough that they might force their way in and only through fighting the worst of themselves, by beating their own inner ‘daemons’ can the squires of the Order of Dorn hope to make it back to Dunholm alive. Should they make it back and in so doing prove that they have faced the worst of what the universe can throw at them and known no fear, they are taken up by the chaplains and apothecaries of the chapter and the final stages of hypno-cognative training and physical alteration are implemented. The aspirants are returned to their families and their mentors no longer as men, but as Space Marines of the Order of Dorn.

Beliefs

T

he Order of Dorn venerate the Emperor and Rogal Dorn, the Emperor as the gene-father of the Adeptus Astartes, and Rogal Dorn as their primogenitor and Primarch. The Chapter also maintains a strict schedule of holy days, the most important being the Foundation Day which is marked with weeklong celebrations the length and breadth of Dunholm with carnivals, fares and vast tournaments during which the members of the chapter test themselves against their battle brothers in shows of martial prowess and the mortal inhabitants of Dunholm demonstrate the chivalric traditions of its people. On the Foundation Day itself the members of the chapter seal themselves away within their fortress monastery and take part in the great feast of gathering during which the chapters Knights are regaled with the telling of the chapters histories and the telling of the founding quest by Ancient Pádraig himself.

The Order of Dorn and the peoples of Dunholm also hold a particular hatred for psykers and the ruinous powers for obvious reason and as a result do not make use of librarians as it is their belief that to do so would cast shame on the millennia long traditions of their people. The Order Of Dorn do use non-combat psykers in other tasks that do not directly involve combat however these individuals are never permitted to set foot on their homeworld and are always held with disdain and mistrust.

Battle Cry

"DORN RISES!"

Combat Doctrine

T

he Order of Dorn often operates in formations made up of two chapter sorties, one battle sortie and one assault sortie. This allows the chapter to concentrate its fleet assets into more capable and concentrated battle groups while granting its sorties the added flexibility and advantage of operating in pairs. As such these fleets are quite capable of operating automatously in different theatres of combat across the Imperium.

In terms of their approach to warfare the Order of Dorn can be seen to reflect both the traditions of their parent legion and the culture of their homeworld. The tactics they employ demonstrate the chapter’s adherence to codes and tenants of Dunholm’s chivalric past while their stubborn temperament and unwillingness to admit defeat is clearly the product of Dorn’s gene-seed.

On entry to an enemy system the Order of Dorn will always declare their presence in a cacophony of vox and psychic communication. In perfect circumstances the Order endeavours to fill all channels with declarations of their intent, destroying their opponents ability to organise any meaningful response to their arrival as they make straight for their target maintaining a high translation velocity. It goes against of the Order’s tenants and traditions to perform any type of covert warfare as they believe to do so would suggest its requirement and bring into question their absolute superiority. This total belief in their own ability and the contempt in which they hold any resistance brought against them is also reflected on the battlefield as Knights of Dorn will often wade into withering hails of enemy fire rather than sully themselves with the seeking of cover which they view as an admission of their foes competency.

Following the dictates of the Codex Astartes the Order of Dorn will often seek to perform a single decapitating strike against their foe, utilising the terrifying strength of an entire battle sortie to strike at an enemy’s headquarters and capture their own fortifications for use against them. During the opening stages of an attack the assault echelon of an Order fleet will attempt to neutralise any orbital defences whilst the battle sortie makes planet fall. Once a beachhead has been formed the assault sortie then seeks to make landfall itself before sallying forth and striking out at whatever pockets of resistance survived bombardment from the fleets above. The three assault sorties of the Order of Dorn make great use of land speeder squadrons and bike mounted knights as well as rhino and razorback transports.

The tenacity and prowess of the Order of Dorn have won the chapter many great victories however it must be said that their unwillingness to compromise in their approach to war and their seeming inability to accept defeat have cost the chapter dear on occasion. Just as with other chapters bearing Dorn’s gene-seed the Order seems to show a propensity towards the continued persecution of conflicts many would deem already lost and this has resulted in the desperate last stand of knights no longer able to withdraw. (See Lost Sorties: WIP)

Gene-Seed

B

earing the gene-seed of the Imperial Fists the Order of Dorn lack two organs particular to Space Marines: the Betcher Gland, which allows the Marine to produce acidic spittle, and the Sus-an Membrane, which allows the Marine to enter a state of suspended animation. Apart from this issue the Gene-Seed of the Order of Dorn is considered extremely stable and shows great resistance to mutation and degradation

Notable Battles and Campaigns

WIP

Notable Knights of Dorn

Antonid Frax III – First Chapter Master of the Order of Dorn.

Founding Knights of the Order
Lord Aaret Cowder – First Lord of 2nd Company.
Great Tyset - First Lord of 3rd Company.
Lord Shawen Anderston - First Lord of 4th Company.
Lord Charen Cawly - First Lord of 5th Company.
Lord Jeon Buth - First Lord of 6th Company.
Lord Rian Inbuhr - First Lord of 7th Company.
Lord Faben Simmos - First Lord of 8th Company.

Ser Padriag Frax – Founding Member of the Order of Dorn, First Chief Huscarl and Venerable Dreadnought.

Antonid Frax XXIV – Chapter Master of the Order of Dorn and King of Dunholm.
Antonid Frax XXV – Castellan of Alnweck, Heir to the King.

Prior Jonsall Barston – High Reclusiarch, Great Council Member.
Maester Michard Coyle – Keeper of Records, Great Council Member.
Michard Temlin – Chief Apothecary, Great Council Member.
Andreth Baynad – Master of the Forge, Great Council Member.
Tommat Robet – Master of the Fleet, Great Council Member.

Lord-Huscarl Andreth Travane – Chief Huscarl, Head of House Travane, Great Council Member.
Ser Gaventh Travane – Royal Huscarl, Head of House Errat.

Ancient allies of House Frax the Travane’s carry with them a legacy any house on Dunholm would be proud of. Raised to the position of Royal Huscarl early in their careers they find themselves in an unusual position with two brothers being members of the Order – the result of a lack of a male heir on their mother’s side.

[Cleal Baros]

All and any C & C welcome.

[Andrew J]

It looks good. Did you change much from the last version? Or did you just add the coding?

[Cleal Baros]

Added and edited with code added. WIP sections should be done by tomorrow.

[Cleal Baros]

Updated project log found here http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...howtopic=238056

[Cleal Baros]

Combat Doctrine added. Any and all C & C would be much appreciated.

 

Just noticed I'm way out when it comes to dates, I'll have to remove the 'great deeds' for now as the connection with the templars is clearly a no go...

 

Would have hoped this would be the sort of thing someone would have pointed out to me earlier.

[daryl]

This was a very easy read and kept my attention really well. I especially like the reasoning behind the lack of librarians. The primarch's saving the planet's populations was excellent, and easily explains the long and proud history of the chapter. Overall I would say 7 out of 10, but would go up once the WIP are finished out. I will definitely be checking back.

[Andrew J]

Cleal this is really coming together! It already seems pretty much complete and anything else you add will only make them better. Really love the story line of these guys.

[Cleal Baros]

Thanks for all the feedback Andrew, anyone else got any input?

 

I had wanted this to be the last draft before I added any flavor text or info boxes but I'm hesitant to go ahead with such a small amount of outside input.

 

p.s Thank also goes out to daryl :D (It's always nice when someone appreciated you chapter and your prose lol.)

[CKO]

I love the idea and I want you to improve it and make it better. I will smash some parts of it because its not believable but its editing and we can make it better as we are brothers both proud sons of Dorn.

 

First the miniature astronomica has to go, a 1000 psykers die every day so that the Emperor can create one but some how your planet has one, simply no.

 

I like the planet having history with Dorn but I think its a little over the top. First the enemy should not be daemons as the Imperium knew nothing about them until the Heresy, we need to change the enemy. Secondly the Imperial Fist never left keeps back then, peturbo did that so I am not sure if that will fly. Dorn personally carrying the king back to the castle and explaining everything to him is a sad idea. I can promise you that is not how Primarchs made planets compliant, task like that were left to humans.

 

Like I said its a good idea just need to change some things.

[Cleal Baros]

The Imperial Fists did categorically form chapter keeps, they did so on Necromunda and Inwit.

 

Your not the first to point out the issue with Dorn carrying the king, it's been an issue since the early drafts which I've held onto but it looks like it'll have to go.

 

As far as miniature astronomican goes do you really think it's that big an issue?

 

The thing isn't on anything like the scale of the real thing, it can only be seen in the neighbouring systems.

 

The Deamons/Rhysians may become Orks.

[CKO]

The Imperial Fists did categorically form chapter keeps, they did so on Necromunda and Inwit.

 

Check my sources and we are both correct. He did not build keeps but he did gather recruits from other worlds, it even states that he said, "I want recruits not vassals". It also says that 70% of his recruits came from the Inwit cluster which is where his pod landed and he took over the sector before the Emperor arrived.

 

Your not the first to point out the issue with Dorn carrying the king, it's been an issue since the early drafts which I've held onto but it looks like it'll have to go.

 

Its a tad to much, I like the story but you can make it more believable by making it more of a myth than fact. If you were to say things like it is said or it is rumoured that Dorn himself did xyz than it becomes acceptable.

 

As far as miniature astronomican goes do you really think it's that big an issue?

 

Yes, it is a MAJOR issue. Why do you think the Emperor must live? Its not because it will have a morale effect on the Imperium, its because it is his will alone that creates the astronomican which astropaths use to navigate in the warp to travel. Without him there is no safe warp travel.

 

The thing isn't on anything like the scale of the real thing, it can only be seen in the neighbouring systems.

 

Doesnt matter, the astronomican plays to important of a role in the 40k universe for there to be another one. Besides why do you need something like that on the planet?

 

The Deamons/Rhysians may become Orks.

 

It doesnt have to be orks you could make up your own xenos, remember back then they were eliminating xenos so it would be ok for you to create some alien species that the 7th Legion cleanses while making a planet compliant, but orks are fine.

 

Hopes, this helps!

[Cleal Baros]

"The Imperial Fists take their potential recruits from many worlds, among which are Terra, Necromunda and Inwit. On each of these worlds they maintain a Chapter keep." - Straight from the fists IA.

 

I realise could create a xenos race but Orks fit, especially in the region around the dominion. It's easier to explain how/why a feudal human society could have survived sharing a world with them (I'll make them feral Orks), especially if they've had a pre-old night fortifacation to keep them at bay.

 

I'm trying to think of ways to adapt Dunholm while still keeping it unique/special enough to attract the attention of the fists in the first place. I'm considering it having the ability to broadcast a short range signal into the warp without the use of an astropath. Essentially keeps away from the dangerous area of 'mini astronomican' but doesn't require all that much of a re-write. As soon as the warp storms cleared the fortress started to broadcast again, some believe this was in an attempt to reconnect with other such structures that once occupied the surrounding systems but now lay in ruin after millennia of separation.

[Cleal Baros]

"The Imperial Fists take their potential recruits from many worlds, among which are Terra, Necromunda and Inwit. On each of these worlds they maintain a Chapter keep." - Straight from the fists IA.

 

I realise could create a xenos race but Orks fit, especially in the region around the dominion. It's easier to explain how/why a feudal human society could have survived sharing a world with them (I'll make them feral Orks), especially if they've had a pre-old night fortifacation to keep them at bay.

 

I'm trying to think of ways to adapt Dunholm while still keeping it unique/special enough to attract the attention of the fists in the first place. I'm considering it having the ability to broadcast a short range signal into the warp without the use of an astropath. Essentially keeps away from the dangerous area of 'mini astronomican' but doesn't require all that much of a re-write. As soon as the warp storms cleared the fortress started to broadcast again, some believe this was in an attempt to reconnect with other such structures that once occupied the surrounding systems but now lay in ruin after millennia of separation.

[Andrew J]

I would say its not a mini astronomican but maybe the structure creates a disturbance in the warp that can be recognized by ships that pass within a relative distance. Not necessarily a shining beacon like the astronomican but just an oddity which would have attracted the original IF back during the GC. That is originally what I got from your IA but looking back over it you say:

Heretu the fortress acts as a beacon in the warp, shining out into the storm wracked region of space surrounding the Heratian sector to offer warning and a point of navigation to ships passing by. The lost technologies and working of Alnwecks beacon

and I can see what CKO is saying now.

 

I would think feral orks would work very well. That would fit quite easily IMO.

 

Hope that helps.

[CKO]

The thing is you do not need a reason for the planet to attract the Imperial Fist. It was during the Great Crusade they were already going from planet to planet re-uniting humanity, but if you want the planet to have some form of importance due to a technological reason then that is fine also.

[Cleal Baros]

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...25&start=25

 

First 1500 points are all done, just have to crack on with next draft of their IA now.