An ancient chapter has arwoken

[Magos Genetor]

Hello chaps,

we all know this strange emotion that is a mixture of excitement and grieve. Yes, I did it again. I ordered homogeneous loads of Space Marines, including even a Land Raider. All those wasted requisition points! I could have ordered a synthesizer instead (some heretic xeno-tech to create noise -similar to the blastmasters' unholy weapon). But now it has been done and I'll collect my new brethren from the local mechanicus forgeworld next Wednesday. And so a new chapter will be born. Their general theme is sea-faring savages and gladiators. The outline is below:

 

Storm Krakens

 

Origins:

•26 Founding; White Scars Geneseed

•Majorly flawed/unstable geneseed: tentacle mutations occur -especially instead of facial hair- that are removed with knifes in highly ceremonial rituals. It is known that the Storm Krakens have a scornful and stubborn demeamour and uphold the cruel traditions of their former tribes.

 

 Homeworld:

•Argon, a Feral World with salvaging and largely sea-faring tribes located in the Segmentum Ultima

•The fleet itself is relatively large and scattered around the Imperium

 

Combat Doctrine:

•Swift as the Wind

•Armored Assault

•They utilize a piece of artillery, usually a whirlwind or more often a thunderfire-cannon to pin the enemy down, before they strike from several fronts with both heavy armor and fast attack vehicles. While under bombardment the argonauts (scouts) destroy vital targets, usually dangerous armor or commanders to neutralize any organization of the enemy forces. Even though this chapter sacrifices large amounts of scouts it rarely suffers heavy losses of marines, as the enemy isn't able to react quick enough to really fend off the assault.

•Marines have a short, light spear next to their gladius as a standard close combat weapon. It may also be thrown for silent take-downs. The captains carry a trident, a modified power-weapon. Hardened nets may be used to inhibit the enemies movements and those close-combat oriented marines often sport heavily armored right arm protection, called "gladiators' arm".

 

Beliefs:

•They hate the xenos more than the inner enemy and the witch, yet they fight them all

•Many rituals and sea-faring symbolism. Their chapter symbol is the navigators' star for the veterans, and the trident for all other battle brothers. They also have heavily tattooed skin, usually depicting sea-monsters and tentacle-like tribals.

 

Organizations:

•Recruitsment of feral gladiators by Fights to the Blood in the arenas of the tribes

•Scouts are called argonauts

•Many recruits have minor psychic abilities, yet only the rarest psykers survive the indoctrination and trials. In combination with the modified Kraken geneseed they develop the third eye and have navigation abilities. The Storm Krakens have not a single battle-oriented psyker as their geneseed always mutates them into (mediocre, but still viable) navigators. As the old navigator families are jealously protecting their monopoly it was necessity to acquire a special recommendation or license to utilize own navigators. This rare honour was indeed given, yet the Strom Krakens are indebted to provide the Deathwatch with 5 battle brothers, always replacing those who have fallen.

•Known Successors: Iron Krakens

---

 

Their primary color is Enchanted Blue, their secondary color is Skull White and details are in Hawk turquoise. I am aware that the navigator-thing is quite extreme and gives fluff-pain, but it fits the theme.

 

Any ideas/critics? (I would also welcome harsh critic, yet I'll answer as harshly ;P)

 

Small edit: Amphibious rhinos are planned. Stay tuned for pictures :blush:

[Machine God]

Hail and well met Brother!

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Interesting idea you have there. Navigators instead of Librarians.

 

Your chapter will face heavy censure if it must pass muster in the Inquisitions view especially with the visible mutations of tentacles(warp Mutation?) and third eyes.

Comparisons will certainly be drawn with the Thousand Sons.

 

By the way who is the Centauri in your Avatar?

[Magos Genetor]

Hail and well met Brother!

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Interesting idea you have there. Navigators instead of Librarians.

 

Your chapter will face heavy censure if it must pass muster in the Inquisitions view especially with the visible mutations of tentacles(warp Mutation?) and third eyes.

Comparisons will certainly be drawn with the Thousand Sons.

 

By the way who is the Centauri in your Avatar?

 

I didn't know what a centauri was, so I looked it up with Google- and dear Emperor did I laugh! It is Giorgio A. Tsoukalos, an alien expert, and the similarity is indeed striking. I'll change my avatar to something more appropriate as soon as I find some not-so-common artwork of a coat-wearing marine commander.

 

Back to topic: the third eye is typical for navigators and thus only develops fully for the navigators count-as-librarians. Navigators are probably the only heavy mutated human subspecies that is tolerated in the Imperium. Some purist inquisitors even use complex cogitators instead of them to navigate slowly through the warp. I agree: why should the inquisition allow mutations to occur, when they already have a restricted source of those necessary mutants? Especially genetically enhanced navigators that belong to the Astartes who are notoriously difficult to control (having all their own rituals and traditions that may even border on heresy). All fluff regarding nevigators that I know of are from the Wolfblade novel and the lexicanum entry- and by the EMperor, I like those guys.

 

The tentacles should remember of the theme: [warp]sea-faring savages, as dangerous and tentacled as the Kraken that gives them their name. Maybe they develop them due to their overboarding long warp-travels, as they only enter the realspace to strike the enemy or to visit their home-planet. MAybe the mutation isn't known by the inquisition as it is a secret, or it is indeed tolerated.

 

Concluding: neither inquisition nor navigators would allow something like this to occur. I wanted to work around those issues by having them pay a tribute in the form of mercenaries for the Deathwatch in order to applease the inquisition. Maybe the Storm Krakens provide them with marines, just like the space-wolfes. Its indeed difficult to solve...

[Andrew J]

Totally recognize old giorgio. See him all the time on the naz.. ahem> history channel. Also welcome brother to the B&C!

 

Back on topic. I like your mixing of themes here. Personally not a fan of the navigator thing but if you like it go with it. As long as you can explain it anything is ok. I also like the tentacle thing. I am guessing you got it from Pirates of the Carribean. I think that would look pretty cool on a marine if done right.

 

I think you got a good base of ideas and should now work on expanding the Homeworld and Beliefs sections as those are pretty thin right now and are a large part of a good IA.

 

Keep it up!

[Sun Grilled Bacon]

I wanted to work around those issues by having them pay a tribute in the form of mercenaries for the Deathwatch in order to applease the inquisition. Maybe the Storm Krakens provide them with marines, just like the space-wolfes.

 

Well, quite a lot of chapters have sent marines to serve in the Deathwatch (Ultramarines, Blood Angels, Space Wolves, Imperial Fists, White Scars, Salamanders etc.)

 

And if you're really adamant on the whole tentacle-ly thing, I would suggest that the marines try to keep it a secret as much as possible, e.g. never removing their helmets when they're not alone with their chapter.

[voi shet magir]

Hi, ok, linking this thread now

cuz I like it and people can learn from it but I don't, you know, want to talk about it.

[Magos Genetor]

Totally recognize old giorgio. See him all the time on the naz.. ahem> history channel. Also welcome brother to the B&C!

 

Back on topic. I like your mixing of themes here. Personally not a fan of the navigator thing but if you like it go with it. As long as you can explain it anything is ok. I also like the tentacle thing. I am guessing you got it from Pirates of the Carribean. I think that would look pretty cool on a marine if done right.

 

I think you got a good base of ideas and should now work on expanding the Homeworld and Beliefs sections as those are pretty thin right now and are a large part of a good IA.

 

Keep it up!

 

You got me: Pirates of the Caribbean inspired me- as well as Cthullu. If it was a Chaos army I'd add a Cthullu Daemon Prince.

 

Well, quite a lot of chapters have sent marines to serve in the Deathwatch (Ultramarines, Blood Angels, Space Wolves, Imperial Fists, White Scars, Salamanders etc.)

 

And if you're really adamant on the whole tentacle-ly thing, I would suggest that the marines try to keep it a secret as much as possible, e.g. never removing their helmets when they're not alone with their chapter.

 

This might be a solution. Now my chapter, too, has a grimdark secret!

 

Hi, ok, linking this thread now

cuz I like it and people can learn from it but I don't, you know, want to talk about it.

 

I seriously feel honoured. Thanks. You'll like my next project, too (Emperor's Flagellates) but thanks to my limited budget it'll take some months before I start building the army.

 

 

---

 

Now a little update: as I successfully collected my requisition-points-draining wargear from the local forgeworld I was finally able to test the color scheme on real life miniatures- and I am still experimenting. I also decided to make them wear capes that have several odd things (sailor's yarn) attached to them as well as trophy-rackets on their servo-backpack (Still parts left from my Chaos-past).

 

Expanding the outline in progress; I'm using the deathwatch core book for some inspiration...

[Magos Genetor]

A little update, to be completed:

 

 

 

 

The Storm Krakens- Guardians in the Warp, Gladiators of the Emperor

 

Founding - Twenty Third Founding

Gene Seed - White Scars, yet majorly flawed/unstable

Chapter Master - Davius Jonus Octorn

Homeworld - Argon I

Fortress Monastery - Poseidon

Main Battle Barge - Kraken

Main Colors - Enchanted Blue; secondary color: Skull White; details: Hawk turquoise

Specialty - Interstellar fleet ambushes, target extractions and armored assaults supported by minor artillery and scouts

Battle Cry - unknown (reported as "Stand clear, put up your sword", "Your sheer destruction is certain!" and "The Doomed greet you, for you are doomed as well!")

Estimated Strength - Full Strenght, fluctuating numbers of scouts

 

 

History and Geneseed

 

The Storm Krakens were created with the purpose to serve as a fleet-based force that specialises in ambushes of other fleets. The Emperor's Tarot foreshadowed that Abbadons 12th crusade, later known as the Gothic War, would be more devastating than all other crusades since the 4th. The Storm krakens were equipped with ancient and thus more advanced ships and cogitators in order to cut Abbadons supply routes in the future. As they were expected to spend the majority of their lifetime in the warp in order to outflank hostile fleets the Mechanicus was ordered to modify an appropriate geneseed in a way that allows some psykers of the Storm Krakens to support their navigators. Such strong modifications on the holy geneseeds of the Primarchs often lead to problems and the Storm Krakens belong to the most unusual chapter since those founded during the 21st founding. Some say that the Mechanicus tampered with the geneseed, others say it was a major success, for it turned some psykers (those who survived the treatments) in mutants with the third eye, the warp-eye. Such mutants are known as navigators and are so different to their previous ancestors that they are neither mutants nor abhumans, but a own species derived from human genes. The Storm Krakens rarely utilize the services of established navigator houses, instead they train their navigator-like brethren vigoriously so they may attain a skill that comes close to those who developed the third eye by natural causes.

 

It is needless to say that it drew both the scornful eye of the Inquisition as well as the jealous eye of the navigators to them. For the Inquisition they were near-heretical mutants, while the navigators feared for their special position inside of the imperial organization. The Storm Krakens therefore did their best to prove their loyalty during the conflict known as Abbadons 12th crusade. They furthermore provide the Deathwatch with five of their brethren and replace those who have fallen and they supply the major Navigator's Houses with several mercenaries of their ranks as a tribute.

 

Shunned by all they spend their time travelling the dangerous warp and only surface in real-space when they strike the enemy.

 

 

Beliefs and Demeamour

 

The Storm Krakens are proud, scornful and stubborn. It is the natural result of the roots of their recruits as well as the result of indoctrination and geneseed traits. They are aware that they are close to being exvommunicated from the Imperium and defend their honour by striking down their enemy without mercy, not even towards their own ranks. Their recruits are mostly feral sailors with a hang to telling mystic stories and thus travelling the warp is a challenge that they love to master. The warp is the only storm-ridden sea that always escapes a logic description or understanding -it's the most evil-minded sea and the most wrecked creatures inhabit it- truly a place for every veteran sailor who takes pride in his exploits.

 

The Storm Krakens are indifferent towards their own mutations. For one their are ashemed of being so far away from the grace of the Emperor, their lighthouse, on the other side their pride makes them perceive themselves as the new step of evolution and some have a sense of supremacy when they compare themselves with less "gifted" marines.

 

 

 

Homeworld

 

Argon I is a planet mostly covered by vast oceans. it is inhabited by ferals, most of them experienced sailors. The planet is rather cold and the winters are long, yet most Storm Krakens remember their planet to be the home of lush forests and wide oceans.

 

Doctrine

 

 

Geneseed and Recruitment

 

 

 

Organization

 

 

The companies are as follows:

 

Notable individuals

[Culebras]

•Majorly flawed/unstable geneseed: tentacle mutations occur -especially instead of facial hair- that are removed with knifes in highly ceremonial rituals. It is known that the Storm Krakens have a scornful and stubborn demeamour and uphold the cruel traditions of their former tribes.

 

If I may suggest, tentacles are one of those things tied closely to Chaos so a bit of explanation may be required (that and some very nice helmets)

 

First, all your marines will have to be bald, otherwise they are going to look very chaosy. Facial and skull scars pretty much mandatory. Thats not a bad thing, and with them being White scars, sort of makes sense.

 

The simplest way to work in the tentacles would be to tie it in with an important gene seed organ. I would suggest some strange and unforseen modification to the Black Carapace, biscopea, and/or the mucranoid. The hormones from the Biscopea combine with the secretions of the Mucranoid glads to cause hair follicles to stick together, eventually developing into dreadlock like masses. that alone wouldn't be a problem, but a mutation of the Black carapace could cause growth of nerve fibers into these dreads, eventually turning them into tentacles. By tying the tentacles to the black carapce, you help answer the question of why. If the tentacles were just tied to a recruiting population or a less important organ, they could be phased out. but without the black carapace, you can't use power armor.

 

just a suggestion.

[Andrew J]

Quick problem. Are they fleet based or have a homeworld? It tends to be one or the other. Mostly because fleet based tend not to stay in one area for long and so recruit constantly while on missions. Homeworlds tie a chapter down to one area. They have to go back to get recruits and so are less mobile as a fully fleet based chapter.

 

I like the idea of sailors among the stars and think you could expand that more, leaving out the homeworld. Maybe they have a large ship that simulates an ocean with some original kraken on it? The Phalanx of the IF is as large as a small moon its said. Perhaps they had a homeworld in the beginning but it was destroyed in some way and so they carry a piece of their world with them on this one ship which they use as a recruiting center now. Being reminded of Brothers of the Snake now.

 

Just thoughts. I could be totally wrong too. Hope it helps.

[Magos Genetor]

•Majorly flawed/unstable geneseed: tentacle mutations occur -especially instead of facial hair- that are removed with knifes in highly ceremonial rituals. It is known that the Storm Krakens have a scornful and stubborn demeamour and uphold the cruel traditions of their former tribes.

 

If I may suggest, tentacles are one of those things tied closely to Chaos so a bit of explanation may be required (that and some very nice helmets)

 

First, all your marines will have to be bald, otherwise they are going to look very chaosy. Facial and skull scars pretty much mandatory. Thats not a bad thing, and with them being White scars, sort of makes sense.

 

The simplest way to work in the tentacles would be to tie it in with an important gene seed organ. I would suggest some strange and unforseen modification to the Black Carapace, biscopea, and/or the mucranoid. The hormones from the Biscopea combine with the secretions of the Mucranoid glads to cause hair follicles to stick together, eventually developing into dreadlock like masses. that alone wouldn't be a problem, but a mutation of the Black carapace could cause growth of nerve fibers into these dreads, eventually turning them into tentacles. By tying the tentacles to the black carapce, you help answer the question of why. If the tentacles were just tied to a recruiting population or a less important organ, they could be phased out. but without the black carapace, you can't use power armor.

 

just a suggestion.

 

Your fantasy is impressive- dreadlock marines, hell yes! I thought that the constant exposure to the warp may explain it already. Their psykers turn into navigator-like mutants. Most navigators, apart from those of established houses, have some grotesque mutations. As every marine of the Storm Krakens shares the same instable geneseed they all are prone to mutations that usually occur during extended warp travels, even though they may not share the abilities of their more navigator-like brethren.

 

I like your explanation even better, even though it sounds even more over the top ;) I'll include it nevertheless.

 

Quick problem. Are they fleet based or have a homeworld? It tends to be one or the other. Mostly because fleet based tend not to stay in one area for long and so recruit constantly while on missions. Homeworlds tie a chapter down to one area. They have to go back to get recruits and so are less mobile as a fully fleet based chapter.

 

I like the idea of sailors among the stars and think you could expand that more, leaving out the homeworld. Maybe they have a large ship that simulates an ocean with some original kraken on it? The Phalanx of the IF is as large as a small moon its said. Perhaps they had a homeworld in the beginning but it was destroyed in some way and so they carry a piece of their world with them on this one ship which they use as a recruiting center now. Being reminded of Brothers of the Snake now.

 

Just thoughts. I could be totally wrong too. Hope it helps.

 

I imagined Argon I as a secure harbour. Even pirates had Tortuga. As the Storm Krakens rarely suffer large casualties they won't have to return to their world that frequently. Being masters of warp travel- the place that knows neither room nor time, they don't lose any valuable time to return. Every marine chapter is at the end fleet based.

 

Yet your idea is better. In fact I just found something interesting on wikipedia:

 

"Shanghaiing refers to the practice of conscripting men as sailors by coercive techniques such as trickery, intimidation, or violence. Those engaged in this form of kidnapping were known as crimps. Until 1915, unfree labor was widely used aboard American merchant ships. The related term press gang refers specifically to impressment practices in Great Britain's Royal Navy. (...)The most straightforward method for a crimp to shanghai a sailor was to render him unconscious, forge his signature on the ship's articles, and pick up his "blood money." This approach was widely used, but there were more profitable methods."

 

Well, this is what I call initiation trials! And it fits the theme. This method might explain why their scouts are expendable, while scout sargeants, the Argonauts (taken from the greek mythology), are born in Argon I and more respected.

[Andrew J]

I like where you are going with this. Maybe make "scouts" more or less badass veteran guardsmen like guys. They dont receive any of the implants of space marines. They are like conscripts but who actually are good at their jobs. Then you could maybe have it where the storm krakens are more secretive and only take recruits from Argon but who never go through scout training, they are just given PA after initial training and put with squads like the Space Wolves or Iron Snakes. Also they never show their true face to the "scouts" or any one else because of their mutations.

 

I dont know just thoughts. I read a good IA a few weeks ago I think called Sons of Olympia. Not sure. Anyway he talked about how they dont have scouts because their geneseed is so precious, but instead use Spec Ops humans as scouts. Made sense the way he described it. Maybe that could work for you.

 

Edit: Here it is. Order of Olympia