A thought on the Angels of Redemption

[Lord_Caerolion]

Well, we all know the Angels of Absolution view their own sins as being forgiven from an unspecified action in the past, but that somehow the Dark Angels see no problem in this idea of their closest Successor Chapter. I was thinking over how this could be allowed, and how it came about, and I came up with an interesting concept for the Angels of Absolution, namely a new title for their Chapter Master: the Sin Eater.

 

Basically, the Angels of Absolution are still Unforgiven, but this fact is kept hidden from all but the Chapter Master and the Reclusiarch. When the Chapter Master ascends to his position, the truth of their status is revealed to him, that nothing but the capture and repentance of every last Fallen can assuage their guilt, but that this truth is hidden from their Inner Circle so that they may hunt the Fallen with a clear conscience. The Chapter Master ritually takes the burden of sin upon himself, presided over by the Reclusiarch. This is why the Angels of Absolution are still so driven to hunt the Fallen, even though they have the least inclination to do so, spiritually. The Chapter Master watches over each and every interrogation, longing for the day when the last Fallen repents in front of him, and his Chapters shame can finally be erased.

[lost_angel]

Interesting perspective. Saying that though, I take the AoA attitude at face value as written in the codex. I feel that the slightly different interpretations of the Unforgiven creed are more compelling the way they are and could make for some interesting interactions when the chapters get together.

 

R

[Brother-Sergeant Bohemond]

Interesting perspective. Saying that though, I take the AoA attitude at face value as written in the codex. I feel that the slightly different interpretations of the Unforgiven creed are more compelling the way they are and could make for some interesting interactions when the chapters get together.

 

R

 

I am inclined to agree with lost angel here. I believe that they hunt the fallen with such fervor not for themselves as penance, but in order to save the souls of the Fallen. They see themselves as ok, but they recognise the fact that their brothers, are racked by guilt and that the Fallen are guilty.

 

But thats my own take on them

[Lord_Caerolion]

Yeah, now that I think about it a bit more, I'm liking the idea less and less. Back to the standard Forgiven Angels of Absolution for me!

[lost_angel]

Here's a thought. What if it was the doctrinal differences were one reason why the AoA were given chapter status around the time of the second founding?

In some fan fluff I wrote a while back I pictured the differences of opinion (however slight) as a good enough reason to separate those marines who share it from the main body of the DA. The reasons for this could be many but I'd envisioned a hard-line Interrogator persecuting those marines who refused to accept their own burden of guilt and the DA Grand-master, in an astute political move, giving the same marines the honor of forming their own chapter. Consequently, further civil conflict was avoided (remember, the fall of Caliban was fresh in their minds), the AoA were free to hold onto their interpretation and, as a bonus, the DA's were seen to be conforming to the recent dictates of the Codex Astartes. How's that sound?

 

PS: regardless of what your own perspective on the fluff is, I reckon the SIn Eater would be a great title for an Interrogator Chappy

[lost_angel]

PPS: Might need to change your title to AoA:)

[Captain Semper]

Well, we all know the Angels of Absolution view their own sins as being forgiven from an unspecified action in the past, but that somehow the Dark Angels see no problem in this idea of their closest Successor Chapter. I was thinking over how this could be allowed, and how it came about, and I came up with an interesting concept for the Angels of Absolution, namely a new title for their Chapter Master: the Sin Eater.

 

Basically, the Angels of Absolution are still Unforgiven, but this fact is kept hidden from all but the Chapter Master and the Reclusiarch. When the Chapter Master ascends to his position, the truth of their status is revealed to him, that nothing but the capture and repentance of every last Fallen can assuage their guilt, but that this truth is hidden from their Inner Circle so that they may hunt the Fallen with a clear conscience. The Chapter Master ritually takes the burden of sin upon himself, presided over by the Reclusiarch. This is why the Angels of Absolution are still so driven to hunt the Fallen, even though they have the least inclination to do so, spiritually. The Chapter Master watches over each and every interrogation, longing for the day when the last Fallen repents in front of him, and his Chapters shame can finally be erased.

 

Well, given that the wording in the Codex says: "... the Angels of Absolution consider their own sins expunged by the actions of their forefathers in the Fall of Caliban." it got me thinking. Who were the AoA "forefathers in the Fall of Caliban"? Well the answer could be: The whole of the Dark Angels Legion (the loyal part of course). If we go down this road then the fact that the DAs saw Luther and his buddies for what they were i.e. traitors and the fact that they went to great lengths to eradicate them, to the point of destroying their own homeworld is absolution enough! Yeap, they were traitors and we killed them. And those that escape we still hunt. So that makes us the good guys (not the AoA in particular but the whole of the "Unforgiven"). There is no concept of guilt because, well, we have nothing to be guilty about. They were bad and we are good!

 

In my mind, when the Legion was broken down to Chapters obviously the Inner Circle sat down and discussed their collective course of action and their ideological stance a number of voices were heard. The majority agreed that there was a guild to be shared and hunting the Fallen is their atonment. The member of the Inner Circle that differed in the perception of guilt but totally agreed on the neccessity of hunting the Fallen became the Chapter Master of the AoA and the rest, as they say, is history...

 

That explains both the AoA sense of absolvement of any guilt and their fanatical prosecution of the Fallen. So they agree to the hunt, they do not prescribe to the guilt. They realise however that the Imperium might not see this eye to eye and hence they also agree to secrecy. This reinforces my view that the DAs are only concerned with the Emperor and not the Imperium. In the eyes of the Emperor the AoA beleive they are absolved - in the eyes of the Imperium? They do not care enough to make them see... and they do not want to jeopardise the Unforgiven status within the structure of the Imperium by going public.

 

What I'm saying is, the AoA beleive all Unforgiven are in fact... forgiven - not just themselves. It's just that they are the only ones who see things that way! B)