IA: Ravens of the Harbinger v.1.8

[Wulfebane]

INDEX ASTARTES

THE RAVENS OF THE HARBINGER

"For every man, woman and child born after the apex of the Heresy and the enthronement of the Emperor, there has been a profound yearning for His return. As His guiding light fades, the darkness leaves many people lost. We must not succumb to this darkness. We will return the light to the Imperium."

– Chapter Master Gaius Ikram Thanos

S

ometime near the beginning of the 38th millennium, in the aftermath of the Age of Redemption, a small Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator fleet escorted by an entourage of Blood Raven vessels ventured out toward the uncharted southern-fringes of Segmentum Tempestus. Their mission was to return with discoveries of forgotten archeotech or any number of unrecorded secrets to benefit the Omnissiah. After several centuries spent circumnavigating warp storms through the Veiled Region, the fleet returned within range of the Astronomican and, as it would seem, had discovered more than anticipated.

The first transmission received from the fleet came as a garbled plea for aide. It was several weeks before the sector’s Imperial Navy made contact with the expedition and revealed their plight. Barely a third of their original strength, the remaining fleet showed signs of extreme distress. Officially, the missing vessels were declared casualties of xenos skirmishes and tumultuous warp storms. Among the survivors, however, there was no explanation offered as to why their Explorator crewmates were dead nearly to a man, survived only by their navigators and retinue of servitors; all that remained to account for their deeds were their war-torn and silent Astartes escorts.

At the behest of the fleet’s now-meager Librarian council, acting-Captain Iliyas Cale sent a carefully encrypted account to the nearest Blood Raven fleet. When a missive was finally received from the chapter’s own Ordo Psykana, Cale gathered what remained of the Blood Ravens and, without having completed repairs, struck out in search of a certain High Inquisitor of the Ordo Xenos rumored to be stationed nearby. High Inquisitor Tharin was a well-established radical among his peers and a known supporter of the Ocularian cabal. Cale then entrusted the High Inquisitor with the expedition's full report, per the Ordo Psykana's specific instructions, hoping their cause would fall on sympathetic ears. What resulted from this meeting was an Inquisitorial Mandate requesting the High Lords' sanction in the establishment of a new chapter - the Ravens of the Harbinger.

The Harbinger Threat

+++ Date: 0449.M38
++++ Ref: OrdoXenos//Explorator Fleet – Phi Epsilom
+++++By: Scrivener Sebastian Marcello, Order of the Sable Quills, adjunct to the Librarium Scribellum
+++Proxy: Brother-Captain Iliyas Cale, the Hunin’s Gambit
+++++ To: Current Librarian-Captain, the Litany of Fury
+++++ Re: Potential Xenos/Heretic Incursion

++Thought: May the Emperor’s light banish the darkness.

+++[MESSAGE READS]+++

By the Authority of the Immortal Emperor of Mankind, this mission briefing (and any transcript thereof), are classified information.

+Accounts recorded by Scrivener Sebastian+


By Imperial edict and perfunctory implementation of Order Beta-Sigma 17 of the Blood Ravens charter, I, First Sergeant Iliyas Cale, have assumed command as acting captain of the Hunin’s Gambit, and by such doing, retain mission control of the [REDACTED – sec. clearance: Gamma 2] device.
+++
For my first progress report, it is with a heavy heart that I must divulge the events leading to the discovery of what will be henceforth entered into record as the “Harbinger Threat” (ref. 46559/hr).

While in escort of the Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator fleet, we ventured beyond the guiding light of the Astronomican and into the Veiled Region of Segmentum Tempestus’ galactic southern fringes in pursuit of the point of origin by auspice of the [REDACTED – sec. clearance: Gamma 2] device. Due to the unreliable nature of warp travel through the region, several years were dedicated to this expedition.
+[REDACTED]+
Upon arrival in the system pre-designated Avallonis, we sent probes to six nearby planets in hopes of ascertaining a connection to the premonitions. Several energy anomalies were discovered in the vicinity of a gas giant appointed the name Caligo. After establishing orbit around the planet, tactical units along with Mechanicum personnel were sent to investigate the energy signatures dotting Caligo’s half-dozen moons. This would prove to be foolhardy.

+++CLASSIFIED - Victis Obscurate+++

The following has been censured as classified and privileged information by Inquisitorial Remit.

=][=Security clearance Beta 9 required=][=

:// ********* ** *****
+++CLEARANCE CODE ACCEPTED+++

The moons harbored dormant xenos entities composed entirely of advanced mechanical technology. Our dispatched teams triggered safeguards causing the xenos to awaken which resulted in hostile actions. Weaponry of alien origin inflicted several casualties in the first hours, so the call was made to deploy more Astartes to support the initial teams. In turn, unidentified aeronautica and planetary defense ordnances engaged the fleet, causing massive damage to the prone orbiting vessels.
+[REDACTED]+
And so, after months of battle around the planet, our commanders were confident that all xenos entities had been eradicated, leaving us with heavy losses and at half strength; several fleet vessels were also destroyed. It is believed that had we not come upon the xenos while in stasis, we would have been annihilated.

Preparations were made to fortify and excavate the moons to determine what the xenos were guarding in hopes of finding a link to the [REDACTED – sec. clearance: Gamma 2] device. It was decided that permanent stations would be erected and the remaining fleet would stay for one Terran year before it was necessary to return to charted Imperial space to resupply and report our findings.
+[REDACTED]+
With excavations complete, the findings could be of monumental importance. As explained to me by Magos Praxis, the moons shelter what appear to be ancient Dolmen Gates from the eras prior to the Age of Man, where the “Old Ones” (ref. P0-010a) held sovereignty over the galaxy. The technology is far beyond us though Praxis, after having conferred with our Librarian Council, is confident that we will find the means to make them operational. Should the project bear fruit, we may have found a reliable access point into the Webway, should the Emperor bless us.
+[REDACTED]+
We were too late. The magnitude of warp energy that emanated from the [REDACTED – sec. clearance: Gamma 2] devices proved too much for the minds of our sworn charges. All sentient members of the Mechanicum fleet either died instantly or driven insane from the backlash, but all results were the same – not a single member of the Explorator fleet were to survive. Only those of us among the Blood Ravens had the understanding and psychic wardings in place to defend against such an event, but even so, several of our brothers were caught unaware. Among the casualties, Master Sumner and his honor guard were slain when set upon by a warp-turned archmagos and several conjoined servitors, resulting in my untimely promotion.

Further scrying of the event by our librarians has provided foreboding premonitions. Should the gates be used incorrectly, numerous timeline conduits suggest that xenos of divergent origins, including the Eldar as well as the strange mechanical beings, and creatures of Chaos will be attracted to the gates, resulting in overwhelming opposition. With our dead amassing to over two-thirds of our fleet from the initial formation, and the omens predicted, I have decided to reserve one strike cruiser to remain at Caligo to secure the Dolmen Gates and to establish an infrastructure within the system. The rest will return to within Astronomican range and muster a stronger force with which to continue the project. Whatever may happen to us, I pray that this report reaches the Imperium.

May the Emperor protect.

+++[MESSAGE ENDS]+++

Segmentum: Tempestus

Sector: Unknown variable “Veiled Region” – additional information required
Sub-sector: Unknown variable “Veiled Region” – additional information required
System: Avallonis
Homeworld: Caligo

Fortress-Monastery: The Aerie

The area of space where the Ravens discovered the Dolmen Gates lie buried within the Veiled Region located at the southern fridge of Segmentum Tempestus. Aptly named, the region has remained uncharted by Imperial navigators due to the dense nebulae and dim reach of the Astronomican beacon.

The Avallonis system remains relatively isolated due to constant warp storms impeding interstellar travel. To counter this, and to assist in maintaining a limited supply line from Imperial space, the Ravens established an Astropathic Choir within their monastery to aide in the limited bouts of warp travel.

Caligo has a peculiar uniqueness in that it appears to bear a symbiotic relationship with the gates and their placement around its orbit. The six moons are barely large enough to be exempt from being considered mere asteroids, yet they are all equidistant from another and form a geometric lattice around Caligo, suggesting that the planet itself plays a factor in the gates’ function. This aspect is also why the Dolmen Gates have not simply been relocated to Imperial space for further study.

To serve as their fortress-monastery, the chapter was commissioned a Ramilles-class starfort in gratitude from the Mechanicum factions they often escort. Once anchored in geodesic orbit around Caligo, their new sanctuary was christened The Aerie. This massive structure now acts not only as the headquarters for the chapter, but keeps a constant vigil over the six concealed lunar stations.



Through Inquisitor Tharin's mandate, the Blood Ravens were able to curry favor with the High Lords of Terra, and at length were granted the establishment of a new chapter. Once determined, High Inquisitor Tharin approached the Blood Ravens with a proposal. At his behest, it was decided to conscribe a ranking Blood Raven librarian, Gaius Thanos, who was currently serving under the Ordo Xenos' Chamber Militant - the Deathwatch, and elevate his rank to that of Chapter Master and Chief Librarian for the new founding; the conjoined roles an acquiescence by the Inquisitor in deferment to a popular custom of the Blood Ravens. Tharin had appropriated the use of Gaius and his kill-team on several occasions, and was assured of his devotion to the Emperor and the ideals of the Inquisition. Moreso, Gaius has been entrusted with the knowledge and understanding of a vast assortment of closely guarded forbidden relics and xenos technology. Armed with these traits and his skillset and privileged information, Gaius was a prime candidate to lead the chapter. While other aspiring representatives were being considered, the favorable nod of a High Inquisitor, especially on the behalf of a librarian, made the Secret Masters' decision all the less complicated. Gaius took to the role of Chapter Master with zeal. Through his direction, combat squads would become more specialized. Tactics would be modified to lightning strikes and stealth incursions, falling more in line with his conditioned training among the Deathwatch, which by all reckoning, he deemed was more suitable for the situations him and his chapter would encounter.

Succession from the Blood Ravens has not diminished the chapter’s faith in the Emperor, nor lapsed in the tenets and methodologies practiced; if anything, under the guidance of Master Gaius, these ideals have been strengthened. For the most part, the new Ravens keep to the same structural deviations as their predecessors, but for the majority, still maintain codex adherence where possible. The location of the Dolmen Gates and the designated homeworld for the Ravens being so far from the light of the Astronomican, however, lends to their organizational divergence from a traditional Astartes chapter being inevitable. Additionally, the Ravens of the Harbinger make their predecessor’s habit of erring on the side of caution into an art form, given their understanding that they should not expect to receive any sort of reliable support or communication from the Imperium.

During the chapter's founding, new vessels and armaments were commissioned from the Mechanicum. Along with the Aerie, two battleships, several strike cruisers, and scores of mark VIII armor suits were granted in tribute to the Ravens' dedicated service to their Explorator pursuits. In addition, it was agreed that a contingent of techpriests accomplished in the creation of artificer armor would be granted prized and ancient schematics donated from the Blood Ravens' cache of hoarded archeotech.

However, the Ravens’ supply and usage of tactical dreadnaught armor is limited to only a handful of suits, and are only used for key assignments requiring a more direct spearhead approach. This is due to a decision by the patron Blood Ravens' Secret Masters made in light of the location of the proposed chapter stronghold, which will be out of communication range of both nearby forgeworlds and the Beacon. The Masters deemed it would be careless to allow such revered relics to be granted to the Ravens, should they become lost among the Halo Stars. As such, these suits are typically reserved for those in positions of command.

As successors to the Blood Ravens, the Ravens of the Harbinger boast an unsurprisingly large amount of librarians. By reason of the founding principles of the chapter, it is imperative that those with psychic potential swell the ranks of active prognosticators to better anticipate the Harbinger Threat. Unfortunately, with limited recruitment outside of Imperial space and their stock of gene-seed in short supply, the chapter is seldom above half strength. To make matters worse, screening for latent psychic potential takes a toll on prospective aspirants; while the Blood Raven gene-seed often imbues aspirants with psychic abilities to be harnessed later, the need for psykers in the chapter’s ranks is vital to the continued mission. As such, aspirants are scrutinized for any genetic markers that may cause the gene-seed’s unique traits to not present in the subject prior to implantation, lest the preciously low gene-seed reserves be wasted.

The necessity to have such a high concentration of psychic activity treads a treacherous path. Without constant diligence, the act of regularly using and testing powers that stem from the Warp invites Chaos and increases the likelihood of demonic possession. To this end, sometimes squads are assigned a member of the chapter's own Ordo Psykana, called a Meliorator. Trained among the Order, these specialists have learned to utilize their psychic energies to hone and harness the thoughts and emotions of others, allowing them to monitor those in proximity for any stress factors or warning signs. They have also been granted authority to censure - through termination - anyone they deem has been tainted or those whose mental wardings have succumbed to the lures of Chaos. In battle, however, these empathic Meliorators pose a great boon to their squadmates, amplifying or dampening such emotions that would otherwise cause them to recognize pain inflicted upon them or even focus their anger into blinding, death-dealing fits of rage. Their function as monitor and caretaker on and off the battlefield makes them ideal to serve the chapter in the role of Apothecarian. Therefore, the most skilled and venerated members of this sect are responsible for the protection and maintenance of the chapter’s gene-seed repositories.

“Destiny is a title often given in hindsight to
decisions that had dramatic consequences.”

- Archmagus Castiel

The stigma borne from being successors to an over-analyzed chapter such as the Blood Ravens can dampen the resolve and faith in one’s own purity. It is a trial each marine inducted into the Ravens must struggle with and persevere. Any delineation or wavering of their faith could invite Chaos, and this is ultimately true for the chapter as they embrace a genetic disposition for psychic talents linking them to the Warp.

Inherited desires to uncover their true gene-sire, the Ravens of the Harbinger continue to seek out information, though limited it may be in their isolation, which could provide the answer. Countless speculations course through the ranks of the chapter, though one that has begun to overshadow the others is a strong summation of facts leading to the belief that their father Primarch is in fact Magnus the Red. The heretical implications of such a belief keeps this notion a closely guarded secret among those in command, though the belief stems from before Magnus’ fateful mistake in breaching the Webway to warn the Emperor, thus damning Him to the Golden Throne and exterminating Magnus and his legion. Had that event not transpired, it is assumed that Magnus and his Thousand Sons would have continued on as loyal defenders to the Emperor’s dream. In their haste to join Horus to avoid their fate, they made a choice they could never undo. The Harbinger's Ravens seek absolution from this belief, whether it should ever be proven true or false, on behalf of all those loyal to the Imperium with psychic ties to the Warp. Hence their passion and eagerness to make the Dolmen Gates operational again, and through them, access the Webway and assist the Emperor in His battle against the daemonic horde attempting to invade beneath the Golden Throne.

While the Ravens’ faith in the God-Emperor is similar to that of their predecessors, the fervor and devotion to accessing the Webway while safeguarding against the Harbinger Threat has caused their warrior-monk traits to intensify, their rituals more rigid and severe. So too, their veiled assumption in a Primarch, and consequently fortified conviction in the Emperor, has led to them becoming more pious. Intriguing to note, conversely, is that the natives of the out-flung systems from which the Ravens recruit are spun an altogether different tale.

Recruitment

Prior to the presence of the Ravens in the Avallonis system, there had been human colonization throughout the more hospitable worlds. Unsurprisingly, without the constant patrolling of Imperial military forces over the dozens of millennia, all of these colonies either perished or degraded to little more than primitive societies. The scant handful that proved a promising resource to recruit from were pre-industrial; not even educated in gunpowder, let alone imagine exploring space possible.

- Excerpt from the Annals of High Regent Marius, by scrivener Varro

"In all parts of the old world, as well as the new, it was evident that the God-Emperor had kindled a fire in every man's heart.That fire was the harbinger of a new era, for it was not to be extinguished."

Four worlds in total that could support human life, and of them, only two had enough human population to garner the recruits without noticeable detriment to the planet. Both are feudal planets, designated Pyralis and Xanthus, with vast, arid continents. The sun, a yellow dwarf star, scorches the land and water is scarce on the surface, so most of the population dwells in subterranean cavern cities. It is from Pyralis that the bulk of recruiting is amassed, the climate being more hospitable to surface dwelling and city expansion. Xanthus, however, holds a particular interest to the Ravens due to the tendency to produce a high number of psykers. Of the remaining two planets, one is a feral world dubbed Atrox, with isolated archipelagos more suited for the chapter’s agricultural development, and the latter, Torvus, is a death world prone to severe climate changes and harsh, toxic landscapes.

Nevertheless, the Ravens took to these worlds undaunted, and saw an untapped potential. It would be decades in the establishment of the now formidable fortress-monastery the Ravens call home, and during that time, all manner of resources would need to be procured. Seizing on an opportunity, the Ravens chose not to reveal themselves to the scattered populations, but rather kept to the shadows as they restored underground facilities and forgotten fortification, keeping the worlds’ inhabitants ignorant to their existence. Over years, these stewards planted psychic suggestions among the populace which would later integrate with the peoples’ own theologies and scientific development. They were elevated to feudal societies where the Ravens could appoint indoctrinated missionaries of the their own choosing to serve as regents who would speak of a Divine Being that will one day lead them amongst the stars to enlightenment.

Having successfully supplanted the foundations for a theology that will evolve to devotion in the Emperor, the Ravens of the Harbinger would provoke challenges in the form of annual tournaments. These bouts would take place in subterranean structures disguised to look like a natural cavern maze. Candidates who entered would earn the prestige and knighthood from their lord-regent should they reach the surface. This challenge would serve two motives; should the aspirants reach the surface, they would go on to fight battles under their regent’s banner, undoubtedly provoked by the Ravens to ascertain viable recruits. However, the cavern maze is a clever ruse employed by the stewards to test the warriors’ aptitude and psychic capability out of view of the public. Those that show promise would be teleported to one of the hidden facilities, where they would be further tested and inducted to the ranks of the Ravens. These select individuals would be honored as having “unlocked the maze” and made to believe they have left this world to join in their God’s crusade among the stars. In truth, they would be ferried off to Atrox or Torvus for continued training.



When it was decided that a cadre of Blood Ravens would be returning to the Veiled Region to permanently form a new chapter, Brother-Captain Cale and those under him, leapt at the chance for redemption to assuage the debt earned by those lost during the expedition. With their service volunteered, so too was it decided that a large portion of the gene-seed stock they carried in their Implantation Chambers would be donated for the cause, with the remainder returning to the Omnis Arcanum’s repository.

While this decision was ill-favored by the High Lords, the support offered by Inquisitor Tharin and his peers among the Ocularians helped to set aside their doubts. The gene-seed reliquaries were tested at length, coming as no surprise to the Blood Ravens, whose lack of origins still concern the Imperium. Nevertheless, the tests concluded that the samples were pure and free of mutation, as is customarily the result. This statistic has been the key dividing line between those believing to have heralded from Magnus and the rest of the chapter.

Secrecy and avoidance are key principles taught amongst the Ravens of the Harbinger. It is of the utmost importance that any open conflict be dealt with swiftly and to leave no trace thereafter. Should the whereabouts of the Dolmen Gates or the chapter’s strongholds guarding them be discovered, it could attract unwanted attention from any number of factions, the direst of which being the Necron menace, whose technology the Ravens now meddle with.

The Ravens make great use of the several traits bestowed them by their predecessors, namely the practices of psychic divination and extremely thorough planning. Strategies gleaned from Master Gaius’ time spent among the Deathwatch translated to the Ravens excelling in small squad tactics such as blitz strikes and guerrilla warfare. Due to the high concentration of both psykers and neophytes, they seldom take the fight head on, opting instead to eliminated communication arrays and escape routes before deploying with aeronautica and deep strike units. In order to keep their numbers strong, tactics often favor infiltration, facilitated by the abundance of scouts. These neophytes are sent in to paint strategic targets for precise orbital bombardments from strike cruisers, then assist the smaller, elite incursion squads by surrounding the survivors in kill-box formations, leaving no witnesses that might reveal their presence in the sector.

In line with the conservation of resources, efforts are made to keep the companies fluid meaning they purposefully limit themselves in armor or heavy artillery that would otherwise hamper mobility. This decision has proved to be a double-edged sword, as the means with which to repair any vehicles en masse can easily strain or overwhelm their forges without a dedicated forgeworld nearby to provide additional support. To this effect, almost all armored vehicles and battlements are garrisoned at the lunar strongholds and various footholds on the system's recruiting planets. One concession made in contradiction to their limited use of armor is the Ravens' continued practice of deploying dreadnought-interred battle brothers due to ease of transport and the greater benefits having such an honored and revered battle-brother lends to the mission. The chapter has also become quite adept at retaining high cerebral functionality in interred Librarians, possibly due to their gene-seed’s talent for complete memory recall. This has permitted several dreadnought brothers to preserve some of their psychic capabilities for the battlefield, despite their suspended conditions.

The ancient schematics tendered to the chapter's techpriests by their progenitors granted the implementation of many enhancements. Among the numerous augmentations, a wrist-mounted boltgun variation is of particular note; its knowledge in manufacturing has been forgotten or lost to the majority of the Imperium. Due to this addition, the Chapter has adopted customs from the recruiting planet of Pyralis involving the practice of swords in martial combat. With the freedom granted by their variant bolter models, Ravens are often armed with twin blades which they wield in a deadly dance. There is an elite group among the jump assault units, whose psychic abilities can manifest in the minds of their foes, rendering them dazed and bewildered. These true harbingers fall upon their stunned prey, brandishing imposing mastercrafted halberds and greatswords afforded to them by the wrist-bound relics.

Although the Ravens seldom use it on their frequent infiltration missions, in more regular engagements the chapter has used the battle-cry, "Death approaches on the wings of Ravens!"

---

Citadel of Pyralis

[Wulfebane]

Sooo...

 

It's been a long time in the works, and is by no means finished. That said, I feel that it is at a place where I've included everything necessary that i'd wanted to in hopes to receive some C&C to see where I stand in the grand scheme of all things DIY. I'm still shaky on canon aspects, but am confident that all I've included is at the very least probable in the 40k realm.

 

Few things still to add, and have a better half going over it for grammatical issues, but I'm ready for some C&C love. Have fun ripping it to shreds if need be. I want this to feel legit.

[Dosjetka]

So for some reason, a small force of Blood Ravens suddenly break off to create a new Chapter? Hum... Part of me likes it, part of me doesn't. I admit that I haven't read past the first paragraph, so maybe you explain it better later on, or at least hint to it. But I thought I'd still point it out as it sounds a bit fishy ;)

 

Otherwise, looks pretty good from what I saw while skimming through. I'll read it tomorrow and give some C&C.

 

Cheers,

 

Ludovic

 

EDIT: Very cool Chapter symbol, by the way -_-

[Wulfebane]

Otherwise, looks pretty good from what I saw while skimming through. I'll read it tomorrow and give some C&C.

Glad to hear it!

 

As to the fishy smell, yeah I wrote the first part of the Origin in sort of a lengthy back cover synopsis fashion. I hoped it would bait the hook and reel in readers to keep reading to find out more. >.>

 

And thanks for the compliment about the symbol! I made it myself. :3

[Dosjetka]

As to the fishy smell, yeah I wrote the first part of the Origin in sort of a lengthy back cover synopsis fashion. I hoped it would bait the hook and reel in readers to keep reading to find out more. >.>

It does, but I?m not sure if it's a good thing or not before reading it :3

 

And you're welcome, you definitely have skills :rolleyes:

 

Ludovic

[Messor]

Aside from a misplaced quote there in your beliefs section caption, and some grammar hiccups, this is a great looking IA. The Ravens sound awesome, and I think you've done a good job in separating this Chapter from the Blood Ravens in a believable way.

 

The only things I find myself wondering about off-hand is related to the Combat Doctrine. I don't really need to know who they fight, but I'm curious as to under what circumstances. Because they seek to keep the Gates a secret, and so also themselves, what draws them into battle? Do their worlds come under attack? Do they tend to strike first at factions that come prying through the sector, oblivious though they may be? Considering the isolation of the sector (forgive me if I missed this in the homeworld section), how do they keep from bringing open, bloody, 40k war from coming to the worlds they try to hide? Last (and least), I'm not sure if orbital bombardment is the best way of ensuring no trace. I'm really thinking about power armored enemies who may actually be equipped to survive such an attack, in which case it seems like it would be harder to go through a scarred and rubble strewn environment than the known environment it was before, if that makes any sense. This is all going on the assumption that somethings do occasionally survive orbital bombardments.

 

edit: Forgot to agree, that is one very well done emblem.

[Wulfebane]

I've PMd you about the quote.

 

As to the combat doctrine, those are very good points. From what I've read of the Veiled Region (yes, I know.. Lexicanum/wiki info is circumspect at best), there's lots of xenos interaction, particularly of the ork, dark eldar and (now) necron variety. I had intended to keep the chapter on patrols in the nearby systems to deflect or prevent potential threats from discovering the Avallonis system. The system is already protected (mostly) from warp storms, and further interaction is usually derived from divinations.

 

You're right about the bombardments. I'll have to think about it some and I'm open to suggestions. I would like to keep landing parties out of common practice, both to keep them out of expending (and losing) precious resources and manpower when they are already limited, as well as keeping me from building a full-blown army, as I only intended this to be an Allied force to my main army.

[Messor]

I see, but I take this main force won't be included in the IA's fluff? I don't think you need to completely eschew orbital bombardment, it would certainly be useful in keeping anonymous. I think all the strategy needs is a little synergy. Combine an orbital bombardment with some scouts on the ground to add precision, mix in some air support from 'Hawks and Stormtalons/ravens, plus the predilection your Chapter already has for planning (preparing kill zones, or some such), can make the orbital bombardment a great tool for the Ravens.

[Wulfebane]

I see, but I take this main force won't be included in the IA's fluff?

 

Nah, it's outside the scope of keeping things fluffily believable. My main army is Wolves, and since the reemergence of Allies, BA attachments are all the rage for us in the form of 13th Co. Wulfen. I'm not a particular fan of that aspect and don't much care for BA fluff, so this is my way to break from painting blue-grey armor a little, add some flyer potential, and injecting a bit of variety into my army.

 

I like everything you said about the orbital issues. I'll add/reword the combat doctrine to include scouts painting the ground for precision bombardment and prepping kill-boxes.

[Wulfebane]

Still have yet to tackle the bombardment issues Messor brought up, but everything else, I believe, has been dealt with.

[Dosjetka]

Still have yet to tackle the bombardment issues Messor brought up, but everything else, I believe, has been dealt with.

*le sigh*

 

I'm going to have to read it all again then... :tu: (not that it was tedious, but I haven't had much sleep)

 

From what I read so far, it's good, but I find that it lacks a bit of something. Not sure what though. Will think about it.

 

Ludovic

[Wulfebane]

By all means, take your time. It's not going anywhere. :tu:

[Olis]

Okay, let's take a look here. I will try to be gentle but this might still hurt a bit. First up is the name - Ravens of the Harbinger. Not exactly catchy, is it? Besides the vague justification of a battle/campaign with Necrons, is there any particular reason to keep the name? The whole Raven shtick is fine (in fact that could lead nicely to the point of heritage but I'll get to that later) but 'of the Harbinger' just doesn't feel right, especially given the context. Naming a chapter after a disastrous mission doesn't strike me as particularly inspiring, either for the marines of said chapter or the reader. In fact, it almost sounds like a cruel joke, if you'll forgive me for saying so.

 

Might I suggest editing that into something more befitting an astartes chapter? The Raven Brotherhood might be more appropriate or maybe Sons of the Raven could work well, as far as traditional names go. Moving further afield (but still keeping Raven motif), Astra Corvidae might give a more original twist, despite it roughly meaning Star Ravens. Additional suggestions: The Ravenborn, Raven Warriors and the Ravens of Holark. Take them, leave them, do as you wish, these are just suggestions. As for the iconography, I must say I really quite like it.

 

Now then, my second point. Heritage. Does the chapter have to come from the Blood Ravens, a chapter that has very dubious origins itself? I highly doubt any Imperial official even vaguely up to speed on the history of the Blood Ravens would split a portion off to send into the Veiled Region as the beginnings of an entirely new chapter. Why do it when the Blood Ravens are a fleet based chapter? Why not request more Blood Ravens to convene with the remnants and perhaps prosecute a campaign?

 

Also of point is the date of creation. The Blood Ravens were allegedly created around the beginning of the 37th millenium, if not slightly before. Splitting off your own chapter around this time is probably ill-advised, as the dates evidently clash. Pushing back the date of the chapter's creation by a millennia or two could help, unless you switch heritage. My suggestion would be to go for a more traditional route of lineage and claim descent from the Raven Guard or one of their direct successors. The naming conventions would still stand and the aforementioned issues with dates would be null and void but at least certain problems regarding Blood Raven heritage would be avoided.

 

I would also suggest dropping the orders for creating the chapter coming from the Inquisition, as the High Lords are the only ones who can order such a thing. The High Lords can be advised to create a chapter but the onus is on them alone to make such a decision.

 

(By the way, remembrancers as an order haven't existed since, iirc, just before the Heresy. You'll need to reassign this Marcello chap, I'm afraid.)

 

 

Anyhow, I shall not deal with the actual written text of the entry (yet), as the points I have made fundamentally alter the entire article and going any further would be essentially pointless. Suffice to say, although the article seems to be quite well written there appears to be some incredibly important flaws that need fixing which would require a serious rewrite. I would say to you this; don't be disheartened. I do believe there is the beginnings of a great chapter here and with some literary surgery and polish, it'll shine as well as the best of them.

[Wulfebane]

Ahha! I don't mind the critiques. Anything that helps to hammer out the kinks is worth it.

 

Ok, guess I have some justification to do. Let me recount my reasoning behind the decisions and see if afterward we're still at an impasse. If possible, a lot of what you suggested against I'd still like to keep.

 

For starters, the naming scheme. The moniker "of the Harbinger" wasn't in reference to the event that transpired, but to several possible outcomes resulting from opening the Dolmen Gates. I may have to embellish it a bit more if consented to keep it.

 

This part ties into the decision of Blood Ravens. To ascertain the harbinger threat that is yet to happen, they would need psychic divination around the clock as they test the Gates. They want to open the gates successfully, but should the various xenos learn of what's occurring, they will swarm the gates and use them for their own purposes. Truthfully, I had initially thought to use the Raven Guard. Even went so far as to break from my usual SW novels to read a few RG ones to help me with the fluff. In the end, I decided to fit my chapter to the intended codex (BA), but couldn't get around the justification of their Red Thirst/Black Rage USRs. I'd asked here several months ago for ideas, got suggestions of technology and various others. Ultimately I decided to use minute psychic powers (ones suggested prevalent in the BR gene-seed) to explain away the USRs. As to the split off, due to the Chapter being fleet-based and having their own agenda to search for their origins, they could never sit idle (imo) in a distant region of space isolated from information gathered from the rest of the chapter. Splitting them to form a new chapter grants a new chapter purpose and modus operandi, while retaining the psychic involvement to keep divinations of the harbinger threat going.

 

I'll amend the dates. I misread what limited information I'd found on the Blood Ravens' founding dates. I'd hoped to have my chapter formed within roughly a millennia of the BR inception to avoid the complication of justifying the forming of a successor chapter while the Blood Ravens suffer from rebuilding.

 

 

Inquisition versus High Lords. Here's where I may be confused. I've read in several places (again, may or may not be canon) that should the Inquisition request it, assuming their rank is sufficiently high enough, the High Lords cannot refuse whatever they require.

 

"If required, Inquisitors may call on the service and/or resources of any Imperial servant or organisation. Not even a High Lord of Terra may refuse the order of an Inquisitor without good reason."

 

This is mostly the quote I was basing it on. Tying it to a cabal of Ocularians (Inquisitors obsessed with divining the future) I thought it might garner enough favor within the Inquisition to permit them to compel the High Lords to sanction a chapter founding. Based on your mention of the High Lords' onus, would my inclusion of the Inquisition still work if I reworded it better to mention the High Lords more distinctly than just slapping down an Inquisitorial Mandate?

 

Shame about the remembrancer.. what would be a suitable title from a later era?

[Messor]

Really intriguing reasoning/background with the Inquisitors. I didn't think it was far fetched before, but in my mind I simply justified it as the Imperial bureaucracy at work, the the BR cadre handing its info up to the inquisition handing its info up to the high lords handing back down a chapter charter through the inquisition.

 

The only Chapter I'd ever really be opposed to having a successor would be SW, for obvious reasons. I think in this case, creating a BR successor is not only well reasoned by the author, but a logical decision on the part of the High Lords/Inquisition. Considering the significance of discovering the Gates, and the things they portend, its a smart move to involve as few parties as possible. To bring back the BR fleet, and then exclude them/raise a Chapter from another Legion/Chapter wouldn't make any sense. In order to keep the more knowledgeable BR around, without sending a Chapter of useful veterans into isolation, creating a successor for them is a good idea. They'd have the isolation in which to grow, and the secrecy in which to learn and train.

 

edit: One thing I forgot to mention; the Murder of Crows sidebar, while characterful, loses a great deal of meaning as a stand alone, and it doesn't portray Gaius in a way that distinguishes him from other Librarians as the soon-to-be Chapter Master. My main concern with it though is the size: that's a lot of text to not teach anything unique about Gaius.

[Wulfebane]

Thanks for the support, Messor!

 

Making a list of things still needing to amend for my own reference:

 

-orbital bombardment reasoning/doctrine embellishment

-include High Lord involvement in founding

-amend dates for founding and events

-promote reasoning for BR exclusivity/psychic involvement

-retitle "Marcello chap" ^_^

 

Of the other things Olisredan brought forth, I'm going to leave them as pending for now, to allow further discussion.

 

Also, included a new marine placeholder image until I've finished building/painting one more in line with my description in the combat doctrine.

[Olis]

For starters, the naming scheme. The moniker "of the Harbinger" wasn't in reference to the event that transpired, but to several possible outcomes resulting from opening the Dolmen Gates. I may have to embellish it a bit more if consented to keep it.

 

Hmm. Well, thing is, it's a clunky name. I would say to shorten it to Harbingers, but that's taken already (as well as Imperial Harbingers, it seems). Are you attached to the name or would it be possible to rejig it?

 

This part ties into the decision of Blood Ravens. To ascertain the harbinger threat that is yet to happen, they would need psychic divination around the clock as they test the Gates. They want to open the gates successfully, but should the various xenos learn of what's occurring, they will swarm the gates and use them for their own purposes. Truthfully, I had initially thought to use the Raven Guard. Even went so far as to break from my usual SW novels to read a few RG ones to help me with the fluff. In the end, I decided to fit my chapter to the intended codex (BA), but couldn't get around the justification of their Red Thirst/Black Rage USRs. I'd asked here several months ago for ideas, got suggestions of technology and various others. Ultimately I decided to use minute psychic powers (ones suggested prevalent in the BR gene-seed) to explain away the USRs. As to the split off, due to the Chapter being fleet-based and having their own agenda to search for their origins, they could never sit idle (imo) in a distant region of space isolated from information gathered from the rest of the chapter. Splitting them to form a new chapter grants a new chapter purpose and modus operandi, while retaining the psychic involvement to keep divinations of the harbinger threat going.

 

Well, you don't necessarily need to have the Blood Ravens and minor psychic phenomena in the picture to explain the Red Thirst and the Black Rage - one way of doing it and keeping the RG connection would be to claim mutation. It would certainly add character to the chapter and introduce a genetic flaw for them to struggle against. Perhaps particularly strong examples result in effects similar the Red Thirst and the Black Rage, or it could be that new strains of the mutation do it instead. Then, to explain predictions and portents, you could use the old classic - the Imperial Tarot. Nice and neat.

 

Inquisition versus High Lords. Here's where I may be confused. I've read in several places (again, may or may not be canon) that should the Inquisition request it, assuming their rank is sufficiently high enough, the High Lords cannot refuse whatever they require.

 

"If required, Inquisitors may call on the service and/or resources of any Imperial servant or organisation. Not even a High Lord of Terra may refuse the order of an Inquisitor without good reason."

 

This is mostly the quote I was basing it on. Tying it to a cabal of Ocularians (Inquisitors obsessed with divining the future) I thought it might garner enough favor within the Inquisition to permit them to compel the High Lords to sanction a chapter founding. Based on your mention of the High Lords' onus, would my inclusion of the Inquisition still work if I reworded it better to mention the High Lords more distinctly than just slapping down an Inquisitorial Mandate?

 

Basically, they could 'request' a founding but it is not within their remit to order one, directly or indirectly, as only High Lords are permitted that function, iirc. The Inquisitors could perhaps put forth findings and conclusions, along with any other relevant data (strongly worded or otherwise).

 

Shame about the remembrancer.. what would be a suitable title from a later era?

 

If he was beholden to the chapter he'd probably be a serf but if he's just an Imperial citizen, then he'd probably be a scribe. Adding in the word 'secundus' works quite well if you want an official sounding rank.

[Messor]

Since they're already Ravens of the Harbinger, you could also go with Harbinger's Ravens, a little more succinct.

 

I can't talk though, with the Sons Pious of Fe Calada to my name.

[Wulfebane]

While I agree the name is slightly unconventional, using four words for a name isn't unheard of. Additionally, I am fond of the Brotherhood of the Wolf movie, if only for the name due to my main army. These are all the 4-word chapters I could find on record, GW sanctioned or otherwise:

 

Black Brethren of Ayreas

Blood Legion of Khorne

Brotherhood of a Thousand

Brothers of the Anvil

Company of the Shadow

Damned Company of Lord Caustos

Guardians of the Covenant

Knights of the Raven

Legion of the Damned

Scythes of the Emperor

Swords of the Emperor

 

Now, in explaining myself for the decision... back when I had planned to use Raven Guard gene-seed, my first naming scheme was Knights of the Raven, which as noted above, I learned is sadly already in use. As my ideas matured, I took a shine to the iconography used by the Scythes of the Emperor, which evolved into Harbinger, and everything snowballed from there. I toyed with the Harbinger's Ravens, but didn't feel like it held the same impact.

[Dosjetka]

Just a quick note before I get off to bed: even if the Knights of the Raven already exist, you can still pretend they don't and make your own fluff for them :lol:

 

Cheers,

 

Ludovic

[Wulfebane]

Just a quick note before I get off to bed: even if the Knights of the Raven already exist, you can still pretend they don't and make your own fluff for them :lol:

 

Cheers,

 

Ludovic

 

Hehe, true! But it's a slippery slope... I've already caused contention by inadvertently pretending the Inquisition can supercede the High Lords. Next, I could pretend that the Wolves could have successors or that Squats still exist. Extreme examples, but I'd prefer to have this IA as factual to canon as possible.

[Wulfebane]

So two of my biggest concerns, which no one has commented on yet, were that a ) I was being too long-winded in some of my sections, and b ) my attempt at a datafile in the Origin section was either unsuccessful or too much. Does anyone have any opinion regarding these, or are the nerves from writing this causing me to become unhinged?

[Olis]

There are sections I believe need pruning but if you want something a little bit more in depth, you'll have to wait until tomorrow - it's far too late at night for that sort of thing right now. :confused:

[Messor]

I think the datafile was pulled off nicely, and I again forgot to mention that that is one AWESOME looking model!

[Olis]

that is one AWESOME looking model!

 

Seconded. :confused: