The Savage Sharks - WIP part 3

[Savage Shark]

Chapter name
Savage Sharks

Chapter Master
Torva Sors "The Twin Fang" and "The Savage Shark"

Chapter Symbol
White outline of Shark, sometimes solid white, with three red blood drops.
Shark side portrait (with fin and gills) rising from depth, maw open to show teeth as it sprays blood.

Schemes

Scout Squad


Scout Sergeant


Savage Shark Brother


Sergeant


Captain and the Commander a.k.a. Chapter Master


Terminators


Terminator Sergeant


Apothecary a.k.a. Medic


Librarian


The Frenzied a.k.a. Frenzy Company


Master of the Frenzy (Frenzy Company Commander)



Origins

When was your Chapter formed? Second Founding

Why were they created? A Chapter Company engaged the Traitor legions on a distant planetary system. Reinforced with fresh Initiates, crew serfs, and newly promoted Battle Brothers, the Reserve Company engaged the Chaos Marines throughout the Tyrannus Mos system.

In time the core worlds were saved, the Company successfully reclaimed the Forge World, the primitive tribes on the distant worlds and the major populated Hive cities of the system. The populations hailed the Astarties as saviors. In recognition for Company Captain Torva Sors triumph against the Chaos forces and reclaiming the system, the Captain became Chapter Master and granted control of the planetary system. Master Torva Sors named his newly founded Chapter after his honorific, The Savage Sharks. After the last remnants of the Chaos Legions and heretical cultists were purged from the system, Torva Sors renamed the system Lamnidae.

Troubles: After securing the planetary system the Savage Sharks suffered heavy losses, including young Initiates and veterans. To reinforce their ranks the Chapter recruited the surviving Imperial Guardsmen and rebel fighters loyal to the Emperor. Many of these inductees were too old and did not survive the implantation process. This desperate hunt for new recruits diminished the planetary defenses.

Most of the planetary defenses of Lamnidae Secundus were destroyed during it’s liberation. The only surviving structure was the Orbital station, which the Chapter secured from the Heretical Guard and their Chaos masters.

Whenever a Space Marine enters into a bloody confrontation or is on the brink of death, they go into a mad killing rage. Their teeth become rows of serrated fangs, their eyes become charcoal black and their mind focuses on the taste of meat and the smell of blood. Some of the Space Marines who succumb to this madness have been seen ripping apart bodies of the enemy and sometimes their own brothers and put down by their brothers. However, there have been some members, stricken by this Feeding Frenzy, that maintained full solidity to their sanity. These unfortunate souls are stripped of their Chapter colors and placed into a separate Company as a Vanguard force. It is still unknown to the Chapter where or how this illness started.

Flag Ship: Nobel Venator

Homeworld and Recruitment Worlds

Does your Chapter have a homeworld?

Prosperity.

Where is it?

Lamnidae System, formally Tyrannus Mos

What is it like?

Lamnidae Prime operates as a Factory world in the construction of Chapter's War Gear.

Lamnidae Secundus, or Prosperity, is a thriving populous Hive and is a secondary recruitment world for the Chapter. The population still struggles to recover after the rebellion and has little to offer to the Chapter.

Lamnidae Tertia and Quartus are inhabited by primitive tribes and are the primary recruitment worlds. These primitive worlds are used as breeding grounds for fresh recruits as well as dangerous life forms used in the training rites for the Chapter.

Planetary Defenses:

Most of the planetary defense platforms were destroyed during the rebellion. However, the Chapter was fortunate to secure the orbital station over Lamnidae Secundus. The planet still works on recovering it's former defensive platforms and ground batteries. Until then, they look to their own fleet and the fleet of their neighboring cousin Chapter for support.

How has your homeworld affected your Chapter?

Before the arrival of the Traitor legions, Tyrannus Mos was ruled by a corrupt Governor, placed in office by the Chaos Legions. After the brutal combat with the Traitor Marines, Captain Torva and his Veteran warriors engaged the heretical Governor and his bodyguard regiments in the Planetary Palace. After taking reign of the system, Chapter Master Torva sent a Vox Wide order to the Company as well as the resistance:

"Death to the tyrant and all his kind!"

The human stock of the Hive world Lamnidae Secundus keep to tradition in the old ways of the Guardsmen and the Codex of the Space Marines. Many of the Astarties in the Chapter can be recognized for their devotion to the traditions held in both the Codex and the Imperial doctrine.
In contrast, the tribal initiates of the Chapter are recognized for their display of battle trophies and victory totems on their armor, along with any Chapter honors. Many still allow their facial hair to grow wild, draping over their chests with pride. Others often tattoo their faces in honor of their tribes as well as on their armor. These tribesmen Astarties replace their human teeth with serrated teeth in honor to the Chapter.

System Location:

Ultima Segmentum.

Recruitment Worlds:

Before the arrival of the Space Sharks to Tyrannus Mos, the inhabitants who remained loyal to the Emperor formed an underground resistance. When the Space Sharks arrived in support, the resistance fighters proved themselves as impressive fighters to the Astarties.

The culture of Lamnidae has been a mix of a typical Imperial Hive world, while the outer primative worlds are ruled by barbaric and ritualistic cultures that regard the Astarties as "Star Giants" to the "Immortal Father". For one of the tribe warriors too become a son of the Star Giants is a great honor. Those from the tribes that survive initiation into a full Battle Brother, still maintain their tribal heritage in their face and armor. Sometimes adorning trophies or tribal markings to show their people when they return for recruits.


Combat Doctrine

How does your Chapter fight?

They favor the Chain Sword. They prefer melee combat, meeting their foe face to face. Some of the Astarties have attached chain blades to their ranged weapons or fore arms. Others keep retractable claws in their hands and finger tips. Very few Chapter Brothers are seen without a Chain Blade. Many of the Chapter’s power weapons are converted power enhanced chain blades. The Chapter Master is often referred to as the Twin Fang, for wielding two Chain Swords into battle.

Why do they fight this way?

They prefer to meet the eyes of their opponents up close and cleave into them with roaring serrated teeth. Often the Feeding Frenzy takes effect during combat and the desire for blood and meat is too great.

Are there any examples of your Chapter's battle-history?

In the Halls of the Chapter House and cave paintings on the tribal worlds.

Codex Astarties:

The Chapter loosely follows the teachings of the Codex Astarties. But they follow their own interpretation of the guide.

Many of the Squads are designated by a colored crown on their back packs and a squad insignia on their knee cap. Those who come from the tribal worlds mark their features with bloody tattoos of brotherhood, while the Imperials carry banners at their power packs.

The Captains and Chapter Master will be seen without a cloak of office. They believe such things are the beginnings of tyrants.

Companies are usually designated as Roman Numerals on the squads shoulder pauldron.

Many of the Chapter Brothers decorate their armor in ways that make them stand out amongst their kin. Some place tally marks on their Bolter or Chainblade. Sometimes even on their helmet, pauldron or anyplace they can find.

The Battle Brothers are more closely related like a family than most of their distant cousins. They often tease, laugh and joke with one another on and off the battlefield. But they know when to draw the line between a joke and fighting an enemy.

Ways of Fighting:

Ever since the liberation of the Lamnidae System, the Chapter has taken personal pride in meeting the forces of Chaos face to face in combat. They want the traitors to know they died at the hands of their most hated enemies and shame them for their treason to the Emperor. Some of the warriors even dress their armor with heads of defeated Chaos Lords and Champions or claim spoils of the battle from their enemy. Some even mount the spoils on their walls back aboard the ships or at the Chapter House. If the Battle Brother is slain, then his spoils are buried and burned with him.

Memorable battles:

The more memorable battle is the battle between the Chapter Master Torva Sors and the Traitor Governor Lord and his Daemonic Lord in the former palace. Some of the new recruits believe the Daemon Lord cursed their Chapter with the Feeding Frenzy before it was cast back into the Warp.


Organization

How is your Chapter organized?

They loosely follow the steps in the Codex Astarties.

Initiates are armored in military green and brown camouflage to earn the rite of wearing the Chapter colors. If a novice is caught wearing the colors without consent they are punished by amputation of a limb of their choosing and held back in their rise to full Battle Brother. If the offense is repeated they are executed and their names stricken from the Chapter Records. However, Sergeants in the Scout squads may wear the colors without respite.

Once an Initiate graduates into a Battle Brother, they dip their hands into a pool of blood. If they come from the tribes of Lamnidae Tertius and Q they mark their faces with tribal tattoos and let their facial hair grow out.

Once a Space Marine attains a Sergeant's rank, they are marked with a black pauldron, and power pack. Some of those battle brothers from Lamnidae Secundus or the Tribal worlds personalize their armor based on their planet of origin. Prosperity Marines will adhere to the traditions of the Codex Astarties, forgoing personal trophies in place of Chapter honorifics. The Tribesmen however, will place trophies and tattoos on their face and armor.

Those who reach the ranks of a Captain are given command of their own ship and Company.


Beliefs

What comprises your Chapter's belief system?

The belief that the Emperor is not a god-like entity but the resting Grand Father of their Primarch. As such, they feel they are the protectors of humanity. Their second belief is the extermination of all tyrants and traitors is of the utmost importance.

“There is no true victory until the Tyrant is dead.” ~ Chapter Master Torva Sors.

If it is believed that a planetary governor is corrupt in anyway, the Savage Sharks do not hesitate to deal the death blow and claim the world under their dominion. Once the world has been brought to compliance, they utilize the planet as a recruitment world until a Governor of their choice is place in office.

Why does your Chapter hold these beliefs?

They hold true to the belief that the Emperor Protects. As the Emperor's Chosen, they dedicate themselves to protecting the people of the Imperium.

The Tyrant is just as much a threat as the traitors and the heretic. Their selfishness and greed put the lives of the citizenry and Imperium at risk. The Chapter despises the tyrant above all else. They believe that to kill a Tyrant you must kill all who follow him and his beliefs: "Death to the Tyrant and all his kind."

How have these beliefs affected your Chapter?

They believe in defending and protecting those in the Imperium who cannot. They know the Astarteis are the superior breed of humans and feel it is their duty to protect the Emperor's people.

Since they dethroned the corrupted Governor, the Chapter has little tolerance for figures in high power and authority that disregard the lives of the Emperor's servants. Even those in the Ordo Mallius are treated as a possible threat rather than the will of the Emperor. In the past they have heard and dealt with members of the Inquisition who turned to the ruinous powers, as such they have no fear of the Inquisition and do not bend to their authority, unless the Chapter Master says otherwise.

The Chapter hold many who were former Imperial Guardsmen, as such they stay true to their traditions of their old home worlds. This of coarse causes some division between those who are from the Imperial city of Prosperity and their Tribal neighbors

Gene-seed

Which Primarch does your Chapter descend from? Is your Chapter aware of its genetic legacy, or have they lost their records?

The Chapter has no record of their Primarch Father, but they speculate it is either Roboute Guilliman or Corax. Those who have seen the curse of the Feeding Frenzy believe it a similarity to the Black Rage of the Blood Angels.

Which Chapter was your Chapter created from? The original legion itself, or one of the successor Chapters? Records of the Chapters succession are kept secret, only to the Chapter Master and the surviving Elites.

Has your gene-seed mutated in any way?

The Gene Seed seems to carry what the Chapter refers to as the "Feeding Frenzy". If a warrior is not of strong mind, they succumb to a ravaging hunger for flesh and the scent of blood, forgoing their weapons in favor of ripping their prey apart with hands and teeth. Those with lesser minds lose themselves in the Frenzy and attack enemy and Battle Brother alike. These unfortunate souls are cast into the Frenzy Company, a secret sect of the Chapter. Those who are too far gone in the Frenzy are put down and to the Flamer.

Battle Cry

What gets said? Who says it?
Captain/ Chapter Master: "The Emperor Protects." Battle Brothers: "We heed the call."
Captain/ Chapter Master: "Death to the Tyrant." Battle Brothers: "And all his kind."
Captain/Chapter Master: "Death to the Tyrant and all his kind!"

Before entering Melee combat
Sergeant/Captain/Chapter Master: "Show no mercy!" Battle Brotehrs: "They shall receive none!"
Sergeant/Captain/Chapter Master: "Bare your fangs!" Battle Brothers: "Rawr!"

Holding the line
Sergeant/Captain/Chapter Master: "What are you!" Battle Brothers: "We are Fear!"
Sergeant/Captain/Chapter Master: Show them your fury!" Battle Brothers: "We are the Chosen!" Sergeant/Captain/Chapter Master: "Who are you?" Battle Brothers: "The Savage Sharks!"

Frenzy Company
The Company Watcher: “We are Astartes.” Frenzy Mutants: “For the Emperor.”

[Messor]

Most if of this is very workable, nice job. I wonder about your gene-seed flaw though. Epic it is, but fitting? Your Chapter recruits from a hive world, were would the genetic influence of a shark come from? Even the Carcharodons don't have it, so this would suggest 1)The flaw has been deliberately introduced or 2) There's something the water....eh, recruiting pool I mean. What have you been using for your painter? When the boards are fully upgraded and working again, there'll be painter that actually has SM recruits for you, if its not out there somewhere else.

 

As a tiny side note, you got a rogue 'i' in every instance of Astartes. It's pronounced like there could be an 'i', but there is none.

[fivepointedstar]

As a tiny side note, you got a rogue 'i' in every instance of Astartes. It's pronounced like there could be an 'i', but there is none.

And the typo purge commences at dawn!

[Savage Shark]

Most if of this is very workable, nice job. I wonder about your gene-seed flaw though. Epic it is, but fitting? Your Chapter recruits from a hive world, were would the genetic influence of a shark come from? Even the Carcharodons don't have it, so this would suggest 1)The flaw has been deliberately introduced or 2) There's something the water....eh, recruiting pool I mean. What have you been using for your painter? When the boards are fully upgraded and working again, there'll be painter that actually has SM recruits for you, if its not out there somewhere else.

 

As a tiny side note, you got a rogue 'i' in every instance of Astartes. It's pronounced like there could be an 'i', but there is none.

 

Thanks for the feedback.

 

Too answer some of your questions. The influence of the Shak would come from their cousin Chapter the Space Sharks or Carcharodon Astra http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Carcharodons#.UPc04mclv6k

 

As for the Geen Curse. I suppose it could relate to what's in the Water, or in this case the gene pool. Since they liberated worlds once ruled by traitors, the mutation could be something done to the humans that are responding the the gene seed implantation?

 

As for the Painter I've been using this: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/smpbeta.php The original painter and the 5.0 version. I did a search through the forum and found the link for the Guard, since I didn't find one for the Scouts. I know they have one for Terminators but I didint think of doing that one. But their color sheme is basically the same as a trooper class.

[Savage Shark]

Most if of this is very workable, nice job. I wonder about your gene-seed flaw though. Epic it is, but fitting? Your Chapter recruits from a hive world, were would the genetic influence of a shark come from? Even the Carcharodons don't have it, so this would suggest 1)The flaw has been deliberately introduced or 2) There's something the water....eh, recruiting pool I mean. What have you been using for your painter? When the boards are fully upgraded and working again, there'll be painter that actually has SM recruits for you, if its not out there somewhere else.

 

As a tiny side note, you got a rogue 'i' in every instance of Astartes. It's pronounced like there could be an 'i', but there is none.

 

On a second thought, I do like the idea of the gene curse being deliberate...but the rules of the DIY, if I remember right, say that they shouldn't be able to "tamper" with their gene stock.

[Olis]

I suggest dropping the gene-curse. Everybody and their mum has a gene-curse these days. Until you have a very good reason for it or you make a chapter descended from Sanguinius, it's probably best to leave gene-curses alone. It only ends up looking like a shoe-horned gimmick at the end of the day without decent justification. :confused:

[Messor]

 

On a second thought, I do like the idea of the gene curse being deliberate...but the rules of the DIY, if I remember right, say that they shouldn't be able to "tamper" with their gene stock.

 

Heh, when I mention the shark influence, I only meant in reference to your gene-seed flaw.

Aye, this would be a challenge to implement for your Chapter, but either way I think will require some changes. The easiest thing would be to take Olisredan's advice, and not have any troops turning into sharks. Usually, people include flaws to compensate abilities that might leave the Chapter looking over powered.

 

The hard way 1) Simply having a chaos taint left over from a liberated world probably won't "coincidentally" turn the Savage Sharks into shark mutants. If there were some species of ocean/lake/river shark on the recruiting world that might have been contaminated during the Chaos regime, but the locals continue to fish/eat it, and so these taints reach the Savage Sharks.

 

Hard way 2) Cursed founding, 21st, during which genetic tailoring was not uncommon, but was still both secret and just as heretical. Chapter's from this founding have a bad time with everyone, and usually struggle with survival itself as a side effect of the experiments performed on their gene-seed.

[Savage Shark]

I suggest dropping the gene-curse. Everybody and their mum has a gene-curse these days. Until you have a very good reason for it or you make a chapter descended from Sanguinius, it's probably best to leave gene-curses alone. It only ends up looking like a shoe-horned gimmick at the end of the day without decent justification.

On a second thought, I do like the idea of the gene curse being deliberate...but the rules of the DIY, if I remember right, say that they shouldn't be able to "tamper" with their gene stock.

Heh, when I mention the shark influence, I only meant in reference to your gene-seed flaw.

Aye, this would be a challenge to implement for your Chapter, but either way I think will require some changes. The easiest thing would be to take Olisredan's advice, and not have any troops turning into sharks. Usually, people include flaws to compensate abilities that might leave the Chapter looking over powered.

The hard way 1) Simply having a chaos taint left over from a liberated world probably won't "coincidentally" turn the Savage Sharks into shark mutants. If there were some species of ocean/lake/river shark on the recruiting world that might have been contaminated during the Chaos regime, but the locals continue to fish/eat it, and so these taints reach the Savage Sharks.

Hard way 2) Cursed founding, 21st, during which genetic tailoring was not uncommon, but was still both secret and just as heretical. Chapter's from this founding have a bad time with everyone, and usually struggle with survival itself as a side effect of the experiments performed on their gene-seed.

In the end I may keep the mutation as a Chaos side effect. I'll take your advice Messor and go with the 1st idea. Having a type of shark breed tainted by Chaos. During Initiation trials, the Scouts could eat their first shark kill as a rite of passage. The meat and blood they ingest could mutate their physiology and make the Chapter THINK it's a gene-curse?

[Messor]

Sounds doable, I suggest looking at Space Wolves Wulfen, Blood Angels Death Company, and other Chapters with hardcore flaws to get inspiration. Also keep in mind that marines bursting their armor and turning into Street Sharks is a big deal, and would be broadly seen as heresy by more than just Inquisitors. If they Chapter fails to keep it a secret, the consequences could be steep. The only ones who get away with it are the Space Wolves, even the Blood Angels keep their flaw as much a secret as possible. If you wanted to model some of these mutants, awesome, and ignore all this for gameplay purposes, but in your background there's only one way the Imperium at large views mutation.

[Savage Shark]

Sounds doable, I suggest looking at Space Wolves Wulfen, Blood Angels Death Company, and other Chapters with hardcore flaws to get inspiration. Also keep in mind that marines bursting their armor and turning into Street Sharks is a big deal, and would be broadly seen as heresy by more than just Inquisitors. If they Chapter fails to keep it a secret, the consequences could be steep. The only ones who get away with it are the Space Wolves, even the Blood Angels keep their flaw as much a secret as possible. If you wanted to model some of these mutants, awesome, and ignore all this for gameplay purposes, but in your background there's only one way the Imperium at large views mutation.

 

Okay, yeah I see what you mean about the "Street Sharks" look. I may go with the mutation causing them too take on the appearance of sharks, but not going all "Street Shark" and bursting from their suit of armor. Perhaps have special crafted helmets to fit over their new visage to hide their mutations. I've see some Space WOlves models with a wolves head for a helmet, so I can play around with some models for a Shark head helmet.

 

I imagine they would keep their mutation a secret like the Blood Angels and like the Space Wolves, if need be, they can put down their version of a Wulfen.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Becoming a half-shark monstrosity is an EXTREME mutation, andl likely the result of Chaos-taint. (Yes, the Space Wolves have similar issues with the Wulfen, which the Chapter is careful to keep out of sight.) Easier to explain the pointy teeth as the result of filing- something Konrad Curze did, and I believe Tyberos the Red Wake (Space Sharks Chapter Master) as well.

[Veteran Sergeant]

Wait. There's an IGuard painter?

 

Onwards from there. I think you're over-sharking your shark to "Yo dawg!" levels. It gets kinda silly when you overdo a theme like that. Use the Sharks as a baseline theme, but don't get too carried away with it. Making them vicious and prone to frenzy is okay. Making them vicious and prone to frenzy and mutate into man-sharks after conveniently finding some Chaos Land Shark... starts to be more funny than anything else.

http://tvmedia.ign.com/tv/image/article/748/748989/saturday-night-live-season-1-20061204000844800.jpg

 

Space Sharks don't have known home world. Difficult to be adjacent to it. According to the FW lore, they came from above the galactic plane (the Milky Way is more or less "flat"), and disappear back there. Doing nobody knows what. FW seems to like mysterious chapters. The Space Sharks also, being a mysterious chapter, don't have any known successors because nobody in the Imperium really even knows who they are. I think you're better off making your Chapter shark themed, but independent of the Space Sharks. There are dozens of Angels, Hawks, Lords, Knights, etc. They aren't all interrelated. You can be the Savage Sharks and not have to have anything to do with the Space Sharks. Especially helps you with your gene-seed issues and back story, because then you don't have problems with your chapter being inconsistent with the established fluff of the Space Sharks. This also helps since Space Marine chapters are typically not founded in the way yours is, by splitting off directly from an existing chapter.

 

Maybe have the recruitment trials be part of the training. Space Marines are recruited as small children. Having the aspirants going through such involved trials as 8 year olds seems a little unlikely. But, if your trials are part of the trials that already selected aspirants have to do in order to be full-fledged Space Marines could be cool.

 

Mutating is serious business. That tends to get you in trouble, and it's kinda hard to not get noticed if the Marines are pulling their helmets off and eating the corpses of the dead... The Flesh Eaters chapter is referred to as being "fatally undone by their gene-seed". And they just eat people. The Savage Sharks eat people and they're all mutated. It's not necessarily a bad thing (though I refer back to over-sharking your shark). But you probably want to think about the consequences of being Chaos mutated cannibals, in order to write a more believable back story for the chapter.

 

The Librarians thing. They'd weed these kinds of recruits out early. And it's not common practice to share Marines between chapters. In fact, it's likely that there is a rule against it. If they don't want any Librarians, they're probably just gonna kill the psychic aspirants.

[Savage Shark]

Wait. There's an IGuard painter?

 

Onwards from there. I think you're over-sharking your shark to "Yo dawg!" levels. It gets kinda silly when you overdo a theme like that. Use the Sharks as a baseline theme, but don't get too carried away with it. Making them vicious and prone to frenzy is okay. Making them vicious and prone to frenzy and mutate into man-sharks after conveniently finding some Chaos Land Shark... starts to be more funny than anything else.

http://tvmedia.ign.com/tv/image/article/748/748989/saturday-night-live-season-1-20061204000844800.jpg

 

Space Sharks don't have known home world. Difficult to be adjacent to it. According to the FW lore, they came from above the galactic plane (the Milky Way is more or less "flat"), and disappear back there. Doing nobody knows what. FW seems to like mysterious chapters. The Space Sharks also, being a mysterious chapter, don't have any known successors because nobody in the Imperium really even knows who they are. I think you're better off making your Chapter shark themed, but independent of the Space Sharks. There are dozens of Angels, Hawks, Lords, Knights, etc. They aren't all interrelated. You can be the Savage Sharks and not have to have anything to do with the Space Sharks. Especially helps you with your gene-seed issues and back story, because then you don't have problems with your chapter being inconsistent with the established fluff of the Space Sharks. This also helps since Space Marine chapters are typically not founded in the way yours is, by splitting off directly from an existing chapter.

 

Maybe have the recruitment trials be part of the training. Space Marines are recruited as small children. Having the aspirants going through such involved trials as 8 year olds seems a little unlikely. But, if your trials are part of the trials that already selected aspirants have to do in order to be full-fledged Space Marines could be cool.

 

Mutating is serious business. That tends to get you in trouble, and it's kinda hard to not get noticed if the Marines are pulling their helmets off and eating the corpses of the dead... The Flesh Eaters chapter is referred to as being "fatally undone by their gene-seed". And they just eat people. The Savage Sharks eat people and they're all mutated. It's not necessarily a bad thing (though I refer back to over-sharking your shark). But you probably want to think about the consequences of being Chaos mutated cannibals, in order to write a more believable back story for the chapter.

 

The Librarians thing. They'd weed these kinds of recruits out early. And it's not common practice to share Marines between chapters. In fact, it's likely that there is a rule against it. If they don't want any Librarians, they're probably just gonna kill the psychic aspirants.

 

Thanks for the feedback. Though I checked online about the sharks, I thought I read something about the. Having a home world? But I might take you up on the idea of my chapter succeeding from another one. At least this way I can work more on their lineage.

 

Though I won't change my giant land shark for the story, that's where I put my foot down and have my 5 year old hissy fit XD. Though I will do some more rewriting on its origins for clarity.

As the initiates, I thought they drafted teenagers at like 15 or 16? I don't think chapters recruit THAT young?

I'll work out something with the librarians too.

 

Btw love your reference image, what is that from?

 

Also, there is an Imp Grd painter, I'll post the link up upon updating.

[Veteran Sergeant]

It's from an ancient episode of Saturday Night Live, lol.

 

The age recruits are inducted varies whether you're the Space Wolves, or you're everyone else. The process for implantation has to start by age 14, but as early as 10 years old. Recruits join the Chapter between 16 and 18 (obviously depending on when they start the process), which means they become Scouts. Before that, they are just aspirants.

 

Because the implantation process is supposed to start when they are 10 years old, you have to assume there is a selection process that begins long before that. The Ultramarines novels suggest that Uriel Ventril was like 6 when the Ultramarines screened him the first time. And that makes sense, given the fact that before you start risking gene seed on your prospects, you're going to want to make sure they are free of taint, or mutation, and are biologically compatible with the process. Plus, then you can start them on the indoctrination young. Obviously not every Chapter has to start that young, but regardless of what age, they're not going to be anything older than 14, which means pretty young. Since everything about creating a Space Marine means constructing a seven and a half foot tall murdermachine, it doesn't really matter whether you get the burly kid or the scrawny kid, what you want is the kid who will successfully take the implants.

 

Now, being a 16 or 17 year old aspirant getting ready to be a Scout, then they are gonna be old enough to have a fair number of their implants already. Then they can probably start attempting more complicated and tough challenges.

 

Then again, it is 40K, and not all Chapters do things the way that would make the most sense. Maybe the Chapter is okay sacrificing a bit of its gene seed because it believes it needs the toughest children. There are certainly arguments that some chapters have those kinds of backwards beliefs.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

You don't need mutation to make the Savage Sharks look like actual sharks- unless they're EXTREMELY careful not to let the mutants be seen in public (as in Space Wolves careful, meaning they PERMANENTLY silence non-Fenrisians who've seen Wulfen), this will attract Inquisitorial attention, suspicions of moral or genetic degradation, and likely a purge at the Grey Knights' hands, "Just in case."

 

Instead, have the Savage Sharks file their teeth to points, or even replace those teeth with metal ones, like Jaws from the 'James Bond 007' movies. You can have more extreme Marines implant fin-like blades on top of their skulls, to further the resemblance.

[Savage Shark]

You don't need mutation to make the Savage Sharks look like actual sharks- unless they're EXTREMELY careful not to let the mutants be seen in public (as in Space Wolves careful, meaning they PERMANENTLY silence non-Fenrisians who've seen Wulfen), this will attract Inquisitorial attention, suspicions of moral or genetic degradation, and likely a purge at the Grey Knights' hands, "Just in case."

 

Instead, have the Savage Sharks file their teeth to points, or even replace those teeth with metal ones, like Jaws from the 'James Bond 007' movies. You can have more extreme Marines implant fin-like blades on top of their skulls, to further the resemblance.

 

Thanks for the idea. I actually just added that detail about shark teeth into their description. :) I decided to do away with the mutation and go with it being a curse from Chaos.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Feel free to HINT the Savage Sharks' savagery is the result of a Chaos curse, but do NOT state it out loud- that will attract the Inquisition's attention, likely and immediately followed by the Grey Knights purging your Chapter, "Just in case."

[Savage Shark]

Feel free to HINT the Savage Sharks' savagery is the result of a Chaos curse, but do NOT state it out loud- that will attract the Inquisition's attention, likely and immediately followed by the Grey Knights purging your Chapter, "Just in case."

 

Well they don't know for certain that they were chaos cursed. But I do see what you mean if it is made a rumor amongst the Astartes.

The curce is a kept secret. I believe it was mentioned in the details? But I will update this so the rumor is not a mentioned key. Thanks for that.