Chapter Masters

[Hamertime95]

Lots of DIY chapters have a story of their Chapter Master which is often said to move away from the theme of the Chapter.

So just wanted to know abit about everyone's leader of their Chapter and how do you represent them if you use them on the tabletop.

Thanks again :)

[Blackrat]

Why not tell us of your CM to start with?

 

Anyway, I have very bare bones on my own CM. The other characters are much more fleshed out, but I'll give what I have :D

 

Outis - The Nameless Dragon:

 

It is traditional for the Chapter Master of Blood Dragons to give up his identity upon ascension and to take on the name Outis, meaning "Nobody" in ancient Theran language. From then on, he is considered the embodiment of the Sacred Flame that burns clean the enemies of the Blood Dragons. It is hard to tell how old each Master has been, for some deaths of previous master and ascension of the new one were never recorded. This resulted "one" Chapter Master holding the title officially for full three millenia.

 

The Chapter Master is issued an ancient artificer armour with dragonfaced helmet and jump pack adorned with dragonic wings. He is rarely seen outside the closest star systems from Doric, for the area is always under siege from orks, and his most sacred duty is to defend the subsector from them.

 

I don't know if I'll ever use Outis in a game, but I have made a conversion for him. It's based on a Sanguinary Guard body + legs, the wings from Possessed squad attached to SG jump pack, lightning claws and a head from older WHFB lizard man :D

[Ecritter]

I think your premise may be flawed.  Sure most of us have our Original Chapter Master move away from the theme of their predecessors ... but Current Chapter Masters not so much.

 

Anyway, here's my Chapter Master

 

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/ecritter/P2150017.jpg

 

Lans Mobius

Chapter Master of the Sons of Pyron

Commander of the First Company

 

 

I

 

The girl panted as the pains of birth wrecked her body, otherwise she remained silent. She showed no signs of fear. She had steeled herself for this all her young life. Her's was an honor that only the chosen were allowed.

The chamber had an air of reverence.  Soft lights shown down from above as unseen voices chanted holy verses. The girl was attended by only three midwives. The older women were to act as guides as she struggled to birth the child.  Behind a small metal table, a lone Chaplain waited for his part in

the delivery.

When the boy was born, he was taken before the Chaplain by the elder midwife. Like all the children of Pyron, he was inspected. If he'd been small or puny, or sickly or misshapen, he would have been discarded as impure.

 

He was found fit and and taken by the Chaplain out the single opening to the Great Hall. It was there that the chanting throng of Space Marines and their female counterparts waited. The Hall fell silent when the Chaplain entered carrying his charge.

Lifting the boy before him, the Chaplain proclaimed. “I present you Lans Mobius, Son of Pyron.”

II

 

From the moment the young Mobius could stand, his life became one of constant training in the ways of war.  He learned quickly to become self sufficient, to have no fear, to show no pain, and that doubt was the first step to failure. He was told of Pyron's sacrifice and taught that there was no greater dishonor then that of allowing impurity live and spread.

At the age of seven, he was taken from the nursery and plunged into a world of violence. He fought to survive and he stole to eat, and was harshly punished when caught.  He took the merciless bite of the lash with cold, unflinching resolve. He was constantly tested, his purity always in question.

For thousands of years it was how the Sons of Pyron created the finest soldiers the Imperium would ever know.

Harsh as his life was it was not without love. Perhaps not the love that most Imperial citizens knew, but he held the pride of his teachers, the brotherhood of his companions and the honor of his people. He was a part of something much greater, and he knew it. The Emperor was his father, the Imperium his mother, the Chapter his brothers and sisters, and the Chapter house the only home he'd ever know.

Mobius excelled at all his challenges and in time began the transformation process to become one of the Imperium's Angels of Death. With the implantation of each successive geneseed he grew stronger and faster and in the fullness of time joined the honored ranks of the Sons of Pyron.

III

 

“Mobius,” the vox chirped in his helmet, “they've got artillery behind the ridge on our right flank. Take your squad and silence those guns.” The order was simple and direct.

 

As ordered Sergeant Mobius moved his squad towards the ridge. Going around the rise would have been the easiest route, but would have wasted valuable time. Time that the Orks would use to rain down ordnance on their brothers and that was not acceptable.

 

Atop the ridge, Third Company's Second Squad looked down at their prize. Three Ork Lobbas and their Gretchin crew firing on the Sons as they battled the Ork Warband.

“On my order, advance and fire in line.” Mobius told the squad, as they prepared for combat.  When they were in position, he gave the battle cry. “For

Pyron!” His brother called out in unison, “Let them burn!,” as they began to advance and pour bolter fire down on the startled Gretchin.

The Gretchin were ill prepared for the attack and the position was taken with ease. “Burn the bodies.  Spike the guns.” Grenade blasts and flamer bursts echoed as Mobius made his report. The squad then turned to flank the Orks and cleanse the land with fire.

The Goffs Warband never had a chance.  They were outnumbered and outgunned. The Sons showed them no mercy and none were able to escape. The pyres of the dead lit the night sky in the aftermath of the battle. The Sons had come one step closer to avenging their beloved home.

IV

 

Xeno blood dripped from his lightning claws as he flamed the rushing advance of Tyranid. Mobius' Terminator armor showed the marks of constant close combat and his blood burned with hatred of these vile aliens.

The Third Company had fought for days against the Tyranid swarm and only now taken the advantage. In response, the aliens redoubled their assault, charging in mass towards the center of the Sons' battle line. Mobius was prepared for the assault and had the company's Battle Barge, Glorious Inferno, standing by.

”Commence bombardment on preset coordinates.” He ordered calmly.

In orbit above the planet the bombardment turrets of the Glorious Inferno came to life, raining death down on the charging Tyranid swarm. At the same time, heavy weapons fire erupted all along the battle line adding their devastation to the carnage. The few that remained to press the attack were cut down by endless bolter fire.

All that remained was mopping up the last remaining xenos spread in small pockets. Within weeks the planet was declared clear of infestation. Although few remained of the original Imperial citizenry, the operation was a success and the Sons withdrew. The surviving population was left to deal with rebuilding on their own.

V

 

In the aftermath of battle, Mobius, now Chapter Master and Captain of the First Company, conferred with the representative of the Ordo Hereticus. The rebels of Telfar III had denounced the Emperor and the Imperium and had paid a high price.  The few that remained were under guard awaiting their fate. After speaking with the Inquisitor, Mobius turned to Chaplain Merik and without emotion gave the order. “They are to be cleansed.”  Then he walked away towards his waiting transport.

Merik walked the short distance to where the rebels were being held. He looked over the rabble for a few moments before speaking. ”May whatever gods you worship have mercy on your wretched souls, for we shall not!” Turning back to the Marines he sealed their fate with two simple words.  ”Burn them.”

End

[Hamertime95]

Well I have yet to really think much about my Chapter master was just wondering what you guys had done :)

Well my Astorath equivalent in my BA successors is known as the Jailir of the damned. He was once Brother Captain Terranus who was heavily favourite to become the second Chapter Master. After he was turned down in favour of another he went into a berserk rage and attacked many of the hover members of the Chapter. Rather than kill him outright he was instead charged with leading and containing the damned (what my Death Company were revered to) a group he has always despised. He had a golden Death mask melted to his face to hide his shame and he has fought loyally for his Chapter ever since, trying to redeem himself and his charges.

 

It is unknown whether the current Jailor is the same Captain Terranus from thousands of years ago or whether he has been replaced as all wear the fabled golden death mask, and the Jailor and his guards are very protective and secretive of their secrets.

 

He or they have since all taken the name Vel'nagid meaning dark one in the native people's tounge on the Planet Valarian the Chapters homeworld. Though he is rarely seen all know he is a great force often leading large numbers of the Damned into battle as well as inspiring the other marines around him. All know that he has led the Chapter honourably if broodingly since his banishment to the or icing moon on which lies the Dark fortress his haven as well as prison, being locked up for so long he often relishes in the thought of striking down more of the Imperiums enemies in battle.

[Madwolf Shadowmane]

The original Chapter Master of the Hounds of the Hunt has had his name removed from their histories due to the massacre caused by him succumbing to the Chapter's curse.  His skeleton remains in the terminator armor he wore in life.  This event in my Chapter's history sparked the change from the masters of the Chapter wearing terminator armor to it being reserved for the Red Hands.  (My Chapter only has a total of 16 suits of Terminator armor)

 

I plan to represent this with the terminator in throne from the newest version of the Space Hulk game. 

 

Madwolf

[hobointherain]

Being an Iron hands successor chapter, the Iron Gorgons are ruled over by the Clan Council, made up of the three Clan Masters. There is however a fourth member of the council, who doesnt belong to any of the clans and is therefore able to act as a neutral voice of reason. During the Moirae Schism, one of the clan masters attempted to break away from the chapter, taking with him like minded Moirae dissidents. After much tongue wagging and skull bashing the dissidents were 'persuaded' to stay within the chapter, and it was decreed that a fourth neutral seat on the Clan Council would be created. This individual would maintain a close watch on the Chapter and ensure that any decisions passed through the council would benefit the chapter as a whole, and never favor one clan over the other. 

 

This is a very rough initial idea ive had. I dont want the fourth member to be a chapter master, because he isnt really. He's more like a speaker of the House like in Parliament.  He makes sure everyone behaves, and if they dont he gets his lads round to sort them out.    

[Demus Ragnok]

Well from what I have figured out about my DIY the Sons of Creightos, their current chapter master is missing. He took the third company and headed for Badab at the beginning of that conflict. But no one has seen or heard from them. Yet.

[Conn Eremon]

I have yet to decide if I'm going to keep Cormac, the Chapter Master of my Emerald Tigers, my primary DIY and the only one I am fielding so far, as either the current Chapter Master or the first Chapter Master. If I keep him as the first, as I originally intended, he will embody the ideals of his Chapter. He will be a famous warrior as a Chapter Master obviously should be, ending his reign by being incapacitated by a Greater Daemon. He will be interred within a Dreadnought and later lost to the Chapter during a heroic, but ultimately suicidal charge.

 

I have noticed a trend, though, reading this thread. A lot of people have their Chapter Masters give up their identities upon assuming that mantle. One of my DIYs, the Angels Penumbral, had a similar Chapter Master, referred to only as the Lord of Hosts. I have since changed it so that it would no longer be the case and he is now Chapter Master Adonijah, Lord of Hosts. However, another DIY, the Crimson Spectres, will continue to have its Chapter Master be the Spectre. However, in that case it is because the Chapter was created as a group exercise on a separate forum, where we were essentially roleplaying the Chapter by having our collected voices represent the Chapter Master. Since no one of us was the Chapter Master, he was referred to as the Spectre. The only other DIY Chapter of mine to have no named Chapter Master is the Imperial Dragons. However, in their case it is because the previous Chapter Master was slain during the current war the Chapter finds itself in, against an Iron Warriors Warband and assorted Daemonic hosts. With the Chapter so greatly threatened, and their Lord dead, the surviving commanding officers have chosen to split their forces among the three possible heirs to the mantle of the Chapter Master, leaving the inevitable decision for when the Chapter has more breathing room and can more safely re-adjust its hierarchies. My DIY Space Wolf Great Company has no Chapter Master, for it is set prior to the 41st millennium and there are no named Chapter Masters of that time, that I'm aware of. However, it's a Great Company and is led by a Wolf Lord, so who the Chapter Master is in that case is unimportant.

 

The remainder are all named. The Golden Guardians, Iron Crusaders, Knights of Sovereignty, Storm Bearers, War Consuls and the renegade Conclave of Shadows all have a named Chapter Master, though at the moment I forget what their names are. They're all written down somewhere on my computer at home.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

The Persecutors' Chapter Master, Lord Harbringer Lykos, has moved away from the traditional views of the Chapter's original founders to some extent - recent misfortune suffered by the Chapter - loosing approx 200 marines to an Alpha Legion ambush on their fortress monastery, and 2/3 of a company due to conflict between different factions of the Inquisition (this is a 21st cursed founding chapter, after all) - have made his views more extreme than some of his predecessors - but this has been a gradual theme over the course of the chapter's history. This basically manifests as a closer association with more radical portions of the Inquisition - because of the fact the =I= keep an eye on the chapter - and he continues the chapters general Recongregationist ideology which originated in the brutality of their chapter's founding.

I like the idea that to some extent the chapter is a victim of the conflict within the Inquisition, and Lykos knows this, and sees how corrupt and unstable the Imperium is, and makes attempts to correct this, but realises he is small fry, and so uses his association with these radicals in an attempt to instigate meaningful change, whilst trying to rebuild / hold his chapter together. Its wierdly political