Obsidian Knights: Knights of the Cross

[Captain Juan Juarez]

Initial Ideas:

 

Obsidian Knights - Official Chapter designation

 

Knights of the Cross - The First Company have this designation and to be invited to join their ranks requires a Marine to have served upon each of the Five Worlds of the Cross, as well as the usual feats martial.

 

Location - A region of space that becomes known as the Cross.

 

Historically, the region required the presence of the Chapter to reclaim its worlds and enforce the Will of the Emperor. Now the Chapter maintains its presence due to both tradition and to protect the worlds that that Chapter has recruitment rights to.

 

The Chapter maintains its fortress on X, the lynchpin of the Cross, but has smaller Chapter Keeps spread about the principle worlds of the region to enable both protection and recruitment.

 

Beliefs - The sword has a large role in the beliefs of the Chapter, not just stemming from its Imperial Fist lineage.

The sword is THE symbol of the warrior, with many of the cultures the Chapter draws from drawing that sentiment in to the Chapter over time, and the sword is considered to be the soul of a warrior; to surrender or lose your sword is the worst kind of sin.

 

Combat Tactics -

 

 

 

 

 

Just to get stuff down, this is something I'll be working on over a long time and nothing is decided, everything is true.

 

Updated: 28/04/2013

Edited April 28, 2013 by Captain Juan Juarez

[Conn Eremon]

I like the sound of the Fists best, especially if you go with a fleet-based Chapter with multiple keeps.

 

I have issues with the names. No matter the intention behind Knights of the Cross, it'll come off as religious. The reasoning behind the informal name just doesn't settle with me, though I'm not against it.

 

As for Obsidian Knights, I like the idea of it. In fact, I even thought of using that as the name for one of my DIYs, when I was first exploring it. Golden Guardians seemed unimaginative and bland, while Obsidian Knights sounded cool. I ended up going with Guardians of Midas instead. Because even though I liked it, a lot, it didn't flow or roll off the tongue very easily. Always sounded forced and just . . . Off, y'know?

[Valkyrion]

Screams Imperial Fists to me - praps a chapter founded from a Feast of Blades successor that places special emphasis on it.

 

The name doesn't though, but I don't know why...it should sound Dorny, but as Cormac Airt said, it does sound a little off. 

[Malthe]

I really like the name!

I actually once brainstormed a knight-themed chapter who guarded a stretch of space call the Cross of Beshaerat, so I can relate :P

As long as you explicitly state that it's a geographical and not a religious term I think it works just fine.

 

It's sort of like when a politician says something controversial and then withdraws the statement. It's a dirty trick, but it works very well.

[Valkyrion]

Just noticed that there is an official chapter called the Ebon Knights who had a captain turn to Khorne;

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Ebon_Knights#.UXjsD6I3tkI

 

Depending on your other ideas, this could merge the Imperial Fists and Dark Angels together, after a fashion. The Khorne guy becomes your Fallen and your chaplains keep the secret. Plus, Ebon and Obsidian are both black.

 

Just throwing it out there! 

[Ecritter]

I'd say go IF, and name is fine.  We can all see from the writing that its the area not a physical cross.  I say IF, though I really like DA ... DA is just so difficult to work with, IA wise.

[Captain Juan Juarez]

I'm leaning towards the Imperial Fists, as well as having just had an epiphany-level idea regarding the "Knights of the Cross" thing.

 

I'm going to name the area of the space that the Chapter feels is their own domain "The Cross", due to the way the principal worlds in the region can be viewed as a cross. Obviously there are more than just the five worlds I envisage making up the Cross but whether due to cosmic fate or the will of the Emperor, the five major/capital/whatever worlds form a rough cross with the Chapter's designated "homeworld" laying at the center, as the lynchpin.

 

The Knights of the Cross will be the name for the First Company - similar to how the Crimson Fists First Company are also called the Crusade Company - and to be welcomed to their ranks requires a Marine to have served on each of the Cross Worlds, as well as the regular achievements of valour and skill at arms.

[Malthe]

I like it. It would have to be a pretty interesting region though, for the five worlds to all have continuous need of marine support.

You might want to devote some time to that :)

[Captain Juan Juarez]

My thoughts run along the line of the Chapter having a historic connection to the region; initial campaigns were around that region, or perhaps easier is that the region required that kind of presence in the past.

 

In "present day" the Chapter maintains that presence based both on tradition that the Chapter has always had a presence in the area, as well as protecting worlds they have recruitment rights to.

 

The closest comparison would be the Ultramarines and their fiefdo, I suppose, except for in the case of the Knights their region of space isn't quite so united as a mini-empire and they are not the only power within the region.

[Captain Juan Juarez]

Phase One is the Origins section.

 

I don't see any particular major special moments within the Origins section, except a bit about the history of the Cross but I'm slightly loath to discuss that before the section on their Homeworld. How much information I give will I suppose depend on how I decide to finally construct this first section.

 

Historically I always trend towards older Chapters, as I like the way earlier Foundings give greater scope for a long and more storied history and it's easier to fit a few, major, events in the history of the Chapter in to a larger period of time; to cut a long story short though, I haven't decided on a Founding except that it should be "unremarkable".

 

Imperial Fists it is in terms of lineage; no need for explaining but I like the tie in to the duelling tradition and the Feast of Blades.

[soddinnutter]

You could have them be from the unremarkable 4th/5th founding. Its far enough back to give a sense of history without having anything already officially claimed about it.

 

How long did they wander the stars for before claiming a home? How long have they claimed rights to the Cross Worlds and what were the circumstances of their claiming?

 

Are they aloof from their people as War-Angels or are they their guardian-priests?

 

Do they trust psykers or do they cast them from their sight?

 

How many worlds are in their influence?