Alternate Heresy Community Project

[Zincite]

I'd just like to pop my head in the door, here, and say that this is all freaking insane. In a good way.

 

Keep up the good insanity, chaps.

[Wade Garrett]

According to Lexicanum, the Ghoul Stars/Ghost Stars are located in the galactic East where Cormac proposed the Eldar Protectorate set up shop.

 

I propose that much of the tales of supernatural monsters and nightmare beasts surrounding this part of space be the work of the Craftworld Eldar, taking up various guises to ensure the Imperium leaves the primitive Exodites and servitor races they have seeded throughout the area alone.

 

The biggest threats? Effrit successors and AER operatives would be on the list, but I'd throw in that First Legion Cohort Cormac mentioned that is devoted to conquering the GS for the glory of Warmaster Jonson! the Imperium, Rogue Traders (especially those with Astartes back up) and settler fleets (expeditions with Imperial Army, Mechanicum, and Astartes support launched to turn unclaimed solar systems into productive members of the Imperium of Man. Or scooping up a bunch of convicts and whichever Astartes and army units the local authorities hate the most and tossing them at the frontier to do something productive or die trying.)

[Wade Garrett]

(This is in response to Cormac's post wondering about Khârn of the Celestial Lions, Lucius of the Iron Hoplites, and Typhon of the Infernal Guard. The last should technically be a Son of Barabbas but I don't mind giving him up)

 

THE SHIELD CAPTAIN

 

There is a peculiar tale that circulates among the armed forces of the Imperium. I have heard it from the Army, Ordo Dracul, Navy, Shrineguard of the Three Faiths, Trading Companies, Astartes, and was even allowed to view a corroborating account from the sealed files of the Brides of the Emperor.

 

It tells of a warrior of truly ancient mien, with skin as cracked and dried by age and privation until he is barely recognizeable as human.

 

He's a big man, this old warrior, with the more reliable stories putting him at around Astartes size, but he wears no power armor. What he does have is a shield with the most remarkable qualities.

 

The proud heraldy that once adorned the center of this mighty implement has long since been erased by time and battle damage, but the chainblade running around its edge and combi bolter built into its grip remain in fine working order.

 

This ancient also has about him an air of command, as most stories have him appearing to lead the defenders of the Imperium to victory in nigh hopeless situations.

 

He always vanishes in the wake of the Imperial victory, and answers any questions about his past or his name with either evasive philosophical meanderings or simply "I am the Captain of the Shield".

 

-Barad Nekelos, Imperial remembrancer, M39

 

With a choking gasp he clawed his way free of the cairn the Chevaliers Resolute had erected over his body, the rocks and broken greenskin weapons these strange descendants of Magnus had piled atop him thrown aside by his resurrection.

 

"Raise me as often as you like." The once-corpse snarled at the swirling red and black sky. "I will still fight you. I will ALWAYS fight you."

 

Oh, Khârn, my Khârn, the voice replied. It was within him, and without, in the storm above and the pounding of his own hearts. Even in fighting me you feed my power. How many have you sent before my throne? How many skulls, and how much blood? Stop living this feeble lie. Say the words, and accept the truth. Is it really so different from how you have existed these last ten millenia?

 

Khârn's reply was pure gutter Nagrakali, an extensive recounting of the voice's carnal activities with sheep, dogs, and corpses.

 

So be it. Off to the next war, then. Fight, fight to guard this play pretend kingdom of toy soldiers. I will be watching you, shield bearer...

[Wade Garrett]

Explanation:

 

The warship Courage Above All bore two precious things as it traveled to its rendezvous with Angron at the Scholam World.

 

The first was the Lion Shield, crafted to replace the buckler Angron lost in his duel with Lassertine Bron at the beginning of the Blood Game, and the second was a collection of children from all over Ultramar, honored to be selected to study at the academies of Armatura.

 

It was the second that drove Eighth Captain Khârn to desperation when the Scar's fleet ambushed them. He knew what they sought.

 

Lassertine Bron had unveiled a truly vile tactic on Calth, unleashing a host of children his Legion had taken during their raids on Angron's worlds and subjected to vile mind sorceries until they were little more than feral war beasts, charging the Lions and Imperial Army with crude spears and clubs.

 

Khârn would not have these children meet that fate, and so as the Scars capture teams wormed their way through the ship he ordered his men to draw their weapons and kill every child onboard.

 

Some saw this as madness and tried to restrain their Pride Leader, only to be struck down as Khârn was engulfed in rage at the actions he was forced to take.

 

It is said that when Angron's vanguard finally found the battered hulk of the

Courage, Khârn was the only living thing onboard, surrounded by the corpses of Scars, Lions...and children.

 

For his actions, Angron cast him out of the Legion, stripping him of his armor, his rank, and even his name. The Lord of Maccrage struck the lion sigil from the shield and hurled it at the disgraced Marine, telling him to go find an honorable death far from his Primarch's sight.

[Conn Eremon]

Wasn't Typhon a Terran of the XIV? If he was Barbaran, then he is a Son of Barabbas.

[Wade Garrett]

Wasn't Typhon a Terran of the XIV? If he was Barbaran, then he is a Son of Barabbas.

Given that he's supposed to have shared the blood of the warlords of Barbarus, I am doubtful he's of Terran extraction.

 

I was willing to let him go because I can't see much for him to do in the Sons. Hmmm...maybe without the whole "fueled by resentment of Mortarion keeping his psyker powers down" pushing him to excel he's just Brother Typhon the Librarian, nothing special at all.

 

(Insofar as a transhuman space wizard can ever be "nothing special", anyway).

 

What about my Cypher-Khârn? Am I am messing around in territory best left to the Infernal Guard?

 

And what do you think of the new Ghost eldar?

[Conn Eremon]

Sorry, if my responses are light and doesn't include everything in reply. If it is in the middle of a normal work-day (for those in -8 GMT), it isn't because I am ignoring the rest or have no thoughts on it, I just only have the time to post something quick and short, while I save the longer responses for my lunch period, or when I'm off work. I don't have a cush job where I can browse B&C on our computers, I can just sneak glances at my phone every now and then.

 

As for Typhon, I thought he was a Librarian of the Dusk Raiders, which would make him a pre-Mortarion Legionnaire of the XIV. If I am wrong of that, then you can by all means recruit him into the XIII. Though it's honestly irrelevant, but how can Typhon have their blood? Aren't they xenos?  It's up to those who have these Marines what they do with them, but I would recommend you lend them some of their canon legendary status, simply because it will provide a nice . . . I guess sample of what this Alternate Heresy has to offer, something that our readers can compare with to the canon (and speaking of readers, thanks Zincite!). Even if you make them nothing, make sure it is well known (by the readers) that they are nothing. Personally, I intend to have Ahriman serve a purpose not unlike canon Khârn's, in that he is the one who finally achieves communion between Primarch and Legion. Speaking of which, I do rather like your Cypher-Khan, and I don't believe it does step on their toes. The Infernal Guard won't be the only Khornates around, you can still have Renegades. The Infernal Guard are the Khornate Legion though.

 

As for the Ghoul Stars and the Eldar Protectorate (I threw it out there as something to call them for the time being, but I hadn't thought of actually using that term. If it's liked though, we can keep it), it is fitting with your idea of the ghost warriors. It is, perhaps, a bit overly thematic. Ghost Warriors who live in the Ghoul Stars. It is also much more north than I had intended, if we want Tau and Tyranids to be related. 

 

But I do like it, and instead of wanting to choose one or the other, what if we simply go with both (and potentially more)? The Eldar aren't exactly a unified people anymore, though our Heresy does go to some length to change that. The canon Maiden Worlds are pockets scattered across the galaxy. What if our Eldar are unified in purpose if not in person? There is a Iyanden-centric zone within the Ghoul Stars, where the ghastly warriors of the Craftworld and its followers patrol and defend. To the galactic east, far on the rightmost edge of the Imperial advance, lies a different grouping, perhaps associated with Saim-Hann, threatened first by the upstart Tau and now by the Tyranid threat.

 

If we let each of the major Craftworlds, Ulthwé, Biel-tan and Alaitoc being the three remaining, have their own zone, we have Five Protectorates we can expand on and place as we wish. Considering this is a communal effort, that has the added benefit of meaning that we can divvy the Protectorates up among us, if anyone would want to. The Lesser Craftworlds, of which Lexicanum states there are about 23 still kicking by m41 and 10 that were destroyed by various means before that point, could all be divvied up as well, allowing each Protectorate to still have that image of unified Eldar power. There are a maximum of 40 Craftworlds expanded on in Canon (though we can always make up some). That's about 8 per Protectorate, if divided evenly (which they shouldn't, it'd be too "neat"). Less so when you consider we should still have a rough dozen destroyed over time as well, though who gets destroyed and how can be changed as desired. 

 

Something to consider. I guess this is more of a compromise between our ideas that I now like even more than either of those ideas. What say you?

 

 

On a separate subject, I haven't been able to come up with a cool name for the Heresy either. The Corax Heresy is good and all, but it just lacks the impact of "Horus" or the "Dornian" or even "Guilliman," which even I thought was pushing it. Most of my ideas I end up rejecting myself, but the one that keeps coming back to me is based off of the Warmaster's Legion, the Chainsworn. The Forsworn Heresy? Maybe replace "Heresy" with something else? Or just use "Forsworn" as an alternate name for the Traitors? I don't know, I don't like anything I've come up with on this subject to be honest.

 

Edit: The Corax Coup? I am honestly fine with just saying we go with "the Corax Coup" and be done with it.

[Rune Priest Ridcully]

It's been a while since I read any HH books, does anyone know of any pre vulkan Salamanders? As it is the Solar Tigers may have next to none of it's Terran's mentioned. Is it okay for me to write Anubis's death?

[Wade Garrett]

Apologies, Cormac.

 

I'm doing the student thing and sometimes I forget that not everyone has endless wads of free time around the holidays like I do.

 

Corax's Coup and the divided eldar are fine by me.

[Conn Eremon]

Eh, s'cool. I'm used to it, what with me being the first of my ragtag group of friends hopping over from the land of school into the world of work. No, no I can not go grab some tacos, because I won't get off work for another seven hours. And then I will just want to go home, because even though 40 hour work weeks seems like nothing to us 80+ hour schoolwork nerds, it is somehow vastly more tiring.

 

Anywho, I'll hold off on labeling this Corax's Coup until I've heard from some more of us. Namely Ridcully and Ace, the more involved authors.

 

And speaking of Ridcully, Anubis is your baby, so feel free to write his death. Just remember Corax is Noctus' darling, so he'll get a say too if wants it. I think the only thing it really needs to have is wound Corax. Do as you wish, so long as Corax is able to face Konrad and Fulgrim with a wound. Not an altogether visible one, but one that those two can capitalize on to win the day. Think Sanguinius vs Horus.

 

Speaking of which, it occurs to me that while Fulgrim might represent the more conscientious side of the Emperor, who feels that the brother he loved and looked up to must still be in there somewhere, Konrad could represent that more fatalistic, pragmatic side of the Emperor, who finally makes the decision that there is no bringing Corax back from this brink.

 

Edit: The recent interest in the Lost Legions had me thinking of our Heresy and one of the basic truths about. Namely, nobody landed on their canon home world.

 

Now, it would feel like a cop out if we just assume that the II and XI simply swapped places and ended up the same. We do have one other world not in use as a home world, Olympia.

 

Now, I am a major fan of keeping the Lost as the lost. But what if we just added a tidbit somewhere that says that Olympia was once one of his brothers' before Barabbas remolded it?

 

Now, sure some people are going to say that therefore, one of those two landed on Olympia. But I never said it was a home world. Just that it "belonged" to another. Maybe it was used as a supply and refit station for the Cerberus Legion, that utilized it as a recruitment center before the Crusade moved too far past for it to have as much use. Then Barabbas moves in and begins to re-purpose it. Doesn't that make more sense?

[Rune Priest Ridcully]

It took all of Anubis's will to focus on healing the wounded amoungst his sons and those of his brothers. The sheer fact that it had come to this. The fact that Corax's madness had plunged the world aflame. Like Curunir of old, his brother had fallen victim to his pride and he suspected, a fear of failure. The fact Terra was being torn apart. The fact of his ordering of an attack upon Prospero. The stink of the corruption from the fouler parts of the great Ocean that now followed Corax's forces spoke of his brothers fall from Grace. Yet for the depths to which his brother had fallen, the Ensharaddon could not foresee the out come of this siege that should never have happened.

He had just finished leading a counter charge at the Eternity gate, melting a trio of Foresworn Cotemptors and was healing a lieutenant when he felt it.

Corax the warmaster was coming.

[Ace Debonair]

Corax's Coup will do for now, I guess.

I'd like to suggest something more grand and all-encompassing, telling people in an instant that this is a universe of twisted reflections - equal parts unexpected heroics and grim, nightmarish despair, promising a story matched only in grandeur and excellence by the actual Horus Heresy itself.

Unfortunately I can't think of a single thing that even gets close, so Corax's Coup gets my vote for now.

I'm looking forward to seeing what happens to poor old Anubis. Primarch vs Primarch battles are always pretty special.

[Conn Eremon]

What say you, Ridcully? Is "Corax's Coup" adequate as the project name?

[Wade Garrett]

I've been trying to think of something else, but all I've come up with is things like "Shattered Glass", "All the Myriad Ways", and "Weaving A Tangled Web".

 

None of which really jump up and grab you by the neck.

[Rune Priest Ridcully]

Tbh I like most of the names suggested, perhaps put it to a vote?

[Adra'Melek]

Ridcully, all of Vulkan's bodyguard are from Terra. I think they're fleshed out in Vulkan lives. I can go back through it to give you some names and traits if you don't have it.

 

Corax's Coup is ok for know. I feel it lacks the impact for he Horus Heresy but that might just be the fact I grew you with it in the history.

 

As for Typhus, I think he's been said to be from Terra and Barabbas. I'm easy with either having him. I can have him being a pyromancer until they turn and the power is ripped from him leaving a psychic null (like old chaos sorcerers of Khorne in slaves to darkness, they can only dispel)

[Adra'Melek]

Oh and on guerrilla Tua, would that work? Wouldn't they be a bit slow due to lack of warp travel? Do you need to be psychic to just the webway? Perhaps that could be their mode of transport.

[Wade Garrett]

"The slow blade penetrates the shield!"

 

Commander Farsight

[Conn Eremon]

I agree that it lacks the punch we want, but it has that ease and simplicity that makes the Horus Heresy work. I will make the change later, but I think we can all agree it is a temporary name (that will likely last forever).

 

Wade is correct that you don't have to be faster moving to be a guerilla unit. After all, the American forces in Vietnam had the advantage of speed, if not familiarity, thanks to air and naval superiority.

[Wade Garrett]

Is it wrong that I'm picturing the alt-Tau as basically an entire race of Gundam Wings?

 

That is to say, being born to the Fire Caste means you're trained from birth in piloting power suits and small unit skirmish tactics, and few of them make it past their teens.

 

"The flame that burns brightest burns fastest."

Commander Shadowsun

[Ace Debonair]

Put like that they seem ok.

I mean, so long as they're not all piloting titan-sized robots or anything, otherwise the squad size seems kind of a moot issue.

[Conn Eremon]

Part of me wants to say that it's kind of what they are already, from the Stealthsuits to the Riptides. Though the whole 'raise 'em and burn 'em' bit is a nice angle.

 

The Tau use what technology they have learned for themselves and forcibly break off from their Eldar oppressors.

 

The Eldar put it down hard. Because thousands of years of military experience and technological advancement gives a hell of an edge.

 

The Tau's response? Children soldiers (probably a non-politically correct idea but hey, grimdark) meets Fire Warriors.

 

"Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys."

Commander Puretide

[Wade Garrett]

I've got two ideas for my "Ghost Eldar in the Ghoul Stars"

 

Option A:

All that lies still is not dead, and all that is dead does not lie still.

 

This Craftworld took Eldrad's prophecy of a coming galactic catastrophe to heart, and took extreme measures to survive it. Its entire population was placed in stasis, to slumber until the days of fire and darkness came to an end, and the Primordial Beast slew itself.

 

They sleep, but are not unguarded. The dead walk, spirits within the Infinity Circuit taking on corporeal form to safeguard their kin, backed by soulless legions of war automata.

 

"What mad path is this, where shades tread the paths and forests and the living lie entombed?"

-Farseer of Craftworld Ulthwé

 

Option B

The oldest and most primal emotion is fear.

 

How do you survive when the hands of everyone are turned against you?

 

You make them leave you alone.

 

How do you get them to leave you alone? Through fear of the consequences.

 

Tiny bands of half sane survivors, whispering of horror and curses that rival those of the Warp itself.

 

Of an evil that comes in the guise of perished friends and family, of childhood nightmares and half remembered myths walking the stars.

 

Of children stolen and changelings left in their place, of whole Settlement fleets drifting as hulks among the dying suns of the Ghoul Stars.

 

This Craftworld...once, perhaps, there was reason to its actions. Teach the mon-keigh and the krok that death and terror worse than death lurked in these stars, and they would go elsewhere.

 

Now? Its Aspect Warriors deliberately twist themselves to tap into universal terrors. Its warlocks comb the foes's minds for the most dreadful ways for their forces to present themselves.

 

As the devil that once lurked under your childhood bed. As the long buried friend come crawling back from the grave. Never in the same guise twice, lest familiarity lessen the fear.

 

They feed on terror as the Lords of Cormorraugh feast on misery, and even those black hearted monsters refuse to acknowledge kinship with them.

 

"There are no eldar in the Ghoul Stars."

-Farseer of Craftworld Iyanden

 

Which do you gents prefer?

[Rune Priest Ridcully]

The latter sounds cool, as it gives us a darker form of Craftworld eldar, and the delicious irony if they still beleive they haven't fallen. The first is nice but does stand on Iyanden's toes if they get Nidded again.

[Wade Garrett]

If the second idea is what we go with, I'd like to use Saim-Hann instead of Iyanden.

 

Craftworlds can move around, right? So it could be in the Ghoul Stars? Although I recall that Ulthwé is stuck roaming around the edges of the Eye of Terror.