Alternate Heresy Community Project

[Conn Eremon]

The Iyandan already have a reputation that fits more what you want of the Ghoul Stars, but I can swap the Saim-hann for the Biel-tan if you really want them.

 

So we have Night Lord Eldar taking the Ghoul Stars for their own, under Wade's purview. Either the Iyanden or the Saim-hann are involved.

 

We have a Noah's Ark Eldar in the galactic east that includes the Kroot and Tau. I guess I can call dibs on this one. Either the Saim-hann or the Biel-tan are involved.

 

That leaves the Ulthwé and Alaitoc, plus whichever of the three already mentioned not used by those two scenarios.

[Wade Garrett]

Actually, after minutes and minutes of soul searching and contemplation...you can have Saim-hann and I'll keep Iyanden.

 

The reasons I wanted that Craftworld was that given their reputation as feral barbarians they'd be credible as going full blown Night Haunter, plus Saim-hann = Samhain = Halloween = perfect for scary eldar.

 

But Iyanden could be awesome. Not a living Craftworld roaming the Ghoul Stars, but one of wraiths.

 

Once charged with safeguarding

the slumbering populace, the dutiful dead took to harvesting them whenever their own ranks needed swelling, then to raiding Exodites, other Craftworlds, and even their dark kin for more souls to swell their lifeless ranks.

 

The atrocities and shrouding their warriors in the trappings of nightmare and devilry that were once used to make other races shun the Ghoul Stars are now meat and drink to the shades, for only by drawing the purest horror from mortal veins can they feel alive once more.

 

Night Lord Eldar is one way to describe them, but I'd also like to use the Nazghul as well...ancient heroes and warriors who willingly chose the dark beyond death, and whose mere presence renders the stoutest hearts cold with fear and despair.

 

I have some ideas involving shards of Nightbringer forged into dread weapons (it did inflict every species but the orkz with a fear of death, after all) and also some about Maugen Ra and the Dark Reapers, but but as of now they remain vague and incoherent.

[Wade Garrett]

I've also got some ideas about the Ordo Dracul, the militant arm of the Mechanicum.

 

What sets it apart from the canon Tech Guard besides a fondness for draconic imagery?

 

How about the fact that every member, from the lowest cannon fodder servitor to the mightiest Titan Princeps, is plugged into a single gesalt mind. With their individuality lost to the collective, the Dragon is capable of perfect coordination and willing sacrifice.

 

Once upon a time, the plan was for the collective to upload itself into the sleeping God Machine at the heart of Mars. Either the Dragon would have discarded its myriad vessels and found true unity as a single being, a true Omnissiah that would shepherd mankind into a new Golden Age...OR the C'Tan Void Dragon would have eaten all those souls in one go and used that to revive itself and rampage across the stars. Depends on who you talk to and more importantly, who you believe.

 

The Silent King apparently wasn't down with it, what with his flagship crashing into the Sol system and opening fire on Mars.

 

His efforts gutted the Dragon Order's plans, but he was unable to completely destroy the sleeping C'Tan thanks to Angron and Jonson leading a boarding action on his ship.

 

In the wake of this debacle, a most unnerving thing happened to the Ordo Dracul: it fractured into factions.

 

With the Fabricator General's death via Gauss Lightning, the consensus was temporarily reduced to 4-5 seperate entities (or more, depending on who wants to take a crack at this idea) instead of a single whole.

 

I'd like to give others the chance to put a spin on "Totally not Borg Tech Guard". In the event this whole thing doesn't get shot down, of course.

 

I have an idea for two such subgroups:

 

One of them believes the way forward after the Void Dragon was made even deader is by inducting all mankind into the consensus. They approach this almost like a proselytizing religion, with its members looking either as human as possible or with augmentations that give them a beatific/seraphic look.

 

The Catherics, Lectio, and Enumerations like this faction not at all, and there are some nasty rumors about how far they'll go to get a potential convert on the operating table.

 

But surely those are just rumors? For their figurehead/leader...the Steel Saint, Celestine.

 

And another faction that thinks the thing to do now is kill all aliens, holding a special hatred of Necrons (for obvious reasons) and also tyranids (whose Hivemind and biotech mock the Ordo Dracul just by existing).

 

They tend to augment themselves with as much weaponry as possible and be single mindedly bloodthirsty...but there are less dark rumors about them than Celestine's bunch, because taciturn war cyborgs are less creepy than the ones being inhumanly nice in their efforts to get you to accept some cortical implants.

 

And because even Shrineguard (catch all term for Lectio, Catheric, and Enumeration militant orders and warbands) appreciate a force that will go above and beyond in killing all that horde of genestealers that were trying to eat your face.

 

I'd almost like them to be called the Thunderfists, with their M41 figurehead being, well, Ragnar THUNDERFIST (he wasn't always Blackmane) descendant of the ragged few the Imperial Hounds salvaged from the death throes of Fenris way back when.

[Adra'Melek]

Sounds cool.

 

BTW I've changed my mind again. I was going to do a Night Lords army. Now I'm thinking of an Infernal Legion army (counts as Salamanders). I'll probably end up with just my Tau and a load of individuals from different Legions :(

[Conn Eremon]

Hey, it would be awesome to see someone field an army from this alternate heresy. I look forward to your Infernal Legion.

[Adra'Melek]

It'll be modelled on the Salamander models (if/when they come out). It might take about 10 years based on my current progress. Then the mysteries of the warp can result in a fleet being stranded in this strange new universe. More blood for the blood god.

 

I'm reading through the Death Guard of Betrayal. I think I'll keep the red arm of the Dusk Raiders. Only during their initiation they have to plunge their right arm into a fire and end up with a fully burnt right arm. Then Their armour can have a blood crimson arm as well.

[Adra'Melek]

Also, I'm thinking of the Nine Regions of Nocturne; 7 city states and 2 holy places.  I'm thinking that one of the city states denies Adra'Melek's attempt to unify against the Eldar and to follow his creed. So it gets wiped from the planet. That puts it down to Eight Regions (and 8 is who's number?).  So the Legion is split into 8 Circles.

 

Also the Firedrakes are to be renamed as the Ohidoran, "named for an ancient terror of Nocturne's primitive mythology. Legends speak of the creatures as both destroyer and protector in equal measures, symbolising the duality of violence, and these tales were oft quoted by Adra'Melek in his writings on the Promethean Cult".  Typically armed with Power Axes and Dragonscale storm shields.

 

Promethean Cult will still exist but will, of course, be a warped form.

[Wade Garrett]

My only problem with that is that Konrad Dominus's Executioners already had the "Emperor's Red Right Hand" schtick going on.

[Adra'Melek]

My only problem with that is that Konrad Dominus's Executioners already had the "Emperor's Red Right Hand" schtick going on.

Fair point. Back to just general branding then :)

[Conn Eremon]

About the eight circles, the original nine you speak of are, at the time of Adra'Malek/Vulkan first landing, essentially backward villages.

 

Vulkan remakes them into the sanctuary cities you are thinking of. In keeping with your eight circles of Khornate hell theme, maybe have Adra'Malek also fortify these villages into immense, protected city-domes. The one who refused him, however, is not given the same treatment. And when the Times of Trial come and the villagers race for the gates, they aren't allowed in, either. Leading to the Eight, when they are no more.

 

Or perhaps you do have the original seven settlements, but you add a settlement for Ignea, which the Salamanders never do and its people are rather ostracized. With Mount Deathfire being a spiritual place, it is not counted among the Eight.

 

Or perhaps the only change is the significance of Mount Deathfire, the spiritual importance of which is spurned by Malek in the face of his injuries suffered there.

 

The rest all sound a good to me.

[Adra'Melek]

What about having the usual 7 settlements but having Melek living at Mount Deathfire. He sees it as forge to remake rather than a bad thing. I was going for each of the 7 settlements have to give him recruits who he takes to Mount Deathfire to weed out the weak and undeserving.

 

That would give us 7 main Circles, with an elite (8th) Circle. Similar to the 1st company idea with other Legions/Chapters.  Marines from the other 7 Circles have to pass through some sort of rite to enter into the veteran Circle. When the Legions moves from Nocturne they have to change the rite slightly and it becomes more and more bloody/violent as the Legion spirals out of control.

[Conn Eremon]

Sounds good to me. You will need to explain what happens to Ignea, the subterranean Nocturneans not associated with any settlement, why they are not included. A cold-hearted refusal to spread resources too thin could work.

 

It occurs to me that you will have Nathaneal Garro, if this hasn't been brought up yet. He is a Terrain Dusk Raider.

[Adra'Melek]

Yeah, I'm not sure what to do with Garro.  In fact I'm not sure what to do with the terranes in general. The original group of the Damned that become the Infernal Legion are pretty warped by outside standards, ritual burning and branding. Perhaps simply focus on the survival aspects to start off with. Initially it was the ability to survive in the wilds of a death world. When them moved away they didn't have that so had to ritualise it.

 

Does Garro fight against this or does he get caught up in it? I need to read FotE again.

[Nomus Sardauk]

Hey guys, quick question about Ferrus Mordax seeing as I couldn't find his story in Nature VS Nuture thread, if he landed on Nuceria (BTW is that right? I thought Corax was from Nuceria in this or did both land there?) why does it sound like he still has his silver arms he got from killing Asirnoth? (from what I can gather that plus the Butcher's Nails seem to be the root of his insanity and rampant xenophobia but how can he have both if he couldn't have one or the other due to them being found on different planets?)

[Wade Garrett]

I've been thinking about the Sons of Barabbas and the Lectio Divinatus, more specifically how to set it apart fron the canon Ecclesiarchy and our resurgent Catheric Church.

 

What I've come up with so far is that Roboute would create something that encouraged its followers to submit to a rather exhaustive list of harsh laws in hopes of a paradise in the afterlife, and to venerate the Astartes as expressions of the Emperor's will.

 

I imagine it would be a lot less flexible than the Ecclesiarchy (which adapts itself to the planetary traditions. The Lectio stamps the traditions into its image) and also less hierarchical than the Ecclesiarchy or the Catherics (in a "We are all worms before the God Emperor and his Angels of Death" sort of way).

 

I foresee interesting conflicts if a more freethinking successor winds up with a Lectio following homeworld.

[Wade Garrett]

Hey guys, quick question about Ferrus Mordax seeing as I couldn't find his story in Nature VS Nuture thread, if he landed on Nuceria (BTW is that right? I thought Corax was from Nuceria in this or did both land there?) why does it sound like he still has his silver arms he got from killing Asirnoth? (from what I can gather that plus the Butcher's Nails seem to be the root of his insanity and rampant xenophobia but how can he have both if he couldn't have one or the other due to them being found on different planets?)

Like Angron, Ferrus was attacked by xenos after his incubation pod crashed on Nuceria. But instead of the eldar that came after Angron, Ferrus was attacked by silvery skeletal beings, and while he was killing them he got shards of the alien metal embedded in his arms.

 

After being captured and implanted with the Butcher's Nails, he became convinced the xenos metal was trying to control him, and tore his own arms off in a paranoid frenzy.

 

He replaced them with weapon/prosthetics and went on a slaughter spree through the ranks of Nuceria's gladiators until he was bought by Lanista Corax, the Carrion King of the High Riders, who made him head of his Kin Guard in recognition of his talents at murder and mayhem.

[Conn Eremon]

To expand upon the mechanics of who landed where, we had put up for forum goers to vote on which Primarch/Home World combination stories they liked best, which would be amalgamated into a single, cohesive Alternate Heresy project.

 

Nuceria was a well-liked world, because the Nucerians Corax, Ferrus Manus and Jaghatai Khan were all voted in. It was determined that while having two Primarchs land upon the same world had its merits, three was too much. The authors of those three discussed it among themselves and decided that the Nucerian stories of Corax and Ferrus Manus had enough synergy to work well together, and another Jaghatai Khan had to be voted in to replace the Nucerian.

 

-- -- -- -- --

 

Been thinking of First Captains and such, which was kind of a fun exercise to think of who would be these individuals in our universe. Here is what I have so far:

 

First Legion is currently a blank, since I have to create something from scratch. I need to see some good Terran Commanders to see who I could put here. It is the First Cohort, named not for the world upon which it has been founded but for their Primarch, the Palatine. Hm, maybe there is no First Captain. Maybe Jonson leads the First Cohort personally.

 

Red Corsairs - I think I want to claim Ingo Pech, just because that sounds like an awesome pirate name. I'm not sure what sort of titles the Red Corsairs may have, but I'm thinking Captains to Commodores to Admirals might work, with Ingo Pech being the Astartes Captain of the flagship. Ingo Pech is a canon Alpha Legion, but I don't remember if no I'm alpharius has already claimed him. If so, and he wants to keep him, cool with me.

 

The Angels - Kor Phaeron is the Lord of the prime Host (can't remember if I named it already or not, I'll look into it), the equivalent of the First Captain. However, the Lord of the Apocryphal Creed Host (Serrated Suns stand-in) has been on the rise, and Sanguinius is deliberately manipulating the two Hosts to become competitive with each other for dominance over the Legion. Kor Phaeron is too big for his britches, and Sanguinius is using this opportunity to drop him down a peg. The Lord of the Apocryphal Creed is currently a blank slate, though I have been looking at the Epic of Gilgamesh as their theme. Erebus is more easily used, and spends most of his time away from the Legion spreading Sanguinius' word.

 

The Orders of the Sword - The great magister Ahriman may not have the power of foreknowledge quite like he used to before encountering his Primarch for the first time deep in the Calibanite forest, but his counsel is no less wise for it. Magnus values Ahriman's advice in all things, for he has great insight. However, it is to the charismatic Luther that the rank of First Captaincy belongs to, as Grand Master of the Order (dang, I can't remember any of the names I gave these Legion organizations right now). While Ahriman's counsel is highly valued by Magnus, it is Luther's leadership that Magnus trusts most. For this reason, when Magnus returns to Caliban to personally oversee recruitment drives in an effort to better strengthen his Legion, it is Luther who leads the XV Legion to war in the Great Crusade during this time. Such is Magnus' belief in Luther, who bears no gifts like those others of Magnus' sons, nor bears his seed.

 

Anyway, who do you guys see leading your Legions to glory, whose legends nearly rival that of their Primarchs? Who are your Sigismunds, your Abaddons, your Luthers?

[Adra'Melek]

Garro will be involved somewhere. Potentially Typhus (apparently with in the story with DA where the idea he was in the dusk Raiders came from, everything else has him as Barabus. But not fussed.

 

I've lent my copy of Betrayal to my brother (he got massacre for the Word Bearers but didn't realise you needed both) so not up to speed on the Terran guys. Need to reread FotE.

[Nomus Sardauk]

 

 

Hey guys, quick question about Ferrus Mordax seeing as I couldn't find his story in Nature VS Nuture thread, if he landed on Nuceria (BTW is that right? I thought Corax was from Nuceria in this or did both land there?) why does it sound like he still has his silver arms he got from killing Asirnoth? (from what I can gather that plus the Butcher's Nails seem to be the root of his insanity and rampant xenophobia but how can he have both if he couldn't have one or the other due to them being found on different planets?)

Like Angron, Ferrus was attacked by xenos after his incubation pod crashed on Nuceria. But instead of the eldar that came after Angron, Ferrus was attacked by silvery skeletal beings, and while he was killing them he got shards of the alien metal embedded in his arms.

 

After being captured and implanted with the Butcher's Nails, he became convinced the xenos metal was trying to control him, and tore his own arms off in a paranoid frenzy.

 

He replaced them with weapon/prosthetics and went on a slaughter spree through the ranks of Nuceria's gladiators until he was bought by Lanista Corax, the Carrion King of the High Riders, who made him head of his Kin Guard in recognition of his talents at murder and mayhem.

I see... But Necrons on Nuceria and 10,000 years earlier than expected? Plus why would they attack Ferrus? How would they know who/what he is? Sorry, it just seems like a lot of coincidences and unlikely things going down for my tastes... :/

[Wade Garrett]

The Imperial Hounds:

 

I mentioned Sor Talgron (canonically, the Warmonger who mentored Jarrulek and Marduk) as the Head Lichepriest of the Seventeenth, and Aevalryff

(Canon "Baresark of Tra! Bearer of Serpentfang!") as the Legion Champion.

 

I also intend for Njelka Stormcaller to stand high in the rolls of honor. She's only a mortal...but a mortal who goes to war in Terminator war plate and was chosen by Hearthkeeper Elanin herself to watch over her son.

 

There are sneers about "Lorgar's pet" but never too loudly. She's quite willing to go against Astartes in the Iron Circle, and Tactical Dreadnaught Armor with psyker gifts go some way towards making up the difference in human and transhuman.

 

The Minotaurs:

Kargos "Woundweaver" has a reputation as both an Apocethary specializing in bionics and a fighter, with rumor claiming that if you want him to upgrade you, fight him in the pits and if you impress he'll replace any bits he cuts off.

 

Fail to measure up and he cuts the gene seed from your corpse.

 

Sons of Barabbas:

I had already grabbed Nicodemus as a Terran XIII, who

ultimately betrays his Primarch and orchestrates a planet wide riot on the prison world of Olympia. Crysos Mortug, Ignatius Grulgor, and Ullis Temeter are all candidates to play major roles in the XIII, and with Barabbas taking in recruit's from Olympia and Angron's offer of Ultramar, some faces from the Iron Warriors and Ultramarines may turn up as well, although not many. Kroeger and the Stonewrought would be the main gets from Olympia, their "common blood" no mark against them in Barabbas's ranks.

 

The Celestial Lions:

 

Ahhh! Too many choices! Gheer, Khârn, Lhorke, Orfeo, Aeonid Thiel, and more. I'm going to have to pick a few to stand above the rest...this may take a while.

[Wade Garrett]

I see... But Necrons on Nuceria and 10,000 years earlier than expected? Plus why would they attack Ferrus? How would they know who/what he is? Sorry, it just seems like a lot of coincidences and unlikely things going down for my tastes... :/

 

The Necrons did have a galaxy spanning empire. Which was, well, galaxy spanning. Meaning there were tomb worlds all over the place.

 

Why is Nuceria a less likely candidate to have Robo-Egyptians that might be aggravated about some punk kid crashing his vehicle on their roof while they're trying to nap than Medusa is?

[Nomus Sardauk]

 

 

 

I see... But Necrons on Nuceria and 10,000 years earlier than expected? Plus why would they attack Ferrus? How would they know who/what he is? Sorry, it just seems like a lot of coincidences and unlikely things going down for my tastes... :/

 

The Necrons did have a galaxy spanning empire. Which was, well, galaxy spanning. Meaning there were tomb worlds all over the place.

 

Why is Nuceria a less likely candidate to have Robo-Egyptians that might be aggravated about some punk kid crashing his vehicle on their roof while they're trying to nap than Medusa is?

Okay, that's fair, but if they were awake why would they give up and go back to bed just because one group of warriors got squashed when their entire planet is infested by vermin that they could easily slaughter? :/

Plus if Ferrus was that afraid of the Xenos that true to murder/mind control him why would he not try and find out where they came from? Surely he wouldn't just forget about them?

[Conn Eremon]

I wonder if the Minotaurs might fuse their Apothecaries with their Techmarines, creating an amalgamation role that would horrify the Mechanicum and disgust the Solar Tigers.

[Wade Garrett]

@Cormac:

Chirumeks. I like it. The way I'm trying to take the Minotaurs is that sometimes their modified Nails send them into throes of inspiration and creativity and they make modifications to themselves and their equipment (sometimes combining the two) and sometimes they scream that this was a stupid idea, smash whatever they were working on, and then go rip one another apart in the fighting pits.

[Ace Debonair]

Anyway, who do you guys see leading your Legions to glory, whose legends nearly rival that of their Primarchs? Who are your Sigismunds, your Abaddons, your Luthers?

 

Emperor's Children:

 

No idea. Can't seem to find any instances of canon Terran Iron Hands or Emperor's Children to draw from.

 

Astral Wolves and White Scars:

 

I have some more research to do. This might take a while, so I'll come back to this post later.