II Legion: Aspect of the Emperor

[Athrawes]

It seems that despite my invested interest in the Horus Heresy and the Great Crusade, I very rarely start topics or post in the Heresy forum. So, I decided this was the perfect time to ask for the advice of you, lovers of all things Heresy/GC.

 

For my II Legion Project, I have used Tarot-Major Arcana as the foundation for my interpretation of a possible missing Legion and Primarch. In my research, I come to a couple of dilemmas with which I need some serious help.

 

First,  I'm trying to decide When Icarion was found. I really do like the idea of him wrestling with Magnus over how to (or whether to) implement the Legion Librarius. 

 

I had written a little bit about that already and was just interested to see if his involvement in that event would lock him into the 3rd found slot? This would give him a much longer period in the GC to play around with.

 

Second, I'm trying to figure out what aspect of the Emperor Icarion embodies. 

 

from the Tarot we get this quote:

 

The High Priestess [icarion] is ultimately the one who can communicate an understanding of the highest goals of the Fool [The Emperor] to the rest of the system[Primarchs], individually and in ways they can each understand.

 

He is psychic that much is basically established but he is also a very different type of psychic than Magnus:

 

Deeply psychic, the only one on a level with the Magus. However his method is entirely different; whereas the Magus directs, the High Priestess observes. The Magus uses the Warp, but the High Priestess understands it. The High Priestess is intuitively capable of predicting the motions and interactions of systems as a whole, and guiding them hollistically.

 

Do you think it is plausible that Icarion embodies the Emperors nature as Anathema to the warp. He could potentially observe the nature of the warp, and understand its threat in a way Magnus won't and only the Emperor seems to.

 

The emperor is psychic and yet seems to function like a blank as well, shutting down the warp around him. In addition, the "otherness" usually ascribed to blanks and the emperor in his "shifting visage" could explain the this quote from the Tarot: 

No two people can quite agree what the High Priestess is really like. His presence is deeply hypnotic.

 

I think this path could work, and an interesting consequence could be that while his geneseed is predisposed to unlock his son's psychic potential, it also has the rare potential to create psychic blanks.

 

Please, I would really appreciate your thoughts on this subject.

[Emperor's Furor]

I'm not sure this is entirely what you're after but I had a thought, have you ever considered that perhaps due to the innate understanding the Primarch has with the warp, he saw through the Emperor's reasoning behind his deal with the chaos gods during the creation of the Primarchs and perhaps this was his downfall?

[marine7312000]

I could easily see what WoT suggests being the reason for the II legion's destruction.

[Grotsmasha]

That could be a stroke of genius there WoT, really digging the potential of that.

 

Cheers,

Jono

[Nomus Sardauk]

The emperor is psychic and yet seems to function like a blank as well, shutting down the warp around him. In addition, the "otherness" usually ascribed to blanks and the emperor in his "shifting visage" could explain the this quote from the Tarot:

 

I don't think the Emperor is a blank, rather he's just so damned powerful and disciplined in his control that he can "calm" the turbulent nature of the Warp around him, whereas the Chaos Gods are roiling maelstroms of the emotions/thoughts that birthed them that stir the Warp by their very presence. The Emperor imposes a vague sort of order upon the chaos of the immaterium, hence the Four referring to him as "the Anathema", because that's effectively what he is to them.

[Athrawes]

@WoT: That is a fantastic Idea. Honestly it is one I had never considered as a potentially falling out point between the Emperor and Icarion, but it seems like it could offer a great deal of depth. I would really be interested in hear you go a little more in depth with your thoughts on the Aspect of the Emperor which Icarion could represent, and then how that might lead to it all ending in flames.

 

Additionally, it seems like a Primarch who is absolutely unwilling to accept any sort of compromise with the Primordial Annihilator (like the Emperor did for the creation of the Primarchs) would be a dire threat to the the chaos Gods. The Gods might even going so far as to help maneuver events so that (The Primarch) and his legion are out of the way so that the Heresy can progress, and their plans to thwart the Anathema can have one less potential roadblock.

 

 

 

The emperor is psychic and yet seems to function like a blank as well, shutting down the warp around him. In addition, the "otherness" usually ascribed to blanks and the emperor in his "shifting visage" could explain the this quote from the Tarot:

 

 he can "calm" the turbulent nature of the Warp around him, whereas the Chaos Gods are roiling maelstroms of the emotions/thoughts that birthed them that stir the Warp by their very presence. The Emperor imposes a vague sort of order upon the chaos of the immaterium, hence the Four referring to him as "the Anathema", because that's effectively what he is to them.

 

I agree entirely that the emperor Isn't a Blank; merely that his presence effects the warp in a similar way. I really like the imagery you evoke in your description. The Emperor is an eye of calm in a storm, imposing order through his very existence, and controlled psychic effort.

 

To me, that sounds like a very cool aspect of the Emperor that could have potentially been passed to one of his sons. Magnus is the ultimate Psyker who drinks deep and wields the power of the warp. Could Icarion be a counter point to this? Imposing order and understanding on the warp, instead of letting it flow freely.

 

That alone could lead to Magnus and Icarion coming to a serious disagreement over the role of Psykers in the Legions during the formation of the Librarius.

[Emperor's Furor]

The aspect I think he'd represent is difficult to pin point, at first I was thinking it might be something to do with understanding the greater scheme of things, for example it's quite clear the Emperor understands how the Warp truly works and he used that to his advantage in forging a new Empire for humanity.

 

Unlike Magnus who thinks he knows the warp and so controls with a self assurance which could be an echo of the Emperor's over confidence (the devil on his shoulder), Icarion could understand it and so goes to great lengths not to interact with it (the angel on the other shoulder). Perhaps his knowledge of it ends with him coming to the conclusion that the only way the Primarchs could of been created was for the Emperor to make a deal with the warp.

 

There's two ways that spring to mind in dealing with it's effect. One, that the Primarch confronts the Emperor when he comes to the realisation and condemns the act and basically falls out with the Emperor. He then leaves and the Emperor has no choice but to have the Primarch dealt with or risk further trouble among the other Primarchs.

 

Second and the reason you suggested, chaos realises that the Primarch is on to them and so sets him up in some shape or form, I favour the first though, it feels more tragic and kind of reminds me of the comment by Dorn I think it was in the lightning tower where he muses on whether what happened to his lost brother should of been a forewarning.

 

I dunno if any of that makes sense, there's something potentially tragic about the Emperor ridding himself of a son who saw the tight rope he was walking and cautioned him against it, only for the Emperor be proven wrong and the son correct.

[Athrawes]

The aspect I think he'd represent is difficult to pin point, at first I was thinking it might be something to do with understanding the greater scheme of things, for example it's quite clear the Emperor understands how the Warp truly works and he used that to his advantage in forging a new Empire for humanity.

 

Unlike Magnus who thinks he knows the warp and so controls with a self assurance which could be an echo of the Emperor's over confidence (the devil on his shoulder), Icarion could understand it and so goes to great lengths not to interact with it (the angel on the other shoulder). Perhaps his knowledge of it ends with him coming to the conclusion that the only way the Primarchs could of been created was for the Emperor to make a deal with the warp.

 

There's two ways that spring to mind in dealing with it's effect. One, that the Primarch confronts the Emperor when he comes to the realisation and condemns the act and basically falls out with the Emperor. He then leaves and the Emperor has no choice but to have the Primarch dealt with or risk further trouble among the other Primarchs.

 

Second and the reason you suggested, chaos realises that the Primarch is on to them and so sets him up in some shape or form, I favour the first though, it feels more tragic and kind of reminds me of the comment by Dorn I think it was in the lightning tower where he muses on whether what happened to his lost brother should of been a forewarning.

 

I dunno if any of that makes sense, there's something potentially tragic about the Emperor ridding himself of a son who saw the tight rope he was walking and cautioned him against it, only for the Emperor be proven wrong and the son correct.

Thank you, you have no idea how helpful it is to get imaginative community input on ideas for the Thunder Legion. It Makes me feel less lonely/beardy because I certainly don't want the II legion to spiral into being just another Mary sue attempt at shoehorning every cool thing into a DIY Legion.

 

I wouldn't have it any other way than to have you guys help me keep the Thunder Legion grounded in Universe. That's why I'm so eager for help in coming up with a plausible aspect of the Emperor for Icarion to embody. I have to say, that I really becoming enamored with what SanguiniusReborn suggested. 

 

Jareddm Also had a great suggestion. Instead of the presence of Blanks within the Legion,  the Aspect of Icarion (His nature as Anathema to the Primordial Annihilator) could take the form of " a set of psychic teachings that centered around calming the warp around one's self. In essence it would be similar to being blanks but it would be a skill that came with training and focus, rather than just an innate ability."

[Torment6]

Hey all

 

first i will address When Icarion was found. below is a timeline of when the primarch where found i found it on the warseer forum its right within a minimul range of error, but i will add some info i know from reading all the HH books, corax and Alpharius/Omegon where found some time after all information on the lost primarchs where striken (im refrencing a conversation btw the Emperor and corax , and the fact Alpharius/Omegon where found last). so im thinking icarion was found 2end or 3rd. we also know that magnus did like haveing conversations with the lost primarch and russ was called in to "deal" with one or both of the lost primarchs.

 

also if icarion and magnus did talk over the forming of the librarius we have to remember that both sanguinius and the khan backed magnus in the creation of it BUT the khan was the one who set the rules down and set limits so that they did not go over board with freedom as magnus wanted there was much discussion btw magnus and the khan on this point i bring this up becose there are some similarity btw icarions story and the khan's (ive recently read the HH book about the white scars)

 

"We know Horus was first, Alpharius/Omegon was last and that Rogal was

seventh. Khan was found before Lion. Magnus before Lorgar. Fulgrim

before Konrad. Mortarion before Konrad.

 

Here's my rough estimatatigations...

 

1: Horus

2:

3: Fulgrim

4: Ferrus Mannus

5: Mortarion

6: Night Haunter

7: Rogal Dorn

8: Khan

9: Lion el'Jonson

10: Magnus

11: Lorgar

12:

13:

14:

15:

16:

17:

18: Alpharius/Omegon

 

Have no idea about the rest though..."

 

im guessing that corax should be 17 cos he was one of the last russ should 12 or a little sooner

[Torment6]

now on the downfall of icarion

 

one thing to note is that as the khan's story is a very interesting one and its filled with opposition to the emperors plans.

 

if you have read the HH novel Scars:The legion divided then you would know that the khan had a huge falling out with the emperor over the Emperor keeping everyone in the dark of what lays in the warp the khan did not agree on building an empire on lies . so there was a huge falling out and from then on they did not stay in each others presence much . also i maybe wrong but the lost primarchs might have been mention in connection to this somehow , i maybe wrong thoe.

 

i bring this up cos if icarion does fall out with the emperor over something regarding the warp there has to be some difference or a decisive decision made . anyway that's my view .

 

i would also think that chaos may have planed this confrontation btw icarion and the emperor so as to get icarion out of the way and rob the emperor of his most powerful weapon against the warp .

 

they would do this in a simple manner tho i think they would simply revel themselves to icarion at one point and divulge the emperors plans as well as how he created the primarches using there help or what ever happened there .

 

 

also on a side note I LOVE THE IDEA from Jareddm calming and cosing order to the warp would be Anathema to chaos

two words BATTLE MEDITATION!!! lol ether way meditation that cosses calmness fits in with the feudal Japanese theme

 

one last thing i think it would be great to combine the office of Chaplin and librarian in the legion "only one of complete calm and utter resolve can set foot onto the tides of the warp and not drawn in its chaos" this is post heresy ofc. :P

[Emperor's Furor]

I don't think that list is entirely correct, I think a writer clarified the order but I can't find it atm, I do know Leman Russ was one of the earliest found though.

[Cactus]

 

Deeply psychic, the only one on a level with the Magus. However his method is entirely different; whereas the Magus directs, the High Priestess observes. The Magus uses the Warp, but the High Priestess understands it. The High Priestess is intuitively capable of predicting the motions and interactions of systems as a whole, and guiding them hollistically.

 

This description reminds me of eldar farseers. I don't know how much you've already written, but is it plausible that primarch number 2 had some dealings with the eldar before meeting the Emperor? The influence of eldar metaphysical ideas could sow the seeds for conflict with how the Emperor handles the warp later on.

[Yogi]

WoT's initial point can actually be drawn back and more options considered from it. 

 

It appears you are intending to portray Icarion as a excellent observer, paired with the will to challenge "something". In all depictions of the Emperor, he is completely authoritarian, unwilling to accept any design but his own. So the obvious conflict is Icarion sees through the Emperor in a way others do not, and then questions him. 

 

Now no one really questions the Emperor, they resist or comply, they die or they add to his strength. Icarion can do neither, unbowed by the presence of the Emperor due to his gifts and nature he can challenge him, ask him to justify himself. And in the beginning this would be tolerated. But eventually the Emperor who governs on a scale, that largely makes it impossible to be benevolent, finds his son goes too far.

 

So his aspect could simply be finding the truth, and discovering its a lie. For example of the deal with chaos to create the Primarchs, but perhaps something else. Like the Imperial Truth, discovering that it is a weapon, that it is a falsehood and that the Emperor moves against Chaos in a war no one even knows they are in. Discovering this before half the Primarchs are even found. The are a lot of interesting options here.

 

The inevitable annihilation of the II and Icarion as well as the censorship of the act being the first major warning sign that the Imperium is "something" , whatever you want it to be.  A corrupt illusion shaped to win a war against the chaos gods and terrified of being unmasked (Imperial Truth).  Lead by a being who is deceptive and ruthless, who overextends in his greed and all are threatened by this endeavor (Deal with the Chaos Gods for Primarchs).

 

I would have Icarion build to his discoveries, and each challenge, each question takes him closer to his annihilation, but it is his nature. As to why the Emperor would create such a son, only speculation is possible, perhaps he had foreseen his son to observe and direct his nature outwards, his discoveries benefiting the Imperium at large. Or perhaps he created him to validate his purpose and his design, yet found Icarion did not hold the desired opinion and disposed of him.

 

Its a pretty cool idea. One of his traits could be the differing perception others have of him, like the Emperor and as your source suggests. I would avoid the blank thing. I feel its a poor choice, and would go in the direction of excellent observation at both determining motives and designs, at prediction of what the enemy does before he does it by simply observing his nature. But this trait becomes a double edge sword as the fate of the II shows.

 

As for timeline I would say he was found very early. Top 5. Because he must die very early also.  

 

I love the commissioned art you have. This is also my favorite thread in a long time. 

 

My 2 cents.

[Conn Eremon]

Hey all

 

first i will address When Icarion was found. below is a timeline of when the primarch where found i found it on the warseer forum its right within a minimul range of error, but i will add some info i know from reading all the HH books, corax and Alpharius/Omegon where found some time after all information on the lost primarchs where striken (im refrencing a conversation btw the Emperor and corax , and the fact Alpharius/Omegon where found last). so im thinking icarion was found 2end or 3rd. we also know that magnus did like haveing conversations with the lost primarch and russ was called in to "deal" with one or both of the lost primarchs.

 

also if icarion and magnus did talk over the forming of the librarius we have to remember that both sanguinius and the khan backed magnus in the creation of it BUT the khan was the one who set the rules down and set limits so that they did not go over board with freedom as magnus wanted there was much discussion btw magnus and the khan on this point i bring this up becose there are some similarity btw icarions story and the khan's (ive recently read the HH book about the white scars)

 

"We know Horus was first, Alpharius/Omegon was last and that Rogal was

seventh. Khan was found before Lion. Magnus before Lorgar. Fulgrim

before Konrad. Mortarion before Konrad.

 

Here's my rough estimatatigations...

 

1: Horus

2:

3: Fulgrim

4: Ferrus Mannus

5: Mortarion

6: Night Haunter

7: Rogal Dorn

8: Khan

9: Lion el'Jonson

10: Magnus

11: Lorgar

12:

13:

14:

15:

16:

17:

18: Alpharius/Omegon

 

Have no idea about the rest though..."

 

im guessing that corax should be 17 cos he was one of the last russ should 12 or a little sooner

The official list has already been declared. Here you go, friend:

 

LaurieGoulding - January 24, 2013 12:32 PM (GMT)

Here you go, straight from the horse's mouth:

 

Horus

Leman Russ

[DELETED FROM IMPERIAL RECORDS]

Ferrus Manus

Fulgrim

Vulkan

Rogal Dorn

Roboute Guilliman

Magnus the Red

Sanguinius

Lion El'Jonson

Perturabo

Mortarion

Lorgar

Jaghatai Khan

Konrad Curze

Angron

Corax

[DELETED FROM IMPERIAL RECORDS]

Alpharius

 

Please bear in mind that there is a difference between a primarch being found, and a primarch taking command of their Legion. ;)

[Athrawes]

Yogi, your Idea seems very interesting. And definitely leads to a plausible confrontation between Icarion and the emperor, but I'm not entirely sold on a desire for truth or the simple observation being an inherited aspect of the Emperor. Not when you have People like Vulcan running around as a perpetual and Magnus as The emperors psychic might.

 

Furthermore, I really did want my legion to be lost early but as I just found out last night through a bit of digging, Laurie Goulding over on The First Expedition explicitly stated:

 

- The loss of the II and XI legions and their associated Primarchs

This occurred sometime after 981.M30 since all twenty of the primarchs are known to have met one another, and Alpharius was the last to be found.

 Source: The First Expedition

 

I really don't know how I feel about that, as it seems much too late in the Great Crusade for them to become lost (less than 20 years before Ullanor). Originally I had imagined that the II Legion could be lost approx. 70 years before Ullanor, but now I don't see how I can justify that.

 

Maybe you guys could help me come up with a way to make it all work, while keeping in mind Laurie's updated Black library/Forgeworld Official Timeline.

[Perrin]

Just to add, it's only speculation that Russ was brought in to deal with the lost Primarchs.

[Yogi]

 

This occurred sometime after 981.M30 since all twenty of the primarchs are known to have met one another, and Alpharius was the last to be found.

 

Athrawes, while I'm hardly in a position to question Goulding, I will anyway. Since when was Alpharius' discovery concretely dated? 

 

The thing with the Primarchs is they appear to of been created almost flippantly, Lion el johnson with his dark secret and the poem, Leman Russ being actual wolf man, Kurze and apocalypse now, My name is Iron hands and I have Iron hands, Alpharius is the last and just a annoying little brother, Perturbo being grumpy, Mortarion becoming the reaper, Angron is really angry spartacus, magnus is a sorceror, Khan is Ghengis on a motorbike.

 

The thing about icarus is Magnus is kinda already icarus. With his psychic hubris.

 

If you were to create what you have so far in the manner of GW your guy would be way less subtle and way more simple, He would be Icarion sure, and he would of been a impulsive primarch, who given his first command of an expedition pushed it further and further afield until they were never heard from again and lost in the warp/wiped out/MIA. An embarrassment to all; all records forgotten. 

 

If you want your guy to be the Primarch who's the best/defined at something like magnus, I can see that their isn't that much left, Angron is close combat, Fulgrim is pretty, Khan is the biker, Sangy is noble/angel, Rowboat is Logistics, Horus is leadership, Lorgar is worship, Kurze is batman, Lion is the knight, Alpharius is deception, corax is stealth, perty is the best at getting unsung and siege, dorn is defence, vulkan is immortal, morty is endurance, I missed someone but whatever.

 

If you want your guys to be the blanks fair enough. The opposite of magnus, replusive and unknowable. Because blanks are repulsive to all remember even normal people can't stand their presence. And maybe because they were blanks the emperor's tricks didn't work on them and they see him for what he is, a powerful yet pathetic old man playing at being a god. And maybe they tell him so, and the Emperor is unimpressed. And their loyalty further degrades, they stop doing what they are told, and finally the order is given, and they are annihilated.

 

Its unwritten its naturally up to you.

[Perrin]

 

This occurred sometime after 981.M30 since all twenty of the primarchs are known to have met one another, and Alpharius was the last to be found.

 

Athrawes, while I'm hardly in a position to question Goulding, I will anyway. Since when was Alpharius' discovery concretely dated? 

 

The thing with the Primarchs is they appear to of been created almost flippantly, Lion el johnson with his dark secret and the poem, Leman Russ being actual wolf man, Kurze and apocalypse now, My name is Iron hands and I have Iron hands, Alpharius is the last and just a annoying little brother, Perturbo being grumpy, Mortarion becoming the reaper, Angron is really angry spartacus, magnus is a sorceror, Khan is Ghengis on a motorbike.

 

The thing about icarus is Magnus is kinda already icarus. With his psychic hubris.

 

If you were to create what you have so far in the manner of GW your guy would be way less subtle and way more simple, He would be Icarion sure, and he would of been a impulsive primarch, who given his first command of an expedition pushed it further and further afield until they were never heard from again and lost in the warp/wiped out/MIA. An embarrassment to all; all records forgotten. 

 

If you want your guy to be the Primarch who's the best/defined at something like magnus, I can see that their isn't that much left, Angron is close combat, Fulgrim is pretty, Khan is the biker, Sangy is noble/angel, Rowboat is Logistics, Horus is leadership, Lorgar is worship, Kurze is batman, Lion is the knight, Alpharius is deception, corax is stealth, perty is the best at getting unsung and siege, dorn is defence, vulkan is immortal, morty is endurance, I missed someone but whatever.

 

If you want your guys to be the blanks fair enough. The opposite of magnus, replusive and unknowable. Because blanks are repulsive to all remember even normal people can't stand their presence. And maybe because they were blanks the emperor's tricks didn't work on them and they see him for what he is, a powerful yet pathetic old man playing at being a god. And maybe they tell him so, and the Emperor is unimpressed. And their loyalty further degrades, they stop doing what they are told, and finally the order is given, and they are annihilated.

 

Its unwritten its naturally up to you.

 

I think you may have over-simplified the character of many of the Primarchs there. Coincidently, that's why I don't think the tarot theory works. From what I've seen, the descriptions of each card and which Primarch they match are always either hugely oversimplified, grasping, or ignore elements of the Primarch's character that doesn't fit with the tarot they have matched it to.

 

Khan for example, is much more than Genghis Khan on a motorbike. Angron is more than an angry Spartacus and so on so forth. In early 40k and Heresy fluff yes, the Primarchs were all rather one-dimensional, but with the expansion of the Heresy and especially some novels or passages written from the perspective of a Primarch, their characters have become much more developed.

[Yogi]

Khan is more then that now, but his core concept was that, it has been further expanded. But the original ideas of most of the primarchs are little jokes, from the 80's or whenever. 

[Emperor's Furor]

Corax never met his lost brothers, it comes up during a conversation with the Emperor I believe.

[Perrin]

If you mean the passage in Deliverance Lost where the Emperor says Corax is number 18 of 20, then Corax asks about the two remaining brothers and the Emperor replies "That is a story for another time" with a look of sadness on his face (from memory), then there is an explanation for that.

 

Apparently the Emperor was talking about the second MP and Alpharius, both of whom had not yet been found, rather than the two Missing Primarchs who had yet to go missing.

[Athrawes]

It is proving really tricky to find a niche aspect of the Emperor. What I'd like to do is to reconcile the tarot interpretation of Icarion and the primarchs into a plausible aspect for Icarion to embody.

Yogi: you are absolutely right about the Icarus analogy I was initially going for, and I agree that it doesn't to hold much snymore. Magnus is already the ultimate psyker, Icarion shouldn't be.

As for there not being many niches left (Angron as the CC primarch ect.) it seems to me that every primarch has a similar yet distinct foil. For Angron you have Russ, for Dorn you have Perturabo. Corax has Alpharius in terms of sneaking about, all of them similar but vastly different.

It is this sort if dichotomy that I want to create for Icarion. For example, Magnus is the undisputed might of the emperors psychic ability unchained by fear of the true horror of the primordial Annihilator, and without a understanding of the threat it truly poses.

I think Icarion could be the other side of Magnus' coin. The emperors psychic capacity to bring order to chaos, his nature as anathema to the warp. Icarion is by the nature of his aspect, a calming influence in the turbulence of the warp. He is a psychic/physical avatar of the Emperors understanding of the warp. The true warp, that Magnus can't see.

The Emperor then would embody both aspects of Icarion and Magnus. The recognition of the warp as the great enemy (Icarion) but also a desire to not simply subdue the warp but to yoke its power to his control (Magnus). Both of these aspects are present in the creation if the primarchs, a desire to fight chaos by bargaining with chaos.

This then I think could loop back to the tarot interpretation of Magnus and Icarion. Magnus represents desire for ultimate control of the warp and do can't see it's true threat, while Icarion represents understanding of the warp, and so seeks to subdue it instead of harnessing it.

How does this sound?

[marshal seanisi]

First off, thank you for posting the question to this thread, it led me to your WIP thread and I am now a subscriber and a fan!

 

Now on to some thoughts I have pertaining to your Charachter development. 

 

I feel that this could be a Yin and Yang relationship between Magnus and Icarion, more in the sense of the duality of the two.  I'm thinking of this in a complementery version as apposed to a contrary version,  sort of "a shadow cannot exist without Light".

 

Basically I agree with what you are trying to convey with the relationship both Primarchs will have with the Warp and how this understanding will effect thier relationship with the Emperor.

 

Reading through the background you have given thus far, I see Icarion having a clear understanding of the Immaterium for what it truley is.  Where Magnus believes he can control the Warp and bend it to his will, Icarion sees through the vail of lies that the Warp uses as a facade.  He understands that the warp allows Magnus to use it's power and slowly poisons him without Magnus really realising what the end game is.

 

I would consider Icarion's Psionic ability to be an anathema to the warp is what allows him to see the devious plans that the denizen's of the Warp have for mankind.  Expanding on this, Icarion knows that the Emperor made a deal with the Immaterium feeling he had the power to also bend it to his might, however maybe Icarion saw the end game (Heresy) and confronted the Emperor about it.  When the Emperor tried to pacify Icarion's concerns it's possible that Icarions reaction is what led to his demise.

 

That is where you're next big decision comes in, is Icarion's decision to try and speak the truth to his brothers and earn the ire of his father? or does he take it uppon himself to bring his entire legion into the Warp to confront the Gods themselves?.... 

 

I'm looking forward to how the story you create turns out.

 

Also great looking Army!

[blackoption]

I too would like to voice my support for your project.  Originally I had dismissed your work out of hand, believing it would be nothing more than some of the other attempts on this board.  I am so very glad you shown me wrong. Superb work on all accounts: from the drawings, fluff, sculpting, and models.

 

I think marshal seanisi thinking is along good lines for the project.  However, one thing i stands out to me as one of the grievances the traitors loyal to the warmaster has is the accusation that the emperor views them as expendable and he would turn his wrath against them once they have served their purpose (ala Thunderwarriors).  Perhaps Icarion's demise is an echo of that view.  Icarion does more than have a disagreement with the Emperor, he defies the master of mankind.  Not in a way where they take up arms against the Emperor or the Imperium, but in a personal defiance against the Emperor.  Magnus does the same (through use of sorcery) and no one is really surprised that the Emperor takes severe sanction against the Crimson King.  Perhaps the Second Son established this precedent in Imperial History. 

 

It would lend credence to Wolves (I am assuming they are part of the multi legion censor force) always doing their duty, no matter how distasteful, as they have done it before.   It also would lend credence to the Warmaster's concern that the Emperor does view them ultimately as expendable assets that should be wasted if they are no longer useful or under his control.

 

If you go this route... the question becomes what would issue that the Liberators defy the Emperor on?