bento-of-the-earth Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 THE MARINES MORTALIS CHAPTER NAME: ..............MARINES MORTALIS FOUNDING: ..................22ND [M.37] CHAPTER WORLD: .............ORPATHOS (CRUSADING CHAPTER) FORTRESS MONASTERY: ........MOUNT MOROSUS GENE-SEED: .................IMPERIAL FISTS [KNIGHTS OF DORN] KNOWN DESCENDANTS: .........CRIMSON AXES [LOST] "Our faith is born from ash, let it be tempered by war!" -Avurok the Faceless, former Reclusiarch S ince the aftermath of the Age of Apostasy, the Marines Mortalis have fought to reclaim worlds lost to the Imperium. By their ash-covered hands, hundreds of worlds have been forcibly pacified or mercilessly destroyed since those dark days. But behind their reputation as terrifying omens of death lies a great shame that has eternally scarred the chapter for millennia. By seeking a lifetime of endless battle they aim to cleanse their honor, and thus find true redemption in death. Orpathos was once a prosperous world under the lordship of the Marines Mortalis, supplying a steady tithe of able recruits for the chapter. But when warring in a distant system lured away her Astartes defenders, Orpathos came under attack from strike cruisers bearing the dread mark of Chaos. Upon returning to their homeworld, the Marines Mortalis were devastated to find their once lush planet grey and lifeless, cast in a perpetual ash cloud. The whole of the chapter descended within their subterranean fortress-monastery to mourn their loss. Their remorse was brief; a distress call from the planet Corithar elsewhere in the Orpathos system reached the chapter. The cruel-hearted Iron Warriors, bitter enemies of the Imperial Fists and all their genesons, had laid siege to the small mining world. Certain that this traitor fleet was also responsible for destroying their home, the Chapter High Council declared a war of vengeance upon the Iron Warriors. Bracing for a bloody martyrdom the chapter returned to traverse the stars once more. The fighting at Corithar tested the Marines Mortalis more than any prior engagement. Never before had the chapter been forced to fight other Astartes, let alone the wrath of a fully equipped Traitor Legion. Nevertheless the small, elite force of Traitors could not withstand the sheer numbers of the entire Marines Mortalis chapter, which ultimately culminated an Imperium’s victory. Even as the grateful populace swore eternal devotion to them, the Marines Mortalis set off once more. Refusing to rest on their laurels, the chapter underwent a century-long Crusade of Penitence to atone for their previous failure. Returning to Orpathos for a brief resupply, the Chapter has continued to wage war wherever the Emperor dictates. The Marines Mortalis fully embrace Rogal Dorn as their Primarch and openly display many of the traits of his lineage. Within them lies Dorn’s renowned stubbornness, as well as his stern demeanor and cold calculation. Like most other Dornian successors the Marines Mortalis excel at siege warfare and swordsmanship. Ever tenacious, they will hold a position relentlessly and risk their lives rather than surrender it to the enemy while making a tactical regrouping. The Marines Mortalis differ from other Progenitor chapters in one aspect however; whereas other chapters might go beyond the call of duty to recognize the worth of Astra Militarum or average Imperials serving alongside them, the Marines Mortalis rarely extend such pleasantries. This is likely a result of having lost their entire world, distancing them from any day-to-day human affairs that might require their assistance. Despite any doubts they may hold about ordinary humans, the Marines Mortalis would never deliberately attack an ally of the Imperium, though they do often fight without regard to collateral damage or casualties sustained by their physically inferior allies. Apart from earning the ire of numerous commanders who have fought with the Marines Mortalis, these tendencies have spread their reputation as meticulous, merciless warriors, who will claim victory no matter the cost. The warplate of the Marines Mortalis is painted dark as night with silver trim. In keeping with traditions laid down by the Imperial Fists, battle-brothers often carry ceremonial blades to battle when not sporting a functional blade of another type, and adorn their armor further with the scrimshawed bones of particularly worthy foes or loyal Imperial servants. Ashes from their homeworld coat their left vambrace, and are liberally applied across their helmets as battle honors and fearsome death masks alike. Their emblem is a skeletal hand clutching a sword, symbolic of their expertise at dealing death and their protection from its touch. To this day Orpathos remains a husk of its former glory, silently drifting in the east of Segmentum Obscurus. It has remained a lifeless world of ash since the bombings that permanently stained the chapter’s legacy, with the exception of the Marines Mortalis in their chapter keep. Hallowed halls paved in dark marble extend for miles, both a strategic labyrinth and a memorial to the chapter’s lost honor. Used almost exclusively as an aspirant training ground and housing for the chapter’s reserve supply of geneseed, Mount Morosus is uninhabited on most occasions - minus servitor attendants, the Master of Recruits and 10th Company, and senior Medicae Staff of the Apothecarion. Only when companies return for resupply after a glorious crusade or when the entire chapter is summoned in times of dire importance will the otherwise silent hold erupt with prayer and ringing steel in every chamber, as the Marines Mortalis brace for all-out war. By stark contrast to their relatively spartan chapter keep, the fleet of the Marines Mortalis is an impressive host of majestic battle barges and strike cruisers, led by the ornate flagship Obsidious Rex. Every vessel is outfitted to be self-sufficient without support from the rest of the fleet, even in protracted campaigns. Most of the fleet is currently engaged against the Chaos threat around the Eye of Terror, with the exception of 4th Company, patrolling space surrounding the Maelstrom, and 6th Company, committed against Tyranids in the galactic east. To maximize their self-efficiency, each company’s individual battle barge hosts its own armory, chapel, and motor pool; it is not uncommon to see a 1st Company Brotherhood or Dreadnought sarcophagus aboard any particular vessel, so that crusading companies may deploy whatever force best suits a certain theatre of war. As such most chapter battlegroups retain the standard battle company structure laid down in the Codex Astartes, but with a greater number of specialist units and vehicles at their disposal. Brother ArusMarines Mortalis, 5th Company Specialist role denoted by darkened pauldron or kneepad, allowing ashes to demark battle honors [/clearfloat] Brother Caerilo of the AsharenMarines Mortalis, 1st Company Under 1st Company Captain, Orneo R'digar" [clearfloat] To a Marine Mortalis, mortal frailty is a curse that must be overcome to achieve true strength. They acknowledge and somewhat relish the near-mastery over death granted to them by their transformation into Astartes, and though they are not as radically ascetic as the technophile Iron Hands this does allow for a stable relationship between them and the Adeptus Mechanicus. As such the Techmarines Mortalis are extremely skilled in their duties, able to maintain ornate weaponry and ornamental sarcophagi that have seen war for thousands of years. The servants of the Omnissiah remain indebted to the Marines Mortalis for their service in multiple combat efforts concerning under the Mechanicus, particularly during the Hephaestus Campaign when the chapter selflessly defended an Alpha Forge World from Tyranic invasion. In exchange for their service, the Priests of Mars have acquiesced many of the chapter’s more particular requests for their armory, supplying them with experimental plasma weaponry, Knight-Class Imperial Walkers, and, after much reasoning, a pair of D-level vortex grenades. These latest additions are still highly experimental, yet each can grow to a blast radius able to subsume an entire Astartes company. Accordingly the watchful eyes of the Inquisition are actively working to find out what, or whom, their intended target may be… The Marines Mortalis adhere to the Codex Astartes, with a few key exceptions. The chapter has struggled to fight at full company strength throughout M41 as a result of constant crusading. Reserve companies therefore remain undermanned, with most new Astartes initiates forwarded directly to one of the primary battle companies. The Marines Mortalis know their recruitment pool is limited, especially when on crusade far from their homeworld. To preserve the lives of their future battle brothers scouts undergo all their training in the wastelands of Orpathos; only in times of dire need are scouts drawn to support individual companies in actual warzone as per the Codex Astartes. Additionally, their reserve 8th Company has been removed from chapter organization altogether after being lost under mysterious circumstances during M38. With Orpathos unable to sustain life, the Marines Mortalis are forced to recruit from worlds they have previously pacified in their eternal crusade. Their Chaplains, known as the Ordo Mortuary, are well-versed in the cultural beliefs and practices of their select few recruitment worlds. These Chaplains grapple in unarmored combat with feral tribesmen, duel with young nobility in regal palaces, and oversee the castigation of juvenile criminal offenders on choked hive worlds to find the most worthy recruits for the Marines Mortalis. The Dalryth Uprising[981.M41] The industrial world of Dalryth comes under attack when mining activity uncovers a horde of dormant Raveners left in the wake of Hive Fleet Leviathan. By the time Marines Mortalis under 4th Captain Edigrad make planetfall, the situation is grim. Edrigad quickly places individual quarantines on each sector of Dalryth’s only population center, and proceeds to bombard any sector where the Tyranids emerge from underground. While this greatly cripples the Ravener hordes it also considerably depletes the civilian population. Captain Ixion of the Ultramarines, answering Dalryth’s distresses with his own battlegroup, sharply criticizes Edrigad’s use of orbital strikes against Imperial citizens. Civil war nearly breaks out among the two Astartes factions before the timely emergence of several xenos bio-titans and an uprising by the dissenting human population brings the chapters together to defeat the greater threat. The Inquisition places all blame for decreased mining production on the civilian outcries to prevent systemwide panic over the discovery of xenos threat. Hunting in Shadows[723.M39] A strike force of the Marines Mortalis 6th Company pursues the Alpha Legion operative Zaa’rken, bolstered by devastator units from the 9th Company and an Imperial Guard detachment. On the moon of Kaiolda, Zaa’rken appears cornered in a Legion monitoring base when roughly a third of the Guardsmen attached to the Marines Mortalis reveal their true allegiance to Chaos, opening fire on their brothers and Astartes overseers. Without slowing their advance the Marines Mortalis fire into the hectic rabble as they push through to Zaa’rken. The traitor is found and executed, but not before the 9th’s heavy bolters have indiscriminately slain more than half of the loyalists caught between them and the turncoat regiment. The Byre Massacre [275.M38] The Cadian 18th Specialists, station at Listening Post 666 in the death swamps of Byre, cease all contact with their superiors. When two additional Catachan units sent to investigate the disappearances also vanish mysteriously, the Marines Mortalis vow to uncover the source of these incidents. After only a night at 666, multiple patrols each claim to have heard an ominous hissing coming from the heart of the jungle. A combat squad sent to investigate these noises last reports finding a monument of xenos origin, but they do not return and the entire company is restricted to the compound’s walls. Their efforts are in vain however when the following night a tide of Necron’tyr assaults their position in droves. Heavy casualties are sustained by the Marines Mortalis in their steadfast attempt to hold the base, before they are finally overrun. Fortunately they receive unexpected aid from their brothers the Executioners, who land planetside to help extract the Marines Mortalis before requesting Byre’s Exterminatus. On the attack: "Die as though Dorn is beside you!" On the defense: "From the ashes we rise - From death we prevail!" Let me get some critique on this one! Also, the images are obviously not lining up correctly, the hard return feature seems stuck. That and my indents aren't all indenting on the righthand side either, so any help with these issues would be appreciated! Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/292833-wip-the-marines-mortalis/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teetengee Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 I like it, although I would like to see more on why the mechanicus trusts them so much. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/292833-wip-the-marines-mortalis/#findComment-3728272 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harlan Skorus Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 What Tentengee says. It seems kinda put in for the sake of being put in. The armour colours you've stated don't seem to match the images? There's no silver trim. It might just be hard to tell with the ash, I'm not sure. I think the battlecry sections could probably just be shortened to the "from the ashes we rise, from death we prevail' bit - the rest feels a bit unnecessary. We kinda know that isn't the only ten words a Space Marine will say in the heat of battle. :P Hunting in shadows - they managed to kill more loyalists than renegades? How terrible is their aim! I also think it'd probably work better if they killed all the loyalists... just to be sure, you know. Tactical genius Captain Edrigad - I know space is kinda limited, but this comes across as very tell and not show. Overall pretty good! Not much to add I'm afraid. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/292833-wip-the-marines-mortalis/#findComment-3728375 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonaides Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 All marine chapters maintain a stockpile of exterminatus ordnance 'just in case'. Why did yours need to ask special permission for extra? Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/292833-wip-the-marines-mortalis/#findComment-3734050 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bento-of-the-earth Posted July 2, 2014 Author Share Posted July 2, 2014 EDITS in response to feedback: see below I like it, although I would like to see more on why the mechanicus trusts them so much. I had actually written out a whole campaign alongside the Mechanicus for part of the Battle Honors section, but opted out later to put in some more recent ideas. I touched on it briefly in the part where I discus their everyday dealings with them instead. The armour colours you've stated don't seem to match the images? There's no silver trim. It might just be hard to tell with the ash, I'm not sure. When I do these guys up for real, they'll probably be 5th Company, and as a codex chapter this means black shoulder trim. By trim I meant more of metal decoration and such, not specifically the shoulders - hopefully that explains what you're seeing! Hunting in shadows - they managed to kill more loyalists than renegades? How terrible is their aim! I also think it'd probably work better if they killed all the loyalists... just to be sure, you know. I was trying to imply that they simply didn't care who died in the conflict, as long as they got their man. Sort of to touch on their meticulous nature. Hopefully edits in that section made that a bit more obvious, as opposed to "shooting at everyone trying to land a hit"! Overall pretty good! Not much to add I'm afraid. Many thanks! I've poured a lot of heart into this for about year now, trying to make it as good as I could on my own before publishing on the best IA review board around. All marine chapters maintain a stockpile of exterminatus ordnance 'just in case'. Why did yours need to ask special permission for extra? There...ahem...may be a second IA coming around shortly, it won't be a loyalist one for that matter, and it may-or-may-not be related back to this IA here. I changed the reference to missiles to Vortex grenades; with their description hopefully you can begin to see the wheels turning with where I plan to take this idea... Still looking to fix the summary boxed images, both are still not lining up correctly. More feedback is thoroughly welcome. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/292833-wip-the-marines-mortalis/#findComment-3735208 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bento-of-the-earth Posted July 23, 2014 Author Share Posted July 23, 2014 Any more feedback needed here? It's been a few fair weeks and if this IA looks solid, I'd love to get cracking on my next one! Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/292833-wip-the-marines-mortalis/#findComment-3753400 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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