Brainstorming Knights of Blood Titles

[ElectricPaladin]

I, for one, embrace the new fluff for the Knights of Blood, as presented in the recent Black Library story. Specifically...

• Whatever their issue vis-a-vis the Rage and the Thirst, they are reasonable and well-mannered in person.
• Instead of calling each other "brother," they use the honorific "ser."
• They appear to have more affection for their psykers than other chapters (this is a bit of a stretch, but we know that they allow one of their psykers to wear ordinary power armor and hang out with a tactical squad in order to con the Blood Angels).

 

This raises many fascinating questions - for one, are they actually crazed berserkers, just very self-aware and capable of remarkable self control outside of battle, or were they the victims of an Inquisitorial smear campaign? - but most of those are outside the scope of this thread. I'll have to answer those questions as I adapt my force's fluff to fit the new fiction

 

What I would like to do is brainstorm the alternate titles the Knights of Blood might use, if in fact they are sufficiently tied to a knightly/feudal culture that they use "ser" instead of "brother."

 

My immediate thoughts:

• Sanguinary Priests --> probably their title is unchanged, since priest fits knights pretty well.
• Chaplains --> similarly, chaplains are sufficiently military to fit into a knightly order.
• Captain --> the same, but perhaps in formal settings they are referred to as "Lord Captain" rather than "Brother Captain."
• Librarian --> this one is more challenging. Magus, perhaps?

 

Any other thoughts, suggestions, questions?

[bis5523]

I do have a question. Did you buy the new dex? I haven't read the whole thing cover to cover yet but i didn't see anything mentioning the Knights of Blood. 

[ElectricPaladin]

I do have a question. Did you buy the new dex? I haven't read the whole thing cover to cover yet but i didn't see anything mentioning the Knights of Blood.

I do have the new 'dex. Rumor has it they've got a blurb confirming they still exist. I'm referring to one of the Black Library Advent releases.

[Frater Cornelius]

Check out old Knight titles. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Templar#Ranks_within_the_order

[GrandMagnus]

Ive always liked the title "commander" and "lord commander" for knightly themed chapters. As well as "master" and "grand master". And how about "chronicler" or "archivist" for librarians? 

[Lucien Eilam]

I do have a question. Did you buy the new dex? I haven't read the whole thing cover to cover yet but i didn't see anything mentioning the Knights of Blood.

 

They're mentioned twice:

 

Names such as the Knights of Blood or the Crimson Swords have gone down in infamy, declared Renegade by the Adeptus Terra or completely wiped out amid unwinnable conflicts of their own creation.

 

The Blood Angels have founded a string of successor Chapters, each of which has inherited both the golden nobility of their forefathers, and their dark flaws. Some, such as the Lamenters or Knights of Blood, have wandered far on stranger paths. Others fight on like the heroes they are, their every selfless deed an effort to deny the beast within.

[Spinsanity]

I do have the new 'dex. Rumor has it they've got a blurb confirming they still exist. :huh:

the only mention of Knights of Blood and Lamenters I found is on page 24, in the little introduction to the Successor Chapters section :

Successor Chapters

[...] Some, such as the Lamenters or Knights of Blood, have wandered far on stranger paths. [...]

[Quixus]

Sanguinary priests have two duties. One is the same as that of apothecaries in other chapters, the other is to help their brothers to harness the red thirst. Whatever aspect should be more dominant in your KoB might make finding a new name easier.

 

Archivist, chronicler or sage fits the librarians if you want to emphasize their duty as record keepers. If you want to put more emphasis on the arcane nature of their studies, perhaps the structure of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn is of interest. Just pick a couple of names that you like for the four ranks of librarians.

 

Master and Grand Master sound too much like DA or GK title. Go with (Lord) Commander for the captains. Unfortunately I draw a blanc for the chapter master's title.

[Frater Cornelius]

Knight-Commander for the Captains and Lord-Commander for the Chapter Master.

[Lucien Eilam]

Master and Grand Master sound too much like DA or GK title. Go with (Lord) Commander for the captains. Unfortunately I draw a blanc for the chapter master's title.

 

"Commander" is good enough for Dante.

[Silverson]

Sage maybe for the librarian what did the call merlin? Just a wizard or conjurer, Druid maybe?

[Warsmith Aznable]

 

I do have the new 'dex. Rumor has it they've got a blurb confirming they still exist. :huh:

the only mention of Knights of Blood and Lamenters I found is on page 24, in the little introduction to the Successor Chapters section :

Successor Chapters

[...] Some, such as the Lamenters or Knights of Blood, have wandered far on stranger paths. [...]

This has got my hopes up that BA will get these chapters as either codex supplements or as part of a campaign set at some future point. I would buy a Lamenters codex supplement so fast it would tear the hands off the store employee un boxing it from the stock delivery.

[Lucien Eilam]

This has got my hopes up that BA will get these chapters as either codex supplements or as part of a campaign set at some future point. I would buy a Lamenters codex supplement so fast it would tear the hands off the store employee un boxing it from the stock delivery.

I doubt it. Flesh Tearers are already well-established as the Blood Angels ‘B’ team. If anyone else gets coverage, I expect it'll be the Carmine Blades.

 

Forge World already cover the Lamenters extensively, and you don't really use a lot of Blood Angels kits to build an authentic Lamenters army, so I can't see that ever happening.

 

The Knights of Blood are renegades who avoid other Imperial forces. Not much chance of that in the age of allies.

[Kol Saresk]

 

 

I do have the new 'dex. Rumor has it they've got a blurb confirming they still exist. :huh:

the only mention of Knights of Blood and Lamenters I found is on page 24, in the little introduction to the Successor Chapters section :

Successor Chapters

[...] Some, such as the Lamenters or Knights of Blood, have wandered far on stranger paths. [...]

This has got my hopes up that BA will get these chapters as either codex supplements or as part of a campaign set at some future point. I would buy a Lamenters codex supplement so fast it would tear the hands off the store employee un boxing it from the stock delivery.

I hope so. I mean, one could argue the Flesh Tearers, but since they're already so well-entrenched in the main Codex itself, chances are unlikely. Meanwhile, the Lamenters, Knights of Blood and Carmine Blades present three different alternatives; the Chapter struggling to survive the Flaw, the Chapter outcast by the Imperium at large and then the Chapter that is still acclimating to the Blood angels' traditions.

 

On topic:

Librarian=Sage

Priest=Prophet

Chaplain=Apostle/Disciple/Judge

Captain=Lord Captain/Knight-Captain

Chapter Master=Lord Commander

[Candleshoes]

I know I'm late to the party on this one, but after reading the recent Black Library short, I very much like the idea of a equalization moniker, and coincidentally, one was given in the short.

 

It's both facinating and unique to think that 99% of their Chapter are simply devout brothers who stand on equal footing. To be a part of the organization is to be proven beyond fault, a Ser whose titles are known through deeds, not by rank or specialty. You take the heraldry of Crimson and Ash, and you are one and the same, above reproach, be it a sqaudmate, librarian, or a priest. You are a Ser of the Knights of Blood, where your actions, not your rank, speaks. 

 

For the heads of the companies, and heads of the other offices, they may all share a single moniker of higher office, perhaps simply Master.

 

My two cents anyway, it's always nice to see someting subtle and scaled down, as it has just as nice of an effect. I mean, they better than anyone understand how little their persona means, versus what truly matters to them.

[ElectricPaladin]

I know I'm late to the party on this one, but after reading the recent Black Library short, I very much like the idea of a equalization moniker, and coincidentally, one was given in the short.

 

It's both facinating and unique to think that 99% of their Chapter are simply devout brothers who stand on equal footing. To be a part of the organization is to be proven beyond fault, a Ser whose titles are known through deeds, not by rank or specialty. You take the heraldry of Crimson and Ash, and you are one and the same, above reproach, be it a sqaudmate, librarian, or a priest. You are a Ser of the Knights of Blood, where your actions, not your rank, speaks.

 

For the heads of the companies, and heads of the other officers, they may all share a single moniker of higher office, perhaps simply Master.

 

My two cents anyway, it's always nice to see someting subtle and scaled down, as it has just as nice of an effect. I mean, they better than anyone understand how little their persona means, versus what truly matters to them.

I REALLY like that. Let me chew on it a while.

[ElectricPaladin]

Here are my two takes on Candleshoe's idea:

 

First, the Knights of Blood do not adhere to the heraldry or titles as presented in the Codex Astartes. Instead, they continue to use the knightly titles of their feudal homeworld. All Astartes of this chapter go by the title “Ser.” Knights of high rank may be known as “Lord” (for a captain) or “Lord Commander” (for the captain of the First Company) and “Lord Master” (the chapter master), but even these exalted Knights will answer to “Ser” in most circumstances. Similarly, psykers within the Knights are formally known as “Magus” when they are at the rank of codicer and “Magister” when they have achieved the rank of lexicanum, but will also use to the title “Ser.” Extremely capable veterans - including all those interred in dreadnoughts - may be given additional titles as well as the rank of “Lord,” even if they do not hold a formal command position.

 

So, for example, a librarian with the rank of lexicanum may be casually referred to as “Ser Koth” despite the fact that his title is formally “Magister Koth.” A senior sanguinary priest may be known as “Ser Tyr the Younger” - although his rank is formally that of Lord Tyr - partly to distinguish him from Lord Tyr the Elder, the Hero of Black Fathom, a furioso dreadnought attached to the Fifth Company. Even the dreadnought, however, might still be referred to as "Ser Tyr," in some circumstances.

 

 

 

And...

 

 

The Knights of Blood are known for their acceptance of the psykers among them. Although librarians still generally wear blue armor, as dictated by the Codex Astartes, they are not feared or shunned by their fellows, as they are in many chapters of the Adeptus Astartes. The Knights of Blood seem to reason that the strength that their psykers can draw from such fellowship is more valuable than the potential dangers of being too close to a librarian should he lose control.

[Candleshoes]

Some solid ideas you have there.