The Oath Keepers: AoA(DA) successor that abandons the Hunt

[Welcheren]

Right: I have added the following to the IA.

 

It does not yet constitute a culture for the chapter, or a comprehensive outline as to how-they-were, but its a start:

 

 

 

[skullheader#276741]Early endeavours[/skullheader]

 

 

Being a fleet-based chapter, the Oath Keepers set about securing recruitment rights over a number of suitable worlds, mainly on the borders between the Segmentums Pacificus and Obscurus. On three of these worlds, Techmarines uncovered evidence of ancient human civilisations. The feral inhabitants of each planet possessed no knowledge of these once great cities, the ruins of which dotted the polar caps. Research indicated that these technologically advanced civilisations pre-dated the Imperium by many millenia. Uncovering three such planets had a dual influence on the Oath Keepers. On one level, it further invigorated a sense of the Imperium's superiority - a line of thought that was zealously preached by the Chaplaincy. Yet the memory of the Scouring and the Heresy remained raw. The discovery also instilled in the brotherhood a sense that for all its greatness the Imperium was clearly vulnerable - it was magnificent but not invincible. That, after all, had been the reason for the creation of the Adeptus Astartes. In the light of subsequent events, it is feasibly that this exerted a prominent influence on the Keepers' chapter cult. Certainly many of tapestries and murals within the halls of the Act of Conscience depicted scenes of what these civilisations were imagined to be, with the visage of the Emperor looking on in dismay, in full knowledge of their shortcomings, and with the image of lion looking over his shoulder to symbolise the Keepers' Primarch - as yet unborn but ever in the mind of the Emperor.

 

 

The chapter's first opportunity to incarcerate one of the Fallen arose in M33. A long-planned and carefully nurtured uprising had been nursed by small Chaos warbands that were initially believed to hail from the Alpha Legion. Entire Imperial Guard regiments had been turned, from the subsector Purgatio. Bribes, threats and other methods of subterfuge had delayed the Administratum from noticing a steady reduction in tithes. When treachery was revealed, the entire subsection had fortified itself against retribution. The Oath Keepers responded. They dispatched a powerful crusade, working in close concert with the Halo Shields - a successor chapter of the Imperial Fists (LIbrarium note: unlike other allies in this IA, the Halo Shields are also a DIY faction). 

 

 

From the beginning the hidden leaders of the uprising sought to avoid set-piece battles. The Oath Keepers and Halo Shields divided their forces to invade the worlds at the top of their priority list. But once the bombardments lifted from the sprawling fortresses, and the Adepts made planet-fall, it was clear that all static defences only boasted token resistance. Instead, the enemy had withrdrawn to mountains, jungles, swamps and subterranean mines. The conflict became a prolonged and bloody war of attrition, as the two Adeptus Astartes chapters learned to adapt their tactics. When a set battle was eventually forced upon the world of Purgatia, the Oath Keepers' highest ranking officers were met with a chilling surprise. Reconnaissance showed hundreds of traitor Guardsmen bearing great banners depicting the face of Luther. In truth, none of the Guardsmen had an inkling of the significance of this image. They had been ordered to paint and display it by the agents of one of the Fallen. Similarly, the majority of the Oath Keepers could not fathom this practice. But representatives of the Inner Cirlce were perturbed. Especially since Scouts from the Halo Shields had also reported this to their own commanders. A hasty decision was made. Veterans from the Oath Keepers boasted of their prowess to the Halo Shields, stating that they no longer needed their assistance. The Halo Shields were outraged. Many demanded an honour dual, but instead a decision was made to immediately withdraw all support from the campaign. The chapters parted company in disgust. Some among the lower ranking brothers of the Oath Keepers contemplated questioned the honourability of their veterans' conduct, but said nothing aloud.

 

The Fallen Angel was eventually captured when his last fortress was razed. This would be the first of only three members of the Fallen that the Oath Keepers would even capture despite their years of service. 

 

In M34, the Halo Shields became one of the many chapters to be eradicated by the events of the Pale Wasting (see http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Pale_Wasting). 

Edited January 23, 2015 by Welcheren

[Welcheren]

I am not quite sure that this method of getting the Halo Shields out of the way works. 

 

I am also hesitant to add another DIY chapter (all the others are GW recognised), but I am not sure than existing one would fit the bill.

 

Perhaps the Invaders can work? I know that they are known never to shirk from a fight. But that raises the question as to whether they would react this way owing to a slight to their honour? (Of course then, I would leave the Pale Wasting bit out.)

Edited January 23, 2015 by Welcheren

[NightrawenII]

Well. I would like to point several points.

 

#A Why would the Dark Angels, and by extension the Unforgiven, insist on Hunt of the Fallen? Don't forget, the Unforgiven hunt the Fallen because they want not because they must. Also, the Unforgiven cannot demand anything in the first place. The 1st Legion doesn't exist, the Unforgiven doesn't exist, the Inner Circle doesn't exist.

 

#B The Unforgiven Chapter cannot, in reality, abandon the Hunt. One of the reasons why the Unforgiven hunt the Fallen is the fear of what would happen if the Imperium learned the truth behind the destruction of Caliban. Even the Chapter which is not actively involved in the Hunt would be forced to take part in secret-keeping, because the Fallen pose a threat too dire to ignore it completely.

 

#C This is tied to what I have said in #A. Chapter cannot be in charge of another Chapter (for no good reason anyway). It's against the rules, a rules which is Imperium very keen to uphold.

 

 

~ NightrawenII

[Welcheren]

Well. I would like to point several points.

 

#A Why would the Dark Angels, and by extension the Unforgiven, insist on Hunt of the Fallen? Don't forget, the Unforgiven hunt the Fallen because they want not because they must. Also, the Unforgiven cannot demand anything in the first place. The 1st Legion doesn't exist, the Unforgiven doesn't exist, the Inner Circle doesn't exist.

 

#B The Unforgiven Chapter cannot, in reality, abandon the Hunt. One of the reasons why the Unforgiven hunt the Fallen is the fear of what would happen if the Imperium learned the truth behind the destruction of Caliban. Even the Chapter which is not actively involved in the Hunt would be forced to take part in secret-keeping, because the Fallen pose a threat too dire to ignore it completely.

 

#C This is tied to what I have said in #A. Chapter cannot be in charge of another Chapter (for no good reason anyway). It's against the rules, a rules which is Imperium very keen to uphold.

 

 

~ NightrawenII

 

Good points all.

 

Based on earlier discussion, the involvement of other DA chapters here was meant to indicate their anxiety that if a chapter gives up the Hunt, they might already have been manipulated by the Fallen and thus pose a danger to all the Unforgiven. Whether strictly righteous or not this might spur a fanatical chapter to do whatever it can to discover the real reasons behind another DA chapter's decision to abandon the Hunt. So if, for example, they hold all the cards (relics, battle gear and gene-seed) this chapter can interrogate its fellow DA chapter all it likes - believing that all this is justified in service of the Hunt. 

 

As to why a DA chapter would choose to abandon the Hunt in the first place: in this case it simply has to do with the real danger of neglecting other fronts across the Imperium - but I absolute agree that such a chapter would continue to guard the secret.

 

This poses another problem for the Oath Keepers when: 1) a great proportion of the Inner Circle dies just prior to (in fact precipitating) the decision and 2) when they barely escape destruction, only one person knows why the Angels of Vengeance (read the Inner Circle of the Angels of Vengeance) are ticked off  -  because only one person is left alive who actually knows that the Oath Keepers gave up anything at all. The other survivors know nothing of the Hunt or of the Fallen just as all DAs outside the Inner Circle do not know.

Edited February 20, 2015 by Welcheren