IS: Thundering Choir

[Dark Apostle Thirst]

Yes yes yes, I'm supposed to be working on Dead On Arrival. Alas, my loremaking itch keeps pulling me back to another idea I've had. It's not even really a new idea, more... an extension of the Storm Krakens, the Grail Wardens, Wardenhold and Dead On Arrival. I'm calling it Krakensreach.

 

See, the big picture is this - the Storm Krakens have spent around 4 millennia expanding the Imperium from when they were first created, in the 22nd Founding. Not only that, but they leave the worlds they conquer with that legacy of strengthening and growing the Imperium, which has sort of created a domino effect, as these worlds in turn raise Guard regiments, Sororitas Orders, and even the occasional Titan Legion to further claim more and more worlds. The overall effect is a fairly substantial swathe of the Eastern Fringe now under Imperial control, all because of the Storm Krakens. In their honor, this particular area is dubbed Krakensreach. It isn't under the control of the chapter - avoiding the 'no chapters with empires' rule - and the Storm Krakens wouldn't want to control it anyways, they're too busy re-enacting the Great Crusade as best they can.

 

But there's only so much one chapter can do. Some of the Imperial military forces that sprang up in the wake of the Storm Kraken's advance followed their footsteps, aggressively empowering the Imperium. Others aided in the defense of Krakensreach, as there was more and more planets that were freshly colonized, vulnerable and beyond the reach of the Grail Wardens and Dead On Arrival. Among these new armies, a few forged their names in the history of the Imperium and distinguished themselves above their peers.

 

These notable Orders and Guard regiments of Krakensreach are the perfect ground to plant Indices in, and they've been going through my head like crazy  The first of these is the Order of the Thundering Choir...

 

 

 

"Our song echoes your damnation!"

 

History

 

It was 10.M38, ten years after Abbaddon the Despoiler's 8th Black Crusade had begun. It was a time of long costs, as more and more of the Ecclessiarchy's forces were spent fighting against the horrors of Chaos spilling from the Eye of Terror. Krakensreach was appearing promising, and constantly adding to the resources of the Imperium as a whole, including the God-Emperor's church. Even in the Eastern Fringe, it would take time to recover from the far reaching effects of a Black Crusade, and no-one was so foolish to believe there wouldn't be more. The Imperium needed to be prepared, and the promising systems that the Storm Krakens had recently conquered needed to continue to feed the rest of mankind's empire. For that, they had to be protected in turn.

 

So began the Choir.

 

The Choir was not intended as but one Order, at least not originally. There was a host of ten Sisterhoods that were founded at that time in Krakensreach, collectively referred to as the Choirs for the theme their names shared. For a time, each of them grew in power, but it was not long before they began to be lost. The first fledgling Sororitas group lost - the Order of the Choir Resonant - was destroyed by an Ork Waaaaaagh!, left as they were with no support. It was quickly followed by the Orders of the Unwavering Choir and the Emperor's Song, wiped out by the Black Thorn warband and a daemonic incursion, respectively. Again, they might have been saved, were it not for the fact there was simply no-one to help them. Even as their sisters mourned, more and more women across Krakensreach sacrificed themselves until one by one, every Choir Order was slain to a woman, save one - the Order of the Silent Choir.

 

Burning with vengeance, the Sisters of the Silent Choir redoubled their efforts, determined not only to survive but to carve out justice in their enemy's blood. And it worked. Against impossible odds the Order dragged victory kicking and screaming. Time and time again they were pitted alone against the Imperium's most fearsome foes and they stood their ground until they stood alone once more, bloody and resolute. This was not without price, however. Within a mere century and a half, they too were on the brink of extermination. It was at this time that Basillius was found to be a false idol, and a great purge went underway to cleanse the Imperium of his followers. Inquisitor Dormain, who had been investigating the destruction of the other Choir Orders, undertook the purge in Krakensreach. With it, it seemed the immense pressure and unbelievable odds that the Silent Choir had been facing evaporated. Their long, hard journey had not yet reached its close, but it had become considerably easier, and certainly given them the opportunity they needed to ensure their survival.

 

In the wake of the Ecclessiarchy's cleansing, it was found the Choir Orders had been sacrificed for shying away from Basillius's teachings, preferring Saints and other figures that were far more loyal to the Emperor. There were still a few that had been responsible for these actions that were hiding when Inquisitor Dormain came to the Silent Choir. He offered the surviving Sisters a chance to hunt down those responsible for killing off their peers, and they leapt at the opportunity. Finally given solid targets to lay all the blame for their troubles on, the Sororitas began to enter battle roaring, as well as to celebrate another traitor extinguished with great fanfare and jubilation. As their numbers began to swell again, their collective enthusiasm would lead many to point out they hardly fit their names as a 'Silent' Choir. These were all ignored, until the last traitor was being sentenced to death, when Dormain commented it to the Cannoness in command of the Order. To this she famously replied, "Our dead Sisters are silent enough for all of us. Since they can no longer sing the Emperor's praises, it is up to us to thunder them!"

 

And thus, they would be known forevermore as the Order of the Thundering Choir.

 

After Krakensreach was finally purged of the foul presence of Basillius's followers and the Thundering Choir was regaining strength, there seemed to be an almost golden age. Pilgrims flocked to the Order's home, a Shrine World named Arrok, as the tales of their struggles against the followers of Basillius spread. This, combined with the fact they were simply the only Order in the area, allowed them to replenish their numbers quickly. However, given recent events and how they were nearly wiped out, the Thundering Choir tended to prefer to work as a complementary force to other Imperials. It was not uncommon to see many Sisters vowing to intercede on the behalf of others should the need arise, and although this was already considered their duty, it was still a source of pride for the Order to have so many dedicated to saving their allies. No more would die because they stood alone, not if they could stop it.

 

Over time, this became something of their modus operandi, and as the numerous new recruits gradually became veterans, they would often be referred to as 'mother' instead of Sister. The Order shepherded many new regiments and eventually new Orders into their own strength, turning them from fledgeling soldiers who would normally be treated as cannon fodder into true warriors in their own right. Indeed, many times this has been the saving grace of the Thundering Choir itself. As the oldest Order of the area and certainly the most respected, they have become quite often targeted by any serious invaders of Krakensreach. In these times, there are very few Imperial forces - be they Guardsmen, Sisters, or even Mechanicus - who do not rush to the aid of the venerable Order. This, along with their infamous drive to survive that was forged in their tumultuous origins, has allowed them to weather nearly every major attack on Krakensreach, and in turn ensure Krakensreach itself repels whatever foe hungers for its worlds.

 

Unfortunately, the dark circumstances that first required the founding of the Choirs returned, as they always had. The Dominion of Fire raged into the Imperium, and it was only the herald of Abaddon's Ninth Black Crusade. The Thundering Choir had grown to full strength at this point, and while they were not personally sequestered to respond to the massive Chaos invasion - deemed too vital to defend Krakensreach - a great number of the regiments they had raised, and the Order of Silver Revenants, the first Order founded after the Judgement of Basillius, were. It was with great pride and trepidation that the Thundering Choir sent away their Sisters, wishing them well in their first major operation, and praying to the Emperor they would return. 

 

And so they patrolled Krakensreach, in these times often alone. Eventually the crisis abated, and in the meantime more and more military forces were raised up, to replace the men and women who didn't come back to their homeworlds. As the Imperial war machine ground on, the Thundering Choir began to help transforming fresh units into veterans again. It is a half millennium of relative peace before the next major threat to rise against mankind's empire, and the Order takes full advantage of it, filling out their own numbers and guiding many soldiers into becoming legends of their own. It is here that the Thundering Choir is at the height of their power and reverence. While the Storm Krakens continue their eternal crusade, and the Grail Wardens have yet to be formed, these Sisters are the most famed and certainly the most constant force protecting the still freshly conquered and undoubtedly vulnerable worlds of Krakensreach. Their blue and red colors are commemorated on hundreds of banners and flags, and honors are showered upon them. Their greatest source of pride, however, is that the Silver Revenants turn out to be merely the first among dozens of Orders that will spring up as a result of the Thundering Choir's vigilance and genuine concern for the warriors of the Imperium.

 

All good things must come to an end, however. Abaddon's unceasing war spills out from the Eye of Terror once more, and the Sister's tend the hearth of Krakensreach largely alone once more. It is not long, however, before the distant conflict with Chaos is eclipsed by a threat much closer to home. The Tau, once thought a contained enemy, begin their second sphere of expansion. It is far too close to the borders of Krakensreach for the Order's liking, and for the first time in their history they personally send Sisters to help fight against the filthy xenos. A century and a half of failing to stop the Tau later, Hive Fleet Colossus strikes, with numerous tendrils coming for the ripe worlds under the protection of the Thundering Choir. Even the Storm Krakens themselves momentarily pause their constant planet-taking to launch a counterattack on the massive Tyranid invasion. Billions are sacrificed before the realm is considered secure, and even that is only a part of the much larger Hive Fleet. The Sisters of twenty different Orders, including the Thundering Choir, over fifty regiments of Guardsmen, and three Titan Legions, are committed to driving back and purging any Tyranid forces that could potentially come back to Krakensreach. Not ten years after their efforts are finally declared a success does yet another Black Crusade crash against the Imperium's defenses, calling the war-weary veterans away from their homes once more.

 

Countless men and women die. The threat is pushed back, and the Thundering Choir, as always, puts their all into restoring Imperial forces. They begin to wonder, however, how many more of their 'children' they will dig graves for...

 

History - Canoness Tasila, the Forge of Star-Shaping, and The Keepers of the Hearth

 

It was after the first Wardenhold Crusade, when even mighty Krakensreach had spent much of its strength against the Ork hordes, that a powerful splinter of the Black Thorn struck. For many years they had been lying in waiting, working with the Dark Mechanicus to build a mighty weapon, the Forge of Star-Shaping. It was, in essence, an enormous, twisted version of a terraforming deving, capable of polluting a star to become a beacon of Chaos. When it was first activated, a hundred astropaths cried out and collapsed, dead, and over fifty Navigators were possessed by light-based daemons. It was thus naturally difficult to restore communications across Krakensreach, a nightmare for the ever watchful Thundering Choir. Gradually the information filtering to the Order revealed a clear epicenter for this psychic event, the star system of Juhanius, around which revolved the important Forge World Idroni, with which all contact had been lost.

 

What forces could be spared mustered around the nearest star, and were preparing to jump to Juhanius when the second wave struck. This time, the damage was much greater. Across the surrounding systems, billions of people all at once saw a great light that rendered them blind. The force that was on the edge of travelling to Idroni lost a total third of their total manpower to this, including the de facto commander, Captain Evanhardt of the Storm Krakens, leaving command to Canonnes Tasilia. Even so, she ordered they continue on, all the more resolved because of this mayhem. Alas, that was not the only effect. A few hours later, the blind fell into a coma into which none survived, and then began to speak madness before their bodies had cooled. All those afflicted were immolated, for fear of what they would do next. 

 

So it was that when the task force finally arrived, they were grim and desperate. The Forge World was in total disarray, and the Chaos fleet would have been enough to overwhelm the accumulated Imperial forces were it not for an unexpected ally. The Eldar, too, had come, of an unknown Craftworld but in full force. Completely ignoring the Imperials, they promptly engaged in void war with the Chaos naval forces, tearing holes in their forces with an eagerness that bordered on the berserk. The Canonness, not one to waste an opportunity, ordered they join in and to avoid firing on the Eldar, knowing full well the Imperial fleet could not win against both. It was in the ensuing conflict that the Eldar finally spoke, sending a terse communication pointing out the existence and location of the Forge of Star-Shaping, the source of all this woe. It was agreed that the xenos would hold the Black Thorn while the Emperor's warriors destroyed the abomination. The Canonness had no objections, better the filthy xenos die at the enemy's guns than humans.

 

What little ships had been stationed to protect the Forge were quickly obliterated in a short, bloody battle. The device itself seemed nigh-invulnerable, warping and reforming any damage against it. Worse, it seemed to be charging to activate yet again, and the star beneath it was going through all kinds of fluctuations, giving off enormous amounts of radiations one moment, and blinking dark the next. Finally, after exhausting all other options, an Inquisitorial ship loaded with dozens of Exterminatus grade payloads sacrificed itself, ramming into the Forge. A massive blast of energy marked the ship's destruction, eclipsing even Juhanius for a brief, glorious moment. And yet, even this was not enough to fully obliterate the Forge. It did, however, disrupt whatever foul magics kept it aloft in the star's gravity, and it was pulled inexorably into its super-hot center. It gave one last psychic scream, and was gone. 

 

Juhanius began to collapse in on itself. The Chaos fleet, seeing what had happened, quickly disengaged and fled, chased by vengeful Eldar. The Imperial fleet, closest to the forming black hole, hastily began vacating the area, needing no orders from Tasilia. By the Emperor's grace, they all managed to escape from the gravity well before Juhanius's transformation was complete. The Canonness did, however, command the survivors help reclaim Idroni, when it was clear it would survive this mess. Over the course of the next month, a campaign went underway to break the stranded Chaos forces and eventually hunt down every last traitor.

 

The Fabricator-General in charge of Idroni, a centuries old man, personally thanked the Thundering Choir during the victory celebration, noting that he had long watched them protect Krakensreach. Though the servants of the Omnissiah are hardly known for their ability to make speeches, he gave one that day that would be remembered for a long time to come. In it, he painted a metaphor between his own role as keeper of knowledge, and a local tradition involving protecting a particular hearth both protected and lit, which had miraculously survived the invasion. He then stated, "...While I, and my siblings in the Omnissiah's worship might keep the flame of this Forge's secrets alive, it is Canonnes Tasilia and her Sisters in the Thundering Choir who tend to the hearth of our worlds, diligently ensuring that no matter what terrors may come, the fire of our people and our faith never die. For that, we owe them everything. Praise be to the Emperor-Omnissiah!"

 

So it was that while the Grail Wardens would establish their place as the Astartes protectors of the realm, the Thundering Choir would forever be known as the unwavering Keepers of Krakensreach's Hearth.

 

Beliefs

 

The nickname of 'mother' for veteran Sisters of the Order is truly fitting, as with their methodology of raising up their fellows, many among the Order have a rather matriarchal mindset. Their opponents would paint this as a detractor, claiming this arrogance, that they view themselves above their allies. There is a certain degree of truth in this. Having played such an influential role, far and above any other Order in Krakensreach, the Sisters of the Thundering Choir often view other Imperials as simply not as skilled in warcraft as they are, especially a freshly formed unit. However, whether this is true disdain or simply the benevolence of veterans varies from Sister to Sister, and indeed from generation to generation. There have been times when it has been popular in the Order to think that they are angels far and above other humans. However, it never takes long for reality to reassert itself, as such pride inevitably leads to costly failure and with it, humility. If the guilt of dead Sisters - a naturally powerful, emotional symbol among the Thundering Choir - is not enough to set an officer of the Order straight, they will be quickly shamed and stripped of rank by their peers.

 

Even the disgrace these figures of hubris bear pales in comparison to how the Thundering Choir views traitors. While there is no loyal Imperial who does not hate those who turn their back on the Emperor, the Order bears a particular loathing for the Imperium's renegades. The xenos and the daemons of Chaos are merely threats to be eliminated, but the traitor... the traitor evokes disgust and hatred, contempt and revulsion among the Sisters of the Order. Indeed, the sheer undiluted wrath has often been responsible for letting a witch or even xenos to escape the Emperor's judgement, especially if they too have been victimized by a heretic's power. Given the struggles the Thundering Choir has suffered at the hands of false believers, the reason for this incredible bias should be obvious.

 

That is not the only mark the impossible odds faced in the Order's origins has left. Indeed, while the early Sisters who experienced such hardship had an incredible will to live on, it was also quickly decided among them that survival was not enough. That phrase, that ideal, has been echoed throughout the following centuries. Survival is not enough. Even the man or woman who has nothing, still has their faith. And given how they despise traitors, there are none among the Order who would not sooner die than turn from the Emperor. This is hardly a unique trait in the Imperium, but the Sisters of the Thundering Choir take it a step further. Defeat is never presented as an option in their training, nor is death. Recruits are tasked with facing insurmountable odds, achieving goals unattainable, and then given opportunity to win, sometimes so slim as to be thought impossible in their own right. Sometimes these tests are given in an instant, with no time to think or prepare. Others might take days or even weeks before an opening will present itself. But all of them can be conquered, and the Order respects anyone who will spit in the face of what seems to be their inevitable failure and finds a way to achieve the unachievable. Even that is not enough, however. The final test involves one last choice - to be victorious despite everything they had to go through, or to throw it all away to save a life, or retain their loyalty, or to do something else of equal moral import. Survival is not enough. To be a Sister of the Thundering Choir, one must learn that lesson well and truly - to strive against all odds to win, and to be prepared to throw away victory and even their very lives for the ideals they will spend the rest of their lives fighting for.

 

Home Planet

 

The Shrine-World of Cartogra is a world bounding with the diversity of thousands of cultures. Temples to the God-Emperor fill the main city, which in itself is several layers of small hives, collectively referred to as Cartogra's Imperius. Two smaller cities - Cartogra Librus and Cartogra Vigilo - exist in close proximity to Imperius, often considered a part of it but containing their own distinct cultures. Librus is a place of free worship of any kind with a few rules to minimize bloodshed, chaotic in its attempts to find new facets of the Emperor's glory. Vigilo is a much more quiet place, each shrine deliberately placed. It is structured in a loose mimicry of Krakensreach itself, with a temple for each planet marking their own interpretations of the Emperor. If a world is lost to the enemies of the Imperium, its shrine is emptied. Instead it will hold a floating statue of a dark orb, and a plaque to commemorate it. Cartogra Vigilo is also where the Choir headquarters is located, along with the local Dead On Arrival branch, who use the maplike properties of the area as an enormous method of holding data. It is at best hugely impractical, but members of the various organizations have found it oddly calming, to imagine themselves walking between the worlds, checking up on each and knowing they are safe because of their efforts.

 

The simple diversity of these three cities ensures that it has overall little impact on the way most Sisters of the Choir think, beyond prepping them to encounter the numerous new cultures any successful soldier has to. However, it does mean the literacy rate is fairly high, as well as making certain nearly every Sister is multilingual to some degree or another. Since many of the Order's recruits come directly from the communities in Cartogra Vigilo, they are raised learning the language of whatever world their temple is based on, as well as Low-Gothic, and if of sufficient class, High-Gothic as well. Many who raise their daughters to join the Order often also hire teachers to give lessons in the other common languages as well, provided they have enough wealth to do so. Somewhat ironically, the resulting communities of multilingual women tend to speak a mix of all of these, which resembles pure gibberish to almost everyone else. Indeed, the Order often uses this to their advantage, since this bizarre mix of dozens of languages makes a near uncrackable code for anyone eavesdropping on their comms.

 

Notable Sisters

 

Canonness Tasila, for commanding the force responsible for destroying the Forge of Star-Shaping. Received numerous commendations from nearly every major Imperial branch, most notably the Mechanicus mark of Venerable Service.

 

Sister Mordail, for being stranded behind enemy lines with a squad of guardsmen during the first Wardenhold Crusade, and going on to rescue similarly stranded members of the Storm Kraken's veterans. Received the privilege of wearing the Kraken's mark, making her an honorary member of the Chapter.

 

The Eighty-Four, the Sister's who still lived when the purging of Basillius's followers began. Tangent, the Three Thousand, One Hundred, Thirty Six Sister's of the Choir Orders who did not survive to that point.

 

Sister Aradian, for leading the six survivors of the massacred task force into a Necron tomb dubbed 'The Obsidian Vault' and proceeding to set off a cataclysmic chain reaction. This resulted in the destruction of the moon the Vault was found in, but incredibly all six Sisters managed to survive, finding themselves on a planet underground three systems over after stepping through a Necron portal.

 

The Sisters who led the creation of the following Orders - Silver Revenants, Thorned Oath, Takers of Solace, Keepers of the Spire, Solar Rage, House of Gray, and numerous others.

 

Notable Battles Joined

 

The Wardenhold Crusades

 

Purge of Basillius

 

First Contact with the Black Thorn

 

War of Hungering Shadows

 

Destruction of the Obsidian Vault

 

Destruction of the Forge of Star-Shaping

 

Waaaaaaaagh! Badstompa

 

Waaaaaaaagh! Vaulttaka

 

Waaaaaaaagh! Squigburna

 

Waaaaaaaagh! 'Eadstompa

 

War against Hive Fleet Colossus

 

Tau's Second Sphere of Expansion

 

Waaaaaaaagh! 'Eartbreaka 

 

The House of Vandals Raids

 

(List continues indefinitely)

Edited March 19, 2015 by Dark Apostle Thirst

[Conn Eremon]

Krakensreach sounds awesome, though part of my acceptance of it (and by that I mean acceptance of it into my own personal headcanon, because it does sound awesome) depends on how "substantial" it is.

 

The Sisterhood also sounds great. I love the transition from the Silent Choir to the Thundering Choir and I like the "silence is for the dead" attitude they gain. My one complaint would be that I'm just not feeling how that transition occurs. I think a better place for this change would be when they bring their vengeance upon those who had wronged kith and kin. Sort of like a "In our silence, we allowed sin and corruption to take hold. Well. We will be silent no more."

Edited February 15, 2015 by Conn Eremon

[Dark Apostle Thirst]

Well this is me working on making it substantial m8  Rest assured, I have a number of IS, IG (Index Guardsmen? Or IR, Index Regimens?) and at least one more IA that needs to be done, all as part of Krakensreach, as well as working it into Dead On Arrival. Also, as for the Storm Krakens themselves, this is their IA (which I still need to tidy up and reformat a bit, but for all intents and purposes is done).

 

I realize that while I intended the name change to happen in the process of hunting down the traitors, that was hardly clear. I will fix that. I also more or less intended that to be the attitude, but with a key difference - the Thundering Choir doesn't consider themselves responsible for the deaths of the other Orders, for numerous reasons. Most prominently, they were simply trying to survive, had they any idea who was really responsible for their woes beforehand, they are beyond certain they would have acted on it. The reason they changed their name was 1) to honor their silent sisters and 2) because it simply didn't suit them anymore 3) and also because they were always intended as the Thundering Choir because it sounded awesome in my head.

[Conn Eremon]

I'm partial to Index Militarum/Martiale myself. Regimens was a thought. I was just talking about this earlier today, in fact.

 

What I actually meant was that the word "substantial" kind of makes it sound like, say, a 10% chunk of Ultima Segmentum. Which would kind of feel like overdoing it. But, if Krakensreach was just a fancy name for a Sector, I'd feel more comfortable about it. But, this would not necessarily be an issue beyond my own opinions on DIY scale. Personally, I like having my Chapters, regiments, Sisterhoods, etc., be from all across the Imperium, rather than be completely interconnected. Just personal taste is all.

 

I look forward to seeing this more developed.

[Dark Apostle Thirst]

Not as big as 10%, but still a fairly substantial amount. Again, to draw parallels to the Ultramarines, I imagined somewhere around 500ish worlds - enough to say the Storm Krakens really added to the Imperium (especially since Vriskan, and later the Thundering Choir and other forces, made sure that most new worlds would be suitably defended by their soldiers until they could properly take care of themselves). Now, the Ultramarines did that with their growing Legion in somewhere between 150-200 years, while it took the Storm Krakens around 4 millennia, so I don't think that's too unreasonable, especially since that's the only thing they did.

 

I actually have a number of various DIY projects that are from all over, such as one diplomatic chapter that moved from the Eastern Fringe to the Eye of Terror defense force. It's just Krakensreach is calling out to me, luring me to the deep with its siren song of ideas... 

[Dark Apostle Thirst]

Added to History: 

 

After Krakensreach was finally purged of the foul presence of Basillius's followers and the Thundering Choir was regaining strength, there seemed to be an almost golden age. Pilgrims flocked to the Order's home, a Shrine World named Arrok, as the tales of their struggles against the followers of Basillius spread. This, combined with the fact they were simply the only Order in the area, allowed them to replenish their numbers quickly. However, given recent events and how they were nearly wiped out, the Thundering Choir tended to prefer to work as a complementary force to other Imperials. It was not uncommon to see many Sisters vowing to intercede on the behalf of others should the need arise, and although this was already considered their duty, it was still a source of pride for the Order to have so many dedicated to saving their allies. No more would die because they stood alone, not if they could stop it.

 

Over time, this became something of their modus operandi, and as the numerous new recruits gradually became veterans, they would often be referred to as 'mother' instead of Sister. The Order shepherded many new regiments and eventually new Orders into their own strength, turning them from fledgeling soldiers who would normally be treated as cannon fodder into true warriors in their own right. Indeed, many times this has been the saving grace of the Thundering Choir itself. As the oldest Order of the area and certainly the most respected, they have become quite often targeted by any serious invaders of Krakensreach. In these times, there are very few Imperial forces - be they Guardsmen, Sisters, or even Mechanicus - who do not rush to the aid of the venerable Order. This, along with their infamous drive to survive that was forged in their tumultuous origins, has allowed them to weather nearly every major attack on Krakensreach, and in turn ensure Krakensreach itself repels whatever foe hungers for its worlds.

[Dark Apostle Thirst]

I will assume the lack of responses that my work is absolutely flawless and beyond all criticism 

 

Beliefs

 

The nickname of 'mother' for veteran Sisters of the Order is truly fitting, as with their methodology of raising up their fellows, many among the Order have a rather matriarchal mindset. Their opponents would paint this as a detractor, claiming this arrogance, that they view themselves above their allies. There is a certain degree of truth in this. Having played such an influential role, far and above any other Order in Krakensreach, the Sisters of the Thundering Choir often view other Imperials as simply not as skilled in warcraft as they are, especially a freshly formed unit. However, whether this is true disdain or simply the benevolence of veterans varies from Sister to Sister, and indeed from generation to generation. There have been times when it has been popular in the Order to think that they are angels far and above other humans. However, it never takes long for reality to reassert itself, as such pride inevitably leads to costly failure and with it, humility. If the guilt of dead Sisters - a naturally powerful, emotional symbol among the Thundering Choir - is not enough to set an officer of the Order straight, they will be quickly shamed and stripped of rank by their peers.

 

Even the disgrace these figures of hubris bear pales in comparison to how the Thundering Choir views traitors. While there is no loyal Imperial who does not hate those who turn their back on the Emperor, the Order bears a particular loathing for the Imperium's renegades. The xenos and the daemons of Chaos are merely threats to be eliminated, but the traitor... the traitor evokes disgust and hatred, contempt and revulsion among the Sisters of the Order. Indeed, the sheer undiluted wrath has often been responsible for letting a witch or even xenos to escape the Emperor's judgement, especially if they too have been victimized by a heretic's power. Given the struggles the Thundering Choir has suffered at the hands of false believers, the reason for this incredible bias should be obvious.

 

That is not the only mark the impossible odds faced in the Order's origins has left. Indeed, while the early Sisters who experienced such hardship had an incredible will to live on, it was also quickly decided among them that survival was not enough. That phrase, that ideal, has been echoed throughout the following centuries. Survival is not enough. Even the man or woman who has nothing, still has their faith. And given how they despise traitors, there are none among the Order who would not sooner die than turn from the Emperor. This is hardly a unique trait in the Imperium, but the Sisters of the Thundering Choir take it a step further. Defeat is never presented as an option in their training, nor is death. Recruits are tasked with facing insurmountable odds, achieving goals unattainable, and then given opportunity to win, sometimes so slim as to be thought impossible in their own right. Sometimes these tests are given in an instant, with no time to think or prepare. Others might take days or even weeks before an opening will present itself. But all of them can be conquered, and the Order respects anyone who will spit in the face of what seems to be their inevitable failure and finds a way to achieve the unachievable. Even that is not enough, however. The final test involves one last choice - to be victorious despite everything they had to go through, or to throw it all away to save a life, or retain their loyalty, or to do something else of equal moral import. Survival is not enough. To be a Sister of the Thundering Choir, one must learn that lesson well and truly - to strive against all odds to win, and to be prepared to throw away victory and even their very lives for the ideals they will spend the rest of their lives fighting for.

[Dark Apostle Thirst]

Continuing History:

 

Unfortunately, the dark circumstances that first required the founding of the Choirs returned, as they always had. The Dominion of Fire raged into the Imperium, and it was only the herald of Abaddon's Ninth Black Crusade. The Thundering Choir had grown to full strength at this point, and while they were not personally sequestered to respond to the massive Chaos invasion - deemed too vital to defend Krakensreach - a great number of the regiments they had raised, and the Order of Silver Revenants, the first Order founded after the Judgement of Basillius, were. It was with great pride and trepidation that the Thundering Choir sent away their Sisters, wishing them well in their first major operation, and praying to the Emperor they would return. 

 

And so they patrolled Krakensreach, in these times often alone. Eventually the crisis abated, and in the meantime more and more military forces were raised up, to replace the men and women who didn't come back to their homeworlds. As the Imperial war machine ground on, the Thundering Choir began to help transforming fresh units into veterans again. It is a half millennium of relative peace before the next major threat to rise against mankind's empire, and the Order takes full advantage of it, filling out their own numbers and guiding many soldiers into becoming legends of their own. It is here that the Thundering Choir is at the height of their power and reverence. While the Storm Krakens continue their eternal crusade, and the Grail Wardens have yet to be formed, these Sisters are the most famed and certainly the most constant force protecting the still freshly conquered and undoubtedly vulnerable worlds of Krakensreach. Their blue and red colors are commemorated on hundreds of banners and flags, and honors are showered upon them. Their greatest source of pride, however, is that the Silver Revenants turn out to be merely the first among dozens of Orders that will spring up as a result of the Thundering Choir's vigilance and genuine concern for the warriors of the Imperium.

 

All good things must come to an end, however. Abaddon's unceasing war spills out from the Eye of Terror once more, and the Sister's tend the hearth of Krakensreach largely alone once more. It is not long, however, before the distant conflict with Chaos is eclipsed by a threat much closer to home. The Tau, once thought a contained enemy, begin their second sphere of expansion. It is far too close to the borders of Krakensreach for the Order's liking, and for the first time in their history they personally send Sisters to help fight against the filthy xenos. A century and a half of failing to stop the Tau later, Hive Fleet Colossus strikes, with numerous tendrils coming for the ripe worlds under the protection of the Thundering Choir. Even the Storm Krakens themselves momentarily pause their constant planet-taking to launch a counterattack on the massive Tyranid invasion. Billions are sacrificed before the realm is considered secure, and even that is only a part of the much larger Hive Fleet. The Sisters of twenty different Orders, including the Thundering Choir, over fifty regiments of Guardsmen, and three Titan Legions, are committed to driving back and purging any Tyranid forces that could potentially come back to Krakensreach. Not ten years after their efforts are finally declared a success does yet another Black Crusade crash against the Imperium's defenses, calling the war-weary veterans away from their homes once more.

 

Countless men and women die. The threat is pushed back, and the Thundering Choir, as always, puts their all into restoring Imperial forces. They begin to wonder, however, how many more of their 'children' they will dig graves for...

[Dark Apostle Thirst]

Any thoughts at all before I proceed?

[Dark Apostle Thirst]

History - Canoness Tasila, the Forge of Star-Shaping, and The Keepers of the Hearth

 

It was after the first Wardenhold Crusade, when even mighty Krakensreach had spent much of its strength against the Ork hordes, that a powerful splinter of the Black Thorn struck. For many years they had been lying in waiting, working with the Dark Mechanicus to build a mighty weapon, the Forge of Star-Shaping. It was, in essence, an enormous, twisted version of a terraforming deving, capable of polluting a star to become a beacon of Chaos. When it was first activated, a hundred astropaths cried out and collapsed, dead, and over fifty Navigators were possessed by light-based daemons. It was thus naturally difficult to restore communications across Krakensreach, a nightmare for the ever watchful Thundering Choir. Gradually the information filtering to the Order revealed a clear epicenter for this psychic event, the star system of Juhanius, around which revolved the important Forge World Idroni, with which all contact had been lost.

 

What forces could be spared mustered around the nearest star, and were preparing to jump to Juhanius when the second wave struck. This time, the damage was much greater. Across the surrounding systems, billions of people all at once saw a great light that rendered them blind. The force that was on the edge of travelling to Idroni lost a total third of their total manpower to this, including the de facto commander, Captain Evanhardt of the Storm Krakens, leaving command to Canonnes Tasilia. Even so, she ordered they continue on, all the more resolved because of this mayhem. Alas, that was not the only effect. A few hours later, the blind fell into a coma into which none survived, and then began to speak madness before their bodies had cooled. All those afflicted were immolated, for fear of what they would do next. 

 

So it was that when the task force finally arrived, they were grim and desperate. The Forge World was in total disarray, and the Chaos fleet would have been enough to overwhelm the accumulated Imperial forces were it not for an unexpected ally. The Eldar, too, had come, of an unknown Craftworld but in full force. Completely ignoring the Imperials, they promptly engaged in void war with the Chaos naval forces, tearing holes in their forces with an eagerness that bordered on the berserk. The Canonness, not one to waste an opportunity, ordered they join in and to avoid firing on the Eldar, knowing full well the Imperial fleet could not win against both. It was in the ensuing conflict that the Eldar finally spoke, sending a terse communication pointing out the existence and location of the Forge of Star-Shaping, the source of all this woe. It was agreed that the xenos would hold the Black Thorn while the Emperor's warriors destroyed the abomination. The Canonness had no objections, better the filthy xenos die at the enemy's guns than humans.

 

What little ships had been stationed to protect the Forge were quickly obliterated in a short, bloody battle. The device itself seemed nigh-invulnerable, warping and reforming any damage against it. Worse, it seemed to be charging to activate yet again, and the star beneath it was going through all kinds of fluctuations, giving off enormous amounts of radiations one moment, and blinking dark the next. Finally, after exhausting all other options, an Inquisitorial ship loaded with dozens of Exterminatus grade payloads sacrificed itself, ramming into the Forge. A massive blast of energy marked the ship's destruction, eclipsing even Juhanius for a brief, glorious moment. And yet, even this was not enough to fully obliterate the Forge. It did, however, disrupt whatever foul magics kept it aloft in the star's gravity, and it was pulled inexorably into its super-hot center. It gave one last psychic scream, and was gone. 

 

Juhanius began to collapse in on itself. The Chaos fleet, seeing what had happened, quickly disengaged and fled, chased by vengeful Eldar. The Imperial fleet, closest to the forming black hole, hastily began vacating the area, needing no orders from Tasilia. By the Emperor's grace, they all managed to escape from the gravity well before Juhanius's transformation was complete. The Canonness did, however, command the survivors help reclaim Idroni, when it was clear it would survive this mess. Over the course of the next month, a campaign went underway to break the stranded Chaos forces and eventually hunt down every last traitor.

 

The Fabricator-General in charge of Idroni, a centuries old man, personally thanked the Thundering Choir during the victory celebration, noting that he had long watched them protect Krakensreach. Though the servants of the Omnissiah are hardly known for their ability to make speeches, he gave one that day that would be remembered for a long time to come. In it, he painted a metaphor between his own role as keeper of knowledge, and a local tradition involving protecting a particular hearth both protected and lit, which had miraculously survived the invasion. He then stated, "...While I, and my siblings in the Omnissiah's worship might keep the flame of this Forge's secrets alive, it is Canonnes Tasilia and her Sisters in the Thundering Choir who tend to the hearth of our worlds, diligently ensuring that no matter what terrors may come, the fire of our people and our faith never die. For that, we owe them everything. Praise be to the Emperor-Omnissiah!"

 

So it was that while the Grail Wardens would establish their place as the Astartes protectors of the realm, the Thundering Choir would forever be known as the unwavering Keepers of Krakensreach's Hearth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wow, ok, that was really fun