Liber Challenge (Finished): The Order of the Void Angels

[MrFlutterPie]

Order name: The Order of the Void Angels (renamed M40, formerly Order of the Fallen Blade) 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/SyLQJQR.jpg

 

 

Home planet: Fleet based formerly Holy Terra

 

Name of its Founder:  Canoness Claudia Decentius (martyred) Current Canoness: Sabucia Senna.

 

Combat Doctrine

 

Void warfare, boarding actions and combat drops.

 

The Order uses shock tactics and surprise to overwhelm their foes.  They make use of an unusually high amount of Dominica drop pods.  The order also features a large core of Seraphim who make low atmosphere combat drops using their jump packs to slow their descent.  The order’s call to arms is marked by the glowing trails of its drop pods and jump packs descending from the heavens.  Like avenging angels of absolution they come to smite the enemies of Mankind.  The Void Angels are also supported by large squadrons of Avenger Strike Fighters.  While crewed by the men and woman of the Imperial Navy they were all chosen for not just for their piloting skills but also for their fanatical faith to the Imperial Creed.  They escort the landing ships during a combat drop only to break off at the last minute and strife ground targets, clearing the landing zone.  Due to these tactics the order maintains a smaller number of armoured vehicles than most other orders.

 

History

 

The Order of the Fallen Blade was raised on Holy Terra as a minor order intended for service on the edge of the Ghoul Stars.  After successfully mustering in early M38 the Order of the Fallen Blade boarded their ships and entered the Warp destined for the Garrison World of Kepler Prime.  They never arrived.  By M39 the order was declared lost to the Warp and their order was added to the banners of the martyred in the halls of honour in the Imperial Place.   In the opening years of M40 the shrine world of Thioatis came under attack by Waaagh! Skullbasherz.  The PDF mounted a heroic defence but were overwhelmed by the greenskin hordes in days.  The PDF pulled back to the planet’s largest cathedral to mount their final defence and sent their last distress call.   Mere moments later the Warp violently spat out a fleet of ships broadcasting an unknown Imperial ID.  The mysterious ghost fleet attacked the Ork ships in orbit, catching them completely by surprise and destroying the scrap fleet to the last ship.  Once in Orbit the ghost ships began to deploy drop pods and assault landers.  Escorted by squadrons on Avenger Strike Fighters the assault force hit the Orks straight on.  The Order of the Fallen Blade deployed with tactical precision as their blades finally tasted blood for the first time since their creation two millennia earlier.  Holy fire was used to cleanse the world from the Ork menace.  In two short months the Ork threat was eradicated from the planet.   In thanks the planet governor presented Canoness Claudia Decentius with the Seraph Wings, a holy relic kept within the stasis vault beneath the cathedral where the PDF made their last stand.  These wings are made of a rare metal that mimics the appearance of a birds wings that provides the wearer with unnatural speed and agility and allows the user to be capable of true flight.  The relic also houses a small shield generator that bathes the wearer in gold light that protects them from harm.  Returning to their ships the Order of the Fallen Blade disappeared as quickly as it had arrived.  They would appear over the centuries from the Warp in the most desperate warzones.  With their preference for void warfare and combat drop doctrine they were renamed The Order of Void Angels.  They became the guardian angels of the Warp ever vigilant to serve the Emperor in the most desperate of times.  As the 41^st Millennium draws to a close and Mankind loses its grip on the galaxy, sightings of the Void Angels are becoming more common. For if the Imperium is to survive, it will need its greatest hero’s to defend it. 

 

 

Notable Sisters

 

Sister Seia Capito

 

Sister Capito was found in the aftermath of the War of the False Prophets.  She was found standing in the middle of a Hive street where the final bloody battle took place.  Despite the violent bloodshed that took place she was completely unharmed.  In fact not even the dirt and grime of the battle had married her clean clothes.  Seeing it as a sign she was taken in by the order.  Surprisingly, she is both blind and mute and has to communicate by using Sororita battle signs and Morse code via her micro bead vox.  Being blind has little effect on her for she sees by faith and not by mere sight. Currently, she is one of the order’s best markswomen and caries a heavy bolter into battle.  Observing her you would never know that she was blind as she moves with grace and agility that would make an Eldar jealous.  Considered a good luck charm by her fellow warriors she has saved the life of her squad mates more than once with a well-timed volley with her heavy bolter.  Clearly she has been truly blessed and continues to serve with distinction in the wars of faith in the name of the Emperor.

 

 

Sister Superior Theophane

 

An ancient veteran by even the Sororitas standards she has had the misfortune of not yet being martyred for the Emperor.  Despite her advanced age of 116 she fights like a young noviate.  Her bald head is covered in scars and bionic implants and her mouth seems to be permanently curled into an ugly sneer. Stubborn and ornery beyond measure she is often first to the front lines and always the last to leave. She leads her Seraphim squad with calculating precision and cold anger.  Having mastered the art of high altitude combat drop and it is said that she could leap from the moon of Holy Terra with her eyes closed wearing nothing more than a prayer and could land with ease right on the gates to the Emperors throne room.  A skilled markswoman she wields her two bolt pistols like they were an extension of her own body dispensing death to the enemies of Mankind.  A strong and loyal fighter she has recently been re-assigned to Canoness Senna’s command squad to act as both an adviser and a potent bodyguard. 

 

Sister Katana “The Emperors Blade”

 

Ever since Sister Katana was brought to the Schola Progenium she has shown an unhealthy liking of knives, blades and anything sharp.  Nobody knows her real name anymore and she only responds to her nickname Katana.  Her personality is as intense as it is serious.  The only time she is seen smiling or laughing is when she is soaked in the blood from the enemies of Mankind.   She has taken to using a modified pole arm with a chain glaive on the end and a razor sharp point on the bottom of the shaft.  Much to chagrin the Mechanicus she has also modified it with a hand flamer on the end that she can trigger to purify the battlefield in holy fire.  Her squad mates are both awed and disturbed by her violent acts on the battlefield.  While it is good to take enjoyment in the killing of the witch, mutant and xenos Katana goes far beyond that. There are even times when she has been seen laughing manically as she slaughters her opponents.  Worryingly she also has the habit of collecting vials of blood her enemies in with which she "anoints" her armour and weapons before battle.  Still she is an incredible fighter and has slain countless enemies of the God Emperor.  It is because of skill she is still allowed to serve albeit under the watchful eye of her commanding Superior. 

 

Sister Mia Valentine (The heart ripper)

 

Mia Valentine earned her nickname during a rebel uprising on the world of Ayslyria V.  The Arch Heretic known only as the Baby Face Cannibal was laying waste to the world when the Void Angels arrived to launch a counter attack.  Her squad was deployed to outflank the Arch Heretic‘s armies by utilizing a network of abandoned sewers leading to the warlord's base.  Reports had indicated that he was on the front lines leading his forces but they were false.  As her squad burst through the access hatch expecting to face only light resistance they came face to face with the Arch Heretic himself.  In the ensuring battle Mia’s squad was cut down leaving only her left.  Filled with holy hatred she faced the warlord in single combat, her chainsword's machine spirit growling with hate as she slashed the warlord over and over again only for the blade to be stopped by his personal energy shield. The Arch Heretic lashed out at her with his arcane aerotech weapon striking Mia down with a blow that would have killed an ordinary person.  However, Sister Mia Valentine was no ordinary warrior for she was a servant of the God Emperor and would not suffer this abomination to live.  Throwing her chainsword down she reached up and struck the Warlord in his chest.  Her armoured gauntlet passing through his shield as she ripped his heart from his chest.  With his death the rebellion soon became disorganized and was quickly defeated.  Sister Valentine recovered from her wounds and was found to not have been tainted allowing her to continue serving alongside her sisters in war.   After this encounter she has developed the grim habit of taking trophies from all that she kills…

 

Significant battles joined

 

Defence of Heaven Gate Landing Shipyards and Port. 

 

A vital shipyard and resupply port came under attack by Dark Eldar pirates hoping to seize a valuable shipment of vortex missiles.  The defensive fleet was able to hold off the main attack by Dark Eldar but a smaller attack force slipped through the defensive network without alerting the sensor augurs.  Once on board the Dark Eldar launched an attack on loading dock 349 which was currently housing the vortex missiles.  The Dark Eldar quickly overran the defenders and escaped to their ships with their prize.  The Void Angels arrived in system without notice or warning cutting off the Dark Eldar pirate craft.   The lance batteries of the cathedral ship destroyed the escorts while the Void Angels launched boarding torpedoes again the Xenos Flagship.  The sisters fought their way into the heart of the ship looking to recover the missiles.   The Archon unleashed wave after wave of grotesques against the sisters as he plotted his escape to the Webway.  Realizing  that time was running out Sister Superior Lucille ordered all Sisters to return to their ships and abandon the mission.  Staying behind while her elite Celestian unit covered her she activated the Vortex missiles warhead overloading the safety protocols.  As the xenos fleet slips into the Webway she detonated the warhead destroying the fleet within the Webway, martyring herself for the good of Humanity.

 

 

The Gene-Seed Massacre

 

A gene-seed tithe ship suffered a reactor malfunction and was forced to dock at the nearby world of Druinov Secundus in order to repair the damage.  A Night Lord warband saw this as an opportunity to steal the precious cargo and use it to bolster their own numbers.  The gene-seed tithes were guarded by an honour guard of Emperor's Hawks space marines who had been chosen to stand guard over such valuable material.  The Night Lords launched their ambush and successful bordered the tithe ship.  The Emperor's Hawks marines led the ship's armsmen in a bitter struggle trying to hold off the Night Lords.  A strike cruiser from the Emperor's Hawks chapter was nearby conducting training and responded to the distress call.  As they entered real space their ship was crippled by a savage bombardment from the Night Lords battle cruiser.  The surviving marines filled with rage were left helpless to be picked apart by Raptors boarding the ship and hunting them for sport.  As the Night Lords finished their boarding actions on board the Tithe ship killing every last person on board and skinning the last of the Astarte honour guard alive they began to transfer their new ill-gotten cargo.  The Void Angels deployed from the Warp catching the Night Lords ship flatfooted crippling it in a single bombardment before it could even raise its shields.  The ship became trapped in the planet’s gravity field and crashed into the vast arctic desert.  The Void Angels quickly deployed in a fast combat dropped to the point where it appeared that they descended alongside the crippled battle cruiser.  Once planet side the Sisters quickly cut down the surviving Night Lords.  Sadly the gene-seed was destroyed by the sister’s own flamers for the risk of taint was too high to allow it to reach its destination on Holy Terra. 

 

Cleansing of the Nightmare Garrison

 

The Nightmare Garrison is a shield world close to the Eye of Terror.  It acts as an early warning station and protects several nearby Agri-worlds.  Due to its close proximity to the Eye of Terror daemonic activity is common on this world.  Those that are assigned to it are often done so as punishment as those that are not killed defending it are soon driven mad.  As Abaddon launched his 13^th Black Crusade the Nightmare Garrison was attacked.  The increase in psychic activity caused a wrap rift to open, spilling daemons onto the planet.  The defenders who were not driven mad mounted their desperate defence while they tried to warn Cadia proper of the impending attack.  The Void Angels ghost fleet once again responded to the distress signal appearing from the Warp unheeded and unannounced.  The ships’ lance batteries scoured the planet’s surface vaporizing the daemonic filth in white hot death.  The Void Angels deployed around the perimeter of the garrison forming a protective ring.  The daemonic filth rushed the newly arrived defenders but were repulsed not just by their guns but by their faith.  The sisters united in prayer and purity of spirit acted as an anathema to the daemons, driving them back.  The order's Seraphim deployed via low orbit drop behind the repulsed daemons and caught them between their bolt pistols and the guns of the garrison defenders.  The Warp rift was closed and the planet was scoured of the last remains of daemonic activity.  As the Order boarded their ships Canoness Senna called her soldiers to prepare for the final battle and for the end times.  They headed to Cadia at once and brought with them the only thing that could save the Imperium and all of Mankind. 

Edited April 20, 2015 by MrFlutterPie

[Aqui]

Looking forward to seeing more

[Knurd]

Heh, I have an IA for Void Angels. Have not worked on it in a while though. 

 

Can't wait to see more.

[MrFlutterPie]

I'm getting there.  Still tweaking things but I'm almost done :)

[Bjorn Firewalker]

In the paragraph for "Defence of Heaven Gate", you mistakenly described the Dark Eldar as attempting to "size" the Vortex missiles; the correct term should be "seize". Also, you describe the Emperor's Hawks Chapter as starting their path to extinction after an attack on a "gene-seed tithe ship" instead of the "gene-seed stockpiles at their fortress-monastery"- the former is a mere inconvenience, the latter WILL start a Chapter on the path to extinction, as the Marines Errant know.

 

The IA is well written, overall, but from the notable Sisters' description, I suspect its members of bearing Chaos-taint.

[MrFlutterPie]

Thanks for the reply :)

 

I've fixed the typo (and found another one while I was in there to boot). 

 

I would like to mention that my order is faithful.  In my personal view I still see humans going off the deep end or being insane without the influence of Chaos.  Remember all sob's are orphans thrust into brutal training only to live out the rest of their lives facing the horrors of the 41st millennium on the battlefield.  It's more then enough to "unnerve" even the strongest of mind.  Faith, dogma and zeal keeps them going but at some point you have to blow off some steam.  In my eyes Katana expresses this on the battlefield where the behaviour is tolerated.  Mia was fine until being wounded and now she copes with it through her trophy collection.  In my eyes they're still humans  and we as a species can only take so much stress until we have issues (modern day PTSD for example).  They still do their duty and serve the Emperor well they just go about it in a unorthodox way. 

 

My bad on the Space Marine fluff bit.  I don't play marines or care for them much and I missed that part lol. 

[TDF]

Typos and fluff nitpicks:

 

Void Angles --> Void Angels (x3)

Order/order --> inconsistent capitalisation

Warp/warp --> inconsistent capitalisation

Xenos/xenos --> inconsistent capitalisation

inconsistently referring to the Order as singular and plural (ie. 'they' or 'it') Choose one and stick with it.

unusually high amount --> unusually high quantity/unusually high number

slow their decent --> slow their descent

enemies of the Mankind --> enemies of Mankind

ground targets clearing --> ground targets, clearing

smaller amount of armoured --> smaller quantity/number of armoured

then most other --> than most other

minor order. Destined --> minor order destined

the Warp destined for the --> two uses of 'destined' in as many sentences

struck from the halls of honour --> being lost in the warp is no dishonour. Perhaps struck from the lists of active service would be better?

WAAAGH --> Waaagh!

would soon be overwhelmed --> were overwhelmed

in orbit catching them --> in orbit, catching them

by surprise destroying --> by surprise and destroying

scarp fleet --> scrap fleet

first time in two millennial since their creation. --> first time since their creation two millennia earlier. (Although from their perspective it won't have been more than few decades at the very most)

In 2 short --> In two short

seraph wings --> Probably should be capitalised as a proper noun.

birds wings --> a bird's wings/bird wings/avian wings

I would rewrite the last part of that sentence as it reads: mimics the appearance of birds wings AND provides... AND allows the user.

vigilant to server the --> vigilant to serve the

I think 41st millennium is usually capitalised to 41st Millennium

I would rewrite that sentence: As the end... as the time...

In the Notable Sisters section your paragraphs read "She is, She does this, She does that". Perhaps break up all the 'she's by saying "Sister Whatever does this, she does that" a bit more often.

after math --> aftermath

battle of the False Prophets --> Battle of the False Prophets

Two uses of battle is as many sentences. Perhaps change Battle of the False Prophets to War of the False Prophets?

As she sees --> She sees (or rearrange to combine this with the previous sentence)

but her fellow --> by her fellow

counties to serve --> continues to serve

the sorriatars standards --> Sororitas standards/the standards of the Sororitas

has had misfortune --> has had the misfortune (apart from the typo this is fantastic )

leap of the moon --> leap from the moon

could land right... with ease --> could land with ease right

At the beginning of the paragraph Sister Superior Theophane leads a Seraphim squad and at the end she is assigned to Canoness Senna's command squad.

xeno's Katana --> xenos, Katana

of blood her enemies --> of her enemies' blood/of blood from her enemies/

in which she "anoints" --> with which she "anoints"

has slayed --> has slain

god Emperor --> God Emperor

out flank --> outflank

Arch Heretic ‘s --> Arch Heretic's

warlords base --> warlord's base

single combat her chainsword's --> single combat, her chainsword's

with hate she struck --> with hate as she struck

With a mighty BLOW Mia was struck down with a BLOW --> repetition of blow

killed an mere ordinary person --> killed an ordinary person/killed most women

Sister Valentine recovered... AND was found... AND was allowed --> repetition of and

over ran --> overran

lunched boarding --> launched boarding

Xeno's flagship --> Xenos flagship

jump to Warp --> Dark Eldar ships don't make warp jumps, they slip into the webway. I'm not sure this is noticeable by Sisters fighting in a loading dock in the same way warp jump preparations are.

Lucille orders --> Lucille ordered

unit covers her --> unit covered her

xeno's fleet --> xenos fleet

she detonates the --> she detonated the

Also, previously the Void Angels ship is described as destroying the escorts of the Dark Eldar ship, but by the end of the story there is still a whole fleet of DE ships left.

Argi worlds --> Agri worlds/Agri-worlds

demonic --> daemonic (x4)

demons --> daemons (x2)

on the planet... onto the planet --> needs rephrasing

unheeded or announced --> unheeded and unannounced

ships lance --> ships' lance

paramater --> perimeter

Garrison --> garrison

not by just --> not just by

in payer --> in prayer

daemons driving --> daemons, driving

activity. As --> activity. As (two many spaces)

Senna calls --> Senna called

They are to head --> They headed

and bring with --> and brought with

The Cleansing of the Nightmare Garrison is chronologically the latest battle, so should probably come last.

Gene seed/gene seed --> inconsistent capitalisation

space Marines --> space marines

lead the ships arms men --> led the ship's armsmen

apart for by Raptors --> apart by Raptors

honour guard (alive) --> honour guard alive/skinning alive the last

deployed by surprise catching the Night Lords ship by surprise --> repetition of by surprise (and also "The Void Angels once again" copied almost verbatim from the previous story)

combat dropped --> combat drop (tbh I would rewrite this sentence and the next one as "The Void Angels quickly deployed to the crash site and mopped up the surviving Night Lords."

sisters own flamers --> sister's own flamers

 

Edit:continue severing --> continue serving

 

I like this Index Sororitas, it was a fun read. I like the specialisation as well, but Sister Capito is definitely a witch!

Edited April 16, 2015 by TDF

[MrFlutterPie]

Thanks for the reply and for editing my work.  Corrections have been made

 

In regards to the Dark Eldar fleet they split into two attack groups.  The Flagship and escorts stole the missiles.  These escorts were destroyed by the sisters.  The main fleet was engaging the Imperial Navy so the smaller force could sneak by.  The Flagship rendezvoused with the main attack force and then entered the webway to go home.  The vortex explosion took out those guys.

Edited April 16, 2015 by MrFlutterPie

[TDF]

Ah, that makes sense. :)