Clerics WiP Successor Chapter - We're back!

[Father Mehman]

Pitching my 2 cents in, the Hexagram is pretty awesome (I was actually picturing 6 swords intersecting in a way that it like like the star of david, but that's a regular hexagram not a unicursal one). The regular Hexagram is often used in mysticism and occult practices (such as divination). It's also a heraldic symbol as well. 

 

Over all the concept is pretty cool, I'm looking forward to seeing it Meh. 

 

Thanks, mate !

[Father Mehman]

I've found two names that could fit this Chapter. I'm not sure which one sounds the best given the nature of the Dark Angels' Successors and their naming schemes. Here goes:

 

-Clerics of War

-Paladins of Illumination

 

Also, I have a question about where best my Chapter would fit with its gene-sire. Upon reading of the Guardians of the Covenant, they strike me as a Chapter after my own intentions. I also read about the Angels of Absolution (hell, I read them all ) and I'm not sure my Chapter could come from them. They strive for the Fallen and straight leave war-zones when they hear a rumour of something fishy going on. They seem pretty intense. Not to say the Guardians of the Covenant aren't, they just have different ways of getting to the end result.

 

It just makes more sense to me that my Chapter come from the Guardians of the Covenant (GotC). They're monks who study and write the holy documents of ages gone. They also kill the xenos, Traitor, and Heretic pretty well. My Chapter focuses on esoteric, occult documents to divine everything they need to know about any given situation. I know that keeps being repeated in almost every post but I feel people need to remember what it is they do exactly.

 

From a Chapter Badge point of view, it also makes more sense that they hail from the GotC, their symbol being downward, crossed swords. The sword motif is played out on my own Chapter's pauldrons: five swords interlocking to make a pentagram. Before I forget, I sketched out the Chapter Badge today and it works. Huzzah !

 

Anyway, feedback would be much appreciated on those two names !

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

I like the Clerics of war, but if you drop the "of War" bit, it makes them sound even more vague and ominous, which I think would be more fitting for the image you want. Like a sand storm you want them to be imposing and inescapable, and to hit with a fury that knows no rival. 

[Father Mehman]

By the Emperor, Ulrik, your comment made my stomach drop and my wife fall silent (mainly because I had to hush her so I could reread it). That's so perfect it's...I mean, they have a name now! Huzzah !

 

Let henceforth be the day that Ulrik the Ironfist has named my Chapter. Behold: the Clerics!

 

And none shall stay our wrath

[Master Sindiferous]

I am liking the paint scheme that Mithril has done up using your ideas.  (@ Mithril - I may have to start a thread and have you paint up a couple of my Sentient Angels for me. )  

 

Meh - I like the idea of the hexagram, but really if you like the Eye use it.  Could be justified as being tied back to the Eye of Terror or maybe tie it back to the chapter having have far sight or visions based on deviation and knowledge. You could maybe tweek the eye to reflect the 40k galaxy with the Eye of Terror as the center point or something similar.  

 

I have been toying with the idea of using three lightning bolts crossing a sword for my Chapter versus the winged sword.  My IK, "Blue Jack", that has sworn allegiance to my Chapter carries that symbol on his left shoulder.

 

Really it all just goes to personal preference and I think the Eye is cool, but for a novice painter like me it would be a pain. Thus my lighting bolts and sword concept I'll be trying out soon.

 

Never Forget! Never Forgive!

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

I'm glad that I could help Meh. I'm trying to figure out the new dark angels, I'm going for ravenwing though.

[Father Mehman]

I am liking the paint scheme that Mithril has done up using your ideas.  (@ Mithril - I may have to start a thread and have you paint up a couple of my Sentient Angels for me. )  

 

Meh - I like the idea of the hexagram, but really if you like the Eye use it.  Could be justified as being tied back to the Eye of Terror or maybe tie it back to the chapter having have far sight or visions based on deviation and knowledge. You could maybe tweek the eye to reflect the 40k galaxy with the Eye of Terror as the center point or something similar.  

 

I have been toying with the idea of using three lightning bolts crossing a sword for my Chapter versus the winged sword.  My IK, "Blue Jack", that has sworn allegiance to my Chapter carries that symbol on his left shoulder.

 

Really it all just goes to personal preference and I think the Eye is cool, but for a novice painter like me it would be a pain. Thus my lighting bolts and sword concept I'll be trying out soon.

 

Never Forget! Never Forgive!

I thought long and hard about the Eye and other Egyptian mysticism symbols but they all lead back to the Thousand Sons. I have a plan for the Eye of Thoth to be introduced with the Inner Circle so there's no worry that it won't be used in some form.

 

Make a thread and load some pictures of what you're working at so we can all ooh and ah over your Chapter Symbol!

[Bryan Blaire]

Mehman, I'd like to say thanks for your kind words about my somewhat influence on your decision to join. That's a huge honor man, and I really appreciate it.

 

In addition to the "Clerics", if I might, I'd like to toss a couple of other names your way, just to see if they jog anything for you:

Confessors

 

If you want to keep the "hidden occult" style name:

The Inscrutables

Numintes

[Father Mehman]

Those names are good. I had even toyed with Confessors for a little while the other night, which is funny that you should mention it. Great minds and all that . Anyway, the name Clerics of War came to my mind and it was alright. Reading the post above will, of course, make it obvious that Brother Ulrik blew my mind with his thoughts on the matter.

 

Here's why it blew my mind: their beliefs, work, and interests are all hidden behind that simple moniker. A cleric, in modern real life, is a simple religious man (or woman depending on what you are religion-wise). What is better than to hide behind the simple guise of a common religious institution to continue the hidden Great Work? If someone comes putting their big nose in the Clerics' business for some reason, all they will find is a group of monastic super-warriors huddled over lecterns copying the Codex Astartes and other great works. Now, if they decide to sniff further, they may not come back at all, but they just might as the Great Work is always hidden, even in plain view.

 

This could also lead them to be named the Eremites- religious recluses. Ah well, this is great. Now I'm torn again and all over a simple name !

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

You could use the eye for your librarius, to symbolize their ever watchful gaze and connection to arcane knowledge, and their study of ancient magics (to defeat them of course). To further their ominous feel, you could scatter occult imagery around as company symbols. You could give them a very secret society feel, like how everyone thinks the Freemasons rule the world secretly, or the illuminati, where they have a public face, but no one, outside the members, really knows what's going on behind the walls of the temple. They know things that you don't know, and they're not telling. You could also fluff it that they encode their information in seemingly innocuous chapter documents, and only those in the know can decode it, so if anyone did go sticking their nose in, they'd only find chapter documents, and some odd symbology. kind of how early Christians re-purposed greek and roman symbols to suit their needs. 

 

On the surface the Clerics would seem to be nothing more than a very zealous space marine chapter, doing the emperors work, but there is something vague and sinister about them, but no one has anything but feeling to go on. 

 

Human beings dislike the secretive, it makes us suspicious. We also tend to fear the vague, as it presents us with a dilemma, we don't know if we should be scared or not, and that forces an aversion on us (the creeps, the willies, the heebie jeebies). I'd model them all with helmets and/or hoods, so their faces are mostly hidden, so it adds to their vagueness and ominousness.

 

Just some suggestions.

[Father Mehman]

Ulrik...you know too much of my plan. Was that you I spied last night outside in the field beside my house ? Seriously, you pegged my ideas down before I had written them.

 

I had thought to have them all in helmets except for some of the Sergeants and what-nots. All of my Iron Hands are helmeted except for some of the leaders due to the dehumanizing element that presents. The idea of putting them all in robes had dawned on me, as well, but that would just be a hassle. Only named characters will get the Green Stuff treatment.

 

So now that my ju-ju has been seemingly shared by another, I guess I should give up some more ideas for the Chapter. Remember, dear reader, a few posts ago when Bryan had me rethinking the name of the Chapter? Well, that opened up a whole can of worms and my creative juices started flowing. So, kudos to him, again . Anyway, here's what I've got so far:

 

The Eremites will be the name for the Librarius. Nobody knows what they do, even within the Chapter. Recluses all, their day to day toil is their own. Whenever one of these vaunted brothers is seen within the Fortress Monastery, it is customary for those not of their number to salute and stare at the ground, no greetings uttered. Station matters little save for the Chapter Master himself. Legends speak of chance encounters between Librarian and lowly battle-brother, the latter's fate seeing them gain glory and honour afterwards.

 

I'll come back and revisit this thought later today.

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

You know what they say about great minds and thinking alike. It's a really cool idea, it's like Dark Angels, who are already secretive and monastic turned to 11, turned to 11. 

[Father Mehman]

And oh how they danced, the little Space Marines of Stonehenge...

 

Alright, so here we go again:

 

Instead of painting their armour blue as per tradition, the Eremites don black and march to war. In honour of the Chapter, they leave one pauldron sand coloured and show the Chapter badge. The exact reasoning for this differing scheme is unknown but, as other Librarians have noticed, they seem to leave little in the way of Warp signatures. This probably has more to do with intense training and study than it does with simple colour.

 

It is not unheard of for Cleric Eremites to lead a contingent of brothers to a world, be it Imperial or what have you, descend the depths of hive structures or navigate harsh cliff sides, and return back to their ship with only a ruined book or parchment in hand. To these marines, that one piece of forgotten wisdom is worth more than the planet that tried to destroy it through the ravages of time and placement. Their arrival is always that of a peaceful nature as they do not come to attract attention to themselves.

 

EDIT- Fixed sizing issue.

[MithrilForge]

Glad to see this army of yours is getting fleshed out

today's work -

re did the vents in ushabti and the face plate the same will work the weapons up to a whiteish bone colour next

did some work on a robe as a test..i started with incubi darkness then castellan green followed by a nurgling green highlight...still not sure but it will at least contrast the armour instead of hiding it and its still green so a nod to their heritage maybe

cheers, mithril

[Father Mehman]

That is fantastic work, Mithril! I'm still blown away by how you're just takingmy idea and running with it in the right direction . Truly, this is the project that will come to full fruition. As someone who loves green in all of its military might, I have to confess that I don't see it for this Chapter. It's not that your robes look awful, my friend, because they are top notch. Another colour was chosen and I hid it from view thinking you would not have gotten this far. Shame on me . If I may, this picture may shed light on what has been envisioned:

The Dark Angels' symbol is there as a stand-in as I couldn't figure out how to put my sword pentagram on there. Also, the weapon cowlings are meant to be white. I took the liberty of giving this guy a Powerfist but I have no idea if the Unforgiven use them. I'll be getting the codex tomorrow. Anyway, for the robes I figure Stormvermin Fur will be the main colour. The recipe, as of right now, looks something like this:

Skavenblight Dinge base

Agrax Earthshade shade

Stormvermin Fur layer

Dawnstone highlight

Again, that's without me putting hand to paint but I've painted that same scheme for other pieces and it looks fabulous.

[Cactus]

Lots of great stuff in this thread Mehman but I only have time now to say one thing - have you considered Gnostics as a chapter name?

[Father Mehman]

That is a great idea for a name, Cactus, as it almost hits the nail on the head ! I may have to incorporate that in with the Chapter. Why didn't I think of that? Well, that's what you all are for .

 

As I said before, it's a great name but it gives too much away, in my opinion. They want to be concealed in all things, I think. When they first get their spurs and attain rank within the Chapter, maybe they could be told about Gnosis and the implications of it versus what it thought to be known. Gnosticars or maybe Gnosticators. Just some words, for now.

 

More mental fuel for this mystic fire !

[MithrilForge]

@ Mehman, no probs bud, as i said originally that i loved the scheme so it wasn't a hassle to do it (i'm most likely going to steal elements of this for myself and re do my Standard Dark Angels on a massive fallen hunt in a light forest/desert world campaign but so seriously that they have actually camo'ed up for the job )

will try a grey one for you soon...might keep the green for me though

glad you put the pic up, it gives me working idea's.

oh im going to use orange for the eye's an award winning painter friend strongly told me to use that as he said it would work well...so we shan't say no until i try it eh?, don't want to dispute my friend with such a track record .

oh i started a bike as well it's in the greens but check it out anyways...see if there's any parts you like that might work on your idea's

Cheers, Mithril

[Father Mehman]

You know, I hadn't thought about orange lenses. Purple made the most sense at the time but, hey, I'm down to see it !

Great news, Brother Mithril: your painted bike has decided my version of the Ravenwing- the Khamasin. They shall be green! Here's a paint recipe that I've been chewing on:

Incubi Darkness base

Nuln Oil shade

Castellan Green layer

Death World Forest highlight

As you said before, the green would be a nice throwback to their heritage. You suckered me in on the colour !

For the Brotherhood of Angels submission, I've created some painted Clerics that need some feedback. Well, the Terminator needs the feedback as the others are just to show their cool paint scheme.

Company Master. His cloak matches the 1st Company's crimson pauldrons; a nod to his time of service in their vaunted ranks.

Battle Brother. All weapon cowlings are white to symbolize their purity as tools of war. The Dark Angel's Chapter symbol is present because I couldn't figure out how to place their Chapter symbol in the Painter: a pentagram of interlocking swords.

Hespero, 1st Company. The crimson upper body is a reminder of the Guardians of the Covenant, their immediate parent Chapter. It also symbolizes a priest's mantle. The armour is going to be painted as light stone so as not to meld into the dark robes worn by the Inner Circle.

Scout. The brown fatigues worn by the scouts are in reference to a monk's vow of poverty and also of supplication to the Chapter. That it provides a certain camouflage in arid environments is an added boon.

Well, there they are. Remember, C&C welcome!

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

Fantastic fluff, are you going to do robes on your terminators? So they get a bit more priestly/cleric-y feel? These are without a doubt going to be the scariest clergymen I've ever seen (and I've seen pissed off conservative catholic chaplains...fire and brimstone doesn't even describe the half of it).

[Father Mehman]

As much as that would look awesome, the robes will only be for the Terminator Knights. They should have something that sets them apart in a group that is already populated by a select few. I can already feel the carnage that they'll be able to unleash. Pew pew pew !

 

Well, no codex for me today. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day. Until then, this IA article business should keep me busy. I do have a few questions about it, though. Here goes:

 

1- There is a thread on the B&C that states the Guardians of the Covenant have had no successors. Should this be a deterrent against using them; do I need to go with whoever they were descended from? Some things about the Clerics, like the colouring of the Hesperos (1st Company), is in honour of their gene-ancestors so I want to get it right.

 

2- What was a popular time for Successor Chapters to form, besides the 2nd Founding? Reading the OctaGuide (if that's what it's called), I have decided the Clerics need to have some history for them to form their core tenets and beliefs that differentiate them from the Dark Angels. Yeah, they share monasticism and a willingness to kill the enemies of Mankind, but the Clerics have a lot more to do than hunt down the Fallen, if they even know about them.

 

3- Where do people go to generate Chapter symbols? I've got GIMP so if I have to, I'll do something on there. Hopefully. The Chapter symbol has already been picked, I just need to put it on the computer and make it look halfway-decent.

 

4- Would saying they are a hermetic ascetic order be out of line? Never mind- that should probably stay hidden away ! 

[Grand Master Belial]

As much as that would look awesome, the robes will only be for the Terminator Knights. They should have something that sets them apart in a group that is already populated by a select few. I can already feel the carnage that they'll be able to unleash. Pew pew pew !

 

Well, no codex for me today. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day. Until then, this IA article business should keep me busy. I do have a few questions about it, though. Here goes:

 

1- There is a thread on the B&C that states the Guardians of the Covenant have had no successors. Should this be a deterrent against using them; do I need to go with whoever they were descended from? Some things about the Clerics, like the colouring of the Hesperos (1st Company), is in honour of their gene-ancestors so I want to get it right.

 

2- What was a popular time for Successor Chapters to form, besides the 2nd Founding? Reading the OctaGuide (if that's what it's called), I have decided the Clerics need to have some history for them to form their core tenets and beliefs that differentiate them from the Dark Angels. Yeah, they share monasticism and a willingness to kill the enemies of Mankind, but the Clerics have a lot more to do than hunt down the Fallen, if they even know about them.

 

3- Where do people go to generate Chapter symbols? I've got GIMP so if I have to, I'll do something on there. Hopefully. The Chapter symbol has already been picked, I just need to put it on the computer and make it look halfway-decent.

 

4- Would saying they are a hermetic ascetic order be out of line? Never mind- that should probably stay hidden away ! 

 

1. You could still have them be a successor of the Guardians of the Covenant. To my knowledge there is no official canon saying they don't have any successors and even then it can be said that they have no "known" successors.

 

2. Staying away from the Big Three Foundings (2nd, 13th and 21st) would be a good start. Since they have history, they would be an older founding but they couldn't be Third as there needs to be some time for the Guardians to be Founded and Established. I am leaning towards 10th through 16th for possible choices.

 

4. If you didn't say it directly, perhaps it could be suggested in the narrative.

[Father Mehman]

Thank you very much, GMB! That really helps me out more than you know .

[Father Mehman]

I've changed the title of the thread because I now feel like a true member of the Dark Angels' Forum. And to think, just a week or two ago I thought very little of the Lion's progeny. What a grave mistake. This place and its denizens have been so helpful that my idea is growing good, ripe fruit. I really can't thank you all enough. If we could give hugs over the internet, y'all would deserve a lot !

Alright, now with the mushy stuff behind us, dear reader, we can sojourn on to more happenings with all things Clerical. See what I did there? I made a pun based on my Chapter's name. Yeah, I wasn't funny in the Imperial Guard Forum either .

First things first: I received my Dark Angels' codex today! Huzzah! I haven't had a chance to really even thumb through it but it promises to be a great history lesson. Just think about it: the secrets behind the names of the Deathwing and Ravenwing will be mine! It sure is a hefty tome. We must have a lot of cool stuff in there (I got to say "we" for the first time *giggle-snort*) .

Second things after the first things next. I have several book shelves in my house that my wife has lovingly stored within all of my reading material. It took me a while but the book-to-end-all-books reared its head and, like Thor, I snared it and took it as mine. Stored within its hallowed pages are names upon names of angels and lots of other neat stuff that the Clerics would be all giddy to have. All that said, the Chapter now has some named characters! Here's what I've got so far:

Grand Master- Georgius Parakletos

Prophet of the Eternal (Chief Librarian)- Hermes Kahetel

Voice of Power (Recclusiarch)- Argos Hariel

Master of the Forge- Pthoth Hakamiah

There are loads of more names in waiting but, you know, start off small and see how everyone reacts before you go head-first into the shallows .

In other news, the Chapter Badge has been completed- sort of! With my underwhelming photoshop ability and beautiful search engine skills, I give you a rough representation of what will be gracing the pauldrons of the Clerics in the near future:

What you're looking at is no less than five crudely drawn swords interlocking to produce a pentagram. Thank you, thank you. You applause is what I live for! No, seriously, if you haven't clawed out your ocular implants yet, let me explain. Each sword represents nothing; it is the whole that matters. It is the idea that joining together with wisdom can make you far more powerful than being apart and foolish. It also has the good fortune of being a ward against the Daemon. While not as powerful as their secret, silver-clad cousins' sigils and armour, it has made more than one Daemon flinch. All it takes is one opening to smite your opponent back to the hell which bore it. When it is painted upon a pauldron, the swords will look more like scimitars due to the culture of their home planet.

You thought I was done with updates for today? Ha ha! Look who is fooled now! For C&C, there are some things I'd like to have looked over for goofiness. I've been reading Octavulg's guide like a holy manuscript these last few days and I'm in love with what he has to offer. The man is a genius! Anyway, I followed his advice and here's what I've got.

Concept:

The Clerics are secretive monk-warriors who use metaphysical science to better destroy Daemons and those who would entreat with them.

Ideas:

Unknown Librarium size due to the hermit-like nature of the Librarians

Unique names for the major parts of the Chapter and the two named companies because they have been crafted from arcane documents to better ward against the privations of Chaos.

They cling to hermetics because Daemons almost wiped the Chapter from the galaxy shortly after its Founding. A librarian accidentally invoked the name of a Greater Daemon of Nurgle whilst copying tomes given to them by the Guardians of the Covenant. A small tremor of his hand created an infinitesimally small portal to the hellish Warp but his thoughts of jealousy and misplaced hatred led to the manifestation of a Father of Woes. It quickly started summoning more Daemons after it had dispatched the foolish scrivener. They were saved by a Librarian who held a book from the Guardians of the Covenants' Librarium on the basic overview of the metaphysical. Using the art of bibliomancy, he found the 52 Barbarous Names, intoned them, and banished the Greater Daemon by chance. They try to atone for their mistake of letting loose a Daemon from the Warp and weakness during the onslaught that followed, not for the Fallen.

[Grand Master Belial]

I am really liking the direction the Clerics are going. I like the design for the chapter badge. Something that came to mind as I stared at it a bit. The Unforgiven use blades with diamond points in their logos (like the Guardians). Just thinking in my head, the logo may become busy but it could look very cool indeed. I may take out some graph paper and try sketching it out.