Clerics WiP Successor Chapter - We're back!

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

Meh, it sounds like your Clerics and my Ordo Arcanum would be best friends.

 

When I envisioned the logo I had some reservations about the use of the scimitar, it's curved quite a bit (short radius curve), and might be hard to do, however if you used the Mamaluke (US Marine Corps Officer Sword) it would work a bit better (very long radius curve), given the more gentle curve of the blade (thus interlocking better without distorting fiendishly). 

 

It would be amazing if you could find a way to make mamaluke style swords for your marines, instead of the european broadswords that tend to be the go-to power swords. 

 

As for the symbolism in your Chapter insignia, Maybe you can give the sword a meaning, and fitting with your theme of hermetic monks and mysticism, wrapping meaning in meaning seems like something they might do.

 

Maybe make the individual swords symbolize the individual warrior's strength, but when joined together in a coordinated fashion, it becomes something much stronger (Just like the bar bet with the 4 glasses and 3 knives). 1 sword is strong, 5 swords are stronger, but 5 swords working together are unbeatable.

 

The connection to mysticism you made, could be further reinforced by using alchemical symbols, maybe use a circle with those symbols inscribed around it with the chapter badge in the middle for your librarians, as a sort of ward against the evils of the warp. Alchemy is often tied to the occult these days, and maybe you can use some of that arcane iconography to further reinforce your chapters image.

 

This is just me riffing, feel free to use it, lord knows, I'm not. I like the Dark Angels, but I'm a door kicker at heart, I'm about as subtle as an axe to the face (hence why I play guard and space wolves, mostly). 

[Nomus Sardauk]

In conjunction with Ulrik's suggestion of using Alchemical symbols, perhaps you could represent these on your veterans and/or Librarians by using the Word Bearers MK IV Helmet Upgrade Kit from Forge World as they're festooned with arcane symbols and inscriptions.

[Father Mehman]

@GMB- Well thank you for any art you may come up with !

 

@Ulrik- I could do the swords for my specialists like the Eremites (Librarians) and maybe the Company Masters. Taking your idea, I've just had a thought. The culture on their home planet, Oran IV, is one of the Questing Saracens- basically the Crusading Era. The scimitar, Mamaluke, shamshir, and other curved slashing swords are a common sight. Powered versions are also common, to some extent, within the noble families.

 

So, we take a youth with experience wielding these blades and introduce him to something he's not familiar with or not as familiar with and watch his eyes go big. "What the hell do I do with this?" is what I want the recruit to be asking himself from the get-go. He would theoretically have to relearn how to fight on a world that values the blade over the firearm. And here is where I'm going with the idea of having curved swords (or longswords as per GMB's thoughts): the image ties them to their home planet. They may or may not use a slashing sword in combat but every Brother within the Chapter will see their roots when they look at another Brother in full plate.

 

Having the five swords mean something does make sense, now that you say it. I'll have to look into it more deeply.

 

Oh Alchemy, my first love. It doesn't get better than Alchemy when you're talking about the occult. Or does it ? That's a little joke we like to say. On a serious note, I've been toying with how to go about using some symbols within the Chapter. I think they'll get placed on books and such or maybe even on the opposite pauldron on the Eremites and Shaitan. Really, all I have to do is choose between Scheele's and Valent's symbols, or maybe even a mix of them, and apply as needed. The actual Alchemical illustrations will be painted on the banners for each company and, of course, the Chapter Banner. You picked an excellent topic there, Brother !

 

@Sanguinius- I may have to steal Forge World's idea and start carving stuff into my characters' helmets. Good find!

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

I'd draw out my idea, but I can't draw very well. I know it isn't an accurate depiction of what alchemy actually was, but some of the artwork from Fullmetal Alchemist (brotherhood, not the first one, that one was much less cool) were the inspiration for my idea. Using those symbols as icons of power to ward against the warp just somehow seems like something a Hermetic, Monastic order would do. 

 

I'm actually thinking of doing something similar with my space wolves now, only using Norse runes instead of alchemic symbols. My Wolves just need a Company badge now... (thinking a stylized Mjolnir Icon in a circle)

 

Anyway, I think that for characters and specialists that might  be a pretty good idea. I'd be tempted to use that instead of purity seals (as I hate painting them, so many purity seals...). 

[Father Mehman]

As an aside, Alchemy still is. I'll say this much and then know my place and be silent: it's a spiritual system; no one was looking to transmute lead into gold. A common cover-up story told by practitioners gained ground and that's what most people think about it today. Misdirection- the key of the whole system. Which leads me to another thought just now.

 

Even on their feudal home planet, no one ruling family knows them the same. They show themselves differently to each group. To one family, they may be the harbingers of battle, showing up when tensions are at their highest. They give the word that the family and its army should attack. To another family, they are the givers of grand technology. New ways to mend bones and heal wounds will be learned from the hooded giants. The way that they are the same to all is that they exchange these miraculous deeds in exchange for their sons who are never seen again. The Clerics are viewed by all on the planet as what they truly are: divine warrior-monks that live their days working for the noble and common families. Nothing more, nothing less .

 

And, yeah, their Chapter Badge is one of their lesser banishment rituals hidden in plain sight. You may have a sword- you may have five- but unless you know how to use them, all you have is nought.

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

Very cool. I think we're going to see a very cool chapter out of this. Are we going to see some fluff on casting of psychic powers similar to the space wolves? Invocations and prescribed movements? The need to inscribe the symbols and recite incantations to focus the mind? 

 

I know that's bordering on heresy, being more sorcery than psychic power.

[Father Mehman]

To be honest, the thought of how they manifest their psychic powers hadn't crossed my mind. To think, here's a Chapter that is head-deep in the metaphysical sciences and it never occurred to me that they'd do anything different than just use it. Grr. I'm getting sloppy. Well, maybe not. Someone can have a grand thought (like building a Space Marine Chapter) and think it's perfect but when questioned in a certain area, all there stands is fog and fragments of ideas. I'll take this time to thank everyone who is contributing, in any way, to my Clerics. Without y'all, they wouldn't be forged to an exacting standard like they deserve .

 

Well, with the squishy stuff settled, again, let's see if this works.

 

In answer to your question, Ulrik, it depends on the Eremite (Librarian for those of you not keeping up). I think it's a cop-out to say every Librarian channels the Warp the exact same way. "This has worked for our Chapter for thousands of years." Who cares? That line of thought will keep more Marines away from the Art because the focus is too narrow; they're pushing away talent and doing Emperor knows what to them instead because some cranky old men decided it would be that way. Sure, the standard methods may keep more Librarians from becoming Daemon lunch but it's akin to standardized testing: no one learns the same and not everyone tests the same way.

 

The Clerics understand this concept and embrace it. The Eremites take in the new psychic-capable recruits and figure out how best they will learn to practice the Art. It takes more patience and understanding than how other Librarians handle their own wards because the standard the Clerics aim to achieve is a fully fledged Eremite, someone not only on par with other Chapters, but that can consistently boast a higher level of psychic mastery.

 

So, yeah, chock sorcery up with the secrecy !

[Father Mehman]

Even though I'm no longer taking place in the Brotherhood of Angels Successor Chapter submission due to various reasons (number one being my health ), I copied the structure for the submission and wrote out the Summary section. The next thing to do is to write a Codex Chapter Summary: Small version and then the Long version as I think it will help me get an even better grasp of the Clerics. After those are completed, it will be time to begin the actual Index Astartes outline. We all know what happens after that: the First Draft. Huzzah !
 
This project has really brought me out of a deep hole. It has sparked something in me that I thought would never come again. You see, I'd always been a researcher. You took notes in University? I took books. Knowledge was everywhere and it was my personal vow that I would soak up all I could. That feeling is back and it's all because of this article. Big thanks to Octavulg and his tome on how to write an IA! Speaking of the tome, it can be found here.

 

Enough of me carrying on, on to the Summary!

 

 

CHAPTER NAME:
Clerics

SUMMARY
▪ GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): Guardians of the Covenant
▪ FOUNDING: 14th Founding (180.M35)
▪ CHAPTER MASTER: Georgius Parakletos
▪ CHAPTER WORLD: Oran IV
▪ FORTRESS MONASTERY: Qal’at al-Kabir Mala’ikah (The Great Citadel of the Angels)
▪ MAIN COLOURS: Desert sand coloured armour with Bronze Aquila and Shoulder Trim
▪ SPECIALITY: Extermination of the Daemon by any means
▪ BATTLE CRY: Call: “As the Sphinx!” Response: “To know, to will, to dare, to keep silent!”
▪ CURRENT STRENGTH: ~950 (Unknown Librarius size)
▪ KNOWN DESCENDANTS: None

 

During the next summaries, I'm going to unabashedly ask for assistance. If something looks or feels wrong, please don't hesitate to tell me. I want your opinions. The only way this Chapter will become sharp and memorable is with your C&C. So, if you notice anything strange, have an idea, or you generally are just feeling like an argument, tell me !

[Grand Master Belial]

I would suggest only one small change in red. You are off to a good start.
 
CLERICS

SUMMARY
▪ GENE-SEED (PREDECESSOR): Guardians of the Covenant
▪ FOUNDING: 14th Founding (180.M35)
▪ CHAPTER MASTER: Georgius Parakletos
▪ CHAPTER WORLD: Oran IV
▪ FORTRESS MONASTERY: Qal’at al-Kabir Mala’ikah (The Great Citadel of the Angels)
▪ MAIN COLOURS: Desert sand coloured armour with Bronze Aquila and Shoulder Trim
▪ SPECIALITY: Extermination of the Daemon by any means
▪ BATTLE CRY: Call: “As the Sphinx!” Response: “To know, to will, to dare, to keep silent!”
▪ CURRENT STRENGTH: ~950 (Unknown Librarius size)
▪ KNOWN DESCENDANTS: None

[Spaced Hulk]

Some really great concepts and work so far, it's also cool to see how your ideas are evolving and all the thought you're putting into this. I think you've got a really awesome Successor Chapter developing here brother 

 

If you're looking for curved swords/sabres/scimiters, there are a few different options. The Forgeworld Mark IV power weapon set includes two curved sabers (left and right handed) which you could probably pick up from one of the ebay stores. The Khorne Berzerker box includes sheathed scimiters, although they're liberally covered in chaos iconography (however, your Chapter is dedicated to fighting Chaos so I'm sure you could work them into the fluff ). Alternatively, if you don't mind using Third party bits, Puppetswar have these: http://puppetswar.eu/product.php?id_product=273

 

http://puppetswar.eu/img/p/273-1030-large.jpg    

 

I look forward to seeing your army and fluff progress! 

[Father Mehman]

@GMB- That certainly looks better than before. Consider it done  !

 

@Spaced- Why oh why hadn't I thought of the Berzerker scimitars before? That's genius! Really, I'll only need a few to smatter here and there amongst the specialist ranks and I own a box or two of them already. For the drawn scimitars, well, I've been looking for an excuse to buy the MkIV Power Weapon Set from Forge World to build some Destroyers (for my Death Guard...don't tell anyone they're traitors ).

 

Oh no, the warm fuzzies are back. Thanks a lot, Brother. This post wasn't going to include any furtherance of the Clerics but now... Welp, everyone get ready for an idea ride. Today, we talk about weapons. Pew pew pew !

 

Let's face it: swords are cool. First and foremost: Why were blades created in the first place? They were smaller, lighter versions of the stone hand-axe more ably used for delicate and intricate work: cutting meat and vegetation for food, preparing hides for tanning, poking holes in leather, etc. Then, whilst knapping some flint or obsidian blades for the aforementioned work, some yahoo decided to put a big blade on the end of a stick to make a big stabba. Ugg did great work because he just made a spear. After some work that took quite a few years (hundreds or thousands, depending on the culture), someone placed slivers of sharpened stones along the length of a stick. Now Ugg the Fifth has a sword and thus he rocks on the battlefield, gaining much notoriety and women in the process, cementing his status as chief stabba maker and all around cool guy.

 

The people inhabiting the Clerics Chapter's world, Oran IV (for those not paying attention), are an amalgamation of cultures bound together by the respect for the blade and, funnily enough, Ancient Earth mysticism. I didn’t know that about them, the latter I mean, until just right now. Well, that looks like an entire different post so we’ll talk about the weapon love now.

 

Each boy is given a curved knife, or shortsword, when they are born. Usually this is bestowed upon them by their fathers but, if the father in question has been killed or, you know, whatever, another male family member will bequeath the blade. Throughout their childhood, the boys of each family will practice both with an older relative and with each other in the art of the sword. The noble families or those with money have the option to employ a tutor- a very wise master of the combat arts- whereas the poor and destitute have little in the way of obtaining outside training for their progeny.

 

The boys grow up this way until their thirteenth year and they are declared young men. As soon as this happens, the newly pronounced youths are taken by warriors to serve in one of the noble families’ house guard. For their families, this is an exciting time because if one of your own descendants is selected to serve the greater hierarchy, the immediate family joins with the rulers, becoming part of the gentry. Whilst they enjoy greater social advantages, their sons are put through grueling tests: combat, character, social, and literacy. These struggles they endure to see where they are placed in the structure of life within one of the Great Tribes. All the while these things are happening, they still latch to their Birthrights- the curved shortswords with their family’s genealogy etched upon the blade.

 

Well, I don’t really know where I went with that idea, to be quite honest. Sometimes that’s what happens when you auto-type, er, use Automatic Writing. Learned a lot about at least one of the cultures on Oran IV that will be fleshed-out in due time, though, so no lost effort!

 

Thanks for reading!

[Grand Master Belial]

I am liking where this is going and I may have a Ritual for the Clerics because of it. Every boy carries his short sword until they are selected to join the ranks of the Clerics or have fallen in the Initial Trials. As a boy cannot keep his short sword once he becomes a marine because it becomes basically a combat knife at that point. There is a hall of honor where the swords of the young Neophytes are returned to their family be appearing in the hall of honor. The sword can remain there or be taken by the family to be entrusted to another male in their family. In this way a family would know one of their own has been honored to become a defender of not only the world but the Imperium. The family may even gain prestige because of their member's selection into the ranks of the Clerics.

[Father Mehman]

I'm actually blown away by that Ritual, GMB! Consider it stolen and written down in the Notepad of Doom ! Actually, they're all called something like Clerics' Ideas or Clerics' Names. I'm not that imaginative. No, that's a joke. Every one of us on this site and in the Dark Angels Forum are brains. Mainly in this forum, though.

 

Alright, so here we go: a skirmish war between two of the families. Each side is doing battle in a marketplace, blades clashing upon armour and stabbing through mail. As the group of onlookers gawk through their stone windows or even from the street itself, a favourite is picked. The young man whirls about like a dervish, cutting down men twice his size with pinpoint precision- a trained noble son of the attacking family, no doubt. When he is about to end the life of his third foe, a whoosh of arrows knocks him down, three arrows to the chest. All momentum is robbed from him and he slinks to the back of his legs, bowing before the defender instead of delivering him to the Saints, his weapon forgotten on the flagstones.

 

Just as his opponent's wits come about and he thinks it time to strike, a hush descends upon the crowd. Instead of cheers and praises to his family's name, dead quiet overcomes the citizens. Warriors of each stripe all around the marketplace fall to their knees in supplication to the robed figure that is moving within their midst. Even the bull-brutes take heed and cumbersomely get as low as they can, their respective girths and builds a shadow to the newcomer.

 

The Grey Angel, as these robed figures are called by the populace, takes the lad from the street and heads back the way he came. No words are spoken, no blessings given. The Angels take who they want, be they victor or the defeated.

 

Well, there's some narrative. Not what I was expecting but, eh, it'll do .

 

Back to what was being said, that is an excellent idea. I would think, just based on that little blurb that came out of me, that one of the defeated warriors would grab the shortsword and take it back to the family with word of what happened, as well. Would it be met with sorrowful joy? I'd like to think so. Even though he was taken by a Grey Angel, his parents must still grieve over their departed son- it doesn't matter how they go as they're still gone from them.

 

We'll end on that note for now. Since the site has been down, I'm sure everyone has been taking notes, painting, and writing stories as usual. I know my computer and painting table have seen their fair share of abuse these past few days. Expect more musings about the Clerics tomorrow...or later tonight .

[Grand Master Belial]

 

Back to what was being said, that is an excellent idea. I would think, just based on that little blurb that came out of me, that one of the defeated warriors would grab the shortsword and take it back to the family with word of what happened, as well. Would it be met with sorrowful joy? I'd like to think so. Even though he was taken by a Grey Angel, his parents must still grieve over their departed son- it doesn't matter how they go as they're still gone from them.

From what you wrote, they respect and fear the Gray Angels that they would no doubt take the short sword to the family or to the shrine. If not the opponent, someone from the crowd near where the sword fell. 

 

As to that second part? I have always pondered that aspect of the 40K universe. In the grim dark, I don't think there would be any emotions save anger and fear. Life is not held precious as it is in many of the civilizations of today. I keep thinking humanity of 40K is like the primitive civilizations seen on National Geographic. They would give birth and then go right back to work. If a person died, they would be hauled off to be disposed and then life would just continue. But in a universe of war, only the warriors and fighters would thrive in such conditions and perhaps have reason to be happy.

 

But there have been authors that have bucked that trend because they can not fathom humanity in such despair. The planets of the Ultramarines would probably be closest to happy worlds in terms of 40K canon.

 

Now the Clerics could be different, they could be like the Salamanders, Iron Snakes or even the Space Wolves and even though they live on harsh planets they find things that give them joy and pleasure. This is a choice that only you can make as it will color the chapter and all the help you receive. 

[MithrilForge]

@ Mehman, 

haven't been working on your marine lately(trying to finish my Onager for my Ad Mech vow before the end of the month) when the ETL IV is done i'll get back to it 

you did inspire me to start my own DA successor chapter... "The Jade Ravens" will be appearing in the near future. glad to see more story /background is getting done too 

 

cheers Mithril

[Father Mehman]

@GMB- The way it is playing out in my head, I don't believe the Clerics really care about humanity. Not in the way, as you mentioned, the Salamanders or Space Wolves do. I know at the beginning of my thoughts on the Chapter the idea of them giving the families something in return for their youth was there but I guess that was just a fleeting thought. Maybe it's not that they don't care about humans, they just don't notice them as anything of import.

 

Even though it is the grimdark 41st millennium, I don't want to say every culture across the Imperium is the same. Yeah, some planets churn out the young and hope they grow up, go into the Guard, and that they've then completed their social contract (looking at you Vostroya). Maybe the Clerics' feudal home world is different. The people revere these Grey Angels as prophets and the upper echelon of the holy caste. That they appear and take what is precious to them, well, two avenues of thought could be appropriate. 1) They take their sons for something better than they could imagine: hope. Maybe the constant skirmishes the families engage in aren't what they want but societal expectations and historical precedence won't allow them to stop the bloodshed. 2) They take their sons for a life of ascetic-warriorship. In a land constantly engaged in internecine warfare, perhaps these Grey Angels raise their youth above the detritus of hate and teach them a better, more peaceful way of performing warfare. The second point sounds foolish to us as we know the Angels of Death of anything but peaceful- they feed on hatred.

 

I'm not out to rock the boat, I just want to expand upon the idea that every culture isn't the same. Good thought-provoking material, sir! We'll have to see where this goes.

 

@Mithril- I was wondering where you went, dear brother! No worries- the ETL takes precedence in all things as I well know. I'll have to head over to the Mechanicus forum and see what you've got going. It looks spectacular and I haven't even seen it!

 

I took your idea and made myself a test miniature. The skin stumped me a bit until a choir of Astropaths enlightened me as to what to do. He's almost completed so he'll be shown off here when completed. It was interesting layering his armour and skin but it really makes him stand out. I'm very glad you gave me the suggestion to, er, made me, not drybrush him.

 

I think I speak for a lot of people when I say your chapter, The Jade Ravens, will be a smash. I certainly look forward to them and will offer any and all assistance you may need !

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

Mehman, it looks like you've gone on quite the journey. For some reason I'm really seeing these folks as turks in space, with a bit of arab influence too. That just really intrigues me, especially the historical parallel to the muslim world becoming the keepers of knowledge, while europe descended into the dark ages. It seems that your clerics might have more than just some arcane knowledge around, maybe quite a few relic weapons from before the heresy (more than their share anyway...) maybe even possessing the tools to craft such weapons themselves (and they're not sharing...). Perhaps we might see some characters wearing Keffiyeh, and Agal, with their robes and armor? I really have to say that this is really interesting, especially given the stark contrast it appears to have with the Euro-centric feel of most space marines...

[Father Mehman]

Thank you for noticing, Brother! I would like to think they are the ambassadors of something greater than themselves but, in the end, they are just superhuman hoarders. Maybe when the Imperium is ready for what it once knew, they'll be inclined to teach. Until then, all is covered by desert sand.

 

I believe I posted something a week or two ago about them going to planets under the guise doing of something harmless, finding their prize, and then getting the hell out of Dodge. What was never mentioned was what they were getting. Well, it wasn't mentioned in-depth. Although they covet arcane lore, grimoires, and treatises on how better to fight the Daemon, it would figure that they also have a psychological need to gather about them information and schematics on weapons that can really put harm to their Arch-nemesi.

 

This makes me very happy, my friend. Very happy. What I had set out to do has been accomplished because I've always wanted a Chapter that wasn't some Aryan dream going around kicking xenos butt. No, sir. I've wanted to show a different culture idea really going all the way in slaying that same xenos scum. When you mentioned "Turks in space, with a bit of arab influence too", I hate to say that I laughed. No harm was done but my wife did look at me very puzzled. You've basically pegged them down. The Clerics are a cultural idea. What I mean by that is this: they are a few cultures mixed together and then we see what happens when cultural evolution happens (not to mention a little Social Darwinism). The three cultures I haven't seen much of in the 40k universe are the Turkish, the Arabian, and the Byzantine. You see them skimmed-over for the most part and it perturbs me a bit. Well, it made me want to start a Chapter that included all three cultures just to prove they aren't second rate to the Romans and the English.

 

All that being said, you've introduced some ideas that I believe will become aspects of the Clerics. I'll fire up the ol' Noodle and see what happens !

[MithrilForge]

Finished the ETL, was looking at your shoulder pad idea.... that's a very busy idea to fit on one small curved pad   i'm going to try it but with very thin scimitar shaped swords,they won't be detailed but will be still seen/understood as swords...u may want to try for a easier shoulder pad emblem if it doesn't work out...and perhaps use the 5 sword pentagram as a banner..

lets see what happens first though  what was your plan for the other pad? unit markings?,numbers? colours?...

 

Mithril  

[Father Mehman]

Mithril...you're golden ! I was thinking the same thing about the symbol. If not swords, maybe just the lines would work. They'd have a star for the symbol...but it'd be the best squiggly star ever! Hehe, squiggles. Anyway, there is another thought for a symbol stewing in my noodle: a snake wrapped around a pole and I don't mean the caduceus. In Alchemy, there is a depiction of a snake crucified to a tree symbolizing...never you mind. So that could always be a back-up incase the pentagram doesn't work out.

 

The banners, I must say, will be from The Book of Lambspring offering the most powerful (in my opinion) visual aspects of the Great Work. It has been a long road with me and my Work, but I believe it is safe to say I'm back from inaction. True, it may be on little plastic marines, but it is all I can do, at the moment.

 

So to everyone else I have a request: what, in your mind, would make for a compelling reason to leave your Chapter and start a new one? I have talked to one of our brothers, Epher, about the Clerics leaving the Guardians of the Covenant after the founding members won't let a pseudo-heretical set of documents be destroyed and, in fact, find them quite useful for destroying the Daemon. We agreed that it doesn't necessarily have to be an act of heresy for a group to splinter from its parent.

 

Saying that, I have a few ideas but no strings to connect them all. Bear in mind that these are very rough ideas and can be fleshed-out with your help. I'm not joking when I say that, as my thread will attest. If it is a great idea, I will use it. If it's a good idea, I'll probably still use it. If it's utter trash, it might get a mention. Here is an idea that happens as they leave the Guardians of the Covenant:

 

Treacherous Beginnings

Started from groups of Guardians of the Covenant that focused on the Great Work as opposed to the Codex Astartes and other holy books. They were formed and given the X, a battered X-class X. Unbeknownst to all but a lowly Techmarine before the event happened, the plasma drives were set to detonate when the Clerics translated from the Warp. The "error" was fixed in time and they found themselves in the Oran System, Triedes Sector, Pacificus Segmentum: one of the western-most sectors in the galaxy. Finding Oran IV was believed to be a miracle as it matched the descriptions in one of their arcane cartographical texts as being a human colonized world with a Chapter Fortress of unknown ownership. All vox hails to the world went unanswered and the highest stage of technology ascertained was Feudal at best. The Chapter Master, X, went to the world personally and found the Fortress Monastery to be bigger than previously thought with all manner of catacombs, tunnels, and docking hangars large enough to accommodate Thunderhawk Gunships whilst the Chief Librarian found the Stele of Revealing in the Librarium.

 

To those that help: thank you very much ! To those that don't: enjoy the ride !

 

EDIT- In fact, I quite like most of that thought-rambling. I guess what I'm asking is what could be some more reasons a Chapter would splinter?

[MithrilForge]

@ Mehman- so you want a fixing/removing of the the bad/volatile type symbol for the shoulder eh?.. what if we did a snake wrapping around a sabre?.. that could work, let me know...

 

on your Origins perhaps don't go for the treachery route, perhaps make it a huge exploration team type deal made up of  "Inverted comma's" everything required to start a new chapter and have them lost to the warp for a bit where during the translation in the warp storm some of the Clerics discover "new" warp lost secrets etc and find themselves waaay off course on their return...set up shop on a planet,draw recruits and continue to do their work till they find a way back to the GOTC in the mean time a new chapter is born with new ideas cultural change etc...

 

 

Mithril 

[Father Mehman]

@Mithril- See, this is why I need you here. I have a comfy couch and my wife can cook great meals . Seriously though, the snake around a sabre idea makes the pentagram idea look like I thought of it. I can picture it now: a downward pointing sabre, the curve always pointing forwards (in case you've got those wacky MkV or VI shoulder pads and the Chapter symbol is on the other shoulder), a snake wrapped around from point to hilt, and all in black. The reason why I think all black will achieve what I'm looking for is based on Arabian calligraphy. Their calligraphers are beyond amazing in their craft and create stunning works of art out of words. So, with having the symbol in black, I hope that is a nod towards their beautiful creations.

 

I think you've given me some inspiration and insight for the Clerics with your idea on the "lost to the warp" idea and it ties perfectly in with why they hate the Daemon. Stay with my train of thought, if you can. I may not be able to, honestly.

 

The Guardians of the Covenant are tasked with sending a force of arms to aid an explorator mission in the northern section of the Pacificus Segmentum and so they decide to send a particular band of brothers that have been letting their minds wander from the holy texts of the Codex Astartes and the works of the Lion for transcriptions and documents dealing with arcane knowledge and esoteric philosophies. This group of the GotC spend their days ruminating over the potential power of those writings and have perturbed the Grand Master enough with their constant blabbering over what he deems to be frivolous and time consuming works that he wants them excised from his Chapter lest the corruption of laxness consumes them all.

 

Company Master Elias Trisrex, the main voice behind the usefulness of these occult selections, is tasked with the escort and security mission. Instead of letting him select the brothers he will take, a missive from the Grand Master tells him who is accompanying him on the journey. The parchment tells Trisrex all he needs to know. Every marine that he has illuminated has been selected, along with the newest Scouts and Battle Brothers the Chapter has just acquired and promoted. The parchment was his notice to leave and never return.

 

Within two weeks, the newly repaired Battle Barge Illuminated Truth was filled to capacity with supplies, serfs, and the monk-warriors of the Guardians of the Covenant that were to be the spearhead into the unknown reaches of the Pacificus Segmentum. Normally an honour to be in control of one of the most powerful ships in the Imperium, this barge had its share of secrets. Lesser men would call the once-derelict Illuminated Truth haunted. In fact, the Chapter serfs did say just that. Items would go missing or would be misplaced and then reappear a hand width away. Strange noises would rouse entire dorms of serfs only to be nought. Some of the men and women even spoke of seeing the spirits of the dead wandering the halls of the Battle Barge. Whether it was true the ship was haunted did not deter the stalwart defenders of Mankind. They were to have enough on their hands that the rumours of lesser men would hold no sway.

 

Every scan and view of the Warp pre-translation spoke of calm travel to their galactic northwest heading. With all hands braced, the Illuminated Truth entered into the Empyrean and set course for Fate to take control. Chronometers began to run forwards and backwards before they finally returned with error messages all, fitfully sparking into oblivion. Servitors chanted litanies in a tongue which made their ears bleed and teeth fall to the ground. Several Chapter serfs that were sent to tend to the once-humans found themselves fall victim to the same bolt rounds that destroyed their mechanical charges after succumbing to the baleful ministrations of the Warp themselves- descending jaws, fused eyes, and all other manner of mutations sealing their fate.

 

Even though the Gellar Field was functioning at capacity, Daemonic activity was sighted throughout all levels. Across the Battle Barge, reports of contacts blared by way of klaxons. Small arms were unlocked from their containers at intervals throughout the ship and the servants of the Guardians of the Covenant readied themselves for combat against that which they had no experience. The only area that showed clear from malice was the section of the Illuminated Truth that housed the detachment’s Space Marines. Not wishing to look beyond the data shown to him through his viewers and by his lieutenants, the captain of the vessel alerted Master Trisrex of the fighting taking place, his bridge already a great testament to the carnage.

 

Alright, so, that’s that. I can imagine some pew pew pew action will happen, some heroics will go on that will mention the utilization of the set of occult documents, and then the ship will translate into real-space in the Oran system, all Daemons having been banished from the ship. The exiled GotC set up shop on the fourth planet and then change their name, colours, and vision statement to that of the Clerics- the ones who hold the secret knowledge.

 

Maybe a thousand or so years of Chaos kicking later, they become complacent and figure they have seen it all. Only the Grand Master of the Chapter keeps to the rigid strictures set to them by their ancestors. What does complacency look like to a Space Marine? I would assume it comes after a long line of victories, creeping like undergrowth in a forest. There is no foe they cannot best, no task too arduous.

 

Anyway, here are the notes about that event:

 

The Daemon Happening

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 taken from 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 Clerics' 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.

 

Sorry about the long post (I’m not ) but I need to get this out there for some reason.

[Grand Master Belial]

Don't apologize, that is some good storytelling. If anything, keep it up. You could add some of these to your IA if you haven't started yet.

[MithrilForge]

@ Mehman- here is a VERY rough idea sketch on a post it note while im here at my desk working (shhh don't tell )

you may have to go with an outlined blade and not fully black as the snake might blend in too much..

oh bad drawing !!

Mithril

[Father Mehman]

@GMB- Well, thank you! I'm planning on adding the Daemon Happening to the IA and I'll write some more on their origins and then put that in the IA, heavily edited, as well.

 

@Mithril- I don't see a bad drawing. I see a drawing that's going on my Chapter's shoulders ! Ah yeah! Mithril did it! Do a dance, do a dance! And I'm exhausted !

 

Let this day be henceforth known as Clerics Chapter Symbol Day!