Tundaran Knights-1-Ceta-Rodina Sberac

[Argent aquila]

Evenin' y'all.

Finally decided to start a HoH thread for my Tundaran Knights, this will be a place for me to tidy up the writings i've done in the past and post finished work in a more fashionable manner, unlike the mess that is my WIP thread at the moment.

so, without further ado, some chapter background, and an introduction of the general story i'm going to attempt to tell.

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Chapter name- Tundaran Knights

founding Chapter- Raven Guard founding date unsure, presumed after 21st, prior to the 25th.

current status- approx. 64 astartes, 3-4 dreadnoughts, 1-2 strike cruisers, approx. 15 escort craft, approx. 12-1300 mortal servants and allies from militarum and mechanicus, one or more free-blade Imperial knights.

Early History-
Precious little is known of the chapters origins, save what history the shattered remnants of the chapter maintain themselves. Whatever Imperial records were known before their excommunication have long since been seized and either sealed away or destroyed by inquisitorial agents following their heresy and attempted eradication.

Confirmed as rare successors of the Raven Guard, the Tundaran Knights were hypothesized to be an attempt at creating a quicker maturing space marine, reducing the time for implants and necessary bodily modifications while improving or expunging some of the chapters’ minor gene seed mutations. The Mucranoid gland in particular was the target of excessive modification, as the chapter was intended to be primarily fleet based when deployed, centered off a fortress monastery on the moon orbiting the planet Tundara.

It is unknown when the new genetic mutations originally surfaced, but some decades after their first recorded actions in battle, it was noted that the chapter in its' entirety had undergone drastic changes. Casualties in war were replaced at a much slower rate than normal, and the appearance of the astartes altered, becoming more macabre. Eventually, their interactions with imperial forces on joint operations became more distanced to the point of disassociation. Their numbers began to dwindle, and numbered just under 500 whenever Inquisitorial review was called forth for their changing conduct and actions on the battlefield.

discovering the mutations-
After the emergence of their instabilities and shortcomings, the chapter’s mutations were immediately chronicled by mechanicus adepts and sourced by inquisitorial agents. It was noted in Inquisitorial records that the chapter suffers from a pair of unique Mutations at the genetic level, altering the very way the space marine chapter would act and function as a whole.

The first mutation created a distorted, audio-hallucinogenic effect in the sub-conscious of each Tundaran Knight, hearing the voices of those whose lives they directly end.

Accusations, screams of despair, wails of regret, or violent verbal provocations were commonplace in the minds of every demi-god. The only known remedy that stems this strange mutation seems to be the collection of corpse parts from the slain, a habit the Chapter as a whole began to undertake out of necessity.

Typically such voices can often be ignored, and would fade quickly with time, but on occasion, the minds of the slain that have particularly strong will or psychic resonance become ensnared into the consciousness of the astartes for extended periods of time, some up to years without end.

Most worrisome to the Tundaran knights, those among the adeptus astartes that are slain can oft form full, coherent thoughts, as though their entire consciousness remains within their killer,

and can continue to harry their victim/killer for far longer than any mortal creature. As such the remains of enemy space marines are especially collected for this single problem alone.

The second, perhaps even more bizarre mutation, is the ability of Tundaran Knights to call forth incorporeal beings at will to fight/serve for them. Dubbed combat familiars by the mechanicus (Bratricka in the language of the astartes) these creatures typically take the shape of animals such as hounds or birds and follow the direct thought patterns and commands from their masters.Bound to their will, these creatures will fight with an unnatural ferocity and speed, and can even be used for intelligence gathering or sabotage when utilized properly.

Based upon strenuous testing held by the mechanicus and Inquisition, they materialize for the first time after the killing of several notably strong psychically connected enemies that have had remains taken by the astartes. The likes of the Eldar particularly favored the creation of a new familiar connected directly to the minds of an astartes, and many notable brothers of the chapter have been able to control a variety of creatures of differing size and shape for indefinite amounts of time.

These mysterious creatures would remain the subject of high scrutiny by the Ordo Hereticus, unto the chapters' trials and designation as excommunicate traitoris.


Heresy, the calamity of Ghorenia-
Already walking on fragile terms with the Inquisition for their conduct and existence as "impure mutants", it was little surprise when Inquisitorial zealots called for the chapters' immediate censure as their actions became more erratic, and their ties with other imperial units broke down.

In late M.39, it was decreed that the Knights' remaining strength became subject to Inquisitorial command as a form of trial by observation. By complying, this saw the Knights ordered into increasingly dangerous war fronts in an attempt and reveal any signs of taint amongst them during times of extreme stress.

Cycles pass, with the observations of the Inquisitorial court becoming more desperate to reach a conclusion, and the combined arms fleet moved on to the next warfront.

As the combined Inquisitorial and Tundaran Knights fleet entered the hotly contested system designated Vholten, it would fall to the Hereticus to determine which conflicts to send the Space marines into for further judgement in combat, supervised by no less than 13 Inquisitorial agents and their mortal servants.

Ghorenia, a hive world covered in city complexes and open seas, along with its' 12 rocky satellite moons, was chosen for its' status as nearly lost to the xenos incursions. It would be here where the Knights would receive their final judgement.

The factions already involved in the fight for the planet, a full half of the Astra Militarum Kurok 30th mechanized infantry regiment along with conscripts and civilians numbering in the millions, a strike force of 60 Fire Stallions space marines and their strike cruiser in orbit around the planet proper, and an indeterminately large number of Tau forces. The Tundaran Knights, numbering just under 450, would deploy in their entirety to the planet and its' moons and prove themselves to the Inquisitors. But what ensued could only be called a complete bloodbath.

It is here where documents describing specific events are once again lost, but what is certain was that only the blood soaked Tundaran Knights would be left after a mere 12 Terran cycles' time.

Shortly after, the chapter in its' entirety was declared heretics and ordered to surrender to the Imperial and Inquisitorial fleet under command of Lord Inquisitor Attorro, at gunpoint. To which, the chapter in its' entirety answered by firing cannon and lance batteries and slaying imperials once again.

The resultant fight and pursuit that erupted as the Chapter fleet sought to escape would leave countless dead on both sides, in the final moments of the chapters' existence, a majority of the Knights surviving forces would make a dangerous jump straight into a warp storm, which would scatter the survivors across the nearest score systems.

The Tundaran Knights' survivors who reconvened many years later would never number more than one hundred.

Over the next century, the knights and their allies were hunted by the embittered imperial and tau forces that continued to war in the sub sector and beyond. The aftermath of the now dead planet once named Ghorenia and its' moons hanging as a scar in the system forevermore.

What truly took place on that blighted world? What atrocities were committed to have an entire chapter sentenced: Excommunicate Traitoris?

current status, a dying chapter of renegades-
the coherent survivors of the chapters' fall would number over 60, a majority from the 3rd company with fewer than 20 of the original 1st companies' veterans, of the 23 dreadnoughts that had been part of the chapters' arsenal, fewer than 5 would survive to fight again for their kin, and the number of 10th company scouts, 0.

For 15 Terran years, the Tundaran Knights have been silent, ghosts as dead as their brothers. But the time has come for their return, the siege of Roshen awaits, and their vengeance shall be repaid in full with the blood of Imperials and Tau alike...

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Thanks for reading such a lengthy intro... tomorrow i will begin posting more with pictures of finished pieces.

writing will be specifically about the siege of Roshen and what happens to the various factions involved in the conflict, starting with Tau of the sept involved in the capturing of the Vholten system, and the Space Marine chapter known as the Fire Stallions, who lost most of a company to the wrath of the Tundaran Knights in the Calamity of Ghorenia.

to part with, a crappy MS Paintimage of the Tundaran Knights' chapter symbol, a bloodied claw:

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I look forward to sharing with y'all in the future!

[Argent aquila]

Well, better late than never i suppose!

I'll get started by posting some actual pictures, along with a good bit of background.T

For those of you familiar with my WIP, these are finished background for the lads, and will be posted grouped by squad or designation.

Hope ya like!

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Tundaran Knights, Reconstructed 1st company

Ceta-Rodina Sberac

"Overseers of the damned"

(Note::Ceta-Rodina translates to command squad, and is pronounced seh-ta ra-dihn-a z-bear-ack)

Squad background-

made up of some of the hardiest and most level headed survivors of the Tundaran Knights, Ceta-Rodina Sberac serves as the equivalent of a loyalist command squad, it is their task to keep a close watch on their brethren when dispatched on reclamation or siezure missions away from the remnants of the chapter fleet. The members of the squad often deploy individually with an assault party when requested, and seldom fight together as a whole, which serves to create each into a leader among their brothers, and further strengthens the familial bonds that tie together the chapters' remnants.

Dzhak hren "the bearer of sins"

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since his induction into the chapter, the bloodthirsty and straightforward demeanor of the astartes dzhak had long been the hallmark of his wrathful intent. His cold, blank stare showed no effects from the debilitating gene-seed deficiencies that gnawed at the minds of his brothers, and his inability to summon familiars like the rest of his brethren was a heartening, if not unique, trait that left many unanswered questions.

During the battle of Brachaiah pass against the psyker choirs of the il-kaith Eldar, the reason for his being unaffected by the gene-curse was uncovered, the sergeant had been leading his squad in a counter assault after the defeat of the xenos wraithguard constructs, he and his men charged forth as the psykers' chorus rose to a definitive crescendo, and the nearest of them fell to its' knees and screamed, its' compatriots backing away in horror as the diminutive astartes ran forth and placed a bolt round in the suffering Eldars' helmet. The rest followed soon after as the Paraiah and his subordinates slaughtered the sensitive psychic xenos.

After the chapter fell from the halls of the imperium, the notable sergeant of the 2nd company not only survived with his men intact, but found himself given the honor of carrying the standard of the final copmpany of the Tundaran Knights as they went forth to seek their vengeance. Atop the large pole-arm Dzhak carries into battle, the shield of Artura, a relic of the chapters' ancient services to manking and a memento to the chapters' first victorious campaign. behind it, nine vials containing the ashes of fallen brothers are hung. representing the lost companies of the chapter in their fall from grace. So long as the sin-bearer stands triumphant, standard held aloft, even the clouded minds of broken space marines can find themselves with renewed purpose in the pursuit of their ultimate goal: revenge.

Lakarnik- Sevvet Zaccen "the reaping saint"

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among a dying group of astartes, Sevvet holds arguably the most dour and foreshadowing post amongst the Tundaran Knights, the title of Lakarnik, or "the gatherer". Armed with the knowledge of gathering gene-seed, Sevvek takes to the field with the aim of reclaiming the heritage of the fallen, and stealing away that which they can seize from their foes. Only taking to the field when necessity demands it, Sevvek follows the entourage from the rear, as his brothers strike forwards with speed and ferocity, Sevvek proves slow and ponderous, possibly even seen as cowardly by the standards of an astartes of another chapter. His brothers make no mistake though, for the reaping saint is now the last of the apothecarium, and his death could prove to be the chapters' undoing.

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the other 3 are to come tomorrow (heh, maybe actually tomorrow this time! )

Thanks for takin' the time to look y'all, have a good one!

EDIT:: better pictures are up now

[Argent aquila]

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Ceta-Rodina Sberac

"Overseers of the damned"

Kemstan Vriteln "the warhound"

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Very little need be said of Kemstan save for his complete and dogged loyalty to others, specifically, his superiors. As a bird imprints on its' mother, Kemstan follows the orders of his commanders to the letter every time, or unrelentingly continues to work towards his given objective, no matter the odds. Alone, the astartes can be described as having a bland and unfulfilling personality, seldom seen without his warplate, and often remaining silent. on the field of battle, though, Kemstans' keen eye and barked communications come are of undoubtable use, calling out targets of opportunity and exploiting all of his enemies' weaknesses to further the commands he is given.

The officer is most noted for his skill and unflinching resolve shown in the battle at Cova VII against a sizable cadre of the Flawless Host, who had holed up behind the walls of the planetary capital, now a hot-bed of pleasure cults and depravity. After the combined Tundaran Knight and militarum army had leveled the outer walls, Kemstan was ordered by his captain to take his squad and create a breach past the outer defense lines of hive CVX-109, then hold the point until the armored divisions could advance into the city proper.

What followed was a bloodbath that left several scores of heretics dead in their entrenched positions, even after communications broke down between the guardsmens' assaulting force and his squad, Kemstan refused to relent their holdings to waves of howling cultists and repurposed PDF vehicles. 87 minutes later, when the reinforcements had finally arrived, they found Kemstan and most of his squad still intact, taking but a single casualty. As the armored chimeras rolled over the rubble of the walls, the allies could see the space marinestanding proud with the squads flame, bathing the interior of a 7th sentinel with promethium as its broken legs scraped the dirt pitifully, and its' pilot shrieked.

His recent promotion to the new command squad had no impact on his demeanor, simply continuing to follow his orders without a moments hesitation. His current armament consists most often of a plasma gun or assault flamer, in addition to an adamantium warblade of his own crafting. With it, the chapters' warhound leads his brothers with a cold ferocity and determination unmatched by many even among his kin.

Martov stonhek "corpse captain"

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Once, Martov Stonhek was known throughout the chapter for his optimistic, if not eccentric, view of their chapters' plight. Known for his voracious appetite for sparring and playful prodding among his subordinates in their shortcomings, his laughter was easily heard in the halls of the 6^th companies’ ships. He had served as 1^st sergeant of the 6th company with pride, a very well thought of and much admired soldier whose aim and luck with a plasma gun was second to none.

But witnessing the deaths of the many of his kinsmen in the calamity of Ghorenia had changed him. Among the growing madness and surreal nature of his chapter, Martov found himself nearly alone in the halls of his voided battlecruiser, surrounded by his fallen comrades and the inquisitions’ lapdogs as the cruiser entered into a warp jump to tail his escaping brothers.

He survived the purging of the chapter separated from the rest of the chapter, the small cruiser and just over a dozen Astartes were all he had been able to save. Lost and without purpose, Martov turned to vengeance for his brothers’ losses. Taking the handful of men left with him, he let loose his anguish into the weak underbellies of any imperial colonies their ship came across. He and his wrathful companions butchered thousands of civilians and bondsmen entitled to the Fire Stallions chapter for months to come, forever a threat to the existence of the Inquisitions’ pawns. When word finally reached him of the survivors of the chapter regrouping, after hearing the news, and nearing the location of his kin, Martov took the remaining 11 astartes onto their lone thunderhawk, and set the empty ruiser on a collision course with the Agri world of Actovia, the detonation of the ships' core sending the planet into an impromptu ice age and ruining it forever.

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2 "plain" guys for today, the company champion counts as comes next, most likely tomorrow or saturday depending on school stuff....

i have a good amount of backlogged stuff to post here, just need to organize and edit everything. In the coming days/weeks i'll have plenty to show!

hope y'all liked it, have a good evenin'!