General Discussion

[Doctor Perils]

Oh wow, glad to hear you're all right, make sure you don't force it. Get well soon!

[Doctor Perils]

Oh wow, glad to hear you're all right, make sure you don't force it. Get well soon!

[simison]

Finished Alex painting is now up.

[simison]

So, I was reading through Sigi's latest narrative, and it struck me. The Halcyon Wardens suffer from a geneseed defect that makes them more vulnerable to insanity. In the canon-verse, Alexandros is able to heal it for the most part, but he is never able to eradicate completely so it's always just beneath the surface. Now, in the canon-verse, it never really comes up again because the Wardens vanish as a lost legion. Here, they're caught in the Insurrection, so I wanted to remind myself and let y'all know that given the chaotic nature of the Insurrection, this is a potential weakness. 

 

At the same time, I thought I'd ask, which of the other legions also suffer from geneseed defects?

[Slips]

...the Imagery of your Super-Human Shield Bearing Defenders suddenly going mad and turning around and turning you into a blood stain on the ground is a bit too good of a plot point to let slip...

 

Especially since they're the Warmasters own.

[simison]

There's a reason that the Chaplain Corp is vital to the Vth Legion.

[Slips]

There's a reason that the Chaplain Corp is vital to the Vth Legion.

They whack the people about to go crazy (homer Simpson The Shining-Parody style) over their heads with their Crozius'?

[Demus Ragnok]

There's a reason that the Chaplain Corp is vital to the Vth Legion.

Which makes me think from whence did the chaplain corps originate in Broverse. In canon they are a development of the Word Bearers, mostly, I think.

[simison]

 

There's a reason that the Chaplain Corp is vital to the Vth Legion.

They whack the people about to go crazy (homer Simpson The Shining-Parody style) over their heads with their Crozius'?

 

 

Hilarious image, but not quite. Alex has specifically trained them to keep an eye out for developing symptoms and to minister the at-risk marines back to stability.

 

Of course, if it's too late, then the whacking. Ideally, just to knock them out and get them to critical treatment. But the ones who go completely psycho on the battlefield? Mercy kill. 

 

There's a reason that the Chaplain Corp is vital to the Vth Legion.

Which makes me think from whence did the chaplain corps originate in Broverse. In canon they are a development of the Word Bearers, mostly, I think.

 

 

I actually forgot about that. Makes perfect sense. I really should make a Vth Legion thread and start cataloging how their legend is different from their canon selves.

[Slips]

It could be a Halycon Warden thing that propagated outwards with their Inter-Legion Exchange program with the real meaning behind their inception and use being hidden from the Greater Imperium / Legions ie: Making sure that Wardens who suddenly go bonkers are quickly and quietly dealt with so that Alexandros doesn't lose face. Or something.

 

The other legions, if they adopt them, would have seen them and their use as Discipline Officers.

 

Edit: you could go Red Butcher style with some of the TDA units (fluffwise) of the Legions with the Chaplains having remote controls to lock down their suits and turn them into cages in the event that a brother go coo-coo.

Edited December 9, 2015 by Slipstreams

[Raktra]

Did every legion have a defect in the canon-verse, or was it just a few? I have an idea or two I could chuck in on my end, but I don't wanna do it just for the sake of it.

[simison]

That's a pretty good idea. Canon-wise, Alex never reveals the Wardens' weakness to insanity. Not because he's worried about losing face personally, but to preserve his sons' dignity. Since his solution works 99% of the time, it also seems a moot point. Of course, when the Insurrection happens and certain units go too long without Chaplain oversight, things spiral out of control.

 

I'm not sure, Raktra. We know the Ultramarines had no defects. I'll look over the legions and get a more thorough answer to you.

[Slips]

Mine are a Pure Broverse Creation so I've got nothing.

[Sigismund229]

The Crimson Lions suffer from a gene seed defect which(apart from turning some recruits into over grown hunks of pure muscle and insanity) causes the odd Crimson Lion to lose control but not in the same way a berzerker does. Instead they lose their minds and start to think they are a Lion/wolf/predator and behave as such.

 

As for chaplains, they came mainly from the WB but some legions(like the BA) already had an equivilent, like the Lions already have Firinnoimeadai.

[Demus Ragnok]

I had thought for the 10th legion that chaplains originated from ministers in Obsailan culture. There is a cult of fire on Obsailes because of the long long nights and gribbly monsters. So there would be shaman/ ministers / pastors something.

 

And I have a super chaplain as one of my special characters.

[simison]

I like that suggestion, Slips, for the Red Butcher's unit.

 

I think Sigi has the right of it Demus. Several legions probably developed a Chaplain corps concurrently, and the practice eventually spread to the other legions through several vectors.

[simison]

Geneseed Defects:

 

• Blood Angels: The Black Rage and the Red Thirst, sometimes known collectively as The Flaw.
• Imperial Fists: Missing Betcher's Gland and Sus-an Membrane
• Raven Guard: Missing Mucranoid and Betcher's Gland. Pale skin, dark eyes.
• Salamanders: Onyx-black skin, bright red eyes (caused by a malfunctioning Melanchromic Organ, together with a reaction to the radiation of their homeworld, Nocturne) [5]
• Space Wolves: Enlarged canine teeth and Mark of the Wulfen (see also Canis Helix).
• Thousand Sons: Flesh Change

 

Source: Lexicanum (added Thousand Sons)

 

So, 6 legions have biological defects, though we know a variety of legions have personality predispositions (though that could solely be from 'nurture' as opposed to 'nature'). 

 

Did I miss any?

[Sigismund229]

If we're talking appearance then the CL also have the following mutations:

A tendency to be taller and stronger than their brothers of other legions(there are exceptions obviously but very few).

While it's unknown why, the progeny of Hectarion tend to sharper features and grey, slightly feline eyes.

[Raktra]

Well there's the fancy eyes on my end, which is a pro. I was tempted to make it so that they can't sleep, in the traditional sense, as a drawback, but I dunno.

[simison]

For now, keep it in mind Raktra. Let's see which of the other BotL legions have geneseed defects and see if we already have a good balance.

[Demus Ragnok]

The Fire Keepers really don't have any. The Terran psykers in the legion had much less ability than those in other legions ( see my thread for deets). No psykers were recruited after the primarch was found so no telling if it's really gene seed or recruit pool that is the issue. Edited December 9, 2015 by Demus Ragnok

[Slips]

Only true difference with my Marines is that their elevation is made easier due to the baseline population of Iona having some form of hereditary gene enhancements.

 

Such as:

• Increased Lung Capacity and the ability to breathe water for a maximum of ~5 Hours disregarding statistical outliers.
• Denser Muscle Mass due to Genehancements and Gravity/Pressures the standard human is subjected to on Iona.
• Limited Ability to see in the Electromagnetic Spectrum (5m Radius) due to the absolute darkness that is a planetary ocean floor when away from Artificial Light.

Though, that said, this benefit isn't passed on to Terran Marines. This means that Terran Scions are 1.5% Physically Weaker than Ionians Scions due to musclemass difference and are reliant on their Low-Light and Infra-red vision in total darkness whereas the Ionians have the added benefit of Electromagnetic Spectrum Vision.

 

Edit: Also, due to the Increased Lung Capacity, Ionian Marines are capable of operating in Hard Void for up to 3 Hours without a Helmet if the proper preparations are made vs the ~1 Hour a Normal Marine would be able to.

Edited December 9, 2015 by Slipstreams

[Athrawes]

The Lightning Bearers have a few mutations that set their geneseed apart.

 

• A higher percentage of naceant psychic ability. 
• Saphire Irisis. A trait they share with Icarion. in rare cases, this trait has has been linked with a unique form of telepathy found throughout the Ii Legion. An ability to see through each others eyes. This happens rarely in battle, only Icarion and a rare few of his sons have expressed the nascent discipline to control this "shared sight" 
• Hyperactive Larramans Organ leading to A youthful appearance. Fewer instances of the gigantism and blunted features widely found throughout the Legiones Astartes. 

[Chief Captain Redd]

The Iron Bears are a stable gene seed group. Also I never thought of size or enhanced canines as flaws in other legions, just dominate genetic traits from the Primarchs.

[Skalpynock]

Void Eagles show no true "flaw", but their idiosyncrasies are as follow:

•Heightened situational and spatial awareness

•Increased balance

•Decreased super-hearing consequence of the last point on inner ears

•Decreased efficiency of psycho-indoctrination, leading to a propension for personal initiative regardless of command structure (expressed in either heroism, suicidal action, or renegade elements)

 

Now, for the Warbringers, I've been toying with the idea of their initial gene-seed to be flawed, and fixed only once Darzalas is found, but that's the whole shtick of the Warriors of Peace. Rather, I'll go with them having an unsurprising, bog-standard gene-code, like the Luna Wolves, Iron Hands, or Ultramarines. Who, even then, have slight divergences.