IL XVI - The Drowned

[MikhalLeNoir]

 

Note to self, avoid marriage at all costs for your hobbies sake...

 

 

I'm pretty happy. And she even paints my figures since I suck at it. Bonus!

 

What? Now I envy you

[Kelborn]

AHA!

Counting on pity. That could work!

 

Thanks, simison. :D

[Hesh Kadesh]

So, finalising some plans for the Drowned;

 

Special Units;

- Primarch Sorrowsworn Morro (Traitor)

- 'The Orphan' (Traitor, Slaanesh Daemon Primarch)

- 1st Captain Hennasohn (Loyalist); Vigilator Prime and Telekine Sword Fighter

- Equerry Boræo (Traitor); Moritat with twin Archaotech Pistols, projects aura of difficult terrain

- Pelagic Monarchs (HQ, Jump Pack Breachers with Power Spears and Lascutters)

- Charonic Seekers (FA, Tartaros Terminators, Powerfists, Rotor Cannon, Havoc Launchers, Assault Cannon and Cyclone Launcher upgrades)

- Forlorn (Elite, Gal Vorbak style, can take Navigator powers as a special weapon)

 

Rites of War;

- Darkest before the Dawn; Entire army counts towards drop pod assault, access to Hades Breaching Drills in pace kf Dedicated Transports. Hindrances to enemy movement made more powerful. Loyalist only

- Mariners of a Sunless Sea; Forlorn become troops, can ally in Slaanesh Daemons, gain Malefic, can open Warp Rifts if enemy characters are killed, and cast Malefic psychic powers.

 

Unique Relics;

Rimeshatter; Phoenix Power Lance/Lascutter with Space Wolves Helfrost rule and Rad Nade 1/game

 

Legion Rules;

Move Trough Cover, Stubborn if outnumbered, Don't suffer penalties for multi charge

Martial Hubris and Bitter End special rules

 

Librarians lose Support Officer rule if they select one or more from Telekinesis. Get access to Poisoned Rounds on Rotor Cannons or can Rend in ZM 'Blood In the Void'.

 

Allies - WIP

Trusted Allied; Lightning Bearers, Mechanicum, Scions Hospitaller,

Hated; Iron Bears, Crimson Lions

Distrusted; Imperial Army, Dune Serpents

 

Campaign Battles; names WIP

- First Strike; attack Pionus; TBD with Slips, possibly a ZM battle on a larger scale, Pionus must escape Morro

- Super Saiyan; Morro transforms into the Orphan joined by Belakor, faces Mechanicum Abyssii, Scions Hospitaller and Loyalist Drowned

- Banishment; the Orphaned faces WraithPionus, underwater combat, Eldar allies

 

As for models; i'm not the only one seeing similarity with the BA, am I?

 

http://1.1.1.1/bmi/www.forgeworld.co.uk/resources/catalog/product/600x620/99550101473_BloodAngelsMkIVTorsos01.jpg

http://1.1.1.1/bmi/www.forgeworld.co.uk/resources/catalog/product/600x620/99550101472_BloodAngelsMkIVHeads01.jpg

 

Storyline;

 

Drowned are formed in what was the Mediterranean, which has turned into a dust bowl after the Suez and Gibraltar straight was dammed. In one of their first operations, they hold up enemy forces long enough for the Dams to be blown, drowning them. Only 24 of the initial Legion intake remained, and that was those who blew the dam.

 

Given a full operational capacity, the XVIth's first major mission after that as a legion was Neptune, where they lead an assault which caused the losses of many other Legion forces, unused to operations in the various conditions of liquid metals at the core of a Gas Giant. They split themselves up, allocating their assets to most major legion fleets.

 

Primarch discoveries, Pionus is found on water world. The Drowned become large scale trainers to the Scions in underwater operations to be more like their Primarch. Start of long friendship between legions.

 

Morro is found, having enslaved his world and is selling off the populace to the Dark Eldar pirates in return for personal gain. Russ and Icarion discover him, Russ tries to attack Morro, but is restrained by Icarion. Returned to his legion, hearing the rumours, many are horrified, and hate the idea that their Primarch did it. Pionus is brought in by Icarion, Alexandros and the Emperor to help Morro integrate with his legion.

 

Morro discovers the location of Urien Rakarth, and rather than killing him, againdt the judgement of his closest aadvisors, imprison him and torture him. He demotes Boræo to the Destroyers for his insubordonation.

 

Hennasohn leaves, and takes command of the XVIths second largest contingent to distance himself from Morro, joining Gwalchavad in pacifying the Abyss System, but take huge casualties from the Mechanicum there. When Gwalchavad comes to assist them, and approaches with more tact than the Drowned, recognising the power of the forces, the Mechanicum aquiesce to meeting the Emperor, who sends Alexandros to it instead. Morro joins his legion together, and orders withdrawal of his assets from other forces. Curious, and wary of betrayal, given Morro's history, Russ and Hectarion join to meet the new Mechanicum and watch Morro. The two attempt to patch things up after negotiations to repair the damage to the legions, as Morro opens up about his insecurities with his brothers glory and success rates compared to his own. Not fussed with glory, but wpuld rather have the recognition. Settling down to a tactical game of chess, Morro breaks the rules, and the two fight; Alexandros tries to broker peace, With Hectarion holding back Russ, while Gwal blocks Morro. When Alex has gone, and Russes back is turned, Morro tries to attack him, but Gwal cuts his arm off to stop further problems, sending Morro off to his legion, disappearing from the radar of the Imperium.

 

Despite the attempts to reattach the arm, the cauterisation of wound from Gwals Tonfa has completely killed the arm flesh so it cannot be reattched, but it is Urien Rakarth who is able to help it grow back, with the aid of a Daemonflesh graft (not that Morro knows this). Taking Morro to an embattled colony of Moloch, with the aid of the Knightly houses, he crushes the immediate threat, before entering a Cavern, where he discovers an 'Angel' (Belakor). Showing him a myriad futures, that were all possibilities, including some allegories to the Canonverse (the XVIth wearing white armour with the symbol of the wolf, and him being crowned Warmaster etc, to them being an Alpha Legion cell, or images of a traitor Vulkan etc), but ultimately showing him that the Emperor lied, but dressing it as being for the good of the Imperium. (which it is. While he continues to wage war against the Ork Waagh, he sends Boræo and Hennasohn to answer the call to the Vizenko Prosecution.

 

As images of those closest to him betraying him or tkhose he cares abput (Pionus, standing over his crushed body, him dying on Terra to the Mechanicum, Russ and Magnus dead, The Emperor executing Icarion, Ka'wil crippled by Daerdd etc) he goes on a voyage of preparation journeying eventually to Cadia on the suggestions of the Angel, having swollen his legion to massive size by Reaping planets along the way.

 

As a result of the changes to his arm, Morro embraces the new strength and requests more modification like it, and applying it to those who are either his closest, or those who would otherwise have died or been interred in a Dreadnought, going as far as even using the process on Navigators to try to make them viable Astartes.

 

Returning to real space, it is discovered that there are major problems with the legions; the Wolves and Thousand Sons were lost, the Crimson Lions and Iron Bears believe the Drowned, who were missing at the time to have something to do with it, and his refusal to meet with them (as a result of his modifications and the result of the Vizenko Prosecution).

 

This is not helped by Morro discovering the Hraknfel and refitting it and plundering the relics within. Addressimg their concerns to Icarion, it is Icarion who promises to meet with Morro and dsicuss his actions; seeing Morro's changes in his minds eye, he can count on Morro joining his plan for the Insurrection; directing him against Pionus.

 

The assassination fails, because Hennasohn does not agree, fleeing to what he thinks is 'loyalist' but is continually hounded as he flees various 'Traitors'.

 

Listening to Belakor, he sets to hunting Eldar craftworlds and maiden worlds as prime targets when the opportunity arises during the campaign, gorging himself on their soulstones. Slowly making his way to Terra, he joins the assault, and ends up engaging Morterra after ripping through civilian districts, but is crushed. Sending his soul and commiting the souls of those who share his blood to Slaanesh, he transforms into the 'Orphan', and beats back Morterra until Pionus intervenes alongside Hennasohn, who is beginning to change already as a result. Hennasohn sacrifices himself, and Pionus is 'killed'. Morro finally sees the causes of his actions, and opens a portal which he casts himself into, and bargains with Slaanesh; wanting the death of the Eldar race, he will reverse the changes to his legion.

 

After rampaging through other craftworlds, eventually he is caught on the Water world of Betalis, and engaged by Eldar. Crippling the refitted Hraknfel, the battle takes place under the ocean, woth Wraith forces, attempting to recover Rakarth under the support of Exarch Warriors headed by a Phoenix Lord, Irrilyth.

 

Brought to Betalis by Pionus' new connection with the Eldar after being transferred to the conciousness of a construct, the Scions engage alongside the Eldar. Morro attacks Pionus after once more bargaining with Slaanesh, trading his own soul for Pionis' Eldar infused one (She Who thirsts lies, obviously, there is no bargain). With the two monsters fighting, Eldrad Ulthran attempts to turn the plan, by turning it into an ice prison, entombing Morro within, so he cannot leave. Fought off by the Mymeara craftworld, Morro has to retreat, and is engaged by Irrilyth, who battles him long enough for Pionus to get off the planet; however Ulthran and Irrilyth are trapped alive on Betalis with Morro, leaving him as the target of a Black Crusade in later verse.

 

Does that sound alroght, sorry for wall of text.

[MikhalLeNoir]

I love it.

But wasn't morro supposed to kill russ? I liked it that way. They were never on good terms. Morro even lost an arm because of their hatred. I find it consequental if morro then wipes the wolves out.

[Hesh Kadesh]

It was in my headcanon originally, but the plan was so that the TS caught the wolves up in the Fleshchange. I'd like to try and find anway in which the Drowned could be (hence the down time of the Drowned between the Prosecution/the Insurrection kicking off.)

 

I did struggle to get the Hraknfel in, thpugh, so there may be something to the CL/IB ideas.

 

Might be able to even have it so that Magnus is a friend of the Drowned (he is Hennasohns old Magic tutor, and vice versa, as Hennasohn used the ability to make Force Bubbles and and levitation to help the legion underwater; and it was he who gave Hennasohn his Netheramber Torc I think), so there may be something to do with Morro instigating violence that escalates to the Flesh Change?

Edited January 22, 2016 by Hesh Kadesh

[Hesh Kadesh]

Sorry fornthe double post...

 

I think i have a model for Daemorro

 

Nagash, topped with a Mourngul. Put some chains and tentacles on.

 

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/resources/catalog/product/600x620/99550299062_MOURNGUL1c.jpg

Edited January 26, 2016 by Hesh Kadesh

[MikhalLeNoir]

Or how about that one?

http://a136.idata.over-blog.com/0/40/77/08/Chaos-2/DSCF2219.JPG

Replace the scythe, maybe add some limbs/tentacles

[Hesh Kadesh]

"Who am I to criticise the Drowned and their actions? I am but a man who observes with eyes and ears and writes with hands. I cannot criticise, for I was not there. And nor were you. My accounts are accurate, in as much as they could be, and on the Copper Prince's request, uncensored, by his or his legions lands, and importantly not my own. I know not why he requests such, and although i cannot guarantee that what was stated truly transpired, what you see is what was told. I beg you, when reading, to ignore your own contexts, and to not let that blind thine own eyes. We cannot judge, you and I, who were not there. As the darkest of night is just before the dawn, and the deepest of shadows is just outside the reach of the campfires light, so too are the Drowned, coming before the light of the Imperial Truth, carried by the other legions.

 

An ancient philosopher once said that 'He who fight with monster should take care not to become a monster himself', but should that be the case when they are our Monsters?

 

We should not judge those who stood alone at the precipice of reality and stared into the abyss. And when the abyss stared back, it was they alone who screamed their defiance."

- Ichabod Landa, Scrivener-Secundus, Secretary to the Ereborean. Found aboard the wreckage of the Super-Heavy Battlecruiser 'Simurgh-Hama' following the Siege of Terra. Ostensibly, this tome appears to have been written prior to Vizenko Prosecution.

[bluntblade]

Sifting through ideas for hazardous worlds to have the Drowned fight on. Wanna avoid a Barbarus-alike, for obvious reasons.

[bluntblade]

Hesh, have you got any ideas for a setting where The Drowned can really strut their stuff? I'm working on the basis that their fighting style is a bit more fluid and flashy than the canonverse's hazardous environment specialists, but more specific info would be welcome.

 

Edit: hang on a second, we've got the Qarith to play with.

Edited March 12, 2016 by bluntblade

[Hesh Kadesh]

Sorry, I've not been available to.comment much, work has piled on a ton, so I can't help much more, or have time tobput thoyght ibtina.cohesive creative thing, sorry!

[bluntblade]

No worries, I'll crack on with other tasks for now.

[bluntblade]

I figured I should get some ideas down for a character or two, pending Hesh's eventual judgement- name and wargear suggestions are welcome.

 

The first is my "conductor" character. I'm thinking an Apothecary who gets blinded and (he or Morro) regards it as an opportunity to expand the genhancement work. This begins with sonar capabilities but escalates to the warrior growing obsessed with noise. He uncovers the lore of the Isstvanian warsingers, and things go from there.

 

The second is a reaver in the Ironborn mould. A fast, vicious hunter who comes to live for the sensations of loss he causes in others. A fast predator, compared to a juggernaut type.

 

On a side note, might Greyjoy-style Kraken helms be a thing for elites or a particular warrior? I'd say the possessed for this Legion should definitely go the shells and coral route.

[depthcharge12]

"Let those who are dead never die"

 

It'd be a complete hack, but an awesome warcry.

[bluntblade]

I'm leaning towards naming our reaver Skuvver or something like that. Something related to skuas seems appropriate (of you're not familiar, read up on them- feathery bundles of :cuss: Edited May 8, 2016 by bluntblade

[Raktra]

I might sound like a broken record here, but Bloodborne has a lot of awesome shells and coral (plus general oceanic) monstrosities inspired by Lovecraft that could be good for inspiration.

[Nomus Sardauk]

I might sound like a broken record here, but Bloodborne has a lot of awesome shells and coral (plus general oceanic) monstrosities inspired by Lovecraft that could be good for inspiration.

Agreed, the Old Hunters DLC itself is based on Lovecraft's classic A Shadow Over Innsmouth so it's chock full of gribbly, tentacle-faced abominations of an aquatic nature. Prime material for artistic inspiration for the Drowned & their nefarious ilk.

[bluntblade]

Sounds good to me

[bluntblade]

Pending Hesh's approval, I'm given our reaver the name Skuvver Redtyde. He favours a chainaxe and a single lightning claw, with a bolt pistol as a ranged option. He's a glory hound and zeros in on any enemy leader he spots. If we can get him a Kraken helm, so much the better.

 

"We were never meant to build and sow the seeds of the galaxy to come. Our purpose was simply to tear down that which stood in our way. The only harvests we will ever reap are new flesh with which to arm ourselves. Those who delude themselves that they were intended for something 'better' shall never know the ecstasy that comes from taking everything from another. They will only know the desolation that we leave them with."

 

Leaving this here for when the Hesh surfaces, what's the hierarchy within the Legion's tendrils?

Edited May 28, 2016 by bluntblade

[Hesh Kadesh]

Not personally a fan of the name "Skuvver", and Redtide would end up going first if it was fitting with Styxian "nomenclature", while Styxian names are more short, and ending in a vowel, like "Tidemaker Renno" or "Sorrowsworn Morro". "Hennasohn" is the exception, as he ignored the "Styxianification" of his name, "Cataract Henna". 

 

What about Redtyde Skerro?

 

 

I'll try and piece together an organizational list tomorrow, but the Legion is typically split into two components as a whole; the "Kelyfos", and the "Psalida". The former, is the "Shell"; and is nebulous. It refers to whichever place the High Command of the Legion currently is, and the forces under his command under that operational theatre of war. The latter are the tendril fleets, and is under the command of either the Pelagic Monarchs, particularly those of pre-discovery forces, while post discovery, the more usual formation of the Praetor system with a high command; any Praetors placed in command of a force working alongside the Pelagic Monarchs (with their actions guided and chosen by essentially a small council/senate/parliament representative by vote of every member of the legion) typically kept them on as his closest advisors and a useful way to connect with the lower ranks.

 

Essentially, the Pelagic Monarchs were a codified Warrior Lodge.

 

I might have to pick up Bloodborne again then. 

[Hesh Kadesh]

I'm thinking that a scene with Pionus, one of the Librarians alongside him views Morro's aura. Used as he is to watching Morro's aura, and experiencing the withering heat, and not a drop of wind, he knows something is up with Morro when his mental picture of him in a boat on the glassy surface, and then literally feels the lightest gust of air play with the hairs of unshaven head and beard. All he can do is turn to his Primarch, and say "Run" before Morro can't hold back anymore, the psychic force killing the Scion Librarian, and him dropping like a cut string.

 

 

http://julesjans.com/images/tyrrhenian.jpg

[bluntblade]

Not personally a fan of the name "Skuvver", and Redtide would end up going first if it was fitting with Styxian "nomenclature", while Styxian names are more short, and ending in a vowel, like "Tidemaker Renno" or "Sorrowsworn Morro". "Hennasohn" is the exception, as he ignored the "Styxianification" of his name, "Cataract Henna".

 

What about Redtyde Skerro?

 

 

I'll try and piece together an organizational list tomorrow, but the Legion is typically split into two components as a whole; the "Kelyfos", and the "Psalida". The former, is the "Shell"; and is nebulous. It refers to whichever place the High Command of the Legion currently is, and the forces under his command under that operational theatre of war. The latter are the tendril fleets, and is under the command of either the Pelagic Monarchs, particularly those of pre-discovery forces, while post discovery, the more usual formation of the Praetor system with a high command; any Praetors placed in command of a force working alongside the Pelagic Monarchs (with their actions guided and chosen by essentially a small council/senate/parliament representative by vote of every member of the legion) typically kept them on as his closest advisors and a useful way to connect with the lower ranks.

 

Essentially, the Pelagic Monarchs were a codified Warrior Lodge.

 

I might have to pick up Bloodborne again then.

Fine by me, they're your Legion.

[Sigismund229]

Karrion looked all around him at the abandoned space station. Where others would have needed to change their helm's settings to night vision, the inky blackness that surrounded them posed no problems to the sons of Styx when it came to their vision. They had been born and raised in the never ending, choking blackness of Styx. When compared to the hope crushing darkness of their home, this darkness was nothing.

 

As he prowled through the winding corridoors of the orbital station, Karrion picked up various smells through his helm's sensors. The most prominent among them was blood and death. Karrion breathed deep. He liked the smells. They brought him comfort, reminded him of home and of a childhood of broken dreams. Don't begrudge misery and suffering. Welcome it with open arms, invite it in as you would an old friend. Only through knowing misery and suffering can strength grow and prosper. The primarch's words and wise words, words with which any who had survived a childhood on Styx would agree. Karrion never understood why natives of other worlds sought to avoid suffering or to lessen it. Suffering and misery were inevitable, why avoid them? Revel in them, grow strong through them. Any who refused to do so were unworthy of the life they had been given.

 

Looking out through his helm's lenses, Karrion saw one such individual. Lying in front of him was an Imperial Army trooper, his entrails spilling out to his knees and his upper body covered in pus filled boils. There even seemed to be things moving beneath his skin. Without doubt he was in great suffering. A blessing. However, upon seeing Karrion his eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak. "K-Kill me! Please!" he stuttered out. Karrion couldn't help but sneer at such weakness, such refusal to see the misery he was in for the blessing it was.

 

Taking his knife from his belt, Karrion slipped its edge between the fool's skin and the muscle beneath. Then he began to peel. The skin came away, revealing the muscle beneath, red and raw. The little man screamed and shreaked in horror and pain, the noises he made music to Karrion's ears. He had known such sounds his entire life. As a youth upon Styx, they were all he had heard, a constant chorus of agony, lament and pain. It had been them or the mournful dirges that passed for song amongst the population of Styx. When he had finished skinning the little man's hand, Karrion looked back down. The man was staring, wide eyes, moaning in agony. Karrion heard his heartbeat. Fast. He was on the way out. Good. Perhaps he had learned something in his dying moments.

[MikhalLeNoir]

Good to see the drowned master again. I know morro looks a bit like the prince of persia. Do you have a better description? Especially for the time when he attacks pioniis and after his arm is cut of by gwal. How many tentacles and non functioning extremities are there? And his weapons of choice? Short knives or a blade whip?

[Hesh Kadesh]

I'll get a better description soon for you, Mikhael, no problem!

 

For his weapons, I'm going to give him a Shotel. Initially a dual wielder of a pair of them, after the grafting of the Daemon-larvae Web he uses it with one hand, using it with his tentacles similar to how the Dark Prince and Absalom uses their Chain Whip and Tentacles.

 

Just thought I'd list what I have for the Drowned

 

Sorrowsworn Morro (Primarch)

 

Lord Commander Hennasohn

Equerry Boraeo

 

Pelagic Monarchs; Spear, Shield, Lascutter

The Forlorn; Possessed Marines, including Urien Rakarths experiments to create Astartes Astropaths

Charonic Seekers; Specialist ranged Assassin Terminators

Hades Breaching Drill

Land Raider Helios (with variant options based on Iron Hand Fanatics Air Defense)

 

Darkest Before the Dawn (Rite of War); Deep Striking units all count towards Drop Pod Assault numbers

The Mariners; Forlorn based, allows Slaanesh Daemon allies, including Be'lakor

 

Rimeshatter; Relic, Reforged Spear of Russ

 

Pelagic Spear; Bidents (Two pronged Tridents), capable of being used like Spears or Lascutters. Pelagic Monarch only

Storm Shields; Pelagic Monarchs only

 

This is in comparison to Word Bearers,

 

Primarch, 4 Characters, 2 Units, new Consul, gives 8, and 8 for Drowned. If others feel this is too much, I'll happily take out the Helios and nominate it for a general service vehicle.