How does one expand upon a chapter's lore?

[BrotherTycho]

The army I'm running and want to start writing fluff for already exists within the 40k lore:
http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Red_Seraphs

I was wondering if there is anything I should be aware of before I begin to expand upon their lore. There's not much there but I like the chapter's lore and what fluff they do have. I haven't expanded on a pre-existing chapter before, although back in 2006 I started writing fluff for my own chapters and/or ork warbands I would make from scratch. I often DM games of Deathwatch and I'm hoping that might give me a bit of an edge since I've worked with 40k lore in the past.

[Quixus]

As long as there isn't anything else just make stuf up however you like it. :cuss even if there is, make it up anyways, it is your army after all. I'm not familiar with the Red Seraph's but I doubt there will be much more published fluff than what's mentioned in the lexicanum article. If you wannt to be sure, check the sources of the article.

[Father Mehman]

I agree with Quixus 100%. Even if there is lore out there, make up your own. I'm of mind to follow their general ideals if it's a pre-generated Chapter but, yes, I will make up a new Company of the Indigo Dung Beetles if it suits me.

 

I believe DMs of any system have an edge at creating fluff because y'all have to create adventures every week for people to enjoy. That's a huge responsibility.

 

Make sure when you do write out some new stuff for this Chapter that you share it here with us. We'll be more than happy to enjoy it with you.

[Stercus]

I agree with Quixus 100%. Even if there is lore out there, make up your own. I'm of mind to follow their general ideals if it's a pre-generated Chapter but, yes, I will make up a new Company of the Indigo Dung Beetles if it suits me.

I believe DMs of any system have an edge at creating fluff because y'all have to create adventures every week for people to enjoy. That's a huge responsibility.

Make sure when you do write out some new stuff for this Chapter that you share it here with us. We'll be more than happy to enjoy it with you.

Indigo Dung Beetles? Aren't they a ninth founding Salamander successor?

[paulJam]

As per previous... write what you like.

 

Personally, i wouldn't deliberately * cross existing fluff without a really good, exciting, logical, narrative reason that you can totally pull off; because blam hereasy!

* i'm totally sure i have accidentally written stuff that would make true lore boffins shake their fists in outrage.

Working within a universe setting (or existing fluff) is not a limitation but part of the challenge.

 

That said, rather than drawing attention to their canonicity (which is actually a word, i looked it up) you might treat their origins in passing and power ahead with you own events and histories; rather than trying to slog through mounds of detail as to why they are legit.

plus you have the option to casually reference chapter events, which is cool, but the more detail you add the more likely you are to get conflicts... if that actually matters.

 

man, i have totally used up all my word thoughts for today !

 

[edit - now that i'm awake]

as an example (and this is just my own) i selected metamarines as the progenitor for one of my DIY (kraits).

 

good luck finding anything on metamarines online... 'do you mean: marine local meta'... no, i really don't. nor do i want a boat.

 

the beauty of that is that there is nothing to compare against, so you can't really make 'chapter specific' mistakes, unless something 'cannon' appears from now on.

this was in fact a reason why i picked that chapter.

 

in my work it was enough (imo) to reference their source/parent (vanilla astartes) and explore their company specific traits rather than delving into their past. perhaps they are typical of the metamarines, perhaps they are the mavericks or the conservatives. It is at best barely relevant to the story.