IL V - The Halcyon Wardens

[simison]

I'm just bubbling with ideas for Second Son (and a vague sense of freedom with the completion of Third Son). I'm recording these here, so I don't lose them. 

 

- Develop the Cohort system. 

  - The full 8 cohorts would not come into being right from the get-go. With only 50,000 marines, there's only so many missions/objectives that can be accomplished at this time. Still, the seeds will be sown. I want to use the current arc to lay down the framework for the 4th Cohort (the officer exchange program) and the 5th Cohort (the garrison cohort). The 7th Cohort will grow out out of the 5th Cohort as the Fifth racks up the number of protectorates. 

 

- Splitting the Legion into different expeditionary fleets.

  -I want this to grow as an issue, until Alexandros gives the order to split once the legion hits 80,000 marines. 

 

- Develop the Legion Orders.

  - I want the formation to happen with this arc. Alexandros essentially gains the idea from the Madrigal College, specifically observing the Oni and Volta.

 

- Develop the Librarius Program.

  - This is something else I want to start in this arc and develop over the next two joint campaigns between Wardens and Bearers. 

 

- Develop Dreadnought Force

 - Someone has to eventually become the Master of Ancients

 

- Develop future Praetorate offices

 - Such as Chief Librarian, Chief Praevian, Chief Diplomat, etc

 

- Spotlight allied non-Legion forces

  - I want there to be a Sarum arc, but I'm not sure if there's enough material for another negotiation. I'll need another conflict for enough material, whether internal or external to the Legion. Otherwise, it'll be mentioned in passing.

  - Likewise, I want to use Second Son to introduce House Zivich. Specifically, the first battle that leads to its creation. Greenskins ahead!

 

- Highlight the transition from the standard Legion structure of the Principia to Alexandros' homebrew organization.

  - At the very least, I need to explain why Alexandros chooses to change things up, and mention how it was unpopular among the practical-minded legionaries. Irvin will feature prominently as a critic. Granted, this might just be a scene and a few mentions, but it's important to address. 

 

- The Unorthodox Primarch

  - I need to include a few scenarios where Alexandros is shown to question Imperial dogma. Before becoming Warmaster, he always played a little loose with the technical boundaries of Imperial law, especially given his idealism. 

 

- Family time

  - Alex's adopted family should make a couple of appearances before they die of old age. 

 

And it goes without saying that I want to do a joint campaign between the Wardens and every Legion, minus the Second and Eleventh. 

 

Potential arcs in order: 

• Lightning Bearer 
• Barbarian Legions arc
• Sarum arc
• Iron Bear vs. homebrew xeno species
• Joint campaign with the Shepherds of Eden
• Fire Keepers vs. race of human giants
• [Placeholder]
• [Mid-GC] HW & Abyssii campaign
• [Late] HW & GS verus Tal'darim

Edited April 5, 2018 by simison

[bluntblade]

If Alex is mentoring Daer'dd in his first ten or so years, the enemy won't be xenos but instead the most extreme of Daer'dd's old enemies, as he completes the construction of Tricendia.

[Chief Captain Redd]

Not necessarily, several of the farthest out systems in the tricendia are completely untouched at that point. They could easily have Xenos elements on a planet or two.

[bluntblade]

Oops. I'm going by the fluff in Insurrection.

[bluntblade]

Nonetheless, I think once-human enemies might allow for a little more exploration of Daer'dd and what he's fighting for.

[Nomus Sardauk]

(Post pasted from Discord)

 

GUYS. Guysguysguys! Sorry to interrupt but I need to get this out before I inevitability forget, I know it's still waaaay off but I had an idea for something really cool to happen during the Siege of Madrigal at the Insurrection's end. Remember in the aftermath of the 18th Expeditionary Fleet's flight from the Harbingers Icarion commissioned a vast marble mausoleum on Madrigal for the slain Halcyon Wardens out of respect, the one with the "Here lies a brave man, killed by his loyalty" quote above each tomb?

Well how about, given that this is the endgame and everyones' pulling out all the stops perhaps as "holy :cuss" cross-the-line moment to show how horribly far Icarion has fallen, why not have Icarion use his new chaotic power to possess and reanimate the long-dead husk of the Halcyon Wardens as undead soldiers against the Suzerainty, much to their horror? (maybe even with an undead Pyrrhicles at their head for extra shock and disrespect?)

Edited March 14, 2018 by SanguiniusReborn

[bluntblade]

I feel like making them Secondborn could be a good, specifically Chaotic way of doing that Edited March 15, 2018 by bluntblade

[simison]

My 8 am class was nothing but a couple of student presentations, which allowed me to write down some thoughts while I half-listened.

 

For the next Lightning Bearer arc, here are a few points I want to tackle

• Have the explanation of the HW color scheme occur in a conversation between Icarion and Alexandros. 
• Potentially have an explanation of the Lightning Bearers' color scheme.
• Begin the Tempestus-HW alliance
• Drop a hint that the Emperor is sending Icarion and Alexandros north to clear the way to the Fenris system. 
• A potential drinking scene with both Primarchs
• Re-introduce Pyrrhicles and Mahtva
• Discuss the Madrigal College and lay a seed in the Fifth Legion Orders
• Discuss at what point should a Legion split into multiple Expeditionary Fleets
• Introduce the Rakurai and potential HW version?
• Have a conversation where Icarion asks Alexandros how to handle the battle-psykers who reject the Madrigal college.
• Conversation about Alexandros' new bodyguards

 

For the Bears' Arc:

• I want to open on the Bucephalus, maybe place rumors of a new flagship for the Emperor is in the works
• Have a snapshot of the War Council
• The entire WC meets to brief the Emperor on the Great Crusade's progress after completing Daer'dd's tutorship on Terra. 
• Emphasize the growing role of the Imperial Army and how it's slowly replacing the Legions as the frontline force.
• The Emperor sits at the head of the War Council with Icarion on his right, Leman Russ on his left, Alexandros next to Icarion, and Daer'dd next to Russ. 
• The meeting ends. Either the Emperor appoints Alexandros to guide Daer'dd or Alexandros requests to campaign with Daer'dd. 
• Potentially introduce the Kodiak Rex

Edited May 30, 2018 by simison

[bluntblade]

*tutelage

 

Daer'dd should talk in particular about his desire to meld the IVth Legion fully with the realm he is still forging, and emphasise what he sees as his incomplete duty to his people. I think that would resonate with Alex.

[bluntblade]

Sim, what Brigades are with Pyrrhicles at Madrigal, and do you have any names for the ships that escape?

[simison]

Sim, what Brigades are with Pyrrhicles at Madrigal, and do you have any names for the ships that escape?

 

 

You'll primarily want to reference Brigades 1-4, but it's fairly easy to justify any brigade. 

[bluntblade]

Gotcha

[simison]

Constructing this timeline to prevent contradictions in Second Son:

 

829.M30 - Alexandros found, sent to Terra for tutorship under the Emperor. Darshan begins healing the legionaries afflicted with Battle Fatigue. Legion numbers 20,900. 

832.M30 - Tutorship complete. Elpis retrofitted to Alexandros' wishes. Takes formal command of the Fifth Legion. Legion numbers 22,700.

833.M30 - Battle of IG-88. Emperor and Alexandros part ways. First cohort of recruits on Delos graduate.  23,300 marines.

834.M30 - Cleansing of the Scourge of Treachery. The Balov Compliance. Storm Riders reformed into the Halcyon Wardens. Balov becomes the first protectorate system under the Fifth Legion. 24,000 legionaries.

~~~

838.M30 - Compliance of Hena-jagathi, added as protectorate to the Halcyon Wardens. First Balov recruit cohort arrives. 32,000 legionaries.

~~~

 

863.M30 ish - The Halcyon Wardens become the largest legion of the Great Crusade. Goes unnoticed by everyone, except Alexandros and the Departmento Munitorum.

Edited March 31, 2018 by simison

[simison]

Well, it finally happened. According to what I wrote in the rulebooks, the Drowned scout fleet attached to the Fifth Legion didn't return to serve, until after Alexandros offered the equipment of Sarum to placate them. 

 

And I've written too much into the LB arc to backtrack to start a Sarum arc. So, I have two solutions. First, I could rewrite what's in the rulebook that Alexandros gave them something else and do the Sarum arc later. Second, I could have the Sarum arc take place as a lengthy flashback or the arc could be about re-visiting Sarum to see how Alexandros manages diplomacy in a post-Compliance world.

 

I'd like to try the first option, but what could Alexandros give to the Drowned to placate their honour?

[helterskelter]

Termite assault drills? Replacements kit? Recruits?

[simison]

Hm, the former, I imagine would be hard to requisition without a Primarchs’s approval. Replacement kits for what?

 

I’m hesitant about recruits. Not because it’d slow Legion growth, but because Alexandros would be unsure about their life philosophy. Though, it’d offer a fascinating set of characters.

[helterskelter]

Kit would be armour, Volkite, bolters etc. Like a resupply but a bit more than just that so may be chuck in rhinos and the like?

[simison]

That should be easy enough.

[Hesh Kadesh]

Ships would always be appreciated. Perhaps Rights to Resupply from other Legion Holdings, or assignment of Auxilia forces, up to and including Knight Households?

[helterskelter]

Ships would always be appreciated. Perhaps Rights to Resupply from other Legion Holdings, or assignment of Auxilia forces, up to and including Knight Households?

We're getting ships from Talonair/the abysii

[Hesh Kadesh]

Ain't nobody,gonna turn down ships :)

[bluntblade]

They're also taking many ships as war booty

[Hesh Kadesh]

A politician, and diplomat, is going to understand that if he's going to want to keep onside a force like the Drowned, that he has to appeal to their desires.

 

As a legion that was intentionally split up, and whose entire identity has been made subservient to that of their parent legion, the Drowned are attracted to that which will allow them to make a name for themselves. They do not care for their personal glory, but do not want others to profit from their own sacrifices; victories that were won by the Drowned should be attributed to them.

 

While the other legions for the most part were able to operate freely, the XVIth were split up; whether this is on the orders of the Crusade High Command, or Lord Commander Hennasohn's, I'm going to leave it vague - other than that Hennasohn made it known that it was out of his hands. Other Legions were able to operate in their large fleets, and single handedly prosecture major campaigns; the Drowned would have lacked any of that. The basest way to appeal to the XVIth would be to a; stop referring to them as the Lanterns (possibly returning back to Legio XVIth, or go back to calling them "The Drowned Men", and b; give them the opportunity to prosecute the kinds of war that other legions can.

 

If you were going to apologise to someone, and said "Sorry", that would be one thing, but to say "sorry", bring a gift, and have that "gift" be a bit crap is going to be even more insulting; hence the need for A-Grade allies. The choice over what happens sees how the Drowned continue to view the Halcyon Wardens. 

[simison]

Given Alexandros' position as one of the only two Primarchs of the Imperium, he has the leeway to make a suitable gift. This would be one of the times that would warrant Darshan's divination to ensure success. 

 

Whether it be ships, equipment, or allied detachments.

[simison]

Plague of Madness

 

During the seventh year of the Great Crusade, a transformation fell on the V^th Legion. It began when several legionaries exhibited the abilities to foresee the future and read the thoughts of others. Then the few became a few dozen, then a few hundred, then a few thousand. As these psykers developed, many of them discovered their abilities either limited or unable to grow beyond the powers of divination and telepathy with some exceptions. While the change was unexpected, the V^th Legion quickly put these psykers to work, augmenting Legion combat efficiency. With the ability to predict enemy maneuvers and disorient their minds, the Legion enjoyed its new advantage on the battlefield.

 

Unfortunately, this tool of war turned against its masters. The first documented case happened during the Ork Extermination campaign in the Hamadan cluster. A legionary, 3^rd Lieutenant Froid, was leading his brothers on a flank attack against a small mob. Another legion element was to open fire and draw the attention of the mob before Froid's unit launched a rear attack and crush them. Moments before the trap was ready, Froid, who had been using his powers to reveal the xenos' exact positions in cover, abruptly gave the order to charge, ruining their element of surprise and support. Throughout the entire melee, the officer was shouting and screaming with unheard of barbarity as they fought. Even with the assistance of their support element, the greenskins died only after inflicting high casualties, including Froid himself who was bifurcated by a power klaw.

 

Lieutenant Froid's case would not be the last. Less than two months later, a veteran sergeant by the name of Goverian succumbed to an affliction of acute paranoia and was removed from active duty before he could do harm. Then a new recruit, one who had never shown any signs of being a psyker, was diagnosed with multiple personality disorder after his second campaign. What began as a trickle grew into a dismal steady pool of mental health issues, though it never neared the catastrophic levels of the XI^th Legion's flesh-change affliction. The most infamous incident occurred when Lord Commander Yeshie, the head of the Legion itself, fell under the sway of schizophrenia and died of it.

 

Unfortunately, while the Legion was never crippled by this strange endemic of madness, their reputation took a much more critical wounding. Although the Great Crusade fought against improper beliefs, especially inane superstitions, rumors pointed to an ill-define curse upon the V^th Legion. Imperial Army units ordered to field with the Legion were more wary, and this suspicion (though not entirely misplaced) hampered cohesion and operational effectiveness. To their brother Legions, the V^th Legion became something of a minor embarrassment, which had a far greater impact on the Legion's reaction to their new struggle. 

 

In order to stem the tide, new Chapter Master, Lord Commander Irvin Ruel, enacted a general ban on battle-psykers since they represented the majority of the afflicted. Additionally, a reinforced Opsequiarii was given the important duty for policing the Legion and discovering and intercepting any incidents that may follow. His efforts proved to be a balm on the issue, decreasing the number of incidents, but never outright ending them. It would ultimately take a Primarch to provide a more powerful solution.

 

[is 'Opsequiarian' the correct plural form of 'Opsequiari'?]

Edited March 29, 2018 by simison