The Broverse Inquisition

[Sigismund229]

An Inquisitive Nature

Malcador looked at three astartes in front of him, each towering over him physically and yet still they seemed dwarfed by him. All three wore the silver of the Hands, all three had been hand picked from amidst the ranks of their legion for their skill and bravery. There was Toraghan, a Crimson Lion. Taller than the other two and built like one of the lion's of his homeworld, Toraghan's face was a laticework of scars, some ritual others caused by battle, an experienced warrior without a doubt and loyal to a fault, his masterfully crafted axe hanging from a loop on his belt. Then there was Aios of Ithaca, a Champion of the XIX, his armour sculpted to resemble the scales of the serpents and the waves of Iona, his helmet's crown encircled by a laurel wreath. His face bore an eerie resemblance to that of Pionius Santor and where the Crimson Lion's was covered in scars, Aios' face had yet to be marked. Then there was the final member of this fellowship, Deschain of the XII. An expert in fighting with dual sabres as well as a pariah, Deschain's movements had a fluidity to them that his brother's lacked, with his fighting style resembling a well choreographed dance more than the furious struggle to survive that Malcador saw epitomized in other legions. This style was reflected in the movement of his slender form, each one being subtle, a single fluid motion. Wearing his facemask to control his pariah powers, Deschain was the most mysterious of the three gathered before Malcador, his features constantly concealed save for his eyes, which emitted a faint blue light as with many of the sons of Caerbanogg.

 

As he turned over the first of the three tarot cards he had laid out in front of him, Malcador addressed the three astartes saying "The Stormborn's great game has begun. The pieces are already moving. A primarch has already fallen. However, the Stormborn was not as careful in his preparations as he believed. There are still those amongst his legions who stay true to the Emperor. In times such as these, such individuals will be sorely needed, men and women of strong will, courage and above all an inquisitive nature" he said as he turned over the final tarot card, a sheperd's crook. A sheperd's crook, an axe and an angel. A small smile spread slowly across the Sigilite's features. "You are to seek out a legionnaire of the VII named Khârn. He shall be the first to return to us from the traitor ranks. The first Errant Knight".

Edited March 13, 2016 by Sigismund229

[Sigismund229]

Sorry for the double post

With the main keep being on the homeworld of an (initially) traitor legion, a civil war among the Night Guard is bound to happen.

Yeah, although I always imagined the Keep being secret, not known by the Warbringers(right legion?) so it would probably only be revealed once some Nightguard turned traitor

[bluntblade]

Ah, just one thing. The Shepherds will be keeping a long way away from the Berserkers until Raktra goes after them. So, our inquisitive Astartes will more likely be looking for any surviving Shepherds. And perhaps any stragglers from the scattered Legions.

[Sigismund229]

Ah, just one thing. The Shepherds will be keeping a long way away from the Berserkers until Raktra goes after them. So, our inquisitive Astartes will more likely be looking for any surviving Shepherds. And perhaps any stragglers from the scattered Legions.

My thinking was that they were looking for Khârn specifically to join the Knights Errant(or what will become the Knights Errant/the Hands) and any other Sheperds who came with him would be deployed as ordinary astartes(depending on their numbers)

[MikhalLeNoir]

Uhm...if the astartes are selected for malcador, i would think that the most worthy are selected. Champions of unmatched nobility and standing to terra no matter what. So really making them too going civil war is just a copy and paste of the conflict we already doing. Beeing more in conflict to fight their old Brothers standing against the wishes of their primarchs would imho be more interesting or. If they guard the warprifts, they habe to stay neutral, never meddle in worldy affairs and only engage in combat after it is visible that the traitors work with chaos.

[Nomus Sardauk]

Well Khârn would've spent years teaching him that as it is, but I like that. He "adopts" him shortly after Raktra's reunited with the Legion, so I'm thinking Nux would be a lieutenant (if I recall, they had those instead of a senior sergeant for each company) by the time Icarion rebels. While Nux is certainly still learning, he's no neophyte.

I was basing Nux off the story you wrote in the BoU thread, a disgraced Berzerker cursed with pangs of conscience who can't be the heartless butcher his Legion demands.

 

I imagina after his squad is killed by the Inwit's last counterattack Nux is found by Khârn and the Shepards who are looking for Inwit survivors to covertly save, although they care nothing for Nux he barters for his life with info on the location of a hidden shelter he overheard the Inwit mention whilst immobilised in his de-powered armour.

 

After the Shepards rescue the sparse handful of Inwit survivors Nux decides to join them, realising he'll never be able to make it in the Berzerkers and secretly intrigued by the Shepard's honourable nature. Although a loathed outsider at first, eventually Khârn & Nux become sort-of friends, and when the Insurrection kicks off and the Knights Errant/Nightguard are first formed the two end up amongst their ranks, voila!

[Sigismund229]

Uhm...if the astartes are selected for malcador, i would think that the most worthy are selected. Champions of unmatched nobility and standing to terra no matter what. So really making them too going civil war is just a copy and paste of the conflict we already doing. Beeing more in conflict to fight their old Brothers standing against the wishes of their primarchs would imho be more interesting or. If they guard the warprifts, they habe to stay neutral, never meddle in worldy affairs and only engage in combat after it is visible that the traitors work with chaos.

Mikhal, the idea I had for a civil war within the Nightguard was that the majority stay neutral and take the "We serve the Imperium, no matter who its master is" line but then some are out right wanting to support the Emperor or Icarion(due to not fully forgetting their previous lives as they should have done) and a three way battle opens up in which the all three fight each other, althiugh very few of the neutrals are killed, and it ends with the extremists being imprisoned and standing trial for their actions later. I thought the Nightguard would then stay neutral for the rest of the Insurrection until Icarion&co. start being Chaosy at which point they enter the war on the loyalist side and act like a chaos busting Death watch(mainly cos I have a scene building in my mind when a group of them try to kill Icarion and another where they try to persuade Gwal to join the Emperor's cause) Edited March 13, 2016 by Sigismund229

[MikhalLeNoir]

Ahh, okay. But does it need a rightput civil war? Disputes, discussiom and tension , the brooding before a conflict can sometimes work wonders. Especially as we have the rest of the galaxy in open war. Tthe extremists could leave and try to persuade the different forces tonsit on a desk and negotiate( of course all in vain). I mean: wouldn't it be nice if malcador tries to drag them into war and they reply with an oath they swore in the lines of: "we are the nightguard, we forfeit our lives. We stand, where nobody stands, we are the wall, which protects. We are the nightguard and we guard the veil iinto the immaterium. We are the nightguard and we only leave the watch when we are dragged dead from our watch"

 

Someone with more english lyric feel should make a real oath and by the way also one for the wardens of light;)

 

 

My problem with a civil war for the nightguard is, that we already have it on so many scales. Imperium, adeptus mechanicus, imperial army, even among the brothers of one legion. Traitors everywhere. Looks like the war of 100 kingdoms in ancient china. But a bit of order amongst the chaos. An army of astartes who feel themselves left alone by the turmoil. The warp is amgry and from the eye and the maelstrom things emerge and the guard can hardly keep them in check and no help comes from traitors, secessiinist and loyalists. All want ti drag thrm into the war and all ignore the signs.

 

What dies the others say? Of course your story layout looks nice and well thought out. Don't misunderstand me, i am sure you do fine. But it could be tiresome (hope it is the right word) if all plays nearly identical out. 3 factions all against all.

 

 

By the way: as thorgaran, aios amd deschain are handpicked by malcador to fetch up Khârn, wouldn't they be then the first knight errant?

Edited March 13, 2016 by MikhalLeNoir

[Sigismund229]

Ahh, okay. But does it need a rightput civil war? Disputes, discussiom and tension , the brooding before a conflict can sometimes work wonders. Especially as we have the rest of the galaxy in open war. Tthe extremists could leave and try to persuade the different forces tonsit on a desk and negotiate( of course all in vain). I mean: wouldn't it be nice if malcador tries to drag them into war and they reply with an oath they swore in the lines of: "we are the nightguard, we forfeit our lives. We stand, where nobody stands, we are the wall, which protects. We are the nightguard and we guard the veil iinto the immaterium. We are the nightguard and we only leave the watch when we are dragged dead from our watch"

 

Someone with more english lyric feel should make a real oath and by the way also one for the wardens of light;)

 

 

My problem with a civil war for the nightguard is, that we already have it on so many scales. Imperium, adeptus mechanicus, imperial army, even among the brothers of one legion. Traitors everywhere. Looks like the war of 100 kingdoms in ancient china. But a bit of order amongst the chaos. An army of astartes who feel themselves left alone by the turmoil. The warp is amgry and from the eye and the maelstrom things emerge and the guard can hardly keep them in check and no help comes from traitors, secessiinist and loyalists. All want ti drag thrm into the war and all ignore the signs.

 

What dies the others say? Of course your story layout looks nice and well thought out. Don't misunderstand me, i am sure you do fine. But it could be tiresome (hope it is the right word) if all plays nearly identical out. 3 factions all against all.

 

 

By the way: as thorgaran, aios amd deschain are handpicked by malcador to fetch up Khârn, wouldn't they be then the first knight errant?

Actually I like that. How about a fierce debate breaks out amongst the Nightguard and they take a vote and vote to stay out of it, refusing to be drawn into the war by Malcador(and they are forced to imprison some of the most extreme among them to stop them joining either side, although some escaoe and do anyway) as the Insurrection goes on for longer and longer they have more and more trouble containing the forces of the warp and receive help from the Wardens of Light. However, Icarion also sends a force of Lightning Bearers to help to try and win the Nightguard's allegiance but they see how far the Lightning Bearers have fallen and turn against them?

Thid gives the Wardens of Light something to do during the Insurrection whilst staying neutral but also it makes the Nightguard a neutral force for most of the Insurrection.

[MikhalLeNoir]

I like that. That wouldn't go against the will of Gwal who is suffering a long time from the quarith drugs. The wardens who help at the nightguards tower could actually be the connection to the outsideworld and they could reort to caerbannog and give half of the legion reason enough to leave for terra as the wardens helping the nightguard have witnessed the darkness of the lightnjngbearers and the danger that comes from the warp.

Irony: i think Gwal will then regain his conscience or senses and after he realized what happened all the time he set sails for terra too. But i need it to write it that way, that is is kept open if he wants to drag his sons back or if he wants to join loyalists or terrorists^^

[Sigismund229]

The Vow

Brother Ulric of the Iron Bears knelt in his freshly re painted pitch black armour. He had had many identities over his life. Before he was brother Ulric of the Iron Bears, he had been brother Ulric of the Space Wolves. Now, he was about to shed his skin once more and become a brother of the Nightguard. Over the past months, he had gradually cast off all traces of his life as an Iron Bear, getting rid of all traces of it and finally painting over his old legions colours in the pitch black of the Nightguard, painting over the proud sigil of the Bears with a single unblinking eye. In front of him were three brothers of the Nightguard, both already wearing the black armour of the brotherhood, both staying fully helmed, for they could show their face to no one outside of the brotherhood of the Nightguard. They were surrounded by shadow. It surrounded them and the only light came from a small lantern one of them carried.

 

The foremost of them, carrying a book called the Tome of Night, was the first to speak. He said "Do you, brother Ulric of the VI, wish to join the Nighguard wholeheartedly?". Ulric replied "I do" and the same brother said again "And have you cast off all traces of your past life?" and Ulric once again said "I have". Nodding the same brother spoke again saying "Then I shall hear your vow" at which point another spoke and said "And I shall witness it" before the third one spoke and said "I too shall witness it". Holding out the Tome of Night, the first brother said "Say the words". Placing his hand upon the tome, Ulric drew a deep breath and began:

"As the night gathers and the warp stirs I take this vow

As the ever lasting night gathers, I shall not falter

I shall be the eternal eye

I shall be the eternal watcher

I shall be the eternal guardian

I shall take no part in the politics of men

I shall suffer no evil to live

I shall know no fear

With my sword shall the night be held at bay and the warp turned back

I am the eternal eye

I am the eternal watcher

I am the eternal guardian

I take no part in the politics of men

I suffer no evil to live

I know no fear

The night gathers and my watch begins. It shall not end and I shall know no rest until my death for by my blood is the realm of men kept safe. In the service of man shall my life be forfeit, for I am a guardian of the Imperium

The shield against the night

The wall against the Immaterium

I am a warden of humanity and now my watch begins. I shall not leave my post until my death for when my blood has soaked the ground, the price shall have been paid in full and my duty fulfilled.

I am the shield of man and I know no fear."

After Ulric said that final sentence, the three Nightguard present removed their helms and they opened the door on the lanterns, banishing the shadows and lighting up their faces as the astartes holding the book withdrew it and said "Rise, brother Tyarn Hal of the Nightguard".

Edited March 13, 2016 by Sigismund229

[bluntblade]

 

I was basing Nux off the story you wrote in the BoU thread, a disgraced Berzerker cursed with pangs of conscience who can't be the heartless butcher his Legion demands.

 

I imagina after his squad is killed by the Inwit's last counterattack Nux is found by Khârn and the Shepards who are looking for Inwit survivors to covertly save, although they care nothing for Nux he barters for his life with info on the location of a hidden shelter he overheard the Inwit mention whilst immobilised in his de-powered armour.

 

After the Shepards rescue the sparse handful of Inwit survivors Nux decides to join them, realising he'll never be able to make it in the Berzerkers and secretly intrigued by the Shepard's honourable nature. Although a loathed outsider at first, eventually Khârn & Nux become sort-of friends, and when the Insurrection kicks off and the Knights Errant/Nightguard are first formed the two end up amongst their ranks, voila!

 

You're jumping the gun a wee bit ;) that story's being written at the moment.

 

 

My thinking was that they were looking for Khârn specifically to join the Knights Errant(or what will become the Knights Errant/the Hands) and any other Sheperds who came with him would be deployed as ordinary astartes(depending on their numbers)

 

That works fine, it's just the context that'll be different. The Shepherds will have been shattered by an attack by the Berserkers. Not sure how many will survive other than Khârn and Nux.

Edited March 13, 2016 by bluntblade

[Nomus Sardauk]

 

 

I was basing Nux off the story you wrote in the BoU thread, a disgraced Berzerker cursed with pangs of conscience who can't be the heartless butcher his Legion demands.

 

I imagina after his squad is killed by the Inwit's last counterattack Nux is found by Khârn and the Shepards who are looking for Inwit survivors to covertly save, although they care nothing for Nux he barters for his life with info on the location of a hidden shelter he overheard the Inwit mention whilst immobilised in his de-powered armour.

 

After the Shepards rescue the sparse handful of Inwit survivors Nux decides to join them, realising he'll never be able to make it in the Berzerkers and secretly intrigued by the Shepard's honourable nature. Although a loathed outsider at first, eventually Khârn & Nux become sort-of friends, and when the Insurrection kicks off and the Knights Errant/Nightguard are first formed the two end up amongst their ranks, voila!

 

You're jumping the gun a wee bit ;) that story's being written at the moment.

 

My apologies blunt, I wasn't trying to say "this is 100% what happened", just giving an example of how Nux might end up with Khârn & the Shepards.

[bluntblade]

No worries mate, I was just trying to make sure you know where I'm going with this. I'm with you on the overall arc.

 

Sticking different bits of the same stories in separate threads can get really confusing too, so I have myself to blame really.

[Big Bad Squig]

While I take the usual obscene amount of time to pick out character names for my representatives, I'll just point out that we will have an undead Hand be the time Nurgle's fun comes into affect (Godslayers), whether or not he stays loyal to Malcador

[bluntblade]

It'll hit all of them? Are we looking at a Lord of Flies situation?

[MikhalLeNoir]

If it hits them all. Well...burning him will end the problem;)

[Demus Ragnok]

Abi-albon Arbath, The Ebon Razor, Paragon of the Host of the Tempests’ Strain, Tribe Vindonnus, Fire Keepers Legion

 

Hand of the Sigillite.

[Sigismund229]

The Vote

Tyarn Hal looked out over the enormous chamber he was at present standing in. Called the Chamber of Voices, it was an enormous room, it's vast ceiling held up by eight vast pillars of black marble, with gold filihree inlaid within it. On the walls surrounding the pillars were painted scenes from the Great Crusade, the Emperor leaving Terra, Warmaster Alexandros receiving the gold wreath that symbolised his rank as Warmaster amidst the azure oceans of Qarith Prime while the legions bowed in unison. How far the legions had fallen since those days. Now brother fought brother and the galaxy drowned in blood. That was why he was in this chamber, along with all the rest of the Nightguard who were present either in person or by hololith. They needed to decide what to do, which side to take in this civil war that was ripping the Imperium apart.

 

The first to speak was brother Kybor, the Mouth of Night, a blank, Kybor had been the first of the Nightguard who still lived. Banging his staff three times on the marble floor of the chamber, he declared "Brothers of the Nightguard. Today we gather to hear opinions and ultimately vote upon the matter of what course of action we must take. The Imperium rips itself apart in vicious civil war and two primarchs call for our support: the Warmaster and the Stormborn. This is the question we gather to answer. Which of these two great leaders shall the Nightguard follow?". He then returned to his seat, leaving the floor open for another speaker to step up and sure enough, brother Arthus Gorn did so.

 

"The proper course of action is obvious!" he declared "We must declare for the Stormborn! He rightfully should have been the Warmaster and now that he has decided to claim his rightful title, we must support him in this war! After all, what does Alexandros know of the horrors of the warp, or the Ghost Crusade? Nothing! The Stormborn understands the horrors the warp spews forth in ways the Warmaster never will and so will be better able to defeat them". "And what if, once Icarion claims the position of Warmaster for himself, he is not content? What if he then decides he wants to be Emperor?" called out brother Tyrus Thorn "The Imperium functions based on loyalty. It can only properly protect man if those tasked with waging its wars stay loyal. We must side with the Emperor and bring Icarion to justice for this rebellion!". So it went on, brother after brother rising to the floor to espouse the virtue's of the Warmaster or the Stormborn. Then, brother Mikael Norim rose to the floor "My brothers of the Nightguard. Upon joining our order, I took a vow of silence. I swore never to speak until my watch had ended. Yet now, I will break that oath. Do none of you remember the vows you swore upon joining our order? I am a warden of humanity and now my watch begins I shall not leave my post for when my blood has soaked the ground the price shall have been paid in full and my duty ended. Do none of you remember? None of you are dead yet. We still have a duty to fulfill and it lies here, guarding the warp rifts not on some backwater world fighting in a civil war that should never have even started. This is our duty and that is what we must do. We cannot let ourselves be involved in the wars and politics of this realm, for our foe is far greater and our duty also. None of you are yet dead and so your watch and duty has not yet ended. I have broken my oath to say this. Do not stray from our duty". While the debate went on, there was little argument after that.

 

Soon, brother Kybor rose again and spoke once more. "Brothers. We have discussed the proper course at great length. Now, we must vote. All in favour of siding with the Stormborn?". A few arms went up in the air. "The Warmaster?". A few more arms went up as those in favour of the Stormborn lowered their arms. "Those in favour of taking no side and staying in our garissons?". A forest of arms rose. The Nightguard had made its decision. Their watch would continue and they would stay at their posts. They remembered their duty.

[Skalpynock]

Kazimierz, wielder of the golden axe of Vostala, once of the IX Legion, Hand of the Sigillite.

[simison]

Brigadier Bur-on, Master of the Flying Javelin, Citadel of the I^st Cohort 

[Sigismund229]

That's for the WoP right Simison? Or is he a Halycon Warden?

[simison]

Sorry, Halcyon Warden.

[simison]

Di-on Swei, Disciple of the Open Palm, Champion of the XVII^th Legion

[Sigismund229]

Thanks simison