I A: Blood Wraiths (Resurrection of a Chapter from 2005)

[Bloodwraith]

Greetings Brothers: I have been on Hiatus from the hobby for awhile but my sons (Emperors Tears) and I have recently returned to the hobby and are resurrecting our old DIY Blood Angels successor we started making back in 2003. Here is a link to the old liber IA my son (dragonking) and I did up: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/81816-blood-wraith-fluff-part-2/

but below you will find a draft revision with some fluff changes and much more to follow as we tie them in with 6 other chapters we are creating for a story called the Dark Odyssey.  We will add pictures of this chapters painted miniatures and update with BB coding in the near future as well.  Comments and critiques are welcome:

 

Founding: 7th

Date: 831.M33 

Geneseed: Blood Angels

Chapter Master: Lord Damien Geiger, Master of the Red Death

Homeworld: Wormwood

Colors: Black/charcoal grey and Blood red/red gore

Chapter symbol: Silver Skull with Black Bat wings with a blood drop on the skull.

 

++Homeworld++

 

Wormwood is just what it sounds like, it is a world locked in perpetual darkness/twilight. It is at the utmost distance from its sun that a planet can be in order for it to be habitable, without being subject to extreme hot or cold. Because of its 4 moons its lunar cycle causes constant rain and fog, making it a rather depressing place. Its axis, rotation and four orbiting moons Wormwood gets very little ambient sun light. The light it does receive for about 4 hours a day is the reflection of light off its moons which equates to morning twilight as mentioned above. The temperature is constantly moderate there are no harsh winters but there are also no sweltering summers either. The world has constant rain; at least once a day for 20-30 minutes a day. There is a large civilization on Wormwood which is rated as pre gunpowder...only because the whole sale use of it as a weapon has not been discovered yet. The society is rich in culture and equivalent to earth during the late Dark ages/early renaissance period, with constant class struggle and wars between aristocratic powers seeking to gain more power and control. It is a feudal world with many different civilizations. But all the civilizations religious beliefs tend to center around one context. The world however is very "Gothic" in nature. The use of flamboyant or bright colors is hardly used except for in artwork, and then only rarely. There are three major religions on this world all of which seem to link together and revolve around Maabe the Lord of Darkness and the Underworld. He has also been known as the Blood God to many of the sects. For the people of Wormwood, they believe that only pain  allows them to reach a heightened state of enlightenment and it is this self-torture over their life that allows them passage thru the gates to the Underworld, once there they can achieve salvation and freedom from eternal darkness.

 

Obviously because of the absence of ambient light there skin is very fair, and most of them have dark eyes almost solid black. 1 in 4 people are color blind....but all have incredible night vision equal to that of a predatory bird that hunts by night. There society is broken down into a class system structure: the working class, the merchant class, the military or lesser nobility, and the ecclesiastical and the ruling faction or aristocracy. There is absolutely no upward mobility in this society, although a merchant may be monetarily more wealthy then a lesser Noble from the military class, he does not have the same rights nor privileges as the noble...and if there is an attempt to manipulate this the punishment is extremely harsh possibly even death. The societies of this world also practice minor ritual self-mutilation, animal sacrifice, ritual piercing, bloodletting and many other rituals in honor of Maabe.

 

Wormwood has been cast in a continuous history of bloody conflicts and wars between the remaining six kingdoms. The last war was over 140 years in length and was responsible for the deaths of millions of warriors and commoners alike. There has been an unstable truce among the kingdoms since then but it is a very fragile truce that could be easily broken under the right circumstances.

 

It is possible that at one time eons ago this world may have been tainted by chaos, although there are no remaining elements of chaos itself there are many signs in the development of these people and their culture that this possibility remains. These people are also very superstitious and do believe in ghosts, demons angels etc....

The Blood Wraiths adopted and continue the practice of Bloodletting and ritual mutilation, they are used to help give the marines concentration and focus.

 

It was believed that the world of Wormwood had been used as secret grounds of recruitment and resource for the Night Lords during and after the Heresy, when they would venture out of the void. They had been known to operate there fleet and assaults from this region.

 

+++Planet Lore and Mythos+++

 

It is also believed that prior to the heresy during the Emperors Great crusade, The Emperor accompanied by Sanguinuis himself stepped foot on the soil of Wormwood, for what reason it is unknown for sure. Perhaps they were looking for one of the missing Primarchs. It is also believed that it was the Blood Angels years later, that drove out or away the evil (Night Lords) from this world and this region of space.

 

Although there is no definite proof or record of this in The Blood Angels records or in the historical writings of this world. There is however a legend of a Great Warrior with a Dark bitter sadness who rescued the world from a grim evil and then swore that either he or his descendants would one day return from the heavens to lead the people out of the grim darkness.

 

+++History+++

 

It was not until the Night Lords returned to these regions centuries after the Heresy, that this world of perpetual darkness came into the light of the Imperium once more. A Night Lords Warband, seeking to find a new world to claim as their refuge, desired a tactical location to launch strikes in to the heart of Empire and disrupt the False Emperors legacy.

When an Imperial scout ship picked up the Night Lords fleet in the region it immediately sent an encrypted message to Terra before it was discovered and destroyed. The encrypted message was received by the Blood Angels who had been in a nearby system quelling an ork Invasion. The Blood Angels under Scipeo Immediately responded. They launched an all-out offensive in space and on the planet to turn back the taint of the Night Lords from this world. After several months of fighting the Night Lords retreated back into the void of space.

 

Surprisingly, during the conflict, the Dark Warriors of this primitive world fought bravely and nobly alongside the Blood Angels and the Imperial forces. Commander Scipeo, stumbled upon the legend of the Dark Warrior and realized that these people had come to look upon and revere him as the returning liberator. They also reveled in the return of those who would lead them from darkness.

 

The noble lords recognized him as the Blood Lord, descendant of the great Dark warrior. The religious sect declared him "The Reverent Defender of the Faith." When these reports were made back to Terra, after great deliberation it was decided by the High Lords of Terra that this world would be the base and source of one of the new chapters to be assigned to the holy 7th founding. Because of the high activity of the forces of chaos in this region they were assigned to be the guardians of this region. The decision was also made that this chapter of the new founding would come from the Blood Angels seed because of their strong connection to this world.

 

 The servitors and initiates of the fledgling chapter labored intensely and established a large Cathedral fortress outside the limits of the Kingdom of Dartmouths capital city of Ravens Baine. They drew the bulk of their candidates from the third born male child of each of the Noble houses.  It was tradition in families to have seven children, first born male sale be the heir, second born male the high marshal and protector of the house, three male heirs to be the generals of their armies and two daughters for marriages and alliances. These generational practices created a large noble warrior class to choose from. The chaplains and Apothecaries are taken from the Diocese of priests, while the librarians come mainly from the class of rogue scholars (latent psychers often oracles, sages and advisors to the nobles).

 

The chapter was eventually named "The Blood Wraiths" by its first Chapter Master and former Captain of the Blood Angels first company, Lord Thaddeus Fain.  The name was meant to represent the Blood of the Sanguinuis seed and the Blood that was spilled by the Blood Angels to save this world. The second part of the name, Wraiths came from a large apex predatory animal of this world. The Wraith was considered the perfect predator, it can almost perfectly meld into shadows and gives off almost no heat signature.  These creatures prey normally becomes aware of its presence only right as it strikes its deathblow.

 

As for the Wraith, the large predator on their world...that is a little dark secret.  It is the only remaining remnant from when the world had been tainted by chaos.

 

For many decades after the chapter was founded it continued to crusade alongside the Blood Angels and several successor chapters such as the Blood Drinkers. It is from the Blood Drinkers that these marines took a heavy influence of embracing their homeworlds rituals combined with embracing the urges within their geneseed. During these operations the Blood Wraiths proved to be a devastating force assault force. When the world Revenant II was overrun by chaos, the Blood wraiths assaults crippled and destroyed the chaos force. They also retook the resource planet of Capillius after the Imperial guard failed to hold it against an Ork force under War boss Mahn Eighder.

 

+++Rituals+++

 

The Blood Wraiths practice ritual bloodletting before battle and believe the pain gives them focus and drives their anger to destroy the enemies of the empire.

 

They also practice ritual scarring to mark completion of successful campaigns. They slowly begin to cover their bodies in scarification tattoos where each tattoo marks the increase in rank and stature among the marines. The Blood wraiths collect the skulls and ritually consume the hearts of their fallen enemies these sacred rites are also used to by the chaplains aid in the control of their death company.

 

++Dark Secret++

 

The Blood Wraiths have discovered there is after all still a taint of chaos on their home world and its society but have not been able to root it out. They have desperately kept this secret from the Imperium and the inquisition as they try to seek it out and destroy it themselves. When a new chapter master is selected upon the death of his predecessor, there is a long ritual involving the Blood of both former and current "Wraith Lord" it also involves the consumption of his blood. They believe this will give him additional power and knowledge. The ancient Wormwood ritual involves calling on Mabbe the god of their homeworld that the Blood Wraiths have embraced as a divine inspirational being, to bless the right of the new Lord. What really happens is they end up summoning a blessing from Khorne for the Wraithlord. Because the ritual is performed by Librarians and chaplains the sphere of control over the over the ritual sometimes leaves the new "Wraithlord" somewhat insane and tainted. The new Wraithlords that are tainted or driven Insane seem to cover their insanity like a harden serial killer could.

 

Khorne has been manipulating the blood lust of this chapter for centuries and finds it a sadistic pleasure to have a Chapter of Marines that believe themselves loyal to the Imperium of man at his fingertips.

 

It is very possible that Maabe may in all reality be a the chaos God Khorne, unknown to the people of Wormwood. There is also a sect that talks of a "messiah" who will come and lead them out of darkness. This Messiah is said to come from a place of great turmoil to bring salvation and order to deliver them from the false one.

[Dredmour]

Just to note, the 7th founding was in late M33, not M36. It started 831.M33 to be exact. While there is no stated record of the 7th founding, it is the 7th founding to have happened. I would also recommend combining some sections for the sake of redundancy and to make it more easily readable. I would merge the following sections,

• Merge "Homeworld", "More World Fluff", and "Planet Lore and Mythos" into just "Homeworld"
• Combine both sections of the "Dark Secret" as well as the "Rival" into one, and place it as a sub section of the history
• Expand upon "Rituals" and place them as a sub section of "Chapter Belief System" to expand upon the values of the chapter later

[Bloodwraith]

Edits/corrections noted and some made.

 

So of note, the Chapters involved in the coming story thread the Dark Odyssey/quick discription of their involvement, will be:

 

1. The Emperors Tears - will bounce back and forth between protagonist and antagonist (Formally the Emperors Wrath explained in their I.A. which will be re-edited and re-submitted as part of The Dark Odyssey story)  - Geneseed : Blood Angels

 

2. The Sons of Charon - ( eventually will go renegade/still loyal to empire but their methods are not acceptable to the establishment their posted I.A. by Ruewyn will also be edited and resubmitted to tie into the Dark Odyssey) Geneseed : Blood Angels

 

3. The Blood Wraiths - Will be our primary protagonists (Also our primary army in miniatures) Geneseed : Blood Angels

 

4. The Hangmen ( Second army we are actually building in miniature form) Heavily aligned with the Inquisition and the Mechanicus explained in the I.A.  - Geneseed : Imperial Fist (Executioners chapter helps form their first cadre and act as a mentor during early founding next I.A. to come in the chain) 

 

5. The Steel Dawn- (Will be nearly destroyed during the story but survive out of sheer tenacity and go on self imposed penitent crusade for actions during the Dark Odyssey) - Geneseed: Iron Hands

 

6. The Ronin - Geneseed: White Scars

 

7. The Stygian Brotherhood (Eventually turn to Chaos and become The Brotherhood of Osiris, third I.A. planned and also a small battle-force of miniatures being made with new Thousand Sons mini's) - Geneseed: Ultramarines