BotL - Monthly fluff challenge

[simison]

So, Drak, what would you like to see?

[~Drakzilla~]

Well, generally I'd like to see more of the Legion's culture and approach to warfare explored. They are the second-smallest legion during the Crusade, and yet they are one of the most effective with their numbers. What makes them so successful, what sets them apart? How are their relations with other legions?

 

I'd love to see more character-driven bits from the Warriors. I think they're easy to write about in an encyclopedic manner, but focusing on the legionnaires themselves would be a good way to show off their individual mindset and culture.

 

Anything that explores Jade is always welcome, too, especially his interactions with his own sons or brothers. 

 

And if anybody has questions I'm happy to answer them!

[Sigismund229]

Well, generally I'd like to see more of the Legion's culture and approach to warfare explored. They are the second-smallest legion during the Crusade, and yet they are one of the most effective with their numbers. What makes them so successful, what sets them apart? How are their relations with other legions?

Taking a small break from writing about the SL(will still be working on them, just on  backburner). Guess I know what I'll be using that break to write about now

[simison]

Well, generally I'd like to see more of the Legion's culture and approach to warfare explored. They are the second-smallest legion during the Crusade, and yet they are one of the most effective with their numbers. What makes them so successful, what sets them apart? How are their relations with other legions?

 

Hmmm, I'm imagining that, given the cultural emphasis on duty and honour, there is a high emphasis on discipline and coordination in this Legion. Actually, given their small size, one way to represent that is a leaner chain of command, but I'm not sure how far to go with that.

 

Ritual might be a huge thing with the Warriors. Or drill and ceremony, using modern military terms.

 

The General is a scientist who sees war as the ultimate laboratory. So, an emphasis on precision and experimentation. Honestly, I'm starting to imagine the Warriors of Peace as an Eastern equivalent to the Emperor's Children. No tactic is beyond improvement, no tool above advancement. 

[~Drakzilla~]

I think one concept I've wanted to explore is the inherent paradoxes present within the legion. There are a lot of aspects about them that make them almost like a mirror to the White Scars. The Scars are paradoxical in that they give off the appearance of being savages who take perverse pleasure in warfare, yet have strong culture and nobility and appreciation for the arts.

 

On the other hand, the Warriors are mainly shown to possess extreme discipline and logical pragmatism, as well as a cold detachment from humanity. Yet they also have an aspect that strives to master warfare as an art form, they have strong cultural traditions and a focus on individual honor, and they have a sort of idealism that drives them to seek a better future for mankind.

 

Like Sim said, they are always striving for improvement, but they are also generally very humble, seeing themselves as primarily weapons for war.

Basically, there is a lot of potential nuance behind the Warriors of Peace that is a gold mine waiting to be explored.

[simison]

Trying to think of something material to show this kind of dual nature. Thought about weapon smithing, but that feels like it's intruding upon the Fire Keepers' and Iron Bears' domain. 

 

So, my thoughts landed on uniforms. More often than not, outside of combat, marines tend to wear robes or sleeve suits. What if the Warriors kept all the markings on their armoured very scant and subtle. But, outside of combat, they don these regal robes and elaborate outfits that reveal how they pursue their ideals, rank attained, and honours earned?

[bluntblade]

How do you reckon that mentality might show in the Legion's structure and hierarchy?

[~Drakzilla~]

@Sim: So, the vast majority of Warriors favor practical armour customization like additional ablative armour or that sort of thing. However, certain Orders or higher ranking officers will add more visual embellishments, especially when it comes to Artificer armour. 

 

As for their out-of-combat dress, my image of the Warriors was actually more monastic, with Shaolin monk-like robes rather than the elaborate clothes work by Chinese aristocracy. Though, as with the armour, officers may have ornate clothes that lean towards the latter.

 

The second part of this actually ties into Blunt's question. So, in addition to the standard Legion structure, the Warriors also subdivide themselves into informal battlefield specializations. Some of you may recall a post I did describing the different colors they bear based on their role. If not, here you go: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/326892-legio-xvii-the-warriors-of-peace-a-new-beginning/?p=4533477

 

Each of these roles (which should really be named) is basically a path or a "club" that the Warriors are part of. A Warrior of Peace will denote which path he follows by wearing the appropriate color on his armour or clothing, in the form of markings, sashes, plumes, trim, etc. These paths are also pretty flexible, so it is possible to change paths or belong to multiple paths at once. 

 

Another divergence from standard organization are the Generals. These are hand picked by the Jade General himself to act with near-absolute authority over the Legion and any of their vassal worlds. They also serve as his counsel and emissaries to other legions and forces. Right now the only named General is the Bronze General, Zhukelion, who is second in command of the Legion. There are only about four or five Generals, besides Jade.

 

Then there's the Iron Monks, who exist outside the Legion's structure. Basically, a Warrior can choose to give up his rank and any honors in order to devote himself to the teachings of their Primarch and the monastic orders of Jin. The Iron Monks technically exist as a warrior clade of the Jin monasteries rather than a part of the Legion itself, yet it is highly respected by the Legion as a whole. Upon becoming a Monk, there is no rejoining the Legion, unless the Jade General or one of the other Generals personally orders it.

Edited July 20, 2017 by ~Drakzilla~

[simison]

Alright, I think want to develop one of the paths. Looking at the linked post, I want to focus on the 'green' ones. So, how big or encompassing are these paths? How many subdivisions would a path have? 

[~Drakzilla~]

So the green path I think is going to be called the Yujidao, very roughly translating to the Path of Striking Jade. These paths originally come from the traditions of the Jin monks, and are up to the individual legionnaire to decide which to belong to.

 

The individual paths permeate through the entire legion, from the lowest rank to the highest, and across the lines of standard Legion organization. So because the Yujidao represents the ideals of swiftness, fury and martial prowess, most assault squads are members, along with legion champions, jump pack-focused squads, etc.

 

Vehicles and their crew are also included, so things like Javelin speeders, Jetbikes, or even Sicaran battle tanks would belong to the Yujidao. (Though the latter could also overlap with the 'blue' path.)

 

As far as subdivisions go, there are as many sub-paths as there are monasteries on Jin. Each has a slightly different interpretation, which is why there is such variety of followers. So one Warrior trained in a certain monastery may have been taught to fulfill the Yujidao through agility and speed, while another may favor overwhelming firepower as the answer.

 

Also notable is that the most famous adherent to the Yujidao is the Jade General himself, the greatest hand-to-hand combatant of his Legion and his homeworld.

[simison]

In that case, I think I'll focus on a monastery path that has become popular with the bikers of the Legion. Unlike assault squads and jetbikes who can operate in three dimensions, being land-based would have an impact on their particular creed. An emphasis on the necessary balance between being swift yet aware of the terrain. 

 

Also, White Scar fans may specifically come here, curious about what's different between WS and WoP biker cultures. So, might as well have something ready for them that can note the similarities but also emphasize the differences between the two.

[~Drakzilla~]

That sounds like a solid idea. *Insert Drak stamp of approval*

[simison]

Swift Earth Style

 

The outriders of the XVII^th Legion did not follow in the same creeds that their fellow brothers did among the assaults squads or the jetbike squardons. While the three forces enjoyed similar benefits of speed, the outriders could not match their brothers in sheer flight capability. Thus, they eschewed the creeds of Striking Wind Style and Linshan for one that truly respected their more limited maneuverability. 

 

Swift Earth Style was more balanced between the necessary speed the outriders used to accomplish their tasks yet more at home with the earth unlike the other creeds. Perception, in particular, was a key skill as outriders needed to be able to memorize the terrain within a blink of an eye to best utilize their 'steeds' for reconnaissance and against the enemy.

 

While the utility of Swift Earth Style was undeniable, it was slightly controversial. For the monastery it originated from did not lie in the heart of Jin civilization but on its outskirts. It was there where this style was mastered through a combination of traditional Jin martial arts and barbarian horse-lords beyond the borders. 

 

[There's a rough draft. How should I handle naming conventions and any suggestions?]

Edited July 26, 2017 by simison

[~Drakzilla~]

I like it. I like it a lot. For the other styles, perhaps you could name drop the monasteries from which they originated as well. 

 

Naming-wise, there could be a bit more variety in the styles. So rather than having them all be [verb-ing] [noun], have more [adjective] [noun] or just [noun] or whatever. There could also be styles named for a geographic location on Jin or for their temple. 

[bluntblade]

The Jade General

Honed on the battlefields of Jin, the Jade General’s mind set him apart even among his brothers. Unsentimental to the point of foregoing a name, many assumed he would be a distant commander, directing rather than leading his troops. However the Primarch swiftly dispelled this notion, viewing his own power as a weapon to be wielded like any other - with utmost precision. Combining an understanding of biology that few could equal with the breathtaking finesse of Jin martial arts, in battle he was a warrior of absolute composure, no matter the chaos around him.

 

While adept with a wide variety of weapons, the General preferred to employ his astonishing martial arts ability - one might say unarmed combat, but such an adjective never truly applied to a Primarch. Often his foes were undone by their sheer bewilderment when they faced him. Few things were so incongruous in an age of volkites, plasma and grav-weaponry as a warrior who slew with fists and feet. He became a strange paradox, taciturn in person but inspirational on the battlefield.

 

However, there existed a flaw in his composure; a distrust and dislike of psykers that bordered on the obsessive. His efforts to combat their spread by engineering an increase in the number of pariahs were blunted first by opposition within the Imperium and then brought to a complete halt at the Vizenko Prosecution. Resentful and with his obsession undimmed, the Jade General seized on Icarion’s offer of the freedom to continue his research. It was not without remorse that he ordered his sons to turn their guns upon their kin, but with cold clarity he deemed it necessary. Along with Kozja he made a point of taking the gene-seed of enemy Astartes where possible, and his ambitions began to curdle.

 

Hands of the Storm

The product of many years’ refinement, these unique thunder gauntlets contained archeotech disruptor-cells of rare potency, surpassing almost any full-sized power fist in sheer power. Coupled with the Primarch’s native strength, speed and skill, they sealed the fates of uncounted foes.

 

The Obsidian Fang

The finest example of Jin blade-crafting ever to exist, the Obsidian Fang was the sword favoured by the Jade General whenever he required such a weapon. As with all his weapons, it was optimised for lightning-quick attacks and economy rather than the heavy blades wielded by many of his brothers.

 

The Equilibrium Plate

Favouring mobility over protection, the Equilibrium plate nonetheless was incredibly strong. The product of several months’ toil in the XVIth Legion’s forges, it was a suit of artificer armour based on an amalgam of Maximus plate and the prototype designs for Mk VI. Its already sophisticated systems were further augmented with medicae devices fashioned by the Jade General himself.

Edited July 25, 2017 by bluntblade

[simison]

Also, I'm now taking votes and suggestions for next month's pick.

[~Drakzilla~]

Loving this! A few things to note:

 

I would downplay that he "dislikes" Psykers, more like he sees them as potentially too dangerous and...chaotic (small 'C'). I believe we are establishing that Jin was plagued by psyker warlords unleashing warp entities to subjugate the populace before Jade's liberation, thus he sees the use of the Warp as a threat. 

 

Jade's armament is actually a set of boots and gauntlets, and they are known as War and Peace, respectively.

 

The Obsidian Fang makes use of creepy Dark Age tech to sap its victim's strength. Usually gets pulled out for singular enemies closer to Jade's capabilities.

 

Jade's power armour is actually depicted as more like Mark II in appearance, since Mk. II was actually said to be one of the most maneuverable designs. The internals would definitely be much more advanced than its exterior appearance.

[bluntblade]

Gotcha. Will amend accordingly

[simison]

I like it. I like it a lot. For the other styles, perhaps you could name drop the monasteries from which they originated as well. 

 

 

So, is there anyplace in China called 'Lin'? And would you be offended if I put in a subtle shout-out to the movie, The Great Wall ?

[~Drakzilla~]

I'm not aware of any specific place myself, but China is a pretty big place, so who knows. Most place names would probably be two characters, though. Also, 'lin' by itself（林）is the character for 'forest', so not sure if that is an implication you want.

 

What kind of shoutout are you thinking? I haven't seen the film myself but it seemed really dumb to me, if I'm gonna be honest.

[simison]

I'm not aware of any specific place myself, but China is a pretty big place, so who knows. Most place names would probably be two characters, though. Also, 'lin' by itself（林）is the character for 'forest', so not sure if that is an implication you want.

 

What kind of shoutout are you thinking? I haven't seen the film myself but it seemed really dumb to me, if I'm gonna be honest.

 

It is really dumb, but also really pretty. It also has a corps of bungee, spear-wielding female soldiers who leap off the wall to stab monsters, who are led by Commander Lin Mae. 

 

So, I was playing around with the idea of having the assault marine monastery be named something like Blue Lin/Forest. 

 

If that's not your cup of tea, my second idea is to name it after your favorite Chinese mountain. Either way, I'm trying to pick a geographical location for the 'assault marine' monastery's name.

[~Drakzilla~]

Linshan could be a neat name. Essentially "Forest Mountain." I do like the idea of the assault marines training by jumping off of and boosting around steep mountainous terrain.

[bluntblade]

I recall Siege of Castellax having its assault squads do similar things at times. If clunking Iron Warriors can.

[MikhalLeNoir]

 

I like it. I like it a lot. For the other styles, perhaps you could name drop the monasteries from which they originated as well.

 

 

So, is there anyplace in China called 'Lin'? And would you be offended if I put in a subtle shout-out to the movie, The Great Wall ?

There was the kingdom of lin. About north West from korea n peninsula.

[~Drakzilla~]

I am not aware of any kingdom of Lin, closest thing I could find was the kingdom of Linyi or Lâm Áp located in central Vietnam.