IA Thousand Fists

[Filius]

Dear Liber,

 

more than half a year later, kindled by the upcomming 8th Editon, I took the time to go through my Index Astartes for my Chapter the Thousand Fists, and finalize the texts.

 

I can't remember when or why, I came up with writing it as letters from an Apothecarius of the Thousand Fist to an Apothecarius of the Scythes of the Emperor, but that's the form it has now. Probably it's because, the whole reason for coming up with a homegrown chapter is, it have an own background to start writing more stories about.

 

I'll be publishing a new letter every day in this thread (five are already written two others half way done and I have content for a ninth).

 

As always: Please be kind, when it comes to orthography (English is not my first Language) and thanks in advance for any Feedback.

 

I sincerly hope you enjoy it,

your humble servant,

Filius

 

 

P.S.: Thanks everyone, who already helped me. I wouldn't have come so far without the people in this most amazing place of the Galaxy in the 40th Millennium. Thanks a lot!

 

P.P.S.: I skipped that "publishing a new letter every day" thing. I'l just publish them here, when they are ready.

Edited May 3, 2017 by Filius

[Filius]

My dearest Brother and Colleague,

 

I hope this message finds you well and you’re making progress with your studies. Now that I am back at my Chapter and got into the daily routine of the Apothecarion again, I find the time to keep my word and write down a brief history of the Chapter, I have the great honour to serve. When trying to understand the Thousand Fists it is best to start with our Founding Legend.

 

It was during the Great Crusade and after the Emperor had found our beloved Primarch Rogal Dorn, that Dorn himself found our World. It had been parted from the rest of humanity since the long night. He landed right at the spot where our monastery stands today and gathered Men and Women from all Tribes, so see if we might send our sons as recruits for the Imperial Fists, or wether we were touched by corruption during the long night. When he couldn’t find any signs of corruption or xenos intervention, he commanded that a great tournament among our strongest sons should be held, to see, what kind of warriors we are. The tournament went on for several days and during the fights and different contest the elders of all 500 Tribes shared ancient Sagas as well as the knowledge of our homeworld with the Imperial Fists. On the last day, only two young warriors we’re left to compete against each other in a final fight: Artun Wolfseye, an extremely gifted and agile fighter and Ulay Grimrocks, a bulky tracker and hunter known for his resolve and wisdom despite his young years. Rogal Dorn was so pleased of the skills of our warriors that he rose up and spoke to them.

 

“I am impressed by your skills and we will gather recruits from this world for my fathers great crusade. I will grant each of you both a relict of power. But you will not fight against each other, but against me. And I will decide, who of you both is the better warrior. He will be granted the honour to join my Legion and become an Astartes.” And he let his servants bring a sword and a shield to the arena. “The sword is called Allstrike, for it is swift and will never miss its target. The shield is called Allwall and will reliably protect it’s wearer. Make your choice!” Artun and Ulay looked at each other, not knowing who shall make the choice first and after two heartbeats Ulay said: “You shall choose, brother, you are more gifted than I am and more likely to win.” Artun chose Allstrike, and so Ulay picked up Allwall.

 

They circled the primarch, knowing that they had no chance against the Giant of Man. Ulay made a faint attack, hoping that he would be able to distract the primarch for just a moment, to allow Artun a successful blow. Artun had the same intention, sensing his chance and rushed towards Dorn with incredible agility and speed. For a moment it really looked like the primarch would have been caught off guard. But then Dorn stepped aside faster than anyone could see and Artun missed the primarch by only a few inch. Now it was Artun, who was caught off guard and the primarch hit him with his fist right in the back so that Artun went to the ground, loosing Allstrike from his grip and unable to rise again. Rogal Dorn turned to Ulay and said: “You won! It is foolish to take a sword when you can take a shield. If one lunges and misses, one is not harmed. But if one is struck and has no shield, one is doomed.”, but Ulay had already jumped forward and had picked up Allstrike. The Primarch lunged for Ulay, but only hit Allwall, which made Ulay go down on both knees under the immense forces. There he immediately down both relics and bowed his head in submission, because he realised what he had done … it was in that moment that Rogal Dorn noticed a scratch Ulay had just left on the primarchs shoulderpad with Allstrike. For a moment it was totally quiet on the grand tournament ground, then Dorn laughed out loud and reached out his mighty hand to help Ulay up.


 

Among my people it is said, that this was the last time anyone of us had ever heard him laugh. But we didn’t forget that moment, and everscince that day, when the thunder of a great storm chases the wind on the plains of a distant world, we look at each other and say “Did you hear the Primarchs laughter?” Then we continue our way through the rain, smiling.

 

Ulay Grimrocks was indeed recruited as a Space Marine and fought on the Walls of the Imperial Palace on Terra not long after that. He was later honoured by being the first Chaptermaster of the Thousand Fists.

 

Although the Legend is known to many people in our Fleet, I don’t bother to sent it via astropaths, but rather write it down on paper and encode it by hand, just like we agreed. I’ll hand this letter and possibly even further ones to the next Team of ours, who’s heading for The Heart of Sotha. I wish I could bring them myself, especially as we surely didn’t had enough time to go through all the examinations we had at hand. On the other hand: It is good to be back on Campus Actuarii. I missed this place, as dark and grim as it may be.

 

Your humble servant,
Lucas Lacertil

[Filius]

My dearest Colleague,

 

in my last letter I told you about the Founding Legend of my Chapter. Now it’s time to come back to the Facts, which is more appropriate for men like us. When the Chapter was founded during one of the early Foundings, Campus Actuarii was given to us as our Homeworld, because it had proved, that well suited Warriors were born on it. Today no one and nothing is born on Campus Acutarii except nightmares. But for two millennia it was my Chapters Homeworld and for countless Centuries before that, it was the home of my people. And even today more than seven thousand years after it’s destruction, it has an important position within our hearts.

 

Campus Actuarii was already an old world when the long night began, consisting only of few mountains and mostly endless plains, skies and woods. We hardly know anything of it before the long night, but when the great crusade found us, we had fallen back to a pre-modern state of life. Our people were nomads, living as hunters and gatherers within the vast ocean of grass and with the fauna it inhabited. Among the beasts of our world were giant Mammals, descendants of earthly mammoths, rhinos, buffalos and elks. And they gathered in herds that counted millions of animals. My people lived by and of the herds, which gave them everything they needed. But we weren’t the only hunters. Where large herds live, there are large predators, and lots of them, descendants of earthly bears, wolves, lions, tigers and even some reptilian predators. And so we also had to become defenders. It defined us even more than being hunters, as for Predators that are able to bring down a animal the size of a buffalo or even a Mammoth, a human is easy prey. And as the World didn’t offer us too many means of defence, we became masters in defensive combat, developing tactics and weapons that suited our way of fighting. The spear was the most used weapon back then, as it can be rammed into the ground and stop a much larger attacker. Still today spears are a important ceremonial weapon in our chapter and power lances are an often chosen weapon.

 

During the first decades and centuries of our chapters history, we embraced and adopted the imperial culture of the adeptus astartes and of the Imperial Fist. But the warriors that were born and raised on Campus Actuarii never forgot their tribal traditions. Of course the Megafauna of our long lost homeworld was an important part of our spiritual believes and although we lost our world millennia ago, it is still alive and a cornerstone of our identity as a chapter. I will explain some of our rites and traditions within a later letter. Now I will focus on the tragedy of the destruction of Campus Actuarii.

 

It was within the late 33rd or the early 34th millenlium … as we loved the plains, we hadn’t build our fortress monastery as many other chapters do: It wasn’t a castle  or a palace. We started building it on the same ground that Rogal Dorn had held the tournament, I told you about last time. But above the earth, it consisted only of very few and small buildings. Most the of actual monastery was built underground, in order to keep the plains intact. During more than two millennia we constantly extended the underground monastery, building extensive halls, caverns, cathedrals, laboratories and factories, including natural ravines, underground canyons and mining for the rich minerals and metals that were to be found. Further and further we extended the ever growing monastery. At the same time a significant number of astartes lived above the earth in simple tents, together with the tribes, the way our ancestors did.

 

Then we received a request from the Mechanikum, to help defend the important forge world Ironclad against a crusade of several traitor legions and our chaptermaster sent eight of our ten companies to follow the request and fight alongside our brothers of the Imperial Fists. While the battle for Ironclad rage year after the year and the Imperial Fists, our own brothers and several other chapters held strong, the traitors sent a second force to our homeworld, hoping that we would remove troops from Ironcald and sent them to defend Campus Actuarii. When word of the attack on our homeworld reached our chaptermaster at Ironclad  together with the the fact that the Death Guard had already corrupted vital parts of the planets ecosystem, he ordered without hesitation, that the monastery should be sealed, and the planetary assault of the traitors shall be wiped out with exterminatus torpedos and melter torpedos.




It was quite easy to seal the monastery as it had only few entrances and the main parts of the underground monastery were especially built to be self sustained and easily defend. Only two companies, and several thousand chapter servants were within the monastery and they evacuated as many of the civilian tribes people as possible before the the monastery was sealed. When the exterminatus was executed most of the traitors died in the flames, but not all of them. For months they besieged our monastery and the defenders died slow but constantly until the Chief Apothecary – who had taken over command after the Captains of both of the Companies had fallen – ordered to evacuate the civilians, the gene-seed and the most important artifacts and sources of knowlegde. As the Monastery had extensive factories and hangars, it was possible to rescue enough so that the future of the chapter was not in danger. But we left many things behind and most of all, our homeworld was a dead rock by then.

 

Later, when the Traitors abandoned their conquest of Ironclad the Chapter returned to Campus Actuarii, and the heretic attack force was purged from our world. But with the plains and the woods burned to ashes and stardust, and most of our people, which had lived on Campus dead, our Chapter decided to become fleet based. When word of our tragedy reached the Mechanicum they decided to donate a mighty star fortress to the chapter, in appreciation of our chapter masters decision to defend Ironclad, and sacrifice our homeworld.

 

Since then, we are a fleet base chapter and the star fortress we called “the mountain” was our home for millenia to come. On board of the mountain and the ships of our fleet we kept our culture and the memory of our homeworld alive: The descendants of the civilians that were rescued live and work in service of the chapter until this day, men an women, which keep our identity as a chapter together with us astartes. Of course we were forced to also recruite new neophyts from elesewhere, but the Thousand Fists are a defensive chapter – we die slower than many other chapters and so, we need less recruits.

 

What is known only to few inside the Chapter, and almost nobody outside of our chapter ist the fact, that the monastery is not abandonded anymore. During the millennia to come teams have been sent time and again into the deep caverns, to search for lost artifacts and knowledge, and – of course – to purge the sacred place from traitors and demons, which still roam the place. A few centuries ago, when the Tyranid-Thread emerged and the Inquisition got more and more suspicious about our ways, the apothecarion decided to transfer most of our fleet base laboratories to the ancient monastery and continue to conduct the experiments there. Looking back, I consider it very  appropriate, even fateful: the Loss of Campus Actuarii and it’s flora and fauna to Death Guard, Iron Warriors, Thousand Sons and our own hand seems to me as the source of our obsession with genetic and other biological and medical experiments. Bringing back all those Specimen, Creatures an Creations we gathered in our fleet during the Millennia to the place that was once our home and the stage of our tragedy seems either logical or some kind of completion to our story.

 

I know that this secret is in safe with you, and I am looking forward to your visit of Campus Actuarii. My brother apothecarii made some remarkable progress, I can’t wait to discuss with you.

 

Lucas Lacertil

[Filius]

My honoured Brother,

 

in my last letter I told you how my chapter lost our homeworld and was granted a star fortress – The Mountain – for our reliable services. For more than three millennia it served as the home of my chapter and the refuge of our people. Sadly this was not the end of our tragedy, but only another chapter – the one I will tell you about today.

 

After we have been given The Mountain, our Techpriests and Apothecary immediately began to work on modifications of the fortress. Our chapter master had decided, that it should be the new home to the civil survivors of the exterminatus of our homeworld. They tried preserve as much of our culture and traditions as possible on a common effort of Astartes and Civilians. And so several lager greenhouses and arboreta were created within the fortress, that served as places of community and commemoration. And during the years, due to the focused biological and genetic efforts of the apothecarion, we were able to even add a significant population of animals, that once lived on our homeworld. And for quite a while things seemed to work out fine. The civil population grew beyond the capacities of the mountain and so we created similar but smaller greenhouses of the larger ships of our fleet, and it became common, that astartes, members of the imperial navy and civilians lived side by side on our ships. Many of the civilians chose careers and duties within the navy and the chapter, but some also stayed out of the military professions and formed a small but sucessful economical subculture around handicraft, artisanry and trade. And we even managed to recruite new astartes from among the children that were born and raised within the fleet.

 

It was during these first centuries, that we fought again alongside the White Scars and their successors. And although our combat doctrine varies greatly from their’s we found out, that we had many things in common. And we adopted several of their ways, like a heraldry that is closer to the tribal structures of our people. Slowly but surely, we began to gain back a normal life as a chapter, the wounds became scars and together with our self assurance, we gained respect among other chapters for our victories. And although our appearance and demeanour became more and more tribal – some would say and said “feral” – and so veered away from the standards of the astartes, even our progenitors, the Imperial Fists, honoured our combat doctrines and very successful campaigns during these centuries.

 

Then, in 127.M36 the Mountain was on a patrol mission within a sector of Agri-Worlds, called the Green Belt, we had been defending against Orcs and Dark Eldar for many decades. In the Orbit of the Sectors Main world waited the main fleet of our chapter, and the chapter had just finished raising a small fortress on the world that served as barracks and training ground as well as extended laboratories for out chapters ongoing experiments with animals and medical research, an obsession we already had developed after the loss of our homeworld.

 

When the mountain was late for return and no astropathic message from the fortress reached the rest of the fleet, we started sending search parties. But none of it every found even the slightest hint to the fate of our star fortress. As time went on and it seemed more and more unlikely that the mountain would return any time soon, our people once again had to adjust to the new situation. Together with The Mountain nearly half of the Chapter had been lost, the Chapter Master, the largest parts of the Apothecarion and Laboratories. Fortunately the Geneseed had already be distribute on a hand full of other major ships so that the future of the chapter was not in immediate danger. But we soon began to hasten our recruit programs and asked other chapters for help.

The Thousand First were deeply ashamed about this course of events and the trauma of our lost Homeworld and the lost Mountain still shapes the Character of almost every Adept of the Chapter until this day. The feeling of Shame usually gets worse through the many years of service and some of the oldest Marines are so humble and silent, that it comes close to self-denial.

 

As if those years after the Loss of the Mountain weren’t hard enough for the Chapter, a new, formally unknown Thread emerged: Infestations now known as Genestealer Cults appeared on several Planets of The Green Belt. In the Centuries before we were mostly focused on fighting Orks and had hardly any experiences with Heresies or Uprisings, especially within the population of the planets we protected. So it took us sometime to adjust to the new threats, and many Marines of the Chapter dislikes these “unknightly” Missions until today. One result of these years is the fact that the Apothecarium as well as the Librarium have more influence within the Thousand Fists than in usual Chapters. The fact that you and I two work together wouldn’t be possible without this unusual Architecture. And there is hardly any Mission, that get’s planned without a Apothecarius and a Librarian.

 

The appearance of the Genestealer Cults so quickly after the dissapperance of the Mountain lead to some rumours, which saw a connection. This again lead to an obsession of several Captains and Chapter Masters with the hunting of Genestealer Cults. As a result, larger Teams of Terminators were included into every Company, so any Captain could decide quickly to send them to a Space Hulk, whenever it appeared within the Companies reach.

 

Although some pieces of equipment and artefacts from the Mountain were found in Space Hulks, there was never any real proof, that a Genestealer Cult was responsible for the Loss of the Mountain. The most reliable Hint on the Mountain came just lately: A Cruiser of the Blood Ravens on it’s way to the eastern fringe of the Galaxy reportedly met The Mountain in an uninhabbitaded system. It was at the same Jumppoint the Blood Ravens Cruiser entered the system, but it left very shortly after the Astartes had arrived. One of the Librarians of the Blood Ravens states, that he felt a strong psykic force, comparable to those he met when fighting other Genestealer Cults, but still different from them.

 

Unto this Day the Thousand Fists continually second a small Force of the Chapter on the Search for the Mountain. Losing a Star Fortress of this size is shame enough for a Chapter, that is proud on it’s defending Skills. With shame every Astartes of the Chapter thinks of the Loss, and among other Chapters the Thousand Fists are still know as the Chapter that ordered and exterminatus on their own homeworld and “ideld away” a Star Fort. But much worse is the possibility that the mountain still might be in the Hands of Foes and might be used against the Imperium. Rumour has it, that every Chaptermaster since Cladan Blackcloud, is haunted by nightly Visions of the The Mountain laying waste to unprotected worlds.

 

That is somehow a sad end to this letter, but you can be assured, that we found strength within this tragedy, and I will tell you more about our culture and believes within our next letter.

 

The Emperor protects,
Lucas Lacertil

[Filius]

My Brother,

 

I am sorry for the delay in my letters. We have been under attack by renegades lately and the secret of our fortress monastery must be defended at all costs. So I neither had a chance to write you nor to continue on my research. Currently I can only continue to explain the ways of our Chapter to you. Today I want to give you an insight in the culture and believes of my chapter and my people. I got used to say “my people” although I’m neither born to a woman of the Thousand Fists, nor have I been raised within the fleet.

 

Like many other, I was recruited on an imperial world protected by the Thousand Fists. I was born to a minor aristocratian family on Campus Gloria, the central Planet of the Green Belt. The Thousand Fists maintain an Fortress and a warrior school there, and although it was my wish to become a doctor, I was talented enough to enter the warrior school and become a Fist myself. And although the  culture of the Thousand Fists fascinated my since my childhood, I only adepted it. But after three hundred years among the Fists, I can truly say, that I am part of this Chapter. It’s ways are my ways and it’s people are my people.

 

If you want to really understand the heritage of my chapter and my people, you have to go back to the way the Tribes lived back on our long lost homeworld. Like I mentioned in my first letter, my people were hunters, which live with and by the gigantic herds of (sometimes also gigantic) wild animals. We were nomads, always traveling the land and following the herds. Many tribes lived in tents that were easily build up and down again. But some tribes, especially those within the warm and hot regions, lived under the open Sky all year. No animals were tameable and even if they were, I don’t think that my people would have come up with the idea of taming them back then. Animals were sacred to us, brothers and sisters, a source of live and a source of death. We killed them and we were killed by them, but we would have never force them into submission, as we never force our brothers and sisters into submission. If one of us, want’s others to follow him and his will, he has to earn the respect by deeds worthy of authority. That’s how my people still handle things and thats also how we came to handle our chapter. But the beasts of Campus Acutarii never new anything about respect and submission, they just lived, and killed each other, and we lived, killed and died among them.

 

As I already mentioned animals were of great relevance to us, both practically and spiritually. When a boy or girl is on the verge of becoming a man or a woman (or something else, but I’ll tell you later about that), he or she goes on a spiritual quest to find a spiritual companion. This if often an animal, either real or from the vast mythology of animals, that my people have. Today we are not completely sure which animals really lived and which just lived in the stories we tell each other for millennia. Some times the companion may turn out to be something else than a animal, an ancestor, the emperor or our primarch, but most often it is an animal. The spiritual quest itself can also have many different forms: Meditation or another ceremony of Endurance and often Pain. Sometimes it’s a deed or an effort for the community or the chapter, like the crafting of a masterpiece or the writing of a book. Quite often it’s a hunt or a situation in which the initiate is being hunted and has to defend himself.

 

No matter how the quest looks like, the result is almost always the same: The initiate find his spiritual companion. Or is found by the companion – it’s most often hard to tell the difference. The companions helps to young man or woman to better understand his- or herself, to focus her character, to value his strength and to accept his weaknesses. The companion becomes a part of the initiates name in one way or the other and many astartes of my chapter bear their companion in their personal heraldry and warpaint.

 

This releation of course doesn’t stop at the personal level. Many manifest forms of our community and chapter choose a companion. Whole families and tribes are dedicated to a single companions, as are ships of our fleet, the companies and brotherhoods of our chapter and even single squads may have their own companion. But it has not always been like this: When the Chapter was founded, many astartes left our culture and heritage behind adopted the culture of the Imperial Fists and the many teachings of the Codex Astartes. Amazingly enough … the seed to our deviation from our progenitor Chapter and the Codex was planted even before our chapter was founded: Those few of us, who were chosen by Dorn himself to become Imperial Fists and fought at the Imperial Palace on holy Terra against the Traitors always spoke with great esteem of the White Scars and the way they took pride and strength from the tribal culture of Mundus Planus.

 

Still it seems important to notice that we neither believe in our companions as being real deities, nor do we follow the Ecclisiarchy when they say the emperor is a god. We know that the emperor is a living man, the father of our Primarch and our companions are just helpful devices, we came up with. But we learned during the millennia, that they really help to focus and grow – as individuals, as tribes and groups and as a community.

 

As being Hunters is still an important part of our common identity, we kept the tradition to collect trophies and craft bracelet, necklaces and all kinds of trinkets from the prey, we bring down. Many of my brothers and sisters proudly clad themselves in furs and feathers. The Astartes of my chapter honour this tradition also and many powerarmours are richly decorated as well as painted with tribal markings and war paint. Many Squads and Brotherhoods carry the skulls of foes on their bannerpoles. Those traditions also date back to the time, when my people still lived on Campus Actuarii. We do have a rich culture of painting our skin for several important occasions. When more then one tribe gathers, most people wear a tribal marking either on the arms or legs, that marks them being a member of a certain type. Additionally there are special markings, that are worn to identify the role of it’s bearer within the tribe, like shaman, chieftain, warrior, healer or young blood. These Markings are most often painted in the face or on the shaved head. And those markings are not permanently as the roles of it’s bearer changes and people can even change their tribe. Additionally, when a member of the tribe performs great deeds for his people and becomes known to other tribes, he or she earns the right to wear an own, individual warpaint. This is of course especially true for the Astartes of our chapter, so that many space marines have a unique patterns painted on their helmets.

 

Only allow me to add so much to this report: Most of what I have written above is true for most of my people. But it is not for all. We recruit new Astartes, Navy-Personal and Chapter Servants from nearly all worlds of the Imperium, that come across our way. Many of those people adept our culture over the time. But some also stick to their own cultures and believes, or even influence us. So don’t be to suprised to find a church of the ecclisiarchy on board of our ships next to a tribal shrine, or a laurel on the helmet of a revered terminator armour hanged with furs and decorated with tusks and skulls.

 

But you surely have already noticed that. So I won’t bother you anymore on with these details. Instead I have exciting news to report: We have been ordered to clear the newly discovered Space Hulk Tempest of Souls. The first reports were very promising and I’ll keep you informed on any successful capture of new specimen.

 

May the Emperor protect your ways,
Lucas Lacertil

[Filius]

My honoured Battlebrother,

 

within my last Letter, I told you about the culture of my people as well as their traditions and believes. I considered it important to understand that, or rather have a first glimpse into it, before I explain the military organisation and combat doctrines of my chapter, as the later has greatly influenced the aforementioned.

 

My chapters organisation is quite unorthodox. I am able to admit that today, but only because of my time at the Deathwatch. But most of my brothers and especially our chapter master and most of the  chapters headquarter consider us to be “codex compliant, with a few minor exceptions”. To be totally honest, I am only one among very few within our chapter, which have slight doubts, that we’re true to every word Rogal Dorn ever said. I am convinced that we are true to his spirit. He would be quite content with our Chapter, although he would surely note some … peculiarities … to say the least.

 

Our chapters headquarter is a good bit bigger than those of codex compliant Chapters. We maintain a number of Warrior Schools on several Worlds as well as smaller monasteries which are constantly maintained – mostly by Brothers which no longer serve in active Companies. Those Brothers are counted as part of the Headquarter, and that’s for a good reason: Bianuk Tallshield, our current chapter Master is directly involved in the affairs of those Marines, and while some really only train young recruits, some of them have other duties like one man hidden ops, or negotiations, in the Name of the Chapter.

 

Ever since the days directly after the loss of The Mountain, the Chapter has significantly bigger Apothecarion, than other Chapters. It was initially needed to bring the Chapter to full size again. But already during the Genestealer Infections, that followed the Loss of The Mountain, the Apothecarii proofed to be of much worth. Usually the Apothecarion of the Thousand Fists has about 90 Members, of which 10 Apothecarii are more or less constantly at Campus Actuarii, mostly doing research on Genestealers and Tyranids, but of course also taking care of the Health of the Chapter. Another 10 Apothecarii doing special medical and research services throughout the Fleet and the World, on which we maintain a monastery. Every Brotherhood is accompanied by about 10 Apothecarii, which is a bit less then one Apothecarius for two squads. Two Squads are usually the smallest Unit to be sent on a mission, so almost every mission has “it’s own” Apothecarius. But to truly understand the role of the Apothecarii you need to know, that that healer was usually the a very influential member on a tribe, back in Campus Acturarii, and often they were the spiritualy leaders and sometimes also the political leaders. So the more important role of the Apothecarii is quite natural to us.

 

Unlike many other chapters, we have a dislike for tanks and other ground vehicles ever since our founding. We strongly focus on the use of infantry and even specialised in the warfare within spaceships, buildings during the last millennia. As a result the Armorium is a significantly smaller than in other Chapters. We prefer deployment via Transport-Flyers or Droppods. But as passionate defenders, we especially honour our armours, which is reflected by a quite large amount of venerable Terminator Armours. Thus the Master of the Forge, on the other Hand, as well as the Status of Techmarine are highly prestigious Ranks among the Thousand Fists.

 

The only exception to this rule are Dreadnoughts. They are even more revered within our chapter than among other astartes, as we praise defensive tactics and strength above most other virtues.

 

The Librarius has regular Size with 25 to 30 Librarians divided on the different Levels. The Reclusiam also has a regular Size of 10-12 Chaplains. The only difference is that the Librarius and the Reclusiam are combined in the so called Corvium (as a reference to the Fact, that Psykers on Campus Actuarii were called “White Ravens”) and Librarians as well as Chaplains are called “White Ravens” within the Chapter. They work closely together as spiritual leaders and as keepers of the Chapters Lore. Librarians and Chaplains of the Thousand Fists also usually colour their Armour in blue, yellow and red, like all other Marines, although some chaplains replace the blue with a darker blue or even black. This seems to be a direct influence of the Tribe Culture, where the (spiritual) Leaders of a Tribe are often White Ravens, and sometimes even Psykers, while even those White Ravens, who don’t have psykic Powers are considered having more powerful Spirits.

 

The Fighting Forces of the Chapter are organised in seven Companies, which each contain about 80 to 220 Astartes – a Schema we adopted during several remarkable campaigns, in which almost the whole Chapter fought besides the Space Wolves. There are no specialised Companies, like Veteran or Scout Companies. Every Brotherhood has it’s own Veterans, Terminators, Dreadnoughts and Scouts. The true reasons for this variation of the Codex Astartes have been lost. Some Astartes think, that it has always been like that, as it reflects the strong tribal organisation of the chapter. Other assume, that this deviation has been made after the Loss of the Mountain, to faster rebuild the Chapter and reflect the fact, that we became a fleet based chapter. And – as I mentioned earlier – the Introduction of Terminators and Apothecary in each Brotherhood was a reaction to the need to board Space Hulks immediately when sighted to search for clues of the mountain and gather or capture specimen. The fact that we don’t have 10 Companies is usually justified by the fact, that we honour those three Companies, that got lost with the Mountain, although I have strong doubts that this is the true reason. I’d rather think, that it was a side effect of the larger Companies: An avarage Brotherhood of ours has far more Astartes than the regular 100, but in total, we are never more then 1000 Brothers. So reducing the Number of Companies is the only option to make this possible.

 

As no Company has a given purpose, they rotate through a fixed plan, that is only changed on dramatic Occasions …

 

• One Company at a time is constantly of the Chapters Flagship. Mostly they serve as an honour guard, but often enough the current chapter masters decides to enter conflicts himself together with this Company.
• One Company at a time is devoted to join our brothers of the Imperial Fists on the great crusade to rebuild the imperium of mankind.
• Two Companies at a time are constantly on patrol throughout sectors and Worlds we secured before. These Company also leads preemptive strikes against foes that might become threats, mostly Greenskins, Dark Eldars and lately Necrons.
• Up to two Companies at a time (but hardly ever both) are aiding other Forces elsewhere in the Imperium.
• One Company at a time has the right to pursue the search for the Mountain. Although it is only allowed to assign minor Space Ships and four Squads to that task. The Rest of the Company usually purges Space Hulks and reported Genestealer Infestations. In recent years, this Company also provides Scout-Ships to monitor the activity of several Hive Swarms, and take action when needed.

 

This organisational deviation from a the codex astartes together with the fact, that we command only seven companies leads to the fact, that Marines of the Thousand Fists are a rare sight on many battlefields, which has given us a mixed reputation: Some say we prefer to fight alone, some say we are picky, and some say that we’re just slow. Actually … a bit of everything is true.

 

Another Tradition of the Thousand Fists documentedly dates back to the Loss of the Mountain: In Honour of the Lost Companies, their newly build successors didn’t re-use the Numbers of the Lost Companies. Instead they were given a Name by their Captain. This was added as a general tradition, and all seven great companies now carry their own Names. The Tradition even developed beyond that: When the Captain of a Company dies, the current Missions of the Company are finished by an interims Captain. When all Missions are finished, the whole Company returns to the Chapters Flagship. The deceased Captain is brought to Campus Actuarii and buried in his Companies Burial Chamber, deep within the old monastery, which already contains all fallen Brothers of the Company since the day the Company was founded. Then the Company is dissolved. The Marines of the Company are either integrated into other Companies, added to the Headquarter or temporarily set off duty.

 

Then the Company is built anew from scratch. The Chapter master chooses a new Captain, taking advice from the Dreadnoughts als well as from the Chapters Master of the Forge and the Elders of the Apothecarion the Corvium, and the most venerated Brothers of the former Commpany. The new assigned Captain then builds his Command Squad; most often from among the most experienced Warriors of the former Company and his trusted Battlebrothers, but very often also from the Headquarter or other Companies, and always adding at least one Dreadnought, one Apothecarius, one Librarian and one Chaplain. The Captain also chooses a new Name for the Company, which often represents his view on warfare or a Totem, which might be, his personal companions.

The new Company’s Headquarter then starts recruiting more Men into the Chapter, starting with the Veterans, which then build up the regular Troops, which then build up the Scouts and Recruits. When the Company has reached Battle Size, it’s Burial Chamber is carved into the Rock beneath the monastery and the whole Company is assembled there, to be baptised by the Chapter Master or the current Master of the Corvium. From that day on, all Members of the new Company a burried in that Chamber, and the Chamber is continually expanded if needed, until the Companies Captain dies and again an new Company is founded.

 

Besides the company, the Squad has more meaning than in most other Chapters, a tradition we adopted form the Iron Snakes. Many Marines tend to form strong bonds within a Squad. Like in almost all codex compliant Chapters, the Squads are named. At the Thousand Fists squads also regularly choose Totems by themselves or a common style of warpaint. This is almost always done in compliance with the Companies Identity. Also mosts squads have a Squad Leader, which is often a Sergeant, but sometimes even a member from the Chapters Headquarter or Corvium. Sometimes Squads even resemble a similar life cycle as a whole company: When the squad leader dies in battle the squads request a dissolve and members of the squad are integrated within other squads until the squad is newly founded – often formed from newly promoted scouts. Also the other way is possible: When a squad has formed exceptionally tight bonds, they reject new recruits. Sometimes a squad gets reduced to only one Astartes, who becomes a lone hunter, but still gets treated and deployed in combat like a regular squad, although most often he is given special targets that suite his skills. Sometimes these last survivors get finally promoted to the companies command squad.

 

I already mentioned a few times that we focus on defensive combat doctrines. Let me explain a bit, what that means on the battlefield. Like I already mentioned, we prefer deployment via Transport-Flyers or Droppods. Usually a common Strike force consists of Tactical Marines as a central Base of Fire, Devastors for heavy and long range Weapon Support, Assault Marines with Jetpacks as a option to quickly move or outflank and Enemy and Terminators, which serve as living shields as well as heavy support or close Combat specialists. This scheme is supported by the common weapon choices among all Squads. Shields are a very often sight among Brothers of the Thousand Fists, especially when clad in Terminator-Armour, but also by Assault Marines, Officers and even Dreadnoughts wear them. Spears and Powerlances are often chosen, especially, when a defensive Situation on a open battlefield is to be expected. And finally flamers are very popular, and romanticised by many, who wear them as the torch against the beasts of darkness.

 

As our mobility on the battlefield often depends on our transport aircrafts, our Masters of the Forge have specialised on customising and extending the existing Models to our need. We even call three Stormwolfs our own; a gift, we just recently received from Egil Ironwolf himself for reconnaissance data about an Outpost of the Thousand Sons, we discovered, and valuable aid in the following operation.

 

There is also a deviation from the common way Chapters are lead into battle on the level of Strategy. We are a careful Chapter. We take a more time to analyse the current situation, think through the options, and develop careful plans. You never really know, what awaits you on the battlefield, that's why we do everything to make sure. This also includes sending more forces than most other chapters would for the same task. It might take us longer to appear on a battlefield, but when we hit, we hit with all the might and force to make sure victory is ours. Of course the Loss of our Homeworld and The Mountain may be reasons for this Doctrine. But the real reason is: Loosing a Battlebrother is not only the Loss of a Man, the Loss of a Bolter – it's the Loss of invaluable Experience, of Decades or even Centruries of Warfare. You just can not replace this with a new recruit.

 

Although these variations of the Codex Astartes may seem pretty profound to you, we still have good reasons to consider ourselves as mostly codex conform: The overall Internal structure of any given company is very much the same, as in most codex compliant Chapters: Tactical Marines in Squads of Ten form the better part of each Company, complemented by Devastor Squads, Assault Squads, Brother in Terminator Armour and Dreadnoughts. And when an assembled strike force of the Thousand Fists appears on the battlefield, the only real differences to most major codex compliant chapters is the personal Warpaint and our focus on infantry tactics together with the lack of heavier ground based wargear.

 

I sincerely hope, that I my lengthly report was neither boring nor offensive to you. And I do have interesting news: On the Space Hulk Tempest of Souls I found a smaller version of the reproductive chambers we both have seen together on the bioship. I was able to extract what seemed to me as the most important parts and will keep you informed on further insight and experiments.

 

My the Emperor guide us in these dark days
Lucas Lacertil

[Filius]

My dearest Brother,

 

within my last letters I told you all the essential information about my chapter and my people. Yet I do have do add some things without too much explanation: A highly incomplete report on the most important Brothers of my chapter, Persons within our Fleet and our most important campaigns. You will come across both of them time and again, when we start to work closer together, and every brother of my chapter will instantly put you in high regard, if you show that you know some details of our history.

 

First Chapter Master Ulay Grimrocks

 

As mentioned in my first letter Ulay Grimrocks was not only the first Chapter Master of our chapter but also the first of my people to be recruited as an Imperial Fists, by none less, than Rogal Dorn himself. To this day Grimrocks is revered as the most ideal Warrior, that ever served the Chapter. Some Squads, Ships, Thunderhawks and even an Company carry his name or one of the many Names of Honour. Some of them he earned during his Service, but most of them were given to him in the Millennia after his death, by Storytellers, and I thought you should know the most common ones: “Allwall”, of course. “The Shield” or “The Tallshield”, a byname that many other Chapter Masters after him carried. “The Silent”, “The Penitent” and “The Joy of Dorn”, the Name I like most. I was once present, when our former Chapter Master used this Name within a conversation with a Captain of Imperial Fists and his command Squad. Even if I will be tortured by demons for centuries – I fate I hope to avoid – and seek salvation in madness, I will never forget the look on their faces.

 

Former Chapter Master Cladan Blackcloud

 

Cladan Blackcloud was once the Captain of the First Company and destined to be the Chapter Master, but got mortally wounded before he could be promoted. When The Mountain – my chapters star fortress – vanished, he was chosen to be be the interims chapter master, despite his Dreadnought Armour. After many years during which he became more an more brooding, he disappeared on a mission to Find the Mountain. I especially mention him, because he is the first documented case of the growing melancholy I already mentionend among our Chaptermasters, and also among Brothers with high Age. Although I myself am among the older Brothers, I think I noticed a growing distribution of this state among us and I am concered and would like to discuss this matter with you in detail, when you come visit us.

 

Current Chapter Master Bianuk Tallshield, also called “The Fox” or “The old Fox”

 

Bianuk is the current Chapter Master of the Thousand Fists. He’s is said to be one of the tallest and strongest Astartes, that ever carried one of the Tallshield we us in defensive Formation. His Hair was blonde-red once and now is almost white and the same goes for his beard. He is especially respected by many of the regular Astartes, because of his uniting and calming temper, as well as his wise judgment, that more then once settle tensions inside the Chapter or the Tribes. He is a clever strategist and cunning diplomat and negotiator, who arranged many contracts and treaties in favour of the Thousand Fists. Ever since we became a fleet based chapter, we managed to turn that into an advantage for us. When you will meet him for the first time, you might wonder, why he’s not called “The Bear”, but Bianuks wise reign as Chapter Master and his exceptional skills as a negotiator both in warfare and civil affairs, has also led to a new height of wealth, both spiritually and financially.

 

Chaplain Nyran Palewing

 

Nyran Palewing is the oldest Marine of the Chapter and Chaplain of the Ghost Raven Company. Many Captains and even Bianuk Tallshield were chosen by him as recruits and he guided them during their way through the ranks of the Chapter. He is of “white blood” as we call it: He can trace back his line of ancestors back to one of the tribes Campus Actuarii. And in every generation his ancestors were Leaders in one way or the other. It is said that he is a Psyker, but no one I know within the chapter has ever seen him use this gift. Rumour has it, that he is saving it for a day, when the chapters future or even something more important is on the stake. I doubt that, but I must admit that there is something besides his Aura as a Chaplain and the Chapters Oldest.

 

Captain Marcus Broadside

 

You already know Captain Marcus Broadside quite well from our joint action against the swarm fleet Leviathan and the Space Hulk Sea of Despair , and you know that we both joined the Thousand Fists in the Warrior School of Bristoleon II, were promoted as brother and raised through the ranks of the chapter. He is more than a brother to me and that’s the reason, why I want to explain a few things about him that aren’t obvious to outsiders.

 

Marcus descends from a well know Family within the Fleet, which has a long tradition of yielding high ranking Navy Officers, and he was also destined for that career path. But his stature, his courage and his strong will caught the eye of Nyran Palewing. Had so he became an Astartes, much to the honour of his family. But I know pretty much for sure, that he quarrels with his fate, as honourable it may be. I turned out that Nyran high expectations were not disappointed: Marcus rose quickly through the ranks of the thousand fist. In fact I do think that it’s not the virtues Nyran saw in him, but the fact that he’s a natural Leader, someone Astartes not only follow out of respect oder duty, but from their whole heart. I have never seen a company, that is so devoted to it’s Captain; not within the Thousand Fist, nor within another Chapter. “Broadside!” is the most common Warcry you hear them shout. And their devotion to their captain is well justified: More than any other Captain within the Chapter, his focus is on the Bolter Drill – that we (of course) adopted from our Progenitors. And the well orchestrated release of a full Broadside of his Company in action is an awe inspiring sight and sound. But what is more important about him is a kind of “natural understanding” – as I would call it – for the Brothers in his Chapter. He demands from each according to his ability, and he gives to each according to his needs. “A malcontent Company is an ineffective Company”, as he calls it.

 

Former Captain Kenai Blackbear

 

The Story of Kenai Blackbear is a Tragedy in itself, and because he serves now within Marcus Broadsides Companies Headquarter, together with me, you should know story, for you will pretty sure fight at his side soon. Kenai was the Captain of the Wraith Bear Company and his way got get there was as straight as his soul. When he came to the Thousand Fists he was already a strong and impressive man, but what made him stand out were is exceptional skills as a Sword Fighter. He mostly wielded two swords, both heavier than a common fighter would use for only one hand. His speed and precision with these were unmatched in his Generation and so he rose through the ranks. His quiet and stoic nature are common among Thousand Fists, but he also lacks the humor most of us keep in the hearts. An Aura of Brooding was always around him, although it was clear to every one that he was destined for greatness. He lead the Wraith Bear Company nearly fife Decades and increased it’s reputation with his merciless and efficient approach to war – a focus on amassed Assault and Close Combat, driving many foes to flee only moments after the Slaughter had begun.

 

But then his Brotherhood became the Order to escort high ranking Terran Officials from the Administratum together with a small Honour Guard of Imperial Fists to Negotiations with a World that was newly brought back into the Imperium. During the Negotiation on that World, the Officials of the Administratum managed to manoeuvre themselves into trouble with the local officials and some raiders from an – until then – unknown Genestealer Cult. This resulted in the Death of half of the Terran Delegation, even more local Officials and – worst of all – the Honour Squad of the Imperial Fists. The Administratum needed a Scapegoat for the Failure and it was Kenai Blackbear who had to pay for that. Bianuk Tallshield was forced to degraded him, but didn’t dissolve his Company, so that one day, he might return to it as Captain. I don’t need to mention that this made him only more broody. As far as I can tell, he blames himself for that, because he thinks, that he got “weak” while being on that escort mission, and now he is pretty much obsessed with “hardening” himself, so that he’s almost always to be found within the Training Halls, when he’s not on a campaign.

 

Chapter Fleet Admiral Helen Icefist

 

Helen Icefist was born and raised on the Chapters Flagship, and visited the School of the Imperial Navy on Terra itself. The Thousand Fists have tradition of giving the position of the Admiral of the Chapters Fleet to Women from the Tribes. And Helen Icefist is the bright and strong current installment of that tradition. I have heard Bianuk Talshield say, that she’s the brightest and also strongest installment of that tradition, with a strong emphasis on “strong”, and indeed she’s an impressive Woman, towering most of her deck crew and although here former blonde hair has gotten many white strands of hair in the last years, I am pretty sure that she can still knock out most of her younger officers with her famous uppercut. For me it’s always a special pleasur to travel with her as we have common acquaintance on terra and she’s a highly cultured with many interests.

 

----

 

Now I will give you a quick overview of the most important Campaigns we took part in.

 

The defence of Ironclad

 

It was during this campaign that we lost our Homeworld, but we defended the Forge World, we were called to help to by the Mechanicum. As a reward for that, the Mechanikum offered us not a Star Fortress and it was the beginning of a tight relationship with the Mechanikum. And from my time within the deathwatch, I do know for sure, that it was the influence of the Mechanikum, that more than once stopped the Inquisition from investigating further against us.

The hunt for Mortarion

 

Together with the White Scars we were sent on a Hunt for Mortarion, soon after the Loss of our Homeworld. The best hunters of our Chapter aided the White Scars, young Astartes still burning with fire, and old, battle forged Sergeants and Captains, which learned every trick an enemy might try, men with decades and centuries of experience, a bit more patient than the young, but not less deadly. And still … even today the Storytellers of ours keep those days alive, when we were outmatched by the Sons of the Khan. I do say that without any shame or disgrace, there is no shame in learning from the best. And we did learn a lot. Since those days, Jetpacks are the most favoured piece of equipment of the young and those hunters that seek the rush of blood on their armour. And we were also able to impress the White Scars: Stopping a mere Tidal Wave of traitors on an open Battlefield just by taking an effective battle line and waves of well balanced of infantry fire gained us high remarks from the Khan of that Hunt.

 

The Green Tide of Trocculus

 

Together with a Great Company of the Space Wolves the Space Wolves, a fighting Force ours fought against den Waaagh “Splitskull”. It was close after the Loss of the Mountain, and we were impressed by the tight bonds between the Brother of the Great Company and the individual Packs. This reminded not few among us of the bonds between the Tribes on our Homeworld and within our Fleet. As I said earlier, it is not documented wether the Campaign alongside the Wolves of Fenris was the reason for the change of our Company Organisation or just a coincidence, but ever since then we are organised like that. Also the Campaign was a important milestone in the restoration of our self-esteem, for the wolves neither cared of our tribal demeanour, nor for the Loss of our Homeworld or the Loss of the Mountain. They only cared for how we fought and for the Stories we could tell, when we didn’t fight. And we fought like never before and had quite a lot of Stories to tell. We haven’t fought much alongside the Wolves since then, but we hold each other in the highest regard.

 

The Cleansing of Dagonur

 

A rich Genestealer Cult infested the wealthy Star Cluster of Dagonur. We were sent to cleanse the Cluster, but when we arrived there, we found that the Hospitallers were already there and at work. Although the initial cooperation with this rather rarely seen chapter wasn’t all to easy, we finally got along very well. They also have a strong Apothecarion and we were able to exchange quite a few valuable insights on Genestealer Infestations. The Campaign lasted more than a decade and we exchanged and extended or Strike Force there more than once, but in the End it was a success and even the deepest and darkest Tunnels of Dagonur Hive Cities were cleansed. We learned a lot of things about close quarter fighting during that campaign; and on repairing and maintaining Terminator Armour, our Techmarines and the Master of the Forge still speak with a mixture of Horror and Honour of that Campaign. And the decision to build a controlled training ground within our Monastery, that resembles Undercities and Space Hulks (and is populated with real Genestealers), dates back to this campaign.

 

The Harbinger of Bale

 

The Space Hulk “Harbinger of Bale” was inspected and cleansed from another Genestealer Infestation by the Chapters Gryphon Company – one of the oldest active Companies of ours. As parts of the Space Hulk were Imperial Ships from conflict between the Imperial Fists and Traitor Legions shortly after there Horus Heresy, the Space Hulk was inspected by a joint operation of Imperial Fists, Black Templars, Crimson Fists, Hammers of Dorn and us. Besides the Feast of Blades this was the Occasion, we never fought together with so many of our brother-chapters. The Campaign was of course a success. Some valuable Artefacts as well as data were secured, although hardly any detail reached us. But our skills with Close Range Combat and especially our extensive knowledge about Genestealer Infestations made us a very valuable part within the campaign and gained us some much welcomed Respect from our brother chapters. Although I am afraid, that the Imperial Fist might have gotten suspicious, about our expertise. If we weren’t also descendants of Dorn, I would fear that they denounce us to the Inquisition.

 

Against the Hive Fleet Behemoth

 

We had the Honour and Pleasure to fight again at the side of our Brothers in Mind, the White Scars during the Damocles Crusade. But we were – against our will – ordered back from the crusade to face the newly emerged thread of Tyranid Invasion in Form of Hivefleet Behemoth. Together with the White Scars, we were ordered to explore the boundaries of the Hive Fleet. It was our first Contact with the Tyranids, but we immediately recognised, that they were related to the Genestealer Cults. It was “love on first sight”: The Tyranids were an whole new match for our Skills as Defenders and Hunters. And our Fauna and Genestealer focused Apothecarion was very interested in the Nature of these Creatures – and still is today. Ever since this first Crusade many of my Colleague in the Apothecarion and even Brother among the Officers got obsessed with the Tyranids, either from a scientific perspective, because of the hunt for the Mountain, or just as the ultimate challenge for a defender. And many of our best Men died, agains they Tyranids, who don’t care for the reasons we fight against them. But who am I telling that to?

 

Speaking of Tyranids … I got a request for help from an old friend of mine within the Mechanicum; I’ll be taking a look at a world the Tyrandis left behind as a dead rock 200 years ago. The Mechanikum has a research station there, but they recently lost contact. I am going to investigate that and keep you up to date.

 

Serving Mankind,

Lucas Lacertil

Edited May 5, 2017 by Filius

[Filius]

My Brother,

 

my report seems to have ended with the last letter, but you do know, that I haven mentioned a certain aspect of my chapter only briefly: The things we do within our old fortress monastery on Campus Actuarii. I think, it all started with the loss of our homeworld. Or maybe even earlier: We always had a strong connection to the Fauna of Campus Actuarii. We were hunters of beast, we were hunted by beasts and … we were a kind of beasts ourselves.

 

With the loss of our Home World, we also lost an important part of this hunter and beast relationship, a simpler life than the duty among the Stars. But the Beasts never left us. In fact we came obsessed by them, by the idea of the Beast and by the beasts we met during our duty for the Emperor. And so we ignored the Ban on scientific research on Xenos. At first we only studied them, in order to kill them. Then we caught them in order to study them more. We bred them, to train fighting against them under controlled Conditions.  And from there on our studies and our successes led the way … we bred Xenos, that we could control and lead into war against it’s own kin. We only use these Beasts of War on rare Occasions and only if our chapter is operating alone. But we created them and we used them.

 

And then we applied, what we had learned on ourselves … it’s the logical thing to do. Many Marines of my Chapter have minor Improvements, that have their origin within our own Studies, but only few of them know, what exactly they carry within their bodies. Getting Organs implanted is the Beginning of becoming an Astartes. Most of our Brothers take it for granted … their whole existence is based on foreign, external –not to say “alien” – Organs. They hardly question anything the Apothecary do. And why should they? They wouldn’t live without them.

 

Of course there have been Casualties on the way. Horrible Casualties. The memory of them haunts me. I might know no fear, but I still know what torture is, torture of the body and torture of the soul. I am cause of both and I experienced both. There are times I blame myself for this, but the results and the progress we make constantly push doubts aside. And we desperately need results and progress, as we both know better than most people. We both know, that neither Mankind, nor any of the Xenos Species has an Answer to the Tyranid Thread. In less then a few centuries the whole Galaxy will be nothing but dead rocks, when the Tyranids are done with us, if we don’t make progress.

 

I am very glad to hear, that my Company will be heading for the Heart of Sotha soon. I made remarkable progress on the Lictor I caught and I have a theory that might help us to lure the Tyranids into a direction we want, but I need to discuss that with you and find a way, how we can exemplify my theory.

 

Your humble Servant,
Lucas Lacertil

[Doctor Perils]

Sorry, I've yet to read these letters (Personally I find it difficult/annoying to read large blocks of text on a screen :( ) but I'd like to ask if you're dead-set on the name "Thousand Fists"? To me it sounds a bit too similar to "thousand sons" and it doesn't seem menacing/noble (whatever adjective comes up) - could I suggest the "Fists Millenial" ? It means the same thing essentially, but it sounds more full of pomp (and therefore more suitable to an Astartes Chapter imo)

 

Otherwise, have you got a colour scheme in mind? Do you need someone to do the graphics for it ?

[Filius]

Sorry, I've yet to read these letters (Personally I find it difficult/annoying to read large blocks of text on a screen ) but I'd like to ask if you're dead-set on the name "Thousand Fists"? To me it sounds a bit too similar to "thousand sons" and it doesn't seem menacing/noble (whatever adjective comes up) - could I suggest the "Fists Millenial" ? It means the same thing essentially, but it sounds more full of pomp (and therefore more suitable to an Astartes Chapter imo)

 

Otherwise, have you got a colour scheme in mind? Do you need someone to do the graphics for it ?

 

Oh sorry for the super late answer … I somehow forgot to follow my own Topic, stupid me!

 

The Name acutally is kinda concept. I like the unnoble, very pragmatic notion of it as well as it being close to the Thousand Sons.

 

And yep, I do have a Colour-Scheme for them: blue-green-grey with yellow shoulder pads and red gloves.

 

http://dark-and.grim.rocks/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/04/spacemarine-20170508.jpg

 

The fist shall be red, the Transfer Decal of the Crimson Fists.

 

I currently haven't been looking for someone to do graphics, as I currently tend more towards one of the canon Chapters (not at least due to the very few feedback here in the Liber, sorry to say that and no accusation of anyone. I just had a bad timing with 8th coming out and that Iron Gauntlet thing already running, and I realise that the form was not the easiest to read).

 

But lately I have been thinking about swapping them to a Raven Guard Successor (while keeping most of the concept, including the colour scheme) … so … every hope's not lost.