Index Astartes: Night Vipers

[Minigiant]

Index Astartes: Night Vipers
"The Snake will always bite back"

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Origins

P

art of the disastrous twenty first founding of the Adeptus Astartes, very little is really known about the Night Vipers. The Vipers quickly established themselves as experts in void combat, and a notorious reputation for the manipulation of events, for the good of the galaxy.

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Chapter Badge'

The nascent chapters geneseed had been selected by the Adeptus Mechanicus to be the legacy of the Iron Snakes; Chosen for having the minutest flaws for repair. By the time the Night Vipers had begun to be created many of their fellow cursed chapters had already begun to show signs of gene-seed degradation. As such the Adeptus Mechanicus Biologis took extraordinary lengths in monitoring the nascent chapter in an effort to help avoid a similar fate. The Biologis took to stationing an orbital base above Kukulka to allow for extended monitoring and observation. This relationship could be the founding reason for some of the Vipers codex divergent habits and organisation. In return of their assistance, it is known of the Vipers confiscating ancient technology from those that pass through Kamis space ports and gift it to the Biologis.

However as their fellow cursed chapters flaws began to unravel further and the Adeptus mechanic began to realise the full extent of the damage they had done. The Night Vipers geneseed samples remained at a remarkable level of purity. These were some of the darkest days in the Mechanicus and the Vipers offered a small glimer of hope.

Important records relating to this tumultuous event have long since been eradicated or lost within the labyrinthine bureaucracy of the Imperium, leaving behind only supposition and fevered assumption. Those few individuals aware of exactly what transpired during those dark days would seem unprepared to divulge their secrets or are long since dead. Whatever exactly occured, it is clear that the myopic focus upon genetic purity clouded the vision of the truth.

Little is known of the Chapter's first Master except that he was supposedly an Iron Snake and went by the name of Phalarius.  He was known by his men as 'the Viper', and his persona exemplified a fervent desire to be the saviour of the Imperium and a hero to the Emperor. When given command of the newly found Chapter, he bestowed the name 'Night Vipers' upon it, knowing their fight will be striking in and from the dark.

During the Vipers' first centuries of service, the Chapter had almost disappeared from the memory of the imperium. No engagements of note and numerous data files unexplainably expunged all across the galaxy. Apart from the regular monitoring of their geneseed, the chapter would have been considered to all purposes, lost.

Homeworld

K

ukulka, an Eta or hive world in the Gothic Sector, and centre of the Cacique system, the base of operations and recruitment for the Night Vipers of the Adeptus Astartes. Home to billions of lives, Kukulka also hosts a great many Freebooters, Rogue traders, Pirates, which pass through its orbiting space port

 

Upon the surface lay a great many hive cities tearing out of the scorched earth. Between which lay a swathe of unrelenting arid desert, very few dare attempt to cross, even fewer survive the ordeal. The Vipers maintain only one building on the surface of Kukulka, primarily for the sole purpose for recruitment as well as the training of the chapters apothecaries. Built in the middle of one of Kukulkas largest deserts, a thousand miles from any other sort of habitation, its towering steel walls can often be seen glinting in the distance. If you are not pressganged into service of the Vipers, the only true way of them noticing your potential as an Astartes would be to make the thousand mile trek across the desert to the steel monolith that scars the landscape.

 

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Kukulka'

 

Kukulkas space station Kami a retro-fitted star fortress is one of the largest orbiting space ports in existence. On board all manner of items are available for purchase. All of this in overseen by Eleanor Guthrie the current head of the wealthiest black marketeering family in Kukulka, they claim in the Segmentum Obscuris. The Guthries are the chief fence and supplier for the many crews that dock upon Kami's ports. The Guthrie family has held this position since before the Vipers founding, and it is customary for those at the head of the family to continue to honour a pact between the governor and Night Vipers. The longer the Guthrie family has remained in power, the more beneficial the relationship has become, as such the Vipers continue to play a greater level involvement in the politics of the planet, anything to keep the Guthries in power. Due to its unique geopolitical landscape it is unique among the worlds under the protection of the Imperium, apart from Terra and Mars, that it is able to dominate over other planets in the system to the extent that it could be considered rule.

 

While the Vipers maintain a home world to all extents they are a fleet based chapter of the adeptus astartes. Their fortress monastery is the Battle Barge Cancun. Onboard they maintain a full ensemble of curatorial staff and the Librarium Sanctorum where the Chapter maintains its records of heroic deeds, lore of vanquished enemies, captured heretical knowledge, and the detailed information of every aspect of their intricate web of informants. It is said that the Librarium upon the Battle Barge is one of the largest repositories of information in the Imperium.

 

The Night Vipers take a greater than normal interest in their homeworld, and sectors politics. While most in the region of space do not operate on an entirely legal sense, the Vipers tolerate such behaviour for the benefits it provides for the Imperium

Sector Involvement'

 

Recruitment

R

ecruitment for the Night Vipers comes from amongst the Freebooters, Rogue Traders, and Pirates that pass through Kami; Every single one expert in navigating the social political landscape that makes up Kukulka; An ideal upbringing for the Vipers code operati. The only way a surface dweller may become an initiate is to survive the thousand mile trek from the cities, through arid wastes and raging dust storms to reach the chapter's only structure to pierce the landscape, are given the chance to become an Initiate. A great trial for a people used to living in the dark depths of a hive city.

 

Ideally it is best to recruit from the diverse range of Freebooters, Rogue Traders, and Pirates just before the initiate reaches adolescence, in that way they are aware of the jostling but have yet to fully realise their own human desires.

 

 

Kukulka Freebooter'

 

Those ships known to the Vipers to provide regular initiates are often granted a letter of marque as well as greater degree of leniency to their actions and practises. The letter of marque is a unique way of collecting bounties in the local system. A ship carrying the letter will grant the carrier access to an exclusive bounty system that pays large credits in return for specific acquisitions. The opportunities this presents are unbound as the earnings of a privateer are significantly better than any of a soldier enlisted in the astra militarum. In this way it is common for pirates to have begun life as a privateer. It was not before they learn that the Vipers and the Gutheries are content in allowing you to go about your way with little in the way of rules. While other planetary governors learned the hard way that leniency is often exploited as a sign of weakness, you would be a braver soul than most to displease the Gutheries, or to insult the Vipers act of kindness as any more of a way for them to achieve their goals. They have eyes and ears everywhere. If you did happen to believe your treatment and favour as a sign of legitimacy, you would surely be put out of business never be allowed into Kukultha's sea ports thanks to the Gutherie's. The Arcadia the former ship of Captain Harlocke is docked on Kami as a reminder of what can happen if you cross the line. Captain Harlocke over a few decades had proven themselves as enterprising and successful; as a result they had been allowed to keep a greater percentage of their winnings. Until they decided they were going to not declare a few archotech acquisitions. Upon learning of their betrayal, the Gutheries banned them from docking anywhere in the system. Captain Harlocke risked everything trying to escape the influence of the gutheries, shipping out with little to no supplies or fuel. The ship was found floating in the empty vacuum of space with only one survivor on-board, a lowly ship hand that resorted to cannibalism to survive.

Battlefield Doctrine

 

T

he most common direct engagement with the Vipers comes in the vast vacuum of space. The Vipers have changed the tide of many of their battles through their naval superiority. As a fleet based chapter, the Vipers have become experts in naval combat. They are able to maneuver themselves into the most devastating positions, able to unleash the full fury of their broadsides, and slip away. Nearly all of their declared campaigns are focused around establishing orbital superiority, preceded by creating a blockade around the planet. This ensures nobody comes or goes without first meeting the big guns of the Viper's navy. Once a blockade has been established they will use their planet surface mode operati utilising their extensive web of agents to ensue rebellion, and sabotage. Supported by orbital bombardment to hit key enemy locations, creating opportunities for ground forces to come in and make short work of the remaining enemy forces.

 

The Vipers surface mode operati uses extensive preparations before any actual attack on a target begins, utilising the extensive web of contacts through the Rogue Traders, Freebooters, and Pirates that fly under their pseudo protection in order to weaken an enemy's resolve. Not only is an enemy attacked from every angle, but every attack is often coordinated to achieve the most destructive results. Many actions are planned to utilise and support local insurgency activity. These insurgents loyal to the emperor go to considerable effort to spread propaganda, perform sabotage, and carry out acts of unrest and rebellion, providing a distraction and weakening the enemy before the Vipers kill team strikes. Furthermore, reports have shown the Chapter to ally themselves with anti-imperial forces particularly Xenos.

 

The Chapter's armoury is noted to consist mostly of Mark IV suits of Power Armor and weaponry but they do not fight like any other Adeptus Astartes Chapter. They prefer to avoid direct combat, using subterfuge, infiltration, sabotage, and brainwashing to destroy their enemies as opposed to a simple attack. The very identities of their brothers are the subject of mystery. Their supposed identities are frequently aliases which are shared within squads, meaning the name and identity of one Viper marine could refer to many. Due to this habit of shared aliases, members of one squad often refer to themselves as part of a greater collective identity. When they do present themselves, the Night Vipers prefer to let their insurgents and supporting PDF absorb most of the combat while they wait for the decisive moment to strike or make their escape. The final overwhelming push by the massed forces of the Chapter at the precise moment the enemy is at its weakest from subterfuge they refer to as The Harrowing.

 

Chapter Organisation

 

W

hile the nominal fighting strength of the chapter is kept at the Codex-approved 1,000 marines, the Night Vipers do not appear to use the Codex's Company structure; instead seem to rigidly follow the structure of the Iron Snakes, basing their organisation around that of the simple 10-marine squad.

 

Each squad, named after its first-ever squad leader, is treated as an individual tactical formation held equal in placement in the line of battle with almost all of the other chapter units. Only those squads referred to as the Ahau are seen as elite, and even then the Ahau do not properly represent a pooling of veteran Marines. This is due to the way in which the Vipers field their new recruits. Neophytes, do not appear to take to the field solely as Scouts; instead they often seen fighting in preparation in becoming full Brothers. Casualty replacements in the Ahau are incorporated in the same way as in other squads, which means that the Ahau are just as likely to have new recruits in their ranks as they are to have hardened veteran marines. Of course, the recruits that are selected to a place in a Ahau squad are likely to be the best of their generation.

 

When a squad is completely wiped out, it is reconstituted under the original name, with its new squad-leader being promoted from the ranks of the elder and more veteran Battle-Brothers of the other squads. Each squad-leader is expected to eventually nominate a successor from within his squad, who will be chosen to accompany him to officer-level briefings and take over command in the event of his death. This Brother will likely remain tied to his squad until his own death; as such 'seconds' are not promoted out to command other squads. Each squad will also contain a standard-bearer, who fixes the squad colours to a special mounting upon his armour, and a pair of support weapon troopers. The Ahau squads also appear to customarily include both a marine trained in the use of a servo-arm and a Narthecium as one of their number, and such specialist Marines are a common feature of other squads as well. How the number of pseudo Techmarines came to be higher than that of a Codex chapter in the chapter caused great concern within the Inquisition, and Adeptus Mechanicus. However without any official audit and recall of the entire chapter fleets, this could only remain hearsay.

No single astartes leads the Night Vipers. Instead, the most revered warriors of the chapter sit on the Chapter Council, sometimes referred to as the Ghost Council. Those who sit on the Council are referred to as Lolo and the body has guided the Night Vipers successfully since its difficult inception. The council would be found aboard the Battle Barge Cancun, the fortress monastery of the chapter. Cancun and its supporting fleet are able to appear and go almost as if they evaporated out of thin air. Many theories have been formulated over this phenomenon. Whether it is a gift from the Adeptus Mechanicus from their close working relationship, or whether it is caused by a piece of technology confiscated off one of the traders operating out of Kami. All that can be said is that these are both reasonable explanations, and neither can be proven.

Chapter Council'

Apothecaries


Techmarines

Chapter Cult and Belief System

 

P

ersonal initiative and secrecy are qualities valued by the Vipers. Life on deck of a rogue trader, or freebooter ship ensures the Chapters recruits are strong willed, driven, and used to hardship. The chapter fosters a tolerance of the lawless in its recruits, regarding them as a necessary evil, to be used to better the Imperium and maintain the safety of the Emperor; they are to only be exterminated in extreme cases.

 

The threat to the Imperium is continuely so great the Vipers put themselves and their greatest prize their assets in harms way to battle the enemies of the Emperor. Much like the people on board Kami, the Vipers navigate the social political landscape to rid the Imperium of a greater taint. It is a thankless and lonely task, but it is undertaken willingly

 

The line of leniency is drawn when it comes to the Chaos powers, whole heartedly adhorred by the chapter for their warping touch. As far as they are concerned, it is unthinkable to allow oneself to stray that far into darkness.

Whilst some have called the Vipers overly cautious, cowardly, or bigoted, none can deny the results they achieve from their tasks. The Vipers have amalgamated and extensive array of influential allies that allow them to continue unmolested; some untraditional and radical Inquisitors have gone so far as to praise their actions, seeing their actions as those of the truly faithful.

 

The chapter has worked in concert with many elements of the Emperor's Imperium throughout its history. It is not uncommon for them to work alongside Inquisitors in concert militant cults in the Imperium such as the Redemptionists to create frenzied mobs and stir up hatred, intolerance and xenophobia amongst planetary populations. It has been noted by several Imperial observers that the Vipers have a greater than normal affinity to the Astropaths and those of the Navigator Gene than most Adeptus Astartes.

Gene-seed

N

otably tall and strong even for members of the Astartes. Years of rigorous gene-screening practices have inculcated an obsession for genetic purity within the Vipers. With the Adeptus Mechanicus Biologis frequently assisting the monitoring and screening process the Geneseed is surprisingly pure, considering the fate that befell their fellow cursed founding chapters. A slightly overactive Lymans Ear and the strange mutation that only allows its members to speak in a ghostly whisper are the only aspects that continue to bemuse the Biologis; considering the Iron Snakes do not suffer from the same defects, and the experiments on the geneseed during the founding did not involve those areas.

 

With thanks to the close working relationship of the Chapter and the Biologis the Vipers' Apothecaries demand absolute and total excellence in maintaining their overall purity. The Apothecarion ensures that only the strongest and healthiest of recruits are selected to become marines. The trials for neophytes are particularly stringent, and the Apothecaries take great care to ensure that the gene-seed does not develop any further flaws or mutate in any way. Progenoid glands extracted from dead marines may not be implanted if there is any suggestion that they may be tainted.

 

This unyielding thoroughness means that the Vipers replace losses at a slower rate than in most marine chapters; which explains the chapters reluctance to engage in direct combat and to continue with their codex divergent mode operati. It is unknown when or if the last time the Vipers were at full chapter strength. The Vipers contend, however, that they are more than a match for their foes.

 

Notable Members

L

ittle is known of the inner workings of the Night Vipers and the personal it possess'

Eanraig Lael

 

The only known member of the Chapter Council, and considered the sole representative. As you come to expect from the Night Vipers, very little is known of Lael, except he is one of the surface dwellers on Kukulka. He made the trek across the planets arid in a record time, surviving all the hardships the desert sands could throw at him.

 

Notable Engagements and History

O

ver their long and notorious existence the Night Vipers have sowed much fear in the enemies of the Emperor. 

Craftworld Ard-Iadanna

 

Mid M39 the Night Vipers were engaged in a protracted naval campaign against the Eldar of Craftworld Ard-Iadanna. They were every bit a match for one another. The Eldar were finally broken orbiting the Witcher moon. The Eldar had been drawn their with information of the Vipers fleet docking for vital repairs. When they arrived the Vipers fleet was lying in wait. Once the Eldar fleet had reached its breaking point, the Night Vipers committed their queen, Cancun. With its Stealth like technology, it materialised in the middle of the Eldar fleet delivering pin point accuracy broadsides, decimating everything around it. After that without a fleet to protect her, Craftworld Ard-Iadanna was easy pickings.

 

Ouroborus Perdition

 

At the end of M41 the Night Vipers began a campaign to ride the Ouroborus stars of the Black Ronin. The Vipers learned of Seii Taisho Senada Yukimura's pact with the deamons. This very act could destabilise the entire sector, and allow the Ouroborus stars to fall into the wrong hands.......

[Predator-joe]

Will re read this a couple of times in order to give as much feed back as I can.

 

Firstly your origins sound great and has been worded incredibly well with the 21st founding. I don't have too much knowledge on the cursed founding so I hope other people can give better input on it. 

 

The way you link your chapters home world, recruitment and doctrines to the rogue traders is very interesting and well thought out. You have given solid reasons to why the chapter acts in this way. The fact that it doesn't operate like a standard chapter raises questions. You mention they have worked with the Inquisition, is this the same as with death watch and how are they viewed by other chapters and organisation, especially considering they are the 21st founding? 

 

Their methods of blockading planets and using insurrection sounds amazing anda very Inquisitor like method of approach. I am curious how the chapter acts against opponents where this wouldn't be viable such as necrons or tyranids. If naval combat wasn't an option (like it was against the eldar), what other approaches would the chapter make to oppose these threats, this is saying if they have even come across them. 

 

Again this DIY chapter is very inspiring by how different your approach to it has been, they truly feel like a chapter that is in its element with rogue traders etc.  There is always more to discuss and I do hope other people respond to this topic as well. Keep up the great work. 

[Minigiant]

@Predator-joe Thank you for your kind words

Will re read this a couple of times in order to give as much feed back as I can.

 

Firstly your origins sound great and has been worded incredibly well with the 21st founding. I don't have too much knowledge on the cursed founding so I hope other people can give better input on it.

Definitely go read about the cursed founding, very interesting. In short

 

"The Twenty First Founding was the largest Founding of Space Marine Chapters since the Second Founding. It took place shortly before the Age of Apostasy, in 991.M35.The focus of the Twenty First Founding was perfecting and removing deficiencies in flawed gene-seed. The Twenty First Founding is also known as the Cursed Founding, because of the appalling bad luck that seems to dog the Chapters created. Worse still, some Chapters have developed genetic idiosyncrasies, mutations that strain the tolerance of the Inquisition and threaten the Chapter's survival."

 

Maybe you can try figure out what my Vipers curse is ;)

The way you link your chapters home world, recruitment and doctrines to the rogue traders is very interesting and well thought out. You have given solid reasons to why the chapter acts in this way. The fact that it doesn't operate like a standard chapter raises questions. You mention they have worked with the Inquisition, is this the same as with death watch and how are they viewed by other chapters and organisation, especially considering they are the 21st founding?

 

 

That bit has not been written simply because right now it does not create enough content to warrant any section by itself. If I can come up with something cool I will add it in the future. I do have some ideas though

 

The Night Vipers are probably viewed and view the Deathwatch favourably because of a similar mode operati. The Deathwatch using kill teams for example. They are probably rather isolationist when it comes to fellow chapters. They would view another chapter having an insufficient geneseed purity with mistrust. Other chapters would view the Vipers mode of operation and combat doctrine with suspicion and mistrust

 

Their methods of blockading planets and using insurrection sounds amazing anda very Inquisitor like method of approach. I am curious how the chapter acts against opponents where this wouldn't be viable such as necrons or tyranids. If naval combat wasn't an option (like it was against the eldar), what other approaches would the chapter make to oppose these threats, this is saying if they have even come across them.

Encourage citizens and gangs to fight. At the end of the day they are still marines so would engage if necessary. The Vipers are just very reluctant to do so

Edited May 22, 2017 by Minigiant

[Predator-joe]

If i ever get the time I will have a little look at the cursed founding. 

 

I only ask about the doctrines as you cannot really have an uprising against Tyranids, Necrons etc. I assume they send them planetside as an auxiliary force. If they had to engage with their own marines, do you think they would be very strict to the codex or act more like Raven Guard, Raptors etc? 

 

 

[Minigiant]

 

If i ever get the time I will have a little look at the cursed founding. 

 

I only ask about the doctrines as you cannot really have an uprising against Tyranids, Necrons etc. I assume they send them planetside as an auxiliary force. If they had to engage with their own marines, do you think they would be very strict to the codex or act more like Raven Guard, Raptors etc? 

 

 

 

 

They are probably more Iron Snakes (Their founders), and utilise the most efficient squads to accomplish their mission. Starting from Kill team upwards

[Beta galactosidase]

The Necrons have many vassal species; specifically the Sautekh have hundreds of non-necromancy worlds paying tribute to them. Orks also operate this way. It should be very common that after an invasion, a human or other species' planet would have entire cities or land masses that are exclusively human or native, and just mostly demilitarized because the Orks/necrons destroyed the military. They would be mostly given to production that allows them to buy their survival by sending resources and some finished goods to their conquerors.

 

This should be common in the night vipers' universe the same way the power of spacr marines or the justice of the Imperium varies between books.