Hounds of Demos, a return to DIY and 40k

[ToyShip]

The Hounds of Demos

 

Born of desperate need in the Imperium's darkest hour, the Hounds of Demos Chapter has quickly earned a fierce reputation among it's brethren. Though merely centuries old, the Hounds have been molded by the populations from which they recruit and the duty that has been thrust upon them: to protect and guide Imperial ships through the insanity that is the Cicatrix Maledictum. To their wards they are patient shepherds, asking nothing in return for protected passage through fleeting gaps in the Great Rift. To their foes they are Ancient Terran myth come to life, dark hellhounds, harbingers of death. The Hounds of Demos are fleet-based by necessity, and as such have an earned reputation as superlative ship-to-ship fighters. Many reavers' final moments are lit by the flash of bolter fire and the glow of crimson eye lenses against gleaming black power armor in darkened corridors.

 

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This is a bare-bones idea I had at work today, I plan on fleshing this idea out further in the coming weeks. First, a few notes:

 

This will be an Ultima Founding Chapter, completely Primaris based, I also plan on building an army of them.

 

The name "Hounds of Demos" is an official GW name, there is nothing written on them. In Ancient Greek "Demos" means "Of the People", so literally the Chapter name is "Hounds of the People", which is something I will try to convey.

 

I am doing research into Celtic, Irish, Welsh, and Germanic legend when it comes to Spectral Dogs/Hounds, I'll leave a couple Wiki links below if anyone cares to look:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_Hounds

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%B9_S%C3%ACth

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_dog_(ghost)

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C5%B5n_Annwn

 

I recently finished Black Legion by ADB, and loved the depiction of the Warp Ghosts as the Ferrymen of the Damned. Definitely an influence on the theme here.

 

I have little direction when it comes to what gene-seed these guys use, Dorn and the Lion have always been my favorite loyal Primarchs, but I could easily see them as Ultramarines Successors. 

 

That's about all I have for now, came up with the idea after seeing the Legion Transfers for the World Eaters. I plan on using the gold Warhounds markings.

 

Any thoughts for this frater, long thought dead?

[Commissar Molotov]

Welcome back! 

 

I'd not heard of the Hounds before this thread and assumed that they were the Hounds of Deimos - implying some Martian connection. Google throws up this prior thread but nothing official beyond the fact that their name was mentioned in Chapter Approved II. 

 

The theme of being ferrymen across one of the tenuous passages through the Cicatrix Maledictum is a really cool idea. I think you've got some potential here for something really intriguing.

Edited October 25, 2017 by Commissar Molotov

[Lysimachus]

Welcome back ToyShip, great to have a veteran Liberite back around!

 

Nice idea too, hellhound/ferrymen is a cool theme. Fleet based makes sense, although I wouldn't rule out having a preferred recruiting world (or something) on one side or other of the rift, might provide a source for some of the Chapter's mythology?

 

They have a few similarities with my own War Dogs (name, pure Primaris, fleet based) so they'd probably either get on like a house on fire or hate each other on sight!!! :P

[ToyShip]

Thanks for the welcome back gents! I wanted to drop in and respond, I've been swamped at work but the ideas are still flowing.

 

I plan on having them recruit from at least one world exclusively, indeed to heavily influence their culture I.E. the Hellhound/Black dog mythology. Another idea I had that was influenced from my research is their attacks being heralded by the howling of dogs, to terrify their foes, that sort of thing. Might be restricted to the Reivers but its a thought. 

 

I imagine that they will rely on their Navigators and Librarians pretty heavily, with them being "ferrymen" for Imperial forces. Obviously the Navigators will guide the ships through the Rift, and I envision the Librarians using their precognitive abilities to determine where the most stable routes through will be. I'd like them to have established relations with a single Navigator house whom gifts them with what they need in return for protection or something like that.

 

I need to do more research on Navigator Houses, Primaris Organisation and various other things before I start blocking out a rough draft of an IA. Thoughts?