IA: The Knights Oracular (LASC 19) - Draft 1.1!

[Ace Debonair]

"To Pierce the Veil - see beyond any deception! This is your duty, above all others!" - Chaplain Garrel, Knights Oracular 10th Company, during a speech to recruits, M39.687

Early History: Imperial Records

"We have foreseen a great war coming to this world - but fear not! The Knights Oracular will defend you!" - Epistolary Aradin, Knights Oracular 3rd Company, to the Governor of Paralbos, M38.041

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/sm.php?b62c=@hvOE9_i8TzJ.hPbn6@@@@@@@hBWPW@hCmX3__..@@@@@@@@@@@_._.@@@@@@@@@@hCmX3hk8Yt__@@@@@@@@@@@hk8Ytiakk7&grid=TRUE

A Battle Brother of the Knights Oracular

Imperial records first detail the existence of the Knights Oracular in the later years of M37, arriving in the region of space called the Amgyne Sphere, in the Ultima Segmentum. However, the exact date of the Chapter's creation is a matter of some debate amongst scholars. Some insist the Chapter must have been birthed in the 22nd Founding, whilst others insist the Chapter was the sole true success story of the 21st Founding.

What is certain, however, is that the Knights Oracular have, from their very first appearance, been locked in an unending war with the vicious, reptillian alien species known as the Khuurladh. Taller and more muscular than typical humans, with long, snapping jaws, cruel fangs, and thick natural scale armour, the Khuurladh are heinous agressors, endlessly raiding Imperial worlds for slaves or supplies. They typically favour large infantry squads, augmented with cybernetics. These raiders take to the field in vast hosts, wielding horrific hook-bladed swords, a sleek, xeno burst-laser weapon called the "Optrica" by Imperial Militia, or two-man teams who have surgically grafted themselves to larger, more deadly weapon platforms. Resilient and ferocious, the Khuurladh are exactly the sort of malevolent alien entity that Space Marines are well-suited to do battle with.

Chapter Symbol

Appropriately for their name, the Knights Oracular have, over the centuries, become quite adept at predicting the movements and tactics of their hated enemy, allowing them to intercept the Khuurladh raiders and stave off the worst of their predations. On world after world, the Knights Oracular would fight off the voracious xenos, earning a heroic reputation that gradually spread all across the Amgyne Sphere.

The turning point in the campaign was undoubtedly the defence of the Forge World, Vaanatar, wherein the Knights Oracular appeared in the planet's orbit in time to prevent even a single Khuurladh from making planetfall, through daring and audacious exploits of voidborne combat.

Their initial campaign culminated in a devastating assault on Ineffar, the homeworld of the Khuurladh. After a brutal siege battle that lasted almost a full week, the Knights emerged victorious - not a single living Khuurladh remained on Ineffar.

In a move that was one part defiant statement and one part memorial to all those whom the Khuurladh had slain, the Knights Oracular chose to establish a Fortress Monastery on Kryptis, the moon of Ineffar.

Such was the esteem that the Chapter was held in by the worlds who had seen them stave off the Khuurladh's attacks, that great migrations of people came to Kryptis, building their cities inside great eco-domes that soon dotted the empty moon's jade-green surface. It was a matter of mere decades before the Knights began to recruit from the Krypthian population, and their numbers began to grow.

Finally stable in their new home, the Knights Oracular vowed to protect the Amgyne Sphere, come what may.



==+++ Signal Received +++==
=-=- Krypthian Datalock .833. Detected -=-=
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>> ENTER: Oraculus Dominatus
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==+++ Clearance Granted +++==

Early History: The Truth

"People desperately want to see something they can believe in. And in such dark times, they'll believe in almost anything." - Brother Aradin, Jagged Fang, 3rd Maw, M38.022

Beginning life as a splinter force of Alpha Legion serving as scouts and watchful eyes in the Imperium for the Warmaster of Chaos, Abbaddon the Despoiler, the warband called the Jagged Fang survived behind enemy lines for almost five centuries before running afoul of the Imperial war machine. An Imperial Navy fleet caught the Jagged Fang as they attempted to raid the agri-world of Novyok for supplies, inflicting heavy losses on the hundreds-strong warband before the Jagged Fang fled.

Lacking the manpower to risk another conflict by raiding the fortified Imperial worlds that surrounded them, the Jagged Fang hatched a daring, risky plan to survive.

Attacking the peaceful spacefaring xenos race known as the Khuurladh, who lurked on the fringes of Segmentum Obscurus, the Jagged Fang imprisoned and enslaved almost fifty thousand of the aliens. From there, their Warpsmiths engineered facilities from which the aliens could be cloned - albeit with a drastically shortened lifespan.

This was simply the first step, however - the malign tech-adepts of the Jagged Fang were able to fashion functional servitors from their derivative Khuurladh, making them into easily-controlled weapons that followed preset combat protocols.

Using this xeno-bred army to fight in their stead, the Jagged Fang staged a number of assaults in the Amgyne Sphere, looting supplies from worlds unprepared for combat with endless waves of xeno-drones.

After the first few raids proved to be a success, the Jagged Fang implemented the secod part of their plan - the imitation of a brand new Chapter of Space Marines, assuming an entirely new identity to fight the fabricated menace of the Khuurladh.

Eastablishing themselves as the 'Knights Oracular', the Jagged Fang attacked several key planets and systems with their xeno-drone hordes before sweeping in heroically to 'save the day', to the wild acclaim of the local populace.

Ineffar, the supposed home of the Khuurladh, was simply an uninhabited Death World, and a suitable scapegoat for the Warband to stage the final act of their 'campaign' against the Khuurladh. That the moon, Kryptis, could be colonized thanks to the willing aid of the Adeptus Mechanicus was simply an unexpected bonus.

From their new vantage point as 'heroes of the Amgyne Sphere', the Knights Oracular made contact with their emissary to the Warmaster, pledging their service anew and vowing to destroy and destabilise the Amgyne Sphere. Their cloning facilities were moved to Ineffar, allowing them to create larger and more impressive armies of xeno-drones for the wars to come.

.-.--==Returning to Imperial Records==--.-.
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Recent History: Imperial Records

"The Knights Oracular were created to give people something to believe in! That is our mission!" - Atributed to Chapter Master Barantin, M41.070, during the battle of Bramigar

However, problems for the Knights Oracular were just beginning. The Khuurladh proved to have survived the destruction of their homeworld, becoming a nomadic warhost bent solely on vengeance and annihilation. They launched a fierce attack against Krypthis, then at other worlds all around the Amgyne Sphere.

On top of the resurgence of their most hated foe, the arrival of duplicitous Dark Eldar pirates and relentless Ork Waaaaghs in the Amgyne Sphere served to test the mettle of the Knights Oracular even further.

Furthermore, the Inquisition - perhaps unduly - began to question how the Knights Oracular had been so effective at countering the activities of the Khuurladh, and began to pry into the Chapter's affairs.

However, the Knights proved to be up to the challenge, meeting all alien threats in fearless combat. Wherever the vile xenos struck, there too would be the Knights Oracular, fighting ferociously in the defence of the Imperium, an unwavering shield against the darkness. Not even the most paranoid of Inquisitors could fault the dedication of the Knights Oracular.

However, on the Hive World of Bramigar, at the dawn of the 41st Millennium, the Knights Oracular found themselves at the centre of a horrible revelation. Fighting alongside Inquisitor Jonessan against what seemed to be a typical Khuurladh horde, the Knights found themselves betrayed - several amongst their number were seen to command the aliens, setting them on their own forces and resisting all but the most spirited and ferocious attacks.

But the Knights - led by no less a figure than their beloved Chapter Master Barantin, rallied together and won the day regardless, their cunning and skill-at-arms driving the traitors into retreat. However, Chapter Master Barantin had fallen in combat with the treacherous Captain Karek, whose blade lay stuck through the back of the heroic Chapter Master.

It was quickly discovered the traitors had been part of a fiendish ruse by Alpha Legion spies, who had sought to overthrow and discredit the Chapter by supplanting them after harassing them with innumerable attacks by their Khuurladh servants.

In the aftermath, a conclave of Inquisitors levied a Penitence Crusade on the Chapter, sending fully half of the remaining Knights Oracular in pursuit of their betrayers, heading towards the Eye of Terror. The Chapter accepted these terms unflinchingly, knowing in their hearts that atonement was required for their lack of vigilance. Those Knights that remained in the Amgyne Sphere pledged to hunt down and eradicate every single traitor marine that dared to show themselves in the Sphere.

Even in the Dark Millennium, this promise holds true. The Knights Oracular display a level of ferocious hatred for their betrayers that can be frightening to behold, and will never show mercy when faced with one of their former 'brothers'.

==&&=-Parsing Information-=&&==
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==+++ Clearance Granted +++==

Recent History: The Truth

"We control the truth! The Knights Oracular ARE the truth!" - Captain Karek of the Jagged Fang, M41.070, at the Battle of Bramigar

The Jagged Fang had to continue to play the role of saviour whilst fostering their strength for the Warmaster's campaigns to come. To this end, they continued to stage convincing wars all across the Amgyne Subesctor using their xeno-drone armies, using these 'heroic victories' to further their reputation.

Other forces, such as the Orks and Dark Eldar, proved to be hinderances - they were wild and uncontrollable, and as such had to be eliminated as ruthlessly as possible. Battles with these aliens were all but entirely devoid of the Knights Oracular's usual flourishes and dramatic set-pieces, instead focusing solely on utilitarian but effective tactics to crush their enemies quickly and efficiently.

The Jagged Fang found themselves truly growing into the role of protectors for the Amgyne Sphere. Many within the Warband grew increasingly attached to the character of the 'Knights Oracular' that they had invented, at times almost forgetting it was a masquerade. At some level, most of the 'Chapter' felt at home fighting in the defence of humanity, and the feeling that the Warband should embrace the role completely slowly but inexorably grew within the Chapter.

Others, however, were not so easily dissuaded from their sworn oath to the Warmaster. Using the Khuurladh to stage ever-more ferocious and violent attacks, causing more casualties not only to the citizens and armies of the Amgyne Sphere, but to the Knights Oracular themselves.

This tension in the Warband erupted when the news came via emissary that the Warmaster required the utter destruction of the Hive World of Bramigar, with the Warband almost fracturing right there. Chapter Master Barantin managed to keep everyone in line, however, using the promise of glories to come to quell the dissidents.

At the battle of Bramigar, however, things went spectacularly wrong.

Even with the Khuurladh fighting at maximum ferocity, the part of the Jagged Fang that wanted the charade to continue were able to overpower and eradicate many of the xenos. Those loyal to the Warmaster, determined to break these idealistic fools, enacted their backup plan of exerting manual control over the Khuurladh.

But the valiant fighting spirit of the Knights Oracular provoked more and more doubt in the Jagged Fang. Many brothers in the Jagged Fang switched sides that day, aligning themselves wholly with the Chapter over the Warband.

Furious, Chapter Master Barantin attempted to order an orbital strike to destroy those who would betray the Warmaster. Captain Karek of the First Company, his own most trusted ally, ran him through before he could authorise the command. Though Karek was shot dead within seconds of the deed, his swift action ensured the Knights Oracular, and not the Jagged Fang, would win the day.

The presence of the Inquisitor, Jonessan, forced the surviving Knights Oracular to reveal a certain amount of the truth; that the Alpha Legion had been manipulating the Khuurladh and had even infiltrated the Chapter with the goal of discrediting the Knights Oracular and destabilising the entire Amgyne Sphere.

Jonessan had been a vocal supporter of Chapter Master Barantin until the battle of Bramigar, so the surviving Knights spun the tale of how Karek had betrayed Barantin, both to make the whole ordeal easier for the Inquisitor to swallow, and to turn his attentions more onto the surviving Jagged Fang than onto the Knights Oracular themselves.

Committing fully half their remaining strength to a Penitence Crusade was an easy pill to swallow for the Knights Oracular. The Crusade in question made it easy to mandate the unrelenting pursuit and eradication of the Jagged Fang. That such a crusade was called for and mandated by a conclave of Inquisitors gave it so much more weight, and lent further credence to the Chapter's appearance of ardent, unflinching loyalty.

Since the Betrayal at Bramigar, even the Knights Oracular that remained in the Amgyne Sphere have been perpetually watchful for the remnants of the Jagged Fang. They hunt their once-brothers with a cold ferocity, absolutely merciless in the pursuit of anything that could break the facade and shatter the Imperium's perception of the Knights Oracular.

.-.--==Returning to Imperial Records==--.-.
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Beliefs: Imperial Records

"We die, so that the Imperium lives on." - Last words of Brother Feriex, at the battle of Ephera, M39.893

The Knights Oracular place the defence of the people of the Imperium above all other concerns, even their own survival. No matter how ferocious the foe, or how great their numbers, the Knights Oracular fight with every ounce of strength they can muster to protect humanity. They believe it is the Will of The Emperor to do so, and to die fulfilling His Will is the greatest death that one can achieve.

The Chapter displays an absolute hatred of their long-time enemies, the Khuurladh, and of the Alpha Legion forces that once infiltrated their ranks. Seeking out and destroying these two vile forces is what drives the Chapter's vigilant watch over the Amgyne Sphere.

The Knights Oracular take pride in their heroic reputation, and their armour is often replete with hard-earned decorations. Purity seals, campaign markings, banners and capes are commonplace amongst sergeants and veterans.

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==+++ Clearance Granted +++==

Beliefs: The Truth

"It's easy to fool people when they're already fooling themselves". - Brother Feriex, Jagged Fang, 6th Maw, M40.229

Initially, the Jagged Fang sought to subvert or destroy the Imperial rule in the Amgyne system through carefully staged attacks, all whilst playing the role of 'heroes'.

Though they were once outwardly aligned with Chaos, none within the Warband actively worshipped the Dark Gods. Any mutations suffered by a member of the Jagged Fang were purged systematically - with death being the final option for any marines whose body had been irrevocably corrupted. This trend was always present, but intensified with the Warband establishing their masquerade.

The 'Chapter' worked tirelessly to ensure their reputation as noble saviours was never questioned or scrutinized too closely. Battles were staged to look as convincing as possible, including injuries or deaths within the Warband in the name of the cause when neccessary.

This extends to the Chapter's appearance, where every marine strives to give the appearance of a true hero - capes, purity seals, and elaborate, distinctive helmets make the 'Knights Oracular' stand out as noble and heroic.

However, over time the Warband grew more and more attached to their pretense of heroism. Fighting legitimate, unscripted battles against monstrous Orks and Dark Eldar may have catalysed the change in the Warband's manner; the root cause seems to have been feeling a genuine satisfaction at earnestly battling to protect something.

After order in the Warband was shattered at Bramigar, the survivors have endeaveoured to truly become the Knights Oracular, and to embody the virtues they once only appeared to have. Staged battles with the Khuurladh still occur infrequently, if only to sell the falsified narrative of 'implacable alien foes' that the Chapter has woven over the centuries, but now they are more often staged in such a way to minimize Imperial losses, or to draw attention away from isolated Kill-Teams being sent after Jagged Fang operatives.

The Knights Oracular have a truly ruthless streak, which is on display whenever dealing with their former brothers of the Jagged Fang. The Knights Oracular are never more dangerous or unpredictable foes than when employing multi-layered pursuit and execution strategies to track down and eradicate their traitor kin.

.-.--==Returning to Imperial Records==--.-.
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Combat Doctrine: Imperial Records

"Wars are won with knowledge, conviction and decisive action." - Sergeant Makaran, Knights Oracular 8th Company, M41.550

The Knights Oracular largely conduct warfare according to the doctrines of the Codex Astartes - flexibility and adaptation to battlefield circumstances are the hallmarks of their methods.

The Chapter's Librarians specialise in the divination of enemy movements, both on a tactical and strategic scale, all-but ensuring the Knights have an edge that can be levied even against the most dangerous of foes.

Even in battle, the Chapter's librarians are known for their powerful displays, especially against the Khuurladh, where their power can disable or destroy entire squads with a single, powerful strike.

The Knights Oracular have been so constantly at war with the Khuurladh that the Chapter at times seems to run the risk of becoming overspecialised, sometimes appearing to struggle in adapting their typical approaches to combat with Orks, traitor Space Marines, or Dark Eldar.

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==+++ Clearance Granted +++==

Combat Doctrine: The Truth

"These casualties are a necessary evil, brother. If this doesn't look like a real war to the Inquisition, then everything we've done until now is for naught." - Sergeant Makaran, Knights Oracular 8th Company, M41.550

The Knights Oracular fight with the flowing adaptation of battlefield strategy common to the Alpha Legion, as they have ever since their days as the Jagged Fang.

Centuries of battling automated drones under their own control may have somewhat dulled the Chapter's keen edge in combat, but at their core the Knights Oracular are still Space Marines; warfare is in their blood.

The Chapter's numerous and effective psykers seen in battle with the Khuurladh are often ordinary battle-brothers playing the role of Librarians, using convincingly pyrotechnic effects or pre-placed traps to mask the fact they are simply switching off the xeno attack-drones.

The Chapter has become somewhat experienced at using traps, decoys and esoteric equipment to mask some of their mundane tactics under the guise of psychic powers even when facing enemies other than the Khuurladh, the better to maintain the Chapter's facade.

.-.--==Returning to Imperial Records==--.-.
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Organisation: Imperial Records

"The Codex Astartes doesn't support this action... but we do have contingencies in place for such occasions." - Captain Ebreck, Knights Oracular 9th Company, M39.076

The Knights Oracular maintain a broadly Codex-Adherent structure, keeping ten Companies of a hundred Space Marines. Howerver, if the parameters of a mission or campaign call for an adjustment to the Codex-approved approach, the Knights Oracular do not hesitate to embrace the challenge.

The Chapter is badly under strength after the betrayal at Bramigar, and the subsequent Penitence Crusade issued unto them. The Knights Oracular are currently roughly five hundred in number, excluding the first generations of Primaris Space Marines that the Chapter has recently adopted.

Though the Chapter was given the means to create Primaris Marines, they were not directly given Primaris reinforcements. The Knights Oracular have accepted this gift humbly, knowing they can use to protect the Amgyne Sphere more capably than ever through its use.

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==+++ Clearance Granted +++==

Organisation: The Truth

"Simply put, people see whatever they want to see. Heroes, traitors... it's all a matter of appearances." - Captain Ebreck, Jagged Fang 9th Maw, M39.076

The Knights Oracular have ever stuck to a Codex-Adherent organisation, to better maintain the illusion of perfect loyalty.

The Warband was never a thousand strong, however. Starting out with little more than two hundred marines, the Knights Oracular slowly grew their numbers until the battle of Bramigar, at which time they numbered close to eight hundred battle brothers. Roughly five hundred of these marines split away and formed the Knights Oracular as they are today. The remnants of the Jagged Fang who were not slain at the battle of Bramigar number less than a hundred, but those remnants remain the most dangerous threat to the Chapter.

Or rather, almost the most dangerous threat. It cannot be expected that the Emissaries of Abbaddon will take the betrayal of the Knights Oracular lightly. What form their retribution will take remains to be seen, but for now the Knights can only remain vigilant.

The Indomitus Crusade mercifully bypassed the Amgyne Sphere, but a passing splinter force mostly headed by Adeptus Mechanicus forces did meet with the Chapter at the urging of Forge World Vaanatar, specifically to pass on the equipment and knowledge needed to create Primaris marines.

The Knights Oracular took this gift gratefully, knowing that sooner or later they would need every trick and advantage at their disposal to hunt the rest of the Jagged Fang.

.-.--==Returning to Imperial Records==--.-.
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Geneseed: Imperial Records

"We see through all deceptions. We are the Knights Oracular, and our justice is swift!" - Brother Jaranse, Knights Oracular Fifth Company, M41.790

Though no official records confirm the primogentor of the Knights Oracular, their geneseed tithes submitted to Forge World Vaanatar most closely resemble that of the Ultramarines, with little to no genetic degradation.

Obvious ties to their gene-father are present in other aspects of the Chapter, however: chiefly the Knights' flexible, pragmatic approach to warfare, and their noble dedication to the protection of the Imperium and its people.

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==+++ Clearance Granted +++==

Geneseed: The Truth

"We fight boldly in the light, so that none think to look for us in the shadows."- Brother Jaranse, Knights Oracular Fifth Company, M41.783

The Jagged Fang, and thus the Knights Oracular, were Alpha Legion in origin.

As an essential part of their deception, only the purest geneseed samples were submitted to Vaanatar for testing, albeit with the note that time may have changed them from their 'Ultramarine' roots. This was, initially, the hardest part of ensuring the 'Chapter' survived, although having a stable stock of recruits on Krypthis to draw from made the process exponentially easier as time went on.

Mutations within the Chapter are fairly rare, but not unprecedented, even to this day - it is suspected strongly by veterans of the apothecarium that the taint of Chaos has effected the Chapter's geneseed in subtle ways.

All recruits are made aware of the Chapter's true history once they recieve the Black Carapace, as part of their final hypnoconditioning.

Obvious ties to the Chapter's genetic heritage exist all throughout the Chapter, given their duplicitous nature and the ease with which deception comes to them - but these signs are only ever visible to those who already know the truth.

.-.--==Returning to Imperial Records==--.-.
+++ Pierce The Veil, Brother +++
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+++>> Oraculus Dominatus <<+++
.-.--==Message Concludes==--.-. Edited November 8, 2021 by Ace Debonair

[Messor]

This whole concept is fun and it makes me happy. The only thing I'm not sold on is the color of that chest skull. Contrasts a bit sharply for me. A world building question; what is the actual nature and later, needful handling of their "rival's" homeworld? Being that they are an engineered threat, is the "homeworld" just where they are produced? How does the Chapter hide this from the people who come to settle the system? I know you mentioned eschewing a detailed homeworld section; this isn't necessarily something that needs answering in the article, just something I was curious about.

 

And a cultural/doctrinal question: Presumably the whole warband/chapter is in on the ruse, so when fighting their fabricated villain, how are casualties handled? Do the Knights fake deaths? Come out of conflicts miraculously unscathed? Or actually let their drones kill some marines to maintain the Facade?

[Ace Debonair]

This whole concept is fun and it makes me happy. The only thing I'm not sold on is the color of that chest skull. Contrasts a bit sharply for me.

Excellent! That's a good start, at least. I couldn't be sure if I'd had a good idea or had finally just fallen out of my tree.

 

Regarding the chest skull: I'm considering making it the same green as the rest of the armour, or possibly matching the red/burgundy pauldrons.

I'll try both and see what comes up best.

 

A world building question; what is the actual nature and later, needful handling of their "rival's" homeworld? Being that they are an engineered threat, is the "homeworld" just where they are produced? How does the Chapter hide this from the people who come to settle the system? I know you mentioned eschewing a detailed homeworld section; this isn't necessarily something that needs answering in the article, just something I was curious about.

This is a good question. Here's my current rough ideas:

 

The Knights Oracular hatched their plan long before putting it into action, and the Khuurladh were just aliens in the wrong place at the wrong time. They may not even have been hostile to humanity before the 'Chapter' enslaved and all but destroyed them. We'll simply never know!

 

Ineffar, for its' part, was never the real homeworld of the Khuurladh, instead just being an un-terraformed, virtually worthless Death World with no human population - in short, the ideal place to pretend an alien menace was hiding under everyone's noses.

 

In actuality the Khuurladh-Servitors are produced aboard the Knights Oracular's ships, in concealed, top-secret clone labs.

 

The Knights Oracular pick Kryptis, the moon of Ineffar, as an HQ to make it look like they're enacting permanent heroic vigil over their defeated foes. That humans come flocking to help colonize it is an unexpected bonus, and serves to drive home just how beloved the 'Chapter' has become in the nearby systems.

 

I suppose it might make sense to move the clone-production to Ineffar after the Chapter 'defeats' the Khuurladh there - if nothing else the Knights will use the world for training purposes anyway, so they've plenty of excuse to visit Ineffar often.

 

...Obviously I need to add all this into the IA as I develop it.

I may need to add a Homeworld section, and just keep it super brief.

 

And a cultural/doctrinal question: Presumably the whole warband/chapter is in on the ruse, so when fighting their fabricated villain, how are casualties handled? Do the Knights fake deaths? Come out of conflicts miraculously unscathed? Or actually let their drones kill some marines to maintain the Facade?

 

The whole Chapter is indeed in on the ruse, right from the start.

 

It's a blend of all three, depending on how closely they're being scrutinized. Faking their deaths and then just changing their armour a bit and going by a new name would be a favoured tactic. Miraculous victories in small-scale conflicts wouldn't be unheard of. But when under heavy scrutiny, or in battles that need to be truly convincing (or when the faction still loyal to the Warmaster gets a bit more militant in their approach), real and genuine casualties would occur.

 

It occurs, once the betrayal and civil war are completed, I could have the survivors treat the hunt for the few remaining traitors as something like the Dark Angels' hunt for the Fallen... which is basically the exact same thing now I stop and think about it.

 

So I'll keep it so the whole Chapter knows the truth if only so I'm not copying the DA's approach completely.

 

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

Alternate colours for the Knights Oracular:

 

EDIT: Removed to save space. Imagine a picture like the one in the IA, but with a green chest eagle that didn't look quite as good.

 

 

Do either of these look any better? All thoughts, comments, criticism et al welcome!

Edited October 31, 2019 by Ace Debonair

[Messor]

I like those answers. As regards the scheme, I lean towards the red chest. Do you have notable characters in mind for the Knights?

[Ace Debonair]

Aaaaaaaand UPDATED!

I've hammered this out today, and it's probably chock full of plot holes and problems.

 

I like those answers. As regards the scheme, I lean towards the red chest. Do you have notable characters in mind for the Knights?

I do indeed!
Well, sort of.
They've now got a former Chapter Master of some note. He died, but will be remembered fondly.

I like the green myself, but I might yet be convinced the red one is better.


Preserved below will be my initial blurb about the Chapter, in case I need it later:
 

Hail, brothers and sisters!

I've had another crazy idea for a Chapter.
Ever since Messor went ahead and made a really good Superhero Themed Chapter for the LASC '19, and I finally saw a film I've been meaning to watch for a long time, I've had the idea in my head - why not make a Chapter themed (loosely) on a Super Villain to balance the scales? the Greatest Superhero of all time?

So, in keeping with the theme, here's a truly heroic Chapter that everyone adores.... who might be more than they first appear... and then again, might not... I suppose you could call them slightly Mysterious.

I know it's a bit unsubtle with the theming (and the colours, especially). I've written this late at night, I'm very tired, and I'm more than happy to refine it and add MOAR SUBTLETY as I go along.

That said, I very much welcome any and all C&C, thoughts, ideas, derisive mockery, amused encouragement, or dramatic statements that I've finally gone off the deep end and need to be locked away in a distant, solitary prison in a tower of ancient stone and fed only a diet of stale bread and rainwater to cure my burgeoning insanity.


So... What d'you think?

EDIT:
Changed the colours slightly, not entirely convinced I shouldn't go with a fully golden helmet instead.
Also reworded some of my bullet points to actually make sense.
Still tired, still late at night, so I think maybe I'll stop editing here.

EDIT EDIT:
I continue the editing, expanding some bullet points and adding others.

Suddenly realise there's no 'Homeworld' section, and might challenge myself by not having much detail on Krypthis for once, instead of making the Knights Oracular yet another "Space Marine Homeworld (with some power armoured guys in there somewhere)" article.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The basic premise of "Alpha Legion Warband pretends to be loyalists, gets caught up in their own headgames and borderline redeems themselves by accident" is an idea I've had bouncing around in my head for about five years or so.

Adding the theme of a comic book character (who was recently adapted for the big screen - trying to avoid spoilers in case anyone hasn't seen the film in question) wasn't ever the original plan, but inspiration struck during a long, tedious shift at work. One frantic scramble to get everything typed up later, and here we are; the Knights Oracular.

Hopefully it's worth a read and isn't a complete waste of everyone's time, or at the very least hopefully some part of the concept is worth salvaging despite my heavy-handed, badly managed execution thus far.

So, I encourage anyone interested to give the Knights Oracular a read - don't forget to do a little digging if you want the truth!

Any and all thoughts, C&C or anything of that kidney definitely welcomed - what do you all think of the Chapter so far?

 

[Ace Debonair]

Forgive the double post, but I've snuck in another update or two.

 

The 'Amgyne Subsector' is now the 'Amgyne Sphere' - a smaller-sounding region of space, the better for a single Chapter to watch over.

 

I've also added a bit more about the Chapter eventually receiving the means to create Primaris marines - I'll need this bit for when I eventually paint some myself!

[Kelborn]

Alright. I was chosen to paint a mini for the Knights Oracular.

 

Without having read about them (what I will surely do catch up), would be a Primaris Marine ok?

I neither paint nor collect. Any tips/ advices I should keep in mind. Gonna paint my test mini from the new Warhammer store. ;)

[Ace Debonair]

Alright. I was chosen to paint a mini for the Knights Oracular.

 

Without having read about them (what I will surely do catch up), would be a Primaris Marine ok?

I neither paint nor collect. Any tips/ advices I should keep in mind. Gonna paint my test mini from the new Warhammer store.

That'd be absolutely fine!

I've yet to paint one of these guys up myself, but I'm already planning on making them my next project after the LASC.

 

If you've got any questions about the Chapter I'm more than happy to answer them.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

Holy mackerel Ace, this is amazing.

 

Ok, this is the third one of your works I've stumbled upon today and this is the most fun I've had reading an IA for a long, long time.

 

This is fantastic.

 

I think some things could be tweaked, such as the referring to the 'loyal' and 'traitor' marines being turned upon it's head in writing the 'truth'. The loyalists are the traitors and the traitors are the loyalists. The twist is fun, and I'm greatly enjoying it.

[Ace Debonair]

Holy mackerel Ace, this is amazing.

 

Ok, this is the third one of your works I've stumbled upon today and this is the most fun I've had reading an IA for a long, long time.

 

This is fantastic.

...I honestly expected a much harsher reaction.

Glad you enjoyed the Knights Oracular!

 

Most of the credit goes to Messor for inspiring me (go read his Champions Eternal and Depthwatch), but I've had the "Alpha Legion plays hero, loves it, keeps it up" idea in my head for a while.

 

I think some things could be tweaked, such as the referring to the 'loyal' and 'traitor' marines being turned upon it's head in writing the 'truth'. The loyalists are the traitors and the traitors are the loyalists. The twist is fun, and I'm greatly enjoying it.

Are you suggesting the Knights refer to themselves as traitors?

 

I'm going to be tweaking the IA a bit more once more inspiration strikes me - if you've seen the film this Chapter's based on you'll probably notice I am Space Wolf levels of blatant right now, especially in the quotes.

 

I'd like to tone that down, but I just need to find the right things to alloy the Chapter's composition with.

[Brother Lunkhead]

Good stuff Brother Ace

 

Lots of twisty, turny Alpha Legioney goodness..... I like it a lot!

[Ace Debonair]

Soooo I've started painting some Knights Oracular (Reivers again - I have a favourite unit) and the colours I'd picked out look WAY different than the painter image.

Actually, the gold and red are about right, but the green is... well...
http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/sm.php?b62c=@hvOE9_hSGMP.i8TzJ@@@@___hBWPW__..hPbn6hPbn6@@@@@@@@@@@.hPbn6.hPbn6@@@@@@@@@@hTdXahk8Yt..@___@@_@@@@hk8Ytiakk7&grid=TRUE

Blue.  (I'd show the model so far, but my camera is currently dead and undergoing the Rite of Recharging, so a painter image will have to do.)

Thing is though, I really like the colour, so I think I'm going to roll with it. It's also a bit different from just transposing the colour scheme of a particular character onto a space marine.
 
I can still use green for the Chapter symbol, after all.

 

Thoughts? Is this colour change an unforgiveable heresy, or a tentative step in the right direction?

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

Your colour schemes are always... interesting, to say the least.

 

Please don't take it as a criticism, it's a difference in taste. I prefer down to earth, conservative colour schemes. That's just me. The odd bright one stands out to me, but it has to be 'just right' for me to take it on. For example, I love the Blood Angels, but not a really bright red, it has to be a bit darker, richer, like their namesake. The Space Wolves look better in their Pre-Heresy grey, rather than the weird ice blue they have now (why did they change by the way?), so take my opinion for what it is, just that.

 

I'd prefer a silvery grey perhaps, or white. Really to me it's the principal of colour usage. You have to have bright colours set alongside some darker ones, or they all get lost in a loud mess.

 

Post a pic of the models when you can, can't judge anything without evidence.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The green looks like jade.

[Brother Lunkhead]

I think that if you go with a metallic green, then the lighter color will blend very well with the gold and red.

[Kelborn]

Alrighty, I've printed your article in order to get familiar with the Knights Oracular again.

 

Gonna paint the mini this Thursday. Don't expect anything at all. It's gonna be my first "serious" attempt to paint a mini (as long as my local store plays along and I'm allowed to paint one ;) ).

 

Gonna try my best. Anything I should consider? Would you like to have any special insignia or such? :)

[Ace Debonair]

Alrighty, I've printed your article in order to get familiar with the Knights Oracular again.

 

Gonna paint the mini this Thursday. Don't expect anything at all. It's gonna be my first "serious" attempt to paint a mini (as long as my local store plays along and I'm allowed to paint one  ).

 

Gonna try my best. Anything I should consider? Would you like to have any special insignia or such?

Exciting times! I find painting models to be a great way to relax, so hopefully you find the experience enjoyable!

 

The Knights Oracular don't require anything special, unless there's anything you'd like to add.

 

Don't worry if you can't match the colours - it's hardly difficult to imagine the Knights Oracular using variant schemes under... certain cirumstances.

 

Best of luck brother, and don't forget to have fun!

Oraculus Dominatus!

 

[Ace Debonair]

Post a pic of the models when you can, can't judge anything without evidence.

Finally got a day off, so I shall finally oblige.

Behold, the Knights Oracular!

I've decided I like the blue a lot, so unless consensus opinion is that it's really awful, I'll probably be changing the KO to wear it for their main colour.

EDIT: I just spotted a random jagged bit of sprue still on Sarge's backpack. I have no idea how I didn't see that when painting it.

Edited December 25, 2019 by Ace Debonair

[Bjorn Firewalker]

That's a very busy color scheme.

[Brother Cambrius]

That's a very busy color scheme.

Busy doesn't necessarily mean bad, Bjorn. ;) My Sons of Doom have an infamously unique colour scheme and lest we forget the Celebrants' outrageous fading scheme.

 

Geeat to see them in the plastic though, Ace!

 

Cambrius

[Brother Lunkhead]

Nice look Brother Ace I think the metallic green ties it all together nicely.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

No busy doesn't necessarily mean bad, but it usually does.

 

I'll qualify.

So, good. The Rowboat Girlyman model is busy, but not in a way that detracts from the stronger points of the model. The areas you're supposed to look for, that build the silhouette and that reinforce that models identity are all prominent and easy to make out, despite the busyness of the model.

 

Bad. The Constantin Valdor model is awful. It's busy in all the worst ways, the overall shape is distorted, your eyes don't know where to sit and every single bit of detail is being distracted from by yet another piece of detail. It's more than ostentatious, it's obnoxious and impractical.

 

 

The only thing I actually dislike in the models above is the helmet colour, I think it detracts and distracts from the model, it draws your eyes to the helmets in an unflattering manner and makes you wonder why such an odd colour is on such a prominent part of the model. I think it should be red, personally.

 

But that's just my opinion and the quality is in the eye of the beholder after all.

[Ace Debonair]

In the interests of complete transparency, let me just quickly state that the Knights Oracular colour scheme was originally as close to a copy-paste of Mysterio from the MCU as I could get on the Space Marine Painter. (Everyone has their own favourite characters, right?  )

 

Hence, the pseudo-ethereal blue for the helmet - kind of hard to paint an effect that looks like swirling fog, so I went with a slightly ghost-looking effect instead.

 

 

That said, I much prefer the metallic blue I got over the metallic green that I intended to get, and on balance I might change the off-white ghost hats to be how I denote sergeant rank and other leaders.

 

The regular helmets will likely be repainted metallic blue, same as the rest of the armour. It's not far off the colour of the Chapter's progenitors in the first place, which is an unexpected bonus!

 

I just need to wait for another uninterrupted day off now whilst I detach and repaint the noggins of the Knights.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

Honestly I think a better solution is to find some different heads. Either convert some Astartes helmets with green stuff, or find another supplier that has suitable heads. I'd go with something closer to what a lot of Spartans from the Halo series have, Reach in particular.

 

http://i.imgur.com/S770z8N.jpg

 

Having a large glass panel on it that you can paint to appear to have swirling smoke behind it. I think that could even work in 40k tech, one of the few things that would from other universes.

 

Just a thought.

[Ace Debonair]

Honestly I think a better solution is to find some different heads.

 

Well... yeah, it is, but I can't find any helmets that look better than the ones I have.

There is also the fact I'm wary at best of most third party bits and their associated bits sites.

 

There is also also that I'd like the KO to at least have the pretence of subtlety in their theme.

I'm bound to come back and dilute some of the Mysterio influence properly, just as soon as I find something suitably cool to dilute it with.