The Strigoi (LASC 2021) - Updated 26/03/21

[Hrvat]

This is an amazing Chapter you created frater!

 

My imagination was alight while reading the article.   

 

 

I also quite like that they feel more like the descendants of the IX Legion rather than descendants of the Blood Angels. 

[Deadass]

Thanks, glad to hear that you like them! Yeah, the fluff in HH Book 8 is fascinating, so I felt compelled to work with their pre-Sanguinius era lore.

[Deadass]

Another day (night, really), another update!
 
I've finally redone the 'Homeworld'-section, aka. the part that gave me by far the most trouble. I rewritten a fair amount of stuff to fit the image of the chapter that has begun to form in my head for the last few months. That included a few phrases in the other categories - as always - but regardless, here's the main attraction along with a link to the Master Post:

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HOMEWORLD

Veriad - The Crucible
The chapter is based in the Veriad System, close to the galactic core. Nearly bereft of all sentient life, it serves as an ideal stronghold for a brotherhood as fiercely independent as theirs. Only the system’s eponymous capital planet provides ample ground for mankind to prosper, making it the Strigoi’s primary source of recruits.
Of its history before the coming of the chapter, little is known. Evidence seems to suggest that the star system was settled by human colonists shortly before the nightmares of the Age of Strife became reality. It may have been this infamous period of psychic madness and burning worlds that tore the fledgling civilisation asunder and permanently rendered it down to primitive remains.
Veriad would be rediscovered towards the end of the 30th millennium by the 805th expeditionary fleet. Having made the arduous journey deep into Ultima Segmentum, these dutiful pioneers anchored long enough to record their findings before leaving for the frontlines of the Great Heresy, the world slipping into obscurity for centuries more. The Strigoi of M.32 found a world of scarce beauty to call their own, bedecked with lush forests and blue oceans. Not that the chapter had eyes to spare for this most unusual sight, for their attention lay elsewhere. The dark trees hide a deadly fight of man and beast that moulds prime material for the adeptus astartes.
Human life on Veriad is a privilege rather than a right. The barbaric clans that roam its wilds carve out their existence with the edge of a blade, each of them a killer of prodigious skill, be they man or woman, a child or fully grown. Truly, nothing less would suffice. The thicket around their meagre dwellings is rich with nocturnal megafauna that would drag careless veriadans into the wild given the chance. To remain a step ahead thus sees them able to not only weather their predations, but also turn the tide against them, hunting the creatures for food and raw materials. Each kill made strengthens a clansman’s reputation, earning the regard of his kin - perhaps even that of the mysterious Vânatogros, the grey huntsmen from the skies.

A Fortress between the Stars
Besides their recruitment drives, the astartes have little to no contact with the Veriadans.. Being pariahs by way of their character, they make a virtue out of remaining distant when not engaged in battle as they exemplify through the bulwark of stone and metal that is their fortress-monastery.
The Arx Crepuscula (Low Gothic transl.: Duskhold) is no creation of the chapter; its artless spires and black-metal ramparts having existed even before the Strigoi first arrived at Răugol, Veriad’s moon. Initially identified via auspex as a number of simple subterranean facilities, week-long expeditions performed by first company kill teams revealed that nearly the entire satellite was hollowed out to accommodate an ancient space station of Terran origin. Though little power flowed through its systems and no trace of the structure’s occupants remained, the discovery was deemed a sign of the Emperor’s favour and the Strigoi claimed it by right of conquest.
Centuries later, the Duskhold still stands firm as a symbol of Imperial supremacy. The fact that it is confined to Veriad’s orbit does not impede its deadliness, far from it: the Strigoi have taken every measure to ensure that the monastery’s numerous defences can obliterate any threat to Veriad at a safe distance. Its enormous firepower is controlled by the chapter’s host of serfs, skilled menials that administer the daily goings-on of the keep and oversee the maintenance of it and the belongings of their masters. It is truly rare for more than a handful of Strigoi to be permanently stationed on Răugol as the endless wars in the galaxy demand their attention elsewhere. This may go some way to explaining why much of the Hold’s halls and corridors remain unexplored to this day. Indeed, with the chapter preoccupied, hardly anyone has dared to descend into the moon’s bottomless depths over the millennia. Of those driven enough to try, not all have returned; more than likely lost in labyrinthine corridors that seem impossible to map. A fortunate few, however, would return to see the light of day, sometimes bearing the remnants of technology thought lost to the sands of time.
The spectacle of Veriad is kept far away from prying eyes not simply by means of the Duskold’s blistering weapons batteries; the space near the galactic core is also ripe with cosmic phenomena, making the knowledge of safe travelling routes an invaluable resource closely guarded by the chapter. The Veriad system has remained unconquered for over nine millennia - even so, there was certainly no shortage of attempts.

You may realise how parts of the text may clash with how the chapter is viewed by the Veriadans according to the 'Recruitment'-section - no worries, I'm aware. Recruitment is the next part of the lore that is going under the knife. I'm planning to keep the "Child Thieves"-angle I wanted to maintain last year; at least to a point. More on that when I get to it, I suppose.
 
Addressing the modelling front for a moment, I'd just like to say that the 9th ed primaris reveals have me incredibly excited! All those new, fancy melee units pushed me over the brink. They and the lieutenant I built as a moodpiece last week are going to be the bedrock for a force of Strigoi. No clue how big the army is going to get, but it's definetely happening!

 

-Horrible

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The details on the Chapter planet's culture are well-written.

[Deadass]

Thanks! Hope it addresses Veriad's population in a more agreeable fashion.

[Deadass]

Hello everyone, I bring you a new update:

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ORGANISATION AND TACTICS

Addendum: Chapter Arsenal

Every war the Imperium wages is an endeavour of herculean proportions. To win an engagement, its armies need appropriate equipment and steady supply lines. Being a crusading force, the Strigoi are particularly hard-pressed to meet these requirements during their long voyages through hostile territory. As a result, the chapter’s armoury is highly compartmentalised. The chapter’s strike cruisers and battle barges all maintain a number of transport vehicles, tanks and assorted material, leaving the great vaults of the Duskhold rather empty. Many of these items are produced by the forge-wrights of Medea Prime, a Mechanicus-held world bound to the chapter through treatises now recalled only by their venerable dreadnoughts. Only through the artifice of the Medean priesthood are the Strigoi able to field the sturdy, easily maintainable tools they desire as well as those intrinsic to the Blood Angels and their successors. Especially noteworthy in this regard is their impressive number of Land Raiders, allowing the line companies to call upon the might of one of these long-lived hulks of war each.

Combat Doctrine
Battles involving the Strigoi are, unsurprisingly, unsubtle and bloody affairs. Their inherited bloodlust compels them to seek their foes out as fast as possible, rending them to pieces in the mayhem of close combat. Most often, this translates into massed infantry assaults supported by mechanised elements, making their transport vehicles a crucial component in most maneuvers - Impulsors, Razorbacks and venerable Land Raiders weathering opposing firepower before disgorging frenzied squads of Tactical Space Marines and Assault Intercessors directly into the face of the enemy are a sight most familiar to any battle-brother. Many line units carry additional melee armaments as a result, wielding an assortment of chainblades, wickedly edged combat knives and short-range pistols as often as their boltguns and -rifles. The high speed and intensity of these affairs regularly leaves any allies far behind them, a consequence that serves the chapter just fine. The Strigoi thus serve as the tip of the Imperium’s sword, striking hard and fast as dictated by the tried and tested doctrines of the Codex Astartes.

Deep within enemy lines, the warriors of the chapter gladly undo the mental locks keeping their Thirst in check, unleashing terrible violence and giving rise to legends of atrocities uncounted. Nobler men may have attempted to rebuff these allegations and denounce them as an insult upon their honour. The Strigoi embraced their ill repute, becoming a byword for brutal subjugation. Yet the most dreadful aspect of their work is witnessed after the killing is done, when the marines gather the bodies of the slain and the priests speak their litanies of sanctification. Only then do they indulge in the acts that earned them the reviled title of Voratores Mortem - the Eaters of the Dead.

Order of Battle
Over the course of their long and storied existence, the chapter has developed an organisational structure divergent from codex standard. Based on the guidelines presented by Primarch Guilliman, the Strigoi are divided into ten companies, each with a nominal strength of 100 space marines. Of these, eight are outfitted as battle companies, a circumstance attributed to the Strigoi’s pragmatism and insatiable hunger for war. Providing them with additional flexibility, the adjustments allow the space marines to hold multiple fronts scattered throughout the galaxy, scout- and veteran formations being distributed among them as the situation demands.
These are ideal conditions. In truth, the Strigoi are continuously undermanned as they endure the ravages of blood and battle, numbering approximately 700 full-fledged astartes. There is little to be done against this severe attrition bar upholding an aggressive recruiting policy spanning all of their tributary fiefdoms. Veriadan culture may consider conscription an honour, but from the charnel houses of Mundus Vilis to the dead grounds of Corageddon, only grief meets the day when ships bearing skulls and blood drops hang in the sky.

The armies of Răugol are led by their chapter master, a warlord of supreme skill bearing centuries worth of experience. In him, everything a member of the chapter strives to be is united, fit to lead his kinsmen to glory in the name of the Emperor and his Angel. He is advised by his masters of the reclusiam, librarius, armoury and apothecarium respectively, forming a pentad charged with guiding the Strigoi through the Imperium’s struggle for survival. Often, when matters are at their gravest, the council is expanded with the addition of the company captains, equerries and dignitaries such as a representative of the Fraternis Ferrum, the chapter’s dreadnoughts. Together, they are the wit, the strength and the will of Sanguinius’ sons made flesh; the red-stained hand capable of wielding a weapon as brute and as ardent as the Strigoi.

Unique Formations
Like their progenitors, the Strigoi field a number of specialist units and officers. As they are hardly known as a spiritual brotherhood, the distinction of these marines is invariably owed to their exceptional characteristics or unusual duties. None of these divisions operate truly outside of the command hierarchy of the chapter, though all stand - in their own ways - alone.

• The Impalers - Assumed to be the equivalent of the Sanguinary Guard, the Impalers have devolved into an instrument of violence rather than virtue. Their members are undoubtedly the chapter’s most murderous elements brought together, armed and armoured with the finest wargear available. Though their efficiency is undeniable, the assault cadre remains a cause for concern: rumours speak of them as slaves to the Thirst, a fate that would inevitably devour them whole.
• The Wardens - Sometimes referred to as the Sin’s Watch, these sullen figures are much akin to the chaplains of other space marine chapters. Alongside serving in their roles as war-priests, spiritual guides and retainers of the Strigoi’s most precious relics, it is they who must watch their fellows for traces of madness. In this matter, they are the sole authority within the chapter, acting at their own discretion to remove the stain. A Warden must therefore be a brother of indomitable will, lest the guilt of his duties may reign him.
• The Death Company - The chapter’s afflicted are called the Morituri, for the sentence of all who wear the red saltires is death. Dispersed among the chapter’s strike forces, each group is overseen by a Warden intended to usher them into their last battle. With the readiness at which Strigoi officers throw these lost souls into ‘forlorn hope’-type assaults, estimating their strength is nigh-impossible.

 
Link to the Master Post
To summarise: While going over the Recruitment- and Arsenal sections, I realised they didn't really add an awful lot to the article. In order to reduce bloat and focus on the more important parts, I thus canned those two parts completely and integrated what I wanted to mention in a completely revised 'Organisation and Tactics'-segment.
 
I'm also working on the article with a few friends on mine on Discord, who mentioned that this part - especially the subsection called 'Order of Battle' - sounded a bit stiff. I think this new version is much better, and it also contains new lore in form of information about their chapter council, secondary recruitment worlds and the Wardens, the Strigoi's chaplain equivalent.
 
Next up is going to be a revision of the Credo Bellicosa, as it doesn't feel quite correct to me anymore. Slowly but surely, the end is coming into view! As always, C&C are appreciated!
 
-Horrible Edited June 20, 2020 by AHorriblePerson

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The additional details are again welcome. Do the Strigoi still eat Chaos-tainted flesh, judging the risk of Chaos corruption worth the potential reward of intelligence on the Great Enemy's plans? If so, do they take countermeasures to ensure a Marine who eats Chaos-tainted flesh will not be tainted himself, e.g., temporarily mark his armor so HQ knows what the Marine did, while keeping him quarantined under the Wardens' watchful eyes for a period of time?

[Deadass]

Interesting questions! Potentially something worth mentioning in my revision of the chapter cult. Consumption of corrupted flesh might be within the realm of possibility. The Wardens are the overseers of the chapter's cannibalistic practises, so they'd definitely be the ones to react if a Strigoi were to do it. As for whether simple quarantine would suffice, who knows...

[Deadass]

And here we are again! The chapter "cult" has been revisited and, in my opinion, improved. There's bit some other work done as well (most notably around the mid-section of the 'Wrath of Angels'-segment), but today's main attraction is, as per use, behind these spoiler tags and in the Master Post; check it out:

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Credo Martialis
It is a sickening truth that the practices of the chapter do not halt at the defilement of enemy remains, but going farther to dictate the consumption of their own dead. Most grotesque in this matter is that the astartes ascribe their morbid ways a twisted sense of honour. As their memories are preserved by virtue of the omophagea, the fallen are granted a measure of immortality, an eternal life more vivid than the likes of unread records or corrupted pict-feeds could provide. Only the death of the last Strigoi could end their chapter’s legacy: an ever-evolving archive of battlefield experience.

A strong focus on the martial honour of its warriors can be found in several of the chapter’s myriad traditions. This is hardly a surprise given their belligerent nature, yet easily missed as their savage get belies any sophistication. A disciplined mind and strategic brilliance are as imperative to a model battle-brother as his skill with blade and boltgun, and thus all are drilled to the highest standard. A significant part of these drills are regular duels, fought with edged weapons and overseen by their peers. These bouts serve to settle disputes and, of course, establish the participants’ skill-at-arms, but also as an outlet for the mania that perpetually gnaws at their spirits. Fatalities among the contestants are not unheard of despite the cathartic purpose of the duels, surely the consequence of injustices corrected and slights avenged.

As a space marine’s body is covered in battle scars and devotional tattoos, so does their armour bear testament to their many achievements. All Strigoi are encouraged to add to and display their personal heraldry, adorning their suits with trophies, campaign badges and kill-marks. Their ‘Respect through Renown’-type of approach even extends to potential allies, a habit that makes successful relations with the chapter notoriously difficult.The Strigoi’s ceaseless warmongering has sometimes defamed them as dull or shallow among their breed. Nothing could be further from the truth, as these sons of the Angel simply understand that their role in the Imperium is that of a bloody weapon; never the artisan, never the statesman.

Again, really happy with this. I doubled back on largely keeping the blood rituals out of the chapter as I discussed with Brother Lunkhead on page 2 of the thread after going through the Blood Angels segment of HH Book 8 for what must've been the millionth time. Describing their cannibalism as rituals is only appropriate considering the evolution into monastic orders the space marines made over the millennia, and even these still have their roots in pragmatism - keeping the wisdom and the memory of their forebears alive.

Getting the part about their warrior culture right was also very important to me. I'm a big fan of personal heraldry and the various militaristic traditions in space marine chapters, so I always wanted to get that in there somehow. Looking at the lore Alan Bligh wrote about the Executioners and Fire Hawks was very useful in that regard.

What else is there to say? Oh yeah, the Strigoi turned a year old yesterday! Twelve months ago on June 28th I created the Google Doc that holds all of their lore. Now, all this time later, the chapter's almost complete. Revisions of their characters, battles, introduction and early history remain to be done, after that I have to proofread everything and then this phase of the IA will be over.
Anyway, that's the last difficult part done. C&C are, as always, apprectiated!

-Horrible Edited July 6, 2020 by AHorriblePerson

[Gree]

Interesting work so far. Obviously your inspired by the pre-Sanguinius IX Legion. A couple of thoughts

 

-Was the Chapter founding by one of the few surviving pre-Sanguinius marines? The short fluff blurb seems to suggest that.

-The old Revenants also operated in toxic zones like the Death Guard. Have you considered that as a possible angle?

-Have you considered taking some inspiration from the Strigoi of the old Warhammer Fantasy? Just a thought.

[Deadass]

Hey, thanks for reading through all the lore! Always great to hear feedback from a fresh pair of eyes.

 

To answer your questions:

 

• Yes, you're right on the money! I'm not quite happy with the wording - something I'll work on soon - but I'm glad the point comes across.
• The 9th saw a lot of action in Zone Mortalis environments, yeah. I've always seen that as an interesting detail rather than a defining feature, so I didn't pay it much thought beyond briefly mentioning their resilience early on in the 'Culture and Traits'-section. At the risk of going off on a tangent, I wanna mention that there's another similarity between the Revenants and the later 14^th as both were known for waging wars of attrition. It's a cool angle for a space marine force, but it doesn't really work for modern chapters as they're intended as shock troops rather than mass infantry that is expected to get bogged down. But the biggest reason is that I want to make the Strigoi feel distinct from the 9th - to paraphrase the various DIY guides floating around on the forum, "to get inspired by other chapters works well, to copy them makes for a bad homebrew."
• I've never looked into the WHFB Strigoi beyond being informed that they're a thing, no (to be brutally honest, I've never read much of GW's fantasy lore at all). The chapter name is more symbolic of their de-evolution into a warped image of the pre-Sanguinius days rather than an indicator for a proper vampire theme. If you think there's something worth looking into or adapting for 40k, I am all ears though!

Hope that clears things up!

 

-Horrible

[Gree]

I've never looked into the WHFB Strigoi beyond being informed that they're a thing, no (to be brutally honest, I've never read much of GW's fantasy lore at all). The chapter name is more symbolic of their de-evolution into a warped image of the pre-Sanguinius days rather than an indicator for a proper vampire theme. If you think there's something worth looking into or adapting for 40k, I am all ears though!

You're pretty close to their lore actually. That's why I was curious. The Strigoi in WHFB were a vampire clan that ended up degenerating into bestial monsters living in caves and graveyards. They were even associated with the cannibalistic Ghoul units. They were generally reviled and disliked by the other vampire bloodlines.

Edited July 5, 2020 by Gree

[Deadass]

Damn, really? I had absolutely no idea, that's awesome - thanks for pointing it out!

[KBA]

Man, these guys are fantastic. The idea of them using the thirst, accepting it, utilizing it oozes character. I really liked the delivery, your voice in your writing is great. Articles like yours remind me of how I’m able to read through essentially fan-fic encyclopedia entries and be left for wanting more. Would you ever consider beefing up the origins? That section left me wanting more but also added a degree of mystery to the chapter that stuck the whole way through so I could see why you might not. I also dug the alternate names for units and titles. I think IAs can get a little nuts with the amount alternate names for things. I think it was a great choice to present the alternate titles and units the way you chose. Lastly, where do you find the sweet army painter, or are thise custom creations?

[Deadass]

Hey, thanks for reading! That's high praise coming from you, especially with how well the Omega Hounds are done.

 

I get what you're saying regarding the Strigoi's origins. They're due for a revision right after I'm done with the characters and battles, which are being rewritten at the moment. I have a few ideas for stuff I could add in regard to their genesis as well as their early history, so I'll definetely see about bringing that section up to the same standard as the rest.

 

Glad you like the different unit designations! I try to rename stuff only when it's fitting/necessary or if I've got a particularly cool idea. The idea for writing them down as I did came, like so much else, from Horus Heresy Book 8. It's the way the specialist orders of the Blood Angels and White Scars were listed. I've kinda bent the regular IA format outta shape; at this point the article is somewhere between it and the black books' Indices on the Legions (did the forum ever come up with a term for those?).

 

The slates for the chapter badge and color scheme were edited by me in Photoshop - no painter involved, sadly. I actually need to update those two pictures as I've figured out a better way to recolor FW's art slates and found a better template. Your miniatures put them to shame, though, so I wanna add pictures of my own sometime this year!

[Deadass]

Beside a number of small edits concerning certain formulations and formatting, I have updated the lore for my first Strigoi character, Ionel Ardelan! What I usually try to do is finish an entire section before posting, but I wanted something to show for this month. Characters seem hard to write properly! Anyway, for those who would like to read the blurb on its own, here you go:
 

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Ionel Ardelan - Commander of the Strigoi, the Eternal, Archein of Contempt
A veteran of 600 years, Ionel Ardelan is the bellicose leader of the Strigoi, Lord Răugol and the Domnitor of Veriad. He is the eighty-first heir to the position, the most recent in a long line of butcher-kings shrouded in death and infamy. His word has killed worlds, burned species and ground empires to dust.

Ardelan was recruited from among the headhunters of Veriad before being transported to the Duskhold for induction. Braving the rigorous tests of mind and body required of Strigoi neophytes, he would soon begin a long and dutiful service in the scout company. Ardelan made his talent for assault tactics known throughout the far-flung fleets of the chapter, playing decisive roles in some of their greatest victories in recent history. Such achievements include breaking the Siege of Xu-Secunda, destruction of the Nevontine Rapture-Sects and full operational command in the Third Althoran War. Any other virtue Ardelan possessed had little effect in the vast cult of personality his brothers built around him - befitting an icon of the Strigoi, his sheer martial prowess begot his exalted position.
Ardelan donned the mantle of Chapter Master following the Arclight Reclamation, a boarding action in the year 857.M41. Having cornered Iron Warriors of the 165th Grand Battalion, the Strigoi led a costly attack to seize a ship stolen in the wake of the Great Scouring. Ardelan rallied his severely decimated troops for a final charge onto the command deck, completing the mission and avenging his predecessor Vallen, slain early on in the fighting. As the traitors broke away, the right of succession fell to Ardelan, who immediately set to rebuilding his chapter’s strength.

And rebuild he did. Decades after his ascension, the deeds of Commander Ardelan have grown to assume a near-legendary status amongst his warriors. His swordsmanship, exemplary by any standard, is only eclipsed by his expertise as a general. Perhaps it is only natural for a descendant of the Blood Angels that this becomes particularly apparent on the offensive, where Ardelan applies attack patterns of his own making to combine inhuman ferocity and calculated violence in an unstoppable show of posthuman force.
Even off the field, the uncompromising Chapter Master surrounds himself with war. Sequestered away aboard the Arclight, that venerable battle barge he himself saw restored to the Imperium, he reviews casualty reports, coordinates fleet movements and receives the many pleas for aid sent every single day. Those closest to him quietly describe something haunted within his gaze, sparking the rumour that Ardelan might bear a sliver of his Primarch’s foresight. If the dour Commander truly has been privy to some secret prophecy, it is impossible to tell whether he labours to fulfill it, or stave it off.

 

I try to write these character bios in the style of those found withing the Horus Heresy- and Badab War books. Ardelan's in particular is based on those of Huron and Culln. Not all of them will be this long of course, but a Chapter Master deserves some further exposition. I want to rewrite the High Warden and First Captain next, though it might be better if I postpone the latter until after I've written a new history section - I don't want to cram the entire unification of the Strigoi's Firstborn- and Primaris elements into his text.

 

Regardless, let me know what you think!

 

-Horrible

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Ardelan's biography is Mary Sue-ish, but no more or less so than Marneus Calgar's. The writing quality is acceptable for one of Games Workshop's Codices, but not for a Black Library novel.

 

The titles you gave him, confuse me. "Ionel Ardelan - Commander of the Strigoi, the Eternal, Archein of Contempt"? "Eternal" made me think of Lucius the Eternal, Champion of Slaanesh; "Archein" seemed a typo for "Archon", before I did a Google search on the term, and learned it's a Greek word meaning "to begin" or "to rule." May I suggest lengthening the title to "Bearer of Eternal Contempt for Enemies of the Imperium"?

[Deadass]

It is extremely self-aggrandising, isn't it? I was a bit unsure about how it comes off myself, but decided it to be appropriate. It is the way most codices and supplements tend to play it, after all.

 

There is a fair amount of thought behind his titles, actually. 'Commander of the Strigoi' is self-explainatory. 'The Eternal' is less an acknowledgement of any (meta-)physical property the character possesses, but rather of his accomplishments and importance to the chapter. I'm not all that attached to this part of his title, so I'd be willing to change it provided I find a better alternative.

I didn't draw 'Archein' from Greek vocabulary, though that may very well be its origin. It is a legion-era rank bestowed to Blood Angels in command of a band of companies or a certain theatre of war. The title often had a byword - First Captain Raldoron, for example, was known as the 'Archein of Wisdom'. I thought it'd be an interesting callback to the Legion's heresy-era organisation, especially with a less than virtuous epithet.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

'The Eternal' is less an acknowledgement of any (meta-)physical property the character possesses, but rather of his accomplishments and importance to the chapter. I'm not all that attached to this part of his title, so I'd be willing to change it provided I find a better alternative.

How about using "Keystone" or "Foundation" as a title, to emphasize how important Ardelan is to the Chapter? Alternatively, the "Pillar Man" (a reference to vampire-like "Ultimate Lifeforms" in the manga/anime JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)?

I didn't draw 'Archein' from Greek vocabulary, though that may very well be its origin. It is a legion-era rank bestowed to Blood Angels in command of a band of companies or a certain theatre of war. The title often had a byword - First Captain Raldoron, for example, was known as the 'Archein of Wisdom'. I thought it'd be an interesting callback to the Legion's heresy-era organisation, especially with a less than virtuous epithet.

I didn't know that. I admit it's a good way to link the Strigoi to their progenitor.

[Deadass]

How about using "Keystone" or "Foundation" as a title, to emphasize how important Ardelan is to the Chapter? Alternatively, the "Pillar Man" (a reference to vampire-like "Ultimate Lifeforms" in the manga/anime JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)?

Certainly quite distinct, those three suggestions. For the time being, however, I am happy with 'The Eternal'. I think any connection between Commander Ardelan and Lucius based on the byname alone is superficial enough to be disregarded.

[Deadass]

Got a very small update in the form of an updated color scheme and art slate:

I'd say it's a vast improvement over the old one! Revisions of the two other characters are coming, but I've got a pretty annoying case of writer's block at the moment. I'll get there when I get there, I suppose.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The skull trophy is in an awkward position- looks like it'll hammer his groin with each step- but the image is otherwise fine, making the Marine look intimidating as hell.

[KBA]

Love that art. Really evocative scheme that fits perfectly with your article. Man, the Strigoi are grim.

[Brother Cambrius]

Ooooh Heresy armour! :woot: Always a sucker for those.

 

Don't worry about the writer's block, it'll come when the time is right just be sure you don't burn your creative juices dry trying to force it. :)

 

Cambrius

[Deadass]

It's been a while! I've had surprisingly little time for the Strigoi considering half of the planet is in hibernation at the mo', but I have completed the two final characters:

 

Hidden Content

Ionel Ardelan - Commander of the Strigoi, ‘The Graven Man’, Archein of Contempt

A veteran of more than four hundred years, Ionel Ardelan is the Strigoi’s stern-faced Chapter Master, Lord Răugol and the Domnitor of Veriad. He is the eighty-first heir to the position, the most recent in a long line of butcher-kings shrouded in death and infamy. His word has killed worlds, burned species and ground empires to dust.

 

Ardelan was recruited from amidst the headhunters of Veriad before being transferred to the Duskhold for induction. Braving the rigorous tests of mind and body required of Strigoi neophytes, he began his tenure in the ranks of the scout company. Ardelan would soon make his talent for assault tactics known throughout the far-flung fleets of the chapter, surviving several of their fiercest campaigns in recent history. Such actions include the Siege of Xu-Secunda, the Nevontine Insurrection and the Third Althoran War, over which he held full operational command as Captain of the 9th Company. Any other virtue Ardelan possessed had little effect on the vast cult of personality his brothers built around him - befitting an icon of the Strigoi, his sheer martial prowess begot his exalted position.

Ardelan donned the mantle of Chapter Master following the Arclight Reclamation, a boarding action in the year 857.M41. Having cornered Iron Warriors of the 165th Grand Battalion, the Strigoi led a costly attack to seize a ship stolen in the wake of the Great Scouring. Ardelan rallied his severely decimated troops for a final charge onto the command deck, completing the mission and avenging his predecessor Vallen, slain early on in the fighting. As the traitors broke away, the right of succession fell to Ardelan, who immediately set to rebuilding his chapter’s strength.

 

And rebuild he did. Decades after his ascension, the deeds of Commander Ardelan have grown to assume a near-legendary status among his warriors. His swordsmanship, exemplary by any standard, is only eclipsed by his expertise as a general. Perhaps it is only natural for a descendant of the Blood Angels that this becomes particularly apparent on the offensive, where Ardelan applies attack patterns of his own making to combine inhuman ferocity and calculated violence in an implacable show of force.

Even off the field, the Chapter Master surrounds himself with war. Sequestered away aboard the Arclight, that venerable battle barge he himself saw restored to the Imperium, he reviews casualty reports, coordinates fleet movements and receives uncounted pleas for aid. Those close to Ardelan can see the marks of his solemn burden; a haunted air to his piercing gaze, a sense of foreboding that accompanies every curt order given. Rumours of damning truths and gifts of foresight have persisted for ages, but if the dour Commander truly has been privy to some secret prophecy, it is impossible to ascertain whether he labours to fulfill it, or stave it off…

 

Arad Krule - ‘The Shepherd’, Lord Warden of the Strigoi

Warden Krule is an intimidating sight to behold: two metres of transhuman might garbed in midnight-black terminator plate. Right it is, then, that one such as he plays the dread watchman’s part in the complex hierarchy of his parent chapter. Less prone to the rage that grips the brethren of the line, Krule's wrath is cold and focused. It has to be, for its mark is found among the men he commands nearly as often as those they seek to destroy. When the day comes where the canticles of the Reclusiam can no longer direct a Strigoi’s battle-lust, the Warden’s crozius maul tastes the blood of Sanguinius, bludgeoning its bearers into submission and ending their lives where restraint is impossible. The practice has earned him the epithet of 'Shepherd', referring to an ancient terran parable of a man sparing no effort to return one of his charges to its flock - a noble duty taken to its violent extreme.

 

Nigh-on seven centuries of service have not been kind to the old soldier. Continuous frontline duty has seen two of Krule’s limbs replaced by cybernetics while his voice was rendered a metallic rasp, throat burnt raw by decades of bellowing orders and chanting litanies of hate. Yet where his body has failed him, his vigour seems to have only grown stronger in return and while such devotion is commendable in this darkest of millennia, one has to wonder if this is a first hairline crack in the Lord Warden’s stoic mien; signs of a ravaged mind giving in to a madness repressed for far too long.

 

Brac Israphal - Spear of the Chapter, Captain of the Strigoi 1st Company

Blooded on the frontlines of the Indomitus Crusade, Brac Israphal quickly became a powerful symbol for the Imperial propaganda spread amongst the Torchbearers on account of his inherited resemblance of the Angel Sanguinius. Noble to a fault and possessed of a mighty thirst for glory, the young Captain’s flaring temper brings to mind the regal spirit of the IX Legion during the Great Crusade. His boisterous character was finally challenged upon his secondment to the Veriad System, being at odds with the habitually aloof Strigoi and sparking dissent where the inherent otherness of the Primaris Astartes did not. The brewing confrontation was only halted when the chapter council themselves decided for Israphal to take charge of the chapter’s battered veteran detachment, left leaderless in the wake of Noctis Aeterna. The New Blood was to learn from the same brothers he led into battle, making their ways his own lest he be deposed by a man worthy of their service.

 

Now firmly in command of the 1st company elite, Israphal has embraced his station within the chapter. Though he still carries himself like a Blood Angel proper in times of calm, battle stirs the brutal heart beating in all Strigoi. Appearing in the stark light of a teleport flare, his powered claw and cleaving blade prove a point well-remembered: First Captain Israphal is a son of Veriad as true as any other, eager to meet his foe head-on, be it in the maelstrom of war or a strike cruiser’s duelling pits.

Link to the Master Post

 

I've tried to dial back the mary-sueishness Bjorn pointed out last time while keeping up with the appraisal GW codex entries give their own characters. I've also revisited Commander Ardelan with the same intentions and given him a byname I'm happier with - 'The Graven Man' refers to his morose nature, in case anyone's wondering

 

Like I mentioned before, now is probably a good time to go back and craft a better chapter history. I've written down the odd note or two, but it'll most likely be quite a while before I've got something worth presenting. I'm thinking December, but it might be even later than that.

 

As always, feel free to weigh in with any ideas, questions or criticism! I'm always making small changes/improvements to sections both new and old, so do point out anything you'd like to see me address.

 

See you all later!

 

-Horrible

Edited October 26, 2020 by AHorriblePerson