The Grey Slayers

[Camillo]

OK, so I've been cogitating on this idea for a little while, and I thought I'd share it. Just to see if anyone else thinks it’s interesting. It's probably been thought about before, but I'm hoping there's enough different here that you'll find it fun.

 

The problem with DIY chapters is making them unique without making them special snowflakes. You want the chapter to be cool and over-the-top to match the aesthetic of 40k, but there's an unspoken rule that the only people that can effortlessly do the impossible are characters invented by GW. If you want to avoid the "Mary Sue" label, your chapter has to be less impressive than a canonical one. But who wants to read about the middle management of 40k? Who wants to have the chapter that is OK at stuff, but doesn't really stand out?

 

That problem leads to creative difficulties when writing about anything in 40k. Your chapter can be good, but not great. This means that your ideas have to be three times better than the broad stereotypes that GW uses, because you have to snatch people's attention and keep it. But if your ideas are too creative, they don't fit into the established canon (with daemons, planet-destroying super-weapons, devices that turn whole populations psychic, angels, living saints, 10,000 year-old space marines, space elves, space orks, and an Inquisition capable of any plot contrivance).

 

So that got me thinking:

 

What if we used discarded plot contrivances to create a 40k faction centered around space marines?

 

Specifically, I'm talking about the 40k Illuminati.

 

Fair warning: this is going to be long, but the logic here takes awhile. I’m going to try to put the sections it spoiler tabs, so that if you don’t care you can skip them.

 

Here’s the starting point:

 

Hidden Content

• The Illuminati are supposedly a faction working within the Imperium looking for children of the Emperor called Senesi (immortal, like him, but psychic “blanks”). They plan to meld the Emperor with his children to restore Him to full health, and (hopefully) with new powers that directly oppose Chaos and lead humanity into the future (Slaves to Darkness, 216-217).

 

• According to the above-mentioned text, the highest echelons of the conspiracy are led by people who have been possessed by chaos daemons and successfully resisted it, casting the creature from their mind/soul. This makes them both aware of the power and nature of the daemonic, and that such power can be resisted by human will (something that the current storyline evolutions with living saints and faith-based warp entities supports, but at the time was questionable). Because of this, they are among the very few that have been allowed to enter the black library of the Eldar (along with Inquisitor Kryptman).

 

• GW has “officially” destroyed this line of thinking by saying that the Sensesi were revealed to be members of a chaos cult that was destroyed by an inquisitor in the 3rd edition rulebook in a throwaway line.

 

• GW has also pointed to plot contradictions before by stating that the 40k universe is historically subjective and most contradictions are a result of unreliable narrators (which are the rule rather than the exception in 40k history).

 

So what if the Illuminati wasn’t destroyed after all, but just evolved?

 

There is historical precedent for this line of thinking. The original Bavarian Illuminati on which this (and many, many other) conspiracy theory draws inspiration was officially suppressed and destroyed in 1785, but many people believe that it continues to this day. That’s the nature of secrets societies, after all. They’re secret, so you can’t really be sure how extensive or powerful they really are. The original Illuminati is thought to have simply changed its operational practice, sacrificed a few exposed members, and continued.

 

Further explanation:

Hidden Content

The secret to making such a thing work is the practice of Obscurantism, or deliberately presenting false information to disguise motives and events. Obscurantism is a powerful tool, especially in a universe where facts can’t be independently verified (like the 40k universe, with its culture of ignorance and secrecy, as well as its well-documented lack of objectivity). The idea is to throw doubt and suspicion on everything, while presenting multiple false narratives. Even if some of them are proven false later, some remain and take root specifically because they haven’t been disproven yet. This kind of “information overload” warfare is one of the major advantages America has in the real world – there are so many narratives presented by the multiple news agencies about American life and politics that it’s difficult for foreign intelligence services to figure out what parts of it are objectively true and what parts are subjective supposition. It’s ALL presented as fact, so any of it could be partially true, completely true, or absolutely false – there’s no way of really knowing until after the fact.

 

This kind of practice allows organizations to exist in a grey area where people either don’t take them seriously, laughing them off a scams or pranks (or deliberate acts Obscurantism disguised as intel to hide other agendas), or they do take them seriously but can’t muster enough proof to convince other people. The best part is, the more audacious and extensive the organization is, the more likely it is NOT to be believed without concrete evidence – something which a powerful and extensive conspiracy would be able to discredit or destroy easily. If all else fails, exposed members can be sacrificed, the organization is “destroyed,” the surviving hidden membership changes is modus operandi, and life goes on without anyone knowing the conspiracy is still at large.

 

Now take that strategy, but add in a culture where the truth is jealously guarded, and the more powerful you become in the government, the more you realize that lies are commonplace and extensive, even about existential threats. Information about the Illuminati can be literally anything you want it to be, and the only people that will ever “learn” about it are people just like you – inquisitors or powerful people with a vested interest in maintaining the lie.

 

Such could be the case for a 40k Illuminati.

 

Think it through -what do we really know about the Illuminati in 40k? It never officially existed, except that it has been destroyed (maybe). We have documentary evidence that it’s gone, which might be fabricated, but is official, even though it can’t be verified (because actions of the Inquisition aren’t subject to independent review or verification). The people in it were chaos worshippers, even though officially they didn’t exist, so they were working with demons (which the Imperium strictly claims aren’t real except when you find out that they are). You can trust this account of events, because the people that have lied endlessly to you and everyone else in the past claim it to be true, and will punish you if you question it.

 

This is the climate that secret societies flourish in.

 

But what would it look like, and how does it fit in with my desire to create a Homebrew Space Marine Chapter?

Alright, more documentation and history time (all hidden, in case you don’t care).

Hidden Content

• The Grey Slayers chapter of space marines partially fell to chaos, and was rehabilitated by the inquisition, only to have the Inquisitor responsible become possessed by a chaos daemon (Slaves to Darkness). No further documentation exists about the Grey Slayers.

• The technology fueling the Golden Throne is deteriorating. Even though attempts are being made to salvage it (Codex: Adeptus Custodes), there is no present guarantee that it can or will be found.

• Even if it can be found and utilized, events in the novel Inquisitor (or Draco, as it was renamed) establish that the Emperor Himself is fragmented psychically, often working against himself and forgetting that he did so as his mind and will slowly deteriorate. Even if he can be saved physically, he may be in no condition to continue fighting in this way.

• The original plan of the Illuminati was to wait until the moment of failure for the Emperor, where his mind and body were on the verge of collapse, before fusing him with the Senesi by feeding them to the Golden Throne in place of his normal psykers. That moment may be fast approaching.

• The original fear of the Illuminati was to prevent mankind destroying itself the way the Eldar did, and taking the universe with them. After all, when the Eldar lost to Chaos, the Eye of Terror was created, and a new chaos god emerged. What would happen if Mankind suffered a similar fate?

• The answer came during the gathering Storm campaign – the Cicatrix Maledictum.

• This campaign also created the Primaris Space Marine, a powerful new weapon in the Imperium that effectively invalidates traditional space marines (though not yet for… reasons).

• Chaos Primarchs have returned, as have old Imperial ones. All of this can be seen as omens of the end times.

• At this critical moment, the Emperor’s will to live may have been revitalized by the reemergence of Robute Guilliman. No way of knowing how this effects the long-term plans of the Illuminati, but things don’t look good at this moment for their plan.

• Even a victory against Chaos on the galactic battlefield won’t mean much strategically, because it’s not clear that the Great Rift can be closed. The Imperium cannot necessarily be restored by any means at Mankind’s disposal. After all, the Eye of Terror and the Maelstom were permanent parts of the Galactic landscape, and they are peanuts compared to the Cicatrix Maledictum.

Put it all together, and you have a conspiracy in crisis just as it might be coming to fruition. Fortunately, new weapons and tools have become available that might make a final push possible.

It just needs new leadership…

 

Finally, Here’s the “truth”:

Hidden Content

• The original Illuminati was real, and the plans were as indicated in Slaves to Darkness.

• The membership is extensive and powerful, although most of the people involved in the modern incarnation are unaware of the true motive of the organization. Many are involved as a way to further themselves politically, as most senior members are highly-placed in Imperial society and wealthy.

• One part of the conspiracy was exposed due to operating too blatantly, and was destroyed by the Inquisition, as listed in the 40k 3rd edition rulebook.

• The remaining members distanced themselves from the Illuminati name, changing it to the Coterie, and being more select about revealing their existence and purpose to recruits without more thorough vetting.

• The space chapter working with the Coterie is the Grey Slayers, taken under Inquisitorial authority after the “accidental” (?) death of Inquisitor Thrax.

• Originally, they were used as an enforcement cadre for the conspiracy. They were used to help “rescue” potential Senesi for “recruitment” into the Coterie’s plans, or help eliminate threats that couldn’t be handled by other, more subtle methods. Most of the time, they acted as a standard space marine chapter, with several acts of conspicuous bravery to their name.

• After the events of the Great Rift, however, the Grey Slayers came to believe that the leaders of the Coterie had become lax or complacent in their dealings, and that new leadership was needed at the top.

• The most powerful leader of the Coterie was “taken care of” as he coordinated a “recruitment” mission with the Chapter Master of the Grey Slayers. The Master is both well-respected by other members of the Coterie, and well-informed as to the organization and its secrets. As much as anyone can be “in charge” of a vast, diffuse conspiracy, he is.

• The Slayers have welcomed the new Primaris modifications, transforming their chapter with this new technology, and even allowing new Primaris marines to enter the chapter. They are by no means trusted yet (think the Dark Angels), but they are still battle brothers in most respects.

• The Slayers participated eagerly in the Indomitus Crusade, serving as support for other, more prestigious chapters. During this time, they made a lot of allies and friends, none of which know of the Coterie or it’s plans.

• The Chapter Master sees Guilliman’s return as a dangerous wrinkle in the Coterie’s plans. But he thinks that he can still execute it at the right time. Agents on Terra keep him appraised of the Emperor’s condition (as much as anyone can), and being part of the Indomitus Crusade has made them trusted members of the new military elite that is forming around Guilliman and his supporters.

 

OK, that’s it. What do you think? Fun? Interesting? Trite? Derivative? All comments welcome. I’m having fun with the idea, and want to make this chapter, but I’m always afraid of “Mary Sue” syndrome.

Edited December 26, 2019 by Camillo

[Brother Cambrius]

It certainly is a concept full of options and toys to play with in the 40k sandbox, especially with the breadcrumbs left behind by GW's older editions of lore in this universe.

 

I think it can definitely be a fun one to write upon and develop/explore further, the challenge will be to ensure it does not fall either-side of the knife edge it runs on with the established canon, trying to keep it within some semblance of immersion for the reader and none too many egregious shatterings of the main pillars of the Canon.

 

So I say go forth and go for it! Remember, as always, this is your Chapter and your work. We only add comments/critiques for you to consider. The choice to use them in any capacity is up to you. :)

 

Cambrius

[Lysimachus]

I'm a fan of anything that references the older fluff, and that highlights the contradictory nature of 'truth' in the Imperium.

 

My only nit pick is the Chapter name, as it's also the name of the Space Wolves 13th Co equivalent of Grey Hunters (and apparently also now a squad type for 30k SW Legion!) Now of course, things can get reproduced and reused by the Imperium, so it's not impossible... but readers who know the older fluff (like the Sensei/Illuminati stuff) will probably turn up to the thread expecting a Space Wolf Successor - I know I was. Edit: So they are SW Successors? This conflicts with the newer SW fluff that says they only had the Wolf Brothers, who died out due to genetic instability?

 

Now as I said, it's not impossible by any means, but does it add anything to the Chapter or would another name work just as well and without causing (the wrong kind of) confusion?

 

Edit: Hmm, just doing more reading, am I getting it the wrong way around??? Are the 13th Co squads named after this Chapter? (Not in-universe obviously, but by the writers?) If so, I still might change the Chapter name to avoid any confusion with the newer SW fluff?

[Camillo]

I'm a fan of anything that references the older fluff, and that highlights the contradictory nature of 'truth' in the Imperium.

My only nit pick is the Chapter name, as it's also the name of the Space Wolves 13th Co equivalent of Grey Hunters (and apparently also now a squad type for 30k SW Legion!) Now of course, things can get reproduced and reused by the Imperium, so it's not impossible... but readers who know the older fluff (like the Sensei/Illuminati stuff) will probably turn up to the thread expecting a Space Wolf Successor - I know I was. Edit: So they are SW Successors? This conflicts with the newer SW fluff that says they only had the Wolf Brothers, who died out due to genetic instability?

Now as I said, it's not impossible by any means, but does it add anything to the Chapter or would another name work just as well and without causing (the wrong kind of) confusion?

Edit: Hmm, just doing more reading, am I getting it the wrong way around??? Are the 13th Co squads named after this Chapter? (Not in-universe obviously, but by the writers?) If so, I still might change the Chapter name to avoid any confusion with the newer SW fluff?

Your second supposition is correct - The Grey Slayers were the name listed in the Slaves to Darkness book, which predates the 13th company dileniated in the Codex: Eye of Terror (where the Space Wolf Grey Slayers first appear). It's a shame, because the name is a stunning one in my opinion.

 

I have no trouble changing the name - the only reason I kept it was that I was already changing the name of the conspiracy, and I didn't want to appropriate the story without any connections to the fluff.

 

In the best of all possible worlds, any new name would be close enough to the chapter's "original" name that the "history" could be traced back to it.

 

Maybe just call them the Slayers? Or the Grey Sons?

 

On the other hand, a completely different name could be used, explined as the old chapter was folded into a newer one as a way to hide its affiliation and motives.

 

What about...

 

Brazen Sons?

The Sacred Band?

The Reborn?

[Brother Cambrius]

I have no qualm with Grey Slayers still being used. The Imperium is vast and labyrinthine with beauracracy, so duplicate names are easy to come by potentially.

 

But if an alteration is required, a few options:

 

Ashen Slayers

Grey Reavers

Ashen Sons

 

Cambrius