IA: The Stonebound 2020 - Version 0.4, a First Draft appears

[Ace Debonair]

[Reserved for New Model Pics, as and when I get more Stonebound painted]

"Let this vow be heard on Terra! We will retake our home from the Orks, or die in the attempt! Onward to War! Onward to Kharabor!" - Last transmission of Captain Narin Firedelve, Stonebound 1st Company, 801.M40

Early History:

"Fortify every world in the Rifts if you have to, Captain. We shall be as a suit of armour enclosing the Subsector." - Chapter Master Datost Thundershield of the Stonebound, 994.M33

In the turbulent times of the late 34th Millennium, the Sixth Founding of Space Marines was ordained by the High Lords of Terra. Amongst the Chapters created in this monumental event, one was sent to the turbulent region of space known as the Glastheim Rifts, to retake worlds lost to xenos raiders and insidious cults of Chaos.

Scions of the great Primarch Rogal Dorn, the new Chapter took to their duty with the steadfast resolve typical of successors of the VII Legion, retaking a half-dozen worlds under sheer impetus of their crusade within years of arriving on the north-west edge of the Glastheim Rifts. The Chapter took the Hive World of Kharabor ('Keystone' in High Gothic) as a homeworld. Identifying an Orkoid empire as the largest threat to Imperial domination of the Rifts, the Chapter threw themselves into war with the greenskins with a ruthless fury, advancing inexorably through the territories held by the warlike xenos, taking back world after world in the name of humanity and The Emperor. Some amongst the local Imperial forces fighting besides the Chapter nicknamed them "Stonebound" for their unyielding resolve and rock-solid determination, and the Chapter eventually formally adopted the name.

As a counter-measure against future threats, the Stonebound built numerous outposts, watchtowers and keeps on these reclaimed worlds, replete with forges, training posts, and of course formidable defences. Most of these forts were manned by Chapter serfs, but a handful of key worlds were reinforced with a squad of Space Marines, to better stand vigil against potential threats.

The Stonebound were touted as a force of righteous retribution, even far beyond the Glastheim Rifts. It is said at one time their name was spoken in the same breath as many other Chapters of legend, but the golden age of the Stonebound would not last forever.

The first indication of the problems to come came when chaos cults started to emerge on some of the worlds the Stonebound had reclaimed. The Chapter scrambled to meet the threat these cults represented, wiping them out to the last man and hunting heretics wherever they sought to hide. In doing so, however, the Stonebound were forced to divert attention from the orks, to ensure all possible traces of corruption were eradicated.

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A typical Battle Brother of the Stonebound

This proved to lead to the Chapter's downfall when the Orks came in search of vengeance.

Riled up by the Stonebound's success, the numerous Ork tribes that lurked and fought on the worlds around the Chapter's domain gathered together for the sole purpose of crushing the Stonebound and taking back their old stomping grounds.

The Stonebound underestimated both the numbers and ferocity of their foe - whilst the Chapter was spread thinly across their worlds and hunting Chaos cultists, the Orks mustered and launched a surprise attack on Kharabor itself, fighting with even more reckless and wild aggression than even the previous greenskin hordes had mustered.

The fall of Kharabor was a blow like no other to the normally stoic Chapter; the Stonebound raced home with wild, primal fury, launching their own immediate counter-siege in an attempt to retake their home. The siege of Kharabor was thusly a short, brutal affair that saw over five hundred Space Marines killed in battle, and the remnants of the Chapter broken and scattered in the aftermath.

For two centuries, the Stonebound made repeated sorties against the Orks, attempting to leverage a path back to Kharabor, but without a homeworld to replenish their ranks from, the Chapter's strength continued to dwindle with each hard-fought engagement. The greenskins ran roughshod over the systems the Stonebound once protected, ransacking and demolishing the Chapter's outposts and minor fortresses.


With the Chapter diminished to just under three hundred marines, the Stonebound bitterly consigned themselves to finding a new recruitment world. After a long search, the remnants of the Stonebound gathered on the icy, mountainous death world of Kagara, though with precious little resources with which to rebuild.

Here the Chapter swore a sacred oath - this was either the world where the Stonebound would re-forge their legacy, or dig their everlasting graves. Incensed by the loss of their "true" homeworld, the death of over half their number and the innumerable other atrocities committed by the greenskins, the Stonebound marked the greatest of these offences onto formidable stone tablets, recording the wrongs that must be avenged in order to restore the Chapter's former glory. These Grudge-Stones serve as a permanent reminder of shames endured and losses taken, and only when the grudge engraved upon the stone is considered avenged is the stone ritually shattered.

For every slight against the Chapter and the Imperium, the orks would be paid back in full. This was the ultimate oath of the Stonebound - vengeance for all that was lost.

The Stonebound have been shaped by their history, and defined by their endless war to retake their lost realm. Every marine has a ferocious, burning hatred for the orks instilled within him, and are trained since initiation to fight and kill the greenskin without hesitation or mercy. A Stonebound marine is typically dour in temperament, intensely loyal to their Chapter and their brothers, stoic, somewhat insular and absolutely bound by honour to always uphold their word, no matter the cost to themselves.

The Stonebound as a Chapter never forget a debt, whether it is owed by the Chapter or to the Chapter. Those few amongst the Imperial forces around the Rift that can count the Stonebound amongst their friends, however, will never find themselves with a more stalwart or reliable ally, willing to face down even certain death in order to honour their friendships or repay their debts to others.

Of note is the Stonebound's comparative mastery of the forge, the Chapter being responsible for the creation of some truly magnificent weapons and armour over the centuries. In their early years, the Chapter would keep the best examples of their work in secret chambers buried in the depths of their various keeps, or in one of many specially designed chambers in the Fortress-Monastery at Kharabor. Since losing their first home and migrating to Kagara, the Stonebound's armoury is typically more centralised, and kept within the Chapter's reach at all times. Several examples of the Chapter's finest work, along with trophies, banners, or commemorative pieces of great value to the Chapter, were locked away in sealed vaults on worlds that have since been over-run by Orks. Whether those treasures of the Chapter remain secure, or have fallen into greenskin hands, none can say with certainty.

In spite of the Chapter's ambitions of glory, and stubborn refusal to die at the hands of the orks, taking back the Glastheim Rifts has proven to be a mighty challenge. The Orks and the Stonebound have been waging merciless war against each other for millennia, both sides fighting with a fierce, unyielding hatred of the other. Every victory is fleeting, as the defeated side eventually rallies again to avenge their defeat. Other Imperial factions dragged into the war are either ground down by repeated conflicts with the greenskin menace, or pulled away to deal with other threats in the Glastheim Rifts - heretics, cultists, pirates and other xeno invaders lurk in the darker corners, always waiting to strike.

It is, functionally, a stalemate, kept alive for over a thousand years by the fires of mutual hatred and the Stonebound's drive for absolute vengeance against the orks.

Recent History:

"There is no purer motive than hatred, and no greater purpose than revenge." - Sergeant Ral Stonespike, Stonebound 7th Company, 680.M35

- Excerpt from "The Legacy Saga"

The word was young, the stars were clean
No stains upon the sky were seen
Our Lord sat not on Golden Throne
But boldly strode the Earth alone
His lightning sword did strike his foes
His power and his banner rose
He brought together tribe and clan
To help reforge the worlds of Man
With potent seed and twisted gene
He then brought forth the Space Marine
And twenty Sons, great warriors all
In the golden times, before the fall...

...But shadow flickered past the glow
As forces Man should never know
Did twist and plot and cast their schemes
And whisper to the Sons in dreams
That they would be used and cast aside
Used to build the Emperor's pride
To make a realm for him alone
To dictate to from golden throne
While those who that realm had wrought
Would wither, die and be forgot.

They took these whispers deep to heart
And with help of Chaos tore apart
The works that took so long to make
Took little enough to break
Foul Horus, once his son most dear
Betrayed him out of treachery's fear
And Son fought Son on Terra's soil
Those who once had been most loyal
Had destroyed all that they had kept
And on his throne, the Emperor wept

But grief could not stay his might
Nor darkness hide the Emperor's light
His mighty sword did sweep away
The treacher of his Sons, and they
Did flee in terror through the sky
And hide in places low and high
To escape the wrath of Space Marine
Who sought and cleansed out the unclean
But hiding did avail them nought
And so they reaped what they had wrought

Interr'd within the Golden Throne,
Sealed in halls of steel and stone,
In Terra's halls of he guides us still,
A ruler, strong of mind and will,
The Emperor, who by thought alone
Will rise again from Golden Throne!
And lead us to a future bright
And bring to Man eternal light!

And we, descended of his line,
His legacy, for all of time,
The sons of Dorn, the sons of war,
We, the Stonebound - Evermore!
We will answer to your call,
Hail the Emperor! Lord of all!

Only three events in the Glastheim Rifts have served to effect any change the endless stalemate between the Orks and the Stonebound.

The first of these events was the formation of the Silver Circle, near the end of M37. Along with the Stonebound, four other Chapters of Space Marines were drafted into a formal alliance by a force of Inquisitors, and duly charged with finally taking back the Glastheim Rifts for the Imperium.

With the other Chapters occupying the focus of the heretic cults and traitors dwelling in the Rifts themselves, the Stonebound found themselves able to more readily commit their entire force to their unending war with the Orks. Over the centuries, the Stonebound have proved to be the most isolationist and obdurate of the Silver Circle, at first outright refusing any offer of help or kinship from the other Chapters. As more and more threats began to arise, both within and without the Rifts, the Stonebound eventually found themselves warming up to their Circle-Brothers, seeing in many of them some reflection of their own traits.

The second event was the awakening of An'Zagurd, the Steel Serpent, in late M41. Buried deep on the world of Kadrimor, a mighty Necron construct was awakened during a fierce underground battle between the Stonebound and a particularly cunning Ork warband. Ripping the very ground apart as the creature arose from its' aeons-long slumber, the Steel Serpent savagely attacked both sides, seemingly in a frenzy. It was later found to have left Kadrimor, and has been seen in the company of the [NAME] Dynasty of Necrons, who strike out at Orks and Imperials alike from their fortified tomb world of [PLANET NAME].

Since the awakening of An'Zagurd, the Necron have been a persistent threat, lurking in the dark and awaiting the time to strike at the Stonebound. Both An'Zagurd and the [NAME] Dynasty have their names engraved on many Grudge Stones, and the Stonebound look forward to taking their vengeance against both foes.

The final event to mark a significant change in the eternal war between the Stonebound and the Orks was the Indomitus Crusade, bringing with it a great change in the form of Primaris marines. The Stonebound were, at first, extremely sceptical of Primaris marines, and of the Chapters of the Silver Circle were easily the slowest to accept the addition to their Chapter.

However, with the endless war taking a heavy toll on the Chapter's numbers, coupled with the impressive tally of victories the Primaris marines of their Circle-Brothers had achieved, the Stonebound grudgingly accepted the use of their own Primaris kindred. In recent years, the campaign against the Orks has seen real progress for the Stonebound, taking and holding successfully a dozen worlds long thought lost to the greenskin menace.

Many within the Chapter are, in fact, talking about the reclaimation of Kharabor itself, not simply as a long-term goal, or a grudge to be settled, but as a real possibility for the near future. Such an endeavour will surely be fraught with peril and bloodshed, with the threats of Orks, Necron and Chaos rising on all sides to keep the Stonebound from rebuilding their lost glories.

But the Stonebound will never yield their ambitions, nor change their ways. War and death await all who dare oppose the Stonebound's return to prominence - it is inevitable.

Homeworld:

"Kagara is either the cradle of our Chapter's future, or the mountains that will become our tomb." - Techmarine Zoren Silvercraft, Stonebound 2nd Company, 914.M34

The Stonebound would never call a world other than Kharabor their home, but for all intents and purposes Kagara ('Mountainhome' in High Gothic) is the primary world of the Stonebound. A world of bitter cold, ice and blizzards, the surface of Kagara is borderline inhospitable. However, a series of ancient undreground roads, caverns and cities weave under the world's surface, with much of the population subsisting in these subterraenean warrens. These cities, the life support machines within them, and much of the tunnel network linking them almost certainly predate the Horus Heresy, and may possibly even date back to before the Dark Age of Technology.

The people of Kagara are fairly primitive, worshipping the machines that make their sub-surface homes more habitable. Recruits are generated for the Chapter primarily amongst the culture's miner-castes, who often have to defend themselves against various underground creatures in their endless quest for fuels or rare metals. War between Kagara's Great Clans is also not unheard of, and these wars usually offer a surplus of recruits for the Stonebound, who pay close attention to the child soldiers often employed by the Clans in such times to bolster their warrior's numbers.

Kharabor, in the time the Stonebound held it, was a very different world from Kagara. Dominated by two sprawling hive cities, with a dozen other major population centres across the world, Kharabor was a crucible of industry and a local trade hub, dealing mostly in mechanical goods.

Recruits on Kharabor were taken in via an annual trial of strength and endurance held in the world's major population centres. Some of the more dour amongst the Chapter take the view that the relative lack of conflict on Kharabor made the Stonebound take its' security for granted - a mistake the Chapter will never repeat again.

Beliefs:

"Axes high, brothers! Today is a day for Vengeance!" - Brother Urist Blackbanner, Stonebound 8th Company, at the battle of Ottankoth 012.M42

In their early years, the Stonebound's foremost guiding vision was that of a united humanity, under The Emperor's banner. Since the coming of the orks, the Chapter's focus has been increasingly consumed by an absolute need for vengeance. The pursuit of revenge is considered to be the purest act a Space Marine can undertake, for the extermination of the Stonebound's enemies brings the Imperium one step closer to The Emperor's great vision of a galaxy ruled by Humanity.

When the Chapter avenges a grudge, the Grudge-Stone upon which it is engraved is ritually shattered in a somewhat sombre ceremony, which in turn is followed by a great feast for those who accomplished the deed. On the rare occasions that outsiders have been permitted to attend these feasts, they say the Stonebound in attendance are almost completely different in personality - quick to jest, happy to sing songs and drink toasts to the dead and the brave whose deeds brought about the Chapter's victory.

Another quirk of the Stonebound is their view of The Emperor. Indeed, being able to trace their lineage back to Rogal Dorn, most stalwart Son of the Ultimate Ancestor, is a huge point of pride for the Chapter. They always strive to live up to their gene-sire's indefatigable and unflinching resolve in the face of the alien menace. Most Stonebound are able to fully recite the lineage of their own geneseed, tracing back through dozens of generations of Space Marines until the foundation of the Chapter.

Combat Doctrine:

"A vile force of Greenskins approaches! Come, brothers - let us show them some Stonebound hospitality!" - Sergeant Astur Anvilborn, Stonebound 9th Company, 388.M40

When the Stonebound march to war, they do not do so in haste. Mass deployments of armour, accompanied by the methodical march of infantry is the staple approach of the Stonebound. Heavy tanks such as Land Raiders, Predators or Vindicators, supported by well-placed Devastator Squads typically form the strongest point of the advance, grinding through enemy assailants without remorse. Supported by massed bolter fire and bombardments from Whirlwinds or Thunderfire Cannons, the Stonebound can effortlessly adapt between steadfastly holding ground and pressing the attack. Fast attack elements of a Company, such as bikes or land speeders, are employed as support for the main line's flanks, or kept behind the bulk of the advancing Stonebound, only racing forward in the event an enemy force routs completely in the face of the Chapter's inexorable advance.

The Stonebound favour sheer firepower in battle over the cut-and-thrust of melee, but this is not to say the Chapter eschew melee combat entirely - Assault units tend to be used for counter-attacks, intercepting enemy charges or engaging stubborn enemy defences as the Stonebound's advancing line reaches them. Axes are a favoured weapon amongst the Chapter, derived from the Battle-Picks of the Kagaran mining-castes, which feature a pick on one side and a more traditional axe-blade on the other.

In the case of siege warfare, the Stonebound perform as capably as one would expect of an Imperial Fists successor; artillery, heavy armour and crushing assault forces employed as required to breach whatever defences a luckless enemy may choose to cower behind. Centurion war-suits equipped with formidable Siege Hammers are a favoured spearhead unit for siege assaults, breaking apart fortifications as easily as they break apart the enemies within. The Stonebound are known to excavate and fortify entry tunnels into particularly resilient hideaways, with squads of excavators and crews of siege-servitors tunnelling away to the exacting specifications of their Astartes overlords.

The gradual addition of Primaris forces has seen many Stonebound Battle Companies frequently employing Heavy Intercessor squads and battle tanks such as the Repulsor alongside their more traditionally favoured units. In large-scale offensives, the sight of Hammerfall Bunkers or Firestrike turrets being deployed from orbit to create or reinforce killing zones is not uncommon, establishing rock-solid defences even as the Stonebound continue their relentless attack.

Organisation:

"If Dorn sees wisdom in the words of his Brother, who are we to question them?" - Chaplain Fikod Ironpath, Stonebound 10th Company, 629.M34

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A Battle Brother of the "Redshields" First Company

The Stonebound are almost entirely Codex-adherent, although with some minor deviations. The Chapter's First Company bear different heraldry, their shoulders coloured red with bone trim. They have the nickname of "The Redshields", derived from the practice of the First Company's marines crafting and using crimson shields engraved with that marine's notable deeds, battle honours, grudges avenged and personal heraldry. The Stonebound's current Fortress Monastery, under the great mountains of Kagara, is lined with the shields of dead battle-brothers, giving the already imposing bastion the fearsome appearance of a blood-red citadel.

The Librarians of the Stonebound are more often referred to as 'Sages' amongst the brothers of the Chapter, and amongst their duties is the care and maintenance of the Chapter's Grudge-Stones. It is the Sages who engrave the Grudges, and the Sages who ritually shatter the stones when the Grudges are avenged. Weapons used to slay notable enemies or settle one of the Chapter's Grudges are repaired, embellished, given a unique name by the Sages, and added to the Stonebound's listed Reliquary, to be considered a rightful treasure of the Chapter for evermore.

The Chapter's Dreadnoughts are known as the Ironbound, and are treated with the significant respect and reverance a mighty, venerable warrior and a formidable living weapon of vengeance deserves. Only the most talented and skillful of the Chapter's maintenance serfs are even permitted to look upon the chassis of the Ironbound at rest, and even then only under the strict guidance of Sages, Chaplains or Techmarines.

The Stonebound have continued the practice of building additional defensive keeps on key worlds or moons in the systems surrounding Kagara. Largely crewed by families of serfs, with abundant automated defences, these worlds are equipped with complex sensor arrays meticulously constructed according to strict Mechanicus guidelines by the Chapter's Techmarines, and act as a limited early-warning system in the event of greenskin incursion.

Geneseed:

"The blood of Dorn runs in your veins. To admit defeat is to betray it, and shame your Chapter. Fight on, and fight well." - Last transmission of Sergeant Anabur Stoutshield, Stonebound 1st Company, 511.M39

The Stonebound are proud and honourable scions of Rogal Dorn and the Imperial Fists. Their geneseed exhibits no notable deviation from that of their progenitors, lacking the Sus-an Membrane and the Betcher's Gland. Aside from the feasts that accompany the breaking of Grudge Stones, the Stonebound hold a celebration once every century to show glory and honour their Primarch and The Emperor.

Battlecry:

"Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken!" - recited as a litany as the line advances



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Updated: 08/11/2020


Another day, another update!

Now with 100% additional Primaris in the combat doctrine, and a couple of centuries where the Stonebound stubbornly refused to settle on another world and got roughed up for their trouble, harkening back to the exiles of the lonely mountain and other such dwarfly occasions.

As always, all thoughts, opinions, C&C and musings are welcome. Feel free to pick up an ale, rest your axe and let me know if I've struck gold or if I'm just mired in mud up to my neck! Edited December 29, 2021 by Ace Debonair

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Ideas:

 

1) Widespread use of Centurion warsuits (proportioned much like a dwarf), modified to let the wearer wield power axes and thunder hammers.

 

2) Vanilla Marines have metal "beards" fixed to their helmets, as throat protectors (see samurai helmets).

 

3) Instead of carving grudges into stone, do so in the metal a melee weapon is made of. A grudge is considered "avenged" when this weapon is buried in the offending enemy's vital organs; afterwards, the enemy leader's skull (or its reproduction, if the skull was crushed or otherwise unusable) is sheathed in metal and used to decorate the weapon the grudge was originally carved in.

 

4) Squats (made with Warhammer Fantasy or Age of Sigmar models) as Chapter allies and auxiliaries (have them count as AdMech Skitarii in-game, to account for the Dwarves' hardiness).

[Ace Debonair]

Ideas:

 

1) Widespread use of Centurion warsuits (proportioned much like a dwarf), modified to let the wearer wield power axes and thunder hammers.

I was unsure about this until the words "Siege Hammers" popped into my head, and now I am very much about this idea.

 

2) Vanilla Marines have metal "beards" fixed to their helmets, as throat protectors (see samurai helmets).

That's a very dwarfy idea*, but it'd be an absolute devil to model. I think I'll have to take the Space Wolf route and leave the beards inside the helmets for the most part.

 

There will definitely be a few helmets like that in the Chapter though, even if they're not explicitly mentioned.

 

 

3) Instead of carving grudges into stone, do so in the metal a melee weapon is made of. A grudge is considered "avenged" when this weapon is buried in the offending enemy's vital organs; afterwards, the enemy leader's skull (or its reproduction, if the skull was crushed or otherwise unusable) is sheathed in metal and used to decorate the weapon the grudge was originally carved in.

 

Grudge-Stones is my nod to the Dammaz Kron, the Great Book of Grudges of Warhammer Fantasy's Dwarfs.

It's also a decade-old idea that I'm very attached to, so I'd really like to keep them.

 

I do like your idea, though - I might tweak it a bit and work something similar in, if that's ok.

 

4) Squats (made with Warhammer Fantasy or Age of Sigmar models) as Chapter allies and auxiliaries (have them count as AdMech Skitarii in-game, to account for the Dwarves' hardiness).

I only really play Space Crusade, so I won't be making much use of this idea, sadly.

That's not to say it's a bad one, if anyone's ever crazy enough to make a band of Stonebound.

 

If the Squats do ever officially come back, I'm sure they and the Stonebound would have a lot of common ground.

Probably. Although that's depending on what - if any - changes GW make to the little dudes.

 

[Dizzyeye01]

Just looking over your notes so far and there's a few ideas/points I thought could help out:

 

 

 

* Eventually have keeps, recruitment bases, forges, outposts etc on dozens of worlds all over the subsector. Huge success, the Chapter is touted as a glorious and worthy force for good and right across the segmentum.

* Then the Orks get their collective  together under one banner and come to get their turf back.

 

Two things here. First off, what allows the orks to pull their crap together in order to become a threat? Is it due to their success and their arrogance? Was there some sort of Sauron-esque figure who pulled the ork remnants together in order to attack the chapter from all sides?

 

The second and related question is could this be a potential reason as to why they overlooked the orks and let them rebuild their strength?  Did they send out some forces to help out allied forces only to realize they've overstretched themselves? Is this how the orks managed to launch a surprise attack against their homeworld. Depending on the timeline, you can really play with how the orks pulled it off. As described in the recent ork codex if memory serves right, orks have actually been coming out of the Great Rift and hitting places across the galaxy. Perhaps that is how the orks surprised the Stonebound?

 

 

 

* Take a homeworld (Kharabor, or 'Keystone' in Gothic), but also over time establish Chapter keeps on dozens of other worlds, possibly even recruitment rights on a few also to help supply the Chapter in their widespread war against the Orks.

 

One thing to consider now with the galaxy split in half is where about is the sector in? Are they 'safely' within Imperium Sanctus or have the Stonebound found themselves in the Dark Imperium? Both offer up unique opportunities for story flavour which can add to the situation: The Dark Imp[erium means communication is at it's worst and raiders/pirates are having the time of their lives raiding and pillaging, another, if minor, threat that can hit the sector. Supplies are also incredibly rare making the loss of the keeps/recruitment worlds hurt even more. There is even warp storms acting seemingly on their own will meaning supplies from Terra even in Imperium Sanctus meaning there is still trying times whichever way you wanna play this.

 

 

 

 

* The Stonebound and the Orks trade blows for centuries, with worlds variously reclaimed and lost again as the millennia pass. Endless stalemate, in other words. Until...

* Primaris marines have finally given the Chapter the means to tip the scales against the hated Orks. The Campaign to reclaim Kharabor, and thus shatter the oldest Grudge-Stone once and for all, is no longer a mere dream, but a real possibility.

 

One thing to consider which I mentioned earlier is how are the orks able to keep a stalemate with the Stonebound? What is it in the orks that make them a formidable foe to the Stonebound? So their wierdboys predict where a good fight will be? Do they use under handed methods that the chapter doesn't bend to? Or perhaps it's something to do with the Stonebound themselves? Do they reclaim land even though in the long term it is actually going to hurt further down the line? Do they refuse to retreat meaning their numbers keep getting sapped away 'needlessly' some would say?

 

Also, how would the Stonebound feel about these new Primaris kids coming into the fold? Sure, they come with better armour guns, etc. but how would those veterans feel? Surely they've been the ones in the tunnels fighting tooth and nail so it is their right to reclaim their homeworld, not some outsiders who wear their colours? Or perhaps they've learned their lessons and with their new perspective realize their own faults? Just another perspective to throw into the mix.

 

Going back to the idea of a third force pulling the strings in the background, perhaps with the new breathing space the Primaris have given, the command of the Stonebound have been trying to figure out how events have unfolded as they have and are seeing some unanswered questions that have come up over the last millennia.

 

Hopefully this has given some food for thought on the chapter. 

 

-

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Just looking over your notes so far and there's a few ideas/points I thought could help out:

 

 

* Eventually have keeps, recruitment bases, forges, outposts etc on dozens of worlds all over the subsector. Huge success, the Chapter is touted as a glorious and worthy force for good and right across the segmentum.

 

* Then the Orks get their collective together under one banner and come to get their turf back.

Two things here. First off, what allows the orks to pull their crap together in order to become a threat? Is it due to their success and their arrogance? Was there some sort of Sauron-esque figure who pulled the ork remnants together in order to attack the chapter from all sides?

One possible answer: The Eldar/Aeldari intervened to enable the rise of an Ork Warboss capable of defeating the Stonebound, the way the knife-ears enabled the rise of Ghazghkull in order to divert a prophesied Waaagh! from a Craftworld. This can justify the Chapter's HATRED of Eldar/Aeldari (the Inquisition learned of the knife-ears' role in the 2nd War For Armageddon from an Eldar prisoner), potentially raising tensions between the Stonebound and Lord Regent Guilliman (whose resurrection the Eldar/Aeldari had a major role in), and make them behave more like the Dwarves that inspired Ace Debonair. Edited February 11, 2020 by Bjorn Firewalker

[Brother Lunkhead]

Ace Debonair

Posted Yesterday, 04:37 PM

 

Does this sound like a worthwhile Chapter, or should I take this old relic of an idea back to the drawing board again?

 

This is DEFINITLY a worthwhile Chapter The Dwarves theme is a very solid idea.

 

Brother Bjorn has some excellent ideas although I really like homage you pay to WH Dwarves with the Grudge Stones. Are your "Red Shields" in any way a reference to the "Slayers"?.... or have you thought about individual Marines who take up this mantle?

 

Brother The brought up some good questions that I hope you will explore.

 

A question of my own is in reference to this:

 

* Take a homeworld (Kharabor, or 'Keystone' in Gothic), but also over time establish Chapter keeps on dozens of other worlds, possibly even recruitment rights on a few also to help supply the Chapter in their widespread war against the Orks.

 

Who mans these numerous keeps, Space Marine squads, Chapter serfs, or a combination?

 

Lots of potential with this one Brother Ace. I'm looking forward to seeing more

[Ace Debonair]

Two things here. First off, what allows the orks to pull their crap together in order to become a threat? Is it due to their success and their arrogance? Was there some sort of Sauron-esque figure who pulled the ork remnants together in order to attack the chapter from all sides?

I have lots of ideas for the orks - maybe enough for a whole separate article (as a later project though, definitely)!

 

But to answer your question as concisely as possible: My current plan is for a prophet of Gork or Mork will unite the squabbling, diverse clans in the area into a single fighting force that believes the Stonebound (and the rest of the Imperium) only exist as something to fight and loot from, sent by Gork or Mork as both a test of Fightiness and Orkiness, and as a reward for being so Fighty and Orky. 

 

The second and related question is could this be a potential reason as to why they overlooked the orks and let them rebuild their strength?  Did they send out some forces to help out allied forces only to realize they've overstretched themselves? Is this how the orks managed to launch a surprise attack against their homeworld. Depending on the timeline, you can really play with how the orks pulled it off. As described in the recent ork codex if memory serves right, orks have actually been coming out of the Great Rift and hitting places across the galaxy. Perhaps that is how the orks surprised the Stonebound?

My current plan for how the orks pull of the surprise attack boils down to "Hubris and Pride make the Stonebound too confident and they don't plan for all the disparate ork tribes pulling together", coupled with "The Imperium doesn't have an accurate handle on how many orks there are - what they've assumed is a total headcount of Orks in the subsector is actually just a fraction."

 

Basically, the Orks are going to have numbers enough to stage decoy assaults and still have the bulk of their fighters play the sneak attack game.

 

I admit it probably needs a little more work.  

 

One thing to consider now with the galaxy split in half is where about is the sector in? Are they 'safely' within Imperium Sanctus or have the Stonebound found themselves in the Dark Imperium? Both offer up unique opportunities for story flavour which can add to the situation: The Dark Imp[erium means communication is at it's worst and raiders/pirates are having the time of their lives raiding and pillaging, another, if minor, threat that can hit the sector. Supplies are also incredibly rare making the loss of the keeps/recruitment worlds hurt even more. There is even warp storms acting seemingly on their own will meaning supplies from Terra even in Imperium Sanctus meaning there is still trying times whichever way you wanna play this.

Originally my plan was to be in Imperium Sanctus, but then so far all of my DIY's have been in Imperium Sanctus.

 

Maybe I should spice things up and move the Stonebound to the far end of the Segmentum, put them right in the danger zone... 

 

One thing to consider which I mentioned earlier is how are the orks able to keep a stalemate with the Stonebound? What is it in the orks that make them a formidable foe to the Stonebound? So their wierdboys predict where a good fight will be? Do they use under handed methods that the chapter doesn't bend to? Or perhaps it's something to do with the Stonebound themselves? Do they reclaim land even though in the long term it is actually going to hurt further down the line? Do they refuse to retreat meaning their numbers keep getting sapped away 'needlessly' some would say?

Let's see: according to my current notes, the orks maintain their stalemate by two factors: Firstly, they have numbers enough to keep the Stonebound mostly fighting on the defensive, and secondly the Stonebound are a little too proud/obsessed with their vengeance to really call for aid unless the situation is truly bleak.

 

So it's a mix of both the points you raise - the Orks are wild zealots who use unpredictable tactics to appeal to their Gods, and the Stonebound will generally fight to the bitter end, even if it would be more sensible to retreat/evacuate.

 

Also, how would the Stonebound feel about these new Primaris kids coming into the fold? Sure, they come with better armour guns, etc. but how would those veterans feel? Surely they've been the ones in the tunnels fighting tooth and nail so it is their right to reclaim their homeworld, not some outsiders who wear their colours? Or perhaps they've learned their lessons and with their new perspective realize their own faults? Just another perspective to throw into the mix.

Oh, they won't be thrilled about the Primaris marines. The Primaris marines will have to prove themselves many times over before the Stonebound think of them as brothers.

 

But with that said, the lure of vengeance and a chance to regain their past glory is going to really appeal to the Stonebound. At the end of the day, it's fresh blood from their own lineage, more than willing to immerse themselves in the Chapter's history and duty. And with every battle, the Stoenbound will - grudgingly - give a little more respect to the Primaris, provided they acquit themselves well enough.

 

Hopefully this has given some food for thought on the chapter.

It certainly has - I hope my answers have proven satisfactory!

 

I really need to work more on the ork enemies of the Stonebound - I have some rough ideas for them, but not quite enough to make an article for them as well.

 

One possible answer: The Eldar/Aeldari intervened to enable the rise of an Ork Warboss capable of defeating the Stonebound, the way the knife-ears enabled the rise of Ghazghkull in order to divert a prophesied Waaagh! from a Craftworld. This can justify the Chapter's HATRED of Eldar/Aeldari (the Inquisition learned of the knife-ears' role in the 2nd War For Armageddon from an Eldar prisoner), potentially raising tensions between the Stonebound and Lord Regent Guilliman (whose resurrection the Eldar/Aeldari had a major role in), and make them behave more like the Dwarves that inspired Ace Debonair.

I'm quite tempted to throw some Eldar shenanigans in there, but I feel like it's also terribly cliché to have Eldar pulling the strings of the Orks.

 

I won't rule it out, but where possible I'm going to try and keep the Chapter simple, for my own sanity if nothing else. 

 

This is DEFINITLY a worthwhile Chapter:tu: The Dwarves theme is a very solid idea.

Solid as a rock, would you say?

 

I'll have to make sure I do the Stonebound justice this time, so I'm glad I've started off on the right foot.

 

Brother Bjorn has some excellent ideas although I really like homage you pay to WH Dwarves with the Grudge Stones. Are your "Red Shields" in any way a reference to the "Slayers"?.... or have you thought about individual Marines who take up this mantle?

Nightrawen's Grudge-Stones and Octavulg's epic saga sidebar are the two decade-old ideas I absolutely had to include at any cost.

 

The Redshields were honestly originally inspired by the Deathwing - I just really liked the idea of the First Company having its' own colours.

 

I'll be avoiding using Slayers as inspiration, though. The Ashen Blades from the recent LASC already drew upon them for inspiration, and I'd like to show different flavours of Dwarf Chapter (admittedly the Stonebound are 'Dwarvish Vanilla', in that case ) are possible.

 

Who mans these numerous keeps, Space Marine squads, Chapter serfs, or a combination?

 

Lots of potential with this one Brother Ace. I'm looking forward to seeing more:yes:

Hmmmmm. I'd say a mix - mostly serfs with maybe a squad or two of marines on 'high-risk' or more important worlds.

 

Having a few squads potentially still alive but cut off from the rest of the Chapter would given the Stonebound even more reason to try and take all their worlds back.

 

 

 

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

 

This is all good stuff, brothers - every question brings me one step closer to creating a ☼ Masterwork Index Astartes Article ☼ - the ultimate test of scribing skill!

[Ace Debonair]

Forgive the double post, brothers, but I've updated the First Post with some information based on your feedback.

The re-forging of the Stonebound will continue! I think I'll have enough to start turning this outline into an article soon.

 

I'm also having a lot of fun with Galgor's Orks - I've based them and their... unorthodox view on religion on the Nac Mac Feegle, from Discworld.

It wasn't what I'd originally planned, but the idea's too good for me to pass up!

 

 - "'Can yer mother sew, 'umie? Then tell 'er tae stitch this!" - Extract from "Ork-Tongues of the [REDACTED] Subsector", by Hadrian Mason, M.40

[Kelborn]

Oooooohhhhh boy, Ace. What have you done?

 

I'm currently reading/ listening to Age of Sigmar stuff with my dwarfen Ashen Blades calling out in the back of my head and I was barely able to silence them as I wanted to take a break from writing (as I was jumping from idea to idea - again) and now you're revising the Stonebound?!

 

Nargh! Hand me a half-decent ale and this Slayer will pledge himself to your cause!

 

Just wanted to say that I'm excited to have them back. Gonna read this thread when I got more time to give you some proper feedback.

 

Going pure vanilla or will you add Primaris, as well? Cause I can See the both of us adding to each others concepts quite well. :)

 

Unbowed, unbroken!

[Ace Debonair]

Oooooohhhhh boy, Ace. What have you done?

 

I'm currently reading/ listening to Age of Sigmar stuff with my dwarfen Ashen Blades calling out in the back of my head and I was barely able to silence them as I wanted to take a break from writing (as I was jumping from idea to idea - again) and now you're revising the Stonebound?!

Funnily enough, it was re-reading the Ashen Blades that, in part, got me listening to my inner Dwarf once more.

 

That and another good run on Dwarf Fortress.

 

And a campaign or two on Warhammer Total War.

Basically this whole year so far has been pushing me inexorably back towards Kagara and the Stonebound.

 

Nargh! Hand me a half-decent ale and this Slayer will pledge himself to your cause!

*crashes fist against mail armour in approval*

 

Let's see... we've got Kagaran Black Ale, Kagaran Firemead, and of course a few casks of Magma Brew.

 

Not a patch on Kharabor King's Brew, of course, but that's currently... inaccessible.

 

Just wanted to say that I'm excited to have them back. Gonna read this thread when I got more time to give you some proper feedback.

 

Going pure vanilla or will you add Primaris, as well? Cause I can See the both of us adding to each others concepts quite well.

 

Unbowed, unbroken!

 

This time I'm not giving up on the Stonebound. I wasn't skilled enough to do the concept justice last time, but let's see if a decade of experience can make a difference, eh?

 

Primaris marines are a definite YES for all of my DIY Chapters.

 

I have a weakness for Reivers (they're just so cool, although I do tend to do a lot of headswaps), and am positively itching to paint a few Stonebound Reivers - although they'll have to hold on for a while since I have a model backlog to work through first.

 

EDIT:

I am tired and bad at spelling.

Typos purged before they can become worthy of a Grudge.

Edited February 13, 2020 by Ace Debonair

[Messor]

This is exciting. The thematic elements are perfectly suited to the brotherhood of Astartes. I have the impression that the stalemate between the Orks and the Stonebound is quite long lived, and it raised a question; though the Orks numbers give them staying power against the Stonebound, I have always thought (maybe mistakenly) that the Orks have difficulty maintaining focus and cohesion. So the force amassed by this Prophet, does it last throughout this struggle, such that the Stonebound are clashing consistently with "the same" Orks, or after their initials successes and some time has passed, does their unity dissolve and the Stonebound is dealing with multiple splinter forces?

[Brother Cambrius]

Ahhh, the old boys in brown are back with extra Dwarfiness! Glad to see them return, Ace! I love the grudgestones. I could see an old veteran in the Red shield having a stone encrusted set armour or a Dreadnought, declaring they are carrying the weight of their duty through the grudges to be settled. Do fallen Astartes' grudges get honoured by their squad mates etc?

 

So a few points have been raised on the Ork attack, it certainly is very viable the Imperium lacked the sufficient intelligence (literally and figuratively) to know how many Orks were present in the region the Stonebound protected.

 

To add further spin, I did see a suggestion earlier on the Chapter being stretched thin, which is why the Orks managed to gain in numbers without much to push them back. That could be a very possible option to mark with the Dwarfish hubris and pride that they thought the greenskin threat was suitably stymied for long enough to allow the Stonebound to crusade elsewhere and answers calls and favours upon their honour and oath. Add in the Eldar being responsible for orchestrating this to happen, both by raiding areas to force a call for aid and to ensure the Ork empire grew into a WAAAGH!

 

On that subject, how do the Stonebound interact with allies within the region? I'd imagine thier ties with the AdMech would be very cordial indeed.

 

If they are on the far edge of the Segmentum on the border of the Cicatrix Maledictum, as you suggested earlier, that would mean Tau or Tyranid nonsense to counter alongside the Greenskins and Chaos threats.

 

Let's see some more! I raise some homebrewed ale in respect.

 

Cambrius

[Bjorn Firewalker]

To add further spin, I did see a suggestion earlier on the Chapter being stretched thin, which is why the Orks managed to gain in numbers without much to push them back. That could be a very possible option to mark with the Dwarfish hubris and pride that they thought the greenskin threat was suitably stymied for long enough to allow the Stonebound to crusade elsewhere and answers calls and favours upon their honour and oath. Add in the Eldar being responsible for orchestrating this to happen, both by raiding areas to force a call for aid and to ensure the Ork empire grew into a WAAAGH!

Good ideas.

[Ace Debonair]

This is exciting. The thematic elements are perfectly suited to the brotherhood of Astartes. I have the impression that the stalemate between the Orks and the Stonebound is quite long lived, and it raised a question; though the Orks numbers give them staying power against the Stonebound, I have always thought (maybe mistakenly) that the Orks have difficulty maintaining focus and cohesion. So the force amassed by this Prophet, does it last throughout this struggle, such that the Stonebound are clashing consistently with "the same" Orks, or after their initials successes and some time has passed, does their unity dissolve and the Stonebound is dealing with multiple splinter forces?

 

I might do an article on the orks later, so I'm thinking they'll stick around.

Even with the Prophet Galgor's death, his teachings will more-or-less stick in one form or another.

 

And with the orks looking at the Stonebound as equal parts gift/reward from the Gods, they'll happily gang up any time the Stonebound make notable gains in territory, if only for a good fight and/or to show Gork and Mork what they're made of.

 

That said, I daresay the whole region is a hotbed of Orky politics and in-fighting most of the time, and really they only have any unity when rallying to deal with outside threats like the Stonebound.

 

 

Ahhh, the old boys in brown are back with extra Dwarfiness! Glad to see them return, Ace! I love the grudgestones. I could see an old veteran in the Red shield having a stone encrusted set armour or a Dreadnought, declaring they are carrying the weight of their duty through the grudges to be settled. Do fallen Astartes' grudges get honoured by their squad mates etc?

 

So a few points have been raised on the Ork attack, it certainly is very viable the Imperium lacked the sufficient intelligence (literally and figuratively) to know how many Orks were present in the region the Stonebound protected.

 

To add further spin, I did see a suggestion earlier on the Chapter being stretched thin, which is why the Orks managed to gain in numbers without much to push them back. That could be a very possible option to mark with the Dwarfish hubris and pride that they thought the greenskin threat was suitably stymied for long enough to allow the Stonebound to crusade elsewhere and answers calls and favours upon their honour and oath. Add in the Eldar being responsible for orchestrating this to happen, both by raiding areas to force a call for aid and to ensure the Ork empire grew into a WAAAGH!

...Why is everyone so keen on getting the Eldar involved?

Orks by themselves are plenty dangerous enough, especially if left unchecked.

 

I'd rather keep it simple and straightforward, Dwarves Space Marines vs Orks.

Turning one or both sides into a catspaw for Eldar machinations makes that faction less interesting, adds another faction I'd need to flesh out (I have enough of those to do) and is pretty much the most tired and cliché way to use Eldar in a story.

 

All that aside, spreading the Chapter thin before the Orks really fight back is a good idea. I'll probably add that.

 

EDIT:

Space Marines, not Dwarves.

Overtheming at it's finest, right there.

 

On that subject, how do the Stonebound interact with allies within the region? I'd imagine thier ties with the AdMech would be very cordial indeed.

 

I think the AdMech would be the Stonebound's best buddies, although it'd be more for mutual admiration of craftsmanship than the Stonebound buying into the Omnissiah stuff. That and Techpriests are generally pretty consistent in their dealings, which I imagine the Stonebound approve of.

 

As for other allies - I haven't given them any thought. The Stonebound are generally pretty gruff and aloof to outsiders, so I imagine they're not very close friends to factions like the Imperial Guard or the Ecclesiarchy.

 

They might have a Knight Household or two on their list of allies, but I doubt I'll make much mention of them. It's not like the Stonebound are going to let outsiders get too involved in retaking Kaharabor, lest they lay claim to its' lost treasures.

 

If they are on the far edge of the Segmentum on the border of the Cicatrix Maledictum, as you suggested earlier, that would mean Tau or Tyranid nonsense to counter alongside the Greenskins and Chaos threats.

 

Let's see some more! I raise some homebrewed ale in respect.

 

Cambrius

Wait, there's Nids and Tau over the other side of the galaxy now?

What did I miss?

 

I thought the far end of Segmentum Pacificus was pretty far away from the Eastern Fringe, where you get bugs and blue people.

Maybe I'm looking at the wrong map...?

Edited February 14, 2020 by Ace Debonair

[Brother Cambrius]

 

If they are on the far edge of the Segmentum on the border of the Cicatrix Maledictum, as you suggested earlier, that would mean Tau or Tyranid nonsense to counter alongside the Greenskins and Chaos threats.

 

Let's see some more! I raise some homebrewed ale in respect.

 

Cambrius

Wait, there's Nids and Tau over the other side of the galaxy now?

What did I miss?

 

I thought the far end of Segmentum Pacificus was pretty far away from the Eastern Fringe, where you get bugs and blue people.

Maybe I'm looking at the wrong map...?

No that's me holding the map upside down... 10 minutes in the Pain Glove for such wretched lack of focus!

 

But yeah ignore the Tau and Niddies, may want to keep an eye out for Necrons though. ;)

 

Cambrius

[Kelborn]

Alright, caught up.

 

Just some quick thoughts. More might come later on.

 

I'd say keep it simple with Orks and Marines. Aeldari could make use of that and become a sideplot. But making them the responsible reminds me too much of DoW.

 

What's Dwarf Fortress? Never heard of that before.

 

Going with an Ork prophet reminds me of Bonesplitterz, fanatical beast hunters following their prophets and such. They could name the Stonebound their prey and having a primitive ork force, which heavily relies on their grots could be something different, eh?

 

AoS dwarves wouldn't be very helpfull. Like you said, I'm already drawing from the Fyreslayers and the Kharadrons would only fit after the Stonebound lost their homeworld. And even then only partially.

And the Dispossessed are Fantasy Dwarfs 2.0

 

Regarding Tau and Nids. They are both a thing in Imperium Nihilus, as well. There are at least 2 or 3 hyve fleets incoming and don't forget about the Genestealers.

T'au eatablished their new Sphere within the northern half, as well.

Currently on my phone but within the Tau subforum, another frater figured out their position with the help of the BA codex.

 

If you need another chapter as an ally, I can offer either my Ashen Blades or another chapter, I'm considering to get back upon (like a mixture of Stormcasts and/ or Kharadrons & 18th century stuff like pirates, East India Company or another of my myriad ones).

 

Or an Ogryn world or even Aeldari to get some classic Dwarf vs Elven theme?

 

Hope that might help ya :)

 

Kel

 

PS:

Those ales of yours sound tasty. As long as I can't boil eggs in them, I'll be fine. ;)

Edited February 15, 2020 by Kelborn

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

Ace, I absolutely love the Stonebound, so this is just fantastic!

 

 

...Why is everyone so keen on getting the Eldar involved? 

 

 

Because of the War of the Beard! The elves and wharves have an ancient antipathy and even now your Stonebound are the antithesis of all Eldar faction misdirection, speed and power doctrine.

 

I can understand why you'd not want to include them, keeping it simple is always best. You can have shadows of their involvement if you want, whatever faction you desire, but it's definitely not necessary.

 

 

In terms of the Necrons, well, there's always digging too deep in the dark isn't there? 

 

 

* Organisation: First Company "Redshields" have different heraldry from the rest of the Chapter.

 

 

Can I ask why Redshields? I'd have thought you'd go for something like 'Ironbound' or 'Steelhearts' or something of that manner. Ores come from stone and what is refined through the forge of battle eventually ends up as the tested mettle* of the chapter.

 

Am I being too thematic here? I feel like this is a question you've covered in a previous version but my brain is dead. Apologies.

 

 

 

 

I'm loving all the additions, also the *Imperial* gold was hilarious.

 

Can I ask - I didn't see this addressed anywhere else so apologies if I missed it - but are the Stonebound locked in their entirety with this Ork controlled system/subsector? Do they ever fight anywhere else against any other foe? Respond to any calls for aid? Has the Imperium not tried to bring this region back into compliance over the years?

 

Regardless of how gruff and standoffish they are with outsiders, being a part of the Imperium means that they to a greater extent don't have much of a choice. They have to work with and help other Imperial authorities or they suffer the attention of the Inquisition.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

 

...Why is everyone so keen on getting the Eldar involved?

 

Because of the War of the Beard! The elves and wharves have an ancient antipathy and even now your Stonebound are the antithesis of all Eldar faction misdirection, speed and power doctrine.

Well said, Grey Hunter Ydalir.

In terms of the Necrons, well, there's always digging too deep in the dark isn't there?

Good point. Let's have a Smaug equivalent as one of the Chapter's enemies. Does Asirnoth have a brother or sister?

[Messor]

 

Well said, Grey Hunter Ydalir.

In terms of the Necrons, well, there's always digging too deep in the dark isn't there?

Good point. Let's have a Smaug equivalent as one of the Chapter's enemies. Does Asirnoth have a brother or sister?

 

The Basilisks Chapter have been looking. They'll give a shout if they find anything.

[Ace Debonair]

No that's me holding the map upside down... 10 minutes in the Pain Glove for such wretched lack of focus!

 

But yeah ignore the Tau and Niddies, may want to keep an eye out for Necrons though.

 

Cambrius

Phew, thought I'd missed something big for a minute there.

 

I'll stick with Marines vs Orks until I've got an article I'm happy with; I can always add a 'Notable conflicts' section at the end detailing some of the battles with non-greenskin foes or something.

 

 

What's Dwarf Fortress? Never heard of that before.

Dwarf Fortress is a game that is very hard to summarize.

It's extremely difficult, grimdark as anything (if you try to build a fort anywhere inhospitable) and a lot more fun than it should be.

 

It has the motto "Losing is Fun", and has a learning curve that is more like a sheer cliff than anything else.

And yet, it is crazy enjoyable once you get the hang of it (which took me AGES, I freely admit)

 

Those ales of yours sound tasty. As long as I can't boil eggs in them, I'll be fine.

 

Kagaran ales are multi-functional. The stronger ones can be used to strip paint off of ceramite.

 

Because of the War of the Beard! The elves and wharves have an ancient antipathy and even now your Stonebound are the antithesis of all Eldar faction misdirection, speed and power doctrine.

 

I can understand why you'd not want to include them, keeping it simple is always best. You can have shadows of their involvement if you want, whatever faction you desire, but it's definitely not necessary.

...D'you mean the War of Vengeance? Or are you intentionally using the tree-cuddler name for it?

 

In seriousness though, I see Dwarves and Orcs as the more fitting and famous rivalry, even in Warhammer Fantasy.  

 

In terms of the Necrons, well, there's always digging too deep in the dark isn't there? 

I am totally putting a Dwarf Fortress spin on this idea.

I'd explain, but that'll take longer than actually just writing it. Just take it from me, this is a thing that will happen.

 

That said, it'll go in a bit at the end of the article. I want to mostly keep things Orks vs Dwarves.

 

Can I ask why Redshields? I'd have thought you'd go for something like 'Ironbound' or 'Steelhearts' or something of that manner. Ores come from stone and what is refined through the forge of battle eventually ends up as the tested mettle* of the chapter.

 

Am I being too thematic here? I feel like this is a question you've covered in a previous version but my brain is dead. Apologies.

Tradition!

The Redshields have been the name of the Veteran Company since the earliest drafts, so I'd like to keep them.

Plus it just sounds cool.

 

Irounbound is the collective name of the Chapter's Dreadnoughts, for what it's worth - also a holdover from the earliest version of the Chapter.

  

Can I ask - I didn't see this addressed anywhere else so apologies if I missed it - but are the Stonebound locked in their entirety with this Ork controlled system/subsector? Do they ever fight anywhere else against any other foe? Respond to any calls for aid? Has the Imperium not tried to bring this region back into compliance over the years?

 

Regardless of how gruff and standoffish they are with outsiders, being a part of the Imperium means that they to a greater extent don't have much of a choice. They have to work with and help other Imperial authorities or they suffer the attention of the Inquisition.

I admit, I haven't given the scope of the conflict or other Imperial local forces much thought yet.

 

My family's currently asking me why I don't include the Stonebound as part of the Silver Circle and the Glastheim Rifts, and I honestly don't have a good answer other than "tradition!"

 

So... I don't really have any answers to give you on this topic yet.

 

I'm a bit conflicted on the matter in truth - I like having separate Chapters from the Glastheim Rifts, but the Stonebound would probably be a much better fit than the Oceanborn ever were.

 

 

Good point. Let's have a Smaug equivalent as one of the Chapter's enemies. Does Asirnoth have a brother or sister?

 

By the throne, that'd work well.

It doesn't even have to be of the same power or scale as Asirnoth, just some kind of Necron monster that's been long imprisoned in a tomb somewhere.

 

...Still, I'll save stuff like that for after I've got the bare bones (hah, Necron pun) of the article in place.

[Ace Debonair]

Forgive the double post, brothers, but I've made another update, in which I'm moving the Stonebound to my good old Glastheim Rifts setting, giving them numerous heretics to pick a fight with alongside the Orks and eventual Necron threats (it was inevitable).

My reasons for the move are numerous:

* I need six Chapters at the least to form a proper "Silver Circle", and the Stonebound fit the group dynamic better than the Oceanborn did.

* On that note, the Oceanborn really don't need five other Chapters about prying into their secrets - this was part of my problem when working on them, along with:

* The more I worked on the Oceanborn, the more they felt like the Stonebound anyway, only under the sea instead of underground. Why go through all that effort to, essentially, re-create my own DIY Chapter, when I could instead just have my own Chapter there in the first place?

* And lastly, I have plans for the Champions of Athlum to be inspired (in part) by Tolkien's elves, and it felt right to homage their rivalry with the Dwarves by having the Stonebound in the Rifts so the two Chapters can annoy each other persistently.

 

I'm always keen to hear opinions or thoughts on my crazy ideas - if this is a horrible idea and I'm committing a crime against Dwarfy Independence by moving the Stonebound, be sure to let me know before I get too invested in the move! 

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

Now given your stonebound have their nemesis in the Orks, would they ever grudgingly (see what I did there?) work with, or at the least battle alongside the Orks against the Necrons once they were released? Perhaps a bit of the better the devil you know? The Orks may avoid civilians because of the lack of a fight, but perhaps this necron dysnasty is particularly antithetical and will harvest whomever they wish?

 

 

 

On Dwarfy independance, to my mind as much as they're proud, stubborn and hold a grudge to last a lifetime, they are not unwilling to work with others and form alliances. The difference is how they perceive what constitutes an alliance. Regular Astartes behavior for things such as taking oaths whether of friendship, debt, servitude or vengeance, they function very much like the dwarves even in so far as the dwarves functioned in that way like historical knightly orders.

 

The Stonebound (as dwarves) would treat those they entreat with very seriously, and would in turn take those alliances extremely seriously. They would be honour bound to uphold their oaths, even to the detriment of their own chapter and holdings. They would also expect the same of their allies, which is where you have the option for both friction and to deepen the bonds of brotherhood.

 

I think Dwarven attitude works best when it has others to be compared to, or work against. That's why the ancient trifecta of Elves, Dwarves and Humans works very well. You have your 'everyman' attitude of the Humans that the reader can relate to, and through that context view the culture and personalities of the Elves and Dwarves, and what makes them both so absurd, with them being so diametrically opposed but also somewhat similar at the extremes.

 

Without the ability for you to point out how dwarfy the Stonebound are, they're just grumpy marines who fight literally only Orks, and I mean this in both highlighted culture-shock as well as what the IA tells us.

 

If you don't want to have them join a group of other chapters and retain their independence, you have your elven-chapter to antagonize them. Or you can pick someone elses chapter to play the 'straight man' to their 'dwarf'. For example, you could describe a Blazing Sons force who came through and they got on remarkably well given their similarities, or say a strike force of my Storm Riders, whom they'd probably disagree with over quite a lot of things.

 

I'm not saying 'use my guys because they're so cool!' (I mean, they are damn cool ), merely just using them in making a point.

 

Let me know if I'm just rambling nonsense by the way. 

[Brother Lunkhead]

Grey Hunter Ydalir

Posted Yesterday, 04:30 PM

 

Now given your stonebound have their nemesis in the Orks, would they ever grudgingly (see what I did there?) work with, or at the least battle alongside the Orks against the Necrons once they were released? Perhaps a bit of the better the devil you know? The Orks may avoid civilians because of the lack of a fight, but perhaps this necron dysnasty is particularly antithetical and will harvest whomever they wish?

 

I see what you did there  ....... But, (and of course this is up to Brother Ace to interpret as he sees fit) I don't think they would battle alongside the Orks (I don't even think it's possible, given the Orks mentality and disposition) considering their own dwarvish stubborn attitude when it comes to grudges. There are other chapters that absolutely refuse to form any alliance with Xenos no matter the circumstances, so this would not be without precedence. I also don't think Orks avoid civilians. They tend to attack anything and everything because...…. Orks

 

Without the ability for you to point out how dwarfy the Stonebound are, they're just grumpy marines who fight literally only Orks, and I mean this in both highlighted culture-shock as well as what the IA tells us.

 

Definitely good to keep in mind, but I think there are enough cultural references to Dwarves to see where Brother Ace is coming from with this Chapter.

[Grey Hunter Ydalir]

 

Definitely good to keep in mind, but I think there are enough cultural references to Dwarves to see where Brother Ace is coming from with this Chapter.

 

 

 

I agree, but I also think diversity is good. Having Dwarf wall carvings, axes, helms, underground fortresses and such is one thing, but to actually see or have interpersonal interaction displayed is another thing entirely. One lays the foundation, the other builds the house. Also, a story told in a vacuum is less interesting than one told n the context of the universe it takes place in, for me anyway.

 

 

But, (and of course this is up to Brother Ace to interpret as he sees fit) I don't think they would battle alongside the Orks (I don't even think it's possible, given the Orks mentality and disposition) considering their own dwarvish stubborn attitude when it comes to grudges. There are other chapters that absolutely refuse to form any alliance with Xenos no matter the circumstances, so this would not be without precedence. I also don't think Orks avoid civilians. They tend to attack anything and everything because...…. Orks

 

No this is true, but like I said, they will avoid civilians only because they're looking for a fight, and women and children don't really provide one. Conflict and struggle is what defines and drives their race after all. Also, they've been noted to take slaves before and use them for work. Which is obviously not exactly desirable, but it does speak to the character of some orks that even slaughter without a challenge is not what they want. It's not going to be all of them, but in the context of the orkish race, it shows some thought on the matter.

 

At the end of the day, if the orks know there is a guard division over the horizon and they will get into a fight sooner if they leave the 'umie civvies be, more often than not I'd argue that's what they'll do.

[Ace Debonair]

Working the Stonebound into the Glastheim Rifts has proven to be tough as heck - I've started working on an actual article, but there's so much going on that it's getting a little bewildering trying to cover it all.

Explaining the orks, necron and Chaos forces in the region while trying to detail the Chapter's initial reluctance to have anything to do with the Silver Circle and their ongoing rivalry with the Champions of Athlum (mostly friendly, but it takes a long while to get there) all without typing 60,000 words is proving quite the challenge!

I think I might need to - out of necessity - minimize the inter-Chapter history, much like I've done with the Warminds and the White Hawks.

So, on to the big question, anyway:
 

Now given your stonebound have their nemesis in the Orks, would they ever grudgingly (see what I did there?) work with, or at the least battle alongside the Orks against the Necrons once they were released? Perhaps a bit of the better the devil you know? The Orks may avoid civilians because of the lack of a fight, but perhaps this necron dysnasty is particularly antithetical and will harvest whomever they wish?

The Stonebound willingly working with Orks (the enemy that took their homeworld from them, don't forget) is like the Ultramarines willingly working with the Black Legion.

The concept itself is unthinkable to the Stonebound - they'd probably shoot anyone who suggested it!
 
 
 

On Dwarfy independance, to my mind as much as they're proud, stubborn and hold a grudge to last a lifetime, they are not unwilling to work with others and form alliances. The difference is how they perceive what constitutes an alliance. Regular Astartes behavior for things such as taking oaths whether of friendship, debt, servitude or vengeance, they function very much like the dwarves even in so far as the dwarves functioned in that way like historical knightly orders.
 
The Stonebound (as dwarves) would treat those they entreat with very seriously, and would in turn take those alliances extremely seriously. They would be honour bound to uphold their oaths, even to the detriment of their own chapter and holdings. They would also expect the same of their allies, which is where you have the option for both friction and to deepen the bonds of brotherhood.
 
I think Dwarven attitude works best when it has others to be compared to, or work against. That's why the ancient trifecta of Elves, Dwarves and Humans works very well. You have your 'everyman' attitude of the Humans that the reader can relate to, and through that context view the culture and personalities of the Elves and Dwarves, and what makes them both so absurd, with them being so diametrically opposed but also somewhat similar at the extremes.
 
Without the ability for you to point out how dwarfy the Stonebound are, they're just grumpy marines who fight literally only Orks, and I mean this in both highlighted culture-shock as well as what the IA tells us.

I hear what you're saying, but I think I need to, as much as possible, keep the article about the Stonebound and not about everyone around the Stonebound.

For example, if comparing them to another DIY Chapter, I have to spell out what is similar and what is different between the two Chapters, what any cause of possible friction is, and the consequences of that friction, because I can't guarantee a reader knows anything about the other Chapter (I don't even have an article for the Champions yet, for example) and as such wouldn't find any meaning in the comparison.

This tends to take quite a few words to do properly, in an already wordy article.

For the same reason, I think I'm going to skimp heavily on the details for the Orks and the Necron - the Stonebound's article isn't the place to greatly detail their enemies.

I can always write a "Xenos of the Glastheim Rift Compendium" or something that gives details on all the gribblies hanging out around the rifts.
 

If you don't want to have them join a group of other chapters and retain their independence, you have your elven-chapter to antagonize them. Or you can pick someone elses chapter to play the 'straight man' to their 'dwarf'. For example, you could describe a Blazing Sons force who came through and they got on remarkably well given their similarities, or say a strike force of my Storm Riders, whom they'd probably disagree with over quite a lot of things.
 
I'm not saying 'use my guys because they're so cool!' (I mean, they are damn cool ), merely just using them in making a point.
 
Let me know if I'm just rambling nonsense by the way. 

I agree that the Stonebound need someone to bounce off, and that the Blazing Sons are pretty darn cool.

But having another four (eventually five, when the Ultima Founding comes along) Chapters in the Silver Circle is probably enough Marines for the Stonebound to interact with!
 

...Now, back to work on the article.