=][= Liberalia Martiale 2020: The Iron Gauntlet

[Dosjetka]

There was a rumbling in the fortress.

What was rumbling, few could identify. It was not anything tangible to be felt, and produced no noise to be heard, even to the genehanced ear of an Astartes, or one of the many xenos species that maintained something akin to an embassy.

No, it was not a rumbling that any scientist would call such, nothing seismic or mechanical. It was a call, however, and those that needed to hear it, did. A psychic summons, from the Deepest, Darkest Depths of the Liber. And it would be terrible to behold.

=][=

A lone marine hurried down the halls of the Legio Fortress, his silvery kimono stained with ink and soot from the arts both calligraphic and metallurgical, weapons clattering against each other as he ran. He had heard this call only once before, and it had stretched him to his absolute limits. Astartes did not know fear, but a heavy anticipation had begun to build in his heart.

Nimbly he dodged and moved throughout the sparse crowds that occupied this part of the fortress. He rapidly descended the levels, passing human fighters, acolytes, and adepts, the dark mirrors of his own kind and their infernal masters, aeldari witches and warriors, chittering hybrid, silent Necron figures, orks of colossal size, T’au battlesuits, ravening horrors, a chronal rift, the denizens of the fortress strategium, and countless other marines, all the whole hearing the faint rumbling in his mind, before he finally reached his destination.

Before him stood the massive, unforgiving gates of the Liber. Here was the domain of so many projects, finished and not, abandoned and loved, where volumes and volumes detailed countless chapters, regiments, orders, and countless organizations, tribes, and so much more.

Wasting hardly not a moment to stand slack-jawed in awe, quickly the marine withdrew from his belt a code cylinder, tapping it briefly to the melta he wore on his hip before pressing it to the scanner beside the entryway. With a brief flash of light and a puff of incense, the door began to grind open, dust shaking from its frame.

As he entered the Liber’s main hall, the smell of ink, parchment, and old books filled his senses. Flickering light danced and battled against the pervasive gloom of this ancient library, and the Astartes’ bionic eye swiftly compensated for the darkness, leaving him half-blind in the shadow.

However, his eyes could have been hewn from his head, and he still would have known where to go. The rumbling guided the marine to an ancient stairwell, which he knew to lead down below, where unfinished works were condemned to lay. The rumbling grew louder in his mind as he went, and the nearer he drew the clearer it became. It was no mere rumble, as quickly became apparent. Rather, it was thousands of chants all at once. If he focused, the marine could catch snippets of phrases, detailing the minutia of chapters, their planets, orders and their monasteries, regiments and their traditions.

Passing an office with the letters SP engraved in the door, and ignoring both the data-scriveners and his own cramped workspace further down the hall, the marine arrived at a door with a single letter, a D, engraved upon it. He rose his fist and rapped twice, the knocks echoing eerily throughout the hall. Slowly, the stone slab swung open, revealing behind it a marine in black, skull-faced armor.

The first marine knelt. “Hail, Chaplain Dosjetka.”

“Hail, Daimyo Lenoch,” the armored figure responded. “Rise.”

The captain did as ordered. “I came as soon as I heard the call.”

Gravely the chaplain nodded. “You understand what this means, do you not?”

“I do,” Lenoch replied, making the sign of the aquila as he did so.

“Then be ready, cousin.” The chaplain slowly turned to gaze upon an empty glass case, with only dust to mark what used to reside within. “For the Iron Gauntlet is upon us, and we cannot be found wanting.”

=][=

Hail brothers and sisters of the Liber! Once again the Liberalia has come around and we have ourselves the honour of being the centre of attention. Regardless, I would like to ask both Liberites and other members of B&C to dust off any old DIYs they have and give them another shot. Now's the time to crank out the old creativity.

The IRON GAUNTLET returns! After so three years gone, it comes back - with thanks to @Olis for running it back in 2017 and providing me with the majority of the text here*, and thanks to Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch for the opening story snippet - and a welcome sight it is. Now, of course, just entering is not enough! There is a an expectation that we will have members who will accomplish all five challenges. If the old Iron Gauntlet challenges are anything to go by, they will not be many! But, certainly, those who push themselves and achieve all that is asked of them, then they shall be rewarded with a specific and unique badge.

But do not be daunted. This is supposed to be fun... in a roundabout way. If you think you can only complete specific challenges, then only enter those ones. There is nothing here saying that you must complete them all or automatically fail. Do what you can. Just remember the idea is to push yourself.

To register for this Challenge or any others make the following statement:

I, <your name>, of the <Chapter/Warband/Regiment/Klan/Craftworld/Sept/Legio/Gang/other organisation name> take up your Challenges. I vow, before my brothers and sisters of the B&C to complete Challenge <challenge number> and submit it to the Liber before the deadline. I vow to support my fellow challengers to the best of my ability. May the Emperor/the Dark Gods/Gork and Mork/Hive Mind/other 40k deity/Brother Argos curse me if I fail.

[Please leave a link to your article so I can update the first post.]

Challenge the First
* Bronze: Complete a 1,000+ word article describing the origins and history of your organisation and post constructive criticism in other DIY threads;

* Silver: Complete a 2,000+ word article describing the origins and history of your organisation and post constructive criticism in other DIY threads;

* Gold: Complete a 3,000+ word article describing the origins and history of your organisation and post constructive criticism in other DIY threads.

-> Duration: Tuesday 17th March 2020 - Sunday 17th May 2020 (2 months)

Note: The format of your article is not strictly relevant, though it is encouraged to follow the usual DIY guidelines. (If you're not familiar with the article types, check out @Brother Tyler's article template thread linked here. I also encourage you to check out the rest of Liber Resources if you're stuck for ideas and/or looking for some solid advice from renowned Liberites of old.)

Feel free to add [iron Gauntlet 2020] or [iG 2020] to your DIY thread title to show to all that you have taken up one of the most arduous challenges there is on the B&C!

Now, in the interest of allowing folks to get themselves organised, the subsequent challenges can be found in the tab below:

Hidden Content

Challenge the Second
* Bronze: Fully assemble, paint and base a Kill Team (at minimum: three models) representing your organisation;

* Silver: Fully assemble, paint, and base a Combat Patrol (at minimum: one HQ, one Troop, and one additional unit) representing your organisation;

* Gold: Fully assemble, paint, and base a Strike Force (at minimum: one HQ, one Troop, and five additional units) representing your organisation.

-> Duration: Whenever you're done with Challenge #1 - Friday 17th July 2020

Note: If your organisation represents an Aeronautica Imperialis, Adeptus Titanicus, Blackstone Fortress (BSF), or Necromunda organisation, use the following tiers:

* Bronze: Fully assemble, paint and base a Flight (at minimum two Aeronautica aircraft), a single Titanicus Titan, a Banner (at minimum three Titanicus Knights), half an Exploration Team (at minimum two BSF Adventurers), half a Hostile Swarm (at minimum four BSF Hostiles), OR a demi-Gang (at minimum four Necromunda Gangers);

* Silver: Fully assemble, paint and base a Squadron (at minimum four Aeronautica aircraft), a demi-Maniple (at minimum two Titanicus Titans), a Lance (at minimum six Titanicus Knights), an Exploration Team (at minimum four BSF Adventurers), a Hostile Swarm (at minimum eight BSF Hostiles), OR a Gang (at minimum eight Necromunda Gangers);

* Gold: Fully assemble, paint and base a Group (at minimum six Aeronautica aircraft), a Maniple (at minimum four Titanicus Titans), a Household (at minimum nine Titanicus Knights), a reinforced Exploration Team (at minimum six BSF Adventurers), a reinforced Hostile Swarm (at minimum twelve BSF Hostiles), OR a reinforced Gang (at minimum twelve Necromunda Gangers);

Challenge the Third
* Bronze: Post a battle report of a game you played with your organisation force created in Challenge #2;

* Silver: Post a battle report, with EITHER pre- and post-battle fluff (500 words each) OR turn-by-turn photos/maps, of a
game you played with your organisation force;

* Gold: Post a battle report, with pre- and post-battle fluff (500 words each) AND turn-by-turn photos/maps, of a game
you played with your organisation force.

-> Duration: TBD (~1 month)

The Penultimate Challenge
* Bronze: Create a dataslate (converted and painted model, fluff, custom rules and stats) representing a notable character from your organisation;

* Silver: Create two dataslates representing two notable characters from your organisation;

* Gold: Create three dataslates representing three notable characters from your organisation.

-> Duration: TBD (~1 month)

The Final Challenge
* Bronze: Write a story about your organisation that is between 1000 and 1999 words in length;

* Silver: Write a story that is between 2000 and 2999 words in length;

* Gold: Write a story that is 3000+ words in length.

-> Duration: TBD (~2 month)

And finally, I'd like to wish you all the best of luck for the upcoming challenges! Remember to push back the boundaries of what you thought you could achieve and, most importantly, have fun!

P.S. If you have an issue or question and you haven't gotten a reply in a couple of days from one of the Mods, feel free to send a PM to the Moderators on the list below (make sure to include them all in the PM so whoever sees it first can answer):

• @Brother Cambrius
• @Brother Lunkhead
• Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch
• @Dosjetka
• @Kelborn

*due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I unfortunately don't have the time to write down my own intro for this event so I just copy/pasted Olis' from three years ago. No shame!

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Can one vow for one Challenge at a time or even skip some of the Challenges?

A: Yes and yes.

Q: Where should the threads for each Challenge go?

A: That's up to you, so long as you follow forum rules concerning where things go. You can keep all of you efforts in one thread here in the Liber, or have a thread here for the DIY lore, a thread in the WIP/HOH forum for Challenge 2, one in the Battle Reports subforum for Challenge 3, etc.

Q: Can models be assembled before Challenge 2 begins?

A: Yes, so long as they are painted during the duration of the Challenge.

Q: Can I start painting my models before Challenge 2?

A: Other than undercoating them, no.

Q: Can allies of my DIY organisation be included in my vows for Challenges 2 and/or 4?

A: Yes, so long as they have been fleshed out in some detail in your Challenge 1 article. However, models representing your organisation must make up at least half of the models/units vowed.

Q: Can characters in Challenge 4 be based on models painted for Challenge 2 or models that we have already created outside of the Iron Gauntlet?

A. Yes and yes

Edited April 8, 2020 by Dosjetka

[Dosjetka]

Participants (Challenge #1):

• Ace Debonair - Order of the Iron Tower
• Brother Argent -
  • Star Leopards
  • White Talons
  • Angels of Decay
  • Craftworld Yme-Loc
  • Waaagh! Runtkilla
  • Hive Fleet Titan
  • 13th New Eden Rifles
  • Order of the Martyr Redeemed
  • House Ishard
  • Forge World <name>
• Brother Cambrius - Sons of Doom
• Brother Chaplain Kage - Acid Reign
• Brother Ezra - Beasts of Boudicca
• commissar_roach - Sept World Fi'karro
• Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch - Cantorellian 23rd
• Dosjetka - Thunder Fists
• Focslain - Jenius Knight Academy
• Gederas -
  • Fangs of the Father
  • House Adraxian
• Grotsmasha - House Harvester
• Harlan Skorus - Dimarian Shieldbreakers
• Kelborn - Household of Toho, Da Voidjawz
• Lexington - Da Kamp
• Llagos_Tyrant - VIIth Grand Battalion
• Lysimachus - Order of the Sacred Scroll
• Messor - The Pallid Procession
• Rolltonotdie - 603rd Mødherne Brotherhood
• schoon - Legio Lupos
• Shield-Captain - Warders of Rython Sodality
• The Pariah - Cabal of the Ascendant Eyes
• TechCaptain - The Bloodmoon Hunters
• toaae -
  • Holy Order of the Penitent Saint
  • Waaagh! Tortoof
• Trokair - Sororitas Order Minoris (name TBD)
• UtariOnzo - Angels of Penance

Participants (Challenge #2):

• Ace Debonair - Order of the Iron Tower
• commissar_roach - Sept Fi'karro
• Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch - Cantorellian 23rd
• Focslain - Jenius Knight Academy
• Gederas - Fangs of the Father
• Grotsmasha - House Harvester
• Lexington - Da Kamp
• Lysimachus - the Emperor's Blade
• The_Bloody - Wardens of Hades
• Trokair - Fides ex Machina
• UtariOnzo - Angels of Penance
• Valkia the Bloody - unnamed Night Lords warband

Participants (Challenge #3)

Edited July 12, 2020 by Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch

[Ace Debonair]

Well, I won't be able to do the third challenge since I don't actually play 40k, but I'll worry about that closer to the time.
 
I almost regret re-starting the Stonebound so early - they'd have been an ideal candidate for this challenge.
No matter - I'm never short of new factions to tell the tales of. Let's take a break from marines this time, and bring something different to the table...

I, Acemund Debonair, acting on behalf of The Order of the Iron Tower take up the Challenge of the Iron Gauntlet. I vow, before my brothers and sisters of the B&C to complete the First Challenge and submit it to the judgement of the Liber before the deadline. I vow to support my fellow challengers to the best of my ability. May the Emperor himself castigate me for weakness should I fail.
 
 
EDIT:
Storing a picture here for later use when I write the article up:

Edited March 17, 2020 by Ace Debonair

[Lexington]

So, question - does this force need to live somewhere on the Imperial/Chaotic spectrum? Because I've got, like, ten years of dumb Ork fiction swimming around in the back of my brain, and I'd love an excuse to get it out, especially what with being housebound for the next God knows how long.

[UtariOnzo]

I have just the new Chapter in mind for this event!

I, Utari Onzo, of the Angels of Penance take up your Challenges. I vow, before my brothers and sisters of the B&C to complete All Five Challenges and submit them to the Liber before the deadline. I vow to support my fellow challengers to the best of my ability. May the Emperor and the Lion curse me if I fail.

 

Update: Barebones WIP now up http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/362646-ia-angels-of-penance-wip-ig-2020/

Edited March 18, 2020 by UtariOnzo

[Dosjetka]

Well, I won't be able to do the third challenge since I don't actually play 40k, but I'll worry about that closer to the time.

 

I almost regret re-starting the Stonebound so early - they'd have been an ideal candidate for this challenge.

No matter - I'm never short of new factions to tell the tales of. Let's take a break from marines this time, and bring something different to the table...

Good to see you so eager to expand your already well-stocked library of DIYs, Ace. :tu: Welcome to the Iron Gauntlet! And I'm sure we can find a solution for Challenge the Third once we get to that point. :)

 

So, question - does this force need to live somewhere on the Imperial/Chaotic spectrum? Because I've got, like, ten years of dumb Ork fiction swimming around in the back of my brain, and I'd love an excuse to get it out, especially what with being housebound for the next God knows how long.

No, not at all. I've gone ahead and edited the vow part to clarify that any faction/species/Warp-being in 40k is acceptable for this challenge so Orks are very much welcome! :)

 

I have just the new Chapter in mind for this event!

 

I, Utari Onzo, of the Angels of Penance take up your Challenges. I vow, before my brothers and sisters of the B&C to complete Challenge the First and submit it to the Liber before the deadline. I vow to support my fellow challengers to the best of my ability. May the Emperor and the Lion curse me if I fail.

Welcome, UtariOnzo! I'm looking forward to seeing what you manage to achieve in this challenge. :)

 

[Brother Argent]

Brother Argent snapped awake from where he had lain resting his head on his ancient ornately engraved desk.  Not that he had been sleeping as such.  No, such a mortal weakness was a long past necessity of a different life.  Instead he rested in a state of suspended meditation or hibernation.  He flexed the bionic replacements for his arm, the servos of its mechanics groaning and grinding from long disuse, as he blinked eyes in the inky darkness of his chambers.  The inky darkness matched his baroque armour and indeed if a casual observer looked in they would have been hard pressed to see his impressive figure hunched at the table.  All they would have been able to make out was the rictus grin skull faced helm that sat undonned upon the desk next to him.  The symbols of his office, his rozarius and croziius arcanum sat in state infront of him, covered in a thick layer of dust.  The unofficial reclusiarch of the Liber scowled in disgust at the state of these holy relics.  Had it truly been that long since he had last stirred in these halls?  No matter, he grunted to himself, he had heard a call.  It was what had woken him, a call both so familiar it could have been his own voice, but at the same time as foreign as to have come from a whole different time or world.  He pushed himself to stand, his power armour whirring to long bestilled life.  At a thought command the rooms lights flickered into life, revealing a mess of disarray.  Half completed tomes and data slates lay scattered about.  There was scattered relics of armour and weaponry cast around the room like they had been caught in some ethereal storm.  There was no sign of his serf attendants anywhere.  No surprise really, he thought to himself.  He had no idea how long he had been in suspended animation.  He wondered if those whom had attended him were still even alive.

 

He took up his ancient crozius and rosarius from where they lay and started to move, slowly at first as life returned to his body, towards the rooms exit.  He only paused to take up his long holstered combi gravitron gun, its arcane mechanisms mixed with that of a sacred bolter.  He slung the ornate weapon at his side and pushed the activation button on the door.  The door co-operated at first before sticking closed.

" Damned servitors!  Why hasn't this been maintained?" he snarled before taking a two handed hold on the long shafted handle of his crozius and, after switching on its arcane energy source, swung it in one great blow, causing the stuck portal to shatter outwards in the abandoned hallway of the Deepest Darkest Depths of the Liber.  The doors explosive demise echoed down the dark passages either way but Brother Argent cared not.  He stalked out into the corridor and breathed a sigh of relief.  He was returning home, and it had been a long time coming.  As he walked he heard a metallic crunch under his massive power armoured boots and he cast a casual glance down to see he was standing upon a fragment of the door that held a sign that read SP.

" I never got around to changing that, did I?" he asked himself before turning to walk down the dimly lit corridors towards his brother of old's quarters.  The Iron Gauntlet had called and its Keeper had heard.

 

 

 

I, Brother Argent, in aeons past forged the Iron Gauntlet and as its proper Keeper I swear to you, my brother of times long past and those whose steps have trodden these sacred halls since I passed from them, that I shall retake up my mantle of Unofficial Reclusiarch of the Liber and enter the Iron Gauntlet of 2020 with renewed zeal and fury.  I vow to over commit as usual and enter all the Challenges and attempt to get GOLD in all of them for at least one of the TEN (figure to be reviewed possibly) forces I intend on entering.  This I shall do or face eternal shame in my Brother and Sisters and my own eyes.  If I complete this monumental task I shall redeem myself and restore my self as the Keeper of the Iron Gauntlet.

 

The forces I so far intend on detailing in the Liber Argentis are:

 

1. The Star Leopards of the Adeptus Astartes

2. The White Talons, Renegades sworn to Slaanesh

3. The Angels of Decay, Renegades sworn to Nurgle

4. Craftworld Yme-Loc, Eldar of a dying craftworld

5. WAAAAAGH!!!! Runtkilla, A newly launched Ork Waaagh!

6. Hive Fleet Titan, Hungry hungry bugs...

7. The 13th New Eden Rifles - Dig in well and give 'em hell!

8. The Order of the Martyr Redeemed - A new Sister order

9. The Knights of House Ishild - An Imperial Knight House.

10. A Forge World of some sort I haven't invented yet.

Edited March 18, 2020 by Brother Argent

[Dosjetka]

Welcome to yet another edition of the Iron Gauntlet, Reclusiarch and Founder of the Challenge. :tu:

[Brother Argent]

... and resident madman that lives in the basement 

[Ace Debonair]

Good to see you so eager to expand your already well-stocked library of DIYs, Ace. Welcome to the Iron Gauntlet! And I'm sure we can find a solution for Challenge the Third once we get to that point.

I won't lie, brother - if this challenge had come along even a day later, I'd have been hesitant to enter at all, let alone with the Order of the Iron Tower - I'd just started a colour test on a Battle Sister model still on the sprue, and was this close to jumping in and starting on the whole squad.

 

Such impeccable timing can surely only be a sign from The Emperor.

The Iron Tower must rise!

 

Aaaaaand if we're getting narrative about this whole challenge...

 

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

 

It was just like any other day in the Liber. Serfs and scribes bustled in the Halls of Knowledge, with the Space Marines they served overseeing their work.

 

In the Artificer's Quarter, Acemund of Talhon toiled away in his workshop, looking back at ancient books of reference and data-slates with precise measurements and analytical notes before he turned back to the task at hand.

 

He was working on a new weapon. A Chainaxe, perhaps unlike any other.

 

He'd hunted many great monsters over the centuries. He'd fought a Kraken alongside the Wolves of Fenris, a battle that had left Ace upside-down in a snowdrift with six broken ribs, but with a handful of the beast's teeth and scales as a prize. He'd slain a Goliandr, arguably the apex predator of Talhon's wildlife, back before his assignment to the Legio. It's claws were perhaps the equal of the kraken's teeth in sharpness and durability, though they were perhaps too large for use as teeth for his axe.

 

The White Hawk put down the file he was attempting to use to whittle down a Goliandr claw with a heavy sigh, looking at how badly worn the metal was.

 

"Irian, have we got any more resilient files in the armoury?"

 

"I'll check at once, m'lord!" Scribe Irian, the only one of Ace's assistants presently not working in the Halls, sprang to her feet and started towards the armoury.

 

Suddenly, there was a knocking on the workshop door. Acemund recognized the pattern, and called out.

 

"Come on in, Sen."

 

The door opened to admit the figure of Servitor SN-517, a clunky old hybrid of man and machine who primarily worked as an assistant for the Liber Heraldry Department. SN-517 (or 'Sen' to his friends) made a familiar clunk-clunk of greeting, followed by a whirr-click-click that Ace recognized as "You have visitors".

 

Turning, with a friendly greeting forming on his lips, Ace paused when he beheld the figure alongside Sen, his expression changing from 'open friendliness' to 'wary caution'.

 

Clad in bright silver armour, adorned with heavy leathers and flowing, plain green robes, was a woman whose expression was one of impatient irritance.

 

Sen bowed, slowly, with a creak of old gears, and retreated from the room with a gentle clonk of farewell.

 

After a long moment, Ace spoke.

 

"You're with the Order of the Iron Tower. Why have you come here?"

 

"As a messenger," the woman replied, her voice clipped and stern. "And to propose an exchange." The woman reached up and brushed her shoulder-length blonde hair back from her face, revealing a nasty scar that ran along the left side of her jaw.

 

Ace heard Irian gasp, barely perceptibly. He had no doubt his impressionable young assistant was stunned by the imposing warrior-priestess. Irian had long harboured a desire to fight the enemies of humanity, and had never seen a member of the Adepta Sororitas up close before.

 

"What's your message, then? And what do you wish to exchange?"

 

"I speak on behalf of the Iron Tower when I offer you a deal. The Order requires information about the battle of Syphrian, which you were part of. If you tell us what we need to know, we will, in return, give you the vengeance you so desire, against the Kabal of the Shattered World."

 

Acemund stared at the Battle Sister for a long moment, his eyes cold. "What do you know of the Kabal? Your Order never concerns itself with the machinations of the alien."

 

"Idarileth Skinsplitter and her daughters raided one of our recruitment worlds last year. We know where she's hiding, and we can take you there."

 

"I see. And in exchange for that..."

 

"We want to know why the Space Marines failed at Syphrian. We want to reclaim Saint Ifrida's body. The Silver Circle won't tell us what happened. You're the only hope our Order has," the Battle Sister added, her distaste as appearing to beg assistance from a Space Marine obvious.

 

"I made oaths not to speak to outsiders about Syphrian." Ace sighed.

 

"Then you'll never have your vengeance." The woman shrugged, carelessly. "Your brothers will have died for nothing, and nobody will remember them."

 

For a moment, Ace's expression turned truly murderous, and his fists clenched reflexively as hatred rose in him like a tide. But centuries of training and discipline had given Ace iron-hard self-control, and the moment passed as quickly as it had come.

 

"...I'll need some time to think about it, then." A brief smile flittered across the face of The Hawk of Talhon. "...You've a way with words, Sister. And since you already know who I am, do me the courtesy of telling me your name."

 

"I am Sister Naritha, of the Order of the Iron Tower."

 

"Then make yourself at home, Sister Naritha. If you require sustenance, the Culinarium isn't far from here. I must meditate on your message."

 

"That reminds me. One of your own asked me to give you this." Naritha took a scroll from her belt and threw it to Ace. Ace snatched it out of the air and unrolled the scroll. "A Moderati, by the name of Dosjetka," Naritha added.

 

The scroll was empty, save for a finely-painted picture of an open metal gauntlet, and three words underneath it, written large: IT IS TIME.

 

"And here I thought today was going to be dull." Ace laughed. "Irian, go and fetch Sen back. The trial of the Iron Gauntlet is beginning."

 

"...What is the Iron Gauntlet?" Naritha asked, ignoring the wide-eyed, hero-worshipping stare of Irian as she ran past.

 

"The Iron Gauntlet?" Ace grinned. "A test of worthiness. If I can pass it, and prove I am ready for vengeance... you might just get your deal after all."

 

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

 

 

… I'd better pick up where I left off.

[Rolltonotdie]

This should be a lot of fun!

 

I, Rolltonotdie, of the 603rd Mødherne Brotherhood, a regiment of the Imperialis Militia, take up your Challenges. I vow, before my brothers and sisters of the B&C to complete the First Challenge and submit it to the Liber before the deadline. I vow to support my fellow challengers to the best of my ability. May the Emperor curse me if I fail.

[Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch]

A million and one thoughts were running through Daron Lenoch's head. The Iron Gauntlet had returned once more. He had been but a newcomer to the fortress the last time it had done...whatever it was it had done. Now he stood as Moderati, but that hardly mattered for this challenge. Only his own skill, grit, and determination would see him througfh. As he passed back down the corridor, he found the remains of a heavy ceramite door where Brother Argent's old sigil used to reside. He wondered why servitors had not been by to pick up the mess, but a quick glance inside showed no sign of the ancient chaplain, so he dismissed it as unimportant. Serfs would see it done eventually.

 

He stopped briefly at the Culinarium for a nutri-drink, ignoring the silver-armored Sororitas that threw him a wary glance as he downed the tasteless concoction. She flicnhed briefly as he arced the container into the wastebin without a glance as he exited the fabled refectory.

 

Nourished and somewhat refreshed, he continued to his primary office within the bustling halls of the Legio's barracks, passing by cousins armored in an eclectic mix of color, and armed with an equally eclectic mix of wargear. Some days he missed his company, to be sure, but little could replicate the feeling of seeing so many of mankind's defenders in one place.

 

And, occasionally, some of mankind's enemies. Outside his door stood an imposing Necron Overlord, resplendent in blue and gree and chrome, staring inward menacingly at something within his office. Pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing audibly, the Daimyo approached the machine and clapped it hard on the shoulder, and in a low whisper, muttered "Sarnakh, what have I told you about terrorizing my serfs?"

 

Harshly, though not painfully, the necron removed Lenoch's hand. "He is not a serf, though."

 

Automatically, as he had a hundred times before had this conversation, Lenoch replied "that hardly makes a diff...." and trailed off, as he beheld a Guardsman with blue fatigues and flak armor standing in his office. 

 

"You. What are you doing in my office," he barked at the cowering youth. While he succeeding in getting his attention, little else changed in the boy. He merely cowered in awe of an Astartes, rather than in fear of a Necron. Sighing once more, Lenoch dismissed Sarnakh with a glance and shut the door to his office behind him.

 

"Atten-SHUN!" Lenoch shouted, pouring every ounce of volume he could into the cry. The boy, whatever else his failings, was well-trained at least, and snapped to attention as best he could, though some evidence of fear was still present in his face.

 

"What's your name, Guardsman?" he snarled, slipping back to his time as a snake instructor in the scout company. 

 

"S...Sir, Private Jones Mellenkamp, sir!" the guardsman responded, a steady tremor in his voice.

 

"And what, Private Jones Mellenkamp, were you doing in my office?"

 

"Sir, b-b-b-because I had orders, sir!" Mellenkamp stuttered.

 

"Oh? Orders from who? I wasn't aware of any such orders."

 

"S-s-sir, orders from my Colonel, sir, to be your attache for the upcoming campaign, sir!"

 

Now that flummoxed Lenoch. The Iron Gauntlet returned, and here there was a guardsman saying he had orders for an upcoming campaign? Truly curious, and a suspicious coincidence.

"Wait here, Private," he nearly shouted, and walked to his desk where he kept, among other things, an official communique datapad that contained all the information and intelligence he received from his chapter, the Blessed Administratum, and the Naculan. Four messages awaited him. Two concerned the current combined campaign to recover a lost starship, one was an official missive from the Blessed Administratum, and one concerned a new Guard Offensive that the Dawn Blades Second Company was to assist with, with a regiment from...Cantorellia? What kind of name was that? He briefly looked up to the boy still standing at attention just inside the foyer.

 

"What regiment are you, soldier?" He called, his voice somewhat gentler.

 

"23rd Cantorellian, sir," Mellenkamp replied.

 

"Apparently, we're to have a joint campaign. At ease, soldier. Come here, and tell me about your regiment." Lenoch focused on the ever-ceaseless rumble. Perhaps, he thought, he had found something worthy to document for the Iron Gauntlet. After all, any regiment that dared intrude upon his office was a bold one indeed.

 

Once Before, I stood before the Iron Gauntlet to undergo the challenge. I shall do so once more. I, Daimyo-Phaeron Daron Lenoch, master of the Dawn Blades Second Company and Overlord of the Necron Forums, in full view of my brothers and sisters of the Bolter and Chainsword, do commit to all of the challenges to their highest level of the Iron Gauntlet, for the glory of the Cantorellian 23rd Regiment of the Imperial Guard. I shall support my fellow frater in this endeavor, for only through brotherhood do we succeed.

Victory, glory, and honor await me should I succeed. May Brother Argos, the God-Emperor, and Saint Ollianus Pius curse me if I fail.

 

Well then, this should be exciting. *Cracks knuckles and neck*. My thanks to Chaplain Dosjetka for including a little bit of lore from myself.

Glad to see some familiar faces (and DIY names! I just happen to recall the New Eden Rifles. Looking forward to seeing them develop!) back for the Iron Gauntlet. Looking forward to everything, actually, but seeing some old-timers rise from their sleep once more is quite exciting to see.

 

Challenge two might be a little difficult to scrounge together, but the die is cast now, eh?

 

(p.s.--anyone catch the easter egg in the initial lore?)

Edited March 18, 2020 by Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch

[Focslain]

Well I can do all the challenges but #2 due to not having more models to paint for this. I plan to add more, just don't have them or the funds during the time to do it... or maybe.

 

If since my admech is the support of my knight house if I could work on those for challenge #2?

 

Anyway, this will help me get cracking more on my fluff and writing.

 

I, Focslain, of the Jenius Knight Academy take up your Challenges. I vow, before my brothers and sisters of the B&C to complete Challenge #1-#5 and submit it to the Liber before the deadline. I vow to support my fellow challengers to the best of my ability. May the Emperor/the Dark Gods/Gork and Mork/Hive Mind/other 40k deity/Brother Argos curse me if I fail.

Edited March 20, 2020 by Focslain

[Lexington]

 

So, question - does this force need to live somewhere on the Imperial/Chaotic spectrum? Because I've got, like, ten years of dumb Ork fiction swimming around in the back of my brain, and I'd love an excuse to get it out, especially what with being housebound for the next God knows how long.

No, not at all. I've gone ahead and edited the vow part to clarify that any faction/species/Warp-being in 40k is acceptable for this challenge so Orks are very much welcome!

 

Music to my pointy green ears! Thanks, D!

 

I, Lexington, o' Zagdakka'z Kamp (name up for debate, I dunno) take up yer Challenges. I'z promise, before all da Ladz an' Gits of da B&C ter complete ALL FIVE ZOGGIN' CHALLENGES, an' submit it to da Liber before the deadline. I'z gonna support me fellow challengers to da best of my ability. May Gork (or possibly Mork) smash me me if I ain't do it.

[UtariOnzo]

Updating my post and going all in. I think my biggest struggle will be with the datasheets (I have 0 experience with photoshoppery fangdanglewotsits) but what the heck

[Dosjetka]

Ace: Good to see you take up the Iron Gauntlet once more. Looking forward to seeing your Sisters of Battle develop.

 

Rolltonotdie: Welcome to the Challenge! Looking forward to seeing some Guard DIYs, will make a nice change from the usual Astartes ones.

 

DPL: Wasn't expecting Guard from you but, as I mentioned above, I look forward to seeing some more Guard DIYs and to see what the Cantorellian 23rd get up to alongside your Dawn Blades!

 

Focslain: Welcome to you, too! If you manage to weave the supporting AdMech forces into your DIY's article, I don't see why they couldn't be what you assemble and paint for the second Challenge.

 

Lexington: Great! Go smash sum 'eadz!

 

UtariOnzo: Good to see your enthusiasm surface, though make sure you don't bite off more than you can chew. Regarding Challenge 4, we'll tackle that once we get closer to it but I'm sure you'lll be able to get help from fellow participants.

Edited March 18, 2020 by Dosjetka

[Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch]

 

DPL: Wasn't expecting Guard from you but, as I mentioned above, I look forward to seeing some more Guard DIYs and to see what the Cantorellian 23rd get up to alongside your Dawn Blades!

 

Well, what can I say, I'm full of surprises. (Did the Dawn Blades for the first IG, and I have too many necrons to really call them a new DIY, so new army it was.) Been thinking on and off about Guard, and a gold-level challenge 2 shouldn't bee *too* difficult to scrape together, which is nice.

I also have 5 guardsmen from an old project, in Cantorellian 23rd colors. This felt like a good opportunity to give them some backup.

[Focslain]

 

Focslain: Welcome to you, too! If you manage to weave the supporting AdMech forces into your DIY's article, I don't see why they couldn't be what you assemble and paint for the second Challenge.

 

 

That will be easy, they maintain and manufacturer the knights. The house only trains the pilots. Heck my 'Cawl' stand-in is a founder of the house.  

[Ace Debonair]

He stopped briefly at the Culinarium for a nutri-drink, ignoring the silver-armored Sororitas that threw him a wary glance as he downed the tasteless concoction. She flicnhed briefly as he arced the container into the wastebin without a glance as he exited the fabled refectory.

 

Sister Naritha watched the Moderati leave the Culinarium with an expression of slight bafflement, then turned back to the Menu-Serf she'd been speaking to.

 

"Tell me, are all the Space Marines here as strange as this one?" Naritha jabbed a thumb over her shoulder in the direction Lenoch had taken.

 

"No, ma'am. Moderati Lenoch's one of the more sensible ones." The serf whispered, conspiratorially.

 

 

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

 

If the Easter Egg was Naritha going for something to eat, then I spotted it and I approve of it.

...If it wasn't then I guess I missed it, but I still approve the cameo!

 

[Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch]

I meant the lore in Dos’s first post, but yes, that cameo was very intentional. Glad you cottoned on to it.

[Brother Ezra]

I, Brother Ezra, of the Beasts of Boudicca take up your Challenges. I vow, before my brothers and sisters of the B&C to complete Challenge 1 and submit it to the Liber before the deadline. I vow to support my fellow challengers to the best of my ability. May the Dark Gods curse me if I fail.

 

 

----

 

So I've been thinking of writing an Alternate Heresy Space Wolves Legion after binge-reading the Roboutian Heresy articles. Specifically, I'd like to write the Space Wolves as being less less Wolf-Vikings in Space and more Evil Celtic Dark-Gods-Worshipping Barbarians… IN SPACE. If that makes any sense. Anyways, this challenge seems like the perfect way to indulge in the sort of creative rewriting of history that such a project would require, so here I am!

[Kelborn]

And here I stand, astonished by the contributions and who came back for that and not even knowing what I should contribute. And by the Emperor....Brother Argent, you madman. ;)

 

Well, though I'm currently more into AoS than 40K, I will still participate in this great and traditional challenge! Though I won't be able to do all of them as I don't play or collect minis. But who cares?

 

--------

 

I, Brother Kelborn, of the great Household of Toho, Wardens of Yamatar and brothers of Legio Gojira, take up your Challenges. I vow, before my brothers and sisters of the B&C to complete Challenge 1 and submit it to the Liber before the deadline. I vow to support my fellow challenges to the best of my ability. May the horrors of the deep take me if I fail!

For Emperor and Shogun!

[Ace Debonair]

So I've been thinking of writing an Alternate Heresy Space Wolves Legion after binge-reading the Roboutian Heresy articles. Specifically, I'd like to write the Space Wolves as being less less Wolf-Vikings in Space and more Evil Celtic Dark-Gods-Worshipping Barbarians… IN SPACE. If that makes any sense. Anyways, this challenge seems like the perfect way to indulge in the sort of creative rewriting of history that such a project would require, so here I am!

That... sounds equal parts crazy and fun.

 

I'll keep an eye open for your dirty heretics turning up.

[Dosjetka]

DPL: Sounds good, can't wait! :)

 

Focslain: Also sounds good. :tu:

 

Brother Erza: Welcome to the B&C and the Iron Gauntlet! Your concept sounds intriguing, looking forward to reading more about it. :D

 

Kelborn: Glad you found the motivation to join in! Just to clarify: the Household of Toho, Wardens of Yamatar, and Legio Gojira are three separate organisations, correct? In any case, glad to have you on-board! :tu:

[Kelborn]

Toho is the Knights Household I'll be doing. Wardens of Yamatar is one of their titles while Legio Gojira is a Close Ally of them

Not sure if I'll be able to get something done with Gojira. I'll be focusing in Toho for the time being.

 

And yes, you can expect Kaiju stuff and Godzilla references. :P