The Black Psalm (WIP) + [LASC 2021]

[Doctor Perils]

Eerie. Disgusting. Horrifying.

 

Perfect

[Zebulon]

To finish up on queries raised by the good Doctor... :tu:

 

Battle-cries

 

Whilst many are the aphorisms associated with the Black Psalm Warband, many of which have been penned by Barukh or by his acolytes, the most common battle cries follow a “call and response” pattern. For example:

 

Protopsaltes (chant-leaders): “From Darkness We Come For Thee!”

Paramodoi (Psalmists): “To Darkness We Condemn Thee!”

 

Protopsaltes: “Let unrepentant sinners hear!”

Paramodoi: “Thy regrets shall be in vain!”

Protopsaltes: “Thou shalt learn the truth through fear!”

Paramodoi: “Endless be thy pain!”

 

Relationships with the Word Bearers, and others...

 

Whilst the sons of Lorgar are known to have felt keenly their betrayal by the Emperor, the Black Psalm’s route to Chaos worship was fuelled by a sense of being wronged by the Imperium as a whole; by the time of the Black Psalm’s fall, the Ecclesiarchy were peddling the very lies that had damned the luckless Word Bearers in those earlier times.

 

However, as is often the case with zealots and fanatics, it is the small differences which divide most keenly. The Word Bearers worship all the Chaos gods equally as a “Dark Pantheon.” The Black Psalm are dedicated primarily to Khorne, albeit specific units within the Warband have particular veneration for others of the Chaos gods. This is perceived as favouritism and disunity and is seen as anathema by the Word Bearers, who consider this but a step on the road to impious monotheism, and one which risks causing a civil war in the Immaterium between the jealous and capricious gods.

 

Ironically, the Black Psalm are very familiar with the concept that a Warband divided ‘gainst itself cannot stand; they were instrumental in the destruction of another of their former comrades in the Abyssal Crusade. The Fractured, once known as the Justiciars, had formed themselves into several smaller warbands still loosely associated, one following each Chaos god. It was a simple task then for Barukh to persuade the Khornate section of the Fractured that their siblings had grown degenerate; with the help of the Black Psalm they then butchered their own brothers to a man. Once the slaughter had finished, they stood in the midst of the carnage, bathed in the blood of their own, and their minds in turn were fractured by the understanding of the fratricide they had committed, deceived by the gods and by Barukh’s silver tongue. Thereafter the few remaining Fractured were absorbed into the berserker units of the Black Psalm.

[Ryltar Thamior]

Good oblique referencing of the concept of Chaos being .. Undivided there :P 

[Zebulon]

I am considering introducing a fifth HQ character, tentatively identified as “Kolben the Dove” (pronounced Doh-ve not Duvv) as an expressly Slaaneshi leader. This will allow Barukh to remain an Undivided warlord, with the other three distributed as follows:

 

Maï Q’ura - Tzeentch

Khairemon - Nurgle

Immeghar- Khorne

 

I feel that although their respective wargear best suits the other’s role, my whole conception of the characters of Khairemon and Immeghar insist that they remain that way round. Khairemon is dour and taciturn, valetudinarian almost. Immeghar is a ball of twisted, inchoate rage. In a contest between role-appropriate weaponry and role-appropriate characterisation, I make no apology for choosing the latter.

 

Would be nice to get some more feedback though, if anyone fancies weighing in with their thoughts? :)

[Brother Lunkhead]

This is all looking very good and the level of exotic detail is impressive. I'll try to give you something more useful for feedback, but others so far have done a much better job than I feel I can.... but I'll try to give you something useful before the deadline.

[Trokair]

I have only skimmed part of the previous four pages so may have missed bits, my main focus was on the article for the LASC and stuff thereafter.

 

These guys come to mind as I was reading the warband description, just without the jumppack.

 

A fifth leader, to keep the leadership balanced between an undivided and four god specific commanders feels too organized. Why not have the fifth of the band leave due to a diference in opinion on scripture/believe. And that since then the balance of power within the warband has been a little askew.

 

If you are stil looking for a model for Mai Qura then the  Inquistrix model you had earlier in the thread is a nice one for conversions, and a arm replacement for the shurikan arm is easy enough (I did it for my version). The powerfist might be a bit harder, as the familiar’s feet are on it.

[Zebulon]

Thanks for the comments Trokair!

 

I like those models, will have a look (guessing Forgeworld?)

 

You make a fair point that there should not be too much order within Chaos :D that also puts me in mind, perhaps the Slaaneshi leader attained “perfection” in his eyes through some bizarre and perverted form of self-immolation on the battlefield. But I quite liked the concept of this Kolben dude I was cooking up. Hmm.

 

Yeah I did start work on the inquisitrix but I am still not sure if that will be the eventual Maï Q’ura that I go for.

 

Arguably the use of an abhuman commander of one “sect” within the warband and an androgynous possible xeno commander of another sect in themselves present enough variety and hybridisation of warband command to justify and allow me one more HQ to represent the Slaaneshi tendency within the Black Psalm. Besides, I like a bit of Slaanesh. Very theatrical... and further proof that the devil has all the best tunes :tu:

[Trokair]

Forgeworld indeed, Word Bearer Ashen Circle.

 

What about a Slaangor (from the new AoS Slaanesh update, or even one of the other new models from that range)?

 

There was also the harpist daemonette not to long ago.

Edited March 28, 2021 by Trokair

[Zebulon]

Tempting to go for the new Lord of Pain model.

[Brother Lunkhead]

Well, after looking at your warband in detail, I don't really have anything to add as far as critique goes. All has been said and your Black Psalm looks well rounded (I know... odd phrase for Chaos) and I like it a lot...... I mean as far as it is possible to like a benighted pack of Chaos scum  Looking forward to seeing more. Definitely a worthy host to be purged from the Imperium

[Zebulon]

Well, after looking at your warband in detail, I don't really have anything to add as far as critique goes. All has been said and your Black Psalm looks well rounded (I know... odd phrase for Chaos) and I like it a lot...... I mean as far as it is possible to like a benighted pack of Chaos scum Looking forward to seeing more. Definitely a worthy host to be purged from the Imperium

Many thanks Brother B) that is quite a compliment!

 

I appreciate your perspective; I have hitherto been a loyalist too, but as we all know corruption is insidious... I wasn’t happy about the Primaris, then I had a brief flirtation with some Relictors, took a dive into various Xenos (Orks, Harlequins) and sooner or later here we are! And I have to say, I have really enjoyed indulging my dark side... not that the Imperium can really call itself the forces of “light” :p ;)

[Brother Lunkhead]

Not happy with the Primaris ...... Oh I can see your slow slide to heresy  First you doubt GW's the Emperor's wisdom, then you dabble with those heretics, the Relictors ...... and Xenos No doubt you were drinking beer from a can too So sad....so sad.......... 

 

This is a great edition to THE LIBER and to LASC 2021. Well done.