Heralds of Ash

[TechCaptain]

I want to create one for my own satisfaction and just so I can have a different kind of organization than say any of my others.

[Minigiant]

I want to create one for my own satisfaction and just so I can have a different kind of organization than say any of my others.

In the previous Space Marine codex they had a company layout complete with unit names and citations. I have always wanted to see a custom one of those. A real opportunity to expand and explore finer nuances of the chapter. It would be a good way to show the assigned Cremation wagon (Which I think should be a Dual Flamer Immolator with Flamer sponsons carrying a ceremonial 5 man "Devastator Squad" with 4 H-Flamers in it) for the company.

 

I would be careful with a full chapter organization thing as it too often just come across as a little silly and predictable

Edited September 13, 2021 by Minigiant

[Minigiant]

I am not sure I am keeping Heralds of Ash as a name.

 

Some of my leading ideas are:

 

Grave Walkers

Revenant Heralds

Death Heralds

I love this chapter concept that an alternative name popped up in my mind; Pyrewalkers or something using the word thanato, like Thanators (I like one word chapter names...sue me)

 

May I suggest a Google Doc where people can make live suggestions. A lot easier to work on that way

Edited September 13, 2021 by Minigiant

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I love this chapter concept that an alternative name popped up in my mind; Pyrewalkers

Good name. If "Heralds of Ash" are kept as a Chapter name, maybe keep "Pyrewalkers" as that of Vanguard Veterans or other elite formations, whose inductees walk through funeral pyres as a rite of entry?

or something using the word thanato, like Thanatogator

Sounds like a contraction of "Thanatos alligator", appropriate for a beast- and another elite formation. Say the Thanatogator- so named for human skull-shaped external bone plates protecting its head- is the apex predator of the Chapter planet's "ash swamps"- swampland formed near crematoriums, where the only life to be found there, are hideous mutants that not only survive, but thrive in waters poisoned by promethean fuels used for cremations, which leak from the crematoriums? That the Chapter's Terminator- and later, Primaris Aggressor- Squads have a rite of entry in which inductees must enter the ash swamps to hunt and kill a Thanatogator? Edited September 13, 2021 by Bjorn Firewalker

[TechCaptain]

I am definitely using that last suggestion. And I love the pyrewalker idea as well. 

[Minigiant]

 

I love this chapter concept that an alternative name popped up in my mind; Pyrewalkers

Good name. If "Heralds of Ash" are kept as a Chapter name, maybe keep "Pyrewalkers" as that of Vanguard Veterans or other elite formations, whose inductees walk through funeral pyres as a rite of entry?

Perhaps even it is just a name reserved for those that tend to the Cremation Wagon

 

 

or something using the word thanato, like Thanatogator

Sounds like a contraction of "Thanatos alligator",

Haha you must have quoted my text just as I was editing it

[Minigiant]

Also I note that you are descending from the Blood Angels.

 

Was that chosen entirely from a rules perspective? Nothing is stopping you from picking a different gene-seed and using BA rules as count as. It was just a thought

[Bjorn Firewalker]

This section may cause confusion:

For the Ashen Heralds, knowledge is salvation, the means to controlling the psychic legacy of their Primarch's gene. Every book was sacred, every writing worthy of study, every document a resource to be drained. The Ashen Heralds are publicly dogmatic, swearing oaths of loyalty and singing the Imperial hymns.

Did you change your mind, and the Chapter name from "Heralds of Ash" to "Ashen Heralds", or vice versa, while writing this?

[TechCaptain]

Also I note that you are descending from the Blood Angels.

Was that chosen entirely from a rules perspective? Nothing is stopping you from picking a different gene-seed and using BA rules as count as. It was just a thought

Not entirely, so I developed the Heralds of Ash with the desire of being highly Psyker and highly Religious. Those two things are usually opposite sides of the spectrum. Geneseed only entered later as there is only a handful that are so highly psyker that it affects who they are. Blood Angels ended up the one that best fit.

This section may cause confusion:

For the Ashen Heralds, knowledge is salvation, the means to controlling the psychic legacy of their Primarch's gene. Every book was sacred, every writing worthy of study, every document a resource to be drained. The Ashen Heralds are publicly dogmatic, swearing oaths of loyalty and singing the Imperial hymns.

Did you change your mind, and the Chapter name from "Heralds of Ash" to "Ashen Heralds", or vice versa, while writing this?

I honestly don’t fully remember, it also may have been one of the things that one of my editing friends did my mistake that I never corrected. Though I would be fine with either name.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Considering Astorath's psychic senses were powerful enough to let him realize the Swords of Haldroth were descended from the Blood Angels and NOT the Ultramarines, as the Chapter's records indicated, I think the use of Blood Angels gene-seed should be addressed. Say the Heralds of Ash were deployed with the Blood Angels for a certain campaign, during which the Redeemer of the Lost (Blood Angel whose duty is to execute those who succumb to the Black Rage, i.e., Astorath's current role) interviewed some Heralds, muttered, "Strange," and then left?

This is to hint the Heralds were founded with chimeric gene-seed, which combined the Blood Angels' with SOMETHING ELSE'S. Hence the Red Thirst and the Black Rage do affect the Heralds of Ash, but only mildly and temporarily.

[TechCaptain]

Considering Astorath's psychic senses were powerful enough to let him realize the Swords of Haldroth were descended from the Blood Angels and NOT the Ultramarines, as the Chapter's records indicated, I think the use of Blood Angels gene-seed should be addressed. Say the Heralds of Ash were deployed with the Blood Angels for a certain campaign, during which the Redeemer of the Lost (Blood Angel whose duty is to execute those who succumb to the Black Rage, i.e., Astorath's current role) interviewed some Heralds, muttered, "Strange," and then left?

This is to hint the Heralds were founded with chimeric gene-seed, which combined the Blood Angels' with SOMETHING ELSE'S. Hence the Red Thirst and the Black Rage do affect the Heralds of Ash, but only mildly and temporarily.

 

I like this idea. Exactly how however is a bit problematic. So full disclosure originally I was thinking Thousands Sons but later I felt that was a bit cliche or a bit much to have yet another chapter of maybe Traitor seed without good reason. 

 

Bloodmoon Hunters borrowed from Emperor's Children for Geneseed stuff and is hinted at some points (Claim unknown or Iron Hands) Though originally were Iron Hands.

Steel Harbingers are Iron Warriors

Graven Souls are an idea of White Scars and Night Lords mixed

Sanguine Templar well they are truly Blood Angels lol.... Though a Horus Heresy RP that I have failed to truly fill in to get them up to modern times. 

 

 

Got off topic. Anyways I like the idea of Chimeric or possible Chimeric as I haven't done a lot of that. And I love learning a bit of new lore on Blood Angels. 

Edited September 14, 2021 by TechCaptain

[Minigiant]

The Blood Angels gene-seed fits with what you are going for. I would advise addressing the Blood Angels Gene-seed in a subtle way.

 

"The Chapters gene-seed remains unknown but circumstainal evidence suggests that they descend from the line of Sanguinius (Maybe via one of its descendants: Death Wardensmight be good) but no sign of communication between the chapters have been observed"

Edited September 14, 2021 by Minigiant

[Bjorn Firewalker]

"The Chapters gene-seed remains unknown but circumstainal evidence suggests that they descend from the line of Sanguinius (Maybe via one of its descendants: Death Wardens might be good) but no sign of communication between the chapters have been observed"

The fact the Redeemer of the Lost serves ALL Blood Angels descendants, forces any writer whose IA features Blood Angels gene-seed, to deal with the First Founding Chapter more overtly. One obvious way is for the Blood Angels to have VERY TENSE relations with the other Chapter, e.g., the canon Flesh Tearers, whose Chapter Master, Gabriel Seth, felt anger towards Astorath when the latter executed Flesh Tearers who succumbed to the Black Rage, resulting in the two fighting; and my Iron-hearted Angels, whose Master of Sanctity fought the Blood Angels Redeemer of the Lost when the latter expressed disgust at the Iron-hearted Angels "redeeming" their Death Company Marines with suicide bombs.

Edited September 14, 2021 by Bjorn Firewalker

[TechCaptain]

Hmm, I like how Minigiant described them but maybe modify it somehow to give doubt they are truly Sons of Sanguinus. Besides really for this Chapter who their sire is ultimately is a secondary concern for them. They want religious knowledge and using Psyker stuff like Emperor’s tarot.. I still haven’t really set a region for Accusation maybe they are set so far the Blood Angels they practically never run into them? Like Deep South West of the Galaxy?

[Minigiant]

Hmm, I like how Minigiant described them but maybe modify it somehow to give doubt they are truly Sons of Sanguinus. Besides really for this Chapter who their sire is ultimately is a secondary concern for them. They want religious knowledge and using Psyker stuff like Emperor’s tarot.. I still haven’t really set a region for Accusation maybe they are set so far the Blood Angels they practically never run into them? Like Deep South West of the Galaxy?

Remember an IA isn't a complete story, things are allowed to go unsaid. Allow the readers mind to fill in the blanks.

 

E.g Oh the Cremation wagon sure does have similarities with the Ball Predator, the Holy Fury is just like a death company. The reader will know, the Imperium may not be so certain.

 

As for being far away from Baal that helps, and the great rift now divides them. I wouldn't specifically refer to the distance just allow the reader to figure it, and create another explanation for themselves.

[Minigiant]

I actually had another idea for the term 'Pyrewalkers', a term used to refer to the initial Primaris reinforcements.

 

Arriving at Accusation in their officially documented dress colours, as part of a swearing in ceremony they were required to walk through the pyres, earning the name 'Pyrewalkers'

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I actually had another idea for the term 'Pyrewalkers', a term used to refer to the initial Primaris reinforcements.

 

Arriving at Accusation in their officially documented dress colours, as part of a swearing in ceremony they were required to walk through the pyres, earning the name 'Pyrewalkers'

Excellent idea! Of course, the latter requires ALL Marines to "walk through pyres" to be one of the Chapter's rites of entry, unless the rite didn't actually exist beforehand- if the pyres were actually there to hide the presence of Librarians scanning the Primaris Marines' minds, confirming the identities of these so-called "reinforcements" and ensuring they're not Alpha Legion infiltrators. (For a canon example, read about Ragnar Blackmane's experiences at the Gates of Morkai, which he walked through during his induction into the Space Wolves Chapter, in William King's classic novel Space Wolf.)

[TechCaptain]

Thanks again to Minigiant an idea to post here so it can live until I actually flesh it out a warzone enemy for the Heralds to have been apart of. A Haemonculus Coven that uses the undead and the reanimated against these walkers of bone trails. This combat happening in the ill defined warzone known as the Shroud. 

Edited May 4, 2022 by TechCaptain

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Suggested name for the Haemonculus: "Mairon," a.k.a. "Sauron," a.k.a. "the Necromancer." Maybe say he's trying to reverse-engineer Necron technology for its anti-Warp properties, which may then protect him from She Who Thirsts?