White Scars successor based on Dracula

[Gamiel]

A White Scars successor based on Dracula. I have no idea for a name.

 

This idea came from this part from Dracula "What devil or what witch was ever so great as Attila, whose blood is in these veins?" He held up his arms. "Is it a wonder that we were a conquering race, that we were proud, that when the Magyar, the Lombard, the Avar, the Bulgar, or the Turk poured his thousands on our frontiers, we drove them back?”

 

I was thinking they should be based on both Count Dracula (book version mostly) and the historical Vlad II Dracul and Vlad III Dracula (and with them 15^th century Romanian + near areas).

 

It feels like their colours and/or symbol should be based on the coat-of-arm for the House of Drăculești, the coat-of-arm seen on Universal Dracula’s ring, or the one that appear in Hammer Dracula, or maybe the coat-of-arm for the House of Basarab. What do people think?

 

And I think they should be part of a similar organisation to Adeptus Vaelarii, but for another region of space, based on the Order of the Dragon, which Vlad II Dracul was member of (and got his Dracul cognomen from). For now is the name I'm using for it Societas Draconistarum. I was thinking that maybe the other members of the organization are based on the other members of the order, at least when it comes to their symbol/s. The symbol of the Draconistarum is a green dragon incurved into the form of a circle, its tail winding around its neck. When acting in the name/duty of the Societas do officers wear green capes, representing the green of the dragon that’s the Societas Draconistarum symbol.

 

 

The starting concept being something like them being the semi-direct rulers of a Feudal World, having a tradition of leaving the corpses of those they have sentenced to death impaled on poles. They are fair and just, if harsh and cruel against lawbreakers, they possibly have a tendency to test their subjects’ honesty and punish those that lie. They are likely extremely cruel against their enemies and leave them, or their heads impaled on poles. They likely don’t like their authority questioned, and can possibly execute Imperials they consider having insulted them or done a bad job.

 

Based on Vlad II and Vlad III’s constantly shifting politically alliances could they have a history of allying with renegades and xenos to defeat greater threats; or there could be lots of internal politics within the members of the Societas Draconistarum; or maybe some clerical error have given all Chapters in the Societas Draconistarum the protector right/duty to the exactly same area and they are a bit to prideful to easily work together, with all Chapters thinking that any joint operation should be led by just their commander. Could lead to a Space Wolves/Dark Angels situation where they have developed a system that each commander duel when meeting to decide who will lead and stop any notable infighting, maybe this system was developed after one to many discussions about who should command ended in blood spill, maybe there even was a small scale open conflict between the Chapters?

 

 

What do people think? Suggestions, thoughts and even put downs are welcome

Edited December 1, 2020 by Gamiel

[Nineswords]

Definitely got a feel for a Red Hunters vibe reading this idea — I think the concept could be worth exploring further. My suggestion would be to perhaps take a character like your Chapter Master, for example, and flesh him out a little bit: what themes or traits does he have and does the rest of the chapter share it? Can you take an initial stab at the organisation? Does it deviate from the Codex Astarte? If so, how?

 

Can you work in the dragon motifs in a way that it is a symbol rather than having literal draconic trope?

 

Are the Magyar name references based on a recruitment planet you mention (bearing in mind that every world has a multitude of cultures), or is it something that happens upon entry into the Chapter? i.e, you choose from an approved list of names like the Angels Resplendant or the White Scars during the Great Crusade?

 

Hope this is enough to think about!

[Sete]

Isnt Dracula a corruption of dragon or drake? Blood Dragons (probably exists)

[Closet Skeleton]

Isnt Dracula a corruption of dragon or drake? Blood Dragons (probably exists)

Dracula is a German form of Draculea, which is Dracul (Romanian version of the same romance root as Drake) + the standard patronymic for 'son of'.

 

Bram Stoker chose the name due to an incorrect german translation of 'Devil', which comes from the use of 'Dragon' to refer to the Devil in Slavic languages. Stoker's Count is a Magyar speaking Székelys (who mostly identify as Hungarians these days in resistance to the Romanian government trying to use Székelys a sperate non-Hungarian identity for non-Romanian speaking Transylvanians) from Transylvania which was a province of Austria-Hungary when the novel was written and set.

 

Stoker also ties his fictional Count's backstory into the Scholomance which is a magic school run by the devil in Romanian folklore, based on an older myth of dragon riding sorcerers who cause thunder storms (which is in turn part of a wider European tradition of flying weather causing wizards but the dragon riding thing is mostly Romanian).

 

The historical Draculesti family were princes of Wallachia which merged with nabouring Moldavia to form Romania in 1862 which in turn annexed Transylvania in 1918, 21 years after the novel was published. This gave the Romanian tourist board full control over Dracula related tourism but the fictional character isn't Romanian while the historical figures he has a tiny bit of inspiration from are.

 

Claiming descent from Attila was popular in Hungary in the 19th century but there is a step nomad influence in other areas of Romania due to groups like the Pechenegs and Cumans settling there after being kicked out of the steppe, but the terrain of Romania isn't suited to that sort of warfare so the historical Wallachian army wouldn't have been very horse based.

Edited November 29, 2020 by Closet Skeleton

[Lysimachus]

It's a nice idea, and the points you've made so far make sense.

 

I think the real trick will be avoiding making them feel like they should just be Blood Angels Successors, which are obviously so tied in to the mythos and imagery of vampires/Dracula?

If you stick to the barbaric side of it, that's perfect for WS!

So impaling stuff good, drinking their blood maybe not so much?

 

 

Although, that being said, it might be interesting from a perspective of BA Chapters in how they view a Chapter who actually chooses to do what they have to do but hate themselves for doing...

[Gederas]

Isnt Dracula a corruption of dragon or drake? Blood Dragons (probably exists)

Dracula is a German form of Draculea, which is Dracul (Romanian version of the same romance root as Drake) + the standard patronymic for 'son of'.

 

Bram Stoker chose the name due to an incorrect german translation of 'Devil', which comes from the use of 'Dragon' to refer to the Devil in Slavic languages.

Iirc, the 'incorrect translation' also comes from the fact that due to language drift, as Dracul/Dracula means Devil/Son of the Devil in Modern Romanian which is what Stoker referenced when writing the novel?

Edited November 29, 2020 by Gederas

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I think the real trick will be avoiding making them feel like they should just be Blood Angels Successors, which are obviously so tied in to the mythos and imagery of vampires/Dracula?

The Carmine Blades are Blood Angels successors that mistakingly thought themselves Ultramarines successors, before Astorath discovered they suffered from the Red Thirst and the Black Rage.

 

It's possible for White Scars successors to think themselves Blood Angels successors, and use Blood Angels Chapter Tactics, with some modifications, e.g., a "Death Company" of infiltration specialists who- as the Marines don't suffer from the Red Thirst or the Black Rage- are all volunteers, seeing the duty as a chance to win glory and earn promotions.

[Brother Lunkhead]

Looks very promising You have a lot of rich history and lore to draw upon. I would be a little cautious with some aspects though. Since you are drawing extensively on the historical Vlad III and Dracula legend, I recommend shying away from the vampire aspects so as to keep far from Blood Angels association. So, no blood rites. There is so much more to the Vlad/Dracula mythos to draw on, so I don't think that should be a problem...... I think impaling heretics and Chaos Space Marines on the battlefield would be appropriate though ....  ...... sorry, got carried away there

 

As for a chapter name, why not go directly to the source material? I think Order of the Dragon works nicely.

Edited November 30, 2020 by Brother Lunkhead

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Since you are drawing extensively on the historical Vlad II and Dracula legend, I recommend shying away from the vampire aspects so as to keep far from Blood Angels association. So, no blood rites.

I disagree. The historical Dracula didn't drink blood straight from his enemies' throats, but had the blood baked into bread, which he ate to ward off their vengeful spirits. A similar ritual may be used to filter potentially corruptive influences from the blood the Marines consume.

I think impaling heretics and Chaos Space Marines on the battlefield would be appropriate

Good idea. To deny Khorne the traitors and heretics' blood, how about building bonfires around their impaled bodies?

As for a chapter name, why not go directly to the source material? I think Order of the Dragon works nicely.

Another good idea. As the historical Order of the Dragon was founded to "fight the Ottoman Empire, defend the Hungarian monarchy from foreign and domestic enemies, and the Catholic Church from heretics and pagans," the Chapter should receive a similarly grand purpose (from the High Lords of Terra, the Ecclesiarchy, or simply from their First Chapter Master).

[Brother Lunkhead]

 

Since you are drawing extensively on the historical Vlad III and Dracula legend, I recommend shying away from the vampire aspects so as to keep far from Blood Angels association. So, no blood rites.

I disagree. The historical Dracula didn't drink blood straight from his enemies' throats, but had the blood baked into bread, which he ate to ward off their vengeful spirits. A similar ritual may be used to filter potentially corruptive influences from the blood the Marines consume.

 

Just so there's no confusion, when I mentioned blood rites, I was referring to the fictional Dracula and not the historical Vlad II. Of course if you don't mind or want to vaguely allude to possible ties to the Blood Angels then some sort of blood rite is just fine. I'm just saying that no blood rites would avoid any confusion.

 

Blood bread.... mmmm......er, I mean If memory serves me, the reference to Vlad devouring bread made with the blood of his enemies was found in a Turkish propaganda pamphlet during the period, listing both real and imagined atrocities committed by Vlad Dracula. One would think that keeping to the real atrocities he committed would be enough ...... Oh yeah, most of the real atrocities he committed he learned from those guys when he was their hostage as a child 

Edited November 30, 2020 by Brother Lunkhead

[Gamiel]

Fun to see so many comments and thoughts :) 

 

I have decided to base their colours and/or symbol should be based on the coat-of-arm for the House of Drăculești

 

Rigt now I'm not certain if I should just use the moon and star on blue as symbol and have their armour in red and yellow, or have it as their symbol and their armour split with their right side being blue and their left side being red and yellow. Or do peole think that the coat-of-arm is their symbol but their armour, like the Red Scorpions, have completly different colours?

 

 

 

 

Definitely got a feel for a Red Hunters vibe reading this idea — I think the concept could be worth exploring further. 

What is it that gives you a Red Hunters vibe?

 

I think the real trick will be avoiding making them feel like they should just be Blood Angels Successors, which are obviously so tied in to the mythos and imagery of vampires/Dracula?
If you stick to the barbaric side of it, that's perfect for WS!
So impaling stuff good, drinking their blood maybe not so much?

I was thinking of ignoring the vampire aspect of the stuff I take from the book, so no more fleash eating and blood drinking than your normal WS successor

 

Can you work in the dragon motifs in a way that it is a symbol rather than having literal draconic trope?

As for a chapter name, why not go directly to the source material? I think Order of the Dragon works nicely.

 

As for a chapter name, why not go directly to the source material? I think Order of the Dragon works nicely.

Another good idea. As the historical Order of the Dragon was founded to "fight the Ottoman Empire, defend the Hungarian monarchy from foreign and domestic enemies, and the Catholic Church from heretics and pagans," the Chapter should receive a similarly grand purpose (from the High Lords of Terra, the Ecclesiarchy, or simply from their First Chapter Master).

 

As mentioned in the OP so was I thinking the the Chapter  "should be part of a similar organisation to Adeptus Vaelarii, but for another region of space, based on the Order of the Dragon, which Vlad II Dracul was member of (and got his Dracul cognomen from). For now is the name I'm using for it Societas Draconistarum. I was thinking that maybe the other members of the organization are based on the other members of the order, at least when it comes to their symbol/s. The symbol of the Draconistarum is a green dragon incurved into the form of a circle, its tail winding around its neck. When acting in the name/duty of the Societas do officers wear green capes, representing the green of the dragon that’s the Societas Draconistarum symbol."

 

 

 

So I feel that the dragon names/theme should be kept for that.

[Brother Lunkhead]

Just to avoid confusion on my part, you're saying that the dragon theme and symbology should be used exclusively for the Societas Draconistarum itself and not be inclusive to your Dracul/Dracula chapter?

 

In my mind 'Societas' doesn't have a very militant ring. Here are a couple of alternate ideas of the top:

• Ordo Draconis (Dragon Order)
• Ordo est Draco (Order of the Dragon)

And before someone else mentions it, although the various institutions of the Inquisition use 'ordo' in their titles, it's perfectly fine and appropriate for other institutions to use the word, just like 'adeptus' in 'Adeptus Vaelarii'.

 

I think your idea of the Order of the Dragon inspired by the Adeptus Vailarii is a very fine idea and I'm looking forward to seeing how this plays out.

 

Your references to the Dracula Ring (worn by Bela Lugosi in Universal's 1931 Dracula) and the heraldry and moto from the 1958 Hammer Dracula film were very interesting. There's much to draw from these references as well.

 

As the article points out, the moto below the coat of arms in the Hammer film doesn't make much sense but it does generally convey the idea though. Perhaps a variant would be suitable for your chapter's moto. 'Fidelis ad Mortem' (Faithful unto Death) as suggested in the article or 'Fide et Mortis' (Faith and Death) might be another, suggesting faith in the Emperor (religious or in a filial sense depending on the chapter's disposition) and death to his enemies.

 

Concerning the heraldries from the ring and movies, variations of these might be appropriate as personal heraldries or coats of arms for various organizations within the chapter. A variation on the ring symbol might be for the chapter master or his office. Looking at the coat of arms from the Hammer Films Dracula, I immediately thought of the Master of the Fleet or heraldry for the chapter fleet itself.... and since I'm in this arena of coats of arms, will your chapter be a knightly order? That would seem to fit.

 

The House of Draculesti heraldry looks like a fine choice for a chapter symbol. I think the unchanged shield on the shoulder pauldron of your Astartes would look very fine. The colors of blue, white, red and yellow/gold are all fine, but I suggest limiting armor color to a choice of two so it doesn't look too busy. Red and gold would be my preference. You also might consider different combinations of colors based on rank, experience, position, etc.

 

One last piece of ramble from me and I'll leave you in peace. The term 'Voivode' is a word that I love It sounds both regal and exotic, and I think it would be a perfect title for your chapter master.

 

Good luck with this project. It looks exciting and full of potential.

Edited November 30, 2020 by Brother Lunkhead

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I have decided to base their colours and/or symbol should be based on the coat-of-arm for the House of Drăculești

 

Rigt now I'm not certain if I should just use the moon and star on blue as symbol and have their armour in red and yellow,

I think the Draculesti coat-of-arms is better suited as the Chapter Master's personal coat-of-arms, and a modified Order of the Dragon symbol will better represent the Chapter as a whole. As a bonus, you can modify existing Games Workshop and Forge World products, e.g., paint flames on the arms of the Black Templars crusader cross to make this:

Or paint crosses over the Salamanders Chapter symbol- maybe modify it so a cruciform sword is impaling the dragon that symbolises Chaos- to make a stylized version of this:

or have it as their symbol and their armour split with their right side being blue and their left side being red and yellow.

Bad idea. As the Marine's left side will look completely different from his right, that will easily make him a victim of misidentification and subsequent "friendly fire" incidents, to say nothing of the sheer difficulty in painting dozens- if not hundreds- of models in such a complicated scheme.

Or do peole think that the coat-of-arm is their symbol but their armour, like the Red Scorpions, have completly different colours?

That can work. Feel free to Photoshop or Microsoft Paint some images, to see how the colors will look.

As mentioned in the OP so was I thinking the the Chapter "should be part of a similar organisation to Adeptus Vaelarii, but for another region of space, based on the Order of the Dragon, which Vlad II Dracul was member of (and got his Dracul cognomen from). For now is the name I'm using for it Societas Draconistarum. I was thinking that maybe the other members of the organization are based on the other members of the order, at least when it comes to their symbol/s. The symbol of the Draconistarum is a green dragon incurved into the form of a circle, its tail winding around its neck. When acting in the name/duty of the Societas do officers wear green capes, representing the green of the dragon that’s the Societas Draconistarum symbol."

 

Good ideas. Edited December 4, 2020 by Bjorn Firewalker

[Gamiel]

I have to decided to use "Moon-and-Star" as the placeholder name for this Chapter. Yes I know it don't sound intimidating, but it do sound similar to noble families like the Natt och Dag  (tra. Night and Day) family from Sweden. I can see me keeping it unless anything better comes up.

 

Based to my understanding regarding how the Draculas made war will the Moon-and-Star Chapter's tactics involve:

+ nightly raids against the enemy when possible

+ leaving their dead enemies impaled on stakes, visible for everybody to see – preferably along any route that an enemy force would take.

+ harry the enemies with guerrilla and hit-n-run attacks

 

 

Just to avoid confusion on my part, you're saying that the dragon theme and symbology should be used exclusively for the Societas Draconistarum itself and not be inclusive to your Dracul/Dracula chapter?

 

In my mind 'Societas' doesn't have a very militant ring. Here are a couple of alternate ideas of the top:

• Ordo Draconis (Dragon Order)
• Ordo est Draco (Order of the Dragon)

And before someone else mentions it, although the various institutions of the Inquisition use 'ordo' in their titles, it's perfectly fine and appropriate for other institutions to use the word, just like 'adeptus' in 'Adeptus Vaelarii'.

 

I think your idea of the Order of the Dragon inspired by the Adeptus Vailarii is a very fine idea and I'm looking forward to seeing how this plays out.

I'm just now only using Societas Draconistarum as a placeholder, I'm not certain that it will stay as a name, was thinking that something more similar to Adeptus Vailarii would probably be more fitting (maybe just have the organisation be called Adeptus Draconistarum?). I got Societas Draconistarum from wikipedia where it’s presented as the Latin name for the Order of the Dragon.

 

 

 

I think your idea of the Order of the Dragon inspired by the Adeptus Vailarii is a very fine idea and I'm looking forward to seeing how this plays out.

 

Your references to the Dracula Ring (worn by Bela Lugosi in Universal's 1931 Dracula) and the heraldry and moto from the 1958 Hammer Dracula film were very interesting. There's much to draw from these references as well.

I'll think I'll put those designs away for later instead of using them now, for when I create my Blood Angel successors based on Universal Dracula and Hammer Dracula, respectively 

 

 

 

 

and since I'm in this arena of coats of arms, will your chapter be a knightly order? That would seem to fit.

Possibly, likely, but I think I'll try to keep them East European in feeling instead of West European

 

 

 

 

One last piece of ramble from me and I'll leave you in peace. The term 'Voivode' is a word that I love It sounds both regal and exotic, and I think it would be a perfect title for your chapter master.

Unless I use it for commander so will it likely appear as their title for chapter-master

 

 

 

 

 

I have decided to base their colours and/or symbol should be based on the coat-of-arm for the House of Drăculești


Rigt now I'm not certain if I should just use the moon and star on blue as symbol and have their armour in red and yellow,

I think the Draculesti coat-of-arms is better suited as the Chapter Master's personal coat-of-arms, and a modified Order of the Dragon symbol will better represent the Chapter as a whole. As a bonus, you can modify existing Games Workshop and Forge World products, e.g., paint flames on the arms of the Black Templars crusader cross to make this:

Or paint crosses over the Salamanders Chapter symbol- maybe modify it so a cruciform sword is impaling the dragon that symbolises Chaos- to make a stylized version of this:

For now have I decided to go with the Drăculești family weapon, partly to tie the Chapter more to the Vlads (and kin) than the Order of the Dragon. I will use the green dragon incurved into the form of a circle, its tail winding around its neck symbol, in the fluff, as something the encircles the Chapter's grander emblems, in similar ways to that we have manticores holding the symbol of the Emperor's Spears in its grander forms. And maybe being a kneepad honour mark / similar among the Chapter.

 

 

 

 

or have it as their symbol and their armour split with their right side being blue and their left side being red and yellow.

Bad idea. As the Mariner's left side will look completely different from his right, that will easily make him a victim of misidentification and subsequent "friendly fire" incidents, 

That don't seem to stop any of the other chapters with split colours

 

 

 

 

to say nothing of the sheer difficulty in painting dozens- if not hundreds- of models in such a complicated scheme.

Have to admit that I lack the money/skill to actually do this idea IRL, so a colour scheme that's is hard to paint is no problem

Edited December 1, 2020 by Gamiel

[Gamiel]

Possible references to book Dracula (that’s not about blood drinking or blood rituals*):

+ The Szgany, you know from Chapter 4 of Dracula – “A band of Szgany have come to the castle, and are encamped in the courtyard. These Szgany are gipsies; I have notes of them in my book. They are peculiar to this part of the world, though allied to the ordinary gipsies all the world over. There are thousands of them in Hungary and Transylvania, who are almost outside all law. They attach themselves as a rule to some great noble or boyar, and call themselves by his name. They are fearless and without religion, save superstition, and they talk only their own varieties of the Romany tongue.” – could translate to a clan of voidborn freetraders who have an agreement with the Chapter, maybe there are other freetrader clans who have attached themselves to other Chapters.

+ The way Dracula is able to control wolves could translate to that they use wolves/dire-wolves in combat (the rules for Chaos War Hounds or Fenrisian Wolves could be used here).

+ Consider mirrors suspect and destroy them when given the chance.

+ As a reference to the “weird sisters” could each battle-brother has three, female chapter-serfs as his personal servants and/or helots.

+ The Chapter’s battle-brothers rest in coffins.

+ Dracula lacking servants and having to do everything himself could be translated into that the Chapter have few serfs and many/all battle-brothers have to do much of the duties that usually fall unto the chapter-serfs.

* Not actually appearing in the book but have appeared in some of the adaptations

 

Of those ideas I think that the ones about Szgany, wolves, and three chapter-serfs are maybes for the Moon-and-Star Chapter, with the other three being direct nos. What do people think? Any other opinions?

 

 

 

 

Just to avoid confusion on my part, you're saying that the dragon theme and symbology should be used exclusively for the Societas Draconistarum itself and not be inclusive to your Dracul/Dracula chapter?

 

In my mind 'Societas' doesn't have a very militant ring. Here are a couple of alternate ideas of the top:

• Ordo Draconis (Dragon Order)
• Ordo est Draco (Order of the Dragon)

And before someone else mentions it, although the various institutions of the Inquisition use 'ordo' in their titles, it's perfectly fine and appropriate for other institutions to use the word, just like 'adeptus' in 'Adeptus Vaelarii'.

 

I think your idea of the Order of the Dragon inspired by the Adeptus Vailarii is a very fine idea and I'm looking forward to seeing how this plays out.

 

I'm just now only using Societas Draconistarum as a placeholder, I'm not certain that it will stay as a name, was thinking that something more similar to Adeptus Vailarii would probably be more fitting (maybe just have the organisation be called Adeptus Draconistarum?). I got Societas Draconistarum from wikipedia where it’s presented as the Latin name for the Order of the Dragon.

Have decided to go with Adeptus Draconistarum as the name for the organization for now, think I’ll keep it.

 

Adeptus Draconistarum is an organization created during the 25th “Bastion” Founding to, like the Adeptus Vaelarii, defend an (as of jet unnamed) region of space.

 

Beside the Moon-and-Star Chapter will the other members be based on (at least when it comes to their symbol) will be based on some of the noble families that were parts of the Order of the Dragon (as in the ones that Wikipedia have articles on, with a coat-of-arm):

 

Lazarević dynasty

 

 

Báthory family

 

 

House of Celje

 

 

Nicolaus de gara

 

 

Clan Ostoja

 

 

House of Szécsi

 

 

Kurjaković family

 

 

Hrvatinić family

 

 

House of Shishman

 

 

House of Kastrioti

 

 

House of Trastámara

 

 

House of Benyovszky

 

 

Jagiellonian dynasty

 

 

Rákóczi family

 

 

 

 

The Báthory will be used for the Adeptus Draconistarum (and for them will there be blood rites) but for the rest of them have I not decided, nor if they will be Space Marines or be of other Imperial Forces

Edited December 1, 2020 by Gamiel

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Possible references to book Dracula (that’s not about blood drinking or blood rituals*):

+ The Szgany, you know from Chapter 4 of Dracula – “A band of Szgany have come to the castle, and are encamped in the courtyard. These Szgany are gipsies; I have notes of them in my book. They are peculiar to this part of the world, though allied to the ordinary gipsies all the world over. There are thousands of them in Hungary and Transylvania, who are almost outside all law. They attach themselves as a rule to some great noble or boyar, and call themselves by his name. They are fearless and without religion, save superstition, and they talk only their own varieties of the Romany tongue.” – could translate to a clan of voidborn freetraders who have an agreement with the Chapter, maybe there are other freetrader clans who have attached themselves to other Chapters.

+ The way Dracula is able to control wolves could translate to that they use wolves/dire-wolves in combat (the rules for Chaos War Hounds or Fenrisian Wolves could be used here).

Szgany as a Rogue Trader clan, lead not by a single Head of House, but by a council of shipmasters... travel in flotillas of corvette-sized transports relying on speed and maneuverability to avoid battle, instead of traditional Rogue Trader's cruisers with powerful self-defense capabilities, but not to be underestimated, as many pirates learned when the corvettes swarmed their ships like piranhas to inflict death by a thousand bites...

 

Good idea.

+ Consider mirrors suspect and destroy them when given the chance.

Say the Chapter encountered a Daemon bound to a mirror, to justify the Marines' suspicion of mirrors, and avoidance of the same... but do not say they destroy all mirrors when given the chance, as that seems stupidly superstitious and paranoid.

+ As a reference to the “wired sisters” could each battle-brother has three, female chapter-serfs as his personal servants and/or helots.

You mean "Weird Sisters," like the three witches who prophesied MacBeth would be king, in Shakespeare's play? The term "Wired Sisters" makes me think they're AdMech creations- maybe vat-grown servitors manufactured with female figures to be aesthetically attractive, frequently seen beside planetary governors, cardinals, and other high-ranking personnel.

 

Say the Chapter received the "Wired Sisters" as gifts, given in gratitude for saving the forge world where the servitors are manufactured. The Techmarines subsequently modified the "Wired Sisters" with concealed weapons so they may serve as honor guards in situations where the Chapter's officers must attend diplomatic functions, where it is wiser to bring "eye candy" to impress other nobles with one's wealth and connections, than to bring additional Marines to threaten them.

+ The Chapter’s battle-brothers rest in coffins.

That sounds VERY Blood Angels-y.

+ Dracula lacking servants and having to do everything himself could be translated into that the Chapter have few serfs and many/all battle-brothers have to do much of the duties that usually fall unto the chapter-serfs.

Sounds pointless. Say the Marines prize self-sufficiency, to better justify them performing such tasks.

[Gamiel]

 

+ As a reference to the “wired sisters” could each battle-brother has three, female chapter-serfs as his personal servants and/or helots.

You mean "Weird Sisters," like the three witches who prophesied MacBeth would be king, in Shakespeare's play? The term "Wired Sisters" makes me think they're AdMech creations- maybe vat-grown servitors manufactured with female figures to be aesthetically attractive, frequently seen beside planetary governors, cardinals, and other high-ranking personnel.

 

Say the Chapter received the "Wired Sisters" as gifts, given in gratitude for saving the forge world where the servitors are manufactured. The Techmarines subsequently modified the "Wired Sisters" with concealed weapons so they may serve as honor guards in situations where the Chapter's officers must attend diplomatic functions, where it is wiser to bring "eye candy" to impress other nobles with one's wealth and connections, than to bring additional Marines to threaten them. 

Ops, thanks for noticing the spelling mistake and I have also now edited in the link that was supposed to be there, to make clear that I'm referring to what pop-culture calls "Dracula's brides", but are not called that in the book. 

 

Your "Wired Sisters" ideas are intersting.

[Gamiel]

 

 

+ As a reference to the “wired sisters” could each battle-brother has three, female chapter-serfs as his personal servants and/or helots.

You mean "Weird Sisters," like the three witches who prophesied MacBeth would be king, in Shakespeare's play? The term "Wired Sisters" makes me think they're AdMech creations- maybe vat-grown servitors manufactured with female figures to be aesthetically attractive, frequently seen beside planetary governors, cardinals, and other high-ranking personnel.

 

Say the Chapter received the "Wired Sisters" as gifts, given in gratitude for saving the forge world where the servitors are manufactured. The Techmarines subsequently modified the "Wired Sisters" with concealed weapons so they may serve as honor guards in situations where the Chapter's officers must attend diplomatic functions, where it is wiser to bring "eye candy" to impress other nobles with one's wealth and connections, than to bring additional Marines to threaten them. 

Ops, thanks for noticing the spelling mistake and I have also now edited in the link that was supposed to be there, to make clear that I'm referring to what pop-culture calls "Dracula's brides", but are not called that in the book. 

 

Your "Wired Sisters" ideas are intersting.

 

Feel like the "Wired Sisters" somehow could be conected with the Lilith Cult of the Mechanicus.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Your "Wired Sisters" ideas are intersting.

Thank you.

Feel like the "Wired Sisters" somehow could be conected with the Lilith Cult of the Mechanicus.

Good find. Is the cult from Games Workshop canon, or is it a fan creation?

[Gamiel]

 

Feel like the "Wired Sisters" somehow could be conected with the Lilith Cult of the Mechanicus.

Good find. Is the cult from Games Workshop canon, or is it a fan creation?

I'm not certain about it's canon status. I would say that they are non-canon but they were given a two page presentation in WD Jan. 2017, so they might count as canon or semi-canon.

Edited December 2, 2020 by Gamiel

[Gamiel]

Okej this quickly grow:

 

 

Adeptus Draconistarum

Adeptus Draconistarum is an organization created during the 25th “Bastion” Founding to, like the Adeptus Vaelarii, defend an (as of jet unnamed) region of space.

 

The Draconistarum suffers from political infighting with the leader of the Draconistarum, know as the High Voivod [placeholder name] having the last and final word. The leader is decided by representatives of all the different members of the organisation voting on those who have been put forth as candidates leading to lots of background dealings and favour callings when this happens. There is a line of command who will temporarily have the position if the current one falls in battle, but only until there is a chance to make a vote for a new one. The different worlds under the protection of Draconistarum give tribute to their protectors and by having your [ Chapter / Forge World / Imperial Guard / such ]  being declared the main protector of a world are you also give the first right to the tribute. Protector right changes with the death of company-masters, notable loses of forces, inability or failure to live up to the role as protector, declaration of a new High Voivod of the Draconistarum, and similar.

 

The area that Adeptus Draconistarum protects have representatives from all major xeno-species (probably ignoring the Tau), some minor ones, Chaos threats, and your ordinary not-Chaos-nor-xeno pirates and rebels. More or less all members of the Draconistarum have been known to ally with Eldar or Blood Axe orks from time-to-time, against a greater threat, more-or-less secretly.

 

[All this reference the constant shifting political landscape of the areas that Vlad III Dracula lived in]

 

 

 

 

Moon-and-Star Chapter

 

 

House of Drăculești

+ A Space Marine Chapter, White Scars’s successors by the way of the Sons of Jaghatai

+ They are the semi-direct rulers of their homeworld (unnamed as for now), which is a Feudal World but with much 19th-centery technology but no fire arms. The Moon-and-Star Marines encourage the different feudal lords under them to fight each other and have declared many areas forbidden from colonization or hunting (so wild animals may bread there freely and be possible threats to the human population when they move out). The Chapter don’t involve themselves in the day-to-day activities of their planet but keep fortress-cities all over the planet that they control directly and allow no breaking of their laws in.

- any of the citizens found breaking any of the Chapters laws (murder, theft or similar in their fortress-cities; hunting or building in the wild areas; speaking untruth in their curt; similar) are impaled on poles for all to see.

- the fortress-cities function as defence points against attacks on the planet and each is equipped with all the standard modern weapons and defences that a better imperial fortress is expected to have. The PDF are equipped with a combination of their traditional weapons and standard IG gear, they are the only one allowed to use firearms anybody else (excluding guests with a good reason) do so on the pain of death.

+ Proper and well mannered, or at least try to be but they have a temper. And their idea about manners is similar to that often seen among Feudal World nobility.

+ They don’t like their authority questioned, and suffer no insult. Have executed fellow Imperials they consider having insulted them or done a bad job. At the same time do they highly respect out spoken truth and know that they are cruel and harsh rulers; those that speak truth to them are respected while those that praise them and in such ignore their cruelty get punished for being liars.

+ Most of them have moustaches – based on the paintings of Vlad II and III, and Count Dracula’s description in the book.

+ I think that the Moon-and-Star Chapter should be a more-or-less classic jack-of-all-trades Codex Chapter but with a preference for tactics like:

- nightly raids against the enemy when possible – referring to that the Vlachs were known to successfully use this tactic

- leaving their dead enemies impaled on stakes, visible for everybody to see and preferably along any route that an enemy force would take.

- harry the enemies with guerrilla and hit-n-run attacks – referring to that Vlad III often employed that tactics against the Turks.

+ Have an ancient alliance with the Lilith Cult on Ostoja [see below] which gift them with the Wired Sisters [also see below] in larger numbers than other Imperial forces. Wired Sisters are found beside all the Chapters officers and heroes, with the high officers and greater heroes being followed by three.

 

Maybe/working on it:

+ The Szgany, you know from Chapter 4 of Dracula – “A band of Szgany have come to the castle, and are encamped in the courtyard. These Szgany are gipsies; I have notes of them in my book. They are peculiar to this part of the world, though allied to the ordinary gipsies all the world over. There are thousands of them in Hungary and Transylvania, who are almost outside all law. They attach themselves as a rule to some great noble or boyar, and call themselves by his name. They are fearless and without religion, save superstition, and they talk only their own varieties of the Romany tongue.” – could translate to a clan of voidborn freetraders who have an agreement with the Chapter, maybe there are other freetrader clans who have attached themselves to other Chapters.

+ The way Dracula is able to control wolves could translate to that they use wolves/dire-wolves in combat (the rules for Chaos War Hounds or Fenrisian Wolves could be used here).

 

 

 

 

[Need-a-name] Chapter

 

House of Shishman

+ A Space Marine Chapter, Dark Angel’s successors

+ Colours are split with the right side yellow, left side black – based on that Fruzhin (who was the Shishman member of the Order of the Dragon) belonged to the Sratsimir branch of the family, whose coat-of-arm was a colour swap of the main branch colour and the first picture I saw illustrating this was this one:

 

+ Codex Chapter (-ish?); don’t have a Deathwing or Ravenwing company, or anything similar. Instead they have “knights-errant” (alternative name suggestions are welcome*), who go out in squads or group of squads to hunt the Fallen, or notable threats to the Imperium. They are marked by that they have a colour swapped version of their Chapter symbol on their left pauldron

* Preferably something that is in Bulgarian or Hungarian or refer to those cultures.

+ Their chapter-master is known as “despot” – referring to Shishman of Vidin’s title

+ Homeplanet is the Imperial World Nodnol, rich in animal produce and mineral wealth

- has an overall 20th-centery level of tech.

+ Should have some Bulgarian and Hungarian elements since Fruzhin was prince of Bulgaria, but was mainly based in the Kingdom of Hungary

+ Likes falconry and uses many psyber-falcons – mostly because Shishman of Vidin is depicted with a falcon on his hand.

+ Don’t know what to call them, based on the symbol do Three Lions and Black Lions (or some variant like: Lions Sable, or Dark Lions) seem fitting but I’m not certain about any of them. Any suggestions?

 

 

 

 

[Need-a-name] Chapter

Báthory family

+ A Space Marine Chapter, Blood Angel’s successors.

+ According to Wikipedia so is the legend about the Báthory family’s origin “A legendary account, placing the Báthorys' origin in the year 900 (preceding the advent of the Gutkeled clan), relates how a god-fearing warrior called Vitus (a namesake of a member of the first generation of the Gutkeled clan) set out to fight a dragon, which lurked in the swamps next to the castle of Ecsed (actually built only in the 14th century) and harassed the countryside. Vitus killed it with three thrusts of his lance and as a reward received the castle. The grateful people honoured him with the names Báthory, meaning "good hero", and animus magnanimus. In Hungarian the word bátor means "brave". / The Báthory coat of arms, granted in 1325 to the sons of Briccius, was styled in reference to this legend: three horizontally placed teeth surrounded by a dragon biting its own tail,[4] the surrounding dragon being the emblem of the Order of the Dragon.”

Here are two illustration how the non-stylised version of their coat-of-arm looks:

http://wappenwiki.org/images/thumb/a/a3/Bathory.svg/220px-Bathory.svg.png  http://wappenwiki.org/images/thumb/8/84/Batory.svg/220px-Batory.svg.png

 

+ I would say that the above translates into that:

- the Chapter’s homeworld is populated by dragons, that the Chapter go out from time to time to hunt down, making dragon skin clocks and decorations from dragon sculls, claws and fangs common.

- they are brave (some would say foolhardy) in combat, and in battle seek out the largest foes, whether that be in terms of physical size or sheer numbers.

- the Chapters symbol is technically three horizontally placed dragon’s teeth on red but is usually stylised into the sig-sag red and white pattern seen on the shield in the quote.

+ Constantly tap their serfs on blood; have a preference for the blood of young women and more than one battle-brother have the shame-marks for allowing his Thirst to get the better of him – referring to Elizabeth Báthory

+ When possible do they like to capture enemies alive and torture them before feasting on them (all in secret) – referring to Elizabeth Báthory

+ Don’t know what to call them, and before anybody suggest Blood Dragons so is that already taken. As mentioned above do the word bátor means "brave" in Hungarian, maybe something around that, like Braveheart? What do people think?

+ Don’t know about colour but don’t want redd to be the main colour. If two main colours (as in a split colour scheme) could one be red.

 

 

 

 

Ostoja Forge World

 

Clan Ostoja

+ A Forge World, where the Iron Sisterhood, the Lilith Cult, is strong

+ Have decided to go with that the planet/system is named Ostoja, instead of trying to do it complicated

+ Was thinking that their Skitarii have red robes with gold/yellow markings, and white armour plaits with markings in black or gold/yellow

+ The Forge World is know for the Wired Sisters: aesthetically attractive and notably female AdMech creations that are frequently seen beside chapter-masters, planetary governors, high imperial officers, cardinals, and other high-ranking personnel. What the Wired Sisters are is not known by outsiders but the main theories are that they are high class advisor servitors; a special kind of tech-priest belong to the Lilith Cult; or examples of the Lilith Cult’s own skitarii officers. They have been seen leading AdMech forces - my thanks to brother Björn for the idea

+ Have their own Imperial Knight house, their coat-of-arms is based on Stibor of Stiboricz’s coat-of-arms:

 

- I have just now no ideas what kind of personality/culture the Knight house should have and how influenced by the Lilith Cult they are, and how that influenced shows itself. Any suggestions?

Edited December 7, 2020 by Gamiel

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Considering the most infamous Bathory is a woman, how about making the Adeptus Draconistarum member an Order Militant of the Adepta Sororitas, headquartered in a Blood Angels Chapter keep that was abandoned during the Horus Heresy, its members adopting rituals imitating those of the Marines who once inhabited its bloodstained halls? This is NOT an excuse to make "female Space Marines," though it can be an excuse to give the Sisters Baal Predators and other Blood Angels exclusive wargear.

[Gamiel]

Considering the most infamous Bathory is a woman, how about making the Adeptus Draconistarum member an Order Militant of the Adepta Sororitas, headquartered in a Blood Angels Chapter keep that was abandoned during the Horus Heresy, its members adopting rituals imitating those of the Marines who once inhabited its bloodstained halls? This is NOT an excuse to make "female Space Marines," though it can be an excuse to give the Sisters Baal Predators and other Blood Angels exclusive wargear.

That's a thought.

 

Just to spin away on this (not saying that I will use it but you never know), your idea would works well with the Sanguinary Cult (the Sanguinius’ worshiping one), maybe a SoB order that is a member of that cult and see Sanguinius as their main saint. Fitting with a Elizabeth Báthory theme could they have a Sanguinary Cult (the bloodletting one) like belief and with lots of bloodletting and blood rituals and/or they have developed ways similar to the Maiden Cult from Necromunda. Lots of Anchorites would also fit with the pop-cultural idea that Elizabeth Báthory used a iron-maiden on some of her victims.

 

Would be a very strange, interesting and possibly something that would be considered heretical if it was any other group than SoB:s that did it.

 

If I really went with a Elizabeth Báthory theme, instead of a general Báthory family theme, so could I also make some references to her apperances in Countess Dracula and Hellboy: Blood and Iron

[Gamiel]

 

Considering the most infamous Bathory is a woman, how about making the Adeptus Draconistarum member an Order Militant of the Adepta Sororitas, headquartered in a Blood Angels Chapter keep that was abandoned during the Horus Heresy, its members adopting rituals imitating those of the Marines who once inhabited its bloodstained halls? This is NOT an excuse to make "female Space Marines," though it can be an excuse to give the Sisters Baal Predators and other Blood Angels exclusive wargear.

That's a thought.

 

Just to spin away on this (not saying that I will use it but you never know), your idea would works well with the Sanguinary Cult (the Sanguinius’ worshiping one), maybe a SoB order that is a member of that cult and see Sanguinius as their main saint. Fitting with a Elizabeth Báthory theme could they have a Sanguinary Cult (the bloodletting one) like belief and with lots of bloodletting and blood rituals and/or they have developed ways similar to the Maiden Cult from Necromunda. Lots of Anchorites would also fit with the pop-cultural idea that Elizabeth Báthory used a iron-maiden on some of her victims.

 

Would be a very strange, interesting and possibly something that would be considered heretical if it was any other group than SoB:s that did it.

 

If I really went with a Elizabeth Báthory theme, instead of a general Báthory family theme, so could I also make some references to her apperances in Countess Dracula and Hellboy: Blood and Iron

 

You know, I like this idea. I think I'll keep it, based on what's been said earlier I give you:

 

 

The Order of the Emperor's Martyred Angel [Placeholder name, if anybody have a better one I'm all ears]

 

Báthory family

+ An lesser Order of the Sisters of Battle that is divided into the Bones (Sisters Militant) and the Blood (Sisters Hospitaller)

+ Part of the Sanguinary Cult (the Sanguinius’ worshiping one), and see Sanguinius as their main saint.

- lots of blood rituals (using both their own, their enemies and their fallen’s blood), would likely be considered a  Sanguinary Cult (the bloodletting one) if they were not a SoB ordo

- while a majority of the sisters fight with the holy trinity of bolt, flamer, and melta do some of them specialise in bloodletting and only use edge weapons (if I ever played so would they be represented by Deathcult Assassins)

+ When possible do they like to capture enemies alive and torture them before tapping them on blood (in secret?) – referring to Elizabeth Báthory

+ the Order’s homeworld is populated by dragons, that the Sisters go out from time to time to hunt down, making dragon skin clocks and decorations from dragon sculls, claws, fangs and bones common.

- they also have blood drop jewellery and small blood vials as decorations/talismans 

+ their main fortress-monastery is an ancient Blood Angels Legion keep

+ they are brave (some would say foolhardy) in combat, and in battle seek out the largest foes, whether that be in terms of physical size or sheer numbers. 

+ the Order's symbol is technically three horizontally placed dragon’s teeth on red but is usually stylised into the sig-sag red and white pattern seen on the shield above

+ the Hospitaller part of the order have many Rejuvenat Adept among them, something that is useful since the order in practise are part of the Cult of Youth (even if they themself never would admit it) and are obsessed with looking beautiful and young. They themself claim it's to honour Sanguinius who was known for his angelic looks  – referring to Elizabeth Báthory's supposed osbession with her beauty and youth

+ have lots of Anchorites, something that have made some observers worried: is this a sign of the high numbers of cowards among the order, or something else? – referring to the pop-cultural idea that Elizabeth Báthory used a iron-maiden on some of her victims

+ total fangirls over the Blood Angels and their successors

 

Maybe stigmata copying the bane wounds of Sanguinius have appered among them?

Edited December 6, 2020 by Gamiel

[Bjorn Firewalker]

+ An lesser Order of the Sisters of Battle that is divided into the Bones (Sisters Militant) and the Blood (Sisters Hospitaller)

Interesting idea. Do the Sisters Hospitaller frequently use leeches?

- lots of blood rituals (using both their own, their enemies and their fallen’s blood), would likely be considered a Sanguinary Cult (the bloodletting one) if they were not a SoB ordo

In the movie Dracula 2000, Abraham Van Helsing used leeches to drain Dracula's blood, which he then injected into himself to extend his life, the leeches filtering elements that would've transformed Van Helsing into an undead. I wonder if a similar process may be used to protect the Sisters from potential Chaos-taint in enemies they drain? Or will the leeches themselves be a means with which Nurgle may corrupt the Order?

- while a majority of the sisters fight with the holy trinity of bolt, flamer, and melta do some of them specialise in bloodletting and only use edge weapons (if I ever played so would they be represented by Deathcult Assassins)

Maybe replace the Sisters Repentia with "count as" death cult assassins, ordered to redeem themselves of the sin of pride, by performing acts for which they will not receive glory or acknowledgement (or blame, i.e., the Order won't be held responsible for the assassins' actions)?

+ the Order’s homeworld is populated by dragons, that the Sisters go out from time to time to hunt down, making dragon skin clocks and decorations from dragon sculls, claws, fangs and bones common.

- they also have blood drop jewellery and small blood vials as decorations/talismans

Good ideas.