Dark angels, the Deathwatch and the inner circle.

[Brother Immolator]

This is partly a question that might go to the deathwatch sub forum, but hear me brothers, for my questions are regarding our chapter.

So the first question is this: After the tour of duty to the deathwatch, would a marine still wear the DW pauldron and silver arm portion of his

armor (perhaps as a honorific of sorts) or would that be removed and replaced with the classic chapter designations?

 

Also how far would you believe a brother marine who took a tour of duty could go up, regarding the inner circle and the chapters trust?

Lore speaks that the chapter is not above 'seeding' the deathwatch with marines that act as double agents regarding the fallen, but how far

would these brothers go ?

Both your opinions and existing lore are welcome.

[Mazer Rackham]

How far they would trust him is obviously a question down to individuals peering into the Marine's soul...but the Deathwatch pad question is pretty straightforward, they keep the pad, and put it on the right arm, in opposition to their Chapter heraldry on their left. This honours the service of the Marine and the Chapter's Oaths of Service.  I think the silver arm is an individual choice, for example there's a Terminator Marine in the Deathwing video game with a full silver arm.

 

While serving in the Deathwatch, the Marine takes an Oath of Secrecy, and I can't see any Dark Angel worth his salt spilling any beans...

 

Yes, they do send to the Deathwatch to spy out for Fallen, which the Deathwatch attracts due to its French Foreign Legion policy of accepting almost any Marine.

 

Hope this helps.

[exsulis81]

I tend to put the Deathwatch shoulder pads on my company veterans to represent why they haven't advanced.

[Brother Immolator]

How far they would trust him is obviously a question down to individuals peering into the Marine's soul...but the Deathwatch pad question is pretty straightforward, they keep the pad, and put it on the right arm, in opposition to their Chapter heraldry on their left. This honours the service of the Marine and the Chapter's Oaths of Service.  I think the silver arm is an individual choice, for example there's a Terminator Marine in the Deathwing video game with a full silver arm.

 

While serving in the Deathwatch, the Marine takes an Oath of Secrecy, and I can't see any Dark Angel worth his salt spilling any beans...

 

Yes, they do send to the Deathwatch to spy out for Fallen, which the Deathwatch attracts due to its French Foreign Legion policy of accepting almost any Marine.

 

Hope this helps.

 

It does and thnx for that. What I was considering was more or less the oaths of secrecy you mentioned for the Deathwatch vs the inner circle ones, and compared them to the reaction the Techmarines receive due to their own oaths to the mechanicum been incompatible with the inner-circle which automatically pretty much is a nono inner circle club access.  Then the techmarine thingie might be part of the Ikaros Contingency....

 

 

I tend to put the Deathwatch shoulder pads on my company veterans to represent why they haven't advanced.

 

This is a very good idea and for sure visually interesting, however personally I dont want to oversaturate a DA army with such pads

 

Edited December 22, 2021 by Brother Immolator

[WrathOfTheLion]

You might do one that way, keeping the shoulderpad. If you look at Uriel Ventris, he just keeps the Deathwatch inquisition symbol on his greaves, he doesn't wear the pad. Personally, I would favor a 'less is more' sort of design there, instead of going too much with it.

[Charlo]

Fairly sure there is a Deathwatch pad in the Deathwing video game. The IP is always tightly monitored so that's good proof

[Brother Immolator]

Fairly sure there is a Deathwatch pad in the Deathwing video game. The IP is always tightly monitored so that's good proof

Speking of Deathwing, I need to play that one again :D

[phandaal]

 

How far they would trust him is obviously a question down to individuals peering into the Marine's soul...but the Deathwatch pad question is pretty straightforward, they keep the pad, and put it on the right arm, in opposition to their Chapter heraldry on their left. This honours the service of the Marine and the Chapter's Oaths of Service.  I think the silver arm is an individual choice, for example there's a Terminator Marine in the Deathwing video game with a full silver arm.

 

While serving in the Deathwatch, the Marine takes an Oath of Secrecy, and I can't see any Dark Angel worth his salt spilling any beans...

 

Yes, they do send to the Deathwatch to spy out for Fallen, which the Deathwatch attracts due to its French Foreign Legion policy of accepting almost any Marine.

 

Hope this helps.

 

It does and thnx for that. What I was considering was more or less the oaths of secrecy you mentioned for the Deathwatch vs the inner circle ones, and compared them to the reaction the Techmarines receive due to their own oaths to the mechanicum been incompatible with the inner-circle which automatically pretty much is a nono inner circle club access.  Then the techmarine thingie might be part of the Ikaros Contingency....

 

 

Speaking of Techmarines:

 

 

There is an example from Eye of Ezekiel where a tech-priest reveals to a Dark Angels Techmarine (who is not part of the Inner Circle) that the tech-priest has discovered some evidence of heretical "Dark Angels" activity. Shows the Techmarine a recording of the Fallen doing heretical things, Techmarine asks the tech-priest if he showed anyone else or made any more copies of the video. Tech-priest says "no," and the Techmarine promptly throws him into a pit of molten metal.

 

 

So yeah, even uninitiated Dark Angels take their loyalty to the Chapter very, very seriously.

[Brother Immolator]

 

 

How far they would trust him is obviously a question down to individuals peering into the Marine's soul...but the Deathwatch pad question is pretty straightforward, they keep the pad, and put it on the right arm, in opposition to their Chapter heraldry on their left. This honours the service of the Marine and the Chapter's Oaths of Service.  I think the silver arm is an individual choice, for example there's a Terminator Marine in the Deathwing video game with a full silver arm.

 

While serving in the Deathwatch, the Marine takes an Oath of Secrecy, and I can't see any Dark Angel worth his salt spilling any beans...

 

Yes, they do send to the Deathwatch to spy out for Fallen, which the Deathwatch attracts due to its French Foreign Legion policy of accepting almost any Marine.

 

Hope this helps.

 

It does and thnx for that. What I was considering was more or less the oaths of secrecy you mentioned for the Deathwatch vs the inner circle ones, and compared them to the reaction the Techmarines receive due to their own oaths to the mechanicum been incompatible with the inner-circle which automatically pretty much is a nono inner circle club access.  Then the techmarine thingie might be part of the Ikaros Contingency....

 

 

Speaking of Techmarines:

 

 

There is an example from Eye of Ezekiel where a tech-priest reveals to a Dark Angels Techmarine (who is not part of the Inner Circle) that the tech-priest has discovered some evidence of heretical "Dark Angels" activity. Shows the Techmarine a recording of the Fallen doing heretical things, Techmarine asks the tech-priest if he showed anyone else or made any more copies of the video. Tech-priest says "no," and the Techmarine promptly throws him into a pit of molten metal.

 

 

So yeah, even uninitiated Dark Angels take their loyalty to the Chapter very, very seriously.

 

Not sure if something has changed, because I have not read the last codex yet, so my info comes from prior editions. This is very interesting though. It indicates that despite the inner circle misgivings, chapter indoctrination holds true as you said.

Despite said techmarine not knowing of the fallen, he put the chapter first and foremost despite his oaths to the mechanicum

....Very interesting info.  Edited December 23, 2021 by Brother Immolator

[Smoke Frog]

There is a ton of great story potential in a member of the Unforgiven chapters serving in the Deathwatch.

 

For my own force, I am converting and painting up a Watch Master of the Angels of Vengeance chapter, the idea is while in the open he is a staunch supporter of the Deathwatch and the Inqusitition (taking his xenos-eradication missions very seriously of course) he is secretly feeding information back to his chapter and the Rock on any sightings of the Fallen that crop up in the vast Deathwatch information network. 

 

I also like the idea of an all-Unforgiven Spectrus Kill Team that the Watch Master could send on "special" missions to "apprehend that suspicious guy in black power armor" over there when no one is looking. 

[Brother Immolator]

There is a ton of great story potential in a member of the Unforgiven chapters serving in the Deathwatch.

 

For my own force, I am converting and painting up a Watch Master of the Angels of Vengeance chapter, the idea is while in the open he is a staunch supporter of the Deathwatch and the Inqusitition (taking his xenos-eradication missions very seriously of course) he is secretly feeding information back to his chapter and the Rock on any sightings of the Fallen that crop up in the vast Deathwatch information network. 

 

I also like the idea of an all-Unforgiven Spectrus Kill Team that the Watch Master could send on "special" missions to "apprehend that suspicious guy in black power armor" over there when no one is looking. 

I too am thinking of building something along similar lines. But before I customize something I want it to fill the lore, hence the thread :D

[jbaeza94]

If anything, inner circle members would be the ideal candidates for deathwatch. Like others mentioned, it’s been stated before that they were used to find leads on fallen.

[Smoke Frog]

Found some interesting information on a Dark Angels Librarian seconded to Watch Fortress Erioch, Zadkiel (found the info here)

 

 

Apparently, Zadkiel was trained by Ezekiel and inducted into the Inner Circle long before he was sent to the Deathwatch. After induction into the Inner Circle, he became increasingly withdrawn and recalcitrant, finding no revelry in the heat of battle. Zadkiel served alongside and was honored by the 1st Company Deathwing during his exploits on the nightmare planet Quiette, fighting against the psychically ravenous xenos known as the Khrave. He also crossed blades with Cypher at some point and lost an eye during the duel, hence his current bionic eye. 

 

--- THAT BEING SAID a certain Inquisitor Ghraile believes his entire backstory has been fabricated to station him in the Archeros Salient, no evidence has yet be cited ---

 

Currently Zadkiel works as a member of the Deathwatch in the Archeros Salient, hunting a leader of the Stigmartus chaos cult known as Elak Sarda, who has in his possession an extremely powerful relic blade rumored to be one of the Dark Angels legendary "heavenfall blades." Not sure how he got possession of that one, perhaps he is a fallen angel himself, and Zadkiel has been sent to hunt him down? It seems he may just have gotten it from a Dark Angel he killed; though I am not sure why the Deathwatch would have any jurisdiction over a Chaos cult rebellion, would make more sense if it was in the hands of a xenos empire to me. 

 

Fun fact, Zadkiel was the archangel of freedom, benevolence, and mercy, as well as the patron of all those who forgive. Some claim he is the archangel sent by God to stop Abraham from sacrificing his son. 

[Brother Immolator]

Found some interesting information on a Dark Angels Librarian seconded to Watch Fortress Erioch, Zadkiel (found the info here)

 

 

Apparently, Zadkiel was trained by Ezekiel and inducted into the Inner Circle long before he was sent to the Deathwatch. After induction into the Inner Circle, he became increasingly withdrawn and recalcitrant, finding no revelry in the heat of battle. Zadkiel served alongside and was honored by the 1st Company Deathwing during his exploits on the nightmare planet Quiette, fighting against the psychically ravenous xenos known as the Khrave. He also crossed blades with Cypher at some point and lost an eye during the duel, hence his current bionic eye. 

 

--- THAT BEING SAID a certain Inquisitor Ghraile believes his entire backstory has been fabricated to station him in the Archeros Salient, no evidence has yet be cited ---

 

Currently Zadkiel works as a member of the Deathwatch in the Archeros Salient, hunting a leader of the Stigmartus chaos cult known as Elak Sarda, who has in his possession an extremely powerful relic blade rumored to be one of the Dark Angels legendary "heavenfall blades." Not sure how he got possession of that one, perhaps he is a fallen angel himself, and Zadkiel has been sent to hunt him down? It seems he may just have gotten it from a Dark Angel he killed; though I am not sure why the Deathwatch would have any jurisdiction over a Chaos cult rebellion, would make more sense if it was in the hands of a xenos empire to me. 

 

Fun fact, Zadkiel was the archangel of freedom, benevolence, and mercy, as well as the patron of all those who forgive. Some claim he is the archangel sent by God to stop Abraham from sacrificing his son. 

I found and read the entry on lexicanum. And I find it a brilliant ploy, especially since an inquisitor suspects that he is been trolled

 

This is indeed a great case of inner circle agents working away from the chapter. Thank you frater!

[Gamiel]

If anything, inner circle members would be the ideal candidates for deathwatch. Like others mentioned, it’s been stated before that they were used to find leads on fallen.

While that's true do I want to ad that at least some of the plot suggestions in the Deathwatch RPG felt like they were built around the PC not fully knowing about the Fallen, even if there were others in the DW organisation that did know and could slip the PC secret missions to do beside the main mission.

[Brother Immolator]

 

If anything, inner circle members would be the ideal candidates for deathwatch. Like others mentioned, it’s been stated before that they were used to find leads on fallen.

While that's true do I want to ad that at least some of the plot suggestions in the Deathwatch RPG felt like they were built around the PC not fully knowing about the Fallen, even if there were others in the DW organisation that did know and could slip the PC secret missions to do beside the main mission.

 

One of the reasons I started this thread, is that at the time of the Deathwatch RPG was new, there was not so much info about the the DA inner circle.

I have a tendency to re-read the sourcebooks (for fluff reasons) after I return to my hobbies after a break, and I remembered that back then, it struck me weird that the DA were sending Terminators and Ravenwing to the Deathwatch.

 

Apparently it now seems thats another way of allocating resources to apprehend our stray brethren.