Leagues of Votann Initial 1st April 2022 reveal, new lore & articles discussion

[Lord Marshal]

37 minutes ago, Petitioner's City said:

Sorry wasn't clear, didn't mean release, I meant the Sunday preview of the next week's preorders. I don't think there's been a loremaster further out than a few weeks though from its associated release. I think ash wastes was one key example, where it went up twoish weeks (either a week and a half or two weeks and a half) before the release was announced for the next weekend. Announced next next weekend (4th) for pre-order from the next weekend, for one or two weeks til in shops release?  

But GW have dropped "major" products without much or any notice - that underground Warcry box is one example, but there were others. In contrast the leagues have had a lot of build up (far more than either Lumineth or BTs, and really more than the SoB too) - we just need to see the box and codex, the expectation (and saleability) is present already.

I don't think the W+ content means too much anymore, as something has clearly gone off the rails behind the scenes. Into The Dark had it's battle report last week, but the box isn't scheduled for pre-order yet despite them usually putting said battlereports for new products out in the days immediately before release. There's also the Possessed and Accursed Cultists only releasing this week, despite the CSM 'dex being released back in June.

My guess is echoing some of the others that it will probably be shown off at NOVA, presumably along with the remainder of the League range we've not seen yet. The last article implied we'd still be seeing articles revealing some sort of heavy weapon squad and the sub-factions too.

[Petitioner's City]

So even if the release is a while away, the League of Votann Loremasters with Alex launched today. It's a heavy infodump, and really shows a lot of the thinking behind the new faction. 

https://warhammertv.com/details/25219?playlist_id=4

No explanation of their token nordicness, however  but overall, really great worldbuilding that instantly feels very 40k.

[Lord Marshal]

Some interesting tidbits have been spotted from the Loremaster video.

Some kind of engineer HQ or Elite? Possibly the leader of a unit the Ironkin mechanic shown off is part of?

First glimpse of the Land Fortress the datacard leak mentioned?

Dark Iron Kin.

[Guest Triszin]

1 hour ago, Lord Marshal said:

Some interesting tidbits have been spotted from the Loremaster video.

Some kind of engineer HQ or Elite? Possibly the leader of a unit the Ironkin mechanic shown off is part of?

First glimpse of the Land Fortress the datacard leak mentioned?

Dark Iron Kin.

Top image is what I would guess to be the HQ brokyr (tech marine)

 

Agreed, might be the hekaton, kind of gives me mastadon vibes.

 

 

Bottom image is the pioneers

[Lord Marshal]

2 minutes ago, Triszin said:

Agreed, might be the hekaton, kind of gives me mastadon vibes.

I was admittedly getting AT-TE vibes myself.

[Lord Marshal]

W+ Battle Report next week.

They can't be too far away then?

[TheVoidDragon]

On 8/26/2022 at 12:53 PM, Lord Marshal said:

Some interesting tidbits have been spotted from the Loremaster video.

Some kind of engineer HQ or Elite? Possibly the leader of a unit the Ironkin mechanic shown off is part of?

 

I kinda hope this isn't the Brokkyr Iron Master, that would be a bit disappointing if he just turns out to be pretty much a Hearthkin with a different helmet and extra backpack arm. Would have liked a bit more of a difference with the armour itself to make it stand out.

Edited August 28, 2022 by TheVoidDragon

[Guest Triszin]

52 minutes ago, Lord Marshal said:

W+ Battle Report next week.

They can't be too far away then?

I'd guess pre order Le army box on Sept 17

[Arkangilos]

On 7/29/2022 at 3:38 AM, Orange Knight said:

Vital information on a non Imperial faction like this would not be kept secret.

And it won't have to be am Inquisitor either who discovers the information. 

The fact is that all members of the Votann know the secret of their AI cores, and at some point some Psyker, Mechanicus priest, member of the Logos Historica, etc will discover the truth.

Whilst the general Imperium is very ignorant, there are people within it who do know a lot about things that happen beyond it's borders.

I agree, but just because it’s “known” doesn’t mean it’s “known”.

Money changes hands, threats and promises are made, the information is suppressed. The guy who has the information, if he is like or powerful, will be told to be silent. If he isn’t, he’ll be silenced and made to be a conspiracy theorist. 

[TheMawr]

On 8/28/2022 at 8:57 PM, TheVoidDragon said:

I kinda hope this isn't the Brokkyr Iron Master, that would be a bit disappointing if he just turns out to be pretty much a Hearthkin with a different helmet and extra backpack arm. Would have liked a bit more of a difference with the armour itself to make it stand out.

I think it is.. agreed its a bit boring, I dont really know why but I somehow expected it to be the HQ with more oomph/centrepieceness to it ... I think its the A.n.v.i.l talk ( have to look it up, but dont know were it is).. I imagined some mobile platform/workshop kind of thing not dissimilar to the SoB pulprit or that old inquisitor model on a walking judge chair. But this image makes him look too "normal" for such a thing.

[TheVoidDragon]

9 minutes ago, TheMawr said:

I think it is.. agreed its a bit boring, I dont really know why but I somehow expected it to be the HQ with more oomph/centrepieceness to it ... I think its the A.n.v.i.l talk ( have to look it up, but dont know were it is).. I imagined some mobile platform/workshop kind of thing not dissimilar to the SoB pulprit or that old inquisitor model on a walking judge chair. But this image makes him look too "normal" for such a thing.

WHFB Dwarf Engineers are just really cool with all their various gadgets, pouches, tools etc. I really hope there's more to it to make them give across that Engineer feel than just being a Hearthkyn with a fairly standard looking hammer and backpack arm because that would just be such a boring depiction of the idea of a Dwarf Engineer.

[TheMawr]

1 hour ago, TheVoidDragon said:

WHFB Dwarf Engineers are just really cool with all their various gadgets, pouches, tools etc. I really hope there's more to it to make them give across that Engineer feel than just being a Hearthkyn with a fairly standard looking hammer and backpack arm because that would just be such a boring depiction of the idea of a Dwarf Engineer.

Made me look back, and I realise that in the back of my head I remembered the Anvil of Doom, hence I expected something like that when they talked about the Brokhyrs A.n.v.i.l

[Guest Triszin]

This is floating around

Supposedly it's a teaser image of something for the votanns.

 

If true, I'd guess HQ brokyr/anvil. (If anvil is the living ancestor votann Robot)

 

Super tiny image.

[spessmarine]

looks like this, recoloured and shrunk to bits for obvious reasons

Edited August 30, 2022 by spessmarine

[Guest Triszin]

Thanks for that :)

[TrawlingCleaner]

From the "This week in Warhammer" Video for the Battle Report that's due out this week:

 

[Taliesin]

On 8/28/2022 at 8:49 PM, Lord Marshal said:

W+ Battle Report next week.

They can't be too far away then?

September as per Valrak in his latest video.

[TheVoidDragon]

9 hours ago, spessmarine said:

looks like this, recoloured and shrunk to bits for obvious reasons

It's quite strange how similar the two are...

What's the actual source for that 40k thing in the first place? I've seen people say it's from facebook, but if that was the case, why is there no larger version? But even then a larger version of that seems like it would be a more easy to figure out hint than all the other Nova stuff has been.

[TrawlingCleaner]

Just now, TheVoidDragon said:

It's quite strange how similar the two are...

What's the actual source for that 40k thing in the first place? I've seen people say it's from facebook, but if that was the case, why is there no larger version? But even then a larger version of that seems like it would be a more easy to figure out hint than all the other Nova stuff has been.

It's definitely someone playing a trick and shrinking the Mantic games image. 

A decent job of photoshopping the colours and then shrinking the image into pixelated Oblivion 

[TheVoidDragon]

6 minutes ago, TrawlingCleaner said:

It's definitely someone playing a trick and shrinking the Mantic games image. 

A decent job of photoshopping the colours and then shrinking the image into pixelated Oblivion 

Yeah, just overlayed the two myself to check, and it's pretty much identical other than a few pixels. Definitely a fake.

Considering no one had seen the full version I'm not really surprised.

Edited August 30, 2022 by TheVoidDragon

[TheMawr]

2 hours ago, TrawlingCleaner said:

From the "This week in Warhammer" Video for the Battle Report that's due out this week:

 

I think thats the votann heartguard leader (but with a light skintone head)

[Lord Marshal]

Heavy weapon Hearthguard maybe?

[TheMawr]

1 minute ago, Lord Marshal said:

Heavy weapon Hearthguard maybe?

No, as in, the exact loadout and posture as the leader, barring the head. when you look at the video and have the image next to it everything lines up. hammer held forward, pistol lower and slightly backward, the shouldercannon and the animal head decoration thing.. though light plays trick with the mass of the latter two

[BluegrassGamer]

September's paint-n'-take model is a Hearthkyn Warrior.

[AenarIT]

Copy-pasting this from somewhere else, sorry but I don't know the original source:
 

Quote

TL;DW (of the new info)

Loremasters Leagues of Votann Part 1

Leagues of Votann

The Kin are described as being really strong as a faction, specifically with the Leagues being described as huge interstellar empires
The Leagues straddle the line between Abhumans and Xenos for the Imperium, there is not much binding the two together
Concept of “the Truths” which are truisms universal among the Kin
Kin are more populous than the Aeldari and Tau
The galaxy’s core is described as having crazy amounts of wealth and minerals and is quite inhospitable to the other races
Ancestor Cores first created Cloneskeins
Kin value individuality, including those caused by mutation; often Kin may get physical alterations such as hairstyles, tattoos, piercings for aesthetic purposes
Cloneskein templates can lower the lifespan of a Kin, though that depends on the mutation
Ironkin have been with the Kin since the Leagues had records
Ironkin are often not Kahls or in positions of leadership, though it can happen
Each Ironkin consists of a CU, or Cerebral Unit, and a mechanical body
The CU and body are unique to each individual Ironkin (and potentially may have modifications to help out in the tasks the Ironkin does)
CUs are nigh-indestructible; an Ironkin can literally survive as just a CU though may enter a state of torpor and may activate a distress beacon
Kin will go to great lengths to get a CU that is in distress, treating them as a Kin in distress
Both the Kin and Ironkin are designed and created by the Ancestor Cores, but some cores have lost this ability
Brokhyrs and Ironkin Guilds can create new Ironkin, though it is not as good as the Ancestor Cores
When a Kin or Ironkin dies, their physical form is recycled to the Votann in order to make new Kin/Ironkin
It appears the Kin’s memories are taken up into the Ancestor Core and the Ironkin’s data is also processed in this manner
Ironkin can be still alive up to potentially centuries, though as they get older they will become more insular and slow due to taking in so much information
Kin and Ironkin naming conventions are roughly the same, during creation each Kin/Ironkin gets a name by the Votann called a first or given name, given by the ancestors. To change it is disrespectful. The second name is the chosen name, with Ironkin either choosing one or both names. The chosen name often incorporates the Kin/Ironkin’s a family
ame, a league, or occupation; though the names can be accumulated over time though these are given by other Kin, in honor of some achievement.
COGs are robotic assistants that can be used for loading, combat, or other forms of tasks
COGs are not nearly as advanced as Ironkin. They are akin to Tau Drones for the Leagues
The Kin when directly dealing or allied with humans do not bring up the subject of Ironkin and the Leagues’ use of artificial intelligence around humans; if directly pressed, the Kin will not lie about the Ironkin or the COGs, often causing conflict with human allies
Ancestor Cores are a closely guarded secret, the concept of the Votann are kept intentionally vague around every non-Kin

The Leagues

Kin of a Kindred share the same Crucible and thus a genetic bond
There are four aspects of the Kindred referred to as the Four Pillars:
Hearth: “the heart of the hold,” literally the heat and light their forges, recycle air, and let the kin thrive
Forge: Here everything the Kindred needs is built, from weapons to life-support systems
Fane: Where the Grimnyr interface with the Ancestor Cores
Crucible: Where new flesh and blood Kin are made
Kindreds are each governed by a council of senior officers, guild masters, and grimnyr, they are slow to change their minds or come to decisions
It is said the Kin of a Kindred have a prenatal ability to understand each other
Guilds vary widely in size and outreach among the guilds; Guilds have a large sway over the manufacture, resource extraction, and commerce of the leagues
Every aspect of life and production is affected by the guilds; stressed to not being an overbearing force, it can be as simple as a Guild mechanic working on stuff and
egulation
Not all kin join a guild, though a membership of a guild can be beneficial to a Kin
There is no exact number of known Leagues, the Kin find no use in keep track of it; Leagues are described as sometimes nomadic
Each League is unique and they are made up of a different number of Kindreds

The Greater Thurian League is the largest of the leagues with over 200 Kindreds and the largest amount of territory in the core region of the galaxy.
They have a lot of military might and resources at their disposal and they want to expand their reach. Their members think they epitomize what it means to be Kin

The Kronus Hegemony are the most militaristic, formed less than 1k years ago.
Notable in their Votann has achieved self-awareness and has been demanding the Hegemony to always gather resources; Kindreds that join have to pay a hefty price to join and then have to pay hefty tributes through conquest.
The Hegemony are super aggressive, even towards other Leagues
The Kinhosts of the Hegemony have broken Ork Waaaghs and Imperial Crusades

The Ymir Conglomerate value craftsmanship, they have an abundance of resources and skills. They have a higher amount of high-quality weaponry and equipment for their kinhosts.
They are noted for trading beyond the core and all over the galaxy
It is noted the Conglomerate has numerous Kinholds and territory within their organization that are rich in resources. So much so that when juxtaposed to the Kin of the other Leagues, the Kin of the Ymir Conglomerate have an almost decadent lifestyle

The Urani-Surtr Regulates are stoic, pragmatic, and abhor waste, though they are noted for being less concerned with the cost of lives and material for battle to prevent giving up ground.
They have been invaded by other groups into their territory, most recently a newly awakened necron dynasty (I believe this to be the Sautekh dynasty since that's
the closest to what the presenter said, though I'm not 100% confident). Said necrons seem to be obsessed with eliminating the Regulates.
It is suggested the Regulates may have some sort of secret on their world that would justify the deaths to keep their worlds, along with the Kindreds of the Regulates never leaving the organization

The Trans Hyperion Alliance is a nomadic league, spread across the Core and the rest of the galaxy in stations and in ships. They communicate with each other to keep in contact with ancient technologies. This info is heavily cyphered
The nomadic lifestyle is due in large part to gather resources or information to the Votann, having achieved a cult-like status

When calling war for a league, a votannic council has to be called
This consists of the high Kahl, lord Grimnyr, Brokhyr forgemaster, and any heroes of the Kindred. For smaller conflicts, this is reduced to more local leaders
The most capable or suited of Kin are selected to lead their forces. There is heated debate on who this should be, though it rarely results in an argument and is done to find the best candidate for the job.
Oathbands have a flexible format; they can consist of whatever is required to what is available
A handful of Kinhosts and millions of kinhosts would both count as Oathbands
Oathbands are typically led by a Kahl, though not always. Kin in an Oathband are obligated to serve the leader of the Oathband until their service is no longer needed
Expeditions to far off worlds in search of resources or in search of wealth are called Prospects. The strengths of these expeditions can vary wildly

The Votann

No league will risk harm to an Ancestor Core and any kin will not hesitate to lay down their own life to protect the AC
The word Votann is used freely enough though is never explained among non-Kin
Votann are ancient machine intelligences that are so powerful and complex that they are almost supernatural
They hold all of the information needed that a race may need to survive in the depths of space; including but not limited to STCs, scientific and philosophical learnings, military
trategy and theory, weapon specifications, et cetera.
Ancestor Cores act as mini-astronomicans (i.e. they have a presence in the warp that Kin voidfairers can sense, due in part to the Votann being a massive resource of info)
Most of the value of the Votann is due in part to the knowledge they possess.
Knowledge they possess may be forgotten or lost if not used commonly
They become ponderous with each interaction with living Kin
It is not known who made the Votann
The Votann never actively ruled or lead the leagues, they act more as repositories or advisors
On occasion, the Votann may make predictions interpreted as prophetic visions by a grimnyr that guide the Kindreds
We have a name of a great Kahl from the Great League that is prophesied to complete a great task (I do not know how to spell the name)

Ancestors of the Leagues

The Votann are explicitly critical in Kin socety functioning
The Kin are recently coming out more from the core of the galaxy, especially after the great rift

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by AenarIT