Community Project Poll pt 3

[Minigiant]

Written Poll

Gaol Wardens vs Thornwatch

 

 

On 7/1/2023 at 2:17 PM, Minigiant said:

Gaol Wardens


An extraordinary chapter of Space Marines who serve as prison wardens, safeguarding the Imperium from the most dangerous threats within the 40k universe. Recruited from a fortress-world, they possess an unwavering commitment to justice and discipline. Organized into specialized "Wings," each led by a Warden, they excel in containing and combatting various types of dangerous inmates. Adorned in prison-themed armor, they employ a mix of disciplined warfare and unconventional tactics. The Gaol Wardens face constant challenges from their prisoners, but their resolve and vigilance ensure the Imperium remains secure.

 

On 7/7/2023 at 11:28 AM, Minigiant said:

I have an idea for the Gaol Wardens

 

The Gaol Wardens, a remarkable chapter of Space Marines poised at the forefront of justice in the Imperium. With a name that resounds with authority, the Gaol Wardens embody the essence of guardianship and discipline. Their badge, a pair of crossed prison bars over a stylized key, symbolizes their unwavering commitment as wardens of the most dangerous inmates in the 40k universe. Hailing from a fortress-world nestled in a remote sector, their Chapter Keep stands as a colossal penitentiary complex, the epicenter of their operations. Meticulously chosen from the inhabitants of their fortress-world, the Gaol Wardens recruit individuals with an unrelenting dedication to upholding order and a profound sense of justice.
 

Imitating the structure of a prison system, the Gaol Wardens organize themselves into specialized "Wings" led by Wardens. Each Wing assumes responsibility for managing and containing a specific type of perilous inmate. Whether faced with heretics, mutants, daemonhosts, traitors, or xenos prisoners, the Gaol Wardens demonstrate unparalleled expertise in containing and combating these diverse threats. In battle, they seamlessly blend disciplined, methodical warfare with unconventional tactics acquired from their experience in managing prisons. Renowned for their prowess in siege warfare, defense, and urban combat, the Gaol Wardens excel at neutralizing adversaries and incapacitating them rather than resorting to outright lethality.
 

Bedizened in power armor adorned with prison-inspired motifs like chains, bars, and locks, the Gaol Wardens manifest as an indomitable force against their foes. Armed with specialized weapons meticulously crafted to incapacitate, subdue, or neutralize their enemies, they strike with precise execution and finesse. Within the chapter, the Chaplains assume a pivotal role as spiritual guides, offering solace and redemption not only to the incarcerated but also to the battle-brothers who uphold the Gaol Wardens' justice.
 

While their extraordinary role may provoke skepticism among their Astartes brethren, the Gaol Wardens provide an indispensable service by containing the gravest threats imperiling the Imperium. Some may question their unorthodox methods or harbor concerns about potential corruption, yet others wholeheartedly recognize the unique value they bring. Unyielding in their commitment, the Gaol Wardens confront perpetual challenges. Their prisoners, wielding dark powers, ancient knowledge, and specialized combat skills, pose an ever-present menace. Safeguarding the equilibrium of power within their fortress-world necessitates unwavering vigilance and adaptability.

 

On 7/8/2023 at 8:31 AM, Minigiant said:

Potential Gaol Wardens Chapter Symbols

 

The Gaol Wardens' chapter symbol is a fascinating combination of imagery, rich with symbolism that reflects their unique identity and history.
 

1. Cross Keys: The cross keys are a traditional symbol associated with prisons, representing authority, access, and control. They epitomize the Gaol Wardens' role as guardians and wardens of the most dangerous inmates within the 40k universe. The keys signify their power to lock and unlock, ensuring the security of their fortress-world and the containment of threats.

2. Stylized Skull Cutout: The 40k stylized skull cutout on the bow of the keys adds a distinct touch. Skulls often symbolize death, mortality, and the grim nature of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. It signifies the Gaol Wardens' willingness to confront death head-on and their readiness to face the darkness that surrounds them.

3. Inquisition Symbol Cuts and Biting: The cuts and biting in the shape of one side of the Inquisition symbol embedded highlight the chapter's close association with the Inquisition. It represents their inmates and cooperation with this powerful faction in the fight against heresy and corruption.

4. Reminiscent of Pirate Skull and Crossbones: This element emphasizes the Gaol Wardens' and Inquisitions radical nature, showcasing their willingness to employ unconventional methods to combat the enemies of the Imperium.

5. Skull with Inquisition Symbol: Above the cross keys lies another skull with the Inquisition symbol on its forehead. This symbolizes the Gaol Wardens' direct connection to the Inquisition, highlighting their integration within the Inquisition's operations and their shared goals. It reinforces their role as enforcers of the Inquisition's justice and their commitment to rooting out heresy and protecting the Imperium.

6. Triangle of Skulls: The arrangement of the three skulls in a triangular formation adds an intriguing layer of symbolism. The triangle is often associated with stability, power, and the trinity of divine forces. In this context, it could be interpreted as a nod to the Gaol Wardens' resilience and strength in the face of their dark adversaries. Additionally, the triangle's connection to Nurgle's symbol creates a subtle allusion to the Chapter's involvement with the dark gods, possibly hinting at Inquisitor Lord Uther Tiberius' complex dealings and the challenges they face in their duty.

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

On 7/12/2023 at 9:07 AM, Felix Antipodes said:

Possibly sent there initially by Inquisitorial decree?  The place doesn’t even need to still be a prison.  After wiping out the inmates (I can’t see Astartes restraining themselves to just recapture regardless of what the Inquisition/Imperium may want) they decide it would make a suitable homeworld for their previously fleet-based Chapter.

 

Now what is the Thornwatch’s story I wonder…

 

 

VS

Thornwatch

 

 

 

 

On 7/1/2023 at 2:17 PM, Minigiant said:

Thornwatch (Celtic/Druids)


Draw inspiration from the ancient Celtic warriors who painted themselves with woad before battle, this 'Woadsworn; Chapter decorates their armor with intricate woad paintings, creating a fearsome and imposing appearance. They are known for their ruthless combat tactics

 

On 7/6/2023 at 9:57 PM, Brother Cambrius said:

Always a sucker for Celtic marines, given my heritage and add in some druidic fun with BA influences? Sold. Could introduce the 'Cauldronborn' as a name for a unit or those who have ascended to Astatrtes-hood.

Looking forwards to seeing what comes out of this, well done all in getting this going. 

 

Cambrius

 

On 7/9/2023 at 11:19 AM, Minigiant said:

Thornwatch ideas

• They view nature as a manifestation of the Emperor's divine creation and believe that it holds great power and wisdom.
• Marines of the Chapter undergo rigorous training in survival skills, tracking, and understanding the ecosystems of different planets.
• Thornwatch Chapter Homeworld is a death-infused forest planet shrouded in perpetual mist.
• An Encounter with an Eldar Seer who revealed the ancient Celtic practices through cryptic visions and discussions that could serve as a pathway to unlock the hidden potential within the Blood Angels' gene-seed.

On 7/13/2023 at 10:55 AM, Minigiant said:

 

What an intriguing idea about the Thornwatch Chapter's reverence for renewal through sacrifice and their potential obsession with the new Primaris technology. I think it's a great and really cool concept that opens up exciting possibilities for their narrative development.

 

Building upon your idea, here are my immediate thoughts on where this concept could lead:

 

• Loss of Cultural Identity: As the Thornwatch Chapter embraces the new Primaris technology, their leadership grapples with the challenge of preserving their druidic heritage. Finding ways to maintain the delicate balance between the embrace of new technology and the preservation of their cultural identity becomes a pressing concern. This struggle adds depth to their storyline and highlights the internal conflicts they must overcome.
• Strained Relationships with Other Blood Angel Chapters: The drastic and unprecedented mass conversion draws attention from other Space Marine Chapters, leading to strained relationships. Some Chapters may question the Thornwatch's loyalty or view their actions as reckless. Navigating these challenges, the Thornwatch must work diligently to prove their unwavering commitment to the Imperium while staying true to their unique path. This dynamic adds layers of tension and drama to their interactions with other Blood Angel Chapters.
• Quest for Redemption: Recognizing the consequences of their mass conversion, the Thornwatch Chapter embarks on a quest for redemption and reaffirmation of their purpose. This quest provides them with opportunities for growth, allowing them to confront the aftermath of their choices and seek atonement. It deepens the narrative and provides a driving force for the Chapter's actions.
• Reinvention of Rituals and Practices: In the aftermath of the mass conversion, the Thornwatch Chapter undertakes the task of redefining their rituals and practices to incorporate the new Primaris members. This process involves adapting traditional druidic rituals and ceremonies to include the Primaris Marines, resulting in a unique fusion of old and new traditions. Finding a delicate balance between honoring their past and embracing the possibilities of their future becomes a central theme, reflecting the Chapter's evolution.

It is an exciting possibility that your idea presents for the Thornwatch Chapter. It's an engaging direction that showcases the complexities of their journey, their commitment to their heritage, and their integration of new technologies.

 

On 7/13/2023 at 4:05 PM, Felix Antipodes said:

To briefly touch on your points:

Loss of Cultural Identity - What I liked about this was how it mirrors the real world of when the Romans first invaded Britain and the Celtic tribes would have been faced with a similar choice.

Strained Relationships - While I’m not sure it would be a bone of contention with other BA Chapters (it would be hard to see this as crazier than say the Angels Penitent for instance) there are undoubtedly anti-Primaris Chapters out there of various lineages who wouldn’t like the direction taken.

Quest for Redemption- I really like this idea (I’m a sucker for Penitent Crusades).  The question is who would go on this Penitent Crusade.  The entire Chapter?  Would they leave a contingent of specialists behind to continue recruitment to rebuild the Chapter along with a home guard to protect the planet and organise a militia?

Reinvention of Rituals/Practices - Not sure this would be necessary unless they got an influx of Cawl raised/trained Primaris.  Those guys were conscripted by Cawl and his minions over 10,000 years and from a whole bunch of eras, from the HH to the present, and have totally different mind sets from traditional Firstborn.  Any Astartes raised by the Chapter (whether via the rubicon or new initiates) would already have an acceptance of the rituals, etc, or be raised in their use like previous initiates were.  Still, it is an interesting thought and could be used once work begins.

 

This is why these sort of projects are worth doing.  We haven't even picked a winner yet and have already made a start on both contestants 

 

On 7/13/2023 at 8:46 PM, Gamiel said:

Suggest them doing like the Emperor's Spears' and grouping-together their Librarians, Chaplains, Techmarines and Apothecaries under the term “druids”, and have that they all paint their armour white, and/or dress in white robes as a reference to that druids suposedly wore white. 

 

Maybe have that Librarians are more like the WS's Stormseers and SW's Rune Priests then the standard SM Librarian when it comes to teaching and powers.

 

Pop-cultural celts are more often then not depicted with rather minimal armour but with large shields, maybe they use lots of shields?

 

Human sacrifices to please the Emperor and/or read the future in their hearts/innards.

 

The "dark Celts" that it feels you are going for here pop-culturally come in two forms in my impression, either boastful and loud (similar to how the SW are often presented, but maybe even more about reciting their own deeds and insulting enemies) or quite and of few words with animalistic grounts more common. Maybe go with one of those concepts, or not, it's your idea (or anybody's that picks it up).

 

As a reference to the Pair Dadeni maybe have that they use medical sarcophagus to heal their gravely injured that look like primitive cauldrons, superficially at least. Or go another way, the people resurrected by Pair Dadeni (or the cauldron clearly inspired by it) is often depicted as undead, maybe have that they have something that resurrect the dead in some way: maybe their Librarians can "resurrect" their fresh dead to continue fighting for a short time after their death, or they have some kind of "resurrection-tech", maybe something similar to what was used by Autek Mor during the HH, or similar to what House Escher uses to create their Death-maidens. Or maybe the whole chapter is made up by "resurrected" in the form of the chapter recruiting from the young warriors who have fallen on the battlefield. 

 

 

 

On 7/13/2023 at 8:46 PM, Gamiel said:

But I really enjoy  the input.  
 

And maybe they are descendants of the Atlanteans, er, the Atlantean Spears while we are going beyond the Ninth Wave? They certainly should a have a mystic vein! 
 

For my two pence, I think the trick would be not just having them “Emperor’s Spears but with Blood Angels” ? 
 

I feel ADB’s Spears have a very well researched “british isles” / Arturo- celts vibe to them.  I also like to involve a bit more cultural drift / mishmash to invoke more of the “ vibe” and strangeness of 40 K and set it several  thousand years apart.

That and “rule of cool” - so they should totally have specialist “Druids” 
 

So my - very broad - idea  at this point would be to go for the more Tribal Irish” side of  things.  Which  also mixes well with the more Michelangelo / Roman-Catholic side of the whole Angels thing - which then gets a hefty dose of mesoamerican “Mueros” with a hefty dose of Blanchitsu skulls and blood and things for the design aesthetics.

 

 

I also think there’d be a way to reflect at the BA geneseed allegedly lends itself to some sort of artistic expression, so there’d be ample room for elaborate Deathmasks and armor/ body painting, charms, chants, etc. 

 

So, their Dreadnaught sarcophagi are these massive funeral vault things with angelic art and thorns and skulls and flower and blood drop motive, full of festive candles and their aspirants go through visions of the underworld as the Sanguinary Druid-Priests pump them full of BA blood/ gene seed. They probably go heavy on the whole Death-Rebirth thing- maybe to the point where they are indeed pushing the envelope there with the use of resurrection tech in the creation of “cauldron-born” inductees in times of need, while the truly deserving get the full Dreadnaught package,

 

Like wise, their version of the Imperial Cult is on the Death/ Blood Cult side, bu maybe they not only gather it in cauldrons, but maybe they plant groves of holy trees and string up sacrifices to bleed for nourishment of the trees / the Emperor on sites / worlds where they have battled ( a bloodier version of the Iron Snakes “Rite of Water “)? If they have worlds under their protection, these groves might be places of worship by the populace - and might lead to conflict with Eclessiarchy and such? 
 

Their fortress monastery might be a huge temple city, a wild mix of ancient trees and overgrown mesoamericam pyramids.
 

And you better believe that post-Circatrix, they bleed an awful lot of people to reestablish connection with the Astronomican! 

  

 

 

 

On 7/18/2023 at 8:03 PM, Minigiant said:

Potential/Inspiration for a Celtic/Druidic Blood Angels Symbol (Woadbearers....?):

 
 

Edited July 22, 2023 by Minigiant

[Minigiant]

And apparently all of my formating has gone pear-shaped. It does not like having 2 spoiler lists in one post.

Written vote: Gaol Wardens or Thornwatch


Score

Gaol Wardens: 5
Thornwatch: 4

Edited August 8, 2023 by Brother Tyler

[Gamiel]

Thornwatch

[Minigiant]

[Zebulon]

Thornwatch please. 

[Minigiant]

My vote: Gaol Wardens

[Minigiant]

Final Vote people: Gaol Wardens or Thornwatch?

@Trokair
@Emperor Ming
@Necronaut
 

Edited July 25, 2023 by Minigiant

[Felix Antipodes]

Thornwatch

[40k_fan]

Gaol Wardens

[Codex Grey]

Gaol Wardens

Edited July 24, 2023 by Codex Grey

[Minigiant]

With six votes in, we are dead even.

[Xin Ceithan]

If it’s ok with you guys, I’d like to abstain from voting. It feels just feels wierd and a bit ..embarrassing ?  
 

There are some cool ideas for the Gaol Wardens and there would be plenty of opportunities to integrate some Celtic-ness there also. 
 

wouldn’t want to see that go to waste by having  the Community build one of the diffuse  DIY Chapter idea I have cruising through my mind  all that time .

 

Of course, with  the base set up and the stuff  I pitched for Thornwatch , I’m naturally interested and potentially  a bit biased 

 

(of course we could always do both… make the IA for loyalist Gaol Warden and have  Thornwatch slip to an Index Traitoris as their former brother chapter turned Nemesis   … Ugh, watch me go down the Rabbit Hole …. ) 

[Bilskirnir3124]

I like both of these ideas a lot. However, in the final analysis I'll have to vote for the Gaol Wardens. I'm a sucker for the idea of trying to literally kill pieces of the Chaos gods. Still, hope something comes of the Thornwatch. They're great too.

 

Also, thanks for inviting me to come vote.

[Trokair]

Gaolwatch or Thorn Wardens?

 

Thron Goal

Watch Wardens....

 

 

[Brother Cambrius]

Thornwatch gets my vote.

 

Cambrius

[Minigiant]

What to do in the event of a tie. Based on current trends, the trajectory is for this final vote-off to end in a draw. In that situation, we have a few options:

1) As the unofficial project lead, I remove my vote as it could/should have been used to settle ties.
2) We vote again - Nobody wants this as we could have the same problem again at the end of that
3) We make both - A lot more work but could easily have two teams
4) We combine concepts - A bit too convoluted to work, in my opinion

My opinion in order of preference is: 1,3,4,2

[Mazer Rackham]

I was invited to vote, so here it is: Gaol Wardens for IA.

 

Thorn Watch for an IT made by Xin. 

[Minigiant]

Less than 24 hours until the poll closes. I will probably keep it open a little longer because of my own personal schedule but still, get those last votes in

[Minigiant]

POLL CLOSED

[Minigiant]

The winner is: @Osteoclast's GAOL WARDENS

 

A close run vote against the Thornwatch, who has a potential Index Traitorous Article in their future to serve as sworn enemies versus the Gaol Wardens