The Setting Sons - Adeptus Astartes

[Rowland]

Any advice is welcome (if you can be bothered to read my ravings)

 

A tale of coincidences.

 

I’m new to 40k and know nothing of the Lore.  However, I’m invested and have grown my collection of Space Marines, Tyranids and Orks.

For some reason I haven’t settled on a Space Marine Chapter, they leave me a little cold.  My friend and i are also fairly unlikely to play large games so we are staying with Combat Patrol atm.  I realised that I have sufficient figures to field several Space Marine combat Patrols and around 1.5k of points.  I thought it made sense to make my own Chapter which can be used as White Scars, Imperial Fists, Ultramarines etc.

I had painted my marines as Grim-dark Crour blades which ended up very gloomy and then the brighter but single coloured Exorcists but went off their whole vibe.  During my search for a colour scheme I saw the Necropolis Hawks.  I read how the painter invented the scheme and it made sense.  They are mainly a grey with a hint of blue.  I wondered what Purple and grey would look like and it turned out to be Lavender, which as a child of the ‘70’s was the colour of a nice Jaguar matchbox car.  I painted the arms, helmet and backpack white and then sought a reason why they wear Lavender.  Whilst researching the colour I noted the colour triad includes green and Orange/yellow.

Well, in my quest for anti grim-dark I decided to paint all my bases Old skool so that was green taken care of.  So that left orange/yellow.

Purple/Lavender and yellow/orange are the colours of sunrise and sunset.

That was it, they come from an ice planet (white) and attack when the sun is low and perhaps behind them.

 

Naming them left me undecided do I go for the hopeful “Rising Sons” (I changed the word as a nod to Sons of Sanguinious I think) or the more fateful “Setting Sons”?  One valiantly hopes to rise up against whatever, the latter realise that the end is nigh, their days may be numbered.

 

I quite liked the idea of White Scars.  I’m a fan of the movie “Mongol”, I’ve read several novels on Ghengis Khan but, having shelled out for the Space Marines codex and a supplement on Blood Angels which is now redundant I want to stay away from the “special” chapters and besides I don’t want to have to buy a load of extra vehicles (which is the WS thing).

If I do foray into larger games I want to be restricted, somewhat to a combat doctrine though.  So I began a search for a Progenitor/Primarch and a reason for their being.

 

One day, whilst painting a load of Space Marine Reivers I noticed how many leather pouches they had.  Where are all the cows? I asked on this forum and was told.  So it seems to me that someone needs to protect all these valuable sources of materials for the Empire.
 

Using one of the excellent online resources I looked at the 1st Founders(?) one just happened to be called Dusk Raiders.  Well that’s a coincidence…they happen to come from Albion.  Well that’s a coincidence…they tend toward infantry of the line.  Well…

But, despite being rock hard right hands of the Emperor their dad is Montarion who ends up being a traitor and they become the Death Guard…doh!  But wait…one of their Captains, a chap called Nathaniel GARRO, decides against treachery and warns the Emperors lot and saves the day, Huzzah! 
GARRO gets chosen by Malcador the Sigillite as a handful of knights who eventually become the Grey Knights, or something like that.

 

So, I like this Garro chap and the whole thing about Dusk Raiders how do I crowbar this into something fairly lore compliant…

 

Malcador the Sigillite.

Malc seems to be a pretty powerful dude.  He also happens to be the leader/founder of the Administration and Inquisition (?) (who need a lot of leather and so on).

So I got to thinking, Malc was pretty secretive, and probably had the ability/resources to get whatever he wants.  So whilst forming the Grey Knights who faff about with Psychic stuff, what if he was so impressed by Nathaniel GARRO and his resistance to treachery that he took GARRO’s gene seed and spawned a Legion of Space Marines who bravely protect the Administration and Inquisitions resources.

 

Another Coincidence…GARRO was leader of the 7th company of the Dusk Raiders, so I look up the company colour and it’s…purple.

 

So, perhaps they’re the Sons of GARRO…(Who is the son of Morty, but hey)

 

Back to the colour scheme…

Dusk Raiders were mostly unpainted but with red right arms and hands because they were the red right hands of the Emperor.

I’m currently playing with replacing the white with silver/plate/chain/mail and painting their right glove red.
 

Edited June 13 by Rowland

[Rowland]

This is v2 of a mock up

Edited June 13 by Rowland

[Rowland]

V3, Using grey seems more In keeping with Dusk Raiders but maybe isn’t as “bright” as white on the tabletop.

[Rowland]

It seems that I have broken nearly every “Don’t” in the excellent Guide complied by Ferrata.

However, onward…

Having taken the geneseed of Montarion from the steadfastly loyal Nathaniel Garro, Malcador instructed whoever makes marines to take their speech from them to reduce the chances of traitorous speech.  They are constantly monitored by the Inquisition in the hope (as an experiment to discover) that the Traitorous aspect of the gene is not inherent.

They also have the motto Pulvis et Umbra Sumus - we are dust and shadow which sounds pretty grimdark and speaks of fatalism and shadowy night attacks (perhaps they, like the Exorcists, have a large contingent of sneaky, infiltrator type troops)…

Edited June 14 by Rowland

[Rowland]

How does this sound to anyone with the patience to care…?
On the matter of Gene seed and the Setting Sons “creation”:

It seems the Grey Knights selection is difficult and they are few and far between.  Rather than lose the recruit who doesn’t have sufficient Psychic abilities they are drafted into the Setting Sons who are then indoctrinated into the “Cult of Garro” taught to despise traitors and the Death Guard.

Now I’ve read into Chimeric geneseeds which is often a no-no, but there is a precedent in Carchadons(?) So Malcador sought to “support” Garros’ Mortarion seed with the implacable loyalty of Rogal Dorns.

 

Any views are appreciated.

 

Notes to self: Cult of Garro - Zen like selflessness, silent retreat, hatred of traitors.

Edited June 14 by Rowland

[Rowland]

so far I have…

 

"You are Astartes indeed, and that will never alter. But you are a Death Guard no longer. You are a ghost, a figure that stands between light and dark, trapped amid the grey. And I have need of such a man.”

Malcador to Nathaniel GARRO.

 

Name:The Setting Sons.

“Manes in armis sumus”

We are ghosts in armour.

 

“Pulvis et umbra sumus” we are dust and shadow.

“Calamus gladio potentior est. Calamum custodi.”

 

Appearance: Austere, as sons of Nathaniel Garro their legs and torso are painted Purple the colour of the 7th Company and this is also the colour of the dusk sky a reference to the Dusk Raiders from whom the Legion trace their roots.  Their arms, shoulders and back pack are left grey as were the Dusk raiders, but as another reference, their right hands are painted red as being the red right hand of the Emperor.  Their Chapter badge is a half disc representing the setting son with two horizontal lines. The first low from the left two thirds across, the second above it from the right, two thirds across.  This also roughly forms an S. Sigils of echelon or honour of a Space Marine Legion or other fealty are absent, save for a hidden rune upon their shoulder plates; a stylised High Gothic letter "I" etched into the metal of the ceramite, the mark of the Malcador the Sigillite, the Regent of Terra and Adjutant to the Emperor.   This Sigil allows members of this Chapter extraordinary access to Empire facilities if needed.

 

Origin: The truth of the founding of the Setting Sons is unknown.  They are a secretive, silent arm of the Administratum charged with protecting the Agri worlds that produce the huge quantities of Biblus Ligare, Corium, plumbum and other copiae of the Administratum from raiders and incursions by Xenos and forces of chaos alike.  It is hard unrelenting, thankless work.  There is no glory in it.  But someone has to do it.

 

Gene-Seed:  Rumour has it that Malcador the Sigillite was impressed by Nathaniel GARRO, who became the hand of the Sigillite, he was curious to see if treachery was genetic or could be eradicated.  To this end, during the second founding , Malcador took a gene-seed from GARRO at the same time as the founding of the Grey Knights,  Malcador felt that combining the traitor Mortarions gene seed from the faithful GARRO with that of the stability of Guillimans gene-seed a new super faithful Marine could be developed.  

 

Deficiences: As followers of the cult of Garro the recruits have their tongues cut out to show that they are incapable of sedition.  This means that all communication is performed by hand signal or instinct.

The cult of Garro also breeds absolute hatred of Traitors.  This intense hypnotherapy at the early stages of a novices training can cause a novice brother to become so enraged with hatred that they become suicidally berserk, driven to purge the galaxy of the Traitor.  It takes the presence of a more experienced member of the Chapter (Chaplain) to maintain a level of order in novice units.

 

Recruitment: Those Neophytes who do not live up to their Psychic potential to join the Grey Knights are placed with the Setting Sons.

 

Chapter size:  777.  Unlike the 666 of the Grey Knights the Setting Sons hold the number 7 dear.  Each of the 7 companies of the Chapter have a self contained disposition of 1 Captain, 10 supporting specialists and officers and 100 fighting units which include battleline and heavy support.  Each company can then operate alone to defend and hold a beleaguered Agri planet either until the threat has been eliminated or the process of getting reinforcements have been Requested, Authorised and Despatched from other Chapters at which point, prior to their arrival the Setting Sons withdraw unseen.

 

Fleet based on the Flagship Castell FABER.

 

Beliefs and Dogmas: The cult of Garro worships the Martyr Nathaniel Garro who they are conditioned to see as their Progenitor who was murdered by the Traitorous Coward Mortarian.  They are Ascetics.  They live in silence reflecting on Koan to eliminate any thoughts of self.  They spend time in meditation to become one with the way which is one with the Emperor and the Emperors will.  They shun glory, signs of prestige and other decorations.

Edited June 26 by Rowland

[Rowland]

Combat Doctrine: The Setting Sons fight in a manner similar to the Blood Angels Flesh Tearers.  Their Noviciate, having been indoctrinated in the Cult of Garro but with little time to practice the selflessness desired in a veteran tend toward Berserking.  It has been noted that their fury has a similar effect on them as the “Black Rage” of the Blood Angels death companies.  This has proven to be a desirable trait of the Battleline who quickly overwhelm their foes in close combat.  Unfortunately without a Venerable brother present they can go too far and become undisciplined.

 

 

Edited June 16 by Rowland

[Commander Nicky]

Just curious: who is the chapter master and how is he like? How long has he ruled and how long has he been in control of the chapter?

 

If the cult is about Garro, it is the imperial cult and they could be religious perhaps, but I don't think they would venerate a Death Guard hero -> traitors are not liked by the inquistion and they would be branded as traitors...

 

However: 

 

Death Guard and Dark Angels have serveral traits in common. Have you considered doing Dark Angels instead? Dark angels with a Garro as a commander?

 

If YOU (Rowland) were their Chapter Master: How would they act according to your mood? Would they have self-dicipline before charging in uncontrolling (like berserkers)?

 

you can make a checklist of of these questions

 

In one hand: You ask for something like restain, coolness, calculating and grim determination. And yet you ask for: Agression, uncontrolling anger, and no-one-to-tell-me-what-to-do mentality:

 

Do you get what I am saying?

 

 

[Rowland]

2 hours ago, Commander Nicky said:

Just curious: who is the chapter master and how is he like? How long has he ruled and how long has he been in control of the chapter?

 

If the cult is about Garro, it is the imperial cult and they could be religious perhaps, but I don't think they would venerate a Death Guard hero -> traitors are not liked by the inquistion and they would be branded as traitors...

 

However: 

 

Death Guard and Dark Angels have serveral traits in common. Have you considered doing Dark Angels instead? Dark angels with a Garro as a commander?

 

If YOU (Rowland) were their Chapter Master: How would they act according to your mood? Would they have self-dicipline before charging in uncontrolling (like berserkers)?

 

you can make a checklist of of these questions

 

In one hand: You ask for something like restain, coolness, calculating and grim determination. And yet you ask for: Agression, uncontrolling anger, and no-one-to-tell-me-what-to-do mentality:

 

Do you get what I am saying?

 

 

All good points Commander Nicky and ones I clearly need to address (this is what I was hoping for so they will at least hold up to some scrutiny.

I wanted to get a little Zen Buddhism into this Chapter.  I also love stories about the good guy bringing down the bad/corrupt guys against the odds (Think Serpico et al).  They also need to be a little ironic hence they are protectors of the Empires paper clip suppliers etc.

So, to your points…

(Having read up on what a CM is…) The Chapter Master is Nathaniel GARRO who is, although his body is thought to be dust he is now at one with the Emperor, which all novices hope to become.  However the Chapter itself will be the Venerable somebody or rather.  This person is thought to have attained the greatest level of selflessness (hence no desire to turn traitor) and is able to do the will of the way unquestionably (In other words he does whatever his handler the current Adeptus Administratum Master of supplies wishes).

 

The cult of GARRO.  As far as members of the cult are concerned (i.e. this Chapter) GARRO was a forthright champion of the Emperor, an honourable member of the Dusk Raiders before the filthy traitor Montarion was known to be their Progenitor.  Despite all else GARRO remained loyal to the Emperor (The true way) throughout, nobly informing the Emperors forces of the turning of the filthy traitor Mortarion.  The selfish desires of Mortarion and the Death Guard are anathema to the cult of Garro.

 

The Chapter exist as an experiment by Malcador who wanted to see if sedition was genetic.  Their presence is probably considered heretical.  Their founding will remain secret hence their name and appearance has been changed from Dusk Raiders.

They are known to the Masters of the Inquisition because their founding and connections to the Grey Knights are close.

As a fast reaction team to protect supply lines of the Administratum. There job is seen as a menial one but someone has to do it.

I have looked at all the factions/chapters.  For some reason I feel more engaged if I have a connection to a thing.  I tried to like Crour blades but they weren’t colourful enough so flipped to Exorcists but they were just grim and had no sense of humour.  I like the fact that this Chapter, because everyone thinks they could be traitors, boo, they are squirreled away to do the important mundane stuff quietly in the backround.  I’m thinking their other motto could be something like “The pen is mightier than the sword.  Protect the pen!”…or something like that in Latin.

I think Warhammer should allow us to go our own way and all this Lore fluff is getting too restrictive…maybe (as a newcomer it’s certainly proving tricky).

 

Also Dark Angels are the Special Forces type squad dudes who have Kill teams I think(?) again cool but not my thing.

 

As the Chapter Master the novices are indoctrinated to the cult of Garro and taught to be as selfless as possible and to not interfere with the way of things.  However they are the defensive arm of the Emperors way and paper clips, leather and so on must be supplied to the Empire for that is the way of things.  Anything standing in the way of that purpose must be removed quickly to ensure balance is restored.  Unfortunately the first steps of the initiation, which last for many years, requires novices to understand the sacrifices the Martyr Nathaniel GARRO made against the filthy traitor Mortarion and it is expected that they won’t have yet reached the perfection of total self control, this they can become a little hot headed and may wind each other up as a unit so as to go completely berserk.  Only can a Venerable brother remind them of their path.

 

I hope that answers the questions, please don’t hesitate to probe further.  Whilst they’re my plastic army men, I’m quite enjoying the process of trying to DIY in a slightly humorous way without breaking the game.

Edited June 16 by Rowland

[Rowland]

Calamus gladio potentior est. Calamum custodi.

The pen is mightier than the sword, guard the pen.

Edited June 25 by Rowland

[Rowland]

My Chapter Master is the Most Venerable Certenon Proditor Norris Staedtler.

How old can these guys be?

 

Also they do not record any great deeds and have never taken part in a big do.  Work’s work.

 

Captain William Horatio SMITH

Commander Stan RYMANS

Apothecary Crispin “Staples” JONES

Dreadnaught will hold Malcolm BISLEY.

Sgt Frank Xerox.

 

Edited June 20 by Rowland

[Rowland]

As a Chapter that fights from dusk into night, predominantly, the marines consume vast quantities of carrots because everyone knows they help with night vision.

 

Manes in armis sumus

We are ghosts in armour.

[Rowland]

V4, the final iteration…

[Rowland]

Chapter badge.

Edited June 25 by Rowland

[Rowland]

@Brother Tyler will this suffice for the Library?

 

TBA:

page on the Internet with the DIY information (link to this page)

one of the following:

1 HQ and 2 Troops squads, completely painted (tabletop gaming level)

1 Troops squad, completely painted (tabletop gaming level), and a paragraph about the DIY. (A squad or squads of finished models with the “appearance” description below).

painter image (or similar 2D rendering) and a 1,000+ word article or collection of articles

 

 

"You are Astartes indeed, and that will never alter. But you are a Death Guard no longer. You are a ghost, a figure that stands between light and dark, trapped amid the grey. And I have need of such a man.”

Malcador to Nathaniel GARRO.

Name: The Setting Sons.

Founding: Second founding

Gene seed: Dusk Raiders

Predecessor: officially unknown but it is known to the Chapter to be that of The Traitor Mortarians taken from Nathaniel GARRO and Roboute Guilliman.

 

 

Origin:  Much of the Setting Sons history remains in mystery and secrecy or has been purposefully removed from archives.

The truth of the founding of the Setting Sons is not widely known.  They are a secretive, silent arm of the Administratum charged with protecting the Agri and Industrial worlds that produce the huge quantities of Biblus Ligare, Corium, plumbum and other copiae of the Administratum from raiders and incursions by Xenos and forces of chaos alike.  It is hard unrelenting, thankless work.  There is no glory in it.  But someone has to do it.

 

However according to legend, the Setting Sons began as a project during the final days of the Horus Heresy. Prompted by the constant complaints of Ossian the Chancellor of the Imperial estate, Malcador the Sigilite foresaw that events following the immediate aftermath of the Heresy would likely end at such a great personal cost to the Administatum that it would be prevented from actively defending mankind from the great threat by running out of supplies for the Administration of the forces needed to fight Chaos, Daemons and the Xenos, so he set in motion a plan to form a defence against such undersupply. Malcador was well aware of the organisational difficulties and politics of getting the many Legions of Astartes to deploy rapidly to seemingly less important threats.

While forming the Grey Knights Malcador the Sigilite had searched across the Imperium for men suitable to fight the Daemon and took this opportunity to create a small force of superhuman Space marines that could defend supplies where the local militia were failing.

 

Battle Cry: “Manes in armis sumus, Pulvis et umbra sumus” - We are ghosts in armour, we are dust and shadow.

Chapter Motto: “Calamus gladio potentior est. Calamum custodi.” - The pen is mightier than the sword, guard the pen.

 

Appearance:  Austere.  As sons of Nathaniel Garro their legs and torso are painted purple grey, the colour of the 7th Company and this is also the colour of the dusk sky a reference to the Dusk Raiders from whom the Legion trace their roots.  Their arms, shoulders and back pack are left grey as were the Dusk raiders, but as another reference, their right hands are painted red as being the red right hand of the Emperor.  Their Chapter badge is a half black disc representing the setting son with two horizontal lines. The first low from the left two thirds across, the second above it from the right, two thirds across.  This also roughly forms an S.

As predominantly night fighters they eschew shiny things, their weapons are blackened and their markings of rank and aquilla are of dulled steel.

 

 

 

Gene-Seed:  Rumour has it that Malcador the Sigillite was impressed by Nathaniel GARRO, who became the hand of the Sigillite, he was curious to see if treachery was genetic or could be eradicated.  Garro’s loyalty to the Emperor outweighed his devotion to his Primarch.  To this end, during the second founding , Malcador took a gene-seed from GARRO at the same time as the founding of the Grey Knights,  Malcador felt that combining the traitor Mortarions gene seed from the faithful GARRO with that of the stability of Guillimans gene-seed a new super faithful Marine could be developed.  

 

Deficiences: As followers of the cult of Garro the brothers are insular and silent. Speech used for anything but the arts martial is frowned upon.

The cult of Garro also breeds absolute hatred of Traitors.  The combination of their psycho surgery following recruitment and Intense hypnotherapy into the cult at the early stages of a novices training can cause a novice brother to become so enraged with hatred that they become suicidally berserk, driven to purge the galaxy of the Traitor.  It takes the presence of a more experienced member of the Chapter a Venerable brother(Chaplain) to maintain a level of order in novice units.

 

Recruitment:

Recruitment of Setting Sons is a by product of the Grey Knights recruitment process.  Unlike most Space Marine Chapters, the Grey Knight recruits are often drawn directly from the Black Ships after they return to Terra by the Gatherers. They are then brought to the Chamber of Trials on Titan for testing. The most advanced bio-engineering and psycho-surgery available is utilized to condition the Neophytes, and each recruit must pass the six hundred and sixty six Rituals of Detestation, to prove that he is capable of withstanding horrors that would break even the greatest of 'normal' Space Marines.  The recruit also has the majority of their memories and personality erased. Those Neophytes who do not live up to their Psychic potential to join the Grey Knights are placed with the Setting Sons.  This has been known to give rise to the nickname “the rejects” amongst the Grey Knights.

These Novices are then separated into groups and each is assigned to a Venerable Brother, who will oversee their further training and deploy on the Battleline as a Chaplain and Sergeant. 

 

Chapter size:  777.  Unlike the 666 of the Grey Knights the Setting Sons hold the number 7 dear.  Each of the 7 companies of the Chapter have a self contained disposition of 1 Captain, 10 supporting specialists and Venerable brothers and 100 fighting units which include battleline and heavy support.  Each company can then operate alone to defend and hold a beleaguered supply  planet either until the threat has been eliminated or the process of getting reinforcements have been Requested, Authorised and Despatched from other Chapters at which point, prior to their arrival the Setting Sons withdraw unseen.

 

Fleet based on the Flagship Castell FABER.

 

Beliefs and Dogmas: The cult of Garro worships the Martyr Nathaniel Garro who they are conditioned to see as their Progenitor who was murdered by the Traitorous Coward Mortarian.  They are Ascetics.  They live in silence reflecting on Koan to eliminate any thoughts of self.  They spend time in meditation to become one with the way which is one with the Emperor and the Emperors will.  They shun glory, signs of prestige and other decorations.

 

Combat Doctrine: The Setting Sons tend toward full frontal, vicious hand to hand assaults.  Their greater numbers are of Noviciate brothers, having been indoctrinated in the Cult of Garro but with little time to practice the selflessness desired in a veteran, tend toward Berserking.  It has been noted that their fury has a similar effect on them as the “Black Rage” of the Blood Angels death companies.  This has proven to be a desirable trait of the Battleline who quickly overwhelm their foes in close combat.  Unfortunately without a Venerable brother present they can go too far and become undisciplined.  To this end each unit of battleline brothers is accompanied by a Venerable brother to ensure sufficient numbers remain disciplined and can continue their training to, eventually, become Venerable Brothers in support roles

 

Notable Campaigns: The cult of Garro is said to be based on a "special transmission outside scriptures and records which does not stand upon words". As a result of this the Chapter does not record its many conflicts.  The mere fact that other Imperial forces are able to continue with their heroic and some would say “more glamorous” work is enough for the Brothers of the Setting Sons.

 

Notable relics:

The most prized is said to be the pieces of Libertas recovered after the battle of Nathaniel Garro and Mortarion.

The Narthecium of Crispin Jones the Apothecary.  It is said that more limbs had been stapled back onto marines after battle than the marines had use of.  Jones was given the nickname “Staples” and the Narthecium was affectionately known as Jones’s staple gun.

 

Notable members:

Chapter Master the Most Venerable Certenon Proditor - Norris Staedtler.

Captain William Horatio SMITH

Brother Stan RYMANS

Apothecary Crispin “Staples” JONES

Dreadnaught The Venerable Malcolm BISLEY.

The Venerable Sgt Francis “Frank” Xerox.

Edited June 26 by Rowland

[Brother Tyler]

@RowlandAbsolutely.

 

If you haven't already done so, you might take a look at some of the finished DIY Chapter articles. There are diverse formats and different types/quantities of information provided in each, demonstrating the level of flexibility members have in crafting their articles.

 

An article works well for a single "post" format. An alternative format you might consider is to have a blog. This works well if you want to have each area presented separately, allowing for members to jump around (via links) as well as for future expansion that you might develop.

[Rowland]

1 hour ago, Brother Tyler said:

@RowlandAbsolutely.

 

If you haven't already done so, you might take a look at some of the finished DIY Chapter articles. There are diverse formats and different types/quantities of information provided in each, demonstrating the level of flexibility members have in crafting their articles.

 

An article works well for a single "post" format. An alternative format you might consider is to have a blog. This works well if you want to have each area presented separately, allowing for members to jump around (via links) as well as for future expansion that you might develop.

I’ve read some of the articles.  I would like to introduce some of the drawings but I’m not sure where to get a Primaris version that I could “paint” with Affinity.  I’m not sure how a blog would work (I don’t really know much about blogs other than that they’re a personal diary…). Can you point to one as an example please?

[Brother Tyler]

I have bitmap versions of both Firstborn and Primaris Space Marines that you might be able to use. These are the templates I used for the images shown in the Insignium Astartes: Legio. Alternately, if you look at the DIY Resources, you'll find a link to the old Space Marine Painter (Firstborn) and a link to the Primaris markings and heraldry sheet. One of these might be helpful.

[Rowland]