The Castigators

[Nash Trickster]

The name for the land seems to be somewhat ironic. The only somewhat hospitable territory on the world is called the Terminator :) ?

Erm... I find it a bit ironic that the same person who advocates for a less "Astronomy for Dummies"-like version of the part about the tidally-locked nature of the planet is also the same who apparently doesn't know that astronomers name the limit between night and day the terminator... :P

 

Though I agree that some people will be surprised by the use of the word "terminator" in that context, the other commonly used name for the area "the twilight zone" isn't better IMO :)

 

=====

 

Glad to see you back at this Mol! I agree that you are quite too modest. The Castigators were what inspired me into writing fully fledged IAs instead of the "few general ideas thrown on a post-it" that served as my Chapters' fluff before ;)

(And to be 100% honest, I take pride in knowing that some of the stuff that make the Castigators nowadays --particularly the name "Howling Stars"-- came from my humble suggestions... Makes me feel like I'm part of "something bigger".)

[Commissar Molotov]

Thank you to everybody who took the time to comment. The draft in my last post had been put together relatively quickly, hence the ridiculous typographical errors - the bane of my life. But then again, I've read the IA so many times that I'm becoming blind to little things like that, and the eyes of other people are particularly useful.

 

@KingHongKong:

 

Whilst I appreciate that it can seem a little like 'Astronomy for Dummies', I think it's important to explain the fundamentals of what a planet being tidally locked means. There is a dilemma here, because I don't want to underestimate the reader, but it's important to convey the information needed to understand the situation Losanco finds itself in. I'm not sure if I'll ever resolve it to everyone's satisfaction.

 

I'll take on board your opinion regarding the execution of psykers - the word 'killed' will be changed. Likewise, repeating 'command' was simply the result of stitching together various drafts.

 

Given the radiation that the bands would suffer when lingering in the light side of the world, wouldn't it be better to clarify that even the hunters make quick raids so as to avoid being caught out in the sun for too long? Unless, of course, you're changing that.

 

It's worth being clear here that the homeworld has changed somewhat. Originally, the Losancan population lived in the dark side, whilst hunting in the light to eradicate the mutants. I thought it nicely subverted our usual preconceptions, but was troubled by various problems. For one, it was difficult to explain how the Losancans hadn't been reduced to nocturnal mole-men, and it was difficult to explain how they survived. The concept has evolved to have them living within the terminator (or "the twilight zone"), caught between the light and the darkness, with neither being particularly palatable. Thematically it links to the precarious position man finds itself within the larger galaxy, but it also makes their lives that bit more precarious (and hopefully that little bit more interesting). The shift towards the various human settlements gave the whole thing a somewhat more post-apocalyptic air which I found quite interesting. It would be easy to keep detailing the planet until this topic became "IA: Losanco Secundus", but I'm trying to provide enough interesting information whilst still making it relevant to the Castigators - making it clear that the Chapter as it exists in the 41st millennium is a direct consequence of the homeworld.

 

The Chaplains provide them with weaponry and basic equipment that can be bartered or used to make their lives that bit easier. In return, those children that meet the Chaplains' stringent standards will be taken to begin the next phase of their lives.

 

The tricky bit here is "their lives" - I'll take it under advisement and tweak that section so that it hopefully flows somewhat better.

 

I did like your suggestions regarding the Castigators having thought through the existence of mutants on their homeworld. I suppose you could make the argument that it's down to the Losancans themselves to purge their home so that the Emperor might be pleased with the planet once again. One element I added in to this last draft was the idea that the Emperor has turned His face away from an impure galaxy, leaving behind His greatest warriors to defend the Imperium. Obviously a corruption of the Heresy and his ascension to the Golden Throne, it has interesting implications. The Losancans must be pure of heart and must wage war upon the impurity within their midst, just as the Castigators often find themselves fighting against "the enemy within" - the heresy that festers at the heart of the Imperium.

 

@Grey Hunter Ydalir:

 

Corrected "Chaptel". The wider point you make regarding the armour and equipment of dead heroes is an interesting one. Whilst the majority of equipment certainly would be used again and again, I don't believe that everything necessarily would. To me, it's an integral part of the mythos that the armour a Space Marine uses is thousands of years old, that each warrior enters battle wearing holy relics and sacred artefacts. That's very "grimdark" to me. But still, I think in certain cases these artefacts would not immediately be handed on, but might be reserved for other Marines to demonstrate worth - or might be retained as holy relics. Bear in mind that the article gives the briefest of summaries of the chapels that each Company maintains. As such, the narration may be dwelling upon particularly rare examples and making them seem commonplace.

 

It's nice to hear that you remember the Ryssith! I'm rather fond of them. And whilst the Castigators managed to wipe out the nestworlds within the Howling Stars, I think there's still quite a few out there somewhere. It was simply intended to refer back to one of my earlier creations whilst making the Castigators appear part of a wider universe. The Ryssith don't need to be expanded here, I think - it would probably be close to the treatment of the Scythians within the Crimson Fists' IA Article. It was also a deliberate ploy to avoid having to mention how long elapsed between the Chapters' creation and their discovery of Losanco Secundus. It's been written elsewhere that Baraquiel was dying as he watched the last Ryssith nestworld burn from orbit, so their war against the reptilian xenos had to have continued afterwards.

 

To touch on your final point - I'm slowly overhauling the whole IA to try to improve it. I'll gladly address any issues as you see them.

 

@Marshal2 Crusaders:

 

Good spot on "dark-siders", and a legacy of trying to reconcile various drafts. I'll change it to "survivors" for the time being.

 

Any thoughts on making this section read "smoothly" are more than welcomed. It's a little jolty because I'm having to describe the homeworld, Baraquiel ordering the construction of Sanctuary, then the recruitment process, and then finally detailing Sanctuary. Your thoughts on improving it would be appreciated!

 

@Nash Trickster:

 

It's nice to hear from you once more! The Castigators would not be what they are now without your comments!

 

 

 

Having read these comments I've addressed the typographical errors as they stand now, and I'm looking forward to any further feedback - thanks in advance!

[voi shet magir]

A loose brotherhood, these roving bands of Mutant Hunters are not tied to any particular settlement. Instead they roam the wastelands, stopping at towns to resupply, to pray at the Emperor's shrine and to barter for goods. Sand-scarred, hard bitten, the Hunters evoke fear and respect in equal measure. Hardened by their lives, they command their parties with a steady hand and a commanding voice that rises above the harsh winds of the endless desert.

 

 

Money crosses the room, and stares into the fireplace. Reflected fire dances in his pupils, and an expression of the deepest longing crosses his face.

 

He brushes his long black hair out of his face (his bangs are always getting in the way XD) so that his red eyes can better gaze into the inferno. It isn't easy being a half-demon, he thought. Ever since his father was hunted and killed by the stupid nobles (there are good demons too! ;)) his mom got scared and said he was moving in with his aunt and uncle in Bel Air (which his in Tokyo Japan :3).

 

A single tear fell from his the crimson orbs.

 

I have trouble telling the above quotes apart, together they are like a find-six-differences puzzle in a childrens' magazine. Neither of them even attempt to make a case for their importance. IAs are not narratives, generalities are ok. What I do value in, you know: text, is some kind of content. I do not mind reading generalities about a specific entity, like that The Castigators have some kind of infinitive practice, or that some anonymous group of settlers performed some specific action at a given time.

 

This is the opposite of when guys in PCA post their work from three years ago and everyone is shocked by the intervening improvement in quality. Do you get that when it comes to Bulwer-Lytton levels, you actually can spell "infamy" without "fame?" I think that instead of editing the old one, you could rewrite it entirely, using the same material, but never even referring to the original.

[Fox Of 9]

Damn it Mol Your writing is as brilliant as your painting.

 

I hope when i actually get round to my IA its half as good as this :D

[Commissar Molotov]

I think my painting is as bad as your reading. :P

 

This thread hasn't been replied to for just under a year! I was surprised to get the email notification that somebody had replied to it.

 

I do have loose plans to revisit the Castigators again - they are showing their age - but nothing concrete at the moment. So, in the future I will be updating the IA article (and I've been asked to write an IA article for a friends' Chapter) but for now, leave these scarlet-clad zealots to rest. :D

[Epistolary Exander]

I think my painting is as bad as your reading. ;)

 

This thread hasn't been replied to for just under a year! I was surprised to get the email notification that somebody had replied to it.

 

I do have loose plans to revisit the Castigators again - they are showing their age - but nothing concrete at the moment. So, in the future I will be updating the IA article (and I've been asked to write an IA article for a friends' Chapter) but for now, leave these scarlet-clad zealots to rest. :lol:

 

I wouldnt put your work down, it will always be better than anything I could produce :).

[Captain Sandoval]

Congratulations Mol, you've got a new convert to your Chapter! I love how you splashed Rogal Dorn goodness all over an Ultramarines successor... guess you could say the Castigators are to the Ultramarines as the Black Templars are to the Imperial Fists, and it's completely believable given the wild divergence of the Mortifactors. =P

 

Although I will not be using the light blue eyes/white chapter symbol, I prefer green and black. (Sons of Korhal and all!) :P

 

 

Edit: I whipped this up and humbly submit it to the Castigators chapter librarium. ;)

 

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2838/castigatormarine.png

[Commissar Molotov]

Today marks nine years since I first posted this thread. I've been away from 40k proper for a while, focussing instead on the Inq28 scene. Some of you may have seen today that I posted the start of The Battle for Swordpoint, and attempt to bring the Castigators up to date with the newest fluff for the Astartes and the 40k universe in general. I intend to do up the IA article, and perhaps to gather up more of their fluff and artwork into some kind of compendium.

 

I hope you guys will join me in blowing the dust of this venerable Chapter as they attempt to return to the light of day!

 

-Mol.

[Olis]

Welcome back to the Liber, Commissar! Such a venerable thread (well venerable in terms of the internet, at least) deserves some overdue attention - can it be nearly three years since the last post was made? A lot has changed on B&C since then - a new skin, a new version of forum software, reorganisation after reorganisation (yes, we did indeed leave the basement for a while but the liber is back there again :rolleyes: ), voi shet magir was banned (actually, that's something I've only just noticed), Brother Argos is stepping down after all these years and, of course, there are new Liber Mods!

 

Don't worry, we know what we are doing. Just ignore the burn marks on the walls. Myself, Messor and Aquilanus will be here if you need anything. ;)

[Commissar Molotov]

Thank you for the warm welcome. Indeed, I'm still trying to work around the new B+C software. I copied the whole of this thread into a word document and it topped out at about 900 pages - so plenty to go through and organise!

 

My first priority is to go through the IA article. Looking back, there's quite a bit in terms of the writing style I would like to change. If anyone would care to look back at the first post and give me their verdict, I would appreciate it. I'm not talking in terms of minute spelling and grammatical errors, but more about the 'feel' of the piece - whether readers feel that enough information is conveyed, or whether more needs to be added.

 

I hope to have a new draft in the next few days!

 

- Mol.

[Commissar Molotov]

Alright,

 

So - I have been away for a few weeks, finishing up the term and pondering where to go with the Castigators. I want some way to consolidate all the ideas I have had for the Castigators over the last nine years, and to really have a project to be proud of. In discussion with Darth Potato and Marshal2Crusaders - two of my closest allies in these endeavours - I've kept coming back to the concept of creating something along the lines of an Imperial Armour book detailing the Castigators.

 

The Index Astartes format is a noble and worthy one, but I want to move beyond that and really get to grips with what makes the Castigators tick.

 

This was the initial concept I had:

 

 

 

Introduction

 

The Founding

-          Dark “13^th” Founding

-          14^th Founding

-          Vocates

The First Castigator

·         Baraquiel, Black Consuls

·         First Crusade

·         Discovery of Losanco

·         Death against the Ryssith >>RYSSITH SIDEBAR<<

·         14-year Mourning Crusade

>>>> Map of Howling Stars / Dalthus <<<<

                                                >>DALTHUS SIDEBAR<<

A World of Darkness and Light

-          Losanco Secundus

-          The Citadel

Clad in Honour: Heraldry and Livery of the Castigators

·         Colours

·         Power Armour

·         Equipment

·         Honour Badges

Chapter Organisation

-          Table of the Chapter:

-          LIBRARIUM

-          CHAPLAINCY

-          FORGE

-          Chapter Banners

-          Captains and Duties

-          COMPANY I

-          COMPANY II

-          COMPANY III

-          COMPANY IV

-          COMPANY V

-          COMPANY VI

-          COMPANY VII

-          COMPANY VIII

-          COMPANY IX

-          COMPANY X

 

The Castigators at War: Combat Doctrine

-          Explanation of how Castigators fight

-          Exploration of Castigators at battle – show II + V, Battle for Maethax

 

A Legacy of Honour: Battles of the Castigators

Timeline

-          The Truth War

-          Battle for Maethax

-          Swordpoint Crusades

 

Any feedback would certainly be appreciated - I am keen to work on this alongside my other projects so that I have something ready for next year's anniversary.

 

Hope you're all well,

 

- Mol.

[Olis]

Apologies for not getting back to this regarding your previous post, brother. I had intended to but it slipped away from me as I had to focus on other things.

 

Anyway, this Imperial Armour style article idea sounds great - it would be something different, at the least.

[Captain Sandoval]

My my, I was just reminiscing on the Castigators and thinking I might use them as the basis for my SM army that I've been meaning to build for sometime, and lo and behold I notice Mol is revisiting his masterpiece. ^_^

[Commissar Molotov]

Helstrom - thanks for the comment! It is much appreciated. The Liber is very quiet these days, so I appreciate anyone looking for my work. :)

 

I will be trying to work on this over the next year, though work is very busy this time of year!

[Alpha One]

These guys are pretty cool, where'd you get your inspiration from?

[Commissar Molotov]

Over the year so far I've made some progress with producing a mega-document for the Castigators. 

 

I have a word document that currently stands at 81 pages - though the version that is text only is a more respectable 45. I would certainly appreciate some input from others, and if that interests you then please by all means contact me via email (inq28blog@gmail.com) and I will send it out to you. 

 

2015 (and the ten year anniversary of the Castigators on the B+C) is slipping through my fingers and I would certainly like to make some progress before the year is out - so I will be posting excerpts here periodically in the hope that I can receive some feedback. 

 

Hope everyone is well, 

 

Mol. 

[Commissar Molotov]

The Founding

 

The Dark Founding

All records relating to the so-called ‘Dark Founding’ have long since been eradicated or lost within the labyrinthine bureaucracy of the Imperium, leaving behind only supposition and fevered assumption. For the sake of the Imperium's safety, and the sanity of every Man, such events are perhaps best left forgotten.

 

None can truly tell the names, the numbers or even the details of the chapters created during this time. Dark rumours abound, but none can be confirmed or denied. 

 

Any information relating to the founding would likely be hidden deep on Mars itself, guarded by all the tech-legions of the Fabricator-General himself. The Adeptus Mechanicus refuses to answer any request for information on the topic, preventing the truth from being revealed.  In the past, academics have even been executed on the order of the High Lords for daring to openly suppose what went on in those long-forgotten times.

 

Those few individuals aware of exactly what transpired during those dark days would seem unprepared to divulge their secrets.

Creating a Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes is an event of political, military and economic significance. Huge resources must be devoted to raising such mighty warriors and equipping them to bring war to the enemies of the Emperor. 

 

Imperial scholars know that there have been twenty-six great foundings, each contributing to the creation of over one thousand Space Marine Chapters that stand in the defence of the Imperium. And yet many records relating to the events have been destroyed, purged, rescinded or revised; whole centuries of history erased entirely or buried beneath the suffocating weight of Imperial bureaucracy.

 

What records remain relating to the fourteenth founding are said to depict the gene-smiths of the Adeptus Mechanicus taking extraordinary care to ensure the Chapters created were free from genetic taint. Four-fifths of the chapters created bore the genetic material of Roboute Guilliman or Rogal Dorn, said to bear pure and unsullied gene-legacies. Whilst Chapters were certainly created using 'lesser' or 'questionable' gene-seeds, these were in the vast minority and created under extremely tight scrutiny. Scholars have reconstructed accounts that suggest that the flesh-smiths even eradicated a half-constructed Chapter because it did not meet the fourteenth founding's stringent standards. 

 

The reasons for the drastic measures undertaken in the creation of the Castigators may well have their roots in the after-effects of the thirteenth Astartes founding, the so-called "Dark Founding". Whatever exactly occured, it is clear that the myopic focus upon genetic purity that characterised the founding of the Castigators has affected the Chapter deeply to this day.

 

The First Castigator

 

A Chapter's first master will invariably leave a lasting mark upon his charges. Certainly, this was the case for Barathus, a veteran commander of the celebrated Black Consuls Chapter. 

 

Barathus was known by his men as 'the Castigators', and was possessed with a fervent desire to purge the enemies of the Emperor for their transgressions. When given command of the new Chapter, he bestowed the name 'Castigators' upon it, hoping to inspire the same righteous fury in its warriors. 

 

During the Castigators' first centuries of service, the Chapter maintained an unceasing war against the enemies of the Throne. Barathus was a keen strategist, and he drove his newest warriors to their limits. Moving from campaign to campaign, the Chapter fought to establish a legacy that would last the ages. The world of Rihad witnessed the Castigators ____________. On Kessok, the Castigators swore binding oaths to __________. 

 

Barathus would eventually meet his end against the alien Ryssith. As he died, he directed his warriors to burn their nestworlds to cinders. 

..

[Commissar Molotov]

Hi, I'm really pleased to see you back. And it's almost like an old-fashioned Liber thread again! 

 

Please feel free to comment on anything and everything in the document I sent you - the longer your list, the better. I was posting sections here, but the lack of decent feedback has stymied things somewhat. 

 

My feeling as I read back through these two sections were that they were a bit perfunctory - functional, but not with enough flair. I'm wanting to read through the Horus Heresy books to try to get a handle on the Alan Bligh style. It's interesting how in some ways things have changed since we were writing IA articles. Loads of my older Chapters have been lost to the archive! 

 

I remember that I used to feel people would put undue emphasis on their Chapter founders in Index Astartes articles. Now that we're looking to write something larger and more in-depth, I'm having to re-think aspects of the Chapter - even things I never detailed in the first place. I agree with you that a lot of these things need detailing, so I will be considering it. 

 

Baraquiel became Barathus because I thought the former name was a little too angelic - it reminds me a little too much of the Dark Angels. As a result, I went for something a little more Romanesque. Of course, we don't know much - if anything - about the Black Consuls, so I will be making some of it up as I go. 

 

I will put together what I can soon. I hope you found the document interesting and can see where I'm going with it! 

[Lysimachus]

Mol, I was horrified to see how many awesome IA's have been lost. Even SCC's Brazen Claw article! Almost like we survived the Dark Founding ourselves haha.:ph34r:

 

The Angels of Perdition will rise again!

Question (and apologies if my poor old memory has failed again!): does that mean you're Ninebreaker?

 

And if so, speaking as both a Liber Mod and a huge fan of the Chapters in the Vocates, welcome back! It would be awesome to see more of the IA writers from those days back on the B&C!

 

The loss of the Librarium was something of a blow to many, but there were good reasons and maybe one day it'll come back in some form or other, bigger and better. In the meantime, there is the Tabula Astartes where links can be added for DIY Chapter articles?

 

Edit: and apologies to Mol, I noticed you'd re-started posted stuff for the Castigators but I hadn't/haven't yet had time to put as much thought as I'd like into a reply. But definitely keep posting bits of the bigger article, it's always a great read!

[Commissar Molotov]

A neo-Vocates, perhaps? 

 

Who knows, but in the meantime I am pleased to receive all the feedback I can. Lysimachus, if you want to see the bigger file, send me an email and I'll hook you up. 

[Lysimachus]

Mol: Shot you a PM with email address. And it would be very cool to see you guys working on the project again and how the various Chapters involved have changed/developed in the intervening years!

 

Psi: Yeah, I noticed myself that some of the links don't seem to go anywhere (even some of my own that I know the threads exist). Either the links are going to the Librarium ( so non-existent) or to threads that are older and (I suspect) have been archived to save board space?

 

On the account thing, have you lost your password/details? If you send one of the Admins a PM, they might be able to sort it out?

[Dosjetka]

Nice to see another of the older ones make a return to the Liber! And I look forward to seeing a revisit of the Vocates :tu:

[Commissar Molotov]

Ah, cool that they've been able to merge the two accounts and put the previous posts under the Nine Breaker name. Certainly good that you're back in your fullest regalia. 

 

I agree that fewer Chapters would make sense. Previously we were trying to get things to fit the Zodiac (so twelve Chapters) and we had people desperate to join up. Now there's fewer people, we can try to simply focus around more reliable people and more cohesively-linked Chapters. 

 

I've sent you both the mega-file, so I can receive feedback. 

 

Perhaps we could summon more of the older ones? Speak the names that are not to be spoken - Darrell, Barret, Kinghongkong, Sigismund Himself, Cpt_Tiberius, Penitent Dreadnought, Toyship, Ferrus Manus, Tyrannicide, Marshal Rohr, Brother Varen, Nash Trickster...

[ToyShip]

My name was spoken, and so I am summoned. It's nice to see the Castigators rise from the depths of the Liber after all this time, I for one would love to see them brought back to their former glory! What is this I hear of the Vocates being reinstated? It feels like forever ago when we worked on that project! I tried to find what I had on the Execrators but they seem to have vanished in one of the many resets. If you gents are wanting to have another go at the Vocates or something similar, I'm in if you'll have me.

 

Anyway, on the topic of the Castigators, are you more focused on getting an "Imperial Armour" style article written up for the time being? Or perhaps something along the lines of the Horus Heresy Legion backgrounds? I'd be interested in reading the 'mega-file' as well, Mol.

 

As I said before, glad to see the Castigators back, and I'm glad to see you back here in the Liber. You too Nine_Breaker!

[EesiOh]

Okay, it's 6.42am and I haven't slept all night. Having an abundance of free time on my hands, I've been thinking about some stuff.

 

The Castigators send marines to Mars to be inducted into the machine cult. When they return, they are cold and distant. The Castigators hold them in suspicion. WHile acknowledging the need for their skills, the devotion shown by Techmarines to the Omnissiah is treated with suspicion and even outright hostility by some of the more zealous members of the chapter. As a result, the Techmarines live in isolation, surrounded by their beloved machines.

Rogue Trader doesn't seem to agree with this. He thinks that my marines wouldn't treat the techmarines with hostility, especially not since they rely upon them to keep the chapter's equipment in working order.

 

I countered this by saying that it's only the most zealous marines. The worship of the Omnissiah would not be approved by them.

 

Your thoughts would be welcomed.

 

Also, with some of my models, when I started working on the theme of a 'punishing' chapter, I gave them an almost industrial theme. There's a few models with chains and chainmail. These have mainly come from the Khorne Beserker Sprue.

 

Looking at the new Black Templar sprues, all the weapons are chained to the marines. The Templars, apparently, chain themselves to their weapons so they can keep fighting. Obviously, these chains would tie in to what I've been doing already. 

You could also try playing around with some death company things maybe? I'm sure the kit would have quite a few things you could use for your penitents