The Castigators

[Commissar Molotov]

Haha, I didn't say I was afraid of reading! I'll try and track down the book when I get a chance. If only to calm you down. :lol:

 

With regards to the centralisation aspect, I suppose you could argue that the ones closer to the light side are warmer - that would be one key reason to live there. Perhaps it's easier to grow food there. They take the risks on the frontiers so that they can survive that little bit better.

[Octavulg]

With regards to the centralisation aspect, I suppose you could argue that the ones closer to the light side are warmer - that would be one key reason to live there. Perhaps it's easier to grow food there. They take the risks on the frontiers so that they can survive that little bit better.

 

True - but why live several days from the nearest other village? Do they hate each other? Do they need the space for some reason? Do they like them their solitude? Is there some weird eugenic motivation?

 

Frankly, it doesn't make sense to live more than a day from other people in the world you're building (at least, I sure as hell wouldn't want to). This would seem to carry on right up the scale from individual up to large city.

[Commissar Molotov]

Well, considering that I'm not planning on drawing up a map of Losanco any time soon, with meticulously plotted trade-routes, it's mostly irrelevant. I don't want them to all live in one giant settlement. And thus it is so. :D Whether they live one day apart or more, I don't especially mind. Edited May 31, 2008 by Commissar Molotov

[Tyrannicide]

I see Losanco as a very bleak and distressing place to live. The Losancan people would no doubt, show this in their stern personalities. The Losancans would be a very bold and resolute band of individuals, but they would also have to deal with staving off the mutants. I believe the mutant 'kill-teams' motivation would come from the threat and possible danger the mutants possessed upon the settlements. One reason for the villages being so distant, could be the fact, that there could have been other settlements at one time, until some sort of extermination brought on by the mutants, killed all the inhabitants and destroyed the cities. This could also provide some reasoning, as to why the Losancan hunting parties go out, with such hate-filled vengeance towards the mutants, and risk their own lives now.

[Heru]

Perhaps it's easier to grow food there. They take the risks on the frontiers so that they can survive that little bit better.

Building on this perhaps the settlements are set up where the best ground is for crop growth (zones with water, good soil?), and that these pockets are distanced particularly far apart. Also perhaps the people on the frontier have to be there in order to feed the people on the "safer" dark side.

Now with the mutants perhaps they don't just raid for kicks, perhaps they raid the frontier settlements for supplies and captives (perhaps they need pure bloods to breed with?), this would give a rather realistic reason for the Dark Siders to form anti-mutant parties, to recover the supplies and the captives and cull the mutant numbers.

Edited May 31, 2008 by Heru Talon

[Tyrannicide]

Now with the mutants perhaps they don't just raid for kicks, perhaps they raid the frontier settlements for supplies and captives (perhaps they need pure bloods to breed with?), this would give a rather realistic reason for the Dark Siders to form anti-mutant parties, to recover the supplies and the captives and cull the mutant numbers.

This could actually work, and it seems realistic enough. I think that the mutant-killer bands would have much more of a motivational reason, than just a personal protection one, if it means they're women and children are in constant danger from the mutants.

[Octavulg]

Kinda kills the xenophobic edge, though. They're not hunting them down 'cause they're mutants, they're hunting them down cause they took their wimmin.

[Darrell]

I think it makes perfect sense for villages to be spaced apart, aside from the fact that Mol wishes it to be so, of course. :(

 

Consider that Losanco's people are forced to live in what amounts to perpetual twilight, which means there's not going to be a lot of resources around to live on. I imagine that places suitable for farming (At least large enough to support a settlement) would be relatively rare and treasured. Spacing settlements out allows them to maximize their ability to find these places and utilize them effectively, probably rotating crops between fields to ensure they don't drain one area of soil completely. Spacing out also allows you to avoid being completely run over by any mutant attacks, diseases, crop shortages or any other kind of disaster that can run rampant through concentrated populations.

 

It could also be a matter of circumstance. As I said earlier, fertile farming patches or hunting grounds may be days apart from each other which forces the communities to spread out in order to use them. The answer could be as simple as the natives of Losanco coming to the planet on different ships which all experienced some sort of failure and crashed in separate locations. Communities sprang up near those wrecks and the other ships were considered lost, or not worth the trouble to search for. Years later, they discover the existence of other communities but by this time suspicion has set in. They are naturally distrusting and, even after the other communities prove themselves, are inclined to stay amongst themselves. Eventually trade routes spring up and alliances are formed, but each is essentially its own isolated society.

 

There are plenty of real examples around. Why didn't all the city-states of ancient Greece just gather in one spot and form a country right away? Why did the first pilgrims to America spread out along the coast instead of staying in one place? It's perfectly reasonable for the people on Losanco to form communities that are some distance away from each other.

 

One thing about this is there are some potential rivalries that spring up amongst them. Those communities closest to the light-side see themselves as brave and warriors of the Emperor, while those communities closer to the dark are cowards or backwards barbarians. Those closer to the night-side see themselves as tougher and stronger than those communities closer to the light (Near-Night siders perhaps forming large, annual groups to venture towards the light to kill mutants while the Near-Light siders have smaller, more frequent parties), who perhaps are seen as being fattened by their more bountiful crops or are only a hair's breadth away from being mutants themselves.

 

Of course, all of that is just detailed conjecture that isn't necessary. The most important thing we need to know about the people on Losanco is they manage to stay alive on a harsh world, and thus they make great candidates for the Castigators. How they travel amongst communities, or how those communities feel about each other, are just details that would belong more in a novel than an IA. While it may be fun to theorize about, it doesn't really say much about the Castigators themselves, and they're the focus of the article!

 

I do have to say, though, it's hard to critique the Castigators. They've been refined over the years by someone who is very adept at the art of Chapter creation, and you could probably have an easier time critiquing the Ultramarines or the Salamanders than you could the Castigators. The hard work at refinement is obvious, but it also makes feedback hard to give.

[Commissar Molotov]

You're absolutely right that it lies outside the scope of a typical IA article, but with the Castigators, I'm keeping in mind that I'm hoping to resurrect the Castigators' website in a new and improved form. As a result, I'm able to expand things so as to delve fully into the background of these scarlet-clad zealots.

 

So I don't mind this discussion whatsoever. :)

[Commissar Molotov]

Some random notes I've been thinking about.

 

The majority of settlements on the dark-side of Losanco are sturdy, fortified towns, many built from scrap metal recovered from their ancient vessel. I imagine most of them would need city walls, and I can imagine them having large, barred gates. These settlements are guarded by militia forces, volunteers. I see them as exemplfying that 'techno-barbarian' idea. Some might have lascarbines or muskets, whilst others would prefer three feet of scrap metal. Quite rag-tag, as I've mentioned before.

 

The laws vary from settlement to settlement, but trial by combat is a mainstay of the society. The accuser and the accused in any dispute will fight to see who is right. Some combats might be to the death, but others might have different conditions. I imagine this might help exemplify the whole 'survival of the fittest' aspect. The central part to any settlement is the 'bloodsquare' (also known as the 'Court of Crimson') where disputes are settled, trade and agreements carried out, so on and so forth.

 

Mutants are feared and hated upon Losanco. Whether the mutation is simply trivial and inconvenient is irrelevant - mutated babies are killed at birth. The greatest threat is that of the latent psyker - a blemish that cannot be seen from the outside. Such psykers are seldom able to control themselves but are frequently capable of causing devastating damage - I have a vague idea that perhaps a medium-sized settlement was annihilated by a latent psyker unable to control himself. Anyway, those that are discovered are likely to face the wrath of those they once considered their friends and neighbours, being put to death for their abomination, lest they bring down the wrath of the Emperor and his Angels.

 

I imagine that the militas would tend to focus their efforts on protecting their towns and driving back mutants. If necessary, they'd try to stop raids and push them back to the dayside. Thinking about it, it helps to make Losanco more of an interesting world - the idea that there's this sort of combat going on. Mutants might try to capture settlements, raid caravans, etc, etc. But there'd be a rarer breed of warriors that take it upon themselves to go to the day-side in an attempt to eradicate the mutants. Sand-scarred, hard-bitten, they would evoke fear and respect in equal measure. I had the idea that those who hunt for the mutants paint a white band across their faces, a tradition said to invoke the Emperor's blessing. Perhaps some of the scouts could maintain this tradition - it would certainly be gone by the time they were full Marines, but it's a nice visual touch which actually reminds me of an image of a blue stripe that I saw in Insignium Astartes and brings in some of those 'techno-barbaric' aspects without me needing to go all 'Kil Kil Kil!'. I imagined that young and impressionable Children might revere these rugged warriors, and some might join the expeditions. The Chaplains would observe these milita groups from a distance and stop them on their way back, taking the child and providing the militia forces with technology or weaponry so as to continue the fight. I don't know.

 

Any thoughts are welcome.

[Tyrannicide]

I like the feel of the settlements as they're coming together, very rag-tag and improvised indeed. The town militia and all, seems to be right. But what interests me the most, are these bands of mutant killers (these guys need a set name). I would like to know more on their personality and lifestyles. Are they psychotic killers on the loose, that hunt for the bloodshed of the mutants and complete extermination, or are they more of a mellow, scouting party that strikes quickly, before leaving the corpses of their enemies in the dust? I understand that on Losanco, mutations including psychic connections are feared, and there for annihilated, but there has to be some measure to the mutant killings. I'm sure the these 'bands of warriors' are outnumbered quite a bit, there would have to be some control, not just a complete rampage, every time they go to battle.

 

As for painting a white stripe across the warrior's faces, I like it. It definitely gives much more of a visual aspect, if it carries over into the scout company. The idea of small children roaming about with the 'mutant kill-teams' is a good one, thus providing promising initiates for the Castigators. I could definitely see the Chapter giving some supplies/rations/weapons to the Losancans, as you said, so they could continue battling against their enemies.

Edited June 1, 2008 by Darth Potato

[Darrell]

I assume that the militia is a relatively permanent assignment, but what about the ones who go hunting the mutants on their term? Do these men tend to only be one-timers? Or does the position tend to be more permanent, with the men essentially being "on leave" between hunts? I could see it working well either way; the terrible sacrifice of men who wander into the radioactive wastelands to hunt mutants, only to return tainted and have their people turn against them as mutations show themselves. Alternatively, you could have rough veterans with bronzed, baked skin who lead their communities with a steady hand and commanding voice that rises above the harsh winds of the endless deserts.

 

A protective, white stripe across the face would work well. It's not barbaric to the point of overpowering but it does carry a certain sense of primitive warfare. Would the stripe be painted horizontally, vertically, or pretty much anywhere across the face? If it's a vertical white stripe, it would be a coincidental similarity to the white stripe that Veteran Sergeants carry on their helmets. I don't know if you'd want to make a relationship there or not, since you said the practice would probably be phased out by the time they became brethren.

[Cpt_Tiberius]

What if these "mutant hunter" bands were part of a brotherhood not tied to any particular settlement. Sort of a roving band of nomadic protectors that roam the lands along the perimeter of the day/nightside. (sort of like Aragorn and his Rangers of the North from LOTR) they would stop at towns to resupply and barter for goods. The towns folk would respect them, but fear them at the same time, being both outsiders and "tainted" by their dayside hunts.

 

As for the stripe I see it running horizontal across the eyes. It would be a symbol of the warrior having seen the accursed light of the day side. and might be used to mask the tanning of the skin that would happen on that area of the face between their head cover and lower face mask. Alternatively it could be a protective layer of paint to block the harmful rays of the sun that come through their dust goggles.

 

-T.

[Commissar Molotov]

I like the feel of the settlements as they're coming together, very rag-tag and improvised indeed. The town militia and all, seems to be right. But what interests me the most, are these bands of mutant killers (these guys need a set name). I would like to know more on their personality and lifestyles. Are they psychotic killers on the loose, that hunt for the bloodshed of the mutants and complete extermination, or are they more of a mellow, scouting party that strikes quickly, before leaving the corpses of their enemies in the dust? I understand that on Losanco, mutations including psychic connections are feared, and there for annihilated, but there has to be some measure to the mutant killings. I'm sure the these 'bands of warriors' are outnumbered quite a bit, there would have to be some control, not just a complete rampage, every time they go to battle.

 

As for painting a white stripe across the warrior's faces, I like it. It definitely gives much more of a visual aspect, if it carries over into the scout company. The idea of small children roaming about with the 'mutant kill-teams' is a good one, thus providing promising initiates for the Castigators. I could definitely see the Chapter giving some supplies/rations/weapons to the Losancans, as you said, so they could continue battling against their enemies.

 

You're right, the bands will need a name of some sort. I'm just keen not to give them a name that doesn't suit. There'll be a name eventually, I just need to brainstorm and such. I don't see the bands as being psychotic killers, but they're certainly possessed by a ferocious drive, a sense of duty, that they're doing the Right Thing by hunting down the Mutants so as to benefit the Emperor. They're a minority, but a minority that carries a fair amount of weight. Perhaps they're seen as troublesome, but few in the settlements would outright oppose them. After all, every now and then they'll return bearing technology needed to aid survival.

 

I assume that the militia is a relatively permanent assignment, but what about the ones who go hunting the mutants on their term? Do these men tend to only be one-timers? Or does the position tend to be more permanent, with the men essentially being "on leave" between hunts? I could see it working well either way; the terrible sacrifice of men who wander into the radioactive wastelands to hunt mutants, only to return tainted and have their people turn against them as mutations show themselves. Alternatively, you could have rough veterans with bronzed, baked skin who lead their communities with a steady hand and commanding voice that rises above the harsh winds of the endless deserts.

 

A protective, white stripe across the face would work well. It's not barbaric to the point of overpowering but it does carry a certain sense of primitive warfare. Would the stripe be painted horizontally, vertically, or pretty much anywhere across the face? If it's a vertical white stripe, it would be a coincidental similarity to the white stripe that Veteran Sergeants carry on their helmets. I don't know if you'd want to make a relationship there or not, since you said the practice would probably be phased out by the time they became brethren.

 

I'm not sure about militia duty being an 'assignment'. I guess it's like a neighbourhood watch of some kind, most men would participate in the guardianship of the towns. Not sure as yet. Also, the stripe I'd envisaged was a horizontal one, across the eyes - much like Tiberius mentioned. (We're obviously on a similar wavelength).

 

What if these "mutant hunter" bands were part of a brotherhood not tied to any particular settlement. Sort of a roving band of nomadic protectors that roam the lands along the perimeter of the day/nightside. (sort of like Aragorn and his Rangers of the North from LOTR) they would stop at towns to resupply and barter for goods. The towns folk would respect them, but fear them at the same time, being both outsiders and "tainted" by their dayside hunts.

 

As for the stripe I see it running horizontal across the eyes. It would be a symbol of the warrior having seen the accursed light of the day side. and might be used to mask the tanning of the skin that would happen on that area of the face between their head cover and lower face mask. Alternatively it could be a protective layer of paint to block the harmful rays of the sun that come through their dust goggles.

 

-T.

 

I didn't imagine the mutant hunter bands to be tied to a settlement. I thought that the militas would be local, but the hunters would go wherever they wanted. So you're thinking very much along similar wavelengths to me, Cap. Ditto for the stripe - I had just thought of it for aesthetics, but you come up with some great reasoning for it, which makes me like it all the more.

 

<_<

[brother varen]

What if the mutant hunters were suriviors from settlements that were destroyed by the mutants? They think themselves blessed by the emperor for their surivial. Then they pledge themselves to the the emperor by purging the mutants as offerings for their continued surival. (This could be the start of their heritage.) They would travel the border between light and dark side to do the emperor's work. When supplies are needed they would travel to the nearest settlement. there they would possibly pick up new recruits and pray to the emperor in the settltement's shrine, leaving some offerings. Or each settlement could have a seperate shrine that was created by the earliest mutant hunters. Maybe the earliest mutant hunters created some of these settlements??

Maybe the mutant hunters help train the settlement's milita in fortification and mutant tactics for their needed supplies. I can see the hunters grouping never to exceed a certain amount of people, when it does they brake into seperate units and go their seperate ways. I can imagine the hunters as being anti-social with others. Never talking unless needed, never acting until they need to. I also think that over time, that maybe they develop a talent to now when danger is near. (just an idea) This could make them stand out and away from the other inhabants.

As far as names...... maybe, "the Ecplisers"? Ones who block out of light and purge the unclean. Just an idea. :lol:

[Heru]

A counter-weight would be to suggest that perhaps these raids may even provoke mutant retaliation, like the man that goes into a Bear's cave and pokes the sleeping bear with a stick... perhaps not all the groups that go over to fight the mutants are honourable, perhaps some are merely thugs that raid mutant camps to steal valuable items that the mutants themselves got on their raids.

[Darrell]

I hadn't meant assignment as literally something that was forced on someone. Position probably would have been a better term for it.

[Commissar Molotov]

What if the mutant hunters were suriviors from settlements that were destroyed by the mutants? They think themselves blessed by the emperor for their surivial. Then they pledge themselves to the the emperor by purging the mutants as offerings for their continued surival. (This could be the start of their heritage.) They would travel the border between light and dark side to do the emperor's work. When supplies are needed they would travel to the nearest settlement. there they would possibly pick up new recruits and pray to the emperor in the settltement's shrine, leaving some offerings. Or each settlement could have a seperate shrine that was created by the earliest mutant hunters. Maybe the earliest mutant hunters created some of these settlements??

Maybe the mutant hunters help train the settlement's milita in fortification and mutant tactics for their needed supplies. I can see the hunters grouping never to exceed a certain amount of people, when it does they brake into seperate units and go their seperate ways. I can imagine the hunters as being anti-social with others. Never talking unless needed, never acting until they need to. I also think that over time, that maybe they develop a talent to now when danger is near. (just an idea) This could make them stand out and away from the other inhabants.

As far as names...... maybe, "the Ecplisers"? Ones who block out of light and purge the unclean. Just an idea. ;)

 

Some interesting ideas. Now, 40k tends to be a little bland when it comes to the religious, which is interesting, when you consider how big a contributory theme religion is. You tend to either have the frothing mad religious zealot, or the quiet-but-blessed noble. To my mind, the mutant hunters are doing what they're doing because they believe if Losanco can only be cleansed of mutants, the Emperor will return once more. He has turned His face away from an impure galaxy, and left His Angels to guard them in His stead.

 

I certainly think some settlements might've been destroyed by the mutants - but I also like the idea of them recruiting from standing settlements. Of young children joining them, starting the lifestyle early. After all, Space Marine recruits need to be between ten and twelve. I like your ideas of them breaking off into smaller 'units'. I want to avoid too much military terminology. But above all, there is a solid, reasurring sense that however hard their lifestyle, they're doing the Right Thing.

 

A counter-weight would be to suggest that perhaps these raids may even provoke mutant retaliation, like the man that goes into a Bear's cave and pokes the sleeping bear with a stick... perhaps not all the groups that go over to fight the mutants are honourable, perhaps some are merely thugs that raid mutant camps to steal valuable items that the mutants themselves got on their raids.

 

You make a good point, Heru. I personally don't want the Mutants to just be faceless bad guys. There's no question that they're persecuted for their differences when they shouldn't be. But in the scheme of things on Losanco, they're the bad guys. And yes, I imagine some of the hunters will have been hardened to the point of callousness by their lives. Some will just be thugs. It's a war, and in times of war, questions of morality fall by the wayside, I guess.

[Commissar Molotov]

Further to my previous post, Tiberius made an interesting connection when talking about the Losancans. If you've ever seen The Wrath of Khan, when Chekov's on the surface of Ceti Alpha and they first see Khan, he's in an really interesting outfit:

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z121/mnesimache/Khansuit.jpg

 

Struck us as somewhat interesting.

[Cpt_Tiberius]

Ok, based on my conversations with Mol, I drew up this sketch to give an impression of an average Losancan hunter.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/Cpt_Tiberius/Losancan_Hunter_low.jpg

 

As you can see he is equipped with a crude sun visor to protect his eyes as well has a sturdy leather helm. His head wraps both protect him from the frigid biting winds and help to block the harmful solar rays. He sports several totems and charms to bring him fortune and luck in his hunt. The thermal bandages and dust shrouds also protect him as well as helping him blend into the desolate terrain of his homeworld. His primitive lasgun is decorated with metal studs and shows rudimentary controls near the grip.

 

I wanted the image to show a road weary but determined fighter. Oh, and you hopefully can make out the white paint band across his eyes.

 

-T.

[Hubernator]

:) No offence, but why does it look a lot like a rebel on Hoth from Star Wars? It's a good drawing, good job :P

[Cpt_Tiberius]

Technically he's a Bedouin/Cossack with Tusken Raider influences. :)

[ToyShip]

I like it, alot. The sun on the butt of the rifle is a neat little addition, possibly a battle honor from a previous mutant purge? I love how he looks sci-fi, but believable and worn looking. Its just awesome!

[Darrell]

I think it's a great mix between barbarian raider and modern rifleman. Looks awesome!

 

Great job, Tib. :)

[Cpt_Tiberius]

thanks guys, I'm glad you like it. :)

 

-T.