Shadow Wolves IA, Round 2

[Cyberwolf]

Waaaaay back when I first started here at the B&C, I posted the Index Astartes article for my Chapter, the Shadow Wolves. While that iteration has served me well, in light of 4th Ed, the new codex and some thinking on my part I've gone back and rewritten quite a bit of my background "fluff". Since you guys out there are so good at poking and prodding my stuff so I can impove it, I thought I'd toss this new version up on here and see what everyone thinks.

 

Watch out, this one's pretty long:

 

"Lone Wolves"

Index Astartes: Shadow Wolves

 

Origins

 

The Shadow Wolves Chapter was founded in the 36th Millenium, guarding the distant southeastern edge of the galaxy, on the very edge of known space. Isolated from the rest of the Imperium, the Shadow Wolves have grown fiercely independant and often stand distant from other Imperial organizations. While their isolation has seperated them from many of the Imperium's conflicts and corruption, the Chapter must stand alone against the uncountable aliens, traitors and myriad other foes that haunt the void where the light of the Astronomicon grows dim. While there are many who distrust the aloof Shadow Wolves, their long history of warfare against the enemies of man speaks for itself.

 

Homeworld

 

The Shadow Wolves' homeworld of Harja lies on the southeastern edge of Imperial space, on the border of the Eastern Fringe. Harja Prime is a medium G2-class star orbited by three planets, of which only Harja is inhabited, although the outermost planet does support life. The system is well isolated from the rest of the Imperium, and outside access to Harja is minimal at best.

 

Two moons orbit the planet, Lera and Lyca. Both are of similar size and much of their composition is the same, but their outer surfaces are radically different. Lera's soil and rocks are a light, creamy grey, while Lyca's outer surface is a dark charchol colour. Both moons are airless and uninhabited, with the exception of a small training base on Lyca maintained by the Chapter.

 

Harja itself is a feral world, mostly untouched by human hand. The majority of the planet's landmass is contained within three large continents, with several large island chains making up the rest. The dominant terrain type is mountainous, with large tracts of temperate rainforest covering the flatter areas. Clear terrain is a rarety on Harja, the most open areas are located in the rocky deserts and badlands often found near the equator.

 

The native population of Harja lives in a tribal society, divided into numerous small groups known as clans. The clans are often at war with each other, despite sharing similar cultural and theological backgrounds. These wars and the planet's inhospitible climate, terrain and wildlife have forged the people of Harja into rugged, skilled hunters and warriors, ideal recruits for the Shadow Wolves. Every member of the clan contributes to and is dedicated to the survival of the whole, from the youngest child to the oldest leader. The survival of every clan depends on its ability to hunt, and children are taught from birth to track down and kill wild game.

 

The natives of Harja live in ignorance of the Imperium, unknowning of any inhabited world save their own. They see the Shadow Wolves as beings of legend, mysterious warriors who seek out the most talented and skilled of the clan's youth to join their ranks. It is said among the clans that these mystic warriors live in a great fortress atop the highest mountain, far from the home territory of any clan. A few, lost from their clan or orphaned by war, search for this fortress seeking shelter, hoping to be judged worthy enough to serve them in enchange for safety.

 

Harja is home to a wide variety of animal species, and its predators are known for their ferocity and aggressiveness. Fierce, dinosaur-like Verrak, six-foot-long bipedial lizards with razor-sharp talons, inhabit the equatorial badlands. Fast and intelligent, they hunt in packs and can run up to fifty kilometers per hour. The rainforests are home to the Kaylar, a massive jungle cat with eight-inch teeth. Birds of prey with 15-foot wingspans called Atana swoop down on their prey, carrying it off whole.

 

The most notable species present on Harja are its wolves, which bear striking similarity to the animals that roamed the surface of Terra millenia ago. Several distinct types are found on the planet, ranging from the Leran, or Mist Wolf, roughly the size of a coyote with distinctive bluish fur, to the much larger Lupa, the "Shadow Wolf" for which the Chapter is named. Both the natives of Harja and the brethern of the Shadow Wolves see these wolves as sacred animals, a palpable link to their mythological gods. Ancient law forbids their hunting and killing one is considered a terrible crime.

 

Combat Doctrine

 

The hunting background of the native Harjan clans has had a strong influence on the tectical doctrines of the Shadow Wolves. The Chapter's scouts are widely deployed in a forward reconissance role, to determine the location and strength of enemy forces. The Wolves make considerable use of transport vehicles and other mobile forces, allowing them to exploit any weaknesses in the enemies' battle line. This careful scouting followed by a rapid advance has become a signature tactic of the Shadow Wolves.

 

Shadow Wolves forces tend to place emphasis on ranged combat, once again because of the background of the Harjan people. The hunters of the clans are capable archers nearly without exception, and the brethern of the Chapter are particularly skilled marksmen. The Shadow Wolves do not lack the skills necessary for close assault, but nonetheless their tactical doctrines almost always revolve around the application of firepower.

 

Optimized for fluid, mobile combat, the Shadow Wolves forces are ill-suited for seige operations and direct assaults. As such, the Chapter makes little use of drop pods and instead prefers to conduct a campaign after landing vehicles and other mobile assests. Instead of tearing the heart out of the enemy with a direct attack, the Shadow Wolves will instead strike quicky at his weak points, bringing the enemy to his kness before delivering the final blow.

 

Organization

 

Much of the Shadow Wolves' organization is based directly on the Codex Astartes, with one large exception: size. The Chapter consists of eight companies instead of the usual ten, although the number of marines in each company is a bit larger. This means that the numerical strength of the Shadow Wolves is actually below Codex standards. The reason for this discrepancy is unknown, although records indicate that this method of organization has been used for some time. It has been suggested that this is simply a logistical solution, since the Shadow Wolves recruit only from the small native population of Harja and cannot replace causualties as fast as most other Chapters.

 

The Shadow Wolves are also noted for the size of their scout company, which contains not only younger battle brethern but the Chapter's warriors most experienced in stealth and tracking. These forces are critical to the success of the Chapter's military operations, as their quick, mobile approach requires precise scouting and reconissance to determine the enemies' areas of strength and weakness.

 

Beliefs

 

The roots of Harjan belief are difficult to trace, likely dating back to the Dark Age of Technology before the Great Crusade, when the colonists that became the natives of Harja were cut off from the rest of mankind. Although in conflict with the Imperial Cult in several ways, this system of belief has thrived in Harja's isolation and it seems only natural that it would be adopted by the Shadow Wolves. Despite its deviances, the Shadow Wolves remain as dedicated to the Emperor as any other Chapter and their history of warfare against the enemies of Man speaks for itself.

 

The Harjan pantheon is led by two deities, Tarl and Malon. Legend holds that they are mates, and that every living thing on Harja, including man, is one of their children. It was they who gave the universe form, shaping reality out of chaos. They are said to watch over their creations, helping or testing them as their will dictates.

 

Tarl is the Harjan God of fire, and is most associated with war and combat. Harjan warriors traditionally dedicate themselves to Tarl, and ask for his strength to help defend their clan from outside threats. To the Shadow Wolves the Emperor is a avatar of Tarl's spirit, an embodiment of his righteous anger against those who seek to destroy his children. It is Tarl whom the chapter's warriors dedicate themselves to, and see it as their sacred task to protect mankind from its enemies with Tarl's strength and holy fury.

 

Goddess of water, Malon represents the more peaceful side of the Harjan pantheon. It is she who gives life, just as nothing can live without water. However, Malon's element of water represents a paradox: just as water can give life, it can also be dangerous and deadly. This is reflected in Malon's nature, and Harja's cold climate and fierce winter storms are said to be her tests of her children. While their are many among the clans who give themselves to worship of Malon, few among the Shadow Wolves do so, focused on their dedication to Tarl. The exception are the Apothecaries, those responsible for maintaining the life of the chapter and the purity of its geneseed.

 

Harjan lore speaks of the Ryasha, mythical daemons that seek to destroy Tarl, Malon and their children and thus rule the universe. Legend says that these evil beings existed before Malon and Tarl gave form to the universe, and fight to destroy all reality and return the world to the void.. The Shadow Wolves are sworn enemies of these ryasha, no matter what form they may take, and the alien creatures that assail humanity from all sides are said to be servants of these daemons.

 

The Shadow Wolves stand out among other chapters of the Adeptus Astartes as one of the more mystical. The Wolves place considerable stock in portents and omens, and believe that Tarl guides them through such signs. The interpretation of these omens is considered an art within the Shadow Wolves, and the decisions of the chapter commanders depend as much on their own personal feelings as on tactical analysis. While such an approach has served the Shadow Wolves, many other chapters deployed alongside them have been frustrated with their mystic ways and their desire to follow their own signs and plans. Great trust is also given to the precisient visions of the Chapter's Librarians, and in several cases the premonitions of these psykers has saved the chapter from defeat.

 

Geneseed

 

The geneseed of the Shadow Wolves appears unremarkable, with the function of all organs appearing within normal parameters. What is unusual is the Chapter's lack of knowledge of their primogenetor legion. The chronicle of the Chapter's history is long and ancient, but many of its earliest records are fragmentary or lost altogether. Many of the Chapter's records were lost during the War of Ascension milennia ago, when the Daemon Prince Ragath Zaar invaded Harja. Thus, the Shadow Wolves have no solid record of their liniage, and seem to care little which Primarch is their own. While the stability of their geneseed makes it all but certain that the chapter is descended from the Ultramarines, the Shadow Wolves appear content to dedicate themselves entirely to Tarl and his avatar, the Emperor.

 

Battlecry

 

The Shadow Wolves have no formal battle cry, often making use of passages and phrases from the Chronicle and Harjan lore. The Chapter's motto is Lucia Kyian, which when roughly translated means "Forever Loyal"or "Loyalty Always". However, this phrase in Harjan encompasses a much greater sense of devotion than the Gothic translation. Lucia, or loyalty, is derived from the same root as Lupa, the Harjan word for wolf. This word expresses the absolute loyalty of the wolf pack, and the unbreakable bonds between its members.

 

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Whew, longer than I thought. Thanks for reading this far!

[Ferrata]

Well Done :lol: I really enjoyed reading this :P

 

Nothing much wrong with it besides one point, maybe two.

 

their long history of warfare against the enemies of man speaks for itself.

their history of warfare against the enemies of Man speaks for itself.

 

These two lines are too similar. I am a fan of repeating lines in stories to add something to it, but it usually doesnt work for formal text, like this. I would either delete one of them or edit it so it says the same thing but in a different way.

 

The Harjan pantheon is led by two deities, Tarl and Malon. Legend holds that they are mates

When I first read this, I thought you meant "mates" as in friends. So I would change it to something like this to make it clear (and still pg rated :o )

 

The Harjan pantheon is led by two deities, the male Tarl and the female Malon. Legend holds that they are mates

 

Besides them 2 points, brilliant

 

Ferrata

 

Edit - one more thing. This is a personel issue -

 

Two moons orbit the planet

 

Ahem, they are not moons, they are "Natural Satilites". The Moon is the name of Earth's natural satilite. Just me then....

[ironloki]

Yup nice work and it flowed very well :devil: Just needs a nice coloured template but then again im a picture freak ;)

 

When I first read this, I thought you meant "mates" as in friends. So I would change it to something like this to make it clear (and still pg rated

[Cyberwolf]

On the pantheon thing:

 

Keep in mind that the vast majority of chapters are already in conflict with the Imperial Cult - they do not worship the emperor as a god, as the Ecclesiarchy does. They get away with this because the Adeptus Astartes are very much independant, they decide when and where they fight, etc. Check out page 41 of the old space marine codex (I seem to remember this piece of fluff being duplicated in the new codex, but I can't find it at first glance). There are plenty of examples of this kind of deviancy among chapters - like the scarring rituals of the White Scars and the Salamader's Cult of Prometheus.

 

Also consider that while the Shadow Wolves worship Tarl, they believe that the Emperor is his avatar. So, while most chapters see the Emperor merely as a great warrior, the Shadow Wolves see him as the embodiment of a god - closer, in fact, to the Imperial Cult of the Ecclesiarchy than most other chapters.

 

Perhaps I need to rephrase a section - the pantheon is not led by Tarl and Malon, it is Tarl and Malon. I noticed this when you mentioned "various gods". For the record, there are only two.

 

On the use of the word "mates", I should have considered my international audience when I posted this. Here in Canada (or at least my bit of it), the word "mate" to say "friends" is very rarely used. Consider it changed.

 

Lastly...if you say moon, everybody knows what you mean. Natural Satellites may be the proper term, but "moon" is so commonly used that I think it might confuse people if I changed it. Sorry!

 

Thanks for your help, guys. These sorts of things are why I like posting my stuff here, because it always comes out better. If you see anything else, I'd love to hear it.