+ IA: Imperial Castellans +

[Ferrata]

And if you don't modify them at all, it'll seem utterly unoriginal... :P

 

I was actuallt expecting people to modify them a bit. I'm trying to think of the correct word...... bastardisation (& thats not a swear word). So, yes you are correct Molotov. It was late and I was tired, leave me alone :devil:

 

Maybe see Kingdom of heaven for colour schemes.

 

NOte: maybe have a traitor like the main character of the movie- he doesn't think there is an Emperor etc etc, declared Excommunicate Traitoris and hunted by the Castellans ???

 

Well, they are an offical GW chapter so already have a colour scheme set (see first post). I dont think the Castellans should have any traitors within their ranks, their just too pious.

 

Ferrata

[stormbringer_951]

True... point taken...

[Brother-Librarian Akritedes]

Antenora

Ascalon -X

Caina

Cocytus

Edessa

Eunoe

Jaffa

Judecca

Ptolomaea

Scheshasch

Taim

Tatia

Telluria

Tolbard

Torm

Tor

Tripoli

Tyre -X

Tyrol -X

 

A summary of what we've got so far. Ones that have been suggested as good names have been marked by an "X". Do we want any more? Are these good enough?

[my_name_is_tudor]

I very much like Judecca.

[jimmythemoose]

I think Ascalon sounds quite good.

[Zhivago]

Wayforts

 

Wayforts of Castellans are peculiarity among adeptus astartes as most chapters prefer to keep most of their brethren at one place. Imperial Castellans instead maintain chain of forts alongside pilgrimage route. Theese wayforts, or Candle Keeps*1 as pilgrims call them, stand a lone guard on the route, and allow Imperial castellans have presence on whole route. Largest of these forts can accommodate company of marines, while smaller one are often manned by single battle squad. These forts have advanced passive sensors, and one or more stationed psykers*2 to enable swift warning if threat is detected. Larger ports also sprout batteries*3 and torpedo silos  to drive off would-be attackers to give fort the time needed to analyze enemy forces and to send the alarm. Smaller ones are often well hidden within asteroid belts, or other celestial phenomena and trust their hidden location to keep them safe. 

 

 

*1 working title

*2 well, even if they hate psykers, there is really no other reliable way to communicate.

*3 who mans the guns ? Prehaps some servitors ?

 

Feel free to rip it apart, english is not my first language (should be obivious) and I wrote this to start the discussion about forts...

 

There was also idea of space hulk turned to waystation, and I kind of like that particular idea.

Edited September 1, 2005 by Zhivago

[jimmythemoose]

Some good ideas Zhivago, I think I managed to edit out any grammar mistakes.

 

The wayforts of the Castellans are a peculiarity among the adeptus astartes as most chapters prefer to keep most of their brethren at one place. Imperial Castellans instead maintain a chain of forts alongside the pilgrimage route. These wayforts, or Candle Keeps*1 as pilgrims call them, stand a lone guard on the route, and allow Imperial castellans to have presence over the whole route.The largest of these forts can accommodate a company of marines, whilst smaller ones are often manned by a single battle squad. These forts have advanced passive sensors, and one or more stationed psykers*2 to enable swift warning if threat is detected. Larger ports also sprout batteries*3 and torpedo silos to drive off any would-be attackers to give the fort the time needed to analyze enemy forces and to send the alarm. Smaller ones are often well hidden within asteroid belts, or other celestial phenomena and rely on their hidden location to keep them safe.

 

I'm not sure about the hulk idea, they just seem too random and uncontrollable to make good forts.

Edited September 1, 2005 by jimmythemoose

[my_name_is_tudor]

Originally I suggested cleared out enemy ships being used as wayforts, but perhaps instead they use Pilgrim ships that reach the end of their life - to honour the vessel for being used for such a noble purpose as transporting pilgrims.

[Shadey]

It should be noted, that the job of protecting pilgrims often falls to the Sisters.

 

Also, the way a pilgrammage works, pilgrims can spend time on a planet, out in the wilderness trekking to a shrine or whatever.

 

Both of these are from Codex: Witch Hunters.

[my_name_is_tudor]

@Shadey: a lot of pilgrimages occur to a planet, rather than to a location on a planet (even though when the pilgrims reach the planet in question, they probably will visit one certain point.

 

After a lot of pilgrims have made a lot of journies to a certain world, a pilgrimage route will become established - and that's what the Imperial Castellans protect - the pilgrimage route to a world (that we haven't named yet, but I'm putting my vote in on Ascalon).

 

On the planet itself the pilgrimage will end with the journey on foot to the specific site on the world - but I think this will be outside of the Castellan's obligation. They are primarily a spacefairing chapter, dealing in protecting the space route.

 

About the sisters of battle being the most common protectors of pilgrimage routes: this is of course correct. But who wants well trained humans in power armour when you can get well trained genetically modified humans in power armour! Imperial Law refuses the Ecclesiarchy the right to men at arms, but the Ecclesiarchy are not above bending the rules so that a space marine chapter can do them a duty - the space marines aren't working for the Ecclesiarchy - they just happen to be affiliated with them.. like the chaplains in other chapters.

 

Which brings me on to something to ask the rest of the IA:Imperial Castellans 'team':

 

What is our stance on the acolyte chaplain squads - any chance of us brewing up some home grown rules to append to the reclusiarch command squad rule set? Perhaps some sort of mini-rosarius invulnerable save, or some sort of psychology rule, a la the litanies of hate?

[Brother-Librarian Akritedes]

I don't think that would work. Remember, we're trying to stay in the bounds of "legal" rules, so we were avoiding home-grown rules.

 

That said, it would be digustingly easy to come up with fluff and have all the Terminator/Veteran/Command squads as Chaplain Acolytes, and fluffly explain it. Plus we already have Chaplain-Sergeants, so we don't really need new rules.

[my_name_is_tudor]

An easy way would be to throw in something about command squads in Imperial Castellans units having to take Furious Assault rather than the other Skills, to reflect the religious fury these chaplain-squads get themselves into - then it would just be a case of modeling to really make them chaplainy. That way the fluff does make an impact on the game (albeit a small one), while remaining totaly codex legal.

 

On the name of the pilgrim world (i.e. the one at the end of the line.), as said my vote is with Ascalon. What do other people think for this particular planet?

 

(Perhaps if we go through this world by world we may actually get somewhere..:blush:)

Edited September 5, 2005 by my_name_is_tudor

[Brother Sergeant Alasseo]

I think Ascalon sounds good for a cardinal world. We could possibly have the entire world dedicated to one imperial saint, or the planet could almost be split up into beatific diocesans, with a massive basilica in every city dedicated to a different holy person.

All in all, I don't think it particularly matters much, but it is possible that a specific saint's cult would have some impact on the chapter, especially if the entire planet (and so the entire pligrim population) was dedicated to it.

Your thoughts, anyone?

[Zhivago]

don't think it particularly matters much, but it is possible that a specific saint's cult would have some impact on the chapter, especially if the entire planet (and so the entire pligrim population) was dedicated to it.

Saint Ascalon was a simple man who lived as wandering preacher and doctor. He was always just and humble, and whereupon he walked, good things came to pass. He aided the poor, preached the word of the emperor and helped the sick. His demise became in form of un-named separitist gropu whom did not share Ascalons beliefs and thus put him to the torch. Later when group of lost traders had raported seeing glowing aquila on the sky which led them to a settlement where Ascalon was born, the word was put for his beafication. Nowdays Saint Ascalon is seen as patron saint of travellers. And the 'Temple of the St.Ascalon' is regocnized as one of the official imperial creeds. Though most of the St.Ascalons clergy are travellign preachers, just as their saint.

 

 

Feel free to rip it apart. :D

[Brother Sergeant Alasseo]

Umm, St Ezra is usually seen as the patron saint of travellers iirc, or at least the patron saint of the start of a journey'

However, the Imperium is a big place, and it is entirely possible to have two saints acting as patron (or presumbably matron) of the same thing

Edited September 5, 2005 by Brother Sergeant Alasseo

[my_name_is_tudor]

I like that Zhivago, but I get the feeling that he needs a bit more.. oomph to his life story.

 

I like the humble healer and preacher aspect, but I think we should speak of how he perservered to bring some group or other into the Emperor's light, showing mercy and humility unlike any other Preacher. Perhaps a story like this: (this isn't a draft, just a plot, it'll need rewriting and most likely condensing.)

 

Ascalon (obviously not named ascalon yet though), was home to some faction or cult that the Ecclesiarchy didn't quite look kindly on - not chaos, just.. too weird/profane/unusual for them to handle. After the cult refused to rejoin the Imperial Cult are repend their sins, the Emperor's might descended upon them in the form of (an) Imperial Guard regiment(s).

 

On the planet's' neighbouring continent/region/whatever, a Preacher by the name of Ascalon kept a small parish, he taught the virtues of humility and honesty, believing that the purest heart can lie within even the most evil man - merely clouded by sin. When the men of Ascalon's parish were enlisted to fight the separist cult, Ascalon decided to travel with them - to be with them in this time of need, as a spiritual guide.

 

It was on route to the opposing nation/region/whatever that Ascalon discovered that the leader of the separist cult was, to Ascalon's surprise, *insert name*, an old colleague of Ascalon's, who had once been as steady in his faith as Ascalon was.

 

Ascalon pleaded with the Imperial Commanders, telling them that the word of the Emperor could once again find its way into the minds of the seperatists, backed up by a body of other preachers from his and neighbouring parishes, Ascalon finally got his way. The Imperial Commanders granted him a single day to make the cultists see the error in their ways, but after that day was up, the Imperial Guard would attack, and Ascalon would be declared a failure - and most likely a heretic.

 

Ascalon and his host of priests made their way to the centre of the seperatist nation/whatever, and after a long day of religious debate - the cultists saw sense. They dropped arms and repented.

 

Ascalon walked from the city walls, hands raised high, and a smile on his face, when dissaster struck. One of the surrounding guardsmen, restless from the days encampment outside the city, let his finger slip to anxiously to the trigger when Ascalon's robed figure walked from the city walls. His hastey shot pierced straight through Ascalon's chest, and the preacher fell to the ground.

 

Despite Ascalon's death, the city was spared the military might of the Imperial Guard, and peace was brought back to the planet. The night after Ascalon's death, a burning Aquilla was said to have been sighted above the city, and the call was raised for Ascalon to be Canonised (is that the right word?)

 

The planet was renamed, and in the following centuries, the city became a vast cathedral founded on St. Ascalons teachings.

 

Whaddya think?

Edited September 5, 2005 by my_name_is_tudor

[Zhivago]

Ascalon walked from the city walls, hands raised high, and a smile on his face, when dissaster struck. One of the surrounding guardsmen, restless from the days encampment outside the city, let his finger slip to anxiously to the trigger when Ascalon's robed figure walked from the city walls. His hastey shot pierced straight through Ascalon's chest, and the preacher fell to the ground.

 

this feels bit..anti-climax. :D I'd like to see him as martyr, something that marines could relate to. "Let us be like Ascalon, martyrs to humankind" instead of "Let is be like Ascalon, who was accidently shot" ;) If you know what I mean. :P

[my_name_is_tudor]

:D yeah, I see what you mean.

 

Perhaps then, Ascalon successfully brings the cultists back into the light, and then returns to the Imperial camp, but while he was gone the short tempered Imperial commander declared him a traitor - claiming that he was dealing with the enemy not helping them to purity.

 

He was then executed, and as he died preached something about humility, forgiveness and not blaming the Commander for his actions, the commander sees what he has done, and realises the truth of the situation - the city is spared the wrath of the Imperial Guard, and Ascalon is seen as a martyr for the souls of the city.

Edited September 5, 2005 by my_name_is_tudor

[Ferrata]

I'll get something done tomorrow, I have an idea (I'm quite good at making up religious figures :D ) With the names, I'm going to a bit tyranical because they arent that important.

 

Ferrata

[Zhivago]

He was then executed, and as he died preached something about humility, forgiveness and not blaming the Commander for his actions, the commander sees what he has done, and realises the truth of the situation - the city is spared the wrath of the Imperial Guard, and Ascalon is seen as a martyr for the souls of the city.

 

Or that guards second in command (and most of the men too) , some bit more humane person is touched by preachers words and proceed to erm, remove the commander from office.

 

and then we get to say:

 

"Like wild fire did Ascalons word spread among the army, as if blessed by emperor himself. His just words woke the dutiful hearts of the guard and thousands of emperors subject were spared from their deaths."

Edited September 5, 2005 by Zhivago

[Ferrata]

Guys, not to be nasty or anything. But while this stuff is an intresting read, it doesnt really find its self useful for the Imperial Castellans IA. I dont think this much detail is needed on the Preaches Planet.

 

Ferrata

[my_name_is_tudor]

I agree that this much detail does not need to be put into the finished article, but I think it is important that we (who will be writing it after all) flesh it out among us, so that we know what to mention, and how what isn't mentioned will effect the rest of the article.

 

The story behind the story so to speak.

[Shadey]

My intent on mentioning the sisters is not in saying that we cant have our Castellans protecting pilgrims because its the job of the sisters but that we have to keep in mind, regardless of what most people would prefer, that it is usually the sisters job.

 

Also it may set up some interesting conflicts later...

 

And as to the planet, again it was more something to keep in mind, yes this is primarily a space bourne chapter but I was making sure everyone knew there was still reason for them to act like a more traidtional chapter while still keeping the pilgrim protector role.

 

Perhaps some sort of mini-rosarius invulnerable save

I mentioned the idea of using veterans to represent trainee chaplains, but an honour guard would allow them all to be equipped with crozius arcanums (power weapon)

 

 

What about a further option: Any trainee chaplain may be equipped with a lesser rosarius (combat shield) for 5pts.

 

Also again something to keep in mind but this time more to justify what we have already said.

 

I found this in a 40k timeline.

 

Senatorum Imperialis declares new Space Marine founding. Astral Claws founded with sole responsibility of guarding space lanes surrounding the Maelstrom.

 

So there is precedent when it comes to marines acting in a similar role to what we have envisaged for the Castellans.

 

So any thoughts on some of the chaplain names I mentioned earlier?

Edited September 6, 2005 by Shadey

[Brother Sergeant Alasseo]

Well, old fluff (I think either RT or early 2nd ed) had the chaplains merely carrying crozii. Only the highest ranking chaplains were given the crozius arcanum, with its power field, all the others just had a regular hitty-stick.

With that in mind (and given that the latest version of the codex puts only the two highest ranks of chaplain for battlefield duties), it would make sense that the lesser chaplains (trainees, or just junior ranked) would carry an unpowered crozius as a regular close combat weapon

[my_name_is_tudor]

which makes the job of representing the chaplain-acolytes in game a lot easier.

 

P.S. Zhivago, I like that end to the story, it makes him a lot more martyrlike... if that is even a word.

Edited September 6, 2005 by my_name_is_tudor