IA: Space Sharks

[warwizard_99]

Having been able to play Tiberius a couple of times now, it was nice to know that he posts on this forum and I was able to read the background. I even looked through his forum and I have to say there is some incredible artwork, both GW and non-GW realted.

 

Awesome job and I look forward to teaching you more about the game :P

[Commissar Molotov]

Threadromancy is all the cooler when the thread is almost two years old. :)

 

So the reason I bring these venerable guys back from the depths is because I've been nagging Captain Tiberius for a while to sort the Sharks out. IA: Space Sharks is terribly overdue. So, in a sense, I've become Custodian of the Sharks. My aim is to gather the various notes Tiberius has scattered around and form them into something workable. Some of his original ideas don't work, whilst some verge on being a little cliché.

 

For me, the most interesting theme in the Sharks is the way that there's a very rich and vibrant Tethyian culture with the Imperium bolted over the top. The Sharks all have tribal names, but they take a Gothic name when they're inducted into the Chapter. For example, Chaplain Antiquus is known as Ali'ikai, whilst Captain Linnaeus is Lanakila. In some ways it's a little like the Dark Angels, where everyone adopts a new name. From that day forward, they're Dark Angels. However, the Sharks adopt Latin names to deal with the Imperium at large, and never forget Tethys (or Tethys Secundus). The huge influence of the Tethyian culture never leaves the Sharks.

 

It also ties in to something I read in the Dark Heresy book about the idea that some primitive cultures within the Imperium believe that someone knowing your 'true name' gives them power over you. Which is why only the Gothic/Latin names are used outside of the Chapter. Outsiders can't have control over you if they're not using your proper names. The tribal names stay within the Chapter. Perhaps as the highest measure of esteem, a Shark might tell you his 'true name'. That means effectively you have some measure of power over them. That mysticism and vitality is something I want to capture in this version of the Sharks. Their traditions mean a great deal to them - just as they would to any Chapter of the Astartes.

 

To that end, I hope to incorporate more elements of Maori/Pacific Island culture. Which is a difficult balance. I don't want "Maori in Space". Rather, Space Marines with Maori elements. It's utterly important to remember that the Sharks are Space Marines, and so the themes inherent within the Space Marines should be inherent within the Sharks, too.

 

EDITED

 

More soon, no doubt.

[Commissar Molotov]

REMOVED

 

See below! ^_^

[Colrouphobic]

More SS is good.

I always liked the Space Sharks... nice to see some surfacing info bouncing about...

[Mr Daren]

Hi! I've been a lurker on this forum for quite some time now and finally decided to surface after reading this thread :P

 

I am currentley working om my own DIY but have considered to ditch that idea and build an SS force instead after reading about this version of the Space Sharks. However I felt that I should just ad a few of my thoughts on the SS (which isn't much :P ).

 

So, on to the point. I really like everything about the SS so far but feel that their aquatic equipment and close relation with the AM should be toned down abit. I think that the SS aquatic tactics and equipment should be some minor adjustments to their equipment that they invented themselfs to better match their tactics and combat doctrine, I'm thinking something like the Raptors did with their breathing apparatus rather than them testing it for the AM. The heavy AM involvment with the SS makes them deviate more from their personalty in my eyes and makes them look more like the Mentors which I think doesn't fit with the overall theme that this topic has on the SS.

 

So there you have my thoughts, hope it helps and I'm looking forward to see how the finished product looks like :) :D

[Commissar Molotov]

Hi! I've been a lurker on this forum for quite some time now and finally decided to surface after reading this thread :P

 

I am currentley working om my own DIY but have considered to ditch that idea and build an SS force instead after reading about this version of the Space Sharks. However I felt that I should just ad a few of my thoughts on the SS (which isn't much :P ).

 

So, on to the point. I really like everything about the SS so far but feel that their aquatic equipment and close relation with the AM should be toned down abit. I think that the SS aquatic tactics and equipment should be some minor adjustments to their equipment that they invented themselfs to better match their tactics and combat doctrine, I'm thinking something like the Raptors did with their breathing apparatus rather than them testing it for the AM. The heavy AM involvment with the SS makes them deviate more from their personalty in my eyes and makes them look more like the Mentors which I think doesn't fit with the overall theme that this topic has on the SS.

 

So there you have my thoughts, hope it helps and I'm looking forward to see how the finished product looks like :) :D

 

I think you're reading Tiberius's previous draft from two years ago. If you were to look at my version, on this page, you'll see that the Adeptus Mechanicus aren't mentioned.

 

Still, thanks for your interest!

 

 

-----------

 

In other news, this is the extract I was talking about two posts ago, taken from the Dark Heresy rulebook:

 

Man is a superstitious creature, and rightly so, for the universe is filled with beings that seem bent on his destruction. A surprising number of cultures believe that a person needs a selection of different names for different purposes. Many have a common or 'use' name which is for everyday purposes. These are often debased terms, worn down with use into short, strong-sounding names. In contrast, a personal name with soft and pleasant connotations might be used with family and friends. Some cultures have a secret or 'true' name which is believed to hold considerable power over a person. These names are said to be consumed hsould a person foolishly make some form of pact with a daemonic entity.

 

My concept was that the Tribesmen of Tethys have 'use' names, Gothic names which the majority of the Imperium would use. Within the Chapter, however, they use their real names. For example, my Captain (the Sixth) is Lanakila, who uses the name Linnaeus when dealing with other organisations in the Imperium.

[Tyrannicide]

Has the Space Sharks founding or gene-seed stock ever been mentioned in a source before? If so I’m curious, if not Imperial Fists seems like a likely candidate for the predecessor chapter.

 

I would like to know how the Sharks ‘caused’ the disaster, if you could delve deeper into it. Love how the Sharks discard the original populace to the main continent, then let the Tethyians roam about. I do like the confliction between the ‘Mordriana’ populace and the ‘Tethyian’ people, sends a new twist that I haven’t seen before from you. Tattoos and idols are definitely a plus with the Sharks, it seems a little compulsory. I think the sharks (the ocean inhabitant ones) could be developed a little more, perhaps give them a nickname, that the Space Sharks refer to them as. The concept of marines ‘selecting’ a new name upon entering the chapter and then using their tribal name, when dealing with themselves is very cool. The Librarians using teeth for casting and such is definitely a unique aspect, that adds to a small focus on them. Or at least keeping the spot light on them is nice, since those Castigators would disagree. :cuss

 

I don’t know if it was a typo, or if it was meant to be, but the Sharks have eight battle companies? :tu: Do the Sharks own any battle barges?

 

Their tactics seem pretty repetitive with the majority of other chapters out there. Not a bad thing at all though. Boarding actions seem accurate, since they most likely became adept at this during the Badab war.

 

The gene seed is solid.

 

Hopefully some of the questions open up new doors and I look forward to more on these guys. :cuss

[Commissar Molotov]

EDITED - Look below!

[Octavulg]

forget the fate of the Steel Cobras, a Chapter whose worship of the Emperor as an animal totem led to their recent excommunication.

 

Really? This is an important little IA detail which should be more widely publicised, if true...

[Sigismund Himself]

Yep, the chapter is currently hiding in a deep ocean or gas planet somewhere (can't remember which). Only an assault by another full chapter would be enough to dislodge them from their fortifications. Can't remember the source, unfortunately.

[Commissar Molotov]

It's taken from Index Astartes: Renegades:

 

It is known that some renegades have established bases upon worlds hostile to human life, worlds on which only a Space Marine, with his enhanced physiology, could hope to survive. The Steel Cobras - a chapter whose worship of the Emperor as an animal totem prompted a puritanical crusade against them led by a particularly bombastic Cardinal - are known to have established a base of operations deep beneath the ammonia seas of Tukaroe VII. Although the Imperium are aware of the renegades' existence, nothing short of an invasion by an entire Space Marine chapter is considered likely to dislodge them from their fortified seabed bunkers. The only other option is Exterminatus, a fate that may still befall Tukaroe VII should the Adeptus Astartes refuse to assault their wayward kin.

[Commissar Molotov]

EDITED - Check the next page.

[Tyrannicide]

So in the time that the Space Sharks were ‘crusading’ in the Segmentum Pacificus, what was the Chapter’s name? You mention they were seeking for a planet to provide hospitality, which would one day give them their name, yet this whole time before this event, they were named something differently. Maybe making a temporary name for the Chapter, in this period, would be a good idea. Not trying to be a dick, but it seems a little misleading. :rolleyes:

 

When the Sharks land on Tethys, their dealing with tribes that I assume are pre-black powder? All the names the Tethyian people have for the different assorted things, gives a sense of the people’s standpoint in the article, I like it. After Tethys is destroyed, a Chapter Master approaches the chapter, and makes it known, that they will be traveling to a different world. Who’s the Chapter Master, I wouldn’t think it would be Peleus, as it’s been over eight thousand years since the chapter was first created.

 

The Mantis Warriors homeworld is known as ‘Mordriana’ over on Lexicanum and Wiki, I’m not sure if this is GW cannon, maybe you would know, but if so it should be included in final the IA. As said before, tattoos and shark tooth necklaces are almost a requirement in the chapter. Why do the Sharks have a larger amount of Dreadnoughts, than the ‘normal’ chapter? In review, good read thus far, and I look forward to anything closer to the ‘finished’ product, although that’s sort of a commodity with you isn’t it? :lol:

[Commissar Molotov]

Quick response:

 

- The idea is that the Chapter wasn't named until Peleus found Tethys. They hadn't been crusading for a long time, though. Peleus has to have named the Space Sharks after the Tethyian Sharks, otherwise it's a ridiculous coincidence for him to have named the Chapter and then found Tethys. The obvious answer is to say "Before he became Chapter Master of teh Sharks, and whilst he was still an Imperial Fist, he visited Tethys, and returned there when given the Chapter." I don't want to go with that. My only other idea that I could use would be that he named them after consulting the Emperor's Tarot and being given the image of a Shark. Still, it strays into extreme coincidence. I somewhat like the idea of Peleus determining that the Chapter has to 'earn' a name, and as such the Chapter isn't named straightaway.

 

- The Tribes of Tethys are pre-blackpowder, yes. The Chapter Master that decides to relocate the Tethyian people hasn't been named, as yet - that's partly because I haven't detailed that part of the article yet.

 

- I tried looking for a name for the Mantis Warriors' homeworld, but found nothing when I checked Lexicanium and the assorted sites. As such, I'm inclined to believe it's just a non-canon reference someone put up. If their world is called Mordriana, then there's no problem - I simply have a name for the planet before the Sharks rename it Tethys Secundus.

 

- The idea Tiberius portrayed to me was that whilst the Tethyian people were in suspended animation, the Sharks were unable to recruit. As such, the Chapter was reduced drastically in size, and were forced to utilise Dreadnoughts in order to keep their greatest heroes alive in their hour of need.

[Vash113]

Well there is some fluff both for and against Chapters having to earn a name when first instituted, so having the Chapter earn the name Space Sharks on Tethys isn't bad at all.

[Commissar Molotov]

Whilst I'm aware that Insignium Astartes provides fluff mentioning how the Chapter Master draws up his name and heraldry at the founding, I figure I can get away with it. It mentions that the Codex Astartes provides the Master with a list of approved naming elements and forbids the use of certain names (which I've always assumed included names that were close to those of the traitor legions.)

[Cpt_Tiberius]

First off I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to provide us feedback, I greatly appreciate it. I also want to thank Mol. who has graciously agreed to help me finish this project. I am not that good of a writer. :yes:

 

 

So in the time that the Space Sharks were ‘crusading’ in the Segmentum Pacificus, what was the Chapter’s name? You mention they were seeking for a planet to provide hospitality, which would one day give them their name, yet this whole time before this event, they were named something differently. Maybe making a temporary name for the Chapter, in this period, would be a good idea. Not trying to be a dick, but it seems a little misleading.

 

It is unknown by what name they were called during this time. It has been lost to history, and really isn't relevant to the IA. I personally think most chapters start out like this as many are named for things/customs/animals from their homeworlds and they obviously can't have been called that prior to their choosing the place.

 

If it helps, we can say that either they were founded to meet an immediate threat and were shipped out before they could name them, or that Peleus felt that they had to earn their name.

 

 

As for the name of the Mantis Warrior's Homeworld. I have purposely never included it as I was not aware of it ever being mentioned before.

 

Thanks again!.

 

-T.

[Tyrannicide]

If it helps, we can say that either they were founded to meet an immediate threat and were shipped out before they could name them, or that Peleus felt that they had to earn their name.

I like the second idea better. Breaking their backs in the sun, earning the name. :)

[Octavulg]

Granted command of a newly-founding Chapter,

 

Founded

 

Southern Fringes still knew not the Emperor's light.

 

Either "did not" or "knew nothing of".

 

The Shamans of Tethys were credits with supernatural powers which were said to be the gift of Monatoa. (Expand)

 

Would this lead to beliefs like those of the Space Wolves with the Rune Priests?

 

It could get especially interesting when they have to leave Tethys - taking a limited number of totems and such with them.

 

The striking dichotomy between the brutality of the Astartes at war and their deep compassion for the Tethyian people is stark.

 

Stark and striking are, IMO, redundant here.

 

This superiority was perhaps most famously demonstrated during the Badab War, against the forces of the Mantis Warriors. Expand!

 

Last I checked, the Mantis Warriors were also Astartes - what makes the Space Sharks so much better than them at boarding actions?

 

* * *

 

Looks good. You do need to finish it, though. :huh:

 

Also, you're at about 3300 words. As you may recall, official GW IAs tend to about 4500. Size isn't yet an issue, but you should be careful.

[Vash113]

The Mantis Warriors are astartes yes but no fluff really exists to show their strengths or weaknesses, pre-badab uprising they appear to have been a pretty much vanilla codex chapter. If the Space Sharks are more experienced at close in fighting throughout the corridors of a ship then it would give them an edge in a boarding combat against the Mantis Warriors.

 

While the Mantis Warriors obviously participated in the pirating attacks against the Imperium during the Badab Uprising it's not certain if that was a speciality or situational necessity. After all the Lamentors were forced into submission by the Minotaurs in fleet and boarding actions if I recall correctly, from that same conflict.

 

It's a very good IA as is, some points could use expanding but not overly so, you don't want to get too long winded about certain things. So far I think the IA is doing it's job just fine, the artwork really helps too, the IA gives the Space Sharks a unique look and feel and an interresting background that sounds like it fits just fine into the 40k background. Good job so far, I look forward to seeing what's expanded/added next ;).

[Octavulg]

The Mantis Warriors are astartes yes but no fluff really exists to show their strengths or weaknesses, pre-badab uprising they appear to have been a pretty much vanilla codex chapter. If the Space Sharks are more experienced at close in fighting throughout the corridors of a ship then it would give them an edge in a boarding combat against the Mantis Warriors.

 

Yes, but the way the relevant paragraph is written kind of implies the Space Sharks are good at boarding simply because they're marines.

 

After all the Lamentors were forced into submission by the Minotaurs in fleet and boarding actions if I recall correctly, from that same conflict.

 

Yup. And the Minotaurs beat the Lamenters because the Minotaurs are bloodthirsty lunatics. ;)

[Commissar Molotov]

Yes, but the way the relevant paragraph is written kind of implies the Space Sharks are good at boarding simply because they're marines.

 

To be fair, that's partly because said paragraph isn't finished. ;) I'll be expanding it as soon as I can.

[Darrell]

It's been a while since I've had the opportunity to be online and, while I have quite a bit to catch up on, I wanted to go ahead and comment on the Space Sharks since their IA has come back. Sharks are one of my favorite animals (I always look forward to Shark Week on the Discovery Channel), so I've looked through the new article for them as well as the suggestions offered. As I've done before, I took some notes and these are what I wrote down as I went. I want to go ahead and acknowledge that I know it's an unfinished article and really only the skeleton forming up, so I'm aware there's still a lot of work to be done. Still, I did note a few areas where I look forward to seeing elaboration in the future. That all said, here's my notes:

 

I know it's just flavor description, but I don't think it's necessary to call Tethys an "insignificant" world. It may be small and of little note to the rest of the Imperium, but there is obviously some potential there if a Chapter of the Astartes is willing to claim it as their own! I'd stay away from words like "insignificant" and just refer to the world as being small and not really heard of.

 

I was originally concerned about the presence of the Emperor as an animal totem, but the article later dispersed those concerns as it touched on the fate of the Steel Cobras. I do think it's cool that the Tethyians worshipped the sharks--I believe most civilizations and communities based on a shore region have worshipped sharks wherever they were present. They are extremely effective predators and fewer sights can enthrall me more than watching a Great White breach the water while taking a kill.

 

It might be a good idea to elaborate more on why Peleus chose Tethys as a homeworld. What exactly made this world and its inhabitants so different, so striking, that an experienced Space Marine would want to see a Chapter develop on the planet? I'm sure he's seen plenty of worlds with tough populations and ferocious animals. As I took that note down, I thought it might be auspicious to have a shark visible to the Chapter as they speak to the Tethyians; perhaps breaching the water or surfacing enough that a large fin slices visibly through the water. However, I also realize that you don't want to milk the "Emperor's blessing" too much. Some kind of elaboration would certainly be welcome, though.

 

Perhaps slightly more description on the failed attempt to destroy the oncoming asteroid and the rushed evacuation attempt.

 

Speaking of the evacuation attempt, how many Tethyians were they able to save? What kind of problems did the Space Sharks have in trying to accommodate so many mortals on their ships? I would think that Astartes vessels would only be able to, ideally, cryo-stabilize about one thousand individuals. While the people were frozen, did the Sharks attempt to thaw any out as a few replacement recruits or was it deemed too risky to gamble with the Tethyians' lives? Obviously any recruitment would be very limited, but if numbers were growing dangerously low I could see it being considered. Enough mortals to maintain a viable population is obviously a concern.

 

I believe Tiberius' original article had a Librarian receiving an omen of some sort that the Badab War would be their chance to earn a homeworld. I really liked that and part of me hates to see it go. However, again, I recognize you don't want to be abusing the appearance of omens and whatnot.

 

How did the Space Sharks manage to keep their native flora and fauna alive during the voyage? Obviously the Astartes are not known for being particularly skilled gardeners nor zookeepers. Cryostasis is a possibility, but that means fewer mortals can be evacuated as well as the problem of freezing a large shark versus freezing a mortal. In addition, you need to have enough animals to sustain a viable population. I'm probably overanalyzing the issue, but it's something I wanted to note, though I know real environmental issues don't have much place in the grim darkness of the far future. It is one of the most appealing aspects of the Space Sharks, though, so making this difficult on them adds more character in several ways by showing how they deal with these problems.

 

I love that the Astartes immediately relocate, then almost completely ignore, the population of Tethys Secundus. I know how much you love your delicious irony, Mol, and that certainly fits the description well. It's a nice, immediate contrast of the Space Sharks dual nature. They've just risked a lot to relocate mortals, plants and animals to find new life somewhere else. Then, once they land, they are cruel and unforgiving to what they find. It's very gothic and very fitting.

 

The article says that when the marines aren't fighting, they spend most of their time on the planet. What do they do while they're there? Presumably they've rebuilt, or are building, a fortress monastery of their own. If that's the case, do they spend most of their time there? If they don't have a monastery, what do they spend their time doing? What a man does in his free time can say a lot about his character, so it would be a way to inject some more character into the Chapter.

 

How have the Tethians adopted to this new world? Are they grateful to the Space Sharks, or do they resent being taken from their homes? Have tribal boundaries persisted, or has their new environment forced different tribes to work together as one force to stay alive? If only a small number could be saved, it would be disastrous for them to start murdering each other again once the stasis tubes pop open.

 

I like the true name concept. It has a distinct, feral feel that I love. I think the translation of Tiberius' name could be made a bit smoother, though. Maybe something like "Strength from the ocean depths" instead of "Strength of the depths of the ocean". It's a minor suggestion, though, and the meaning works fine as it is now.

 

Like another poster above me, I'm curious about why the Space Sharks have so many Dreadnoughts. I can understand their lack of recruitment forcing the Astartes to rely more on Dreadnoughts, or use them in battle more, but actually having more than most Chapters would mean they had more sarcophagi than most Chapters. Did Mars grant them a larger number to use after the exodus? As of now, it sounds more like they would utilize Dreadnoughts more often than other Chapters, and would have had a larger number of candidates for those metal tombs, rather than just having more Dreadnoughts to use.

 

The biggest change I've noticed is the Space Sharks are no longer focused on water combat. I think that was a big change for the better, as I think that the Space Marines are really too scarce a resource to specialize in a particular environment. With something like the Imperial Guard, there are so many regiments that you can have specialists in deserts or jungles and they can be called around as necessary without much issue. Astartes, on the other hand, are extremely rare and I doubt they would have the pleasure to really specialize in one theater of war. They might enjoy fighting in water, or sand, or magma or whatever but they're in huge demand all over the galaxy and odds are they'll spend far more time fighting in strange environments than familiar ones. Tiberius and yourself, though, have done a great job in maintaining the shark inspirations without the water combat so I think the Space Sharks come out stronger for the experience.

 

The markings section has some cool ideas in it. It did leave me with a couple of questions, though. For instance, did the Space Sharks have to cut back on their hunting once the initial fauna transplantation was complete? I'd imagine that, after working so hard to keep the animals alive, they wouldn't be eager to start cutting into them right away. This would essentially mean that, for over two hundred years, many warriors would become veterans without ever being able to hunt for shark teeth trophies. Perhaps a name could be given to this particularly dark time, where the Chapter may have felt cut off in some way from Monatoa?

 

Also, I noticed that you said Peleus ordered the Chapter would have to earn a name. Did he feel similarly about the armor? Did he choose gray as just a sort of bland, temporary color which then stuck when they found the sharks on their new homeworld? Or maybe ceramite is gray when it hasn't been painted and they never painted their armor, only to find it unnecessary on Tethys.

 

The solid black eyes are nice, cosmetic touch. I believe Tiberius originally had the Sharks use a practice of filing their teeth into points. Is that practice going to stay, or has it been changed?

 

I like the article so far. There's a lot of potential and I don't think any of the changes have taken anything away from the Chapter. Again, I particularly like seperating them from the water-centered combat styles and allowing the shark inspiration to come out in other ways. Besides, there are few things as frightening as sharks who can walk on land! It's good to see them being worked on again. I see you've continued to hone your IA-making skills, Mol. ;) I look forward to reading more about the Space Sharks in the future.

[Cpt_Tiberius]

Hey Darrell, good to hear from you again. You bring up alot of good points and I will speak with Mol before the next revision is posted. I did want to touch on a few of your questions:

 

1. Why so many Dreads? - It's not that they really have that many more than other chapters, it's that they had to rely on them more during their exodus as there fighting strength was being depleted and they could not recruit new members. It's similiar to the way Iyanden eldar have to use more wraith constructs to bolster there army.

 

Now that they are recruiting again things are slowly going back to "normal"

 

2. Water Combat - This idea is still very much there, just has not been fleshed out yet. Combat specialization is not unheard of in Astartes, and it doesn't mean that they are not capable in other theatres of war. We will delve into this more when we work on the combat doctrine.

 

3. Population/flora/fauna transport - During the exodus the Sharks could not recruit as the tethyians were in cryo-stasis. The Tethyians do not know that they were ever on a starship. They think that they were "magically" transported to a new world by the gods. As for the transportation, you are right that marines are not the best at this. They were forced to make oaths and compacts with the Adeptus Mechanicus & Biologis to facilitate the removal which will surely come back to haunt them later. As for the transportation of animals/plants, both living specimens as well as egg/seed stock was taken so that they could carry more.

 

Hope that clarifies a few things.

 

-T.

[Commissar Molotov]

I think you're a little rusty, Darrell. :) Although you bring up a few very salient points, I disagree with you on others.

 

-> I think it's perfectly fine to call Tethys insignificant. My dictionary says 'insignificant' is 'unimportant' or 'too small to be important'. Tethys is both. The idea is that unless the Tarot had guided them there, Peleus would never have set foot upon Tethys. It escaped his notice. It didn't matter - and then it did. The 'homeworld' section goes on to describe why it was significant to Peleus - and I hope to do so even further.

 

-> The 'Emperor as anthropromorphic Shark deity' was Tiberius's idea. I revised to say that depictions of the Emperor vary from Human to Shark, and made sure to mention the Steel Cobras. Now, the Steel Cobras were hounded by a particularly bombastic Ecclesiarchal Cardinal - not even an Inquisitor - which to me suggest that they must not have had many allies, which is why I've said that the Sharks' actions in the Badab War have gained them a lot of influential allies. Few will forget the relentless rage with which they assaulted the Mantis Warriors.

 

-> Your assertion that Tethys/Peleus need to be elaborated further is noted, but I'm certainly not a fan of the 'auspicious omen' - the 'auspicious omen' was the Emperor's Tarot.

 

Perhaps slightly more description on the failed attempt to destroy the oncoming asteroid and the rushed evacuation attempt.

 

You'll note that's not even been written in a proper prose style - the latter half of the 'homeworld' section is still in note form.

 

->Equally, the evacuation hasn't been detailed, but the actual mechanics of 'how did they freeze sharks?' is a complete irrelevance for the article. I'm not writing a novel about the destruction of Tethys - I'm spending two or three paragraphs on it. It's like asking how Corax created the monstrosities of the weregeld. Useful information to sate your curiosity, sure, but ultimately not important. What matters is that the sharks were transported. They were kept alive, and they are ravaging the ecosystem of Tethys Secundus.

 

I love that the Astartes immediately relocate, then almost completely ignore, the population of Tethys Secundus. I know how much you love your delicious irony, Mol, and that certainly fits the description well. It's a nice, immediate contrast of the Space Sharks dual nature. They've just risked a lot to relocate mortals, plants and animals to find new life somewhere else. Then, once they land, they are cruel and unforgiving to what they find. It's very gothic and very fitting.

 

Thanks. :huh: Most of that is Tiberius, actually, but I hope to expand upon it.

 

-> With regards to the Marines spending time on the planet, the idea was partly it's to do with being close to nature/their planet, which means a great deal to them. Tiberius mentioned before that they use a giant submersible space ship as a fortress-monastery, but I'm not a huge fan of the idea. I'm not sure about them having too much of a Salamanders-esque affinity with the tribes, because Tiberius mentioned that the Sharks are keen not to disrupt the tribes - though the tribes do recognise the Sharks as the Sons of Monatoa, so...

 

-> The Tethyians are fine with their new world. Life might, perhaps, be slightly harder, but they accept that the Sons of Monatoa have moved them to a new world (the stars are different) for whatever reasons (Montaoa Wills It, probably.) They wouldn't know about the asteroid and the devastation/destruction of Tethys. The tribes still stay separate - that's how it has always been, since the oldest Tethyians can remember.

 

-> I'll look into Tae Biiroush's name, but I'd obviously need to talk to Tiberius about that.

 

-> With regards to aquatic combat, that's somewhat of a thorny issue between Tiberius and I. We came to a compromise on MSN that the Sharks have an affinity with water, which enables them to utilise it in a way that few Space Marine Chapters do. Much of their equipment is altered to operate underwater if required. Perhaps the Sharks have even contributed some of their ideas on aquatic combat to the Codex Astartes. But I said to Tiberius that when defending a city or the like, they wouldn't need to be underwater. They should have tricks up their sleeve to utilise water if the strategic option presents itself. They shouldn't be rushing to jump into the water all the time no matter what.

 

-> About colour schemes; old fluff had it that the Grey Knights were grey because their armour was unpainted. Who knows. Oh, and teeth-filing might be a ritualistic practice which has its place in the Chapter, but I wouldn't say everyone has to do it.

 

Still, good feedback. Thanks. :)