Warhammer 40k Fluff Thread X - Yippee Ki-Yay, Heretic.

[Artanis]

The Space Wolves also aren't big fans of what the Inquisition did after the 1st War for Armageddon.

[Cheesegear]

The Space Wolves also aren't big fans of what the Inquisition did after the 1st War for Armageddon.

Specifically, Logan Grimnar. While the Inquisition was always on Space Wolves' case, most of the time they were simply an inconvenient part of life. Show Inquisitors around The Fang, let look around in the above-ground floors, give 'em a beer and send 'em home. Basically, Space Wolves treated Inquisitors like Game Devs treat YouTubers, fly them out to an event, show them a good time, and hopefully they'll forget the fact that certain parts of the game are terrible or has game-breaking bugs in.

Logan wins Armageddon, losing a significant chunk of his Chapter, and a full Brotherhood of Grey Knights died. But, Logan largely credits the victory on Armageddon to the countless Imperial Guard who fought, bled, and died beside the Space Wolves. "He who bleeds with me this day shall be my brother." Logan personally walks around the survivors of Armageddon, personally thanking several. Remembering that at this point, Logan Grimnar is Lord Solar. Logan is essentially the equivalent of Horus at the height of his power, and he's personally going up to the line-members of Imperial Guard regiments, telling them how brave they were, and that the day would have been lost without them. No matter how many Imperial Guard there are, every single one of them in the line, matters.

Logan Grimnar is a Hero, in every sense of the word.

Shortly after Armageddon, the Inquisition starts purging the Armageddon regiments, they witnessed Angron, they saw Daemons. In Logan's mind, the Inquisition is going around shooting his brothers in the head, for winning the war. To Logan, that's unacceptable, and The Old Wolf Never Forgets.

[hamishspence]

"He who bleeds with me this day shall be my brother."

Ah, yes, the Henry V quote. Also favoured by the Flesh Tearers, in the form:

"For he that sheds his blood with me today will be my battle brother eternal"

[Blackhawk748]

I will never understand why the Inquisition does this. "Ok they won, but the saw Daemons so we need to shoot them" "Wait aminute, why dont we just put them on some ships and use them to fight other Daemons?" "Nope, gonna shoot them."

Seriously, quite destroying a valuable resource.

[The Glyphstone]

Guardsmen.....valuable resource....AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH heresy BLAM.

[Cheesegear]

Seriously, quite destroying a valuable resource.

It's not so much Corruption that the Inquisition is worried about - although that is a real and present worry at all times. Even without Corruption, the Inquisition's stock in trade, is Ignorance. The Emperor said that There Were No Gods. He was lying through his teeth, Malcador knew it, Magnus knew it, and Lorgar figured it out even though Magnus specifically told him not to. What the Inquisition does, is treat everyone as a potential Lorgar. If Guardsmen don't know that Gods and Daemons exist - aside from the Emperor and His Saints - they can't call them for help.

Knowledge is Power.

I have been toying with the idea for a story of my own for NaNoWriMo, not Eldar but none the less still 40k.

Anything good? Want to share with the thread?

If you find yourself needing a 'buddy' to keep up you enthusiasm (God knows, I probably will...) then give me a nudge

It's not so much enthusiasm that I need, but time.

[Platinius]

It's not so much Corruption that the Inquisition is worried about - although that is a real and present worry at all times. Even without Corruption, the Inquisition's stock in trade, is Ignorance. The Emperor said that There Were No Gods. He was lying through his teeth, Malcador knew it, Magnus knew it, and Lorgar figured it out even though Magnus specifically told him not to. What the Inquisition does, is treat everyone as a potential Lorgar. If Guardsmen don't know that Gods and Daemons exist - aside from the Emperor and His Saints - they can't call them for help.

Knowledge is Power.



Anything good? Want to share with the thread?



It's not so much enthusiasm that I need, but time.

To keep their general troops ignorant about a very real threat is stupid to say the least, to teach them only bare essentials on the other hand...

warp creatures = demons = real
demons=bad

=> general guideline pamphlet given to guardsmen as part of the Primer handed out to everyone in IG

Q1:see demon?
A1:shoot it! then warn comrades and inform superiours like about any other threat
Q2:still see a demon?
A2:Yes? go to A1 No? warn comrades and inform superiours like about any other threat

Have interest in demons and warp?
Protip from every single Inquisitor: forget about about it as fast as you can, you are better off not knowing and not because of anything the Inquisition could do to you

[Kesnit]

To keep their general troops ignorant about a very real threat is stupid to say the least, to teach them only bare essentials on the other hand...

warp creatures = demons = real
demons=bad

=> general guideline pamphlet given to guardsmen as part of the Primer handed out to everyone in IG

Q1:see demon?
A1:shoot it! then warn comrades and inform superiours like about any other threat
Q2:still see a demon?
A2:Yes? go to A1 No? warn comrades and inform superiours like about any other threat

Have interest in demons and warp?
Protip from every single Inquisitor: forget about about it as fast as you can, you are better off not knowing and not because of anything the Inquisition could do to you

There will always be people who are curious, self-centered, or just evil. Some people, if told what you wrote above, would say "OK, see demon, kill demon, report to superior." Other people would say "why? What is a demon? Why are they so bad?" And then there would be people who would say "IG sucks. I wonder what kind of deal I would get if I ran off and teamed up with that demon..."

[Wraith]

I will never understand why the Inquisition does this. "Ok they won, but the saw Daemons so we need to shoot them" "Wait a minute, why don't we just put them on some ships and use them to fight other Daemons?" "Nope, gonna shoot them."

Seriously, quite destroying a valuable resource.

On the one hand, the Inquisition has learned from the Heresy.
Back in 30k, the Emperor told everyone that there was no such thing as Gods or Daemons, which is why everyone was so utterly, horribly unprepared when they were unleashed upon Calth and Terra. In 40k, it's fairly well known that daemons do exist, insofar as they are another type of monster to fight against. Space Marines treat them as just another type of xenos to purge, because they're badass and hypnotically indoctrinated enough to do it with relatively few lapses, and the Guard now has the Inquisition and the Commissariat watching over them to limit the damage.

In 40k, the forces of the Imperium know that daemons are a thing, and that they have to be fought. And that's all they need to know.

On the other hand, simply knowing about them does not protect you from them or their influence. The very nature of Chaos is insidious - spend enough time around it, soaking in the influence of the warp, and eventually it will take hold in you. Having Guardsmen fight daemons, and then sending them off to fight more daemons, and then MORE daemons, is a guarantee that they will, at some point, Fall. It's just a matter of time and the only way to prevent it is inhuman regimens of hypnotherapy and constant vigilance (as with Astartes) or death.

The view of the Inquisition is that death now is far, far better than the ruination of the Guardsmens' souls and then death AFTER they have rebelled and dragged their Regiment, command structure, armoured corps and - potentially - the planet upon which they are stationed down with them.

Anything good? Want to share with the thread?

I may have mentioned it before, a while ago.

Spoiler

Show

The Imperial Guardians Chapter of Space Marines are distantly derived from the Imperial Fists. They're not so close to their parent Legion as to be invited to the Feast of Blades, but in recognition of their debt to Dorn every century or so they have their own private celebration on their day of Founding. Fleet-based, they gather together on the edge of the Segmentums Solar/Pacificus aboard the flagship Eternal Guardian and are mid-celebration when an enormous Apocalypse-class Capital Ship tears from the warp, flanked by several other Astartes Battle Cruisers.

These newcomers are Traitors. Their immense firepower quickly cripples the Loyalist's smaller ship (Apocalypse ships are the only battle cruisers equipped as standard with Nova Cannons) which is soon boarded and ransacked. Having taken huge casualties from the bombardment, the Guardians fight to the last man, their genestock raided, their artifacts looted, and their ship left to die in space before the Traitors turn about their fleet and head towards a not-too-distant warp phenomenon known as the Gates of Fire.

There is only one survivor, the Imperial Guardians' Master of the Forge Alexand Leccancia. Overcoming massive injuries due to already being heavily augmented by cybernetics, he survived the boarding by virtue of being trapped within a section of ship separated from the main hull by battle damage and is discovered in torpor weeks later when the Eternal Defender's distress call is finally answered by elements of three other Chapters - the Ultramarines, the Space Wolves and the Celestial Lions.

Revived, the MotF is informed of his situation, and now he is posed with a problem - what does he do with himself? He is the de facto 'owner' of what's left of his Chapter's resources, what should he do with them? Honour to his brothers demands one thing, but his duty to the Imperium demands another. Since he is already compromised by his vows to Mars and his detached sense of brotherhood that result, he confesses his concern to the Commanding officer of each of his rescuing brothers and asks their advice;

The Ultramarines recommend Duty; he is a Space Marine and whatever else happens he must serve the Emperor. Go join the Deathwatch, there's no shame in that.
The Space Wolves recommend Honour; your Chapter must be avenged or you should die in the attempt, the Emperor does not look kindly on those who forsake their vows of brotherhood.
The Celestial Lions offer him a new brotherhood and new duty as one of their own; a Chapter cannot be rebuilt from one Marine, but they have already walked that hard path after Armageddon and could make use of someone with his expertise if he has no where else to go. He can still serve the Emperor in a sensible capacity, and the Lions will hold the correct funereal ceremonies to honour the now-extinct Imperial Guardians as is proper.

Eventually, Alexand decides that he was a Imperial Guardian before he was a Techmarine and even before he was a fully fledged Astartes - he wore the gold and black of his Chapter as an initiate and scout, accepted by his brothers before he was fully sworn in as a Marine, and goes for Plan B. He suits up in what is left of his Chapters' relics (there's always a hidden stash of artifacts if you know where to look, and who knows better than the Master of the Forge?), gifts what is left to his rescuers as he doesn't expect to return for any of it, and begins hunting down the warband that took his brothers from him.

Admittedly, much of this is an excuse to write a story about a Master of the Forge in combat; I just like the idea of one stalking through the corridors of a battle ship, using his mechanical skills to set the ship to Self Destruct and then fighting his way out before it blows, ripping apart other Marines with his mechadendrites as he goes.
Not yet settled on a title - I think 'Honour Before Duty' is already a story by someone, maybe 'The Imperial Guardian' has a nice ring to it.

[Cheesegear]

The view of the Inquisition is that death now is far, far better than the ruination of the Guardsmens' souls and then death AFTER they have rebelled and dragged their Regiment, command structure, armoured corps and - potentially - the planet upon which they are stationed down with them.

As I said, everyone is a potential Lorgar.

[Story Stuff]

*Breathes in* Hnng.
Did you know that Atlas Infernal features the last Techmarine and last living Marine of the Relictors Chapter? Who chokes out a Khorne Berzerker, and is a badass who dual-wields Daemonblades and Mechadendrites and kills Grey Knights and doesn't afraid of anything?

I want to say The Last Guardian sounds cool, but for some reason it sounded familiar, so I looked it up, sad face.
Forge Alone sounds good, too. As in 'forge ahead', but also 'forge' as in making stuff. Double meaning! Or just semi-colon it; Forge Ahead; Forge Alone.

[Wraith]

*Breathes in* Hnng.
Did you know that Atlas Infernal features the last Techmarine and last living Marine of the Relictors Chapter? Who chokes out a Khorne Berzerker, and is a badass who dual-wields Daemonblades and Mechadendrites and kills Grey Knights and doesn't afraid of anything?

I... did not, no.

I suppose that the difference would be, my guy a) is the star of the story, rather than being a sidekick, b) isn't a Grey Knight killing heretic and c) (hopefully) not a Marty Stu with his matched pair of silver plated daemon katanas and Bad-Ass-Trenchcoat Syndrome. He might even solve some problems by being a techmarine and not a cybernetic Samurai.

I want to say The Last Guardian sounds cool, but for some reason it sounded familiar, so I looked it up, sad face.

I too have been to the same webpage for exactly the same reason.

Forge Alone sounds good, too. As in 'forge ahead', but also 'forge' as in making stuff. Double meaning! Or just semi-colon it; Forge Ahead; Forge Alone.

If I get enough situations where he can show off his tech-know how, I may just go with 'Master of the Forge', stress on Master. It's always been a title that I admired, might as well get some dramatic use out of it.

[Artanis]

*story stuff*

Sounds pretty cool

Spoiler

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I can't really provide much in the way of suggestions, but a couple of (very very minor) things crossed my mind while reading that. Take this in the context of, "ooh, would this help?", rather than being some sort of nitpicky criticism. Also, feel free to ignore every word of this if it wouldn't fit:

-If you want him to fix problems by being a TECHmarine, why not have him start by fixing up those artifacts he uses, instead of just pulling them out of a hidden stash? After all, who but the Techmarine would be able to make a working set of combat gear out of damaged remains? It also shouldn't be that hard to make it believable that somebody with so much practice keeping nigh-irreplaceable Lost Tech running at the highest level could find enough intact stuff in an entire chapter's worth of salvage to make one last set of equipment

-If slightly changing the name is an option (which, again, it very well might not be), might I suggest Alexius? It's still an "Alex" name, and Alexius I seems like a decent figure to share a name with given the circumstances. Plus, it fits the "Astartes' names end in -us" theme

Just my two centithrones of trying (probably unsuccessfully) to be helpful

[thethird]

I'm planning an Eldar novel for NaNoWriMo this year (November), after having given myself the idea exactly the same time last year (check the date stamp). So Cypher will say it then, if it gets written.

Yeah, I remember that short and really liked it, I had a NaNoWriMo prepared for last year but I got a new job at the same time and ended focusing on that. My idea didn't revolve around warhammer, I had been written a fic crossovering 40k and starcraft a while earlier, so it's not really relevant here .

On the one hand, the Inquisition has learned from the Heresy.
Back in 30k, the Emperor told everyone that there was no such thing as Gods or Daemons, which is why everyone was so utterly, horribly unprepared when they were unleashed upon Calth and Terra. In 40k, it's fairly well known that daemons do exist, insofar as they are another type of monster to fight against. Space Marines treat them as just another type of xenos to purge, because they're badass and hypnotically indoctrinated enough to do it with relatively few lapses, and the Guard now has the Inquisition and the Commissariat watching over them to limit the damage.

In 40k, the forces of the Imperium know that daemons are a thing, and that they have to be fought. And that's all they need to know.

On the other hand, simply knowing about them does not protect you from them or their influence. The very nature of Chaos is insidious - spend enough time around it, soaking in the influence of the warp, and eventually it will take hold in you. Having Guardsmen fight daemons, and then sending them off to fight more daemons, and then MORE daemons, is a guarantee that they will, at some point, Fall. It's just a matter of time and the only way to prevent it is inhuman regimens of hypnotherapy and constant vigilance (as with Astartes) or death.

The view of the Inquisition is that death now is far, far better than the ruination of the Guardsmens' souls and then death AFTER they have rebelled and dragged their Regiment, command structure, armoured corps and - potentially - the planet upon which they are stationed down with them.



I may have mentioned it before, a while ago.

Spoiler

Show

The Imperial Guardians Chapter of Space Marines are distantly derived from the Imperial Fists. They're not so close to their parent Legion as to be invited to the Feast of Blades, but in recognition of their debt to Dorn every century or so they have their own private celebration on their day of Founding. Fleet-based, they gather together on the edge of the Segmentums Solar/Pacificus aboard the flagship Eternal Guardian and are mid-celebration when an enormous Apocalypse-class Capital Ship tears from the warp, flanked by several other Astartes Battle Cruisers.

These newcomers are Traitors. Their immense firepower quickly cripples the Loyalist's smaller ship (Apocalypse ships are the only battle cruisers equipped as standard with Nova Cannons) which is soon boarded and ransacked. Having taken huge casualties from the bombardment, the Guardians fight to the last man, their genestock raided, their artifacts looted, and their ship left to die in space before the Traitors turn about their fleet and head towards a not-too-distant warp phenomenon known as the Gates of Fire.

There is only one survivor, the Imperial Guardians' Master of the Forge Alexand Leccancia. Overcoming massive injuries due to already being heavily augmented by cybernetics, he survived the boarding by virtue of being trapped within a section of ship separated from the main hull by battle damage and is discovered in torpor weeks later when the Eternal Defender's distress call is finally answered by elements of three other Chapters - the Ultramarines, the Space Wolves and the Celestial Lions.

Revived, the MotF is informed of his situation, and now he is posed with a problem - what does he do with himself? He is the de facto 'owner' of what's left of his Chapter's resources, what should he do with them? Honour to his brothers demands one thing, but his duty to the Imperium demands another. Since he is already compromised by his vows to Mars and his detached sense of brotherhood that result, he confesses his concern to the Commanding officer of each of his rescuing brothers and asks their advice;

The Ultramarines recommend Duty; he is a Space Marine and whatever else happens he must serve the Emperor. Go join the Deathwatch, there's no shame in that.
The Space Wolves recommend Honour; your Chapter must be avenged or you should die in the attempt, the Emperor does not look kindly on those who forsake their vows of brotherhood.
The Celestial Lions offer him a new brotherhood and new duty as one of their own; a Chapter cannot be rebuilt from one Marine, but they have already walked that hard path after Armageddon and could make use of someone with his expertise if he has no where else to go. He can still serve the Emperor in a sensible capacity, and the Lions will hold the correct funereal ceremonies to honour the now-extinct Imperial Guardians as is proper.

Eventually, Alexand decides that he was a Imperial Guardian before he was a Techmarine and even before he was a fully fledged Astartes - he wore the gold and black of his Chapter as an initiate and scout, accepted by his brothers before he was fully sworn in as a Marine, and goes for Plan B. He suits up in what is left of his Chapters' relics (there's always a hidden stash of artifacts if you know where to look, and who knows better than the Master of the Forge?), gifts what is left to his rescuers as he doesn't expect to return for any of it, and begins hunting down the warband that took his brothers from him.

Admittedly, much of this is an excuse to write a story about a Master of the Forge in combat; I just like the idea of one stalking through the corridors of a battle ship, using his mechanical skills to set the ship to Self Destruct and then fighting his way out before it blows, ripping apart other Marines with his mechadendrites as he goes.
Not yet settled on a title - I think 'Honour Before Duty' is already a story by someone, maybe 'The Imperial Guardian' has a nice ring to it.

Sounds pretty cool

Spoiler

Show

I can't really provide much in the way of suggestions, but a couple of (very very minor) things crossed my mind while reading that. Take this in the context of, "ooh, would this help?", rather than being some sort of nitpicky criticism. Also, feel free to ignore every word of this if it wouldn't fit:

-If you want him to fix problems by being a TECHmarine, why not have him start by fixing up those artifacts he uses, instead of just pulling them out of a hidden stash? After all, who but the Techmarine would be able to make a working set of combat gear out of damaged remains? It also shouldn't be that hard to make it believable that somebody with so much practice keeping nigh-irreplaceable Lost Tech running at the highest level could find enough intact stuff in an entire chapter's worth of salvage to make one last set of equipment

-If slightly changing the name is an option (which, again, it very well might not be), might I suggest Alexius? It's still an "Alex" name, and Alexius I seems like a decent figure to share a name with given the circumstances. Plus, it fits the "Astartes' names end in -us" theme

Just my two centithrones of trying (probably unsuccessfully) to be helpful

Wow, nice story stub

Spoiler

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I also feel that rebuilding the stuff could be really nice adittion, and give the one man chapter feel, perhaps his helmet is taken from the now deceased chapter master, the left shoulderpad from the veteran sergeant who first taught him when he was a scout, he carries a narthecium from the apothecary that died destroying his brother's geneseed so it wouldn't fall on enemy hands, because it was the right thing to do... his chest piece is inscribed with every name from all his brothers and it's a memorial and a declaration of intentions. Etcetera, no need to go to the past for relics, there should be relics aplenty on the ship with really angry and vindictive machine spirits.

Speaking of which I think that a machine spirit gestalt could be a good companion for the lone master of the forge. It would give him someone to talk too, and it can always angry all the time, forcing the master of the forge to keep going even against the worst odds.

[Wraith]

-If you want him to fix problems by being a TECHmarine, why not have him start by fixing up those artifacts he uses, instead of just pulling them out of a hidden stash?

Hey, you! Quit reading my brain-meats and stealing my ideas!

-If slightly changing the name is an option (which, again, it very well might not be), might I suggest Alexius?

I wanted to stay away from any name that sounded like Alexis - Alexis Pollux is an Imperial Fist Captain from the Horus Heresy novels. The Imperial Guardians are from a Founding that is distant, virtually estranged, from it's parent Chapter and I didn't want there to be too much of a crossover by naming characters after each other.

Similarly, there's not really any such thing as a 'typical' Astartes name. Alexius and similar Roman-esque names are common in the Segmentum Solar and throughout Ultramar, but nothing like those used by the White Scars (Asian Steppe) or Salamanders (Afrikaan). Fleet-based Chapters who recruit from multiple worlds often have a broad mix of names throughout, if they don't also have a tradition of renaming their Marines upon implantation.

Speaking of which I think that a machine spirit gestalt could be a good companion for the lone master of the forge. It would give him someone to talk too, and it can always angry all the time, forcing the master of the forge to keep going even against the worst odds.

I fear it might be tinfoil hat time, if you're going to be in there too.

[Voidhawk]

Very cool story stub there, I would totally read a trilogy about a Master of the Forge wandering around searching for vengeance on the traitors who destroyed his chapter. Have you planned out who the traitors were yet? Iron Warriors would be the obvious choice: he can engage in tech-battles with at least one Warpsmith, and you can highlight how "hacking" pieces of Dark Age of Technology gear is nothing like hacking a computer, even less so when they're possessed by daemons.

The only piece of feedback I can really give, is have you thought about changing the chapter's name? Imperial Guardians just sounds so close to Imperial Guard. Astral Gaurdians perhaps, something like that?

[Cheesegear]

I suppose that the difference would be, my guy a) is the star of the story, rather than being a sidekick, b) isn't a Grey Knight killing heretic and c) (hopefully) not a Marty Stu with his matched pair of silver plated daemon katanas and Bad-Ass-Trenchcoat Syndrome. He might even solve some problems by being a techmarine and not a cybernetic Samurai.

a) Fair point.
b) Grey Knights started it. The Grey Knights blew up the Relictors' homeworld for storing Daemon weapons, y'know, for using the Enemy's weapons to also fight the Enemy. Y'know, like Grey Knights do. Ultimately, he Levels Up in the middle of the story grabbing two Daemon Weapons - using his knowledge as a Techmarine for a Chapter that specialises in finding and locating Daemon weapons, he manages to snag the two best weapons on the rack - and fighting Grey Knights.
c) He's not so much a Marty Stu, as he is the 'action character'. Since Atlas Infernal is nominally about an Inquisition and his Warband, having a Space Marine in the mix lets the author write really cool action scenes, that he wouldn't be able to otherwise write, if he was only writing about humans. The Techmarine is used sparingly, partly because he's so good at doing what he does. Because he's used sparingly, IMO, he becomes that much cooler when he does get used. Essentially it's a case of Space Marine-on-Space Marine combat, without him in the book, Inquisitor Czevak would have just spent the entire book running away from superior enemies - not that he doesn't also do that.

Of course, why not just not have Space Marines as the primary antagonists? ...Well, Czevak is nominally pitted against Ahriman. Ahriman is a Space Marine. There's going to be Space Marines as the bad guys. When Czevak has to break into the Inquisition base to steal stuff (because he's a Radical Xeno-loving outlaw), his opponents are Grey Knights, because that makes sense. Who is the only one in the party that can fight Grey Knights and not die immediately? Correct. Another Space Marine.

If I get enough situations where he can show off his tech-know how, I may just go with 'Master of the Forge', stress on Master. It's always been a title that I admired, might as well get some dramatic use out of it.

"A Master without an Apprentice is a Master of nothing." - Darth Sidious

I'm trying to find the word of what that is, like, the opposite of 'Ronin', a Master without any followers. In fact, Master of Nothing sounds good, too.

Very cool story stub there, I would totally read a trilogy about a Master of the Forge wandering around searching for vengeance on the traitors who destroyed his chapter.

As opposed to the Techmarine in Atlas Infernal who wants revenge on the Grey Knights who destroyed his Chapter.

...I just like AI a lot.

Imperial Guardians just sounds so close to Imperial Guard. Astral Gaurdians perhaps, something like that?

QFT.

[Wraith]

Have you planned out who the traitors were yet? Iron Warriors would be the obvious choice: he can engage in tech-battles with at least one Warpsmith, and you can highlight how "hacking" pieces of Dark Age of Technology gear is nothing like hacking a computer, even less so when they're possessed by daemons.

Probably a warband of generic renegades, but led by a genuine Heresy-Era Iron Warrior who is disdainful of the petty little things that the modern Imperium calls Space Marines. An important theme I have in mind is Alexand's choice between Honour and Duty, and what it means to be a Battle Brother to a thousand other Battle Brothers, rather than just the walking weapon that that mortals see him as or the distant 'cousin' that other Chapters see. And who knows more about brotherhood than one who walked under the banner of a Primarch?

"Your brothers? Your Brothers!? What do you know of Brotherhood!?! *I* was Legiones Astartes! I marched the face of a hundred worlds beside tens of thousands of my kin, all with the hand of our father upon our shoulder! What do you and your weak blooded, pitiful Imperium know of brotherhood, 'Space Marine'!?!

The only piece of feedback I can really give, is have you thought about changing the chapter's name? Imperial Guardians just sounds so close to Imperial Guard. Astral Gaurdians perhaps, something like that?

I see what you mean, but I had given it a little bit of thought to justify it. On the one hand, there's no such thing as the Imperial Guard any more - it's the Astra Militarum. On the other, the combination of 'Imperial' and 'Guardian' is intended as a reminder - he's not just some renegade going off on his own private war out of spite; he is still Loyalist, and despite the parallels with his own private desires, he is still hunting genuine enemies of the Imperium, and if he doesn't do it then others will probably die doing it for him. He's proactively preventing the next raid, sort of thing.

A synonym might work, if I can find one that I like and is suitably dignified. I nearly went with 'the Imperial Custodians' before I realised what I was doing, whereas 'the Imperial Chaperones' is technically correct but a little bit.... off.

b) Grey Knights started it.

There is a certain argument that, if you find yourself one day picking up Daemon Weapons and stabbing the faces of any kind of Loyalist Space Marines - Grey Knights especially - then they were probably on to something in the first place...

c) He's not so much a Marty Stu, as he is the 'action character'.

Fair enough. Atlas Infernal has been on my list of things to pick up for quite some time, but it's surprisingly difficult to find a decent copy for a sensible price. Maybe I'm just being picky, or maybe there really is a black market for original, pre-Heresy Stamp 40k novels that I have inadvertently stumbled across.

Of course, why not just not have Space Marines as the primary antagonists? ...Well, Czevak is nominally pitted against Ahriman. Ahriman is a Space Marine. There's going to be Space Marines as the bad guys. When Czevak has to break into the Inquisition base to steal stuff (because he's a Radical Xeno-loving outlaw), his opponents are Grey Knights, because that makes sense.

Again, full disclosure that I haven't read the book so I might get it all wrong. But, I generally find that in any 40k story where the protagonists are humans, adding Space Marines to the mix in any way tends to warp the narrative into needing more Space Marines, which isn't necessarily a good thing.
For example, who else could be guarding an Inquisitorial base? Why not Storm Troopers? They're still very scary, but they're still humans so Czevak has a chance to beat them himself, particularly if he bluffs them with his Rosette into believing that he isn't Radical. Similarly, Ahriman is famous for sponsoring a vast network of human cults across the Imperium, why not have Czevak fight or sneak his way through them until he finds only Ahriman at the top, overseeing things?
You have your 'star' antagonist character making an appearance, you have the shock value of realising just how badly outmatched Czevak is, but he's not so irrevocably outmatched that there couldn't be some way out of it that isn't '"Ciaphas Cain duels a Khorne Berzerker one-on-one" levels of silly.
Eisenhorn did it, for example - his weapons and psychic abilities outmatched his opponent's, he brought significant backup, he used the scenery to his advantage and he tricked the opponent into defeating himself, but it still took a huge amount of effort to do so. At no point, however, did the protagonist of the book sit back and cower while the superhumans stole the spotlight, y'know?

I'm trying to find the word of what that is, like, the opposite of 'Ronin', a Master without any followers. In fact, Master of Nothing sounds good, too.

"A leader without followers is just a guy going for a walk". I don't think there is an English word for a leader without followers; it more or less defies the definition of 'leader'.
The closest that I could think of for an Anglicised equivalent of Ronin in probably be some kind of disgraced Knight, which doesn't seem to have a specific term and isn't quite the same thing as a Knight-Errant. The latter tends to suggest a more benevolent attitude than actual Ronin were known for and that they are still operating within some sort of honourable code. This would be appropriate for a lone Space Marine, but I can't use it for obvious reasons.

I could not, however, find any kind of 'hierarchy' for Knights-Errant; there's no such thing as a Baron-Errant for example. They'd be known as some kind of mercenary captain perhaps, but again a mercenary without a company is just a mercenary.
Hmm, let's see; people who want to lead but won't be followed.... A Cassandric - or simply false - prophet? Not really what I'm looking for.

'Master of Aught' has a certain ring to it, I must admit. I also kinda like "Unto Death", as it echoes the famous Astartes oath to serve until they die, though I'll have to avoid meeting any Dreadnoughts if I don't want to spoil it.

[comicshorse]

'And I, the last, go forth companionless '

http://d.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/t...sing-of-arthur

[Artanis]

I see what you mean, but I had given it a little bit of thought to justify it. On the one hand, there's no such thing as the Imperial Guard any more - it's the Astra Militarum. On the other, the combination of 'Imperial' and 'Guardian' is intended as a reminder - he's not just some renegade going off on his own private war out of spite; he is still Loyalist, and despite the parallels with his own private desires, he is still hunting genuine enemies of the Imperium, and if he doesn't do it then others will probably die doing it for him. He's proactively preventing the next raid, sort of thing.

A synonym might work, if I can find one that I like and is suitably dignified. I nearly went with 'the Imperial Custodians' before I realised what I was doing, whereas 'the Imperial Chaperones' is technically correct but a little bit.... off.

Hmm...

(Commence thinking out loud)

For the "guardian" part, perhaps a word based off of "vigil"? It's pretty recognizable to the general population as referring to standing watch, so you can make something important-sounding without confusing everybody. So maybe make "Vigilant" part of the name. Or "Vigilia" if you want something more Latin-sounding*.

For the "imperial" part of the name, WH40K already has enough "Imperialis"-es than you can shake a las-stick at, so that part wouldn't be as hard.

So maybe "Vigilia Imperialis", or "Emperor's Vigilants", or something along those lines?

(Finish thinking out loud)


...eh, just a thought



*Vigilia translates from Latin as "watch, vigil, wakefulness, vigilance, guard, sleeplessness". So in more useful terms vigilia is stuff like staying awake all night to stand guard so that your comrades don't get stabbed to death in their sleep. Being that one who volunteers for the s*** job, not just because somebody has to do so, but also because he wants to personally make d*** sure that it gets done right, sounds fairly close to how you describe as this guy's mission.

[Cheesegear]

I see what you mean, but I had given it a little bit of thought to justify it. On the one hand, there's no such thing as the Imperial Guard any more - it's the Astra Militarum.

You know how you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover?
First sentence in the book; "The Astra Militarum, also known as the Imperial Guard..." - Page 6.

The Codex almost never says 'Astra Militarum' ever again. The Codex, with the exception of the front cover, near-exclusively refers to them as Imperial Guard, and proves that people on the Internet didn't even read the Codex, just cried about the front cover.

On the other, the combination of 'Imperial' and 'Guardian' is intended as a reminder

Synonyms for 'Guardian'...Baby-Sitter .
Okay seriously; Defender, Keeper, Paladin (!), Sentinel, Vigilante, Warden

I like at least two of those things.

Again, full disclosure that I haven't read the book so I might get it all wrong. But, I generally find that in any 40k story where the protagonists are humans, adding Space Marines to the mix in any way tends to warp the narrative into needing more Space Marines, which isn't necessarily a good thing.

Again, Czevak does the brain stuff. The Techmarine does the muscle stuff. It works.

'Master of Aught' has a certain ring to it, I must admit. I also kinda like "Unto Death", as it echoes the famous Astartes oath to serve until they die, though I'll have to avoid meeting any Dreadnoughts if I don't want to spoil it.

Which one?

Spoiler

Show

What is your life?
My honour is my life.
What is your fate?
My duty is my fate.
What is your fear?
My fear is to fail.
What is your reward?
My salvation is my reward.
What is your craft?
My craft is death.
What is your pledge?
My pledge is eternal service.

"My Honour is my Life." Space Wolves say go fight.
"My Duty is my Fate." Ultramarines say join the Deathwatch. The Deathwatch always needs more specialists (i.e; Techmarines), because specialists are valuable resources and most Chapters rarely give them up willingly, especially if there's a chance that they wont come back.

It sure would be nice to have a Chaplain around who could help a Marine adrift work through his moral problems.

"My craft is death." ...That would make a Master of the Forge a... Master of Death...Well, I like it.

Or, I think you're thinking of...

Spoiler

Show

What is your Duty? To serve Emperor's Will.
What is Emperor's Will? That we fight and die.
What is Death? It is our duty.
What is your Duty? [repeat]

Space Wolves are pretty clear on the matter. Do what the Emperor tells you to do.

[thethird]

I started Atlas Infernal recently, it's pretty good.

Since we are talking about fan fiction and stuff anything cool on deathwatch? I really like deathwatch.

[Blackhawk748]

Anyone here read Faith and Fire? I've heard its good, but id like to hear that from people i can trust, and since i cant find any ill ask you lot

[Drasius]

Yep. 'Twas OK, nothing exceptional, nothing terrible. If you like Sisters, you'll like the book, if you like 40k but are neutral towards SoB, you'll probably still like it and if you don't like Sisters, well, why are you looking at picking this up anyway?

I'd give it a B-, better than average, with a couple of cool things, but nothing that would mean it makes my top 10 books of 40k list.

[Blackhawk748]

Yep. 'Twas OK, nothing exceptional, nothing terrible. If you like Sisters, you'll like the book, if you like 40k but are neutral towards SoB, you'll probably still like it and if you don't like Sisters, well, why are you looking at picking this up anyway?

I'd give it a B-, better than average, with a couple of cool things, but nothing that would mean it makes my top 10 books of 40k list.

Ok, i like SoB and i was curious if it was decent. Seriously hunting Psyker Terrorists in a hive sounds like a sweet story.

[Grim Portent]

I'm going to echo Drasius on this one, Faith and Fire is okay, but not great.

It's worth reading but I wouldn't say it's stuck with me the way stuff like ADBs Night Lords have.

[Cheesegear]

Anyone here read Faith and Fire? I've heard its good, but id like to hear that from people i can trust, and since i cant find any ill ask you lot

I don't remember a single thing about F&F, not one. But I do remember Red & Black (an audio drama), but not really, 'cause all's I remember is the end of it;
"No AIs. Means; No. AIs." (paraphrased).

It's worth reading but I wouldn't say it's stuck with me the way stuff like ADBs Night Lords have.

That's the bar we set, is it?

"When I think of strong, female characters, I think of Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor." Well, with the bar set that high, there'll never be any ever again.

[Blackhawk748]

That reminds me, i need to read Daemonifuge

[Drasius]

Yes. Yes you do.

[Cheesegear]

Back onto languages, there's another specific instance that I can recall; In which Corswain - a Dark Angel - says 40K's first 'Yo mama' insult to Sevatar, in Nostroman, and not in Gothic.

[Blackhawk748]

Back onto languages, there's another specific instance that I can recall; In which Corswain - a Dark Angel - says 40K's first 'Yo mama' insult to Sevatar, in Nostroman, and not in Gothic.

.....wait seriously??? BWAHAHAHAHA