Warhammer 40K Fluff Thread XI - Juggling Idiot Balls

[Cheesegear]

Cheesegear Re-Writes Damocles

Commander Farsight shows up per normal.
One of Farsight's first acts is for he and Commander Bravestorm - wearing a Talisman of Arthas Moloch - is to Deep Strike, No Scatter into the White Scars' Librarian Conclave, and murder all of the blue-armoured ghu'lachs. Thus, taking out the Space Marines' prime advantage over the Tau - Psykers.

The Vindicare Assassin kills Commander Bravestorm on purpose. Farsight is actually a target of opportunity for the Vindicare. It's the Eversor's job to deal with Farsight.

Spoiler: This is important

Show

Deathwatch - First Founding, White Scars.

Spoiler: White Knight

Show

Lord Admiral Hawke tells the Space Marines to evacuate Agrellan, he's going to enact Exterminatus, and if you don't want to die, get off the planet.
Kor'sarro Khan refuses. He still needs to kill Shadowsun, he vowed he would, and so he will. If Hawke doesn't give him more time, Kor'sarro will rip Hawke's head off with his bare hands. In his wrath, Kor'sarro has been known to be able to rip things' heads off. He's done it before, he can do it again. Chapter Master Shrike interrupts the vox-transmissions. Hawke will wait one more day. No more, no less. If Hawke disobeys, he is directly disobeying the orders of a Space Marine Chapter Master (acting), and will receive all of the consequences that come with it. As Commander-in-Chief on Agrellan, Kor'sarro acquiesces to Shrike's compromise.

The White Scars receive intelligence about the Tau's underground bunker. Shadowsun has to be there.
Kor'sarro goes in with a unit of Vanguard. Having learned from their Raven Guard brothers, the White Scars are going into the bunker, weapons tight. Instead of savage, noisy, violent Chainswords, the Scars are going in with their Honour Blades. Duelling Tulwars from their homeworld, Chogoris. Killing Shadowsun was an honour killing. The traditional Tulwars of the White Scars were obviously the only choice. But, more importantly, the Tulwars were silent killing weapons. The Ravens had taught the 'Scars that much at least.

Silently, the Scars slaughter their way through the Tau. The Tau had given up the way of the sword long, long ago (by their reckoning), and they fell, silently, by the dozens.
The Scars reached what had to be the main room of the Tau overlords. Kor'sarro held up his hand, five fingers splayed out. He counted down...Four, three, two, one...Kor'sarro clenched his first, and made a punching motion. The Vanguard Sergeant accompanying Kor'sarro fixed a Melta Bomb to the door to the main antechamber. The door exploded inwards, conflagration burning the two Tau sentries on the inside of the door.
The alarm is raised. The antechamber is under attack! Kor'sarro was in the room before the light had even dissipated. The klaxons blaring, the time for stealth was over. "For The Khan! For the Emperor!" Kor'sarro was close to his prize. He could feel it. He felt Tau pulse weapons pierce his armour, he felt himself bleed. It was an afterthought. The Blood of Chogoris, and the blood of The Khan flowed through his veins. Acidic spittle flew out of his mouth. He roared something unintelligible...And then Kor'sarro was a blur.

Kor'sarro drew the ancient relic, Moonfang. In his left hand, he held his ceremonial Tulwar. However, in the hands of a White Scar, when his blood was up, it was no more ceremonial than any other weapon designed for killing. Kor'sarro Khan, Master of the Hunt, took up his two swords, and began one of the fighting styles of Chogoris. Kor'sarro was spinning, pirouetting on the ball of one foot, then he was spinning in the air, his swords lashed out, moving so fast that his swords were everywhere at once. Surrounded on all sides by enemies, the style of the Dervish was purely offensive. The 'defense' of the form was to lash out in all directions once, the spinning movement of the person wielding the swords only added to the momentum of the strikes. In a manner of speaking, there was no defense, the style was purely for offense, destroying everything in its path. A tornado of blades. The winds of Chogoris made manifest, and the swords, as lightning. Where the swords struck, blood splashed. The natives on Chogoris called it 'Reaping the Whirlwind'.

Kor'sarro saw himself slash the Veteran Sergeant across the face, he couldn't stop himself. He wouldn't stop himself. Kor'sarro's blades were spinning so fast, the Tau were everywhere. Klaxons calling them to the chamber. Through his disorienting spins, Kor'sarro glimpsed the throne upon which the Ethereal Supreme, Aun'Va sat. Kor'sarro urged his feet in that direction. Blue, Tau blood splashed on his face, as he sliced the neck of a Fire Warrior, blue blood covered his boot as he jumped in the air to dodge a pulse round, his foot snapping out to kick the Warrior in the head. Kor'sarro roared again, as a Pulse round took him through the chest...Yet he kept going. His eyes were red with rage. Somewhere beneath him he saw one of his swords cut a white-armoured figure down, but still Kor'sarro danced towards Aun'Va, blades whirling.

Suddenly, there were no enemies left. The pulse rounds had stopped. But Kor'sarro needed to kill his enemy. He chased Aun'Va down the hallway. Lights flicking on and off. Tau Fire Warriors moved to intercept the white-armoured hulk, but, every time Kor'sarro saw an enemy draw a bead on him, he would pivot on his front foot and begin his dervish dance. One time he leapt off the floor, put one foot on the wall, and came around in a vicious round-house head-kick that snapped the Tau's neck that was facing him. And then Kor'sarro was running again. Enemies fell before his spinning blades like chaff.

Aun'Va clambered at the foot of a building. It was dark. It was raining. The Tau's weather control devices were no longer under their control. Doing as they will, the rainclouds spat out a burst of lightning. Aun'Va looked up to see a black-armoured gue'ron'sha, with white helmet and white-painted arms. On his hands were twin Lightning Claws. The way the Space Marine was crouched...No...Perched, made him seem like a massive bird of prey, the Lightning Claws on the ledge in that position looked like talons.
Aun'Va heard footsteps behind him. Thunder crashed.

"Where is Shadowsun!?" Kor'sarro demanded.
Aun'Va was horrified. Before him was a gue'ron'sha, that was for certain. But he was unlike any other he'd seen before. This one was...Mad...Crazed. His eyes were bloodshot, spittle was running down his chin, his mouth was bleeding from where he'd clearly bitten off some of his own tongue. His armour was splattered in gore. Most of it blue. But Aun'Va could see that there was some red blood on the Marine's armour, and not originating from the holes in his armour. Did the Space Marine even know?
The silence was deafening. "I'll not ask again, Tau. Where. Is. Shadowsun!?" Thunder crashed again. Like the lightning itself was demanding the same question.
Aun'Va didn't know the answer. With the arrival of the traitor, Farsight, Shadowsun had distanced herself from the Ethereal. It had to have been Farsight and his heretical influence. Little did Aun'Va know, but Shadowsun was dealing with her own assassin and her grievous wounds. Aun'Va was silent. No matter what he said, this gue'ron'sha would kill him.
Kor'sarro levelled his honour blade, his Tulwar at Aun'Va's throat. "Do you have anything to say?"
Aun'Va levelled his gaze at Kor'sarro. This. Here. Was one of Humanity's champions. Ugly. Brutish. Savage. This was Humanity, and it sickened Aun'Va. Aun'Va could think of only one thing to say..."Damn you."
Thunder rolled. So did the Ethereal's head.

Kayvaan Shrike dropped from his vantage point to land behind Kor'sarro. The White Scar whirled, Moonfang arcing, Shrike expected the move, and one of his lightning claws came up to block the fatal strike. The flash of the two power fields colliding seemed to be enough to snap Kor'sarro out of his battle-haze, to recognise his friend.
"Shadowsun is long gone from this place." Shrike said.
"Shadowsun is fleeing. I can chase her. I will find her." replied Kor'sarro.
"No, you wont." said Shrike, Kor'sarro reeled as if he had been struck. "I have word from Chogoris, your homeworld needs you. They're under attack by the traitor Huron and his Red Corsairs."
"I vowed to slay Shadowsun, and take the hag's head." spat Kor'sarro.
"That doesn't matter. Your Chapter needs you." pleaded Shrike.
"Of course it matters! It is my honour! I must slay her. I vowed, and so I shall."
"Brother, listen to me! Your Chapter needs you. Please...Go home. While you still have a home to go back to!"
Kor'sarro looked down. Shrike thought that the Khan almost looked ashamed. But that was not the case. Kor'sarro was looking at his white armour covered in gore, he was looking at Shrike's black armour. The two could not be further apart.
"Shadowsun slew my brother, Subadeh. Her hand was behind the destruction of my Chapter's Librarians. Our teachers, our seers. Moonfang will take Shadowsun's head, for Subadeh, for all the Stormseers. Emperor! Shadowsun slew Lord Severax! How can you..." Kor'sarro sighed. "If you can't understand why this means so much to me...You are not my brother." Kor'sarro moved to shove Shrike out of the way.
"All the battles that we've..." Shrike hesitated. Then stood firm, blocking Kor'sarro's exit. "Look at yourself! Please. There's no-one left to continue your Hunt. You have slain your brothers!" Shrike indicated the red, human blood that was caked on Kor'sarro's armour. "The Tau have slain all of your Librarians. That's the problem. You're slipping...Brother. I know the curse of your Chapter, I've seen you come close to the edge, but you have not stepped over...Not yet. Subadeh would tell you-"
"Subadeh is dead! And I'll warn you to never say his name again!" interrupted Kor'sarro. "Now get out of my way!"
"I can't, brother. Please. Talk to someone. A Chaplain, a Stormseer. Your Chapter needs you. One last time, brother, I ask-"
"My Chapter is nothing, compared to my honour!" Kor'sarro reached up with one hand, and tore off his right pauldron - the pauldron with his Chapter badge - and threw the plate into the mud. "And one last time, I will tell you, coward. You are not my brother." Kor'sarro pushed Shrike. Hard.
Shrike watched his battle brother...No...Shrike watched the White Scar walk into the darkness. Would he ever walk back out?

Spoiler: The Hunters

Show

With a foothold in the Damocles Gulf, the Adeptus Terra has authorised the creation of another Space Marine Chapter in the region. A Space Marine Chapter dedicated to defending Imperial space from the encroaching Tau. A savage, brutal Chapter, descended from White Scars. Authorised to use any force necessary to keep the Tau in their hole. Huntmaster Kor'sarro leads this Chapter, with Moonfang in his hands, he is the bane of all Tau...And any traitorous humans who cast their lot in with them.

However, back on Chogoris, the new Master of the Hunt of the White Scars, has vowed to return Moonfang to its rightful place in the White Scars' armoury. Kor'sarro has responded, simply, that the Master of the Hunt is welcome to try.

[Blackhawk748]

That. Was. Glorious!

[bluntpencil]

Cheesegear Re-Writes Damocles

Commander Farsight shows up per normal.
One of Farsight's first acts is for he and Commander Bravestorm - wearing a Talisman of Arthas Moloch - is to Deep Strike, No Scatter into the White Scars' Librarian Conclave, and murder all of the blue-armoured ghu'lachs. Thus, taking out the Space Marines' prime advantage over the Tau - Psykers.

The Vindicare Assassin kills Commander Bravestorm on purpose. Farsight is actually a target of opportunity for the Vindicare. It's the Eversor's job to deal with Farsight.

Spoiler: This is important

Show

Deathwatch - First Founding, White Scars.

Spoiler: White Knight

Show

Lord Admiral Hawke tells the Space Marines to evacuate Agrellan, he's going to enact Exterminatus, and if you don't want to die, get off the planet.
Kor'sarro Khan refuses. He still needs to kill Shadowsun, he vowed he would, and so he will. If Hawke doesn't give him more time, Kor'sarro will rip Hawke's head off with his bare hands. In his wrath, Kor'sarro has been known to be able to rip things' heads off. He's done it before, he can do it again. Chapter Master Shrike interrupts the vox-transmissions. Hawke will wait one more day. No more, no less. If Hawke disobeys, he is directly disobeying the orders of a Space Marine Chapter Master (acting), and will receive all of the consequences that come with it. As Commander-in-Chief on Agrellan, Kor'sarro acquiesces to Shrike's compromise.

The White Scars receive intelligence about the Tau's underground bunker. Shadowsun has to be there.
Kor'sarro goes in with a unit of Vanguard. Having learned from their Raven Guard brothers, the White Scars are going into the bunker, weapons tight. Instead of savage, noisy, violent Chainswords, the Scars are going in with their Honour Blades. Duelling Tulwars from their homeworld, Chogoris. Killing Shadowsun was an honour killing. The traditional Tulwars of the White Scars were obviously the only choice. But, more importantly, the Tulwars were silent killing weapons. The Ravens had taught the 'Scars that much at least.

Silently, the Scars slaughter their way through the Tau. The Tau had given up the way of the sword long, long ago (by their reckoning), and they fell, silently, by the dozens.
The Scars reached what had to be the main room of the Tau overlords. Kor'sarro held up his hand, five fingers splayed out. He counted down...Four, three, two, one...Kor'sarro clenched his first, and made a punching motion. The Vanguard Sergeant accompanying Kor'sarro fixed a Melta Bomb to the door to the main antechamber. The door exploded inwards, conflagration burning the two Tau sentries on the inside of the door.
The alarm is raised. The antechamber is under attack! Kor'sarro was in the room before the light had even dissipated. The klaxons blaring, the time for stealth was over. "For The Khan! For the Emperor!" Kor'sarro was close to his prize. He could feel it. He felt Tau pulse weapons pierce his armour, he felt himself bleed. It was an afterthought. The Blood of Chogoris, and the blood of The Khan flowed through his veins. Acidic spittle flew out of his mouth. He roared something unintelligible...And then Kor'sarro was a blur.

Kor'sarro drew the ancient relic, Moonfang. In his left hand, he held his ceremonial Tulwar. However, in the hands of a White Scar, when his blood was up, it was no more ceremonial than any other weapon designed for killing. Kor'sarro Khan, Master of the Hunt, took up his two swords, and began one of the fighting styles of Chogoris. Kor'sarro was spinning, pirouetting on the ball of one foot, then he was spinning in the air, his swords lashed out, moving so fast that his swords were everywhere at once. Surrounded on all sides by enemies, the style of the Dervish was purely offensive. The 'defense' of the form was to lash out in all directions once, the spinning movement of the person wielding the swords only added to the momentum of the strikes. In a manner of speaking, there was no defense, the style was purely for offense, destroying everything in its path. A tornado of blades. The winds of Chogoris made manifest, and the swords, as lightning. Where the swords struck, blood splashed. The natives on Chogoris called it 'Reaping the Whirlwind'.

Kor'sarro saw himself slash the Veteran Sergeant across the face, he couldn't stop himself. He wouldn't stop himself. Kor'sarro's blades were spinning so fast, the Tau were everywhere. Klaxons calling them to the chamber. Through his disorienting spins, Kor'sarro glimpsed the throne upon which the Ethereal Supreme, Aun'Va sat. Kor'sarro urged his feet in that direction. Blue, Tau blood splashed on his face, as he sliced the neck of a Fire Warrior, blue blood covered his boot as he jumped in the air to dodge a pulse round, his foot snapping out to kick the Warrior in the head. Kor'sarro roared again, as a Pulse round took him through the chest...Yet he kept going. His eyes were red with rage. Somewhere beneath him he saw one of his swords cut a white-armoured figure down, but still Kor'sarro danced towards Aun'Va, blades whirling.

Suddenly, there were no enemies left. The pulse rounds had stopped. But Kor'sarro needed to kill his enemy. He chased Aun'Va down the hallway. Lights flicking on and off. Tau Fire Warriors moved to intercept the white-armoured hulk, but, every time Kor'sarro saw an enemy draw a bead on him, he would pivot on his front foot and begin his dervish dance. One time he leapt off the floor, put one foot on the wall, and came around in a vicious round-house head-kick that snapped the Tau's neck that was facing him. And then Kor'sarro was running again. Enemies fell before his spinning blades like chaff.

Aun'Va clambered at the foot of a building. It was dark. It was raining. The Tau's weather control devices were no longer under their control. Doing as they will, the rainclouds spat out a burst of lightning. Aun'Va looked up to see a black-armoured gue'ron'sha, with white helmet and white-painted arms. On his hands were twin Lightning Claws. The way the Space Marine was crouched...No...Perched, made him seem like a massive bird of prey, the Lightning Claws on the ledge in that position looked like talons.
Aun'Va heard footsteps behind him. Thunder crashed.

"Where is Shadowsun!?" Kor'sarro demanded.
Aun'Va was horrified. Before him was a gue'ron'sha, that was for certain. But he was unlike any other he'd seen before. This one was...Mad...Crazed. His eyes were bloodshot, spittle was running down his chin, his mouth was bleeding from where he'd clearly bitten off some of his own tongue. His armour was splattered in gore. Most of it blue. But Aun'Va could see that there was some red blood on the Marine's armour, and not originating from the holes in his armour. Did the Space Marine even know?
The silence was deafening. "I'll not ask again, Tau. Where. Is. Shadowsun!?" Thunder crashed again. Like the lightning itself was demanding the same question.
Aun'Va didn't know the answer. With the arrival of the traitor, Farsight, Shadowsun had distanced herself from the Ethereal. It had to have been Farsight and his heretical influence. Little did Aun'Va know, but Shadowsun was dealing with her own assassin and her grievous wounds. Aun'Va was silent. No matter what he said, this gue'ron'sha would kill him.
Kor'sarro levelled his honour blade, his Tulwar at Aun'Va's throat. "Do you have anything to say?"
Aun'Va levelled his gaze at Kor'sarro. This. Here. Was one of Humanity's champions. Ugly. Brutish. Savage. This was Humanity, and it sickened Aun'Va. Aun'Va could think of only one thing to say..."Damn you."
Thunder rolled. So did the Ethereal's head.

Kayvaan Shrike dropped from his vantage point to land behind Kor'sarro. The White Scar whirled, Moonfang arcing, Shrike expected the move, and one of his lightning claws came up to block the fatal strike. The flash of the two power fields colliding seemed to be enough to snap Kor'sarro out of his battle-haze, to recognise his friend.
"Shadowsun is long gone from this place." Shrike said.
"Shadowsun is fleeing. I can chase her. I will find her." replied Kor'sarro.
"No, you wont." said Shrike, Kor'sarro reeled as if he had been struck. "I have word from Chogoris, your homeworld needs you. They're under attack by the traitor Huron and his Red Corsairs."
"I vowed to slay Shadowsun, and take the hag's head." spat Kor'sarro.
"That doesn't matter. Your Chapter needs you." pleaded Shrike.
"Of course it matters! It is my honour! I must slay her. I vowed, and so I shall."
"Brother, listen to me! Your Chapter needs you. Please...Go home. While you still have a home to go back to!"
Kor'sarro looked down. Shrike thought that the Khan almost looked ashamed. But that was not the case. Kor'sarro was looking at his white armour covered in gore, he was looking at Shrike's black armour. The two could not be further apart.
"Shadowsun slew my brother, Subadeh. Her hand was behind the destruction of my Chapter's Librarians. Our teachers, our seers. Moonfang will take Shadowsun's head, for Subadeh, for all the Stormseers. Emperor! Shadowsun slew Lord Severax! How can you..." Kor'sarro sighed. "If you can't understand why this means so much to me...You are not my brother." Kor'sarro moved to shove Shrike out of the way.
"All the battles that we've..." Shrike hesitated. Then stood firm, blocking Kor'sarro's exit. "Look at yourself! Please. There's no-one left to continue your Hunt. You have slain your brothers!" Shrike indicated the red, human blood that was caked on Kor'sarro's armour. "The Tau have slain all of your Librarians. That's the problem. You're slipping...Brother. I know the curse of your Chapter, I've seen you come close to the edge, but you have not stepped over...Not yet. Subadeh would tell you-"
"Subadeh is dead! And I'll warn you to never say his name again!" interrupted Kor'sarro. "Now get out of my way!"
"I can't, brother. Please. Talk to someone. A Chaplain, a Stormseer. Your Chapter needs you. One last time, brother, I ask-"
"My Chapter is nothing, compared to my honour!" Kor'sarro reached up with one hand, and tore off his right pauldron - the pauldron with his Chapter badge - and threw the plate into the mud. "And one last time, I will tell you, coward. You are not my brother." Kor'sarro pushed Shrike. Hard.
Shrike watched his battle brother...No...Shrike watched the White Scar walk into the darkness. Would he ever walk back out?

Spoiler: The Hunters

Show

With a foothold in the Damocles Gulf, the Adeptus Terra has authorised the creation of another Space Marine Chapter in the region. A Space Marine Chapter dedicated to defending Imperial space from the encroaching Tau. A savage, brutal Chapter, descended from White Scars. Authorised to use any force necessary to keep the Tau in their hole. Huntmaster Kor'sarro leads this Chapter, with Moonfang in his hands, he is the bane of all Tau...And any traitorous humans who cast their lot in with them.

However, back on Chogoris, the new Master of the Hunt of the White Scars, has vowed to return Moonfang to its rightful place in the White Scars' armoury. Kor'sarro has responded, simply, that the Master of the Hunt is welcome to try.

I wouldn't have him kill friends, it's muscling in on Blood Angel territory. I'd go for reckless endangerment instead, or ignoring higher value targets.

Killing Aun'Va could have been due to Shrike lying to him about Shadowsun. The Khan could have previously been assigned to kill Aun'Va, but ignored him due to Shadowsun's tricks. Shrike then tells him where she is... and it wasn't her.

[Cheesegear]

I wouldn't have him kill friends, it's muscling in on Blood Angel territory.

He doesn't have to kill them. They could be severely wounded. But the result is the same, Kor'sarro becomes a danger to everyone around him.

But the big difference is the following;
Blood Angels don't know what they're doing. Blood Angels are pitied when they lose control.
White Scars do, and they don't care. White Scars are despised when they lose control.

[bluntpencil]

Big difference.
Blood Angels don't know what they're doing. Blood Angels are pitied when they lose control.
White Scars do, and they don't care. White Scars are despised when they lose control.

I'd still differentiate it further. Reckless abandon, barbarous behaviour, yes... Collateral damage, maybe. Stabbing friends - no. If they did that, they'd be the type of Chapter that needs to hide gene seed secrets from the High Lords.

I'd go with ignoring the mission, tunnel vision, instead of going completely mental.

[Cheesegear]

Stabbing friends - no.

Spoiler: Except that's the point.

Show

Deathwatch - First Founding, White Scars

The whole point in Farsight killing the Librarians, is that Kor'sarro's Stormseers are dead. Unknowingly, Farsight created the 'new' Kor'sarro. The White Scars' guides are simply not there to guide Kor'sarro into what he is becoming throughout the campaign. Kor'sarro is, for all intents and purposes, alone. Not even Shrike can save him.

[bluntpencil]

I was preferring the Chapter Curse from the same book - hunt obsessed.

I'd be tempted to have Shrike manipulate the Khan here, too, in order to kill the boss Ethereal.

[Cheesegear]

To me, the campaign starts with Kor'sarro damning himself. "Even should Chogoris burn without us." Kor'sarro makes that oath. Kor'sarro will not go home, will never go home, while Shadowsun still lives. Shadowsun kills Subadeh. She knows how important Psykers are to the Imperial battle-line. Farsight would know this, too, and Farsight has at least one Null Talisman as his disposal, with which he can use to kill Pyskers. Why not kill the rest of the Librarians?

Now, I'm not entirely clear on the role of Chaplains within the White Scars, because it reads like that it's the Stormseers that perform in that role, similar to Blood Angel Chaplains. Now, I'm not particularly bothered that White Scars are 'too similar' to Blood Angels, canon is canon. I'm only writing based on what I know, and, if it sounds like Blood Angels, that's because White Scars do sound like Blood Angels, at least sometimes. Other times, White Scars act a lot like Space Wolves. There's a lot of overlap. Point is, per canon, Stormseers are a vital part of the White Scars' Chapter, especially in regards to going off the deep end (which should be a Chaplain's job, but, like I said, canon is canon).

Shadowsun killed Sensei. Shadowsun orchestrated the deaths of all the Sensei. She must pay.
There are no other Sensei to tell Kor'sarro that he's headed down a dark road. Shrike tries. But, as mentioned, Shadowsun killed Severax. How does Shrike not feel what Kor'sarro feels? ...Because Shrike isn't a White Scar. Shrike doesn't get it. It's not smart to pursue Shadowsun. But that's irrelevant, as far as Kor'sarro is concerned. Because it's about honour, and the promise he made.

If Stormseers are removed from the White Scars' battle-line, what happens? As mentioned earlier a page or two back, what happens when you put emotionally crippled fighters on the front line of battle, and remove their emotional support structures? They snap. One way or another, depending on their gene-seed.

What should have happened in the campaign, at least until the end, and IMO, of course;
Shrike rises to Chapter Master - and also Sainthood - while Kor'sarro falls. The whole campaign is set up for Kor'sarro to fall. Except he doesn't. He is character assassinated, instead. Hence the re-write.

[Destro_Yersul]

You know, the more I learn about the White Scars, the happier I get that I picked them as the progenitor chapter in my tabletop army's fluff.

[lord_khaine]

Cheesegear Re-Writes Damocles

Commander Farsight shows up per normal.
One of Farsight's first acts is for he and Commander Bravestorm - wearing a Talisman of Arthas Moloch - is to Deep Strike, No Scatter into the White Scars' Librarian Conclave, and murder all of the blue-armoured ghu'lachs. Thus, taking out the Space Marines' prime advantage over the Tau - Psykers.

Excellent reading, 8+/10, would recomend it for other nerds.

Shrike rises to Chapter Master - and also Sainthood

Well.. i would point out here that Shrike has actually been considdered a saint for a very long time, i recall reading that in his fluff back in 3rd or 4th edition.
And i honestly dont see the problem with people considdering him to be that

[Blackhawk748]

Well.. i would point out here that Shrike has actually been considdered a saint for a very long time, i recall reading that in his fluff back in 3rd or 4th edition.
And i honestly dont see the problem with people considdering him to be that

Yes he has, the problem is this campaign changed how he became a Saint, and its stupid. The problem is, i dont remember how became a Saint originally.

[Wraith]

I like the rewrite, Cheesegear. What d'you think that Kor'Sarro's new Chapter colours would be? White with red arms and blue details, perhaps?

Having said that, I agree that Kor'Sarro probably shouldn't go so far as to 'Fall' - being disgrace'd is one thing, but that word in particular has severe connotations and one of the few things that we know of the White Scars is that, when push comes to shove, they are staunch Loyalists who serve the Emperor.
It might've taken them a while to do it but when they came to Terra they did so as honourable and righteous saviours. It feels more like Dark Angels, than Blood Angels, for them to habitually hide renegades from prying eyes and that implies something far more sinister than merely 'getting too excited'.

[lord_khaine]

Yes he has, the problem is this campaign changed how he became a Saint, and its stupid. The problem is, i dont remember how became a Saint originally.

I dont know how the campaign actually treated it, since i have not read it myself.
But i do recall from the initial fluff, that he were considdered a saint because of how he kept turning up at worlds that had otherwise been abbandoned, saving the civilians from orks and worse.

And that it were mainly those civilians that considdered him a saint. It was not an official title or rank he had in the imperial faith.
Just him saving so many people that he were unofficially treated as one by the regular citizens.

[Blackhawk748]

I dont know how the campaign actually treated it, since i have not read it myself.
But i do recall from the initial fluff, that he were considdered a saint because of how he kept turning up at worlds that had otherwise been abbandoned, saving the civilians from orks and worse.

And that it were mainly those civilians that considdered him a saint. It was not an official title or rank he had in the imperial faith.
Just him saving so many people that he were unofficially treated as one by the regular citizens.

And thats fine. Except in Damocles he's officially made a Saint, and its for a pretty lousy reason. IIRC it was something involving Agrellan or something, i dont remember. In any case if they are gonna make Shrike a legitimate saint, i make a motion that Magda Grace be considered for Sainthood.

[Cheesegear]

Having said that, I agree that Kor'Sarro probably shouldn't go so far as to 'Fall' - being disgrace'd is one thing, but that word in particular has severe connotations and one of the few things that we know of the White Scars is that, when push comes to shove, they are staunch Loyalists who serve the Emperor.

You're right, 'fall' is the wrong word.
The correct word is whatever it is that it's called when you forsake your Chapter in favour of murdering more Tau.

[The Glyphstone]

So when do we get another episode of Shield of Baal: Bring A Bigger Can of RAID This Time?

[shadow_archmagi]

So when do we get another episode of Shield of Baal: Bring A Bigger Can of RAID This Time?

When GW fixes Damocles and Cheesegear can rest again

[Blackhawk748]

When GW fixes Damocles and Cheesegear can rest again

So when hell freezes over?

Also Kor'Sarro didn't really fall, ok well kinda, but now hes leading a new Chapter whose entire job is murdering Tau. So in the grand scheme of things hes still loyal to the Imperium, though im sure theres a few people who arent happy with him.

[Hiro Protagonest]

You're right, 'fall' is the wrong word.
The correct word is whatever it is that it's called when you forsake your Chapter in favour of murdering more Tau.

Changing priorities?

[Wraith]

Technically, he's gone renegade; that is, a Space Marine that has disobey'd his Chapter and broken from the rule of his Chapter Master without specifically forsaking the Emperor and the Imperium as a whole. It's happened to certain other Chapters before - the Mantis Warriors, the Executioners, pretty much everyone on the losing side of the Badab War who weren't the Astral Claws for example, were misled without actually falling to Chaos or specifically declaring themselves Traitor, and as such were allowed to atone later on.

So in a way, Kor'Sarro goes renegade and abandons his Chapter in their hour of need, but for a righteous, xenos-purging reason, so being given his own Chapter is sort-of-kind-of his Penance rather than his reward. He can have a thousand Marines and go kill Tau.... But that is now his burden of responsibility, his own private Crusade, and if he fails then he will be truly damned in the eyes of the Imperium.

In the eyes of everyone else he has been shamed and he is being charged with single handedly holding back the entirety of the Tau Empire with the Inquisition, the White Scars, the Raven Guard and Battlefleet Damascus all watching him like hawks and waiting for the tiniest, most minor little slip before they step in and start settling scores. To Kor'Sarro, though? He probably doesn't see it that way. What he sees is freedom to pursue the path of honour, to name his own hunt, to claim his own prey.... Just like a true White Scar should.

[Cheesegear]

He can have a thousand Marines and go kill Tau.... But that is now his burden of responsibility, his own private Crusade, and if he fails then he will be truly damned in the eyes of the Imperium.

Reminds me a lot of The Mark of Calth. The war in Damocles is over when Kor'sarro says it's over, and not a mark before.

Is Lorgar dead? ...Then the Battle of Calth ain't over.

To Kor'Sarro, though? He probably doesn't see it that way. What he sees is freedom to pursue the path of honour, to name his own hunt, to claim his own prey.... Just like a true White Scar should.

See, you get it.

[lord_khaine]

And thats fine. Except in Damocles he's officially made a Saint, and its for a pretty lousy reason. IIRC it was something involving Agrellan or something, i dont remember. In any case if they are gonna make Shrike a legitimate saint, i make a motion that Magda Grace be considered for Sainthood.

Just still dont see any issue with this. The ecclesiarchy is a massive monolith of bureaucracy, nepolism, fanatism and madness.
It generally has a response time measured in years or decades, and im sure you can be declared a saint just for knowing the right people, and discretely helping them get their diamond bath tub installed.
Why does it matter that someone who honestly has done a lot of work helping the lost and abbandoned suddenly and randomly gets recognized by this dinosaur, and actually gets made a saint officially?

[Cheesegear]

Why does it matter that someone who honestly has done a lot of work helping the lost and abbandoned suddenly and randomly gets recognized by this dinosaur, and actually gets made a saint officially?

Mostly because he's not dead. You don't get to be a Saint while you're still alive. That's not how it works.
In case it's not clear, I'm not upset that Shrike is a Saint. I get that. I'm upset that he's a Saint while still alive. That's my problem.

[Blackhawk748]

Mostly because he's not dead. You don't get to be a Saint while you're still alive. That's not how it works.
In case it's not clear, I'm not upset that Shrike is a Saint. I get that. I'm upset that he's a Saint while still alive. That's my problem.

Caveat: Unless you're a Sister of Battle. Let them have their nice things!!!

That is largely why im pissed. If Shrike was dead i wouldnt be commenting, but hes alive, and a Saint for a stupid reason. Celestine had to raise herself from the dead to become a Saint while still having a pulse. Shrike had to do Space Marine stuff.

[Cheesegear]

Caveat: Unless you're a Sister of Battle. Let them have their nice things!!!

Hmm...Where did I put it, oh, right, here it is.

Also, Shrike is now the patron Saint of worlds lost to the enemy. That's right. Shrike is an Imperial Saint. Sure, he doesn't have the Powers that come with it, and he's not even dead. I want to use the words 'Living Saint', but that's taken, and the reason that that's taken is because the people who get that moniker actually do die, and then came back to life. The 'living' part of 'The Living Saints' is actually kind of a big deal. Shrike, though...He's just a dude...Who lost a planet to the enemy. Why would you canonise him for that!? Especially when he's not even dead!?

If you die and then come back to life, you're a Living Saint. Being alive, and a Saint, at the same time, isn't normal.

Spoiler: Maybe (Probably) not board-appropriate

Show

Canonisation For Dummies

Five years must pass after a person’s death before he or she can be considered for declaration of formal sainthood [...]
If one verified miracle has occurred since the death of the person, then he or she can be beatified (and then called "Blessed"). If two postmortem miracles occurred, then they can be canonized (and called "Saint").

Seriously.
That's why I'm so impressed that when the natives of Lysios begin calling Grace, 'Saint Grace', she responds with the fact that that's the dumbest idea she's ever heard, because that's stupid and not how it works.

[Blackhawk748]

Hmm...Where did I put it, oh, right, here it is.



If you die and then come back to life, you're a Living Saint. Being alive, and a Saint, at the same time, isn't normal.

Spoiler: Maybe (Probably) not board-appropriate

Show

Canonisation For Dummies

Seriously.

There it is, i knew he was canonized for a stupid reason. I also remembered that you made a big deal about the "Living Saint" thing, cuz, well, it is.

That's why I'm so impressed that when the natives of Lysios begin calling Grace, 'Saint Grace', she responds with the fact that that's the dumbest idea she's ever heard, because that's stupid and not how it works.

Though she shoulda came back as the "Patron Living Saint of Butchering Tyranids", as i dont think the Imperium has one of those

[Cheesegear]

Cheesegear Reads: The Shield of Baal

Spoiler: Previously in The Red Scar

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Shield of Baal: Leviathan
Warning
Breach!
Battle of Lysios
Battle of Asphodex
Battle of Ixoi
Battle of Aeros
Battle of Tartoros
The Dragon Strikes
Psychic Escalation
Slayer of Dragons
Epilogue
Shield of Baal: Deathstorm
Karlaen
The Spawn
Into Darkness
The Sewer Level
I'll Get You Next Time!
Shield of Baal: The Last Chapter
Continuity Errors

Dante and his Sanguinary Guard drop from the Stormravens like a thunderbolt. With a landing zone cleared, Drop Pod after Drop Pod begins raining down into the LZ, almost like Dante and his Guard had done this particular zone clearing a thousand times. Facing resistance, the Hive Mind steps up its game, and sends in the leader-beasts guiding the smaller swarm. The writers actually know what they're doing, and Dante and his Guard are able to deflect Bonesword blows with their armour, while a single Inferno Pistol shot is more than enough to deal with a Tyranid Warrior. Dante fights his way clear to the gates of Port Helos (the evac point).
The Blood Angels behind the golden warriors lay into the smaller Tyranids with Boltgun and Chainsword. Assault Marines fly over the battlefield, dropping Krak Grenades on the larger artillery beasts hammering the walls, and dropping the same grenades into spore chimneys. Within an hour, the Blood Angels had cleared and secured Port Helos. With the major skyport secure, the Blood Angels could begin to land heavier support on the planet, and begin the second evacuation of Asphodex.

Mephiston makes planetfall. Within minutes, the Hive Mind decides to attack again. Dante is surprised by the Hive Mind's regroup time (no poop, they sense Mephiston, dummy), and with Mephiston's warning, organises a hasty defense of one of the gates... Unfortunately, it's not smaller Gaunts and Gants this time. It's a trio of Maleceptors and waves of Zoanthropes (Get. Mephiston. Out. You dummies.) The Zoanthropes pool their power into the new xenoforms - the Neurothropes - and with Warp Blast after Warp Blast, the wall of Port Helos get holes punched in it. Dante leads a charge against the Maleceptors, unfortunately, even for 'the golden god', the Maleceptors do...Something...To him, and it feels like he's trying to move underwater.

Mephiston and Epistolary Martellos see than Dante is about to get ripped apart. Mephiston inserts his will between Dante and the Maleceptor, while throwing the Maleceptor's will off of Dante, Mephiston can multi-task his brain, and fires out a Blood Lance...And that's when all three of the Maleceptors turned their attention to Mephiston at the same time. Every Blood Angel on the battlefield heard the mind-scream, many dropping dead on the spot. That was merely the echo, while Mephiston took the full force of the psychic barrage. Three Maleceptors throw Psychic Overload at Mephiston in the same phase.
Mephiston was a candle, compared to the fiery star of the Hive Mind. Dante takes the Mephiston's distraction as cue, and plants his axe in the closest Maleceptor's head. With Mephiston drained, the psyker-beasts retreat, but, with the Mind-Death of the Maleceptors, the Blood Angels' line had been severely weakened, the Tyranids push the Blood Angels back, back into the Promethium moat that the Guard had set up. The Blood Angels had nowhere to run, the Psyker-beasts had demolished them...

Deus ex Machina. From nowhere, Basilisks! The Guard in Port Helos have decided to actually help the Blood Angels (and, you know, not at anytime before) now that they were getting their butts whupped.

With the battle over, Sanguinary Priests roam the battlefield, ministering to the dead (read; punching holes in their chests with a chainsaw). Dante wonders why the Tyrands retreated when they so clearly had the upper hand (because Mephiston dummy, with their target drained, they don't need to be there anymore). Dante muses that the Maleceptors and Neurothropes were new, and, per always, Dante wonders what would happen if this particular Tendril made it to Baal...Dante is assured that Mephiston will wake up.
'...he saw a delegation of Astra Militarum officers descending from the port gates, two Cadian officers supporting a limping figure between them...'
No. No, no, no. Remember, GW, you got my hopes up. You said that he'd probably killed himself. Due to the fact that he got 98% of his command killed. No. No GW. You implied that...No, no. Don't do this to me, please...
'General Dhrost, Cadian 185th.' Noooo...
'Whatever had happened to him, Dante recognised Dhrost as a hero, a warrior that the commander could respect.'

Spoiler

Show

*deep breath*
...
...
...
*tableflip*

I...I have no words.

Tune in next time on The Shield of Baal...

[Red Planet]

Didn't you say you were annoyed at no characters being carried over? Be careful what you wish for...

[lord_khaine]

Mostly because he's not dead. You don't get to be a Saint while you're still alive. That's not how it works.
In case it's not clear, I'm not upset that Shrike is a Saint. I get that. I'm upset that he's a Saint while still alive. That's my problem.

Ahh.. now im starting to get what it is that annoyes people. It is that he is made a saint while living?
I have not read the campaign, but is it actually mentioned that its an official title, and not just something people call him?

If that is the case, then i can see how the writers have screwed up, since there are a lot of chapter masters that should have gotten such a title as well.
Though all the same, i can see the hilarious in that the official report mixed up the names of Shrike and his dead chapter master whose name escape me, and the clerks then just automatically starts the work from there

[Grim Portent]

Mostly because he's not dead. You don't get to be a Saint while you're still alive. That's not how it works.
In case it's not clear, I'm not upset that Shrike is a Saint. I get that. I'm upset that he's a Saint while still alive. That's my problem.

There is precedent for Saints who haven't died yet.

Saint Evisser was given his sainthood purely because of public opinion despite the Ecclesiarchy being kind of unsure if he was actually corrupted by chaos (he was.) He hadn't even died before he was declared a Saint.