Index Astartes: The Guardians of the Covenant

[Basilius]

Origins

T

he Guardians of the Covenant were part of the founding of 598.M35 utilizing gene seed and personnel drawn from the Second Founding Chapter, the Angels of Absolution. The first Grand Master was Interrogator Chaplain Herev, a figure held in awe and respect within the Angels of Absolution chapter and within the Inner Circle of the Unforgiven. He was selected due to his facility with organization, his unquestioned ability in battle, and his be capable of fulfilling the tasks he was about to be given.

Herev was tasked by the High Lords of Terra with creating a Chapter to fulfill two purposes. Firstly, they would garrison the world of Mortikah VII, an important source of psycho-sensitive minerals and a repository of much (often forbidden or restricted) lore on psychic powers, the warp and the perils therein. Secondly, they would provide a “roaming” security force within the Segmentum Pacificus.

Beyond these two basic tasks, Herev was given another remit from the combined Inner Circles of the Unforgiven chapters. It had been noted that the activities of the Unforgiven chapters had attracted negative attention from the Inquisition, especially the erratic behaviour and non-adherence to order evidenced by the Angels of Redemption chapter. Herev was tasked with forging a Chapter that would be able to divert attention from their fellow Unforgiven through visual and ostentatious devotion to the Imperial Creed and scrupulous cooperation with the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Inquisition.

Herev was well suited to this latter task given the philosophy of the Angels of Absolution and their seeing the hunting of the Fallen as a holy duty but not something that they must do to absolve any inherent sin of theirs inherited from the Dark Angels. The first Grand Master did his work well, and by the time he was slain in battle against the Dark Eldar, almost two centuries after he was given the task of founding the Guardians of the Covenant, he left behind a Chapter strong enough to stand against the trials to come.

Their first, and most telling trial, came in the form of the Age of Apostacy. Escaping early disruption of warp travel, the Chapter was able to respond when the populations of several nearby worlds began persecuting the local priesthood. By the time that the difficulties plaguing warp travel isolated the Guardians on Mortikah VII, they had rescued several ranking Cardinals and Bishops from worlds in revolt, and more importantly, saved several repositories of precious lore and artifacts from the howling mobs. When Vandire was pulled down from his stolen throne, the Guardians of the Covenant were instrumental in re-installing Ecclesiarchal authority in the region, forging a close tie with the local Eccesiarchy that persists to this day.

Since this time, the Guardians have spearheaded several crusades into the Halo Stars, helped to blunt the Lelith Incursion, and have combated the foes of the Imperium wherever they may be found, earning themselves respect from the other Chapters stationed near the Halo Stars, including the Blood Swords, Star Dragons and the Dark Angels themselves.

What is the Covenant?

W

hile many of the early records of the Chapter are extant and oft studied by senior members of the Chapter, it is an irony that the reason and causes for the Chapter’s name have become obscured by the path of millennia. While all can agree that the Chapter was formed to “Guard a Covenant”, it is unclear as to what that Covenant actually is.

The most common interpretation is based on Mortikah VII itself. Given the body of psychic, occult and related lore stored on the world, as well as the deposits of psycho-active minerals that are exploited there, Mortikah VII represents both an enormous resource and an enormous threat to the security of the Segmentum Pacificus and the Emporium as a whole. The thinking thus flows that “The Covenant” is an agreement that such material can only exist when properly supervised and guarded by devotees of the Holy Emperor beyond any hint of corruption and impurity – hence the creation of a Space Marine Chapter dedicated to this cause.

Another interpretation is that the Chapter was so named by the Inner Circle as an acknowledgement that, in the course of their pursuit of the Fallen, there are times when the Dark Angels and their Unforgiven successors are neglectful of their full duties (or “Covenant”) to the Imperium. Thus, the Guardians of the Covenant take on the burden of these duties for their Unforgiven brethren. This is often the interpretation of those who are newly inducted into the Inner Circle.

Beyond these two main ideals, there are a host of others that rise and fall in prominence amongst those in the Chapter and the learned classes on Mortikah VII, although none have yet gained widespread acceptance. The truth is that what exactly the “Covenant” is that is being Guarded as been lost to the mists of time, allowing the Chapter to act according to its conscience, giving it the leeway to perform both its Imperial and Unforgiven duties.

Homeworld

M

ortika VII is a world situated just outside the cluster of defensive and fortress worlds that guard the Segmentum Pacificus from the denizens of the Halo Stars. It is a temperate world that has little physically to distinguish it from many others of its kind. It was classed as a “feudal” world by the Administratum, but was in reality ruled by a collection of scholastic oligarchies based in the various academic settlements, holding combined dominion over the few industrial and agricultural areas on the planet.

Geographically, Mortikah VII is a cool world, mostly covered in forests and mountains. A single freshwater ocean girdles the world, covering around a third of the planet’s surface. Apart from some scattered inland seas, this ocean accounts for the surface water in existence on the world. Most of the population is found in small settlements focused around a single industry (generally mining, manufacturing, fishing, or learning). Mortikah VII is self-sufficient for its food needs and limited, relatively low-tech industrial needs. The Imperial Tithe is kept light in acknowledgement of the resources diverted from the world by the Guardians of the Covenant for their maintenance.

The planet is a repository for lore and boasts some of the most well regarded Scholams in the Sector. Much of this lore deals with the history and mythology of man, and some of it is considered restricted and too dangerous for general scholastic consumption. There are also extensive works and studies on the warp and the psychic powers that are birthed there. The most dangerous artifacts, tomes, scrolls and data slates are held within the fortress monastery of the Guardians, who supervise access to these potentially damning items. The fortress monastery itself covers an entire island in the equatorial region of the planet, and maintains a strict zone of exclusion around its air and sea space.

Mortikah VII is also one of the only sources in the Imperium of psycho-sensitive minerals that accentuate the use of certain psyker powers. The existence of these resources are a closely guarded secret, and the small scale exploitation of them is undertaken under the supervision of the Scholastica Psykana. Even the Guardians are uncertain as to all of the uses that the minerals potentially possess, but the Chapter’s Librarium do use locally sourced materials in the construction of its psychic hoods and other psyker tools.

Given that the population of Mortikah VII is not large (barely 2 billion souls call the world home), and that it is a relatively urbane and civilized world, the potential pool of recruits from their homeworld is extremely small. In the early years of the Chapter, a small fleet of Guardians ships visited nearby death and feral worlds, but a longer term situation was necessary. The solution was to turn several moons orbiting the gas giant Mortikah V into Imperial Prison worlds and open them for the use of nearby Hive worlds.

The three moons selected had been the sites of long-played out mining projects, and were seeded with labyrinthine tunnel complexes and a basic infrastructure. With the aid of the Adeptus Mechanicus and their parent chapter, the Guardians of the Covenant turned these moons into virtual death worlds by creating intricate food chains of exotic predators and dangerous plant life. Thousands of prisoners were soon arriving from the subscriber systems, mostly made up of the most violent gangers and malcontents.

These people were largely left to their own devices and died in their droves. The strongest survived, and even thrived. All off-moon supplies were delivered to small heavily fortified facilities garrisoned by “trustees” and reinforced by squads of the nascent Guardians and commanded by Chaplains of the Chapter, who oversaw the meagre medical technology available and the distribution of food supplements. Within two generations an extremely complex society had grown up on the moons, and the work of the Chaplains had instilled a sense of awe and devotion to the Imperial Creed and of the Guardians of the Covenant within the populations of what were essentially man-made death worlds. The Guardians ceased the importation of prisoners early in the 36th Millennium once the population of the moons had become self-sustaining, the sons of the Mortikah V death moons became the future of the Guardians of the Covenant.

The Guardians of the Covenant follow the Codex Astartes in their training methods altered only for their specific circumstances. Initial training and selection are undertaken on the Mortikah V moons. As opposed to the “once a generation” procedures that many chapters have adopted, the Guardians prefer to have smaller numbers of aspirants constantly filter through the system. These aspirants will train in small units on the moons until being called up to the tenth company and a position as a Space Marine Scout.

Combat Doctrine

A

s a Chapter that embraces both the Codex Astartes and the teachings of the Dark Angels and their successor Chapters, the Guardians share much in common with other Space Marine Chapters when it comes to battlefield practice. The Guardians of the Covenant emphasize efficiency, expediency, and collective success in combat; while personal prowess and achievement is lauded, it is less important than the achievement of the mission goals and the success of the entire deployed force. This can lead to a “the good of the many outweighs the good of the few, or the one” mentality that irritates some of their fellow Astartes.

Given that one of their roles is as a garrison force for Mortikah VII, they tend towards defensive tactical stances, but their actions against the threats of the Halo Stars demonstrates that they are more than capable of aggressive strategic action. The Guardians favour the employment of armoured support and heavy weapons wherever possible, preferring to winnow the foe down at range before engaging in hand to hand combat. This is not demonstrative of a reluctance to engage in close fighting, rather it reflects their basically defensive mindset.

Additionally, the Guardians are skilled at working alongside other Space Marine Chapters and Imperial Forces. This is part of their remit from the rest of the Unforgiven, who are known to depart from theatres of war for “unknown” reasons from time to time. The Guardians of the Covenant have not abandoned an ally in combat in their six thousand year history, making them a sought after ally in the region.

Organisation

T

he Guardians of the Covenant follow the normal organizational pattern of the Unforgiven, a format first adopted by their progenitors, the Dark Angels.

What differs with the Guardians is that it is that, due to a cataclysmic battle against the Eldar of Craftworld Saim-Hann in the 38th Millenium, the Guardians are unable to field a 1st company made up entirely of terminator squads. Over the centuries since their loss, the Chapter has assembled enough TDA suits to equip 14 full squads of the 1st company.

The heroes of the 1st company are rotated within these squads, ensuring that they retain all their skills and share the honour of fighting in the precious terminator armour – those squads who are not currently assigned TDA armour deploy in power armour in support of the other companies.

The 2nd company is configured as normal for an Unforgiven Chapter, although it seldom deploys as an entire company, instead being parceled out to other companies and battle formations to provide heavy reconnaissance and interdiction capability. It is not unknown for members of the 2nd company to deploy as jump infantry, instead of being vehicle mounted, should the terrain or mission dictate it.

Like their progenitor chapter, the 1st and the 2nd companies are distinguished by unique names and heraldry. The 1st Company are known as the “Swords of the Covenant” and follow the normal colouration of the Guardians. The Guardian’s sword iconography is very prominent on both the Terminator suits and power armour suits that the company employs. The 2nd company is known as the “Sword’s Wing” to reflect their role as the “eyes and ears” of the Guardians. Their iconography is the same as the regular Guardians, although some elements of the “wing” heraldry and motifs of the legendary Ravening of the Dark Angels can be seen. Most members of the 2nd company never wear robes to further differentiate themselves from their fellows.

The Guardians of the Covenant also differ from their fellow Unforgiven in that they more often then not select a new Grand Master from the ranks of the Interrogator Chaplains as opposed to his being selected from serving company masters. This has, over the years, given the Guardians a fervency for the Lore of the Chapter bordering on the fanatical and accentuated the monastic character of the Chapter. To groom Chaplains and Interrogator Chaplains in the skills of command as well as in spiritual matters, all detachments and secondments from the Guardians that are smaller in size than half a company are always commanded by a member of the Chapter’s Chaplaincy.

The Guardians and the Inquisition Ordos

U

nlike most Chapters descended from the Dark Angels, the Guardians do not have a universally poor relationship with the Inquisition. Members of the Guardians serve in Deathwatch kill teams all over the Segmentum and beyond. Individual squads, and even entire companies, have aided Inquisitors of the Ordos Xenos and Malleus in pursuit of the duties, and there is a measure of mutual respect and admiration between these Ordos and the Chapter.

It is with the Ordo Hereticus that the relatively cordial relationship begins to adopt a more “traditional” Unforgiven form. Wary that the Ordo might find links to the Fallen and uncover the great secret held close over the last ten millennia, the Guardians distance themselves as much as possible from Hereticus Inquisitors, cooperating just often enough to divert an investigation into their activities. Given that it is not uncommon for Space Marine Chapters, even those who are relatively close to individual Inquisitors, to be somewhat reluctant in their dealings with the Inquisition, the Guardians have not attracted undue notice for this behaviour.

Given Mortikah VII’s reserves of psycho-sensitive materials, and the huge body of writings and lore on psyker powers that is guarded by the Chapter’s fortress monastery, it is of little surprise that the Librarium of the Guardians is well staffed and highly experienced. Unfortunately, their duties of protection, as well as monitoring the higher than average occurrence of the psyker mutation in the native populace of Mortikah VII, means that Librarians are not deployed in strength unless a specific psychic threat has been established beforehand, and as such the Guardians do not routinely field more psykers than their fellow Unforgiven in most circumstances.

Other than these deviations, the Guardians of the Covenant, as with the rest of the Unforgiven chapters, adhere to the Codex Astartes. If anything, the Guardians accentuate their devotion to the Codex as part of their role in being the shield of adherence, purity and obedience between the Imperium at large and the rest of the Unforgiven.

Beliefs

W

hen Grand Master Herev set about creating the spirit and soul of his new Chapter, he drew upon his own deep and abiding faith and devotion to the ideals and lore of his parent Chapter, the Angels of Absolution. He instilled a highly disciplined, austere, monastic environment even more Spartan than those of most other Space Marine Chapters.

Herev, conscious of his new Chapter’s role as a “perfectly loyal” Dark Angel successor, instilled a greater devotion to the Imperial Creed than is common amongst a large number of the Unforgiven. The Guardians have accepted and adopted most of the common beliefs about the Emperor that are held by the mainstream Ecclesiarchy, although they are also conspicuous in their fervent veneration of Lion El-Jonson and their membership of the Inner Circle and the brotherhood of the Unforgiven.

As a Guardian is initiated into the Inner Circle, he is exposed to the more secular and cynical approach to the Imperial Creed that is demonstrated through the rest of the Unforgiven Chapters, and though he may then begin to see He on Terra in a different light, it is very rare for a Guardian of the Covenant to abandon his faith in the Imperial Creed completely. Those who do are scrupulous in maintaining a façade of faith to those lower ranking in the Chapter.

From the very beginning, the Guardians saw themselves as warrior-monks and conducted themselves accordingly. This became even more a core part of being a Guardian of the Covenant when the first generations of recruits from the Mortikah V moons became initiated into the Chapter, where strenuous and ascetic practice was used to temper and focus the extreme violence bred by their birth environment.

This has lead in some cases to a refutation of individuality in its most extreme forms, where a brother will make vows to not speak unless in battle or performing acts of worship, to abstain from certain activities such as the eating of cooked meats, and to forsake personal names in favour of generic titles. Undertaking these vows is respected but is not encouraged as the general belief is that a warrior who retains his individuality is more likely to be more adaptable on the field of war.

An exception to this can be seen in the tradition of the name of the Grand Master. Those Grand Masters elevated from the ranks of the Interrogator Chaplains take the name of “Herev” in honour of their founder. Those who ascend from the ranks of the Company Masters take the name “Ibrahim” in honour of the 1st master of the Guardians of the Covenant 1st Company who took over following Herev’s death and who commanded the Guardians during the Age of Apostacy. The holder then follows their adopted name with a numeral indicating their position in the inheritance of the Grand Mastery. The current incumbent is Grand Master Herev XIV and has guided the Guardians for almost two centuries following the death of his predecessor Ibrahim IX.

Unforgiven Politics and the Fallen

A

s a successor to the Dark Angels, the Guardians of the Covenant are part of the larger Unforgiven “community” and have both their own Inner Circle as well as contributing to the larger Inner Circle that oversees all of the activities of the Unforgiven. As a relatively “young” Chapter (if five millennia can be considered young), they do not have the same levels of seniority of some of the elder Chapters, although their unique role within the Unforgiven gives them a measure of influence.

The Guardians follow a similar progression of “enlightenment” as their Dark Angels progenitors, with the more senior a member of the Chapter is, the more he knows about “the truth”. This is less of a burden within the Guardians due to their having inherited the philosophies of their founders, the Angels of Absolution.

While their remit, and indeed their main task, is to divert Imperial criticism of the Dark Angels and their successors, the Guardians remain part of the Unforgiven and thus take the apprehension and salvation of the Fallen as extremely important. Where circumstances dictate that they would be unable to act upon information regarding a Fallen and still maintain their role as a “perfect” Chapter, the Guardians will pass on the information to another Unforgiven Chapter as soon as possible.

This brings them into conflict with the members of the Inner Circle from the Angels of Redemption, who resent the very existence of the Guardians and that the Guardians place security and the good opinion of the wider authorities over the hunt for the Fallen.

In addition to their monastic mentality, the Guardians have also been affected by the institutions of learning and the large number of scholars who live on Mortikah VII to take advantage of its repositories of Lore, both restricted and un-restricted. Indeed, Mortikah VII is home to one of the most renowned Scholams in the sector with regards Psychic and Anthropological studies.

The academics and adepts brought with them a love of arts and music which soon imprinted its own mark on the culture of the Guardians of the Covenant. Learning a form of artistic expression is seen as normal within the Chapter. Most commonly this takes the form of music of some sort, the better to venerate the God Emperor, but painting, sculpture and poetry are also enjoyed and created within the forbidding walls of the Chapter’s Fortress Monastery. The beautifully crafted and illuminated copies of the Codex Astartes, Requiem Angelis and other sacred texts created by the battle-brothers are highly prized by the other Unforgiven Chapters. The tools for artistic expression are often the only personal, non-military possessions that the members of the Guardians maintain.

Geneseed

A

s an Unforgiven chapter and successor Chapter to the Angels of Absolution and Dark Angels, the Guardians of the Covenant are privileged to bear geneseed descended from Lion El-Jonson within their bodies. The geneseed of the Lion are every bit as pure as that of Guilliman, and the Guardians of the Covenant benefit from all their organs being functional and efficient, the better to carry out their duties in the name of the Emperor and their honoured Primarch.

Battle Cry and Common Phrases

“Pro Conventio quod Leo” (For the Covenant and the Lion) – The Chapter Battle Cry.
“Coventio requiro” (The Covenant Requires) – Used at the beginning and end of orders or formal statement, such as a “sign off” on radio transmissions.
“Pro Veneratio Conventio” (For the Honour of the Covenant) – Used as an alternative response to orders or a formal statement.

******

Author's Note: This has been a collaborative effort between those of us who collect the Guardians of the Covenant and frequent these boards. I have been honoured to be the “voice” of these players and owe them a debt for guiding my hand, reigning in some of my more insane thought paths, and helping me put together, what I think, is a pretty decent write-up expanding the background for this great Chapter from the meagre paragraphs in the Dark Angels Codex. Any glaring errors, discontinuities, omissions and future edits are mine alone. I took upon myself the mantle of authorship and any disagreements that anyone might have should be directed at me. So, thanks where thanks are due – Trajan, Alex Knight, Mithrilforge and Heron. They may disavow some of the content and future edits, but I owe them a lot. Pro Conv Edited October 25, 2008 by Basilius

[Trajan]

Excellent, Brother Basilius. Damn fine work youve done!!

 

Pro Conventio quod Leo indeed :lol:

 

-Trajan

[Grand Master Belial]

Awesome work! I might take some of this to incorperate in the DA Differences of the Successors thread I had written a while back. Link in Sig.

[Basilius]

Awesome work! I might take some of this to incorperate in the DA Differences of the Successors thread I had written a while back. Link in Sig.

 

I had read that GMB - great work. I must admit that the character of m Mortikah VII was influenced in part by your version. Feel free to incoporate any of this that you want to into your thread.

[Grand Master Belial]

Will do!

[XKhalilX]

great IA on the Guardians. The Guardians are just such an awesome chapter, and expanding their fluff you guys make them even more amazing ;) like the angels of absolution tie in and the influence on how they percieve the fallen. i always preferred that view of the unforgiven rather then "we live in sin" like the Dark angels and the rest of the successors

 

my questions on the recruits, for being sucha religious and holy order of a chapter, it seems kind of odd to have horrid criminals as their recruits does it not?

 

I always saw the GOTC being extremely religious and devout. Certain aspects of what is written makes them seem like its all for show and they are not in fact the monks one percieves them to be. I guess it is the way it is worded about the Imperial Creed. It makes them almost renegade in a sense and no respect for the Imperium at all. Just the feeling I got.

[Basilius]

my questions on the recruits, for being sucha religious and holy order of a chapter, it seems kind of odd to have horrid criminals as their recruits does it not?

 

They totally rebuild the criminals and neo-barbs from the moons, using faith and the monastic system to beat them into submission basically. Psychologically its a lot like real basic training, but magnified greatly. By the time that the training is done, the religious and monastic aspects are 100% part of their self-image and behaviour, yet the brutality and violence lurk beneath this veneer of civilization, just waiting to be unleashed on the enemies of the Emperor.

 

I always saw the GOTC being extremely religious and devout. Certain aspects of what is written makes them seem like its all for show and they are not in fact the monks one percieves them to be. I guess it is the way it is worded about the Imperial Creed. It makes them almost renegade in a sense and no respect for the Imperium at all. Just the feeling I got.

 

Well, to some extent you are right and that is what I meant ;) The GotC are very religious and monastic, and their devotion to the Codex Astartes and the Requiem Angelis, amongst other writings, borders on the fanatical. They also use more overt devotion to the Imperial Creed than many Chapters to keep up the persona of incorruptability. But, and this is crucial, the actual rank and file of the GotC believe in the extra devotion to the Imperial Creed - the true feelings of the Chapter are only seen as they advance deeper into the Chapter's secrets and are initiated into the Inner Circle.

 

Well, that is what I was trying to allude to anyways - thanks for reading and commenting Khalil - happy to continue the debate if you want to ;)

[MithrilForge]

Good stuff basilius,

nice to see it up here,i would love to see Grand Master Belial incorporate this into the DA forums

- DA Differences of the Successors thread. ;)

 

Mithril

[Basilius]

Good stuff basilius,

nice to see it up here,i would love to see Grand Master Belial incorporate this into the DA forums

- DA Differences of the Successors thread. :P

 

Mithril

 

He has done so already brother - on the last page of his thread.

[Grand Master Belial]

As I am getting married on Friday 24 October. I haven't been able to write in the new stuff into the First Post which is my usual operating procedure for a reference like the Differences of the Successors. I tagged it to the end and I'll get to it soon.

[Trajan]

No rushing it And congrats for your marriage!! :P

 

-Trajan

[Basilius]

As I am getting married on Friday 24 October. I haven't been able to write in the new stuff into the First Post which is my usual operating procedure for a reference like the Differences of the Successors. I tagged it to the end and I'll get to it soon.

 

[married man wisdom]

 

Congratulations GMB! Remember to relax and take time to actually enjoy the wedding - all too often people are so nervous/stressed etc that they dont actually enjoy the greatest day of their lives! Let your best man, groomsmen, the bride and grooms families etc deal with any problems. I had a breakfast with my attendants the morning of my wedding and said - I dont want to hear about an problems, any concerns, anything - thats your job guys. And the did a fantastic job too!

 

[/married man wisdom]

 

On a more serious note - has anyone got any C&C for the IA article? Apart from it being visually dull (no idea how to make it all colourful and sparkly like some of the other IAs)? I would especially value the comments of Ferrata and Commissar Molotov...

[Sigismund Himself]

On a more serious note - has anyone got any C&C for the IA article? Apart from it being visually dull (no idea how to make it all colourful and sparkly like some of the other IAs)? I would especially value the comments of Ferrata and Commissar Molotov...

The link to the coding tutorial. I'll try to come back later and give some feedback, just a bit busy at the moment...

 

++Edit++ Appears I won't be able to critique it tonight.

Edited October 23, 2008 by Sigismund Himself

[Basilius]

On a more serious note - has anyone got any C&C for the IA article? Apart from it being visually dull (no idea how to make it all colourful and sparkly like some of the other IAs)? I would especially value the comments of Ferrata and Commissar Molotov...

The link to the coding tutorial. I'll try to come back later and give some feedback, just a bit busy at the moment...

 

Thanks Sigismund

[Basilius]

Edited to make more flashy looking :P

[Trajan]

Damn fine IA display, Basilius. I cant think of anything else to say then; Youre the man!!!

 

-Trajan

[Basilius]

I am going to draft a "combat doctrine" and "chapter traditions" addition to this IA - will send it to the brethren.

[Commissar Molotov]

On a more serious note - has anyone got any C&C for the IA article? I would especially value the comments of Ferrata and Commissar Molotov...

 

Some of your concepts don't mesh entirely with the ideas I had formed of the Guardians of the Covenant. Which is not to take anything away from the sterling efforts you've put in - we all have our own 40ks and our own interpretations of the Chapters within. :) I think you've done a great job, but I do have concerns. I'll try to give you detailed feedback, and hopefully it'll prove useful. Feel free to disregard my suggestions if they don't mesh with your ideas. :)

 

-> I find it odd that your First Grand Master was an Interrogator-Chaplain. What made the Master of the Angels of Absolution but Herev in command? Traditionally, Captains (or Masters in your case) are the ones responsible for commanding and leading, whilst Chaplains are responsible for inspiring. In the latest Space Marine Codex, I think they've done a good job of making that distinction. The Chaplain's not necessarily the most proficient fighter in the Company, but he serves as an example that propels his brethren to greater feats of heroism. Also, in the Dark Angels and their kin, the Interrogator-Chaplains are busy... well... interrogating. I'll pick up on this point again later, but it seems odd that you would put the Chaplains at such a forefront. The Black Templars serve indirectly as another 'religious' Chapter - but their Marshals and Castellans are still the ones that lead. You could consider the military implications of having Chaplains as Commanders - it might be better to just have the Chaplains being a hugely influential (and highly regarded) faction within the Chapter. The Captains will do pretty much what the Chaplains tell Emperor tells them to do, but the Captains are the ones responsible, militarily.

 

-> Unless you have a specific date for your founding, it's perhaps best not to mention it in the first line of your IA. Specifics mean that you end up getting caught in the tiny little details - and that's where you can get tripped up.

 

-> Is there a particular reason you've diverged from the 'standard' IA format? 'Recruiting' could go into an expanded section about Mortikah VII, which would help give your guys a bit more depth. The 'training' section is so small it's not really worth standing on its own. Many of your other sections could be folded into 'Beliefs', for example. I think having a dedicated 'Homeworld' section would be great. You can tell us more about these 'psycho-sensitive materials', for example.

 

-> I very much like the idea of man-made deathworlds. I think that's a brilliant idea that works very well. Of course, it's important to remember that GW has stipulated that recruits from the Astartes have to be aged between 10-16 or thereabouts. As a result, many of the hive gangers and malcontents would be too old. I just mention this because although I believe you're trying to intimate that the inmates have had children and a society has evolved, you might want to specify.

 

-> It strikes me that you have a good idea with the adherence to the Imperial Creed, but you wuss out. The Astartes viewing the Emperor as a man is the main sticking point with the Ecclesiarchy. I think you'd be better off if you just said that they adhere to the Ecclesiarchal creed. After all, it seems better in order to keep their 'disguise' intact. Another thing that comes to mind is that if you have the Guardians being created in .M35, you need to mention what happened during the Age of Apostasy. Consider Goge Vandire, as Ecclesiarch, becoming ruler of the entire Imperium.

 

-> I'm confused about the Librarians, and their 'psycho-sensitive materials' - you mention it three times in the IA, but it doesn't seem developed. What does it add to your IA? And if Mortikah represents such an "enormous threat to the Imperium" why hasn't the Imperium just destroyed the planet?

 

(Just as a note, there are a couple of times you use the term 'Emporium' when you mean 'Imperium' :))

 

-> There's potentially a danger that you gloss over the Guardians' scholarly practices by focusing too much on their monastic vows. I don't think music would be the primary pursuit, personally - I would've thought that literature and art would be promoted. Especially when the DA Codex makes reference to scripture and murals and the like.

[Basilius]

On a more serious note - has anyone got any C&C for the IA article? I would especially value the comments of Ferrata and Commissar Molotov...

 

Some of your concepts don't mesh entirely with the ideas I had formed of the Guardians of the Covenant. Which is not to take anything away from the sterling efforts you've put in - we all have our own 40ks and our own interpretations of the Chapters within. :D I think you've done a great job, but I do have concerns. I'll try to give you detailed feedback, and hopefully it'll prove useful. Feel free to disregard my suggestions if they don't mesh with your ideas. :)

 

-> I find it odd that your First Grand Master was an Interrogator-Chaplain. What made the Master of the Angels of Absolution but Herev in command? Traditionally, Captains (or Masters in your case) are the ones responsible for commanding and leading, whilst Chaplains are responsible for inspiring. In the latest Space Marine Codex, I think they've done a good job of making that distinction. The Chaplain's not necessarily the most proficient fighter in the Company, but he serves as an example that propels his brethren to greater feats of heroism. Also, in the Dark Angels and their kin, the Interrogator-Chaplains are busy... well... interrogating. I'll pick up on this point again later, but it seems odd that you would put the Chaplains at such a forefront. The Black Templars serve indirectly as another 'religious' Chapter - but their Marshals and Castellans are still the ones that lead. You could consider the military implications of having Chaplains as Commanders - it might be better to just have the Chaplains being a hugely influential (and highly regarded) faction within the Chapter. The Captains will do pretty much what the Chaplains tell Emperor tells them to do, but the Captains are the ones responsible, militarily.

 

-> Unless you have a specific date for your founding, it's perhaps best not to mention it in the first line of your IA. Specifics mean that you end up getting caught in the tiny little details - and that's where you can get tripped up.

 

-> Is there a particular reason you've diverged from the 'standard' IA format? 'Recruiting' could go into an expanded section about Mortikah VII, which would help give your guys a bit more depth. The 'training' section is so small it's not really worth standing on its own. Many of your other sections could be folded into 'Beliefs', for example. I think having a dedicated 'Homeworld' section would be great. You can tell us more about these 'psycho-sensitive materials', for example.

 

-> I very much like the idea of man-made deathworlds. I think that's a brilliant idea that works very well. Of course, it's important to remember that GW has stipulated that recruits from the Astartes have to be aged between 10-16 or thereabouts. As a result, many of the hive gangers and malcontents would be too old. I just mention this because although I believe you're trying to intimate that the inmates have had children and a society has evolved, you might want to specify.

 

-> It strikes me that you have a good idea with the adherence to the Imperial Creed, but you wuss out. The Astartes viewing the Emperor as a man is the main sticking point with the Ecclesiarchy. I think you'd be better off if you just said that they adhere to the Ecclesiarchal creed. After all, it seems better in order to keep their 'disguise' intact. Another thing that comes to mind is that if you have the Guardians being created in .M35, you need to mention what happened during the Age of Apostasy. Consider Goge Vandire, as Ecclesiarch, becoming ruler of the entire Imperium.

 

-> I'm confused about the Librarians, and their 'psycho-sensitive materials' - you mention it three times in the IA, but it doesn't seem developed. What does it add to your IA? And if Mortikah represents such an "enormous threat to the Imperium" why hasn't the Imperium just destroyed the planet?

 

(Just as a note, there are a couple of times you use the term 'Emporium' when you mean 'Imperium' :D)

 

-> There's potentially a danger that you gloss over the Guardians' scholarly practices by focusing too much on their monastic vows. I don't think music would be the primary pursuit, personally - I would've thought that literature and art would be promoted. Especially when the DA Codex makes reference to scripture and murals and the like.

 

Thanks for that CM - will chew on it and do some more work on it tomorrow and next week - its a slow time at work :)

[Basilius]

Some of your concepts don't mesh entirely with the ideas I had formed of the Guardians of the Covenant. Which is not to take anything away from the sterling efforts you've put in - we all have our own 40ks and our own interpretations of the Chapters within. I think you've done a great job, but I do have concerns. I'll try to give you detailed feedback, and hopefully it'll prove useful. Feel free to disregard my suggestions if they don't mesh with your ideas.

 

Thanks for taking the time to so deeply into the IA. I appreciate your comments. If I disagree with something I will defend it to you so that you can see my thought processes.

 

-> I find it odd that your First Grand Master was an Interrogator-Chaplain. What made the Master of the Angels of Absolution but Herev in command? Traditionally, Captains (or Masters in your case) are the ones responsible for commanding and leading, whilst Chaplains are responsible for inspiring. In the latest Space Marine Codex, I think they've done a good job of making that distinction. The Chaplain's not necessarily the most proficient fighter in the Company, but he serves as an example that propels his brethren to greater feats of heroism. Also, in the Dark Angels and their kin, the Interrogator-Chaplains are busy... well... interrogating. I'll pick up on this point again later, but it seems odd that you would put the Chaplains at such a forefront. The Black Templars serve indirectly as another 'religious' Chapter - but their Marshals and Castellans are still the ones that lead. You could consider the military implications of having Chaplains as Commanders - it might be better to just have the Chaplains being a hugely influential (and highly regarded) faction within the Chapter. The Captains will do pretty much what the Chaplains tell Emperor tells them to do, but the Captains are the ones responsible, militarily.

 

This was a conscious choice on my part to give the GotC a uniqueness apart from the other Unforgiven. You are correct in that DA ICs are focused on the pursuit and “redemption” of the Fallen, which is why I chose the Angels of Absolution as the parent Chapter. There is also precedent (in the novel Angels of Darkness for Interrogator Chaplains being in positions of secular authority as well. I just felt that this would part explain the warrior-monk stance and feel of the Chapter. I also thought that the use of a highly initiated member of the Inner Circle and a Chaplain would be able to forge the “acceptable façade” of the Chapter while still retaining loyalty to the Unforgiven as a whole – an Interrogator Chaplain with his social, diplomatic and manipulatory skills would, in my mind, be a better choice for this than a “common” company master.

 

-> Unless you have a specific date for your founding, it's perhaps best not to mention it in the first line of your IA. Specifics mean that you end up getting caught in the tiny little details - and that's where you can get tripped up.

 

This was a researched date. From what I can determine, there was a founding this year which included the Astral Claws, Mantis Warriors and Executioners. I did only get this from the Lexicanum, so I am not 100% sure of its provinence though.

 

-> Is there a particular reason you've diverged from the 'standard' IA format? 'Recruiting' could go into an expanded section about Mortikah VII, which would help give your guys a bit more depth. The 'training' section is so small it's not really worth standing on its own. Many of your other sections could be folded into 'Beliefs', for example. I think having a dedicated 'Homeworld' section would be great. You can tell us more about these 'psycho-sensitive materials', for example.

 

This is an excellent point and is basically all my fault and can be chalked up to inexperience. I am planning on editing the IA and re-presenting it in a more “standard” format.

 

-> I very much like the idea of man-made deathworlds. I think that's a brilliant idea that works very well. Of course, it's important to remember that GW has stipulated that recruits from the Astartes have to be aged between 10-16 or thereabouts. As a result, many of the hive gangers and malcontents would be too old. I just mention this because although I believe you're trying to intimate that the inmates have had children and a society has evolved, you might want to specify.

 

Good catch. I will elaborate on this.

 

-> It strikes me that you have a good idea with the adherence to the Imperial Creed, but you wuss out. The Astartes viewing the Emperor as a man is the main sticking point with the Ecclesiarchy. I think you'd be better off if you just said that they adhere to the Ecclesiarchal creed. After all, it seems better in order to keep their 'disguise' intact. Another thing that comes to mind is that if you have the Guardians being created in .M35, you need to mention what happened during the Age of Apostasy. Consider Goge Vandire, as Ecclesiarch, becoming ruler of the entire Imperium.

 

This is a direct result from consulting the other GotC guys in the composition of the drafts of this IA. My initial stance was far more along the lines that you suggest. I will return it to this initial stance and allow those of my brethren who disagree to disavow themselves from this section on an individual basis if they so choose. Great suggestion about the other events in the established timeline – will look into expanding the IA to incooporate other elements.

 

-> I'm confused about the Librarians, and their 'psycho-sensitive materials' - you mention it three times in the IA, but it doesn't seem developed. What does it add to your IA? And if Mortikah represents such an "enormous threat to the Imperium" why hasn't the Imperium just destroyed the planet?

 

(Just as a note, there are a couple of times you use the term 'Emporium' when you mean 'Imperium' )

 

Didn’t I mention the “buy one tome of illicit lore, get another half price!” deal? I initially left the details about the Psycho-sensitive materials deliberately obscure, but I can develop the idea a bit.

 

-> There's potentially a danger that you gloss over the Guardians' scholarly practices by focusing too much on their monastic vows. I don't think music would be the primary pursuit, personally - I would've thought that literature and art would be promoted. Especially when the DA Codex makes reference to scripture and murals and the like.

 

Good idea. Will look into this in my re-edit.

 

Overall my main concern is that I do not want the article to get too large and unwieldly. I will work on it and would appreciate any further comments and criticisms.

[Trajan]

Overall my main concern is that I do not want the article to get too large and unwieldly. I will work on it and would appreciate any further comments and criticisms.

 

Brother Basilius, let me start with this; Just make it as big as you think you can manage and handle, you are a great writer :(

 

 

-> It strikes me that you have a good idea with the adherence to the Imperial Creed, but you wuss out. The Astartes viewing the Emperor as a man is the main sticking point with the Ecclesiarchy. I think you'd be better off if you just said that they adhere to the Ecclesiarchal creed. After all, it seems better in order to keep their 'disguise' intact. Another thing that comes to mind is that if you have the Guardians being created in .M35, you need to mention what happened during the Age of Apostasy. Consider Goge Vandire, as Ecclesiarch, becoming ruler of the entire Imperium.

 

This is a direct result from consulting the other GotC guys in the composition of the drafts of this IA. My initial stance was far more along the lines that you suggest. I will return it to this initial stance and allow those of my brethren who disagree to disavow themselves from this section on an individual basis if they so choose. Great suggestion about the other events in the established timeline – will look into expanding the IA to incooporate other elements.

 

Still feeling a bit split about this bit. We were created during a time when the Ecclesiarchy more or less was in turmoil? Correct me if im wrong :) What i mean is that it could easily justify either view of the Emperor; either as a god or a great man. I prefer the view of the Emperor as a great man, but i see your point, Basilius, about the Creed, us being devoted monks where the chaplains have a very strong influence, and i must say your view weighs much heavier.

 

-Trajan

[Basilius]

Extensively edited - more comments welcome!

[Alex Knight]

First - Love the new formatting. Looks great!

 

Second -

What differs with the Guardians is that it is that, due to a cataclysmic battle against the Eldar of Craftworld Saim-Hann in the 38th Millenium, the Guardians are unable to field a 1st company made up entirely of terminator squads.

 

Coincidentally, one of the guys in my gaming group plays Saim-Hann. Nicely painted too. Maybe once I get my army up to snuff, I'll have to do a pictoral bat-rep between the two.

 

Third - I think I can handle the idea that the Inner Circle is the more secular and cynical view. Still personally anti-Ecclisiarchy/ God-Emperor myself, but that's why my primary force is all Inner Circle members anyways. Go Swords of the Covenant!

[XKhalilX]

great edit. I like how things are written now a lot more, doesn't seem so cynical towards the imperial creed, but rather a different take on it, a very zen like taoist feel to the creed is my take on it. EXCELLENT IA.

 

the more i talk to Trajan, Basilius and mithrilforge, the more I want to start painting GOTC. Or mayb tie an alliance with my Angels of Salvation, since they both come from Angels of Absolution geneseed. I will figure something when i write my fluff *fiddles fingers like Mr. Burns from Simpsons*

[Basilius]

Bumped to try and solicit more feedback from this forums bigwigs :lol: Edited October 27, 2008 by Basilius