my_name_is_tudor

Tiberius, go for it. It's an awesome piece, I'm sure they'll love it.

Wow, we have a fan :blush: As far as I know this is the first such collaborative IA article, but I may well be wrong - I haven't been a board member all that long in the whole scheme of things. If you are referring to this particular project, a (condensed) compilation of everything we're coming up with here will be the end result, but it may not be done for some time yet.

which makes the job of representing the chaplain-acolytes in game a lot easier. P.S. Zhivago, I like that end to the story, it makes him a lot more martyrlike... if that is even a word.

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

:D yeah, I see what you mean. Perhaps then, Ascalon successfully brings the cultists back into the light, and then returns to the Imperial camp, but while he was gone the short tempered Imperial commander declared him a traitor - claiming that he was dealing with the enemy not helping them to purity. He was then executed, and as he died preached something about humility, forgiveness and not blaming the Commander for his actions, the commander sees what he has done, and realises the truth of the situation - the city is spared the wrath of the Imperial Guard, and Ascalon is seen as a martyr for the souls of the city.

I like that Zhivago, but I get the feeling that he needs a bit more.. oomph to his life story. I like the humble healer and preacher aspect, but I think we should speak of how he perservered to bring some group or other into the Emperor's light, showing mercy and humility unlike any other Preacher. Perhaps a story like this: (this isn't a draft, just a plot, it'll need rewriting and most likely condensing.) Ascalon (obviously not named ascalon yet though), was home to some faction or cult that the Ecclesiarchy didn't quite look kindly on - not chaos, just.. too weird/profane/unusual for them to handle. After the cult refused to rejoin the Imperial Cult are repend their sins, the Emperor's might descended upon them in the form of (an) Imperial Guard regiment(s). On the planet's' neighbouring continent/region/whatever, a Preacher by the name of Ascalon kept a small parish, he taught the virtues of humility and honesty, believing that the purest heart can lie within even the most evil man - merely clouded by sin. When the men of Ascalon's parish were enlisted to fight the separist cult, Ascalon decided to travel with them - to be with them in this time of need, as a spiritual guide. It was on route to the opposing nation/region/whatever that Ascalon discovered that the leader of the separist cult was, to Ascalon's surprise, *insert name*, an old colleague of Ascalon's, who had once been as steady in his faith as Ascalon was. Ascalon pleaded with the Imperial Commanders, telling them that the word of the Emperor could once again find its way into the minds of the seperatists, backed up by a body of other preachers from his and neighbouring parishes, Ascalon finally got his way. The Imperial Commanders granted him a single day to make the cultists see the error in their ways, but after that day was up, the Imperial Guard would attack, and Ascalon would be declared a failure - and most likely a heretic. Ascalon and his host of priests made their way to the centre of the seperatist nation/whatever, and after a long day of religious debate - the cultists saw sense. They dropped arms and repented. Ascalon walked from the city walls, hands raised high, and a smile on his face, when dissaster struck. One of the surrounding guardsmen, restless from the days encampment outside the city, let his finger slip to anxiously to the trigger when Ascalon's robed figure walked from the city walls. His hastey shot pierced straight through Ascalon's chest, and the preacher fell to the ground. Despite Ascalon's death, the city was spared the military might of the Imperial Guard, and peace was brought back to the planet. The night after Ascalon's death, a burning Aquilla was said to have been sighted above the city, and the call was raised for Ascalon to be Canonised (is that the right word?) The planet was renamed, and in the following centuries, the city became a vast cathedral founded on St. Ascalons teachings. Whaddya think?

An easy way would be to throw in something about command squads in Imperial Castellans units having to take Furious Assault rather than the other Skills, to reflect the religious fury these chaplain-squads get themselves into - then it would just be a case of modeling to really make them chaplainy. That way the fluff does make an impact on the game (albeit a small one), while remaining totaly codex legal. On the name of the pilgrim world (i.e. the one at the end of the line.), as said my vote is with Ascalon. What do other people think for this particular planet? (Perhaps if we go through this world by world we may actually get somewhere..:blush:)

@Shadey: a lot of pilgrimages occur to a planet, rather than to a location on a planet (even though when the pilgrims reach the planet in question, they probably will visit one certain point. After a lot of pilgrims have made a lot of journies to a certain world, a pilgrimage route will become established - and that's what the Imperial Castellans protect - the pilgrimage route to a world (that we haven't named yet, but I'm putting my vote in on Ascalon). On the planet itself the pilgrimage will end with the journey on foot to the specific site on the world - but I think this will be outside of the Castellan's obligation. They are primarily a spacefairing chapter, dealing in protecting the space route. About the sisters of battle being the most common protectors of pilgrimage routes: this is of course correct. But who wants well trained humans in power armour when you can get well trained genetically modified humans in power armour! Imperial Law refuses the Ecclesiarchy the right to men at arms, but the Ecclesiarchy are not above bending the rules so that a space marine chapter can do them a duty - the space marines aren't working for the Ecclesiarchy - they just happen to be affiliated with them.. like the chaplains in other chapters. Which brings me on to something to ask the rest of the IA:Imperial Castellans 'team': What is our stance on the acolyte chaplain squads - any chance of us brewing up some home grown rules to append to the reclusiarch command squad rule set? Perhaps some sort of mini-rosarius invulnerable save, or some sort of psychology rule, a la the litanies of hate?

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

I very much like Judecca.

Woohoo Ferratas back! Lets get this show (back) on the road!

I think Ascalon is an awesome name, we have to use it somewhere, be it the name of the cardinal world or the name of one of the homeworlds.

I think we've got to make one up, as a safeguard from the Games Workshop Fluff Machine. What sort of names are we wanting? Greek? Roman? Teutonic? Made up?

Cheers silver, should be handy. We really need something to kick all the major players on this thread back into action - I tell you, I am plum out of ideas. It seems we were all very good at coming up with the sort of feel and vague histroy of the chapter - but putting it into solid terms is a whole new kettle of fish.. ++oo thousandth post.. nice++