Imperialis_Dominatus

++Inquisition Datafile re: Serpentine Conclave++ The subversive tactics of the Alpha Legion are legendary amongst those priveleged to such knowledge in the Imperium, and the Serpentine Conclave is one of the most infamous of all. Careful scrutiny by lexmechaniacs and autosavants has linked this coven of Alpha Legion lieutenants to insurrections, suicide cults, assassinations, and sabotage on a grand scale throughout the Imperium and throughout the ages with no discernible pattern save a number of short-term victories and gains. Some attribute this to the fractious nature of Chaos, but most Inquisitors are fearful that it is merely that the Conclave's long-standing goals, whatever they may be, are yet to come to fruition and that there must be some goal that can be discerned- and stopped. When intelligence gathered suggests that one or more of the Conclave are to be present at a battle, officers close to the front are often rushed encrypted dataslates from shadowy, yet clearly high ranking, sources prioritizing the capture or death of the operative(s). Sadly, on those occasions when a member of the Conclave is actually present at such a battle, conditions are so confused that it is rare that these commands will be enacted in either the time or concentration necessary to defeat such mighty Chaos Space Marines. And the Inquisition and its allies will never truly know if this is the battle in which they have crippled the Conclave, or if there are yet more of these schemers out there, seeding the rebellion of hives and plotting the downfall of sectors.

I haven't been able to play Dark Heresy really, though I tried my hand at DMing a game, attempting to run a group through the mission rulebook. Never having done a P&P RPG before that experience dragged me down a bit- I hardly knew what I was doing, to say nothing of what they should be! For a while I had the books and would just roll up characters and see what sorts of stories they told me. I've got two rival Inquisitors, and several of each class. One of each class I have done up a page of background on to offer an example to my potential players, or a character they can use if they don't feel like rolling one up. I don't want to flood the thread by typing them all out, but here is one I like especially. Isha Aenid Novia, a.k.a. "Calamity," assassin of Mosul, Mariayn Marches (rolled middling stats except for high Willpower and low Fellowship) Isha was inducted into the Peacemaker Cloister Theta of Mosul, a frontier world ruled by various noble houses who owe fealty to their royalty and, in turn, the Emperor. These baronies maintain security forces but no standing armies, barred from such by royal edict. Instead, every non-peasant family must send its second son and second daughter to the various Cloisters of assassins native to the world. Mosul being so isolated, its armies must be united and answerable only to the King and Queen if disaster strikes. The assassins, then, moderate the necessary violence between the houses, justified by petitions to their leadership by a quorum of nobles who find themselves affronted by another house. In addition to freeing the Mosulite Blades of work more appropriately performed with delicacy, the Cloisters keep inter-barony conflict from devastating agricultural production and thus keeping intact Mosul's capability to meet the tithe and feed its people, despite scarce resources. Isha is quiet and reserved, finding it as difficult to relate to others as they find it to relate to her. Few among the Imperium are raised from toddlers in an environment designed entirely around turning them into weapons, to use potentially against their very blood- the practice of taking the second eldest of a generation means that a noble corrupted by excess, greed, or spite must weigh his vices against the possibility of being brought to justice by the blade of his closest kin. Isha is almost entirely an instrument bent to the will of a master- a fine tool for the cloisters and those who might retain their agents, such as the Inquisition. Her retention as an Acolyte has proven no troubling transition. Ultimately, serving one organization that preserves the Pax Imperium is little different than serving another. Indeed, a period of peace on Mosul ensured that her first combat action occurred in service to the Inquisition. While her target practice served her very well, her bladework is sub-par and she proved squeamish, though capable, in wielding her sword instead of her rifle when it was necessary. Aside from her skills and aloof nature, Isha is truly set apart from others by the strength of her self-assured faith in the God-Emperor. Each day, as part of her exercise routine, she balances her short blade in the center of her chamber upon its flat pommel, so the blade points directly upwards. She then contorts herself into a handstanding position such that the point of the blade rests directly at the base of her throat, just barely penetrating the skin there. So precariously set, she meditates upon her duty to the Emperor and visualizes killing techniques. As her arms shake with fatigue, it would be obvious to any impertinent enough to observe her that she is one slip away from death, and yet, she maintains her poise until she deems it appropriate to release, slowly and gently, such that the blade does not waver and the single drop of blood upon it remains upon the tip. In times of great peril she will momentarily make a subconscious gesture to the small scab on her throat before taking action. An electoo upon her shoulder blades and across her back signifies her employment; it takes the form of an aquila spread, with each wing-quill ending in a smoking gun barrel. When stimulated, it glows a faint red against her pale skin. The sigil is named "Calamity," and Lazerus, who happened upon her in such a state of undress as to see it and received a bloody nose for his trouble, calls her by it. (Lazerus is a punk-ass kid enforcer who gives everybody nicknames and tries to take the lead, even if it is inappropriate to do so) Her desire to serve the Emperor has thus far overwhelmed all others, but while devout, she is no Officio Assassinorum operative or chem-gelded fanatic- she may yet prove only human. For death she has no fear- she was born to deal it, and one day receive it, as is the way of the blade and the gun. The erosion of her sanity and focus justfifiably terrifies her, however, and she shudders to think of dark things polluting her soul. For her faults, she has a focused hate to draw on- the greedy, unjust, selfish, and tyrants who do not submit to the ultimate and just tyranny of the Emperor. Truly it was said to her by a divining crone, "Thought begets Heresy; Heresy begets Retribution."

Very clean, can't wait for more layers. What's the plan for the trim iconography on the cloak?

Oh! I remember now! It's the same source as the one that mentions the Chaos Spawn, B'ndur-Shnotch!

Chapter Master of the Vorpal Swords is Konvak Lann on their return. Though it is not noted in the Chaos Space Marines Codex whether he was the Chapter Master when they went into the Eye. I've never come across the fluff you mention, Xenith. In some ways I think it's kind of cool. It shows that all Space Marine Chapters are capable of amazing feats, whether or not Games Workshop spends a lot of time on them. It supports my view that all Space Marine Chapters, and indeed all Space Marines, are capable of astounding feats, and any claims that one Chapter is superior to another merely means that that Chapter has been tested against circumstances other Chapters haven't had the opportunity to overcome, and have not suffered unrelenting bad luck in the process (like Lamenters, for example). The Ultramarines may be widely accepted as the superior Chapter of Space Marines, but this merely makes them comparable to the richest man amongst a group of rich men- that he has slightly more trinkets doesn't mean the others are clothed in rags.

Nice stuff! Were you going for a AL-Hydra-green Omega symbol on the first guy in post 16? A Jetbike with an above-average flamer, eh...? ;) You mention Obliterator number 3, but I didn't see the first two! Really sweet kitbash on that, by the way. I want Oblits too, but I don't think I'll be using the official models, and corrupting the Centurion models... uh... no. I'll use the Medusa-era Possessed before that.

Khornify the Daeomn Prince? Skull trophies, Mark of Khorne painted on his forehead, blood dripping out of mouth vents, paint red/bone/brass. Stick a zombie head with some mechanical gubbins between the guns, not just a radar dish. :P

Have returned to this later. Have two minor quibbles about the plot, easily quelled. 1. I think they should be named the Sons of the Storm at their Founding. The ships' names and the fact that they take the ion storm as an omen (good use of a celestial event instead of a Warp storm or something else typical by the way) would seem to indicate that this is your actual intention, but there's a line in their Origins section that suggests that they are named for the battle against Ya'Jalden. 2. High Lords aren't going to order them to attack anything. Just say they were the most readily available and appropriate force with which to enact the Craftworld's execution. Couple questions to make sure my Legends of the Liber story keeps continuity. 1. Does the Chapter see any difference between Craftworld, Dark, Corsair, or Exodite Eldar? 2. What form might kill count tattoos take? Are they just tally marks, like you might see on a prison wall or gun casing? Or are they more elaborate? 3. What measures does your Chapter undertake in order to prevent rivalries from the recruits of different worlds springing up? Or do they even bother, allowing time to sort out these things?

Took a good long read through this thread. Ideas for the Legends of the Liber story are shaping up. Good stuff. I'm going to have fun with this. I think the sidebar about the Fate of Ya'Jalden should be moved down so it doesn't give away the game early on. Keyboard running out of batteries. May return to this later.

You don't need your eyes to keep living. Get him, boys.

Oh ye mighty Gods, no. I didn't mean that at all. :) I was considering one or the other, and leaning towards purple. But my Chapter's similar enough to Soul Drinkers already, and throw in some Blood Angel chalice images... ugh, might have to stick with orange. I don't want to be associated with the taint... Thank you.

Do they now...

Had a couple things floating around on my computer. Which I recently resurrected. Have come to a couple conclusions. One. I will make a huge revision to this project's IA that will throw a large amount of unposted work into disarray... but I will do it later. Two. I don't like painting white. It's fiddly as all get-out. I would like a new color scheme, and I think Octavulg would appreciate that as well. I am considering purple and orange as base colors, as according to the Gospel Octavulg they are under-used. Three. Think I'm going to split this into a previous loyalist IA and a post Excommunication IT. For it is long. Some new material. Something a Chaplain would lead his brothers in during battle or before torching and eating large amounts of meat. Catechism of Seven We give praise to Him on Earth- For the greatest sacrifice And our undying charge We pray for His vigilance- To watch over us in war And see our weapons strike true. We draw from Him our great strength- Both the strength of our bodies And the greater of our souls. To Him we give our glory- Though others glorify us There is none without Him. Let Him grant us His hatred- Tis more fuel to us than food And a friend in dark places. And we say, let there be death- To fools who make us their foes And brethren who have earned rest. May His light shine eternal- As a beacon to the faithful And a pyre for the damned. Canticle of Xenocide Look not upon the Alien! There will be little left to see when our task is done. Listen not unto the Alien! We will be deafened by the howls of our guns. Speak not unto the alien! What need have we of words while the bolter speaks?

I don't know if you care, but James Swallow mentions a Stone Heart in his book Black Tide. Not in detail, really, though he notes something about intricate tattoos. Then again, it is James Swallow.

Well, you did get around to it. Thank you. I've copypasta'd everything I intend to take to heart into my notepad here. I particularly find the idea of going into them in media res intriguing, would cut down on a lot of baggage from their pre-Ascension state. It's pretty much two IAs in one. What follows is what I feel the need to reply to rather than using to change the IA. I see. It's not meant to 'dealing' with the Inquisition so much as them torturing him as is their primary information gathering technique (and fetish). It's his Big Damn Heroic Monologue before everything fades to black with the giggles of the torturer accompanying the beginning of the credits. Yeah. Sure was. :P Might change his name to something a little more derived, but the influence will stay. I kinda prefer the Angels Adjective changing to the Angels Adjective, if plot demands a change. But I see your point. Cursed Founding was 21st, and the 36th millennium apparently included a lot of Foundings- lots of time for a few 'last shots' at using their geneseed. But I see your point. Their beliefs are rather intrinsic in the themes I want to use. From their early status as oddballs to their befriending of the Thorians to the very appearance of the reason for their Excommunication. It has to be there for this to work. I suppose Malathion being the sole vehicle for this is part of the problem. If it's any consolation this Chapter won't have been made much longer after the Angels Wrathful themselves in the revision of their own IA. Though I know it's not much of a consolation given your views of it. Indeed. It's either too much detail or not enough. See, in the novel version of this it's perfectly well explained due to the events of the Campaign they were involved in (which I'm not going to detail), and does not appear as a deus ex machina. But here I can't go into that sort of detail, so it appears so. So I'll summarize that bit a lot more. :lol: It was a good movie, okay?