Question: Black Dragons acceptable characters?

[Welcheren]

In a separate thread on DIY vs. canon chapters, some members mentioned how reluctant they would be to write a story about First Founding chapters or others with a well-established fluff and history. 

 

I'm curious as to whether it is considered acceptable practice to write a story that heavily features the Black Dragons? Although a 21st Founding chapter, they have fairly strong fluff in existence. Would you consider it too risky or otherwise bad to give them center stage in a B&C story, over  (for example) an official-but-obscure chapter? Technically, one can write what one wishes here (within reason), but I am interested in the range of views out there.

[Hydriatus]

Personally, I find it comes down to personal preference. If you do a Chapter which already has fluff and stories, then you can do some research and not have to worry about little details and get on with the story. The more obscure the chapter, the more time needs to be spent with exposition to explain things. Then again, this is not set in stone and is not necessary to convey the story.

 

In the case of the Black Dragons though, I do imagine mention being required of the Cursed Founding and their...ahem...blades.

[Welcheren]

Thanks. 

 

My main concern is that both the founding and mutations of the Black Dragons excellently fit a plot idea that's been brewing in my head for white.

 

If it is sound practice to use less well known chapters, that's fine, but I would have to invest some other chapter with an equally useful mutation and troubled relationship with the Inquisition. 

[Plague Angel]

For things that are explicitly labelled as "fan fiction"? I don't see any obstacles.

 

Those are done for the pure enjoyment of them, both for the writer and the readers who decide to read them. So write about the thing you enjoy.

[Olis]

Short of explicitly and seriously writing about the Emperor getting up and doing some star jumps, I would have little qualm over a community member creating some fan fiction of the universe they love. There's nothing wrong with cooking up a story for a faction you like. I should know, I've done it myself. 

[deathspectersgt7]

                                                                               DO IT !!!!

[Welcheren]

Thanks for the encouragement. 

 

I wouldn't know how to label it anything else. I'm not clear on how one moves from fan fiction toward attempting anything more serious.

 

 

I'll get to work on some drafts.

[CaptainLNH]

Welcheren,

 

You might also take a look at the new "Deathwatch: Xenos Hunters" book from the BL.  It has a short story with a  Black Dragon as the main character.

It even includes several instances where he uses his blades in close combat.  You might find it informative.

[Welcheren]

Thank you very much. This really is very helpful. I will definitely find and read said book.

 

I enjoyed Annandale's Death of Antagonis very much.

 

I don't think I want to make the Dragons the only chapter in the story - I don't want to pretend to be as good as Annandale at writing them - but they fit a plot idea and might go well with another chapter I hope to join them with during an operation. Looking through the eyes of a chapter who know their Primarch and are obviously proud of him, I hope to move them from disdain for a chapter with an unverified Primarch (the Dragons) to brotherly respect. As to the role of their mutation... I hope to add something about that into plot-surprise, but one that takes care not to declare itself as canon and makes to pretensions of hoping to included as canon, only a suspicion that may or may not be true. 

[Plague Angel]

I didn't mean to say that fan fiction is less serious than posting an IA on the Liber or some other use of your hobby time. It's just different in purpose, more similar to posting pictures of finished models.

 

"Hey guys, look at this cool thing I did!"

 

Since the cool thing is purely the result of your creativity, go nuts and do whatever you want. The worst that can happen is that someone finds it slightly less cool. But then you have successful projects like the alternate Heresies, that fundamentally began the same way.

[Welcheren]

Thanks Plague Angel. 

 

I didn't think you meant anything harsh. 

 

I love both fan fiction and IAs precisely for their different purposes. I cherish the thrill of reading an IA on chapter I don't yet know, and there is some truly wonderful fiction on the site as well. 

 

In some ways, one gives life to the other.