HeySeuss

Blackshields: The Horus Heresy

OOC is up.

Blackshields: The Horus Heresy [Warhammer 30K]

Name: Prodigal Son
Age: Unknown, but reckoned to be at least a century old.
Legion: Luna Wolves, renounced.
Planet of Origin: Terra or Cthonia.
Physical Description:

Prodigal Son's armor is repaired from battlefield salvage and the paint has been carefully scraped off and the pauldron insignia defaced and painted over with the Raptor Imperialis symbol of the Reunification Wars, a symbol forces loyal to the Emperor fought under on Terra as well as the Imperial Aquila. The armor is not as efficient as a properly-maintained mark, but it gets him into the fight. He's done the best he can with repairs, but the battle damage shows.

With the helmet off, Prodigal Son is unremarkable, but has a gold service stud and a silver service stud on his brow. He does not like to display them often, for they display his features and those tell a tale; as is sometimes the case, the gene-seed expresses strongly, as it does here.

His is the likeness of the Warmaster, the Betrayer Horus. To perhaps further demonstrate where he stands on the matter, he has the Imperial Aquila tattooed onto his cheek. The other is marred with the scars of las-fire and the shrapnel from a melted helmet face-plate, a memento of one of the engagements of the Great Crusade. His head is completely shaven.

When not fighting, when not focusing, he stares off into the distance, his mind visibly churning. He wrestles with himself, with his love of his former brothers. With his shame for his gene-father's betrayal.

Skillset:

Prodigal Son is a tactical marine to the bone; there are few tasks that a Space Marine and his bolter are not suited to, after all. The tools depend on the tactical situation. Some Legions wed themselves to specific styles, but the true essence is to adapt, but adapt ferociously and, above all, win. That was always the way of his legion, as it moved from victory to victory, rarely tasting defeat. His experience in numerous Imperial Compliance actions has honed his capabilities.

History:

Prodigal Son's exact circumstances are not entirely known, mostly because he does not speak -- his oath is of silence, his penance is in deeds. His Primarch's sin cannot be washed away, and he intends to sell his life dearly to the enemies of the Emperor. It is hard to say whether the man is one of the Luna Wolves holdovers of the original intake of Terran recruits or a Cthonian addition that stayed strangely loyal to the Emperor when so many of his own followed the Warmaster, their gene-father, where he would lead.

What is known is that the Rogue Trader picked up Prodigal Son on the planet Polybius; there was ferocious fighting between Imperial Army elements and Chaos Cultists seeded there by the Word Bearers Legion. Prodigal Son did not command, did not rally, did not organize. He and a mere handfull of others from his Legion fought, hunting the leaders, looking to decapitate the cultist command. Those not ended with a bolter round to the head he hacked down ferociously in melee. They stalked the battlefield like ghosts and struck with singular and suicidal ferocity, fury made manifest, to rip out the throat of key enemy personnel, rather than getting heavily engaged in an attrition battle.

In one particular case at the end of the revolt on Polybius, out of ammo for his bolter and out of promethium for his chainsword, he encountered a leader of the Cultists. The Psyker tried to seduce him with the words of a demon that knew all too well what his heritage was. The woman's skull was splattered messily with two rapid blows of his gauntleted fist and a bellow of spiritual pain. It did not go unnoticed, word spread on the planet.

When the Rogue Trader told this silent Astartes the plan, he gave a nod and came aboard along with his other brothers. They speak among themselves at appointed times, much like a religious order, but otherwise remain silent except for battle, when they use the curt language of tactical communication. They eat minimally, they train relentlessly, try to keep their equipment running despite inconsistent supply and do not mingle.

Psychological Profile:

It's hard to say what Prodigal Son thinks, as he does not speak. But his actions are very clear -- he has the same controlled viciousness that made the Sons of Horus one of the most successful of the legions during the Great Crusade. In countless compliance actions, they struck mercilessly. The same applies here. It's his heritage to the bone, even if it is now a traitor's heritage.

Equipment:

• Phobos-Pattern Boltgun. It has a hook and a tether line that allows it to stay attached and handy when he lets go of the grip. It also has a foregrip if he wishes to stabilize it. That is not Mechanicus-approved modification but he is beyond caring. It allows him to switch quickly over to his chainsword.
• Thunder Edge Pattern Chainsword, magnetized with a switch so Prodigal Son can release it from harness and bring it to bear moments after releasing his bolter.
• Armor that is truly the salvaged and repaired parts of other armor. It is, essentially, what will be known as Mk. V "Heresy Pattern" armor. Notably, the knuckles are spiked. The helmet is a modified Mk. IV, there are bits and pieces from other marks and field expedient. Plates are riveted on, repairs are visible. It is not parade-ready, but it can still fight.
• Grenades when he can get them.

Notes

Prodigal Son has three battle brothers, they are armed very similarly to him; bolters and melee weapons. They too do not speak to outsiders except in battle. Their armor is stripped of heraldry and symbols of loyalty to the Emperor are displayed in place of the Eye of Horus and Cthonian ganger runes that were prevalent in their legion.

Blackshields: The Horus Heresy [Warhammer 30K]

Once, they were brothers...

Procedure

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• Please post a character sheet.
• Characters should be astartes from a Traitor Legion that remain loyal or other elements of the Imperium. That includes Dark Angels, actually.
• I am amenable to the legions that were shattered at Istvaan III, such as Raven Guard, Iron Hands and Salamanders. Less so Smurfs, Blood Angels, White Scars, Space Wolves and Fists.

Character Sheet

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Name:
Age:
Legion:
Planet of Origin:
Physical Description:

It's probably best to actually describe the character if you are going to rely on a picture, or you can do without the picture if you like, but definitely describe.

Skillset:

Characters will have similar training, but not

History:

Explain how your character got there -- no 'the story will come out in RP' lines, please -- I want a feel for where your character is coming from. Were they in a traitor legion, were they in a loyalist legion whose task force was destroyed. How did they survive the betrayal?

Psychological Profile:

An idea of how the character thinks and so forth; should be linked to the history.

Equipment:

Notes:

Note added troops led by this character.

Blackshields: The Horus Heresy [Warhammer 30K]

Once, they were brothers...

TL;DR Summary

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• Warhammer 30K, of course.
• 31st Milennium, the Horus Heresy, an age of blood and temptation.
• In the aftermath of the Istvaan Dropsite Massacre, some Astartes legions have turned against the Emperor of Mankind and wage war against him. In turn, some legions remain loyal. And within some Traitor Legions, there are individuals and units that break with their Primarch and fight for the Emperor.
• Due to the requirements of the Great Crusade, detachments of these legions are spread out all over the place. During the atrocities that opened the Horus Heresy, there was fighting between and among these elements as loyalties are tested and divided.
• Characters will be survivors of these various engagements, cast adrift from their parent units and forced to form an ad-hoc unit of Astartes together in common cause; loyalty to the Emperor. Optionally, you can add 2-4 extra NPC's as part of a small unit led by your character.
• Access to equipment is limited. There are supply shortages.
• These characters are from Traitor Legions. Dark Angels are a debatable item. I do not want to have Ultramarines, White Scars, Imperial Fists, Blood Angels or Space Wolves unless someone makes a compelling case. Iron Hands, Salamanders and Raven Guard were shattered at Istvaan and that means they could wash up in this, as hardened loyalist holdouts but I still feel like that dilutes the intent.
• Non-Astartes will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Characters have managed to secure the assistance of a rogue trader to get them to a planet with a rogue Imperial Governor that has access to planetary defense forces capable of carrying them into the battle against the heretics.
• This Governor stands in their way. He must die. That is where this new crusade of retribution begins.
• Please post sheets in the character tab for approval.

In Character Info

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The fratricide of the Horus Heresy sounds so precise and clinical in retrospect. A clean break, without loose ends. The reality is that the betrayal of the Emperor was not relegated merely to the legions whose primarchs turned, nor were all the Astartes in those legions traitors. There were many solitary acts undertaken that escape the historical record.

All the same, it is a battle of brother turning bolter on brother. The Great Crusade sent detachments of Legiones Astartes, the Space Marines, into the far-flung corners of the galaxy. In these corners, as the events reached them, some reacted. There was bloodshed in the wake of the betrayal. Many were cast adrift. Even so, there are those that know their duty, and know what is coming. They are cast off, left to fight their smaller battles without glory. Some bear the grim knowledge that their progenitor has cast them out, and carry that burden with them into battle, fighting not for glory, but for redemption.

One rogue trader, Balixus Kyros, manages to gather a number of these men into a group, though he cannot lead them. But he can help only so much. He can carry these warriors to the fight on the planet Argyos, where they can purge the traitor governor in the name of the Emperor of Mankind and begin to pay back their debts of fury and vengeance against the betrayers.

Out of Character Info

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Astartes of different legions, different outlooks and widely different stories. They are, of course, bound in one common cause, but they are otherwise thrown together in the chaos of a truly grand-scale interstellar war. This is meant to be an RP of individual characters struggling with the shock of the Horus Heresy's onset. We are after the events of Istvaan III and looking toward the battle of Terra. We will see how far the story takes us.

31st Century, of course. So no inquisition and psykers are not the norm. Chaos is not really something that is delved into in the Imperium and they still believe in the Imperial Truth. The Emperor still lives and these warriors of the Astartes are intent on their purpose of fighting his cause. That said, I am looking for characters that fit into this theme. Characters can be by themselves or be leading a small group of 2-4 other Astartes. Other types of troops...we will have to go case-by-case. They need to be able to be loaded into a Stormbird.

Of course, there is a lot of temptation in the universe in a time of chaos and uncertainty. It's possible for the characters to carve their own empire or turn to Chaos and once again know the brotherhood of their legions. It's not too late to fall, brothers...

The Roleplayer Confessions Thread

I have a notebook in my car where I write down ideas occasionally.

@NuttsnBolts

Same. I keep all my notes going back to 2009 in one place, but I have since upgraded to decent notebooks rather than loose pages.

Blackshields: The Horus Heresy

Yeah, they didn't have much involvement in the Heresy after essentially touching it off.

Edit: As to the question regarding what sort of operations...Blackshield Marauder bands did tend to strike fast and then get off planet, so they probably will function a lot like a Deathwatch Kill-Team would in later eras. On the other hand, some of them will have the expertise to coordinate larger battles due to experience in the Great Crusade. I think we can play it by ear, but I feel like the way to go would be to have them, if necessary, commandeer (at bolter-point if necessary) the gear on the ground they need to do the job.

I imagine quite a few of them will be looking to atone and willing to undertake risky missions. That was always the role of the Legion Astartes but these guys are probably more eager for it than most and are not considering the preservation of their forces anymore.

Blackshields: The Horus Heresy

Well, they are an informal, irregular grouping. So the missions will vary.

Star Wars: You're a Rebel Now

Had a taker, but then they left me hanging. Upside is that the plot skeleton is fleshed out now...

Blackshields: The Horus Heresy

I'll do an OOC if there is some more interest.

I envision a squad or so of Space Marines and a nominal leader, but we could go with small detachments of Space Marines, like a player controlling a small unit anywhere from 3-5 survivors of various engagements of the Heresy in a larger ad-hoc formation.

They'd probably be functioning as a strike force for other loyalist elements that are not Astartes and are cut off and facing Traitors; one figures that an Astartes strike force of dubious origin is better than no Astartes strike force at all when they are on the fringes and fighting for their lives.

Blackshields: The Horus Heresy

@HeySeussSo we're playing loyalists from traitor legions, then? Count me interested.

@DepressedSoviet

Yeah, lost souls still faithful to the Emperor, coping with the betrayal of their Primarchs and a lot of guilt. Hell, blame from other Astartes.

Smurfs, Wolves, Fists etc tend to disrupt that vibe.