Status communicate: behind schedule...... progress stalled..... Resistance heavier than anticipated.
.......Resistance?
Affirmative. Native xenos. Strong, durable, warlike. Undetected until planetary foothold established. Standard Militarum firearms are ineffective. Situation is rapidly degrading.
.......Committed assets?
Four Imperial Guard regiments. Requesting Further immediate reinforcements.
...... affirmative. Nearest Militarum regiments will be available in est. three standard weeks
Unnacceptable. Reinforcements needed immediately. Loss of Imperial foothold within one standard week at current rate of attrition.
...... Affirmative, Routing aid request to Astartes strike force beta, Battle Barge designation 'Brightwing' Celestial Falcons chapter designation, estimated time of arrival...... four days.
Acknowledged, forwarding relevant tactical data. In the Emperors name we stand our ground!
....... In His Glorious Name.......
*************************************
It was nearly a full day later before anything on board the brightwing was explained. The Lord Commander had shut himself into his personal chambers after receiving a heavily encoded astropathic message from the Astra Militarum Command. What was done in that room was his business but whatever his actions were they were taking the near constant attention of the astropathic choir to continue the line of communication and the course of the Brightwing was altered and the virgin chapter was now barrelling through the warp on a new heading. Searching still for that first opportunity to baptize itself in the fire and blood of honourable war.
When the Lord Commander did break his silence and emerge from his self imposed solitude it was to call an immediate assembly of his most senior officers to the ships war-room. Wasting no time of his own and unwilling to let anyone else waste it for him. Whatever he had to announce was important.
Only when all notables on his chapter were assembled in the grand Cathedral like room, with its mighty arches, beautifully carved stone grotesques of various birds and angels and impossibly high windows that, if in real space would have provided a breathtaking view of the void and stars. Did he settle himself on one side of an equally ornate wooden desk. Easily as long as an astartes was tall and hand carved from some of the rarest natural fibres from the surface of Deliverance itself. Each leg was a fierce raven standing guard over he who sat behind them. Their wings spread to partially obscure the arcane technologies that produced the holographic images used for the Lord commanders review and tactical planning.
The young lord commander stood over the table, arms splayed out to his sides and arrayed in full battle plate. Save his helmet which was in the arms of a dignified serf standing almost perfectly still so as to be camouflaged with the furniture around him.
“Brothers.” Tormon intoned in a deep astartes boom. “Our day has finally come. We have been called to war!”
Appearance: (an old Pict from his younger days in the 3rd battle company 7th assault squad)
Youthful, pale, dark haired. Overall a typical son of Corax. A his two service studs give away his youth and the brevity of his career by asartes standards. But the scars on his cheek and the hardened glint in his eye give an impression of how eventful those few short centuries have been for him.
Desired position: Lord Commander of the Celestial Falcons and all brethren and resources belonging to its name
Equipment:
Full suit of Mk.VI power armour, gilded and painted with the colours of his new chapter. Tormon refused personal offers of relic weapons and armour as would normally befit his lofty station. As great and tempting such offers were, he was not wanting to remove the living history of the Raven Guard from where he felt such relics most properly belonged. His only request was to be given a brand new suit of power armour, symbolic in his mind of his new journey. Its machine spirit will not be clouded and think itself still serving the raven guard. It would learn and even grow knowing only life as a servant of the Celestial Falcons, and him as its master.
As far as weaponry is concerned Tormon has access to a personal armoury supplying nearly every choice of weapon he could desire. As befitting his rank and title he could march to war with weaponry even that would make even Imperial generals and inquisitors jealous, having first pick of anything he might desire to wield.
Abilities, Psychic or otherwise:
Tactician- one must possess a keen tactical mind to be an astartes captain. Even more so to be a shadow captain of the Raven Guard. For they are some of the most reserved and tactical thinkers Even amongst other space marines. For while the Imperial fists and the ultramarines deserve every laurel they have earned. The Raven Guard have the willingness to act outside the codex when deemed necessary.
Since his elevation to Chapter Master, his tactical abilites have been pushed to greater heights and are often strained to their breaking point.
Leader- Tormon led his shadow company for nearly seventy years. Such a post requires more than just the knowledge of how to move soldiers around a battleground. To be an astartes captain of any chapter requires one to prove himself equal parts pitiless warrior, cunning strategist, inspiring leader, and tactful diplomat. Organizing and maneuvering the assets of an asartes company are laughably easy compared to the minefield that is working alongside Imperial high command and its senior officers. Some of whom think themselves superior in rank to a mere 'captain'. The ability to work with and not anger and damage relationships with the Imperium at large is a critical skill of any senior astartes officer.
Peerless warrior- Few individual astartes within a chapter can boast themselves better warriors than its own chapter master. Such an individual is often the single most martially gifted man in the chapter. Though young Tormon is a gifted warrior with bolter or blade. Perhaps in single combat he is not as capable as some of his more veteran officers.... yet. But with his potential and ability coupled with his still young age. His skills can only become more honed and deadly with the passage of time.
Personal History:
Tormon, like nearly all Raven guard he was born on Kiahvar, eking out an existence hiding from and working for the various gangs that choked the lower districts of the industrial sectors. We was discovered in his youth and forcibly taken by the chaplains of the Raven Guard, spirited away to their second home on the moon Deliverance.
His early years in the chapter were normal if un=exemplary. He served much like every other young marine. Pumped full of eight thousand years worth of heroic tales and solemn dirges for the honoured fallen. Driven, beaten, broken and rebuilt like the rest of the young aspiring scout marines. He learned and harnessed the power of Wraith slipping, honed his skills with a blade in the assault company, learned the value of a well placed and impeccably timed application of overwhelming firepower while in the devastator company, and above all temperance and balance serving in the tactical reserve.
For most of his years of service his sergeants and commanders believed him adequate to the tasks assigned of him. He followed his orders without any record of infraction or disobedience. And he followed them to the letter, always doing precisely what was asked of him, never any less and he never voiced complaints about his superiors or questioned their abilities to lead. This act kept him from a sergeants rank for longer than would be normal as he wasn't believed to have the initiative or imagination to take command. Nor did he seem to possess the ambition for rank.
But as mortal humans like to say 'some people are born to be leaders, they just need the right opportunity and the right moment.' Sometimes with the confusing adage 'A little nudge never hurts either'. Tormon was well over 150 years old was when his opportunity came in the form of a counter attack waged against them during scouring campaign initiated by his company to clean a world of its native xenos population. His actions while taking charge of his shattered squad and leading them not only to victory but assuming to give direction and orders to other sergeants on enemy locations and positions helped quicken the takeover of several provinces. and the destruction of numerous tunnels and breeding pits used by the savage creatures.
He was quickly given permanent command of his squad and proved an exemplary officer during the remaining days of the campaign. Following that conflict and his numerous contributions to it, Tormon became something of a rising star within the Raven Guard. Proving again and again his aptitude for both following and giving orders, rising to face whatever challenges happened to be thrown against him by the will of the chapter or by the cruel fates that control the galaxy. His deeds propelled him not only into the ranks of the veterans but into the company captaincy he held until recently. While he may have been and older sergeant he became a very young captain.
Once in that toll he built further upon reputation for daring and calculation, noted as more outspoken and verbal than most Raven Guard who gradually become more brooding and removed as they age. Often shouting inspiring speeches or blurbs to those fighting beneath him. Frequently forgoing the usage of traditional power claws in favour of bolder, more visually intimidating weaponry against his foes.
Like any good Raven Guard captain he used his natural gift of stealth frequently and to great effect. But he was never afraid of being seen either. Of offering the enemy a visual glimpse of their doom or letting his company see him diving into the thick of the fray to lead the initial charge.
He often believed that it was far more effective on your enemies psyche to mix between stealth and display. To give the enemy a glimpse of what was following them but deny them the ability to chase it. Just re-appearing often enough to remind them what was hounding them relentlessly, what would continue to hound them until they dropped from exhaustion or spent their last round of munitions firing futilely into the darkness.
Unlike most shadow captains he was loathe to use the Imperial guard or other mortals as bait for ambushes. A common tactic that has led to the downfall of many an imperial regiment, and earned the continued ire of Imperial command towards the chapter. This willingness to, in his mind utilize the Imperial military assets more effectively and his unwillingness to further damage his own reputation and that of his chapter with the Astra Militarum marked him as notably different from his fellows. This consequently meant his company was often put into greater danger more frequently as he used his own assets instead, but his tactical supremacy ensured casualties amongst his brothers were still kept minimal despite the increased risk. This made him disliked by more traditionalist elements within the chapter and even those hardliner proponents who served beneath him. Some believed he was endangering their lives to further his own image and glory. While others below him embraced his decisions and style of command. Some squad leaders and battle brothers emulating him, deviating further from established chapter norms, Believing Tormon’s rational to be wiser and more humanitarian and thus more appropriate for an astartes.
These and other deviations from the chapter norm made him a competent commander but too removed from Raven Guard ways to ever be considered for the mantle of Master of Shadows or even one of the more senior captain roles. Deviating slightly from the codex is not an issue for the Raven Guard, deviating from chapter tradition is a more tenuous decision to make. But one Tormon never shied from or was ashamed to justify and explain to his chapter master. Earning him at least grudging respect from even his most staunch opponent for standing his ground on the matter.
But those differences of opinion made him a perfect candidate for another opportunity. One the Raven Guard had been preparing for two hundred years after being contacted directly by the high lords of Terra and the Inquisition. And the chapter master thought that Tormon, of all the other captains perhaps had the greatest potential to make a mark in the Imperium outside the ranks of the Raven Guard. Where his disagreements and alternate habits could be put to more effective use to the galaxy at large. Tormon is keenly aware he is younger than most of his new senior staff. And what effect that might have on their judgment of him. But he is not willing to apologize for his youth or his being chosen for the honour of leading the chapter over other potential candidates. And certainly he will not bow or back down to anyone as they balk against his tactical choices. He has little time or care for those who would complain about his every decision and blindly cling to the past and their old identities. He is the Lord Commander of the chapter, by the authority of the Golden throne itself he rules and will bow to the whims of no man living or dead save the Emperor. His officers can either learn to accept his leadership and his reformations or they can be replaced by those who will.
Name: if this must be explained to anyone than I am sorry, there is no hope for you
Age: Space marines live for centuries before their bodies start to fail them. But keep this reasonable based on what kind of character you want to play. A trained Astarte’s might well be anywhere from 100(younger members)-500(grizzled old fucks) years old. Senior positions and ceremonial roles like company ancients (standard bearers) are often even older as their name implies, some reaching 600-850 years old before their life of service ends, but those individuals are few and often exceptional even for Astarte’s.
A younger battle brother just taking his first steps out of the scout company into the devastator or assault reserve companies would likely still be over fifty years of age.
Appearance: Pictures are fine here, no anime is all I ask. A written description is fine as well.
Desired position: Reclusiarch, Master of the forge, Senior Apothecary, Sergeant, Captain, battle brother, etc. I am open to senior command ranks and other more mundane ranks.
Equipment: Some of this is going to be obvious. As Raven Guard descendants, our chapter was given a fine stock MK.VI and MK.VII power amour. Older suits like the MK. IV or just pieces of it Are possible but would only be worn by proven VIPs. (like the chapter master or chief librarian, or just a badass first company sergeant.)
But if you want a specialty weapon or if you are a specialist roll such as an Apothecary or techmarine than your equipment list is going to be a little more interesting.
On another note, certain equipment will be lacking for the rp. Such as terminator amour and centurion war suits. Check with me if you’re not sure. These may make an appearance or they may not. If they do they won’t be permanent gifts to your character but just brought in as necessary and removed when no longer needed for the story.
Abilities, Psychic or otherwise: For librarians, this part is obvious. But for other players it might include details such as 'trained storm talon pilot' 'trained predator gunner' etc. Or perhaps you are just good and something like marksmanship or want to play an assault veteran/sword master
Back on the note of librarians. Yes, I understand space marine librarians are powerful psykers and they can do some incredible things. Just don’t be stupid and try to make yourself Alpha or Beta level powerful
Personal History: nearly all of you will be at least a century old, something interesting in your lives had to have happened in time. As well, this is probably a good place to put your reasons for joining the new chapter. Drafted, handpicked, volunteered, etc.
To add to this, we are all from the same chapter. The same group of 1000+ warriors, chances are some of us might know each other or know of each other. Feel free to collab for backgrounds if you want. If anyone wants to work out shared history with the new Lord Commander let me know.
“Brothers, I know what I ask of you is unfamiliar and uncomfortable, even difficult. We are warriors born in shadow, we have mastered darkness itself and bent it to our will. We know well the power of its secrets and the comfort of its depths. For eight thousand years, our mastery of it has been our greatest strength, and now I ask you to relinquish that strength for something we previously considered an anathema to our ways.
I can only offer this assurance to placate your doubts… Know that I have knelt at the feet of the Emperor himself! There in his palace I was granted a glimpse of his great plan laid out in all its meticulous glory in the expanse of my mind. I know that his holy majesty does not wish his newest warriors to remain shrouded in darkness any longer. The way of our honoured cousins in the Raven guard is no longer our way. Their customs no longer our customs. The Emperor asks us to take that boldest step, to walk that which to us is the most arcane and unfamiliar of paths and forge our own destiny. He demands we make our name burn brightly throughout the stars.
And we are Astartes! Even more we are the sons of Corax! There is no demand he can make that we will ever refuse, no obstacle to great to overcome if he wills it so! Help me show our most holy majesty that his confidence in our ability is not misplaced. To show that the children of Corax are ready to face any challenge no matter how imposing, and conquer it with the unparalleled skill for which we are known.
Brothers! I stand before you now as a Lord Commander, Master of the Celestial Falcons. No longer a shadow Captain of the Raven Guard. And I ask all who kneel here today, which of you will follow me as I step out of the darkness? Who here will answer the Emperor’s call and embrace our future in the light!” First speech of the newly promoted Lord Commander _______, first chapter master of the Celestial Falcons to his brethren at the onset of the Avernus Crusade.
Chapter Symbol:
OOC: Welcome former brethren of the Raven Guard! You have all volunteered or been selected to join a most auspicious undertaking in the form of a new founding. Your new brethren and your new lives await you aboard the ‘Brightwing’ The first battle barge of the Celestial Falcons, A new chapter of space marines raised from the ranks of one of the most famous and honoured chapters in the Imperium. The hollowed Raven guard themselves. Some of you were handpicked by your new lord commander or by the Master of Shadows (Raven Guard chapter master) and assigned positions within the Celestial Faclons. Your skills and experience were foreseen as necessary and instrumental in establishing a solid foundation for the future of a new chapter.
Your parent chapter was kind to their parting children. The Raven Guard armoury is famously well stocked even by Astartes standards, and with so few descendants over the millennia they can afford to ensure the successors they do have do not lack for proper equipment to persecute their conflicts. Suits of armour, bolters, even select master crafted weapons were created and offered as parting gifts, as a father would to a son leaving home for the first time to make his own way in the world.
Your personal parting from the Raven Guard is Joyous but solemn, none of you will ever see Deliverance or the Ravenspire again, but you all know that your names are the first of your chapter and will be forever enshrined in the annals of the Celestial Falcons as such. The first to kill and perform the great deeds in its name that will inspire young aspirants for centuries to come. A higher honour could not be asked for from any astartes.
Some of you volunteered for your own reasons. Perhaps you craved adventure, or you served under your Lord Commander while he was still a shadow captain and remain loyal to him through this monumental shift. Perhaps you really do believe in the vision granted to your new Lord Commander, and that this new founding of warriors will lead to a blessed and honourable future you yearn to be a part of. Or perhaps the logic behind your decision is a mystery even to yourself.
Whatever your reasoning you are here and you sail towards your new destiny in the stars. Following the commands of a new master you are ready to face whatever challenges he deems worthy of a space marine. The first test of your young chapter calls you towards the Avernus sector. A region of space long eyed by the Imperium and finally expeditionary fleets have been assembled and dispatched to bring its worlds into the welcoming embrace of the Emperor’s light. You do not sail alone; Other chapters have attached themselves to this crusade. Most notably elements of the Black templars and red Scorpions. Both active and well-travelled crusading chapters that jumped on the opportunity to expand the Imperium’s borders. But their reasons for being here are not your reasons. Your Lord Commander has claimed this is where his vision from the Emperor compels him to go, where he claims the future of this new chapter will be found.
*************************
Establishing scene: The Avernus crusade is well underway, The conquest of no less than two entire sectors of space and their inclusion into the Imperial fold. It is a mighty undertaking and has required the efforts tens of millions of guardsman and navy armsmen just to get the recclamation fleet started. Some worlds gladly submit themselves into the imperial fold, rogue traders and Munistorium missionaries having plied these sectors since before anyone in the Imperium could remember spreading the light of the Emperor with them. Other worlds and systems need to be crushed into compliance. A lack of Imperial presence has seen the sectors fall prey to all manner of problems. Small ork empires stand defiant, the seed of chaos has been identified on more than a few worlds and Eldar corsairs seems to have marked this region of space out as their own hunting grounds for piracy. To say nothing of the countless species of xenos encountered (and currently being exterminated) by the Imperial guard. These are all but a few of the many problems that prove too difficult for the mortals of the Navy and Militarum to handle alone.
As capable as both bodies are they require the efforts of the Emperor's finest to crack the hardest pockets of resistance. The Imperium's newest Lord Commander views this as a perfect crucible and testing ground for new warriors and stratagems. Alongside nearly a dozen other space marine combat elements the Celestial Falcons ply a path through the stars of the Avernus Sector. Their bright colours clashing against the innfinite darkness of space like a bolt of the Emperor's own light. Challenging and warning all who would find comfort in that darkness, that their time has come. The Emperor's finest have arrived to put them all to the sword. They could either bend their knee and accept a place in his loving dominion or stay defiant and lose their heads, The Imperium cares little which they choose. In the end they will win either way.
I am looking for a group of people willing to play as the space marines of the a newly minted chapter of astartes. This means there is no established history or honour roll. Whatever characters are made will be what cements those first seeds of what the chapter will become. Establishing the first traditions, the first roll of heroes to be inscribed onto scroll or chisled into monuments.
The premise of the game is that our chapter is young and in its first generation of warriors. Two hundred or so collected volunteers trained and built up from our parent chapter before given new ships, new weapons and painting their armour with strange new colours and unfamiliar emblems. This will be the story of that chapters first action as a chapter. Their first crusade launched to expand the Imperium and retake worlds previously lost from the Emperor's embrace during past wars or black crusades. Also in doing so find their new home world, a world promised to them in a vision granted to their chapter master when he knelt at the feet of the Emperor himself to pledge his loyalty and that of his new chapter to his service for now and all time.
The players will be taking on principle rolls in this new chapter. The position of chapter master will be filled by myself for the more story critical roll it plays. Or a Co-GM if that ends up being a thing. But organization in such a small and new force is unclear. The new chapter master has hard decisions to make regarding the appointment of his new Reclusiarch, a chief librarian and senior apothecary to name a few. Not to mention future captains need to be marked out. The chapter has taken new blood as well as veterans from their parent chapter so there is variety there. Not everyone is going to be a sternguard veteran.
Celestial Falcons:
Chapter Appearance:
The Celestial Falcons have abandoned the dark colours and subtle decorations of their forebears. The Falcons dress to match the glory reflected in their name. Purest white and shining yellow gold divides their armour down the middle. Making them not just noticable but brightly and obviously so.
Their symbol is a blackened variation of their progenitor symbol whose head is surrounded by a gold coloured, spiked halo. All on a field of white. A small nod of homage towards those they descend from.
General information: The new Lord commander has also made decrees and insistences that his chapter does not rely too much on the tactics of the Raven Guard. For they must find their own identity and way of doing things. More emphasis is placed on proper maneuvering and offensive strikes than stealth and subterfuge.
Other The Lord commander has yet to establish a clear speciality for the chapter to adopt. Or decided how rigerously he will choose to follow the pages of the codex astartes. If he has a direction he wishes chapter to pursue in both war and structure he has not shared it with anyone yet. Or with anyone willing to break the chapter masters confidence and privacy on the matter.
Current Chapter Formation & organization:
The Celestial Falcons is a chapter in name only. In reality they are just n abnormally large battle company with a loose organization. There are sergeants and leader figures. And the Lord Commander has divided up the chapter as he has seen fit into temporary demi companies. More for the sake of establishing a chain of command than improving fighting effectiveness. So roles like captain do exist but their actual scope of command is limited for the time being.
The Librarium, Forge, Apothecarion and other auxilliary subgroups within a chapter aren't properly established either. Really there are only a small handful of individuals belonging to each group and rank within them is really just a name as there is practically no one for someone like the high chaplain to hold rank over.
Just a heads up on progress for this, I hope to have the OOC up tomorrow, but at the latest Saturday. So hopefully everyone is ready to rock in the near future.
In the mean time feel free to ask whatever questions you want to ask either here or In PM. Some things will be explained in the OOC of course but it doesn't hurt to try.
This thread may seem inactive but for anyone interested there is a growing group of people in the main IC if you want to follow the Link. Feel free to drop by to state interest or just have a look for good old curiosity sake
Alrighty Everyone. I have come to the Decision about the Origin of this Chapter. Its progenitor will be none other than the Raven Guard!!! woot woot! Go sons of Corax!
I just re-read that post. Honestly. The master of the forge and really techmarines in general are almost always the least flamboyant space Marines in the entire chapter. If there is such a thing as anti-flamboyancy a techmarine would have that trait.
So I will say it here because some of you are not on the 40k Discord channel (which by the way is right here feel free to join us.)
We have three people who expressed interest in Chief Librarian. I will not be accepting three librarians for the RP. One for now, two at most if this grows large enough. I will let you guys talk that out amongst each other. Some of you have other character ideas and the rp hasn't started yet and I wont get the OOC up until the weekend. So there is plenty of time and no fuss.
Or fight each other for my amusement and blessings..... just saying its an alternative... for any interested
Damycles
swift
Lucid Dreaming
Tim the Yeti
Hammerman
Nepsis
Fetzen
Noctis
4323O2
