Night Wardens Background
I know I've kinda been posting a lot in this forum recently but I've been trying to come up with a back story for my DH's and a valid reason for painting them in Black.
I was browsing on Wikipedia and I read a mention within the Grey Knights entry that said that there were two conflicting accounts of what the color scheme is for the Grey Knights. One of them is the one we all know and the other is described as being black with silver gauntlets. I then had a idea - lets suppose that the ‘Grey’ Knights were the Puritan Inquisitors private Space Marine chapter/strike force thingy, whats stopping the Radicals from having one as well - now before you shout me down as crazy, stupid etc just remember the Exorcist Chapter.
For those of you who don’t here is the relevant information (taken from the Armaggeddon 3 website before it was removed )
Honoured Lord, it is with great pleasure I contact you to inform you of the success of our project. Minor setbacks aside, I can report that the first two companies of the Chapter created in this thirteenth founding are responding well to the daemonic possession therapy. Under controlled hexagramic conditions, the subjects were exposed to possession by minor creatures from the daemonic pantheon under the watchful eye of Ordo Malleus daemon hunters protected by sigils and wards of great power. Incense inimical to the summoned creatures was burned while chants of binding were continually intoned from the ++Liber Expurgatorius. Inquisition Clearance Insufficient ++.
Once the subject was exposed to the essence of the daemon, the creature was allowed to remain in the host body for twelve hours before being cast out by a daemon hunter. In some cases the resultant physical and psychological damage to the Space Marines was irreparable and we were forced to terminate, but the majority of the subjects survived the procedure and required only minor reconstructive surgery and corrective psychotherapy.
After a period of recuperation, the subjects were instructed in the methods of combating the daemonic, trained in the use of the 666 verses of the Book of Exorcisms and equipped with the weapons of an Exorcist. The two companies were then put into action on a daemon infested world on the northern fringes of the Eye of Terror. With a squad of the Grey Knights held in reserve, the Exorcist Space Marines achieved a kill ratio of 97:1. Impressive under normal circumstances, but against the daemonic, I'm sure you'll agree that these figures clearly indicate that the procedure is both safe and effective.
The test subjects adrenal production more than tripled and levels of the neurotransmitter Serotonin dropped drastically, resulting in heightened states of aggression and combat effectiveness. Only 1% of the Space Marine subjects re-succumbed to daemonic influence on the planet and I believe that, subject to careful monitoring, this Chapter might eventually be granted a base and limited autonomy within a reasonable time frame.
With this success behind us, I believe the time is right to begin the creation of a full Chapter of Exorcists. The technology is in place and the need for such troops has never been greater. The two test companies can be integrated into normal Chapter organisation with the minimum of fuss and the resulting Chapter of Exorcists could be operational within less than fifty years. By then, the minor side effects that have manifested in a number of test subjects should hopefully be eliminated.
I remain your humble servant
Lauram Clelland
Genetor-Major, Xenobiologis
So we know the Ordo Malleus (or at least the Radicals within it) don’t mind doing a little dabbling in nasty daemon-body transfer (and that they can do it and get away with it) and that sort of thing. If they are willing to do that whats stopping them from creating a Grey Knights sort of chapter for the Radicals that IS willing to work with Deamonhosts etc (Not that you would really want to with the current miniatures/rules but anyway)
OK so bearing what I just said in mind here is what I have come up with:
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In late 829. M41 Senior Ordo Malleus Inquisitor Icarus Var arrived on the planet of Linest 7 on the trail of the Excet Paradox. The Paradox while also being a way of tracking the Demon Prince Shkweoaq'er, contained what was rumored to be a way of firing up latent physic talent within up to 90% of the human genetic code.
On the planet Var encountered the Ice Talons Space Marine Chapter - and it turned out that the Ice Talons were also on the hunt for the Paradox.
The Ice Talons are rumored to have been created out of the gene seed of the Fire Talons/Relictors and the 13th Black Crusade had hit the Chapter hard with the losses sustained coming close to the 65% mark. The Ice Talons had always been a small chapter never numbering more than 5 companies and this latest campaign forced the powers within the Chapter to reform the chapter into a single small combat company. In marked contrast to the Crimson Fist Chapter the Ice Talons Liberians and Apothecaries became desperate to find a way to speed up the rebuilding process. They knew that they couldn’t speed up the actual training of new recruits without compromising the quality of the chapter so they decided to attempt to turn a large proportion of them into Liberians increasing the chapters fighting ability in that way.
The Ice Talons soon began to put all their resources into finding the Paradox despite knowing that to be found out would invite horrendous consequences. It is not known how they found out about the Paradox, although the possibility of Var planting the information within the Chapter to engineer the situation to his own ends is not entirely impossible. Another theory is that the Relictors (before their Excommunication) pointed them in the direction of the artifact to either; take the Inquisitions eye of them for a while or to show another example of Chaos being used for the good of the Imperium.
Inquisitor Var managed to secure the Paradox first in a Imperial Temple. The Ice Talons Librarians then appeared on the scene and threatened the Ordo Malleus Inquisitor not knowing who exactly he was. Blows were nearly struck until Var unveiled his true identity and pointed out to them that they were outnumbered and out gunned by his bodyguards who had filled the upper galleries of the temple. The Ice Talons knew at that point that they were in serious strife. Not only were they pursuing a demonic item with the intent to use it rather than destroy it (not to mention contaminating their genetic code), they had also threatened to assault a member of the Ordo Malleus.
Var offered them a choice, he would allow them to use the Paradox and not report them for their crimes if they became his personal strike force or he would destroy them where they stood. Faced with the choice of destruction or service in shadows they knew that they had no option but to take up Var’s offer.
The Ice Talons returned to their battle barge with Var and his forces where the Paradox was unleashed in the main chapel upon the remains of the chapter and then disappeared. The Paradox did indeed awaken the Physic Potential within the majority of the Ice Talons however a side effect was found in later testing. The Apothecaries found that the new Geneseed of the Chapter was nearly impossible to transfer into a new Recruit with only one in every 100,000 not succumbing to vast, uncontrollable and unstable genetic mutation. This was compared to the usual one in every 1,000 success rate of pre-exposure to the Paradox. A conclusion was reached that the only way to recreate the effect of the artifact was to find it again, however like most items of Demonic nature once used or banished it would not reappear in the Material Universe for 1000 years and a day.
It was at this point that Inquisitor Var then reminded them of the deal that they had made. Knowing that without the aid of him, or others like him, they would be declared Heretics the eighty remaining Marines pledged their allegiance to the services of the Icarus Var and the Ordo Malleus. Hence forth they would not be known as the Ice Talons but as something different. Instead of operating according to the ideals of Robarte Gulliman. They would watch the creatures of the Night and hold them in check, however they too were also tainted by the Darkness and would share its taint forever. Thus the Night Watch were born, watching the Night but also being unbreakably linked with it. Armed with equipment not entirely different from the Grey Knights the Night Watch began their work as a strike force for the Radicals.
Imperial Records state that during the closing stages of the 13th Black Crusade the Ice Talons Space Marine Chapter was destroyed on the Planet of Halite. In a unrelated incident a force of Grey Knights, was suddenly wiped out while investigating a site on the world of Rocas Six on the other side of the Cadian Gate - their bodies were never recovered. The Inquisitor which the Grey Knights had been seconded was renowned Puritan Inquisitor Bartholomew Speare. He is reported as having sworn a oath to track down the culprits and personally behead them.
10 years after the incident on Rocas Six reports of Marines that appeared to be Grey Knights in black armour began to filter back to the Ordo Malleus. The Inquisitor tasked to investigate the sightings was a Senior Member of the Organization, a man by the name of Icarus Var…
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So half an hour later what do you think? Would you mind playing the Black Knights? Or would you demand I got my 10 badly undercoated Grey Knights and Dread off the table. It is still technically a Puritan Army as long as you don’t have Daemonhosts in it.
Please tell me your thoughts on it
Cheers and sorry for the very long post
I know I've kinda been posting a lot in this forum recently but I've been trying to come up with a back story for my DH's and a valid reason for painting them in Black.
I was browsing on Wikipedia and I read a mention within the Grey Knights entry that said that there were two conflicting accounts of what the color scheme is for the Grey Knights. One of them is the one we all know and the other is described as being black with silver gauntlets. I then had a idea - lets suppose that the ‘Grey’ Knights were the Puritan Inquisitors private Space Marine chapter/strike force thingy, whats stopping the Radicals from having one as well - now before you shout me down as crazy, stupid etc just remember the Exorcist Chapter.
For those of you who don’t here is the relevant information (taken from the Armaggeddon 3 website before it was removed )
Honoured Lord, it is with great pleasure I contact you to inform you of the success of our project. Minor setbacks aside, I can report that the first two companies of the Chapter created in this thirteenth founding are responding well to the daemonic possession therapy. Under controlled hexagramic conditions, the subjects were exposed to possession by minor creatures from the daemonic pantheon under the watchful eye of Ordo Malleus daemon hunters protected by sigils and wards of great power. Incense inimical to the summoned creatures was burned while chants of binding were continually intoned from the ++Liber Expurgatorius. Inquisition Clearance Insufficient ++.
Once the subject was exposed to the essence of the daemon, the creature was allowed to remain in the host body for twelve hours before being cast out by a daemon hunter. In some cases the resultant physical and psychological damage to the Space Marines was irreparable and we were forced to terminate, but the majority of the subjects survived the procedure and required only minor reconstructive surgery and corrective psychotherapy.
After a period of recuperation, the subjects were instructed in the methods of combating the daemonic, trained in the use of the 666 verses of the Book of Exorcisms and equipped with the weapons of an Exorcist. The two companies were then put into action on a daemon infested world on the northern fringes of the Eye of Terror. With a squad of the Grey Knights held in reserve, the Exorcist Space Marines achieved a kill ratio of 97:1. Impressive under normal circumstances, but against the daemonic, I'm sure you'll agree that these figures clearly indicate that the procedure is both safe and effective.
The test subjects adrenal production more than tripled and levels of the neurotransmitter Serotonin dropped drastically, resulting in heightened states of aggression and combat effectiveness. Only 1% of the Space Marine subjects re-succumbed to daemonic influence on the planet and I believe that, subject to careful monitoring, this Chapter might eventually be granted a base and limited autonomy within a reasonable time frame.
With this success behind us, I believe the time is right to begin the creation of a full Chapter of Exorcists. The technology is in place and the need for such troops has never been greater. The two test companies can be integrated into normal Chapter organisation with the minimum of fuss and the resulting Chapter of Exorcists could be operational within less than fifty years. By then, the minor side effects that have manifested in a number of test subjects should hopefully be eliminated.
I remain your humble servant
Lauram Clelland
Genetor-Major, Xenobiologis
So we know the Ordo Malleus (or at least the Radicals within it) don’t mind doing a little dabbling in nasty daemon-body transfer (and that they can do it and get away with it) and that sort of thing. If they are willing to do that whats stopping them from creating a Grey Knights sort of chapter for the Radicals that IS willing to work with Deamonhosts etc (Not that you would really want to with the current miniatures/rules but anyway)
OK so bearing what I just said in mind here is what I have come up with:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In late 829. M41 Senior Ordo Malleus Inquisitor Icarus Var arrived on the planet of Linest 7 on the trail of the Excet Paradox. The Paradox while also being a way of tracking the Demon Prince Shkweoaq'er, contained what was rumored to be a way of firing up latent physic talent within up to 90% of the human genetic code.
On the planet Var encountered the Ice Talons Space Marine Chapter - and it turned out that the Ice Talons were also on the hunt for the Paradox.
The Ice Talons are rumored to have been created out of the gene seed of the Fire Talons/Relictors and the 13th Black Crusade had hit the Chapter hard with the losses sustained coming close to the 65% mark. The Ice Talons had always been a small chapter never numbering more than 5 companies and this latest campaign forced the powers within the Chapter to reform the chapter into a single small combat company. In marked contrast to the Crimson Fist Chapter the Ice Talons Liberians and Apothecaries became desperate to find a way to speed up the rebuilding process. They knew that they couldn’t speed up the actual training of new recruits without compromising the quality of the chapter so they decided to attempt to turn a large proportion of them into Liberians increasing the chapters fighting ability in that way.
The Ice Talons soon began to put all their resources into finding the Paradox despite knowing that to be found out would invite horrendous consequences. It is not known how they found out about the Paradox, although the possibility of Var planting the information within the Chapter to engineer the situation to his own ends is not entirely impossible. Another theory is that the Relictors (before their Excommunication) pointed them in the direction of the artifact to either; take the Inquisitions eye of them for a while or to show another example of Chaos being used for the good of the Imperium.
Inquisitor Var managed to secure the Paradox first in a Imperial Temple. The Ice Talons Librarians then appeared on the scene and threatened the Ordo Malleus Inquisitor not knowing who exactly he was. Blows were nearly struck until Var unveiled his true identity and pointed out to them that they were outnumbered and out gunned by his bodyguards who had filled the upper galleries of the temple. The Ice Talons knew at that point that they were in serious strife. Not only were they pursuing a demonic item with the intent to use it rather than destroy it (not to mention contaminating their genetic code), they had also threatened to assault a member of the Ordo Malleus.
Var offered them a choice, he would allow them to use the Paradox and not report them for their crimes if they became his personal strike force or he would destroy them where they stood. Faced with the choice of destruction or service in shadows they knew that they had no option but to take up Var’s offer.
The Ice Talons returned to their battle barge with Var and his forces where the Paradox was unleashed in the main chapel upon the remains of the chapter and then disappeared. The Paradox did indeed awaken the Physic Potential within the majority of the Ice Talons however a side effect was found in later testing. The Apothecaries found that the new Geneseed of the Chapter was nearly impossible to transfer into a new Recruit with only one in every 100,000 not succumbing to vast, uncontrollable and unstable genetic mutation. This was compared to the usual one in every 1,000 success rate of pre-exposure to the Paradox. A conclusion was reached that the only way to recreate the effect of the artifact was to find it again, however like most items of Demonic nature once used or banished it would not reappear in the Material Universe for 1000 years and a day.
It was at this point that Inquisitor Var then reminded them of the deal that they had made. Knowing that without the aid of him, or others like him, they would be declared Heretics the eighty remaining Marines pledged their allegiance to the services of the Icarus Var and the Ordo Malleus. Hence forth they would not be known as the Ice Talons but as something different. Instead of operating according to the ideals of Robarte Gulliman. They would watch the creatures of the Night and hold them in check, however they too were also tainted by the Darkness and would share its taint forever. Thus the Night Watch were born, watching the Night but also being unbreakably linked with it. Armed with equipment not entirely different from the Grey Knights the Night Watch began their work as a strike force for the Radicals.
Imperial Records state that during the closing stages of the 13th Black Crusade the Ice Talons Space Marine Chapter was destroyed on the Planet of Halite. In a unrelated incident a force of Grey Knights, was suddenly wiped out while investigating a site on the world of Rocas Six on the other side of the Cadian Gate - their bodies were never recovered. The Inquisitor which the Grey Knights had been seconded was renowned Puritan Inquisitor Bartholomew Speare. He is reported as having sworn a oath to track down the culprits and personally behead them.
10 years after the incident on Rocas Six reports of Marines that appeared to be Grey Knights in black armour began to filter back to the Ordo Malleus. The Inquisitor tasked to investigate the sightings was a Senior Member of the Organization, a man by the name of Icarus Var…
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So half an hour later what do you think? Would you mind playing the Black Knights? Or would you demand I got my 10 badly undercoated Grey Knights and Dread off the table. It is still technically a Puritan Army as long as you don’t have Daemonhosts in it.
Please tell me your thoughts on it
Cheers and sorry for the very long post