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Reforging the Legions (Warhammer 40K)

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My boys! The rolls worked so well to give them a good story. Shame Nurgle kept screwing with them.

Seems like Nurgle took their chapter creed/battlecry as a challenge.

"This Far and No Further!"

"Wanna bet?"
 
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Chapter 3 (Final): The World Serpents New
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    • [X] Plan Big Snake
    -[X] Chapter Name: World Serpents
    -[X] Chapter Symbol: An Ouroboran Serpent encircling a world
    -[X] Chapter Colors: Light Teal & Grey
    -[X] Chapter Creed//Battle Cry: "This Far and No Further."
    -[X] Advanced Apothecarion: Apothecaries oversee the implantation and harvesting of their Chapter's gene seed from the fallen. If granted additional resources then they would be able to expand into research or adaption rather then merely attending to the Chapter's upkeep.
    -[X] Auxiliary Forces: Whether it be Chapter Serfs, Imperial Guard or something more esoteric this chapter has a reliable stable of worthy allies to accompany them onto any battlefield.
    --[X] Expanded Fleet: This Chapter's fleet of voidships will be reinforced with additional Strike Cruisers and a variety of escorts to support them.
    (Granted for free due to Crusade Fleet)


    ---------------
    Chapter Traits

    Giants Amongst Giants (Salamanders): Marines of this chapter were even larger then their cousins. They were marked by an increase in strength and toughness but also an increased target profile. They also insisted upon higher then average structural clearances whenever possible.

    Anvil and Hammer Doctrine (Salamanders): The sons of Vulkan have a well earned reputation for being slow to act, and this Chapter is no different. Relying upon steady advance and prepared action rather then swift decision and improvisation. A reliable if somewhat inglorious methodology.

    Pyre-Hearts (Salamander Mutation): Due to gene seed mutations marines of this chapter had nonstandard Sus-an Membrane. Rather then entering suspended animation they instead experienced intense spikes in adrenaline, metabolism and general capability. This allowed them to temporarily ignore serious wounds albeit with a higher risk of lethal injury.

    From Hell's Heart (Harrow): Crusade Fleet Harrow was formed from those who lost everything. As such they had little to live for but taking vengeance upon their foes. Marines of this chapter gladly went to their deaths if doing so might bring ruin upon their foes.

    Eclectic Expertise (Harrow): Recruiting from many worlds allowed this chapter access to a wide variety of skills and abilities. Each Battle Brother is expected to use their perspective and background to the utmost. Such practices also ensure they always remembered what fate befell their home planets.

    Biome Eradication Specialists (Chapter Master): Char'is Zarr wrote multiple treatises on the practical and ethical usage of Destroyer Weaponry. Much of his writings covered methodologies for cleansing hostile or invasive ecologies. His teachings informed this Chapter's abilities and preferences in biological warfare.

    Exterminatus Extremis (Mission, Chapter Master): While theoretically every Space Marine Chapter can enact Exterminatus very few boast extensive experience on the subject. This Chapter was very practiced in the art of killing worlds.

    Nurgle's Favored: Despite and because of their opposition to the Plague Father, marines of this chapter found themselves bearing his fondness. Many marines of this chapter testified to hearing his voice in their thoughts. Though none can be entirely certain if it was the Plague Father, his daemons, or merely their own doubts.

    Extinct: This Chapter was rendered extinct during the First Tyrranic War of M41.

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    Homeworld

    This chapter had no official homeworld. Instead they served as part of the Crusade Fleet Harrow. Harrow was somewhat unique amongst other Crusade fleets in that it recruited exclusively from worlds it visited and the regiments it fought alongside. Oftentimes these worlds and people were so devastated from conflict that the adminstratum favored complete relocation of existing populations and assets.

    Under the Chapter's guidance the Crusade Fleet embraced a sort of living martyrdom. Favoring brutally attrition heavy styles of war on ever worsening fronts. Morale was maintained through hatred of their enemy and the promise that their children might live to become sstartes within the Chapter. While the World Serpents served alongside their kin efforts were made to obscure direct familial bonds. Instead they were taught to consider each member of the fleet as their family. So that they would understand the weight of each life, mortal and astartes both.
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    Battle Doctrine

    The World Serpents were known for emphasizing a very slow and calculated style of war that had largely fallen out of favor amongst the Adeptus Astartes. They usually began their operations with orbital bombardment upon their foe to flatten and disorganize any resistance. Meanwhile they would land all units some distance from their objective.

    From there it would be a slow march towards their foes. Rather then rely upon outrider or fast attack elements as vanguards the chapter instead held them as reserve forces. In many ways they fought more akin to the Imperial Guard then their brother Astartes. Not the least of which was because of their attached Imperial Guard regiments and dual command structure.

    When battle was properly joined the Chapter fought as any other codex compliant chapter might. Their greatest point of divergence was their continued usage of Destroyer Squads. These devastator adjacent units used an arsenal of heavy pyro, chemical, and rad weapons to destroy their enemies. While the World Serpents could use such units in subtle or controlled manners they were generally reserved for worlds and battlefields deemed unsalvageable.
    --------------------------

    Unique Units:

    Destroyer Squads (Biome Eradication Specialists, Anvil and Hammer): This Chapter is one of the rare few who continued to use Destroyer Squads post Great Crusade. These squads leverage phosphex and rad weaponry to annihilate their foes and purify entire worlds. Though the Chapter's mindset lead to them often forsaking the use of jump packs in favor of heavier arms and armor.
    --Jotunn: A colloquial term for Destroyers sergeants. Taken from ancient stories of fearsome giants who nonetheless purified nine worlds in preparation for humanity's return.

    Auxiliary Sergeants (Auxiliary Forces, Eclectic Expertise): Marines of this chapter could commonly be found serving as leaders and adjutants amongst allied regiments. Most often these marines are drawn from those who least fit the Chapter's standard doctrines. Attached to allied forces they are better able to use their own skillsets.

    Pyre-Heart Formations (Nurgle's Favored, Pyre-Hearts, Hell's Heart): Formed from the injured, reckless and most doomed marines amongst the Chapter. Often lead by Brother-Dreadnaughts, these vanguard units aim to sacrifice themselves to do the most possible damage to the enemy before expiring. As such these units were only deployed on mass in the most desperate battles.

    Officer-Apothecaries (Advanced Apothecarion, Eclectic Expertise): Officially Apothecaries exist outside the normal command structure of an Astartes Chapter. In practice The World Serpents often relied upon theirs to serve as seconds to the Company Captain. There are many records of them leading actions or assuming command when the Captain was rendered incapable or deceased.

    108th Harrow Regiment "The Immortals" (Auxiliary Forces, Harrow, Eccentric Expertise): Rather then rebuild each destroyed regiment Crusade Fleet Harrow traditionally creates new ones instead. That the 108th survives at all is a series of miracles, sometimes being rebuilt from a single squad of survivors. As such their specialty or specialties often shifted from battle to battle. Sometimes serving as Siege Corps, mechanized infantry or even artillery depending on their make up.

    -----------------
    Notable Relics

    Palace of Innocents: The name of the Chapter Flagship and the shrine at it's heart. It is filled with the bones of martyred innocents along with records of their worlds and the deeds of their kin.
    -Now held by The Order Hospitaller in perpetuity.

    Storm Breaker: A thunder hammer wielded by Brother Captain Seeley. It is said those who wield it are without fear or hesitation in battle. Though, they are rarely long for this world. As such it is often given to battle brothers seeking redemption for failures real or percieved.
    -This weapon travels with the reformed Crusade Fleet Harrow. It is offered to the worthy seeking glory or redemption.

    Judgement of Mor: An eviscerator chainsword used as the Chief Apothecary's badge of office. Due to the nigh universal gigantism amongst members of this Chapter it was usually wielded one handed like a traditional chainsword.
    -Granted to The Cleansing Flames by the Ultramarines. It once again serves as a badge of office.

    Behemoth's Bane: A power spear wielded by an unknown Battle Brother and found lodged within the corpse of a Norn Queen. With her death the Hive Fleet scattered and Ultramar was saved. Unfortunately no member of the strike team escaped the Hive Ship. Either killed in reaching the Queen or slain by the swarm's paroxysmal death throes.
    -This relic is kept within the vaults of Maccrage. Only to be used in case of the most dire emergencies.
    ---------------------------------
    Chapter History

    Founding: The World Serpents began their service at full strength. Largely due to the Salamanders contributing enough marines to fill a full company themselves. Initial recruitment was fortuitous beyond any expectation. Similarly the fleet was swelled with recently commissioned hulls and surprisingly intact regiments from prior campaigns.

    The War For Tyran: The planet was reached within a standard deviation of expected travel times. Initial scouting showed that prior scans were accurate and reliable. Though the planet wide storms made it impossible to locate Hydross and his fleet. Instead all efforts were put towards the main continent and foiling Rotigus's ritual.

    The Rainfather: The World Serpents committed six companies of battle brothers and almost all their mortal assets to the main continent. Though initial landings were uncontested it quickly became clear that the assault would be trickier then expected. The first and most obvious obstacle was the terrain itself. Plans had been made upon the assumption that the continent remained rocky flatlands and occasional tide pools which could easily be crossed. Instead they found themselves surrounded by a bio-daemonic jungle filled with agitated Tyranid bioforms.

    Fully half the landing force was destroyed within the first two hours of operation. With most casualties being from the biomes first cascades of creatures in response to Imperial probes. Notable units lost included The Cathian 24th "Jade Lances", Nulondann 5th "Ice Bloods" and the Morrian 211th "Survivors". Thankfully the World Serpents were able to stabilize the situation by judicious usage of Destroyer squads. While the going was slow and costly they managed to form a narrow spearhead to pierce through the hostile biosphere. As the expedition neared the Rainfather the resistance they faced grew more intense and variable. It would be here that the Imperium first encountered species like the armored Hive Guard, camouflaged Lictors and what seems to have be a man sized bundle of neural tissue wreathed in lightning.

    At the ritual site the World Serpents bore witness to the Rainfather's work. What once had been enough empty land for a hive city turned into seven hills of corpses. Each hill capped with an open warp portal spewing corruption into realspace. Unfortunately the Rainfather's rituals prevented simple coordination with the fleet above. Entire companies of Battle Brothers died planting targeting beacons upon each ritual site while their mortal allies were slaughtered wholesale.

    Meanwhile the chapter's champions battle Rotigus directly. One by one the Rainfather murdered them. Until an enraged Seeley stepped forward. He promised to avenge the fallen with his own life if need be. Seeing a chance to break the marine's spirit Rotigus offered a bargain. He would allow one blow be struck, but if he still lived then Seeley's soul would be forfeit. For his part Seeley smiled and activated the targeting beacon within his armor.

    Rotigus was swiftly banished and Seeley guided to the Emperor's side.

    The Hunt for Hydross: With Rotigus banished locating the Venom Blood proved simple. Trapped by planetary blockade he had instead opted to challenge his foes upon the sea itself. As previously agreed the Burning Hands were allowed to breach the flagship while the World Serpents boarded all lesser vessels. Each proved to be a terrible thing. Nurgle's blessings making each into a bio-daemonic horror beneath the steel frame.

    As on land the first and second companies gave their lives to end those vile creations. Each vessel proved host to a new variety of crawling chaos, chittering insectoids, each a mockery of life itself. Perhaps most worrying was the revelation that their hangar bays had instead become gestation chambers fit to grow not just crew but entirely new daemon-ships. As such it was deemed necessary that the Breacher Squads detonated the reactors and ensured complete annihilation, no matter the cost.

    One shudders to think what might have happened had Hydross been granted time to create an entire fleet of such things.

    For their part The Burning Hands refused to detail what transpired within the hull of "The Eighth Labor". Only that the Chimera Lord had been slain at great cost and that their dead would rest more easily.

    Archivist note m33 (Sealed by Inquisitorial Order): The Chapter Archive upon Amnyx bears no record of their involvement on Tyran. It is unlikely that any written source contains information on what transpired or why it wasn't recorded

    The Death of Tyran: For all pretenses of good humor the Plaguefather is as spiteful as any of the Four. Rather then accept his defeat he reached out and sought to forcibly finish Rotigus's work. Boils of pus formed swamps across the land. Feverish seas burned and swelled with sickening life. Each station of life was dragged towards it's terminus. In hours the land was already scabbed, in days it would become the skin of a living world.

    The response was predictable and expected. The World Serpents evacuated those they could but it swiftly became clear that the situation was untenable. Exterminatus weaponry was deployed and Tyran cleansed of all life.

    May the Emperor take their souls.

    Recovery and Analysis: Of the Astartes forces deployed they suffered a roughly eighty percent casualty rate. Mortal auxiliaries suffered a ninety three percent rate of mortality across the planet. Even discounting those lost in the planet's death throes it was clear that they had severely underestimated their enemies and biosphere. Future campaigns would require a better understanding of their foes and the mortals they served alongside.

    Tyranid Bioform Analysis m41 (Sealed by Inquisitorial Order): Coloration and adaptions present upon Tyran matches no known or extant Hive Fleet. Even accounting for drift within feral populations this suggests that the Tyranids have been present in our galaxy far longer than previous estimates.

    A Long and Brutal History: The majority of the World Serpent's history was one of endless struggle. They were constantly tasked with breaking grinding stalemates and putting entire worlds to the sword. Such actions did the Imperium good but won them little acclaim. Instead their arrival was often met with fear and derision. Meanwhile their most heroic actions often went unrecorded. Such was the nature of their work.

    Though there were always those who chafed within their duty. Wishing that their sacrifices be honored by more then their brothers within the Fleet.

    The Siege of Ariendelle: The Corvid Xenos of Ariendelle had long been an annoyance to Sector Command. Their homes resting just outside of Imperial Space and atop resource rich worlds. Unfortunately they proved difficult to dislodge. After decades of mundane failure the World Serpents were tasked with taking the cemetery cities for mankind.

    Over the course of twenty years the Serpents would find only madness and death. Bathed in corrupting disease and their own desperation. When the final Cemetery City was breached they found no resistance, merely a charnel house. Faced with inevitable death the Xenos had dedicated their lives to a spiteful working. One that would make their foes experience the same despair they had. In the darkness brother turned upon brother. Dozens of astartes were executed by their mortal attendants and none could ascertain who remained loyal to the Emperor. Each survivor seemed convince that they and they alone had remained true to their purpose. While each testified to the presence of traitors none were able to determine who said traitors were. The most cynical present would wonder if there had been any at all, or if they had all been eager to quench doubt with the blood of kin.

    Those survivors found pure were then granted disposition for a penitent crusade. Their bonds of brotherhood would be reforged in victory or resolved in death.

    The Redemption Crusades: All told only a third of the Chapter escaped Ariendelle with their purity intact. They would spend the following centuries hounding the forces of Nugle wherever they appeared. What they lacked for in numbers they more then made up for with zeal. Using every advantage they shifted from grinding attrition to a measured but shifting order of battle. The height of their success came when they managed to nearly slay Typhus the Traveler. The traitor only escaped his fate by becoming a daemon prince. Even then he was still banished from real space for over a thousand years.

    After one hundred years the oath of penitence was lifted but the Chapter continued to pursue it's foes with unmitigated fervor. Rather then return to their previous stoic straightforwardness The Serpents shifted towards a doctrine of pragmatic efficiency. What brute strength could not kill they would slay with strategy. What bolter and fire could not break, medicine might mend. What could not be done alone would be accomplished with the help of others. Better to disregard honor then to risk failure by relying upon their strength alone.

    The First Tyrannic War: In m41 Tyranid bioforms were recorded within the Ultima Sector. The World Serpents were contacted and asked to help track and contain any potential threat. Imperial estimates had assumed at most a dozen Hive Ships with the potential for severe or even terminal infestations upon uninhabited planets.

    What they found was worlds formerly verdant worlds stripped bare. While some individual Hive Ships were found and destroyed it was deemed impossible that they could be responsible for the scale of destruction at the eastern fringe.

    Unfortunately this was correct.

    During a docking and resupply session the Chapter Fleet was swiftly surrounded by over a hundred Tyranid vessels. What followed proved to be a swift and brutal route as much of the fleet was abandoned at dock. The Ultramarine Strike Cruiser 'Hera's Fist' attempted to open a hole in the picket but proved to insufficient. Instead the two forces were forced into a running battle of boarding and counterboarding. The Ultramarines detachment hoping to find the command ship. Meanwhile the stranded World Serpents tested every method of war they had available. While they could not create lasting damage they were able to gain valuable field intelligence for how the Tyrannid Swarm operated. These two operations were especially noteable for identifying both the Swarmlord and the Tyranid's Command Vessel.

    Thanks to these sacrifices the majority of the World Serpents would reach Ultramar and warn of what was coming.

    The Defense of Macragge: The defense of Macragge is a long and storied tale. Filled with heroes and their martyrdoms. What is less acknowledged is how doomed the effort was. Despite every effort being made it became clear that Behemoth was no conventional foe. No matter the resistance it simply could not be outfought. In time the defenders would be out of food, medicine and ammo, but the Swarm would always have more bodies.

    While the Ultramarines concentrated their forces at the poles the World Serpents were tasked with rallying the mortal auxiliaries and defending the wider swath of the planet. As such the chapter landed much of their fleet to serve as fortifications upon the ground. Valuing the presence of defensive terrain far above the capacity to lose orbital dominance mere hours later. Such measures would prove fortuitous.

    From Hell's Heart: Facing certain failure in conventional battle thoughts turned to unconventional solutions. Killing a synapse creature was known to cause a psychic backlash upon nearby organisms. It was also known that this effect scaled with the organism killed. Theoretically if the Hive Ship coordinating the fleet was killed then the entire swarm might fall upon itself. At the least there should be a chance at getting an astropathic message sent without interference.

    Of course such a plan required two things. Firstly they needed to reach the Command Ship and locate the Synapse Organism. Second it absolutely required that the Hive Mind be fully focused elsewhere. As such the Ultramarines first company took it upon themselves to sally from their defenses. Spotting a chance at a decapitation strike the Swarmlord deployed itself along with half it's forces within the hemisphere and above. Even their orbital assets were moved in order to further entrap the First Company of Ultramar. Such was their situation. They would endure or they would perish. If either party failed or faltered both Chapters would be destroyed.

    Upon the equator, The World Serpents boarded their vessels and burned for the organic armada above. While the vast majority of their fleet was sacrificed a few ships were able to slip through by the efforts of the Chapter's librarians. With great effort they were able to cloak the Strike Cruiser Of Glorious Purpose long enough for it to reach the center of the Hive fleet. There it buried it's prow within the largest of the Hive Ships and disgorged it's cargo.

    The World Serpent's First Company would emerge clad in Terminator Armor and bearing the most terrible weapons of the chapter arsenal. With Pyre Hearts burning the Jotunn cut bloody swathes through the Swarm. Bioforms optimized against bolter and las fire found themselves helpless to counter phosphex and rad weaponry instead. Only by weight of numbers could the swarm hope to defeat the astartes. So numbers were provided. If the Swarm could not defeat them in combat it would drown them in bodies. Recovery teams testified to entire passages and chambers having been blocked by the corpses of Tyranids alongside each recovered weapon being out of ammo. Exact details are impossible to verify but it is believed that the boarding action lasted approximately ten hours. During which each member of the World Serpent's were slain. Either aboard the Hive Vessel or across their chapter fleet in any number of smaller actions.

    Upon Maccrage the Ultramarines were able to call for reinforcements and warn of the rapidly scattering Hive Fleet. With the Serpent's sacrifice victory was secured. Stripped of their connection to the Hive Mind the Tyranids reverted to feral animals. Even the mighty Swarmlord was easily slain. Seemingly struck dumb by what had transpired in orbit.

    Though they raced to assist their cousins the Ultramarines would be too late to find any survivors. The World Serpents had been slain to a man, and the crusade fleet reduced to a handful of hulls with skeleton crews.

    After ten thousand years of service their final duty had been fulfilled. No longer would they be haunted by visions of dead worlds. No longer might they be harrowed by the laughter of thirsting gods. After ten thousand years they would finally be free.

    Those that could be recovered were buried upon the worlds they had saved. Their sacrifices remembered by those they fought alongside. Their souls sent to dwell in the halls of their father forevermore.

    Thus ends the history of the World Serpents....
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    The Cleansing Flames

    Officially the Cleaning Flames are an Ultramarines Successor chapter from the Ultima Founding.

    However there are some discrepancies in the record. Specifically they share not just similar equipment and training, but some of the same genetic quirks and variabilities. Notably they tend to be much larger then the astartes average alongside a steady and dour disposition, and a preference for Destroyer weaponry. For their part the Salamanders have remained purposefully silent on the matter of The Cleansing Flames and their supposed relationship.

    Officially no one would gainsay their origins. More charitably no one wishes to anger two first founding chapters and the imperial regent over what currently amounts to a mere curiosity.
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    Diplomatic Relations

    Imperium (General): Feared and hated. The World Serpents are the death knell of entire worlds and nigh guarantee that the survivors will be used as fuel for the imperial war machine.
    -The Realm of Ultramar: The World Serpents fought bravely alongside the Ultramarines and died to a man in order to defeat Hive Fleet Behemoth. The five hundred worlds owe them a debt of gratitude. Similarly many of the surviving Imperial Guard and PDF regiments sent volunteers to reinforce Crusade Fleet Harrow in the aftermath of the first Tyrannic War.

    Astartes (General): Their brother Astartes had extremely mixed opinions about the chapter. While they were often respected for performing thankless duties, just as many thought them suspect for what those duties entailed or how often The Plague Father took notice of them. Doubly so after The Siege of Ariendelle and it's fallout. There is some quiet relief that they are extinct. Better they died as heroes then to risk yet more disasters.

    Ecclesiarchy: Traditionally the World Serpents enjoyed a positive relationship with the Imperial Cult due to their fanatic hatred for the enemies of mankind. It was their support that prevented The Chapter from being declared either Renegade or Traitor after the Betrayal at Ariendelle. After their successful Penitence Crusade and universal martyrdom they were fully forgiven for past transgeressions.
    -Ordo Hopsitaller: It is rare that the Adeptus Astartes spare any attention to the non-militant orders. As such they have a long memory for the ones that assist in their missions. The Ordo Hospitaller maintains the Palace of Innocents in the Chapter's absence.

    Inquisition: The World Serpents had long been favored by the Ordos Xenos and Malleus for their expertise and willingness to employ exterminatus upon designated worlds. Unfortunately the advent of traitors within their ranks made them politically unviable and often left them subject to Inquisitorial review. While no official censure was provided suspicion followed the chapter wherever they went.

    Crusade Fleet Harrow: The Serpents were recruited from the same populations as the fleet in general. Thus they were seen as kin and kind by those they served alongside.

    Nurgle: The Plague Father adored the World Serpents for being paragons of endurance. Often he granted them his blessings and looked favorably upon them even as they ruined the efforts of his chosen. Some believed that he intended them to supplant The Death Guard as his most favored champions.
    -The Death Guard: A quiet and seething jealousy, followed by relief at their demise.

    Salamanders: The Sons of Vulkan had no great fondness for the Serpents. Their methods of war alone served to distance them from their kin. No matter their reasons or necessity of use. After the betrayal at Ariendelle they foreswore the World Serpent's entirely. When the Chapter was destroyed no effort was made to collect their remains nor to rebuild the Chapter.

    The Burning Hands: No records exist of them serving alongside one another. Though there were many cases of correspondence about the minutiae of flamer weaponry or dialogues about solving technical inefficiencies. That being said, such a thing is hardly uncommon.

    Ultramarines: The World Serpents are considered honored brethren for their actions during the first Tyrannic War. Lacking a homeworld, the Ultramarines interred the Serpent's honored dead within the five hundred worlds. During the Ultima Founding the Cleansing Flames Chapter was modeled upon the World Serpents as a form of tribute to their departed brothers.

    -------------------------
    Another chapter down.

    I hope you'll all forgive the amount of vagaries I used here. I bit off too much history for me to do justice and had to take some liberties. I tried to work them all in as being serious lore tidbits at least. I have an 'official' answer for what happened at each stage but those are for me to know mostly.

    To explain the whole 'From Hell's Heart' and 'Call me Ishmael' bit. They're both from Moby Dick. "From Hell's Heart" is a line from one of Ahab's speeches where he promises to give his last breathe to kill that damned whale. "Call me Ishmael" is the first line of the novel. It's the narrator's introduction and him framing the story (including Ahab's eventual demise). So you guys rolling 100 on the former made you wildly successful in crippling Behemoth, but failing the latter meant they didn't survive to tell the tale. After I saw what I called those rolls, I knew I had to repurpose that runner up vote. Especially given that 'Ishmael' is heavily implied to be an alias within the novel. Though it is chosen because it is an appropriate biblical reference rather than Ishmael necessarily hiding his origins or past. Given your successes I decided that Guilliman would do something to honor the Serpents in that vein. Though unfortunately the timeline means that doesn't happen for a few hundred years at least.

    This has been a way too serious glimpse into your QM's specific sort of brainrot, idea of 'cleverness' and accidental foreshadowings.

    Otherwise I tried to give them a bit of an arc. They start out borderline Iron Warriors but their Penitent Crusade pushed them to become something much more along the way.

    Obligatory fun fact. The Jotunn in norse myth (probably) weren't actual giants. Not anymore then the gods were at least. The term for them as othered but more similar sized giants is Jotnar. Though given your marines *are* gigantic, I opted for the former translation anyways.

    As always. Feedback is appreciated. I'm veeeery much flying blind in terms of what works or doesn't.
     
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    • To be honest I'd be more surprised if they didn't get wiped out. The constant attentions of Nurgle, fighting in the most consistently shitty environments, and getting a face full of Hive Fleet Behemoth while already massively understrength? The only Chapter that could still exist after all that is the Lamenters, and that's because the universe wants them to stay alive to continue suffering.
     
    Hot damn, RIP World Serpents. You did the best you could but the grandfathers love is not an easy thing to shake off.

    But hey, there are worse ways to die out than by saving Ultramar from a hive fleet.
     
    Archon7 said:
    Our third chapter and the only one completely destroyed
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    Theia said:
    NOOoOooOooO!!!!
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    ...
    Dream Logic said:
    The Cleansing Flames

    Officially the Cleaning Flames are an Ultramarines Successor chapter from the Ultima Founding.

    However there are some discrepancies in the record. Specifically they share not just similar equipment and training, but some of the same genetic quirks and variabilities. Notably they tend to be much larger then the astartes average alongside a steady and dour disposition, and a preference for Destroyer weaponry. For their part the Salamanders have remained purposefully silent on the matter of The Cleansing Flames and their supposed relationship.

    Officially no one would gainsay their origins. More charitably no one wishes to anger two first founding chapters and the imperial regent over what currently amounts to a mere curiosity.
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    Sure... they're "extinct".
     
    Dream Logic said:
    Salamanders: The Sons of Vulkan had no great fondness for the Serpents. Their methods of war alone served to distance them from their kin. No matter their reasons or necessity of use. After the betrayal at Ariendelle they foreswore the World Serpent's entirely. When the Chapter was destroyed no effort was made to collect their remains nor to rebuild the Chapter.

    Ultramarines: The World Serpents are considered honored brethren for their actions during the first Tyrannic War. Lacking a homeworld, the Ultramarines interred the Serpent's honored dead within the five hundred worlds. During the Ultima Founding the Cleansing Flames Chapter was modeled upon the World Serpents as a form of tribute to their departed brothers.
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    Friendship ended with the Salamanders, Now Ultramarines are our friends.

    Crafter of War said:
    ...

    Sure... they're "extinct".
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    I mean the original culture is extinct and they can't even inherit the name, color and symbols of the The World Serpents because presumably the Salamanders would throw a fit.
     
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    LysanderArgent said:
    I think this got cut off.
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    Fixed. Just a quick observation on the psychology of your chapter. The line between collective psychosis and genuine haunting is...thinner then one might think, even in 40k.

    Archon7 said:
    Our third chapter and the only one completely destroyed
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    I've been looking forward to this happening honestly.

    I am glad that the Forever Knights survived but I want extinction to be a serious risk if things go particularly badly.

    Knowing the World Serpents were going to die out helped me get a sense of who they should be along the way.

    Crafter of War said:
    ...

    Sure... they're "extinct".
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    They went extinct. Even if they are born from the same gene seed they're very much not the World Serpents. Not culturally at least.

    Of course, one shouldn't put it past Cawl to use the occasion as an excuse to genetically modify Guilliman's gene seed towards those traits either. Or simply recommend gene seed that most closely matched the inspiration...
     
    LysanderArgent said:
    C'mon Salamanders I'm very disappointed in you. And I'd bet that Vulkan would be as well.

    @Dream Logic: Do the Cleansing Flames also have the Nurgle's favor trait?
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    Vulkan had...mixed feelings. Char'is tried to keep control but his chapter quickly got drawn into some pretty awful habits. The World Serpents loved their mortals, but they loved victory yet more.

    I'd also note that a fair interpretation of the Salamanders inaction is because they understood the Ultramarines were handling funerary rites. It's meant to be a genuine dick move but...also a sincere one? They both don't want responsibility and think that the Ultramarines would do better in honoring The Serpents then they could.
    =========

    They do not have the trait.

    Though I'd note that a Death Guard descended Chapter wouldn't necessarily have that trait either. Even if they're the same geneseed, that usually isn't enough for The Gods to chase down the strays. Of course, time will tell if they draw Nurgle's eye by their own merits.

    ...Well it would, but I'm not going that far into the future.
     
    Dream Logic said:
    Vulkan had...mixed feelings. Char'is tried to keep control but his chapter quickly got drawn into some pretty awful habits. The World Serpents loved their mortals, but they loved victory yet more.
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    So we probably should have selected chaplains rather than apothecaries. Sure we couldn't have predicted the Nurgle curse, but it would have helped keep us closer to Char'is vision and also helped with the Nurgle stuff.

    We also probably shouldn't have taken auxiliaries. Because our way of war wasn't suitable for them, and just ended up causing more attrition.
     
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    LysanderArgent said:
    So we probably should have selected chaplains rather than apothecaries. Sure we couldn't have predicted the Nurgle curse, but it would have helped keep us closer to Char'is vision and also helped with the Nurgle stuff.

    We also probably shouldn't have taken auxiliaries. Because our way of war wasn't suitable for them, and just ended up causing more attrition.
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    I wanted Supreme Adaptability and Devastators. Wouldn't have helped with the corruption, so Chaplains would ultimately be better, but they might have survived the Tyranids.
     
    They fought against Nurgle himself, and trailed through the worst biomes and daemon infestations in the galaxy, even our recruits were from dead worlds. It was always borrowed time, and they managed to burn brightly anyway.


    ...PSYCH! Frauds, Bums, Goobers, Dodo Bird ass snakes.
    Who let them cook, because this was so burnt it looked like all the worlds they had to exterminatus after failing to save them.
    Nah, losing against the first actual Tyrannids to show up is crazy, imagine training for 10,000 years to sprain your ankle at the starting line.
    Let an obese grandpa gaslight them into a murder mystery party, me personally, I'd take an aspirin and call it a day, light work.

    Worst fumble since the Burning Hands summoned 4 Chaos Champions

    Oh yeah, it's Slander 'O Clock, and I'm calling it, Loyalist Gene-seed trash, Traitor Gene-seed GOATed.
     
    Dream Logic said:
    -Ordo Hopsitaller: It is rare that the Adeptus Astartes spare any attention to the non-militant orders. As such they have a long memory for the ones that assist in their missions. The Ordo Hospitaller maintains the Palace of Innocents in the Chapter's absence.
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    Probably, the nicest thing that happened to them. I dare say the sweetest. A shame they were not there to join fellow Cato-6 Founded Chapters in defending Cadia.
     
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