[X] Plan: Gatekeepers
-[X] Defending Solar: A need to defend the Segmentum that houses Terra itself has become apparent, or at the very least apparent to people with the right connections.
-[X] Traitor Legion Geneseed: If you wish, you could gain access to the gene-seed of the traitor legions, each will have its benefits and costs, but all of them will have their gene-fathers concealed for practical reasons - little point creating a Chapter only for them to be wiped out by some overly paranoid fool. Write in a traitor legion. 10 Points for each time this is taken.
--[X] Iron Warriors
-[X] Potent Gene-Seed Charge: Some samples of a chapter's gene-seed are more likely to retain their stronger traits, and you have isolated such samples. 5 Points for each charge. Burn a charge to make the chapter roll for two traits from their parent legion.
-[X] Adaptive Gene-Seed: Some samples of Gene-seed are more capable of adapting to different conditions on different planets. 5 Points each charge. Burn a charge to roll an extra planetary trait.
-[X] Legendary Gene-Seed: The finest Gene-Seed ever recovered from a given legion. 15 Points per charge, Burn a Charge to add a legion's legendary traits to the roll list for that round.
-[X] More Equipment: You've managed to secure extra equipment for a chapter. 5 Points. Burn 1 charge to add an extra equipment slot for the chapter.
…Idiots. Utter idiots!
You quietly seethe as you return to your workshop.
Once again, one of your peers forgot to take proper care of their organic half and nearly died from something that could have easily been prevented.
Machines will break down eventually if you don't maintain them…. Why, oh why, is it so common in the Mechanicus for tech priests to forget that their 'weak' flesh needs to be maintained as well!?
Hmmmph, if only the Machine God had given humanity an augment capable of removing stupidity.
But they did not, and so you are once again forced to waste uncountable hours fixing the dying organic parts of senior Mechanicus members who failed to give their remaining flesh the proper care it needs, out of either sheer negligence or outright disdain. A pattern not helped by the fact that you are one of the only Genetors in the entire Mechanicus capable of repairing the sheer level of damage many of these senior priests have done to themselves. If half of these fools paid half the attention to their flesh as they did to their mechanical augments, perhaps they'd actually have the time to be able to implant more useful augmentations instead of having to desperately shove the first mechanical equivalent to whatever organ they destroyed this time into themselves at short notice.
It almost makes dealing with the rest of the Imperium seem easy by comparison.
Almost.
By the Machine Spirits, your days as the child of low class laborers before being ripped from your parents due to some calculation or other never gave you the inclination that the priests of Mars could be this foolish at times.
Expendables
3 charges of Legendary Gene-Seed.
2 Charge of Adaptive Gene-Seed.
1 Charge of Potent Gene-Seed.
Choose a Legion:
[ ] The Raven Guard: The Gene-Seed belonging to the Sons of Corvus Corax no longer has a Mucranoid or Betcher's Gland, resulting in the lack of the acidic spit and the loss of the ability to generate an outer coating to protect the body against extreme environments such as the void of space, and causes a cosmetic mutation in the form of unnaturally pale skin... but the Raven Guard, despite their crippled numbers after Istvaan III, are a worthy lineage as any other. They are specialists in stealth warfare, and are more capable in guerilla war than any other.
[ ] The Ultramarines: The most pure and stable Space Marine Gene-seed, the Ultramarines, sons of Roboute Guiliman, are a lineage that gives no great benefits but in turn does not have great downsides. They are tactically balanced, seeking to practice all forms of warfare rather than master just a few, and stand as the most numerous of the surviving Space Marines. They do seem to have started a minor tradition of maintaining ties with their successor Chapters, however. Whether this is a boon or a curse remains to be seen.
[ ] The Dark Angels: The Dark Angels, sons of Lion El Johnson, much like the Ultramarines have a very stable and mutation free Gene-Seed. They have access to a great deal of highly advanced technology gifted to them by the Emperor, and have formed several of their Companies into heirs of their previous elite forces such as the Deathwing. However, the Dark Angels have also been acting very erratic of late, and are stubbornly insistent about forming 'relations' with their founding chapters regarding matters they refuse to speak of, even to other Astartes. A great number of officials within the Imperium are growing very concerned about this, but with the death of the First Legion's Primarch, it seems unlikely anyone could force them to reveal the reason for their behaviour.
[ ] The Salamanders: Sons of Vulkan, the Salamanders are somewhat mutation prone, yet most deviations within their gene-seed are wholly positive - taking the form of increased temperature resistance, radiological resistance, and enhanced healing capability as well as their signature cosmetic mutation. This does, however, mean that any further mutations will likely be even more noticeable, and possibly have far worse consequences than this. Tactically, they are known for their love of thermal weaponry, and have a good reputation among the Imperium for their kindness and commitment to defending the Imperium's citizenry even when it leaves them at a tactical disadvantage.
[ ] The White Scars: The Sons of Jaghatai Khan bear no overt physical defects, yet the White Scars Gene-Seed has been known to make those implanted with it more savage and hungry for war. In honour of their Primarch's history as a master of cavalry, they have mastered the use of both Combat Bikes and the rarer Jetbike units, and specialise in high speed, hit and run battles.
[ ] The Iron Hands: The Gene-Seed of the Sons of Ferrus Manus seems to hold a genuine disdain of weakness within it, and since the death of their Primarch this hatred seems to have further narrowed into contempt for the weakness of the flesh specifically. Though you fully understand the irony of a member of the Adeptus Mechanicus thinking this you find the belief irrational at best, for is the organic matter in space marines not already more durable and more capable than most cybernetics known to the Imperium? In fact, so pristine is the Omnissiah's enhancements that these cybernetics can actually be a degradation from the original…. But of course, you are a mere Genetor, who degrades himself by working with the 'weak' flesh rather than the blessed machine spirits. Even if you are older and more learned about the ways of the machine than several of your closest peers put together, what could you possibly know about the topic of flesh and machinery in relation to one another?
[ ] The Blood Angels: The gene-seed of the Sons of the late Sanguinius, Beloved by All, has three peculiarities of note. The first and oldest is the Red Thirst, an oddity that causes the Space Marine chapter to thirst for blood so powerfully it can overwhelm them in the midst of battle. Second is the Black Rage, a berserk fury that seems to have been caused as a result of the death of the Blood Angel's Primarch that appears to cause Marines suffering from the affliction to hallucinate their father's final battle, perceiving all around them as being the Arch Traitor Horus himself. Finally you've noticed some minor warp based effect on the 'luck' of some Space Marines, but you doubt that will manifest into anything relevant... Beyond their afflictions, the Ninth Legion are renowned for their mastery of close quarters combat, and for having more Assault Squads in each company than the norm.
[ ] The Imperial Fists: A famously stalwart legion, the Gene-Seed of the Sons of Dorn lacks the Betchers Gland and Sus-an Membrane entirely, leaving them incapable of spitting acid as an emergency weapon and unable to enter suspended animation when critically injured, but otherwise is fairly stable. They are renowned as the greatest masters of defense in all the Imperium, and have also begun to fill the role of the treasonous Iron Warriors in siege warfare.
[ ] The Alpha Legion: The Gene-Seed derived from the traitorous Alpharius is, despite it's origins, very pure as the physical is concerned, with no noticeable mutations beyond the fact that Alpha Legionaires tend to so closely resemble their father as to be able to impersonate him convincingly. On the mental side the Alpha Legion's Gene-Seed seems to create more secretive Astartes with a greater sense of initiative, resulting in them being masters of intelligence gathering, sabotage, and all other forms of indirect warfare.
[ ] The Iron Warriors: The biggest flaw within the Gene-Seed of the traitor Perturabo is that it induces intense paranoia, though nowhere near the bitterness and misanthropy their father posessed even when he was yet loyal. That said, the fact that it also gifts enhanced intelligence, problem-solving abilities, and is compatible with a wider range of aspirants than the majority of other legions can more than make up for that initial flaw if leveraged in the right way. Prior to their betrayal, the Iron Warriors were the greatest masters of Siege Warfare in the entirety of the Imperium, and though this won them little glory, it was a specialisation as worthy as any other.
Choose a Homeworld:
[ ] Fleet Based: The Chapter is fleet based and will be constantly on the move, but as a result will lack a proper home unless it decides to claim a world for its own in the future.
[ ] Dualis: A planet that is half Forge World on one side and half Death World on the other. The Forge World half of the planet often uses the Death World half to acquire unique chemical mixtures from the wildlife, and puts great pains into maintaining the health of the tribal humans that lurk within its jungles.
[ ] Equartaz: A planet populated by nomads that have tamed horses large enough to hold a space marine, and fierce enough to kill the Orks that infest the planet on a regular basis. Oddly enough, the local Forge World of Beyath-Ezda has discovered an STC that actually contains blueprints of powered armor for these strange horses of all things. Truly, the Ancients made some strange wonders in their time.
[ ] Extrema: A cataclysm of a planet, the only places not covered entirely in ice are those that are located right next to the many rivers of lava that crisscross Extrema's surface. The people of this planet have long adapted to both of these environments and are remarkably able to travel between them as circumstances demand.
[ ] Yuruld II: An unfortunate planet stuck in between the feuding Forge Worlds of Yuruld I and Yuruld III, the world itself is a blasted wasteland full of wrecks from the constant skirmishing and occasional major war between it's two Forge World neighbors. This in turn has made the locals experts in both basic survival, and in making sure that neither of the two nearby Forge Worlds decide to crush them.
[ ] Pertana IV: The most unusual aspect of this planet are its human inhabitants, who have displayed what can only be described as shocking levels of pain resistance, being by all accounts completely unbothered by even the absolute maximum amount of pain a human can survive without dying. The planet itself is mostly unremarkable, beyond the strange fog that seems to cover the entire surface.
[ ] Akasha II: In all regards Akasha is a completely standard jungle Death World, with it's main standout 'trait' being the fact that the Imperial Truth seems to have been adopted very quickly and become strongly entrenched in the short amount of time since it's adoption.
[ ] Skaltland: A large planet of lush green forests, the inhabitants are tough and belligerent folk…. Being extremely prone to excessive swearing, and picking fights at the drop of the hat. And this is without the horrid shrieking caused by the 'bagpipes' that are their most popular musical instrument. (Fenris Region).
[ ] Kornan II: A World that has the unfortunate fate of being a 'gathering spot' of several Knight Houses… especially given the Knight Houses have a habit of hunting the locals of this jungle moon for sport at these gatherings.
[ ] Ciclus: A temperate, life supporting planet in a solar system surrounded by strange gravitational anomalies so powerful as to tear apart any ship that gets near them, the sole safe route through these anomalies makes for a brilliant defensive checkpoint. Even more importantly, it is impossible to bypass these anomalies via warp jump. (Near Terra).
[ ] Shassad: A jungle infamous for the wide variety of snakes that live on it… as well as a particularly persistent feral Ork occupation, kept in check by a combination of said snakes and the military action of the planet's human tribes. (Near Terra).
[ ] Coloder: A part ice, part oceanic planet, the local tribes of Coloder survive mainly by living atop icebergs that are large enough to hold entire cities. These cities are often besieged by predators from the sea, air, and 'land' alike. (Near Terra).
[ ] Ikkite: A forest planet notable for being covered in spiky, nearly indestructible planet life, the humans of this planet have learned to keep constant awareness of their surroundings even when in the fiercest of combat, lest they be impaled. (Near Terra).
[ ] Oropt: A desert world near one of the major warp routes into Terra. It's inhabitants are a tribal people that are constantly engaged in a fierce war with large ant-like insects. (Near Terra).
[ ] Rhodes 77: A planet in the Ultramar region, Rhodes is an important hub world due to it's location along several of the most stable warp routes known to Ultramar. This makes the regions near the world a den of piracy both of the human and xenos variety. (Ultramar Region).
[ ] MizzurI: A swamp planet, populated by an extensive variety of crocodile resembling xenos species. The locals have taken to wrestling with them and are expert marksmen… though they do have rather strange accents.
[ ] Weeest 2: A jungle planet populated by earth descended tailed primates enhanced by the Ancients during the dark age of technology. The local Forge World is dominated by your fellow Genetors, and considers the local primates to be gifts from the Machine God. Rumors persist of a 'king' primate that was able to fight multiple greater daemons during the heresy.
[ ] Evstata: A planet best described as being nearly covered in mountains. The local population is divided between two sets of tribes - those who live atop the mountains, battling with the various colossal birds of prey and giant lizards that roam the peaks…. And those those live on the bottom, and face the horrible spider legged slugs whose acid breath is capable of melting through Adamantium. (Segmentum Solar).
[ ] Ooarth: A planet that, according to ancient records, was deliberately terriformed to be an exact copy of Terra itself as it was before becoming a hive world in ages past. It is infested with Orks, but many within the wider Imperium consider it a somewhat 'holy' site regardless. (Segmentum Solar).
[ ] Atherena: A planet that followed a democratic government, and worshiped a local goddess of wisdom prior to the Great Crusade. Oddly enough, it seemingly spontaneously secularized very shortly before the Great Crusade arrived in it's orbit. (Segmentum Solar).
[ ] Spuuuurta: A war-like planet, full of constantly warring city states. They have - in flagrant defiance of the Imperial Truth you might add - Taken to worshiping the Emperor as some sort of war god. (Segmentum Solar).
[ ] Terrararaaa: A planet that looks mostly normal on the surface, but in truth hosts a cave network so utterly massive in scale that the Mechanicus still has not figured out how the entire thing maintains consistent gravity. You also haven't figured out how it doesn't collapse on itself from the pressure of gravity. The locals on this planet are semi-civilized, and spend most of their time fighting the uncountable horrors from the depths.(Segmentum Solar)
[ ] Jujuarn: A death world with a variety of biomes, on the planet of Jujuarn is notable because its wildlife population is for some reason composed almost entirely of invasive species. Ambulls, Orkoids, Grox, Land Sharks, Haemovores, Carnosaurs, Rad-wolves, Catachan Devils and even the Salamanders or Nocturn have all somehow managed to establish breeding populations on the planet and thrive. (Segmentum Solar)
[ ] Truy II: A death world sharing a system with the fortress world of Truy I, both of the worlds in the system are under constant attacks from Ork empire of Greeeze that resides only a short distance away. Naturally, the fortress world of Truy I tends to hold up better given it's defenses are among the very best in the Imperium. (Segmentum Solar)
[ ] Rockheim: A Feral world near one of the few recorded 'Squat' realms, the locals seem to have a fairly good relationship with the short abhumans, with the latter frequently aiding the former with Ork invasions. (Segmentum Solar)
[ ] Cancer IV: A planet orbited by the dead remains of a crab-like xeno beast the size of Terra's moon. Despite it's death, the creature still seems to have some sort of regeneration active, leading to massive chunks of flesh and shell bombarding the planet from time to time. Oddly enough the beast, particularly it's shell, seems to repel the warp to some extent and the forces of Chaos had an extremely difficult time operating on the planet during the Heresy. (Segmentum Solar).
[ ] Paerara: A planet mostly covered with an orange colored chemical, with islands hosting the human population. This chemical is highly potent, and during the Horus Heresy some Death Guard plague marines were outright disintegrated when they made the mistake of setting foot into puddles of the stuff. Additionally Daemons of Nurgle had been reported as outright refusing to manifest on the planet whenever the Death Guard attempted to summon them. Not so incidentally the population seems to be extremely resistant to disease and has developed a tolerance for the airborne variant of the chemical. (Segmentum Solar).
[ ] Emperor's Landing: One of the very first planets the Emperor conquered after leaving Terra. The exact details are not known, but the Emperor on this world battled a foe so devastating that he was pushed nearly to his limits, having barely ever used such a level of power before or since. To this day, his power permeates the area so thoroughly that much of the wildlife actually glows with his radiance at night. (Segmentum Solar).
OOC: Special thanks to me beta for their work on this updoot.