Should we include the Albatross under the roster?

Despite it being a haunted near wreck...?

“Dost thou fear death, Brother?”

The question hung in the air, limp and hoarse. Mǫkǫyll looked at its origin, but through the grate in the confessionary box he could not see who asked it. The confession box was small, cramped, and cold, and the murky darkness inside felt more like a prison cell than a holy place. He paused in thought for a few moments before finally answering: “No.”

“Wrong.” The reply dripped with venom, and Mǫkǫyll could almost see the snarl on his face. “Thou wouldst do well to heed mine words, Captain. Thou who hast no fear of death cannot be called mine brother.”

“Forgive me, High Chaplain,” the Captain said cautiously, “but I do not understand why. Surely bravery in the face of death is among the highest of virtues.”

The confession box was quiet again. “I had expected better of thee. Walk with me, and I shall…rectify thy lack of understanding.” With that, the door on the other side of the confession box opened, and the Captain followed suit, grimacing. No matter what the conversation was, the High Chaplain never failed to condescend.

The High Chaplain walked ahead of Mǫkǫyll, not bothering to turn around. His veteran’s mechadendrites slowly twisted and writhed as the two of them slowly left the Chamber of the Deepfather and into one of the ship’s long hallways. Through the glascrete windows, the murky blackness of the Deep swirled around them, and the dim light of distant stars struggled to pierce the nebulous dark. Asteroids and balls of rocky ice could be seen around them as the strike cruiser Novgorod slunk through the Belt of Cjus, a debris field in the bowels of the Deep.

The only sound between them was the thudding of armored feet on the deck, but they could hear the servitude hymns of the Thralls below, toiling in the depths of the vessel. The smell of the Chamber’s burning incense and torches was replaced with the coppery smell of the furnaces below, wafting throughout the ship.

>>27889552
Finally, after what seemed like an hour, Siewurd spoke again, without turning. “Tell me this, Captain. What is the ultimate duty of an Astartes?”

Mǫkǫyll scowled. “I do not need lecturing, Chaplain. Your assumption of ignorance in your fellow brothers does not sit well with me.” He paused as Siewurd chuckled, a grating mechanical sound. “An Astartes, at the basest level, must serve as the will of the Emperor.”

“Correct,” replied the Chaplain. “And is our Glorious Emperor’s will not, Captain, what an Astartes must enforce in all of his days?”

Again the Captain frowned. “But of course.”

The High Chaplain violently spun around, leaning in close to the Captain’s face. His inky black eyes stared straight into the Captain’s with a look of pure malice. “And yet it puzzles me, Captain, that thou knowest this holiest of goals and yet does not understand the fear of death.” The Chaplain’s mechadendrites swung about angrily as he continued. “Fear is a sea, a sea that all of us swim within. It surrounds us, envelops us, drowns us in it, all of our days.”

Siewurd’s hands clenched into fists. “An Astartes must serve the Emperor. All Astartes know this. Thou knowest this. I realize that.” His brow furrowed. “What thou and others like thyself do not realize is the exactitude of this task. A Battle-Brother’s death is the second greatest mistake he can make. Were thee to die in battle, or worse yet, off of it, thy existence as an extension of the Emperor would cease. One of His divine agents would be gone. His sword would dull. His shield would crack. And His hand would falter.”

He stepped back. “But there is a greater sin yet, Brother, the greatest sin an Astartes can commit: to allow a Brother under thy guidance to cease. Thy Brothers look to thee, Captain, to lead and guide them in their holy task, and were they to perish under thy watch…”

>>27889579
The Chaplain paused for a moment, and Mǫkǫyll noticed a change in Siewurd’s expression. His usual scorn softened, and his eyes filled with what the Captain could only assume was regret. The Chaplain then lifted his right arm, forming a straight right angle.

“Look, Captain, at my sin,” he choked out. The nine long nails in the Chaplain’s arm, the source of his namesake, pierced all the way through his armor, and the runes of penance inscribed on them glowed softly. “I have committed this sin, my Brother; the first time I was required to lead our glorious brethren in battle…and I FAILED!” His yell resonated in the hallway, echoing throughout the ship.

He then placed his right arm on the Captain’s shoulder. “I have heard, Captain, what mine brothers say of me. That I am cruel. That I am cold. That I expect too much of mine fellow Krakens. But it is no fault but mine own.” He shook his head. “I made the mistake on that fateful day, and I have no wish to see another fail in how I have failed.”
Mǫkǫyll’s frown softened as the Chaplain lowered his arm. “The fear of death, Captain, is the greatest thing thou canst wield. Embrace thy fear. Use thy fear as fuel, a fire deep within thee that churns the depths of thy soul.”

>>27889600
The Captain finally nodded. “I know you mean well, High Chaplain. I thank you for your words.” Siewurd nodded in return, but held up a finger. “One final piece of advice, Captain.”

“If fear is a sea, Captain, then you must be an anchor. An anchor cannot ignore the sea, just as thou cannot ignore thy fear. It defines thee. But thou can Stand Firm. Thou can steel thyself, and anchor thy brothers to thee. Thy example can drive thy brothers to newer and greater deeds than ever experienced before, and thy leadership can write sagas our future brothers will sing in praise.”

“If fear is a sea, Mǫkǫyll, then be an anchor, and hold fast.” Siewurd began to walk back to the Chamber, leaving the great Captain alone with his thoughts…and his fear.

Nothing's happening this thread, mind if anyone takes a look at this piece? Not sure if it's good enough for the Chronicles section, as it's my first writefaggorty.

Sorry if I seem a little pushy with this, I have yet to get a response or consensus that's it's quality enough to put on the 1d4chan page. I'm wondering if the link even works for people... This'll be the last time, I promise:

http://www.mediafire.com/view/334j28qkihhyvx8/%5BArchives_of_Inquisitor_Finch-Wreck_of_the_Pearl_Hydra%5D_Draft_2.doc

>>27892594
Not bad. Link works fine for me. I'd say you might as well throw it up on the 1d4chan page.

>>27893426

Alright, then. I need to figure out 1d4chan and how to make a new page, I've never edited a page before. It's late for me, so I'll figure it out sometime tomorrow or later.

Thanks for the feedback.

All right, I'm back to finish my extensive to-do list.

>>27894268
Seeing as it's over 1000 words, it'll have to go in the chronicles section. I suggest you let Krakendor, out friendly wiki editor, do it tomorrow.

>>27894326

Alright, Krakendor can take care of it. Just credit the story to "Inquisitor Finch", I might just make him a recurring character in my various 40k writings, and maybe base a Kill-Team off him. Also might use it as a namefag later; when I actually have something else to contribute to the thread.

Is the Shark and Kraken event a ruse or is it a part of their lore?

>>27894525
I'll tell him to mention inquisitor finch, but we don't actually credit stories.

>>27894586
Bit of both. It turned up yesterday in a thread clearly made to troll us, but a few people thought we should leave it for a bit. I still think we should delete it, but I suppose we'll wait for a consensus on that.

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>>27894627
>A troll was turned into something creative
>/tg/ seeks to delete it

>>27894749
>A troll thread is turned into something creative that takes a chapter we've worked hard on in a direction we don't want, and is published on our wiki without agreement or even asking
>/tg/ seeks to wait a bit, then maybe delete it.

FTFY

Updated Death watch rules, still not quite finished. I'm not going to be as industrious today as I was yesterday, methinks.

http://www.mediafire.com/?g31j4v7pmpf0b8y

>>27894586

Yeah, we really should talk about it a bit more before just deciding it happened. I'm actually cool with it, maybe with some editing. I really think there should be kind a bond between the space-faring chapters.

I've got some more writefaggotry, but I'm unable to post it on 1d4chan. Shit thinks I'm behind a proxy (cause I'm in a weird, obscure, 3rd world country presumably?) so I can't register or do anything. I may post it here, but it's kind of long. However, this thread isn't too bumping at the moment so it doesn't really matter.

>>27895431
Dump it, nothing's really going on in this thread.

Did you ever read the fluff I wrote, taking a step towards a collaborative work? I read yours. Nice build up, and the void dogs are pretty bad ass.

>>27894586

It needs a lot of editing, since the guy who wrote it was high at the time, and it shows. The ending is unsatisfying, too, with Alpha Legionnaires being Chaos mutants, having infiltrated the Carcharodons without breaking a sweat, and it's all a bit incoherent.

If I were doing that story, I'd just have the whole thing be revealed as a simulated training excercise intended to strengthen the bonds between the two void-based, boarding-specialist chapters.

>>27895605

I did read it, good action sequences. Maybe I'll set up an email for this so we can do a Google Docs type thing. I'm still interested, just let me know how you want to do it.

>>27895624

I like that idea a lot more. I really do think the Krakens and Carcharodons should be kind of buddy buddy, or at the very least have each others back when it comes down to it.

Ill dump some stuff in a little bit probably.

>>27895624
A training exercise isn't bad, but they were beheading each other. I agree about the alpha legionaries. No way can some guy with insect eyes infiltrate the space sharks.

>>27895655
Google docs and email sounds perfect. If you make your newer one available, I'd read that two.

>>27895655
>>27895624
>>27895431

Can anyone give me a tl;dr on what happened with the Space Sharks story? I'm writing from work today, so I'm not gonna be able to go access it myself but I'm interested to see where it ended up.

I didn't mean to stir anything up by saying we shouldn't delete it, but I thought it'd be cool to see where it went

>>27895691
>Star Krakens have been declared traitors
>Space Sharks pounce on the opportunity to kill someone, encouraged by a friendly inquisitor
>Some fighting scenes, strangely paced and set out and without normal punctuation or grammar
>ohmygodtwist! There were alpha legionaries in the space sharks
>The space sharks act surprisingly reasonably, calling off the battle

I think that's how it went.

There are some who would call us craven. But what do they know of valor? Which among them has stared down the endless horror of the deep, beyond the light of our Blessed Father? Which among them has rushed headlong into the tide of battle knowing that if they fall, none will know, none will mourn?

There are some who call us looters. But who are they to speak? They, with their forges and homeworlds churching out weapons and armor and supplies for them every day of every week? Who are they that have never been becalmed among the stars for years at a time? Who are they to judge what we do?

There are some that would call us pirates. Some who would say we fight only for ourselves, for our own vainglory and bloodlust. Who are they to call us faithless, who among them have seen the Warp-spawned hell of which we fight and die to? Which of them fights for the light in a place of only darkness? And what do they know of the Code?

And there are some who know us. Some who name us saviors, protectors, brothers. Some who have seen our fury and know our conviction. They are the ones who cry out through the darkness for salvation, they who know that we few hold back the unnamed terrors that would wake them from their sleep. And it is for they that we fight, for they that we prowl the stars till trumpets call and judgment sounds our final day.

-Captain Rayner, Star Krakens 8th Company

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For 6 months out of its 42 month solar cycle Praxium Secundus is one of the largest trading hubs in the sector. During this harvest season ships and traders from all corners of the sector gather to conduct business and reap the rewards of this veritable piñata of commerce. But for the remaining 36 months, it is a somber and deserted place. Nothing but a skeleton crew of hab workers remained to tend to the darkened world. Floating high above the Praxium Secundus is a massive orbital defense station simply called The Watch. It maintains a crew of nearly 30,000 all throughout the year, conducting orbital traffic and defense of the world below. Bristling with macro cannons, missile batteries, and a lance array that wouldn’t seem out of place on holy Luna, The Watch is an imposing sight to any who would dare threaten the peaceful planet. It contains numerous scientists, government workers, planetary officials, a sizeable defense force of well trained soldiers, and at this exact moment exactly 9 Astartes of the Space Kraken’s 8th Company.

“As I have stated before, and will continue to do, you are mistaken, Captain” Station Commander Illyanov Trethchild Rostus III said. He wore the dark blue uniform of a naval officer, decorated with all manner of awards and commendations. His hands were clasped cleanly behind his back, his spine stiffened straighter than seemed possible. To his immense credit, he did not seem all that insignificant compared to the armored giant in front of him.

Brother-Captain Tyr stood impassive, his towering form casting a dark shadow in front of him. He stood well over two meters tall in his dark power armor, looking more like a giant from Terran myth than a human. His helmet was clutched under one arm, his face visible to all who would dare look. His dirty blond hair was trimmed short, though the stubble on his face was quickly turning into a full blown beard. He had piercing blue eyes, eyes locked on the man in front of him.

“Never once in the three thousand year history of this planet and this station have we failed to pay our Imperial Tithes. Furthermore, your suggestion that we should supply your ship with munitions in order for you to turn a blind eye to this false claim is insulting at best, and treasonous at worst.” There was a slight gasp from a soldier somewhere behind the commander.

“I will begin immediately preparing the proper astropathic channels to obtain confirmation that our tithes are paid in full, so that we may put this matter to rest.”

“When we next meet, commander, do remember that we could have done this the easy way” Tyr said. He stuck his free hand in the air; index finger extended, and spun it around in a circle. The 7 marines in formation around his marched up the ramp of the Thunderhawk. Captain Tyr gave one last look at the commander from over his shoulder as the ramp close.

As the Astartes Thunderhawk drifted out of The Watch’s hanger, Commander Rostus watched with narrowed eyes. Far across the reaches of space he could just barely spot the outline of the Hafgufa in the distance. The 8th company’s strike cruiser was a mobile fortress of dark green and burnished gold. Its immense size belied its speed and maneuverability, and its arsenal, both of void weaponry and skilled raiders, was enough to give even the boldest of fleet commanders pause.

“Sir, with no disrespect meant, was that wise?” Ensign Jensen dared. Rostus gave him a sideways glance and began walking.

“I’ve encountered this ship before. It was piloted by a different man then, the late Captain Rayner. He was a fine soldier, but a scoundrel through and through. I know little of this new captain, but I cannot believe that things have changed much in the late captain’s absence. The 8th company of the Star Krakens chapter are as close to pirates as the Astartes can be, and I have no doubt that this…accusation…is merely a gambit designed to bully us into acquiescing to their ridiculous demands. It will not work. Put The Watch on high alert, I want every man at their station. I’d sooner welcome them to my personal liquor cabinet than turn a blind eye to their villainy.”

Captain Tyr plopped his massive frame onto the seat of the Thunderhawk, running a hand down across his scalp and over his face. All around him Astartes removed their helmets.

“This is a bold play, cap’n” Brother Thierolf said. “The Watch has got a hell of an arsenal, and if the timing is off by even a few seconds then we’re not going to...”

“I know, Thierolf, I know. It’s a gambit. A big one. But we don’t have a whole lot of options after that run in with Grimfang. Besides, I think it’s what…” he drifted off there, his eyes zoning off into the side of the hull. The room grew quiet.

“It’s what Captain Rayner would have done” Sergeant Rallos finished. Tyr nodded.

Thierolf glanced back and forth, trying to think of some way to break the tension.

“Hey, if there’s anyone in the chapter who could get this done, it’s Leif.”

Leif was crouched in the corner of the hanger as the Commander delivered his speech to the departing captain. When the captain gave the cue, that ridiculously overexagerrated finger swirl, he sprang into action.

Without his power armor, wearing only a form fitting black body glove, he could almost be mistaken for a human. He was lithe and lean for a space marine, though he still retained the height. The mission necessitated a complete lack of equipment, and so now he carried only an ancient chronometer and a lightweight Glavian needle rifle, and the pack slung tight over his back, of course. As he sprinted silently through the shadows he activated the chronometer. Exactly 640 seconds.

He whirled around a corner, using one hand as a brace to slide into the next hallway. Since he had no helmet, no auspex, and no data feed, he had spent the last three weeks of transit pouring over detailed maps of The Watch, memorizing every detail. He spun around another corner, raising his compact rifle up, never slowing. A patrol turned around just in time to catch a pair of needle-like darts in his chest. Leif hurtled his body before he even hit the ground.

“Sir, the Hafgufa has engaged its primary engines and is moving towards us. None of its armaments are online however, and it doesn’t appear to be in an attack vector” Ensign Jensen said.

The commander stood stone faced, watching the black dot grow steadily larger through the massive glass windows of encircling the bridge of The Watch.

“The 8th company is well known for their unwillingness to face their foes in honorable combat, be prepared for anything” the commander replied. He allowed himself a smirk at the 8th company’s expense. Void Dogs, what proud warriors would willingly accept that moniker? The same kind that prefer to flee from their foes than fight them, he presumed.

“Assume that the 8th company is intending to assault The Watch, and act accordingly. Prime all lances and prepare the macro canons.”

>>27895706
Oh I seeeee.

That's certainly salvageable though, perhaps if we edited it slightly to have better grammar, and maybe the inquisitor was rogue and encouraging them to fight so he could steal "insert mcguffin here" from under their noses.

That'd make for a neat villain, and give the Sharks and Krakens something to agree on after fighting

Leif could feel the entire station hum with energy; they were charging their lance array and canons. And from the sound of it, all of them. He glanced at his chronometer. 263 seconds remaining.

He was flying down the corridors now, a ghost of black and silver. He burst through a door and nearly ran into someone. In a split second he recognized the brown jacket of a custodian and averted his rifle, changing his momentum to a swift elbow to the side of the poor fellow’s head. He would wake up with one hell of a headache, but he’d survive.

He took just a moment to check his location; mentally scrolling through the hand-drawn pages of maps he was given. A breath later he had it. He shouldered his way through another door and vaulted down a flight of stairs.

“The Hafgufa will be within range in exactly thirty seconds, commander” Jensen said, furiously tapping commands and bringing up data on the console ahead of him. “They’re still not moving in any sort of firing position I’ve ever seen and sir…they haven’t even begun charging their lance arrays or… any of their weapons. They’re engines only seem to be moving at about 40% speed”.

It didn’t make sense. Rostus ran his mind through every possible scenario, every method of assault that they could possibly engage in, and this was none of them. But it must be some kind of trick, and if he let his guard down, even for a second, the battle would be over.

“Sir, 20 seconds.” Jensen reported, now staring intently at the Commander. He noticed all eyes in the room were on him now.

“When they are in range…show them strength of The Watch.”

15 seconds.


Leif hit the ground and went into a savage roll, stumbling as he came up. He drove his whole body through a door, tearing it clean off the hinges and sending it bouncing into the room. Before it had even stopped bouncing he dropped down to both knees, his momentum carrying him forward. He tossed his gun in front of him, no time to spare.


8 seconds.

He pulled the pack off his back and tore the leather strap from the top. From inside he produced a string of 7 glassteel balls, each one no bigger than his hand. He looked around for just a moment, deciding that one place was as good as the next. He slung the device around some sort of power coupling and linked the ends together. Instantly the balls filled with what looked like a tiny, but devastating, lightning storm.

“This better work, Torvald” he muttered as he dove to the ground, shutting his eyes and sticking a finger in each ear.

“Target acquired. Weapons array locked. Firing in 5…4…” Jensen said, eyes wide. From somewhere inside the station, a storm broke loose. A subsonic howl of energy exploded outward, bathing the entirety of The Watch in a static haze. As it washed out from the power station centered within the belly of the Watch, it took with it every ounce of power for a hundred miles. There was nothing but darkness.

“Give me a report!” Rostus howled to the blackness around him. Ensigns and crewmen banged impotently at their stations, stumbling over each other. It was dead, everything was dead. Even the auxiliary power was absent. The entire crew of the bridge now stared out at the rapidly approaching Astartes Strike Cruiser. For a long minute they watched it draw closer and closer, weapons still inert.

“Sir…it’s…” Jensen mumbled.

“Docking.” Rostus finished.

The Hafgufa drifted lazily towards The Watch. Into the maximum range of its weapons, and then the minimum, and then right into its port. Even if they wanted to they couldn’t target the massive cruiser now. Just as it was position itself into a cozy docking area, The Watch came alive, lights spreading across its massive form.

Captain Tyr hailed them on the ship’s vox channel, reclining his armored form in the Captain’s Chair. The vox came on, and Tyr was greeted with a room full of open-mouthed station officers, and one very angry commander.

“Commander, so we meet again! I must say, sooner than I expected. It seems you’re having some power troubles, though things appear to be alright now. That is fortunate, as we will be needing some repairs on our vessel.” Tyr said, a smile creeping across his face.

“What…” the commander said through gritted teeth, “would make you think I would EVER aid you after what you just did?”

Tyr quickly switched his smile to a masterfully acted wounded expression

“Commander, I don’t know what you mean. All I know is that as my vessel, a member of the vaunted Adeptus Astartes, approached your station with peaceful intent, and in response you charged every weapon your formidable station has on my ship and its crew. And that is exactly what my fellow captains, my brother chapters, and the High Lords of Terra will see should I choose to show the logs of this incident, of which I have plenty. But I don’t think that will be necessary, I’m sure we can work out a deal.”

The commander tried his hardest to relax his facial muscles, but he couldn’t. Even if he wanted to resist, he could already see dozens of Thunderhawk gunships, filled with the galaxy’s deadliest warriors, moving to enter his station.

“I must say, it really is quite fortunate you had that little power-outage. You see, our lance array and canons were heavily damaged in our last engagement. It’s unlikely we could have fought back even if we had wanted to. We lack the supplies and manpower to repair them, but certainly you will be more than happy to give us the full support of The Watch to help rectify that. It really is quite lucky we happened upon you this day.” The Captain finished. Just off screen, the Astartes around him laughed silently.

“One final thing, is it true you are in possession of a case of Terran Black Rum? I’ve been dying to sample some” said Tyr, grinning broadly.

Commander Rostus let out on final, defeated sigh.

“Welcome to The Watch, captain.”

>>27895785
>He had piercing blue eyes

Ooooooo. We'd agreed that the gene seed gave them all pitch black eyes dude.

Other than that it seems deadly, still reading

>>27895930
Pitch black? I thought we said they were mily white without pupils?

>>27895930
>>27895940

Shit, well whichever one of these was decided, my bad.

>>27895888
This is golden. Incredibly cheeky, grab-anything-you-can-get marines are best marines. And written pretty damn quickly. I'd better step up my game to keep up.

Do you want to exchange email addresses at some point?

>>27895940
Milky white? I hadn't heard that...

Every entry I can find on the wiki has them portrayed with "Inky Black eyes" / "eyes black as the void" etc. though

This is where some of the discrepancy from having a load of threads comes from I guess.

Also >>27895888 Void Dog, that was fantastic.

I love the rogueish approach of the 8th company. Seeing as I'd read your earlier stuff I even made a mental note of the fact that you listed 9 marines at the start, and smirked when it was 8 returning to the hawk.

Good stuff dude!

>>27895996
I'll modify anything I've written that paints them with eye colour that isn't black. Do they have pupils? The correct answer is no.

>>27896025
>The correct answer is no.

That's something we can agree on

>>27895986

Thanks! That's what I was going for. I'm also trying to really have Tyr be like "ohgodwhatamidoing" in command.

I just opened up an email. Sk.Voiddogs {at} gmail.com

Feel free to send me there, we can talk more about details on stuff we want to work on.

>>27895996
Thanks. I like to throw in those little bits and see if people notice stuff like that.

>>27895888
That was pretty fucking sweet.

>>27896083
Why not use the email bar?

I'll send you a quick email. Could you quickly give me a brief description of the commander? I'm working on a bit of writing about the three points of the trident for the characters section of the wiki.

>>27896126

Cause I'm an idiot, apparently.

Commander, do you mean the captain?

He got promoted under what some people would call suspicious circumstances, as well as being quite young, and he doesn't quite understand why the former captain did so. since 8th company is difficult to contain on a good day, he's really concerned with keeping the style of his old captain, but also tries hard to stick to the Code, an ancient tradition that some Krakens still go buy.

He's definitely not an "ends justify the means" kind of thinking, more of a "fair fights are for suckers". He values the lives of his men highly, and is hesitant to ever send men into situations they might not come out of, which makes some of the elements of his crew (especially the ones who think his promotion to captain was a mistake at a best) see him as weak, or not fit to lead.

>>27896194
Sorry, I typed commodore wrong and it must have auto corrected it to commander.

Okay, sounds pretty interesting. I'll finish the description and the tale I'm working on, then send you an email.

>Commencing story dump

The 1st tactical squad of the 4th company of the Star Krakens has been known as Squad Black Fist for longer than anyone in the chapter has lived. The members of the squad have the armour on their right fists coloured black, removing the mark if they leave the squad. Few outside the 4th company know the reason why, for the tale is told but rarely. It speaks of a great sacrifice, a stalwart and heroic brother sergeant and the weakness of a captain.

Sometime after the meeting of the ten flags, The Trident and the 4th company encountered a strange asteroid, drifting on the edge of the deeps. It gave of all the readings of being able to sustain life, yet there was almost no sign of fauna or animals on it. The Kraken captain deemed the rock of suitable interest for him to visit its surface, but maintained he need not be accompanied by his entire veteran squad. What could harm him on a rock almost utterly devoid of life? After much talk and persuasion, he relented and allowed the company’s first tactical squad to accompany him.

>Cont.

>>27896493
When they arrived on the asteroid’s surface, they were armed as though for a hostile encounter. Such was befitting for the guard of a company captain, however unlikely violence is. It was a great honour for the tactical squad to be the captain’s guard, and they would do things properly. They patrolled the area of the drop site thoroughly, lifting every rock and peering into every shadow. The Krarken ignored them, wandering across the barren environment without a care. So sure was he that there would be no battle this day, he did have his blade or pistol drawn.

As the captain walked, the marines constantly marching in front and around of him started to irritate him. Was he not a company captain? He needed to guard to swoop around him like a scout on their first mission. So it was that he ordered the squad back to the drop site, brooking no argument. Only one member of the squad refused to leave; the squad sergeant, his name lost to legend. The captain tried to talk his subordinate into leaving him alone, but the sergeant was adamant. Either he went with the captain, or the whole squad did. Eventually, the captain relented and the two set off.

>Cont.

>>27896498
They wandered far from the drop site, the captain still looking for something interesting enough to justify this visit. In truth, he was unsure why he had come to this rock, and to why he had ordered his guard not to accompany him. If he found an artefact of import or significance, it would save him from face when it came to explaining things to his fellow brother-captains. When they came across a deep ravine, a tear in the earth, he immediately decided that he would travel to the bottom. He descended as fast as was possible, the sergeant hurrying to keep up.

When they reached the bottom, the captain stopped. He merely glared around the canyon floor, as if daring it to explain to him why he was here. And it did. From a cave in the side of the of the rock, a huge monster appeared. It crawled out stealthily behind the captain, but halted when it saw the sergeant. The brother-sergeant had no such problem, unholstering his bolt pistol and opening fire. The tempest bolts bounced from the beast’s thick skin, sending shard of frag spinning through the air. Seeing his sergeant shoot over his head was enough to make the captain turn to face the threat, but he wasn’t soon enough to dodge the blow from the beast. Its huge, blade like arm crashed into his chest and threw him across the canyon floor. He smashed into the ground and lay still. The beast stalked slowly towards him, the huge black eyes that sat in the centre of its face focussed solely on his prone form. Their concentration was broken when the sergeant stepped in between them.

>Cont.

>>27896513
Seeing his bolts were useless, the sergeant had discarded his rifle. He filled his right hand with frag grenades and his left with a combat knife, before leaping for the foe’s throat. The alien was fast, however, and its claws sent most of his right hand off into the distance. Then it slammed him to the ground and screamed in his face. Perhaps it sought to exert its dominance, or was preparing to eat him. Either way, it gave the sergeant an opportunity. His left arm was trapped by the creature, but it had neglected to do the same to his right, likely because there was little left of his hand. The sergeant looked and his hand and saw that he had one finger left, the smallest one. With a roar to match the beast’s, he plunged his hand into the huge black orbs of the creature’s eyes.

The creature screamed, tearing its head back. But the sergeant’s single finger had been clenched deep inside the eye, and when it came out it brought a sizeable chunky of gooey ichor and flesh with it. Still shrieking, the beast stumbled away and bashed off the walls of the canyon. The sergeant pulled himself up, heedless of his wounds, and dragged his battered form to the fallen captain. From his battle brother’s belt, he drew the plasma pistol. Then he turned back to his foe.

>Cont.

>>27896530
Both the astartes and the xeno were wounded, but the sergeant was a warrior of humanity and a champion of the emperor. Victory would be his, even if he had to tear the flesh from his bones for it to be so. A battle hymn on his lips and the plasma pistol in his healthy hand, the sergeant began to charge his foe. Once again, he leapt into the air and once again, the beast’s claws flashed out and caught him. Instead of slashing him down, this time they impaled him through the midsection and held him up in the air. The sergeant hardly noticed. He was glaring at something at the creature’s feet, and suddenly he brought up the pistol and fired. The plasma round struck the frag grenades on the floor and detonated them with a cacophonous boom. With a fleshy sound, the xeno’s legs were blown off and it fell to the ground, with the sergeant still attached to it by the talons in his chest.

As they both lay on the ground, the sergeant raised the pistol again. The creature observed him with its remaining eye, still whimpering in pain. It seemed resigned to its fate though, and was not disappointed. The sergeant blew out the beast’s remaining eye, before allowing himself to rest. The captain awoke moments later, to find his loyal sergeant dying and the beast slain.

>Cont.

>>27896536
He knelt down by the sergeant and spoke to him. “Go to the Emperor in peace my brother, for today you were truly an exemplar of his might. Dwell in the darkness, so that we may think of you in the deep. You will not be forgotten, nor will your devotion” spoke the captain, as he looked down and the bloody remains of the sergeant’s chest and fist. The sergeant spluttered a response through the mouth grill of his helmet “We do not fall... we do not die... we rise...” before his head lolled back into the grove of the armour and he died. The captain carried his body back to the drop site, the last finger of the sergeant’s hand still grasping the aliens eyeball.

When they the krakens saw their fallen sergeant, their shoulders fell and gazes dropped. It was the captain who spoke to them of their sergeant’s memory. He cursed them for disrespecting his sacrifice, for mourning when they should have been shouting his victories to the endlessness of the deep. One of the brothers stepped forward, reaching down to the xeno’s eye. He spread some of the adhesive black liquid onto his hand, and then stepped back. One by one, every member of the squad did likewise. When all had adorned themselves likewise, they began to speak. Short tales were told of the sergeant. Of his deeds, his valour, his skill and his wit. The captain listened to them carefully, hearing not accusations but feeling blame directed at him from all sides. He retreated and left them to their ritual, guilt heavy in his chest like rock.

>Cont.

>>27896551
Once aboard The Trident the members of the squad began to make the mark permenant, painting the right fists of their armour black. So it was that whenever a new warrior joined the squad, his hand was marked. When one left, the mark was removed, and the squad have been known as the Black Fists since. Further examination of the xeno that had been slain showed that it was a psychic parasite, luring its prey close and persuading them to abandon all of their guard and arms. The captain was disgraced for his weakness, allowing himself to be taken in by the creature. He punishment was not terrible, though neither was it light. His fate is another tale, however.

>End

I meant for this to go on the Tales section, but it ended up too long.

And the description of the three points is now posted on the wiki.

>>27896194
I'm going to have to email you some time later, I'm afraid. Somethings come up.

>>27896565

Cool stuff dude.

>It's all a bit rough

Oren never took his eyes of the Herlov as their Thunderhawk glided through the void. He stared, unwavering, barely allowing himself to blink as his brothers jostled about the small cabin, joking, boasting and, as old Fadrot used to say, talking tall before walking small. He kept expecting it fade out, like a Rhino retreating into the fog, slowly growing dimmer as mist filled it in, pooling in the shadows before spilling over to consume it.
Instead the Herlov simply disappeared, there one moment, and then suddenly gone. As if someone had flipped a switch. Oren glanced at the auspex cautiously, confirming what he already knew: they were alone in the Deep.
Despite his best efforts Domr, strapped into the pilots seat, had noticed his nervousness.
"Afraid of the dark, brother?" Oren had expected teasing, but Domr sounded almost sympathetic.
"Just wondering how the Herlov would find us again once we're... done, out here."
"I wouldn't fear." Domr twisted the controls violently, but Oren felt nothing. Saw nothing. Outside the transparent canopy nothing changed. There was no indication they were even moving. "The Lighthouse will sweep our position in eight hours, and Lord Alus will bring us home."
"Your brother is incorrect. You should fear, Oren. But fear the Lighthouse, not the Deep." Stolt spoke grimly, he was the oldest amongst them, by a total of three years, and this was his last chance to complete the Rite of Passage. If the void rejected them today he faced nothing in the future but the bleak call of serfdom, relegated from the glory of a marine to the drudging labour of a bilge mechanic, a gunnery sergeant, or a Chapter scribe.
His words crushed the atmosphere of false cheer that had been bouying their tiny vessel, already strained by the slowly creeping horror of the realisation that they were hanging all alone, totally vulnerable, in the black.

>>27897489
"Stolt, done this before. How do find it?" Utk bit his words out, as if he were afraid that by opening his mouth too widely some vital essence might escape. Perhaps once a legitimate fear amongst his people, Oren reflected, but something their instructors should really have broken him of. Utk's twin brother spoke with far more culture, although more rarely.
"We just fly." Stolt trudged to the fore of the vessel, and put his hand on Domr's shoulder, "We're already lost. We couldn't find the Herlov now if we had one hundred years to search for it. So we just fly, and pray to the God-Emperor that he blesses us with his benediction."
Time grew thick as they flew, this new atmosphere filling the tiny transport, staining them and all of their interactions in a thick mire of tension. Stolt only made it worse, refusing to laugh at feeble jokes, muttering curses under his breath every few minutes, insisting repeatedly on flying the Thunderhawk, only to relinquish the controls moments later after frustration got the better of him.
"What happened?" Oren asked, trying to break his blackening mood, "The last time? I heard you actually found the hulk."
"Yes." Stolt stood, tapping a closed first against the simple carapace armour they all wore under their robes, "Yes, almost immediately. No sooner had the Herlov dropped off the auger when it appeared, drifting ahead of us. At first we thought we'd simply gotten turned around, beaten some infitesmly small odds and come back across the Company, but the rending damage was too evident."
"Long scars of lance fire up the starboard side, hanger bay in ruins, dorsal prow shattered?" Domr asked from the cockpit.
"Exactly, a mess, yet something about her still majestic..." He turned, "How did you kn-..."
Ahead of them, hanging vertically against the velvet black void, was the damaged remains of an ancient Strike Cruiser. Domr threw a grin over his shoulder at them, and added to Stolt: "Looks like we'll make a marine of you yet."

>>27897500
"How do we get aboard?" Usk asked in a hushed voice, he and his brother crossing themselves superstitiously with the sign of the Emperor.
"We never decided." Stolt looked sadly at the great ship, now occupying most of their viewport as they rapidly approached it, "Starboard hanger doors refused to open, no matter how we hailed her, or what prayers we made. Port hanger is in ruins. We couldn't find any external hatches. We were debating ramming the Starboard hanger when she suddenly accelerated, and a moment after she vanished the Lighthouse swept us..."
Stolt continued to talk, but Oren had tuned out. He was fixated on the dorsal prow. Something about the way its armour sat, the shattered bulkheads, the frame jutting through... During his second year aboard the Herlov another neophyte had broken his nose, decimating it with a crushing blow dealt via the aid of a chainsword hand guard. Later he had studied himself in a mirror, trying to fix the wound, angry that the apothecary had brushed such a devastating blow off as a 'flesh wound' beneath his attention. Something, then, had caught his eye as well; a white flake embedded deeply into the bloody mess, some piece of detritus stuck in the wound... He had tried to flick it off, only to be subjected to excrutiating pain, enough to bring tears to his eyes.
It had been bone, broken through the skin...
"There." Oren pointed, "The armoured frame has punched through the dorsal prow. We can slip in through there."
Domr checked his auspex, then smacked the device with one huge hand. "I can't see a damned thing, how can you tell?"
"He's right." Stolt was up against the canopy, so close his nose was nearly pressed flat, "You can just make it out. There's a breach in the hull. Bring the Thunderhawk around!"

>>27897510
Domr was a good pilot. They were all good pilots, but Domr was the best amongst them. He brought the belly of their transport up against the hull, flying near blind, gracefully coming to a halt with just barely a metres gap between them and the ancient hulk. There, using the limited operational capacity of their auspex array, they scanned the damage.
"Too small." Domr finally decided, "The Thunderhawk just won't fit. At the best it'd be a one way trip. At worst we'd end up five new smears against the deck plating."
"No, no... No..." Stolt crushed his face into a balled up first, cursing in languages both familiar and foreign. Then, suddenly, his demeanour changed completely, "We can jump across!"
"What?" Domr raised an eyebrow, "We can JUMP across? With what? We have no void suits, no grav boots, not even a rebreather to share between us."
"Then stay here, brother, and risk returning again and again to an empty space." Stolt was already storming to the far end of the vessel, pulling a simple pair of goggles off the otherwise emptied equipment rack, "But I intend to become a Star Kraken this day, and this is how one of our battle brothers would enter a sealed vessel."
They watched as he sealed the airlock to the cabin behind himself, and a moment later observed him crawling over the ancient hull, moving awkwardly as he bounced and jostled and sought desperate handholds.
"Emperor's damned suicide, is what it is." Domr muttered, but he too moved to the rear of the vessel, reaching for a pair of goggles. Utk and Usk followed, the latter tossing Oren the last pair of goggles, leaving him with little choice but to draw one long breath and accept. Stolt had lowered the boarding ramp, closing the distance between themselves and the hull by another half metre, making the drop seem all but negligible. However it had been drilled into Oren from day one - any free, untethered jump through empty void carried a multitude of dangers, no matter how small the crossing.

>>27897521
Domr was edging forward carefully, testing each step before committing his weight, trying to discover where the meager gravplating in the ramp ended and the true vacuum began. Completely ignoring this good sense approach, Utk was bounding forward, and suddenly launched himself into space. Oren watched with horror, unable to call out in the vacuum, left only to wonder for a second if his primitive brother had failed to grasp some basic aspect of inertia or gravity. Then, in one fluid motion, Utk tipped end-over-end, and used the tail fin of the Thunderhawk to springboard himself straight into the breach in the cruisers hull.
Usk watched his twin pass through cleanly, and then with a huge grin on his face he performed the same maneuver.
Domr and Oren exchanged one exasperated look, and then continued their careful trudge forwards. Finally Domr reached the end of the boarding ramp, where the gravity was the weakest, and clutched the lip. He suspended himself over the lip in a kind of slow handstand, and quickly threw himself forwards. A moment later Oren followed suit.
Oren skimmed the jagged opening in the hull and slid inside, no worse for wear - barring a long tear in his sea green robe. For reasons he would never understand, Domr, however, hit the armoured prow head first, and with a crack Oren knew was only in his imagination, but which was no less sickening for it, Domr rebounded into the vacuum. Oren reached out, knowing that inertia had already carried him too far away, but trying, desperately trying, to grab his brother.
In the same way the Herlov had suddenly vanished into the Deep, so too did Domr; both of their hands reach for the other, despite the slowly, yet inevitably, growing distance between them.

>>27897531
After a moment Oren felt the hull deck scraping by beneath him, and a second later he was roughly skidding along, suddenly subject to the whims of gravity once more. As he came to a stop rough hands picked him up, and hauled him through an airlock. Stolt stood there, holding it open, staring through. He glanced at Oren, who could only shake his head in the airless environment, and with a grim nod Stolt sealed the vessel away from the vacuum once more.
"What happened?" Stolt asked a moment later, some arcanity of the ancient vessel breathing oxygen into their little room, "Did Domr remain on the Thunderhawk after all?"
"No." Oren spat, eyeing the older neophyte angrily, "No, he dwells in darkness now."
"Emperor-God forgive." Utk began crossing himself and bowed again, Usk simply looked sad.
Stolt nodded again, the same curt, business-like gesture as before, "We should move. We have only five hours to reach the bridge, and I doubt any of the elevat chambers still function."
The vessel was immense, not so much in its size as in its silence, its lack of activity, of the grit and thurm and bustle that accompanies a running voidship. At various points they encountered the remains of a crewmember, mostly the mechanical parts, seeming to occupy the place in which that man died, marking them like runestones laid for those dead-by-the-ocean on his own world. Stolt lead them, his eagreness giving him energy, and Oren followed. As they traversed the immense corridors of the vessel Oren becominging increasinly aware of the twins activity, their constant blessings upon themselves, the jerky motions of their limbs as they cast their eyes about wildly, rolling them like terrified beasts as the grav plating below their feet groaned. Utk seemed particularly upset, swiping at his robe as if brushing off some invisible hands and praying a heathen prayer of his homeworld at every intersection.

>>27897540
After an hours trek they seemed to find what Stolt had been searching for. Stencilled onto the wall were letters in high gothic, a language Oren now understood, but the typograthy, so ornately stencilled, gave him pause. Swallowing his pride, he turned to Stolt, "What does it say?"
"Munitorium. An armory." Stolt grinned, "Through here, then we ascend two levels, there we'll find the bridge."
The door was torn from its hinges, and charred by some internal explosion, but by hunkering down each neophyte could squeeze through one at a time. Oren entered last, and nearly ran into the kneeling Usk.
"By the Emperor's light and all of his sons..." Usk fell to his knee's, "Forgive my eyes for what they see!"
Utk began to sing, some hymn of his own language. Oren stepped cautiously closer. The corpse was of some beast, and the beast was huge. It was fully as large as the Thunderhawk awaiting their return, and covered in putrid flesh, thin purple skin stretch taught to the point of near transperancy over pustulous sacks, both of these torn through with metal spikes that seemed to have embedded into its flesh from within.
Driven into its skull was a single chainsword, and pooled below that was a small puddle of gore, but otherwise the flesh of the beast still glistened, as if it had been killed just before they entered the room.
Usk waved Oren over from the far side of the room, and Stolt followed unbidden. As they neared he saw what his brother was so concerned by. What he had taken as rubble when they had entered was actually power armour. Assorted, strewn about, some damaged and mangled. Oren turned slowly, taking in this new detail, his mouth falling open...
Every wall of the room was skirted with ruined armour. "Who were these men?" Oren breathed.
Stolt held up a pauldron, hefting it in both of his hands. Its joint to the collar was torn and ruined, but the faded heraldry on it was still clear: The golden kraken with the silver star. The First Company.

>>27897557
"Forsaketh! All forsaketh!" the three turned, startled by the screaming. Over by the beast Utk had grabbed ahold of the chainsword hilt, and was yanking on it with all of his strength, screaming again and again: "Forsaketh! All forsaketh!"
Usk ran to him immediately, Oren reacting a moment later. They raced across the large room, Usk reaching his twin just as he succeeded in freeing the weapon, and the sight that followed stopped Oren in his tracks.
The beast decomposed. Rapidly. One thousand years of decomposition in one second. So fast as to be near incomprehensible the stench of rotting flesh filled their nostrils, chased by the throat tickling smell of bone dust. The creature sagged in on itself, its flesh sloughed away and dissipated, its bones crumbled into a fine powder. It was gone.
The chainsword came to life with a tinny, high-pitched whine, and without hesitating Utk drove it straight into his twin brother.
"Thrice damn the Emperor's bones!" Oren swore, scanning the room, and then turning to find the older neophyte, "Stolt, find a weapon!" he called, but his brother merely stood agahst, and then ran for the far door.
Oren turned back towards the wall, hoping to find some knife amongst the armour, just in time to throw himself aside as a heavy astartes glove, scraping silently along the ground towards him, leapt at his face. From his position on the ground Oren watched as a marine of the First Company formed in front of his eyes, its armour dragging itself together from their scattered positions around the room, crawling over each other, like some hive of insects, to build the empty suit of armour from the ground up.

>>27897562
All around him this was happening, two score marines building themselves from the ground up, and for the first time since leaving Harvanhol, since ascending from the blasted concrete landscapes into the void above, Oren felt truly afraid.
Usk was on his knees, grasping weakly at his brothers arm, looking pleading up at his twin as if the other could undo his last action. Utk, for his part, appeared not to see anything. His eyes were blazing wildly, his mouth had begun foaming. He withdrew the chainsword with a brutal twist, and turned on the first marine, challenging him with an unearthly roar, his voice both his and that of something more terrifying: "Come again, old Kraken! Our duel's not over yet!"
The marine was unarmed, but moved with shocking alacrity, managing to duck Utk's first two wild swings before the chainsword struck home, digging a deep gouge into his armour, sparks lighting up the dark room and casting mind-breaking shadows on every wall.
The thing that was once Utk fought on in this way, not able to hurt any of his attackers, merely keeping them at bay. Then, seeming to grow tired of the feint, he drove his weapon into the chest of the nearest Star Kraken.
The marine looked down at his chest, and then with almost non-chalance, withdrew the still running chainsword, and drove it overhand into Utk's head, driving it into him like a standard bearer planting his flag. Utk's skull disappeared into a haze of gore, and as he fell to his knees the marines collapsed, rendered into naught but scraps of ruined armour once more. Shaking uncontrollably, Oren got to his feet to survey the scene.

>>27897570
Surrounded by mounds of armour were the bodies of his now falled brothers. Usk lay clutching his chest wound, eyes open and staring, the look frozen on his face not so much betrayal as a deep and unknowable hurt. Utk was still on his knees, but was clearly dead. The chainsword driven into him up to the hilt, with so much force and violence that the tip of it protuded from just below his ribcage. A steady drip, drip, drip of blood echoed through the chamber, and something told Oren it would continue to do so for many centuries.
Something grasped his shoulder, and Oren turned swiftly, attempting to drive a fist into his attackers throat. Stolt blocked him easily.
"Calm." he said, soothingly, "Calm."
"Where'd you go? What happened here?" Oren meant to yell, but his voice came out a dull whisper. Stolt inspected the room again, his face briefly twisting with horror before he brought it back under control, "Darkness."
Oren nodded, and added: "The kind on which we do not dwell."
Stolt regarded him for a long moment, seeming to be lost for something to say, before finally breaking away and saying, "Come, brother. The bridge lies ahead."
The rest of the trip was almost uneventful. Another section of the vessel had vented to vacuum, a whole corridor was rife with malfunctioning grav plating, forcing them to move in sequence or be crushed under a sudden tenfold increase in pressure. Trials and tribulations that would seem challenging were it not for what they had just witnessed.
Finally they came to the sealed bridge. Scrawled onto the door in a neophytes handwriting was: "Enter singly, or you'll upset Him."
Stolt immediately stepped up to the door, and then as an afterthought gestured to Oren, who shook his head. "Enter first, brother. You've waited the longest."

>>27897579
Stolt spun the great lock on the door, and boldy stepped through. A moment later the door slammed shut and locked.
Oren leaned against the bulkhead and contemplated the words. Wondering who had scrawled them on there, and how long ago. Did it predate the fall of the Albatross?
The door opened again, and Stolt slouched out. His entire being appeared drained of energy. Sapped. He was clutching a first tightly over his chest, as if he'd been dealt a great blow, and he stared off down the corridor. Finally he looked at Oren with eyes that saw something a sector away, and said: "Go."
Bracing himself, Oren stepped through the door and onto the bridge.
His first impulse was fear, for it seemed as though the command post had been hit by some great burst of lancer fire, and torn open to space. Then he realised it must be transparent steel. Taking a step forward he realised that, to his horror, his first guess had been correct: the bridge was open to hard vacuum, everything torn away by weapons fire, the only element remaining beyond the door a thin catwalk that faced the captain's chair.
He quickly drew another breath, almost involuntarily, and realised he could still breathe. A voice, deep and tremulous, seeming to come from the very walls, spoke to him: "You will not drown here."
"You... Are the Ancient Mariner?" Oren took a small step forward, and dared go no further.
"Yes." the voice spoke again. In the chair sat a man, clad fully in the armour of the First Company, right down to a damaged helmet, missing fully one quarter of its top right covering. The Ancient Mariner moved not an inch, not even when he spoke, and the single visible eye staring out from the hard, puckered white skin of his face was dull as if dead. Around his neck was the sacred aquila, his reward and his penance, for striking a fatal blow to the Eldar empire. It seemed to bow him, giving him the hunched appearance of true age.
"Tell me my fate." Oren swallowed hard.

>>27897594
"A wise man learns from the death of his brothers, he does not drown in them..." the pause dragged on so long that Oren almost moved to leave, and then the Mariner spoke again, "Yet a wise leader drowns himself in the death of every brother. Remember that, and when it comes your turn to lead, you will be wise."
He waited, but the Mariner spoke no more.
"Thank you, my lord." Oren bowed and waited, no further reply came. He left quickly.
Outside he found Stolt sitting on the floor, facing towards the corridor up which they'd come, rocking gently back and forwards.
"What'd he say?" Stolt asked, not turning to face him.
"To be mindful of death." Oren paused, trying to summon up the words to explain the intangible feeling talking to the Mariner had given him. His words, delivered by him, had meant so much more than the brief description Oren had given, and yet they amounted to little more than just a warning concerning the nature of death. "What about you?" Oren asked him.
"He told me that I had already died, down in the munitorium." Stolt rose, "And that only after I had died one thousand more deaths would I be allowed to rest."
Oren took him by the shoulder, and began walking him down the corridor, back towards their waiting Thunderhawk.

>>27897621
>deleted and re-added due to critical typo fail.

Overlong, slightly dry, written two days ago and so contravening new fluff, but there you have it: storytiem.

>>27897633
That's fantastic work dude.

I'm intrigued by the part played by the chainsword in the armoury.

Care to share your thoughts with regard to it?

Whoever modified the wiki (RE: Sharks and Kraken) +1. Excellent solution to the issue.

>>27898831
What was changed?

>>27895832
Maybe a sequel?

>>27898857
The original entry was retitled from "Sharks and Krakens" to "The Nautalica Action" and the italicised fluffy bit now reads:
>The Kraken tell a legend of a dark moment in their history, before the fall of Achab, when they came to blows with certain of their kin around the wasted moon of Nautalica. Chapter scholars today debate the veracity of this tale, unsure if it is indeed history or just a cautionary tale to warn neophytes against hubris, but still it lingers on...

I think it's a neat solution, and it allows those who weren't happy with it to simply discard it as a tall tale.

Strike Cruiser Beinum, glory of the Seventh Company, drifted slowly amongst the stygian abyss of the Deep. The many adornments, statues and carvings on the outside of the mighty vessel were barely visible, reflecting only the thinnest of rays from the stars around the chasm.

On the bridge, Brother-Captain Thorolfr and Chaplain Sworgar were locked in a vicious argument.

"Chaplain..." the Captain began, "Need I remind you that although you may have the Chapter's spiritual interests at heart, I am the Captain of this ship!" Thorolfr's voice bellowed out across the bridge and down the various corridors. "And as such, I decide where we shall go!"

Chaplain Sworgar said nothing, his vast frame budged not an inch, but withstood the verbal lashing from Captain Thorolfr. He knew he was easy to anger, but something deep within the Chaplain's heart told him that there was trouble ahead.

"There was no sign of the Dark Eldar scum when we entered the Ekman Spiral, and there continues to be no sign of them now!" Chaplain Sworgar stood his ground and bellowed at the Brother-Captain. Such impertinence would not be tolerated from some of the lesser ranks, but Thorolfr knew all too well that Sworgar was probably right.

Suddenly, all across the ship, the lights switched off and threw the crew of the Beinum into a pitch-black nightmare.

"It's about time!" Brother-Captain Thorolfr screamed and went charging across the bridge.

>>27898964
Alarms blared and defence mechanisms activated, the undeterred Thorolfr thundered across the ship, followed closely by Sworgar. Three Marines stood and saluted when Thorolfr came stomping around the corner. "We're being boarded Sir, it looks like the Dark Eldar are trying to best us." one of the Marines spoke up.

Thorolfr looked towards Sworgar menacingly, but with a slight glint of triumph. Turning towards the trio of Marines, "Brother, signal the rest of the ship, all four assault units are to follow me to the drop-pods." The Marine nodded quickly and rushed to active the comms.

Outside of the ship, jagged hooks and vicious razors swung through the void and slammed into the hull of the Beinum, catching and clawing in whatever hold they could find. Foul, lithe creatures swarmed over the outside of the ship, crawling into the gashes and holes made by their disgusting inventions.

A sliver of nothingness separated the Strike Cruiser Beinum from it's hunter, the Dark Eldar Cruiser; The Unseen Serpent, had ensnared it's prey and was now closing in for the kill.

Commandant Hethorax paced up and down the bridge, his Eldar-leather coat barely touching the floor. The vicious Commandant barked orders at anyone standing nearby, and punished those who stood around idly, pausing only to admire the damage he was currently doing to the Beinum, pride of the Seventh Company.

Suddenly, a blazing noise filled the entirety of the ship, a ghastly siren filled with the wails of the dead. A hunched over figure lurched towards the Commandant, "Vile one.." the creature spoke with a gravely voice, paused for a second to cough up some bile and continued "It appears that we are being boarded..."

The Commandant's pulse raced, a long snake-like tongue lashed out at a filed set of teeth, but he maintained his composure. Taking out the Blaster from his holster, he calmly pointed it at the slaves head and blasted the poor, wretched thing into oblivion.

>>27898962
That's a fantastic way of sorting out the issue!

I wish I could take credit for that, but well done to whoever entered that in.

Very diplomatic.

>>27898972
Torpedoes slammed into the side of the Unseen Serpent, Marines poured forth and immediately set to work boarding the foul vessel. Sparks flew, metal twisted and groaned as the mighty warriors achieved their task is no time at all.

The sound of metal boots thundering across walkways, down corridors and even across the hull of the ship was enough to almost deafen the defendants. Along with the constant low-rumbling noise of the Brother's battle-hymns and the screeches of the Dark Eldar as they raced towards the Marines turned the air into a cacophony of frenzied action.

Bolter rounds whizzed through the air, swords cleaved their intended targets, vicious acids and razors from the Dark Eldar's weapons pierced and melted the armour of the Marines, quickly stripping them to the bone. Blood, gore, tragedy and pain spilled out onto the lower decks as the Dark Eldar tried to gain a foothold in the ship.

Commandant Hethorax continued to pace, stepping over the body of the hunched creature whenever he got near it. "Get the others back over to the ship, we'll finish them off here." Hethorax spat at the nearest servant.

Brother-Captain Thorolfr plummeted through a hole in the hull of the ship, followed quickly by Chaplain Sworgar. Both marines landed on the deck below with a thud, the noise resonating through the now empty corridor, as the fight had moved elsewhere.

Thorolfr looked down the corridor and then turned his head to the opposite direction. "This way Chaplain." Thorolfr quickly ran down the room with Sworgar close behind.

>>27898962
That's smart. Very nice, though I wonder if someone should do an edit of the tale itself. It's really badly organised.

>>27898972
Is this a revised version of what was posted yesterday?

>>27895675
Maybe their mutation was camouflaged and emerged when they initiated their attack on the Sharks?

Shape Shifting Alpha Legionnaires.

>>27898990
The Chaplain sprinted down the corridor, following his Captain, willing to fight to the death with him. But something lurked in his mind, the obsessiveness that Thorolfr had shown of late, the constant need to prove himself and best his enemies. It was natural for any Brother to want to claim glory in the name of the Emperor, but this was becoming something more.

Sworgar put these thoughts to the back of his mind, along with the nagging ache he felt in his hands. Glorious battle would surely arrive soon, and he could have nothing distracting him.

Commandant Hethorax paused and waited in front of a selection of screens, each linked to some kind of hidden camera around the ship. His men ripping and defiling the bodies of a Marine in one screen, a vile servant of the Emperor claiming victory over a horde in another. He signalled his guards to rally to him and began to set off into the ship, determined to carve a bloody swathe through the ranks of the Star Krakens.

As Hethorax and his guards strode to the middle of the room, a dreadful banging could be heard on the other side of the massive cargo doors separating them from the rest of the ship. A tearing, shearing sound, of nails being drawn across stone, echoed through the room. A faint yellow spot could be seen on the door, Hethorax looked closer and saw the yellow dot grow bigger and drag itself across the length of the door.

"Get down!" The Commandant bellowed into the room, weapons were drawn, swords were unsheathed and all manner of barricades were set up from what was readily available. The Dark Eldar forces awaited the arrival of the Marines.

>>27898993
>It's the whole story, might need a bit more revision though.

>>27899000
The Star Krakens breached and entered the room, bringing the Emperor's fury with them. Bolter rounds flew through the air at the Dark Eldar surrounding the Commandant, the leather-clad xenos were mown down but quickly replenished their ranks.

Chaplain Sworgar swung his Crozius around in a gigantic arc; crushing bones, smashing skulls and knocking away all who stood before him as thought they were mere nuisances. Brother-Captain Thorolfr, who preferred a more 'personal' approach, punched his Power Fists together and then ran into the fray.

Swinging left and right, Thorolfr turned the Dark Eldar scum into mere paste in a matter of seconds. The Fists, Járnglófar, powered through the air as the energy field crackled excitedly across it's entirety. Commandant Hethorax was awed by the sight of the two Marines, but fixed his sights on the Brothers that had followed them.

Pulling the Blaster from it's holster once more, he levelled the sights and started to fire at the incoming Marines. Acid filled rounds burnt through any exposed flesh, Promethium bursts ignited on armour and lingered like the embers of a fire. Barbed bolter-tips, razor sharp garrottes and all manner of lethal ammunition turned the relatively small room into a whirling torrent of painful, bloody death.

Marines crashed to the floor, venoms and poisons working through their systems. Dark Eldar perished in miserable heaps on the floor as their lives were extinguished in an instant. Sworgar and Thorolfr's assault did not falter as they slowly made their way to the Commandant.

>>27898996
Maybe, maybe. I think the whole thing was a bit stupid, but as I said earlier, it's always good to have people writing about your project.

>>27899008
The horde of Dark Eldar holed up in that small room perished like bugs underneath boots. A few valiant Marines died heroes death's and were collected and brought back to the Beinum, ready to receive the death rites.

The Commandant was bound, gagged and on his knees, Sworgar and Thorolfr stood in front of him.

"Why do we spare this scum, Thorolfr? Let's kill him now and be done with it!" the Chaplain readied his Crozius and took a pace back. Thorolfr held out his arm in front of Sworgar. "No Chaplain, this has no respect for us, no fear. He must truly understand what it is to be one of the Emperor's faithful." Thorolfr answered in a quiet rumble.

Sworgar looked at the Captain, who had now fixed his eyes on Hethorax. A wry grin had spread across his face and Sworgar saw a few flickers of something within Thorolfr's eyes.

Dragging the Commandant down the halls, Thorolfr made his way to the air-lock. Removing Hethorax's gag and binding he threw him into the confined, metal coffin and closed the door behind him.

>>27899021
The Commandant stood up, brushed himself off and stood in the middle of the room, staring at Thorolfr through the porthole of the metal door separating them. He knew what was going to come, and refused to give the Marine any satisfaction. Thorolfr gave another wicked smile and punched a few buttons on the wall on his side of the door.

Hethorax heard a beeping noise, then a hissing sound. He looked behind him and saw a small door, a red light flashing above it, a few mechanisms silently underneath it. The Commandant turned back and faced Thorolfr, arms behind his back and returned the Marine's steely gaze.

The door opened with a mighty hiss. Hethorax instinctively blinked and winced as the air was sucked out of the room, hurling him into the freezing abyss. Thorolfr watched as his enemy was dragged out into the Deep and continued to stare into the room long after the door automatically closed.

Sworgar stood at the other end of the corridor, watching Thorolfr stare into the small room. He'd seen this frenzy, this need, the obsession to best his enemies before, in another. Chaplain Sworgar silently made his way back and signalled for the Beinum to collect them. He hoped and prayed that the Chapter's darkest days wouldn't be revisited.

>And that's it.
>Thoughts?

>>27899011
Yeah. Plus one question. Was it already decided on those Librarians? I presented them on the last thread, but so far nothing was done about them (as well that Chief Librarian known as the Black Mask).

Well, maybe later. Now I'm doing the Black Locks (aka: making them actually serious despite being a mix of pirate and whaler stereotypes). Now that I had to work on them again (the Krakens got The Ancient Mariner, and there can't be two mariners), now it actually looks better.

But still...If you want help with the Star Krakens, then I'm always here.

>>27899060
Wow, I'm impressed at your ambition. I had a look at the see also articles, and the black locks were really silly, as well as quite sparse in details. If you plan to make them into a serious chapter, good for you.

As to help, I think that all we need to do now is a lot of consolidating of our efforts and work. Things are very spread out. Maybe a few more people will turn up later.

>>27899031
There's still a few small problems with the DE scenes, and over use of the phrase "Followed by". Apart from that, it's a grand piece of work.

>>27899060
I quite liked the ideas put forward for the librarians, especially Black Mask.

Happy with it as is, if everyone else is.

>>27899031
Good stuff dude, nice to read the end after the first pieces last night. Few grammatical errors and things, but I like the feel of the story.

>>27899102
Well I'm working on their origin story. And so far it's good (though their figure of legend is a little bit MS, but I'll think something about it).

But let us not derail the thread and get on with the Star Krakens.

>>27899145
Maybe I should edit their wiki page and include the descriptions and processes of becoming a Star Kraken (as well one of their specialists, aka: Librarians, Chaplains, Techmarines, Apothecaries, etc.)?

>>27899192
Afaik we only had Librarians fluffed so far, but I'm happy to tackle one of the other specialists.

I'd like to relinquish my hold on the Sixth Company, someone else can take a stab at them.

I'll do something with a Master and Commander feel, but I don't want to use up a whole Strike Cruiser in order to do it.

>>27899212
So maybe like this:

Apothecaries: To become a Apothecary, the recruit must (apart of surviving the process that turns him into a Space Marine) also have some basic medical knowledge. The Chapter Elders observe the potential recruits if they have the skills (usually those come from families of doctors or are apprentices of tribal healers). When they do have them, then they are send to the Apothecarium to study under the fearsome combat medics. The Apothecaries of the Star Krakens utilize medicine extracted from plants and animals found in the Deep. These substances greatly enhance the already superhuman healing process of the marine. Apothecaries usually are part of a command squad, but when the situation require it, they join the various squads as support...just in case.

>>27899319
Nearly forgot.

The Apothecaries are incredibly protective of their battle brothers and they react in anger on those who would harm them, yet alone killing them. Thus such a individual will even fight a Greater Daemon in order to at least retrieve his battle brother's geneseed.

>>27899319
And we get around to the subject of fauna/flora in the Deep.

It's an untouched treasure-trove. It's very rare that any Chapter even considers fluffing out their environment other then the ships, but I think it'd only help the Krakens.

>>27899212
Out of interest Mǫkǫyll, do you plan to expand the description of the first company in the roster? Or write anything about Mǫkǫyll to add to the tales section?

>>27899319
>>27899351
I'm a little rusty on my space marine terminology, what's the difference between a command squad and a veteran squad? I remember that every company has a veteran squad.

>>27899361
I completely agree. Consider it on the long list of things to do for the chapter.

>>27899351
I like the idea of the protective vibe, but maybe insert a different tough enemy?

Not really feeling the greater demon reference.

Eating right now, gonna write for the chaplains after I'm done

>>27899405
Out of curiousity, do you have the current to-do list?

Also, someone needs to add that awesome logo from the third/fourth thread onto the 1d4chan page. It was the golden Kraken with the runes on it.

>>27899405
Yah, I spent all of yesterday saying I was going to write up a thing for them, but I was sick / still am so I'm procrastinating.

I'll add something concrete in tonight, and expand on it when I don't feel like shit

>>27899431
No, I don't. I have my own, but that's not terribly interesting for anyone else. People stopped adding them after a while. In a minute I could go and look for the most recent one... or we could make a new one.

>>27899443
Okay, just wondering. I'm intrigued by the figure and he's pretty important as the first captain.


A question for the group; If I've understood the fluff, there must be a commodore who represents the Krakens to the rest of the imperium. Who is the current commodore? I can't tell from the wiki.

>>27899509
>Commodore
>Not a hulking Dreadnought who appears in random meetings, dripping seawater and covered in barnacles.

>>27899409
Trygon then.

I've made a slew of updates to the wiki. I can't stay around tonight - I'll add this writefaggotry (so many stories, nice job guys!) at my next opportunity from the archive of this thread. You guys are archiving these, right?

Anyway the wiki now has (empty) sections for Chapter Specialists (called 'Flag Officers') and an entire section dedicated to the Deep itself, so that Vikingbro may wax lyrical about the ecosystem of the nebula. (Please, go nuts)

>>27899509
It hasn't been discussed yet, to my knowledge.

>>27899729
Oh and I changed the Sharks vs Kraken's stuff. I still don't like (damn kids) but I can live with it in this format. Hope people don't mind.

>>27899729
Interesting. Just mentioning that I added my contribution, 'We Rise', already in the chronicles section. I think I did it all the right way, but I may be wrong.

I'll archive the thread. I suppose I could also dig out the links for the previous ones.

>>27899755
Yes. Good job sir. Glad somebody could make sense of my wikicode.

>>27899729
>Putting me on the spot.
>Spaghetti, pockets, etc

But seriously, I'd be glad to fluff that bit out.

How do we feel about using actual water-based terminology for places within the Deep? Ekman Spiral, Dutchman's Rest, Adumreb Tri-point, etc

>>27899779
Hah, thanks. I don't really understand it all, but I can copy what has been done and change the content well enough.

>>27899781
I don't just love it, I McLovin it. Alright, I'll check in tomorrow (or more likely, in thread seven) if I get the chance. Laters.

>>27899804
Thread 6 archived and the links to all the threads are now present on the wiki. Yay me.

>>27899872
Boom, voted up.

Well, my previous writing on Techmarines was accidentally canceled, so I had to begin anew (plus ironing my T-shirts):

The Techmarines of The Star Krakens are eccentric and unpredictable to some point. They are not shunned like in many chapters, they are instead treated normally, though their eccentricity sometimes gets on the nerve of some of their brothers. Recruited from among hive or forge worlds (or any place with advanced technology), these individuals are talented in their field of expertise.

Although eccentric, they'll alway aid their brethren in various situations. Xeno device? They'll crack it. Need new wargear? They'll make it with the finest minerals found in the Deep. Need wargear repairing? The next day it will be as if it wasn't even damaged.

However, the Techmarines have their limits. If a marine will loose or have its wargear destroyed, then he'll be pursued by a enraged Techmarine that is swinging his power axe and throwing a litany of curses in binary code. After this, they give a new set and tell them not to do that again.

Known eccentricities: Walking outside the ship for a stroll. Accidentaly building Doomsday Devices. Building volatile weapons. Adding modifications to Dreadnoughts while they are taking a nap (some are useful on the battlefield). Making Servo Skulls that like to sing. And many more...

>>27900167
So why are the TechPriests borderline crazy?

>>27900167
Oh good, this chapter needs more lolrandumb in it, well played.

>>27900297
It must be the cyber-augmentations man. Cybernetics eat your soul and make you go bonkers.

>>27900330
They would be the only randumb element. If people want, then they may cross out that element. Or think that every Techmarine is like this to various degrees.

>>27900167
>They are not shunned like in many chapters, they are instead treated normally
lol no. Man that is so fucking lame.

I had high hopes for this but it is turning into speshul snowflake bullshit.

>>27900333
Is that just your take on it? Because the machines dont make you bonkers its the demenour of people, so that whole justification is stupid.

>>27900167
*nerves
*lose
*they give them

I quite like it, though some of it's a little over gimmicky. But like anon says, maybe we need a little more lolrandumb.

So I was thinking more about the Ancient Mariner and the Albatross.

And I was thinking: Achab isn't the first Commodore/Chapter Master of the Star Krakens, just the one that took fighting the Grendel to it's most insane lengths.

Ergo: I propose that the lost of the 1st Company and the Albatross predates Achab's rise and fall.

That way, it'd have a bit more weight for when the first company rediscovers it's ancient, if haunted, former vessel and the madman that sits upon the command throne.

Really just a thought. It's a way to make the Ancient Mariner truly ancient and to make his crimes having passed from the Chapter mind and so on.

It'd also make the Albatross a rather recent addition as a landmark in the Deeps, but it'd explain why it's never in the same place and why the Deep seems so calm around it while on approach it may be wild and untamed.

And why Huignn (SP?) can't find the damned thing.

>>27900392
>turning into speshul snowflake bullshit.
It's really not. Having something a little out of the norm is not being a special snowflake. Salamanders and Iron hands treat their tech marines with reverence and respect, so it's not even unheard of in the founding legions.

>>27900392
I agree that we need to do something with the Techpriests, but having them as comic relief isn't going to be a good move.

Take them on a more serious route, stick with the feel of the Chapter, and it'll all fit in.

>>27900429
>They are not shunned like in many chapters,

Actually i am talking about this part. It is fucking stupid. Why the fuck would they shun someone who is essential to the maintenance and creation of the chapter weapons an armour. I would like an example of techmarines who are shunned really, I dont think I have ever read about anyone like that.

>>27900420
It's Huginn.

Interesting take on the Mariner, we'll see what the concensus is first.

>>27900392
Well they aren't like other Techmarines. The Star Krakens treat them normally, while the Techmarines are helpful.

>>27900441
Then maybe dumb out the lolrandumb element. When they are not on the battlefield, then they are their usual self. But when they go fighting, then they become cold, calculative and go on multitasking and creating many elaborate ways to doom the Chapter's enemies. Often with excessive amounts of overkill.

>>27899293

If I can, I wish to claim the 6th Company.

Their captain's name is George Van Heemskerk.
Is it possible for it to be a semi-scout company? One that has 3 scout squads, who drops off most of the full battle brothers on Mobius in-between raids.

They target the Orkish Empires that spring up north of the Deep, crippling them, turning allies against each other, so that the orks stay in their chosen sectors and don't threaten the Deep.

Their Cruiser is a fast and small vessel known as the Heldeofol, build to look like an Ork Battleship. The ship mostly blends in with an Ork armada, sabotising an Ork waaagh! from within.

>>27900498
>Well they aren't like other Techmarines.
Speshul snowflake alert!

This is why it is a bad idea. Why do you need special techmarines, just make them the average techmarines called the Forge or teh Forgers or something like that.

>>27900167
>singing servo skulls
Haha, that's neat. We could use a bit of light hearted stuff alright and this is good.

>>27900464

That's actually in the regular codex SM dude.

Idk about the most recent iteration, but it's always had a chunk on how the Techmarines are weird and distant and regarded with suspicion by their brothers after returning from their formal training on Mars.

>>27900420
I like this. The albatross' losses after the fall of Achab leaves too many questions as to how they managed to return to any kind of regular strength between Achab's madness and the loss of the ship.

>>27900499
>George Van Heemskerk.
lol. So bad.

Go with something a little more viking like Hrolf, or soemthing from here

http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/ONNames.shtml

http://powayusd.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/teachers/dsykes/viking_names.htm

>>27900547
Do you know what a snowflake is? Go and look up Snowflame. Now that is a snowflake.

>>27900547
We need to do something with the Techmarines.

Wayland the Smith was a legendary figure in Norse mythology, the guy was basically a God. And his Norse name was Volundr, if that's not a Star Kraken Techmarine right there, I don't know what is.

>>27900571
It's only because Techmarines now have two 'masters' so to speak.

They are both members of the Chapter and members of the Adeptus Mechanicus. And you know what they say about a man with two masters.

>>27900464
Umm... I'm pretty sure that it's in the codex, or at least in the previous one. In the entry for techmarines in mentions how they are shunned for their dedication to the machine god, rather than the emperor. And the way they look lovingly at toasters.

>>27900498
Cold calculating killers on the battle field and eccentric but mostly sane the rest of the time, works for me.

>>27900499
The concept is fine, apart from the name. It doesn't really fit in at all with the rest of the chapter.

>>27900585
>>27900547
>>27900464
>>27900392
Has someone joined this thread to simply tell everyone that every idea is bad?

>>27900499
Call him Captain Van Der Dekken.

That way we've got a Flying Dutchman reference as well.

>>27900571
It's one of the reasons why I suggested it.

It would be a legendary find, but the problem is that the once proud strike cruiser of the Star Krakens... is not nothing more then a near wreck. A haunted, dilapedated shell that refuses to stay still long enough within the deeps to be repaired.

I have in my minds eye a vision of a wooden ship lost in a sargasso sea. It's leaky and creaky and a third underwater, but it manages to stay afloat. But it does not choose where it goes now, it is at the mercy of the tides.

File: 1382558088159.jpg-(39 KB, 326x353, aspiriant.jpg)

39 KB JPG

>>27900571
Guess you are right

>>27900679
Just applied to a strike cruiser. Damn it. I gotta get my whole thought out before I hit submit.

>>27900679
Oh, the Mariner would like you to believe that the ship is completely out of control. Why do you think he stays on the damn thing?

>>27900633
Maybe he was the sanest? So sane that he wasn't like the future generations of Star Kraken Techmarines?

>>27900679
>It would be a legendary find, but the problem is that the once proud strike cruiser of the Star Krakens... is not nothing more then a near wreck. A haunted, dilapedated shell that refuses to stay still long enough within the deeps to be repaired.
>I have in my minds eye a vision of a wooden ship lost in a sargasso sea. It's leaky and creaky and a third underwater, but it manages to stay afloat. But it does not choose where it goes now, it is at the mercy of the tides.

That's literally the theme of one story written in this thread. Starting with this post: >>27897489

>>27900803

Or he was the one to originally get Huginn and Muninn online, being the one guy who could somehow figure out these arcane devices.

>>27900836
Or both? As well the most hardworking one.

>>27900836
Yes.

Eccentricities of the individual techmarines should be up to author discretion, rather than a requirement. It's already established canon that the Deep plays havoc with mechanical implants, and that this tends to screw with the minds of those they are implanted in to, so it follows that the techmarines wouldn't be... all there.

>>27900675

So the captain's chained to the ship?

OR

Could be that it was lead by a captain who sided with Ach-ab and was punished for it. They turned him into a servitor, but kept parts of his brain intact so they could still benefit of his tactical knowledge.

The Captain has since then been hardwired to the ship, his fate to forever sail it and unleash his wrath upon the enemies of the Star Krakens.

sounds good?

Dutchfag here, I just really like Van Heemskerk since he fucked over the Spanish Fleet with a immense inferior one

>>27900868
>>27900852
Well then, Friendly Anon, persuade us to include these 'Farnsworth-esque' Techmachines with some writefaggotry, and we shall see.

>>27900877
Established canon - only one Captain sided with Achab, and that man now leads the Varangian Guard.

>>27900897
Dang, you got me here. When it comes to ideas, I'm can come up with something good, but stories...when it comes to this I actually leave this to other more experienced writers. Maybe later...although I may have a idea or two.

>>27900877
>Could be that it was lead by a captain who sided with Ach-ab and was punished for it
It's already been established in the canon of the chapter that only one captain sided with Achab.

>>27900897

I'd suggest that he was a bit more able to understand the Deep's effect than most, being able to perceive its patterns a bit better than most. His Master-Crafted weapons have never shorted out, the systems he's modified, though a bit more difficult to maintain, don't suffer the Deep as bad as most. Could be he was in charge of retrofitting the fleet as well.

>>27900877
>1 wikipedia later

He could be Captain Æolus, sounds Norse and it ties in with your Dutch heritage.

Hell, shove the Flying Dutchman in there as well, we'll get all the Dutch references in one fell swoop.

>>27900897
>Good news, Brothers! I've perfected my latest invention, the Deep Strikepedoes, oh my yes. It amounts to little more than replacing our torpedo warheads with dreadnoughts and firing them at vital systems. Where are my slippers?

>>27900974
>I'd show you them myself, but I am already in my pajamas...

>>27900974
>>27900993
>Requesting drawfagging based on Fansworth techmarines.

>>27900974
>Oh fuff!
>Oh my yes.
>You blithering ninnyhammer!
>etc

I heartily approve of Senior Techpriest Farnsworth.

>>27901030
>>27901016
>>27900993
>>27900974

I'd like to remind you all that in the first couple of threads we kinda agreed to keep pop culture references to a bare minimum.

>>27900897
>Good news, battle-brothers! The forgeworld of Atlantica is about to be invaded by WAAAAGH Grashgutz!
>Brother Julius, that is not good news at all! There are thirteen trillion orks in WAAAAGH Grashgutz!
>By the Emperors mother, that's terrible news! Mobilize the entire chapter at once!

>>27901151
It's 40k. Canon 40k is full of pop culture references. We can afford to throw in Farnsworth esque techmarines for humor.

>>27900832
Interesting read, but I'd love to see the rediscovery of the Albatross. I think someone said that Mokoyll's predecessor would have been the one to find it.

Possibly a young Mokoyll would have been on the squad that first went into the haunted halls of the Mariner's court.

"Madness reigns in the Court of the Ancient Mariner."

>>27901151
>>27901030
I was just kidding with my Farnsworth greentext. A jape, not a serious proposal. You... You gotta believe me! No! Where are you dragging me?! Arrgh-...

>>27901151
Yes, I think it was mostly meant as a joke. I doubt there will actually be a tech priest as silly as that. Though maybe one should begin a speech with 'Good news everyone!'.

>>27901016
>Fansworth techmarines
>with Bender dreadnaughts

>>27901185
>You have been accused of inserting a pop culture reference into a serious home brew. I am sure you aware of the brevity of this crime. How do you plead?

>>27901185
A sly reference is something else.

A techmarine going all: Good news, everyone! We're venting atmosphere where we've been boarded!

That's allowable, I think.

>>27901263
>>27901263
Your honor, canon 40k is chock full of pop culture references. Marbo is a clear reference to Rambo, the Dark Angels are named after a poem and their primarch its author. If the creators can take some liberties in the grimdarkness of the far future (wherein there is only war), are we not entitled to the same?

>>27901197
You would be AMAZED at how many goddamn dumbasses see jokes, but think they're for real, and sieze it as an excuse to inject their cancerous LOLRANDOM into something intended to be more legit.

That's why we're so militant in policing jokes and such. Not because we hate your joke, but because the unguarded fortress is soon overrun. We can joke, but ONLY once the actual fanon for the Krakens is solidly established.

>>27900904

Æolus the Chained it is then.

Still the part of directly interfacing with his ship, which is tech heresy.

>>27901343
No. No you are not. Not on 4chan. Not where morons can hide terrible ideas behind "it was only a joke, bro." You can repel stupidity 10,000 times, but on 10,001, the game is over and the homebrew is ruined. And idiots can submit stupid cloaked in jokes 10,001 times with no consequence for themselves, in the hope of reaping the elusive lulz.

You dig?

>>27901320
Looks like there's no consensus for Techpriest Farnsworth. Let's face it, it's best if we keep the references to educated topics and literature, and not cartoons, not matter how funny they may be.

>>27901385
It wasn't really my joke, but I take your point. On the other hand, nothing on these threads is permanent or indeed meant to be. This is just brainstorming and us bouncing ideas of each other. If we say 'no jokes' we kill the element of fun that should definitely be there. You are completely right about establishing the fanon more securely though.

>>27901569
I may be a little oversensitive to that, but only because i've seen SO MANY HOMEBREWS fall down that hole and never return. They either turn into the KIs, or they get trolled out of existence, dragging good ideas down with stupidity.

>>27901596
This Chapter has simply gone too far along one path to fall down into the depths of snowflake Mary Sues or being trolled.

We're just too good for that. As long as we keep the writefagging to a good level of quality, with plenty of references to nautical literature or media, we're fine.

>>27901569
>KI
What's that stand for? I thought I knew most of the homebrews /tg/ had done, but I don't recognise that one.

>>27901644
Was meant for
>>27901596

>>27901644
Knights Inductor.

On a separate note, is Krakendor saving the writefagging before he adds it to the 1d4chan? I'd hate for one of the haters to trash the work.

>>27901644
Knights Inductor I presume

>>27901644
Knights Inductor, one of the single most rage inducing things /tg/'s ever brewed. Fell victim to the "one-five writefags circlejerking their own ideas" syndrome.

>>27901636
"We're just too good for that." Really? The very fact that you say that speaks to me of someone in love with their own ideas, and that's a massive redflag, for arrogance if nothing else.

>>27901667
I'm not sure. Hopefully everyone is saving their own, though things being deleted isn't much of a threat. I believe you can simply undo any changes made by haters.

>>27901678
Try and keep it non-confrontational, there's no need to be rude on a thread for civil discussion.

Quick question from a new guy: are the Star Krakens a codex-standard chapter or a non-standard chapter? Cause it seems to me like they'd have greater numbers like the Black Templars or the Space Wolves.

>>27901678
I love everyone else's ideas.

>>27901714
No one's being rude here, defensive-bro. The feelings you're describing are concerning. Especially because someone has to decide what's quality and what's not.

You assume a lot for an anonymously contributed project. It's amazing how much bullshit can sneak in because it pleases a given namefag's jimmies. This is why namefagging in general is frowned upon.

Your ideas should stand for themselves, not because you stuck your name to it to claim credit. You shouldn't need credit, if you're genuinely concerned about producing good work. Don't take a name and try to take authority.

>>27901753
Pretty codex. They actually have less marines than the full 1000, to keep the powerlevel low and give them more flavor. Everyone's fucking special snowflakes have more than 1000. It's nice to actually self-impose SOME limits for a change on /tg/.

>>27901714
Wiki edits can be undone fairly simply. Such is the power of wiki.

>>27901777
>No one's being rude here
Yes, you are. Just because you're anonymous doesn't mean you should be an ass about it.

>>27901777
>>27901753
Well we started off with more than the 1k Marines, so I don't really think we're that compliant.

>>27901753
They were once overstrength at 1500, but then they got bitchslapped. Now they maintain a strength of about 800, partly so that they never fall to arrogance again.

>>27901777
But but, I only namefag so that people know who to address wiki edit questions to. :'(

>>27901811
>cautioning someone against circlejerking and namefagging
>being rude
>yeah, telling someone they're raising red flags is rude. Sure.

>>27901811
Being too stupid to recognize genuine constructive criticism is one of the reasons /tg/ is the way it is today, bro. Also, dropping the namefag to criticize another anon anonymously is preposterously silly.

Only someone who feels threatened would get that butthurt. Why, then, do you feel threatened?

>>27901753
>>27901816
The full story, quickly summarised is:

>Krakens are codex adherent to the letter
>Go on a Crusade and get fucked on
>Chapter Master Achab decides his orders from the Administratum give him the power to expand the chapter, starts spreading his geneseed.
>Krakens grow to 1500, the big I get interested
>A fleet of renegades, malcontents and Eldar get together to put down these pesky Marines (were they secretly influenced by the Inquisition, we'll never know!)
>Krakens lose badly, their homeworld is burned
>They kill their Chapter Master and retreat to the creepy nebula
>There they do everything they can to avoid hubris and arrogance, and they try to stay codex adherent whilst configuring their companies for life aboard ten independent strike cruisers.

>>27900904
>>27900950

Didn't read, sorry.

>>27900969

see >>27901397, linked the wrong one.

Rewrote it a bit.

Æolus Van Der Decken is the captain of the 6th Company, and leades them from his small battleship Heldeofol II. Curiously, Æolus never leaves the ship's bridge, having chained himself to the command chair, hardwired into the ship, to atone for the deaths his company suffered during his first engagement as captain.

His enemy that day had been Orks, led by a massive warboss which Æolus had boosted he would slay himself in personal combat. His rashness to achieve such glory was almost his undoing however; only 2 dozen brothers remained after their assault on the Warboss' battlebarge, and their proud Battlecruiser Heldeofol was destroyed.

Making planetfall with the last of their drop pods, Van Der Decken and the survivors of his company had to fight a guerrilla war for the next 4 months until the 7th relieved them, albeit incidentally. Captain Thorolfr wanted to slay the Ork warboss himself, which he did, on the planet's surface

that's how much I got for now.

you cool with this mah niggas?

>>27901875
>implying I'm actually I'm a namefag who dropped his name
>implying an anon would never stand up for a namefag against another anon
So how's that paranoia and delusions working out for you?

>>27901916
>implying implications
>paranoia
>lel

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OK, seeing that I nearly broken the thread with my interpretation of a Star Kraken Techmarine, I'll fix this with something that will balance it out. Incoming serious stuff...

Chaplains:
Chaplains are the spiritual leaders of a Chapter. They administer to their brother's spiritual needs, yet some of their functions differ from Chapter to Chapter. Star Kraken Chaplains are peerless warriors that lead their brethren into combat along with the same oratory skills every Chaplain has. Recruited from passing pilgrim ships or other specific sources, the Neophyte that becomes a Chaplain must not only be trained well in theology and have good oratory skills, but must be a good fighter.

Usually, a Chaplain is given a badge of office in the form of a Cronzius Arcanum, yet here the differences end. Star Kraken Chaplains always sport a additional close combat weapon. No pistol, no Storm Bolter, just a extra blade. The Chaplains lead their brethren where the battle is fiercest. Apart of simply leading them and invoking litanies, they will clash with enemy champions in order to slay them and cause a psychological impact on a enemy. Just like their fellow Apothecaries, Star Kraken Chaplains are fiercely protective of their brethren and will unleash fury upon those who grievously harm or kill them.

In their times off the battlefield, apart of administering to the brother's spiritual needs, Chaplains teach the younger members alongside the Librarians. While the Librarians teach of history and legends, Chaplains teach the recruits with the Chapter's traditions, customs and beliefs.

>>27901900
One minor quibble, I'm sorry to bring it up as you're contributing nicely, but we don't use special characters (IE Language)

Aeolus the Chained, please. Considering the heavy Scandanavian influence we'd end up being the Umlaut Marines without this stipulation.

Otherwise I'm shiggy with what you're diggy, and I want to read more.

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Still feeling shit and all fucked up from this flu, so just to prove I'm still working on stuff here's some more wip pictures of the Kraken sergeant I'm painting 1/2

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>>27901969
2/2

>>27901969
>>27901989
Are you a Picasso? Because I just got a boner.

>>27901969
>>27901989
Sweet.

>>27901989
Blue seems a little too deep, but overall not bad.

>obligatory THIN YOUR FUCKING PAINTS

>>27902000
I just want to add:
>dat hazard striped chainsword
Hnng.

>>27902010
I have a khorne lord I invested 2 weeks of my life painting NMM on, with 20+ layers on his armour. And I'm dying of the flu. I couldn't be less arsed thinning my paints right now

>>27902014
I just rediscovered my love of painting things with hazard stripes, they're so glorious.

>>27901777
>>27901875
I popping in and out of this thread, so I apologise if my replies seem late or lazy.

Firstly, I'm afraid that you were being rude, or confrontational at the very least. It's terribly easy to accuse people of special snowflakeyness or mary suedom from an anonymous standing. It's also easy to act like you are a judge, rather than a member of a group of equals. If you genuinely believe that the way you are responding to people is non-confrontational, then I don't think you're really reading your own posts.

I don't think that people using names are better or worse than people without, but it is true that you see more work submitted from namefags. Most of the writing on the wiki can be pinned to namefags. If not, then of course it doesn't matter. I don't use a name for extra power or recognition, but because I like doing so. A sense of identity within the chapter is enjoyable and makes my experience better without damaging other people's.
>You shouldn't need credit, if you're genuinely concerned about producing good work.
Everybody likes credit, whether they want to produce good work or not. Of course I like to see my work praised, but it's not the only reason I take a name. Again, you are being confrontational from an anonymous stand point.

I am not going to engage in any further debate on this, because I don't think it's productive to the chapter or the thread. I'm going to continue writing for the homebrew and I'm going to continue to use my name as well. If you don't like that, well I'm sorry but that's tough luck.

>>27901969
>>27901989
That's some fine ass painting. Have you got any shots with more light?

>>27902000
Would it be possible to have the lengthy battle hymn added to the wiki somewhere? I can fetch it from the archives if so.

>>27902094
I'll take a few properly lit pics when he's done.

As of right now, what do people think of the scheme? I feel like there's no...

Pop(?) to it. Might just be me though

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>>27901936

It's horrible to type anyways, so no probs.

>>27901969

yes.

>>27901989

YES

>dat chapter symbol
>Hazard stripe chainsword

GNNNNN

Just ordered these for my scouts, reminded me of the Red faction Armegaddon reasonable game RF soldiers of the 1st lvl. Think they will look cool on the scouts, and fit with them adjusting to their new eyes (why are scouts not bold, I don't get why)

>>27902094
Soc it to me, bro.

>>27902115
You're right, it does lack in 'pop' but I think that's just a consequence of our chosen colour scheme. It's muted by nature.

>>27902163
>Scouts not bold
If you meant bald I have the answer! Scouts are usually all hairy and such because they've only received a fraction of the geneseed. They're still more human than astartes. Hair is an easy way of showing that.

>>27902115
I sort of know what you mean (though a uniform, undecorative armour is quite IC for the Krakens), perhaps you could highlight the edges of some of the plates with blue or gold?

>>27902198
Will do, one moment.

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>come back from a day of class
>mfw enormous walls of text

Good work, my brothers

wiki updated with two new chronicles, which I know are like a fraction of the writing queued but I'm kind of run off my feet at the moment. Also I've realised that after uploading my four backlogged Chronicles we'll have more Chronicles than Tales...

Anyone feel like banging out some short fiction? Just for a change and to give ole Krakey's fingers a rest?

Also, this a bit nitpicky, but whoever put my story on the Wiki got the title wrong. It's "The Fear of Death", not "Dost Thou Fear Death."

Other than that, thanks for putting it on.

>>27902338
Gobdunnit.

>>27902198
Here's one version;
In darkness dwells that fearsome might
Which heeds its summons to our side
Through war and battle, brawl and fight,
On black tides our blows do ride.

From a strange home we sail toward ports stranger still,
On ships ancient and weary with weapons striking true
In Death's name we travel, the Old King claims our kill
Our guns blaze blood hot, our enemies lay corpse blue


And here's another, which was intended to be a pre-Achab version. In post Achab times, the part that says master would become captain;
In Darkness Dwells that fearsome might
Which heeds its summons to our side
Through war and battle, brawl and fight,
On black tides our boats will ride

From strange home to stranger ports still
Roaming the depths, as is our fate
On ancients ships, by Emperor’s will
On the void’s winds that deliver our hate

Ten flags of ten heroes, lost in the dark
To resurface again when the time is right
Manned by the lost ones is the old ark
Hear the oars strike in the sea with no light

To chapter and master I now speak my vow
To ship and crew I give my life
Emperor guide me to fight your foes now
Emperor guide me to win in this strife

“Arise, arise!” the kraken is beckoned
“Arise, arise!” with ten ship bells
“Arise, arise!” all foes shall be reckoned
“Arise, arise!” -
In Darkness Dwells

>>27902330
I'm in the process as we speak.

>>27902330
I'll be working on the Techmarines again. Seeing that I nearly broken the thread with them, I need to make it up for this.

Plus I did some stuff on the Chaplains. Look up for them.

The Veles

An ancient ship travelling through the Deep, the Veles is considered a bad omen by the Star Krakens. Rumored to be one of the ancient ships to have set sail from Holy Terra all those millenia ago, the Veles is equipped with archeotech rumored to preserve the memories of its crew.

The ship appears out of nowhere, followed only by a sense of dread and respect. Many have compared it to an ancient mausoleum or a temple to a god of death.

Everything on the ship appears damp and wet, with rust clinging everywhere, as if the entire vessel was submerged underwater for ages. Some sections of the ship even have lakes and their own flora - and despite all this damage, the ship functions perfectly.

Closer investigation found that the ship's cryopods have been working perfectly over the last several thousand years, holding the remains of the old colonists in perfect condition. Occasionally, voices can be heard throughout the ship, speaking in dead languages and imparting knowledge of ages long forgotten.

The only inhabitant of the ship ever encountered is called Veles - it is believed that he and the ship are one and same. He will impart knowledge and advise to travelers and other men seeking guidance, but only if the proper respects to the dead and fallen. Often, the old man would offer that the recently deceased would be placed aboard, where their memories would be stored for future use, and their bodies delivered to their final destination.

Despite all the rumors surrounding the ship, there are no traces of Chaos activity near it. The Veles remains a mystery to this day and age.

I tried.

>>27902373
Also a badass piece of art posted last thread. If the anon who posted it is here, please know that this is really cool.

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>>27902400
>forgot pic
>ihatemyselfverymuchrightnow.jpg

>>27902415
Alas I do not know the correct words and rituals to update the wiki with images. If only Hamiltonius were still alive...

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I did a minor update to the character section of the wiki.

Now you can link to specific characters in the index.

In the coming few minutes, I'll set up some links to pieces of writefaggotry featuring each character (e.g. there would be links to stories featuring the Destroyer under his entry).

Unless that's not wanted?

>>27902398
Its shit because you arent a namefag.

>>27902398
A few comments
>Over use of 'rumoured' and 'working perfectly', which can easily be fixed.
>for ages sounds very casual and informal. Consider switching it for 'for an age'.
>How do we know what is inside the ship? Have marines explored it? A elaboration of this would give the tale a better sense of depth.

Other than that, a very nice piece of work to add to the mysticism of the deep.

>>27902583
It's very wanted, nice work.

>>27902598
g8 b8 m8.

>>27902479
Disregard, it's remarkably easy.

>>27902583
Neat.

I've got another writing piece for Mokoyll that'll probably be done tomorrow

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>>27902699
Serious writing, by serious authors, is taken seriously.

A tongue-in-cheek story of the Star Krakens fallen to heresy, only to be retconned poorly as to not offend, written by someone on drugs, will not be taken seriously.

>>27902699
Dude, the guy repeatedly said he was high and said that his own stuff wa shit. did you actually read any of it?

>>27902699
All I'm going to respond with was that I asked for people to be non-confrontational in this thread. I realise my previous comment was in fact somewhat confrontational, and I apologise.

>>27902398
I don't normally reply to the fluff specifics, I just try and edit the wiki. However I feel you're owed a reply now.

It's extremely similar to the Ancient Mariner - an abandoned ghost ship which slips around the Deep at random, Captained by a single old man who dispenses sage advice.

The idea of ancient treasures hidden within the Deep is a good one, focus on that aspect of it. As are mysteries concerning appearing and disappearing vessels. But we already have a ghost captain oracle.

Thanks for the contribution, though.

>>27902775
>>27902777
>>27902813
Sup guys, I wrote that sharks vs kraken shit yesterday, why are people raging about it again? I dont get it, is it against the narrative or something? Because I got an idea and I just put it out there.

>>27902878
Krakendor, could I reformat the hymn in the wiki? The way it's been flattened completely destroys the verse structure.

>>27902922
It's on the wiki, man. Although the name/tag was edited to better fit the spirit of the wiki. Actually if you'd like to edit it you'd be doing us a huge favour, because the way it was uploaded is/was a mess.

>>27902958
That's weird, I had it in verse to begin with, not flattened as it is now. Uno momento.

Also is one of you a mod?!

>>27902985
Kind of at work, I will see what I can do once I get back home
.

>>27902922
>>27902985
Hey, I could have a stab at re-editing it if the original author doesn't mind? Or you can, it's your story after all.

>>27903012
Kind of at work? As in, only partially or as in, you're not sure? Whichever it is the invitation is open.

>>27903067
That's much nicer, thanks. And I see you put the images up as well.

>>27903093
Surely did. Born Scribe of the Administratum I am.

Oh and Mokoyll I kind of uploaded one of your photo's, hope that's okay.

>>27903060
Go ahead, its not my perogative to stop its development.
>>27903067
>Kind of at work? As in, only partially or as in, you're not sure?
I am having my 15 minute break so kind of AT work, not really working.

>>27903192
Well played, sir... Well played.

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Can we get some kind of vote going for the liveries? It's driving me god damn crazy that we have four different schemes this far into the chapter's design.

My personal preference is Alpha

>>27903192
Ok, cool - I'll have a look through, edit what I can and put it up on the wiki in the next day or so. It'll only be minor grammar fixes, nothing big at all, if you don't like anything I've done then I wouldn't complain if you changed it back.

>>27903326
I'm voting for alpha as well. But only because I designed it, so it doesn't really count.

>>27903326
Livery Gamma or Alpha for me.

>>27903213
I just read the descriptions for the chronicles.

>Out of thrones, out of time, out of luck and in unfriendly seas? What's a Void Dog to do when his Cruiser is in need of repairs?
Perfect.

>>27903326
I like Alpha and Gamma together.

The lighter Aqua of Gamma with the helmet stripe and shoulder rims of Alpha.

>>27903420
This.

>>27903420
That's pretty good.

Is the mark deliberately set to MK VIII? I thought Errant was still very rare in the imperium, so it seems odd for us to have it.

>>27903326
Alpha

>>27903473
Guy that made it here. I just REALLY like mark 8.

>>27903473
>I thought Errant was still very rare in the imperium,
Technically so are the Astartes.

>>27903473
>>27903444
>>27903420

Just gonna point out that Alpha + Gamma hybrid is how I painted the marine I posted earlier that everyone was quite fond of

>>27903420
Mocking up this at the moment.

>>27903525
Fair enough, 8 is a good mark. The chest is much more pleasing and the neck line is distinctive. I just wish that in 10,000 years, mars had managed to do more than raise the neck and conceal some pipes. Bloody tech priests.

>>27903529
Hah, that's true. My point still stands though.

Going to sleep now, posting the start of my next tale. Will finish it tomorrow.

There was a clatter, followed almost instantly by a slam. The two more. Slam, slam, slam. Three objects impacted against the metal, and the tension in the atmosphere cracked up another notch. Creaks issued through the air as the objects were shifted and the things they contained were examined. For a few seconds, no-one spoke. Then a voice issued out.

“Three threes”
“Raise, four threes”
“Six fours”
“Hmm... seven fours”
“I call that, you fool”

With those words, the three figures that sat around the metal table raised their leather cups from the surface. Under the cups were ebony dice, five apiece, with small black spots marking the numbers, all except one. Each die had its one represented artfully by a twisting Kraken image, startlingly black on the bleached white. The players all glared at their opponents dice, and the one who had spoken most recently tossed his cup away and cursed. There were only six fours evident among the fifteen dice.

“By the depths, I thought I had you there Gêrôr, I really did”
“Hah, you’ll have to get up earlier than that to out bluff me, Harjek. Hand it over”

The marine named Harjek sighed, and tossed a die over to the gloating Gêrôr. Once again, the three marines raised the leather cups and shock them vigorously, before slamming them onto the table and examining their own dice. Gêrôr started again, casually letting his eyes skim across the six dice under his cup. Then he made his bid.

“Five fives”
“Step carefully, bold one. Six fives”
“Your one to talk. I call that”

>Cont.

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>>27903601
>I just wish that in 10,000 years, mars had managed to do more than raise the neck and conceal some pipes. Bloody tech priests.
So much heresy, such a little post.

>>27903615
Delmore also wore a wolfish grin, while Gêrôr was yet to lose the serene, unreadable expression he employed while his dice were down. Harjek kept up his facade of brash confidence for a few second, until the dice were once again revealed. His were the only sixes, bringing their number to only four. With a grunt, he pushed a die to the third marine at the table. His battle brother’s grin widened still further at his ill grace.

“Cheer up ‘Jek, not everyone can understand the laws of probability. At least you can shoot a bolter. Granted, you never hit anything, but you always work out how to pull the trigger”

Harjek, who was an excellent marksman, wagged a finger at Delmore.

“We’ll just see about that. Again”

And so the game continued. Known as liar’s dice, the game was a popular way of killing time and gaining bragging rights amongst the fourth company. It was all about making calculated guesses on the results of the dice, based on the ones you could see and the bids your opponents had made. The astartes held almost everything in common, so the games were mostly played for honour. Sometimes small trophies or trinkets would change hands, or one astartes would wager a favour to another.


Just a little something to add to the tales section, and add a little more nautical stuff to the chapter. Liar's dice was a traditional sailors game, though it has roots in south America.

>Thoughts, comments?

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>>27903656
Listen to the nice lady sir, and please don't do anything rash.

>>27903660
>the game was a popular way of killing time and gaining bragging rights amongst the fourth company.
I always thought killing time was heresy according to that one timetable about space marines.

When do you reckong is the right time for them to play?

>>27903725
If I recall correctly, time spent travelling the warp can be weeks or even months on a 'normal' journey. A lot of time would be spent training, a lot praying and some eating + sleeping, but surely there are times when they, for want of a better phrase, cut loose and relax? Maybe I'm wrong, in which case it can be forgotten.

>>27903775
http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Daily_rituals_of_a_Space_Marine#.UmhVFVP845c

Apparently

2345 Free Time
Space Marines are permitted this time to reflect upon their duty to The Emperor, however many Chapter Masters regard free time as a frivolous waste, and a dangerous distraction in the extreme.

It also sucks that they only sleep for 4 hours. Man that is gay.

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Here is proposed livery Epsilon, fusing Alpha and Gamma.

>>27903775
This. Most chapters are on a constant cycle of resupply-deploy-fight. The Krakens aren't just because of the fact that a lot of what they do is patrol the Deep.

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>>27903916

nice, just to be nit-picky, I really like this armour scheme for the veterans.

Or is that Varangian exclusive?

>>27903949
What I'm trying to say is that, for Astartes, Krakens would find themselves with a lot of spare time.

>>27903916
This is nice. But we need hazard stripes on the chainswords like >>27901969 and >>27901989.

>>27903992
As far as I can recall the gold scheme was Varangian.

>>27903326
Beta's really nice. I like the understated nature of it. Fits well with the gloom of the deep sea and deep space.

>>27903995
ohyou.jpeg

>>27904243

Nigger you started this shit now I'll fuck up all my chainswords until I get that right

MUST
HAVE
HAZARD MARKS

>>27904330
Iron Warriors much?

Good hustle today guys.

>>27903916
I like the golden eyes on this slightly better than the red ones I have painted up, I'll see about changing my dude.

More writing + painting to follow tomorrow.

Have a good one brothers!