Crae
09-19-2009, 02:24 PM
The first step
Druid T'boran stood on the ruins of the old concrete factory. With aged steel gray eyes he gazed down on the fight raging below him, in the ruined factory.
A youth was fighting two heavy armed kinsmen, to protect his fallen leader. The youth was armed with little more than a iron rod and a stub gun.
The two kinsmen measured up the youth, put away their guns and took out their Sword's. T'boran was pleased, it seemed the old ways hadn't totally been forgotten.
The youth threw his stub gun over to his leader and waited for the kinsmen to make a move. T'boran didn't expect the youth to last long. He was brave but foolish, to think he had a chance against two experienced and better armed fighters. One of the kinsmen lounged at the youth with a flurry of blows, that almost ended with the youth losing his head. The youth managed to avoid getting hit at the last second and the kinsman over reached. As the kinsman stumbled past him, the rod came slamming down with a crunching sound, that to T'boran sounded like a crushed skull. The grey matter that oozed out as the kinsman fell to the ground, left no doubt.
The second kinsman acted and charged at the youth, with a roar. He slashed a huge gaping wound in the youths stomach, as the youth turned around to defend himself. The youth screamed and fell to the ground clinging to the iron rod and his innards. The kinsman rose his sword to finish the job and as he swung down to send the youth to his ancestors. The youth gather his last might and stabbed the kinsman through the stomach, impaling him as he swung his sword down to finish him. The kinsman collapsed over the youth and they both fell to the ground in a bloody pile.
The life blood of the warriors slowly sank into the earth.
The old druid climbed down the ruins and started to walk over towards the bloody pile of bodies. The gang leader screamed as he saw the hulking druid walking towards him and the bodies. He started to pray to the ancestors to protect him against the angel of death.
T'boran remembered his own "death", back when he had been a youth. He knew how the sight of the hulking black armored, robed and skull faced "Angel of death", affected people. He had himself, been chosen to serve the living ancestor, the Emperor. He still remembered his own blood gushing out of his body, each drop one more step towards death. He knelt above the youth, as had the druid back then, knelt over him and asked him the very same words, he was about to ask this youth.
"Young warrior. The living ancestor has chosen you to serve him in death. Will you rise again, to pick up arms in his name ?"
Most never had the strength to answer or where already on the way to their ancestral halls. But some, as this youth, accepted. It would be the first step he took, to becoming a Revenant, one of the returned.
The youth fainted as T'boran picked him up and started to walk away with him.
The gang leader had passed out nose first in the dirt and didn't see the rhino that arrive to pick them up.
Another myth to be added to the angel of death and the returned, The Revenants.
---------------------
This was the first thing I wrote about my spacemarine chapter the Revenants. I have recently picked up gaming again and I am restarting my chapter "The Revenants". They have always been based around the Spacewolves codex and seeing that the new one comes out in October, I thought it would be a good idea for me to finally get something written down about them that is a bit more fleshed out.
I normally play ork (since 2nd ed. and a bit of eldar) but I have played spacemarines too (2nd ed.) and have always liked them.
My normal opponents are chaos ( my mates all seem to have a love for them) and dark eldar.
Lack of Imperial presence cannot be tolerated, any more and the Revenant have been send to cleanse the system of the unholy spawns of the warp.
The intention with this post is to get some feedback on the stories and background for my chapter. I would even love to see some of the talented writers rewrite my stories, since English is my second language.
Some stuff about the Revenants and how I imagine them:
meaning of revenant: [A revenant is a visible ghost or animated corpse that was believed to return from the grave to terrorize the living. The word "revenant" is derived from the French, revenir, "to return"; in French, "revenant" means "returning".]
Inspiration: [Celts had a reputation as head hunters. According to Paul Jacobsthal, "Amongst the Celts the human head was venerated above all else, since the head was to the Celt the soul, centre of the emotions as well as of life itself, a symbol of divinity and of the powers of the other-world."]
[Archaeology provides much information regarding the material culture of the Celts, but the significance of these finds in determining how the ancient Celts actually fought is the subject of much speculation. It was long thought, for instance, that the Celts were head hunters but recent research from France has indicated that it may have been the heads of slain allies that were collected to be placed in porticos, while the defeated were dumped in mass graves, their weapons ritually broken.]
Images:
Torc - Jewelry, heavy circle of gold for the neck or arms.
Blue skin
Tattoos - Celtic inspired.Both armour and skin
Long sword - Leaf blade...not sure if I want that thou.
The Skull (chapter symbol) and skulls that represent the spirits of the fallen that are still with them in the eternal struggle against the emperors foes.
Cavalry models: Bear instead of wolfs, maybe whitelion as mount's (depends
on size). Celts are known for horse cavalry, but does not seem realistic to use for SM....thinking either bear or huge sabertooth cat like thingies.
Cairn's (pile of stones indicating a burial mount)
The carnyx was a wind instrument of the Iron age Celts. It is a kind of bronze trumpet, held vertically, the mouth styled in the shape of a boar's head. It was used in warfare probably to incite troops to battle and intimidate opponents
A clan is a group of people united by kinship or decent, which is defined by actual or perceived descent from a common ancestor. Even if actual lineage patterns are unknown, clan members may nonetheless recognize a founding member or ancestor . The kinship-based bonds may be merely symbolical in nature, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor which is a symbol of the clan's unity. When this ancestor is not human, this is referred to as animallian totem. Clans can be most easily described as tribes or sub-groups of tribes.
Symbol/totemic animals:
Cat/lion
Wolf/dog
Bear
Eagle/falcon
Raven
Horse
Fox
Snake
Stag
Recruits/home world:
Location: <undecided>
Planet: Beloris
Geography/layout: The planet is a former heavy industrial planet and consists of huge mountains, barrens and woods. Most of the cities on the planet where hive worlds, inhabited by billions of humans that worked and toiled in the massive mines and industries. The planet was devastated by a civil war, that no one really remembers any more. The "Great war" devastated human life on the planet and left it a wild and forsaken place. Where it is not to polluted, nature and wildlife has completely taken over. The country side is full of wildlife, that prospered after humans where almost whipped from the surface.
The Revenants recruit from Beloris. The remaining humans have formed up clans and kinships that fight over territory, food and weapons. The hardship endured by these people make for perfect recruits. There are huge wastes of uninhabitable areas, that are infected with mutated and deformed humans and wildlife. These deviants have reverted to a primal stage and practice cannibalism. The remaining humans are often attacked by them and have to defend them self or get eaten. They clans have access to low tech weapons and vehicles, but nothing to advanced. There still exists relics from the time before the "Great war", but almost no one can figure out how to work them.
The humans believe that their spirit resides in the head and that when they die, the most important thing is to return their heads to their ancestral burial graves (cairn). Then their spirits can rest in peace with the ancestors in their family halls. The clans and kinships are tightly knit and ferociously fight against mutated creatures, cannibalistic humans and each other. They endure whatever this world throws against them. The clans usually reside in forts or similar defensive structures, build on the ruins of the old hive cities and industrial areas. The ancestral cairns are in these forts. They are roughly divided into 4 social levels. The kinsmen that are the defenders and warriors of the clan. The druids that are the priesthood and healers, the lore keepers that act as teachers and judges in disputes and the crafting classes like smiths, techno magi, bakers, farmers and such. Clan markings, colors and tattoos marks the joining of the social structure. You are not considered part of the social structure until you have grown into adulthood. The youths, as the young warriors are called, server the different social classes, to learn as much as possible. Sometimes the angel of death appears and some the youths are called to serve the living ancestor (the emperor). The angel of death is clad in black armor, robes and has the face of death (skull). He watches as the clans fight, if any of the youths fall, he picks out the fallen that will return as the chosen of the living ancestor. The youth is lost for all eternity to the living ancestor and will never return to their ancestral home. It is an honor to serve the living ancestor, but a huge sacrifice too. You surrender you spirit to him and in return you are allowed to join the rank of the returned, the Revenants. It is considered a great boon to have one of the immortals chose one of your clan members.
-And here is one of my problems. What is the motivation to say yes to join? is honor enough or?
The Revenants chapter reside on the star (space?) fortress " Souls vigil "
They consider them self to be part of a new clan and descendant to the living ancestor. They have returned from the brink of death to fight for him and will serve until the day they fall and will be interned in the halls of the chapter. They will then join the living ancestor in death and fight eternally at his side. The combat formations of the Revenants are more lose then a lot of other spacemarine chapters, they fight in "Clans" that equals a company and "Kinships" that are about the size of squads.
The skull is the revenants chapter symbol. They have black armor and wear the color of their clan on the one shoulder and the chapter mark on the other. the individual clans and kinships have their own symbol too. Armor is adorned with symbols, colours and markings (Celtic inspired) of their clan.
Units
The Restless - (Hot bloods/youths, Lion )[ aka. bloodclaws]
The new recruits form a kinship of restless that they will stay in until one of the older Reborn kinships will "adopt" them. The Restless are eager to fight and prove them self.
The Reborn - (Klansmen or Wolves) ?)[aka. Grey hunters]
When you have fought for the emperor in countless battles, you become a member of the Reborn. You are more focused and that is when you have been truly reborn. Now you serve the chapter, the clan and your kinsmen....but first and foremost, you serve the living ancestor, the Emperor.
The Ancient - (Eagle) [aka. Long fangs]
The ancients are the eldest in the chapter. Any leader will wisely listen to them as they posses age old knowledge. Thou old and not so hot blooded any more, they fight with a steady hand and keep their heads cold where most kinsmen would break the line and charge into combat,
The Clanguard - (Bears) [aka. Wolfguard]
Are the most experienced warriors in the clan. they lead the kinsmen and train the new recruits. They Protect the clan chief and even from time to time lead the clan into combat.
Waywardens - (Fox) [wolf scouts]
Cunning loners that act as eyes and ears of the clans
Druid - (Raven/crow) [aka. Wolf priest]
The priests and healers of the chapter. They see to the spiritual and physical well being of the revenants. They oversee the gene pool and they alone chose the fallen that may join the chapter.
Lorekeeper - (Owl) [aka. Runepriests]
The guardians of the sagas and knowledge of the chapter. Most are also psykers and they function as teachers and judges when there is disputes between the clans or Kinsmen.
Techno magi -(aka. Ironpriest)
Outsiders of the chapter. They are loners that tend to prefer technology more then, fellow marines. They tend to the equipment and vehicles of the clans.
It will be fleshed out more along the way, but it is a start :) Feel free to throw in comments, feedback or whatever.
Inspirational pic's
http://www.freeuploadimages.org/images/kmojeu81g4j4i5z694um.jpg
Symbols
http://http://www.freeuploadimages.org/images/5go2ospc3fo2vcriqrls.jpg
http://http://www.freeuploadimages.org/images/c5q3x0qt6xqm9kv3row.jpg
Druid T'boran stood on the ruins of the old concrete factory. With aged steel gray eyes he gazed down on the fight raging below him, in the ruined factory.
A youth was fighting two heavy armed kinsmen, to protect his fallen leader. The youth was armed with little more than a iron rod and a stub gun.
The two kinsmen measured up the youth, put away their guns and took out their Sword's. T'boran was pleased, it seemed the old ways hadn't totally been forgotten.
The youth threw his stub gun over to his leader and waited for the kinsmen to make a move. T'boran didn't expect the youth to last long. He was brave but foolish, to think he had a chance against two experienced and better armed fighters. One of the kinsmen lounged at the youth with a flurry of blows, that almost ended with the youth losing his head. The youth managed to avoid getting hit at the last second and the kinsman over reached. As the kinsman stumbled past him, the rod came slamming down with a crunching sound, that to T'boran sounded like a crushed skull. The grey matter that oozed out as the kinsman fell to the ground, left no doubt.
The second kinsman acted and charged at the youth, with a roar. He slashed a huge gaping wound in the youths stomach, as the youth turned around to defend himself. The youth screamed and fell to the ground clinging to the iron rod and his innards. The kinsman rose his sword to finish the job and as he swung down to send the youth to his ancestors. The youth gather his last might and stabbed the kinsman through the stomach, impaling him as he swung his sword down to finish him. The kinsman collapsed over the youth and they both fell to the ground in a bloody pile.
The life blood of the warriors slowly sank into the earth.
The old druid climbed down the ruins and started to walk over towards the bloody pile of bodies. The gang leader screamed as he saw the hulking druid walking towards him and the bodies. He started to pray to the ancestors to protect him against the angel of death.
T'boran remembered his own "death", back when he had been a youth. He knew how the sight of the hulking black armored, robed and skull faced "Angel of death", affected people. He had himself, been chosen to serve the living ancestor, the Emperor. He still remembered his own blood gushing out of his body, each drop one more step towards death. He knelt above the youth, as had the druid back then, knelt over him and asked him the very same words, he was about to ask this youth.
"Young warrior. The living ancestor has chosen you to serve him in death. Will you rise again, to pick up arms in his name ?"
Most never had the strength to answer or where already on the way to their ancestral halls. But some, as this youth, accepted. It would be the first step he took, to becoming a Revenant, one of the returned.
The youth fainted as T'boran picked him up and started to walk away with him.
The gang leader had passed out nose first in the dirt and didn't see the rhino that arrive to pick them up.
Another myth to be added to the angel of death and the returned, The Revenants.
---------------------
This was the first thing I wrote about my spacemarine chapter the Revenants. I have recently picked up gaming again and I am restarting my chapter "The Revenants". They have always been based around the Spacewolves codex and seeing that the new one comes out in October, I thought it would be a good idea for me to finally get something written down about them that is a bit more fleshed out.
I normally play ork (since 2nd ed. and a bit of eldar) but I have played spacemarines too (2nd ed.) and have always liked them.
My normal opponents are chaos ( my mates all seem to have a love for them) and dark eldar.
Lack of Imperial presence cannot be tolerated, any more and the Revenant have been send to cleanse the system of the unholy spawns of the warp.
The intention with this post is to get some feedback on the stories and background for my chapter. I would even love to see some of the talented writers rewrite my stories, since English is my second language.
Some stuff about the Revenants and how I imagine them:
meaning of revenant: [A revenant is a visible ghost or animated corpse that was believed to return from the grave to terrorize the living. The word "revenant" is derived from the French, revenir, "to return"; in French, "revenant" means "returning".]
Inspiration: [Celts had a reputation as head hunters. According to Paul Jacobsthal, "Amongst the Celts the human head was venerated above all else, since the head was to the Celt the soul, centre of the emotions as well as of life itself, a symbol of divinity and of the powers of the other-world."]
[Archaeology provides much information regarding the material culture of the Celts, but the significance of these finds in determining how the ancient Celts actually fought is the subject of much speculation. It was long thought, for instance, that the Celts were head hunters but recent research from France has indicated that it may have been the heads of slain allies that were collected to be placed in porticos, while the defeated were dumped in mass graves, their weapons ritually broken.]
Images:
Torc - Jewelry, heavy circle of gold for the neck or arms.
Blue skin
Tattoos - Celtic inspired.Both armour and skin
Long sword - Leaf blade...not sure if I want that thou.
The Skull (chapter symbol) and skulls that represent the spirits of the fallen that are still with them in the eternal struggle against the emperors foes.
Cavalry models: Bear instead of wolfs, maybe whitelion as mount's (depends
on size). Celts are known for horse cavalry, but does not seem realistic to use for SM....thinking either bear or huge sabertooth cat like thingies.
Cairn's (pile of stones indicating a burial mount)
The carnyx was a wind instrument of the Iron age Celts. It is a kind of bronze trumpet, held vertically, the mouth styled in the shape of a boar's head. It was used in warfare probably to incite troops to battle and intimidate opponents
A clan is a group of people united by kinship or decent, which is defined by actual or perceived descent from a common ancestor. Even if actual lineage patterns are unknown, clan members may nonetheless recognize a founding member or ancestor . The kinship-based bonds may be merely symbolical in nature, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor which is a symbol of the clan's unity. When this ancestor is not human, this is referred to as animallian totem. Clans can be most easily described as tribes or sub-groups of tribes.
Symbol/totemic animals:
Cat/lion
Wolf/dog
Bear
Eagle/falcon
Raven
Horse
Fox
Snake
Stag
Recruits/home world:
Location: <undecided>
Planet: Beloris
Geography/layout: The planet is a former heavy industrial planet and consists of huge mountains, barrens and woods. Most of the cities on the planet where hive worlds, inhabited by billions of humans that worked and toiled in the massive mines and industries. The planet was devastated by a civil war, that no one really remembers any more. The "Great war" devastated human life on the planet and left it a wild and forsaken place. Where it is not to polluted, nature and wildlife has completely taken over. The country side is full of wildlife, that prospered after humans where almost whipped from the surface.
The Revenants recruit from Beloris. The remaining humans have formed up clans and kinships that fight over territory, food and weapons. The hardship endured by these people make for perfect recruits. There are huge wastes of uninhabitable areas, that are infected with mutated and deformed humans and wildlife. These deviants have reverted to a primal stage and practice cannibalism. The remaining humans are often attacked by them and have to defend them self or get eaten. They clans have access to low tech weapons and vehicles, but nothing to advanced. There still exists relics from the time before the "Great war", but almost no one can figure out how to work them.
The humans believe that their spirit resides in the head and that when they die, the most important thing is to return their heads to their ancestral burial graves (cairn). Then their spirits can rest in peace with the ancestors in their family halls. The clans and kinships are tightly knit and ferociously fight against mutated creatures, cannibalistic humans and each other. They endure whatever this world throws against them. The clans usually reside in forts or similar defensive structures, build on the ruins of the old hive cities and industrial areas. The ancestral cairns are in these forts. They are roughly divided into 4 social levels. The kinsmen that are the defenders and warriors of the clan. The druids that are the priesthood and healers, the lore keepers that act as teachers and judges in disputes and the crafting classes like smiths, techno magi, bakers, farmers and such. Clan markings, colors and tattoos marks the joining of the social structure. You are not considered part of the social structure until you have grown into adulthood. The youths, as the young warriors are called, server the different social classes, to learn as much as possible. Sometimes the angel of death appears and some the youths are called to serve the living ancestor (the emperor). The angel of death is clad in black armor, robes and has the face of death (skull). He watches as the clans fight, if any of the youths fall, he picks out the fallen that will return as the chosen of the living ancestor. The youth is lost for all eternity to the living ancestor and will never return to their ancestral home. It is an honor to serve the living ancestor, but a huge sacrifice too. You surrender you spirit to him and in return you are allowed to join the rank of the returned, the Revenants. It is considered a great boon to have one of the immortals chose one of your clan members.
-And here is one of my problems. What is the motivation to say yes to join? is honor enough or?
The Revenants chapter reside on the star (space?) fortress " Souls vigil "
They consider them self to be part of a new clan and descendant to the living ancestor. They have returned from the brink of death to fight for him and will serve until the day they fall and will be interned in the halls of the chapter. They will then join the living ancestor in death and fight eternally at his side. The combat formations of the Revenants are more lose then a lot of other spacemarine chapters, they fight in "Clans" that equals a company and "Kinships" that are about the size of squads.
The skull is the revenants chapter symbol. They have black armor and wear the color of their clan on the one shoulder and the chapter mark on the other. the individual clans and kinships have their own symbol too. Armor is adorned with symbols, colours and markings (Celtic inspired) of their clan.
Units
The Restless - (Hot bloods/youths, Lion )[ aka. bloodclaws]
The new recruits form a kinship of restless that they will stay in until one of the older Reborn kinships will "adopt" them. The Restless are eager to fight and prove them self.
The Reborn - (Klansmen or Wolves) ?)[aka. Grey hunters]
When you have fought for the emperor in countless battles, you become a member of the Reborn. You are more focused and that is when you have been truly reborn. Now you serve the chapter, the clan and your kinsmen....but first and foremost, you serve the living ancestor, the Emperor.
The Ancient - (Eagle) [aka. Long fangs]
The ancients are the eldest in the chapter. Any leader will wisely listen to them as they posses age old knowledge. Thou old and not so hot blooded any more, they fight with a steady hand and keep their heads cold where most kinsmen would break the line and charge into combat,
The Clanguard - (Bears) [aka. Wolfguard]
Are the most experienced warriors in the clan. they lead the kinsmen and train the new recruits. They Protect the clan chief and even from time to time lead the clan into combat.
Waywardens - (Fox) [wolf scouts]
Cunning loners that act as eyes and ears of the clans
Druid - (Raven/crow) [aka. Wolf priest]
The priests and healers of the chapter. They see to the spiritual and physical well being of the revenants. They oversee the gene pool and they alone chose the fallen that may join the chapter.
Lorekeeper - (Owl) [aka. Runepriests]
The guardians of the sagas and knowledge of the chapter. Most are also psykers and they function as teachers and judges when there is disputes between the clans or Kinsmen.
Techno magi -(aka. Ironpriest)
Outsiders of the chapter. They are loners that tend to prefer technology more then, fellow marines. They tend to the equipment and vehicles of the clans.
It will be fleshed out more along the way, but it is a start :) Feel free to throw in comments, feedback or whatever.
Inspirational pic's
http://www.freeuploadimages.org/images/kmojeu81g4j4i5z694um.jpg
Symbols
http://http://www.freeuploadimages.org/images/5go2ospc3fo2vcriqrls.jpg
http://http://www.freeuploadimages.org/images/c5q3x0qt6xqm9kv3row.jpg