List of "Nice" Chapters

[ElectricPaladin]

I've got this vague idea for a Rogue Trader character, with the seed being that he started his life as a chapter serf aboard a space marine battlebarge. He's the start of a new family, with a fresh Writ of Trade that his former masters wrangled for him as reward for some sort of exemplary service. I like the idea of playing a mortal with a somewhat space marinish view of the world. I also hope the GM is willing to deal with the way the more established Rogue Trader families will view this poor sucker, probably while salivating.

Anyway, the question I have is this: which space marine chapter(s) a) have chapter serfs who aren't just braindead servitors and b) would be inclined to reward exemplary service or heroism from one such serf in such a way?

[jgebi]

Well night lords would be one, But I think most marines have atlest one who is his attendant and not just brain dead

[Nabterayl]

Most serfs aren't braindead. Remember, serfs crew the chapter fleet, conduct boarding actions, repel boarders, serve as the chapter's civilian administrative staff, serve in the PDF of planet-bound chapters, and do all sorts of things that require a fairly high level of skill. If you served aboard a battle barge in particular, then you were likely very highly skilled at your job even by Navy standards.

[ElectricPaladin]

Most serfs aren't braindead. Remember, serfs crew the chapter fleet, conduct boarding actions, repel boarders, serve as the chapter's civilian administrative staff, serve in the PDF of planet-bound chapters, and do all sorts of things that require a fairly high level of skill. If you served aboard a battle barge in particular, then you were likely very highly skilled at your job even by Navy standards.

Fair enough. Somehow I thought there were chapters who were mostly served by servitors... anyway, in that case, which chapter do you think is most inclined to reward an extraordinary mortal, and has the pull to do so?

[Nabterayl]

Fair enough. Somehow I thought there were chapters who were mostly served by servitors... anyway, in that case, which chapter do you think is most inclined to reward an extraordinary mortal, and has the pull to do so?
I'm sure somewhere out there there are :p And most of the Fleet is "crewed" by servitors - but there are still able-bodied humans who form the bulk of the non-servitor crew on Fleet vessels.

In terms of extraordinary rewards, the Space Wolves jump immediately to mind as a chapter that is unusually humane. The Ultramarines also come to mind, because they actually rule over Ultramar as opposed to simply recruiting from it (and would thus probably see their serfs more as real people than most chapters). I've never heard of a chapter actually doing something like this ("serf" itself is an exalted rank compared to "subject to the rule of a space marine chapter"), so I can't offer any directly on-point suggestions.

[Deadlift]

Salamanders are well known to be dedicated to humanity, and will do their utmost to protect humans caught in between conflicts. Known to come into conflict with other loyalist chapters who have allowed their actions to cause high collateral damage amongst humans during action.

Found this in Lexicanum as an example


Many chapters fought in the name of the Emperor, or for personal glory. Of the fully twenty chapters, only the Salamanders fought for the people of Armageddon. According to rumors, Tu'Shan himself came to blows with Captain Vinyar of the Marines Malevolent, when the latter shelled a refugee camp the Orks had penetrated. Vinyar is said to have left the civilians to die because he "hadn´t time" to defend them, a notion which greatly angered the Chapter Master. After the Season of Fire, only two Companies were left to protect the major population centers, while the Chapter's Techmarines have been busy rebuilding the destroyed infrastructure.Tu'Shan also left a squad of Firedrakes with the Blood Angels as an honour
guard for the fallen Captain Tycho.

Having re-read the Salamanders trilogy just a few times, it's evident that the Salamanders have a close bond with their Serfs and Branding priests. Rewarding their good work in service.

They maybe black skinned and red eyed but long with the Space Wolves, these 2 chapters I think are most likely to still feel the most connection with the humanity they originated from.

[Aegwymourn]

I would say either Salamanders as Deadlift pointed out, Space Wolves have a long standing tradition of keeping able-bodies serfs (see Ragnar series by William King). I would point out it could be possible by the Ultramanies and possibly the Imperial Fists. Both have traditions of good relations with different systems.

[Animus Silvanna]

They maybe black skinned and red eyed but long with the Space Wolves, these 2 chapters I think are most likely to still feel the most connection with the humanity they originated from.
I most definitely agree. I have not read the Salamanders series ( although its on my to-do) I have read all the Ragnar series, And one particular passages comes to mine in the second book Ragnar's Claw where its his first time going off world and ride in an imperial ship thats stocked with worker gangs and such that he can actually smell the fear and anguish of the crew. Where as in the next book Grey Hunter he is on a Space Wolves strike cruiser and recalls the difference that they actually take care of their serfs and are part of the Space Wolves as far as their necessity goes.

Certainly I would say that he wouldn't be a serf of a Inquisition ship since even the ones that are still human are all mind wiped and only have numbers for names and don't even speak mostly that and the inquisition wouldn't care if they did something heroic they would be like "Ohh Thanks for doing your job!!! But we have to erase your memories cause you could be carrying yucky chaos Kooties".

[Mr.Pickelz]

Here's some BFG Fan Written Fluff on the Space Wolves, as well as some ship rules. the part to take note of is in the Mars Class Battlecruiser that Ragnar inherited from Berek Thunderfist... Also to note that as stated, the Space wolves and Salamanders both use normal humans in multiple positions aboard their respective ships, from gunners to engineer's, even on the bridge.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/35336624/Warp-Rift-13

[Nabterayl]

Important to note too that a serf is an initiate in the chapter cult, from which we can see that most space marine subjects are not. Most chapters treat their serfs well, even if they don't treat their subjects well. Despite the name, a "serf" is a valued, highly trained professional.

[Mr Mystery]

Many are failed aspirants to boot, and thus harder than average...

[The Sovereign]

Ultramarines, Salamanders, and Imperial and Crimson Fists all seem to be pretty humane toward mere mortals. I see Space Wolves getting thrown around here, but honestly there's just as much fluff and Black Library literature to suggest they're pretty vicious toward humans, sometimes maiming them simply out of irritation. Read Battle of the Fang, Prospero Burns, A Thousand Sons, and listen to pretty much any of the audio dramas. Wolves respect strength, however, and regard humans that show exceptional bravery or savagery in battle as worthy of some level of (relative) respect. Long story short, I wouldn't want to be one of their serfs. :/

But then I guess you could say most chapters are portrayed differently depending on the author.